On today's episode I'm winding up another wonderful year of knitting and podcasting with the wonderful Curious Crew. I'm trying to slow down for a few weeks to soak in the holiday vibes, but of course there will be plenty of knitting behind the scenes. We're heading away for Christmas this year so there's lots of packing to be done and lots of holiday knitting decisions to be made! Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Brooklyn Knitfolk Voolenvine Yarngasm A Homespun House Little Bobbins Land of Sweets Cowl Knitting Outside the Box by Bristol Ivy The Knitvent 2017 KAL will run through January 31st, so that you have lots of relaxed knitting time to wrap up your projects over the holidays. I have two lovely prizes from PrairieBagWorks and Andre Sue Knits so be sure to post your projects in the Finished Object Thread as you complete them for your chance to win! Little Skein in The Big Wool Hay Pullover by Clare Mountain Vintage Fairy Light Socks Circus Tonic Handmade The Yarn Tart - Suffolk Socks Yarn Ink Yarns Mrs. Brown's Bags Knit Aid Knitmas Event in London The Knit Aid UK Collection Deadline is the 22nd of December for sending hand knitted gifts to refugee camps in Europe. In honour of their work, you can knit my Warm Wishes Hottie Cover pattern for free with the code KNITAID on Ravelry. Hot water bottle covers are in high demand in the camps at this time of year, but you are also welcome to knit it for your own loved ones. Unicef Syrian Appeal That's everything for this week...and this year! Keep in touch with me over Instagram and on Ravelry, and make sure you're signed up to my mailing list. I'll see you all in 2018 and until then I'm wishing you happy holidays and happy knitting!

200 Episodes! It's a landmark Curious Handmade podcast today and we're celebrating with a special giveaway and the results of the draw for The Shawl Society's Grand KAL. It's also the end of Knitvent and the last pattern is out, though that KAL will run for another month. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links We're at the end of Knitvent for this year! I can't believe it. This has been a very special one, and I'm so grateful to everyone who came along with us on our Nutcracker adventure. The final pattern is Clara's Cape: The costumes in The Nutcracker’s opening scene immediately draw us into another time and place. Whether your production sets the party in 18th century France, Imperial Russia, or turn of the century London, you know you’re somewhere special in history, swiftly approaching the fairy-tale beginning of “a long time ago.” The clothes are more formal, adults and children alike, but they’re also so much more fun: bonnets and breeches, top hats and tailcoats, ruffles and petticoats. Entirely enchanting and completely impractical for 21st century life. Combining a dollop of old-fashioned Edwardian charm with a dash of modern simplicity, Clara’s Cape captures a bit of that timeless magic and makes it utterly accessible. Wear it as a lovely shoulder-warming cape or loosely as an oversized statement cowl: it dresses up and down instantly. The wide stripes of simple ribbing and super bulky yarn means that this is an incredibly fast knit, perfect for an impressive last-minute gift. Purl Soho Super Soft Merino in Heirloom White Land of Sweets Cowl Tchaikovsky Hat and matching Tchaikovsky Mitts PrairieBagWorks Andre Sue Knits Herbstblatt Regina Yarn Knitting Outside the Box by Bristol Ivy Sharman Cardigan baa ram ewe Dovestone DK Hundred Acre Wood Shawl After more than six months of knitting beautiful shawls together, we finally have winners from the Shawl Society Grand KAL! The random number generator has drawn names from each of the threads, and there are some lovely prizes waiting for you. If you're on the list please get in touch with your address! Big thanks and love to everyone who knit a shawl this season, and congratulations to our winners! Fairyhill FO Thread: Post 37 - swatchblocker Sprite's Fen FO Thread: Post 23 - anettemcl Vila Wrap FO Thread: Post 27 - muddancer Rune Shawl FO Thread: Post 151 - Craftercizing Wishmaker FO Thread: Post 55 - joannemakes Familiar FO Thread: Post 24 - maggyblue Collage Thread: Post 31 - krmoore

In today's episode I confess to some Harry Potter-related procrastination, get excited about opening my yarn Advent Calendar and finding a perfect pattern for it, and introduce you to this week's Knitvent pattern! Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Knitvent 2017 Norah George Yarn Herbstblatt Regina Yarn Land of Sweets Cowl ADVENTurous Wrap by Ambah O'Brien The fourth window Knitvent was opened yesterday to reveal the Marzipan Legwarmers! Somehow, the exuberant movement of the dancers seems effortless: they drift, float, spin, and even fly. Endless days of training and practice lie behind each sparkling moment of perfection onstage. For every moment a ballerina spends in a breathtaking tutu, she spends hours in legwarmers, repeating the ritual of class at the barre and rehearsing her role. Cosy and comforting, legwarmers keep a dancer’s muscles supple and ready: watch a performance from the wings and you’ll see that they stay on until seconds before she makes her entrance. The Marzipan Legwarmers are a graceful interpretation of the dancer’s staple. A pretty pair of legwarmers instantly adds a bit of ballerina chic to any outfit, all while keeping your ankles toasty. A clever twisted rib stitch gives the sportweight Marzipan Legwarmers plenty of stretch and cling, so that they can be styled up or down: elegantly stretched or artfully rumpled. With three sizes for toddlers, children, and women, you can knit a pair for all the little dancers in your life (and another for yourself!) The Shawl Society Grand KAL will end on Tuesday December 5th TSS Collage Thread to post your collage of 5 or 6 shawls from this season to qualify for the Grand Prize I will also draw a winner from each of the FO Threads! Surprise Party Shawl The Surprise Party KAL is beginning, and WIPs and even finished shawls are welcome! It will be hosted in The Grocery Girls Ravelry Group and will run until February 28th. Hue Loco Yarn Skein Yarn Dingo Dyeworks Hay Pullover by Clare Mountain Laine Magazine Copper Corgi That wraps up our show notes for this week! I'll talk to you again soon, and until then, happy knitting! x

Today's podcast is a roundup of what's going on in the Curious Handmade KAL world, with stories from Knitvent so far and a bit of chat about my current knitting queue! Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links The Knitvent 2017 Collection Norah George Yarn Herbstblatt Regina Yarn   Yesterday we saw behind the third Knitvent window, and there were two patterns there! The Tchaikovsky Hat and matching Tchaikovsky Mitts! Tchaikovsky’s music is unapologetically emotional and emotionally irresistible The Nutcracker score contains moments of soaring joy, exquisite tenderness, rippling humour and even a hint of menace. Tchaikovsky himself was tremendously introverted and famously shy, but his music never holds anything back. Critics didn’t always appreciate this fearless creativity: the first reviews of The Nutcracker were famously bad. But the audiences loved him and his wholehearted music, and we still do. From the first notes of the overture to the last triumphant flourish, we are transfixed. Named in honour of this great composer, the Tchaikovsky Mitts feature a sweet and simple texture which will allow your most exuberant skeins to shine. They are designed to pair perfectly with the Tchaikovsky Hat. Dk weight yarn means they’re a quick and enjoyable knit, even when you think you’re behind on the holiday knitting. The cosy mitts come in two sizes, child and adult, and are easily adjustable to the perfect width and length. Beyond The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky composed the scores for two more of the world’s most beloved ballets: Sleeping Beauty and, of course, Swan Lake. In each of these ballets, Tchaikovsky’s unabashed genius for emotional nuance takes centre stage. The almost heartbreakingly beautiful music is brought to life by the dancers and we are swept into the story. It is probably this emotional accessibility which makes all three Tchaikovsky ballets perennial fixtures for ballet companies around the world. Forming a perfect Pas de Deux with the Tchaikovsky Mitts, this lovely hat is another tribute to our legendary composer. The Tchaikovsky Hat is a super fast knit using DK weight yarn and a fun, simple texture which will highlight the glories of your favourite skeins. It’s a great stash buster. This slightly slouchy beanie looks good on everyone: women, men and children. With four sizes to choose from, it’s a beautiful fast gift that can fill up several spaces on your list. Meadow Yarn Fell Circus Tonic Handmade La Bien Aimee Toft Alpaca The Shawl Society Season II Collection We have a winner of the final Shawl Society Mini KAL for the Familiar Shawl ruthbuchanan please contact me to arrange your prize! Tundra by The Fibre Company The Shawl Society Grand KAL will end on Tuesday December 5th TSS Collage Thread to post your collage of 5 or 6 shawls from this season to qualify for the Grand Prize I will also draw a winner from each of the FO Threads! Surprise Party Shawl

Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Wildflower Hill Shawl The Winners of the Arranmore Light sets from The Fibre Co for the Wildflower Hill KAL are Ravelry Names: nextdoorknitter and Alenemazzuca Please contact me here, by email or on Ravelry and I'll post your prizes out to you! We also have winners for our pattern giveaways from Anna Friberg of Yarnesty Our five winners can each choose which pattern they would like of the Town Wall Socks or the Pedulia Callunae Socks If your name is on the list please contact me with your Ravelry Name and your preferred pattern! Amysue Mary Klute Lucy Bowen tamaraab Yarn Hoarder Podcast -- Free All The House Elves KAL Amy Florence’s Festive Sockalong on the Stranded Podcast Curl Purl Girl Knits Podcast -- Mystery Monthly Sock KAL The Tulle Shawl is our second pattern for Knitvent 2017! Snowflakes, flowers, and fairies. The iconic ballerina’s tutu is the stuff of dreams. A foam of soft netting, magnificently embellished to emphasisethe dancer’s beauty and grace, it’s usually the first image we think of when we hear the word “ballet”. There’s something inherently magical about the floaty nature of tulle. Even in a little girl’s party dress, a few layers is enough to inspire hours of twirling, spinning and swooping. The Tulle Shawl was inspired by an exquisite tutu, lovely enough for the Sugar Plum Fairy herself. The garter stitch base makes for relaxing knitting at a busy time of year, and while the elegant lace looks intricate and impressive, it’s actually straightforward to knit! This is a wonderful single-skein project in fingering weight yarn: perfect for a special skein from stash or a gentle speckle. Optional beads offer a chance for a little glitter: dazzling under the stage lights. The Knitvent 2017 Collection Land of Sweets Cowl The Wool Kitchen Circus Tonic Handmade Ravelry 2017 Yarn Spoiler Thread Hay Pullover by Clare Mountain Laine Magazine That wraps up our notes for this week! Happy knitting! xx197

On today's podcast I dive into the first week of Knitvent 2017 with our exciting first pattern, and I chat about what I've been up to, including my favourite current WIP, the Hay Pullover. I also announce the winners of our Surprise Party Shawl sets from Hue Loco and let you in on another pattern giveaway happening this week! Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links   The Land of Sweets Cowl is our first Knitvent pattern for 2017!!     In the Land of Sweets, more is more! Bon bons, peppermint sticks, and chocolate drops are just the beginning. The dances that make up this section of The Nutcracker are the most colourful and exciting of the whole ballet, and the Sugar Plum Fairy is the indulgent queen of this confectionery kingdom. For devoted knitters, yarn is sweeter than candy, and it’s just as difficult to restrain ourselves when faced with a world of choice. Who hasn’t stood in a yarn shop staring at piles of skeins in every colour of the rainbow, eyes shining like a child in a sweet shop? The Land of Sweets Cowl was designed to showcase the knitter’s version of this wonderland…a perfect use for the mini skeins from one of the many delicious yarn Advent calendars around at this time of year. It’s also a brilliant way to use up the lovely leftovers that every avid knitter has stashed away. Stripes, simple lace, and an irrepressible sense of fun are at the heart of this cosy cowl, which will brighten up even the greyest winter day. The Knitvent 2017 Collection Norah George Yarn Herbstblatt Regina Yarn The Comfy Red Couch Podcast A World of Imagination Blog Hay Pullover by Clare Mountain Laine Magazine Sister Mountain Instagram The Fibre Company Road to China Light Copper Corgi Yarn We have our two Surprise Party Sets Giveaway Winners! Post # 8 - Lamhita Post # 47 - TravelingPurls Surprise Party Shawl Hue Loco Yarns Brooklyn Knitfolk Podcast We have another giveaway coming up this week, this time for a copy of the Town Wall Socks or the Pedulia Callunae Socks, both by the lovely Anna Friberg Box O' Socks KAL by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash by The Grocery Girls That wraps up our notes for this week! Happy Knitvent and happy knitting! xx

  This is a big, action-packed episode this week. Today I'm chatting about recent and upcoming designs, but most of all I deep-dive into my magical experience of Rhinebeck, where I met so many amazing people, had lots of lovely knitting time, and kept my yarn purchases to a bare minimum...mostly. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Season II of The Shawl Society is slowly drawing to a close after six months of close camaraderie and joyful knitting! The Familiar Shawl Mini KAL has just closed, but I still think this will make a wonderful gift knit this holiday season. Just grab the collection on Ravelry… Don't forget to post a composite photo to the montage/collage thread for society members who have knit all the season 2 Shawls! For everyone feeling wistful about the end of The Shawl Society, good news! It's Knitvent time again! Knitvent 2017 is now available for pre-sale at a special Early Bird price until November 9th when the first pattern is released. Immerse yourself in the beauty and excitement of the holiday season with our very special Knitvent 2017 collection. The unmistakable strains of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker conjures up dreamy images and heartfelt emotion for children and adults alike: the sparkle of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the boundless energy of the gallant Nutcracker, Clara’s wistful journey and final triumph. With so much romance and joy, I knew that this beloved holiday ballet was the perfect inspiration for Knitvent this year. Each of the six mystery patterns this season draw from the spirit of the Nutcracker’s enchanted dreamworld, dancing between the elegant beauty of a prima ballerina and the wide-eyed wonder of a child lost in the Land of Sweets. Every year, the Curious Handmade community gathers together to celebrate Knitvent: a lovely mix between an advent calendar and a mystery knit along. Each week a surprise accessory pattern will appear in your Ravelry library. Each pattern has been designed to be ideal for gifting, but don’t forget to be good to yourself, too! Along with the six designs, Knitvent brings with it a warm and bubbly community of warm-hearted knitters who love to share the anticipation, admire each other’s work, and offer a helping hand wherever it’s needed. We’ll have chatter and KALs and prizes and a very warm sense of holiday magic to make our needles fly. Get your copy of Knitvent 2017 now! The Brooklyn Denim Co. GardenerByNight Instagram Little Skein in the Big Wool Hundred Acre Wood Shawl Duck Duck Wool Needles Up Le Bien Aimee AndreSueKnits Legacy Fiber Artz Andre Sue Knits Podcast LegacyKnitz Podcast The Fat Squirrel Sucre Sucre Miniatures Opera Jo - Stitching the High Notes ChileKnitz Bundle Up Betty Indie Untangled Surprise Party Shawl   Hue Loco Yarn The Grocery Girls are hosting a quick giveaway of the Hue Loco sets which ends on November 7th in their Ravelry Group, and I'll be running one,

Just a quick hello and catch up before I head off across the Atlantic for Rhinebeck! On today's episode I fill you in on the special projects I have on the way, and try to formulate a yarn-buying strategy for my trip... Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links The Familiar Shawl Mini KAL will run from October 5th to November 2nd. The Shawl Society Season II Grand KAL will also end on November 2nd, so be sure to post photos of all your finishes TSS II shawls in the FO threads in the Curious Handmade Ravelry Group by then for your chance to win one of our delightful prizes. By the way if you still want to join The Shawl Society, just grab the collection on Ravelry…Familiar is such a quick knit you could easily whip it up before the Grand KAL for two chances to win! Hay Pullover by Claire Mountain Laine Magazine Road to China Light by The Fibre Co Jones Street Sport Copper Corgi Surprise Party Shawl Hue Loco Yarn Indie Untangled Voolenvine Duck Duck Wool Magpie Fibers A Stash of One's Own Clara Parkes Susan B Anderson Amy Herzog Knit.fm episode with Hannah Fetig on Stash Control That wraps it up for this week! If you're at Indie Untangled or Rhinebeck, please say hello! In the meantime, happy knitting!

  On today's episode I'm settling into those autumn feelings and daydreaming about everything I'd like to knit for my upcoming trip to Rhinebeck...some of them a little more realistic than others. I'm also announcing winners for our recent giveaway and the Wishmaker Mini KAL for The Shawl Society Season II. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links We have a winner for our Blacker Yarns Limited Edition Brushwork Yarn giveaway! Our winning comment is: Jill October 4, 2017 at 10:32 pm Brushwork looks and sounds amazing and I’d love to knit something with it. The pattern I’ve been hoping to try out for some time is the Rose Bowl beanie (and cowl!) by Veera Valimaki Rose Bowl Beanie by Veera Välimäki We also have a winner for the Wishmaker Shawl KAL! The prize is also from Blacker Yarn The winner is Knitsnpurls aka Carol with Post 31 in the Wishmaker FO Thread Carol has a lovely video podcast: A Stitch in Time Andre Sue Knits Our beautiful Shawl Society enamel pins are now available! You can grab yours online at: A Yarn Story in the UK The Wooly Thistle in the US Hay Pullover by Claire Mountain Laine Magazine Road to China Light by The Fibre Co Jones Street Sport Copper Corgi Avalanche Pullover by Heidi Kirrmaier Plum Pullover by Junko Okamoto Moeke Elena That's everything for this episode: short and sweet this week. I'll talk to you again soon, and until then, Happy knitting! xx

