Happy Holidays, chatting with my favourite crafters in the world and looking forward to #LBKChristmasEveSocks2016 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: Savoury Cheese and Walnut Sables - Biccie Recipie from Mum MadebyCottonwood - Suzie's Sewing Biz Vintage Fairy Lights Socks Pattern Little Bobbins Knits Podcast Hedgerow Yarns Have a wonderful holidays! I'm looking forward to seeing some of you on Instagram with #LBKChristmasEveSocks2016 and everyone in 2017!

Today I'm chatting with Kristina Vilimaite about her generous project raising money for Sight is Life through her ebook of 7 gorgeous accessory patterns and a MKAL to come in January. 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: Interview with Kristina Viliamaite about Sight is Life Sight is Life Ebook Knitvent Update: It’s the sixth and last week of Knitvent already, and behind window #6 was the Fresh Tracks Headband. Events: Knitaid This is a great time of year to help out Knitaid who are accepting knitted donations until the 20th of December to send to the refugee camps. They focus on hats, cowls, and other warm things, knit with love and quality yarn for people who have lost everything, and they've just asked for covered hot water bottles this time, so I'm donating free versions of my Warm Wishes Hottie Pattern to anyone who wants to knit one for Knitaid. Use the code KNITAID when you check out on Ravelry!

Today on the show I am talking about my plans for a crochet granny stripe blanket. I have an interview with Shahnaz from Knitaid about collecting knitted items to send to refugees in Europe. 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:   Knitvent Update: It’s the fifth week of Knitvent already, and behind window #5 was the Juniper Mitts Events: Knitaid This is a great time of year to help out Knitaid who are accepting knitted donations until the 20th of December to send to the refugee camps. They focus on hats, cowls, and other warm things, knit with love and quality yarn for people who have lost everything, and they've just asked for covered hot water bottles this time, so I'm donating free versions of my Warm Wishes Hottie Pattern to anyone who wants to knit one for Knitaid. Use the code KNITAID when you check out on Ravelry! Christmas Party We'll be gathering for another Curious Handmade Krimbo Party here in London very soon! Here are the details: 1-4pm Sunday 11 Dec The Paternoster Pater Noster Square near St. Paul’s Cathedral. RSVP to helen@curioushandmade.com We'll be doing an informal Secret Santa: if you want to participate bring a skein of yarn: £12 to £20 in value, wrapped as a gift. We'll do somehting fun to swap them on the day. Maya from The Wool Barn has sent me the most beautiful sock kit for a door prize, so some lucky person will go home with that as well! That's everything this week! Thank you so much for listening and until next time, happy knitting!

Today I'm rounding up the events going on the Curious Handmade world right now, feeling envious of all the amazing Advent calendars I've been spying on Instagram, and continuing our holiday traditions series by chatting with my friend Charoo from India. She shares the stories and traditions around the biggest festival in her culture: Diwali, a festival of lights. I learned so much and really enjoyed hearing about the joy and love that goes into their celebrations, and how her family balances traditions from India and the UK. 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: AndreSueKnits Video Podcast Lollipop Yarn Knitvent Update: It’s the fourth week of Knitvent already, and behind window #4 was the wonderful Boreal Forest Hat by Renée Callahan! This matches the Boreal Forest Cowl she created for week two, so together they are a lovely set. Here’s the description: The Boreal Forest Hat is the second pattern from Knitvent guest designer, Renée Callahan of EastLondonKnit. Designed as a companion to the Boreal Forest Cowl: together they make an indulgent set of gifts for a loved one (including yourself!). Inspired by rows of pine trees spread through a boreal woodland, this snug winter hat will keep your head warm even on a chilly evening stroll through the countryside. The simple-to-follow colourwork features smart geometric pine trees. The worsted weight yarn means that this piece works up quickly for experienced knitters, but even adventurous newer knitters should enjoy this project. Depending on your yarn choices, the Boreal Forest Hat can suit men or women, so it’s a wonderful project to fill a few spots on your gift list! The sample was knit with Malabrigo Rios worsted. Events: Knitaid This is a great time of year to help out Knitaid who are accepting knitted donations until the 20th of December to send to the refugee camps. They focus on hats, cowls, and other warm things, knit with love and quality yarn for people who have lost everything, and they've just asked for covered hot water bottles this time, so I'm donating free versions of my Warm Wishes Hottie Pattern to anyone who wants to knit one for Knitaid. Use the code KNITAID when you check out on Ravelry! Christmas Party We'll be gathering for another Curious Handmade Krimbo Party here in London very soon! Here are the details: 1-4pm Sunday 11 Dec The Paternoster Pater Noster Square near St. Paul’s Cathedral. RSVP to helen@curioushandmade.com We'll be doing an informal Secret Santa: if you want to participate bring a skein of yarn: £12 to £20 in value, wrapped as a gift. We'll do somehting fun to swap them on the day. Maya from The Wool Barn has sent me the most beautiful sock kit for a door prize, so some lucky person will go home with that as well! Small Business Saturday I'm running a special thank you promotion to celebrate Small Business Saturday here in the UK tomorrow. With the one time use code SBSthanks you can buy two of my patterns or collections and get the least expensive one for free until Sunday the 4th of December! That's everything this week! Thank you so much for listening and until next time, happy knitting!

  Its the week for socks - this week I published my first ever sock design the Vintage Fairy Lights socks and soon followed up with a second design for Knitvent 2016, the Juniper Socks. Happy Thanksgiving to my US listeners! 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: My most recent video podcast where you can get a glimpse of some of my recent projects Vintage Fairy Lights Socks Knitvent 2016 Juniper Socks Knitvent Update: This week’s pattern is the Juniper Socks. Here's the description: The Juniper Socks were designed for wearing while traipsing over a carpet of pine needles in the snowy forest or just toasting your toes in front of a crackling open fire. Made for yourself or for a lucky loved one, the cosy, unisex Juniper Socks knit up quickly, with a lovely textured rib stitch inspired by the beautifully rugged needles of a juniper bough, and a fun contrast colour toe and heel for a little traditional charm. If you’d like to add a little more colour, the ribbed cuff looks wonderful in a contrast, too! Knit from cushy DK yarn, these socks are a perfect way to stay warm when the cold winds blow. Imagine them tucked into your boots or just slipped on to cushion your feet from the chilly floor when you first wake up on a frosty morning. This pattern is written in the Curious Handmade Percentage Checklist style™. A chart for the textured pattern is included in this pattern. The sample was knit with Blacker Yarns Tamar DK Events: We'll be gathering for another Curious Handmade Krimbo Party here in London on Sunday the 11th of December at the Paternoster pub on the corner of Paternoster Square near St. Paul’s Cathedral. RSVP to helen@curioushandmade.com especially if you’re interested in being part of a possible Secret Santa swap! That's our show for this week! Thanks so much for listening, and until the next episode, happy knitting!

The festive season is beginning to feel real now, and on this episode I'm continuing my series of conversations about holiday traditions. This week I'm chatting to Anna Friberg, aka AlpakkaAnna about her favourite traditions for this time of year in her native Sweden. I also have some news to share about the holiday projects I have going on and our second Krimbo party! 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: My most recent video podcast where you can get a glimpse of some of my recent projects Sew Sweet Violet video podcast Andre Sue Knits video podcast Round Rabbit video podcast Inside Number 23 video podcast Stitched in Sweden video podcast Ella Gordon Winter Knitting video Crofthoose Hat pattern A Shetlander’s Fair Isle Graph Book in Colour Knitting from the North The luxury sock kits for Dani's Christmas Caston will be going on sale on the 21st of November at 7pm UK time on the Little Bobbins shop Little Bobbins Instagram Hedgerow Yarns Anna's window candles Talking to Anna was so much fun! Here are some links to her social media and some of the wonderful traditions she mentioned. Sol Angelica’s Socks AlpakkaAnna’s Knitting Patterns AlpakkaAnna Instagram AlpakkaAnna Periscope Recipe for Lussekatter or Lussbule Safffron Buns Swedish mulled wine: glögg recipe Julmust holiday soda Sweden’s Donald Duck Tradition! A fun article about Swedish Christmas Traditions Julekuler Christmas Ball Pattern Knitvent Update: This week’s pattern is the beautiful Boreal Forest Cowl by Renée Callahan. Here's the description: The Boreal Forest Cowl was created by our first Knitvent guest designer, Renée Callahan of EastLondonKnit. Evoking the expanse of a boreal woodland filled with beautiful conifers, this snuggly cowl features gorgeous rows of geometric pine trees. Knit with three complementary colours, the design blends retro ski-slope charm with a modern twist. This is a wonderfully quick knit: the colour work is easy to follow and memorise, and the worsted yarn works up fast. It’s a great, unisex option for holiday gifting, or a smart accessory to bring a fresh touch of the forest to your own winter wardrobe. The sample was knit with Malabrigo Rios worsted Events: We'll be gathering for another Curious Handmade Krimbo Party here in London on Sunday the 11th of December at the Pater Noster pub on the corner of Pater Noster Square near St. Paul’s Cathedral. RSVP to helen@curioushandmade.com especially if you’re interested in being part of a possible Secret Santa swap! That's our show for this week! Thanks so much for listening, and until the next episode, happy knitting!

Today's podcast episode is a bit of a catchup: recapping the all fun and wool-buying mischief I got up to at Yarnporium, along with a short, lighthearted chat with the adorable Dani from the Little Bobbins podcast about her holiday traditions, especially the Christmas Eve Cast On. 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: Sight is Life ebook. For updates and more information check Sight is Life group on Ravelry. Yarn in the City The Wool Kitchen Woollen Flower Daughter of a Shepherd La Bien Aimee Hedgehog Fibres Triskelion Yarn: Arthur DK Kettle Yarn Koel Magazine Making Magazine Little Bobbins Podcast Hedgerow Yarns Climb Every Mountain Pullover by Heidi Kirrmaier Midwinter Yarns Shawl Society Update: Here are the winners for the Aurorae Shawl Mini KAL Post # 71 by Cosmosis Knits won the Seven Sisters Arts Gradient Set Post # 28 Bono won the two skeins of Jones Street Sport from Copper Corgi The finished Sonder Shawls are starting to roll in too! Really beautiful, squishy, and cosy. Knitvent Update: The first window opened yesterday to reveal the Alpine Sunset Shawl! We're off and running now! Here's the description: Alpine Sunset is a picture postcard of a shawl, inspired by winter views in the mountains. This shawl is a cosy crescent shape, perfect for wrapping yourself up against the evening’s chill as you watch the sun sink out of sight behind the ridge. It features simple lace and chevrons that call to mind pine trees and peaks outlined across the glow of a winter sky. Alpine Sunset can be knit in two sizes: the medium sized two-skein shawl features graphic colour blocking, while the small one-colour shawl is ideal for using up a single skein of lovely 4 ply yarn. Optional beading on either size adds a dusting of sparkle to an already special shawl. For people who would like to use the Eden Cottage Yarn Rose Bed colour I used in the sample Victoria is taking pre-orders at the moment - HERE. And if you love the two colour Norah George version be sure to visit her Etsy shop HERE. The Ravelry Knitvent Chat thread is very active and full of excitement. I really think the community aspect of Knitvent is one of the best parts of the whole experience, so please join us there! That's everything for this episode! Have a great week and I'll talk to you again soon. Until then, happy knitting!  

