Back to Blogging

Hello dear readers - and apologies for the five-month silence from my blog. Since leaving Muck we’ve had plenty of adventures that I’ve been wanting to share with you, but it’s been a bit of a whirlwind as I’ve spent only three weeks at home in that whole period. So it’s only now I’m back at my desk, with our oldest kid at school (she’s just started in Primary 1 and is very excited to be a Big Girl) and the youngest at the childminder, that I’ve finally got the time to share a few snippets of what we’ve been up to since I last wrote. Hold on to your hats…

The first thing we did after leaving Muck was to head straight to Suffolk. Very sadly, two of my aunts had been ill with dementia and cancer, and both of them died in April. Though Jayne died the day after we left the island, we were able to visit Thelma a few more times, both at home and in her local hospital, before she died peacefully one afternoon with her youngest sister at her side. They were wonderful - though very different - aunties: Thelma very much the matriarch, always looking out for her siblings and many nieces and nephews; Jayne full of fun, laughter - and rarely seen without a cigarette in her hand! We miss them very much.

Following Jayne’s funeral we left immediately for Vienna, taking the train all the way from Bury St Edmunds to Austria: me, Tom, my mum, and the two kids (then aged 4 years, and seven months). It took about 18 hours but all went very smoothly, even when we accidentally booked onto a phantom train that saw us stuck in Brussels for an extra two hours. After Austria we headed to the Dolomites, then the Italian Lakes, and finally Switzerland. We had a fantastic time, and thoroughly enjoyed travelling across Europe by train as a family. This was largely due to the brilliance that are family carriages: whole sections of trains dedicated to kids, with space for pushchairs, playing games, and no expectation from other passengers about children sitting still and quiet. Having sampled the carriages of ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways), DB (German Rail), SBB (Swiss Federal Railways), and Trenitalia (Italian Trains), I can say that the size, style, and comfort of the Familienzone vary, but their existence makes travelling with children a lot of fun and far less stressful - and I hope they are adopted in the UK soon.

Enjoying the Dolomites in mid-May

We also managed to squeeze in a few visits to family upon our return (including a wedding in London and a trip to the Lake District), and a short holiday in Shropshire just before the start of the school term. Unfortunately we also got Covid (and for me mastitis) so there’s also been some very necessary convalescence and recuperation time as well. And when we weren’t doing any of the above, I’ve been putting the finishing touches to the manuscript (and typescript) of All Before Me, my next book. Due out on 7th March 2024, it’s an exploration of the power of poetry, people, and places to heal us and transform our lives - and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Now I’m back at my desk in our spare room in Fife, with a blank page in front of me and the scent of autumn on the air. I’m not rushing into a new book-writing project just yet, but thought that a gentle return to blogging might be just the thing. I’m aiming to write once a week - which makes sense, as I only have one (short) day when both kids are at school/childminder’s - and to share some of the things I’ve been reading, making, and listening to as we go through the year. Here we go…

Congratulations to Jane Cooper on the publication of The Lost Flock!

Book:

Today’s book is brand-new: in fact, it has just been published today! The Lost Flock, published by Chelsea Green, is a real-life tale of ‘rare wool, wild isles and one woman’s journey to save Scotland’s original sheep’. The original sheep in question are known as ‘the Lost Flock’, a group of Borerays taken from their eponymous St Kildan island at some point in the mid-twentieth century but whose exact whereabouts have remained a mystery. Jane Cooper is the woman who - by chance - found them, and The Lost Flock tells the story of how her love for animals, knitting, and good food changed her life, and the lives of knitters, neighbours, farmers, and visitors both in Orkney and far beyond. It is a lovely read, combining Jane’s personal story with that of the Boreray sheep and a history of rare breed farming in Scotland, and Jane is a personable, knowledgable companion that you just want to spend more time with. I can safely say that the ‘real life’ Jane is just the same - she generously welcomed me to Burnside Farm to meet her Borerays when I was researching This Golden Fleece, and gave me some of her first commerically-spun yarn from her flock: undyed St Kilda Laceweight, which went on to become the centre of the shawl I made for my first baby (who, thought I didn’t know it at the time, was actually with me on that trip to Orkney).

If you have an interest in knitting, farming, or life on Orkney then I do recommend getting your hands on a copy of The Lost Flock. Readable and inspiring, it had me itching to start keeping a wee flock of Borerays myself… But even if that isn’t possible, I’m looking forward to knitting with some St Kilda Laceweight (I believe Blacker Yarns are due to release a new batch soon so keep an eye on their website), and maybe even sampling a bit of Burneside Boreray mutton, which you can order from Macbeths for delivery across the UK. For, as I’ve heard many farmers say, the best way to keep a rare breed alive is to eat it! Jane’s website OrnkeyBoreray.com has loads of information about the sheep and what is being made from them and their fleece, and you can order your copy of The Lost Flock from any good bookshop - Blackwell’s currently have it on special offer: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-Lost-Flock-by-Jane-Cooper/9781915294135

Makes:

My making has to be sandwiched around travel, writing, childcare, cooking, cleaning up, and doing the school run (or rather, walk), so progress is slow. Having always been a product rather than process knitter, I’m learning to savour the joy in sneaking a few stitches where I can. Fortunately most of what I’ve been knitting have been baby-sized, so I do have some finished items to share with you! Four of my friends and family have had baby girls in the last couple of months, and each of them has been welcomed with a woolly: either a Gidday Baby or POP! Cardigan, usually using DK yarn and made in a size 3 - 6 months so they get a bit more wear than a newborn size. Sometimes I’ll add a hat if I’ve got enough left-over yarn…

So welcome, Èibhlin, Erin, Audrey, and Ada - I hope these woollies keep you warm for your first autumn!

I’ve also been really enjoying relearning how to machine-sew clothes, and I’m particularly proud of my brand-new Box Top. This is an adaptable design from All Well Workshop which I made in Ghost Saltines Goldenrod 100% cotton fabric, made in Japan and designed by Ruby Star of Melody Miller, a collective of five women textile designers. I adore the colour which is absolutely perfect for this golden time of year, and I loved customising the pattern to include a wide boat neck, a little patch pocket, and split hem. I had to adapt the pattern a bit (well, I ended up unpicking and remaking it) as I was between sizes, but I’m really pleased with how it fits and feels, and can’t wait to make another one! This time with long sleeves I think, to reflect the cooler temperatures of autumn…

And finally - I thought you might enjoy a bit of something I like to listen to whilst I’m making. Gulp are a band we listen to a lot in our house: they combine vintage synths and a beat you can dance to (very important for the 5 year old) with gentle psychadelic vibes. Morning Velvet Sky is one of my favourite tracks from their last album and I think it’s the perfect song for this time of year. So sit back with your knitting and enjoy - and I’ll see you next week for some more stories, books, makes, and music.