It's the wonder, the wonder of wool

I was soaking my Old Bones shawl - pattern by the very talented Ashley Knowlton - at the weekend and musing on what amazing stuff wool is. It's made from Gotland Aran yarn by Well Manor Farm, raised & spun & dyed in Britain, and as I took it out of its Euclan, I was struck by how quickly the thoroughly-marinaded shawl shed its moisture, showing off waterproof/quick-drying properties that creators of synthetic material would kill for. Well done the sheep!!

 

And isn't the colour pretty?

All power to the good people at theCampaign for Wool!!!

Thank eff it's Friday...

It's been a right old week at work... so glad it's Friday and got cheered up by some good news yesterday, had another pattern commissioned by Knit Now! Obviously all very much Hush Hush, but I had an enjoyable time looking for shiny orange yarn for it.

I've also just picked up a new car which is also very exciting, and finally finished a sweater I've been meaning to knit for ages the Fyberspates "Challow" - first Fair Isle sweater I've made. The Fyberspates 4 ply yarn feels so luxurious & it is really light but warm. I have a whole ball of the main colour left so will get the treat of knitting with it again!

Good news / Bad news

Bad news... my car appears to be dead. It began to emit strange steam and make peculiar noises as we set out from Clare for lunch at the George in Cavendish, Suffolk on Saturday. We decided to pass the pub and look for a garage. The garage we found was shut, and the car gave up the ghost in their forecourt. So instead of a nice afternoon having lunch, swatching, etc, we spent the afternoon waiting for various men to come along and shake their heads in despair as the sight of my engine. We then sadly waved the car off as it went back to London & we got a taxi back to Clare, where I cheered myself up with a real fire, sparkling wine & Strictly Come Dancing. Did the entire length of the Central line from Epping to Ealing Broadway today, as this seemed to be by far the cheapest option for getting home from Clare without a car.

On the plus side, whilst on the tube I finished some socks for David from yarn I dyed myself in Turmeric and Paprika - Spicy Socks - and I also managed to take some pics in the field opposite the house in Clare of the now-finished Black Beacon hat.

Inspiration from the banks of the Danube

I've just got back from a weekend in Budapest, which is a beautiful, civilized and seemingly safe & clean city, bestriding the Danube with gorgeous fairy-tale spired buildings, interspersed by the odd outrageously ugly 1980s hotel. A little strange, but fully of colourful inspiration for the knitter.

For instance, the Basilika of St. Stephen has a slightly macabre chapel of the saint's thousand year old right hand, decorated by the most splendid Art Nouveau stained glass windows, showing Hungary's most important saints in glittering colour:

Imagine this as a Kaffe Fassett throw...

And of course when I saw the roof of St. Matthias, I cooed, "Look, a Fair Isle church!"

 

I knitted on the plane on the way out, as I am now fairly confident I can get my Brittany birch sock needles through Heathrow security, but banished them to the hold on the way back.

 

If only international airports could get themselves together to have a coherent published policy on needles...

Beacon in progress

Thought this would be a quick knit but got quite a long way through my first go only to realise it was too big (even on my enormous bonce) and that the way I'd done the knit/purl stripes just didn't work. So I'm back on try 2 which seems a more civilized size but I'm still not 100% happy with the clapboard effect. On the plus side I think I have worked out how to do the planned matching scarf.

Have also got to do swatches for the next Knit Now subs call - and finally finish the Fyberspates jumper I am knitting myself as I keep wanting to wear it then realising I haven't finished it yet...

Sample is in the post!

Posted my finished sample off to Knit Now today - took some photos before I send it but I need to keep this wrap under wraps for now. Don't know what the world will make of it, but I think I would want to knit it if I saw it in a magazine and you can't say fairer than that can you?

I think a short simple pattern next - so it'll be the Black Beacon men's beanie with Orford Ness Hebridean wool from Cafe Knit. Better do a tension square I suppose.

Was at Foxy's Craft Market at the Fox pub in Hanwell today, mooching around for a bit while I helped out on our allotment stand (the wonderful Billet's Hart allotments in Hanwell that is), selling some of my preserves & spare veg to the unsuspecting populace. Pleased to say my Louisa Harding knitted dress was admired by the lady on the knitted goods stand!

Was a bit glam look maybe for the allotment stand (I was pulling courgettes in my frock and knee-length boots) but we were going straight out to La Trompette for lunch so needs must...

Suffolk thoughts from London

I've been demon knitting in every spare moment for my Knit Now commission, only pausing to think about ideas for new patterns & submissions for their next subs call (oh, and to turn up at court & do the odd trial). It is looking quite good I have to say. The yarn I'm using is Rico Essentials Soft Merino Aran, which really is very soft and drapey and warm. But I will not be able to wear it myself for months!! I'm still getting over the disaster of managing to lose my hand-dyed Caleta Tortuga on the way to an otherwise brilliant day at the Paralympics.

If you see this shawl in the Hanwell/Brentford area, please let me know.... (weeps quietly).

I'm also feeling a little annoyed, as I sent a sub off to another knitting mag over a month ago which I was intending to self publish if they turned it down but they haven't yet let me know either way, despite reminders. It's quite a topical Olympic theme so I would have liked to get it out this month if it's not going to be commissioned.

Anyway, finally went to the lovely Cafe Knit in Lavenham in Suffolk last month. They stock yarn from the Hebridean sheep flock on the National Trust's property at Orford Ness (a shingle spit of special scientfic interest, with old WW2 buildings, unexploded ordance etc) which I had to buy as that is where, over 9 years ago now, my husband proposed to me. I'm going to design an Orford Ness themed hat & scarf set with it; found myself on their website today & was very excited to see they have some new woad-dyed Lavenham Blue yarn. So I'm thinking a shawl or scarf with a cottage garden and timber framed roof - I've ordered a skein of it in 2 ply to see how I get on.

I've also been looking at lots of classic British glass and studio pottery.

I had a preserve making weekend last weekend - including bread & butter pickles, cider apple butter, raspberry jam with liqueur, blackberry & apple cheese, rhubarb relish, marrow & ginger jam, blackberry & apple jelly with creme de mure, allotment chutney with ale, raspberry, apple & geranium jelly, and a bit of blackberry ribena

There will be a selection on sale at the Billet's Hart allotment stand (along with other allotment produce) on Saturday 29th Sep at the Fox pub craft market in Hanwell.