Simon Penson

After an article appeared in the Oxford Mail before Christmas, the John Radcliffe Hospital’s special care baby unit has been inundated with volunteers offering to knit special clothes for premature babies. Women at the Wantage Day Care centre began knitting the clothes for the tiny children back in 2007, and what started out as a few blankets, hats and booties has grown and grown, with regular deliveries of clothing now arriving at the centre.

Knitting is something that a lot of people enjoy doing as a hobby, opting for the enjoyment and challenging nature associated with the pastime, anxiously waiting to finish so they can marvel at what they’ve spent, in some cases, weeks or months creating.

When it comes to a new born baby, you can almost guarantee that the parents will be inundated with gifts including various items of clothing – with many knitted by the friend or family member – but the problem with premature babies is that they are often much smaller, so the baby clothes available in stores are simply too big for the child. This project has helped the parents find a solution to their clothing issues, and the coordinator of the project, Margaret Fell, has admitted that she has been “overwhelmed” by the support and donations they have received.

She told the Oxford Mail that “Mums often come to the unit underprepared, but these kind people have helped to clothe many children, and shown extraordinary skill in doing so.”

Many of the volunteers saw the article in the newspaper and rushed to help the unit out with their project. Knitting, after all, is a hobby that can be very fulfilling, but it isn’t restricted to making things just for yourself at winter or whenever your child needs a new wooly hat.

As all knitters will know, you get a real thrill out of completing a project and seeing the face of the recipient when you hand it over to them. The love and effort involved in creating a unique garment almost adds an extra layer of warmth to it, and by helping out premature children and their parents, you’ll be able to feel as though what you’ve done has really made a difference to someone’s life.

For more knitting news and for all the accessories you could possibly need for your next project, visit the dedicated section on the Abakhan website. Simply click the link here and you’ll be taken to the store. Alternatively, give us a call today on 01745 562133 to speak to one of our members of staff.

A lot of the United Kingdom will have applied – probably unsuccessfully – for tickets to this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics in London, and while there will be many travelling to the capital to take in the sights and sounds of the sporting showpiece, others will be confined to watching on the television. But there is a way for you to get involved – by knitting.

A shop in Ely in Cambridgeshire is giving locals the opportunity to participate in the national Woolsack competition, which is aiming to get people throughout the UK knitting special cushions to commemorate the games coming to London, with them being presented to the athletes taking part as a souvenir.

Ginette Herd, the co-owner of Yarn on the Square, said that “We’re trying to get as many people as possible to grab their needles and start knitting. These cushions will be presented to the athletes as personal gifts, so they can take a little bit of Britain away with them, whether they’ve been successful or not.”

The cushions can be made in any colour, and any size, but the one stipulation in place is that those involved must use British wool in their creations, giving the final product a true British feel.

So while others are putting up the bunting in the streets and settling down to watch the athletes fight it out for the glory, you can be doing your own special thing, and really contributing to the whole Olympic experience for the athletes. Creating something that reflects everything great about Britain will hopefully make the games truly memorable for those taking part, watching at the venues and in front of their television sets at home.

With the games fast approaching, knitters are being encouraged to get down to business as soon as possible, so if you want to be a part of the Olympics, get knitting!

To get yourself all the knitting equipment you would need to take part, visit the dedicated section on the website, or to find out more information about our products, contact your local Abakhan branch today.

When it comes to Valentines Day, choosing the right gift can be particularly tricky. You need to show your partner how you feel about them – without spending less than they do on you – and also reflecting how they feel about you. For instance, if you turn up with a bouquet of garage forecourt flowers, and they buy you an expensive, personalised watch, you could find yourself single by the 15th February. For that reason, we’ve come up with some great ideas to help you make your Valentines gift at home.

Creating something from scratch allows you to put your heart and soul into the gift, with the recipient immediately aware of the effort you’ve gone to in order to make them the perfect present.

Going shopping for the perfect gift can be a chaotic process. You finally find yourself a couple of hours to hit the high street, (normally the day before), and after what seems like a week of window-shopping, you’re still uninspired. Unless you’re born with that unique trait of knowing exactly what to get your loved one, (please share it with me), making your own can be the way to go.

As mentioned earlier, you can show your loved one how you feel by making them something unique that you’ve poured your heart into, and there are several other advantages to making your gift. For instance, nobody knows your partner like you do. If you pop to the shops for a gift, it’s inevitable for the item you want to be unavailable in their favourite colour or size. By creating your own gift, you have the opportunity to make it according to the tastes of your partner, making it extra special for them.

It can also be a way of saving money, without it looking particularly inexpensive. Using materials bought from the Abakhan store, you can get everything you need for the perfect gift, such as wool, card, sewing patterns and accessories, without having to pay the over-the-top high street prices.

