Maple Infinity Scarf Knit-Along | Come Join!

The Maple Infinity Scarf has been published and the celebrate I'm hosting a knit-along. We had a lot of fun with our knit-alongs last year so it's lovely to be running the first one for 2019 now. 

Maple is a cosy, chunky knit with lots of texture in a relaxing pattern. Broken moss stitch is easy to knit, providing interest and texture. Maple is knitted holding two strands of DK weight yarn together, creating a cuddly fabric and making this a quick knit.

I knitted Maple in two yarns - one sample is worked in silky smooth Novomerino and the other in woolly, squishy WOOLganic. Both yarns work really well with this pattern, each giving slightly different results.

All the info on how to join the KAL is below to make this as simple as possible for you. I hope you'll join us!

Knitting Projects: Finding my Balance

I'm at the delicious part of knitting a garment where it's nearly finished. I have trouble putting them down when they reach this point as the excitement starts to build. The other half of my mind can't help but think that there's no rush to finish, as Autumn isn't here yet. But I love that as soon as that first cool day arrives, the one that has you reaching for something warm to put on, I'll be able to reach for something I knitted by hand.

I'm trying a new way of making this year. I'm trying to have fewer projects on the go at once. My plan is probably laughable, as generally speaking, I'm not a knitter with a project problem. At the most, I've only ever had 6 on the go at once, and as knitting is my only craft I know that this sounds like a tiny amount to some. My happy place used to be to have three to four projects on my needles at the same time. But lately, I've felt the need for change. I'm going to experiment with only having one major project happening at once. When I've finished knitting one, I will start the next. I'll only double up when I'm also working on a design for a pattern.

New Year, New Venture

At the end of the year, I usually write a reflective post - either looking back on the year from a blogging or a making perspective. Last year I didn't do that as we were in the middle of moving interstate, and this year I'm more excited about the end of the coming week than the New Year. You see, I'll be collecting the keys to a shop space at the end of this week, and spending the weekend moving all of my stock into it, setting it up and arranging it, ready to open in a week. I'm very excited!

My shop is a temporary one - called a pop-up shop. If you haven't heard the term before, it simply means a temporary shop. Some pop-ups last for 1 day, 1 week or 1 season. I'm having mine for 1 month. I'm really excited to be popping up in Bellingen over the middle of summer. It's going to be so nice to have all of my yarns and other things displayed in my shop; it's just not the same having them tucked away in a cupboard!

The Bellingen Crafternoon Tea Party

A Crafternoon Tea Party was on Saturday, and the time went by in the blink of an eye. It was a really lovely afternoon and something I'd definitely love to run again. The afternoon was held at Cedar Bar & Kitchen in Bellingen, which is the most gorgeous venue. Running Crafternoon alongside me was Megan of Dolly Henry, and over the last few months, we've had many chats about Crafternoon, tweaking things and finalising details until the day was finally here.

Gifts to Knit: 5 Project Ideas

I can hardly believe it's December this weekend! Where has the time gone? I know this next month is going to go by in a flash. I'm busy at the moment with organising the last weeks of the year and making sure everything is sorted. I've also begun thinking ahead to the New Year, I just don't seem to be able to help it. I'm also looking forward to having 2 weeks off over Christmas & New Year. This year has been very big for my business and I can hardly wait to have some time to collect my thoughts, read some books and, of course, do some knitting!

With all of these things on my mind, I'm still trying to remain present 'in the moment' and not get too caught up with the speed of time. As I was checking over the second issue of Yarnologie this week (it's due to be published on Saturday), I started to think about Christmas gift knitting. Making for others isn't something I've done a lot of this year, but when I do gift knit it's something I always enjoy. I've written before about handmade gifts here if you're unsure about giving something you've made yourself this year. (There's also a piece in Yarnologie about it).

If you are sure though, and just haven't quite decided what to make, here are five project ideas for gifts to knit this Christmas (or any time, really!). There's also a discount code at the bottom of this post to use with the featured patterns over the next week.

A Magazine + A Video

I've always had an interest in writing, stemming from childhood when I wrote many short stories (and a lengthy one that I never did finish...). I've been writing for Earth Garden for several years now and published my successful sourdough eBook three years ago. Way back in Autumn the idea for a digital magazine for knitters and crocheters started to form, and after lots of thinking and list-writing the name Yarnologie was chosen, and the magazine started to take shape.
It's been many, many months in the planning, and so I was really excited and just a bit nervous to publically announce Yarnologie. The response has been absolutely wonderful, and the very first issue of Yarnologie will be published this weekend. I'm looking forward to it but am also pretty nervous about it.

