We spotted Claire-Anne O’Brien‘s chunky knitted poufs at Tent London. They look like big voluptuous perfectly iced cakes you want to hug.

Rather than fancy patterns, the knitting pattern does the talking on these delicious poufs in a range of soft, of the moment colours. Originally from Ireland, but now a fellow East Londoner,  everything is knitted by skilled homeworkers in the UK and using only natural fibres. Nothing polyester about these cuddly lovelies.

Images. Claire-Anne O’Brien
Via. Tent London

We know Bethan Gray is a safe pair of hands, she’s won a long (perfectly crafted) shelf of awards and is snuggled in the comfortable arms of everybody’s favourite uncle John Lewis.

But it’s the carve table collection with furniture developer Thomas Turner as Gray & Turner (G&T) that has got us all giddy like a love struck teenager. The solid marble, the perfectly carved legs, it’s a side table marvel and we’re saving up. Sometimes it’s the beauty in the simplicity, that gets you all excited.

Images. Bethan Gray

We really want some of Jessica Light‘s tassles. Is it because they are handmade in her East London workshop using methods dating back to the 15th Century? Or that she’s come along way from a BA in Textile Design at Trent Poly?  Or that she introduced us to the word Passementerie? We’re not sure, but we really want Jessica Light’s tassles. If she’s too busy doing cool tassle things for Vivienne Westwood, Kylie Minogue or Buckingham Palace, then you can get your tassles with her diffusion range at her shop.

Images. Jessica Light

A regular visitor to HMP Holloway Women’s Prison, the late Lady Anne Tree believed 2 things, that prison was often “a terrible waste of time…” and that needlepoint can be “a meditative way of thinking, of taking stock.” `

This was the beginning of Fine Cell Work, a charity and social business that trains UK male and female prisoners in skilled and creative needlework to build discipline and self-esteem.  The inmates learn purpose and patience and being paid for their work (37% of the profit) allows them to support family outside prison and learn the financial value of hard work.

I initially stumbled across Fine Cell Work over a year ago,  the website was a little rough round the edges with a handful of very charming cushions and some one off pieces. They’ve now really upped their game with a polished site, more sophisticated product range and a solid story.

Images. Fine Cell Work

We’ve all done it… you watch the Rythmic Gymnastics and then resist the temptation to grab loo roll/tea towel/scarf (in order of preference) and twirl it round the living room or have a quick roly poly.

Igor Emmerich is a solid portrait and lifestyle photographer, fresh and unpretentious with a long list of big gun clients. But it’s his personal stuff that we really like and the Everyday Olympics is especially charming… complete with instructions, an ongoing peak into how you can take part at home, with fly swatting tennis and office basketball above. Wishing you’d thought of it before? Yeah me too.

Get your roly poly on…

Images. Igor Emmerich