This is the view from the top of our lane yesterday evening. The large hulking hill to the right is Ben Lomond, with the Arrochar “Alps”, including the Cobbler, to the left. The weather continues to be amazing. Everything is coming to fruition. My tomatoes are ripening.
I am impressed with my peppers, also grown from seed. . .
. . .and I am cutting courgettes and sweet peas every day. The sweet peas grow more luminous and psychedelic. Each day I cut a bloom that seems more wildly neon than the day before.
I planted several different cultivars, but am totally useless at keeping tabs on what’s what, so I’m afraid I have no idea of their names…
Meanwhile, inside, things are coming to fruition too as I now have seven completed YOKE designs. Numbers eight and nine are on the needles, which just leaves number ten for the collection to be complete. I’ve been steadily charting and grading and writing patterns, and Mel and I have been knitting away since April. It is extremely satisfying seeing the collection really coming together now, and to look at the group of distinctive garments hanging in my studio, all of which sort of feel like me. Another exciting phase of the project is about to begin, as I am soon to start working on, and writing about, some different regional styles and practices of YOKE knitting since the 1940s. I’ll say more about this aspect of the book shortly, but for now I’d better finish knitting this sleeve. . . Hope you all have a lovely weekend!
KDD & Co 
Dear Kate, this is entirely off topic. How do you manage to keep knitting for what seems to me to be hours and hours. I can only knit for a while before my hands ache. I try to take regular breaks, but next day they still ache. I am also not a speedy knitter and this also irks me terribly as I find it very hard to progress with any project. The projects you have written about here – one of these ykokes would take me about six months- let alone ten.And I do understand that this is your work now. I will be moving shortly to the Isle of Wight and want to make use of my time as I wont have a job to go to. But I think I’ll take my knitting to the beach. I find knitting in day light so much better.
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Oh, I can’t wait for this book! Every picture you post of the land around your home reinforces for me why so many people from your country settled in the area where I live. (Southern Appalachian mountain region of USA) The landscapes are so similar, so familiar. I would love to visit your country.
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What a lovely and inspiring landscape! The muted colors of the mountain sunset are beautiful!
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Such a lovely garden! I am very excited for the new collection :)
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Just love your blogs. They are the only ones I am completely addicted to because, as all your other followers attest, you fill my head with ideas and inspiration.
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Beautiful tomatoes, are they in a greenhouse? Looking forward to reading your yoke-book.
Happy harvesting!
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Wow, THAT is a lot of work! Can’t wait to see your designs.
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LOVE the psychedelic sweet peas. Now here’s a thing, I do not care for yoked sweaters but because you are doing them…I WILL buy the book! Seriously!
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Thank you for sharing your beauty with us. Your tomatoes and peppers will be delicious. I am looking forward to seeing your yoke collection too.
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You continue to be so amazing every single day!! Looking forward to seeing the yoke collection!
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So very pretty. Thank you for sharing.
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Very much looking forward to your Yoke designs. Great photo’s as always!
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Don’t know about the sweet peas, but your tomatoes look like they may be Tigrella….!
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Kate…want you to know how much I enjoy your blog…the glimpse of your life through your beautiful photography & writing….your work…recovery from your stroke…your talent and lifestyle is inspirational. Marianne
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Your new book sounds just delicious, I feel very excited to see what you’re working on but I do love a good surprise so I’ll wait patiently. Quality takes time!
I’m still feeling the need to knit a couple more garments from Colours of Shetland in any case ;)
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As a regular reader of your blog and a huge fan of your work, I happen to be on holiday in Scotland at the moment. I enjoyed a warm and very satisfying day out on the banks of Loch Lomond yesterday. I even walked a `wee` stretch of the West Highland Way today near Balmaha. It was absolutely stunning, just as in the pictures you took. Thank you for your inspiration and I can`t wait to see your new book published.
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Your views make me ache for a visit to Scotland. Maybe next year…I must tell you when I see a post from you I get a little smile. I read all of my other e-mails, then cup of tea in hand, I save the best ’til last and enjoy reading your latest. Thank you for the gift of your posts. I too cannot wait for the next book. Happy weekend!
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Dear Kate,
I’ve been trying to buy one of your kits on your website and it won’t register in my cart, nor will it accept an email – any tips?!
Biba
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Your beautiful scenery is only exceeded by the joy of hearing that the Yokes book is closer to publication. Prepare yourself for another deluge of orders & warn J&S, too. Hope the book will be ready to treat ourselves for Christmas.
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I too, am excited to see inside your studio!
Sheila
https://www.etsy.com/listing/94049854/christmas-hats-collection-pattern
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FUN X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
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It’s great that you share your gardening and landscape impressions here. Both knitting and gardening have become my favourite hobbies and I am amazed to find both things here! It’s a pleasure reading your blog.
Habe a great weekend!
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Yoke you been doing!? ;-) I love the idea of 10 different yoke patterns. Your photos of the hills, flowers and garden have summer written all over them. Enjoy!
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ps. Oh, and I am absolutely aching to get a peek into your new studio !
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Oh how I love anticipation.
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I’m so tranquil reading your post at 6 o’clock in the morning, with much the same view out my window of hillls, knitting away over the days,weeks, months, while in my garden slowly there’s ripening tomatoes. Somthing about feeling fruition in my life too, and the mountains like a great sage council in our lives… I can just relate .
Now , Yokes is going to be so amazing, I can’t wait ! You & Mel are a great team !!!
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Your sweetpeas look lovely, I can almost smell them. Mine have been flowering their socks off all summer, they’re such a delight.
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Thank you for the lovely post. I am looking forward to more on the yokes. I hope you enjoy your weekend as well.
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congrats on both the new (knitting) work….and the (older…from seeds??? WOW, impressive! gardening!) work!!!!
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Congratulations on such a successful garden. I am really looking forward to the Yoke collection. It sounds just wonderful.
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Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
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If you ever tire of knitting, you could surely earn your keep as a photographer! This is a lovely post. I’m looking forward to the new work, though. Please keep your day job.
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I can’t wait to see your yoke designs!
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I never fail to be amazed that beautiful and edible things come up out of the dirt.
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I am very excited to hear of your new book!
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Isn’t the weather wonderful and strange, much the same in Southern England. Beautiful produce and lovely photos, such good fun, thank you.
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I am so looking forward to this book! Will you also be addressing different types of yokes for different shapes of shoulders? As much as I love yokes, most designs look funny on me due to my straight shoulders.
Lots of love, Bai Yang
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The colours in the view from your lane are truly breathtaking! Could they translate into a knitting project in the future? Your produce also most impressive!
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So excited for your YOKES!
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What a beautiful place you live in and I can’t wait to see the book!
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