.

Introducing Laurie Gonyea...

2011-02-25T16:01:00.000+02:00

I've been so helter-skelter with a lof of offline work that I just realised that I hadn't posted in such a long while! But, I do have lots of news to make up for the absence so I might be forgiven for being 'away' for so long.

While this year is advancing far too rapidly for my liking (why does everything move too fast when you're on the wrong side of forty?) there has also been a lot of exciting things happening which will probably make it stand out as one of my favourite years.

One exciting development is the new cotton colours in my KB Knitting Yarns range, which I'm really proud of. You can see the new shades here: The Knit Box yarns.

However, my main announcement is about Laurie Gonyea. She is the founder and owner of Knit Outta the Box, the creator of those highly original and fun IMitt DIY Mitten Kits, and our online friendship as mutual yarn-lovers and knitters developed into a wonderful business partnership just before Christmas. Apart from having similar names for our businesses, we discovered a whole lot more in common. Laurie has graciously taken on the role of Exclusive Distributor for the US & Canada and I'm bubbling over with excitement in anticipation of what the future will bring. I have a lot of faith in Laurie's vision and experience and her Creative Director, Patricia, is doing a wonderful job. Great start to 2011, so far!

Laurie's innovative iMitts.

If you are in the US or Canada and would like to find out more about KB Knitting Cotton Yarns, please feel free to contact Laurie at info@knitouttathebox.com

Shade cards:

Cotton Tweed. A natural cotton with colour added in using natural viscose yarn.

KB Cotton. 100% Turkish cotton in vibrant, mystic colours.

A blend of Turkish wool and Turkish kid mohair, softest in the world, fortified with polyamide.

What Katydid

2010-12-17T13:55:00.000+02:00

Katydid is actually Kate, a fellow Ravelry member who made something really scrumptious from my Daisy Blue Scarf pattern.

The Daisy Blue Scarf was one of my first patterns and also my favourite. I created it with a lot of labour and love and edged in frothy lace, which I totally love.

Daisy Blue Scarf. Pattern available for download here: Patterns

Kate kindly gave me permission to post the pics of her FO here, and I wanted to share what she did. It pretty much goes to show just how creative knitters are ~ you don't have to conform to a given. Kate knew exactly what she wanted to do with the pattern when she saw it, a baby blanket, and it turned out beautifully!

Katydid's baby blanket - the Daisy Lace Blanket!

I'm really happy that I made something which inspired someone else who made something else...

Thank you for the images, Kate, and for knitting up such a beautiful heirloom.

A more than relatively good week

2010-11-23T12:52:00.000+02:00

For me, a relatively good week is when no-one gets sick, the heating works perfectly, I make a few nice sales and I don't get any acid reflux attacks.

The past week, however, was a really good week.

The Christmas gifts I had ordered arrived good and early.

We had a really long holiday WITH good weather and took the children to a great zoo not far away.

I discovered I was featured in three knitting magazines;
The Knitter reviewed my Ebru Needles in Issue 25,
Knitting Magazine wrote a lovely piece about my Orient yarn in their December Yarn Review section,
and Let's Knit has just featured a piece about my Silver Sifa cotton yarn.

I bought lots of lovely storage boxes and accessories and completely reorganised my working space and bedroom.

We found an excellent piano teacher for my daughter.

My spinner and I managed to put together a lovely palette for new cotton colours.

I managed to get a great amount of knitting done for the family.

Weird knitters' block

2010-10-27T12:45:00.000+03:00

I've been having the weirdest couple of weeks.

In true knitters' fashion, the autumn is the most inspirational and uplifting time for me. I love it.

So suitably enough, my head is spinning with delicious designs, colours and textures. All impatient to be brought to life.

But the second I cast on I get the most awful block. It all either grinds to a halt or I become disappointed with the reality of the idea when it's finally in a 3-dimensional state.

I suppose it's similar to the block an author comes face to face with when the idea just won't imprint itself on to a crisp, white page.

However, luckily I have other projects which need my attention so maybe it's all a blessing in disguise as I can get on with these.

And while I'm at an impasse with my own designs, I am having a lot of fun knitting myself a Saint Denis cardigan using my own babyblue merino yarn...

Saint Denis Cardigan, by Veronik Avery and available from Ravelry.

Help East meet West

2010-10-05T12:19:00.000+03:00

Catherine Bayar, of Bazaarbayar, lives a colourful life in Istanbul. And she's a knitter. So she's one of us :)

She has put together a wonderful workshop to bring together the women of the East with the women of the West through one mutual language: knitting & fiber crafts.

I'll let you read her whole story for yourself, and do try to spread the workd about this lovely project. Anyone who donates won't be giving away their money - it'll be more like buying something. For every donation, however large or small, there is a choice of gorgeous gifts, from a basketful of natural beauty products to a selection of knitting goodies and patterns.

"East meets West", launched on Kickstarter, the creative arts crowd-funding site, to help fund the East meets West fiber arts workshops, in Istanbul's Sultanahmet, starting March 2011.

Catherine says:

"Can fiber arts bridge cultures?

Will women from multiple countries knit up new versions of traditional skills?

Is there a common language of craft?"

Please spread the word with this link "East meets West" on Kickstarter. Thanks!

Bisexual yarn?

2010-09-30T13:57:00.000+03:00

The best part of my work is deciding new colours to add to my range of yarn and this past week has been, coincidentally, all about colour so far. KB Cotton is my 'bi-sexual' yarn, as I'm developing it with men knitters in mind, too. I think back to the time when men and women were both romantic, pretty, preening and bejewelled.

Turkish-inspired colour riot... KB Cotton in Harem Pink, Ink, Pistachio and Opal Cream with 4 more colours on the way.

It's really hard to keep intensely personal choices out of the equation when trying to put together a good range of shades, which is hard as different countries have different preferences. Either I have to throw my personal preference down peoples' throats or I have to embrace a little of everything for everyone.

Harem Pink and Pistachio in one hundred percent Aegean Cotton

KB Indulge Kid Mohair in Jade, Ruby, Ivory and the new Safir Purple and Dovegrey.

Springy, frothy, soft kid mohair in new Safir Purple. http://www.theknitbox.com/

I try not to be discriminating of colours because if a colour carries a memory, has a story or reminds me of a flower then I can't be mean to it, can I?

A colourful day in Sultanahmet

2010-09-28T11:52:00.000+03:00

Yesterday I went to the ancient quarter of Sultanahmet in Istanbul to meet two women who I've gotten to known in an 'online' way and we had a very short, but nonetheless very colourful and fun few hours.

Aargh... why on earth did we forget to take some pictures??

Well anyway, Catherine and I have been working together with yarns and she's the designer of our fantastic Silver Slippers. She and her husband have a beautiful rug store where they also sell vintage kaftans and the colours you're surrounded by inside is just unique. Catherine is an amazing knitter and she showed me the shrug she's knitting with the Blueberry Cotton Tweed. When I saw it a description sprung to mind but I couldn't put words to it and now I can - Catherine, you make yarn sing!

Inese lives in Latvia and came over for yarn for her unique designs. She's the creator of Wrapture. We had a delightful time talking colours, yarn, more colours, more yarn...

Inese wearing one of her Wrapture designs. I'm very proud to be the provider of some of the yarn she uses :)

Looking forward to the next time we meet up... this time, in Golcuk!

I Knit London

2010-09-25T12:23:00.000+03:00

I know this is a bit late in the day, and Heike and Nicky have blogged about it way before I've gotten around to it, but I'd love to share my day just the same.

This September was my first time participating in a Weekender show, and everyone was very nice. Build-up was the night before the show and when I wandered in at 9pm Gerard was all helpful and bubbly. It's obvious he put a lot of work and energy into the event.

The show was full of really fabulous vendors, some I've met before, and it was only a shame that so few turned up on the first day, as a lot of effort had gone into it by both the I Knit people and the vendors to make it a great knitting event. Debbie Bliss, Alice Stanmore and Erica Knight were there, too, which says it all. The second day was much better and pretty hectic at times.

Nodding off to sleep (no, really, it's the contact lenses starting to dry out giving me a terrible squint.) But a nice picture of the stand; I was chuffed with the colourful stall mum and I put together in just two hours the night before.

I had a great time talking to people about my Ebru Needles, the Oya embroidery (which was a huge hit as expected)

and the cotton yarn (the Ink being very popular with men knitters as well)...

and the Indulge Kid Mohair (below).

I'm very excited to be adding more colours to both the Cotton (top) and the Indulge (pictured here) today! Both yarns were a great hit, sold out the second day and I barely had any left to bring back home.

It was fun to have people dig in to the stitch marker basket like a treasure hunt - there were so many varieties. All in all, I met some lovely people and had a lot of laughs, it was a very warm and friendly crowd.

A photo pilfered from Nicky's blog A Life Like Vera! (I really like this picture, sorry Nicky!)

Nice surprises and lovely people...

2010-09-22T16:22:00.000+03:00

Well, we're back from London and that was a quick 18 days... or so it seems to me now. I'm a bit under the weather at the moment with a very sore throat and I'm positive it's a combo of climate shock and severe tiredness.