Today's episode is such a full one! Events conspired to bring many lovely parcels of yarn through my door, so I'm sharing some of that and letting you know about a heap of fun and exciting events and releases coming up very soon! 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: Little Skein in The Big Wool Wooly Wonka Fibers Knitvent 2016 is available for preorder now at a special earlybird price until November 10th! Knitvent Window 1. will open on Thursday November 10th 2016 The collection includes six beautiful accessory patterns, including two designs from guest designer Renee Callahan of East London Knit! Once you’ve purchased the collection, you’ll receive one pattern each week for six weeks, starting Thursday November 10th. The patterns will be delivered automatically to your Ravelry inbox, so opening your message is like peeking behind the window of an advent calendar to see what’s inside! Go ahead and create your first project page ready for when the pattern comes out! Level of difficulty - adventurous beginner to intermediate. Knitters are already chatting in the Knitvent 2016 thread here! Join us for Knitvent and spoil yourself with six weeks of magical holiday knitting surprises! Knitvent 2016 is all about the lush beauty of an Alpine forest. As I designed this year’s collection, I drew on all of the wonderful associations of a holiday hidden away in a peaceful mountain reach. The hush of snow settling on pine boughs, the blaze of a glowing sunset disappearing behind the peaks, and the luxurious warmth of basking by a crackling fire in your cosy ski lodge, all wrapped up and relaxed after an exhilarating day on the slopes. You can make a project page for Knitvent Window #1 now so that you’re all ready to go when the first pattern is revealed on the 10th of November! You can use this fun badge on your project page so that everyone knows you’re in for all the fun! Yellow Roses Shawl Hue Loco Yarn The Hue Loco Podcast Grocery Girls Podcast Hue Loco Grocery Girls Collaboration Colourway (it’s sold out, but if you’re curious about how lovely it is!) Skein Yarn The Wool Barn Hooligan Yarns Hooligan Yarns Instagram Iara Stole/Shawl by Renée Callahan of East London Knits Crafts From The Third Floor Podcast Norah George Yarn Yarnporium Yarnporium Event is happening November 5th and 6th on The Strand in Kings College London. I’ll be joining A Yarn Story at their stand from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday, so drop by and see me and take a look at some of my recent samples I’ve made from The Fibre Company yarn! Bracile Hat and Cowl Set The Ice River Hat and Snood I designed for Knitvent 2015 The Sonder Shawl from The Shawl Society Collection La Bien Aimée yarn Kettle Yarn Co The Wool Kitchen The Talisman Shawl from The Shawl Society Collection Pom Pom Quarterly The Pomcast interview with Rachel Matthews Herdwick Sheep Vintage Fairy Lights Kits and Design Little Bobbins Podcast Hedgerow Yarns Wow! Lots of links this week! I hope you enjoyed this episode. I'll see you next week, and until then, happy knitting!

I'm back from the retreat and full of stories and gratitude for such a wonderful time. A beautiful place, lovely people, and almost endless hours knitting were hard to leave behind! Today I'm sharing a bit of what we got up to, and letting you know about lots of fun stuff coming up soon. 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: I released the Bracile Hat and Cowl right after the retreat. To celebrate the launch I'm offering them all at a steep discount of 30% off until Sunday, October 30th. Each pattern will be £3.40 or the set for £4.40  AND until the end of the weekend only both individual patterns and the set will will be 30% OFF so each pattern will be £2.40 or the set for £3.00 (Remember, prices don't include any applicable VAT for your country) No code required…the sale is already applied! Yarn in the City Yarnporium Event is happening November 5th and 6th in Kings College London - Advanced tickets available until November 1st Shawl Society Update: I'm about to release the 6th and final TSS pattern! In the meantime, there's still some time to post your finished Aurore Shawl in the FO Thread. I said in the podcast that the deadline was this Sunday, but it's actually Tuesday the 2nd of November, so you've got plenty of time to finish! I have some absolutely delicious prizes from The Copper Corgi and Seven Sisters Arts so you'll want to be in on this one. We'll also be having the overal TSS KAL drawing later in November, so keep posting your finished objects in all the threads! Short and sweet shownotes this week! I'll talk to you soon. Until then, happy knitting!

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: Aurorae Shawl Norah Gaughan's Knitted Cable Sourcebook by Norah Gaughan Within: Knitting Patterns to Warm the Soul by Jane Richmond and Shannon Cook YarnGasm Brooklyn Kniffolk Handmade and Woolen Sew Sweet Violet Brown Berry Hannah Fettig Michelle Wang

Today's post is a bit of a general update...a cosy chat about what's been going on and what's coming up in the Curious Handmade world. 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. Blacker Yarns produce a diverse range of breed specific yarn for your knitting and crochet projects. With everything from Shetland and Blue-Faced Leicester through to Wensleydale, Gotland and Manx you’ll be sure to find an unexpected treat. If you are thinking of embarking upon a breed specific adventure, then head over to www.blackeryarns.co.uk. All Blacker’s wares are spun and dyed at their mill in Cornwall using 100% British Fibre and sustainable production methods.” Peppermint & Licorice Tea from Pukka Tea Show Links: Peppermint & Licorice Tea from Pukka Tea Arranmore from The Fibre Co. The Simple Things Magazine The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness Hygge: A Celebration of Simple Pleasure: Living the Danish Way The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well Scandinavian Comfort Food: Embracing the Art of Hygge Wild Planet Soft Embers Candles Events: The Autumn Curious Country House Retreat is sold out! If you’d like to have a spot on the waiting list, or be added to a list to hear about our next retreat in the spring, please get in touch with me at helen@curioushandmade.com Whether you’re coming along or not, you are very welcome to join in with the Curious Handmade Country House KAL. Use the hashtag #chmadewellalong on Instagram to see how everyone is progressing! We're making the Madewell Cardigan by Joji Locatelli and I'll be knitting mine in Eden Cottage Yarn’s Oakworth 4 Ply in the Pennine Mist colourway. The Shawl Society Update: Quill Shawl KAL winner: Post #51 by kirstan Aurorae Shawl “Aurorae are the spellbinding flames of light that gather in the sky at both ends of the earth. In the far north, in Finland, it’s said that the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, occur when a great arctic fox brushes sparks from the mountain tops with his huge fluffy tail. On the other side of planet, the Aboriginal Australians believed that the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, were fires from the spirit world: the raging bushfires of sky spirits or the glow of their ancestors’ campfires. I love the idea that people from different places can look at one phenomenon and interpret it so differently and creatively. In a much smaller way we can see this same magic happening in something as simple as a knitting pattern, when the gifted imaginations and hands of knitters from every corner of the world create their own versions of a beautiful object. The Aurorae Shawl gathers up the strands of that sense of wonder, with rippling shifts of colour and flickering eyelet lace. Aurorae Shawl was designed using a six colour gradient set, with both sport weight and fingering weight versions. If you’re knitting from stash, this is a wonderful way to use up leftovers from other projects: just pick six colours that blend or play well together. This asymmetrical shawl features garter, eyelet and slip stitches: it looks intricate and complicated, but in fact it’s a gentle, easy knit. An i-cord edge gives Aurorae a lovely, polished finish.” The two samples for Aurorae were knit in beautiful gradients from two lovely indie yarn dyers: Copper Corgi Mini Skein Set in the Peacock colourway for the sport weight version. Seven Sisters Arts Meridian Gradient Set in the Raven’s Wing colourway for the fingering weight version. As always,

On today's episode I'm cheering myself up in the face of the cold, grey, damp weather. I'm looking forward to some of the simple pleasures of autumn, and fessing up to falling off the destash wagon in a glorious little yarn binge. 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. Blacker Yarns produce a diverse range of breed specific yarn for your knitting and crochet projects. With everything from Shetland and Blue-Faced Leicester through to Wensleydale, Gotland and Manx you’ll be sure to find an unexpected treat. If you are thinking of embarking upon a breed specific adventure, then head over to www.blackeryarns.co.uk. All Blacker’s wares are spun and dyed at their mill in Cornwall using 100% British Fibre and sustainable production methods.” The Shawl Society Update: The 5th shawl in the The Shawl Society will be out next week! Keep your eyes on Instagram for a sneak peek of the design. I used two gradient sets for the samples: Seven Sisters Arts Gradients Seven Sisters Arts has designed a special set just for this pattern: Aurora Gradient Even though we’re in the home stretch of TSS, we still have new members joining us all the time! If you’d like to be a part of the fun, you can join buy purchasing the Shawl Society ebook on Ravelry. You can enjoy the four patterns already released, the two surprises still on the way, and a community that will be knitting together for a long time to come. Copper Corgi Gradients The Knitting Pipeline If you want a chance to win two skeins of Blacker Yarn’s special edition dyed St. Kilda Laceweight make sure that you post your finished Quill Shawl to the Finished Object Thread by Sunday October 2nd. Show Links: Autumn Watch RSPB Arranmore Yarn from The Fibre Co. The Grocery Girls Gregoria Fibers Moel View Yarn Hedgerow Yarns Crafts from the Third Floor Podcast Norah George Blacker Yarn St. Kilda Limited Edition Laceweight Giveaway I’m running a giveaway of The Mindfulness in Knitting by Rachel Matthews. Thanks to the publisher, I have five copies of the book available to win! You can hear all about the book on last week’s episode  and possibly win a copy for yourself, is you leave a comment on that post telling me how knitting brings your joy. Get your comment in by Tuesday the 4th of October, when I’ll be drawing five names. That's everything for today. Have a great weekend, and happy knitting!

