Following on from the excitement of last weeks SKA Sockdown voting (and thank you all very much for your votes and support) I am pleased to announce this week the launch of my first shawl design.
Autumn Crocus is a fun and relaxing knit with lots of stocking stitch interspersed with panels of lace and garter stitch to add interest and texture.
The shawl came about through a Craft-a-Long hosted by Chrissie of the Stitched-Together podcast. Called 'Where I Live' the idea was to work on a project that in some way reminded you of, or was inspired by the area you live in. Living in Saffron Walden, one thing which immediately sprang to mind was crocuses. Many years ago, as a bustling medieval market town, Saffron Walden was named for it's brisk trade in Saffron and the fields surrounding the village were reportedly a blaze of colour as crocuses were grown all around.
Not much is grown here today - although some still is - but the emblem of a crocus appears on many old buildings and official signs in the area.
When I received my wonderful Golden Skein package last quarter and this yarn from Sparkleduck fell into my lap I knew it was a match made in heaven. A new yarn base - Nimbus (a blend of merino, yak and silk) and the luscious colour (Plumbleberry Compote) spoke to me of rich autumn tones, blackberries and yes, crocuses.
And so, the Autumn Crocus shawl came about and I enjoyed the process so much I am planning a small collection based on 'Where I Live'. Once I started looking around me I realised there is beauty and inspiration in even the most mundane objects and have been having fun translating these into knitting ideas. The Maze as a blanket pattern, pargetting on buildings as a textured sock - the possibilities are endless.
