Staying sane during lockdown with some sea swimming on the Devon coast

I have been super busy over the last few months, as knitting has been a popular way for people to relax during these difficult times and the demands for new designs has been high (see five brand new Fairisle projects of mine that I’ve just posted in my downloadable patterns shop). 

Fortunate though I am to be able to continue working, I really needed a complete change from being indoors slaving over a drawing board, as did my partner, Mark Rochester, who is a painter.

And we got it! We decided this year to carry on swimming in the sea at the end of summer (we have some great beaches here in Devon) and have kept going all through the winter. After the first shock of the cold water, and with the help of very good wetsuits, we have become addicted. It provides a huge energy boost and a much-needed feeling of well-being. Here are some of Mark’s artworks commemorating our valiant efforts:

Eight of my most popular baby knits now available as downloadable patterns

During these unprecedented and difficult times, the joy of knitting for our distant loved ones – especially the littlest ones – has provided much comfort for many.  With this in mind, I have now released eight of the most popular baby patterns (for girls and boys from birth to 18 months old) as downloadable patterns from my two Rowan books, Easy Knits for Babies and Special Knits for Babies.

Of the eight patterns, the following four are easy to intermediate: the Allsorts Blanket (a simple stripy stocking-stitch cot blanket with a contrast garter stitch border), the Appley Hoodie (an edge-to-edge garter-stitch jacket), the Nutkin Hoodie (a hooded stocking stitch sweater) and the Twinkleberry Jacket (a cap-sleeved moss-stitch top with a single button fastening). The other four designs are all Intermediate and include the pretty little Tabitha Dress with a simple lace border, the classic Fairisle shawl-collared Parsley Cardigan, the smart cabled Minnow Tank Top and the retro two-toned Fairisle-yoked Little Wave Sweater. 

I’ve also suggested alternative yarns for each downloadable pattern: Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply and Patons 4 Ply that you can knit the design in.  Both yarns come in a very similar, summer-bright colour palette to the original. Being 100 per cent soft cotton, they are beautiful to wear and knit with too.

'It's a Wrap' now available as a printed book plus other exciting news!

I am very thrilled that my recent collection of nine original designs in Rowan yarns, which we shot on London’s South Bank (view the trailer), and originally available only as single patterns is now also available as a printed book (£9.99 plus postage available from Berry & Co). Just in time for Christmas too!

I am also delighted to announce that Berry & Co and I are now working with Deramores to turn some of the home knits patterns (blankets and cushions) from a couple of my past books into individual pattern downloads, with accompanying yarn packs. Watch this space for the launch date!

My new 'It's a Wrap' collection is now available!

I am really pleased to announce that LoveKnitting.com is now selling the downloadable patterns for my exclusive new collection of 9 original designs in Rowan yarns, which we shot on London’s South Bank last month. It came about because, when I am doing workshops, knitters tell me that they love to have new wrap and poncho designs to knit, in part because they can practise different stitches without having to worry about getting the knitting to fit. This collection of 9 patterns includes some of my favourite stitch designs, from simple slip-stitch colourwork patterns to two-colour giant cable designs. I have created a special “look book” (to view or download click the button at the bottom of this blog post) which shows the whole collection. Click here to go to LoveKnitting.com to purchase the individual patterns.

Summer celebrations

It is hard to believe that six months have elapsed since I last posted. At that point we had just moved into our new house, where we shot my two most recent books, Easy Aran Knits and Learn to Knit Arans – sequels to my earlier Easy Cable Knits and Learn to Knit Cables. My aim was to move knitters on from the easiest cables to those with a bit more interest and variety, but which are still relatively easy. Both books were published last week and I very much hope you enjoy them.

At my publisher’s house for an Easy Aran Knits meeting.

My niece, Harriet, and I modelling two of the projects at the shoot for Easy Aran Knits.

Harriet modelling the “hers” version of the His and Hers Hats in Easy Aran Knits.

A scarf shot from Learn to Knit Arans.

It has been an extraordinary summer weatherwise and it is perhaps fortunate that it has now cooled down a bit, from a knitter’s perspective at least! I have to say that living so close to the beach here in Ilfracombe, and loving swimming as I do, I have really got the best out of the sunny weather. We were away briefly for a friend’s wedding earlier in the summer in Opatija, Croatia. I had never visited Croatia before and it turned out to be a delightful break in a beautiful part of the world I would be keen to explore further.

Mark and I in Opatija, Croatia, for a friend’s wedding…

...and the happy couple.

Back home, the house has gradually taken shape over the past six months and Mark and I, and our cats, have adapted to our new surroundings. We still have lots to do and are in the throes of creating a proper garden for the first time too, which is really exciting.

As autumn approaches, I will be launching my first online patterns (using Rowan yarn) for sale with Loveknitting. The first collection will be favourites from my archive, but a new collection of four original patterns will follow on swiftly from that.

New beginnings!

We (my partner, Mark, and I) have made a very daring move from one big Georgian terraced house in Ilfracombe to an even bigger one a couple of doors away! In fact, it offers us a great deal more than our old house, as it has larger rooms, a much better layout and a garden complete with coach house.

We moved in slowly over a few months and our old house is now on the market, but, after a few trials and tribulations getting work done, we are now delighted with our new home and, as you can see in the photos below, so are our cats, Billy and Bunny!

One of the best things about the new house is that it has a huge room on the first floor, facing the sea, which I can use for photoshoots (as you will see when my new book, Easy Aran Knits, is published this summer).

Those of you who know me are probably aware that my partner, Mark, and I are avid collectors but we are trying hard not to cram our new house with too much stuff. Less is more, as they say! Watch this space…

The view from my window on a rainy day in Iflracombe.

Mark and I are keen collectors...

And we love our Victorian bath!

Behind the scenes at my recent shoot in our upstairs studio.

My niece Harriet relaxing between takes.

Our cats Billy and Bunny finally settling in to their new home.