Episode 34 - Opening Up

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

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Welcome to the 34th episode of my podcast – Opening Up

Thank you for listening again or welcome if you are a first time listener.

It’s another episode nigh on a month after the last one! Yay!

The Weather

It’s certainly been more settled than last episode. We’ve had some amazing clear skies albeit cold which was great for our travels around the island recording footage for the Spring Skye Woolly Meander.

I chat about noticing the weather and in particular some rain which brought back a nostalgic memory.

This week is Mental Health Awareness in the UK and they have a theme of nature, focusing on taking time to notice details of nature around us.

I recall a memory from a holiday in Wales waking up to the sound of sheep. I include below a recording I made on 11 May 2020 and I woke to just the same sounds this morning. Enjoy listening to this nature.

I talk about a night away at Gairloch and my love for a long sandy beach and being in the elements.

Creativity

I go through all my neglected projects – my NPs – and categorise them. You’ll have to listen in to hear all the detail and the categories they fall in! They include:

(all links are non Ravelry sites)

1. Di Gilpin – Islay Jacket

2. Di Gilpin – Moray Star gansey

3. Gudrun Johnston – Belmont cardigan

4. Island at the Edge – gansey

5. socks

6. socks

7. a bag

8. a hat

9. Caitlin Hunter – Tegna

10. various workshop projects

cushion from trip to India 2018
Gansey Squares from trip to Spain 2020

11. Stephen West – Tripartite

I talk about my new projects on the needles, a Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket from 2017, and the Weekender Light jumper by Andrea Mowray.

Finally I talk about Creative Thinking and a couple of courses I’ve done this year with Tony Robbins The first was a New You New World Challenge in January and I followed this by attending one of his long standing events – UPW – Unleash the Power Within. A fully immersive virtual event over 4 days, approximately 12 hours a day it was exhausting, thought provoking and just what I needed both personally and professionally. It’s given me a lot to think about and it was good to challenge my mind again which I’ve not done to this depth for a long time.

Dorset Buttons & wider news from the TJFrog pad

We had the Spring Skye Woolly Meander which was a sell out event and we received fantastic feedback from it. Keep an eye out for details about another virtual trip to Skye later in the year.

I’ve just taken part in a Vogue Virtual Knitting LIVE! & Unravel cross-pond collaboration. We were given the opportunity to have a one-hour marketplace slot to showcase our products and do a demo for the Super Pass ticket holders. The recordings are available to those ticket holders this weekend as part of the 13 – 16 May VKL event.

Unravel takes place next week! 21 – 23 May. This will be my first time at this show and I will be there in person! The Unravel team have put together a hybrid event so there will be a virtual show too which includes virtual talks, workshops and a marketplace and if you are coming to the in-person show your ticket gets you in to the virtual show too. There are still tickets available which can be found here.

Local Lowdown

I give you an update on our local community shop which after spending over a year in a container while the original one was rebuilt is now open for custom and is a great asset for residents and visitors.

Skye Showcase

I visit Bev owner of Handspinner Having Fun in Broadford.

We hear how Bev left behind her job in Yorkshire as an Occupational Therapist and came to live on Skye and buy the shop despite having never spun or hand dyed yarn before. And we learn about the impact seeing the Skye bridge had on her.

Bev talks about her journey learning to spin and hand dye, the different types of fibres which she spins and how every part of the fleece is used.

We hear how Bev’s role changed during the early part of the pandemic and have a good chat about the process of crafting and its benefits for our mental health.

Bev tells us about some of the products in the photos below and we learn about all the materials in the poncho Bev is wearing in the photo below.