  This week I'm talking about the freshest of fresh starts: a brand new baby! There seem to be a lot of babies on the way in the knitting podcast world, and I'm looking forward to a fresh new niece to knit for very soon. I give a rundown of some of my favourite patterns for baby gifts, and my own fantasy knitting queue for fresh babies. 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. Blacker Yarns produce a diverse range of breed specific yarn for your knitting and crochet projects. With everything from Shetland and Blue-Faced Leicester through to Wensleydale, Gotland and Manx you’ll be sure to find an unexpected treat. If you are thinking of embarking upon a breed specific adventure, then head over to www.blackeryarns.co.uk. All Blacker’s wares are spun and dyed at their mill in Cornwall using 100% British Fibre and sustainable production methods.” Giveaway Leave a comment on this post to let me know "What is it about knitting that gives you the most joy?" To be in the running for one of 5 copies of The Mindfulness in Knitting Show Links: Little Skein in the Big Wool Little Skein in the Big Wool Instagram Knitting Expat Podcast Fluffy Fibers Podcast Hue Loco Podcast Knitting Pipeline Podcast Twinkle Twinkle Blanket Georgie Blanket Vivid by Tin Can Knits Dogwood by Tin Can Knits Flax Pullover by Tin Can Knits Flax Light Pullover by Tin Can Knits Baby Kina Cardigan by Muriela Granny’s Favourite by Georgie Nicolson Baby Sophisticate by Linden Down Popcorndrakt by Paelas Paelas Kjappstrikka Drakt: Quick Knit Suit Little Sister’s Dress by Tora Frøseth Design Elijah the Elephant by Ysolde Teague Sophie Rabbit by Ysolde Teague Wooly Wormhead Painted Wooly Toppers for Kids The Mindfulness in Knitting by Rachel Matthews The Cast Off Knitting Club The Shawl Society Update: Blacker Yarns is sponsoring the Mini KAL prize for Quill this month. They’ve given us a gorgeous skein of their brand new very limited edition St. Kilda Laceweight. I've topped it up with another skien, so this is a really special prize! Make sure you post a photo of your finished Quill to the FO Thread on Ravelry by October 2nd for your chance to win! That's everything for this week's episode (it's quite a lot!) I'll talk to you next week. Until then, happy knitting!

Sometimes fresh starts require a little reflection, so today I'm thinking about the goals I had at the beginning of the year, and how I might creatively engage with them in fresh new ways before the year is out. 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. Blacker Yarns produce a diverse range of breed specific yarn for your knitting and crochet projects. With everything from Shetland and Blue-Faced Leicester through to Wensleydale, Gotland and Manx you’ll be sure to find an unexpected treat. If you are thinking of embarking upon a breed specific adventure, then head over to www.blackeryarns.co.uk. All Blacker’s wares are spun and dyed at their mill in Cornwall using 100% British Fibre and sustainable production methods.” Show Links: Yan Tan Tethera Country House Retreat Aranmore Yarn by The Fibre Co. Madewell Cardigan by Joji Locatelli in Eden Cottage Yarn’s Oakworth 4 Ply in the Pennine Mist colourway for the #CHRetreatMadeWellAlong Maria Elena Bliss Project Bags Times Square Cardigan by Norah Gaughan in Fibre Company’s Knightsbridge yarn. Reyka Pullover by Cirilia Rose Yarniacs Colors of Fall KAL #yarniacscolors2016 Tamar DK by Blacker Yarn The Wooly Thistle for Tamar DK in America Spindrift Shawl Free Pattern and Workshop Spindrift Shawl KAL Thread Spindrift KAL winners: April: post 250 eyoung914 May: post 916 TheCarelessCat June: post 1426: Artephile July: post 1024 Joels Aug: post 1851 sgilck That's everything for now! Chat to you next week and until then, happy knitting!

I fell in love with the idea of "Fresh Starts" after last week's episode: the change of seasons is always exciting to me, with endless possibilities opening up. Today I'm chatting about what's fresh in my knitting world, discussing new routines and new-to-me yarnies, designers, podcasts and patterns. 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. What’s in the WIP: I finished the vanilla socks I was knitting from the delicious Regia Pairfect in the Cheesecake colourway. I've wound my yarn for the Madewell Cardigan by Joji Locatelli in Eden Cottage Yarn’s Oakworth 4 Ply in the Pennine Mist colourway for the #CHRetreatMadeWellAlong Show Links: Yan Tan Tethera Yarns The speckley socks that let me discover this lovely yarn Camp Wilkerson Shawl by Caitlin Hunter Boyland Knitworks Dingo Dyeworks Video Podcast Dingo Dyeworks Instagram Dingo Dyeworks Episode 8 The Gentle Knitter Video Podcast Stranded Magazine Stranded "Mild Weather" Issue Double Knit Podcast Tupshin Socks by Erin Birnel Tupshin KAL, running September 1st to 30th The Shawl Society Update I've released the 4th pattern in The Shawl Society, Quill Quill is available now as part of The Shawl Society: buy the ebook here: The Shawl Society The design for Quill draws from older, more patient ways of making and doing. This elongated, triangular shawl features stripes like the lines of a letter on a parchment page and a lace border inspired by feathers. Dream dictionaries say that to dream of writing with a quill pen “symbolizes the way you view your creative process — slow, methodical, beautiful, and not very technological.” For me, that lines up beautifully with the way I approach my knitting, and the way I imagine the Quill shawl in the world. Quill is a generously sized shawl with an engaging mix of colour and texture. It makes for relaxing knitting, and the yarn selected adds another layer of old-fashioned comfort. Tamar DK yarn from Blacker Yarns is a soft, squishy DK weight with rustic charm and a sophisticated colour palette. It is made from historic Wensleydale, Teeswater, Cotswold and Black Leicester Longwool, all British heritage breeds chosen for their long, wavy, lustre fleece. A generous helping of local Cornish mule lambs’ fleece gives this yarn extra bounce and give. Even though the knitting community today is largely bound together with the modern magic of the Internet, the objects we make with our hands are a throwback to a graceful past. Knitting Quill is a beautiful way to slow down at the end of a busy day, giving yourself over to an uncomplicated creative practice and a quieter way of being in the world. Tamar DK by Blacker Yarn Acadia by The Fibre Co Asana KAL winners Winner of the Eden Cottage Yarn: Post #101 by tucker-doory on Ravelry Winner of The Uncommon Thread Yarn: Post #89 by fatpieceofwool on Ravelry Events: Curious Handmade Country House Retreat Oct 20 – 23 // Cumbria, UK The Autumn Country House retreat is coming up quickly. The last few places are available to book, and we'd love to see you there.Cast on your own Madewell Retreat Cardigan and join the fun. It's going to be a very special weekend, and it's the perfect place to relax into creativity with likeminded knitters and some spectacular scenery. If you are interested in finding out more you can email me – helen@curioushandmade.com That's everything for this week! Happy knitting.

Today's episode is about the feeling of freshness and excitement that comes with the change of the seasons. I have itchy fingers and a serious case of Cast-on-itis, and  I'm enjoying every minute. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… What’s in the WIP: About to cast off an enormously fun and very quick pair of vanilla socks using Regia Pairfect in the Cheesecake colourway Just cast on another pair of socks using Lollipop sock yarn in the Downton Abbey colourway Wound my yarn for the Pure Joy shawl by Joji Locatelli using my beloved Juno Getting ready to swatch for my Madewell Cardigan by Joji Locatelli in Eden Cottage Yarn’s Oakworth 4 Ply in the Pennine Mist colourway. I need to finish my Times Square Cardigan by Norah Gaughan which I am knitting from the Fibre Company’s gorgeous Knightsbridge yarn. The Shawl Society Update Blacker Yarn’s Tamar DK You can find Tamar in the US from The Wooly Thistle The three shawls that have been released so far are: Talisman Amulet Asana There are three more surprise patterns to come. If you’d like to join in, all you need to do is buy The Shawl Society eBook on Ravelry here. The mini Asana KAL is incredibly inspiring to watch, and we have some beautiful prizes this time from Eden Cottage Yarn and The Uncommon Thread. There are a couple more days to post your finished shawl to the FO thread to be in the running. The deadline is September 4th. Remember that even if you finish after the deadline, you should still post your FOs, as we’ll be drawing prizes for the overall TSS KAL in November! Events: Curious Handmade Country House Retreat Oct 20 – 23 // Cumbria, UK The Autumn Country House retreat is on the way in just under seven weeks, and we're all getting very excited. There are still a couple of twin share places available to book, and we'd love to have you along. Cast on your own Madewell Retreat Cardigan and join the fun, The retreat is being sponsored by The Fibre Company, so you know there will be some very special treats for the attendees. It's a wonderful opportunity to nourish your creative spirit, make some steadfast knitting friends, and just take a break from everyday life. If you are interested in finding out more you can email me – helen@curioushandmade.com

Today's episode is a bit of a catch up. We're home from our holidays and starting to think about routines, and school, and new knitting projects. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Show Links: The Muse by Jessie Burton The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman Slow Your Home Podcast Little Bobbins Podcast Episode 52 Madewell Cardigan by Joji Locatelli Join the KAL on Instagram with the hashtag #chretreatmadewellalong Circus Tonic Yarn Eden Cottage Yarn Oakworth in Pennine Mist Pure Joy by Joji Locatelli http://www.loveknitting.com/ http://www.lovecrochet.com/ MillaMia Naturally Soft Cotton MillaMia Knitting Patterns Malabrigo Arroyo Reggia Pairfect from Suffolk Socks Shawl Society News: The mini KAL for TSS pattern #3 Asana ends on the 4th of September. Be sure to post your finished shawls to the FO thread. If you don't make the deadline, post it anyway! I'll be drawing from all the threads at the big overall KAL in November. The yarn hints for #4 have gone out to TSS members! Who's ready for the next one? Blacker Yarn Tamar DK The Woolly Thistle Sonja’s helpful Tamar post in the Ravelry Group Join The Shawl Society here. Events: Curious Handmade Country House Retreat Oct 20 – 23 // Cumbria, UK We still have a few twin share places available and a single room is now available also for the Autumn Country House retreat , which I mentioned in the podcast. Do you want to knit a Madewell Retreat Cardigan and join us? It's going to be a magnificent weekend of cosy fireside cats, ridiculous amounts of tasty food, and unlimited knitting. If you are interested in finding out more you can email me – helen@curioushandmade.com That’s all for this week! Happy knitting, and I’ll talk to you again soon!

