A Message from Megan

Sometimes there is just so much to do it boggles the mind. It's been a while since our last post and since then I've been away for 10 days exhibiting first at Penshurst Place in Kent, I stayed in Tunbridge Wells with Tori's cousin Karl who was kind enough to put me up in his bachelor pad for a few days. Despite the rain I had a really good time at Penshurst, I was lucky enough to display my Peek-a-boo Tier dress at the entrance of the show which drew lots of lovely people to my stand which was great. Then after a brief trip into London to stay with my wonderful friend Monica Boxley and went fabric shopping! :)

Also got myself some Earings by Suzie Dale-Smith

 Then onto Hatfield House in Hertfordshire where I stayed at Almshoe Bury Farm, the oldest dwelling house in Hertfordshire which sits on nearly 800 acres of land. Had an amazing weekend, with record sales on the Friday and my smiles continued. I'm really pleased with the reaction to my new collection and it was exiting to get feedback many of my most loyal customers whose reactions were just as kind. I also got to catch up with many of my favourite designers and makers and meet new ones as well.

Now that I'm home I'm going to be cracking on with commissions and starting to plan the Designer Open Studio in June, not to mention I'll be exhibiting at Patchings Festival in Nottingham on the 14th - 17th of June and I will possibly have one more date to announce soon so I'll keep you all posted. I've got plans for my new fabrics too soon keep an eye out on new styles the will be appearing on the website soon. Just to say a big thankyou to all my wonderful customers and I will speak to you all soon. Love Meg xx

P.S.

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Crooked Knitwear Videography

Behind The Scenes: Crooked Knitwear Spring/Summer Collection 2012 from Hatch'd Magazine on Vimeo.

Hello Everybody,

Sorry it's been a while since you've heard from inside the Crooked House but I assure you this is because we've been super busy, but we've got a long awaited treat in store for you today, our friends at Hatch'd Magazine have published a benind the scenes videography of our day at the Clockworks made by the lovely Lara Elizabeth Elliot who's done a cracking job. As promised the website is now also up and running, we still have some odd ends to tie up but we hope you all take some time to check out all the brand new items on sale for the first time online and I promise you can expect much, much more. Read the article at Hatch'd Magazine here.

A word about the weather

So we've decided to make arrangements to compensate for the impending weather ie. apparently it's going to chuck it down.. Do not fret though, we'll just been moving the celebrations indoors where there will be an indoor theatre screening of the videogrpahy. Also we will be serving nibbles and drinks including some home made sangria from 2pm until 8pm so come early to partake of our hospitality. Remember you'll also have a chance to peruse through our new collection so don't forget your purses ladies as we've got new stock coming out of our ear holes and we're also extra exited by all the new fabrics that arrived yesterday that we spent most of yesterday afternoon chewing the fat over. We've also finally went through an X factor style process of finalizing our choices for photos we're going to exhibit on Saturday so we're off to the printers today, it was agonising choosing our favourites out of so many fabulous shots but we think you'll all be impressed. I'm also particularly exited about the progress we've made on the website, products are being uploaded and everything is almost ready to go! So exiting! So as I've probably mentioned about a dozen times, can't wait to see you all on Saturday!

Pushing the Boat Out

Well it's been an interesting week in the Crooked House, we've had some great feedback about our day at the Clockworks and now we're looking forward to getting ready for the launch party on April 21st. We've been catching up on commissions and Megan put in a performance on Wednesday as a guest creative professional at the Quad, lending her expertise and advice to young Derby creative. Now we're getting set for the big Crooked House reshuffle so soon we will have a new attic workroom in which we'll be hosting Crooked House workshops so all you budding designers and makers can pick up some exclusive mad skills from our own Megan Crook. Megan is also taking a well earned holiday in Berlin this week where she'll be sporting the new collection for the first time, which leaves little ole me captaining the Crooked ship this week.  Also I'm pleased to see our entrepreneurial friends ElizaLeren getting some great publicity lately, they've been featured in today's Derby Telegraph with an article about their boutique on Green Lane which you should all check out and you can read the article here. Not only that but Bambi managed to find her way into a national Ugandan publication New Vision  courtesy of one a favourite blogger of ours, Isaac Fashionare256.  Nice one guys.

