Beautiful books of all kinds have always been a big part of my creative growth, so in this episode I'm delighted to bring you another book review. This time I'm talking about the gorgeous new volume of the Interpretations series, the latest instalment of an ongoing collaboration between two intensely talented designers. Show Sponsors: 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 Northbound Knitting, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Contest Winner: Victoria has won a copy of Hannah Fettig's new book Texture! Here's Victoria's comment: "This book looks truly beautiful – there’s not a pattern in it that I don’t want to knit but if I had to choose I’d love to try the WestEnd cardigan – it would be the perfect wardrobe staple … I also particularly love the knitted kerchief too!" What's in the WIP: I finished my Vintage Fairy Light Socks in Circus Tonic Yarn! I've been designing a brand new sock design which I'll be able to release very soon! Show Links: Snowmelt Shawl MKAL New York Collection by Mina Phillip Knitting Expat Podcast Curious Handmade Ravelry Group Interpretations Volume 4 by Joji Locatelli and Veera Välimäki Curious Handmade Episode 61: Interview with Joji Locatelli Pom Pom Quarterly Winterfolk Woolfolk yarn Fast Forward La Bien Aimee yarn Radiate Tourmaline Colourspell Shawl Double Trouble Léttlopi yarn Little Bird madelinetosh Prairie yarn Wishes Malabrigo Mora East or West Uncommon Thread Uncommon Everyday yarn Flyaway Twist shawl Kettle Yarn Co Twist Monochrome The Pucky Knitter yarn Side by Side madelinetosh Tosh Mo Light yarn Giveaways Leave a comment in this Ravelry thread for a chance to win Mina Phillip's The New York Sock Collection. Leave a comment on this post on the blog for a chance to win Interpretations Vol. 4 by Joji Locatelli & Veera Välimäki Events: I'll be at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival which is coming up very soon! We're having meetups there on Friday the 10th of March and Friday the 11th of March at 1pm in the Podcaster's Lounge, so come and say hi! Don't forget to wear your Blacker Yarns knits if you're participating in the BlackerPodKAL! Those are all the notes for this episode! I'll chat to you soon, and until then, happy knitting!

Today I'm talking about some (restrained!) yarn buying, my WIP triumph, and how I learned to love going to events like the Edinburgh Yarn Festival, even as an introvert. Show Sponsors: 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 Northbound Knitting, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Contest Winner: I'm delighted to announce that Alex has won the free Machine Knitting Class by Renée Callahan! Here's her comment: "I would love the craftsy class. I just got a knitting machine last year and I am flying by the seat of my pants with my projects, not really knowing what I am doing but having a go. A class would really help." Curious Handmade KAL News: The Snowmelt Shawl MKAL is going beautifully. Clue #3 was just released yesterday and the spectrum of colour combinations is making my heart sing. We still have new people joining every day, and the clues are manageable: you can catch up with us in no time! We’ve split chat on the Curious Handmade Ravelry group into spoiler and non-spoiler threads so that you can peek ahead or preserve the mystery for yourself as you knit, even if you’re joining a little late! PURCHASE THE SNOWMELT SHAWL MKAL HERE There are two more clues to come! Clue #4: Thursday 23 February Clue #5: Thursday 2 March and the KAL will run until the end of March so that you’ll have plenty of time to finish! Show Links: The Wool Kitchen sock yarn in Blue Pop and Niji colourways A Homespun House Harry Potter and Charm Yarn Club A Homespun House Podcast Find Your Fade Shawl by Andrea Mowry KnitBritish Podcast What's in the WIP: I have finally finished my Times Square by Norah Gaughan in Knightsbridge by the Fibre Company! My other deep WIP is the Reyka Pullover by Cirilia Rose which I’ll be tackling when I get back from my trip. The socks continue bit by bit! I’m going to knit a new Pebble Beach Shawl in the Blacker Yarn St. Kilda Mini Skein Set Events: I'm getting really excited for the Edinburgh Yarn Festival next month, where I'll be taking part in the Podcaster's Lounge sponsored by Blacker Yarns. BlackerPod KAL! Here are the details direct from Blacker Yarns: To celebrate the Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge at Edinburgh Yarn Festival 2017 we are delighted to announce a C/KAL. If you are making the trip to Edinburgh in March – or even if you can’t, but wish you could – let’s knit together and ramp up that festival excitement. Details The BlackerPod KAL casts on on the 19th January and casts off on 4th March. You can knit or crochet any design you like, but you must use yarn from Blacker * This C/KAL is open to everyone (whether you can make Edinburgh Yarn Festival or not) Use this thread to chatter about your pattern choices and yarn choices and post pictures of your WIPs There will be a meet up at Edinburgh Yarn Festival. (date and time tba) If you are going to EYF and you wear your FO in 100% Blacker Yarns you will get a discount on the stall as a prize. For those who cannot make it to EYF we will have a FOMO FO thread (fear of missing out finished objects) and there will be a random prize draw after EYF Also use hashtag #blackerpodkal when you chat online and use blackerpodkal to tag your rav projects If you are going to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival and wear something you’ve made in Blacker Yarns Blacker will be offering a discount! Check out the Blacker Yarns Ravelry group for more details and information on prizes and teams. That is all the notes for this week. I'll talk to you again soon, and until then, happy knitting!

