All the shawls

Fuss Free Festival Shawl in yarn from Countess Ablaze 

There has been a lot of discussion over on the Everyday Knitters Facebook group about shawls and shawl patterns and I'm finding it so inspirational seeing everyone's choices and shawls in progress.

If you are looking for inspiration there is another facebook group recently started by Victoria of Eden Cottage Yarns. I know that some people aren't huge Facebook fans but there is an app - called Facebook groups appropriately enough - which allows you to not have Facebook at all on your phone or device. You can use the app to access groups but nothing else - perfect for getting your daily dose of knitting.

Anyway, there are several threads over on The ECY Garden all about recommendations for 2-colour and 3-colour shawls. Perfect if you are looking for a bit of shawl inspiration.

If you are completely new to shawls and looking for some ideas I've put together a few suggestions to get you started:

Hitchhiker by Martina Behm: a long, wrappable garter stitch shawl knit on the bias.

Knit Me by Louise Zass-Bangham: more wrappable garter stitch with a different construction.

Spindrift by Curious Handmade - beautifully simple shawl with super clear instructions.

Fuss Free Festival Shawl by Me - a garter stitch shawl knit on the bias.

Of course you are more than welcome to choose whichever pattern you want for our April shawl challenge but these are just some to start with. If you would rather pick up a WIP and work on that, that's absolutely fine. And if you really aren't into shawls then why not try a cowl instead?

There's something for everyone. The most important thing is that you pick up some fun yarn and enjoy the process.

Yewbarrow Socks

It makes me very happy to be able to send my latest sock design out into the world today.

Yewbarrow is a fabulous, accessible mountain in Wasdale in the Lake District. Perfect for our boys when they were smaller to stretch their mountain legs and get used to steep rock scrambles and uneven terrain.

Viewed from the lakeside Yewbarrow looks formidable but once the first rocky ascent is done it is actually a pretty easy walk. Likewise these toe-up socks look complicated but the cable pattern is actually a very easy repeat to memorise.

You can purchase the pattern and find all the details on Ravelry - please use code YEWBARROW20 for a 20% discount. If you are a newsletter subscriber though please check your email for an exclusive code.

Making something out of nothing

The art of creating something from nothing: otherwise known as Judy’s magic cast on

No matter how many pairs of socks I make I never fail to be amazed by the sheer ingenuity, the brilliance and the downright magic of Judy’s magic cast on.

First popularised in the now-famous Knitty article the simple series of steps has revolutionised the world of the toe-up knitter and brought joy to the heart of all those knitters who secretly wish that Lord Kitchener had never dreamt up the eponymous stitch for closing a toe.

The beauty of the JMCO is that it magically creates two rows of live stitches from nothing with no need for a provisional cast on or other fibre faffing.

Hold the two yarn ends with finger and thumb, wrap the yarn around the needles just so, knit 2 tiny rows and there you have it - a perfect, seamless, baby sock toe. 5 minutes ago it didn’t exist and now it does. Sheer magic which never fails to amaze me as I stop to admire the stitches that have appeared between my needles.

It’s true that it does take a little while to get to grips with the wrapping, and the first 2 rows can be a little fiddly but once you have those mastered it you can cast on a pair of socks in less time than it takes to boil the kettle. And in the time it takes for your coffee to reach an acceptable drinking temperature you can have a fully fledged sock toe, ready to shove in your handbag and keep you company on your daily travels.

The original article is well worth reading on this subject - it explains everything brilliantly and far better than I can. If you want to see a demo in action I can highly recommend Clare Devine of Knit Share Love who has a fantastic video. Alternatively, check out this link for an video tutorial.

Like anything worthwhile it can take a few goes before you have the technique down pat, but once you do you can whip out your needles and a cake of yarn and before you know it - you’ll be knitting a sock.

A celebration requires cake

Unbelievably I had no cake on hand yesterday and when I noticed that membership of the Everyday Knitter Facebook group had crept past the 2000 mark I felt as though a small celebration was called for. 

Still, a yarn cake was almost the same thing and I promise that no yarn was harmed in the making of this photo.

I am really thrilled and genuinely delighted that so many like minded people have joined in the online community that we have created. Focussing on inspiration, education and fun it's the group I go to first thing every morning and it has undoubtedly made my Facebook feed a lot more fun.

Thank you to all who have helped to make the group what it is, and if you haven't joined yet why not pop over there and give us a try.

All are welcome...just bring cake 

Hurry up...

If force of will alone were sufficient this shawl would have been finished days ago. It has reached the point where I am willing it to be finished. Willing those last 20 to 30g of yarn to form themselves into neat little garter stitches just so that I can whip the thing off my needles and wrap it around my neck.

As the end of a project approaches there are usually a variety of emotions which include, but are not limited to relief, frustration, joy or pride.  With some projects you are having so much fun knitting them that the end almost creeps up on you and catches you unawares. Some you finish with a sense of relief, a sense of duty done and you can finally set it aside and work on something more joyful. But never, I don't think have I wanted to cast off a project so badly.

Not because I'm not enjoying it - it is fabulous easy and soothing knitting. Not because I don't like the yarn or the project - both are lovely and a delight to work on. 

It's just that this shawl sums up everything about this fleeting season that I love. Bright sunny days (sometimes), beautiful cherry blossom, fresh vibrant green buds and slightly grey, misty mornings. All summed up in garter stitch goodness just waiting to be wrapped around my neck.

So, armed with strong coffee and a packet of chocolate digestive I've set myself the task of getting to the picot bind off by bedtime tonight. Wish me luck...

Strong coffee and strong stripes

After a few weeks of being missing in action I am pleased to report that my sock knitting mojo has returned. It seems like a different lifetime ago that I cast on these socks in a coffee shop in London whilst DH waited for his knee surgery. For the past few weeks I just haven't felt like knitting on socks at all but at the weekend I picked these up and with renewed joy sat down to watch the magic of these simple stripes unfolding.

I only intended to work a few rounds but before I knew it the leg of the sock whizzed by and I found myself at the cuff. This yarn comes in 2 perfectly matching 50g skeins so I know need to wind the other one before I jump in the car this morning. The yarn is one of the Star Wars series by the US dyer Must Stash Yarns and this is the Hans Solo colourway. 

It's a sure sign that my sock mojo has returned - the thought of leaving the house without a sock WIP is enough to cause consternation and distress. What if I'm stuck in traffic? So the sock WIP returns to my passenger seat and all is right with the world.