Today I talk about next-level stash appreciation: loving all your precious leftover scraps! I chat about some great ideas and patterns for scrap yarn and share how my Design Your Summer project worked out. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Show Links: Beekeeper Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits Cozy Memories Blanket How-To Brooklyn Knitfolk Podcast Log Cabin Scrap Yarn Blanket Pattern Pinwheel Scrap Blanket by Mina Philipp Magic Cake Shawl by Paula  Emons-Fuessel Twinkle Twinkle Blanket Scrapalong Hat by Wooly Wormhead Penguono by Stephen West Natalie Miller Weaving Pom Pom Garlands I mentioned a few Creativebug classes in this episode: Crochet Techniques For Knitters by Cal Patch For many knitters, the thought of setting down your needles and picking up a crochet hook is a daunting one. But once you learn how to wield a crochet hook, it can become an important skill to have in your knitting bag of tricks. Cal Patch teaches some of the most common ways that crochet can be used in combination with knitting — to add a button band to a sweater, join seams, add length to a garment, create a decorative picot or scalloped edging, and make fun applique embellishments, to name a few. Not only is this information practical, but it will provide you with creative inspiration for adding new and exciting finishing touches to your knitting. Cal also has a very fun crochet granny squares class which is perfect for crochet beginners. The best part is that she includes lots of fun ways to use just a few squares, so you don't need to commit to a whole blanket if that's too overwhelming. Gaga for Granny Squares by Cal Patch Granny squares are a must for any crochet repertoire. Whether you choose to make your grannies multi-colored for a vintage look or a solid for a more modern take, Cal shows you how to crochet these classics. She also teaches different ways to join the squares for different projects so you’ll be a granny square evangelist in no time. There are several weaving classes on Creativebug, and this one seems like a great place to start: Weaving for Beginners by Annabel Wrigley Learn the basics of making one-of-a-kind woven tapestries with Annabel Wrigley. This course goes beyond simple warp-and-weft weaving, teaching you how to add long, dramatic fringe, color-blocked shapes, fluffy clouds of wool roving, and loads of texture and color. Best of all, Annabel teaches you how to mix and match all of these techniques so that you can design a unique tapestry of your own in any size you like. The Shawl Society is all wrapped up in our third pattern, Asana. The most breathtaking finished objects are already showing up in the Ravelry thread! The mini KAL for this shawl ends on Sept 4th, so there's still time to enter for one of those prizes. If you'd prefer to take your time, remember that I'll be drawing overal KAL prizes from all the FO threads in November. We still have new members joining us all the time, so if you aren't a member yet, maybe it's time to take the plunge! Join The Shawl Society here. That wraps up the Summer Series! Until next week, happy knitting!

Knitting on holidays and some Australian stories. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Shawl Society Update: Join us for the KAL for Asana, the third Shawl Society pattern! This marks the halfway point of the Shawl Society. I can't believe it's flying by so fast! It's still not too late to join us. Our Mini KAL for Asana will run until 4 September. I have some special prizes for this one, so be sure to post your FO in this thread by Sunday 4 Sept - end of day any time zone - for your chance to be in the prize draw. Prizes from Eden Cottage Yarn and The Uncommon Thread. If you want to take your time with this one, you’ll still be in the running for prizes in the general TSS KAL at the end of the session. I’ll be drawing from all the FO threads in November, so feel free to post your photos whenever you finish. Asana Shawl A gentle crescent shawl with flowing lace and garter sections, Asana is a lovely special occasion shawl, whether you’re preparing for one magical day or making an ordinary day magical through a bit of mindfulness. Optional beads add a flicker of light to its soft textures and quiet curves. Designed for lace or fingering weight yarn, it is delicate and light enough to wear even in the warmer months. In yoga, Asana means “a position that is firm, but relaxed.” This attitude should be familiar to anyone who has ever learned to knit, or tried a new technique just outside of your comfort zone. Gritting your teeth and clenching your hands around your needles never helps. This shawl is a higher level of difficulty than the previous Shawl Society patterns: the lace is a bit more challenging and there are four rows where you are knitting lace rows on the wrong side. The actual stitches aren’t difficult, but you need to be in meditation mode (not multitasking mode!). Concentration, relaxation and focus will get you through to the graceful result you want. Show Links: ClothBound by Julie Paterson ClothFabric on Instagram Putuparri and the Rainmakers Putuparri and the Rainmakers - article Ngurrara: The Great Sandy Desert Canvas Mabo v Queensland Dumbo Feather Dumbo Feather Eddie Mabo article Happy knitting!

This is a special episode recorded from my holiday campervan! Today I'm talking about some discoveries I've made on vaction about travelling with kids, chatting about the next Shawl Society pattern, and reviewing a gorgeous book I picked up in my travels. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Shawl Society Update: Amulet Mini KAL Winners: #55 LyKnitDFW won the $30 gift certificate from Lola Blue Living donated by Marce from  Brownberry Chronicles! #129 KniLa won the Gradient Set from Seven Sisters Arts! Today I'm introducing Asana, the third Shawl Society pattern! This design will be unveiled tomorrow. This marks the halfway point of the Shawl Society. I can't believe it's flying by so fast! It's still not too late to join us. Asana Shawl A gentle crescent shawl with flowing lace and garter sections, Asana is a lovely special occasion shawl, whether you’re preparing for one magical day or making an ordinary day magical through a bit of mindfulness. Optional beads add a flicker of light to its soft textures and quiet curves. Designed for lace or fingering weight yarn, it is delicate and light enough to wear even in the warmer months. In yoga, Asana means “a position that is firm, but relaxed.” This attitude should be familiar to anyone who has ever learned to knit, or tried a new technique just outside of your comfort zone. Gritting your teeth and clenching your hands around your needles never helps. This shawl is a higher level of difficulty than the previous Shawl Society patterns: the lace is a bit more challenging and there are four rows where you are knitting lace rows on the wrong side. The actual stitches aren’t difficult, but you need to be in meditation mode (not multitasking mode!). Concentration, relaxation and focus will get you through to the graceful result you want. Show Links: The Enchanted Wood Audio Book ClothBound by Julie Paterson Short and sweet show notes this week: that's everything! Happy knitting!

In today's episode I'm back to my fantasy knitting queue, with a subject that's very close to my heart. Shawls! They are such great travel projects, which makes them a great fit for the Summer Series. Any excuse to talk about shawls! We're right in the middle of The Shawl Society, so at the moment my mind is even more full of shawls than usual. When I'm so busy designing shawls I don't often get a chance to knit someone else's patterns, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to let my inner shawl fangirl out to play. I'm chatting about some of my favourite shawl designers and some of the patterns I love most. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Show Links: Making Magazine Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl by Paula Emons-Feussel Cave Point Shawl by Paula Emons-Feussel Quince and Co yarn Pure Joy by Joji Locatelli Interpretations 3 Pom Pom Magazine Expressive by Jojo Locatelli Be Kind by Veera Välimäki Lakelet by Renée Callahan Rockhopper by Anna Maltz The Book of Haps Events: Curious Handmade Country House Retreat Oct 20 – 23 // Cumbria, UK There are still a couple of twin share places available for the Autumn Country House retreat. If you are interested in finding out more you can email me - helen@curioushandmade.com That's all for this week! Happy knitting, and I'll talk to you again soon! I'm a Creative Bug affiliate!

Welcome to the second episode of the Summer Series! Today we're chatting about the beautiful things that Mette loves to make for her country house, especially her recent tea towel project. Mette will be teaching a workshop on Natural Dyeing at our next Curious Handmade Country House Retreat. It's such a fascinating subject that I thought all of my listeners (and not just the lucky retreaters!) would love to learn more, so I invited her to tell us a little bit about her methods. 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Curious Handmade Country House Retreat Oct 20 – 23 // Cumbria, UK There are still a couple of twin share places available for the Autumn Country House retreat. If you are interested in finding out more you can email me - helen@curioushandmade.com Show Photos: The famous tea towel: Some detail from Mette's dyeing notebook: Privet:   Hibiscus:   Logwood: The magic Privet hedge: The collection of naturally dyed silk scarves. The flower petal fabric: Show Links: The natural dyeing books I mention in this episode are: A Heritage of Colour by Jenny Dean The Modern Natural Dyer by Kristine Vejar Kristine's website: A Verb for Keeping Warm If you won't manage to make it to the retreat or would like to get started with natural dyeing ahead of Mette's hands-on workshop, check out Kristine's great two part class at Creative Bug: Natural Dyeing Learn the basics of natural dyeing in this two-part course, enabling you to create fabrics and garments in your very own original hues. Kristine uses all natural dyes in her process, and she discusses how to create a variety of shades by using different dyes, fabrics and dye bath times. In the first part of this class, you will learn how to work with silk, a protein fiber, dyeing it a lovely purple shade with Logwood.  In the second part, you will learn how to work with cellulose fibers, dyeing a pair of cotton socks red using Madder extract. An ebook about natural dying that will appeal to everyone, but with special interest to vegans: Botanical Colour at Your Fingertips Rebecca Desnos That's all for this week of The Summer Series! Happy knitting!

In today's episode I talk a bit about my recent sock craze. I also dive deep into my fantasy queue of socks I'd like to knit, exploring some lovely patterns and the delicious stash yarn I'm planning to use. Perfect holiday knitting for the kickoff of The Summer Series! 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. Located on charming Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter is A Yarn Story. Specialising in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world, A Yarn Story is a destination shop, both in-person and online! Major yarn and accessories brands include Hedgehog Fibres, Madelinetosh, Shibui Knits, ChiaoGoo and Cocoknits – and of course many more! Start creating your own yarn story… Show Links: Monkey Socks Fish Lips Kiss Heel Knitting Expat Podcast Hiya Hiya Sharps Knit Pro Zings Seven Sister Arts Sock Blanks Cobble Stone Sock Pattern Beyond Vanilla Socks - Part 1 Mina Makes Lollipop Yarn - Downton Abbey Susan B Anderson How I Make My Socks Pattern Susan B Anderson Podcast Maria Elena Bliss Mrs Brown's Bags Yarn Ink Flower Shock Socks Pattern Grocery Girls Podcast Canada KAL This Creative Bug course I mentioned in the show is a great way to get started with socks. Here's the description Hudson Valley Winter Socks These top-down, worsted weight socks will keep your toes warm all winter. You’ll learn how to knit a short row heel and toe, as well as a ribbed cuff alongside Jill. Short row heels and toes are re-knittable if after years of wear if your favorite pair develops a hole. So if you have been curious about knitting your own pair of socks but never taken the plunge, this workshop is for you. That's all for now! Happy knitting until next week!

