I don't know where the days have gone recently. It seems such a short while since the children went back to school and yet here we are in October already. All of those long and wonderfully warm sunny days are gone for this year and though autumn is always a favourite time for me I do feel rather melancholy at the moment.
Still there have been plenty of cheery things in the last month and October brings two special birthdays – Amy has turned 14 and Toby's 12th birthday is this
friday. And I've of course have been knitting, which always brings pleasure and peace. I was also really pleased to be asked about the contents of my knitting bag by Jennifer at Let's get Crafting magazine. I do love collecting knitting bits and trying out new yarns so I had plenty of things for a show and tell. The article is just out in the October issue (no 55). I did have to tidy up my knitting bag first though because as you can see in the picture below it is not usually terribly tidy. I even found some notes and drawings from Amy in the pockets which must date back at least 5 years!
Here is the shot for the magazine, when it looked tidier.
The Little Grey Sheep Stein Fine yarn snuggled in the corner of the bag there is my current favourite. It is beautiful in every way from the label to the multi-tonal hand-dyeing. It's worth popping over to their website for a visit to see all of the wonderful colourways and reading about how the yarn comes into being. I love that it is a completely homegrown British yarn, shorn by Susie from the sheep living on Well Manor Farm in Hampshire, washed in Yorkshire, spun in the West Country and then hand-dyed back on the farm by Emma. It is proper wool.
Inspired by my friends Elaine and Esther I've started on a shawl (South Bay Shawlette) with the bluest colourway at the top which is called 'Cresswell Quay' and I really like the way it is working up. I expect I'll work in the other colourways too as I would like quite a big snuggly shawl.
There is always a little bunny knitting going on here too but in truth I need a little break from pattern writing so I'm enjoying playing around with other woolly things for a while. I'm still working on the projects in the previous post and almost have the mittens finished. This week they were featured on the lovely Knitted Bliss blog's Modification Monday post, thanks so much to Julie for the lovely write up.
Well, I'm off to make some oat cookies because another recent happy thing is that Toby has started loving my home baking instead of those hugely sugary custard creams. Though he is loving the oat cookies a little too much and getting quite portly so I will be hiding most of this batch before he gets home and rationing them!
Thanks as always for popping in, J x
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PS: This is not a sponsored post, I don't do those. I just write about the things that I like 🙂
little cotton rabbits 
Happy belated birthday to Amy and happy forthcoming birthday to Toby … Gosh its busy at yours!
Ooooh I want to dive right into your knitting bag ;o)
happy baking!
love jooles xxx
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More happy birthdays from me(I’m not late for once!) I know that melancholy feeling that autumn brings so, like you, I’m finding in refuge in knitting and audio books. Love the contents of your knitting bag! x
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Hello Lovely. Your knitting bag is a delight for the eyes! And that yarn is just gorgeous. I’m trawling patterns to find something to knit through the darker months ahead but can’t decide! Am hoping I find some inspiration at K&S show this week. Maybe I should go with Shalom!
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Hi Julie
What beautiful photo’s, the one of your knitting bag makes me just want to dive in !What beautiful wool for your shawl, it’s like the colours of the sea.
Happy knitting,
Kate x
justpootling.blogspot.co.uk
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Happy birthday to both of your children. September is the month for both of mine. Your knitting bag is beautiful in every way. I love that crochet hook, it looks so light and delicate. The yarns are gorgeous. Well done on the magazine feature.
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Ooh your new shawl looks scrummy! I’m having knitting overload here – so many ideas and patterns and new yarns that I don’t know where to turn! Happy belated birthday to Amy (golly, 14!) and happy birthday for Toby for Friday 🙂 Your knitting bag looks very tidy! I just have random baskets and bags and piles dotted around everywhere. xx
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Good grief Julie your knitting bag is more like a Mary Poppins Bag so much stuff in one little bag. But I know what you mean about discovering things hidden away. Every so often I have a knitting bag sort out and I’m always amazed at what I find in there. Usually things I spent hours looking for and didn’t think to look for in there. I can’t believe Toby is about to turn 12 and Amy 14 that means I have been following your little newsy blog for the last two years already.
Hope they both enjoy their birthdays.
Mitzi
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Happy October birthdays to your sweet little family Julie! Your photos are beautiful — so fun to see the knitting bag of the master!
