Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co. At The Fibre Co. we add to your fun with our focus on interesting blends of natural fibres. The unique lines in our range of yarns are all carefully developed to achieve the perfect combination of softness and structure. Our yarns are dyed to create subtle variation in tone and saturated, sophisticated colours. The result is an elegant yarn worthy of the most special projects. You can find The Fibre Company at our other sponsor's shop, Meadow Yarn   :   As we head into full-blown knitting season, here at Meadow Yarn we’re gettingexcited about the endless possibilities. We’ve got gorgeous Autumnal hand dyes nestling next to rustic wool and needles and notions to brighten up the darkest evening… Whether it’s Lopi from Iceland or Navia from the Faroes to keep you warm, rich dappled shades from Life in the Long Grass or a palette of glorious Northbound Knitting greys that inspires you we’ve got it covered. Add some new Zing needles and pattern inspiration courtesy of pompom mag or Amirisu and we think you’ll find it hard to leave your cosy knitting nook this Autumn…" More links to be added!

  We’re in the very last week of the Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge, and as a special treat I have a wonderful interview to share with you on the podcast. Renee Callahan of East London Knit is a unique talent and her rich experience in art history and fashion add depth and beauty to everything she does. Renee has been along for the CHMW Challenge journey with us, and we talk a bit about what it has meant to her and what she has achieved. We spend some time exploring the fascinating story of her time at fashion school: what she learned and what she didn’t and what it has brought to her knitting design. We also chat about body image and sustainability as two important motivations for handmade fashion. Show Sponsors Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their beloved Acadia yarn. Acadia is named after the oldest American national park east of the Mississippi river, a place of natural beauty where the sea and mountains meet, slopes are densely forested and wild blueberries abound. Acadia National Park is in the state of Maine, The Fibre Co.’s birthplace.  The yarn inspired by this beautiful region has a rustic look and a soft hand. A subtle tweed effect is created by the silk noil that is combined with a heathered base made from fine merino wool and brown baby alpaca. The yarn is a classic DK weight and makes a beautiful textured fabric that is perfect for next to the skin accessories as well as garments. You can find Acadia at our other sponsor's shop, Meadow Yarn:   Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It's a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include madelinetosh, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Along News It's the last week for our two big projects! Summertide Shawl MKAL A rainbow of beautiful objects keeps growing in the FO thread. Make sure to get yours in there before Oct. 31st for your chance to win one of the prizes from our brilliant sponsors! Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge I can't say enough about how awe-inspiring everyone's achievements have been. The finished objects are evidence of so many makers really stretching themselves and their skills. It's been incredible to watch. Don't forget, we're seeing both these challenges off in style with the Online Reveal Party on Nov. 3rd. We'll be celebrating on Instagram and Ravelry, and I'm also planning to do some Periscopes throughout the day. If you're new to Periscope you can download the app for iPhones in Apple Store and on Google Play for Android Don't forget to use the hashtags! #CHWchallenge #SummertideMKAL Knitvent It's just around the corner, and just in time to stave off that bereft feeling we always get at the end of a KAL! My annual holiday collection is like a big knitting advent calendar, with a new pattern released each week. You'll be able to sign up from Tuesday Nov. 3, and the first design will arrive on Thursday Nov. 5. More details as we get closer, but I'm pretty excited. In the meantime, grab yourself a copy of the free Curious Handmade Gift Knitting Planner. It's a handy PDF to help get us all organized as the holiday knitting season kicks into high gear. Show Links Renee's Curious Handmade Challenge declaration blog post. One of Renee’s CHMW Challenge finished objects is the Endless Summer Tunic Here's her gorgeous version! Renee is releasing a beautiful new six-pattern collection, now available for pre-order until the 29th of October at a special early bird price. You can read a little more about the designs and get some sneak peeks here on Renee's blog (I’m also going to be taking part in a blog tour to celebrate the launch next week, so stay tuned for a closer look at the beautiful pieces.) The Paul Klee Exhibit at the Tate Modern which inspired the...