The I Knit London 2010 show went very well for me, and I came away with a lot of happy memories, brilliant sales on the second day, a lot of experience and best of all was meeting a few very special women. Nicky, whose blog is A Life Like Vera! and Heike, who I felt like I knew already as we had developed a very special bond this past spring. I ran into a Knitting Haven Parlor friend, which was a lovely surprise, too. And I was also really lucky to meet some of my newsletter subscribers finally!

Heike had made me a beautiful book cover, the inside of which was handmade paper from India. Gorgeous.

Heike added a beautiful button and a leather strap to the knitted journal cover. It's perfect for autumn musings. (A knitters' favourite season!)

I will post about the show specifically next time, but I wanted to first mention these lovely people, and also another nice surprise which was waiting for me when I got home. Patty, whose blog is Dream a Little Dream and knits wonderful things for wonderful little Angels, had sent me a lovely card. I first 'met' Patty when she shopped with me, but I don't see her as a customer at all and it's a great blessing that I've gotten to know her as a friend.

Lavender farm card from Patty.

Packed and ready...

2010-09-01T11:44:00.000+03:00

... well, almost. I always pack for the children first because it somehow feels that they will be in danger of becoming a) naked b) hungry c) bored d) destitute if they're not accompanied by their entire wardrobe and toys. Ah, the paranoias of parenthood. While I sit staring at my own wardrobe wondering what the hell to take and suddenly I have nothing!

Anyway, I have just about everything I need for I Knit Weekender as well. If you're coming to the show, you're in luck as there'll be a discount on everything. There will also be a few things appearing for the first time, at a really good introductory offer, so don't miss those.

The best surprise will be the Yaprak Ballet Slipper Kit, with the pattern contributed by the lovely and incredibly talented Catherine Bayar, which will be introduced for the first time in a limited number.

'Yaprak Ballet Slippers Kit' includes KB's 100g Sifa Silver yarn (with real silver), a 6-page pattern booklet, needles, stitch marker and recyled jute bag. A limited number of 40 kits will be on sale at I Knit Weekender for £2 off retail price.

Now, little plug over, I'm back to staring at the wardrobe...

Yarn Review in Knitting Magazine

2010-08-12T13:02:00.000+03:00

My knitting friend Heike, who has a lovely blog called Mad About Yarn, gave me the fab news yesterday that my Cotton Tweed had been featured in the Yarn Review section of Knitting magazine. So saying I feel chuffed would be a bit of an understatement.

She was also a dear to scan the section and send it to me as we don't have Knitting magazine here and I stopped subscribing last year. It was really nice to receive it every month - like a bit of home - but the overseas postage finally wore me down. My parents travel back and forth so often that they often bring it to me when they can. Of course, I'll be ordering the back issue for this when I go home next month.

Review of Cotton Tweed in 'Golden Syrup' by Sue Culligan

Free Knitting Pattern - Strawberry Bag

2010-08-09T12:32:00.000+03:00

Strawberry Pouch. Yarn used; KB Knitting's Cotton Tweed in Strawberry Sorbet. Oya needle lace flowers sewn on the cord.

The pattern for this simple, yet very pretty lattice design, pouch is free in the newsletter (sign up in the right-hand column). The monthly newsletter itself is free, too and I try to make sure there are free patterns, or stitch designs, available each month.

I love the long cord on this, and it sits across my shoulder, on my hip perfectly for a quick trip to the local market.

This little phone, or I-pod, pouch pattern (together with the Strawberry Bag pattern) is going to be given away free in a double-pattern colour leaflet at the I-Knit Weekender show with purchases of the Cotton Tweed yarn.

Daisy Drawstring Phone Pouch. Yarn used; Cotton Tweed in Golden Syrup.

The rock'n'roll of needles.

2010-07-29T16:22:00.001+03:00

Okay, as I photographed these I was trying really hard to find the perfect word to describe them. Funky came to mind a lot. Especially as a lot of people at Olympia last March called them "really funky". However, as I wrote 'Are these needles funky or what?' in the title just now I realised that Americans have a whole different meaning for funky. So, unless I want my needles to be thought of as farty and smelly by half the world, then I had to discard it out of respect for the other side of the pond.

However, at I-Knit Weekender this September I will be saying "funky, funky, funky!" quite a lot as the Ebru needles in bamboo have turned out incredibly cool after our latest workshop efforts and I quite think I don't want to sell them at all... Here they are in pink/green, blue and lilac/woodtone:

All three colours of the Ebru Needles ~ lilac/woodtone, blue, pink/green.

Ebru Needles in blue ~ All cloudy and dreamy.

Ebru Needles in Lilac/woodtone. These evolved into a more exciting colour than planned.

Good enough to eat ~ pink/green ebru'ed needles.

Are you sure you want to wrench these away from me?

Ebru Needles in Turkish wood and the longer length. The wood adds a more textural dimension to the colour.

The Ebru Needles will be at the I-Knit Weekender show on 10-11th September, 2010 if you'd like to have a look. But if you want to take any home with you... well, now I'm not so sure.

However, as long as my generosity to part with them prevails, they will be available in limited numbers for 50p off the regular online price for I-Knit only.

Create, add, multiply...

2010-07-19T12:04:00.042+03:00

... to make something beautiful.

.....

Maths, art, science, history, geography... our life subjects are used in harmony together to create a tiny, perfect object.

Bring together something from history and something from today...

Cross-shoulder hand-knitted pouch: Cotton Tweed by KB Knitting embellished with silk oya. Subscribers will be receiving this free pattern in the coming newsletter.

My maternal grandmother had a chest full of crochet tablecloths, doilies, pure silk handpainted scarves and yemenis, handwoven cloths and bath sets and yards of silk oya; part of her typical bridal trousseau though she was too modern to use most of them - a girl of the bright Ataturk era, daughter of one of his heroic cavalry officers and later, the proud wife of a loyal Republican. My mother has it now, but she also rarely uses any of it. Since I was a child I would take them out one by one to hold up to the light, simply enjoy the colours and then put away again. When the chest comes to me, I won't display most of either but will preserve it all intact, perhaps to take out now and then to smell, close my eyes and imagine the crafting hands, bowed heads and giggles of the girls, now smiling at me from faded sepia photographs, who created all this beauty over a hundred years ago. Maybe someday, I'll have the time and quiet to sit down and write their story.

In the meantime, my imagination runs riot and for some time I have been looking for something to complement the Cotton Tweed, a pure Turkish cotton yarn cultivated from the calculations of nature, the benefits of geography and the science of spinning.

.......

I come across someone whose mother in Bursa defies modern materials and trends to create oya from traditional threads and techniques. These are wound simply onto a paper cone - no attempt to make them look like a modern work of art. Just. Simply. Oya.

.......

Oya flowers created individually onto a length of waste yarn.

Awakenings

2010-06-14T11:58:00.005+03:00

A classic, and perhaps cliche, title for my post today but very apt for me.

I seem to be going through a series of these and in a good way; I'm hoping that it's a direct result of intense love for my work coupled with huge doses of integrity and honesty. Fortune has yet to come to my doorstep but fame is steadily trickling in (does it also count if people write to you saying they picked up a magazine at an airport and saw you in it?), but I believe where one goes the other will soon follow. I'm basically quite naive, yet not dumb if my IQ is anything to go by, and most might say I shouldn't be trying to run my own business on pure, simple goodwill alone. That old-fashioned and now scorned act of 'hard work' is something which I'm guilty of, too. Sometimes I wish I could be savvy and calculating but do those who are really get what they want at the end of the day?

Tomorrow is an exciting day; the needles have arrived in perfect time and our workshop begins tomorrow for the new batch of Ebru needles for samples requested by craft magazines. Everything is right with the world thanks to good intentions, good luck and good re-structuring!

The house has been painted with eco-friendly, lead-free satin ivory paint; suddenly my home is fifty times as bright as it was before and this inspires me to transform everything else in the house which is guilty of being dull, worn or un-pretty. I found this lovely website, Eco-Artware.com, through Gecko Gully's new craft advertising site. The archive of craft projects to completely recycle and reinvent objects is really good.

Next week the four of us embark on a 3-week holiday; we have planned a full and action-packed driving trip visiting several places in the Aegean and we're really looking forward to it. Having taken my husband's perfect advice to shake off any bad vibes and cobwebs with a shrug of the shoulder I'm ready to enjoy the summer immensely ~ the sky is clear and bright like my house and we're in a really happy, complete place.

A sense of panic has also begun, but in a totally exciting and welcome way; as I sketch designs and spend nights (why does inspiration insist on striking at midnight?) frantically scribbling down brainwaves for September's über-trendy London I-Knit Weekender ~ the biggest dedicated knitting and Yarn event in the UK focused on hosting British design and talent.

Returning from a long holiday won't have the anti-climax it usually has as I'm so looking forward to the flurry of show preparation waiting for me.

