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Burra Bears Part 1

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Why do I want to have my own burra bear as a keepsake for our visit to Shetland? Mainly, because they are absolutely the cutest bear I have seen in a very long time.
I’ve been dreaming about my burra bear over the last few months while I’ve been sorting through all the gorgeous shetland wool I brought home with me from Shetland… I emailed Wendy Inkster who makes these gorgeous bears, in early November and then, I had to embark on Christmas present knitting and my Burra Bear project ended up on the back burner. But I have not forgotten this bear.

Burra-Bears-1[Read More]

Modern Fair Isle Knitting on Shetland

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Knitting-Collage-Shetland

If like me, you visit Shetland on the trail of fair isle knitting, you won’t want to just look at the beautiful vintage examples in the museums, you’ll also want to see the modern pieces which you will see everywhere. Many of these are inspired by the vintage fair isle knitting traditions but the knitter’s on Shetland have taken the traditional techniques and patterns in new directions.[Read More]

Opal Schafpate Hat & Fingerless Mitts

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The Opal Schafpate Hat & Fingerless Mitts were knit for my mother-in-law as part of her Christmas present. My mother-in-law loves walking and belongs to a couple of walking groups so I thought this would be a useful present for her. She loves to wear subtle colours so I opted for the Opal Schafpate VII Alpine Flower 8903. Choose your favourite opal Schafpate sock yarn in the yarn shop.

Schafepate Hat & Fingerless Mitts

This is my Sock Head Slouch Hat No2. It was knit using the shorter length of the Sock Head Slouch Hat designed by Kelly McClure.[Read More]

Sea Blues Leftover Sock Yarn Socks

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The Sea Blues Leftover Sock Yarn Socks used the 4 yarns that were used in the Blue Fair Isle Leftovers Socks with the addition of a 5th yarn. One was a commercial sock yarn and the other four yarns were indie hand dyed yarns. As is often the case with remnants of sock yarn the tags and labels have been lost or mislaid or have ended up in my bag of labels from previous projects. If I’d been sensible, I’d have tied a piece of the yarn around the label or to the tag, but I wasn’t really thinking ahead.

Sea Blues Leftover Sock Yarn Socks[Read More]

Laced with Magic

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Every thing is finally working out for Chloe Hobbs, half sorceress half human and mayor of Sugar Maple, Vermont. That is until her lover’s ex turns up claiming to be haunted by her dead child – in Laced With Magic by Barbara Bretton.

Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton

As well as being mayor of Sugar Maple, Chloe is the owner of a celebrated knitting shop. The shop is so popular that at times Chloe has difficulty keeping up with requests for yarn. Chloe sometimes wonders if its popularity is due to some kind of spell that has been cast over it. Yes Sugar Maple is inhabited by supernatural creatures. And after years of waiting, Chloe has finally been able to find her magical powers. She has also managed to keep the residents of the town safe by banishing Isadora, a power hungry fae.[Read More]

Winter Moon Hat & Cochal Cowl

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Hot on the heels of knitting my Sockhead Slouch Hats using 4ply sock yarn, I decided that I’d like a thicker DK weight hat for the cold morning walks on the beach with Bene. Even though we’re into March, the morning walks are seldom above 2 degrees celsius and often in driving rain.

Opal Winter Moon Hat & Cochal Cowl

I love all the colours in the Opal Winter Moon 8ply sock yarn collection but decided that I’d like to use 8925 Jingle Bells. When I first cast on, I thought it was a straightforward colour combination of tones of blue and red.[Read More]

Cashmerino Aran Crochet Throw – Pt 1

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I’ve a very exciting holiday coming up this year. My mum and I are going on a road trip together around the Southern part of Ireland. It will be the first holiday that we have had together and I’m really looking forward to it. We have the cottages booked for a week in County Kerry and a week in Connemara.

I always love to have a few projects that I can photograph when I am on holiday. As I only have a few months before we go I decided that I’d like to crochet a throw for the trip.

Cashmerino Crochet Throw 2

I haven’t done any crochet for a long time, well not since I turned my granny square blanket project into a granny square scarf…[Read More]

Lang Jawoll Magic Striped Socks

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I love knitting with the Lang Jawoll Magic Stripes sock yarn. The yarn has a slightly fuzzy feel when you’re knitting with it that turns into a beautiful halo to the finished sock. But on a cold morning walk, on the beach, the three pairs of socks I have knit for myself using this yarn are always the ones I reach for first. The socks are just so warm.

Lang Jawoll Magic Striped Socks Colour 840046

These gorgeous Lang Jawoll Magic Striped Socks are knit using the colour 840046 on 2.75mm Clover bamboo double-pointed needles. This yarn has such a long colour repeat that I really didn’t attempt to knit matching socks so they are a fraternal pair which I think adds to their beauty.[Read More]

WYS Holly Berry Christmas Socks

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When the WYS Holly Berry Christmas yarn and the delectable Cherry Drop arrived into Knitting Squirrel’s Yarnshop in December, it was accompanied by the free WYS Holly Berry Christmas Socks pattern designed by Emma Wright. My mum fell in love with these socks when she saw the pattern, so I decided to knit them for her for Christmas.

WYS Holly Berry Christmas Socks

I was a little late casting on these socks and wasn’t at all sure that they would be finished in time! Which, is also the case with this post which I had intended to post in mid January!! It seems a little bizarre to be writing a post about Holly Berry Christmas Socks in February but better late than never?

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