Today I start the episode with a little round-up of how our -alongs are doing, and then I have a lovely interview to share with you. I sat down with photographer and author Leigh Metcalf, who has just released a wonderful new book. London Stitch and Knit is a guide to the most beautiful and beloved sewing, knitting, and haberdashery shops here in London. We discuss the (impressively quick!) process Leigh went through to bring her book from dream to reality. It was a really inspiring chat for me, and I think you're going to love it too. Enjoy. Show Sponsors Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their beloved Acadia yarn. Acadia is named after the oldest American national park east of the Mississippi river, a place of natural beauty where the sea and mountains meet, slopes are densely forested and wild blueberries abound. Acadia National Park is in the state of Maine, The Fibre Co.’s birthplace.  The yarn inspired by this beautiful region has a rustic look and a soft hand. A subtle tweed effect is created by the silk noil that is combined with a heathered base made from fine merino wool and brown baby alpaca. The yarn is a classic DK weight and makes a beautiful textured fabric that is perfect for next to the skin accessories as well as garments. You can find Acadia at our other sponsor's shop, Meadow Yarn:   Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It's a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include madelinetosh, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. What’s in the WIP Summertide Shawl MKAL Just a couple of weeks left! We already have more than 70 gorgeous shawls in the FO thread, and I'm sure we'll see that number grow dramatically in the coming days. The whole MKAL process has been exciting and extremely satisfying, but there's nothing like seeing the pattern come to life in so many unique, beautiful ways. Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge I'm so impressed by how many amazing finished objects are showing up in the Ravelry Group. Everyone has really stretched themselves, and the results are amazing. As for my personal challenge, I finally finished my Merchant and Mills Dress Shirt, and I’m thrilled! Next, I’m going to be making a brand new pattern that Squam has just released. The West Water Tunic is designed by the wonderful Sam Lamb (who also has also written very sweet blog post about how it came to be.) There’s an affordable and supportive video tutorial available, as well. If you order the paper version of the pattern before midnight on Nov. 1st, you’ll get the tutorial as a gift. At the moment they are only shipping the paper pattern to the US and Canada. They’ve very generously given us a version of the paper pattern to give away, so be sure to listen to the episode to find out how you can win! Show Links London Stitch and Knit: A Craft Lover's Guide to London's Fabric, Knitting and Haberdashery Shops Leigh's website and blog Leigh mentions the sewing class she took at Sew Over It, which has locations in both South and North London. She also talks about the Oliver and S Fairytale Dress which she made for both her daughters. In our conversation about how the book came to be, she mentioned a very helpful Tilly and the Buttons Post on Craft Book Proposals When Leigh decided to start working on a book, she was inspired by the size, shape, photography and layout of Paris Made By Hand and by Amsterdam Made By Hand by Pia Jane Bijkerk. I have both these gorgeous books so I could see why she liked the style so much. Paris: Made By Hand: 50 Shops Where Decorators and Stylists Source the Chic and Unique Amsterdam: Made By Hand We talked a little bit about some of our favourite shops, and two we mentioned by name were DM Buttonholes and Ray Stitch

On this week's show I'm introducing a really fascinating swatch along, catching up on the Summertide MKAL and Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge, and continuing to explore what Slow Fashion means for me and for us as a society. It's a subject that I'm really passionate about (as you'll hear!) and the deeper I go with it the more meaningful it becomes. Show Sponsors Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their beautiful Acadia yarn. Acadia is named after the oldest American national park east of the Mississippi river, a place of natural beauty where the sea and mountains meet, slopes are densely forested and wild blueberries abound. Acadia National Park is in the state of Maine, The Fibre Co.’s birthplace.  The yarn inspired by this beautiful region has a rustic look and a soft hand. A subtle tweed effect is created by the silk noil that is combined with a heathered base made from fine merino wool and brown baby alpaca. The yarn is a classic DK weight and makes a beautiful textured fabric that is perfect for next to the skin accessories as well as garments. You can snag yourself some Acadia at our other sponsor's shop, Meadow Yarn:   Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It's a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include madelinetosh, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Show Links I was excited to learn about the Breed Swatch Along that the Knit British Podcast is hosting! Shiny Bees Podcast where I first heard about the SAL Knit British Podcast Episode 42 which introduces the SAL Breed Swatch Along FAQs I mention several natural yarns I've got stashed (and/or have used in the past) which would be great for the Breed Swatch Along: Black Bat Blacker Yarns Whispering Island in Blacker Yarns Shetland DK Hole and Sons Poll Dorset I'm hoping to participate because the Meet My Yarn KAL I hosted a while back was so fascinating to me, and I didn't quite feel finished with exploring the subject of fibre-focused swatching when it was over. The Curious Handmade Meet My Yarn KAL thread...lots of great info there Fibre Company Cumbria which sponsored the Meet My Yarn KAL I also have two books that I think would be amazing resources for this SAL: The Field Guide to Fleece: 100 Sheep Breeds & How to Use Their Fibers Pure Wool: A Knitter's Guide to Using Single-breed Yarns What's in the WIP Slow Fashion October  - Karen Templer from Fringe Association is giving us all great prompts for thinking about how we consume fashion, and I've started a blog series in response. - I mention Fashion Revolution The Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge The challenge is still going strong! It ties in beautifully with Slow Fashion October, so it's been great to see the cross-pollination going on. I'm still working on my Times Square and need to put the sleeves into my Merchant and Mills Dress Shirt. The finishing date is October 31st, so you've still got some time! Summertide MKAL The last clue has been out for a week, and the FOs are beginning to flow! We've got great prizes, so make sure to post a photo of your finished shawl in the Summertide FO thread by Oct 31st to enter! Knitvent 2015 This project is still top secret, but I'm working hard to get it ready! I'll be offering an updated version of my popular (and free!) Holiday Gift Knitting Planner very soon, so that you have lots of time to get properly prepared for the season. Keep your eyes out for that, along with hints about the new Knitvent collection! Upcoming Events Online Reveal Party for the Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge and Summertide MKAL Save the Date! Tuesday November 3rd Since we've got two big projects finishing at the same time, I thought it would be really fun to get together on Ravelry and Instagr...

