Author: beth

I would normally have given up by now…

| beth

I’m almost at the end of my Popsugar Reading Challenge 2017, and I’m already thinking of what books I’ll be reading after it ends. So my little experiment has worked! I now read so much more, I listen to audiobooks when I knit, so my other time-consuming past-time hasn’t suffered as a result.

It’s helping me to power through quite a few WIPs, and I’ve even cast off a couple of projects. A moss stitch tie for Papa Shortrounds, the beautiful Speckled Scarf by Purl Soho, We Are Knitters Slushies Top and my Find Your Fade Shawl by Andrea Mowry. All finished! (Updated images to follow soon!)

Let’s hope that when I round off this series of blog posts in December, I’ve been as productive in my reading as in my knitting!

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Latest yarn haul

| beth

It’s been a while since I shared a yarn haul on Shortrounds. And following a jaunty trip to Fibre East, and me finally giving in to gazing longingly at Eden Cottage Yarn’s latest additions, it’s a bumper haul to be sure!

Let’s start with beautiful Yorkshire hand dyers – Eden Cottage Yarns. Earlier this year, I chose their Bowland 4ply yarn in colourway Misty Woods to create my Hessian Shawl, and loved the quality and outcome of my shawl so much I treated myself to a few skeins of Hayton 4ply – cashmere and merino gorgeousness! This time in Misty Woods and the ever-so-complementary Apricot Tulip. I’m planning to turn this into another original Shortrounds design – so watch this space!

Eden Cottage Yarns yarn haul | Shortrounds Knitwear Continue reading →

Popsugar Reading Challenge 2017 update – halfway there

| beth

In between knitting for my latest pattern release – Hessian Shawl, I’ve been reading reading reading. Audiobooks are a knitter’s best friend and I’ve really enjoyed broadening my reading horizons, whilst being able to thoroughly ‘crack on’ with my various knitting projects.

I’m halfway through my journey to read at least 40 books this year, with the help of a little reading challenge by Popsugar. You can check out my progress on my shawl and reading list below!

What have you been reading lately? How do you balance reading and knitting in your spare time?

Hessian Shawl Shortrounds Knitwear Continue reading →

What’s on my knit list?

| beth

When I first started knitting I focused on one project, and one project alone until it was cast off, ends woven in, blocked, finished. It was methodical, serene, focused – productive.

Since then and over the years I’ve developed a habit of half-starting several projects, to a point where I can now have five WIPs on the go! Developed from wanting to knit for myself, friends, family, work… It’s certainly a more frantic approach to knitting, and one I’m definitely not wanting to encourage. It’s led to a nasty habit of indecision and procrastination. Not a great combination.

Hessian Shawl | Shortrounds Knitwear Continue reading →

A year of Hessian Baby Blankets

| beth

It’s been over a year since the release of my first knitting pattern. And in that time so many wonderful knitters have picked up this woven baby blanket pattern and made it their very own. I’m so unbelievably happy with the feedback that I’ve had from knitters, and was genuinely amazed (and still am) that it’s been as popular as it has been! I just had to share a few of the finished Hessian Baby Blankets right here! You can see all of these in more detail over on the Hessian Baby Blanket Ravelry project page.

Fancy knitting a Hessian Blanket for yourself? You can pick up the pattern over on Ravelry and Loveknitting.com

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POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2017 – an update

| beth

It’s been a few weeks since I last posted. And there’s an explanation for why. I’ve been busy doing nothing – that is to say knitting away the hours and head down (or earbuds) deep in a book! It’s been incredibly refreshing to take a bit of a break, and get back to the things that truly relax me. I set myself a bit of a challenge to broaden my literary horizons and I’m making really good progress with the help of my trusty Kindle and Audible subscription. So here’s a bit of an update on where I am entering the four month of my POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2017.

Personal highlights so far have been The Perks of Being a Wallflower – an amazing account of friendship and struggles navigating teenage years, and Ready Player One – I devoured this book, and enjoyed listening to it in audiobook format – I cannot, cannot wait for the film now. I may even read it again before its release.

I’ve shuffled a few things around, and introduced a couple of new titles into my list. This is a shifting, moving and ever-changing list, but I’m loving introducing new genres and authors.

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Best of British yarn – part 2

| beth

I could go on all year about the amazing British hand dyers, spinners and fibre farmers available to us now. It was difficult to narrow this down to just two blog posts! But the follow up post to this blog contains six more of my pick of the crop. I already have a stash of The Wool Kitchen and Eden Cottage Yarns in my possession, ready to cast on. And I’ll certainly be buying from each of these beautiful indie knitters this year.

Old Maiden Aunt Alpaca silk cashmere Shoormal Continue reading →