Its been another exhausting week but I have tried to fit in some r and r as well as the endless knitting!

So in no particular order here are our walk in the woods, a visit to the intriguing Matlock. Also one of my closest friends has just moved to LA for at least six months and we had a Mexican themed meal at her house and all thought we would cheer her up with some fancy dress!

There may still by snow on the ground but I couldn't help put rescue this handknitted dress from ebay. I don't think I will ever fit into it and so dream of making one similar but just wanted it to have a good home.

I am afraid I am also drowning in pattern checking and designing so thought I would just share a couple of things I am really enjoying at the moment - stay warm! 

sweet paul

101 cookbooks 

fashion is spinach 

unruly things 

The past few days have been something of a blur so I thought I would show you some of things I have been up to. 

First I took part in a wonderful baking workshop at hartingtons in appropriately named Bakewell. We managed to learn so much in one day and mastered basic bread dough and shaping, focaccia and sweet dough with which we made chelsea buns. My aim now is to keep up with the baking and I have bread proving as we speak - though I don't know how long I will be able to keep it as a regular thing to do!

 

I also managed to finish a jumper for myself - something that in this job is rarer than you might think! As well as write the patterns for the follow up to my simple, cosy knits book.Phew!

Double birthday celebrations

I was lucky enough to spend my birthday weekend teaching at Vogue Knitting Live. All my students were lovely and just to be in a building with so many creative people is truly inspiring. Whilst I came away tired and jetlagged I also felt refreshed and excited.

The only downside I had was that there was a beautiful marketplace for yarn and I was so busy I didn't get the chance to shop. However the upside was beyond words in that I got to welcome in my birthday with some of my knitting heroes - Trisha Malcolm, Brooke Nico, Josh Bennett and unbelievably Alice Starmore! What more can a girl ask for!

After my return and a couple of days to recover I had a tapas evening with my closest friends which was wonderful. I received some really lovely gifts and also this -

The scale is quite hard to work out but my lovely friends Jeff and Emma made me two and a half foot high martini glass filled with fizzy rum and ginger jelly. It was a sight to behold and taste and was also rather strong! The only question now is how does one wash up such a gigantic glass?

I just thought I would share pictures of a couple of projects I have been lucky enough to have worked on recently.

 All images courtesy of Rowan and Geraldo Somoza

I helped Josh Bennett with his menswear shoot for the latest Rowan magazine, these are just a couple of the designs - if only I had time to make the cardigan!

copyright The Knitter 2012

A few months ago I made a lovely jacket in Patons Shadow Tweed for the Knitter magazine and afterwards I was told the model had become quite attached! I immediately offered her the jacket as its so lovely when people feel so strongly about something you have knitted so I just thought I would share a couple of pictures of her looking utterly adorable!

Lovely location

I have just finished my last photo shoot for next Autumn/Winter and whilst I can't show you the finished pictures I thought I would share some pictures of the lovely location.

Libertys display

What a great way to start the new year! I have been lucky to have garments from my Vintage Knits book on display in Libertys in London which is possible my favourite shop in the world, so thought I would share a few pictures asw taken by the lovely Emma.