In this episode of the Eldenwood Craft knitting podcast I’m talking about the two projects that have been keeping me busy since I last filmed a podcast - these are the Marling Festival and the Felix sweater. I also shared a new pattern that I’m going to cast on soon and what else I’ll be knitting in the next couple of weeks. There’s a bit of book chat and a little bit of shop news too to round off the episode.
If you want to watch the episode you can click on the image below to be taken straight to YouTube, or you'll find below all the useful links to the projects I talked about (if a link goes through to Ravelry this will be indicated).
What I’m wearing
I’m wearing a Flax sweater (pattern by Tin Can Knits) that I knit last year using Drops Nord in the colourway 06 (I bought it from Wool Warehouse). Around my neck keeping me warm is the Litmus Cowl (pattern by Jude Harper at Stranded Dyeworks). The cowl was knit out of leftovers from other projects.
What I’ve been knitting
My first project this week was the Marling Festival shawl. This is a pattern by Ani Knits and I’m knitting it out of my 2022 advent calendar from Sherry Iris Yarns. It’s a full brioche shawl, broken up with bands of garter stitch, that will eventually be a large, shallow triangle to wrap around my shoulders on cold days. I’m holding my advent minis double with some random neutral fingering weight yarns from stash and this gives a beautiful marled effect. It’s a really good pattern for scaling up / down depending on how much yarn you have to knit with. I’d like to make this as big as I can whilst still being wearable so I suspect this is a project that will continue for quite some time.
I spoke about the shawl that I almost cast on instead of the Marling Festival - the Y’alliday Shawl by Emily Curtis, also known as Gently Chaotic Knits - and one day I will knit this project because I love the shape of the finished shawl.
The second project that I’ve been knitting on is my Felix sweater (Ravelry pattern page). This is a pattern by Amy Christoffers and is the second time I’ve knit it which should tell you what a good pattern it is. Both times I’ve used Letloppi - this time I’m using colour 0086 which is a beautiful oatmeal colourway, purchased from The Lace Knittery. My first Felix turned out a bit too big. I made a mistake in the length of the body before splitting for the sleeves, so I’ve been careful this time to get a better fit and having tried it on I look to have been successful. My big problem is the amount of yarn I have left. I reduced the amount of yarn I bought this time round to adjust for the smaller size but I seem to have bought less than I needed (my fault, not the pattern instructions!). I have around about 100g left and I need to get half a sleeve and about 3 or 4 inches of body out of this. I fear I won’t have enough and will need to see if I can find a spare ball of yarn from somewhere.
I used the tubular cast on for the neck line using a tutorial by Ysolda Teague. It’s created a much closer fitting neckline than my first Felix but it’s really stretchy and looks very finished. I think this cast on is a keeper.
WIPS for the next two weeks
My plans for the next two weeks are to continue knitting on my Felix sweater. I’m aiming to get the next sleeve finished and push on through the rest of the body, seeing how far my yarn takes me.
I’ve also bought myself a new pattern which I’m going to cast on. It’s the OLE mittens by Susanne Müller (here's her Etsy shop - she has some really lovely patterns). These are knit in half fisherman’s rib all over and look to create a beautifully squishy and warm pair of mittens. They’re knit in DK weight yarn and I will choose either Drops Karisma or Adriafil Regina to make these.
What I’ve been reading
I shared three books this episode. Here's a link to my Goodreads account if you want to come and join me over there.
I finished listening to John Boyne’s The Heart’s Invisible Furies on Audible this week. What a stunning book and listen this has been. You can read the synopsis and other reviews on Goodreads, but I think it’s worth recording here that this is a book that will stay with me for years to come. I loved the characters, the writing, the way the social history of Ireland was a part of the story and I adored the performance of the narrator (Stephen Hogan). This was a definite 5 star review from me.
I’m currently reading Mrs Engand by Stacey Halls. This is a gothic tale of a children’s nurse taking up a new post in a mill owner’s home in Yorkshire during Edwardian times. It’s a menacing slow burner of a read and there’s definitely something odd about the relationship between Mr and Mrs England - the mill owner and his wife. I’m about 60% of the way through and I have no idea what’s going to happen next, and I’m really absorbed by the story. I hope to finish this in the next couple of weeks.
I also shared a new cook book - Dr Rupy Aujla’s Cooks. I’ve cooked several things from it now (a couple more since I showed the book on the episode!) and they have all been excellent. It’s a predominantly plant focussed book, which is how we tend to eat these days at home, and it’s a great addition to our cook book library.
Shop update news
I finished off with a look at some of the bags I’ve been making for my next shop update which is likely to be early March. I’ll provide the final date hopefully in my next episode. If you want to see what’s currently available in my shop you can click here and you can sign up to receive my newsletter where you’ll read about behind the scenes at Eldenwood Craft, get early access to shop updates and receive exclusive offers only available to newsletter subscribers.
As always if you have any questions about anything I shared in the podcast, do drop me a line and I’ll look forward to chatting with you again in a couple of weeks.