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reasons to be cheerful – yellow yearning

Published by louise

This has been a bit of a blue week.

Image: Jean-Luc Ourlin (CC-BY-SA-02)

It started with the news that David Bowie had died. Still not quite got my head around that one. As so many people have said, he just seemed immortal. Incredibly sad – the stars do indeed look very different now – but legends never die and we have his groundbreaking music; His legacy for embracing your differences, your oddities. He liberated and influenced so many, in music, in fashion and in life – what an indelible mark to leave. And Alan Rickman too – such masters of their craft.

I find myself needing an escape from all the blue and, while it is only a small distraction, I have been drawn down a Ravelry pattern hole. I am finding myself very drawn to the yellows and ochres this week and if ever there was a colour to cure the blues, surely it is yellow, n’est ce pas?

Bowie was also evidently a fan of yellow knitwear (we shall let the acrylic slide in this case).

Yellows, grellows, ochres, mustard, chartreuse; sunshine shades, golden tones, citruses, earthy shades, spicy hints, pastels and brightest highlighter pen neon…there are so many incredible yellows out there and they are calling to us through the winter chill. (which this week had eventually kicked in!)

I love not only the honey coloured yarn of Katya Frankel’s Slip Cable hat, but that crown is blooming lovely, like a beautiful flower. It is a worsted weight hat and I think it would be a lovely quick and interesting knit.

Slip-Cable Hat costs £3.50, via Ravelry

Designer Louise Tillbrook kicked off a #KnitYellowSocks KAL last month and following that hashtag on social media is an utter joy! What could be nicer than placing an injection of invigorating yellow in your sock drawer? You can read more about this KAL in Louise’s ravelry group or on her brand new website. Even the most vanilla of socks look incredible in yellow. I might be temped to cast on Dave socks by Rachel Coopey, which I see are in the most recent issue of The KnitterI, as well as in Coop Knits Socks Volume 2.

Dave Socks from Coop Knits Socks Volume 2. Image used with kind permission.

.Aureola, by Janina Kallio is a bright golden halo to swathe around your shoulders in this winter crispness.

I am a big fan of Janina’s patterns having knit a few myself. I just love that the use simple stitches and construction but in really fresh and stunning ways. Aureola costs around £4.60 on Ravelry.

I haven’t even touched on the incredible range of yellow wools there are out there, but I need to shout loudly about one of the new colours of Kate Davies’ Buachaille. Furze just totally sums up my current yellow yearning. It is such a golden earthy shade and it looks incredible in Kate’s Epistropheid hat, along with the Squall shade.

image copyright: Kate Davies. Used with kind permission

Buachaille is Kate’s range of Scottish wool, worsted-spun in Yorkhire in 10 colours (3 naturals). It is really a yarn which celebrates British wool and the skills of the British wool industry in creating a hand-knitting yarn knitters will love! There were three new colours released this month, including Furze and the shop gets updated every Sunday at 5pm. Buachaille costs £7.49 for 50g/110m skein.

| GIVEAWAY

Ages ago I told podcast listeners that the lovely Knitting Goddess, Joy had given me a skein of British wool to give-away. This is 50/50 Wensleydale and Polwarth and the combo is just divine; soft, squishy with a lovely little spring. I had held it back as we had so many give-aways in the run up to the festive season, but I think this skein will definitely warm up the gloomiest winter and its about time we get it up for grabs!

To be in with a chance to win this skein of 100% British wool in Gold please comment below and tell us which – off all the myriad shades, tones and hues, is your favourite yellow….brownie points for the most descriptive names and terms! Comment by 12pm on Sunday 31st January and good luck.

Thanks so much to Joy for injecting a little joy into this yarn and giving it so generously. You could repay the kindness by signing up to her newsletter and getting regular yarnie updates from her!

UPDATE 3/2/16 Random.org chose Fi Morris’ comment as the winner! Well done, Fi!

episode 51 Momentum

Published by louise

It’s a New Year and it’s also the 2nd anniversary of the KnitBritish Podcast! Happy New Year, lovely listeners! KnitBritish is stepping gaily into the third year of the podcast and today I have some exciting Edinburgh Yarn Festival and Podcast Lounge news for you;the #NaturesShades KAL and my top 3 yarn, project and books of 2015.

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You can also listen on iTunes, the podcast app, or search your favourite podcatcher, if you prefer!

Today’s episode is sponsored by Edinburgh Yarn Festival.
Scotland’s premier knitting event is being held from 17-20th March. Four days of classes with world class tutors; a packed marketplace on the Friday and Saturday with hand-picked vendors, meet-ups, demos – and the Podcast Lounge – the Edinburgh Yarn Festival is a must on any yarn-lover’s calendar.
Click on the logo to visit the website and do sign up for their email newsletter.

