This weekend brings to town my favorite knitting event, The New York State Wool and Sheep Festival. I just drove past the fairgrounds and there's a flurry of pre-event activity. The vendors were setting out their wooly wares, the farmers were hauling hay to the sheep stalls, and a stray Border Collie was eagerly looking for work. If you happen to be in the vicinity of the Hudson Valley this weekend, I highly recommend checking out the Sheep and Wool Festival. Just thinking about all that luscious yarn has inspired me to write a knitting post...
Did you know that I love to knit and shower my family and friends with warm and fuzzy handknitted goodies? This post is not about wearable items, it's about a trend that I’ve noticed in the home décor world.
Over the years, I have observed the popularity of knitting go up and down. At the moment, the pendulum seems to be in a full upward swing, and knitted items are showing up in some unexpected and unusual places.
The latest trend in knitting, along with knitting small items (knitted bags, fingerless gloves and cowl neck scarves - the latest rage), and the subversive act of yarn bombing, are knitted chair coverings and functional knitted items for the home. These decorative knitted and felted pieces are bumping up against the soft edges of design with their intricate stitches and contoured shaping. The Wall Street Journal recently covered the Milan Furniture Fair and targeted a designerly group of haute-knitted items for the home in this article, A Gripping Yarn.
So, without further adieu, sit back and enjoy some eco-chic handknitted home décor, and a creative and simple DIY project that will knock the Kitchener Stitches right off your cabled cashmere socks!
Knitted Stools
Knitted Pendant Light
Knitted Poufs
Knitted Slipcover
DIY Sweater Chairs
Eco-crafter and author, Danny Seo recovered his IKEA chairs with cozy cashmere and wool sweaters that he scored at Goodwill.
He explains the simple DIY process: “It was easy: just unscrew the seat cushion, wrap a sweater over the cushion, staple gun into place underneath, trim off excess, screw back on and voila! Sweater chair.”
Photo Credits: Sweet and Lowdown Lounge Chair, Knitted Stools, Knitted Armchair Slipcover, Knitted Pendent, Knitted Poufs, Sweater Chairs, Knittted Trashcan