Freddies handmade jewellery

Tuesday, 9 February 2016

The Long And Winding Road - my Beatles journey with my Dad

I am now a very proud Beatles fan and joined my Dad in a life-changing trip around Liverpool Last September. But I wasn't always brave enough to share my Beatlemania with others.

I think Dad introduced me to the Beatles when I was 13. It was one of the Christmasses where I'd asked for stacks of CDs, one of which was the Beatles' 1 album which had come out that year.

Dad has always been a huge influence on my music tastes [Strawberry Field, Liverpool]

I forget why I'd asked for it never having been a Beatles Fan before. But it came from Dad.

My new CDs came upstairs to play in my discman on Christmas night (I was staying in Uncle Bob's room with my Mum) and listening to it from start to finish. And then I listened to it again and again , and again until eventually, I fell asleep.

Beatlemania quickly took hold [The Beatles Story, Liverpool]


It was a good Christmas.

Beatlemania quickly took hold and before I knew it I was 'borrowing' dad's CDs and started to become a bit obsessed. I kept most of these - sorry Dad, we can work it out!

My music tastes didn't exactly help me to fit in at school - I remember working on my maths coursework while getting to know The White Album [now up there with my favourite albums of all time] but was never really brave enough to discuss my fandom with my school peers.
A very beautiful, and very rare print of The White Album which I spotted at The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool
Knitting was weird enough to them (and I was a prolific knitter as a teenager) but 'old' music too? I'd never admit it. But I was desperate to express it somehow.

I found an outlet eventually, joining a band with some older kids from another school who were a bit more open-minded. We jammed out a bit to Beatles songs from time to time.
I couldn't keep up with the older kids and as is the way with teen bands, it didn't end well.

My teens were a tricky time anyway and to escape it all I seemed to develop a love for what I can only describe as 'all things psychadelic'.

I adore my amazing technicolour bedsheets which I comissioned and had made especially for me.
 I took up painting bold Andy Warhol inspired prints of celebrities and making bracelet after bracelet in colourful beads. I don't know what possessed me to take up oils though - the mixers I used meant the damn things never dried, and ended up in the bin!
I'd feathered my nest with this completely pointless box of acrylic yarn without noticing over the last few months - I don't even remember doing it!
For a few years, everything I owned just had to be electric blue or as brightly coloured as scientifically possible - it's a sensory comfort I still fall back on today (I only made this connection of colour to stress on a sensory therapy training course years later).
I was gutted to discover recently that the band don't voice themselves in movie Yellow Submarine though [The Beatles Story, Liverpool]
So in retrospect it's not at all surprising that around that time when I was introduced to the film Yellow Submarine, I was hooked!

Somewhat irrelevant - David Bowie with a very similar cutout of the animated Yellow Submairne Beatles (I just love this picture!)

I'm still bonkers about it today although, having shown it to the fella, he's convinced that the film is too 'off it's tits', and could be considered terrifying to small children.

I don't agree.

The Blue Meanies in Yellow Submarine [The Beatles Story, Liverpool]

Having bagsied first class seat from Euston, Dad and I enjoyed a 'festive' journey and were three sheets to the wind (at least!) when we arrived in Liverpool.

We soaked up some of the booze with a Wetherspoons fry-up and dragged our luggage to The Hard Day's Night Hotel. We had arrived.

The print in our room showed Brian Epstein with George Harrison
We parked our bums just long enough for a cup of tea and then headed out on the town for a bit of a wander, starting with the very famous Matthew Street.

 
We stopped for a pint at a pub called The Grapes where this very early, very famous photo of the boys was taken. Then we stuck our head around the door at a few of the shops...
Each and every store along Matthew Street is stuffed from floor to ceiling with an ecclectic mix of Beatles collectibles
....before finishing up at Albert Docks at dusk for a bit of a stroll. It was a really beautiful evening.

We'd timed it well though, having walked straight into museum The Beatles Story, which had an hour until closing. We figured we'd make the most of the day and end the afternoon there.
It was an excellent museum with some increcible exhibits for fans - do go if you can!

