I have to be honest 2025 was a tough year. Just from a work life balance which has inevitably meant that Bluebird & Daisy got lost in the shadows which caused me to step away for a good few months. Working as a self employed driving instructor (although with the support of the AA as a franchisee) means not only giving the very best support I can to my pupils but also in that constant worry of refilling places when people pass. Passing should be a huge celebration because believe me learning to drive and passing a test is a whole different thing in 2026 compared to when I passed in 1993. I am however really fortunate to now be teaching siblings and friends of those that have been successful and I am starting to feel that I have this steady little stream of people who have heard I'm ok at what I do. I have also really battled with my health conditions, Coeliac Disease just hasn't wanted to behave and the mysteries of Ehlers Danlos has not helped, but I am slowly but surely working through both. All that aside and I don't know what happened but over Christmas inspiration started to strike again and I feel a new want to really push forward my creativity and to share it with you all.
January is often seen as the longest month of the year with thousands of days, this year however it has gone so quickly for me. I bought a business planner from the wonderful Pigeons Nest which has no dates but it's a diary, it's a planner, it's something to make me a bit more accountable and my goodness has it worked.
I love knitting socks and I love sharing my simple easy to follow creations with you. So, foolhardy as it may be I'm going to be doing a new sock pattern each month for the whole of the year. Twelve months, twelve sock patterns. Some free, some paid but mostly free. So January's has been exposed to the world, a stripy affair with just two colours and a chart. As always it's top down, I just can't get the hang of the fiddle of toe up with just a few stitches on double pointed needles. Wrestling what I call the octopus (four needles so eight ends) is tricky enough at times let alone with a few stitches to play with. I have great admiration to anyone who does toe up socks. I have tried it and yes, I'm definitely a top down kinda girl. I think this just reminds me that what we craft and how we craft it doesn't matter. If we find a way that works go with it. If it is different from others, does it really matter if you end up with the result you want? I will always remember a lady coming to a crochet workshop saying that she couldn't do it, it transpired she was told when young that she was holding the hook wrong and that just put her off, 60 odd years later, yes sixty years later, she came, she crocheted. Holding the hook like a knitting needle and doing a yarn over just like knitting, she crocheted. I think she's done a fair bit since. Just goes to show do you. There are so many different ways to create something.
Anyhow I digress, which you will find I do when writing blogs. Another thing that I plan to do more of this year. How to's, ramblings of a designer and the challenges I find in this woolly world.
Right, January, went by in a flash, two sock patterns, February already made, a new scarf pattern using a beautiful single skein of 4ply yarn, a temperature something or other blanket or cushion or something knitting two rows for the high and low temperatures each day. I've also got a Stephen West shawl to finish too. Then, the big thing, the thing that is going to complete my goal to myself of being more sustainable and using more natural fibres...I have learnt to spin. Spin as in spinning yarn not as in being a sweaty mess at the gym after cycling too fast for too long. It has been a long held wish on my list. I completed a two day course with Bec at The Woven Briar at Wiveliscombe the other weekend. I spun eight lots of single ply natural fibre yarn from her own sheep (or those that live very close by) all rare breeds. I then plyed it into a two ply, mostly chunky to aran weight. I have four skeins of varying length. So next, yes, I have bought a spinning wheel, an Ashfords Kiwi because you can fold up the treadle and have had just amazing customer service in organising the ordering and collection from The Fibre Hut. Watch this space for various spinning adventures with the goal of fleece to jumper (or cardigan) hopefully this year.
Sustainability is important to me. I have crocheted and knitted a huge amount of acrylic, and don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong in using it. It has amazing longevity and a price point that fits many of us. It is my own personal choice to slow down my creativity by spinning by creating my own yarn and by making choices of British wool. Yes it is more expensive. There will be lot more thought behind what I design to get the very most of out these amazing fibres.
I started this blog post to show you some patterns for February and Valentines and it's turned into a bit of a long old update. I'll put the Valentines bits into another post. I have plans to do posts about sock knitting, measuring, choosing yarns and of course my frustrations in spinning of which I am sure there will be many. If there is anything you'd like me to talk about or do a how to about ping me a message.
