CH 100: Just an Ordinary Episode!




Curious Handmade with Helen Stewart show

Summary: Show Sponsors Today's show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their beloved Acadia yarn. Acadia is named after the oldest American national park east of the Mississippi river, a place of natural beauty where the sea and mountains meet, slopes are densely forested and wild blueberries abound. Acadia National Park is in the state of Maine, The Fibre Co.’s birthplace.  The yarn inspired by this beautiful region has a rustic look and a soft hand. A subtle tweed effect is created by the silk noil that is combined with a heathered base made from fine merino wool and brown baby alpaca. The yarn is a classic DK weight and makes a beautiful textured fabric that is perfect for next to the skin accessories as well as garments. You can find Acadia at our other sponsor's shop, Meadow Yarn:   Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It's a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include madelinetosh, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more. Show Links I recommend two wonderful video podcasts that I’m really enjoying (and binging on!) Melody of Mandarine’s and Molly of A Homespun House I went to see a wonderful exhibit: The Fabric of India at The Victoria and Albert Museum. There are two windows open in the Knitvent 2015 Calendar so far! The first pattern was the Winter Wander Shawl, and there are already a few completed Shawls! I’m so impressed. Several people have mentioned that this is their first beaded project, and I think it’s a great one to start with. The beading pattern is simple, and overall this shawl is a relatively “Quick Win”.   That brings me to a fun KAL you might want to join, if you haven’t cast on yet! Jo at Shiny Bees is about to begin a Bead-Along, and Winter Wander is one of the included patterns! You know I love a chance to double-dip on KALs! The other patterns are: Kunye by Clare Devine. Be With You by Boo Knits. and one crochet pattern, Lisa’s Shawl by Shireen Nadir. Cast on will take place on 16th November 2015 at 8:30pm live on Periscope with @Shinybees. The KAL/CAL will end on 10th Jan 2016. The Ice River Snood was behind Knitvent Window #2, released yesterday, and several of the super-speedy knitters in the Curious Handmade Ravelry Group have it cast on and halfway finished in just a few hours! Inspiring.   If you haven’t joined us for Knitvent 2015 yet, there’s still heaps of time. Four more windows to go, and whenever you purchase the collection you will automatically get the patterns that have already been released! You can buy the whole collection here. Hint: several of my wonderful fellow knitters, podcasters and bloggers have been spreading the word for me and have discount codes to share with you if you’d like to get a deal before the end of the month! I’d like to thank them very much for letting everyone know about the joy of Knitvent! Shiny Bees Knitting Pipeline Stash and Burn Yarn in The City Yarniacs A World of Imagination I just got my newest issue of Pom Pom Quarterly, which is always a great day in my book! Some patterns that caught my eye immediately: Cicely by Jemima Bicknell Deco City by Amy van de Laar Carlu by Kiyomi Burgen Hulanicki by Rachel Coopey Wilding by Cirila Rose Callas by Bristol Ivy Oops, that's almost all of them. I told you I love this magazine! I've been reading several books recently, including: The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert Upcoming events Curious Handmade Krimbo Party Sunday November 22nd from 2:30pm until 6:00pm...I'm hosting a Curious Handmade Christmas Party in London! It's going to be a very festive afternoon of knitting and holiday surprises,