Episode 13: Gettin' Woolly With It

Hello from a chilled Cheshire Plain - it's the summer holidays! Yayyy! In this episode I talk hat design, upcoming events and confess to my inner beardie.

What's on the needles: No real progress on anything currently on the needles, but I have designed and made my own hat!



Review: Woolly Wormhead's hat design course at Fibre & Clay. Woolly has blogged about it here. If you get a chance to do one of her workshops, grab it!

Upcoming Events: Knit Nation, 29th-31st July, London; UK Knit Camp, 9th-13th August and UK Ravelry Weekend, 13th-14th August, Stirling, Scotland; I Knit Weekender, 10th-11th September, London; Fibre Flurry, 30th October, King's Norton, Birmingham.

Something I Really Like: Folk music and, in particular, A Folk Song A Day.

Links: Woolly Wormhead; Fibre & Clay; Cyril Tawney; Eliza Carthy; Jim Moray; Seth Lakeman; Jim Causley; Karine Polwart; Bellowhead; Jon Boden

Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain@googlemail.com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain.

Nic

Episode 12: Has anyone seen my mojo?

Hello from a little piece of green space overlooking the Weaver Navigation Canal. In this episode I muse on my missing mojo, announce a winner and ponder on tails as an essential accessory.

UFO contest: Thanks to all those who entered, but nobody guessed the correct UFO, which was in fact my Birthday Pinwheel Sweater:





Details are here. Although no-one correctly identified it, I thought I would still have a draw, so the random number generator picked out a winner. Was it you?

You can choose from either of the Abstract Cat yarns I mentioned in an earlier episode, a lovely pint silk laceweight from Knitwitches or some lovely Lei from Posh Yarn

Abstract Cat Retro:


Abstract Cat Jolly:


Knitwitches 100% Pure Silk Laceweight:


Posh Yarn Lei in Charming:


or Posh Yarn Lei in an unspecified colourway I bought at Wonderwool Wales in 2008:


Thanks to all who entered!

What's on my needles: a Featherweight cardigan in Posh Yarn, a Clapotis in Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend and a Stripy Noro Messenger Bag. Fancy joining in the Fibre & CLay knit-a-long for this bag? We're already international, so feel free! The pattern can be downloaded from here.

And finally.... what else would you see at the V&A than this...



Random!


Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain@googlemail.com. We have a Ravelry group here, so come on over to chat. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain.

Nic

Episode 10: Wonderwool Wales

Hello from a sunny yet cold Cheshire Plain. In this episode I talk about the wanderer returning, wander with a wonderful friend and wonder at Wonderwool Wales.

What's on my needles, hooks and wheel: Not much knitting or crochet in the last fortnight. Work's been busy and any spare fibre moment has been spent at my wheel. I've spun about 60g of merino tops bought at Wonderwool Wales last year into an as yet unspecified 2-ply yarn. Lumpy in places, but well balanced (like me, perhaps?)



Over the Bank Holiday weekend I did finish the last of the NYOBE Round 5 squares.



Review: Wonderwool Wales. A brilliant time, with a fairly restrained amount of shopping I feel...



Believe me, I could have bought an awful lot more! I mention pretty much everything in the podcast and link to it below, but when I looked at the photo I realised I didn't mention the glorious dyed oatmeal BFL from The Thylacine. Bad podcaster!

Want to go? Next year's dates are Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th April 2011.

Links:
Knitwitches
Sheepfold
DT Crafts & Design
Sparkleduck
The Threshing Barn
Black Mountain Alpacas

Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

There's now a Ravelry group for the podcast, which can be found here.

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain@googlemail.com. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain.

Nic

She's back!

I can't actually believe it, but Lilly is home - filthy, ravenous and cross, but home! I decided on a last ditch attempt this morning by ringing around the local vets and lo and behold my own vets thought they had a cat brought in yesterday that matched her description. I hot-tailed it there after work and it is indeed my Lil, found nearly a mile away. She's lost her last canine tooth and had virtually eaten the surgery out of house and home, including trying to swipe the vet's sarnies at lunchtime. "She's feisty, that one," was the last comment made by the nurse. No kidding!

Episode 9: Silence

Hello from an eerily silent Cheshire Plain. In this episode I talk about the lack of background noise, urge people to exercise their democratic responsibility and admit to a guilty change of allegiance (oh fickle creature!).

On my needles and hooks: Mainly blanket squares, either from the Schuyler Blanket...

or for NYOBE blocks.

Review: Jamie Possum Paints DK

Something I really like: Matt Smith in Doctor Who!

Forthcoming events: the General Election on 6th May - make sure you are registered to vote here; Wonderwool Wales on 24th & 25th April 2010 at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, Powys.

Episode 8: Make, Do and Knit

Hello from the Plain! This episode I celebrate my own making and doing and talk about the recent Make. Do and Knit event from Liverpool.

On my needles, hooks and spindle: I finished seaming the stripy sweater...

and the missing bear...

I finished crocheting blocks for NYOBE Round 5:

and I finished spinning the Shetland Top and then plied it:


Make, Do and Knit, Liverpool

A lovely relaxed atmosphere at the show, from the Blue Coat School at Liverpool (exterior and interior shots of the chapel).

Did you spot the cobweb?

There was a chance to see the Knitted Poem, although not in all its unrolled glory!

Upcoming Events:
In reverse order:
Woolly Wormhead at Fibre & Clay, Knutsford, July 17th/18th;
Wonderwool Wales, Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, Powys, April 24th & 25th
Dr Who!!!! BBC1, 6.20pm, Saturday 3rd April

Links:
Electric Sheep;
CogKNITive Podcast;
Mother Bear Project;
Purlesque;
Poetry Society;
Kraft Koala;
Babylonglegs;
Fyberspates;
Natural Dye Studio;
Jamie Possum ;
Just Call Me Ruby.

Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

There's now a Ravelry group for the podcast, which can be found here. Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain@googlemail.com. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain.

Nic

Episode 7: Indie Girl

Hello from a damp but spring-like Cheshire Plain! In this episode I talk about slumping, indie dyers, Yarn Forward magazine and blow my chance of being an extra in Larkrise to Candleford.

What's on my needles: The stripy jumper is nearly done, just some seaming to go!

Review: The Friday Night Knitting Club: Knit 2 by Kate Jacobs

Something I really like:Fibre and Clay in Knutsford.

Links:
Abstract Cat Crafts
lollipop.yarn and also at My LYS
The Sanguine Gryphon
A Verb For Keeping Warm
Pigeonroof Studios
Freckle Face Fibers

There's now a Ravelry group for the podcast, which can be found here. Don't forget the Liverpool Make, Do and Knit next weekend, 27th and 28th March. I'll be there on Saturday, please say hello if you see me!

Music: Rondopolska by Barry Philips, from the album Tråd, available from Magnatune.

Feel free to leave a comment here or at http://www.yarnsfromtheplain.podbean.com/, or email me at yarnsfromtheplain@googlemail.com. You can find me on Ravelry as talesfromtheplain.

Nic