Exploring this month's theme in a new way: sometimes growth can mean looking forwards as well as backwards! I confront a long-neglected WIP (with exciting results) and also have the chance to review Hannah Fettig's gorgeous new book. Show Sponsors: 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 Northbound Knitting, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Curious Handmade KAL News: The Snowmelt MKAL is going strong! We are in week two of Snowmelt, and it's very exciting. The spoiler thread is full of inspiring photos of shawls in progress, and new knitters are joining us every day. It's honestly not too late to jump on board. Just buy the pattern here and come meet us in the Curious Handmade Ravelry Group! You're in plenty of time to catch up, as the KAL is running until March. The Not Seen Before MKAL Quite a few of the Curious Crew are doing both MKALs, which is very exciting. I can't wait to see everyone's WIPs as they develop. What's in the WIP: Hermione’s Everyday Socks in hand dyed yarn by Cast on Cast Off Vintage Fairy Light Socks in Circus Tonic Handmade Vanilla socks in hand dyed yarn by Suffolk Socks in the Ted base Times Square in Knightsbridge by the Fibre Company This is one of the "unmentionable WIPs" that has haunted me for a year, but after facing my fears I'm making amazing progress. Show Links: Texture: Exploring Stitch Patterns in Knitwear by Hannah Fettig Hannah’s lovely introduction video for the book. Wharf Street in Owl by Quince and Co Eventide Cardigan in Finch by Quince and Co West End Cardigan in Owl by Quince and Co Giveaway: I'm so delighted that Hanna has generously offered us a copy of Texture to give away! If you'd like to learn how to be in with a chance to win, be sure to listen to the episode! You'll have two weeks to enter this one. That's all for this week. Thank you for listening, and happy knitting!

Today I'm chatting about the WIPs, KALs, and challenges I'm tackling in February, and introducing my theme for this new month! Show Sponsors: 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 Northbound Knitting, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Show Links: Stitching the High Notes Instagram Yarn Love Challenge from the Ravelry team #yarnlovechallenge Curious Handmade KAL News: I drew winners for our two recently finished Curious Handmade KALs. Here are their Ravelry names: For the Vintage Fairy Lights KAL: meghan2 has won a precious skein of the much-coveted limited edition Hedgerow Yarns colourway created for the Christmas Eve Cast-On Kits! For the Knitvent 2016 FO KAL: nextdoorknitter and muddancer have each won a special surprise skein from my stash! The Snowmelt MKAL has begun! The first clue was released yesterday, and speedy knitters are already zooming through. There are spoiler threads set up in our Curious Handmade Ravelry Group, so if you're still on the fence and want to take a peek, you're very welcome! I also put together some helpful videos for anyone getting started. You can watch them here. If you aren't a part of the MKAL but have FOMO, it's not too late! You can buy the pattern here and join in! There will be lots of time to catch up, since we're running until March. The Not Seen Before MKAL is running now: This MKAL is to benefit the Sight is Life project, which raises money for sight-saving operations in Congo. I spoke to Kristina Vilimaite about the project on the podcast not long ago. The MKAL features clues from 7 designers, including me! You can buy the pattern on its own but you can also get it by purchasing the Sight is Life eBook. Learn more in the Sight is Life Ravelry Group What's in the WIP: I'm still obsessed with socks and sock KALs. Vanilla socks in hand dyed yarn by Suffolk Socks in the Ted base I've just finished my January socks for the Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast and the Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast. Hermione's Everyday Socks in hand dyed yarn by Cast on Cast Off These will be my February socks! You can see the gorgeous skein on my instagram post, here. I was inspired to maybe double dip in the Harry Potter KAL hosted by Inside Number 23 Vintage Fairy Light Socks in Circus Tonic Handmade These are from the Christmas Eve Cast On! I've just finished the first sock but I had to put them down to make my January KAL deadline. Through The Loop Mystery Sock MKAL Just beginning this and it's very interesting to be on the other side of an MKAL! Super Secret New Design I've been working on a new design for the next Curious Handmade. I can't give much away, but thanks to The Fibre Company, who is sponsoring the retreat again this year I can mention that it's being made from the amazing new yarn they just launched this week. Have a look at the gorgeous Luma DK yarn. Giveaway: Renée Callahan of East London Knit (you'll remember her from the wonderful patterns she contributed to Knitvent 2016) has offered us a special giveaway! She's teaching a new class on Machine Knitting Sweater Basics and one lucky listener will win a free copy of the class! In Machine Knitting; Sweater Basics, you will learn everything you need to know to knit a sweater on the machine: from basic machine maintenance, how to cast on, making fabric you love, to seaming, blocking and everything in between. The class includes my Sweater Blank -- a worksheet that will lead you through making your sweater in any gauge or fabric you want and making it easy to customize. If you don't win but would like to take the class for half price (or any other Craftsy...