Working on the flip-side, or 'wrong side', or even 'reverse-side' or possibly even 'inside-out',  of these Inner Wild Hushinish Mitts I thought you might enjoy a work-in-progress peek over my shoulder.

flashback to 2011

I thought I'd do a little 'Flashback Friday' thing on my blog with the intention of making it regular. I thought of this because every day this week someone has reminded me of something I made years ago.

It's been really lovely. For instance, a dearheart, Debra, found these pretty lace cuffs I made back in 2013 via the "sales" link in my etsy shop and asked me to make her a pair:


I made one pair, they sold, I forgot all about them and that was that. But I think I might make them a new listing now. {I'm making Debra's in lilac or rose shade, she's choosing now from the shade card.}

However, my official Flashback Friday this week is showing my 2011 Inner Wild tags {above} and some other lace cuffs and picot edge and cord ties cuffs I made using Rowan bamboo tape, {a yarn that's been discontinued, but which I love}.

fast forward to 2017

I've been languishing happily in a stonewashed linen dreamscape for a few years now thanks to the gorgeous interiors blogs I follow. I adore natural textiles with wood and stone. Just looking at the photos makes me feel content.

What caught my eye in this serene reading nook was the blanket.

That pretty blush shade - and, wait, is it linen? A linen blanket?

Looking more closely, I don't think it is. However, a new dream is born! I like this idea of a linen blanket much, much more than the mega-chunky, arm-knitted, wool blankets that were in vogue, which I just didn't care for, I don't know why not.

I've made several foraging trips into yarn world over the past year looking for pure, raw linen yarns (I was thinking of knitting a few precious tea towels and face cloths). Linen and cotton mixes are readily available. And you can find linen and silk, presumably the silk makes the linen softer.  But raw linen, primitive and only lightly processed to maintain its inherent qualities is not that easy to find. {It's the same with wool, of course.}

I have, however, found this glorious pure linen yarn in a lovely grey shade. I would like to put this on my bamboo needles, maybe it's even good enough for my new Lykke circulars, oh yes:


For now, day dreaming about a pure linen blanket in a simple lace or open sort of stitch. Wondering if this might turn out like my grey chunky wool blanket in garter stitch phase which ended abruptly after three balls of Drops pure wool for no particular reason and is now a sort of rug thingy.

Reading nook image from Shelterness.

I made this Snuggle Sack and Hat for Finn, the new baby boy in our family. It's based on an adorable design by Teresa Cole. Teresa has shared her Owlie Snuggle Sack pattern free for us all on her Comfort Wool blog. It's very popular, of course, as is her matching Owlie Hat pattern.

Thank you Teresa from cozy, snuggled-up, swaddled-in-hand-knitted-love babies around the world! For Finn's snuggle sack I used Rowan Pure Wool Worsted, shade: 'cocoa bean'.

A little preview of Inner Wild Wintergreen Collection for this winter 2017/18. See more in my etsy shop. Some new things, some favourite things, all good things.