Sweet September
I love autumn and really revel in the seasonal shift as we move away from summer. I think it’s partly to do with knitting, as there’s nothing nicer than snuggling up with a pile of yarn and a lovely pattern as the nights draw in. It might also have something to do with having an autumn birthday, or maybe it’s the gorgeous colours of the leaeves turning, or the fresh feeling in the air (properly hot weather is not my favourite) - but I also get a burst of energy alongside the ‘back to school’ feel which is much appreciated.
Book: This year a lot of that energy has been taken up with making the final manuscript revisions to my next book, All Before Me: A Search for Belonging in Wordsworth’s Lake District. This is the cover, with original artwork by Holly Acland - do check out her other work too, as I really like her style and use of colour:
I love the leaves and plants, and the way it reminds me of classic mid-twentieth century railway posters - plus the way the background could be lakes, sky, or both. It’s due for publication in March 2024, and you can pre-order your copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/all-before-me/esther-rutter/9781783787951
Makes: For many knitters, September has become synonymous with the woolly extravaganza that is Shetland Wool Week. I have been to the festival twice - in 2017 and 2019 - but this year, with the five-year-old at school and a babe-in-arms, I’m enjoying it vicariously from the comfort of home in Fife. As well as following #shetlandwoolweek on social media and luxuriating in Wool Week annuals from previous years, I’ve been knitting with Shetland yarn - specifically, West Yorkshire Spinners’ The Croft Aran, produced from 100% British Shetland wool in partnership with Shetland Woolbrokers Jamieson and Smith. Each 100g skein offers 182 yards or 166 metres of yarn, so I’ve been able to get two projects (almost…) out of two skeins.
First up: a pair of Hyak Socks. Hyak is a great, simple pattern by Kim Swingle for Tolt Yarn and Wool. These were a present for a friend with UK size 12/13 feet and I used some Iona Wool Aran-weight yarn for the contrast colour at the top, heel and toe (in fact, leftovers in ‘Lichen’ and ‘Silver’ from the Compass Cross Hat inspired by our time on Muck earlier this year.) For most size feet you could get a pair out of just a single skein of the main colour (the pattern recommends 146m for size Large, which I would cover you up to about UK size 10 - plus 106m for the contrast), but I did need just a touch more for this bad boys!
Second: a tiny Forest Sweater for the babe-in-arms who turns one this weekend. This time I combined The Croft I had left from the Hyaks with a little bit of leftover Iona Wool Aran-weight in ‘Green’ (a 2017 shade), which I think makes a really successful contrast for colourwork. I love the pattern - a great kids’ knit and superfast and fun - but can’t show you the finished item as it’s not yet complete, and I’m definitely playing yarn chicken with both yarns… sotune in next time to find out if I actually finish it or whether the baby will have to make do with chillly wrists.
Films: This week I have two films to share with you. The first is a short documentary on the Shetland Bus - which of course wasn’t a ‘bus’ at all, but a covert World War 2 operation that saw the British Special Operations Executive support the Norwegian Resistance against the Nazi occupiers in Norway using Norwegian fishing boats and crews from a base in Shetland. I’ve been rereading David Howarth’s autobiographical account of working on the base (which was first at Lunna and later Scalloway), but also enjoying this film, produced for Scalloway Museum:
The other film I’ve really enjoyed is The Nettle Dress, a bittersweet 68-minute exploration of textiles, nature, grief, and life itself. I loved its beautiful, slow, meditative quality and it’s being shown at various arthouse cinemas across the UK, so do have a wee look at this trailer and, if you like what you see, check if it’s coming to a screen near you: https://www.nettledress.org/watch