Still struggling for ideas? Well don’t tell your partner, but here’s a couple from us. Firstly, you could try making them some jewellery. If you’ve made it yourself, it’s certain to be unique, using the materials and colours they love, and you could customize it if you wish to let them know it’s from you, or include your Valentines message. Another option is to make them something for the home. If your partner is always talking about their love for throws or cushions in the living room, make them one to fit the décor of your home. Or if your partner loves to cook, you could make them something for the kitchen; They’ll need something to wear as they make the dinner! (Only joking!)

For all your essential accessories to make the perfect Valentines gift, including those mentioned here and anything you may already have in mind, visit or contact your local Abakhan store, or place an order online.

One of the most in-demand materials on planet earth, fabric has been used for a number of different purposes over years. Obviously, clothing and drapes are two popular uses, as are curtains and sofas, but many people are unaware as to where it actually comes from. Well, courtesy of an exhibit in London, they’re about to get a bit of a shock!

A cape created from golden silk spun by more than a million spiders is going on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in the capital. The hand-woven garment and its partner, a four-metre long piece of brocaded fabric, took more than four years to create and involved around 1.2 million female Madagascan Golden Orb spiders.

Madagascar-based Simon Peers and Nicholas Godley made the cape, and they are the only large textiles to have been made from spider silk. The last known spider silk textile was made for a Parisian exhibit in 1900, but no examples are in existence today.

The spiders, which are not harmed in the creation of the pieces, are collected in the mornings and their silk harvested by trained handlers, before the eight-legged creatures are returned to the wild at the end of the day.

Peers said that he created the pieces, as he was “keen to show the spider silk textiles at the Victoria and Albert Museum, being the most appropriate place to premiere this work in Europe. The unique and historic costume and textile collections have been a constant source of inspiration over the years, and as we know, the museum has never before shown anything made from spider silk, despite its diverse collection of art.”

Many people love arts and crafts as a hobby, with people loving the opportunity to be innovative and unique. Everyone has a creative spark in them, whether it’s creating their own clothes, or stitching a breathtaking design into cushions. Either way, you can personalise your whole home with a bit of thought. To get your hands on some fine quality – but not spider-spun – fabrics, visit the Abakhan website. Should you have any questions about our range, or other products available such as beds, contact your local store.

The recent cold snap has taken many of us by surprise. In the UK you expect the snow and ice to arrive before Christmas – skipping the period where we actually want it to snow i.e. Christmas day – and disappear by mid-January. As is so often the case with the British weather, that hasn’t happened. A lot of people have been stuck in their villages with no way of getting to the nearest town or city to buy their winter essentials. Normally that would mean the world stopping around them, but there is an alternative to buying a new winter hat - knitting your own.

While many people will have put learning to knit onto their list of New Years resolutions and then forgotten about the whole thing, others are seeing the opportunity to make their own hats as the first step into achieving that goal.

Using some of the products from the Abakhan range, we’ve devised a plan to help you on your way to making your own wooly hats to keep you warm through the cold weather.

What You Need

• Needles – it goes without saying that needles are an essential for knitting. We recommend our 35cm x 10mm needles as these give the user much more to hang on to.

• Wool – again another essential part of making any wooly hat. By using even yarn beginners have a much better chance of success as it’s easier to work with than the more ‘knobbly’ form.

• A plan – by coming up with an idea before you start and then sticking to it, you’re much more likely to get your hat right. Problems occur when people attempt to change their plan halfway through a project so only start when you’re absolutely happy with it.

Key Terms There are a few terms and abbreviations associated with knitting. Some of the main terms are ‘cast’ which is to get the stitches on to the needle. Another is ‘knit’ – a basic stitch – and ‘purl’ is another basic stitch. Some of the abbreviations are a bit less clear to beginners. One of which is ‘k’ short for knit. ‘P’ relates to ‘purl’, ‘K2tog’ means to knit two stitches together and similarly ‘P2tog’ is to purl two stitches together.

What To Do With us so far? Right, well, here goes!

1. The Headband Cast on 36 stitches. For a fitted hat do eight rows of k3, p3 all the way to the end. For a baggier hat, increase that to ten or twelve rows but ensure it is always an even number.

2. The Middle Four, six or eight rows of stocking stitch (one row of knit stitch followed by one of purl stitch). Number will differ depending on the size of the hat but again – ensure it is an even number.

3. The Top Unlike the other two sections, the number of stitches here does not change. Row one – K2tog, K4 six times. Row two – P. Row three – K2tog, K3 six times. Row four – P. Row five – K2tog, K2 six times. Row six – P. Row seven – K2tog, K1 six times. Row eight – P2tog.

4. Cast Off and sew the sides together to finish.

By now you should have a very good wooly hat to keep you warm on those ventures out of the house into the arctic conditions outside. For more information on any of the products available at Abakhan, contact your local branch where the staff will be happy to help you with your enquiry. Good luck!

