Podcast Episode 6 – On The Croft Part 1

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

Welcome to the 6th episode of my podcast – On The Croft Part 1

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

The Weather 

Your messages on my weather rant were reassuring that I am not the only one who notices this.  My little weather rant continues with more misleading headlines.

After a mixed June, July has been more settled & we’ve been fortunate enough to have a few really hot days.

I talk about the flora & how abundant & colourful it has been this summer & how much I’m enjoying the rich & vibrant colours in the garden & on the moorlands and hedgerows.

Making

My WIPs have finally started to get some attention.  Gullfoss by Stephen West is now blocking.  The lesson from this is I want to make more effective project notes & not leave projects discarded for so long!

I’ve made a start on the Eigg Slippers and my Blanche top is lined up to be worked on next, as well as the fleece to go on my scarf.

Only when I finish a project now will I start another one.  And on that note I’ve finished my Burrafirth jumper by Gudrun Johnston, The Shetland Trader Book 2.  I love this jumper so much & found the top down technique a revelation & the ability to alter it all the way without too much recalculation.  I made the scoop neck smaller, the body longer, I didn’t do the body increases & I shortened the sleeves by quite a bit.

I’d like to spend time working on my Ravelry project page to help both me & others as I’ve benefited from people’s notes for the Burrafirth jumper.

My next cast on will be the Starting Point Shawl by JoJi using Eden Cottage Yarns Milburn 4ply.  I’ve done a little swatching on the order of the 5 colours but have held back casting on.  First thing I do after releasing this episode!!!

I’ve decided to cast on the Bousta Beanie Hat during Shetland Wool Week to get me in the spirit of the occasion as I won’t be there.

I give my thoughts on the book Wool Journey: Shetland recently published by Pom Pom Press.

I talk about the Black Isle Show the largest agricultural show in the Highlands.  There will be a separate blog post with more livestock photos next week although I chat about a few ‘firsts’ for me:

Texel Sheep – not the most beautiful sheep in my opinion although a muscular solid sheep.  A Texel Tup in 2009 recorded the highest price sheep sale in the UK at £231,000

Dyed fleece – I found it difficult to get my head around this.

Aberdeen Angus Bull – a humungous beautiful beast who was in demand for photos.  A show stopper.

Dorset Buttons

I’m working on a few commissions at the moment & doing preparations for the 3 big shows I have in 6 weeks over September & October so I will start to share pictures the last couple of weeks in August on what I’ve been up to.

At the beginning of July I vended at The British Wool Show.

A few new vendors to me were:

For The Love of Yarn – run by Lisa Harland & based in Glasgow – Etsy & Facebook

Archie’s Attic – check out her Facebook page for stunning needle felted animals & animal heads,

SkyBluePink Designs – I purchased some handspun wool for making into Dorset Buttons.

Vivienne Morpeth – Feltmaker – I loved her work & in particular the Nuno felted dresses.

My next outing is a local craft fair at Plockton on 18 & 19 August.

Local Lowdown

Check out The Gaelic Gins Facebook Page – the first gin has been distilled in their handcrafted copper still – listen in for more news.

Under The Rowan – I give a shout out to a new little craft & gift shop run by Birgit.  It is situated in Armadale just up from the pier.

 

 

Skye Showcase

This month I travel North West on Skye to the Minginish Peninsular to visit Sally who owns On The Croft.  We did the interview in one sitting but I’ve split it into 2 parts to avoid having the episode being too long.  This intro, lasts approximately 13 minutes, where we chat about how Sally came to be living on Skye and the story behind her shop and her sheep.

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

Bye for now.

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Ravelry:  LittleFrog