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There’s a lot happening at Curious Handmade this week! In this episode I talk about all my WIP progress, tell you about the fulfilling design process for the third shawl in Season II of The Shawl Society, and fill you in on the virtual retreat we’ll be having over the next two months of the Curious Handmade Podcast.
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Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which includes Hazel Knits, Icelandic Lopi & CoopKnits, we stock a carefully chosen selection of needles and notions. We’ve also recently launched ‘hand dyed by meadowyarn’, our very own in-house, hand-dyed yarn range. Working in our tiny dye studio, nestled in the Suffolk countryside, we are able to indulge our love of colour, producing complex tonal, kettle-dyed shades across a range of weights and bases. With regular updates our collections evolve and grow, inspired by the landscape and people around us.
AYS is a wool boutique specializing in hand dyed yarns and luxury fibres from around the world. You’ll always find a well curated collection of yarns and colors on the shelves and a friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Some of our favorite brands include Hedgehog Fibres, SweetGeorgia Yarn, Julie Asselin, Shibui Knits and The Fibre Co. You can find A Yarn Story on Walcot Street in Bath or online at www.ayarnstory.co.uk
What’s in the WIP:
Ice Cream Sundae Cardigan by Julie Sunshine
Yesterday was launch day for our 3rd shawl, the Vila Wrap, and I’m so thrilled to see the reactions to this design.
You’ll find the Vila in the hills and mountain tops of Slavic folklore, dwelling in the high-up places where the air is thin and sweet and the clouds are born. Some legends call them a kind of fairy, others claim them as nymphs, while a few say that they are the spirits of women who were too silly and not serious enough in their lifetimes. Whatever their origins, the Vila have a true lust for life. They are both frivolous and fierce, appearing as beautiful women in white dresses, billowing cloaks, or magical blue robes. They lure young men into rowdy dances and demand their absolute loyalty in return. They sing with enough force to call up high winds, and fight with a wildness that shakes the earth. They are gorgeous, powerful, and at least a little bit dangerous.
The Vila Wrap was designed to honour these magical creatures in all their ferocious femininity. A generous, elongated wrap with an asymmetrical design and stunning lace panels, this shawl invites you to make a statement. Created in three colours, it is an addictive knit that’s hard to put down. Stripes and engaging stitch patterns keep things interesting without being too difficult. Smart, contemporary and easy to wear, the wrap shape will complement a wide variety of wardrobes.
The Vila offer inspiration to anyone who has ever been afraid of being “too much.” They have shaken off the scrutiny of a judgemental world and live to please themselves. For all of us who have been told that we should tamp down our own spirit and creativity to fit some premade vision of reality, the Vila show us an alternative. Learning to honour our own desires is a lifelong process, but creation is a powerful antidote to the negative messages we get about who we should be. The individuality and agency of making something yourself is not a trivial or frivolous thing. There is an assertion in every stitch: this is who I am, and it deserves expression.
I knit the Vila Wrap in Walcot Yarns Opus and I’m just a little bit in love.
We still have people joining up to the Society and this shawl in particular seems to be attracting new members, so you’re certainly not too late to jump in! Just buy yourself a copy of The Shawl Society Season II on Ravelry.