Cotton fields forever

2010-06-01T11:41:00.006+03:00

There's always a lot of debate and difference of opinion about natural over synthetic but I think cotton is the one fiber that unites everyone. The sheer simplicity and natural goodness of cotton is what makes me love it so much and I've started working with it more than ever before. Anyone who knows me knows that my life in Turkey took a new direction when I started to discover the natural fibers and their history here. When I first moved here, I honestly never knew that Turkish cotton had quite such a dignified reputation. I've been especially interested in the cotton which is cultivated in the Aegean region and apparently Turkish organic cotton is classed top in the world and has a slight edge on the others because of it's incredible natural sheen which can't be matched by any other unless enduring a lot of processing.

Locals picking their own cotton in Izmir. Image: www.egedesonsuz.com

The cotton plant itself was actually introduced to Turkey in the 1st century from India and was successfully cultivated throughout the Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman ages. It is predominantly harvested in the Southeast, Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Turkey, and I personally prefer the cotton of the Aegean because of it's culture, climate and personality. Villages grow cotton in addition to producing olive oil and the combination is an inspiring, heady sensation. There's also something about the Aegean which is fresh, clean and friendly. An Anatolia steeped in beautiful history and a cradle to ancient civilization. Especially in Soke. Mmm, olive oil and cotton. Close your eyes, concentrate on smell and sound and imagine yourself in a prospering Byzantine setting...

So, if you happen to be visiting this region around late August/early September, make sure you visit Soke in Aydin for the Annual Cotton Festival held between 30 August - 6 September, 2010.

Cotton Tweed by KB Knitting; made from 100% Turkish cotton and available in Lemon Sorbet, Strawberry Sorbet, Golden Syrup, Choco Sorbet and Bluberry Sorbet.

Mid-week break

2010-05-20T11:18:00.011+03:00

It's always fun to have a break in the routine and yesterday was one such time. The 19th of May is celebrated each year as Ataturk Remembrance & Youth Day and is a national holiday, with the next day being an extra day off for schools. It felt like a Sunday during the middle of the week as we went for a stroll along the tree-lined boulevard in Izmit, listened to a military band in the park (who were really game and even played nursery rhymes for the children), had pizza and then went to a book fair.

The 2nd Kocaeli Book Fair, 15-23 May, 2010

You would think an active little 4 year-old would get bored and restless at a book fair but it turned out to be quite magical for my little son. There was a shadow puppet game which he never tired of, and a brilliant concert by a Peruvian band - comprising 35 ethnic members, making Native American-Indian music and promoting world peace and unity - who had traveled to Turkey just for the event.

'PUCARAMANTA; Spirits of the Sounds' gave a concert at the Book Fair

Being a crazy Peter Pan fan - although he actually prefers to be Captain Hook or a Red Indian when play-acting the story - he was in seventh heaven and sat stock still from beginning to end. And when the lead dancer/singer got out his tomahawk... well! He went to bed a very tired, but extremely happy little boy last night.

A dash of vinegar...

2010-05-10T13:54:00.005+03:00

I never considered that the biggest concern of living in a different country would be food. You see, I'm not fanatical about eating. That doesn't mean I don't love food, I do, but I don't make it my only concern of the day. We have a loose kind of weekly menu, but we're certainly not a couple who discusses in great length what to have for supper while clearing away lunch on just filled bellies. There's something a bit sad about that. However, practical cooking combined with healthy is important, especially for the children, and I make sure all my family meals are cooked from scratch and are fresh, wholesome and tasty.

But I digress. What I wanted to mention was the food I crave, the food I never thought I'd give a second thought to. The variety of groceries in Turkey is large enough and centers around home cooking. TV dinners and microwave cooking still hasn't caught on much - a good thing in my opinion. But, for me, there's a lot else missing. Through the 18 years I have been here I've missed things like HP sauce (available now), Worcestershire sauce, pickled onions, gravy, custard, Skips, proper Kitkat (they only have the thick single bar kind here - no crunch whatsoever) and dozens of others too much to list. Oh, Picallili and Branston - amongst the staples of any good British larder.

I've recently found a good supplier of British crisps, biscuits, chocolates and tea on Ebay UK with next to nothing in postage costs. I'd been annoyed previously by those horrendous 'foodforexpats' websites who charge a ridiculous postage of £50 for a pack of six crisps. 'On yer bike' was my initial reaction...

So, after 18 years - and 18 years of making my parents lug jars and bottles through customs each time they visit from the UK - I have struck gold.

The supermarket chain of Kipa has been around for some time, yet I've never managed to live close to one and there are very few branches. Surprisingly, they hardly promote themselves as aggressively as the others, so it wasn't a total oversight on our part that there has been a Kipa store just half an hour away from us for a couple of years now. Kipa is part-owned by Tesco. That's right.

So, the first time we went I was delighted to find everything bar Walkers crisps and several baked beans brands. Not to mention my favourite mint and cranberry sauces, guacomole dips, etc. The prices are good, it carries all of the Tesco brand homeware lines and we now do our large monthly grocery shopping there. We also saw they had fresh blueberries but at the grossly inflated price of £6 for a handful.

The added benefit is that it's part of a small shopping centre with children's rides and activities so my little son really enjoys it. And last Saturday, I had tears in my eyes when I found they'd just stocked bottles of... authentic malt vinegar! Yep, 18 years of making do with weak grape vinegar has finally come to an end.

A taste of home...

Article in Let's Knit

2010-04-22T11:12:00.005+03:00

I just wanted to share the great news that I've been featured in the May issue of Let's Knit! They've also put together a giveaway of my products for one of their competitions and I'm very excited that a lucky participant will receive such a lovely set of knitting items, such as these:

KB Yarns Orient Mohair & Velvet

A set of 'Harem' sitch markers

A pair of one of these sets of handmade Iznik ceramic buttons

They're also including a pair of KB Marble Knitting Needles, and I'm really blown over by all the interest people have kindly shown toward KB Knitting as a result of reading about me in Let's Knit. Elaine, Assistant Editor from the magazine, did a great job and I'm now left a bit envious of the lucky people who get to work for knitting magazines...

April's Free Knitting Pattern - Indigo Cushion

2010-04-19T11:39:00.004+03:00

I love designing quick, easy knits for the home and this is something I cast on as soon as I came back from Olympia, all fired up with knitting inspiration. I'd missed my home, too, so there was also the desire to do something nice to thank it for being so welcoming when I returned : )

Indigo Cushion Cover with contrasting reverse. Free instant download pdf with colour photos and interesting stitch pattern.

It's free, but at the moment it's exclusive for newsletter subscribers so you might like to sign up on your right here. The monthly newsletter is free, too, and I always have a lot of nice things just for the subscribers.

Back to work!

2010-04-15T14:18:00.006+03:00

I think I've taken more time off than is decent, I suppose, but I haven't exactly been lying on my butt all day (well...) and I'm following the inspiration that's flowing out of me since I got back from London.

The Stitch & Craft Show at Olympia was a good first experience, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of paper crafts, supplies, and artists. Pretty amazing. But, now I'm looking forward to doing knitting-only shows from now on.

One of the highlights was meeting up with my online friends from the knitting forum Knitting Haven. We all met each for the first time ever, even though we've been chatting online for years! Kids, you don't get to try this. They came from different corners of the UK and we all had dinner and drinks afterward - really enjoyed it.

Me, Kath, Liz and Kathryn

Scored a hit with visitors - 'Orient' and 'Sifa' yarns

The cotton 'Koza', handmade buttons and 'Harem' stitch markers.

Citara's: Tara's incredibly gorgeous handpainted ceramic and silver pendants.

Weaving without tools

2010-03-05T11:24:00.004+02:00

Weaving with pure wool, using vibrant colours and creating fabric...

I won't be presumptious and talk a lot about this extraordinary piece - I barely understand how Pelin managed to do this without any tools! But, Pelin, I just couldn't resist sharing this...

Vibrant earthiness - by Pelin Tezer

If anyone would like to know how she did it, just go on over and visit her at her blog knit...stitch...crochet - she's lovely!

Acknowledgments : Images used here are the property of Pelin Tezer

Countdown

2010-02-23T10:24:00.004+02:00

I have just under three weeks left before the show and things are pretty much in hectic-panic mode. There's still so much to do and I can see now why trade show veterans advise preparing at least year in advance.

I'm working on the swatches for the yarns and knitting up the samples at the moment, which is taking up all my nights, and by day I'm preparing for the stand - although I don't want to even stop and think how I'm doing it! Everything has to be done via virtual cyber-space, which is fine despite many hours spent glaring at retail supplies on a screen, but it doesn't give me the advantage of going and looking around for supplies in person which would be much quicker (and easier on the eyes).

Still, ignore the little moan this morning as Tara and I know we're going to have huge fun there at the very least.

Ottoman jewel-like yarn: 'Ruby' pure Turkish cotton from the Koza range & 'Orient' in kid mohair and velvet from the Indulge range.

Do I really like Eastenders?