This week I'm introducing the newest Shawl Society pattern and chatting about my stash and my "fantasy knitting queue." Show Sponsor: 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: Happier Podcast Designing Your Summer Episode 67 Little Bobbins Podcast Dahlia Cardigan by Heather Zoppetti Blue Sky Alpaca Yarn Copper Corgi Juno Fibre Arts Yarn 50 Shades of Gradient The Shawl Society News: This week I released the 2nd secret pattern from The Shawl Society: the Amulet Shawl. Amulet was inspired by the mystical beauty of an ancient Egyptian carving of a powerful scarab beetle with wings outstretched to provide shelter and protection from harm. The elongated triangle shape of this shawl recalls the scarab’s wings, which are also echoed in the graphically striking rib section. The most important characteristic of any amulet is the power ascribed to it by its owner, and I have tried to infuse this design with some of that energy and intention. The sacred significance of handmade objects is something that every knitter knows. Made for yourself, it is an eloquent act of self-care. When knit for a loved one, it is a compelling symbol of comfort and love. The pattern has two sizes and can be knit with one colour or two. Optional beads add a bit of sparkle for special occasions! There is a mini KAL running for Amulet until and the prizes are amazing: 1. Seven Sisters Arts is giving one of her beautiful Gradient Sets to one of the winners! I'm obsessed with the Ravens Wing gradient. 2. Marce of the wonderful Brown Berry Chronicles podcast has generously donated a $30 gift certificate to the luxury eco skin-care company Lola Blue Living. The Shawl Society patterns are exclusive to members until the end of this session in November, but it's not too late to join! There's an overall KAL running until then too, with lots more prizes on the way. Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility.The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales.The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure. The shawls will be released one by one, and each will take you on a journey. All you have to do is follow the path as it unfolds, one step at a time. The Shawl Society - JOIN HERE

Today I'm talking about summer plans and trying to get organised for a big trip. Show Sponsor: 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: Happier Podcast  Happier Episode 67 Talisman Shawl and the Talisman FO Thread (The Mini KAL due date is July 3rd!) The Wool Kitchen Northbound Knitting The Fibre Company Arranmore CH Country House Retreat After the wonderful time we had in Cumbria in March, we decided straight away that we wanted to go back and knit in the lovely Eden Valley again. And rather than wait until next year we thought we would have a retreat this autumn to celebrate the beginning of knitting season!  We also thought it would be nice to have a weekend retreat for people who couldn't manage during the week. And it was so beautiful in the spring that we thought we would do the same format just before Edinburgh Yarn Festival again next year as well!! The following dates are confirmed: Autumn Retreat 2016 Thursday 20 - Sunday 23 October 2016 Spring Retreat 2017 Monday 6 - Thursday 9 March 2017 Please email me at helen@curioushandmade.com if you are interested in joining us for the October retreat as registration is now open (the Spring retreat will open for registration later in the year). If you would like to be kept up to date with more information sign up to the Curious Handmade Events and Retreats mailing list here: Sign up for CH Events and Retreats updates: * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Last Name *

Today I'm talking about summer plans and thinking about some nourishing "just for fun" projects. Show Sponsor: 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: Amirisu Issue 10 KAL Botan Shawl Happier Podcast  Happier Episode 67 Reyka Pullover Times Square Ch 115 with Susan B. Anderson Talisman Shawl and the Talisman FO Thread (The Mini KAL due date is July 3rd!) The Wool Kitchen Northbound Knitting Shiny Bees Podcast Upcoming Events: Cheshire Fibre Festival will take place on 1st October 2016 at Marthall Village Hall, Marthall, Cheshire, WA16 7SB. Five fibre artists from Cheshire are combining resources to create the Cheshire Fibre Festival as part of the North West Fibre Arts Trail, which encourages fibre artists from the North West of England to open their doors and showcase their work. The five fibre artists are: Agrarian Artisan Designs – Valerie Bracegirdle will hold 2 crochet workshops and have a stall selling patterns kits and other crochet goodies. Crafts from the Dungeon – Beryl Weir will be demonstrating rigid heddle weaving and selling a fabulous range of kits across a range of fibre arts, plus woven items. Eco-Stitch – Diane Malinowski will have a stall selling a range of luxury hand-dyed 100% linen, eco friendly, vegan yarn Jenny Barnett Needlefelt – Jenny will hold a needle felting workshop and have a stall selling needlefelt, kits and books Yarns from the Plain – Nic Rudd will be selling fabulous hand-dyed British yarn and fibre, and crochet kits. There will also be a knit and natter area, and refreshments sold in aid of Bloodwise (formerly Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research). Entry is free and there is ample free parking. CH Country House Retreat After the wonderful time we had in Cumbria in March, we decided straight away that we wanted to go back and knit in the lovely Eden Valley again. And rather than wait until next year we thought we would have a retreat this autumn to celebrate the beginning of knitting season!  We also thought it would be nice to have a weekend retreat for people who couldn't manage during the week. And it was so beautiful in the spring that we thought we would do the same format just before Edinburgh Yarn Festival again next year as well!! The following dates are confirmed: Autumn Retreat 2016 Thursday 20 - Sunday 23 October 2016 Spring Retreat 2017 Monday 6 - Thursday 9 March 2017 If you would like to be kept up to date with more information sign up to the Curious Handmade Events and Retreats mailing list here: Sign up for CH Events and Retreats updates: * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Last Name * The Shawl Society Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility. The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales. The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure.

Today on the show I have an interview with the delightful Mary Jane Mucklestone, some more musings from Squam an exciting announcement and a KAL prize winner!! Show Sponsor: 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. CH Country House Retreat After the wonderful time we had in Cumbria in March, we decided straight away that we wanted to go back and knit in the lovely Eden Valley again. And rather than wait until next year we thought we would have a retreat this autumn to celebrate the beginning of knitting season!  We also thought it would be nice to have a weekend retreat for people who couldn't manage during the week. And it was so beautiful in the spring that we thought we would do the same format just before Edinburgh Yarn Festival again next year as well!! The following dates are confirmed: Autumn Retreat 2016 Thursday 20 - Sunday 21 October 2016 Spring Retreat 2017 Monday 6 - Thursday 9 March 2017 If you would like to be kept up to date with more information sign up to the Curious Handmade Events and Retreats mailing list here: Sign up for CH Events and Retreats updates: * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Last Name * The Shawl Society Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility. The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales. The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure. The shawls will be released one by one, and each will take you on a journey. All you have to do is follow the path as it unfolds, one step at a time.  The Shawl Society - JOIN HERE Show Links Botan Shawl Amirisu Issue 10 KAL Angelus Novus Cardigan Squam Art Workshops  Natalie Miller Natalie Miller Designs on Instagram Mary Jane Mucklestone Mary Jane's Squam Roundup Mary Jane's Books That's everything for this week! Happy knitting!

I'm back from a wonderful trip to NYC and Squam Art Workshops! I have all the news! Show Sponsor: 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. UK Podcast Awards Thank you all SO much for voting for me in both stages of the awards. The voting stage has now closed so now we wait until next weekend when the winners are announced at the awards ceremony. Thanks so much again! The Shawl Society Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility. The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales. The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure. The shawls will be released one by one, and each will take you on a journey. All you have to do is follow the path as it unfolds, one step at a time.  The Shawl Society - JOIN HERE Show Links UK Podcast Awards Second ever Curious Handmade Video Podcast! Angelus Novus Cardigan East London Knits KLEE KAL The KAL will run from 9 May 2016 through to 12 June 2016 You can join in and knit any of Renee Callahan’s designs.Renee is offering a generous 20% off all her ravelry patterns with the code EastLondonKnitKAL for my lovely listeners! Blacker Yarns Swan DK Blacker Yarns is giving us a special discount in honour of the Klee collection: 10% off their DK yarns with the code KLEEKAL West Water Tunic Pattern   That's everything for this week! Happy knitting!

I am so thrilled to be heading off to Spring Squam, and am busy getting ready to leave! This episode is on the short side: I talk about what's in the WIP and my continued exploration of slow fashion. Show Sponsor: 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. UK Podcast Awards The UK Podcast Awards first round voting is open! If you’ve been listening for a while you’ll know that last year I was lucky enough to win “Best Games or Hobby” podcast in the UK Podcast Awards. It was my lovely listeners who got me there, and it was such an incredible boost. This year the nominations are a bit different. I’m in the first round and need to make it to the top ten to advance. I’m number 11! So close and yet so far!! If you haven’t had a chance to vote for me yet, I would be SO GRATEFUL for your support. It’s super easy. You can vote for me on this page (I think you need to be a Facebook user) - it only takes a minute: Click on this link here and scroll down past the video you don’t need to watch it. Go to the categories for “Best UK Podcast 2016” AND “Audience Appreciation” Click on the “xx more options” link and find Curious Handmade Podcast and check the box beside me. That’s it! No signups, emails or anything, and it would make a huge difference for me. Thank you!!! Also Ravelry is nominated in the Community award so go vote for our beloved Rav too!! :-) Thanks so much! The Shawl Society Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility. The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales. The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure. The shawls will be released one by one, and each will take you on a journey. All you have to do is follow the path as it unfolds, one step at a time.  The Shawl Society - JOIN HERE Show Links UK Podcast Awards Second ever Curious Handmade Video Podcast! Me Made May – So Zo What Do You Know? Angelus Novus Cardigan East London Knits KLEE KAL The KAL will run from 9 May 2016 through to 12 June 2016 You can join in and knit any of Renee Callahan’s designs.Renee is offering a generous 20% off all her ravelry patterns with the code EastLondonKnitKAL for my lovely listeners! Blacker Yarns Swan DK Black Yarns is giving us a special discount in honour of the Klee collection: 10% off their DK yarns with the code KLEEKAL West Water Tunic Pattern People Tree Slow Fashion book People Tree wool page Brooklyn Meetup thread on Ravelry That's everything for this week! Happy knitting!

Today I have a lovely interview with designer Renee Callahan, designer of the Klee Collection and super fresh new release Zen Variations for the Fibre Company. I also have an update and answer some questions about The Shawl Society! Show Sponsor: 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. UK Podcast Awards The UK Podcast Awards first round voting is open! I need to get in the top 10 of the nominations to get to the next round. I would SO appreciate it if you would vote for Curious Handmade Podcast in the two categories I'm nominated for - Best UK Podcast and Audience Appreciation Award. You can vote for me on this page (I think you need to be a Facebook user) - it only takes a minute: Click on this link here and scroll down past the video you don’t need to watch it. Go to the categories for “Best UK Podcast 2016” AND “Audience Appreciation” Click on the “xx more options” link and find Curious Handmade Podcast and check the box beside me. Also Ravelry is nominated in the Community award so go vote for our beloved Rav too!! :-) Thanks so much! The Shawl Society Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility. The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales. Other important membership benefits include (but are not limited to): Close-knit camaraderie Scheming The particular glow you get from a really good secret The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure. The shawls will be released one by one, and each will take you on a journey. All you have to do is follow the path as it unfolds, one step at a time.  The Shawl Society - JOIN HERE Show Links Spindrift Shawl Sign up for the Spindrift Shawl Workshop here Spindrift Shawl KAL group on Ravelry Me Made May - So Zo What Do You Know? West Water Tunic Pattern Quarter 2 Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge Isle Yarns Squam Art Workshops Klee Collection KAL with Renee Callahan KAL for the Klee Collection in the Curious Handmade Ravelry group 9 May until 12 June. Renee's new collection Zen Variations for The Fibre Company I am knitting the Angelus Novus cardigan in Hole & Sons Wool Renee is offering a super generous offer of 20% OFF all her patterns for my listeners with the code EastLondonKnitKAL. Blacker Yarn is offering 10% OFF any DK weight yarn from their website until 12 June using code KLEEKAL Meetup in NCY The details of a knitterly meetup with me and others in New York on Sunday 29 May: Brooklyn Roasting Company is a great space (large and bright and COFFEE!) and also convenient to out-of-towners, Time: 11:30am Date: Sunday 29 May BRC is located at: 50 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10010 This venue is in Manhattan itself!! Thanks for organising this Jaclyn! x