There were some incredible sights in the museum including John Lennon's glasses [bent from an argument with Yoko when he'd slung them into a bin in a rage] and a bizarre banned album cover which shows band members covered in slabs of meat and plastic body parts.
If you have a copy somewhere, it's worth a fortune. Also, yuk.
The museum does seem to cover the very early and very late period in the band's career with a disappointing 20 years [or so it seemed] skipped in the middle.

It did have an excellent, excellent gift shop though.



Albert Docks looked particularly stunning at sunset.
The next morning, The Magical Mystery Tour was waiting to take us away! 

We were driven around Liverpool for two hours by a very charismatic northern guide and enjoyed stopping at fascinating Beatley sights, including Penny Lane, Strawberry Field (did you know this was a children's home?!) and the band members' childhood homes.


Nearing the end of the tour, we got off the bus and walked up the road on an unseasonably warm day for that part of Liverpool, for that time of year. 

We had stopped at John Lennon's house.


I couldn't really put my finger on it but it moved me to stand there.

I think it was thinking about his mother who after a long absence in his life, had died in a car accident nearby. Julia is one of my favourite songs and was written in her memory after she'd passed away.



That pretty much ended the tour - we drove back, grabbed a bite and jumped on the famous Mersey ferry.

We boarded the ferry just next to the Liver Buildings - see the bird on top? Hence the term, 'Liver Bird'!
Before we'd even boarded what was set to be a very placid and relaxing boat ride, just outside waiting were this colourful array of dancers - some of hundreds of people crowding the banks of the Mersey celebrating a Hindu festival with drums and festivities.
All 800 boarded the ferry with us, drums in hand. It was a noisy roiund trip!
After our very noisy ferry ride chatting to friendly locals (which was all very enjoyable, I might add), we headed back to the hotel and got ready for an evening at the famous Cavern Club.
Situated entirely below ground, it takes three flights of stairs just to get in!


It's not the famous early Beatles venue as you might think - it's actually a replicated version which is slightly larger [and safer] situated across the road from the original club which was great, great fun. We didn't just 'go', we had tickets to see the resident Beatles tribute band who were EXCELLENT!

You'd never tell, but the George is actually a stand-in. The first time I'd ever seen a stand-in imitation George and he was awesome! We decided that Paul looked a lot like my Dad's brother, Edd - but that won't mean a lot to you (although for us, slightly distracting!).

 
It was just so much fun - I sang my heart out and danced around like a crazy person, and although you could tell that the hardcore Beatles fans like us were not the majority (lots of tourists, I suppose), the atomsphere was full of energy.





The band even get the mannerisms of each band member down to a tee - they're total pro's!





Whilst we'd been out seeing the sights during the day, Matthew Street had started drinking heavily from about 3pm with their rollers still in (I always thought this was a northern myth!) so you can imagine what it was like out there when our show finished (and I was gutted when it was - it was soooo good!).

I scurried back to the hotel room and left my Dad went to buy himself some chips and take in the atmosphere (rather he than I!). I'm glad I did though because we had an early train the next morning and still wanted to take a trip to Crosby Beach. I'd never heard of the place - it was Dad's idea.



When we both woke up bleary-eyed on Sunday morning I could tell we were both feeling reluctant, but we made a train and hiked it to the beach. I have to tell you, I was completely awe struck the moment I laid eyes on the view over the grassy knolls.

Artist Anthony Gormley has created something I'd never before encountered, in this piece on Crosby Beach entitled Another Place.

100 unfeeling, corroded sculptures all stare directly out to sea (which, when the tide is out you can neither see nor hear, so the place is totally silent). All of the sculptures are identical, modelled on Gormely's own body.

Having rushed there first thing on a Sunday morning, there was no traffic noise, no fellow beach-goers, just the sound of ourselves and adistant hum of large machinery. It was quite frightening actually, but I am struggling to envoke exactly why.

