Introducing: The Speciale hand-framed cotton sweater
I love cotton knits in the Summer. I couldn’t always see the point of them, but in the past few years I’ve regularly taken one on our holidays (usually to Portugal or France) and I adore the feeling on putting one on as the day cools dow...
Introducing: The Speciale hand-framed cotton sweater
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Thank you, Simon. All useful information....
Best of British: Buy your personalised copy
My third book this year, published by Prestel and in bookstores worldwide, is now available. It is called Best of British: The Stories Behind Britain’s Iconic Brands. The book covers 14 British manufacturers that are over 100 years’ ol...
Best of British: Buy your personalised copy
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Their top end is still a good level - which is what we feature in the book. But generally the focus of this book is on history and stories of England's oldest manufacturers, so quality was less of a concern (eg Barbour.....
Royal warrant holders at the Coronation Festival
This past weekend saw the Coronation Festival in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, at which holders of royal warrants exhibited. The royal warrant is not exactly the mark of quality that some might assume, given that it includes Austin Reed and Daks...
Royal warrant holders at the Coronation Festival
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The latter is more accurate. But K&H are also not really saying they can do anything at all. All adaptation has its limits....
Corgi: The machines
There are three types of knitting machines at Corgi: old, domestic models; double-bed machines; and single-bed machines. All require hand framing – that is, the worker must pull the carriage up and down by hand. The domestic machines are whit...
Corgi: The machines
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I used to own a small handflat knitting firm,and was taught how to knit at 14 mainly to earn a bit of pocket money .We used mainly 4gge universal or 4.5 gge Dubied's and also 2.5 gge, my mum and dads knitwear firm also h...
Corgi: Factory visit
Corgi is a lovely little company, just outside Swansea in south Wales. It’s been around since 1893 and has the Prince of Wales’s royal warrant. But, more importantly, it’s one of only a few companies left in the UK doing hand-framed...
Corgi: Factory visit
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Corgi tend not to make to the same fineness, but they do some great thicker socks, and some great hand-framed pieces too - or at least they did when I was there...
Christmas suggestions
If you’re anything like me, Christmas shopping begins in earnest this week. Just long enough ahead to get everything done, but little enough time to inject a little panic into the process. Here are a few suggestions from a few of my favourites....
Christmas suggestions
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Excellent post....