I love sharing interesting stories about other people, and to be able to combine this with my love of photography and of course, yarn, is absolutely wonderful. Even though Yarnologie is a digital publication, it's formatted as it would be if it was printed. It's visually appealing with many beautiful photographs accompanying each article, along with the touch of my clever graphic designer to really make it sing. I may have a small dream to see it in print - perhaps an annual edition - but for now, I am enjoying getting it off the ground.

Teaching Workshops

I wanted to share some photos of the Magic Looping workshop that I held in Bellingen on Saturday. It was a wonderful day, with the best group of knitters, and there was lots of laughing and chatting amongst the learning.

I love the entire process of teaching workshops - from putting together the kit's the day before, to setting up for the day. I always try to bring a bunch of flowers with me to brighten the table, and this time a large bunch of native blooms and foliage had pride of place. I made a pompom to decorate each participant's bag, which contained their knitting needles, organic wool and my Cherry Pie Beret pattern.

The setting of the venue, Cedar Bar & Kitchen, is so pretty and pleasant to be in for a day. It's an old church that has been redecorated and turned into a beautiful restaurant. Aside from its pretty looks, the food is scrumptious. I didn't manage to capture a photo of the delicious lunch spread that we enjoyed, but I did get a quick photo of the chocolate brownies that were part of afternoon tea. Alongside them were the fluffiest house-made scones and a beautiful fresh fruit platter.

Beanies & Berets Knit Along - Come Join!

I've just published the pattern for the Cherry Pie Beret, and to celebrate, I'm hosting another Knit-Along!

It's midwinter and I thought something cosy would be just the ticket to keep us all nice and warm. So in honour of the Cherry Pie Beret, the Say! Little Hen mid-winter KAL has a Beanies & Berets theme.
If you'd like to join in, read on for all the details!

Knitfest Maleny (with lots of photos)

We're home from Knitfest Maleny, which happened last weekend. It was such a great event, I enjoyed every moment of it! Last Friday afternoon we set up the stall, returning early the next morning to finish a few things off and eagerly await the doors opening at 9am.
I expected the event to be busy, but take on a steady pace. As it's a festival, I assumed people would have a good look around before making any purchases. Therefore, I was completely caught off guard when the morning rush happened. It reminded me of the rush that happened when I was assisting my sister on her stall at a Christmas Craft Fair many years ago. With the stall brimming with people, I had more than one person remark to me later that day that they'd been past a few times but couldn't even see what we had, so were happy when they returned later and managed to get in. So many lovely people who follow along online - either here, or on social media - stopped by to say hello and purchase some things. Unfortunately, I think everyone probably arrived at the same time, so my apologies if you came by for a chat but we didn't get to have one!

One of the things I love about my business is helping knitters choose yarn for their project, narrowing it down to fibre choice and then picking colours. It gives me a buzz, and the process was even more enjoyable in person. I loved seeing the combinations chosen and hearing about the projects they would become (or the stashes they would join...).

Knitfest Maleny & Hand Dyed Yarn

There are boxes of yarn lurking in the hallway, and more peeking at me from outside the office door. Usually confined to the storage cupboard, the extra quantities mean they've spilt out and had to take up residence where they are.
This is Knitfest Maleny preparation, and it's getting more exciting as we edge closer to the day.
There is yarn to count, stitch markers to make, buttons to package and stall arrangements to check.
While I've never done an event like this before, I'm very familiar with what the final weeks of preparing for a market look like. List - so many lists! - and lots of counting the remaining days and thinking there aren't many left.

Here & Now | May 2018 Link Up

Loving // Autumn coolness and beautiful sunshine filled days (after a week of clouds and rain)

Eating // Toasted sourdough, and later today a slice of the most heavenly chocolate, cherry and coconut cake

Drinking // Tea!

Feeling // Excited and overwhelmed with the list of thing to do to get ready for Knitfest Maleny. The list just seems to keep on growing! This small business thing can be a bit hectic sometimes!

