What do you get when you combine the brilliance of a young female cartoonist inspired by Japanese Manga comics (remember Sailor Moon?) with my fave Scandi retailer? You get Ikea's latest textile collection, Charlotta. The line of 5 patterns was designed by Asa Ekstrom, who dreampt of becoming a Mangaka (a Manga cartoonist) from the age of 13, and trained in both Sweden and Japan before releasing her first Manga comic strip. Each of the Charlotta patterns is an imaginative, magical and lively mash-up of Japanese and Swedish styles, mixing Japanese woodcuts, origami and Vikings (one even goes so far as to let Godzilla rampage through some of Scandinavia's most historical buildings). So, whether you fancy new cushions, new drapes, a tea cosy, or you just love a bit of Manga, grab a couple of yards of Charlotta and get sewing.