The last few weeks have been possibly the coldest on Earth right? Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration – but they’ve been pretty close! If you’re the sort of person who is always leaving the house without their gloves because you’ve left them in your other coat, you might be interested in our latest ‘how to’ guide, which is going to tell you how to make your own mittens using products available in the Abakhan range.

A lot of gloves and mittens available in high street stores just don’t appeal to consumers. In most cases, shoppers go in looking for a new pair and leave with a product that they don’t really like purely because it’s too cold to go without! By making your own out of stylish fabric you can personalise your hand wear to match your tastes, something you can’t do when buying from the high street.

What You Need

• Fabric

• Needle and Thread/Sewing Machine

• Pins

• Marker Pen

• Paper and Tracing Paper

What to Do

1. Draw around your hand onto a piece of paper and then use the drawing to create a neat, tidy template on a second sheet. Ensure that the template is slightly bigger than your hand to ensure that you can get the mitten on – this will be the size of the final product.

2. Cut out the template and use it to make a second template from another piece.

3. Lay out your chosen fabric and place the two templates on top. Line up the bottom of the templates with the bottom of the material and pin them in place for extra stability while you work.

4. Cut the fabric 1-2cm around the outside of the template, giving you the material you need to sew the edges together afterwards.

5. Repeat the process so you have to left hands and two rights.

6. Sew both pairs of glove shapes together using a sewing machine or a very small backstitch. Use the paper template as a guide and then cut any excess material 1-2mm away from the stitching.

You should then have your own pair of mittens to keep your hands toasty on those cold winter days! To get all your materials, visit your local Abakhan store or contact us to find out more information about any of our products.

Scarves are a must-have accessory and look great at any time of year. In winter they act as an extra layer of warmth, while the thinner versions add style to an outfit in the summer. The only drawback is because they are so in-demand and feature prominently in the “latest style” sections of the glossy magazines, the prices can be quite high. To combat this, we’re going to tell you how to knit your own scarf for a fraction of the high street price.

To help you to make your own scarf, we’ve come up with a simple guide using products available in the Abakhan range, ensuring that your project remains both stylish and affordable.

What You Need:

1. Yarn – ideally two or three colours to make an elaborate scarf, or just the one colour if you prefer the toned-down style. Thicker yarn will make for a quicker process and give you more warmth, whereas a thinner yarn is ideal for the style-over-warmth option.

2. Knitting needles – choose the size that most suits your knitting style and hand size. Obviously you don’t want anything you can’t handle and manoeuvre easily otherwise it will complicate the process unnecessarily. Thicker needles will help to speed up the process in association with a thick yarn.

3. Yarn needle – enabling you to thread your yarn through

4. Scissors – to cut the yarn to length and chop off any irreparable mistakes

What To Do:

1. Cast on ten stitches using your first coloured yarn. Knit for twelve rows. At this point you can either change to a second colour or continue with the one you’re using depending on what style you prefer.

2. If you’re going for a second colour, cut the yarn at this point leaving a 6-inch end. If not, skip this step and continue knitting until you reach your desired length.

3. Add a second colour of yarn to the first and start knitting. Hold the first six inches of the new yarn and the end of the first and do about five stitches.

4. At this point you should weave the loose ends into the pattern with a tapestry needle. Knit twelve rows with the second yarn.

5. If you choose, add your third colour and repeat the process.

6. Continue to do so until your scarf reaches your desired length and cast off your stitches.

7. At this stage, you should be left with your brand new hand-made scarf! Go out and make a statement!

To find the materials used in the making of this scarf, visit the dedicated knitting section of the Abakhan website or call in to one of our stores. Should you have any questions about the products in our range, you can contact us by calling your local branch or 01745 562133, or leave us an online message and we’ll respond to you as soon as possible.

We’re approaching the period where many homeowners begin to think about their spring-cleaning and the improvements they’re going to make to the rooms in the homes. A lot of people begin their renovations by purchasing new furniture or cushions – which can be a very costly process; leaving no money to purchase new curtains meaning you have to live with the tatty drapes that have been up for years.

But worry not, there is a very easily solution if this sounds like a problem you’re facing. Improving your curtains is something that anybody with a little bit of embroidery experience can do, and here’s how.

The first thing you could do if you’re repairing a part of your worn out curtains is to cut away the affected material and find a new piece of fabric to replace it with. This can be in any style you wish, not necessarily the same colour or design as the rest of your curtains. Attaching the new piece on will inevitably leave a join line, but you could decorate this with another piece of fabric to act as an eye-catcher, or use accessories such as sequins to cover the join and add extra glam to your drapes.

If you’re just after a revamp to inject some new life into your curtains, try sewing on some ribbon or thin strips of fabric to create your own design reflecting your tastes and making your old curtains fit with the new style you may have given your room.

