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Many thanks for your prompt service. I use Abakhan,in Stoke-On-Trent,but they were out of this fabric, however on Friday 19th I ordered the material I needed through the internet. You promised delivery on Tuesday 23rd between 13.33pm--14.33pm it arrived at 13.34pm - WOW!!! what great service. Many,Many Thanks
M OToole. 23 July 2013
Thank You for replying so quickly, and for your understanding, I loved the voile but as I said it was portraying white background on the website and I was so disappointed when it was totally a different dark background colour. I can assure you that it will not in the least deter me from shopping with you in the future, as I use your shop in Preston on a regular basis and, you have been very fair in dealing with this, and also I was absolutely delighted with your system of delivery, and the communication you gave with this. Many Thanks once again.
M Graham. 5 July 2013
I received my order today. Excellent service and I will order from you again and recommend your company to my friends and students.
M Coonan, 17 June 2013
Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how wonderful the course with Felicity Owens was (Klimt - embroidery/painting). She is a fantastic inspirational tutor and the surroundings, equipment and centre to get a lovely lunch and purchase any of the materials needed (and a whole lot more) are brilliant. I came the next weekend to purchase some more materials and saw Felicity again doing a free demo and that was excellent also. Please, please keep the courses coming!
I hadfield, 30 April 2013
Hi, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped process my order so quickly yesterday, I really do appreciate it! The fabric is even better than I was expecting and I am chuffed to bits so thank you for solving the initial problem with the order and then processing it so quickly so that it all arrived this morning so I had it before I leave on Sunday(6 metres of navy taffeta). Thanks again, Rebecca E
19 April 2013
Hi there, Sorry to ask but I may have paid you twice for this order, once from a Bank of Scotland debit card and once from Paypal. Will you please have alook? Many thanks! Melinda
10 April 2013
Dear Melinda, according to our records we only appear to have received one payment via your PayPal account. I hope this helps with your enquiry. Should you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us. Kindest Regards, Online Services
11 April 2013
Thanks ever so much - the package arrived today, Melinda
12 April 2013
Crochet: the perfect hobby for all you nutty knitters looking for an additional challenge, or for anyone looking for a fun and easy to learn new craft.
Crochet is the art of creating products from yarn, thread or other materials (such as wire) using a crochet hook. Like knitting; it requires you to pull loops through other loops and to make your finished article, but unlike knitting it’s all done using only one needle rather than two.
All you need to get started is a crochet hook, some beautiful yarn, a pattern (once you’ve mastered the basics) some patience and you’re good to go!
Which Hook?
A crochet hook is a needle with a hook at the end, which is used to draw yarn through knotted loops. Hooks are available in a wide variety of materials; from Birchwood to Bamboo, although metal hooks are probably the most widely available and a good place to start for anyone new to the craft.
The next thing to consider is the size of the hook. Generally speaking the smaller the hook, the finer the yarn and the more delicate your finished article will be. A larger hook with some thicker yarn or wool would be a good for beginners.
Your crochet pattern, once you are feeling confident with the basics, will direct you to the hook size required for the project.
Yarn
From wool to silk to wire, the possibilities are endless. Beginners will generally find wool or a sturdy crochet thread in your favourite colour easy to learn with. As before, once you are confident enough with the basics to follow a pattern, the pattern will guide you to the type of yarn suitable for the project.
Have a look at the beautiful yarns available with Abakhan here. They have a lovely soft texture and are very easy to work with.
Getting Started.
A slipknot and chain stitch are excellent first stitches to learn. There are several online tutorials available to show you how to do these. Or, you could sign up for a three week beginners crochet workshop, led by an expert, to join likeminded folks on your crochet journey. What better way to learn?
The next ‘Learn to Crochet' Workshop is in Liverpool in September 2012.
Next Steps.
Already handy with a hook and creating super stitches? The opportunities are now endless. Take a look at this beautifully illustrated book showing you how to create adorable crochet toys.
Or take a look at the details of the next ‘Continue to Crochet’ workshop in Mostyn, North Wales, starting in September 2012.
Get the kids involved with this cute crochet jewellery kit; something to keep the little ones occupied during the long summer holidays?
You can always rely on Abakhan for creative, crafty inspiration - Happy Hooking!
As we keep saying, knitting is the new cool. Everyone is getting stuck in, but what if you’ve never tried knitting before? Or it’s been so long since you picked up a set of needles that you can’t remember anything?
Fear not! Abakhan to the rescue! We offer various knitting workshops that’ll soon have you in the swing of things!
A Refresher in Knitting
This workshop is perfect for people who were taught to knit as a child but haven’t picked up their needles for years. If you know the basics but need a little confidence come and join this workshop and you’ll be a pro knitter again in no time! All yarn is included; all you need to bring with you are 4mm/4.5mm needles and a passion for knitting!The next knitting refresher workshop is on the 19th June 2012 in Mostyn, North Wales. If you attend this class, let us know how you get on, we’d love to see photos of your work.
