It’s been a little while since I wrote an actual ‘blog post’, so I thought a return to an old format might be a good place to get started with this post. Here’s a little ‘Here & Now’ for April.

Loving // The perfect weather we’re getting right now and spending time baking
Eating // Right now?….chocolate! (It is Easter, after all!)
Drinking // Ginger tea (made with freshly grated ginger and a dash of honey)
Feeling // Refreshed and relaxed after a long, slow weekend spent knitting, baking and just being
Making // An Adira Top in organic cotton, socks and plans for my next cast-on (project details after this list, scroll right to the bottom for patterns & yarn)
Thinking // About the week ahead and what’s for dinner
Dreaming // Of long walks on the beach and time spent gardening

Aside from everything else that’s happening around the world, on a personal front, it’s been a busy time here. Autumn is always busy when you own a yarn shop, and I’ve been delighting in receiving and sending many, many balls of wool. As a small business owner, I’m privileged to often get to chat with people (via email) about their projects - I get to be a part of the planning process, the colour selection and also see what the yarn actually ends up becoming. It’s really lovely.

Lately, I’ve also been getting back into tutorial filming. I’m working on my next online course at the moment, to run alongside the Sock Knitting Club. This next one will be about my favourite kind of knitting - stranded colourwork (Fair Isle). I’ve also been filming some free tutorials to compliment my Peckish (the little hen) knitting pattern, which you may have seen on the blog here.

With all of this happening, I welcomed the Easter long weekend with open arms. It’s been a lovely chance to catch up on my own knitting projects and plan out some new ones.
I’m currently working on two main projects - an organic cotton summer top (which I will also be able to wear in the current autumn weather, maybe with jeans). I’m knitting Adira, a new Truly Myrtle pattern. So far it’s been delightful to make. The construction is simple yet interesting. As it’s worked from the top-down all I have left to do now is knit, knit, knit until the top is the length I like. The perfect, relaxing project.

As I mentioned before, Autumn is busy in a yarn shop. There have been some lovely big boxes of wool arriving. Some were new Nettle Sock Yarn, which led to me casting on a pair of socks. I couldn’t help myself, and socks are such a great little project to have on the go alongside larger ones.

For this WIP I’m returning to a pattern I love - Rose Hip Socks by Verena Cohrs. This cabled sock is worked from the toe-up, which is the opposite way to how I prefer to work my socks. I don’t mind working socks this way, though, so couldn’t be bothered changing the pattern around, along it could be very easily done.

The other new yarn that has arrived is Bellissimo 4, a delightful fingering weight extra fine merino in the prettiest colours. I’ve decided to use this yarn for a Balmaha jumper by Kate Davies, a design I’ve been admiring for ages now. I’m going to be good, though, and finish knitting Adira before I cast this one on. Which is extra motivation to get it finished quickly!

What have you been making lately?
I hope you’ve had a good long weekend wherever you are.

Until next time, happy knitting!
Sarah

Details for all projects mentioned:

Adira Top
Pattern: Adira by Truly Myrtle
Yarn: KPC Gossyp 4ply in Rainforest

Rose Hip Socks
Pattern: Rose Hip Socks by Verena Cohrs
Yarn: Onion Nettle Sock in Powder

Balmaha
Pattern: Balmaha by Kate Davies
Yarn: Bellissimo 4 (I’ll share the colours I’ve chosen in another post)

Here & Now + Long Weekend Knitting