Thank you, my Fine Fibrous Friends, for your kind words in response to my last post about how Twin One* has cancer and potentially also another alarming condition. We're continuing to wait for more news about Twin One's more precise diagnosis, plus his prognosis and treatment plan. I assumed that we'd know more by now but they're still testing the portion of him that was surgically removed. It's taking so long that I'm beginning to suspect that they're culturing a whole new twin (ergo Continue Reading
When Life Gives You Lemons, Plaster Them All Over The Internet
I've said this before, but the thing about being a blogger is that when a bad thing happens, most of my response comprises "Oh no! Oh woe is me! A bad thing has happened! Whatever shall I do to mitigate the badness of the thing?" But a small yet undeniable portion of my brain thinks, "Ah-ha! BLOG FODDER. I can make a great anecdote out of this." (Exhibit A: I had breast cancer back in 2020. And I laughed about the twists and turns of cancer treatment on here. Thank you to those of you who were Continue Reading
A New Pattern! The Kaleidoscope Hanging
Hello, my Fine Fibrous Friends. There are three things on the agenda today (though do feel free to add Any Other Business at the end). First, thank you for your kind words in response to my last post about our unfortunate start to 2025. The twin-in-question is in good spirits whilst he has (many, many) more tests, and we'll hopefully know more soon. I'll continue to be relentlessly optimistic until life slaps me round the face with the wet kipper of evidence to the contrary. Also, Continue Reading
Chicken
Against my limited better judgement, I've been playing yarn chicken with a cardigan. This unequal match between knitter and wool has been ongoing for two whole years. It's important, you see, to act casual around the yarn so that it doesn't sense your fear. (To briefly explain yarn chicken because I know that some people read here who don't - yet - knit or crochet, the term describes the situation in which your remaining yarn may or may not be sufficient for the current project, so you knit Continue Reading
Nearly There
So in this little journey through the four seasons via my new cowl design, I've finally alighted on spring. There's no daffodil-yellow in the Highland Heathers range as yet (hint hint, Stylecraft!) so I couldn't fully convey the blue-yellow-white palette of spring shades. Yeah, yeah, I need to weed this little patio that I built in the photo above. It'll happen soon. But still, I hope you get the hints of optimistic greenery and flowers against a background of endless grey rain and the Continue Reading
Weirdly Wintering In August
I've just completed winter. Not actual winter, since it's August and we're in the northern hemisphere, but the chilliest colourway of the four-season cowl design that I'll be publishing shortly. But as I said in my last post, this is a British winter, so discard any notions of sparkly white snow against a blue sky, and instead embrace the dank and soggy undertones of sludgy reality. They're quite pretty once you get used to them. The yarn is Stylecraft Highland Heathers DK. Next up on my Continue Reading
Kittens
November doesn’t have much to commend it, here in the UK. It’s cold, it’s grey, it’s aggressively dark far too soon after lunch, and it’s very, very, soggy. Our wonky old brewery home is reliably cold and damp. Sometimes the Stoic Spouse suggests we put the heating on or light a log fire as he stands there wearing his woolly hat and his two pairs of socks and his hypothermic skin tone (though to be fair, blue as a colour does rather suit him). But if we put the heating on now, who knows what Continue Reading
Craft With Style(craft)
Hello again, my Fine Fibrous Friends. Speaking of fibrous, it's been a blissfully yarny time of late. For the first time since covid trampled on everyone's plans with all the malevolent energy of an overtired toddler, we've had a proper face-to-face meet-up of the Stylecraft Blogstars. Stylecraft did their utmost to keep things Zooming along during the pandemic, but... it wasn't the same. Absolutely not Stylecraft's fault at all. They did their very best. Stoopid covid. Anyway, the weekend Continue Reading
The Wrong Ystradowen
We all make mistakes, right? Errors such as thinking, "I can finish knitting this jumper before my friend's birthday." Or deciding that of course you'll remember what size hook you were using to crochet that half-done afghan. The Stoic Spouse has a foolproof method for avoiding knitting and crochet mistakes... which is to never once in his life attempt either knitting or crochet. He has thus maintained a laudable 0% failure rate in all things yarny, unlike the rest of us fallible mortals. Continue Reading
In Which The Universe Laughs Heartily At My Expense
Hello my Fine Fibrous Friends, and thank you for your kindness in response to my last post. Your words have been a comfort. Seriously. Meanwhile, this week's life lesson has been, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. Also, WHEN YOU'RE IN A HOLE, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY RECONSIDER YOUR URGE TO DIG. With a side order of, TRUST THE DILIGENT WORK YOU'VE PUT INTO DESIGNING AND DON'T MAKE STUPID IMPULSIVE DECISIONS LATE AT NIGHT. Would you like to see details of my humiliation? Of course you would. This blog Continue Reading