Knitting

  • English tops,  Knitting,  knitting therapy,  Spinning

    Reconnecting with ‘The Wheel’

    Oh dear, I didn’t realise it was SO long since I have posted on my blog. I thought it was only a few months ago… ummm… Weeeell, it was only eleven of them… Oooops. Never mind, it has been go, go, go with work at Aurora House but for the last couple of days, I’ve pulled my wheel out and taken some time to relax and restore – she was complaining loudly about being so neglected – and have been spinning English tops, though I cannot for the life of me remember what fleece it is. Even though its spinning up nicely, its quite coarse so will probably use it…

  • handspun yarn,  Knitting,  Le Tour de France,  rib stitch,  Spinning

    Winter Warmer Handspun Scarf

    Brrrrrr… With the cooler weather in the northern hemisphere already set in, and starting to think about it in the southern climes, the time is nigh to set the wheels in motion for making sure that keeping warm this winter will be a comfortable affair, so knitting has commenced! The first ‘knit off the block’ is a handspun, scarf with the addition of colourful flecks to enhance that winter coat or sweater. I decided to be cheeky and add a teaser. This scarf is a chunky weight and will be medium length. It’s still in its early stages – I knitted as I was watching Santos Tour Down Under, though…

  • Exercise,  handspun yarn,  Health,  Knitting,  Spinning,  wellbeing,  Yoga

    Yoga for Spinners and Knitters

    Stiffness and limited movement can become a problem for many spinners and knitters. Extra exercise and movement will help to re-mobilise those stiff shoulders, wrists and joints. I found this Yoga video when looking for something to re-mobilise myself and thought I’d share it with everyone. After only the one session, I already feel a difference and intend to work with it every day.You don’t have to be ‘Senior’ to reap the rewards! Esther is using a fold-up chair but I recommend using a dining chair or one that is solid. Fold-up chairs can be a little flimsy and tend to topple over. Once you know the moves, you can…

  • East Friesian,  fleece,  knitted socks,  Knitting,  Spinning,  wool,  yarn

    A New East Friesian Fleece for Spinning

    It has been a marvelous week, I’ve had the place totally to myself. And guess what? Fleece and spinning abound – spread from one end to the other! If anyone is thinking about taking up spinning – beware. It’s addictive! Once you pick up that spindle, or treadle that wheel, there is no turning back. Your home will become a vast fibre studio with stash hidden in every spare, or not so spare, space imaginable. My new East Friesian fleece arrived earlier in the week and I’ve been boxing it up for safe storage away from any moths. Moths hate newpaper, so that is what my storage consists of. And…

  • Knitting,  sock pattern,  socks,  wool

    Socks, and More Socks

    Seems the ‘sock bug’ is going around. And I caught it. After recently completing one pair of socks, I immediately started on more – for my granddaughter. Thank goodness they are a good fit, or Nana would be in trouble! And she loves them – especially for sliding around on the wooden floorboards…

  • A Krafty Catch,  Alpacas,  Brandlady.com,  corridale,  Handspun,  Knitting,  knitting therapy,  needles

    Handspun Corridale/Alpaca Cardigan in the Making

    Seems I am not very prolific on my blog at the moment – much of my time is being taken up with my online women’s wellbeing magazine Brandlady.com. I have been updating and streamlining the article submission area to make it easier for writers to submit their work. And also adding a few things to the magazine. One addition is “In the News” which is being hosted by Clare Hudd of A Krafty Catch. She will report on items of interest specifically relating to women, the new “Army Couture” currently taking pride of place. On the knitting front, I’m still awaiting delivery of my knitting needles. Having discovered I needed…

  • France,  granddaughter,  Knitting,  mittens

    Knitting on a ‘Go Slow’

    Don’t know about France being on a go slow with the new retirement age reform, but at this end of the world the knitting side of things is definitely on a go slow. Not from choice however, more from a case of being distracted with other happenings in the household. At least I have one mitten completed and the other well underway. A bit of domestic news – thank goodness we missed most of the high winds and floods that seem to have found most people down the east coast – only a couple of showers of rain and very little wind. With kids back at school, its time to…

  • Knitting,  knitting therapy,  research

    Knitting for Therapy

    Those of us who have been knitting for many years do not think about it as being a therapy, we just carry on regardless. But for newcomers, particularly those with pain or other health problems, knitting can be a lifesaver – literally. The advantages far outweigh any minor disadvantages, like cost of supplies. When it comes to health, one always, or nearly always, does what is best for yourself. Knitting is proving to be one of the ‘must do’ practical self-help therapies. Besides which, once started, it becomes very addictive with some, if they can, moving on to dyeing their own yarn or spinning their own wool. Not to get…

  • Knitting,  multicolour yarn,  scarf

    Multicoloured Knitting Yarns

    Shopping should be banned! It’s the most time-wasting, no-entity there is on this planet. Whoever says they like shopping, food shopping that is, ought to be banished to Mars. After the weekly drudge of trawling through the supermarket, waiting in loooong queues at the checkout, then having to drag the bags into the car, I think we all deserve the best glass of wine there is to offer. Plus it takes us away from the most important occupation – Knitting. And talking about knitting, the ‘quick scarf’ I started last week is finished. A little disappointing and annoying as whoever was at the winding machine in the factory to create…

  • continental knitting,  Knitting,  needles,  wool. left-handed knitting

    Anyone for Continental Knitting?

    It’s definitely a learning curve. Using the wool in the wrong hand, holding the needles differently – its like driving on the wrong side of the road, in the wrong side of the car… But, it doesn’t take long to pick it up. This afternoon is the first time I have attempted left-handed knitting – even though I am a left-handed person – and after a few stumbles for an hour or so, I had it. Now I just have to keep it. That means practicing, regularly. Well, I am knitting a plain garter stitch scarf as well as the lacy one, so that will be a good opportunity to…