Pullens Yards, south London craft community

Last weekend i discovered a well kept treasure in my own back yard. It wasn't literally my back yard, but the Pullens yards across the road i lived on when i first moved down to London, Penton Place SE11 (behind the urban grot of Elephant and Castle and the Woolworth Road). And having never moved very far I couldn't believe that in all this time I hadn't come across the art and craft studios of the beautiful Pullens buildings. Built in 1870 the Yards were purpose built with craftspeople and small traders in mind and represent an original Victorian example of live/work space as, orginally, each ground or first-floor workshop opened into one of the 2 flats situated behind it.

Carol Mather pictured walking into her studio makes this stunning silverwork. I want one of those little dog necklaces.

The yards today include a couple of small publishers, including Can of Worms press who published the Borough Market Cookbook and Made in Southwark by photographer George Nicholson, who also has studios in the yard.

We weren't allowed to take pictures at the Chelsea degree show, so i have a picture of a knitting machine. And some moss growing on a roof, reminiscent of the woolly designs hung indoors.

London Underground Moquette

Transport for London has launched a fun competition to design a new seating moquette for the London Underground. The winning design, which will initially launch on the Piccadilly line, will then be adopted across the London Underground system. This is a chance to become part of the fabric of London design and transport history. I've yet to meet a textile designer who can resist the thought of their seat design caressing the behinds of London's 3 million daily tube users! The deadline is September 14th, for all the details see http://shop.tfl.gov.uk/moquette-competition.html

Most of these images were found on the London Transport Museum website.
As a nerdy textile designer i was very excited finding these archives and would be very tempted to travel all the London tube lines and bus journeys to put together a little moquette journal of my own. Maybe in the near future, as soon as I get that anorak for my winter wardrobe!!

Forget reading metro, why not think of a feature for the London Underground blog