There's something that I've been desperately excited to tell you about, and now - at long last - I can. Stylecraft Cotton Classique. Next year, Dover Press are publishing a very colourful new book about stranded knitting. And the author is, erm, me. You could possibly make a case that I'm biased on the matter, but I think it's going to be a cool book. With a respectful nod to traditional approaches such as Fair Isle, it'll strip stranded work back to its core principles and encourage Continue Reading
Hunting Parsnips
It's that oddball week between Christmas and New Year's Eve when nobody is sure what day or time it is, how many mince pies constitute an adequate breakfast, when the bins might next be collected, and whether or not the cat has been fed. We don't even have a cat (sadly), so this problem really shouldn't tax us as much as it does. I was back at work yesterday. Driving to the hospital on near-empty roads, I battled anxious thoughts about whether it really was definitely, definitely Friday, Continue Reading
Florence
Florence. You've (possibly) visited the city, you've seen the photos, now knit the cushion! But more on that in a minute. Here in southern Britain, it's been raining since... well actually I can't remember when this wretched rain began. Last month? Last decade? The Pleistocene epoch? Who knows. The landscape is grey and soggy. Gazing out of the window is not an uplifting experience, unless you're inspired by sludge. Every time I go for a run, I'm not so much running as dancing, in Continue Reading
Winging It
First of all, THANK YOU for your enthusiastic participation in the It's A Stitch-Up giveaway. We had 631 entries across the various platforms in less than 48 hours! Winners* have been notified, and prizes are on their way. Huge thanks to Suzie at It's A Stitch-Up for offering such generous prizes. (Meanwhile, it's pretty out there.) And whilst all that was going on, I finished knitting a thing. It came out reasonably non-dreadfully, given that I made it up as I went along with pretty much Continue Reading
Want To Win Some Loveliness?
GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR ENTRIES. WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED VERY SHORTLY. Lately I've been thinking, there's not enough yarn in your life... or yarn-related paraphernalia for that matter. Please forgive me for pointing this out so bluntly but you really need more yarn. I mentioned this fact to the marvellous Suzie at It's A Stitch Up, because she knows a thing or two about yarn if anyone does, and she was horrified. "Not enough yarn?! But, but, but, that's terrible!" Continue Reading
Comfort Knitting
Thank goodness for yarn, eh? Isn't it pretty out there at the moment? No matter what you're dealing with, there's a knit or crochet project that'll help you through. Feeling so stressed that you just gnawed your own leg off through sheer nervous energy? Allow me to recommend a simple ripple blanket. Practically expiring from ennui? Why not intarsia a reproduction of the Mona Lisa in laceweight? (Because it'll shred your last reserves of sanity, that's why not.) When the sun comes out Continue Reading
Cowls Against Brexit
OK, own up. Who was it? Who invoked that ancient curse, 'May you live in interesting times'? Because if it was you, please understand that by this point some of us have had quite enough interestingness, thanks very much, and could really do with a bit of tedious, safe, predictable, stability. TIA, yeah? In a week when my beautiful old nation might just hurl itself off a cliff whilst yelling about how fun it feels to be flying through the air, I'm struggling to concentrate on normal stuff. Continue Reading
A Quick (Free) Pattern To Prevent Your Circular Needles From Misbehaving
Almost-autumn is here. The twinnage returned to school last week, with all the swagger that a matching pair of eight-year-olds in a small village school can muster. (Trust me, that's quite a lot of swagger.) Meanwhile here is a cormorant, having a scratch. The days are cooler, and no evening is complete until somebody has said "I can't believe it's dark already. Look! Look how dark it is! Just look, will you?!" Isn't it a beauty? It's been a low-achieving couple of months. Last Continue Reading
Soon
We're starting to see the odd teaser for Season Three (autumn) of 2019. It's surprisingly cool here this morning, and I'm wearing an actual jumper. Confession: I bought rather than knitted it, and one of the twinnage would like me to make him one, but I'm puzzled by what the stitch might be. Here's the front (left) and reverse (right). Any thoughts please, wise yarn-lovers? I'd love to oblige him by making one, especially as I fear we're reaching the end of the Mum-is-cool years, and fast Continue Reading
Summer
It's a controversial opinion, but I think long hot summer days are the best. When you've spent 99% of your life shivering into your knitwear, it's a marvellous luxury to be able to go outdoors - or even indoors - in short sleeves. And then there's the joy of pulling off your cardigan to reveal the wanton nakedness of only a single layer of stocking-stitched merino beneath. Look who's been busy laying eggs in the pond! The problem - in my case - is that it's too tempting to spend every Continue Reading