HYGGE AND KNITTING, TWO WORDS THAT BELONG TOGETHER…

Knitting and Hygge are two words that belong together simply implying what Hygge is all about. As Meik Wiking – CEO of The Happiness Research Institute has said, “Hygge has been translated as everything from the art of creating intimacy to cosiness of the soul to taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things.”

 

If you haven’t learnt how to knit before then now is the time to do so. Knitting is back in fashion from knitting simple tea cosies to bed throws and even recycling old sweaters into new ones.

The web has an abundance of sites with some giving tutorials on how to knit and others giving you a choice of many free patterns to start your knitting.

Once we come out of lockdown I am sure the ever popular knitting groups will thrive again. A very popular one is called Stitch and Bitch and there is also a great book from Amazon at £10.99 Stitch ‘n Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook – The Stitch ‘n Bitch Handbook by Debbie Stoller covers every aspect of knitting and the knitting-together lifestyle: the how-to, the when-to, the what-to and why-to. Writing with wit and attitude, Debbie Stoller explains why young women are taking up knitting in droves and covers everything you need to know to get your knit on – from the tools of the trade to casting on and binding off to getting fancy – all with step-by-step illustrated techniques. Then it’s time to pick up the sticks: at the heart of this book are forty stylish patterns that are as hip to wear as they are to knit, as good for beginners as they are for purly pros.

Another popular one is UK Hand Knitting where you all meet for a natter while knitting your favourite jumper. Just click on your area on their map to find your nearest group. Some great sites for knitters include The Daily Knitter where you can find lots of Free patterns and  Knitting Help which has free tutorial videos to help you knit.

According to Wikipedia, Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them. This process eventually results in a final product, often a garment.

Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. There exist numerous styles and methods of hand knitting.

Different yarns and knitting needles may be used to achieve different end products by giving the final piece a different colour, texture, weight, and/or integrity. Using needles of varying shape and thickness as well as different varieties of yarn can also change the effect.

Yarnspirations sell Hygge yarn which is extremely soft and drapey, despite its quick-to-stitch bulky size. The base yarn is twisted with a fur end, which adds a lovely texture that is wonderful to work with, and snuggle up in! This gorgeous braided cable knit throw comes with a free knitting pattern. Just head to Yarnspirations website.

The Independant wrote that “There is an enormous amount of research showing that knitting has physical and mental health benefits, that it slows the onset of dementia, combats depression and distracts from chronic pain.” “In addition to its calming effects, knitting a quilt or a pair of mittens can distract from chronic pain – as focus is turned elsewhere. And the repetitive movements required to create a pattern release calming serotonin, which can lift moods and dull pain, according to the findings.”

A brilliant book if you are new to knitting is ‘The Complete Beginners Guide to Knitting: Everything you need to know to start to knit’, by Sian Brown, Lou Butt, and Janine le Cras on Amazon for £10 From lavish fashion trends to homemade gifts, add a hand-crafted touch to your garments, gifts and decorations. Start by choosing your yarn and needles before getting to grips with casting on, knitting, purling, ribbing and casting off again. Once you’ve mastered the essentials, you’ll put your newfound skills into practice with a range of creative project patterns that are perfect for newbie knitters. Get all the essential tools and materials before mastering simple stitches, Easy to follow patterns . Add a professional finish to your projects with pockets, hems, buttons and more. Refine your knitting skills while creating great gifts, garments and decorations. So pick up your needles today, and you’ll be an expert in no time at all!

STUNNING CERAMIC CANDLE HOLDERS AND DIFFUSERS DECORATED WITH 22 CARAT GOLD FOR YOUR HOME…

There are candles then there are candles but there are not many as stunning as these ceramic candle holders and diffusers for your home. Chase and Wonder have a feast for senses. Their stunning range includes The Flower Lady, The Library, The Orangery, The Enchanted Forest, The Jungle, The Country Garden, The Seashore, The Botanist, The Dashing Gent, and The Tropical Paradise.

Feedback for all their products are five stars and as well as the candles they do the same stunning range in diffusers. They say they believe candles should be a joy to smell, and fill the room with elegant notes that are so evocative they transport you to a forgotten past, a cherished memory, on an adventure you are yet to take.

So they spent many months perfecting each one of their fragrances so that the final result would be sophisticated, memorable and contain many layers of aroma.

The candles come in a reusable ceramic vessel with a luxe gift box and are hand-decorated with real 22 Carat gold for £48 – £55

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Luxury, hand poured scented Candle
  • Approx 90 hour burn time (50% longer than our glass candles)
  • 300g of vegan friendly soy wax.
  • 84mm diameter, 89mm high reusable ceramic container (perfect for pens, plants, and trinkets)
  • Proudly Made in Great Britain

The diffusers also come in a luxe presentation/gift box with gold foil detail (box measures 325mm x 127mm x 84mm) which also has 22 carat gold hand painted detail for £78

The box contains:

1 x Hand decorated ceramic diffuser with 22 carat gold hand painted detail
(78mm diameter x 110mm high)
1 x 200 ml of Alcohol free fragrance (lasting up to 6 months)1 x pack of (7) 240mm long black reeds

What makes their diffusers so special well they believe fragrance should be sophisticated, memorable and multi layered. It should be joy to smell, and fill the room with elegant notes that are designed to transport you to a forgotten past, a cherished memory, on an adventure you are yet to take.

Their passion in this belief led them to working for many months with a fragrance house to ensure that each one of our scents had the characteristics, uniqueness and depth that we demanded and would be proud of.

Their diffusers are hand poured in small batches using a blend of premium fragrances, to ensure that your room will be filled with the delicious scent almost instantaneously.

Of course, a few of this beautiful range are already sold out but if you pop over to the Chase and Wonder website now and are a new customer you can get a 10% discount for signing up with your email.



CUSHIONS TO FINISH YOUR STYLE OF HOME…

If, like me, you love your cushions then you will love some of the ones I have found . Having moved to the coast last year I cannot get enough coastal themed ones which seem to be very popular this year.

Cushions can completely change the room theme and colour and every year I change the cushions in at least one room. Check out some of these below to change yours.

Hunter & Co have a range called Coastal Modern is one of the biggest influences in their curated collection as they say they just adore all shades blue, green and white (yes there really are different shades of white!) from their handmade Dhurrie rugs to stylish ceramic vases to gorgeous art prints.

I just love these two cushion covers, Railey and Elliott, both £38 – the emerald green and nautical blue with pretty tassels.

Home Monger is another gorgeous site and has some unique hand woven raffia cushion covers with fringe detail adding natural texture to your home.

£55

This natural cushion pad in cotton and linen is trimmed in feathers and has a zip fastening at £50

If you like linen then you will love True Linen website and these two beauties. The woven fabric in light grey or pink is so natural and calming and a perfect match for my own bedrooms colour scheme. They are made of 100% soft linen and cost £39.99

Finally another of my favourite companies for many things is Made who have lots and lots of cushions but two of my favourite ones are this Bowker storm green stripe one for a reasonable £25.

Bowker Stripe £25
Ryker Cushion £25