Lace Collection CD and Lake District pics

At Woolfest last week I launched a new product. I have put patterns for 10 of my shawls on a CD. Just pop the CD into your computer and print off the pdf patterns as you need them. There is also a short tutorial with hints and tips which will make your lace knitting easier. the CD costs £15 (the patterns bought individually would cost £30. the CD includes Blossom, Dazzle, Golitha Falls, Midnight, Regatta, Rosebud, Sophia, Strawberri Patch and Two of a kind. A variety of rectangular stoles, triangular shawls and semi-circular shawls. Some easy and some more challenging. You can order the CD here. I'm also trying to work out if I can offer it as an Ebook on Ravelry.

now for a whistle stop tour of some lakes in the Lake District. I don't remember the names of two of the lakes we visited  but they were all close to Cockermouth and Keswick.

At one lake we stopped and walked up a hill, you can see the road where we parked the car. We had a great view. We werent' really dressed for walking, I was wearing flip flops so we didn't walk very far.

We parked by Lowes Water 

and found a bench and relaxed for a bit. I knitted and Simon went for a paddle and had a nap on the bench. A duck came to visit us.

All in all it was a great day but I wish we had had more time to see more of the Lake District. We will definitely return some time in the future.

there's been knitting going on this week but I've not gotten around to taking photos of it. I did a little bit on my beaded shawl last night while watching 'Footloose'. I've also started a small beginners lace shawl knitted in Ocean Silk 4ply. I'd like to work up a series of small beginners shawls knitted in sock yarns. These will be great for new lace knitters and quick and easy projects for more experienced knitters. the idea is to use just one skein of sock yarn per shawl. this is part of a bigger project which I need to investigate a bit more before I talk about it, but it's all part of some of the ideas I got at woolfest. the best thing about attending shows and talking to knitters is that it gives you a better idea of what knitters want and it's given me lots of new ideas. Now, all I need is time.

I do have a secret project which should have been in the post by now and I'm very close to finishing but i've just gotten really fed up with it. I must focus tonight and finish it. Then it's straight on to another two secret projects that need to be finished asap. one will be making an apparance at KnitNation in London in end of July and the ohter one is part of a collection of 6 designs for Artesano due by end of July too. I'm hoping that when we go on holiday in August I can avoid taking deadline projects and treat myself to some free knitting time and knit what I want, like finishing my beaded shawl, knit some socks (perfect for beach knitting) and perhaps a smaller shawl or two. I really don't want to take sweater projects as it'll be too hot to knit on those. I need small and light projects. The problem with designing for magazines is that you end up knitting summer designs in the middle of winter and big winter sweaters in teh heat of the summer.

All the yarn from Woolfest is now up on the website. Go and take a look. If you've signed up for the newsletter and have received this week's newsletter you will have received a 20% off discount code. If you've not signed up yet, do it now so you don't miss out on future exclusive offers. You can sign up in the sidebar.