Arcus and the NYT

It's new release day here, which means I'm battling with out internet to upload a 1.4mb pattern file and 300kb images and swearing at Tiscali! This is our new and improved service, at that.

Now that I've got that moan out of my system, let me talk about my news!

This is Arcus, which has just been published on Etsy, Payhip, Ravelry etc! I'll be sending the newsletter out shortly.

There's an interesting story to this design.

I cast this on, as a whim, when I was at iKnit London one evening with my dear friend who died this past spring, Liz. I'd got a skein of yarn, no doubt purchased it in the shop, and needed something to knit as I'd no doubt forgotten to take any knitting with me (I've mentioned my ADHD before, right?). The yarn I knit the Hat in wasn't ideal but carried on knitting it anyway as it kept my fingers busy.

I eventually found a new yarn for it and chatted to the folks at Simply Knitting to see if it was something they'd be interested in publishing it. And they were!

So at some point in 2012 they published it as a 'Cabled Gathering' (sorry, I don't when exactly... I'm wasn't too sure at the time)

I wasn't 100% sure about the design - I mean, it worked and I'd had it tech edited but I suspect it was a combination of yarn and photos that I wasn't sure about, so I didn't republish when the rights reverted to me. No-one from the Simply Knitting team added the pattern to the Ravelry database and as I wasn't too sure when it was published and wasn't so keen on the photos, I didn't either.

Fast forward a few years to around 2017 when I was working with Craftsy developing patterns for kits and I remembered that I had this design, and proposed it to them. I reknit the sample in one of their worsted weight yarns and tried to get shots on a very young Ivy-Mae (of PWT4Kids and Aerial fame) but they weren't great shots at all. It went on to be 'Arcus' at Craftsy, and it didn't do too badly as a kit. But not great enough to warrant me knitting a new sample to try and get better photos that I'd be willing to self-publish (Craftsy used their own sample). No-one from the Craftsy team added it to the Ravelry database and neither did I.

Then at some point early last year, I remembered that I'd still not published this design (STILL) and grabbed some Malabrigio Rios from my work stash to see if I could finally find a good yarn match for this pattern. And it worked! But I didn't have any decent buttons and the pandemic had just hit so going to the local haberdashery shop wasn't going to happen any time soon.

So it sat, finished and tech edited, for another 6 months or so until I finally decided to order some buttons from The Textile Garden. And then we happened to be doing a photoshoot with one of our regular models, Lucia the fire performer, and after further 6 months or so I finally sewed on the buttons to give photos for this Hat one more try.

And now, roughly 10 years after I sat with Liz at knit group that night talking about poor yarn choices for cables, it's finally being published. It's a shame Liz isn't here to see it and I've been thinking of her as I press the 'publish now' button on all the platforms.

Thanks to it's construction and how I've written the instructions, this Hat can be knit in many more yarn weights to many more sizes than the pattern dictates. There are repeat points for both width and depth noted on the chart - it has both fully charted as well as written instructions - so you can adjust it as needed. 

The original pattern hasn't been changed much, except fresh tech editing to double check my maths and drop it into the new layout with my new standards, and given just how adjustable it is I didn't see much point in adding to the 4 sizes it originally included - which is a long way of saying don't be put off by the seemingly largest size of 21in!

And that NYT thing? Yeah.... I did an interview for the New York Times a few weeks back. Not so much about knitting but more about moving my business to Estonia and trying to Brexit-proof ourselves. Woolly Wormhead gets a mention though! In the NY friggin' Times!

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/08/world/europe/uk-brexit-estonia-business.html

As I say, the name mentioned is not my real name nor is it a name I use - I kindly ask that this doesn't get used anywhere or by anyone, that everyone still calls me Woolly - thank you! I wasn't aware they'd want a real-sounding name before the phone call and kinda panicked! Heyho. (if I had a workshop still of me face-palming I'd be sharing that right now).

I wasn't actually sure my interview would get published because I’d refused to give them my real name, but they publish it and I've been mentioned in the NYT. (I only learnt today that it did get published, after another journalist contacted me, and since I started sharing the link all of the anxiety I felt before, during and after that 30 minute phone-call has come flooding back! :s)

And now I'm off to finish the newsletter and prepare myself for another journalist interview (yikes).

