July 2010

There are a lot of fantastic creative makers and designers who are frequent visitors to the Bothy Studio, and it has been such a pleasure to meet them all! One of the loveliest designers (aside form Di, of course!) I’ve met since I’ve been here is Dorothy Wood. She is truly a crafty renaissance woman – she designs and creates beautiful Art Cards, knitting patterns, and jewelry, has written loads of books and is regularly published in magazines.

She’ll be teaching another series of workshops at the Bothy this Fall…for more info click HERE

Here are some fabulous photos of some of her gorgeous designs…aren’t they lovely??

I am thrilled to have a new live in helper for the summer…Natascha has arrived this morning…we are thrilled to have her here…she has brought loads of exciting yarns from the States for us to munch into and even her own yarns that she is making………it’s great because Natascha is going to put up her own blog thoughts too…so do look out for them and send us lots of feedback too…..

I sometimes have these ideas which go on and on and on…here is one. I started this in silk 5 years ago…it unravelled itself and now I am reknitting it. Some of the stitches have a mind of their own…here is my latest little gem:

Knit a few stitches…maybe 20. Knit back but wrap the yarn 4 times around the needle for each stitch. Next row…drop down the stitches and as you do so take the stitch off the needles and twist it round as you would a hank…put it back on the needle and knit it!

What next!

Dorothy has been teaching a wonderful bead knit workshop in the Bothy…the rain came down.. but everyone was snug inside the studio and working like mad

this was the last of our spring sessions and we are about to launch our new programme for September onwards……

I had some fantastic post today including a painting from Tilly who joined our knitclub on thursday evening with her mum…Tilly is making a wonderful bright red and pink scarfe and I hope she is going to add some roses!Tilly’s painting

Mum's roses

How to make your own garden party roses

Take a selection of oddments from your stash…all different weights, colours and textures. Use the appropriate needle for each weight i.e. 3.25mm for 4ply, 4mm for DK etc.

Cast on 137 stitches and knit one row into the back of the stitch.

Row 2 : K1, (slip 1, K1, psso) repeat to end. 69sts

Row 3 : Purl.

Row 4 : repeat Row 2. 35sts.

Row 5: Purl.

Row 6 : repeat row 2. 18 sts.

row 7 : Purl.

Break yarn and thread through remaining sts. and pull together.

Make lots and have fun!

My new hat arrived this week…it’s not often I have a chance to wear a hat and you may be wondering why…well I can hardly believe it but I have an invite to the Royal Garden party at Holyrood next tuesday! I am amazed to be honest and when I the phone call came during the winter to ask if I would like to go I went for weeks thinking it was an old friend having a laugh! But no…handknitting is to be represented this year but I have to wear a hat! The hat has been made by an old friend who is a wonderful milliner…Gil Fox…and my mum has made the wonderful flowers from an old rose pattern I made up for the Shorelines book!

Gil Fox fabby hat for the Garden Party

This is our fab new bunting in glorious colour combinations! By putting 2 strands of 4ply for DK or 3 strands of 4ply for Aran we are making up the most amazing blended colours. Using silk/wool or pure wool or alpaca all stranded together you can make your very own yarn!Aran weight samples in combinations of 3 4 plys!

Thank you Lorna!