New design for Simply Knitting in this month's issue!

Yippee! I've finally got my design mojo back and this month I have my latest design featured in Simply Knitting : )

This month is a cute little stripy top with a "how to" feature on knitting in the round (esp. dealing with those dreaded "jogless" stripes!).

I hope the evidence of dyeing all the yarn for the new colour range isn't obvious on my little paws (yes, they are my hands in those pics, honest!). I spent hours scrubbing and manicuring them, although Pete maintains he still spent ages airbrushing me to make them look neater!

Speaking of the new hand-dyed range, it is in my lovely lambswool/angora/cashmere DK yarn - absolutely soft and squishable and substitutable into most DK patterns. The pic above is "Sea blue-green" for those who like their knitting bright. For those who like something a bit more subtle, check out "Camouflage", coral and denim (yes, I can do subtle!). Oh, nearly forgot, there's a special offer price for Simply Knitting readers, too : )

Next month is the matching jacket and the "how-to" topic is "steeking". And I'll be teaching steeking at Baa Ram Ewe in Leeds if you'd like to learn how to cut your knitting with me alongside you to cheer you on!

February club pics - Midnight and Stormy Skies

Bit of a proverbial with last month's sock club as I forgot to take any pics at all and the extras were snapped up before I realised they'd all gone. So, if you have a pic (yarn or knitted up!) that you wouldn't mind me using, I'd be eternally grateful : )

I did, however, get my act together for the fibre clubs....

Roving medley (in merino/tencel), colourway "Stormy Skies" (no prizes for guessing the inspiration for this month!).


And Fibre Adventure club in a yummy combination of bamboo roving, merino/tencel and some gorgeous Romney fleece.

Spring!

My first gardening foray of the year and here's what I did.....

I found the madder I planted last year survived the winter, despite it's less than ideal growing spot - yippee!


The front garden looked much better after a bit of a makeover

Before:


During:

After:

(I also needed a makeover - specifically, a long soak in the bath to soothe my tired limbs and a footspa!). Luckily you have been spared the prospect of that photo!

But, I also spotted these:
Lots of frog spawn!!!

(Photographed it while it lasts. Usually the fish eat a good half of them - yuck!). Hopefully there will be enough left to ensure we get at least some frogs later in the year. I need them to eat the bazillions of snails and slugs that insist on munching on my dyeplants and lupins : (