2010-02-10T11:32:00.006+02:00

Or is it because I've no alternative and it reminds me of home? Getting some British TV viewing here is pretty impossible. We've had digital TV for a few years and we'd been getting BBC Prime (now called BBC Entertainment) which was better than nothing. Of course it does your head in sometimes with so many repeats of 2 Point 4 Children and insect documentaries.

Oh we have masses of channels from over the globe, and of course US sitcoms and movies are fabulous, but nothing really beats Little Britain or Dr Who. I did end up watching BBC's Jane Eyre - which really made my Sundays for a whole month - a couple years after the rest of the world, but I don't care about timing. And I practically schedule most of my days around Eastenders which is on four times a week every lunch-time. No matter that I didn't really watch it in England.

Eastenders

The one thing I'd ask of the BBC is that they know expats watch it. So can't they stop driving us crazy with excessive repeats of the same old shows? Over and over and over...

handpainted knitting needles - sneak preview!

2010-02-08T11:37:00.007+02:00

Okay, this is just a sneaky little preview because I couldn't help myself. Rather than wait until mid-March until I launch these at London Olympia, wouldn't it be nice to have some teeny peeks...

Turquoise blue (above) and green and pink marbled wooden knitting needles.

They'll be available in sizes 5mm - 12mm and in these colours as well as red and natural earth tones.

They have been handpainted by a Turkish artisan using an ancient Turkish painting technique. Details will be available at the show! That's all I can give away for now...

Giveaway!

2010-02-03T22:44:00.004+02:00

I don't really trust myself to stick to something right to the end when I'm working at the same time, but if you work in any kind of medium which requires you to present your work or product with good visuals then yes, learning about photography - and sticking with it - is pretty important.

I have a shop on Etsy (who doesn't!) and I've been guilty of lots of bad photography and staging crimes. Probably still am. I have a really good camera now, and I've learned a little. But this has taken years of looking around. One thing I've learned is that good photos really do mean better sales. No getting away from this fact unfortunately.

I don't want to plug anything, I've never used this blog to plug other people's stuff. Of course, I do promote my own stuff now and then, naturally.

No, this is to let you know that there is a giveaway for anyone who wants to try their luck.

Professional photographer Diana Brennan is blogging free advice and tips right this minute over at Intarsia Concept (a creative blog I co-write with an American friend). You're welcome to go over and have a read. She's going to write throughout February.

She's also got a really easy online class set up, follow at your own pace, extremely reasonably priced (at about $4 a session, practically free in my opinion) and only lasting 8 weeks, and one lucky person will win a free place. Not bad, eh?

It's a small world...

2010-02-01T11:41:00.005+02:00

As every knitter (and needle-worker, crocheter, artist) knows, Ravelry is the hub to get into. For those of you who haven't heard of it, Ravelry is an online community of 620,000 crafting women spanning the world. I'm usually wary of online 'crafting' communities as you feel they're places where people drop by once every 6 months to post an advertisement.

However, Ravelry has groups for all sorts of tastes and arguments. I now go there not to talk only about knitting, but get the latest spoiler alerts on the upcoming SATC movie in the Sexy Knitting group, talk about attachment parenting on the AP board, get professional on the Entrepreneurs' board and moan about cleaning the house on the Where's the Maid board. Oh, and to discuss just how dreamy Mcdreamy on Grey's Anatomy is these days...

Knitting with McDreamy... Image credit: People.com

Another community I'm a part of is Knitting Haven. Now, Ravelry may be a giant hub, but Knitting Haven is something else and I doubt there could be any other online community with the same level of friendship and caring between people who have (mostly) never met. Whenever I do pop in to the KH Parlor, which I try to do a few times a week (and when I don't I really do feel guilty, Holly!) you are met with nothing short of love, warmth and genuine welcome. If you should happen to mention a cold you will immediately find yourself 'surrounded' by dozens of concerned women sending prayers and hugs. As we share problems, worries, illnesses and daily woes I truly believe KH has become the best form of therapy for many of us. I have no idea how this came about, how it is possible to have a large community of women from different locations spanning generations and not have any dissent at any time.

I think, with online communities especially, it's important how the tone is set and what you are willing to put up with. Holly, our Parlor host, has definitely managed to set the tone and it hasn't spoiled - as far as I know - at all over the years.

'Igne Oyasi' - traditional Turkish needle lace

2010-01-26T11:17:00.007+02:00

A typical length of pre-stitched oya lace which will be added to a headscarf, home linens or made into jewelry.

Every country has it's own unique craft steeped in tradition and Turkey is no exception, apart from the fact that it has so many and all of which have been influenced by many different civilizations over the centuries.

I have always been fascinated by Oya Lace, and was even more influenced by the attentions it attracted of my expat friends Rose and Tara.

Rose, as an artist and designer, used vintage pieces of crochet and oya lace in a myriad of ways to create modern items and Tara is very good at sniffing out Oya lace wherever she goes - she loves it!

Artist, designer & writer Rose Deniz blogs about beautiful things in Love, Rose.

Igne Oyasi bracelet by Turkish jewelry artisan Birsen Sonmez and available through Citara's.

There's so much history, stories and techniques involved in Oya Lace so you might be interested in finding out more. Read my article about it all on valleyfiberlife.com

It's melting, mummy!

2010-01-25T11:59:00.004+02:00

We've been having a good hard snowfall since Friday, but no matter how fast and furious it snows, the ground seems to melt away just as quickly. Good for us adults, of course, but the kids are heartily disappointed!

Oh no! Our little snowman built in knee-deep snow started to melt the very next morning...

My eldest is now home for two weeks as the schools here hit off for the winter term holidays, and she was looking forward to going out to play snowball with her friends. Ah well, the weather forecast promises a further week of intense snow and frost. Sometimes, I wish I were young enough to be carefree - when I see the forecast for snow I only see what it means in terms of cold and getting about safely, being able to run my errands. Goodness, it seems there's no avoiding getting boring when you grow up...

A gloomy week

2010-01-22T15:30:00.003+02:00

This past week I once more I understood the value of being able to make something - to create - with my own hands.

My youngest got a stomach virus and was in hospital for four days. And guess who was in there with him? Moi, of course. I wouldn't have had anyone else stay with him naturally, the poor fella just wanted his mummy. But, while he slept so much of the time due to the IV and the physical racking his body had received from the virus, there are only so many hours I could have sat with my neck bent reading a book. And I was so grateful that I had knitting to alternate with.

To fetch out my bag of yarn and needles was so relaxing, even in that setting. And, as I always do in these kinds of situations to ease my mind, I took along new yarn and patterns to start a new project. I got hardly any sleep whatsoever, and I was exhausted from distress over my son's tummy pains, but at least I didn't suffer from the worst of hospital stress and boredom.

Welcome, 2010!

2009-12-30T15:31:00.004+02:00

Here we are, at the end of another year. This one seemed to flit by a little too quickly for my liking - is it just me or do the years actually get shorter once you cross over to the other side of 30? Ah, well.

I made a lot of knitting resolutions which I intend to keep, I've been pretty unsuccessful this past year in reducing my stash before buying new yarn (haven't we all), so I plan to knit twice as much as I have so far. Getting one of those ticker timer things on the blog might work. Do they work for anyone with tons of stash?

2010 is also the year I'm going to show at a craft fair for the first time ever, so I'm dead excited about that. A bit nervous, too. I hope I get to see everyone I've met here, so come and say hello at London Olympia's Stitch and Craft Show between 18-21 March 2010. I just might have some Turkish Delight with me. Yum...

So, for 2010, may all your knitting wishes be fulfilled - Happy New Year!

Yarn, Heal Thyself

2009-12-21T13:53:00.005+02:00

Sifa yarn was not the result of months, or years, of research and experimentation. It was pure chance.

I've been working with a local yarn producer for several years now, and besides being a godsend and sourcing my fiber for me, they're a typical traditional Turkish family. Turkish people have a lot of superstitious beliefs and there are generations worth of natural healing wisdom built into their cultural make-up still strong today. Even my 18 year-old niece-in-law breezily tells me how to brew linden to relieve my cough.

So, it wasn't any extraordinary event for my yarn producer to add a little bit of real silver to untreated Turkish cotton simply because the wise women in his family said silver would help with their aches and pains. For me, in contrast, this was pure genius! For, to have yarn which heals, feels good and knits beautifully is extraordinary. So, what do these wise women know about silver? Is it just old wives' tales or is there really something to it?

Besides everything my spinner told me about the knitters who have found the yarn healing, particularly with foot fungi (which grossed me out a little), I did a little research of my own which I've compiled here. A big thanks to Burnsurgery.org, Breastfeedingheaven.co.uk and Wikipedia for useful and educational information. Apparently, silver ions and compounds really do have a toxic effect on some bacteria, viruses, algae and fungi. The goodness of it is that it doesn't have a high toxicity to humans. Here are some interesting facts;

Hippocrates wrote that silver had beneficial healing properties,
the Phoenicians stored their water and wine in silver bottles,
Ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages used silver to disinfect water and treat burns and wounds,
Silver compounds were used to prevent infection in World War I before antibiotics were developed,
The first silver mines were discovered in Anatolia, Turkey,
Silver decreases wound inflammation and kills microbes on contact,
In psychic terms, it represents prosperity and money and it is believed that if worn while sleeping the wearer will have psychic dreams.

