I start off this episode revisiting a topic I find endlessly interesting...travel knitting and what projects to bring on holiday,. Then it's off the Camp Curious again to explore this week's theme...choosing shapes for shawl designs. The shape of a shawl is obviously one of its most distinctive design elements, and I discuss how I determine which shape a new design will take. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Notes: The Brooklyn Hipster KAL is running from the 1st of August to the 31st of October Here are the rules: -The pattern you select must have less than 30 logged projects on Ravelry. (If you’re concerned about your pattern selection going over before the start of the KAL, fear not! Post about it in the thread so they can verify that it was under 30 when you started, and you’ll be good for prizes qualification) -No WIPS (unless you only have a few rows cast on by the start date) -Bonus entry in the FO thread if 50% of your project uses a yarn company/dyer that you’ve never used before! (HONOR SYSTEM!) -Double dipping into other KALs is allowed and encouraged! -As this is a 3 month KAL, please no miniature projects like ornaments or stuffies. #BKHipsterKAL The Vila Wrap Mini KAL for The Shawl Society is finishing on August 3rd so be sure to get your finished wraps into the FO Thread on Ravelry by then! Snowmelt Shawl La Bien Aimee Yarn Radiance Shawl Quill Shawl Blacker Yarns Tamar Designer Ambah O'Brien on Ravlery Cloud Wrap Oracle Shawl by Woolenvine The Knitter's Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman Pure Joy by Joji Locatelli Starting Point by Joji Locatelli Shawlscapes Craftsy Class by Stephen West Building Blocks Shawl by Stephen West Dotted Rays Shawl by Stephen West Vertices Unite Shawl by Stephen West   Don'f forget to update your post on The Big Camp Curious Participation Thread for the chance to win some lovely prizes at the end of camp..the prompt this week is to share a photo of your favourite shawl shape with some notes about why you love it. You can also share on Instagram with our hashtag #CampCurious! You can jump in any time and catch up with the Scavenger Hunt photos from the last few weeks...new campers are always welcome! Events: I will be having a trunk show with Circus Tonic Handmade and a cast-on for the Shawl Society Shawl #4 at Skein Sisters yarn shop, in Sydney Australia on Saturday August 5th. The dates are set for another Curious Handmade Country House Retreat in March: as usually for the spring retreat we'll be gathering just before the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. The March retreat will run from the 11th to the 14th of March 2018. I am planning a very special new Curious Handmade Retreat in Bath from 8th to 11th of May 2018. Save the dates, and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. That's all our notes for this week. Enjoy the weekend, and happy knitting!

Welcome to our second session of Camp Curious! I start off today's episode by recapping my visit to Pomfest Birthday Celebrations for Pom Pom magazine last weekend...it was such a lovely occasion I couldn't resist. I also talk about all the ways that colour influences the design process, some sources of colour inspiration, and how colour requirements made the design process for the Hundred Acre Wood Shawl especially interesting, challenging and rewarding. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk What's in the WIP: Starting Point Joji Locatelli Confetti by Veera Välimäki Voolenvine Yarn Yarn Ink Show Links: Garthenor Organic Wool Biches & Bûches Atelier Rauwork The little garden pattern by Junko Okamoto Moeke Yarns Heritage La Bien Aimee Snowmelt Shawl Laine Magazine Hey Mama Wolf Yarn The Wool Kitchen Julie Asselin Sprite’s Fen Shawl Viola Yarns Camp Curious: The Big Participation Thread on Ravelry Speckled Fade by Stephen West Find your Fade by Andrea Mowry Mary Jane Mucklestone Curious Handmade episode on Colour Theory and Knitting MakeLight.com Insight Tool Hundred Acre Wood Shawl Little Skein in the Big Wool Westknits Boyland Knitworks Little Bobbins Podcast Dingo Dyeworks Podcast