Show notes Read More

twentyfifteen

Published by louise

I am seeing a lots of year review’s appearing this week. We are all feeling the need to reflect a little; celebrate the good times and achievements of the year and look forward to firmly closing the door on other situations, events and people.
I was going to keep mine for the podcast, but I have been really feeling the need to write it all out recently and so a blog is probably more apt!

| Four Quarters – Community, Flitting, Grieving and Grounding.

The New Year was heralded in with a chat with Karie Westermann and we looked toward the unfolding year with a word or concept, rather than resolutions. I wrote…

‘Focus’ has emerged as my word of the year. Focus has so much meaning: vision, emphasis, spotlight, concentration, clarity, anchor, centre point, heart/h….it is such an utterly perfect word for the things I want to achieve both personally and on KB. I want to focus on my knitting goals too, specifically Fair Isle, sock and hap knitting in 2015.

Proper giggles with some podcasting muckers! Copyright: Edinburgh Yarn Festival

High on the agenda in the New Year was planning for the Edinburgh Yarn Festival and the Podcast Lounge. What an utterly incredible thing, to have a space dedicated to podcasters, meet ups and fun at a wool event? I was utterly honoured to be asked to plan it and I am doubly honoured to be hosting the area again in 2016 – there is MUCH more exciting news on this very soon. What EYF and the PCL did was ground me in community and it made me – and I think everyone there and involved – feel part of something really important….EYF is not your common or garden wool festival, it is incredibly unique and I know I am not the only one who keenly feels that. Read More

episode 50 – the one with the ballet dancing sheep

Published by louise

Put that wrapping paper down and come on over for a break – this is a Christmas-craze free zone. Only good fun over here – there are dancing sheep!

Listen here

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Shownotes

| How not to record a podcast

Sometimes recording this show is like a comedy of errors. Listen in to some of this year’s out-takes!

Kitsmas Shopping: Feet

Published by louise

So far this Kitsmas we’ve had hats, shawls, cowls, ganseys, felt and angora/wensleydale yarn kits. All that and we are still left with cold feet though! Today I have one or two ideas for warm feet kits this Christmas (and I am getting more comfortable at using the C word the more we progress through these posts!)

I really wanted to include slippers, as well as socks and I was delighted to find Joe’s Toes! Joes Toes is Amanda (mum of Joe) and she has created these wonderful kits, which consist of felt soles and enough wool to create a very simple, but warm, cosy and incredibly sweet pair of slippers. There are kits for adults, kids and babies and prices start at £9.95 for the smallest size, £15.95 for the kids and £21.95 for the larger. The kids and baby slipper kits contain British wool with cosy, yet hardwearing Herdy for the kids and BFL for the baby kits. Kits come complete with instructions and there is also a tutorial online. I think this would be a really great gift for all knitters, particularly beginners. Read More

episode 49 spilling Edinburgh Yarn Festival beans!

Published by louise

I have lots in this episode, but I know what you really want to know…you want news from Edinburgh Yarn Festival juicy news don’t you? I have lots of beans to spill about vendors and more classes!!

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You can listen on iTunes, the podcast app, or search your favourite podcatcher.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Edinburgh Yarn Festival.
Scotland’s premier knitting event is being held from 17-19th March 2016. With world class tutors, a packed marketplace with hand-picked vendors, meet-ups, demos – and the Podcast Lounge – Edinburgh Yarn Festival is a must on any yarn-lover’s calendar.
Click on the logo to visit the website and do sign up for their email newsletter.

| SHOW NOTES

Penguin: A Knit Collection

I received a copy of this incredible book, by Anna Maltz and like me you may have been utterly delighted by sneaky peaks of images from the book on social media and ravelry. I see Anna as a real explorer and adventurer in knit and in colour and this book is a real testament to that; there are 11 designs all inspired by our penguin chums and I love how she had captured so much of their charm, their nature and their characteristics in playful and fresh designs. I am in love with the Fledgling mittens, Teenguin cardigan, the boxy Humboldt sweater and the Antifreeze socks! Read More

Kitsmas Shopping: heads and hands

Published by louise

If you heard the podcast this week you will have heard me talk about the Neighbourhood Sheep Society club from Ginger Twist Studio and Clare Devine. What I forgot to mention on that show are the lovely tea hat kits that Jess stocks, which feature Clare’s designs and Jess’s hand-dyed yarn. You will have heard me talking about these hats on the podcast before – perfect for knitters of all abilities, with great interest and delightful stitch patterns to keep our interest. Such quick knits too.

