Episode 30 – Time Rolls On

A podcast for people who love knitting, Dorset Buttons, creativity & Scotland, especially the Highlands & Islands.

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Welcome to the 30th episode of my podcast – Time Rolls On Thank you for listening again or welcome if you are a first time listener. Sorry for my absence – this is well overdue! I talk about the chats Geraint and I have been having about what is happening – locally, nationally and globally.  What we know, don’t know and the learning we need to do around systemic racism.

I thank Louise of Caithness Craft Collective for the mention on her podcast of me, Skye and the care home at Portree which has been badly affected by the Coronavirus.  The outbreak at the Skye care home has caused much concern in the community.   I talk about the difficult dynamic which lies ahead for Skye as tourism is due to open in mid July.

The Weather

I chat about the great weather we’ve had during the lockdown period.  Bracken – yes it’s bracken season.  It’s back sprouting up everywhere. The hills in our community have finally got to me and I’ve injured my hip so walking is on hold at the moment. Lambing has continued as has watering the garden!  My efforts at growing tomatoes is going in the right direction and I can’t wait to try my first tomato. I tell you about our soon to be neighbours – cattle!  And I talk about one of my favourite flowers the beautiful foxglove.

Making

I have had a real creative drive during this period although I know this is not the same for everyone.  I feel lost if my hands are not making something, although my love of reading has escaped me at the moment. I talk through my Di Gilpin retreat projects which include the Harlequinn Gloves, the Wave Cowl, Gansey Squares and the Alhambra inspired piece – which I’ve turned into a notebook cover. I’m intrigued about working cables – do you use a cable needle or like me do you take all the stitches off, swap them around and then put them back on the needle and then knit the cable stitch up?  I’d love to know your method!

I chat about the project that has stalled a bit and the ones on my needles at the moment which are Love Note by Tin Can Knits using RiverKnits and Rowan and Rayure by Rebekka Mauser using Quince & Co Willet Cotton. I seem to want to knit tops at the moment and have recently purchased the following patterns: Wanderlight by Tif Neilan Weekender Light by Andrea Mowbry And I have my eye on knitting The Ninan’s Isle, a top by Bronagh Miskelly in the latest issue of The Knitter and Mixage by JimiKnits when it is released in August. A lot to be getting on with!

Dorset Buttons

Many thanks for all the great support for the newsletters.  The Dorset Button Wall Hangings with words have been very popular with Love and Family by far the top one.  I have more letters and they are now back in stock. There’s been a slight delay in getting the Dorset Down on to the website.  It will be there very soon.  The 7 colours have all been named after places on the Dorset Coast.  And for the first time I am now stocking Portland Wool, in 5 colours, which has just arrived back from the dyers.  For the first time the TJFrog Shorelines & Strata wool range consists of all the Dorset Breeds which is very special to me. Fleeces held up by the lockdown are now on their way to the mills!

Local Lowdown

*GIN*GIN*GIN* I tell you all about a new Isle of Skye Gin – The Storr which is distilled and bottled at The Isle of Skye Brewery based up at Uig. That means there are now 3 Skye Gins.

Skye Showcase

Thanks to my Dad for the interviewee suggestion! Listen in for a lockdown interview with my TJFrog Staff! We hear where Geraint would normally have been this weekend with his business. We learn where the TJFrog Staff name came from and the first outing in 2015 at EYF pop up market helping my business!  Little did either of us realise quite how busy it would be and his role as TJFrog front of house started. We hear about the balance between helping out at a yarn festival and managing his rugby business work at the weekend. We chat about his collaboration on a photography project, Below The Skye Line – do take a look if you want a peek at what’s in the waters around Skye.  And check out Alligin Photography for more on his landscape and wildlife photography. And you get to hear the story behind that cake!

That’s it for this episode.

I hope you are keeping well, have family and friends nearby or local community support.

Til next time . . .

Music – the music is: One Frog For a Prince, by Ron Patton & licensed from Melody Loops.

Bye for now.