On today's episode I'm introducing a shawl that might just be my favourite of this season's Shawl Society, and reviewing the wonderful Berlin Knits festival and all the lovely classes I took there, along with a few announcements and some cameos from a few of my favourite knitters... Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links   Yesterday was the launch of our 6th and final pattern, the Familiar Shawl   Companions of wise women and magicians down the years, these helpful household beings took the form of a loyal animal: a black cat was the most traditional, but your familiar could be just about anything. A dog, an otter, a raven, a discreet little mouse or fleet brown hare. Some say these magical animals could change shape to suit the task at hand. They could deliver messages, assist with magic, defend their human, but most of all they were company. The life of a magic-maker can be a lonely one, and having someone by (and on) your side is important, even when it’s “just” an animal. Harry Potter’s beloved Hedwig, the beautiful snowy owl, is an updated interpretation of a familiar. More than just a pet or a mail carrier, she was one of his very best friends. Anyone who has ever formed a bond with an animal knows that friendship is one of the strongest kinds of magic we have here in the real world. Our sixth design for this season, the Familiar Shawl, taps into a little of that magic. Familiar will be a cosy companion on frosty days, offering warmth and comfort when the wind blows wild. Texture plays a strong role in this design, which features unusual soft cables, inspired in part by Hedwig’s downy feathers. It has a “familiar” favourite shape: a crescent, and is finished with a simple ribbed border. The yarn, a fluffy, luxurious bulky weight, is soft enough that your first instinct is to stroke it affectionately. Familiar knits up so quickly some people might suspect you’ve used a helpful household spell in its construction. The Familiar shawl is a tribute to companionship and loyalty wherever we find it: furry or feathered friends, close human confidantes, or a tribe of like-minded makers scattered across the globe, connected by technology. As such, it seemed like a fitting end to this magical season of The Shawl Society. Making, like magic, can be something of solitary pursuit. Familiar reminds us to reach outside ourselves into the rich world of camaraderie and connection that waits for us, closer to home than we might imagine. I used a familiar friend of a yarn for this one, Tundra, from The Fibre Co, which was also our sample yarn for Sonder, last season's final shawl. I'm such a fan of the amazing yarn that I really wanted to revisit it this year. The Familiar Mini KAL will run from October 5th to November 2nd. The Shawl Society Season II Grand KAL will also be ending on November 2nd, so be sure to post photos of all your finishes TSS II shawls in the FO threads by then! I'll be drawing winners for a range of wonderful prizes.

On today's podcast I'm chatting about all the many things coming up: trips to Berlin and Rhinebeck, a few KALs, and lots and lots of upcoming design work...including the return of our beloved Knitvent! Show Sponsors Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You'll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.com Show Links We have our winners from last week's giveaway! Winner of the Clark Socks Pattern: Julian Brina Thank you for hosting this giveaway! I love your patterns The three things I am grateful for tday: 1) Listening to your podcast!; 2) A stranger smiling to me on the street early in the morning; 3) The book I am reading in the moment (The Vet’s Daughter, by Barbara Comyns). Lots of love from Germany! Winner of the Oracle Shawl Pattern: Alene Mazzuca  1enjoyed my young grandson for an overnight visit and waffles this morning he’s a joy. 2finishing up the string “baby gift for the new grand due next week 3sitting outside a glorious day and knitting my granito There is a KAL going on for Oracle right now, hosted by the Comfy Red Couch Podcast and the Little Bobbins Podcast: The Spirit of Autumn KAL is running on Instagram with the hashtag #SpiritofAutumnKAL Curious Handmade Newsletter Sign Up I'm running the Wildflower Hill Shawl KAL over on the Curious Handmade Ravelry Group! The KAL is running now until the end of October! The Wishmaker Shawl Mini KAL is running until October 5th, so don't forget to post your finished shawls in the FO Thread Arranmore Light from The Fibre Co. Tundra from The Fibre Co. Blacker Yarns Falklands Swan DK Blacker Yarns Pure Gotland DK We are having a giveaway of 3 balls of the fabulous Blacker Yarns Limited Edition Birthday Brushwork yarn so listen to the episode to find out how to enter! Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival Kristy Glass Knits Clio pullover by Elizabeth Doherty Indie Untangled Needles Up AndreSueKnits Legacy Fiber Artz Voolenvine Yarns Hue Loco Jill Draper Makes Stuff Daughter of a Shepherd That's all of our links for this episode! Have a fantastic week, and happy knitting!

On today's show I fill you in on all the fun details of the Curious Handmade Country House Retreat, introduce the new retreat shawl design, and share a few beautiful new patterns I've been stalking, with information on how you can enter a giveaway to win a copy of one for yourself! Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Arranmore Light by The Fibre Company Today I'm releasing the shawl pattern I created for the retreat, Wildflower Hill The Wildflower Hill Shawl celebrates the beautiful flora of Cumbria’s countryside. Created for the fourth Curious Handmade Country House Retreat, Wildflower Hill was designed to showcase Arranmore Light, a gorgeous DK weight yarn from our retreat sponsor, The Fibre Co. From early spring into the last days of autumn, blossoming wildflowers and herbs are woven into the tapestry of Cumbrian hills. The tiny flecks of colour in this lovely yarn make me think of the scattering of flowers that adorn every corner of the country. Marsh orchids inhabit the peaty lowlands while delicate alpine species cling to the rocky outcrops at the peaks of the fells. Many of these flowers have ancient medical and magical uses, but mostly they are a feast for bees and butterflies, and a glorious sight for anyone with the time to slow down on a stroll and look. This two-colour asymmetrical triangle shawl features bold colour-blocked stripes and a simple lace stitch pattern that recalls the rolling, flower-strewn hills of Cumbria. Warm and cosy but lightweight with a beautiful drape, it is a perfect companion for a windy hill walk at almost any time of year. Norah George Suffolk Socks A Yarn Story Bunkhouse Belle Socks by Julie Waters Sew Sweet Violet So Faded by Andrea Mowery Confetti Pullover by Veera Välimäki Starting Point Shawl by Joji Locatelli Clark Socks by Jaclyn Salem Brooklyn Knitfolk Podcast Malabrigo Sock Oracle Shawl by Kristin Lehrer of Voolenvine Yarngasm Podcast Find out how to enter for a chance to win a gorgeous knitting pattern by listening to the Podcast! That is everything for this episode...I'll talk to you next week, and until then, happy knitting!  

Now that we're back from our Australian holidays and have settled back at home in London, the autumn weather has arrived, bringing with it some ambitious daydreams about sweaters and cables and the wooliest of woolly projects. In today's episode I chat about my visit to the Great London Yarn Crawl, my new fantasy knitting queue, some of the realities of constant design work, and more details about the exciting new retreat I'll be hosting in May in the glorious city of Bath. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links I have drawn three winners from our Camp Curious Big Participation Thread! Winner of the Maria Elena Bliss project bag, a skein of Australis Sock from Skein Yarn in the Sterling colourway and a Shawl Society enamel pin is madelienewindsor with Post 69 Madeline's new podcast is Kingfisher Knits Podcast Winner of the Prairie Bag Works project bag, a skein of Jumbuck base by Dingo Dyeworks in the Catherine colourway and a Shawl Society enamel pin is shpizl with post 16 Winner of the Danica Studio project bag, a skein of Phyllis Sock by Hue Loco  in the Wood Sprite colourway and a Shawl Society enamel pin is emrubin with post 154 Hue Loco Podcast The Yarn in The City Great London Yarn Crawl Erika Knight Fireflies Rising Shawl The Wool Kitchen Travel Knitter Refuge Knit for Peace Clio pullover by Elizabeth Doherty Rhapsody in Cables by Joji Locatelli Arranmore Light by The Fibre Company Fruity Knitting Podcast interview with Daphne from the Fibre Co Right now I'm deep in the thrilling details of planning our new luxury knitting retreat in Bath, which will go on sale tomorrow. You can read about all the details and get on the VIP mailing list here! That's all our notes for this week. Happy knitting and I'll talk to you again soon!      