This month I'm talking about working on pieces for my Handmade Wardrobe. I've cast on my first project, the Angelus Novus Cardigan for the East London Knit Klee KAL. I've also had my sewing machine fixed so am back in business for sewing some garments too. Some special announcments: Its UK Podcast Awards again and I would be so grateful if you would vote for me! I also have very exciting news about....The Shawl Society coming soon! Show Sponsor: 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. UK Podcast Awards The UK Podcast Awards first round voting is open! I need to get in the top 10 of the nominations to get to the next round. I would SO appreciate it if you would vote for Curious Handmade Podcast in the two categories I'm nominated for - Best UK Podcast and Audience Appreciation Award. You can vote for me on this page (I think you need to be a Facebook user) - it only takes a minute: Click on this link here and scroll down past the video you don’t need to watch it. Go to the categories for “Best UK Podcast 2016” AND “Audience Appreciation” Click on the “xx more options” link and find Curious Handmade Podcast and check the box beside me. Also Ravelry is nominated in the Community award so go vote for our beloved Rav too!! :-) Thanks so much! Here is the fun promo video of the awards last year and that is Emma my podcast editor and I on the cover pic and have two little cameos in accepting the Best Hobbies and Games award last year! I feel so famous hahaha. The Shawl Society Joining The Shawl Society feels like stepping through a hidden doorway. You know you’re about to escape into something fresh, unexpected, and full of possibility. The Shawl Society is a pattern subscription club for anyone who adores the element of surprise. Membership entitles you to six amazing months of secret shawl patterns (one pattern will be released each month – June to November) to knit along with your fellow initiates. Participation in the Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive discounts from boutique yarn producers, and members-only pop-up sales. Other important membership benefits include (but are not limited to): Close-knit camaraderie Scheming The particular glow you get from a really good secret The six designs in this mystery collection cover the entire shawl spectrum. You'll encounter different shapes, sizes, and techniques, and the difficulty level will range from relaxing patterns you can knit as you lounge at the lakeside all the way to challenging projects to ignite your sense of adventure. The shawls will be released one by one, and each will take you on a journey. All you have to do is follow the path as it unfolds, one step at a time. Show Links Spindrift Shawl Sign up for the Spindrift Shawl Workshop here Spindrift Shawl KAL group on Ravelry Stitching Up Paris “Insider’s Guide to Parisian Knitting Sewing, Notions and Needlecraft stores Me Made May - So Zo What Do You Know? West Water Tunic Pattern Quarter 2 Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge Klee Collection KAL with Renee Callahan We will be having a KAL for the Klee Collection in the Curious Handmade Ravelry group starting 9 May. I will be knitting the Angelus Novus cardigan in Blacker yarn. Renee is offering a super generous offer of 20% OFF all her patterns for my listeners with the code EastLondonKnitKAL. Blacker Yarn is offering 10% OFF any DK weight yarn from their website until 12 June using code KLEEKAL Meetup in NCY The details of a knitterly meetup with me and others in New York on Sunday 29 May:

This month on the show I'll be talking about working on pieces for my Handmade Wardrobe. Today is about my first project, the Angelus Novus Cardigan for the East London Knit Klee KAL. I'm also talking about attempts at organising my time in The Simple Things segement. Show Sponsor: 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 You can still enter the givaway for the Stitching Up Paris guide book by leaving a comment on the episode shownotes here. New Designs Amirisu Botan Shawl Spindrift Shawl Sign up for the Spindrift Shawl Workshop here Spindrift Shawl KAL group on Ravelry Klee Collection KAL with Renee Callahan We will be having a KAL for the Klee Collection in the Curious Handmade Ravelry group starting 9 May. I will be knitting the Angelus Novus cardigan in Blacker yarn. Renee is offering a super generous offer of 20% OFF all her patterns for my listeners with the code EastLondonKnitKAL. Blacker Yarn is offering 10% OFF any DK weight yarn from their website until 12 June using code KLEEKAL The Simple Things The One Thing Zen Habits Harvest App Better than Before Happier Podcast episode about watching out for loopholes

This week I have an interview with Stitching Up Paris authors Keiry and Barbara, a giveaway of the book and announcements about several Knit Alongs and events! Show Sponsor: 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: New Designs: New Designs Amirisu Botan Shawl Spindrift Shawl Sign up for the Spindrift Shawl Workshop here Spindrift Shawl KAL group on Ravelry Klee Collection KAL with Renee Callahan We will be having a KAL for the Klee Collection in the Curious Handmade Ravelry group starting 9 May. I will be knitting the Angelus Novus cardigan in Blacker yarn. Renee is offering a super generous offer of 20% OFF all her patterns for my listeners with the code EastLondonKnitKAL. Blacker Yarn is offering 10% OFF any DK weight yarn from their website until 12 June using code KLEEKAL Interview with Stitching Up Paris authors Barbara and Keiry More about the book on the Stitching Up Paris website here. A great review of the book on the Secrets of Paris Website here...It was fun to meet Heather at the book signing party at L'OisiveThé Keiry Belton and Barbara Cattoni agree with Audrey Hepburn: ‘Paris is always a good idea’. They devised a guidebook in Stitching up Paris: The Insider’s Guide to Parisian Knitting, Sewing, Notions and Needlecraft Stores with tourists, expat locals or armchair travellers in mind. A Parisian for more than 30 years, Barbara has made Paris craft shops and the people behind them into a livelihood. Through her tour business, www.stitchingupparis.com, she provides individually tailored tours of Paris’s best craft addresses. Keiry arrived in Paris in 2012 and met Barbara through Ravelry’s online knitting network. She blogs about Paris and the stitching scene – including the perils of trying to speak French while knitting. Follow www.stitchingupparisblog.wordpress.com for the latest stories and images of the Paris stitching scene. They can also be found at @stitchingupparis on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Yarn Shop Day! I know of at least two events happening for yarn shop day tomorrow... A Yarn Story is going to have a speed dating style yarn tasting of brand new Yarn by The Fibre Co. called Arranmore Knitters and crocheters can try Arranmore for themselves on Yarn Shop Day at A Yarn Story. A ‘speeddating style’ yarn tasting is planned to allow visitors to try out each of the seven different Fibre Co. yarns carried in the shop. Located on Walcot Street in the heart of Bath’s Artisan Quarter, A Yarn Story specializes in hand-dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. “We’re so excited to be able to partner with A Yarn Story for the world-wide launch of Arranmore,” said Daphne. “They are constantly running workshops and events that bring the community together around a common love of yarn.” Wild and Woolly is hosting the Purly Queens Popup: Join us in celebrating East London’s finest knitty talent at this year’s Yarn Shop Day in Clapton. Sweater Spotter Anna Malz and East London Knits Renee Callahan will have their trunk shows ready so you can try on samples and get inspired by their designs. The TravelKnitter and The Wool Kitchen yarn dyers will also be doing a cubby-takeover with a pop-up of their full range of spectacular hand-dyed yarns. Plus there’ll be all your favourite yarns and a few other special guest stars to get ideas from, ask advice and share some cake and wine with.  

Show Sponsor: 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: New Designs Amirisu Botan Shawl Spindrift Shawl Sign up for the Spindrift Shawl Workshop here Spindrift Shawl KAL group on Ravelry Klee Collection KAL with Renee Callahan We will be having a KAL for the Klee Collection in the Curious Handmade Ravelry group starting 9 May. I will be knitting the Angelus Novus cardigan in Blacker yarn. Renee is offering a super generous offer of 20% OFF all her patterns for my listeners with the code EastLondonKnitKAL. Stranded Magazine Stranded Magazine: Warm Weather 2016 Stranded website Interview with Aimée  of L'OisiveThé and La Bien Aimée

April is flying by. I hadn't declared a theme for the month, but one has emerged all by itself: this is a month of Travel! I've been so spoiled recently with all of these amazing journeys, so I've tried to bring back a little of the magic to share with all of you.This week's episode is another recap of a wonderful knitting trip, this time to Georgia to spend time with old and new friends at Paula's amazing Knitting Pipeline Retreat. Show Sponsor: 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: Last year's Georgia Pipeline Retreat episode. The gorgeous brown and green Curious Collective shawl with the better bobbles, knit by Irene, who is bluebirdnest on Ravelry. The amazing yarn shop we visited: East Sleep Knit The wonderful vendors at the retreat market, in case you'd like to snag some goodies for yourself: Prairie Bag Works MariaElenaBliss Bags Jan B Smiley Bags Seven Sisters Arts Snarky Llama Creations RainStorm Studios Gilding Lillies Our Hill Top Shawl KAL is going wonderfully! Thank you to everyone who has bought the pattern: it's incredible to see all the beautiful shawls popping up in the FO thread! The KAL will run until May 5th, so there's still time if you want to join us! Events: Tonight, the 15th of April I will be attending the launch party for my friend Baraba's book Stitching Up Paris We'll be having a knit night from 6pm to 9pm at L’ Oisivethé, 8 bis rue de la Butte aux Cailles, 75013, Paris, France. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello! That's everything for this episode. I hope you've enjoyed coming along with me on all my travels! Until next week, happy knitting!

