The Little Knitting Company - 'Flying The Flag' With Their Latest Knitting Kit

The Little Knitting Company has added their own unique flair to the iconic Union Jack design, with their latest cushion cover knitting kit.

There’s something really satisfying in creating and adding your own personal touch to your home, so why not get crafty with this distinctive handknit design.

The Little Knitting Company are passionate about yarn and love sourcing wools and yarns from all over the world. The Union Jack Cushion Cover Kit has been designed using their Tooti Fruiti yarn, in their own colour combination of sunflower, crocus and ash.

The Union Jack Cushion Cover Kit contains the pattern and chart; a pair of hand crafted responsibly sourced wooden knitting needles and buttons, plus enough yarn for you to make up this design. It is available from www.thelittleknittingcompany.co.uk at £29.55 plus P&P.

Spring Clean With Confidence

When it comes to Spring there is one thing never far from our minds – cleaning! With a winter’s worth of dust, soil and dirt the good old spring clean is one of those inevitable chores that help to clear your mind for the summer ahead.

No area is more susceptible to mud and dirt than carpets and as with any substantial investment, a good clean once a year will help to ensure years of good looks and service – alongside regular spot cleaning and vacuuming of course.

The bold may well attempt this themselves, or for the less adventurous there are always professional carpet cleaners on-hand, but one thing is definite you should be 100% confident that you use the right product or select a reputable company for the task to protect your investment

When it comes to wool and wool-rich carpets, there is one source that you can be sure will provide you first classe advice. The WoolSafe Organisation was founded to offer peace-of-mind when cleaning and maintaining your carpet.

If you are going to attempt any cleaning yourself, make sure that you use only WoolSafe approved products. These have been independently and scientifically tested and are safe and effective for cleaning and maintaining wool and wool-rich carpets and rugs.

Professional,s too, should be accredited by the WoolSafe Organisation, making sure that you receive a top quality service that will leave your carpet in great condition.

To guide you through the maze of carpet cleaning, The WoolSafe Organisation has produced a helpful consumer leaflet packed with maintenance tips for carpets and rugs rules for spot removal and valuable advice on how to deal with those dreaded everyday spills from red wine and food, to ink and shoe polish.

For further information or to obtain the free WoolSafe “The safe way to care for your wool carpets” leaflet, telephone 01943 850817, fax 01943 462127 or e-mail info@woolsafe.org.

Vi-Spring’s Wonderful Wool Bed on Parade at The Lord Mayor’s show

Britain's luxury bed-maker, Vi-Spring, is supporting the Campaign for Wool at the 2011 Lord Mayor’s Show on Saturday 12th November. Joining the procession alongside Worshipful Woolmen, Vi-Spring will be parading through London with its new, sumptuously soft, all-wool bed, The Shetland.

The Campaign’s Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, convened the initiative to rejuvenate the image of real wool in January 2010, after seeing that its natural, sustainable origin and highly technical structure can offer interiors and fashion many superior benefits.

Naturally luxurious, wool is uniquely suited to bed making thanks to a combination of softness, warmth and resilience. Vi-Spring is the only bed maker in the world to use Real Shetland Wool. It’s master-craftsmen hand-fill each and every bed with more British fleece wool than any other bed maker. This is part of Vi-Spring’s support for Campaign for Wool and commitment to using one of Britain’s finest resources to increase demand for wool and preserve this precious industry.

The Procession will be lead by the 684th Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman David Wootton.

The Procession starts at London’s Guildhall at 11.00am on November 12th. It travels down to Mansion House then crosses the City via Bank and St Pauls to deliver the new Lord Mayor to the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand at about 12.40. While the Lord Mayor pledges loyalty in the ancient ceremony, the procession re-forms for the return leg, which sets off down the Embankment at 1pm and finishes back at Mansion House around 2.30.

FACTFILE:

Vi-Spring believes that sleeping on the right bed can be a truly life-changing experience. All Vi-Spring mattresses are handmade to order in the company’s workshops in Devon. It’s an uncompromising approach, but because sleep is such a deeply personal part of life, it’s really the only way to ensure that every bed is not only supremely comfortable, but also fits its owner like a glove.

Founded in 1901, Vi-Spring was the first bed maker to produce an interior sprung mattress using a system of individually pocketed springs that changed the way beds were made.

Vi-Spring has never wavered from its original philosophy of using the best craftsmanship and quality materials to produce the finest beds in the world, and this is why Vi-Spring beds have been the only choice for anyone who demands the best for over one hundred years.

Wool you believe it?

Bold Colours may have been adorning our wardrobes in 2011, but British Wool is bringing the colour blocking trend into the home from floor up with a collection that is big, bright and bold.

Whilst British Wool naturally offers robust resilience as a carpet fibre it also brings a unique twist to innovative accessories and clothing in glorious technicolour and tactile texture.

“Teaming high quality craftsmanship in shades that omit high intensity, British homes will be crying out for home grown wool” says Irfan Khan, Promotions Manager at The British Wool Marketing Board “With the growing trend for all things British, it’s great to be collaborating with so many innovative companies that make fantastic products from British Wool.”

Where There’s A Wool There’s A Way
The living room is THE place to generate stand out, so inject eye popping colour with British Wool – offset primary shades against clashing acid brights for the ultimate in wool factor! This trend is best combined with one solid shade of colour so choose carpet from Ulster that is hardwearing yet soft and luxurious underfoot or add a focal point to a plain sofa with vibrant wool tapestry cushions in delicious shades of colour made with Elizabeth Bradley tapestry kits.

From Sheep to Sleep
‘Shear’ sumptuous surroundings are a given when you use British Wool in the bedroom. Opt for opulent, luxurious surroundings which are guaranteed to keep you warm at night. Use a bold Red Velvet carpet from Ulster to instantly brighten your day as soon you step foot out of bed. Collaborations with key designers see the ultimate in bold and tactile accessories hand-made from natural yarns including Melanie Porter’s statement piece knitted furniture, the added ‘Passion’ comes from Emily Peacock’s statement cushion.

Loud and Proud to be British
Celebrate everything we love about the Isles with woollen fabrics that add instant interest and depth and help to make your house a home. Melanie Porter has created knitted furniture that merges rich warmth with distinct British tones. The classic red white and blue is a tradition that just isn’t ready to leave our homes so hang your flag with pride.

Cosy up with British Wool
When the nights draw in, cosy accessories from British Wool are the perfect winter antidote. Light a fire and cuddle up in woollen fabrics and yarns. With the latest cutting edge and unique scarves from Izzy Lane and lacy scarves from Makepiece, you won’t be cold this winter. And when it’s time to hang the stockings choose socks from John Arbon Textiles made from British Wool in an array of dizzy brights and make sure your mantelpiece has one for all the family.

For more information about British Wool visit www.aboutwool.com