We all know silver is used in bandages, band-aids and antiseptic creams, but I never really thought about actually knitting it!

I had no idea such a modest yarn spinning family could actually spin silver into the cotton, but apparently silver is very malleable and can be shaped and stretched to any limit. It can be pounded into a thinness of 1/100,000 inch and an ounce of it stretches as far as 30 miles.Yet, it also takes wisdom and experience of a cultural kind; silver is such an inherent part of Turkish life, culture and heritage that they do not understand my astonishment and joy at the 'discovery' as they sit there knitting away at their silver shawls and bedsocks...

1st TKB competition result!

2009-12-16T14:18:00.009+02:00

Last month I held my first competition and it went so well! There were three simple questions to be answered, have a look what they were here, and a lot of people sent in their entries using the code in the newsletter by email.

50 g skein of TKB Sifa silver ionized natural cotton, a set of 5 handmade glass stitch markers and a £5.00 discount voucher at the Stitch & Craft Show at London Olympia.

The winner pipped the post by 45 minutes ahead of the next correct entry. Judy, from Framingham, MA received her prizes with free shipping:

Thank you everyone who participated! It was a lot of fun to do and I'm going to hold another one soon, so watch out for it in my newsletters.

If you don't receive it, just sign up on the right - it's free and you get a stitch pattern in every issue.

I'd like to thank...

2009-12-15T14:36:00.009+02:00

This winter has been full of surprises for me so far. Whatever the scale of recognition, it's always heartwarming to know people out there 'see' you, like what you're doing and offer to give you a little recognition.

So, I'd like give a quick thanks and mention to the following women who are also talented artists. Thank you Marcia, Rayela and Yasmin for featuring me on your websites and blogs. With your support, I am going to have everyone's feet clad in warm Turkish slippers the world over!

Marcia Young, founder and editor of Valley Fiber Life Magazine. She has created an online feast of resources and articles on fiber, lace, knitting, quilting - you name it.

Valley Fiber Life, a free online magazine for all fiber arts.

Rachel Biel Taibi 'Rayela', creator of Fiber Focus. She has just put together a list featuring Entrepreneurs with Handmade Gifts From Around the World. This is an impressive list and I'm honoured that she included me. Her Fiber Focus community on Ning is full of resources, chat and advice.

Prairie Point Centerpiece by Rayela

Yasmin Sabur, textile artist and designer. Yasmin's rather a famous person in the handmade products world and I'm pretty chuffed to be featured in her 300 Gift Ideas in 30 Days article on her Yasmintoo! blog.

Lino cuts printed on to natural unryu and mango paper by Yasmintoo.

Thank you, my cyber fiber friends!

Paintbrush Scarf & Hat - free pattern

2009-12-11T22:45:00.012+02:00

Finally! I've finished the scarf and hat I had designed for my daughter. She has a black duffle coat, quite likes black this year (because of Twilight, I wonder?) and I wanted to cheer her appearance up a bit. Remember I mentioned the yarn in those amazing colours here?

Jarbo Raggi

It turned out so nice - if I do say so myself - that I wanted to photograph it and turn it into a pattern to share before she wears it to tatters or loses the hat at school.

This set was a joy to design and knit up, not to mention very quick.
Download the free pdf from here .

Slippers

2009-12-09T11:51:00.008+02:00

Typically traditional Turkish slippers with cherries.

I have a thing about knitted slippers and although I don't wear them much, I love collecting them. There are so many varieties out here - traditional, kilim-patterned, unique, modern, embroidered and beaded. The varieties are endless and I think it's because Turkish women are so uniquely talented in creating a pair of knitted socks or slippers in a one-off style within a single day. They don't need a pattern or hours of calculating and measuring. It must be the deep-rooted tradition to craft which they carry with them always. I've rarely seen a Turkish woman say she cannot knit, crochet or sew whether she is a supreme court judge or a mother-of-four. And it's not a 'housewife' mentality - it's a genuine part of their natural abilities.

A more modern look with a nautical theme for the fellas. Made by my local women community, it's available in all sizes at The Knit Box/Etsy.

I see lots of new varieties when I go to the local farmers' market, visit a new town or meet women who handcraft for a living. I have a small collection of the different slippers in my Etsy shop, and because I'm trying to build up a women's knitting cooperative to help the women in my adopted community, the profit from the sales goes back to these amazing women.

On another extreme, is my American friend Catherine who is a knitter with ceaseless ideas and has a lot more knowledge about Turkish ethnic arts than I do. But, I'm learning!

Catherine's amazing 'ballet pump' slippers made with my Sifa silverized cotton yarn. Find her shop Bazaarbayar on Etsy.

My Top 10 Christmas Knits

2009-12-01T15:50:00.008+02:00

I've been having a nosey around the web for ideas on knitted gifts for Christmas and I found people have been really busy this year. Could it be the crisis has led to people thinking of more economical ways to create gifts? Whatever the reason, it's brilliant to see such a flurry of creativity going on! There's probably hundreds of websites I've gone weak in the knees over, but let's face it, can you be arsed to read and click through a list of my 'Top 100'? Thought not, so here's 10.

Knitted mini Christmas stockings. I found this free pattern through Josiekitten's blog. The Christmas tree bears and holly are cute too.
Knitting for Operation Christmas Child. If you're looking to make some knits to donate, they have some cool patterns for you to use, too.
Knitted Christmas Pud. Quirky little pattern.
Folksy. This shop seems to be an even craftier UK version of Etsy. I like it. Better photography. Friendlier, more united feel. And they've lots of donations and causes going on to boot. Speaking of which, I've fallen in love with Little Pudding's Rudolph the Reindeer booties...
Catherine Tough. I'm a huge fan. Here's her Christmas catalogue, knock yourself out.
Stash Fine Yarns. They have a free downloadable Christmas stocking pattern to go with the sparkly new Regia Christmas yarn.
Knitted Christmas Bells. Free pattern in either crochet or knitting from All Free Crafts.
Knitted toys. Not free, but these Christmas themed toys to knit are gorgeous. They're by Jean Greenhowe so of course they would be.
Felted Stockings. These are cute not just for Christmas but anytime. Another free pattern by All Fiber Arts. I am good to you, aren't I?
Sweater Ornaments. Funny, cute and colourful tree ornaments from Berroco.

There you go. Lots of resources, ides and free stuff. Can't say I don't do anything for you, now can you?

My current fave knitting mag

2009-11-17T12:17:00.004+02:00

I just received my fall 2009 issue of Verena Knitting magazine yesterday and, as always, it was the highlight of my day. I discovered it when I was back home in Britain for the summer holidays in 2008 (goodness, has it really been that long since I've been there??) and picked up an issue in WHSmith.

Subscriptions being quite an investment, it's even worse when you add on the cost of overseas shipping so I haven't been able to subscribe to any UK knitting magazines the past two years. I subscribed to Verena though early this year because the price was so reasonable, although rather than being monthly like the other ones, I only get this every three months. But I don't mind, because it has hardly any articles - it's more like a pattern book. I used to get about five patterns in the other magazines because of the articles, letter pages, etc. (which I really enjoy, by the way) but in this one I get about 50 patterns per issue. So it's worth waiting for, I think.

Does anyone else feel like sinking into their stash and spending many enjoyable hours planning which yarn to use for nearly every new pattern they see in a new knitting mag, every time they buy a new mag? And then not finding the time to get started on it all? Can't knitters have extra 'knitting' years added on their lifespan??
And, I only have one more issue left to receive - should I sign up again, I wonder? Would the cheaper, digital version be as satisfying? Ah, the dilemma...

I have to note: this is NOT an advertorial for the magazine! I'm sure if it were I would earn loads of commission but as it is I was just really happy with my postman this week!

I'm in Valley Fiber Life!

2009-11-10T11:36:00.004+02:00

I'm not embarrassed to confess I'm quite new to the whole blogging, tweeting, online-social-whatever-else scene. Oh sure, I've had a 'proper' computer since '94, but it was really nothing more than a word processor for me until about eight years ago. I'm sure knitters will understand - there's only so much time in the day and, while you can watch TV and knit, I'd really like to hear about people who can play around online and knit simultaneously. If it's possible, then doesn't it defeat the purpose of knitting as a relaxant?

Anyway, while I will always resist becoming so attached to a computer that I have shakes and sweats when I walk away from it, I love it's way of connecting people. As an expat, this is extra important - it helps keep me connected to London, and I meet new people - the like of which I may never have if I lived out here without being plugged into the internet.

Through my knitting and fiber groups on LinkedIn, which is a very classy directory of people who don't expect you to get all silly with trendy comments, I met a very nice lady called Marcia Young who has a glorious online fiber magazine called Valley Fiber Life. I was even more flattered that she would write an article about me and I'm very grateful to her for helping to get the word out to more people about the natural yarn in Turkey.