Show Sponsor: 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 Notes: Curious Handmade Country House Retreat Thank you to Pom Pom Press for their door prize of the set of all three volumes of Interpretations by Joji Locatelli and Veera Valimaki. Thank you also to Bowen Gibson for her wonderful Cumbria Pendant she gave us for a door prize. Paula aka Snailgarden on Ravelry wrote this wonderful blog post about the retreat with lots of photos. Mina published this fabulous Knitting Expat episode all about the retreat too. Edinburgh Yarn Festival Eden Cottage Yarns Snail Yarn The Wool Kitchen - Interview with Helen Reed on Shiny Bees podcast here Woolenflower Events: Hill Top Shawl KAL - running until 5 May Join in the KAL here... On the 15th of April I will be attending the Launch of my friend Baraba's book Stitching Up Paris We'll be having a knit night from 6pm to 9pm at L’ Oisivethé, 8 bis rue de la Butte aux Cailles, 75013, Paris, France

Today's episode is just a quick little recap of the last couple of weeks, especially the Curious Handmade Country House Retreat! Show Sponsor: 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 Notes: Last week I released the Hill Top Shawl, and our KAL is going strong! There is plenty of time to join us, and the prize is lovely: one of the gift bags we put together for our retreat-goers. Susan B Anderson has now released her new Craftsy class, Toe Up Socks, which we hinted at on the last episode! I'll be taking it, and she's offering really great specials on her blog, so check it out! Here are the list of vendors from the retreat, in case any of you would like to indulge yourselves a little bit (the way we did!) The Wool Barn Maya Tomic - thewoolbarnknits on Ravelry The Wool Barn was born out of love for knitting with luxurious natural fibres. We hand pick the highest quality yarns from carefully selected UK suppliers and lovingly dye them in our home studio in Hertfordshire, England, using professional wool dyes and natural binding agents. Suffolk Socks Julie Walters - Dolly100 on Ravelry Suffolksocks is a small online yarn shop. I stock commercial and indie dyed yarns. To compliment all my lovely yarns I have a selection of bags,’projetcbagsbyjulie’ that are the ideal size to keep your latest cast on safe. An assortment of notions are available. Suffolksocks has just launched its own range of hand dyed/painted sock yarn, “tuck shop”. My early years were spent with my parents owning a sweet shop so I’ve taken inspiration from all the jars of sweets that lined the walls of the little corner shop. Mina Makes Mina Yamini - mina86 on Ravelry Hi I’m Mina a London girl who has been living in the Middle East for almost 5 years, currently based out of Bahrain with my Husband and two cats. I started my Podcast the Knitting Expat shortly after we arrived in Bahrain last year as a means to connect with the knitting community online and as an extension of that I started to make and sell Project Bags on Etsy as Mina Makes. My bags have made their way to knitters all over the world and I am delighted to have been asked by Helen to vend at her Retreat this year, and have the opportunity to bring my bags to you in person. I will be bringing a variety of bags for the market in several different fun prints and sizes for you to choose from. Little Bobbins Dani Harvey - littlebobbins on Ravelry Using whimsical textiles and playful applique, Dani from Little Bobbins creates adorable project bags for knitters with a sense of fun. Little Bobbins bags are full of thoughtful details and joyful touches: perfectly practical but also a bit indulgent (just like knitting!). LeatherWoolLinen Stewart Allen - stewartw on Ravelry Stewart Allen of LeatherWoolLinen is a former yarn shop owner turned bag crafter who still occasionally knits but can be found more often than not in front of a sewing machine. Bowen Gibson Bowen Gibson - gardenerbynight on Ravelry Bowen makes lovely hand embroidered necklaces that she sells at pop up markets throughout Colorado. Using maps or natural fibers as her background, her unique designs will suit any taste. Events:   On the 15th of April I will be attending the Launch of my friend Baraba's book Stitching Up Paris We'll be having a knit night from 6pm to 9pm at L’ Oisivethé, 8 bis rue de la Butte aux Cailles, 75013, Paris, France

I'm back from a whirlwind week up North. The Curious Handmade Country House Retreat was an amazing time: I'll have more to share about it once I've gathered my thoughts! In the meantime you can check out the lovely photos everyone took on Instagram under the #CHcountryhouseretreat hashtag. I also traveled on to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival, where I got to spend even more time with some wonderful knitters, designers, and lovely woolly people of all sorts. Today, though, I want to share an interview I did with the marvelous Daphne of The Fibre Co. We talked about the development of the new yarn (a favourite topic of mine!) about the alchemy of dyeing and colour selection, and about what Daphne's looking forward to in the near future. Show Sponsor: 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 Notes: As you've probably heard on the podcast, the Fibre Co. and their wonderful new yarn Cumbria sponsored us on the retreat. I designed a new shawl using fingering weight Cumbria, and introduced it to the retreat participants. Today I can finally introduce it to you! The Hill Top Shawl was inspired by the rolling fields, stone walls, and craggy hills of gorgeous Cumbria in the north of England. To celebrate the launch, Hill Top Shawl is available on Ravelry at 30% OFF for a short time, until Tuesday, March 29. Just make sure to use the code HILLTOP30 when you check out in Ravelry. There is an everyday magic to this place, where a touch of untamed wilderness still endures amid a tradition of rural life that reaches back back centuries. Cumbria is the ancestral home of Peter Rabbit and the epitome of what Robert Blake called “England’s green and pleasant land,” and it stole my heart years ago. I’ve poured that love into this design: an elegant crescent-shaped shawl with a rustic soul. I’ve interspersed super simple garter stitch with eye-catching lace panels, and finished it all off with a sweet, engaging picot edge. You might drape this shawl around your shoulders as you nestle in at home with a book, safe from the elements, or wrap it snugly around your neck for comfort as you head out bravely on a weekend hike. This classic accessory will keep you warm and cosy wherever it’s worn. This is a fun, quick knit, and from the response at the retreat, I think you're really going to enjoy it! It's available to buy on Ravelry now. I've started a KAL thread and as a prize I've saved one of the retreat goodie bags to share, including a handmade project bag, vouchers for several free patterns, and most wonderfully, two skeins of Cumbria Fingering from The Fibre Co. Join us for chatter, support, and some fun over the next six weeks!

Today’s guest embodies the type of joyful creativity that I love to feature on Curious Handmade. Susan B. Anderson is a gifted knitting designer who has been sharing her playful, fanciful patterns with the world for a decade now, and I’m so excited to be interviewing her on the podcast today. We talk about how she started designing, what it’s like to handle such a prolific and varied schedule, and the joys of teaching new knitters with her new book, Kids’ Knitting Workshop. Excerpted from Susan B. Anderson’s Kids’ Knitting Workshop by Susan B. Anderson (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015. Photographs by Lauren Volo. Illustrations by Alison Kolesar. Show Sponsor: 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: Excerpted from Susan B. Anderson’s Kids’ Knitting Workshop by Susan B. Anderson (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015. Photographs by Lauren Volo. Illustrations by Alison Kolesar. Susan’s wonderful knitting blog Her brilliant video podcast Susan’s patterns on Ravelry Girl Scout blog series We discuss some of Susan’s wonderful pattern books and a few particularly adorable single patterns which I have in my queue: Itty Bitty Hats Itty Bitty Nursery Itty Bitty Toys Egg to Owl Reversible Toy Pattern Mary, Millie, and Morgan Doll Patterns Excerpted from Susan B. Anderson’s Kids’ Knitting Workshop by Susan B. Anderson (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015. Photographs by Lauren Volo. Illustrations by Alison Kolesar. Susan mentioned a few in-person teaching events that she’ll be doing this spring: March 18-20, 2016, A Good Yarn in Sarasota, FL April 1-3, 2016 ~ DFW Fiber Fest (Texas) April 23, 2016 ~ Yarnover in Minneapolis, MN May 19-21, 2016 Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA She is a gifted teacher, and if you can’t make it to one of her workshops, you can still learn from her wonderful online lessons: she has just recorded new classes for both Craftsy and Creative Bug which will be released very soon. Events: I recently had the interviewing tables turned on me by Squam founder and director Elizabeth Duvivier for her marvellous Morning on The Dock Podcast! Next week is the Curious Handmade Country House Retreat in Cumbria, and I'm so excited. The podcast schedule will change a bit temporarily. I'm taking a week off during the retreat and releasing the next episode a little early, on Tuesday March 22nd, to avoid conflicting with  Easter weekend. I’m looking forward to attending The Edinburgh Yarn Festival right after the retreat, from March 18 to 19th. I’ll be at several of the events and spending some time in the Podcaster Lounge which is being sponsored by Blacker Yarn. One place you can be sure to catch me is at the Podcaster meetup from 12:30 to 2pm on Friday the 18th.

Show Sponsor 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? I'm working away on my Mind The Gap Nimbus self-striping sock yarn from Trailing Clouds following Mina's Two at a time socks free pattern and am working up to learning and using the Fish Lips Kiss Hill. 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 Show Links Absolutely loving Gretchen Rubin's book Better than Before and her podcast with her sister Happier I'm curious - I'd love to know if you listen or have read the book and what you think?!  

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!

I absolutely love diving deep into the specific, nerdy details of yarn and yarn production, and judging by the response to Ch 103 where we interviewed Sue from Blacker Yarn, you feel the same! So I’m delighted to welcome Sonja Bargielowska, also from Blacker Yarn this week for another intensive discussion about British breed-specific wool and blends, especially the wonderful new Tamar lustre yarn, which will be launching on the 3rd of March. Show Sponsor 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 The different Blacker yarns and sheep breeds that Sonja discusses: Tamar Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) Shetland The long coat of a Wensleydale sheep: Photo Credit: Amanda Slater, from http://flickr.com/photos/15181848@N02/4673891793 under a Creative Commons Licence Some photographs of the beautiful, free patterns that Sonja and Sue have designed to showcase Tamar (they will be launched next month, with the yarn:   A big thanks to Sonja for joining us today. She and Blacker Yarn will debut Tamar at the The Edinburgh Yarn Festival, March 18 to 19, 2016. They are sponsoring the podcast lounge, giving a workshop, and sharing those amazing free patterns. I'll be there as well, and I hope to see some of you! Until next week, happy knitting!

In today's episode I enthuse about the gorgeous array of sock yarn waiting to be whipped up into wonderful socks, and talk about Take Heart, a beautiful book of patterns that I've recently fallen in love with. Show Sponsor   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: Magic Cake Ruffle Shawl by Paula Emons-Fussle from The Knitting Pipeline Secret new shawl design! using Copper Corgi’s Gradient set in Peacock Show Links: I went on a lovely little binge of video podcasts, sock yarn, and project bags this week. Susan B. Anderson’s video podcast How I Make My Socks pattern by Susan B. Anderson Octopus, Turtle and Raccoon toys by Susan B. Anderson Egg to Owl pattern by Susan B Anderson A Homespun House video podcast Voolenvine Yarn Yarngasm video podcast Inside Number 23 video podcast with Katie Katie’s Instagram MissLavellia on Ravelry Shinybees Podcast Skein Australia Yarn - Top Draw Sock Hedgerow Yarns Suffolk Socks Little Bobbins Video Podcast Mrs Browns Bags Grocery Girls Video Podcast I review the wonderful Take Heart Collection by Fiona Alice from Pom Pom Press. Check out the KAL hosted by Dani and Deb for this wonderful book with the hashtag #lkbtakeheartalong on Instagram Handmaiden Yarn Chester Basin Hat and Mitts in Border Mill Alpaca Tweed #takeheartalong Ketch Harbour wrap in Kettle Yarn Co Islington Lunenburg Harbour socks in Toft Alpaca I'm very excited that Barbara from Stitching up Paris has a new guide to all the best sewing and knitting shops in Paris: That's all the links I have for this week! Happy knitting!