Oolong hat kit from Ginger Twist Studio – kits start at £25

Today I have more ideas for your head, as well as to keep your paws cosy and we have another fantastic give-away. so read on! Read More

episode 48 Kitsmas clubs!

Published by louise

For the past few weeks I have had a focus on incredible kits that knitter’s will covet this Christmas. There are more posts to come too, but today I am extending it on the podcast and also want to talk about the kind of woolly gift that keeps on giving in 2016 – the yarn club!

The Neighbourhood Sheep Society is a yarn and pattern club collaboration between Jess James and Clare Devine.
The club consists of three instalments featuring the very best of British wool and fibre from local producers. The yarn is hand-dyed by Jess and there’s an exclusive pattern designed by Clare. Listen in to today’s show to hear Clare and Jess talk about the new club!

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| The Neighbo(u)rhood Sheep Society

Listen in to hear Jess and Clare talking about the founding of this British wool and pattern club last year and what people can expect in the 2016 club. The club costs £85 for three packages and as a recipient of the club this year I can tell you that you can expect incredible collaboration of yarn, colours and design. If you need a taste of the 2015 club you can now also buy the collection of patterns.

Pentland Hlls shawl in Wensleydale wool from the 2015 NSS club. Image: Clare Devine

| The Golden Skein

This is a luxury yarn club which collaborates with independent dyers from around the world to create specially commissioned, themed yarn collections. Dyers work to a photographic inspiration and in The Power of Three club members receive three skeins, from three different dyers or three different bases. I feel that seeing the three different interpretations of the same inspiration source is a really exciting draw!

Here is the images for the four quarters of the 2016 clubs! Very tantalising indeed!

You can buy into The Golden Skein in a number of ways from one quarter to all four and there is also the slimmers club too. I am reliably informed by TGS owner, Jo Milmine, that 75% of the clubs are sold and when they are gone, they are gone, so do check out thegoldenskein.com today!

| Ripples Crafts

This week Helen Lockhart announced that the Ripples Crafts 2016 club with be Yarn Notes from Assynt. This club was run this year and has been so popular that she is continuing it on next year. The club is a collaboration between Helen and her husband Stevan. The hand-dyed colours are inspired by the landscape and sites of interest around her home in Assynt and the club is accompanied by notes by Stevan. Stevan is a recent graduate in Scottish cultural studies and his notes contain historical, cultural, geographical, literary and sociological aspects of the area. I think that this is a lovely dimension to add to a yarn club – it gives people such an insight into the area local to the dyer and Helen’s inspirations.

In addition to that there are three different bases to choose from Reliable sock – a 75% wool 25% nylong blendl Quinag – a 4ply BFL and Suilven – merino, yak and silk! Prices for the clubs vary, due to the different bases and you can also choose a 3 month, 6 month or 12 month club. Included in each package is one skein of yarn and a picture postcard of the area which inspired the colours, as well as Stevan’s notes.

Annual clubs need to be purchased by the end of December, but the other options may be purchased at any time. Do visit ripplescrafts.com for further information.

| Yarns from the Plain – Fibre Explorers Club

Perhaps you are more interested in making your own yarn and Nic’s Fibre Explorer’s Club would be a great way to widen your fibre horizons. Each month you will receive 150g of fibre, hand-dyed in exclusive colours. The tops will always be at least 75% British wool – some months it will be 100%, perhaps single breed, perhaps something new to you, perhaps a custom blend, especially for the club. I think this is a really wonderful way to explore British wool and fibre and would make a wonderful gift to yourself or the spinner in your life.

Sign ups for Round one of the club are open, this consists of three instalments and the club costs £50. Please do check out yarnsfromtheplain.co.uk for more info.

| Another few great clubs to check out (be quick with some of them!)

The Knitting Goddess Clubs

Old Maiden Aunt

Countess Ablaze yarn and fibre clubs

John Arbon’s Mill Membership Club

Hilltop Cloud Fibre Club

| Thanks

Many thanks to everyone who told me about their clubs and with particular thanks to Jess and Clare for taking the time for a chat. MANY thanks to my woolly mucker AKA Felix Ford, AKA KNITSONIK, who gave me use of her woolly sounds (more of which can be heard on soundcloud). The baas you hear in this episode are from a mash-up featuring sheep at the Burland Croft, in Shetland, at Sumburgh Head and also from Estonia on the farm of Joel and Julika Roos. The baas have been mixed with sleigh bells. Because…you know…Christmas!

| Information Music: Carefree by Kevin McLeod on Free Music Archive. Sleighbells via soundstack at freesound. Sheep recorded by Felicity Ford and used with kind permission.