Public service announcement #1: my Eyre Shawl pattern is now available from p/hop. It's "free" in the sense that you donate what you think it is worth to p/hop (which is a fundraiser for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders). I donated Eyre after reading about MSF's work in the aftermath of the Philippines typhoon. More than 14 million people have been affected by the Typohoon Haiyan hitting the country in November; more than 4 million people were left homeless; several million people have seen their livelihoods severely affected; and nearly 5,000 people lost their lives with many more still missing. In the face of such devastation, donating a shawl pattern felt like such a small, insignificant thing but hopefully it will make a difference.
Public service announcement #2: the long-awaited Vedbaek shawl pattern from the Doggerland collection is close to being released. I'm waiting on some final bouts of tech-editing right now. I've been asked what yarn people will need for this project. Personally I used nearly 750 yards of beautifully bouncy 4ply from The Island Wool Company.
Public service announcement # 3:An amazing event is taking place in Brighton, UK this summer: Unwind Brighton - 12-13 July 2014.
The line-up of teachers is unbelievable: Veera Välimäki, Ysolda, Carol Feller, Bristol Ivy, Rachel Coopey, Kirsten Kapur, Ann Kingston, Olga Buraya-Kefelian, Woolly Wormhead and .. er .. me.
I’m teaching three classes: Knitting with Beads on Friday, July 11 + Continental Knitting on Saturday, July 12 + Beginning Crochet For Knitters on Sunday, July 13. All classes are half-day classes and cost £50. Find out more about booking classes here. The marketplace is going to be equally fabulous - it’ll take place on Saturday and Sunday and hosts some of the most sought-after indie dyers in the UK and abroad. The entire event looks set to take over the arty, bohemian “London by the Sea” and it is organised by Dani Sunshine of Lionessknits.
You can keep up with news and info about classes/events/marketplace on the Unwind blog. There is also a Ravelry group for all your plan-making needs
I am super-excited about the line-up and the whole “let’s chill out in Brighton by the sea, oh yes” thing. It feels like this could well be the new Knit Nation: a cornucopia of UK-dwelling designers & yarnies + international names. People are already booking flights frm all over the place - I know Norwegian, Danish, Dutch and Scottish knitters who are all coming. Will you join us?