As you may be aware (and if you’re not, have you been living with a bag on your head?) there’s a bit of a sporting event about to happen here in London.

So, on Saturday we went to see the Olympic Flame as it wandered through London. I hadn’t been overly excited about seeing the flame despite being very pro-Olympics, but as we stood waiting on Mare Street I realised that I was actually wildly over-excited about it.

We didn’t have a celeb running with the Flame but this was preferable I think. One of the things I love about Hackney is that it seems more normal and less star-struck than much of London, even though quite a few celebs live here (plus I am useless at recognising any of them, I walked into Jude Law once and didn’t even realise who it was until friend pointed it out). ‘Our’ torch bearer was this chap who obviously works hard around the borough. Here he is heading towards the Town Hall, bringing the Flame:

And here’s the flame leaving again:



So now we’re just waiting for Danny Boyle and Team GB to do us all proud…

As we may have mentioned before, as well as the TBk stuff we work with lots of lovely fashion people and I can say without doubt that one of the loveliest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with is Guy Hills from Dashing Tweeds. As well as being generally lovely, Guy is, I think, the most stylish chap I’ve ever worked with too.

Adding to the style of our great nation is a big thing, and Guy has done it again with the Hanky Hat for summer (we will have a summer soon, I hope, and at least the Hanky Hat would keep you dryish during a shower).


(lovely photo from Dashing Tweeds)

As every True Brit will know, if you’re caught short without a decent hat then the only thing to do is tie knots in your hanky and don that.

As every fashion icon is even better with a song, Guy has obliged, producing this little gem with another Guy (who has written a few other songs in his time). As we only put the very best musical content on the blog, Iman settled down for a viewing because – well, you know she’s a most discerning rabbit:

Passed by Her Imperialness, here is the Hanky Hat Song for your delight. Now pootle off to Dashing Tweeds and buy your own here

Well, after announcing Wendy’s arrival I offered ‘a small present’ for an entertaining comment about what the ‘c’ word could be, and PipneyJane is going to get that present for confessing that she takes her knitting to see Chelsea play and guessing that the ‘c’ word in question might well be ‘crochet’. I am impressed beyond belief that she does take her knitting to Stamford Bridge and also wondering if she still will after the Daily Mail’s little hissy fit over somebody spotted knitting on Centre Court at Wimbledon this week. I’m not putting a link in there as frankly I wouldn’t direct anybody whatsoever to the Mail’s website, I’m sure if you put ‘knitting Wimbledon Centre Court’ into your search engine of choice then the whole overblown, ridiculous tale will be made instantly visable to you.

As I do not personally know PipneyJane I will refrain from saying rude things about her choice of football team (unlike Jen and her family’s strange, incomprehensible allegiance to Spurs). I can’t be rude about Arsenal, either, as even though I know Nicky I have an odd, sneaking regard for Arsenal.

So, PipneyJane, I’ve emailed you and if you send me your address and preference for plain, lined or squared paper and whether you like chocolate or not I shall send something chocolately and papery to you, to sustain you through the Olympics (the chocolate) and also so that you can write down Chelsea’s scores next season. Or something knitting related. Or a recipe. Or whatever you like to write down.

To otherwise entertain and follow on from Wendy’s head-to-toe Knitted Baby pic of yesterday, I give you Iman last night after a bit of a snack whilst sitting in her haybox. Sometimes she’s not the sophisticated rabbit she would have you believe.

Following Belinda’s announcement regarding my ‘free’ transfer (I thought I might be worth a fee at least!) to join TBk this is my first blog EVER….
Here goes… Yes I am joining TBk and we are very excited at the prospect of creating fabulous knits for you all to make, love and cherish and also sharing with you life, culture, design and knitting from the East side of London.
I am a rare breed of Londoner that is born and bred here and still living and working in what I consider to be the greatest city in the world (with Amsterdam and New York a close second). However according to my large London family I moved to the ends of the Earth by leaving Battersea in South West London to live in the East End 18 years ago. Unlike ‘Hackney Belinda’ I live the right side of Victoria Park in Bow!! My children are true cockneys being born within the sound of Bow bells.
I will talk more of design, events and most importantly knitting in our next post, but for now I am sharing with you this great picture of my Mum and Dad arriving a la Tandem on East Hill SW18 in the 1940s. My Dad is looking very dapper in an on trend sweater. Check out my Mum’s shoes too.



As we have just won the second stage of the Tour De France I couldn’t think of a more suitable picture.
Here is me age 6ish with a mystery man in another on trend knit, accessorized lovely papier mache party hats.



… and another of me in a handknit with my younger sister on the Isle of Wight where we spent many a happy holiday.

Lastly I couldn’t resist showing you this pic of me head to toe in knit, surely a sign of things to come, could I be wearing any more?!

Signing off now as we are busy designing beautiful knitwear for you all.