Alternatively you can spruce up your existing curtains by adding ribbons or thin strips of fabric to each curtain ring that attract the eye of people in the room when they’re drawn. The extra sparkle and style will make your ageing curtains look brand new and right up with the current trends.

Or you could go with the “hippy” look and try dyeing them – provided they’re made of 100% cotton of course! Similarly you could try adding iron or sew on patterns and designs that will look fantastic when you shut the world out at night.

For some great fabrics and a range of accessories to help transform your curtains, visit your local Abakhan branch or browse our website. Should you have any questions about our products, contact your nearest store.

Have the pillows in your home seen better days? Why not give them a new lease of life! It’s much easier than you think!

What you will need:

Pillow

Fabric

Thread

Dressmakers chalk

Scissors

Pins

Sewing Machine (Although you can hand-sew if you wish)

How to:

First, you will need to measure the pillow you want to cover. Take this measurement and add a 3cm seam allowance to each side.

Lay your chosen fabric out and measure and mark out the size of fabric you require with dressmakers chalk. Do this for each side, and then cut out your fabric.

Place your two pieces of fabric on top of each other, with the patterned sides face to face and pin together leaving a 1.5cm gap from the edge of the fabric on all four sides.

When you have pinned the fabric together tack the two pieces together using large runs to make it easy to remove later.

Using your sewing machine sew three sides up, leaving one side open.

Remove your tacking thread and turn the pillow case right side out.

Push your pillow into the pillow case through the open side.

Fold in your seam allowance on the remaining open side and hand stich together and you have your quick and easy pillow case!

It’s so easy to improve your home with a few pillows strewn around. You can embellish your pillow cases with buttons, lace and so much more. You can also use a zip fastening or an overlapped opening to allow removal of the pillow insert.

Happy crafting!

So, you’re interested in dressmaking, but you are a complete beginner. Don’t worry, everyone has to start somewhere. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of basic tips for trying your hand at dressmaking, ranging from the tools you will need to taking the correct measurements.

Tools of the trade

Probably the most important place to start when dressmaking is your tools. What exactly do you need? Collect these basic tools, pop them in a sewing box and you can’t go wrong.

Dressmakers pins

Tape measure

Sewing needles

Dressmaking scissors

Tailor’s chalk

Thread

You can start off hand sewing, afterall, this is how people started dressmaking, but a sewing machine will make your dressmaking faster and easier in the long run.

Choosing a sewing machine

Choosing a sewing machine isn’t as daunting as it sounds; for dressmaking a basic sewing machine will suffice. All sewing machines are electronic, generally using a single motor, which is perfect for a beginner. As you become a more advanced dressmaker you may want to invest in a computerised sewing machine.

When choosing your first sewing machine consider a machine that offers different stitching options as well as a selection of foot attachments (to allow basic tasks including inserting zips.)

Patterns

Start with a pattern, this way you will have something to work towards.

To begin with, use patterns that are labeled as ‘easy’ – dresses with no waistline or sleeves are the easiest.

As well as giving you something to work towards, a pattern will indicate how much fabric will be needed as well as giving you an idea of the best fabric to use.

It’s important to take your measurements and buy a pattern based on these measurements.

Measurements

When dressmaking, taking the correct measurements is critical. Follow our quick and easy guide to ensure you collect the right measurements.

Waist – using your tape measure, measure your natural waistline – hold the tape so it fits snugly around your waist – but not tight.

Hips – measure the fullest part of your hips all the way around your body.

Bust – measure around the fullest part of your bust - this is one measurement. Then measure around the body just above the bust, across the back and under the arms - this is your second bust measurement.

Back to waist – measure from the most prominent bone at the top of your neck down to your natural waist.

Height – make sure you stand straight!

Fabrics

With thousands of fabrics to choose from, it can sometimes be difficult making a decision. Take into consideration how the fabric you are using feels against your skin – is it comfortable? Below, we have listed some of the main fabric options:

Cotton – incredibly versatile, cotton can be used to create almost anything and is available in varying weights.

Cotton Jersey – generally used to make t-shirts, cotton jersey is a stretchy and comfortable fabric.

Wool – more often than not wool will need to be dry-cleaned. Can be expensive and is often used to make suits and coats.

Linen – often blended with cotton and is perfect for summer clothing.

Silk – a luxury fabric, often expensive and quite difficult to sew with.

Polyester and polycotton – synthetic fabrics that are lightweight and quite cheap to buy.

A top tip for dressmaking is to wash your fabric before you begin – this will ensure that your final creation doesn’t shrink during its first wash.

Dressmaking is a great way to update your wardrobe, without breaking the bank. From taster dressmaking courses to advanced dressmaking classes, Abakhan covers all your dressmaking educational needs, click here to view our latest workshops and classes.