Welcome to February! After a fab but fast start to the year in January, I decided to choose a relaxing topic for this month. We're exploring creativity again, in a laid back, gentle way. What do we mean when we talk about creativity and how can foster more of it in our daily lives? To start us off, I interviewed my very good friend Mette, who is one of the most naturally creative people I know. We've been planning the Curious Handmade Country House Retreat together, and recently spent the morning sewing bags for the event. Afterwards, we sat down to chat about the many ways she finds creativity in her days, and what "hygge" really means. Show Sponsor   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 After so many links last week, this episode I only have a couple: At the Unravel Festival at Maltings in London, Feb, 19th to 21st, the girls from Yarn in the City will be debuting their London Craft Guide. Be sure to drop by their stall to see what it's all about! I wanted to share a few photos of Mette's beautiful house, and some of the hygge touches she so lovingly creates:   It's a tremendously inviting space.  I'd love to hear about the hygge details in your home: what does cosy really mean to you? I hope you enjoyed this episode: that's all I have for this week. Happy knitting!

This week I answer a question about how and when you should wind yarn and the best ways to store you stash safely. I also talk about the WIPs I'm whipping through and a special way that knitters are getting together to change the world for the better. Show Sponsor   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: Pukka lemongrass and ginger tea Stash Appreciation Ravelry Thread Morning on the Dock Podcast Craftsy articles: To Wind or Not To Wind: How to Store Yarn  How to Wind Yarn into a Ball  Winding videos: Really nice clear video on how to HAND wind a centre pull ball on WEBS yarn.com Paula from the Knitting Pipeline winding yarn with a Scandinavian tool called a Nøstepinne. Using a winding tool– thick needle or pencil Or a turkey baster. Sock Blockers: Wire from Loop Knit Pro from Suffolk Socks If you want to order some custom oak sock blockers from Ginger Twist - just email Jess to inquire! New needles: Knitpro Zing from Meadow Yarn Circular Addi Lace Needles from Meadow Yarn What's in the WIP? Monkey Socks Finished! Immensely satisfying after nine years! Mina’s Two at a Time Socks using the Fish Lips Kiss heel:  I'm ready to cast on with Mind The Gap Nimbus self-striping sock yarn from Trailing Clouds Oleum Socks by Rachel Coopey in John Arbonne Exmoor Sock I realised I have gauge problems, so I'm going to have to frog. A new secret design (!!) using Copper Corgi’s Gradient in Peacock (and I'm also tempted by Pink Hot Chocolate) but I'm prototyping in Blue Sky Alpaca Upcoming Events Three Things For Yarn Love. I was listening to Episode 29 of the Yarn of The City and they're starting a bit of a movement.The idea is to have everyone declare three things they want to do for the yarn and fibre community around the world. The hashtag is #3thingsforyarnlove and I'm really excited to take part. So far, I've come up with: 1. Support Patty Joy, the creator of the  Fish Lips Kiss heel who is fighting breast cancer right now and raising money for a reunion with her kids by selling her sock heel pattern. She's Sox Therapistp on Ravelry, and hosts the 12 Socks Challenge annually. Paula from Knitting Pipeline is going to be helping to spread the news about her pattern at the Georgia retreat, and I'm hoping to do the same at Cumbria. I'll also be gifting the pattern to some people. 2. Support Knit Aid (which I heard about from Wool and The Gang) They are hosting a Mass Knit In Event to create squares for blankets for refugees. It's happening Valentine's Day, Sunday 14th February 2016 Time: 11am – 2:30pm Location: The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, EC2R 4RH I can't go, but I'm going to spread the word and knit some squares to send along, as they're accepting donations of 20cm by 20cm squares in the lead up to the event. 3. TBA! The Unravel Festival at Maltings is on Feb, 19th to 21st. Unfortunately this is term time here so I can't make it, but it's sure to be a wonderful event. The Curious Handmade Country House Retreat is happening on March 14 to 17th 2016 in Cumbria, UK. All the spaces are sold out, but there is a waiting list. If you'd like me to add you, please get in touch! The Edinburgh Yarn Festival is March 18 to 19 2016 The Knitting Pipeline Georgia Retreat is on April 3 to 6 in the USA. That's all for this week, and for January! I can't believe that the first month of the year has flown by so fast. Until next week, happy knitting!  

This week I chat about creating more space in my life, finding a sense of ease in all my tasks and in my knitting, and planning how to use some of my stash for specific projects during this week of Stash Appreciation Month! Show Sponsor   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: Great episode (77) on knitting goals from Shiny Bees Podcast. KAL News I’m excited about the The Finish It KAL being hosted by Lina Knits on her Ravelry Group. It’s running for the month of February, so we have lots of time to wrap up old WIPs! A couple of stash-busting KALs I mention: Wooly Wormheads 12 Hats in 12 Months - great for using up single skeins. Annual Stash dash by The Knit Girllls - focus on using up quantities of stash measured in km and miles! What’s in The WIP Monkey Socks I cast on the other sock! I’ve gotten halfway down the foot and by the time this is published I think I’ll be finished! Magic Cake Shawl: I picked this up again this week and it’s such a fun knit. All the new colours are so motivating, and I think I’ll have this finished before this year’s Knitting Pipeline Georgia retreat! Mina’s Two at a Time Socks using the Fish Lips Kiss heel: I have my foot template made for these and some fun yarns to work with, so I want to do several pairs. I reclaimed some yarn from an abandoned WIP Colinette’s Jitterbug in Raspberry. I also have some Mind The Gap Nimbus self-striping sock yarn from Trailing Clouds, and I want to knit up a pair in that, too. I also have Stray Cat Socks in Sunshower and a beautiful natural-dyed skein from Natasha at Taking a Moment in Time, which are both calling out to be beautiful socks. I have two sweater quantities of yarn in my stash A gorgeous gradient set from Copper Corgi, but I’m not sure what pattern to use for it. Blue Sky Alpaca Silk in Plumb Colourway which I specifically bought to make the Dahlia Cardigan by Heather Zoppetti Events The Unravel Festival at Maltings is on Feb, 19th to 21st. Unfortunately this is term time here so I can't make it, but it's sure to be a wonderful event. The Curious Handmade Country House Retreat is happening on March 14 to 17th 2016 in Cumbria, UK. All the spaces are sold out, but there is a waiting list. If you'd like me to add you, please get in touch! The Edinburgh Yarn Festival is March 18 to 19 The Knitting Pipeline Georgia Retreat is on April 3 to 6 in the USA. Registration is now open, and I'll be going! That’s just about it for this week! Happy knitting!

Show Sponsor   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 Yarn alert: my huge yarn crush on Anzula Squishy started last year when I used it for the new samples of my Afternoon Tea Shawl but it's been pretty hard to get your hands on in the UK. I've gotten the news from Meadow Yarn that they now have it in stock, so go have a look for yourself! I love the colours so much I'm tempted to buy it all up, Stash Appreciation Month notwithstanding. Stash Appreciation Month thread on Ravelry Lina Knits Video Podcast on YouTube Lina's Blog The Finish It KAL will take place on her Ravelry Group Mina from The Knitting Expat Podcast and Marsha from Fairy Little Twitch and Stitch are in the middle of an engrossing Sock Knitting Competition   What's in The WIP I finished my Cave Point Shawl! I love it.The pattern is by Paula Emons-Fuessle from Knitting Pipeline and it was an absolute joy to knit. It's also available as part of the gorgeous Shawls 2015 collection from Quince and Co. I knit it in Quince and Co.Chickadee in the Audouin heathered colourway. Still working on my Times Square by Norah Gaughan I'm waiting until I have time to be monogamous with my Reyka Pullover by Cirilia Rose so I'll probably wait until I've finished Times Square. Monkey Socks Oleum Socks by Rachel Coopey Some vanilla socks, developing a personal "recipe" the way Mina has, using the Fish Lips Kiss heel. Mina's Two at a Time Socks - free pattern on Ravelry Magic Cake Shawl by Paula from the Georgia Retreat The Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge is back on, and I'm already adding goals to my list for this quarter. Libby from Truly Myrtle is hosting a Wash Dress Sew-Along from the 12 to the 24th of Feb. I want to join in! You can sign up to her Mini Mag in the sidebar of her blog if you'd like to get updates about that. Washi Dress Pattern from Made By Rae I also want to make the Squam Westwater Tunic before I head off to Squam! Events The Unravel Festival at Maltings is on Feb, 19th to 21st. I can't go, but I know it will be a wonderful time. The Curious Handmade Country House Retreat is happening on March 14 to 17th 2016 in Cumbria, UK. It's sold out, but if you'd like to be put on the waiting list, please get in touch! The Edinburgh Yarn Festival is March 18 to 19 The Knitting Pipeline Georgia Retreat is happening  April 3 to 6 in the USA, and I'll be going! Registration is opening up today! That's all I've got for this week! Happy knitting!

    We're in the second week of Stash Appreciation Month, and I've made great progress on reviewing, organising, and documenting my stash, which has been a really lovely process. On today's episode I talk about how that's going, what it's like to be plunging into the new year, and my Word of The Year for 2016. You can join in chatting about Stash Appreciation in the Ravelry thread here. Show Sponsor   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 We spent our holidays together here: Lake Taupo in New Zealand I spent some more time thinking about my word for the year and finally arrived at Ease. These podcasts helped me as I weighed the possibilities: Elise Gets Crafty Podcast Wellpreneur Other podcasts that I've found helpful as I think about my goals for 2016: The Slow Home Podcast Knitting Expat Episode 42 What's in the WIP So close to finishing the first piece of my Times Square by Norah Gaughan I picked up my Cave Point Shawl by Paula Emons-Fuessle after not touching it for a while. And some exciting top secret new design projects! The Curious Handmade Wardrobe Challenge is back, and I'm participating again. Join us in the new thread for this quarter. Knitvent 2015 Winners! I'm delighted to announce our three winners! I drew three posts randomly, and all of the projects that one are actually gorgeous: Meadow Yarn Voucher: #9 The Ice River Snood by KayJay1809 Blacker Yarn Voucher: #96 Winter Wonder Shawl by LaurieBo Fringe Supply Co. Voucher: #31 Kindling Hat by Izziebeff   That's everything for this week! Happy knitting!

Show Sponsors Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their very special 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. Show Links I give some tips to help you choose a word for the year. Susannah Conway - finding your word for the year email mini course What is your word for the year? January Podcast Theme is Stash Appreciation Month The rough structure for the month is: Week 1: Review Stash and organise - this may include editing and destashing Week 2: Document the stash - "manage what you measure" Week 3: Make some goals and maybe "rules" Week 4: Plan specific projects with stash yarn Are you keen to join in?