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Your wooden needles and crochet hook are absoultely beautiful! It must make knitting even more blissful using such wonderful tools.
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Great to hear your news as always
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Hi Julie, which side is the sink? Love the stitch you’re using on the shawl and I really like all the wool you’ve chosen (so nice to say wool not yarn – yay!) Your choice in wool has been my downfall before now – what a copycat I’ve turned out to be – and my mother said I’d always got to be different, seems she was wrong about that. So glad Toby will be eating better goodies now, just have to find somewhere to hide them……bit like in my house. Thanks for the update, look forward to next time. Elaine
p.s. I have a love affair with alpaca at present and so far I’ve only used solid colours but once I’ve used my current stash things may change – I hear merino sheep calling, or maybe they’re little grey sheep – after all I do live in Hampshire, and I was born and bred (as we say) in Yorkshire……but sheep it definitely is.
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Thank you for sharing your knitting bag with all that lovely eye candy! It sounds like a cozy fall is in store for you…
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Hola! So my sweet, I’m sending a virtual hug.a big one. You are an inspiration to so many of us lurkers in blog land. Thank you for continuing to blog, your contribution to the world is so special. Now I have to go and find another magazine I’ve never bought. Loved my summer ‘ near you in the south’. Autumn has arrived. Mittens needed. Much love. X
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Your knitting bag looks lovely – everything in there fits together so nicely. I’m very happy for Toby to have discovered oat cookies – yum!
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Congratulations on the article. The contents of your knitting bag look very enticing! And happy birthdays all round this week (We had two birthdays this week too)
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Hi there, Congrats on the lovely magazine article. Love the looks of your knitting bag…..lots of eye candy and knitters paradise!!
Birthday wishes to your kids!
xoRobin
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Happy birthday to the two of them ☺ Always love seeing your knitting and
crochet, such beautiful work you do ♥
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My favorite part of your knitting bag is the little drawings of Amy’s from 5 years ago. That’s so precious! I love finding surprises like that in my various bags and purses. They bring a smile to my face and an awwww to my heart.
I can’t tell……. but do I spy…… a certain purpleish yarn in that first photo?? 🙂
Birthdays are fun. Hard to believe our kids are growing up! I knew Levi and Toby were closeish in age but I didn’t realize our girls were as well. Well, a year apart but still! I wish they could meet!
I think it is wonderful that you were featured in a magazine. Doesn’t surprise me one bit!!
xxxxxx
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OH! And that colorway/wool and the scarf you are making! Elegant!!
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I always remember your son’s birthday as my boy has a birthday that day also. Happy birthday to both your children. I adore your scissors and your wooden needles. Your knitting bag is so charming. I am knitting away at bunnies and foxes for presents. My son will receive his bunny girl tomorrow and my girl was given hers last week. Thank you for your patterns, your blog and all you share. xx
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Happy birthday to Amy and Toby, a busy time having two birthdays close together. You’re using a gorgeous colour for your shawl. I’m debating starting a shawl myself but having never knit one before, I’m in two minds. I think I just need to dive in and get started really. Your knitting bag is very organised, I find lots of random things in mine.
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big happy birthdays to Amy and Toby!! Hope Amy had a great day and Toby has a great day too! I know you often have mixed feeling around Toby’s birthday, but hopefully you will all enjoy it and he will have a great day!! 🙂
Your knitting bag is just scrumptious! Cath Kidston??! Love the colour of the Shawl!
Always a pleasure to read your blog Julie! Brings a real smile to my face! x
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Happy birthday Toby! I hope Amy enjoyed hers… You must be so glad he likes your homemade biscuits… Your knitting basket is lovely, I like your “tools” ; it’s great to see you in the magazine! Anne
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Loving your Cath kidston knitting bag and its contents. I’ve never used bamboo needles as my gran taught me to knit when I was four i still use my steel needles (41) years on….are they better to hokd? That yarn ( is wool old school now? Not sure) is lush will pop over for a look. Beautiful pattern too.
Happy creating
Ali xx
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Thanks for being involved with our feature, Julie. We were delighted to feature you and your work!
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Happy Birthday to you Toby.
Xx
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A belated Happy Birthday to Amy, and Happy Birthday to Toby for today x
I’m another lover of The Little Grey Sheep yarns, and of home baking 😉
Great magazine feature Julie x
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Happy Birthday Toby.