If you like fiber, yarn and crafts, which I'm sure you do if you like to glance my blog every now and then, I would recommend you read her online magazine regularly - it's free, and it's a great insight to what's happening in different communities around the world. You can read the article about me here.

COMPETITION!

2009-11-04T15:49:00.006+02:00

I think the time has come, after more than one whole year, to honour my loyal newsletter subscribers. You've seen me go through many changes and growth and I hope the newsletter will grow even further with your contribution.

I'm holding a competition for subscribers only - if you want to participate in the competition it's not too late, just subscribe on the left!

All you have to do is answer three simple questions and email them to me together with the quote code given in the newsletter along with your name and address. Please also quote the email you have subscribed with as only one entry per subscriber is allowed.

So, first, the important part - the giveaways! Here is what the lucky winner will receive:

1 x 50 g skein of Sifa yarn. Natural Turkish cotton ionized with silver. More details at the shop.

1 x set of handmade stitch markers, made especially for the competition using semi-precious stones, design to be a surprise, and

1 x £5.00 voucher to spend at The Knit Box stand at the Stitch & Craft Show in London Olympia, March 18-22 2010. Only a few months away!

No catches or hidden costs - you don't have to pay for postage or anything. This is my annual thank you to my knitting, purling readers!

Okay, so here are the questions!

1. Which region specifically does the mohair used in TKB yarns originate from?
2. Which yarn has been used to make the TKB Daisy Blue Scarf pattern?
3. What does the abbreviation C6B stand for?

The competition closing date is 30th November 2009 and the winner will be the first email with correct answers to all three questions. The results will be announced via a special announcement newsletter on the 3rd of December. A public announcement will be made here later with the winner's permission.

Knitting willy-nilly

2009-11-04T12:49:00.005+02:00

Right. So I have been living in Turkey for a total of 17 years. So I should have tried doing this ages ago. But who knows what horrors would have been revealed...

Everyone in Turkey can knit from memory, without a pattern or a sizing chart. I have witnessed many extraordinary methods by which they measure their knitting projects. Some are downright dangerous, I might add, as it involves holding up the half-finished garment to the intended wearer at all possible angles with the needles still on! Pretty terrifying images of possible injury spring to mind if the intended wearer is a child or a baby...

But, they're used to it - and very adept - and everyone gets to wear a perfectly fitting knitted garment without any trips to the A & E room. Oh yes. I did say perfectly fitting.

A random, or estimated, number of stitches are cast on, every few inches or so, the garment is held up to the potential wearer or onto self, or another garment of roughly the same shape and size. When the time comes to decrease for the sleeve, the wearer gets the needles firmly thrust under the armpits. It feels as if you're having your temperature taken. If the length looks good, the armholes get shaped. Don't ask about the rest of the process, but suffice it to say that although the slightly torturous measuring is totally based on a good eye and past experience, the outcome is really quite amazing. Look at my sister-in-law's effortless, and pattern-less, FO:

The shaping and styling is incredible.

Well, feeling a little frustrated by not finding a pattern I liked in my boy's size, for the particular stash I had in mind I decided to try it out myself. I assumed it would be quick, too. And, I think it wasn't too bad a result:

Back - the whole project uses 200 g Nako

As you can see, I've finished the back, and I'm halfway through the front of the sleeveless sweater. I haven't blocked yet, so excuse the wonky look.

The whole point being that you forge ahead cheerfully and measure against the body (in my case I used a retail sweater of his!) I haven't taken notes, drawn a sketch or anything. As a stitch pattern I kept it simple: RS: K3, P1, WS: P. A combo of the moss stitch and a rib.

I don't know what I'll do when I need to shape the neck, and add ribbing to the neck and armhole edges, but I think I'll be okay. Wait for the end result soon!

A very talented knitter I know

2009-10-16T22:13:00.011+03:00

You know, I don't recall exactly how I connected with Catherine Salter Bayar because once the whole yarn and knitting conversation began it just deleted everything else out - fiber frenzy is something else altogether! It takes you over and you feel like you've known each other for years - but we've yet to meet in person...

Turkish bath washcloths: designed & knitted by Catherine Salter Bayar

Catherine lives in Selcuk, Izmir and runs Bazaar Bayar with her husband. Original, handcrafted and naturally dyed rugs and carpets are just a few of the rare Turkish delights they have. However, Catherine is a very talented knitter, and although she says she doesn't have so much time my jaw drops at the sight of the many lovely things she so quickly knits, and I love her Etsy shop which she regularly updates with the most amazing and colourful vintage textiles and jewelry.

Nazar (evil eye) cap: knitted by Catherine Salter Bayar

What I especially wanted to share was m y admiration for her designs. I didn't realize until recently how talented and unique a designer she was. It isn't easy to design knitwear full stop, and Catherine's intricate cables and laces are in a world class of their own. Don't ever drop the needles or the sketchbook, Catherine!

Tulip Shawl: designed and knitted by Catherine herself.

Catherine designed this and had it knitted.

RIP Beloved Camera

2009-10-05T16:33:00.003+03:00

I know it's been a month since I last posted and there's an awful lot of stuff to talk about. All that is now a bit null and void as I have a major problem on my hands.

I've been working on a pattern using my innovative new silver cotton yarn, the TKB Sifa, and having almost completed it, I was so excited by the outcome that I wanted to give you a sneak preview. So, I spent a while with staging and happily clicking away, only to find when uploading that all the pictures were bloody purple! Not even a nice purple, like on my logo.

I did have some previous clues that my camera was failing me, but it had perked up during the summer to my relief. Hence the gorgeous, unedited landscape pictures in my previous posts. Poor sod. The Canon has finally stuck up its toes.

But, now I'm desperately seeking a good, reasonably priced camera. There are patterns to be created, yarn to be photographed and offspring to be lovingly captured on film. And a blog which will eventually get pretty boring with only my scrawls to read.

A Sunrise Moment

2009-09-08T12:42:00.005+03:00

Driving toward a sunrise

Everyone has a few 'perfect moment' times in their lives. Mine come from unexpected places. Driving home from our holiday marked the end of summer in a sad, nostalgic way. We usually set out very early before dawn on our road trips, and buckle the kids safely in their places while they still sleep so we can enjoy the peaceful, empty roads in safety and comfortable silence.

So, when I felt like I was leaving summer and relaxation behind, this incredible vision, in every shade from orange to deep blue, reminded me of new beginnings and new adventures waiting for me in the autumn.

Love Knots (or Love Knits?)

2009-09-03T16:06:00.011+03:00

Ah, old-fashioned romance. Who doesn't still believe in it? And some love stories just never grow old as I saw for myself when I trekked through a teeny little village in Camlibel, Edremit in the Northern Aegean region. There were dozens of these hanging from a post:

At first they look like pieces of different coloured yarn twisted into charms with little gold discs. When I looked closer, they were actually for sale as souvenirs. I was told they were talismans of love and called 'Yazgara'.

Back in the days when love fed on a strict diet of blushes, secretive glances and coded words, girls in this village would make and wear these as a symbol of their maiden status. When she wanted to wed and chose her man, perhaps after following the above diet, she would give him her Yazgara. Once the proud fellow showed this off to his friends it meant that no-one else could ask for her hand and she was his. Beautiful.

Patternfish

2009-08-31T14:35:00.005+03:00

We knitters have no shortage on obsessions when it comes to a) yarn and b) patterns. When I'm done fantasizing about the yarn I want to own, once I own it I move on to obsessing about patterns.

It's not bad or uncomfortable and I don't want to quit like I want to quit my crisps addiction. In fact, this is one addiction that I want to last forever. Now, anyone who doesn't knit will, in no way whatsoever, really and truly understand this. They might, about the actual knitting part.

Comments like "Oh, it's so healthy you're keeping busy with a hobby!" kind of tells you they half get it. They might even understand about the yarn fantasies because of the colours and whatnot.

But, raving on about patterns - endlessly - and trawling through the internet in search of The One is something no non-knitter gets. Why do you need a pattern for? Don't you just knit it up? Yeah, that's no fun.

Several months ago I came across a website which is like manna from heaven for us knitters who want to feed one of our three interrelated obsessions. Patternfish.

An online pattern store with, well, just patterns. Nothing but. Thousands of them. Now, doesn't that sound like bliss? The wonderful people at Patternfish have also published two of my patterns which you can see here: The Knit Box at Patternfish.

'Turkish Coffee Scarf' which includes a bonus pattern

Knitting is Everywhere You Look

2009-08-26T11:36:00.029+03:00

Whilst we were in Akcay, my dad took us to a little museum he'd just recently discovered. It turned out to be more than just a museum.

An ancient Turcomen hut recreated with real artefacts inside the gallery - complete with wooden spinning wheel

We drove up a winding little forest road - I admit I did shut my eyes at one particularly narrow curve - and arrived at a large stone house in a really quaint little village called Tahtakuslar (Village of Wooden Birds). It turns out that the owner, a retired schoolteacher and writer, donated his house and created this amazing ethnographic gallery.

World's largest exhibited leather-backed sea turtle, 360 kg - 197 cm.

