April 2025 – climbing rocks, dodging snot and exactly zero finished jumpers

April felt like one of those months that moves in quiet surges between the good and bad. The sort of month where time moves fast but your needles don’t. We had long lunches with old friends (one with a deliciously squishy six-month-old), asked two of our favourite people to be our best man and celebrant at our wedding (they said yes!) and packed the calendar with visits to the park, National Trust wanders and ice-cream catch-ups with the Fantastic Aunties (no Great Aunties in this house, only the Fantastic kind.)

And in amongst all that, there was a family photoshoot with Tom at Old Pine Studios – one of those unexpected, soul-uplifting afternoons. No stiff poses, no “say cheese”, just our little family ambling through the woods collecting pine cones and getting soil in our shoes. I’d dressed our little one in a Hans Sweater I’d made for him using Knitting For Olive Merino in Dark Cognac. We got the photos back last week and they are stunning! We’ve since asked Tom to be our wedding photographer because frankly, how could we not?

Somewhere between all the joy and chaos I climbed the Three Ships at Birchen Edge with my brother and fellow climbing friends. The weather was glorious, the climbing was challenging. I came away with sore hands, bruised shins, but a massive smile on my face.

So while there may not have been much in the way of finished objects this past month, there was plenty of life happening in between.

FOs

Absolutely none. And I’m at peace with that. (Mostly.)

WIPs

Still on the needles and steadily collecting lint:

• Martin Sweater by Lamana – A slow, meditative knit for my dad in Knitting for Olive Merino, held double in Dark Ocher. It’s one of those knits that feels like a long exhale. A bit more interesting than pure stockinette, but I can still watch an episode or two.
• Hans Sweater by Pernille Larsen – My third time making this for our little one, this time in Blue Whale. It’s a classic beauty and always gets compliments. At this point I could knit it in my sleep, and I almost have.
• Storm Sweater Junior by PetiteKnit – A creamy delight in Knitting for Olive Merino in Cream. The idea is to eventually make a matching one for me. Will that happen before 2026? No promises.

That’s a worrying amount of Knitting For Olive there – can you tell I bulk bought from them a few months ago?! I swear I knit with other yarns too…promise.

Yarn acquisitions

Nothing. I know. I am as shocked as you. Not even one cheeky skein. The stash is resting comfortably and, frankly, a little suspicious.

Patterns I’m eyeing up

What I haven’t cast on, but am keeping on my radar:

• Darcy Cape by Le Knit – A transitional drapey dream. I could see myself wearing this A LOT, especially in that mid grey tone the sample shows.
• Norma Sweater by My Favourite Things Knitwear – Part of the Isager Archives Collection, and the kind of thing that makes you want to reorganise your entire wardrobe. Mine’s calling out for a pop of colour like this. I love the blue and red patterning.
• Everyday Bag by Susanne Müller or maybe the Penny Tote Bag by Moreca Knits – I don’t know who I think I am (a person with spare time?), but I want to make my own knitted handbag. Reality may have other plans for me. These two are stunning and look like solid investment pieces.

Notions I’m loving

My PetiteKnit “Put your stitches on hold” stitch holders are getting a lot of use lately. They’re tidy, pleasing to look at, and (unlike my attention span) never snap unexpectedly. Quiet heroes of the knitter’s toolkit.

I’m thinking about getting some tiny snips (inspired by the lovely Woozy By Celine on her podcast). These Cohana Mini Scissors look so cute and pose much less of a stabbing threat in my knitting bag than my huge fabric scissors.

What I’m watching

YouTube-wise, I’ve been bouncing between a couple of podcasts recently.

Amy’s channel, NE Knits, is beautifully structured and her approach scratches that organisational itch in my Type A brain. There’s something very satisfying about her planning process, her clean visuals, her ability to stay on track and hold herself accountable.

On the other hand, Morgan Unraveled offers a slower, more conversational space and her warm, relaxed style feels like having a cuppa with a good friend.

On TV, I finally got stuck into Severance. Absolutely not a background watch unless you enjoy frogging entire sections. But it’s brilliant. Dark, odd and just twisty enough to keep me up at night (knitting? not so much).

What I’m listening to

We’re in renovation limbo right now (dust in places dust shouldn’t be) so I’ve been easing my way through The Ins and Outs Podcast back catalogue. Enough info to feel informed, not so much that my brain melts from overstimulation. It’s the ideal renovation audio.

I’ve been struggling to pay attention to audiobooks at the moment. I keep having a go but nothing’s sticking. Hopefully I’ll have some book recommendations here soon.

What I’m looking forward to

May is my birthday month, and we’ve got a rare child-free dinner planned, a small miracle that I’m so excited about. Then in June we’re heading to France for our first proper abroad holiday as a family. I’m already mentally packing snacks, SPF and a travel-friendly knitting project. Or three.

A note on life

Knitting’s taken a bit of a back seat this month. Work’s been full-on, our little one’s had chickenpox and our cat’s hit a rough patch too. There’s been very little time, and even less energy. I’ve been working hard on fuelling my body (a phrase that sounds much more virtuous than “remembering to eat lunch”) and not adding to my own overwhelm. Small wins, like a decent breakfast or a walk in the fresh air have kept me grounded. First-time mums – I see you.

Comfort corner

At the beginning of the year, I made a promise to myself: no more cheap coffee. I don’t drink much, I don’t go out often and I’m certainly not impulse-buying handbags, so if I’m going to have a coffee it better be good. Postpartum, coffee’s become quite ritualistic to me. In my mind if I’ve had the time to brew myself a cup of coffee, it usually means I’ve found five minutes just for me. And that feels quietly radical.

I’ve had a Two Chimps Coffee subscription since December and absolutely love it. They’re local to me, focused on sustainability and reliably delicious. It turns up every couple of weeks with a new flavour, and honestly feels like a small treat that I’ve gifted to myself. Favourite flavours are “The kipper is out of the bag” and “The donkeys nicked all the strawberries”.

Snapshot of the month

Me, my brother and fellow climbing friends at Birchen Edge, Peak District – grinning at the Three Ships. The wind in our faces, arms aching, cheeks hurting from laughing too much. The kind of moment you want to bottle. Or turn into a yarn colourway.

Your turn

What have you been up to this month? Any exciting cast-ons, yarn splurges or background watches that turned into obsessions? Drop me a comment below. I’d love to hear what’s been on your needles.

Beth x