Celebrating Comfort and Memory with Nathalie Lété’s Beloved Toys
Back in March 2020, as many countries around the world headed into their first lockdown, Nathalie Lété took on a project to recognise the importance of small objects in troubling times as a memento, in her description, of “these special days, where little objects, toys, and souvenirs become very important”.
On Instagram, Nathalie invited her followers to send her pictures of their favourite toys along with a few words explaining their significance. She then chose one toy to draw every day for two months, ultimately resulting in a collection of beautiful depictions of objects that are so evidently imbued with meaning and memory.
A year and a half later, what started as a wonderful gesture to bring comfort has been turned into a beautiful limited edition book and scarf collecting all the toys Nathalie drew in celebration of the ties, traditions, and sentiments that bring us all together, even when we’re physically far apart.
The 70-centimetre square cotton scarf brings all of Nathalie’s lovely toy drawings together. Talk about a teddy bears’ picnic! Adorable styled as a head kerchief or tied around the neck, this piece allows the wearer to keep the whimsical joys of childhood close at hand always.
A new book by Helga Isager of Isager Yarns and Helga Jóna Thórunnarsdóttir is an in-depth exploration of knitting techniques, details, and designs through the vehicle of two basic patterns: a pair of chunky mittens and a pair of fine gloves. Launching on 4 December, Handcraft is intended as a reference book for knitters, providing refreshers on a range of techniques.
We have a new printed pattern for Coburg Mittens by Rachel Atkinson (aka Daughter of a Shepherd), along with plenty of Daughter of a Shepherd yarns. These close-fitting mittens, made using Ram Jam Sport, have an understated elegance and long cuffs to ensure no wrist exposure to the elements! Any of the rich hues of Daughter of a Shepherd’s 100% British wool would make these mittens shine.
Due to new travel restrictions because of the new COVID variant, we have sadly had to postpone our event with Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimee yarns and Jonna Hietala of Laine Publishing to celebrate the launch of Worsted. But fear not! We have received a pretty incredible delivery of La Bien Aimée yarns, including Mohair Silk, Cashmerino, Merino DK, and Merino Singles. We hope to announce a new date for the event soon as we were all looking forward to it so much.
If last week’s gift guide got your festive juices flowing, here is a bit more inspiration!
If you haven’t already pre-ordered it based on the description above, let us heartily recommend the book Handcraft for the knitter in your life. Not only is it a gorgeous celebration of handcraft, it is also an infinitely useful practical guide to foundational techniques of knitting that the crafter will find herself returning to again and again for tips, tricks, and inspiration. Another great addition to the crafting room is a bundle of Woolstok Mini Bundles. Whether to jazz up a project with a splash of colour or just experiment using this unique sturdy yet light wool, these 12-yard mini hanks are sure to be a hit.
This is truly exciting: Moorit is a brand new crochet magazine has hit the shelves and it couldn’t be more gorgeous. The holidays are the perfect opportunity to introduce fans of crochet to the first issue of this new periodical. Alyson Chu launched the magazine as “an antidote to the dearth of print publications made especially for crocheters,” and we’re sure your crafty friends and family will be pleased she has filled this gap!
For those who appreciate beautiful handwork as much as (or more than) they enjoy making it themselves, Loop’s range of handmade treasures are just the ticket. Amanda Banham’s Ceramic Houses and Anne Kelly’s Red Houses make the perfect adornment for the mantelpiece or the tree. Each of these pieces is totally unique and combines a number of different crafting techniques. For gifts as practical as they are pretty, Mina Perhonen Toast Bags and Stitched Sheep Haberdashery Pouches fit the bill. Both of these bags are equally suited to use by crafters or in daily life.
We look forward to welcoming you this holiday season! We hope the information below will help keep everyone safe, happy, and crafty.
Our London shop is open 11:30-5:30pm Wednesday to Saturday, and 12 noon to 5pm on Sunday. During the week of Christmas, we will be open Sunday 19, Tuesday 21, and Wednesday 22 December. We will be then be closed 23-28 December and 31 December-4 January, opening between Christmas and New Year’s on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 December for click and collect only – please call before traveling to the shop. We will re-open as usual from 5 January.
In light of the Omicron variant, we are being very strict about our mask policy. This is to help keep all of our customers, our staff, and their loved ones at home safe. You must wear a face covering properly, covering both your nose and mouth, or unfortunately we will not be able to allow you into the shop. We will also ask you to use hand sanitiser as you enter the shop. You are welcome to touch our yarns, but please do not hold them up to your face. You can read more about the measures we are taking to ensure the safety of our staff, customers, and loved ones on our website.
If you’re ordering online, please try to do so as early as possible, as Brexit and COVID have disrupted normal shipping times. The last days to order for delivery by Christmas are as follows:
Australia, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, and Portugal: Sunday 5 December
Canada, US, Eastern Europe, and Sweden: Sunday 12 December
Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland: Wednesday 15 December
UK: Monday 20 December
Happy crafting!
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