backward . . . and forward

January 9, 2013 By Kate in design, Donegal, Dublin, personal, photography, recovery, Shetland, Shetland Wool Week, textiles Tags: 2012, design, photography, recovery, year review 85 Comments

2012 was really a pretty good year. Here are some highlights.

Work-related trips to some wonderful places . . .

Shetland

Donegal

Dublin

(photo courtesy of Charlotte Monckton)
Shetland again!

My first time as a Woolfest trader.

My sister, Martin Curtis and me, meeting Sophie, Countess of Wessex (note: Helen is wearing a Manu and knitting a Betty Mouat Cowl, I am wearing a Deco and knitting a puffin sweater, and Sophie is looking at a copy of Knit Real Shetland).

Travelling with Tom and Bruce to our favourite Hebridean spots . . .

. . . and swimming in the sea!

Working with my favourite folk . . .

Mel

Sandra and Ella

Jen and Nic

Tom

. . .to make a book!

But if you asked me what was my biggest achievement in 2012, then I would say . . .

. . . learning to ride a trike, and inspiring a few other people with brain injuries, balance issues and similar disabilities to give it a go as well. In 2013, I intend to try moving things up a gear, and am about to begin learning to drive again. My aim is to be pootling about in our van by June. If I say it here, then it has to happen!!

Most of all:
I am so grateful to all of you for stopping by here, for continuing to read this blog, for leaving so many lovely comments, and for supporting me in all sorts of ways in 2012.
THANKYOU, ALL OF YOU! x

I’ll be back shortly with a couple of related posts about my favourite books and yarns of 2012. . . .

In the meantime:

My pal Jen is having a New Year pattern sale. This includes a 3 for 2 deal on some of her super newly-available designs (I particularly like the Porlock socks with their gansey-inspired stitch patterns and personalised lettering) and 25% off the lovely Cloudy Apples accessories collection. Pop over to Jen’s blog to find out more.

And finally, if you are knocking about Pittenweem this Saturday and fancy meeting me and the samples from Colours of Shetland, then pop down to The Woolly Brew between 12-2pm. I’ll be signing books, too, if you’d like a copy.

Lauder morning

November 4, 2012 By Kate in colour, landscape, photography, running, Scotland, walking Tags: Autumn, Borders Cross Country Races, color, colour, Cross Country, fall, knitting, Lauder, photography, running, Scottish Borders 33 Comments

We got up early, and drove down to the Borders. It was a beautiful crisp morning.

When we arrived in Lauder, the sun was already turning the frost into a magical, dewy haze.

Today, the Autumn colours seemed even more deeply saturated. I want to knit everything in these tapestry blues and golds.

While Bruce and I were enjoying our morning walk, Tom was making preparations. . .

Today was the first race in this series. A hand-knitted running vest is, of course, obligatory on such occasions . . .

Off he goes!

Ah, Cross Country season . . .

Wovember colour

November 3, 2012 By Kate in Bruce, color, colour, photography, Wovember Tags: Autumn, bruce, color, colour, fall, photography, wovember 21 Comments

Gold

Orange and Green

Russet

Flame

A wine-red haze of hawthorn (the birds are going mad for it)

Silver

Black

Marigold

(He found it in the woods. He was so pleased with himself that I had to let him keep it. . . then he chewed off and devoured one of the fingers. Now it is in the bin).

weekend in Unst

September 6, 2012 By Kate in landscape, photography, Shetland, walking Tags: Hermaness, landscape, Norwick, photography, Shetland, Unst, walking 54 Comments

The perfect spot

The rocks and creatures tell out their stories

in runic scribbles

On the hill, the heather is turning.

A walk to land’s edges.

A meeting with Britain’s most northerly flock.

Two days on the beach.

Bliss.

a taste of Shetland

September 4, 2012 By Kate in Shetland Tags: Bannamin, Burra, Hamnavoe, Mareel, photography, Shetland, St Ninian's Isle 35 Comments

drama

a teaser

sheep mobile . . .

. . . and sedentary

bear

bere

Burra

Shetland Textile Working Museum

happy on the beach

friends

Mareel

St Ninian’s sunset

graft

August 19, 2012 By Kate in design, knitting, photography, wildflowers Tags: design, knitting, photography, wildflowers 35 Comments

I am working hard. The designs for my new collection are in all in process, and I have spent the past few weeks writing patterns and knitting . . . lots of pattern writing, and lots and lots of knitting.

This sort of work requires the kind of concentrated focus I haven’t felt for quite a while, and I find myself in a place that is familiar from the experience of producing different kinds of book: holding the pieces of a gigantic puzzle and waiting for them all to slot neatly into place. So far the right things are slotting into the right places, which is pleasing. It is really rather nice to be working hard again. That said, at this stage of a project I am probably at my most antisocial and my hermit-ty tendencies are only exacerbated by the fact that I can’t, as yet, talk about the work I’m doing here. There is something of the season about this hermit-ty feeling, too. Everything has that blown-out, approaching-end-of-Summer look to it, and at this time of year I always find myself want to grasp things before they disappear, to just hurry up and do something before it is all over. I am doing my best.

Meanwhile, August is slipping away. I walk outside every day, and watch the wildflowers in the undergrowth change . . .

. . . and go to seed.

I’d better get a move on.

Islay light

August 10, 2012 By Kate in Islay, photography, wildflowers Tags: Islay, light, photography, Wild Flowers 27 Comments

The light on Islay is truly amazing. I am often struck by how, particularly when there is very little wind, the golden light from the West on the machair and dunes brings objects to life in what I can only think of as their own unique haecceitas. I have only just returned, but looking at these pictures I long to be back there again.

today’s news . . .

July 18, 2012 By Kate in beasties, design, Edinburgh, knitting, photography Tags: Betty Mouat Cowl, BMC, Jamieson and Smith, moth, photography, rain 32 Comments

The weather is biblical. Again.

A beautiful moth appeared in the kitchen.

I prepared a gigantic slow-cooked curry. My preparations would have been more efficient had I not kept stopping to photograph the moth.

I crunched all the numbers for one of my new patterns (whoot!).

And, for those of you who were asking, my BMC kit, in the muted colourway above, is now back in stock over at Jamieson and Smith

ordinary day

July 17, 2012 By Kate in Bruce, knitting, personal, photography, wildflowers Tags: fleece dog, fleece dogs, photography, walk, wildflowers 48 Comments

Tea.

A new book.

(Thankyou, Nic!)

OK, Bruce, enough of the fleece dogs already . . .

Work.

Walk.

Islay inspiration

May 31, 2012 By Kate in design, Islay, landscape, photography, Scotland, the life of things Tags: Bruichladdich, design, feis ile, Hebrides, inspiration, Islay, Kildalton, landscape, photography, Scotland 40 Comments

I love camping: I suppose there is just something about taking the time to simply be in the outdoors that allows the world to insinuate itself upon you in the most pleasing way. And I find Islay a particularly inspiring landscape. I like to potter about just looking at stuff, and always come home with a head and notebook full of ideas. Good weather helps too, of course: being able to sit outside in the long, light evenings watching hares, and listening to the wark-wark of corncrakes is a delicious kind of treat.

The things I see around me in Scotland, and the photographs I take of them are certainly my principal source of inspiration. Oftentimes it is the “feel” of something in a photograph (or perhaps more accurately the memory the photographs invoke of the feel of a place, thing, or occasion) that sparks off an idea. Here are a few groups of images that may or may not work their way into a thought . . . that later works its way into a design.

Thrift, spent blooms, rocks and sand.