NEW!

With Spring rapidly approaching and the start of a new month, it is fitting that today I am welcoming Alana Dakos as this month's blog and podcast sponsor! Today is an especially good day because it sees the long awaited release of Alana's latest Collection, 'Botanical Knits 2'!

'Forest Foliage', (c) Alana Dakos

Here's a teaser for those of you who can't wait:

'Continue to embrace the beauty of nature with Botanical Knits 2. In this follow up collection, traveling cables, organic textured stitches, and lacy stitch patterns make a reappearance, along with easy to read charts and written pattern instructions. From the cables of a heavy sweater coat to the delicate stitches of a lace shawl, the essence of plant life is worked into each of the 4 sweaters and 8 accessories included in this book'.

'Bare Branches', (c) Alana Dakos

Botanical Knits 2 is available as an ebook ($18) or to pre-order in print ($22 plus shipping). Everyone who pre-orders the book in print will receive a complimentary ebook to download right away. Those who pre-order will a;sp receive a botanically inspired gauge measuring bookmark as well as a new complimentary knitting pattern designed by Alana Dakos with their book shipment in June. To get your preorder, simply click on the button in the side bar. 

The Botanical Knits Ravelry Group has KALS for each of the designs which you can find here. 

'Thicket', (c) Alana Dakos

Want to find out more? I'll be featuring the latest Collection in the next podcast and you can win a copy. So join me on 16th March 2014 to celebrate Botanical Knits 2. I can't wait to share it with you!

Episode 51: Unravel- Part 2

Show notes:

Are you joining us for the BIG LOVE ALONG? There will be prizes from our sponsor Inspiration Knits as well as Whimzy yarns. Check out the blog post here.

I'm moving home! Keep an eye on the blog for details of where to look for blog posts, podcasts and professional service information very soon!

This episode is all about Unravel!

Featuring:
Louise from Inspiration Knits
Katie from Hill Top Cloud 
Susan Crawford
Sweet Georgia, Purlescence and the Knit Along
Wendy Fowler Pottery 

Sadly Eliza Conway doesn't have a website but if you are interested, please do contact me and I can put you in touch with this wonderful story teller. 



Stay tuned for part 2 coming very, very soon!

Songs:

Fly, Fly, Fly by Adrina Thorpe, available on Noise Trade
Unsuccessful by Hilary Saunders, available on Noise Trade

Episode 50: Unravel... part 1

Show notes:

This episode is all about Unravel!

Featuring:
Jeni from Fyberspates and her new yarn Cumulus
Coopknits and her latest Collection, Toasty
Emily from Tin Can Knits
Belinda from True Brit Knits
Jen AC 
Tilly Flop Designs
Victoria and David from Eden Cottage Yarns
Meghan from Pom Pom magazine
Miss Elle Knits from Jumble Jelly and podcast fame
Tom of Holland and the Visible Mending Programme
Anna Maltz and the Ricefield Collective
Ruth from Rock and Purl and Kate Heppell from Knit Now and her own design fame


Stay tuned for part 2 coming very, very soon!

Songs:

Fly, Fly, Fly by Adrina Thorpe, available on Noise Trade
Strings by Anna Barnett  available on Noise Trade

Eden Cottage Yarns

Well I think it's fair to say that I fell in love last weekend. I'd long suspected that this would be the case but my 'favourite of favourite' circle of indie dyers just made room for another: Eden Cottage Yarns. 

Victoria's booth was like a siren song that all weekend I popped back to, sighed and wished myself in a better place knitting wise. I wanted something in every yarn weight. I could just see the projects with her gorgeous sense of colour and great selection of yarn bases. 

In her own words, Eden Cottage is the "home of semi-solid colours, from muted pastels, to stone-washed mid-shades and rich, jewel-tones. The yarn is dyed with an emphasis on simple but gorgeous colours, as well as sustainability, and ECY has become synonymous with a muted palette of semi-solid shades". Victoria is not kidding. Her stand at Unravel was like a wardrobe full of knits waiting to happen. Everything was just so wearable. 

I brought a sweater quantity home, my single yarn purchase all weekend. I wanted to save myself for something I truly wanted and apparently, I truly wanted Oakland DK. This is New Zealand Polwarth, handdyed in the 'Midnight' colourway. 

I think it's destined to be a Hooray Cardigan by Veera Valimaki. I've been wanting to make one for ages, ever since I saw the thick cables on the front. I think this bouncy and crisp feeling yarn will give great stitch definition and I'm excited to try a new-to-me fibre too. It made adding it to my stash feel much less naughty somehow as I didn't have any other Polworth. See? Totally justified!

(C) Veera Valimaki

Big Love

So how are you feeling today? Are you feeling the love? 

Over in the Playful Group, we've been sharing some gorgeous stories about selfish knitting, unselfish knitting, knitting memories, crochet dreams and spinning to die for. Why? Because we're all about the Big Love Along I'm currently hosting. There's even prizes just for entering!

Rules are simple:

1. Kick off when the Ravellenics end
2. WIPS and double dipping allowed.
3. You have to be a group member
4. You have to tell us your BIG LOVE story.

So what will it be? A skein you’ve loved for a long time? A technique you adore? Fibre you’ve lovingly spun for a friend? Something loving for YOURSELF?

Tell us!

We have some gorgeous skeins donated from Whimzy yarns who collaborated with our sponsor this month, Inspiration Knits, to bring fabulous kits to Unravel. You can read all about the patterns Louise recommends Whimzy for here. On the left is Sokkusu O, (O for Original), a 100% Superwash Merino base in the 'Summer Storm' colourway. On the right is 'Johanna' on Silkie Merino, another fingering weight yarn but this time 50% Superwash Merino, 50% Silk. To lucky winners will get a skein each, drawn at random from the FO thread. 

Another Way (c) Inspiration Knits

Then whether you have a hankering for 'Another Way' or a different design of Louise's, you can choose a pattern if you're the 3rd lucky winner in this solidarity along! 

The along has already started and I think I'll close the FO thread at the end of March so come on over and join in the chatter!