I am finally back from my family holiday in Australia, and in this episode I catch you up on all the fun we had, and all the yarn I brought home with me. We're also chatting about the latest pattern release for The Shawl Society Season II, and I reveal a bit more about the spectacular luxury knitting retreat I'm planning right now. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Maria Elena Bliss Prairie Bag Works Dingo Dyeworks Skein Yarn It's not too late to join in with the Camp Curious The Big Participation Thread for your chance to win some great prizes before I draw next week. The Yarn in The City Great London Yarn Crawl Firelflies Rising The Wool Kitchen Travel Knitter Refuge Knit for Peace Skein Sisters Hedgehog Fibres Wren and Ollie  One Tree Hill Collection Yarn Rune Shawl Circus Tonic Handmade   Yesterday I released the 5th pattern of Season II: The Wishmaker Shawl Hidden deep in a forest in Yorkshire, not far from a tumbling waterfall, sits a mysterious shelter known as “The Hermitage.” The hollowed out cave is just big enough for one very shy dweller to live tucked away from the rest of the world, surrounded by the whispering of trees and the scurrying of little woodland lives. It must have taken enormous effort to carve a tiny house out of a gigantic boulder in 1790, but someone did it. This astonishing home is mysterious enough, but another surprise awaits. Climb up to the roof and you’ll find two curious chairs hewn from the same rock. Legend says that these are the Wishmaker’s chairs, which will grant your heart’s desire if you take a seat and make a wish in one, and then hop over to sit in the other. It is a beautiful bit of magic concealed in an enchanted corner of the English countryside. Our 5th shawl shares something of the character of the Wishmaker’s chairs: the marriage of work and whimsy, a break from the busy world, and a reminder that wishing and dreaming is an important part of even the quietest existence. Wishmaker is an asymmetrical triangle shawl knit from cosy DK weight yarn. Its rustic textures of garter and eyelet borrow from the natural world, while deep stripes of three colours keep the eye moving across the shawl. It’s the perfect accessory to wrap around yourself for a peaceful wander through the woods in your own company. There is something beautiful and poignant about a hermit’s retreat which features not one, but two Wishmaker’s chairs. Perhaps the maker of the Wishmaker’s chairs wished for something more than solitude. To withdraw from the world in the hopes of being alone, and then carve out a place for a companion to sit may seem strange, but it reminds us of the balance we seek in our own creativity. We create first and foremost for ourselves, but the sharing of the things we make is where the true magic resides. I used two amazing DK weight yarns from Blacker Yarns to create the samples for Wishmaker. Blacker Yarns Gotland DK

This week I'm talking about the ways that the knitting community comes into designing a pattern. For many knitters, making a change to an existing pattern is their first step into the world of pattern design. It's a good way to gain a little confidence, experiment with new ideas, and flex your technical and creative muscles. I think of modification as a kind of collaboration, where a designer and a knitter are "working together" to create a perfectly personalised finished object.  Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Afternoon Tea Shawl project page with hood modification Curious Collective Shawl Pattern # 1 Curious Collective Shawl Pattern # 2 Whispering Island Shawl For our Scavenger Hunt prompt this last week of camp, share a photo of a knitting pattern you've modified, a pattern you'd like to modify, or maybe something you've knit because you were inspired by someone else, as a muse! Post in the Big Participation Thread, and remember, you can fill in the prompts any time for the next week or so before I draw winners for our Camp Curious end-of-camp prizes! To make it easier to catch up, I've posted all the prompts at the top of the thread. Shawl Society News The Rune Shawl Mini KAL will run until Sept 7th (I said the 6th in the podcast but we've said the 7th before so we'll stick to that!) so don’t forget to post your FO photos in the thread whenever you've cast off! As we're getting close to the end (just a couple of months to go) remember that if you're finishing up any other shawls from this season you can still post them in the FO threads to be in with a chance to win a lovely prize in the Grand KAL at the end of the season!

On today's episode I discuss how important photography has been to growing my design business and the Curious Handmade community, and share some simple tips I've picked up along the way. Whether you want to beautiful images in order to publish a pattern, or just want to share photos of your creations with friends and family, learning how to style and snap finished objects is a valuable part of the creative process. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links Makelight Studios Jarrod Flood Brooklyn Tweed Blog Alana Dakos Madder Made Laine Magazine I have announced the yarn for the 5th TSSII Shawl: Black Yarns Pure Gotland DK Blacker Swan Falklands Merino Blend DK The Rune Shawl Mini KAL will run until Sept 7th so don't forget to post your FO photos in the thread! This week's Camp Curious Scavenger Hunt is to share a photo you've taken of a finished object and some notes about what taking the photo was like: what was a challenge? What did you like about the result? Just post in the Big Participation Thread on Ravelry.

  Today in Camp Curious we take a look at the finishing touches that can completely transform a shawl. Borders and edgings add a lot of character to a shawl and can change its shape and the way it hangs. I chat about how I choose a border for a shawl, some technical considerations, and a few resources that I turn to often Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links: The little garden cardigan pattern by Junko Okamoto Moeke Yarns Heritage FiberTrek Video Podcast Curious Handmade Bath Retreat News Sign Up Talisman Shawl Candlelit Shawl Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein Knitting over the Edge by Nicky Epstein Cast On/Bind Off by Leslie Ann Bestor Boo Knits Midsummer Haze by Joji Locatelli Miss Winkle Shawl by Martina Behm Leftie Shawl by Martina Behm Exploration Station by Stephen West   For today's Scavenger Hunt prompt, I'd love to see an edging that has caught your eye recently. Post a photo in The Big Camp Curious Participation Thread with a little message about what you like in a shawl edging. Is sweet and simple your favourite or do you like a dramatic finish? As always, feel free to jump in and complete your prompts at your own pace for a chance to win a prize at the end of camp. That's everything for this week! Happy knitting!

This week on the podcast I introduce you to the latest Shawl Society design, the Rune Shawl, and then dive into a discussion of the many amazing types of stitch patterns that can enrich a shawl design. Lace, colourwork, cables...stitch patterns are an endless source of interest for me. I share some of my favourite stitch dictionaries and resources and chat about the challenges and joys of working a stitch pattern into a new design. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk Show Links: Twisted Finch Yarn Super Stitches Knitting stitch dictionary Vogue Knitting Stitchionary series Harmony Guides to stitches (knit and crochet) Lace and Eyelet: 250 Stitches to Knit by Erica Knight Up, Down, All Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard Knitted Cable Source Book by Noarah Gaughan Mary Jane Mucklestone's colourwork books My interview with Mary Jane Mucklestone Curious Handmade Ch 127   I've just released the 4th pattern in this season of The Shawl Society, The Rune Shawl. Found carved into ancient artefacts, monuments and standing stones scattered across the north, runes carry stories across thousands of years. Every rune was much more than a simple letter in an alphabet. Each one was also a symbol of power, revered as magical, used in divination and charms. To inscribe or invoke a rune was to invoke the force for which it stood. In several old languages, the origin of the name “rune” hints at their true purpose. Whether the word is traced back to a Germanic root, Old English, Welsh, or Old Irish Gaelic, the old meanings are evocative. Secret. Whisper. Mystery. Miracle. Intention. Inspired by such beautiful words and the depths of their hidden meanings, it seemed only fitting that the second season of The Shawl Society should feature a Rune Shawl. Our fourth shawl has been imbued with a little of that ancient mystery. This is a shawl full of subtle detail and secret features. Knit in two colours with a deceptively simple garter and eyelet pattern, there is more to Rune than meets the eye at first glance. The angular elegance of runic alphabets are reflected in the elongated triangle shape, and the shawl’s increases are hidden in the centre lace motif: there if you know how, and where, to look. The Rune Shawl is a gorgeous accessory to wear on the days you’d like a little reminder of your own inherent power. Millennia after the first runes were used, we can still understand the magical charge of creating something with a powerful intention and a deeper meaning. Just like a rune, a handmade object is always more than the sum of its parts, and always carries a message. To ourselves, to others around us, and maybe to the generations who will treasure it long after we are gone. The yarn I used for the sample was the Fiesta Fingering base by Circus Tonic Handmade, in the Cape Barren Goose and Laughing Turtle Dove colourways. Since I'm in Australia for this release, I've taken the opportunity to pair up with Circus Tonic Handmade for a speci...

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

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

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

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

Today's post is a little roundup of everything going on in the Curious Handmade community right now and all the wonderful things coming up, with a few updates about my own WIPs and a little more information and advice about the yarn for the third TSS shawl. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us. Show Links: My interview on the Yarniacs Podcast last week! The Pomfest birthday celebration in happening in London on the 14th or 15th of July! My interview with the Pom Pom founders Curious Handmade KAL News: GLYC Anniversary KAL To celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Great London Yarn Crawl here will be a KAL for Fireflies Rising starting on the 1st of July and running until the 5th of September! The Great London Yarn Crawl 2017 Fireflies Rising Shawl. Dream Big Collection Yarn in the City’s GLYC Anniversary KAL thread Refuge Sprite’s Fen KAL Sprite’s Fen The Sprite’s Fen Mini KAL for members of The Shawl Society Season II is running from 1 June to 6 July 2017. There will be some gorgeous prizes from Seven Sisters Arts and Julie Asselin for randomly selected entries posted in the FO thread by the 6th of July! Fairyhill KAL Fairyhill I have drawn a new winner for the Woolbarn prize: kathleen188 with post 161 in the FO thread What's in the WIP: Confetti by Veera Välimäki Voolenvine Yarn Ice Cream Sundae Cardigan by Julie Sunshine Julie Asselin Leizu DK Yarn Box O’ Sox KAL Sock Bash KAL Sprite’s Fen Walcot Yarns Opus That wraps up our notes and links for this chapter! Thank you for listening and happy knitting! x

