flashback to 2011

I thought I'd do a little 'Flashback Friday' thing on my blog with the intention of making it regular. I thought of this because every day this week someone has reminded me of something I made years ago.

It's been really lovely. For instance, a dearheart, Debra, found these pretty lace cuffs I made back in 2013 via the "sales" link in my etsy shop and asked me to make her a pair:


I made one pair, they sold, I forgot all about them and that was that. But I think I might make them a new listing now. {I'm making Debra's in lilac or rose shade, she's choosing now from the shade card.}

However, my official Flashback Friday this week is showing my 2011 Inner Wild tags {above} and some other lace cuffs and picot edge and cord ties cuffs I made using Rowan bamboo tape, {a yarn that's been discontinued, but which I love}.

fast forward to 2017

I love these pot plant covers. I don't know why they are so pleasing to me. The contrast of rough natural wools against green leaves is beautiful.

I didn't set out to make knitted covers for my houseplants. I knitted myself a Hebridean wool slouch hat and as I finished it and was admiring the shape I realised my jasmine plant might look better in it than me.

You can make these easily yourself. Your houseplants will love them especially to protect their roots from cold temperatures through the winter.

You can wrap any pieces of wool you have, {unfinished projects!} around a plant pot and tie wool around it to secure.

Or you can use a beanie, slouch or hat knitting pattern, turn your knitted hat upside-down and put your favourite {medium-sized pot} plant in it.

Even if you don't knit, and if you do, you can also use the sleeves from an adult sweater, or the body of a small-size sweater from a thrift store.

Do you think Hans Blomquist and Emily Henson would approve?

I made this Snuggle Sack and Hat for Finn, the new baby boy in our family. It's based on an adorable design by Teresa Cole. Teresa has shared her Owlie Snuggle Sack pattern free for us all on her Comfort Wool blog. It's very popular, of course, as is her matching Owlie Hat pattern.

Thank you Teresa from cozy, snuggled-up, swaddled-in-hand-knitted-love babies around the world! For Finn's snuggle sack I used Rowan Pure Wool Worsted, shade: 'cocoa bean'.

A little preview of Inner Wild Wintergreen Collection for this winter 2017/18. See more in my etsy shop. Some new things, some favourite things, all good things.

With baskets overflowing with all kinds of gorgeous Uist Wool skeins and fantastic company the workshop I led as part of Grimsay Week with Uist Wool was a very good time. One lady said it was the best Saturday morning she'd had for years. Sweet!

Skilled knitters {looking at you Matt} and eager newbies together made for a wonderful sharing and caring experience. And we made some snuggly woollens for our feet!

I'd put together a Woollen Slippers / Boot Socks / Adult Bootees knitting pattern so that everyone could quickly {thank you 5mm needles} make something practical and lovely no matter their skill level.

This pattern allows for great scope of stitches and techniques so you can individualise to your heart's content or just knit the basic pattern and end up with gorgeous slippers / boot socks. Using a pair of 5mm needles you just knit a rectangle, pick up 42 stitches and knit the top, these bootees are very satisfying and easy to make and are so comforting to slip on when its cold - I wear mine on top of cotton socks.

To get your free Inner Wild Winter Woollen Slippers pattern, just click here to print or download the PDF.

All my life I've knitted for all kinds of people from tiny premature babies to huge menfolk but I've never knitted anything quite as deeply soulful as The Shepherdess Capelet. 


This was my creation commissioned by Uist Wool and its Snàth contemporary craft in artisan yarns exhibition, part of a series of Outer Hebrides Hebtember '14 events.


You can see The Shepherdess Capelet, along with the stunning creations of six other Hebridean makers, at Uist Wool, Scotvein, Grimsay, North Uist 13 - 27 September 10am - 5pm.



Details:


Beautiful Uist deer shed antler buttons handmade by Mr Robert MacLeod, South Uist.


I collected these tiny rocks from the shore, Isle of Benbecula, tied them to the yarn and let them hang in the same way my Hebridean ancestors hung rocks on rope over the thatched roofs of their stone homes.


From staring at cones of gorgeous pure wool from Uist Wool to a few sketches to the final Shepherdess Capelet I could feel my ancestors behind me; mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great aunties, who were all expert and practical knitters using the very same wool in the same place, influencing and guiding me through the many weeks of creating this project; a beautiful feeling.

Thank you to the gifted team of extraordinary people at Uist Wool.

Creative process

From these cones of glorious Uist Wool


to this


for this. {See more about Outer Hebrides Hebtember.}

First thoughts on what to make - tunic, capelet, tabard, dress, apron?


Decide on decorative capelet



Loving the idea of using irregular and various Aran knitting stitch panels, free-falling and loose and allowing an influence of traditional Maori Moa feather cloaks {I lived in NZ for 12 years}.

Made lots of cable panels and tried out different stitch patterns on different plys of yarn.













The Shepherdess Capelet, made with Uist Wool by a Uist woman in Uist.