If you walk out too far to sea, the sand becomes slicks of oil and pretty pink jellyfish.

I couldn't help but ask my 6-and-a-half foot father to stand amongst them although I think he probably thought I was mad. In trying to describe it? It almost felt as if we were sensorily deprived for the entire time we were there - almost as if we'd opted to seal off the vibrant colour, music and excitement of the previous two days with this eerie silence, cold and calm.

It was a surprising amount of activities to have fit into the three days and I do mean it when I say it was the trip of a lifetime - I couldn't bare for it to end. Coming home deeply depressing.

I think if anything ever happens to my life in London, I will be looking for flats in Liverpool, no question.

...I don't think Dad would need asking twice to come visit.
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Thursday, 4 February 2016

5 gorgeous sock yarns I really think you need in your life!

I think my beading phase is slowly fizzling out. In London, the weather FINALLY turned icy for the best part of two weeks (nearly all over now, though) and it got me itching to knit.

Usually that's a bad thing, because when I feel like doing some knitting, I usually feel like buying lovely knitting things.

This week's yarn spends set me back a cool 50 squids!

I often ponder this unhealthy thinking pattern of mine that is, the inability to do a thing without thinking of buying more materials to do the thing.

I liken it to the bizarre consideration that people can't put pants on in the morning without thinking about new pants. Is that a thing? No, right?

A good start is knowing how to put your pants on in the first place
For now, let's call it Yarnoholism.

Yarnoholics like myself (that's you!) may be interested in the following eye candy that I've come across this week. In advance of your enabling, fellow yarnaholics, you are most welcome.

Just don't buy it all before I get a chance to.

I really can't wait to get hold of some and have a good old play - although far more likely, it will probably sit in the pile of lovely things under the bed.

Meh. Still pretty.

1. Violet Lynx Dyeworks

I found Violet Lynx thanks to Wendy who I follow on Instagram (hi, Wendy!). How did you come accross these guys, Wendy? Marvel at the awesome gradient with me! Oooooohhhhhhhh....


I think the real seller for me was seeing it next to Wendy's cat, Loki. Who, in this picture, just so happens to be upside down. Loksided.


There's a slight kinked look to the surface of the knit (just me?) that implies a floppy, airy fibre - I do have some in my etsy basket ready to land, though. It's a lesser known brand with tiny quantities appearing on Ravelry stashes. Let's change that, shall we? Find them on etsy, here.

2. Opal Sweet And Spicy 3

I am deeply aggrieved that I was not emailed by each and every one of you to tell me that Opal have added a third reincarnation of their Opal Sweet & Spicy range.

My Jaywalkers from Opal's Sweet & Spicy 2 range, are among my favourite pairs of hand-knitted socks.







I knit socks all the time. All the time - in between projects I just pick 'em up and do a few rounds here and there. Before you know it, BOOM! Sock. KABOOM! Another sock.

Opal has always been one of my favourites because the colours do their own thing and I don't really have to look at what I'm doing. All I need to do is to tune in at the beginning, heel and the toe - to make sure the colours are matching up with the first sock. Easy!

The new shade range includes some more unisex shades (bar the fruity cocktail on the fair right, of course!)
Irritatingly, pretty much all of the Sweet And Spicy 1 & 2 ranges were far too adventurous for the fella to wear. Remember - he's mister black and navy blue.

In between each pair of socks for me, I do him a pair, so it's nice for me to be able to use the yarns I like. I'm eyeing up licorice while I write this with him in mind. I think I'll get away with that one.
I am guessing 9126 is 'Poppyseed' although it does look a bit virus like?
Saying that though, the poppyseedr (above, second from the right) is suitably mannish aswell. Surely there are only so many blue pairs I can do for him, though.

For Fredsocks, I'm fancying the fruity cocktail (9123) and the jelly sweets I'm probably too old for (9127). Worryingly, I can't ever remember buying a fruit colourway. Meh. Unhealthy knitting indeed.