Courtesy of Fashionaire256

Here Comes The Sun

Well we've just got the first photos back from Sunday and are really happy them.  Mother nature decided to be on our side and broke out a another gloriously sunny day for us and now, that we've had some time to relax and digest the day I can tell you that thanks to an overwhelming response from our community we felt the whole day was a tremendous success, so thank you!
Our friends at the Clockworks we're great hosts, everyone pitched in and what can I say? Teamwork makes the dreamwork.  We had some great music, food, performances even had our own rag tag stage that we borrowed from D-man's school. 
It's been great to hear over the last 48 hours or so, that everyone had a lot of fun and there were a lot of memorable moments, like Meg jumping up and down screaming whilst Emilie Lecocq spews fiery breath in a pink handmade tweed jacket that's just the right side of the circus.  I remember feeling glad that I'm not the only one who gets that exited about clothes and I can't wait to see more of the pictures.  Don't forget that this event is just the beginning, we've got a fabulous summer planned and our Relaunch Party is already under a month away where we will be exhibiting all of our favourite photos from the day and celebrating our brand new website so stay tuned. x

Pictures Courtesy of Lawrence De Gruchy

A Stitch In Time

So it's here finally, tomorrow is the big day. All hands are on deck and the Crooked House is brimming with people. The outfit count is up to 31, everybody's sewing cutting and the knitting machines have been whirring relentlessly all day, even I've been pulled of the computer/phone to muck in on the knitting. There have been a few hiccups but we've been doing our best to put out fires all over the place and as far as I can tell everything seems to be finally coming together. We've dropped off the stage, had hair consultations, found a new make-up artist, picked up food, tracked down decks, finalized outfits, been filmed/interviewed and called to remind just about everyone. All these bits and pieces, odd and ends are really taking form, the excitement is brewing, we're kicking this to-do-list in the ass. Not much else to say except can't wait to see you all tomorrow and we can't thank everyone enough for all their help so far.

No Rest For The Wicked

Megan is working hard on outfit #17 for the new collection, I decided to have an impromptu interview with her to give you lovelies an incite into how things are going, it may be nearly midnight but she's still furiously sewing through a haze of conjunctivitis whilst I quiz her on the new stuff.

So what are you working on tonight?
Tonight I'm just finishing off a full length jumpsuit in some abstract Dali-esque fabric and then I'm moving on to a template for some Pocahontas meets Gladiator sandals.

 Are these going together?
Yes, basically because I need to give the cobblers time to sole the shows so this week I'm concentrating on outfits that need shoes.

Where did the inspiration for this outfit come from?
Well, I think the fabric really speaks for itself, as soon as I saw it I thought this would make a F***ing awesome jumpsuit and then the sandals... because I've been making the Pocahontas boots for a while I thought I'd love to make a sandal version and when I found the raspberry/fuchsia suede I thought it would be bang tidy. The jumpsuit is very much 1970's that you'd wear with wedges on a night out but because of the nature of the photo shoot I wanted to get a look that's more eclectic, something that would be fun and comfortable to wear to a festival.

Can you tell me about the new direction you have taken with this collection?
I want to get a bit more mainstream but I want to remain true to my textile roots. I've been on the Craft Fair circuit for years which tends to draw a more mature crowd but my work is so colourful and bright that people kept recommending that I take it to festivals. I really love the atmosphere at music festivals and I bought a camper van and really want to go on the road with Crooked Knitwear, this collection reflects that desire.

You're on outfit #17 now, so far what is your favourite new piece?
Maybe the boots I made last night, but it's really hard to choose. I'm just so exited about everything, I'm stressed but it's a good stressed.


What are these boots like then?
They're a bottle green suede short pull on boot with this really cool ethnic/tribal ribbon detailing and my multi-fibre fringing.

I've seen them they're fit.
Yeah (Laughs manically) I ran up your stairs and nearly woke you up to show you them.

I know you did you made me try them on in bed.
 

UPDATE*
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR SHOWS PAGES FOR MEGAN'S SUMMER ITINERARY! 

Last Minute Event Added!

Hi everyone!
There's a mad rush in the Crooked House today as Megan was offered a last minute place at the Contemporary Texiles Fair in Teddington. If you're lucky enough to make it to the show you will be one of the first people outside the Crooked House to get the view the samples from the new collection which will be available made to order.  We hope to see a few of you there but don't worry if you can't make it because I will posting the dates for all the summer shows very soon so keep an eye on the events page. For those of you interested in this weekend you can find the website here.

Feeling Sping

Things are heating up in the Crooked House and all this lovely spring weather has got us both buzzing with ideas especially as the plans for the photo shoot are really coming together. Today Megan managed to secure us a stage from her son's primary school and now we're working on borrowing a fully blown circus tent and performers have been confirmed to complete our festival themed hoop-la. I also thought I'd share some pictures from Megan's photo shoot with photographer Ewan Mathers who was also kind enough to sign up for the Clockworks photo shoot. These are my favourites but make sure you check out his page for more of his work.

Menswear like you don't care.

Here's the first ever mens jumper from Crooked Knitwear. It's  of course 100% handmade and took two days to make. I know it's supposed to be for the guys but how badly do I want want one?

Booty Tooch Skirt!

Yes it is a picture of her bum!

Megan's newest creation, like nothing she's made before and in which she periodically breaks out into the "booty tooch" dance. Jumping round corners and swaggering around the house like a proffessional, er... swaggerrer? Think summer knitwear meets rave princess in flamingo pinks with unmissable florescent orange fringing. Literally as I type Meg is next to me wildly shaking her hips and shouting "Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle Yeah!"