It received a UNESCO award in 1994 and is rated 2nd out of the world's top 10 privately owned museums. It is also Turkey's first private Village Museum and houses the world's largest exhibited Sea Turtle (360 kg). An incredible achievement for an ordinary man with a love of his own surroundings. And if you ever go there, make sure you chat to Mr Selim Turan, the gallery's historian. He is so animated and so full of interesting facts from the Native Indians to China. He knows everything there is to know about superstitious beliefs in all cultures.

Here is the link: The Private Ethnographic Gallery of Tahtakuslar Village

And we can't have ethnography and traces of past life without yarn and fiber, can we? I just about resisted the urge to constantly do a jig in the museum each time I saw something knitted...

Simple knitted socks dating back 150 years (left). Kilim pattern socks, mother-of-pearl inlaid Turkish Bath clogs and silk embroidered slippers, 1880's (right). These would be carefully prepared for a trousseau.

We're All Going on a Summer Holiday...

2009-08-20T22:56:00.015+03:00

A Northern Agean view from the Tahtakuslar Koyu (Village of Wooden Birds)

----

This year, we went away for a long break - over three weeks - to a quaint little seaside town called Akcay. It's in the Balikesir region of Turkey, and located in the Northern Aegean. Akcay is famous for it's olive oil - the likes of which can be found nowhere else. The purity and lightness of the oil is indescribable. I don't think I've seen so many olive grove in one place before. Akcay is also known for it's extremely high oxygen content and rich ancient history.

We stayed at my parents' summer house - a concept my parents especially love as it means they get to spend four or five months in Turkey every year. We also like the fact that it's not aimed towards foreign tourists (oops!) and as such the beaches, the shops and friendliness of the locals have remained quiet and untouched. As have the prices.

An Akcay garden: butterflies and zero humidity

My mum is really proud of her extensive flower and organic fruit & veg garden and I really enjoyed just knitting all day under an apricot tree while the kids played in the garden. The first time in ages where they actually allowed me to knit or read. Usually, if I try to knit at home, my toddler son will just make off with the ball of yarn or try to pull the needles from my hand.

Nice place to knit - surrounded by fruit trees

Sigh, if only I could have a summer holiday here which lasts oh, about 50 years.

Books About Knitting

2009-07-07T14:46:00.019+03:00

Last week my friend Tara's mum came to visit her from the States and I got to meet a really lovely fellow knitter. She also bought some of my yarn - the Pure and the Sifa. If a really experienced knitter/lover of yarn buys your knitting products then you know your stuff is good...

We also did a little book swap - she gave me The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs, and I gave her Needles and Pearls by Gil Mcneil. I'd been dying to read the FNKC for absolutely ages and it's lived up to the legend. I expected to find it funny - and it really is hilarious in most parts - but I also found myself sobbing a little here and there. I haven't finished it yet but it's brilliant. I heard Julia Roberts was going to make a movie out of this - when is that?

The Friday Night Knitting Club

I bought Needles & Pearls last year when I was home in London for the summer hols but I only got the chance to read it around Christmas. I liked it a lot, but I felt I should've read the first book, Divas Don't Knit, first. You know, if a book has knitting in it, I'll read it - and shamelessly plug it if the knitting's good.

Divas Don't Knit

New Pattern in Motion... Almost

2009-06-30T23:29:00.005+03:00

I've been trying to start on my next pattern for what seems like forever now, but other stuff always keeps coming up. After a couple weeks of going up the hill and then immediately rolling backwards I've finally cast on the desired number of stitches. (yay!)

I know I've needed a pattern to support my favourite yarn, the silvery cotton Sifa, but coming up with something to justify the yarn is really hard. I can see how much easier it was before to just get a pattern and then find the yarn for it!

I won't give away the surprise yet, just hang on for a couple more weeks, but suffice it to say it's going to be a cute little garment in all sizes, and you'll love wearing it in the fall, ladies!

Sifa Cotton

I'm really having a fab time knitting with this yarn - it's just the right softness and tension.

Yarn for Medicinal Purposes

2009-06-15T13:44:00.004+03:00

Yarn nestled amongst the geraniums on my balcony

Ever since I returned from the 1st WEL (Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership) Summit, held in Istanbul last week, I have been feeling really crappy. When, in fact, I was hoping to feel empowered and feisty as befits a woman entrepreneur. Well, okay, I do feel like that but the crappy health is from a multitude of things coming together in a single week. Erratic air conditioning at the conference, sheer exhaustion and stress, pining for my two kids for five days, followed by several days of 'flu symptoms and vomiting which must be either a bug or food poisoning even though blood tests came out clear.

So, today I'm still feeling light-headed and weak and I thought that I would have to go beyond my stash of medicine, an even eclectic stash of herbal remedies and reach into my ultimate stash - My Yarn Stash.

I picked out these two balls of yarn, of a brand which I have no idea about. I got these last week from my local little market. As most yarn brands have their yarn produced in Turkey, it's the norm to see a lot of stalls full of production left-overs. There's a stall I always go to, and although it's impossible to get more than three balls of yarn the same, odd balls are great for socks and just getting a whole eclectic bunch is major colour therapy!

At just 50 cents a ball, who can resist??

Anyone hear of this gorgeous yarn? - Jarbo Raggi

Lemonade Award

2009-05-29T23:18:00.010+03:00

Thank you to my wonderful friend Rose for giving me the Lemonade Award. She has also given me the task of choosing my favourite blogs to pass the award along to! How to choose? I'm a quiet follower of blogs. I like reading them and absorbing them as if they're my own personal books. Now, I get the chance to say hello and they'll probably say "oh, who on earth's she??"

OK, here we go with my favourite 10 blogs. This is not in any particular order, I might add.

1. Rose, right back atcha, with your tranquil musings coupled with bold and voluble colours and photos. The Rose Deniz blog is beautiful and so is she.

2. The Yarn Harlot. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is the goddess of the knitting blogs. I've been following her funny and addictive blog for centuries.

3. Crazy Aunt Purl. No, it's not the lobotomy memoirs of an institutionalized relative. It's a blog written by a gorgeous and very hilarious woman who knits wildly. She's in my list as thanks for making me gurgle with laughter many times.

4. Next is a rather sombre blog. WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier is probably one of its kind. The blog is written in the voice of a real WW1 soldier based on actual letters found by his grandson. The amazing part is that his letters are published on the same dates as the present. So far, no-one knows if Harry made it home yet. To follow his fate, we follow his blog. The letters make me cry every time.

5. My lovely, responsible, knowledgeable friend Tara's blog. Her dives into the world at large and social responsibility issues are amazing - where does she find out all this stuff from!

6. Another Tara, with a really funny Mummy Blog - Sticky Fingers. I love reading her blog because my kids do exactly the same things as hers...

7. The Intarsia Concept blog for it's wonderful advice and tips for creatives and entrepreneurs.

8. Simply Recipes for its delicious recipes in blog form. Elise doesn't just write recipes, the way she describes and talks about each one makes you drool before you even get to the ingredients.

9. I like blogs which make me chuckle or give me something interesting to mull over that day. Chicken Yoghurt is one such blog. Best of all, Justin McKeating has that rare online gift - excellent written English. The horror, the horror...

10. Last, but absolutely not least, Katy Lindemann's Kitschbitch blog. She finds the most brilliant stuff to share, particularly in art and design.

There are quite a few more I could add, but I'm a firm believer in less is best. That way I have time to read through a favourite blog for more than a fleeting two minutes. Which is probably equal to four hours in offline years :)

*To pick up the Lemonade Stand Award:
- Comment on this blog.
- Copy the award and save to your computer, and then upload it to your blog.
- Nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude.
- Link to your nominees within your blog post.
- Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.
- Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation.

Pure and Local

2009-05-21T13:49:00.007+03:00

I don't know how many years it has been now since I started looking for my dream yarn - it had to be natural, pretty and local. And ever since I moved to Turkey, the power of so many natural resources and crafts really hit me. It's just a real shame that so much effort is being put into producing synthetic yarns, though.

Yesterday I picked up my new yarn, the new cotton for The Knit Box yarn range. The pure, un-dyed cotton is ionized throughout with minuscule silver, invisible to the eye except for the interesting colour it lends to the yarn. My local yarn producer created it himself based on an experiment - he saw that the women in his direct community experienced certain healing effects from silver ionised clothing and he produced a yarn to do the same. And then I came along and asked him what he was working on.

Just holding the ball of yarn in my hand for five minutes made me feel calmer all over. So, I called it 'Sifa'. The word şifa (pronounced sheefah) means health or healing in Turkish. I felt it was appropriate in many ways.

'Sifa' silver ionized 100% cotton, non-slippery and soft - available in the Shop

Now he's producing exclusively for me - because I think, after years of searching, I've found what I was looking for.

A Rose, A Milk Bottle and Some Yarn

2009-05-18T22:53:00.012+03:00

I know Mother's Day is now long past, but I'm still bathing in the afterglow.