Making // I'm putting the finishing touches on my Tea Mouse today as it's the last day of the knit-along! I'm also making speedy progress on my carbeth cardigan, it's a lot longer than in the photo above. And I'm making graphic design edits to patterns, getting them ready for printing (for Knitfest)

Thinking // About knitting workshops...I'm not organising any more until after Knitfest, but that doesn't stop the planning of then! Especially after teaching such a lovely group of ladies on the weekend.

Dreaming // Of the mini holiday I'll be having just before Knitfest


What's happening in your world right now? Would you like to take a moment to document it on your blog? Here & Now is a fun exercise to reflect and think about the little parts of life (the ultimately make up the bigger picture.) Join us!

The link-up is open from today until midnight on the 17th of this month.
Simply copy the Here & Now list from below, paste it into a new blog post and fill it in. Add as many (or as few) photos to your post as you like and then hit publish!
The last step is to come back here and add the link to your new blog post to the link-up tool below so that we can all see your post.
I'd love it if you could please link back here in your post, too, so that others can find the link-up.

Copy & Paste....

Loving //
Eating //
Drinking //
Feeling //
Making //
Thinking //
Dreaming //

I can't wait to see your posts! Thank-you so much for joining in. Remember to spread the link-up love by visiting the other participants.

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Knitting with Nettles

I was so excited to discover this yarn. I mean, knitting with nettles just sounds fun, doesn't it?
I don't normally write very much about specific yarns here on my blog, I tend to save that for my shop newsletter. But I really want to talk about this yarn.

It's a European sock yarn that doesn't contain any synthetic fibres. Instead, it's a blend of soft wool and nettle fibre. The nettles provide durability to the yarn in the same way that nylon usually does. Given that nylon wasn't being added to yarn until mid-last-century, but socks have been being knitted for much longer than that, it's fairly clear that we don't actually need nylon in socks.

Tea Mouse Knit-Along | Come Join!

I mentioned that I might run another Knit-Along before Knitfest, and before I knew it a Tea Mouse one was underway! With a couple of lovely knitters asking if I would do one, I got thinking and decided there was heaps of time to do another KAL! The first one was so much fun, and it was lovely seeing all of those beautiful mug cosies at the end - imagine the little army of Tea Mice that will be created in this Knit-Along?
So, let's get into the details, shall we?

My Bellingen Knitting Workshop

My shawl knitting workshop was on Saturday afternoon, and what a great afternoon it turned out to be. It was lovely walking into Cedar and seeing the beautiful room set up ready for the workshop. I got busy unpacking everyone's kits, and putting out the selection of yarn I brought with me along with many knitted things to use as samples. Megan (of Dolly Henry) came along to help me, and to take photos, and she was a wonderful assistant. Not only did she take heaps of lovely photos (which I've tried to go sparingly on in this post, but might have failed!), she did everything from help to keep the workshop running smoothly to arranging the flowers.

This is the first workshop I have taught and I couldn't be happier with the results. Everyone left with big smiles on their faces at the end of the day, so I'll take that as a sign that everyone had a good time! There was lots to learn for many, and they did a wonderful job with persisting through the trickier parts to eventually get the hang of it and have their shawl growing beneath their hands.

Lately | Sourdough, Zucchinis & Yarn

Lately, there has been my first workshop to get ready for. It's next weekend and yesterday I made up the kits for each student - a box complete with the printed pattern, organic wool and needles. With their name tied on top with baking twine, the kits were complete, and into the store cupboard they went, surrounded by yarn, waiting for next weekend. I felt that nervous excitement as I made the kits, realising that this was really happening and next weekend I will be teaching my first ever workshop. It's a really odd feeling!

Lately, there has been Zucchini Hunting. They are cunning little plants zucchinis, masters at hiding their fruit from you. I honestly don't know why zucchinis can be so hard to spot - and then you see one, and if you don't harvest it then, you're bound to forget exactly where it is, only to discover it a couple of days later, now the size of a monster. When I planted out the eight zucchini seedlings, I forgot just how big the plants can get, too. I now have what looks like a Hedge of Zucchinis. Luckily, the kale and silverbeet hiding underneath don't seem to mind.

Making Mug Cosies

It's cast-on day today for the Mug Cosy Knit-Along, and it's been really lovely seeing the beginnings of lots of mug cosies in the Facebook group. I'm really excited that so many knitters are trying colour work for the first time. It's one of my favourite forms of knitting, so to be able to encourage others to give it a go is wonderful.