3. Mothy & The Squid

Another insta-find - all you've got to do is take a look at my background on this page to see why I've gone gaga for the stuff. See any resemblance? Err... YES?

Apparently Mothyandthesquid are quite well-known in the indie knitting community, with quite a few Ravellers having stashed their stuff. I just adore the colours - bold, bright and clean shades for awesomely psychadelic socks.

Unsurprisingly, fellow fun sock fan Louise Tillbrook seems to feel the same. Let's have a look at how Louise's Mothy socks knitted up, shall we?


Just lovely, Louise! They really put a smile on my face.

If you're stuck for lovely sock patterns, check out Louise for those too. A girl after my own heart, she is - thinking of her projectsleaves the words 'happy' and  'feet' in my mind at all times.

4. Laughing Yaffle

I don't know what 'Yaffle' means, but it sounds like fun and I LOVE this name. I bought this ball from a fellow Raveller this week (I KNOW - I spoiled it with a picture at the beginning of this post!).

The ball called to me from a fellow Ravellers stash - and now it is mine!
 A smaller company, this yarn knits up in solid stripes and carries a little stellina sparkle (which although I love to stare at, have never actually made a pair of socks in it) much like Easyknits' Twinkle yarns, but with the fun stripes dyed in and for a few pennies less than Twinkle prices.

A photo posted by Miss Elle (@miss_elle_knits) on

5. Lang Jawoll Magic Degrade

I have had a rainbow ball of this yarn floating around for years. At least five.

I bought it on a trip to Newcastle to teach a toe-up sock workshop at my friend Anne's shop, The Knit Studio.

The partly knitted sock was still attached when I pulled it from my stash the other day
I headed up there on an evening after teaching a beginner's sock workshop at JL Sheffield for the lovely Rowan Consultant, Bev (at least, I think it was beginner's socks...) so had a full weekend of teaching in the north. It was a great trip overall. Lovely memories.

I stayed with Anne and her awesome cats which was really, really nice.

She showed me the Newcastle night life on my arrival (once was enough), and in the morning before the workshop she kindly drove me around some of the sights. It was really thoughtful because it was my first time in Newcastle.

I had a cold at the time, and had a cup of lemsip on the go by the time the workshop started. It was a small group of participants, 5 or 6 I think - but one woman sticks out in my mind because she would never show me her knitting, letalone let me touch it - for the entire day.

It was a long old day.

Each time she was stuck, it was as if I were blindfolded in answering her queries. I've not met a lady quite like her ever since and will never, ever forget her.


Needless to say that by the time the workshop finished I was exhausted. I'd definitely earned myself a little treat, so bought myself the above ball of Lang [amongst other things] in the hope of casting on a sock, on the train back to London that evening. A pleasurable journey of knitting. Picture it.

When I got to the station, the train was cancelled.

I stood on the platform for over an hour waiting for another train back to London, on a Sunday night, and now with no seating reservation. It was not a good end to my lovely trip up north.

I ended up sitting on the floor in between carriages, by the bog for four and a half hours. I'd started feeling all snotty again and it was bitterly cold in there.

I did cast on, and knitted the stub of a sock you see above. But the associated memory of the horrendous journey put me right off going back to it (I do have very strong emotional attachments to my knitting projects), so for many years, until last week, it was buried at the bottom of my knitting basket.



It was only when I bought this book on a Facebook recommendation that I felt it time to dig this poor, forgotten ball, out. Poor thing. Unloved. Not anynmore - I intend to cast on the front cover socks, soon.

You don't have to be sock-obsessed like I am, to want to use all these yarns. But it does help.

Remember, yarnoholics - knit responsibly!
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Monday, 25 January 2016

Really quite out of sight - knitting to remember David Bowie

Well the passing of David Bowie hit me incredibly hard - I wasn't anticipating the reaction that I had.

In my lifetime it is probably the biggest musical influence of my life that I've ever known to lose. Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston were all very well-known but they weren't as big a part of my musical life as Bowie was.