It all started when the children at my 3 year-old son's kindergarten were given a red rose each to hand to their mum for Mother's Day. It was the nicest surprise when I went to pick him up. My first flower from my little tyke!

Once home, we filled up one of my glass milk bottles together and put the rose in it. Looking at it every day made me want to do the rose justice by doing something a bit different with the plain old recycled bottle.

The bottle is such a lovely shape, and so useful at the same time. I love buying my fresh milk in a good old-fashioned glass bottle, and just the clinking sound it makes reminds me of my own childhood when milk was left by the milkman in those large bottles with either a red top, a silver top or a gold top foil. Remember those? Where there any other colours? We used to save those foil tops for craft activities.

So anyway, I thought I'd jazz up the bottle a little by knitting a vase cozy for it. I used a rosebud stitch - to keep to the theme of my son's rose - and my 'Pure' brand yarn. The pure, undyed white of the merino and angora blend made a nice, soft contrast to the deep red of the rose.

It's a nice excuse for short, quick knitting projects and also a nice way to dress up recycled objects like bottles, old vases and jars. If you'd like to knit it up, I've prepared a free pattern of the cozy for you. It's a four-page, full colour pdf download and it's completely free. You can adjust the pattern to any size you want, there is no gauge.

Free pdf pattern of Budding Rose - click to download immediately.

A Nice Useful Cake

2009-05-07T23:21:00.009+03:00

I like food. Especially when I'm knitting and watching Desperate Housewives all at the same time. The naughtier the snack the better. The fact that I'm skinny can maybe be attributed to the calories spent knitting. Or chasing after an extraordinarily active three year-old all day. But it is definitely not because I forgo the pleasure of naughty food!

Last week, I borrowed a cookery book by Mrs Isabelle Beeton from my local library. It's a worn, out of date copy but I thought I'd be nostalgic and give it a look twenty-odd years after I first flicked through it. I didn't expect to be quite so delighted and disgusted at the same time, though!

Seriously, some of the recipes are pretty horrifying, for example does anyone remember eating Stewed Ox Cheek, or Boiled Sheep's Head? Where the instructions include 'snip off hairy bits of skin and scrub the teeth...'

However, the recipes are as I remember them - pure classic and some are really quaint. Good old advice on the right season for all food (because this was before contaminated, chemically induced products), great custard and cute little recipes such as Mrs Beeton's Nice Useful Cake.

All my life I thought Mrs Beeton to be an old, vinegary Victorian widow. I was intrigued enough to Wiki search her. Turns out she was only 22 and newly-married when she wrote her books. A true work-at-home mum in the Victorian era, she knew way more about cooking and homemaking then than I do now at 40!
Mrs Beeton, I'm sorry to learn you died aged only 28 but if you can hear me (or should I say 'read'), I think you're a real hip chick!

It's quite a work of history and Mrs Beeton should totally live on - Martha Stewart eat your heart out - and you can get a newer version called Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management

Clove Stitch

2009-05-05T11:29:00.008+03:00

I'm a bit lazy when it comes to making bobbles. I love the look of them, and I love the result but sometimes I just want the darn project to be finished because that other pattern and those other gorgeous, fresh balls of yarn in the stash are just waiting for me...

Okay, so here is a kind of easier version. Not really bobbles but fake ones. They're quicker, easier and have a similar texture to bobbles.Yay!

Right, cast on any number of stitches which are divisible by 4.

1st Row: (wrong side) *(K1, yon, K1) inside the first stitch, P3tog, repeat from * to end of row.
2nd Row: *P1, K3, repeat from * to end of row.
3rd Row: *P3tog, (K1, yon, K1) inside next stitch, repeat from * to end of row.
4th Row: *K3, P1, repeat from * to end of row.

Repeat rows 1-4 as required!

Next question would be where to use this stitch. Well, I'm planning to use it with cotton yarn on needles a couple sizes larger than the yarn recommends to try out as a shawl. That's one idea. If you come up with other ideas let me know!

By the way, don't forget to sign up for the free monthly newsletter. Subscribers always get advance notice on patterns!

Sultans of Silk

2009-04-30T14:59:00.010+03:00

Yesterday my friend Tara and I did Istanbul. We visited no less than eight artisans and workshops in different locations, starting off with the Grand Bazaar area. We got up at 5.30 as we both live just under two hours from central Istanbul, and we finally dragged ourselves home at 10pm. I'm excited by everything I saw, touched and smelled so you'll be hearing much more about this trip throughout the week!

Just for now, there is one thing I wanted to share with my fiber-loving and spinning weaving yarn sisters. Lookee what we stumbled across in the cobbled streets of historical Sultanahmet;

This is silk rug shop and this young fellow is sitting in the entrance spinning from natural organic silk (look at the gorgeous silk cocoons in the right corner!) which they then weave into rugs there and then. I must add, they must have surpassed stardom status because as we were gasping in awe and clicking away with our cameras and videos, he just carried on nonchalantly as if we weren't even there. Sigh, fiber stars.

A Knitted Gift

2009-04-20T14:50:00.015+03:00

In Turkey, having guests over can be really hard work. The hospitality here is so awesome that you do your best to keep up. However, it's a nice thing to see that lives are still so interactive and the hearty sincerity of people is really heart-warming.

On Sunday, my BIL and family came to visit. The large dining table was opened up, nieces set the table and everyone helped out. We had a great time and the kids enjoyed themselves immensely. Of course, it was only when I nearly fell asleep brushing my teeth later that night that I realized how knackered I was.

Well, Turkish people never visit empty-handed. They will always arrive bearing gifts which can range from a box of baklava to a cut lead crystal vase - even if they're only invited over for a cup of tea. I was brought several gifts last night, bless them, and this particular one caught my crafty knitter's eye immediately!

Unfortunately, this vest was much too small for my daughter and I don't see my son wearing it, but isn't it pretty? This is what constantly amazes me about Turkish knitters - the ability to create from memory, without following any instructions at all!

Of course, knitting this way would present sizing problems, but mostly if it's a gift and not intended for a particular recipient as the one given to me was. I often see women here knitting away, then calling the potential wearer over, holding up the knitting - needles an'all - to that person's arm, torso or waist, frowning a little and simply continuing to knit until the next 'fitting'. And you know what? Astounding, but 99.5% of the time, it fits!

Here, I took a spur of the moment picture of my husband's niece wearing a knitted top made by her mum. It's so pretty and looks so perfectly put together that you wouldn't believe she knitted it without a pattern, gauge or any visual or written instruction!

For all the years that I've been here, I still can't knit without being bent double over a pages of instruction!

10 Reasons Why I Love Turkey...

2009-04-17T23:59:00.010+03:00

In no particular order;

1. Four different seas to swim in (Black, Marmara, Aegean and Med).
2. Plentiful natural herbs and spices.
3. Istanbul. No explanation required.
4. Yarn.
5. The exotic mix of traditional and modern life.
6. Always somewhere outside to go with the kids whatever the season.
7. Yarn.
8. Friendly neighbours.
9. Amazing arts and crafts - and everybody doing them!
10. Yarn. Sorry, but it's just so exciting.

Arrows Stitch Pattern

2009-04-16T00:44:00.009+03:00

Arrows

I shared this in my newsletter a few months back, so some of you may remember it. I love the simplicity of it yet it looks so complex. And it works up really quickly. The instructions are quite straightforward;

Cast on a number of stitches divisible by 7, plus 2.

1st Row: P2, *yon, sl1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog, yon, P2, repeat from * to end.
2nd Row: K2, *P5, K2, repeat from * to end.
3rd Row: P2, *K1, yon, sl1, K2tog, psso, yon, K1, P2, repeat from * to end.
4th Row: As 2nd row.

These 4 rows form the pattern! I'd love to see if anyone has used this stitch so far.

And Press Send...

2009-04-15T19:21:00.018+03:00

For years I've been an avid reader of blogs about almost anything as long as they're smart, amusing and the spelling doesn't grate. So web fiends may mock me for being blogless myself for so long. Well, I'm a firm believer in providence - there is the right time for everything and no need to rush just to keep up with a technology that changes faster than I can blink. I guess, being born in '68, some laid-back karma must have filtered through to me.

Acres of daisies outside my house. Spring is the perfect time for fresh new projects and starting anew.

However, I've been a meticulous diary-keeper since the age of 11 so I've 'logged' in the classic sense for nearly 30 years. There's something about finding your grandma's diary and experiencing her sensations through her handwriting, which I hope my future generations will do. The thing is, though, your average WHSmith diary just won't hold all the masses of patterns, knitting ideas and projects which take up most of my life now. And, so here we are. Today is the first day of my blog life and I'm glad I chose spring for the occasion.

A little about me? Well, okay, but it's not much glamorous I warn you! I live in Turkey as an expat, a land quite distant - and much different - from my own. I live in a midst of colour, contrast, confusion and passions. Yet, best of all, I'm surrounded by my heart's desire - knitting and yarn! Turkey is a country of endless discoveries and stories. For me, this means crafts, art, cooking and fiber. So, come in anytime for patterns, yarn, recipes, lots of things - my door's always open.