Yarnuary 2020 - days 17 - 24

Day 17 - Knitting in your family

In my family, it wasn’t just knitting - it was crochet, sewing and embroidery too. Both my grandmothers were accomplished at embroidery, knitted, crocheted and sewed. My mum knitted mainly. I’ve been fortunate enough to inherit very many things from family members. The wooden darning mushroom was my grandmother’s, the needle case my mum’s, the crochet hooks my nanny’s and the buttons, needles and cotton my aunt’s. Those red plastic knitting needles were the needles I learnt to knit with 😃  I also have their button tins and I love choosing something old to be used on a new knit. Treasures 😊 

Day 18 - Something you struggle with

I have difficulty stopping my knitting projects from spreading and taking over the living room! Just give me warning if you’re planning a visit 😂

Day 19 - Your favourite fibre

I like lots of different fibres, and am particularly partial to a touch of luxury. For example a blend of merino and cashmere or silk. The most special fibre I’ve ever knit with was this little cake of qiviut yarn that a very dear friend gave me for my birthday. It is so light and warm. I can only dream of owning a sweater in it!

Day 20 - A goal you have

Having been diagnosed with a rare and incurable muscle disease last year, my goal is to raise £10,000 for @myositisuk over the coming year to help fund research into this disease. I’ve gone from being an active gym-going runner to needing crutches to walk, unable to climb stairs, being incredibly weak and constantly tired and having difficulty swallowing. I’ve also had to give up work. I’m fundraising by holding weekly yarn-related raffles on my fundraising page @fibre4fibres and also donating £1 from each pattern that I sell. I want to do something to make a difference for other sufferers.

Day 21 - Someone you admire

I have huge admiration for my fellow Stylecraft Blogstar Emma Varnam. 😊 Not only is she a hugely talented designer and a lovely person to boot, but she also has a very high power job and is a busy mum too! I just don’t know how she manages to produce so many designs and crochet and knit so much. Unless she does it in her sleep?! What’s your secret Emma? Oh yes, she also has a very cute cat Stanley!

Day 22 - Your most unusual project

I struggled a bit with this I must admit. I guess my knitting is pretty ‘normal’. But this pair of socks was knit as a special request from a very dear friend in Germany. He has diabetes and had to have part of his foot amputated. He needed a specially shortened sock to fit his new shaped foot so I got him to draw around his foot and send it to me! He loves his socks, they are wool and silk so are soft and the fact that there’s no seams is a bonus.   It makes them comfortable to wear where there is quite sensitive scar tissue

 Day 23 - A mistake you've fixed

One of my first forays into cables was this scarf. I realised part way that I’d managed to knit one of the cables the wrong way so had to frog back to fix it. Nowadays I might be more confident to drop the stitches back where the mistake is and reknit just that part. I think you become more adventurous and prepared to take risks with experience. 

Day 24 - Your most loved project

I have several - they are the socks I knit for Mr JK. It took a while to convince him that handknit socks were something he would enjoy wearing, but after he’d tried his first pair, he was always a grateful recipient! My feet are the same size as his, so it gives me great comfort to be able to wear them now. It feels like he’s with me. xxx