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Happy birthday for your babies! Your knitting bag is so lovely, I’m more guilty of having a knitting house… Enjoy the yummy sounding cookies! Maggie x
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such fun to see in your bag. unfortunately my knitting bag is, more often than not, a ziplock plastic bag. i must fix that! love the yarn and your crocheting. gorgeous!!!!! i know that lingering melancholy feeling too. keep on knitting.
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I hope your children had lovely birthdays.
I was wondering if at some point you could write about your beatuiful crochet hoods, as I cannot use metal hooks & the plastic ones are not great.
Thanks
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Julie, that yarn is absolutely gorgeous! I’ll have to check it out. And I love your knitting bag! Fits your talents! Happy Birthday to the kiddos. I’ m looking forward to seeing your future posts and especially the luscious pics of your projects. xxoo
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Hello Julie, sorry that I haven’t been in contact for so long. Firstly Happy Birthday to your two. I have been popping in to look at your blog regularly. I am afraid that mine has been neglected as I am a massive fan and user of Instagram. The inspiration is fantastic and it is just so quick to use. Lots of gorgeous photos, too. I am in the final stages of finishing the Caravan Blanket and am using some of your gifted Cascade. As usual it is a last minute rush to finish with me as we go the first week of November. Work has been too busy and stressed me out so that I cannot enjoy home time. Easing off a bit now. I haven’t forgotten your kindness and if not before, will hope to catch up with your in a Christmas card etc. Love your garden room and hope it brings you all some sanctuary. I am trying to persuade Kevin to build me a mini Wells beach hut in the garden next year but it will involve knocking down one of the arbours. I would like one with legs and steps. He thinks I am nuts but I really want to make little curtains and have a camping stove in it and bunting, Lloyd Loom, Roberts Radio with the shipping forecast playing, wool, wool ,wool, biscuits, Alfie, magazines and a copy of Rebecca. Bliss. Love your new shawl. Love the mittens. Kindest regards Zoe xxx
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Love the magazine article. Zoe xxxxx
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Joyeux Anniveraire Amy and Toby!
And thank you for the discover of this lovely wool!
Lovely knitting bag! I’m mad about Cath Kidston ( i treat myself with a Cath Kidston thing each time i have the chance to come in GB)
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Happy birthday to both Amy and Toby!!!
I can’t think of anyone’s knitting bag I would rather look in than yours Julie……always so much deliciousness going on in there! 🙂
V xxx
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Happy Belated Birthdays to Amy and Toby!! Your knitting bag is a delight, Julie…and thanks for the link to the wool….I’m doing a swap soon and think this gorgeous wool will be a lovely treat to send! Now I’m back from exam-land, I’m about to start my first Little Cotton Rabbit from the pattern I’ve been hoarding for ages…and join the Ravelry Rabbit Warren…really exciting! Love to you all Jxx
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Happy Birthday to both Amy & Toby ….and congratulations on your Magazine features well done Julie, I so love your knitting bag so full of happiness delight…the colours you combine always make me feel cosy and warm…. love to all x x x x M.
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Your knitting bag is fantastic, and I love that shawl!
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Gorgeous! all of it! (I crochet one of those shawls too and wear mine all the time!)
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Happy belated birthdays to Amy and Toby. I hope both days brought your family happiness.
I’ve not caught up with your blog since the start of summer, but wanted to say how much I love the palette you’re using at the moment – misty cosy autumnal shades. I particularly like the muted jewel colours of the Malabrigo against the soft grey of your mittens.
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Happy Birthday wishes to Amy and Toby, albeit a bit belated!
You’re so right about how quickly time has gone since the children went back to school. It was a shock yesterday when I realised it’s November next week! I might need to start some Christmas knitting.
Thanks for the peak inside your knitting bag. That yarn looks really beautiful but I daren’t follow the link as I know what’ll happen!
Enjoy your gentle time with your crochet 🙂
xxx
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I agree with Ellie re the mittens. Does the coloured yarn provide those lovely colours randomly?
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Gorgeous knitting bag contents! I love your blog, it always makes me want to knit!
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hi!!I’m ming!
how beautiful your single point needles!!
I envy you
what merchadiser made those needle?!!
let me know– is it made of bamboo?!!
brand name? thanx
I enjoy your blog too much!
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