Models needed!

Lo knittys! I've been a bit quiet again this week, completely consumed by a commission of convertible mittens that ended up taking me a week to do, bizarrely. Still, they're all done now and have prompted another 4 pairs which should keep me busy for a while!

In the meantime, I've also got a new line of accessories coming up including knitted rings and bangles (you'll see!) on top of the items currently available (see links on the right ->) and I'm looking for some willing volunteers to model them for me! I'm looking to do the shoot in Clapham, outdoors on the common (weather permitting) and although there will be no payment there will be much gratitude and alcohol for those who can give up a couple of hours to prance about wearing silly knitted goods. I'm looking at dates in mid-March for a photoshoot, and although I've not yet set one I would like to do it all at once, so if you're interested email me via the link in the right column and let me know what kind of times you're free.

For now, that is all. Be happy and knitty, and I'll leave you with a picture of what I found on my scarf this morning... ;)

New knitty fings - eventually...

Lo all! My, it's been a while. You can blame the recent radio silence on two things: first is my darling boyfriend getting me hooked on bloody Lamebook (you can't possibly hate me for it any more than I do myself), and second is my latest literary love, Cathi Unsworth: punk/noir novelist extraordinaire. If you've ever trawled the streets of Camden Town as a purple haired, bespiked, disenfranchised soul in Dr Martens, as I once did, you'll identify with her punk chic tales of London's criminal overworld and the web of journos who weave them. I'll be honest, there's a little bit of a girl-crush going on there. For more info, here's her site: http://cathiunsworth.weebly.com

Course, it hasn't been a complete shutdown over here at Chez Duck - I've been experimenting with some colours and stitches to create some new pieces, and I've finished my loopy teacosy below, not to mention updating my Etsy and eBay shops. I'm planning to do a range of accessories based around Britain's woodland (I've already done a ladybird which I almost can't bear to sell) and a range of retro noir as inspired by Miss Unsworth, including knitted spats and black and white lace glovies, so keep your beady ones open!

Love and crumpets,

KDx

Technology and Tradition

I thought it was about time I laid off the shop promotion - possibly saturating everyone's FB and Twitter accounts is not the best marketing strategy - and actually just wrote a blog. Which, as it turns out, is quite a relief.
Thanks to the beauty of technology (i.e. my darling little iPhone, which pretty much runs my life) I've got on the move access to tutorials, KD's two points of sale and online haberdashers for stock; great for me while I'm running KD largely from the 2 hours a day spent on the 295 bus. As much as I could grumble about an unnecessarily long commute (it would probably take me as long to walk it in the mornings) I've always found that an hour in the morning is the perfect length of time for me to get my head together, wake up properly, and having something like knitting to do in that time is a lovely kind of meditation. Not always entirely practical, I have to admit, but I am a practised within-the-elbow-range knitter, and I defy anyone to prove I take up any more room knitting than I would not. And if they do, well, I'm armed with two pointy sticks. Bring it.
So there I am, iPhone balanced on knee - music playing in background, pattern up on Safari, Twitter and FB beneath my fingertips - as I knit furiously away. And it got me thinking: however much we London guys and gals like to think we're ahead of the curve there's always a part of home that comes with us wherever we go. Some people go back home to an ancient blanket, some people wear a necklace passed down through the matriarchy, for some it's a simple as homemade soup in their bag ready for lunch. Hell, even Lady Gaga has a favourite teacup that travels everywhere with her, supposedly. Whatever happens to the fickle cycle of fashion, an element of nostalgia always sticks stubbornly to the spokes.
Which is sort of why I started the shop proper in the first place. It came about almost by accident - I've been knitting things for myself and friends for years, so this Christmas (by special request) Andy got his very own Bridget Jones stylee reindeer jumper with a pompom for a nose. I dubiously agreed to make it, originally thinking that the joke would last 2 hours and the thing would be in the charity bin by the twelfth night. Surprisingly, after proud outings to a Christmas Eve party and two meals (he accidentally left it behind for the third) it became something of a cult object, ironic though it remains as a present, and I'm already commissioned for a snowman variation next year. Bless him for wearing the thing at all - it's not the most flattering of garbs - but I was reminded how much a present is appreciated when some thought and effort goes into it, not to mention the exclusivity of it (sorry friends, it's a one off :D). And so requests trickled in here and there, first family and friends, then when I opened it up to the online community some not so distant strangers. I think, although most of us rely on the Topshops and the Primanis for our workaday clothes and accessories, there's a lot to be said for something a bit original, a bit off the wall, something you know has that extra bit of love woven into it, something that means more to you than its purpose. Or maybe my mates are just being awful sweet about the latest in a long line of my crazy schemes.
Right, I'm going to stop getting mushy and Lorraine Kelly about this... *dries eyes* I want to know what you have that's yours and only yours - something passed down from Mum and Dad, something you made for yourself, some random item the origins of which you have no idea but that is never out of your reach. Tweet it to me at @charminglass and tag it with #onlymine - I'd love to hear what you have hiding in the bottom of your Balenciaga... :) (boys: that's a handbag)