Advanced Knitting
Already a dab hand at knitting? Then give this workshop a go. If you’ve mastered the basics and want to take your knitting skills a little further this workshop is ideal. Covering cables, eyelets, bobbles and chart reading as well as requested processes over a four week period.As before, yarn is included, just bring your needles.
Keep an eye out for the next advanced knitting course.
Elongated and Slip Stitch
A more specialist class, this workshop explores elongated and slipped stitches in depth whilst working on a cushion cover. All materials are included, just bring your 4mm needles.
The next Elongated & Slip Stitch workshop is in Mostyn, North Wales on the 17th June 2012.
Festive Knits
Get a little festive with this workshop dedicated to Magic Knitting and Beaded Knitting and create unique and charming Christmas decorations.
Bring along your 3.25mm needles.
The next Festive Knits Workshop will be held in Liverpool on the 3rd October 2012.
For details on all of the workshops we run, including dates and times, visit the workshop section of the Abakhan website. Happy crafting!
In case you haven’t heard, knitting is the new cool. Fact. With thousands of ‘Knit and Natter’ crafting groups popping up all over the country and ‘Yarn Storming’ become a new craze, the age-old stereotype of knitting grandmothers in rocking chairs is long gone!
Crafting has become incredibly popular in recent years, with people, especially the younger generations, becoming interested in a handmade culture, and, of course, Yarn Storming! If you haven’t heard of Yarn Storming – where have you been?! Yarnstorming is the art of using graffiti knitting or crochet to enhance an object or public place, guerilla knitting, if you will. Just check out this Yarnstormed phone box in London, courtesy of Knit the City.
Need more evidence that knitting is uber cool? Just have a quick chat with the Sisters from the Shoreditch WI, possibly the coolest people you will ever meet! We asked them to give us a little insight into their fantastic knitting group and they very kindly obliged.
The Sisters told us their go-to for knitting and crochet patterns is the online knitting and crochet community, Ravelry. Free to join, this community offers a huge pattern database. We asked the Shoreditch WI to tell us exactly why knitting was so cool and Martha Wass told us it was “the ability to make anything out of a long strand of something” and we couldn’t agree more! Knitting has become an incredibly sociable pastime, with many of the Sisters telling us that their friends introduced them to the craft, Rebecca Baird told us that the same friend who taught her to knit also taught her to crochet, and she has “been hooked ever since.” (Haha)
It soon became apparent that some of the Sisters have completed extremely difficult projects in their knitting quests. We asked Kim Byrne what the most complicated knitting project she has every completed was, her answer? “A 5 piece beach hut draft excluder.” (!!!)
Jen has been a Shoreditch Sister for 4 years and she told us that “the Shoreditch Sisters' Knit'n'Natter group meets monthly and is a great social activity. We all get to chat and admire each other's projects. I also really like that you can make something truly unique that you wouldn't be able to buy elsewhere easily.” Jen is also no stranger to complicated knitting projects; the hardest thing she ever made was a blanket for her niece sporting a tree design that she managed to finish the very day her sister went into labour!! She also told us that she is “addicted to making hideous 70s novelty poodle wine bottle covers to give to friends as a joke.
Now, tell us knitting isn’t cool?!
For all of your knitting supplies, visit the Abakhan website.
The Shoreditch WI Knitting Group hold regular meetings, to find more details, visit their blog, here. To find out more about their latest campaign, Days for Girls, visit their dedicated Facebook page.
How-to:
• Think about how big you want your picnic blanket to be. (Ours is 130cm x 160cm with a 1cm border.) • Cut 2 pieces of fabric and your wadding to exactly the same size. • Place the 2 pieces of fabric on top of each other. (If the fabric you are using is patterned ensure you place the pattern sides face to face). • Place the wadding on top and pin the 3 pieces of material together. • Sew all of your sides together 1cm from the edge of the material leaving a gap on one side large enough to turn the blanket inside out. This will leave the wadding inside, sandwiched between your 2 pieces of fabric. • Fold the edges of the open side in on itself and iron down as well as ironing all the other sides. • Pin the open edge shut and sew together to seal all 4 sides. This is your blanket – sewing a border around the outside roughly 1cm from the edge of the material works well for reinforcement as well as aesthetics. Hopefully, your arms will be laden with picnic goodies, so we think it’s a great idea to make a handle for your new picnic blanket. The first part of your handle acts as a wrap to hold the blanket together when it’s safely rolled up: • Cut 2 pieces of fabric long enough to wrap all the way around the middle of your blanket when it is rolled. (Ours is 64cm x 20cm.) • Follow the instructions above. • Create two small rectangular templates for button holes at the end of this piece of material. Cut through these templates to feed the buttons through later. • Sew your buttons in place at the other end of the wrapping material, directly below your button holes. You will then need to create a smaller handle to fix to the top of this fabric: • To make the handle for your blanket follow exact instructions without the wadding. (Ours measures 4cm x 20cm) • Fold 0.5cm of each end of the material and sew this onto the larger part of the handle. So, there you have it, roll your blanket up and off you go to enjoy the sunshine!