loverly yarn

This is a bit self indulgent, but I just loved the look of this tangled yarn as I unwound it....

cabbages and frocks

The weather was a bit gloomy on Saturday, but the rabbits and I had a lovely time showing some great kids how to knit at the Cabbages and Frocks market in Marylebone. It is a great little market, if you live close by you should try to visit one week. The stalls are an ecclectic mix of fashion, jewellery, food and other interesting bits. Loop and I may be there again in June for the Marylebone festival to teach the little 'uns for free and to sell our pretty wares, so keep an eye out under my classes section to check the date and cross your fingers for a bit of sun!

west dean spring weekend

Last weekend I was teaching at the lovely West Dean College in Sussex and spring had most definitely sprung; gorgeous little lambs were bounding over the fields, bluebells were blooming in carpets under the blossoming trees and a family of fluffy ducklings had taken up residence in the courtyard. Ah, bliss! The ladies on the course must have been inspired by all this new growth as they produced some beautiful pieces in bright spring colours and floral shapes.
I got a chance to experiment with some wire (above) which proved most effective, everybody who tried it agreed, if a little hard to work with. I am surprised we all managed to survive the weekend with our fingers and eyesight in tact, although there were a few yarn based injuries, including some rather strange bruised fingers....!

This is just some of the yarn and materials I brought to inspire:

and here are some examples of what was created:

i'll be there with flowers in my hair...

I have been on my holidays in san francisco for the past few weeks. It is a really beautiful city, full of friendly folk. My only disappointment was that I forgot the list of addresses for yarn shops I wanted to visit while there. Oh well, at least I saved some money and avoided the problem of how to fit more stash into my studio. I also went on a really long bike ride over the bridge to the beautiful Marin County. The redwoods were stunning and the sense of achievement when I finished the 18 odd miles was immense, but my body was really not used to the exercise or the seat of the bike! Don't think I will be getting myself a bicycle any time soon....

lucky pink rabbit

It is always a pleasure to receive a new issue of Selvedge magazine through the post and browse slowly through its luscious pages. I think I have all the back issues now and just love to drink in the imagery. This week the belated issue 22 brought with it an extra lovely surprise. The article on the artist Julie Arkell (who is lovely herself) opened with a view of her staircase and proudly standing on the top step is a Monty Rabbit! Julie loves rabbits (as you may well have guessed if you have read the article, seen her work or met her!) and soon after loop opened, saw my bunny in the window display and commissioned a Monty rabbit in pink, her favourite colour. She had told me she placed it on her staircase, but I had not had the pleasure to see it in-situ amongst her eclectic collections, dolls and art pieces. What a pleasure, am glad to see that my little toy has found a cosy home with lots of friends.

dressmaking...

One thing I have always wished I could do is patterncut. It would be great to make a well cut dress and have a handmade cardi to match. All the amazing patterncutters I know keep insisting that if you can design and make knitwear, then it is halfway there, but I am really not so sure. I believe you can be much more untidy with knitwear - it is so forgiving and mistakes are easy to mend - but fabric and a sewing machine are an entirely different matter. My trouble is I always seem to let the machine run away with me, I am just too impatient, which seems ridiculous coming from a knitter! I think that what I mean is that when it comes to knitting, I know it is going to be a theraputic, slow process, whereas dressmaking should offer a quick fix. However, I am now realising that when I get on a sewing machine, it is never going to be a fast job! I am starting slowly, with an old retro pattern I dug out of the goodies in my studio, here is a pic of what it will (hopefully) look like, I'm doing the short version, along with how much i have done so far. it has only taken me about a month, so it is definitely not going to be a quickie! will let you know if it fits.

proof positive!

The proofs of the new book are here and looking loverly. I have scanned them all extensively and tried to iron out the mistakes, but am feeling glad that they need still to go to a pattern checker, editor and proof reader as I am really rubbish at noticing the niggles. I just like looking at the pretty pictures and thinking that the stuff I wrote sounds very good; it is strange how when reading your own words back in a more formal format that they sound ever so much better than you could have hoped!

When I was but a wee girl i really wanted to write for a living when I grew up, I dithered over how, with children's author/illustrator being a top choice, or just a plain old author. I even wrote the first chapter of a horror novel when i was about 14, but got bored soon after that! However, I never even thought about writing a knitting or craft book, but actually it suits me so well, as it encompasses everything I enjoy, satisfying my creative, tactile, wordy and mathematical sides. I just hope everyone enjoys the books! Will keep you posted on the progression of the publication.