Ciao bella/o!
KDx

KD's weekly update no2: Old Dog New Tricks

Bit of radio silence this week, but for good reason... KD is proud to announce two fab bits of news: first is *fanfare* KD has an Etsy shop! and second is *fanfare again* KD has branched out into crochet too! You've got to love the iPhone for making pretty much anything accessible anywhere; I found the teach yourself crochet videos on YouTube on Thursday and three days later am 3/4 way through a multicoloured granny blanket, with pictures to follow. Maybe work on those skills a bit more before they appear in the shop though...

And while we're on the subject of imachinethingies, if yours is getting a little buffeted in this inclement weather why not visit the newly opened shop at http://theknittedduck.etsy.com to pick up a protective sock, as made by KD's own fair hands, or email at theknittedduck@hotmail.co.uk to order a custom design? Etsy, for those of you who haven't come across it before, is a cross between an online shop and eBay specifically designed for arts, crafts and vintage collectables, and the lovely thing about it is that for much less cost and faff than eBay you can build yourself a shop, instead of listing your items one by one. It's a great way to showcase your skills all in one place as well as keeping one ear to the ground for current trends, definitely worth checking out if you're craftily minded - although, and as always there's a caveat, it's US based so all prices are in dollars at the mo. Not that that should put off UK buyers - payment still comes through to my PayPal account which does automatically does the currency conversion.

So that's that for now - enough to keep me out of mischief for the meantime. In the next couple of weeks I'll be on the lookout for some models if anyone's interested, so watch this space!

Love and knitty noms,
KD x

KD's weekly update no1

So, two commissions finished and two more items flogged on eBay - that's more than Van Gogh ever sold in a lifetime, to paraphrase Fawlty Towers. Mind you, I imagine his little daubs cost more than a modest £3 (for a brooch) or £5 (for a snood)...

KD is currently working on building up stock and designing new accessories, largely undertaken on the bus and my comfy broken sofa. I've got a cute idea for rings, but my accessories are a little girly at the mo (being knitted I suppose that's an occupational hazard), so I could do with some inspiration for some more guy orientated pieces, other than your standard hats, gloves and scarves - ideas 0n a postcard, anyone? Well, maybe not a postcard, it'll never bloody get here; good old email will do (see right panel for address).

Anyway, here's my snood/hat for now...

COSIES.

KDx

Clackety-quack

And if knitted slipper socks don't float your boat, here are just a few of the other items on sale at the mo...

Clackety-clack... First commission underway!

Well, this is the first outing in cyberspace for the Knitted Duck (apart from a Facebook group, but KD didn't get involved with that) - what to say? For now, just that KD is knitting furiously away on a pair of commissioned slipper socks with an intarsia heart - somehow, intarsia is so much more fun to design than to do. All that squared paper and colouring in makes me feel like a 7 year old again... Anyway, pictures will be up when I've finished them, so watch this space - and meanwhile, get in touch at theknittedduck@hotmail.co.uk if you have any ideas for commissions of your own! KDx

P.S. And here's a photo of the slipper socks in progress..