School has started back here in South Australia and it’s time to get back to work. First day back in the shop yesterday was lovely and I certainly felt refreshed and ready to get enthusiastic and busy in my little shop.
The crisis’s of the end of last year have woken me up to my priorities in life and the shop isn’t really up there. My health and well-being is my number one priority for now. Followed by my family.
Somehow in the last few years I lost my way. I lost my priorities and the shop was taking over. I stopped seeing that there were more important priorities in my life.
I’m putting the fun back in to my life. Focusing on those things that bring me the most joy. Family, making, travelling, spending time with friends, cuddling my dogs and teaching.
I love being in the flow of making and I love gifting my patterns to others.
So here is my latest pattern.
The inspiration for these socklettes came from a 1940’s Patons pattern book, I found in an op-shop on my Betsy adventures. The original was knit in 3ply.
I knit me version in 8ply and added ribbing to the arch of the foot so they hug the foot.
I get a lot of swelling in my legs at times and socks can occasionally be uncomfortable to wear.
Free pattern PDF download
When I was in the planning stage of KSW. The most important thing to have in the shop was an Ashford Dealership. If I hadn’t of been given one, KSW would not have come into being. I love their products and have used their wheels, looms and carders for years. I learned to spin on a secondhand Ashford traditional wheel with the kind help of Bella Head who was an Ashford Dealer in Adelaide. Next I learned to weave on an Ashford Knitters Loom and later bought my first multi shaft loom a Katie.
I was fortunate to meet Richard Ashford at Bendigo Sheep and wool. I was Jane of Moseley Parks helper as Ian was unable to help out that year. I bought the first blending board in Australia, it was a demonstration model that Ashford had brought over for the show. Jane had let me go off and explore, after we’d set up, just before the show opened. And I was fortunate enough to talk Richard into selling me the blending board on the condition I picked it up at the end of the show, so it could be used.
Every break I got I was over at the Ashford stand. Richard gave me a lesson on the boards use. And when it was time to pick the board up a kiss on the cheek.
Poor Jane and Karla had to listen to me regale the story of the kiss and giggle that I’d not wash that cheek again 😆 all the way back to Jamestown!