I started my own mug cosy this morning, after casting off the front of my Feather Stitch Sweater. I've just the sleeves to do now, and it won't be long before I start them as mug cosies are so quick! I chose to make the Happy Hedgehogs cosy for the KAL, as it's probably my favourite.
While knitting it this afternoon I was reflecting on this time last year, the day I officially opened my online yarn store. With just one small line of yarn in my shop, I remember being nervous and excited to announce it online. I was getting ready to send sample cards to several lovely people who had asked after them after reading my blog post about my upcoming shop.

I chose to host a mug cosy Knit-Along to celebrate a year of yarn for several reasons. The first was because I wanted something that we could all participate in and enjoy together, and I chose mug cosies because they are fast projects so easy to squeeze in-between other knitting projects. Another reason I chose them, and it's one I'm fairly certain no one would have guessed, is because mug cosies are tied very closely to the opening of my yarn shop.

Here & Now | March 2018 Link Up

Come Join The Mug Cosy Knit Along

This little Marshmallow Bunny Mug Cosy is something I designed last year. It was around this time of year when I was knitting mug cosies and planning to open an online yarn shop. I did end up opening that yarn shop, and now it's nearly time to celebrate its first birthday. I still remember my excitement when my business and sample cards arrived, and how that excitement increased with the first shipment of yarn to arrive. Many balls and skeins of yarns have arrived and subsequently been shipped off since then, and I'm so, so grateful for every single order that's been placed.
I'm pretty chuffed that one year in my little shop continues to grow, and I get to continue on finding new yarns and sharing the joy of them all with you.

To celebrate Say! Little Hen turning 1 year old, I'm hosting a knit-along. This is a friendly and casual knit-along so that it's fun to participate in.

Perhaps you're wondering what a knit-along even is?
It's a super fun way to join a group of other knitters - no matter where in the world you are - and all work on a similar project. It's also a good way to feel encouraged and supported if you're trying out a new technique for the first time, as you're doing it with a group of knitters at the same time! The schedule of this Knit-Along is pretty loose so you can knit when and where you have time and feel like it, without feeling stressed about a finishing deadline, because that's no fun at all!

When participating in a knit-along, the general idea is to interact with others joining in the knit-along and post photos of your progress. There are no rules as to how often you have to post though, again keeping it casual!

I've made an Instagram hashtag for this Knit-Along (#saylittlehenKAL), which you can add to your KAL posts so that we can all see them and where we can talk about the KAL, offering encouragement, and help too if it's needed. I've also created a Facebook group for the KAL, where we can all post photos of our progress.

Planning for Knitfest Maleny

Sitting in the cosy lounge, knitting while the rain pelts down outside from a grey sky is something that makes me immensely happy. The week has been flipped inside-out, with Tuesday being a semi-day off after the busyness of attending a market on Sunday. My main goal when I attend markets like the one I did on Sunday is to get my shop out in person and to enjoy the fun of talking to people face to face about everything yarn.

That’s exactly what I did on Sunday, and it was lovely. It’s delightful to be able to share the joy of knitting and of natural fibre yarns with others face to face, to see their eyes sparkle when they see the pretty colours and hear the surprise in their voice when they touch the soft Merino or buttery Alpaca. (Because let’s face it, there are scratchy yarns out there that give these Fibres a bad name!).

Despite rather sore feet the following day (after standing for over six hours straight), I’m really looking forward to my next market event, which will be Knitfest Maleny at the end of June. It’s very exciting to think of making the (relatively short) trip to the Sunshine Coast this winter to attend my first targeted market - an event that will be filled with yarn and fibre enthusiasts, and where I will no doubt get to chat about yarn even more than I did on Sunday!

Knitted It | The Happiest Hat

This project was one of those ones that started badly and ended happily. It was a Christmas gift knit and started off a completely different colour than it finished. The pattern is the Happiest Hat by Mary Jane Mucklestone, and I originally tried to replicate the colours of her beanie.
It didn't work - big time. Really, it looked horrible.
I got a few rows in and realised this was going to be one of those Awkward Handmade Gifts. The kind where the recipient tries hard to think of something nice to say about it (and the recipient would have because she's a lovely person like that!).

So, I knew I had to start again. I was on a tight deadline and didn't relish the task of pulling out those hours of knitting.
Before I cast on for the second time I was a sensible knitter and did a swatch with my new selection of colours, just to be sure they'd turn out alright. My confidence had been rattled after seeing my previous colour choices unfurling like an Ugly Sweater beneath my fingers.