Today on the show I talk about how my new WIP obsession--the Confetti Pullover--is going, update you on some KALs and announcements, and ask you a question about what you'd like to hear from Curious Handmade this summer. 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. On this week's episode of the podcast I mentioned, that I wanted your opinion - last year I put together a Summer Series of some pre-recorded episodes before I headed to Australia, and I want to do it again. But this this time, I'd love to do something a bit collaborative, almost like a little virtual retreat for us over the months of July and August. I'm cooking up a few ideas but I want to hear your thoughts and requests. What would you like to hear from Curious Handmade over the next couple of months? Is there something that would inspire or motivate you to go deeper into your own creativity for a few weeks? What kind of participation would you enjoy? Whatever we decide to do, it doesn't have to be summer-exclusive: I know there's plenty of cooler weather in the southern hemisphere right about now and I don't want to leave you guys out, either! You can get in touch with me by leaving a comment on this post here or messaging me on Ravelry--I'd really love to hear from you! Show Links: Elizabeth's Squam blog post East London Knits Podcast interview with Karen Templar Walcot Yarns Opus Yarngasm Podcast Summer of Lace KAL Summer of Basics-Along Box O’ Sox KAL Sock Bash KAL Camp Loopy KAL Curious Handmade KAL news: GLYC Anniversary KAL To celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Great London Yarn Crawl here will be a KAL for Fireflies Rising starting on the 1st of July and running until the 5th of September! Fireflies Rising Shawl. Dream Big Collection Yarn in the City's GLYC Anniversary KAL thread Sprite's Fen KAL Sprite's Fen The Sprite's Fen Mini KAL for members of The Shawl Society Season II is running from 1 June to 6 July 2017. There will be some gorgeous prizes from Seven Sisters Arts and Julie Asselin for randomly selected entries posted in the FO thread by the 6th of July! What's in the WIP: Confetti by Veera Välimäki Those are all our links for this week. Happy knitting until next time!

Today's episode is packed, as I share all my stories from Squam, talk about a wonderful collaboration I'm a part of this weekend, and catch you up on the many exciting WIPs I have going on at the moment. 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: Squam To help the Yarn in the City Girls celebrate five years of the GLYC, I'm launching an expanded version of my Fireflies Rising Shawl. The revised pattern will feature a new size and is launching tomorrow, Saturday, June 17th. The two yarns that The Wool Kitchen and The Travel Knitter have created for this collaboration are breathtaking. They will be doing special updates tomorrow, Saturday, June 17th at 9am BST. This is the delicious Dancing Fireflies in a Merino/Silk Blend And here is the incredible Midnight Fireflies from The Travel Knitter, in crazy-soft baby camel and silk: Here are Larissa and Helen in their Fireflies Rising Shawlettes! And here's the new larger version using both yarns: There will be a Fireflies Rising KAL starting on the 1st of July! Yarn in the City Ep: 61 with details about the upcoming GLYC Fireflies Rising KAL and an interview with me Refuge There will be a KAL starting on the 1st of July. HeyBrownBerry Instagram Dyenamixx Yarn Instagram Handmade and Woolen Podcast Rib Magazine Woolen Boon Yarn Linen & Spoon Elisabeth on Earth Art LeatherWoolLinen Making Magazine Swoon Maine Book curious.and.coe Union Square Socks by Mina Phillips Voolenvine Yarn Confetti Pullover by by Veera Välimäki Fringe Supply Co. Fringe Association Blog Summer of Basics-Along #summerofbasics Pure Joy Shawl by Joji Locatelli Giveaway Winners: For Pom Pom Magazine and Pomfest Tickets: The magazine: Claire Vackar May 22, 2017 at 12:03 am Edit I love the Bon Bon mitts. Unfortunately, I can’t come to London for the festival but would love an issue of this magazine. Thank you. The tickets: Tamara Snell May 30, 2017 at 3:41 pm Edit Hi! Thanks for this podcast episode–it was great and fun listening. So, I’ve thought through the question about my fave design in the newest Pom Pom Quarterly, issue 21. I am very keen to get my hands on this bday issue. I really want to knit nearly all the patterns, so it’s difficult to decide on my favourite. My way of solving this, is that, since we are hopefully into warmer weather, I would knit either Boum or Jambouree first, as they’re the best knits for warmer weather. I would love to attend the Pom Pom 5 year bday party, so please enter me into this competition, as well. Thanks so much for this giveaway!! For the Fairyhill Shawl Mini KAL Winner of the Eden Cottage Yarn prize: MuzzerZ, post 35 in the FO thread Winner for the Wool Barn prize: gartergirl, post 300 in the FO thread That's all I have for this episode's notes! I hope you enjoyed the show, and until next week, happy knitting!

I'm in New York City this week, about to head to Squam. Today I chat a bit about the newest Shawl Society design, with some handy advice for the knitting process. I also talk about what I've been getting up to in the city, some of the things I'm looking forward to at Squam, some new projects, and all the wonderful knitting I'm getting done while I'm away! 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: Sprite’s Fen Shawl Squam Art Fair HeyBrownBerry Instagram Dyenamixx Yarn Instagram Brooklyn General Magpie Fibers Hell's Bells Yarn Mood Fabrics Brooklyn Denim Co Brooklyn Knitfolk Podcast Knitting Expat Podcast YarnGasm Podcast Voolenvine Yarn Confetti Pullover by by Veera Välimäki Union Square Socks by Mina Phillips Pure Joy Shawl by Joji Locatelli Events: The Great London Yarn Crawl 2017 Save the date: Saturday, 9th September 2017 Tickets on sale 1st July To help the Yarn in the City Girls celebrate five years of the GLYC, I'll be launching an expanded version of my Fireflies Rising Shawl in collaboration with The Wool Kitchen and The Travel Knitter. The revised pattern will feature a new size and is launching on June 17th. Yarn in the City Ep: 61 with details about the upcoming GLYC Fireflies Rising KAL and an interview with me!  

  I recorded today's podcast a bit early, in preparation for my visit to Iceland...but as you might know if you've been following along on Instagram, airline troubles meant that our Scandinavian vacation turned into a London staycation! I'm still delighted that the anticipation of the trip spurred me on to finally finish a long-standing WIP: my Reyka pullover. In this episode I share some of the helpful colourwork resources that helped me get there, recap my remaining WIPs, and daydream about something else I'd really love to 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: Reyka Pullover by Cirilia Rose Great YouTube video by Knit Purl Hunter on catching floats Colour dominance technique blog post by Ysolda TECHknitting post on two-colour two-handed knitting Lollipop Yarn Starting Point MKAL by Joji Locatelli Pure Joy Shawl by Joji Locatelli Reyka Pullover by Cirilia Pullover Ice Cream Sundae Cardigan by Julie Sunshine The Wool Barn Granito Pullover Isabell Kraemer designs Snowmelt Shawl   Yesterday I revealed the second shawl in this season of The Shawl Society. It's called Sprite's Fen, and I'm so happy to be able to share it with you. I think it really embodies the theme of magic running through the season, and I am all anticipation to see what you do with it. Blithe, wise, and sparkling with vitality, sprites play with the power of elemental forces. Their task is to animate nature, to take lifeless matter and breathe joy into it. They watch over the forests of earth, dance on the winds and sing through fire, but the most famous sprites of all are the water sprites. Some rule the oceans as sirens, others frolick in fresh water springs and pools as naiads and nymphs, but a few choose quieter waters, making their homes in shallow marshes and fens. The idea of an animating spirit taking up housekeeping in a peaceful wetland is not as strange as it may seem. Beneath the surface, these are rich, fertile, often-overlooked scraps of wilderness. The Sprite’s Fen Shawl honours the breath of life that runs through the apparently calm waters of a fen. A generous semi-circular shape, it is rich with texture and interest. Garter ripples and streams of eyelet bubbles alternate with the gentle waves of of a beautiful, deceptively simple lace stitch. The pattern is written to work with fingering-weight or lace-weight yarn, giving you plenty of options for a lovely, lightweight summer shawl. Choose a lovely gradient to reflect the shifting shades of water under light, or go with a rich solid to call the mind the still waters which run deep beneath the water lilies. With a sprite’s passion for colour and beauty, it’s hard to go wrong. Guarded by a loving sprite, a fen works its magic as a place of safety and refreshment for small living things. It is a nesting spot, where new life can dabble in the shallow water and the shelter of reeds. It is also where water, tainted by its travels through the mundane world, is filtered and cleansed by an intricate lacework of roots. There is a thrill to be found in this quiet alchemy, something we discover again with each new project we attempt. A fistful of yarn becomes a treasured object. A grey afternoon becomes a cherished interval of stitching and dreaming. As knitters and makers, we know the sprite’s joy in taking something that is purely potential and transforming it into something full of life and love. This is the fingering weight version in Seven Sisters Arts Matrika, using the Water Gardens Varigradients Set. And here's the laceweight version in lovely Julie Asselin M...