Welcome to Camp Curious! This week in the series we are talking about how influential yarn is and always has been to my design process. I walk you through the yarn inspiration behind two of my shawls, and chat about the different aspects and qualities of a yarn that can impact the look and feel of the finished project, so that you can make inspired decisions in your own yarn choices and substitutions. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk What's in the WIP: Confetti by Veera Välimäki Sprite's Fen Mini KAL winners: I've drawn the winners from the FO thread. They are: Winner of the Julie Asselin Merletto prize: MALK3 with Post #3 Winner of the Seven Sisters Arts prize: Suennschien with Post #120 I've announced the yarn for shawl #4! I chose Circus Tonic Handmade's Fiesta Fingering We're having a fun little event in Sydney Australia, since I'll be there soon. Skein Sisters yarn shop, Saturday August 5th There will be a trunk show with Circus Tonic Handmade and a cast-on for Shawl #4 Camp Curious: If you haven't made your post in The Big Participation Thread on Ravelry yet introducing yourself, now's the time! You can update your post throughout the Camp Curious series with your scavenger hunt photos and be in for a chance to win prizes at the end of Camp. This week's prompt is to share a photo of your favourite yarn with a few "design notes" about why you love it and how you've used it. The Field Guide to Fleece by Carol Ekarius and Deborah Robson The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes Pure Wool: A Knitter's Guide to Using Single Breed Yarns by Sue Blacker Blacker Yarns Here is a quick conversion chart for yarn weight terms in different countries. This handy chart from Laughing Hens goes into even more detail, including gauge and wraps per inch. My interview with Sue from Blacker Yarns My interview with Sonja from Blacker Yarns My more recent interview with Sonja from Blacker My interview with Daphne from the Fibre Co My interview with Clara Parkes My interview with Benjamin from Hole & Sons Radiance Shawl Pigeonroof Studios Yarn Amulet Shawl Tosh Merino Light Seven Sister's Arts Matrika Fingering Quill Shawl Blacker Yarns Tamar DK The Book of Haps by Kate Davies That's everything for this week, Campers! Have a lovely weekend full of knitting and I'll talk to you next week.

There's a lot happening at Curious Handmade this week! In this episode I talk about all my WIP progress, tell you about the fulfilling design process for the third shawl in Season II of The Shawl Society, and fill you in on the virtual retreat we'll be having over the next two months of the Curious Handmade Podcast. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk What's in the WIP: Confetti by Veera Välimäki Voolenvine Yarn Ice Cream Sundae Cardigan by Julie Sunshine Julie Asselin Leizu DK Yarn Box O’ Sox KAL Sock Bash KAL Yarn Ink Yarn Mrs Brown's Bags The Fibre Co.   Yesterday was launch day for our 3rd shawl, the Vila Wrap, and I'm so thrilled to see the reactions to this design. You’ll find the Vila in the hills and mountain tops of Slavic folklore, dwelling in the high-up places where the air is thin and sweet and the clouds are born. Some legends call them a kind of fairy, others claim them as nymphs, while a few say that they are the spirits of women who were too silly and not serious enough in their lifetimes. Whatever their origins, the Vila have a true lust for life. They are both frivolous and fierce, appearing as beautiful women in white dresses, billowing cloaks, or magical blue robes. They lure young men into rowdy dances and demand their absolute loyalty in return. They sing with enough force to call up high winds, and fight with a wildness that shakes the earth. They are gorgeous, powerful, and at least a little bit dangerous. The Vila Wrap was designed to honour these magical creatures in all their ferocious femininity. A generous, elongated wrap with an asymmetrical design and stunning lace panels, this shawl invites you to make a statement. Created in three colours, it is an addictive knit that’s hard to put down. Stripes and engaging stitch patterns keep things interesting without being too difficult. Smart, contemporary and easy to wear, the wrap shape will complement a wide variety of wardrobes. The Vila offer inspiration to anyone who has ever been afraid of being “too much.” They have shaken off the scrutiny of a judgemental world and live to please themselves. For all of us who have been told that we should tamp down our own spirit and creativity to fit some premade vision of reality, the Vila show us an alternative. Learning to honour our own desires is a lifelong process, but creation is a powerful antidote to the negative messages we get about who we should be. The individuality and agency of making something yourself is not a trivial or frivolous thing. There is an assertion in every stitch: this is who I am, and it deserves expression. I knit the Vila Wrap in Walcot Yarns Opus and I'm just a little bit in love. We still have people joining up to the Society and this shawl in particular seems to be attracting new members, so you're certainly not too late to jump in! Just buy yourself a copy of The Shawl Society Season II on Ravelry.