Thank you! (and a gentle breaking of the ice)

So, I don't really do awards. I never win things, though admittedly I never enter things, either. 

You may remember that I was nominated for designer of the year (knit) in the British Craft Awards? Well... I won. I didn't go to the event as it was a long way to travel and all non-urgent travel is cancelled for the time being and I honestly did not expect to win being the outsider indie and all that.

Erm, yeah. Me in front of the camera. • Thank you! #britishcraftawards • #instavideo #woollywormhead

A post shared by Woolly (@woollywormhead) on Feb 22, 2018 at 2:21am PST

I really don't know how to process this at all, but I know the important thing is to say thank you for all your support and votes! A video is also good practice at taking myself out of my comfort zone, and it's all fine as long as I don't have to watch it.

----------------------------------------------------

Yup, it's been quiet around here. The blog posts I wanted to share of our trip to India never happened as the blogging app went wonky. Coming back I was pretty poorly with jetlag and tracheitis (seems my sulphite allergy has changed and now it gives me trouble breathing. Joy). And then I needed to dive head-first into writing all the handouts for the brand new workshops I'll be teaching at Edinburgh Yarn festival and Woollinn.

I'm coming out of the other side of this now (although still coughing) and I'm not quite sure where I am... it feels like I've lost a few months in time but the snow today is telling me otherwise. I'm learning to sleep properly again and eat properly again (yey for adjusting to another new diet) and I really can't wait for winter to bugger off. My right shoulder is improving but my left shoulder is now deteriorating rapidly and I'm learning to manage all that all over again, too.

And there, I've broken the ice.

I'm a British Craft Awards nominee

Erm, yes, I'm totally going to brag! I've been nominated for the Best Designer award in the Knitting category.

And I'm not just here to brag.... I'm gonna ask if you'll kindly go and vote for me?

Simply pop over to the British Craft Awards website, click on through to the Knitting category, and go from there. You can also click through from the image below. You'll want to do it before mid-December to ensure your vote counts. You don't need to be a British resident to enter, and there are Amazon vouchers up for grabs (bribery always helps, yes?)

Thank you!

There are some great folks who've been nominated - Stitchmastery for best product, Knit British for best blog, Baa ram Ewe for best yarn brand (hint, hint) and more. 

(I won't mention that I don't think I stand a chance against the big Rowan names but hey, I just might, right?)

I'm teaching at Edinburgh Yarn Festival again!

With the workshop sign-ups opening very shortly, I though I'd give you a quick run down of what I'll be teaching? I'm excited to be going back again - it's an incredible well organised event, with so much to do and see (possibly too much?!) and I can't wait to see everyone again.

My classes include An Introduction to Short Row Colourwork (ala Elemental!), An Intoduction to Kitchener Stitch (sensing a theme here?), Advanced Kitchener Stitch (you know you want to) and Hat Design, where we'll design our own custom fit beanie (with or without slouch). This latter class is similar to my Hat Design Masterclass, but as it's only 3hrs instead of 6hrs, we'll focus on specific shapes and structures to ensure everyone achieves a Hat.

And you can find all of my classes on the EYF website!

For the last few years, I've provided professionally printed and edited workshop booklets, so you have something comprehensive to work from and a nice souvenir from the class. I'm a bit shameless showing off about these, so forgive me ;)

Introducing Campello

A few months ago Marcin of Martin's Lab Yarns got in touch to ask if I'd be willing to contribute a design to a new book he was curating. It was just at the point where I'd decided to say no to all commissions going forward, but fortunately I had a design already mapped out that suited the yarn, and with a bit of arm twisting I was in.

The collection is called Stillness, and is launching this weekend at Yarndale. Fret not if you can't get there - they ship worldwide and will be catching up on orders after the show.

The Hat is designed for squishy Aran weight yarn, and is perfect for showcasing hand-dyed yarns. Throw in 2 buttons, a bit of sideways knitting and a classic texture and you have yourself a very gratifying Hat.

As I know you'll ask, the rights revert back to me later in December. Martin's Lab are only selling the book in print, so if you'd prefer digital you'll need to wait a little longer. If you like your print books though, especially ones with beautiful photography and layout, you may want to check out the other fab designs (and designers - there's quite the line up!) then place yourself an order.