Searching for Colour in London

I popped down to the Big Smoke for a little burst of colour on a dreary November day and I of course found it at Cornelissen & Son.

I love going in here, it's just along from the British Museum so we pass it a lot.

The window is always so tempting.

I went to see the new Living with the Gods exhibition at The British Museum, it was interesting but not a patch on Scythians - I may have to see that again before it closes.  My actual mission was the Jasper Johns exhibition at the RA which was so so.  I did manage a little pattern shopping at Liberty and a mooch around fashion, this little teal and orange number took my fancy but I'd need permanently bent arms to carry it off!

A bite to eat at Hakasan rounded the trip off nicely.

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Winter Colour

London Underground, the last of my precious moquette.

Marimekko

Hand knit Shetland.

Hand knit walnut dyed lace.

Shetland tweed.

The next Shetland project, trying to decide on the perfect combo...

it had to be done!

Autumnal Making

It's been a busy few weeks here,  in half term we popped down to the British Museum to see Scythians - warriors of ancient Siberia, my aspiring archeologist and I can highly recommend it, we'd never seen anything like it.  

On the making front I've been hard at it.  While in Shetland I saw a lot of gorgeous knitwear, it's funny that seeing something in the flesh can make you desperate to knit it.  This was one such item of knitted goodness, it was in last years Wool Week annual, Sanik Shawl by Donna Smith and I had't given it a second glance but on a fellow student in one of my classes it was fab.  I am a big fan of Ultra, 50% Shetland 50% Lambswool so very light and very soft - I knit a big hap in it after spotting one on a knitter at 2016 Wool Week.  I headed over to Jamieson's to find a couple of balls Ultra for the border,  I had the Eesit in my stash and I went for Seascape and Titanic.  I cast-on on the flight home and it flew off the needles.

Last years trip took me to the Jamieson's factory in Sandness where I acquired some oiled cones, this one was 50% lambswool again but thicker than the Ultra, I teamed it with some Kauni and knit up an Elizabeth Zimmermann Henley, basically a formula that you use to make whatever you want.  Knit in the round and steeked this one had just been waiting around for buttons.

This one was hot off the needles for Shetland, Asa Tricosa's Mayhem cardigan,  I spotted it on the Ginger Twist stand at EYF and knit it up in Pirkkalanka from the fabulous Midwinter Yarns.  The clever thing about this design is that it's knit in one piece - just picking up the sleeves - but it's not a yoke or raglan,  you cast -on a shoulder and sort of build it up as you go.  

I've had this alpaca pom pom hanging around for a few years and I decided it's time had come, a very quick 16 Cable Hat from Circe Belles Boucles.

My fellow student in Shetland, Sarah - of the Sanik - also had some great little wrist warmers which she very kindly sat down and wrote out the pattern for me and here they are in some Ultra left overs!

I've had plenty of help in the studio from Percy and Queenie, we had a big tidy-up,

I think this trio may be off to join the circus.

I made myself a poncho from some Shetland Tweed, from Jamieson's at Sandness.

I've cut out a couple more for the shop, this is the first one out of the gates.

I've been busy with some vintage needlepoints, here's the first one in the shop.

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