Kirstie Allsopps homemade home - OS opinions?

Hatster

I think the sad thing about crafting is that often it is much more expensive than buying the same thing from Primark - my sister says that when she makes herself a dress or knits herself a jumper, the fabric or wool alone is twice as much as she could have got the ready-made thing for, and if she were to think of the overtime she could have earnt during the time that she's spent knitting or sewing, she'd never start (she's a heart surgeon :-) )

But I nearly pulled two chairs out of a skip myself last Saturday, before deciding to leave them for someone who really needed them.

Corals

I quite enjoyed the programme at the start, and it was a refreshing change to see some of the different crafts and vintage textiles that she used during the programme compared to the DIY programmes that have hit our screens since changing rooms first appeared.

I use to watch Location, Location, Location from time to time and loved watching people view the different properties & thought that it was well presented, & I never supported the claims that Phil & Kirstie were partly responsible for peoples demise in the property market as a result of their programme.

However, this programme after the first episode began to take its toll on me somewhat. Firstly, vintage textiles can be very expensive – the vintage clothes market has boomed in the last few years & a lot of the crafts that were highlighted in the programme are very time consuming and cost money to explore.

I have to agree with other peoples opinion it would have been great to see Kirstie make something from start to finish, rather than having the expert sitting patiently by ready to step in at the last moment.

Kirstie was always talking about bagging a bargain and pushing this issue, which at times she did, but in reality this was not out of necessity, more for the thrill of finding the bargain! A £250.00 vintage quilt one moment and then a psychedelic / mexican looking old rug out of a skip.

For anyone to achieve a fraction of what Kirstie did would need a lot of time pavement pounding – going to charity shops, antique centres and markets & not to mention a few quid.

The overall finish of the house was a good result, which can only be achieved with time, money and experts on hand. Kind of misses the point of the “Kirstie’s homemade home” when everything was made by experts.

maman

We've watched the series and enjoyed it but MSE it's not! If it gets people back interested in crafts it will have made a difference even if it's affordable crafts! I think what I liked most was the style she decorated her house in, so much more comfortable and more me that these dressed, ultra modern showhome sort of places.

jiblets1

Hi, bit of a sideways question here: on the credits where the knitted squares say "kirstie's homemade home" there's a little 3D house made of wool. I'd love to make something like that for my living room but I couldn't even figure out if it would have been knitted and stuffed, or if it was some sort of crochet. Any ideas on how I could go about making something like that?

ps personally I really enjoyed the show too, and as someone who has been craftym in the past, but currently is living her first house, a new build full of new (somewhat characterless) objects I do feel quite inspired to follow up some of the ideas myself. I've already found a weekly glass workshop in my area and am hoping to inject some personality into my home. But I'm not working under the assumption that any of these things will be cheap...

Valli

the titles and little house are all knitted as far as I can can tell. Probably knitted panels so probably not too difficult actually...

Rectangles for front, back and two roof panels all with same number of stitches.
Square for side elevation with even increase from bottom of roofline...
look here

luxor4t

I watched part of the first programme and all of the last programme (I was too busy in my own homemade home in between )

First programme: All we get in skips around here is building rubble, we don't even get dead Xmas trees anymore! I've never seen anything remotely usable, let alone a mirror.

Last programme: At the auction, HOW MUCH for a bag of shells? :eek: and WHY want that ugly shell mirror?... especially at that price .

I do fancy putting my herbs in a tin bath though...once I've taken the coal out:rotfl:

jiblets1

Valli wrote: »

the titles and little house are all knitted as far as I can can tell. Probably knitted panels so probably not too difficult actually...

Rectangles for front, back and two roof panels all with same number of stitches.
Square for side elevation with even increase from bottom of roofline...
look here

That's perfect! Thanks Valli

Mollymop5

I watched every program and although enjoyed it for the watchabilty angle have to say i didn't find many bargains in her home.I think their are alot of people out there who have lovely homes with bargains from skips, charity shops, passed on from friends or bought rather cheaply.I'd like to see their homes and how everything has been put together to make their Homemade Home.There's meant to be a new serious where Kirsty helps other people.I hope there are people who can show her a thing or too.That would be interesting

sassyblue

Hi all,

I saw a little piece in our local paper yesterday that Kirsty Allsop had been filming in a local studio learning cross-stitch for a programme to be shown later in the year 'Kirstys Homemade Home'

Thought that would please all of us who enjoyed her 'Homemade Christmas' programmes. I'm already excited! :T

Justamum

I look forward to that. The Christmas programme was the first time I'd ever seen her, and I know some people knock her as being really out of touch with how the real world lives, but I thought she was really nice. A bit ditsy maybe, but nice!