FOUND!

Kentoys

Magic Knitting Machine

The searching has paid off, I now have a

complete set of 8 of the Kentoys

Magic Knitting Machines!!

For more information, see Kentoys - Labels

right hand column.

Below are the final four that

I needed.

Chicken, Bird/Seagull, Girl and Boy.

*******

MARIA MURDACA

I have discovered another spool knitter artist (painter of spool knitters) 

and this time she is home grown!

I would like to introduce you to Maria Murdaca, a gifted

artist and fellow Aussie, who lives

in Queensland, Australia. Maria has a gallery

of her beautiful paintings on canvas and wood..

When it comes to spool knitters, 

Maria's style is delightful and I love the faces she paints on

her spool knitters.

I asked Maria if she would tell me a little about herself and

 she very kindly wrote back ......

"I started painting with a Folk Art teacher in the late

1980's, I loved it and continued to challenge myself

always to improve my work by trying to paint something

more difficult.

In the year 2000 together with my daughter and niece, 

we opened a craft shop, having all I needed around

me including lots of inspiration.

I had lots of visiting teachers doing workshops whose class I would

also attend, so my knowledge of the art world grew

and I started to express myself a lot easier.

In 2009 I started a class with a professional Art Teacher

- Michael Zaiter - who pushed me further into creating my own

paintings without the need to trace as you do in most

Folk Art.

I have loved every minute of the work I have painted in the past

with every medium including mixed media and collages,

some of my work is showing on my website at -

Celestial Arts

in the Image Gallery."

You can also find out a little more about Maria if you click on the

"About Me" link on her website.

Below are some more of her wonderful spool knitters -

The Red Riding Hood is currently my favourite!

Mammy and Granny are great characters!

Thankyou Maria, it is wonderful to know you!

*******

Magic Knitting Machines

KENTOYS

This is an update of a post I did about

3 years ago on Kentoys

These wonderfully cute knitting machines
 are still hard to find, however, I have had

a little luck in increasing my collection from 4 to 6. 

(Two Grandmas, two Ladies, one Owl and one Duck)

I have still to find the boy, girl, bird and chicken.

I have discovered that they are also known

as Kiddie Dora in Europe and that these

Kiddie Dora came with a 

draw string pouch.
Added - May: I have decided that the bird is
a seagull, I have now seen a larger picture
and see that this bird has goggles as in a diving
seagull and is holding a fish.
So therefore we have an owl, chicken,
duck, and seagull, of the feathered
variety and four humans - girl, boy,
Lady, and Grandma in the set.

Above - this is the label found with the Owl 

knitting machine.

The directions in German - found with the

Owl knitting machine.

The packaging can also vary between those labeled

Magic Knitting Doll or Magic Knitting

Machine.

Some carry their brand under the left foot -

KENTOYS 1998 and MADE IN CHINA in a circle

under the right foot.  Some carry their brand on their 

inside rim - PATENT PENDING KENTOYS c1998,

and some have PATENT NO. :6276986B1.

My Nitta Crittas collection (by Moose) has also increased

from one to three - 1 cow, 1 frog and 1 duck.

As you can tell, I hate removing any of these from

their original packaging (when they are found in

their packaging) so I try keeping them this way.

The last one I have to find is the pink pig in this set.

The search continues!! .......

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ancien Chat Tricotin

ANCIEN CHAT TRICOTIN

OR

Vintage Cat Spoolknitter

I wonder how many catlovers there are who are

also collectors of knitting spools?

I wonder if any of you have one of these in your

collection?

I would love to know more about them, so if anyone

has some information about these charming knitters,

I would love to hear from you!

What I do know is, I believe they are quite rare.

In my 10 years of collecting, I have only seen another

four cats and they originate from France.

There is also a bird and a duck version. They (cats)

are usually found missing their ears, at least
those that I have seen. I have added these

little felt ears to the inset above his eyes.

I think he looks wonderful!

^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^

Another Artist

Helmi Coenders

It is always a treat to discover other artists who paint their own spool knitters.

I was contacted by Helmi Coenders of The Nederlands where

spool knitters are called punniken.

Helmi has painted her spool knitters with a great novel

flair .... taking a basic/common shaped spool knitter

and working it in an entirely new way!

You can find her blog here ... click 

and here is her wonderful work on spool knitters/punniken.

 

Aren't they great fun!?

Thankyou Helmi, I am still hopeful that one day I might

be able to call one my own!

******

New French Knitting Pattern Book 2011

Here is a fantastic new book by

Heather Kingsley-Heath.

It is an A4 size, 32 page book available from - 

http://www.heatherworks.co.uk/

Heather has created wonderful projects using

the spool knitter. I just love the cutest dolls that she

 has designed. There is also lots of jewellery, home decor, and toys.

 Above shows the back cover.

You will be spool knitting away to your heart's

content with these lovely projects.

~~~~~~~

1974 Spool Knitting Patterns for Kids

(click to enlarge)

Found this in a vintage Australian magazine - Woman's World -

October 16, 1974

Something for the children to make! ... and I hope

that they can use these ideas for more of their own, 

like adding extra touches or embellishments.

******