Electric Sheep

I'm back! Well rested and geared up for a new project, so allow me to introduce you to Electric Sheep, my new podcast.

Although I may appear to be joining the bandwagon a little late, I was actually something of an early adopter and made a series of podcasts a few years ago. However they weren't about knitting and they weren't hosted by me (rather I was recording some talented friends) so it's new territory to be the one doing the talking this time!

The basic idea is simply to look at what's online and what's in London in the world of knitting. I'm still working out what I want to do with it, so the remit is intentionally a little vague for now. I like to think it's a bit of an adventure, so we'll see where we end up.

I'll still be blogging here, so to keep things simple there's a separate blog page for the podcast:

www.electricsheep-hoxton.blogspot.com

Or of course you can simply click through the link on the right.

Enjoy, and let me know what you make of it.

The Wonders of Technology

I'm writing this from Goa. No, really. Having not been on holiday for quite some time (and not to a beach for years) it's quite surreal to be on another continent, swimming in the sea and enjoying a climate that has absolutely no use for woolens.

It's beautiful here, but not really a place for knitting. I brought a couple of small projects, but there's no getting away from the fact that sand, salt and copious quantities of sunscreen are not a good combination with any kind of yarn. On the plus side, I'm doing lots of reading instead (I'm currently enjoying The Secret Scriptures).

So something of a break from the handmade. But sometimes it's good to step back, do other things, enjoy the company of good friends, knowing that the knitting isn't going anywhere.

Normal service will resume in a couple of weeks but, for now, the sea is calling....

O w l s

At last I have been reunited with my camera, which means I can finally introduce you to these little fellows:

Yes, the Owls jumper, designed by Kate Davies, in all its glory. Well, most of its glory, it's kinda tricky to take a photo that best displays the whole jumper when you're essentially a blind one-armed photographer flying solo.


Project Polar is a resounding success. It's a great pattern, perfect fit, Rowan Polar is yummy - super warm and soft. And I love how the owls only look like owls if you pay attention. Most people just see a row of buttons, or a bit of a pattern, and then it's only after you've been talking to them for half an hour that they suddenly exclaim in the middle of the conversation 'oh, they're owls!'.

I admit, I'm a little concerned at how happy knitting this made me. As each little Plop surfaced, as each little face acquired eyes and a personality (particularly one owl on the back who got a rather wonky right eye, which I decided not to fix and who is therefore now called Wally. Yes, I've named one of the owls. Beyond tragic. I've reached a whole new level. But I've decided it's only if I start talking to them that I really need to worry.....) I found I couldn't help but smile.

With doom, gloom, greed and incompetence in every news headline of late, no wonder this pattern has stormed to the top of the Ravelry chart. Sometimes we're all afraid of the dark. But somehow these little faces always raise a smile. Even if they are a bit on the wonky side....