Cath Kidston is very much one of the movers and shakers in the design world at the moment. Her items are extremely popular and appeal to a wide range of people. Many of the Cath Kidston designs however have their roots firmly in the crochet, knitting and other yarn craft traditions.

Cath Kidston designs a range of household accessories and clothes that have been inspired by vintage and antique fabrics. Her products will induce a feeling of nostalgia, however are also mixed with contemporary designs giving a wide appeal.

If you take a look through the Cath Kidston website you will find many things to interest the crocheter and yarn-crafter.

Not only do many of her products such as the crocheted blankets or cushion cover inspire the crocheter to get their hook out (or, when looking at the price tag, to mutter 'I could do that'); but also inspire the lapsed crocheter, knitter or yarn crafter to dig out their hooks and needles and knock up a tea cosy or two.

In addition to the knitted and crocheted products, there are also Cath Kidston knitting needles, sewing and knitting bags - which, of course, are also handy for crochet!

Some of the main Cath Kidston products that will inspire crocheters are the items made with granny squares. Many crocheters have bad memories when it comes to granny squares, thinking of them as being old fashioned. However when they are made well with complementary colored yarns and with different textures they take on a whole new feel. The new generation granny squares are an extremely versatile item and can be used to make blankets, pillows, cushions or even items of clothing. The granny square may conjure up images of vintage crochet or crochet from the 1970’s however when given a contemporary make over they look quite wonderful and are definitely worth taking another look at.

Take a look at the work at the Cath Kidston website or the work of other designers for inspiration. Other great places to look are websites that feature hand crafted goods such as Etsy.com. This will give you an idea of what can be achieved with granny squares and how designers gather inspiration from a variety of sources.

Even the contemporary furniture designer, Ikea draws inspiration from crochet. One of their furniture lines features a painted decoration that is styled on a crochet doily.