Curious Handmade with Helen Stewart
In today's episode I wind down our month of gentle creativity by chatting about the things I've been making (and hope to make). I also explore the two wings of any creative endeavor: inspiration and motivation. What’s in the WIP Magic Cake Shawl: Finished! It needs to be blocked, but I have to work out my blocking strategy. It’s already wonderfully huge, and I don’t want it very much bigger! Mina’s Two at a Time Socks using the Fish Lips Kiss heel:  I’m have cast on with Mind The Gap Nimbus self-striping sock yarn from Trailing Clouds and the self-striping action is really exciting, though I have my doubts about where I started in the colourway. We’ll see how they develop. I’m going to be hosting a giveaway of the Fish Lips Kiss heel pattern. I want to support the designer, Patty Joy (SoxTherapist on Ravelry) who is undergoing cancer treatment and fundraising for a family reunion. I also thought it would be a nice way to participate in Yarn in The City’s #3thingsforyarnlove challenge. So if you don’t have this pattern and would like a chance to win it, pop over to my Ravelry Group. I’ll be posting a thread where you can comment with your Ravelry name to enter Sól Angelica’s Socks: On Instagram I saw that Swedish designer Alpakkanna is launching a sweet new sock pattern with a little bit of colourwork, and she’s going to have a KAL. In the spirit of my new sock mania, I think I might just have to join in. Brand new free shawl pattern! I was so inspired by the skein of Top Draw Sock Skein Australia yarn in the “Peace” colourway that I designed a new, simple design that will be a gift for my newsletter subscribers. I’ll be getting this photographed and ready to release over the next few weeks, so keep a lookout for this one! Show Links I got the idea for today's topic from a podcast I really enjoy: it's not knitting related but it's relevant to anyone who is working for themselves in a creative industry. Being Boss Podcast with Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson I mention some books which really inspire and motivate me: Bohemian Modern by Emily Hanson Nomad, Gypsy, Bowerbird by Sibella Court The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert That's everything for this episode. Until next week, happy knitting!
Direct download: 160226_CH_113_Finding_Inspiration_and_Motivation.mp3
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