Hello, I’m Isabel Knowles. This is a blog to document the workings, inspirations and ponderings behind my handmade clothing label ‘I K N O W’.
/ / Shirt - Borrowed / / Trousers - My grandma's / / Sandals - Very old
Birkenstocks / / I've bought sunglasses now so I can open my eyes in a picture \ \
We've been having some perfect Spring time weather and beautiful sunny afternoons lately. I spent bank holiday Monday in London as my sister had a picnic for her birthday. I love living in the countryside but there's something pretty magical about London come summer. The trees are all in blossom, there's warmth in the air and everyone seems to be cycling about or lounging on patches of grass.
Spring time that feels like summer is my favourite. I like May because it has two bank holidays and it feels all full of optimistic plans for the warmer months.
I've stumbled across the work of
Danielle Kroll and I think it is really very nice. This picture in particular is lovely stuff. More lovely stuff can be seen
here. I'd like to be able to paint like this so I'm going to practice.
I do a lot of sewing, obviously, but I actually rarely make something for myself. So, inspired by
'Me-Made-May',
The Great British Sewing Bee, and lovely
Tilly, I'm feeling the need to sew more selfish things and to ruddy wear them too. My friend Beci just gave me a bunch of
old sewing patterns that came out of her aunts attic. There are some proper 70s/80s corkers in there.
Also, the light is so nice in my studio in the evening I have no excuse not to sit and sew in the sun. Is anyone else feeling inspired by this lovely springtime weather?
(photos are shoddy screen grabs - sorry)
I watched
The Birdcage this evening. I love that film, I hadn't seen it for years. Along with loving all the wonderful drag outfits - of course - I've become obsessed with the dress Calista Flockhart wears to super. The shape is pretty 90s and she can pull it off a treat. The collar on the dress is wicked. Adding it to my 'must make myself something a bit like this' list definitely.
Some photos of life lately. This film was so interesting to get back from the developers, it starts with the most shitty weather, heavy fog and soggy mud everywhere. By the end it is starting to look a lot more spring like with dafs on the ground and some bright sun cracking through the clouds. The last photos are taken in St Ives at Easter, the light is always something special in St Ives, you can see why so many artists have been inspired there.