Today's episode is short but packed! I'm getting ready for more travel...to Iceland and to the last ever spring Squam! I chat about the many projects I have on the go, and which ones I might bring along with me. I also have a litte roundup of some wonderful Scandinavian podcasts I've been enjoying lately. 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: Squam Varigradients from Seven Sisters Arts Julie Asselin Merletto. Lollipop Yarn Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast Yarngasm Curious Handmade KAL (for double dipping opportunities and lots of fun!) Starting Point MKAL by Joji Locatelli Reyka Pullover by Cirilia Pullover Ice Cream Sundae Cardigan by Julie Sunshine Skeindeer Video Podcast Lina Knits Video Podcast Stitched in Sweden Video Podcast Yarnesty Video Podcast Interview with Anna from Yarnesty about Swedish holiday traditions Kammebornia Video Podcast  

Today on the podcast I'm looking back at the incredible time I spent in Portugal at the Laine Retreat. I chat about visiting a very special yarn shop, how wonderful it was to spend hours of uninterrupted knitting time with the interesting and inspiring women at the retreat, a furry little friend I made there, what I worked on and what I have planned. 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: La Bien Aimée Website La Bien Aimée Instagram Retrosaria Yarn Shop RosaPomar Instagram sookbyminapark Instagram twohandstextilestudio Instagram tiinatitityy Instagram Tukuwool Instagram Tukuwool website Bousta Beanie by Gudrun Johnston I See Spring pullover by Joji Locatelli WalkCollection Yarn Pure Joy Shawl Nature's Luxury Yarn Pura Hilados Yarn Starting Point MKAL - first clue come out Friday May 12th! Wollemeise Jewitta über Berlin Yarn Berlin Knits Yarn Festival: September 9th to October 1st 2017 There are some absolutely gorgeous finished Fairyhill Shawls already! If you're one of the speedy ones, make sure you post your FO on your Ravelry project page and in the FO thread in the group. It is so inspiring to other knitters and so special for me to see them. But if you haven't become a part of The Shawl Society yet, don't worry...we have plenty of new members just starting their shawls now and everyone is happily knitting along at their own pace. There is really no such thing as "falling behind" in The Shawl Society. Join The Shawl Society Season II today! I've just sent out the yarn hints for the next pattern, which will be making an appearance in about 3 weeks...the mysteries continue! Keep an eye on Instagram for sneak peeks and information on the gorgeous yarn I've used for this one.. That's everything for this episode. Thank you so much for listening...I hope you got some vicarious joy out of this little trip to Portugal. I'll talk to you next week! Until then, happy knitting!

In today's short and sweet episode, I'm introducing the first shawl in The Shawl Society Season II, and chatting a little bit about the magical theme behind the whole collection. I'm also rounding up the WIPs I have on the needles right now...so many fun projects. It's a joy and a bit of an escape to indulge in knitting other designer's patterns in the middle of my own secret design work! 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: Our first season II pattern, the Fairyhill Shawl, was released today! Throughout the British Isles, a rich and mysterious folklore surrounds the rumoured homes of the fairy folk: the fairy hill. This is where the fairy folk gather far beneath the stones and moss. It is a place where a curious traveller passing at dawn or dusk might hear the pipes and harps of an otherworldly band, where a visitor may step through a luminous door. Drink a sparkling goblet of fairy wine, taste the fruit of a fairy feast, and you may find yourself dancing months or years of your life away in the space of a single night. A fairy hill is a threshold to another secret world, which makes it the perfect inspiration for the first design of The Shawl Society Season II. The Fairyhill Shawl calls on these tales of a private realm where mystery and magical company beckon. Its graceful crescent shape and beautiful lace recall the flowers and leaves that flutter across the fae kingdom. This shawl will add a touch of enchantment to your everyday outfits, and with a little sparkle in your yarn or a scatter of twinkling beads it is fit for any revelry. The pattern includes two sizes: the small is perfect for a single spellbinding skein, and the medium colour-blocked version offers opportunities to experiment with bewitching colour combinations. The true magic of a fairy hill goes far beyond folk tales, and you don’t need a literal belief in the little people to see the results. These are protected places in the human landscape. Farmers will not allow their sheep to graze there and roads are rerouted to avoid angering the mythical residents. As a result, they become sheltering islands for wildlife and ecology, beacons of biodiversity, peaceful havens where nature can carry on her wild creativity, undisturbed by the demands of modern life. Our special knitting projects often occupy the same space in our lives. We carve out a sacred time and place to make beautiful things, and the results of that creation are nothing less than magic. Eden Cottage Yarns The Wool Barn The Woolly Thistle Ice Cream Sunday Cardigan by Julie Sunshine Julie Asselin Leizu DK Yarn Gramps Cardigan by Tin Can Knits Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Apple Blossom Socks Turtlepurl Yarn Laine Magazine Pure Joy by Joji Locatelli Joji Mystery Wrap MKAL is starting on May 12 Giveaway Winner: Josephine Franz has won the physical copy of East London Knit's Zen Variations book with her comment: Hi Helen, I’d love to win a copy of Renee’s Zen Variations book!My favorite sweater is “Enzo”, I saw the one Helen from the woolkitchen made and I fell in love with this polished looking sweater! Thanks for the giveaway! Xoxo, Josephine That's all for now! Happy knitting and I'll chat to you next week.

Today's episode is a fun round up of what I've been up to lately...some my current and future knitting (and sewing!) projects, and the wonderful time I've spent with my sister, who is visiting from Australia. Season II of The Shawl Society Special Early Bird offer ends Wednesday March 3rd 2107 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: May the 6th is Yarn Shop Day! There will be events at shops around the UK, so check with your LYS to see what's happening! Love Your Yarnshop Day at Countess Ablaze Manchester, Saturday 6th of May from 10am to 5pm Featuring vendors like: BritYarn, Whistlebare, Little Grey Girl PomFest with Pom Pom Quarterly London, 14th to 15th of July from 10am to 5pm Featuring Loop London, Fig Tree Yarns, Viola Yarn A Homespun House Harry Potter and Charm Yarn Club Harry Potter KAL hosted by Inside Number 23 Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast Lollypop Yarn Apple Blossom Socks Turtlepurl Yarn Joji Mystery Wrap MKAL is starting on May 12 Laine Magazine The Comfy Red Couch Video Podcast East London Knits Video Podcast East London Knits Zen Variations on Ravelry East London Knits Zen Variations Book - Use code SPRINGZEN for a discount! Enso Pullover Brooklyn Knitfolk QAL A Yarn Story Ice Cream Sunday Cardigan by Julie Sunshine Julie Asselin Leizu DK Yarn Shibui Lunar Country Threads Shop Loop London Ray Stitch That wraps up the links for today's episode. I'll chat to you soon, and until then, happy knitting!

Today's episode is a wonderful conversation with Sonja Bargielowska from Blacker Yarns as she tells us all about the orgins of their new ethical silk blend, Samite. It's such an engrossing story, full of romance and delightful yarny details. Who knew that the process of developing a new yarn could include Authurian legends, Pre-Raphaelite artists, and Victorian poetry? I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did! 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. Love Your Yarnshop Day at Countess Ablaze Manchester, Saturday 6th of May from 10am to 5pm Featuring vendors like: BritYarn, Whistlebare, Little Grey Girl PomFest with Pom Pom Quarterly London, 14th to 15th of July from 10am to 5pm Featuring Loop London, Fig Tree Yarns, Viola Yarn Wonderwool Wales Builth Wells 22nd to 24th of April Apple Blossom Socks A Homespun House Harry Potter and Charm Yarn Club Harry Potter KAL hosted by Inside Number 23 Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast The Yarngasm Curious Handmade KAL is happening over on the Yarngasm Ravelry group! Interview with Sonja Bargielowska from Blacker Yarns Blacker Yarns Samite silk blend from Blacker Yarns The Woolly Thistle stocks Blacker Yarns in the US, including Samite Free pattern: Coppersmith Scarf Free pattern: Burnished Knight Shawl Blacker will be at several events in the near future, including Wonderwool and: Woolfest Cockermouth, Cumbria, 23rd and 24th of June Yarndale Skipton, North Yorkshire, 23rd of 24th of September That's all for this episode. I'll talk to you next week, and until then, happy knitting!        

