Back in this post from February 2017, I set myself a handful of knitting goals in the hope of building my skills as a knitter and stumbling upon new fibres and producers. So 12 months on….how did I do?
Knitting
All things knitting and knitwear, at the heart of what Shortrounds is all about!
#2018makenine
Happy 2018 everyone!
If you haven’t already discovered this amazing #2018makenine doing the rounds on Instagram, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
I think this is a great alternative to setting resolutions for the new year. When do we ever really stick to them?
So I’m 100% jumping on this bang wagon and setting myself nine ‘makes’ for 2018. With the benefit of experience from last year’s reading challenge, I know my goals/projects change and adapt throughout the course of a year, so expect this list of nine to mould and transform across the next 12 months. But for now, here are the nine I’m hoping to tackle and complete this year!
Which nine projects are you hoping to tick off your list in 2018?
Turning the back page on 2017
It’s unbelievable to me that it is December 2017. This year has delivered the highest highs and the lowest lows for me in all of my 30 years. I turned 30 this year, and rather than shy away and fear the big 3-0, I’ve welcomed it, I mean…I knit, live most of my life in my pyjamas and prefer nights in to nights out. I’m 30 going on 80. Continue reading
Black Friday x Small Business
It’s that weekend again!
And if you head on over to my Ravelry store at any point this weekend, I’m offering 25% off all patterns until midnight GMT Monday. All you have to do is enter ITSTHATWEEKEND25 at checkout and you’ll receive your discount.
Latest yarn haul
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!
Hessian shawl knitting pattern
I’m so excited to share with you my latest pattern release, which goes on sale today over on Ravelry!
What’s on my knit list?
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.
A year of Hessian Baby Blankets
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
Best of British yarn – part 2
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.
Pick of the patterns
In the run up to me hosting two beginner knitting workshops next weekend, I’ve been reflecting on the basic techniques and starting from the very beginning. So I thought I’d share a little round up of great patterns and a few quick knits perfect for knitting newbies, or crafters wanting to push their skills to the next level!
Flax and Twine – Simple knit basket pattern