I came to know and love him when I was about 14 - I bought a best-of from Virgin Music to play on my Discman [that is, before my brother trashed the thing], which was my lifeline on the cycle to school [although probably super-dangerous, you ought to listen to the traffic, really!].

It only took a couple of months for me to become desperately hungry for more which led me to purchasing The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, which, I can honestly say changed my life completely, and for the better.

A photo posted by Crossroads (@crossroads_jp) on
This happenned over the summer holidays. A very awkward me shut myself away in a caravan bunk on a family holiday for weeks with my art gear and I was completely absorbed. I'm pretty sure my 'boyfriend' at the time had some something or other to offend my fragile teenage sensibilities too.

For years I'd roamed and roamed, and gazed a gazeless stare; it was time for a change.
For years and years I roamed, I gazed a gazeless stare.

Read More: Top 10 David Bowie Lyrics | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-bowie-lyrics/?trackback=tsmclip

Bowie's emergence as Ziggy inspired me to be the person I wanted to be. He told me It was Alright to be whatever and whoever I wanted to be. I admit, I took it a bit far, cutting off a good foot-and-a-half of unwanted curly hair, flushing it down the loo and dyeing a huge chunk of it blue. My mother was not pleased.

I kept the blue for 10+ years


For me though, the right thing to do. I am a deeply creative person and desperately needed to express myself.

I'd never been happier and although the following two years were a total whirlwind, hold some very fond memories for me. I'd give anything to do those two years all over again.

At age 15 I swapped my Spanish guitar for bass


...so I think that's why it hurt all the more when we lost him. Bowie's been on my shoulder ever since that fateful summer that changed my life, and it felt comarable to losing a very close family member.



I was inconsolable for a good 2 days at least, and am still mourning.
 



I haven't really known what to do with myself - Ben sat me down and made me finally listen to Heroes [at great reluctance - it broke my heart to hear it] as well as other greats I'd been avoiding. This inevitably led to a very cleansing bawling session.

I felt so much better afterwards. It did dawn on me though, that something more productive would probably be better still. I couldn't place quite what. Crafters all over the web have posted their tributes, and I couldn't hone in on what I wanted to do. At first I thought perhaps drawing, but it wasn't jumping at me.



Lo and behold, a knitting project fell in my lap - and I took it as a sign.

Currently my hands are free agents [a very, very rare thing] so have planned to make myself some garments, an indulgence I haven't had for a couple of years.

This gif which was shared by NME the day after he passed, really spoke to me for two reasons.

Firstly; the perfect example of Bowie's quick wit and fabulous sense of humour.  If you don't know what I'm talking about here, Bowie's answers to the Proust questionnaire will give you a heart-warming insight.

Secondly; the knit! In what colours? BLUE AND BLACK!!! My favouritest and ex-hair colour combo as inspired by Ziggy. The connection meant something but the coincidences just kept building...

Amazingly, the Bobs knew all of the above and THE VERY SAME DAY on my RECCOMENDED Ravelry feed, I ran into this:


By a designer I've been following for yonks no less - the very lovely Anna Richardson! Needless to say I was so excited that I cast on that very same evening with some King Cole DK I had knocking around in black and blue. All pieces had fallen into place, in the eeriest of ways.


Unsurprisingly, and at the great annoyance of my fiance, I've been knitting constantly ever since last Tuesday. Note the posh needles n the picture - they're my personal set of Dyakcrafts [an 'engagment present' from my Mum] which I'm usually too terrified to use in case I lose them.

(c) Crucci Yarns Ltd. A brighter colourway of this pattern.

My special needles only come out for the most precious of projects and this is no exception. Proof of just how much this knit means to me at this tough time.

We all ought to be proud of just how we have come together in marking the sad passing of our idol. Individually and together, united globally. It's mind-blowing.

On talking about the upcoming sing-along at Glasto with the rest of the office on Friday, I was moved by the thought that although Bowie was aware of his influence, did he truly understand the impact he had on quite this number of lives?

Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know...

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Tuesday, 17 November 2015

My latest crochet pattern for Woman's Weekly and why grey is full of surprises

I'm really chuffed to finally be able to show you my latest crochet design for Woman's Weekly Magazine.


It's been a true labour of love. I sketched ideas around Christmas 2014 before digging my crochet hook into the final item around February of this year.

My original sketches for what I'd envisioned


I finally handed the finished garment in at the end of the summer and let me say, it was an incredible feeling. I was really proud of it and am beaming now that it's finally made it to print!

This delicate shawl is worked on a 2mm hook. © Woman's Weekly
I've been playing around with fine crochet threads for a few years now. I adore the look of fine yarns in both knitting and crochet, so as soon as this brief came my way, I couldn't wait to get going.

I was particularly happy that the Knitting Editor opted for this cool grey. I adore grey.

Last year, I produced these fine crochet hanging decorations for Christmas © Woman's Weekly

Grey is and always has been one of my favourite colours for two important reasons.

Firstly, it's surprisingly easy to wear. Far more interesting than black, in garments it layers nicely with most colours and creates interesting colour combinations, than black never could.

Black's too easy to wear to the point of being predictable. We all do it. And it's not very nice to crochet with, because it's incredibly dark and impossible to see what your crochet hook is doing.

My favourite baby booklet of all time. I bought it with pocket money when I was about 13 and still knit from it today.

Secondly, it's an excellent unisex shade. It's a wonderful choice for baby knits and a refreshing alternative to sickly yellow or dull white (I really dislike white actually), especially these icy silvers I've shown you so far.

I must have knitted my fiance at least 15 things in grey over the years (although saying that, he only really wears grey, navy and black), but I know it's what he likes so there's really no point in me trying to push something more flamboyant on him. It wouldn't be worth my knitting time!
Here he is in the grey sweater I did him for Christmas last year. A nice easy-care (man-proof) Opal sock yarn.
I've always felt that we can mentally recolour items much more easily when the original is photographed having been made in pale, soft shades.

My felted brooch designs are great fun at crochet workshops © Woman's Weekly

Wishy-washy colours make me feel a bit ill - clear, cool shades are more my sort of thing.

A colour consultant I saw a few years ago sussed out which colours would suit me. Thankfully she confirmed that I was on the right track with the colours I already like to work with and wear, labelling me a 'clear winter' pallette.

For example, I've never worn gold, only silver and platinum. Gold just doesn't feel right when I put it on. Too warm!

Crocheting with wools is always a fiddly business. Fabrics can come out very dense and heavy, so I also prefer the finer yarns in life (namely DMC Petra and Anchor Freccia, or thinner).

As I mentioned earlier, I feel the same way about knitting. I just don't enjoy rigorous hand movements around big hooks and needles and I generally don't like the untidy finished fabrics. They don't stand up to the test of time, either.

A photo posted by Ash (@ajax_spraynwipe) on


I love the sky. Every time there is a meteor shower I drag Ben outdoors at 4am to see them. It makes you feel very small.

In the daytime London is very grey, but I like it. Moody clouds tell a story.

They're never really grey though. Whirls of purples, blue, orange and red. I could honestly stare at the clouds all day. There's a lot going on there. Totally mesmeric. I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do.

So enjoy my new pattern I do hope some of you give it a go. I've got it in mind for my future bridesmaids for sure! Happy crocheting everyone.

Read more of my crochet antics at Woman's Weekly's crochet page.


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Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Behind the scenes at Sarah Hazell's house, a KAL, and what Wovember means!

Sarah Hazell is, always has been and always will be, my mentor. I look up to her no end, and I was delighted to be invited for a sleepover last weekend!

But before I dish dish dish, allow me to regail you of how our relationship came to be.