Today's show is a relaxed, chatty episode about my adventures in Georgia, with old and new knitting friends. It was a wonderful trip, and I came back with a renewed soul and (of course) some beautiful knitting treasures. 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: Love Your Yarnshop Day at Countess Ablaze Manchester, Saturday 6th of May from 10am to 5pm Featuring vendors like: BritYarn, Whistlebare, Little Grey Girl PomFest with Pom Pom Quarterly London, 14th to 15th of July from 10am to 5pm Featuring Loop London, Fig Tree Yarns, Viola Yarn The Shawl Society is still available at the special early bird price! Join us! I've announced the yarns for the first TSSII shawl! The Wool Barn - Twist Sock and Sparkle Sock (Maya has created a special colourway for us: Fairyhill, with or without sparkle!) Eden Cottage Yarns - Milburn 4 Ply Eden Cottage is available in the US from The Wooly Thistle #TheShawlSociety #TheShawlSocietyII #tssfromstash The Knitting Pipeline Podcast The Grandmother Gig: In the Company of Extraordinary Women Happy Families Podcast Curious Handmade Video Podcast Ep 5 Snowmelt Shawl Talisman Shawl Amulet Shawl Hundred Acre Wood Shawl Quince and Co Tern Yarn Lullaby Rain Shawl Maria Elena Bliss David's Tea Gumblossom Yarn Queen City Yarn Carolina FiberFest Lollypop Yarn Prairie Bag Works JanBSmiley Project Bags Bede Sisters Etsy Bede Sisters Podcast Gale's Art Yarn LuLaRoe A Homespun House Harry Potter and Charm Yarn Club Harry Potter KAL hosted by Inside Number 23 Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast Apple Blossom Socks Guilding Lillies Beads The Snarky Llama Curious Handmade Podcast 2015 Knitting Pipeline Special That's everything for this week's show! I hope you have a wonderful week of creativity and relaxation ahead. Until next time, happy knitting!

  Today is all about the launch of the next season of The Shawl Society! This was such a huge event last year. The whole experience was just magical, and I couldn't help doing it again this year. In this episode I let you know all the details about how it works and how to join in! The Curious Handmade Video Podcast Ep. 5 A Homespun House Harry Potter and Charm Yarn Club Harry Potter KAL hosted by Inside Number 23 Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast The Shawl Society Season II launches for presale today! The Shawl Society Website The Shawl Society Season II on Ravelry I can't wait to share this season with you. Here's the collection description: Ethereal. Enchanting. Unexpected. Being a part of the Shawl Society is all about opening yourself to the joy of surprise, the warmth of community, and the pleasures of creativity. The Shawl Society Season II is the second incarnation of the magical pattern subscription club that caught so many knitters’ imaginations last year. When you join The Shawl Society, you again access to six incredible months of mysterious shawl patterns to knit with your fellow members. Participation in The Shawl Society also opens up a world of secret codes, exclusive offers from boutique yarn producers, members-only pop-up sales, and luxurious KAL prizes. Other important membership benefits include (but are not limited to): - Close-knit camaraderie - The thrill of anticipation - The particular glow you get from a really good secret Every month for six months, you’ll encounter a new secret shawl pattern, delivered right to your Ravelry inbox on release day. The six designs which make up Season II range right across the spectrum of shawls, with a beautiful mix of shapes, sizes, techniques to challenge and delight you at every turn. Each shawl will offer you a brush with everyday magic: from simple, breezy knits easy enough to deliver you into daydreams, all the way to more challenging adventures which absorb your attention and usher you into a state of flow. You can see some of last year's gorgeous knitter creations on Ravlery and on Instagram #TheShawlSociety #tssfromstash That's everything for this week! I'll talk to you again soon. Until then, happy knitting!

This is a short but packed episode as I pack my bags for the Knitting Pipeline Retreat in Georgia! I chat about my recent projects (lots of secret design work!) and some fun packages that have come through the mail. I also talk about some podcasts and reading I've been thinking about recently about slowing your life down a little so that you can be truly present. 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: A Homespun House Harry Potter and Charm Yarn Club A Homespun House Podcast Norah George Yarn The new Shawl Society Website Apple Blossom Socks Turtlepurl Yarn Knitting Pipeline Podcast Harry Potter KAL hosted by Inside Number 23 Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast Sock Bash KAL hosted by the Grocery Girls Podcast Slow Your Home Podcast Ep 143 Smart Passive Income Podcast Ep 255 Deep Work: Rules for Focused Work in a Distracted World by Cal Newport That's everything for today! Have a wonderful week, wherever you are, and 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: The Brooklyn Knitfolk Podcast Apple Blossom Sock Pattern Pebble Beach Shawl Blacker Yarn St. Kilda Mini Skein Set Snowmelt Shawl La Bien Aimee Magellan Speckle Fade Kit The Tobermory shawl The Kelso shawl The Fibre Co. Waves Collection The Fibre Co. Road to China Light Viola Yarn Loop Ysolda Blend no 1 Bowen in her gorgeous cabled cardigan with Ysolda An Caitin Beag Brooklyn Tweed Arbor Rhapsody in Cables by Joji Locatelli Walcot Yarns A Yarn Story Great British Yarns Opus Yarn On the Surface Collection Twisted Tracks by Amanda Jones Caracollo by Rachel C. Brown Cobbled Streets Shawl by Sharon Spencer Swinging Medallions by Jo Smith Clio by Elizabeth Doherty Beyond Measure Woolenflower Old Maiden Aunt Yarns Coming Home book Pink Hazel Project Bags Ginger Twist Studios TOFT Alpaca The Little Grey Girl Fuss Free Festival Shawl by Louise Tilbrook IntuitKnit Podcast Skeindeer Podcast Inside Number 23 Podcast Along the Lanes Podcast Lina Knits Podcast Yarnesty Podcast Fruity Knitting Podcast Sticks + Twine Podcast Rib Magazine Yarngasm Podcast Crafts from the Third Floor Norah George Yarn Jämtland Sheep Solkustens Spinnverkstad Limmo-Design Yarn on Ravelry Blacker Yarn Samite Sonja Bargielowska's Designs on Ravelry Giveaway Winner: Irene (bluebirdnest on Ravelry) has won the copy of Interpretations IV with her comment: I love this book, it is joyous! I would really like to knit Double Trouble, you could have so much fun with color in this sweater. Thanks for the podcast Helen. Have a great time at your yarny events! Subscribe to the Curious Handmade mailing list If you don't wish to sign up for the Spindrift Shawl pattern and workshop (link in the sidebar) and just want my regular updates sign up here: Email Address First Name

On today's podcast I fill you in on all the details of the wonderful three days we spent together in Cumbria. I'm saving all my Edinburgh Yarn Festival chat for next week! I also talk about the MKALs that are wrapping up, the new patterns I have out, and what's in my WIP at the moment! 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 clue for The Not Seen Before MKAL from the Sight is Life eBook is now out: this MKAL has been an incredible experience and it's wonderful to see some completed shawls starting to show up in the Sight is Life Ravelry group Snowmelt MKAL is also winding up, and the FO spoiler thread is filling up with some breathtaking shawls. If you're not the MKAL type (I know lots of people don't want to commit to a shawl they've never seen!) now is a great time to pick up a copy of the complete pattern! Show Links: Skeindeer Podcast La Bien Aimee Magellan Speckle Fade Kit The Tobermory shawl The Kelso shawl The Fibre Co. Waves Collection The Fibre Co. Road to China Light The Knitting Pipeline Podcast Little Bobbins Podcast Suffolk Socks Podcast Bumble Stitches Podcast Threaded with Fibre Podcast The Fibre Co. Luma Yarn The Laveer Kerchief So Just Shop A Yarn Story yarn shop Blue Bee Studio Quince and Co. Sparrow yarn Suffolk Socks School Socks Rock Hedgerow Yarns Pebble Beach Shawl Blacker Yarn St. Kilda Mini Skein Set Turtlepurl Yarn Life in the Long Grass LeatherWoolLinen The Snail Garden Blog with an amazing retreat recap post!   That's all for today's episode! Thank you so much for listening. Have a great week and happy knitting!

Today I'm taking a glimpse back at the wonderful Curious Handmade Country House Retreat, and already getting excited about the Edinburgh Yarn festival. Thanks to the magic of technology (time travel?) as this episode is released I may be on a train between the two events! I chat about my shopping strategy for EYF and think about how I might prevent myself from buying all the yarn. 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: So Just Shop Luma yarn from The Fibre Company Laveer Kerchief Yarn in The City Podcast Pink Hazel Project Bags A Yarn Story Great British Yarns La Bien Aimée Eden Cottage Yarns Blacker Yarns Road to China Light from The Fibre Company Edinburgh Yarn Festival Just a quick episode today, as I'm on the road. If you're going to EYF, remember to drop by the Blacker Podcast lounge to say hi between 1 and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday. If you're not, I'm hoping to bring back lots of stories from EYF to share with you soon. Happy knitting!

