Show notes

I’m back after a couple of months away from the podcast so I had quite a lot of finished knitting projects to show. There were also a couple of works in progress and I also shared some books that I’ve read recently. But first some podcast admin.

Starlight Cowl Giveaway

Winner of the Starlight Cowl giveaway announced. 

Hannah from Yarnia Designs had kindly donated a copy of her latest pattern to the podcast as a prize, and to be in with a chance to win you needed to leave a comment on my last episode telling me what your favourite musical was (the link was Starlight Express just in case you were wondering!). 

Here's a link to Hannah's pattern page on Ravelry. 

Make Nine Makealong 2022

The annual Eldenwood Craft makealong - the Makenine Makelong for 2022 - is up and running and you have until the end of March to share your finished objects to date to be in with a chance of winning a prize.

The rules for the makealong are in this year’s Ravelry threads. The makealong will be run through Ravelry but if you can't use Ravelry then you can post finished objects on Instagram using the hashtag #ECMNFO22 and you are welcome to contact me directly with any queries. If you don't use Instagram or Ravelry but want to take part send your grid to me by email along with your finished objects as they are completed (letting me know which of your 9 goals they relate to), and I will include you in the prize draws.

Finished Objects

Starlight Cowl

• Pattern by Yarnia Designs (see link above). 
• Yarn used - a selection of minis from my Loom Wool 2021 advent. 
• Thoughts on this project:  it’s a super straightforward pattern, a little bit of thinking every now and then and lots of knit knit knit in between. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, despite being silly and not going down a needle size for one of the ribs as I should have done. But when it's on it doesn't matter. 

Midas Hat

• This is a free pattern by Laura Reinbach. Here is Laura’s website with all her patterns - I include this because she has some lovely patterns. 
• Yarn used - Lay Family Yarn from their Ironbridge Collection (I’ve lost the ball band and so can’t remember the exact colourway). 
• Thoughts on this project: it’s the second time I've knit this pattern and is without doubt my favourite hat to wear. It has a double brim and a nice feature where you purl a round before starting with the outside of the hat. This makes it nice and easy to know where to fold the brim over. I will most likely make more of these hats in the future - they have just the right amount of slouch for me and I like the fact that there is no ribbing. 

Crunkled Socks

• Pattern by Kay Jones of the Bakery Bears a
• Yarn used - Birdstreet Yarn in the colourway Walking in the Air. 
• Thoughts on this project: I switched up this version of the sock a little and knit it toe up and used a different heel - the German Short Row heel from the Be the Light Socks by Alice Jeffries. I'll be honest and say here that I much prefer knitting socks cuff down (at the moment) but these made a nice change and scratched an itch that I had for some toe up knitting.

Vanilla Socks

• Pattern - none - these were knit using my own sock recipe. 
• Yarn used - the main skein of the Loom Wool 2021 advent in the colourway Fairy Lights. 
• Thoughts on the pattern: I enjoy knitting a vanilla sock. For these I cast on 60 stitches using a 2.25mm needle. I then knit a 10 row 1x1 rib, 30 rounds for the leg, a heel flap and gusset and then the total length of the sock from the end of the heel flap to the beginning of the toes was 80 rounds. I then finished the sock off with a simple wedge toe. I’m a size 6 (UK) and these fit a treat. The final finished object I showed was a simple pair of vanilla socks that I knit using the main skein of the Loom Wool 2021 advent. For a knitter who isn't that keen on pink, I love these! I used my standard sock recipe which is a 60 stitch cast on, heel flap and gusset and a wedge toe. For this pair I knit 10 rounds of 1x1 rib, 30 rounds for the leg and then 80 rounds from the edge of the heel flat to the start of the toe (I'm a UK size 6). While there are still plenty of ends to weave in and a stray dropped stitch, I'm calling these as finished. And these were the 50th pair of socks I've knit - I was quite surprised by that number. 

Works in Progress

Musselburgh Hat

• This is a pattern by Ysolda Teague and you can find this and many more gorgeous patterns on Ysolda’s website
• Yarn used: I needed a quick cast on as I was about to head off for a weekend away and so I picked up two balls of yarn that were already wound. The yarn I’m currently working with is from Giddy Yarn and is the Indiana Jones colourway (I love this!). The second ball is an undyed merino, yak, nylon (or is it silk, I can’t be sure and I’m not sure where I picked this up from either - oops!). 
• Thoughts on the pattern: I’m only a little way into the pattern, knitting the Adult Medium size, but initial thoughts are that I love it. It’s a very clever pattern with no need to swatch - that’s all done as you’re knitting. You can basically use any yarn and needle combo you like and the pattern guides you on stitch count and rows etc based on gauge, measured as you are getting into the knitting. I love this idea, it suits the lazy knitter in me. I’ll be making the hat a little shorter than the pattern calls for as I’ll not be turning the brim up; to all intents and purpose it will look a bit like the Midas hat. 
• Tools used: 3.25mm Chiaogoo red lace needles, started on a long cable but then transferred to a 12” as soon as I could. 

 Flax Light Sweater

• Pattern by Tin Can Knits
• Yarn used: Drops Nord in the dark grey colourway (purchased from Wool Warehouse)
• Thoughts on the pattern: this is a very well known and loved pattern with over 12,000 projects on Ravelry. I have knit a Flax Light before but just a baby sized one. I enjoy a simple round and round knit without having to put too much thought into a project and this fits the bill. I’ve knit with you yarn on a few occasions before and I love both the feel of the fabric that’s created and the economy of the yarn.  I’ve knit the bulk of the body and have put that on hold while I knit the arms. I’ll then finish off the body rib (I may need to knit a few more rows but I’ll try it on once the arms are finished) and then finally pick up stitches for the neckline and build that up. I’m really hoping this is going to be a good fit (knitting a size Large) as I would like a few more of these in my wardrobe (stripes anyone?).  
• Tools used: needle sizes as per pattern. I didn’t swatch - I know don’t all shout at once!

Yarn Acquisition

I was lucky enough to do a swap with Shannon from Blue Fern Yarns recently and part of her parcel for me was two mini skein bundles from her monthly Palette Sets. I love both bundles (January and February) and at the moment I’m thinking they’ll make a beautiful Litmus Cowl (that would be version number three for me!). 

Books

I shared some books that I’ve read this year as part of my self imposed reading challenge. So far I’ve read three (stars are what I gave the books on Goodreads): 

• The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes ☆☆☆☆☆
• The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow ☆☆☆☆
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller ☆☆☆☆

I’m now re-reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I read this many, many years ago and can’t remember much about it other than I was transfixed by it so I’m looking forward to refamiliarising myself with it. 

And finally...shop update news

I added some new project bags and notions pouches to my shop in March. I have two new collections available - you can shop the Leaf Collection here and the Tree of Life Collection here. Project bags from small to large are available in both fabrics. 

If you want to stay up to date about new products, shop updates and have access to exclusive project bags and the occasional cheeky discount then sign up to ECHQ at the bottom of this page. 

See you next time!