I’m so thrilled to have my Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge collaborator Susan on the podcast today. Many of you have met her on Ravelry as Kizmet, and through her wonderful guest posts here on the blog during the challenge. We have a wonderful chat about Susan’s journey to sewing for herself, about how struggling through the lessons is such a valuable part of any process, and about how we and many other participants are doing with our declared challenges so far! Show Sponsors Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their beautiful Acadia yarn. Acadia is named after the oldest American national park east of the Mississippi river, a place of natural beauty where the sea and mountains meet, slopes are densely forested and wild blueberries abound. Acadia National Park is in the state of Maine, The Fibre Co.’s birthplace.  The yarn inspired by this beautiful region has a rustic look and a soft hand. A subtle tweed effect is created by the silk noil that is combined with a heathered base made from fine merino wool and brown baby alpaca. The yarn is a classic DK weight and makes a beautiful textured fabric that is perfect for next to the skin accessories as well as garments. You can buy your own Acadia at our other sponsor's shop, Meadow Yarn:   Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It's a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include madelinetosh, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. What’s in the WIP Summertide MKAL: Clue 4, the final clue is just out now! I’m going to be planning an end-of-KAL online party to celebrate our finished shawls, and if I can manage it, I’d love to have a little in-person party here in London. If spoilers don’t bother you, check out the hashtag #SummertideMKAL on Instagram. Lots of inspiration there! We have three wonderful sponsors for the MKAL: Skein Australia Meadow Yarn MariaElenaBliss they will all be offering wonderful prizes at the end of October. Believe it or not, it's not too late to join us! You can do it! Show Links Susan and I mention a whole bunch of influences and resources that helped her start thinking about learning to sew. Project 333 (starting today!) A Playful Day’s Interview with Sonya Philip Curious Handmade Interview with Beth Kempton of Do What You Love Do What you Love Course Paper Fifty Three App Cal Patch’s Classes on Creative Bug [affiliate link] Nicole of Stash and Burn Elizabeth Doherty Sleeve Construction The Washi Dress Libby from Truly Myrtle’s Guest Post for Curious Handmade So many adorable finished objects are showing up in the Curious Handmade Ravelry Group...check out the threads to see all the great makes we mentioned. Alabama Chanin Events Fringe Association Slow Fashion October I mentioned this wonderful event hosted by Karen Templar last week, and I'm excited to take part. It's going to be a beautiful exploration of the handmade. She's just written a lovely opening post on her blog. Join us! The hashtag is #slowfashionoctober and I expect Instagram will be hopping. Truly Myrtle's Spoil Yourself Stitch Along Just a couple of days left in this event, and she has some amazing sponsors providing wonderful prizes. If you've been making anything for yourself in the last few weeks, post your FO to the Ravelry Thread The Pebble Beach Workshop: This is for any listeners within traveling distance from London! I am going to be hosting my first in-person workshop at Makelight Studios. It's a beautiful space, and I'm very excited. On Friday the 23rd of October I’ll host a lace-knitting workshop based on Pebble Beach. I'll take you through all the basics and most frequently asked questions. It's a great way to stretch yourself creatively in a supportive and inspiring environment.