March is shaping up to be a very exciting month, with many fun new things coming up. Today I'm taking a break from preparing for the Curious Handmade Country House Retreat and the Edinburgh yarn festival to chat about my works in progress and everything we have to look forward to in the next few weeks. 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. KAL News: Sight is Life MKAL Hale-bopp MKAL Snowmelt MKAL BlackerPOD KAL Giveaways: Mina Philip New York Collection Sock Club There were more than 200 entries in Ravelry Group Giveaway Thread and they make for some great reading, so thank you all for your contributions! The winner was post 121 by Ravelry user fyjjkj Congratulations, I know you'll love your prize! Show Links: The Wool Kitchen yarn The Wool Kitchen Instagram Blue Pop colourway photo on instagram Niji colourway photo on Instagram The Talisman Shawl Yarngasm Podcast Voolenvine Yarn Blacker Yarns Blacker Yarns Samite Blend Ahimisa (Peace) Silk Road to China Light What's in the WIP: A new sock design! The Apple Blossom socks will make their debut at the Curious Handmade Retreat next week, and then the pattern will be launched on the 17th of March My rainbow Pebble Beach Shawl in the Blacker Yarn St. Kilda Mini Skein Set Events: Edinburgh Yarn Festival is happening on the 12th and 11th, where I’ll be in the Podcaster’s Lounge sponsored by Blacker Yarns. We'll be having a Podcaster meetup at 1pm both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday we're also hosting a little panel on audio podcasting! You can find out the whole Podcaster Lounge Schedule here!

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

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

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

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

Today I'm looking back on the way my stash has grown and changed as my skills and tastes as a knitter have evolved, as well as keeping you up to date on all my KAL news. Show Sponsors: Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It's a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include Northbound Knitting, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Curious Handmade KAL News: We have two active Curious Handmade KALs going at the moment. The deadline for both is the 31st of January, so get those posts in! Vintage Fairy Light KAL WIPs, FOs and even chat will qualify you for this draw! Modifications to the pattern are welcome. The prize is very special: a skein of the limited edition Hedgerow Yarns colourway created for the Christmas Eve Cast-On Kits! Knitvent KAL A photo of an FO from any pattern from any year’s Knitvent collection will qualify you for the draw, as long as you began knitting it in November or later. There are two prizes, TBD! The Snowmelt MKAL is now on sale at an Early Bird Price! Melt into spring with 8 weeks of knitting, camaraderie and mystery! It’s that moment between the last slow weeks of winter and the first sweet days of spring. There’s a gentle tension in the air as the thaw begins: the cosy joys of hibernation give way to a pleasant restlessness. Your heart stirs and the sap starts to run. This is a season of growth and change, but it begins quietly, deep in the frozen ground, before the last of the ice has even disappeared. This time of year feels nearly miraculous. It offers a chance to renew the dreams that have slept for so long beneath a blanket of snow. The earth is preparing to surprise itself again with a wild swell of springtime creativity. It’s a call to adventure and an invitation to stretch our own creative powers. It’s time to uncover what this fresh new season has in store. You can get all my Snowmelt MKAL news and tips in the lead up when you sign up for my newsletter through the Spindrift Shawl workshop (link in sidebar) or at the bottom of this post, if you don't want the workshop. The first clue will be released Thursday Feb. 2nd! The Not Seen Before MKAL is now on sale. This MKAL is to benefit the Sight is Life project, which raises money for sight-saving operations in Congo. I spoke to Kristina Vilimaite about the project on the podcast not long ago. The MKAL will feature clues from 7 designers, including me! The pattern has been released for presale, and the first clue will come out on January 31s. You can also get it by purchasing the Sight is Life eBook. Learn more in the Sight is Life Ravelry Group Show Links: Loop Misti Alpaca Radiance Shawl Brooklyn Tweed Knit British FiberTrek video podcast Zero Waste book Handmade and Woolen video podcast Clara Parkes The Yarn Whisperer book My interview with Clara Parkes Hole and Sons Instagram My interview with Ben Hole from Hole and Sons Angelus Novus Cardigan Blacker Yarn St. Kilda Mini Skein Set Pebble Beach Shawl Magic Knot (double knot) how-to video Blacker Yarn is hosting the BlackerPod KAL! Here are the details direct from Blacker Yarn: To celebrate the Blacker Yarns Podcast Lounge at Edinburgh Yarn Festival 2017 we are delighted to announce a C/KAL. If you are making the trip to Edinburgh in March - or even if you can’t, but wish you could - let’s knit together and ramp up that festival excitement. Details The BlackerPod KAL casts on on the 19th January and casts off on 4th March. You can knit or crochet any design you like, but you must use yarn from Blacker * This C/KAL is open to everyone (whether you can make Edinburgh Yarn Festival or not) Use this thread to chatter about your pattern choices and yarn choices an...

This week I'm talking about appreciating my stash by using it! 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: Suffolk Socks Sassy Sock KAL news: We have a bunch of KALs going on or about to begin in the Curious Handmade world We have two active KALs going on just now. The deadline for both is the 31st of January! Vintage Fairy Light KAL WIPs, FOs and even chat will qualify you for this draw! Modifications to the pattern are welcome! The prize is very special: a skein of the limited edition Hedgerow Yarns colourway created for the Christmas Eve Cast-On Kits! Knitvent KAL A photo of an FO from any pattern from any year’s Knitvent collection will qualify you for the draw, as long as you began knitting it in November or later. There are two prizes, TBD! Snowmelt MKAL There is a Mystery Knitalong on the way from Curious Handmade. Snowmelt MKAL goes on sale Monday January 23rd! Melt into spring with 8 weeks of knitting, camaraderie and mystery! It’s that moment between the last slow weeks of winter and the first sweet days of spring. There’s a gentle tension in the air as the thaw begins: the cosy joys of hibernation give way to a pleasant restlessness. Your heart stirs and the sap starts to run. This is a season of growth and change, but it begins quietly, deep in the frozen ground, before the last of the ice has even disappeared. This time of year feels nearly miraculous. It offers a chance to renew the dreams that have slept for so long beneath a blanket of snow. The earth is preparing to surprise itself again with a wild swell of springtime creativity. It’s a call to adventure and an invitation to stretch our own creative powers. It’s time to uncover what this fresh new season has in store. Sign up for my newsletter here to get all my Snowmelt MKAL news and tips in the lead up! The Not Seen Before MKAL has just gone on sale. This MKAL is to benefit the Sight is Life project, which raises money for sight-saving operations in Congo. I spoke to Kristina Vilimaite about the project on the podcast not long ago. The MKAL will feature clues from 7 designers, including me! The pattern has just been released for presale, and the first clue will come out on January 31s. You can also get it by purchasing the Sight is Life eBook. Learn more in the Sight is Life Ravelry Group This time of year brings so many tempting KALs, and right now sock KALs are stealing my attention. There are two I want to take part in: Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast This is a year-long KAL. Check out the lively hashtag #boxosoxkal2017 on Instagram! Sock Bash KAL hosted by The Grocery Girls Podcast. This is also a year-long KAL but goes month by month as well, so you can dip in and out as you like. #sockbash2017 That will do us for this week! Thanks so much, and I'll see you soon. Happy knitting!

On this episode I talk about the importance of keeping your stash safe from Evil Moth Invaders, with some helpful tips and advice for dealing with this dreaded pest. I also round up some KALs going on right now and some that are just around the corner! 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: Michelle Wang’s Video Podcast Holmes Wrap mYak Yarn UC IPM Clothes Moth Management Guide Zen of Making Clothes Moths: How To Save Your Yarn Stash, Fabric, Wardrobe and Sanity During and Infestation KAL News: I’m excited to start the Box O’ Sox KAL, hosted by the Yarngasm Podcast We have two active Curious Handmade KALs going at the moment. The deadline for both is the 31st of January! Vintage Fairy Light KAL WIPs, FOs and even chat will qualify you for this draw! Modifications to the pattern are welcome! The prize is very special: a skein of the limited edition Hedgerow Yarns colourway created for the Christmas Eve Cast-On Kits! Knitvent KAL A photo of an FO from any pattern from any year’s Knitvent collection will qualify you for the draw, as long as you began knitting it in November or later. There are two prizes, TBD! Mystery KAL coming soon! There is a Mystery Knitalong on the way from Curious Handmade...for more details make sure that you’re signed up to our mailing list.(You'll even get a free shawl pattern as a bonus when you sign up!) In the meantime, have a peek at the Summertide Shawl MKAL we did together in 2015. It will give you a good idea of what to expect The Not Seen Before MKAL is starting soon. This MKAL is to benefit the Sight is Life project, which raises money for sight-saving operations in Congo. I spoke to Kristina Vilimaite about the project on the podcast not long ago. The MKAL will feature clues from 7 designers, including me! The pattern hasn’t been released yet, but you can get it by purchasing the Sight is Life eBook. The pattern will also be released individually. Learn more in the Sight is Life Ravelry Group That's all for this week! Thanks so much for listening, and happy knitting! Subscribe to the Curious Handmade mailing list If you don't wish to sign up for the Spindrift Shawl pattern and workshop (link in the sidebar) and just want my regular updates sign up here: Email Address First Name

Happy New Year! Chatting about my word for the year, stash appreciation and a review of last year's 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. Show Links:   Vintage Fairy Lights Socks Pattern Little Bobbins Knits Podcast Hedgerow Yarns Knitaid