Back in 2007, a select few Rowan Design Consultants gathered at a secret location (well, Hatfield) for initiation into the world of workshop tutoring. Learning with me was Margaret Rowan, Jenny Stilwell, Anne Makepeace, Sara Thornett and Sara Hayton [who since, sadly - has mysteriously vanished].
Sarah (above, right) was always a hugely popular workshop tutor
A 21-year-old me was paired up to be mentored by Sarah and I was completely enamoured with her. She's so cool, bubbly and ozzes passion about the craft. She lends a real sense of fun to her classes. I was totally inspired to be just like her.

A bubbly personality that runs through her whole house, right down to glassware!

She taught me to embrace my knitting strengths [ahem, socks if you haven't noticed] and to be proud of my passion for fibrecrafts, encouraging me to beam it outwards instead of hiding it from my peers in deep embarassment.

I learned a great deal from her and owe her my entire career really. Look at me now!

Sarah's (centre) exlusive poncho designs for Coats AW 2014
After years of working in the same circles, but at opposite ends of the country (she's from up Brummie and I'm a Londoner), opportunitied to work together were rare and we finally had the chance to teach a Christmas weekend knitting retreat together in Yorkshire in 2013.
 
My mum came along and the retreat was a total sellout. Let me tell you, it was such a giggle!

The following year I joined Woman's Weekly and waved goodbye to workshops of old in exchange for something shiny and new. I thought that would be the end of lovely Sarah and me, that I'd never really see her again.

I've always loved Sarah's bold and daring sense of colour
But boy was I wrong! We've been in touch more than ever and last weekend I was whisked off my feet after a workshop in Birmingham and was taken to knitting heaven! Eat your heart out Kaffe, this quirky knit studio is an ambience to be reckoned with.

The house is filled with fibre from floor to ceiling, on both floors. There is yarny greatness everywhere. It was very calming. It just felt... right. Comforting.

The whole studio is one big mood board
The entire living room [as well as other hidden spaces around the house] is devoted to design and bursting with brainstorms of yarn, inspiring images and colours.

There's a reason I call her Aunty Sarah [including when I answer the phone in the office]. She's always teaching me new things, this time introducing me to Wovember, which I'd never heard of!

Essentially Wovember runs through November [shocker!] and encourages the usage and wear of 100% wool. Well she's embraced this with both knitting hands - and designed a whole bunch of lovely things to encourage you to get involved. Meet the Slow Comfort collection;

Colour Block Hat pattern from Sarah's Slow Comfort collection
These 100% Blue faced Leicester hats are a kit which costs only £15 and are simple to make with a bold block colour change and some delightful travelling stitch textures. BFL has always been my fave sheep [dorky, but true] and if you find it a touch rough, just wash it in some of your favourite hair conditioner. It's yummy.

I must have said 'I like the blue one' like, 50 times. But... I like the blue one.

Sarah's daughter Phoebe rocks the yellow with her warm skintone and berry lips

The yellow and grey are nice too but my pale yellow-beige pallor isn't great with yellow - makes me look yellow! Bit jealous of the model really.

Modelled by the absolutely ruddy gorgeous Phoebs Hazell!
Picture it with me, knitters - there's lush knits tucked into every corner, including this above bad boy here [not Phoebs, the poncho!]. Knitted in Wendy Ramsdale yarn, Sarah's announced her first KAL which begins on the 28 November in the Ravelry Group. So get your butts in there and join in!

You can get your kit from the warm and welcoming Slow Comfort collection on sarah-hazell.com.

...there may even be prizes, who knows [well, I do - and there are!].

So yes, this was the reminiscent wooly Wovember goodness that wrapped up a drizzly weekend teaching in Brum. Like a big warm fuzzy cuddle. I had a wonderful time and I can't wait to come back up. And if that's not enough to make me desperate to go back, look who lives there, too!

Oscar is one of the two friendliest, happiest dogs I have ever met. The other is his sister Millie (not pictured)
Before I sign of though, all this talk of gorgeous Phoebs and fairy godknitter Sarah, it wouldn't be fair for me not to mention Sarah's other half, Paul.

....You're not so bad yourself, Paul. :) xxx

Happy Wovember, everyone!!


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