episode 109 | great british mystery shawl

EPISODE 109 SHOW NOTES

Hello, it’s me again!

In this episode I am wearing my Stockholm Slipover a lovely tank top pattern from Petite Knit that I made using Sirdar Saltaire in the Mole (307) colourway.

FINISHED OBJECT

I finished Betsy’s super duper strawberry socks and they are really lovely, she adores them, which is good eh?

I used the new Fo ot sie yarn from King Cole in the Strawberry colourway (4902), such a fabulous yarn especially considering there is NO wool in it whatsoever!!

It feels quite cool and cottony, I think that’s why Betsy likes them so much, she hates anything warm and woolly (mad girl).

WIPS

I’m also nearly at the end of the colour section of the Princess of Polka Dots blanket (designed by Betsy Potter aged 8 and three quarters :) we have been having many discussions about whether to include the bright, shocking pink colour after the purple and I will be checking that out this week before I move on to the greyscale section of the blanket.

I am using a variety of colours of Stylecraft Special DK for this blanket, the full details will be included in the pattern when I launch it later on this year.

BOOKS

I had a lovely present in the post from Lesley, she sent me a found copy of the excellent Creative Knitting book by Pam Dawson (goddess) and published by Marks & Spencer (weirdly). It’s full of lovely 1980s style knitting patterns, very colourful and reminiscent of the great Patricia Roberts, aka the 1980s knitting queen.

I simply must make one of the patterns from this book, it has to be done.

I also received Esme’s (@redsparrowcrochet) new book Mosaic Crochet Workshop which is a fabulous collection of her geometric mosaic designs together with a lot of patterns for blankets and cushions etc. A really lovely book.

I finished reading Emma’s debut novel The Dark by Emma Haughton, it was a bloody good read, couldn’t put it down and I liked the fact that she got lots of mentions of knitting and crochet in there as well as stumping me on the villain, I guessed completely wrong.

I’m now reading That Night by Gillian McAllister and again, I can’t put it down - my next book will have to be some sort of gentle romance I think :)

IT’S A MYSTERY

I have been manipulated by the algorithm (I swear it) to take part in this year’s Stephen West Mystery Knitalong aka MKAL2021.

Let me be clear about this alleged manipulation; I hate mystery knitalongs and I hate surprises so I’m not sure how well this experience is going to go, ha!

Anyhoo, I’ve committed, bought the pattern and most of the yarns picked themselves having been sitting on a shelf in the front room for the best part of a year (possibly even two). I’m so pleased that they are all my favourite British based indie yarn dyers hence my Great British Mystery Shawl.

So now I need your advice on whether to go team mint or team read. Send help.

The yarns I have chosen are:

Peach Melba by Birdstreet Yarn

Like Gold Mustard by Dusty Dimples

Blossom Honey by Black Elephant

Carmen by Zakami Yarns

and then either Chiffon by Birdstreet Yarn or Raven Red by Beehive Yarns.

OTHER MENTIONS

Please check out my friend Emma’s new podcast, you can find it here and she is @emmacartercrochet on instagram.

I also picked up two further minty/light blue colours from Birdstreet Yarns; Golightly and Lido, on their 50g skein option - I love that you can pick up 50g skeins now with both Birdstreet and Beehive yarns having that option.

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Enjoy the podcast folks and remember to hug one another often.