Check out my new website

I've moved and now have my own online knitting home www.sarahshepherdmake.com, click on the link to check it out.

Not long now

Almost there ... I'm on the final edits of a new top pattern called Remedy Light. Its lighter than the original Sage remedy top and swaps the worsted for a fingering weight yarn. The yarn is Kettle Yarn Co.'s Beyul a gorgeous mix of yak, merino and silk fibres which knits beautifully. I'm quite in love with Beyul, its so very soft and has a beautiful drape. It also crosses seasons well, being warm in winter and cool in summer. Look out for the pattern in my ravelry store at the end of next week.

Unfurling

In early June a darling daughter arrived into my world. Its been an amazing 4 months and while I'm sad to be leaving the intensity of nurturing a newborn ... this next stage of unfurling from our oneness into our two-ness is exciting and I feel wonderfully energised by the prospect of having a little more space.

So to my design. Knitting and textiles. First up, a cardigan I think. As usual its something I want for myself. A warm but easy cardigan with a little bit of interest. Now I must get on and knit some samples and write some pattern.

On my needles

Pattern: Que Sera by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton
It is with pleasure that I speak of my current knitting project. Both the yarn and the lace pattern are so enjoyable to my fingers and mind. Being made of the luscious Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton, the yarn is soft and plump and easily glides over my fingers. The knitting pattern is Que Sera from Knitty spring summer 2010 and once you've done a few repeats its easy to work without checking the notes. So, zen-like, I find myself flying through the rows ... enjoying every second of it.

On Saturday I went to Loop in Angel, and found some gorgeous buttons to adorn my finished creation (not finished yet, sleeves and upper back still to do). Loop is my candy store, I'm positively drooling every time I go there. Everything about it is dreamy, I find it difficult to purchase as I get so overwhelmed with all the many delights it contains. However this time I was able to single out a yarn: Semilla

It was really difficult choosing a colour from the many gorgeous hues on offer, there was stiff competition between the blue grey, relish yellow and rose. Obviously it was the later that made into my handbag.

I remember in my previous blogging life, before the arrival of the delicious time vacuum that is my daughter Audrey, I found I would get frustrated by my ability to spend more time looking at other's crafting productivity than producing my own craft.

I had a similarly 'humphf' moment this week when I realised that I'd spent hours (and hours) on the craft blog internet circuit, leaving my many WIP to gather dust. Don't get my wrong ... I was inspired and excited by much of what I saw out there ... but like going to an art gallery, there comes a point when you want to go home and get your knitting needles out. And if you don't get your knitting needles or sewing machine or sketch pad out ... its like all that inspiration seeps slowly out of you and all is forgotten.

But it seems I have actually been crafting of late, I took a look at the recently finished projects and there's quite a lot kicking about ... so I'm going to begin my show and tell with cushions:


This is a cushion I made a couple of months back from two woollen jerseys I found at a charity store. I felted them in the washing machine then cut little scales and sewed them down. Not the neatest sewing ever, but I like the result nonetheless.


I made these last three from Echino fabrics sourced from Superbuzzy. I love their bright colours on a natural base, really gorgeous.

It was Christmas time and being New Zealand orphans living in London we didn't have the usual family obligations for our festive celebrations.

So it was decided that we would go 'somewhere'. Oh the fabulous destinations we toyed with ... Sardinia, Luxembourg, Rome. But the snow came down and the fabulous destinations list came down with it.

So where to go? Well fate directed us toward the Devon/Dorset coast, specifically Lyme Regis. My obsession with River Cottage meant I had Axminster (a nearby town) on my list of things-to-do-before-we-go-home.

And oh, what a truly wintry English holiday we had. Three days of fog, unable to see the country side or sea views we had read about. Three days of changing directions as activities we had planned (albeit planned earlier than morning) were thwarted by Christmas closing times.

But as to be expected, the clouds did hold some silvery linings for us and I have some wonderful memories of our foggy, activity starved holiday in wintry England.

One of my favourite being the walk on the pebbly beach, unable to see much of the sea at all, but instead inspired by the colours of the boats,nets and buoys so richly revealed by the low lying cloud. Still and cold it was like walking into a postcard.

A bright start

Yikes Audrey is almost 2 and I haven't blogged since she was born. So to begin again agin again ... alot has been happening, knitting, sewing, cooking, but I've been keeping it to myself. Time to change all that ... I've missed having a reason to take photos, so back to the blog.

How better to arrive back then with a photo of the Seville Orange marmalade I made a couple of days ago. A zesty brilliantly coloured preserve that has renewed my enthusiasm for marmalade. As to be expected I turned to Nigel Slater for guidance ... he is currently my kitchen hero. I love nothing better than reading and rereading his latest cookbooks, 'Tender'. The recipes are always a success, they're mostly quite simple and always delicious.