Did you see that the new issue of Wool People has gone up? With Jared Flood at the helm, each issue has a cozy, slightly old-fashioned but still modern feel to it. This one doesn’t disappoint. My favourites include the sweater in the middle here and also the shrug to the left here. Check out the lookbook at the end of the announcement post to see the full collection. Understandably, all the designs use his own yarn but I think those two patterns I picked out would be just as lofty and snug in the Jamieson Shetland. I’m pretty sure I will cast on for the sweater soon; I think it will make a great jumper for autumn.
I can’t help but turn my thoughts to autumn knitting already! Even my sewing plans, whilst still firmly in the throes of several cotton projects, have started to expand to include some wool pinafores. A wool pinafore! With a light wool cardigan over a cotton blouse! Or a light wool tunic over jeans, tucked into boots, with a woolly jumper on top. This is my problem: my sewing and knitting unite now to give me endless options and it will probably be next summer before I complete anything!
So, there are lots of things coming up. Don’t forget the Tour de Fleece is starting on Saturday! Check out letour.fr for all the stage details. I am quite sure there are many teams being organised through Ravelry – join up if you want some fun or just follow the threads if you need some inspiration. I won’t participate but I will certainly spin along to some of it. I have lots of Hedgehog Fibre and Laura Hogan fibre to keep me going. It’s great to see Laura back dying and spinning again! Her batts are like butter. And check out the Hedgehog site – Beata is going from strength to strength these days. She has moved into a proper studio that you can visit now. It’s definitely on my list for a road trip soon!
I can’t remember if I mentioned it here before, but the Constant Knitter moved into a beautiful new premises on Francis Street. There’s a studio upstairs where they hold their classes, and they have expanded into selling fabric and teaching sewing classes, too. And speaking of new fabric outlets, The Cloth Shop has opened a new shop just at the top of Sth. William Street – they have one already in Limerick. They sell Colette patterns, as well as a really good mixture of dress and home decor fabrics. Oil cloth, many types of jersey, wools, cottons, and – something that pleased me especially with the closure of Trimmings – a good variety of different weight muslin. These range from light to medium canvas to heavy burlap. Excellent for making bags or mats and not easily found.
I love This is Knit and Murphy Sheehy’s (and Rubanesque, and-and-and…) dearly but it is nice to have variety and choice. I read somewhere recently that everytime you spend money, you cast a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. I try and spread my pennies around to all of the local businesses that I love!
Sorry for the lack of photos, I’ve been very busy lately. Hopefully today or by the weekend!