SOCKTOBER

Man its been a long time no chat! Its been super busy here at fluph HQ, we even changed the window! HUZAH. (just look at that saucy dehumidifier)
It is the glorious month of SOCKTOBER. Alas, what is socktober? is it an excuse to knit socks all month, why yes, yes it is! It is also a month long event in America where sock knitting individuals donate socks to give the homeless cosy toes. isn't that just the best thing. After a quick Google, i couldn't find anything based in the UK, however there are plenty worthy causes that would adore your hand knits, an up to date list here , or just knit some socks for someone special in their life. pass the sock love around!





Lots of new smooshyness in the shop. We have 4ply West Yorkshire spinners, i cant even tell you how smooshy this is, and the bird self stripe is just so beautiful. Also there is a drops delivery on the way, finally! so give that a week or so and we will be filled to the gunnels*

We have also stocked up on some patterns and pattern books. My current fave has to be "head to toe" by my girl crush Clare Devine, there are so many GORGEOUS patterns in this book, and they are all modelled by my other girl crush Jess of Ginger Twist in Edinburgh. The last photo in the book is the best.
I currently have completed a Montrose, but i really need a Brunswick and the rest. but shhhh, lets not talk about my to do list.

 

There are some fantastic workshops coming up which can all be booked online at www.fluph.co.uk in the workshops tab. Or you can come in and see my happy face, which i always love...seeing your faces, not looking at my face. 

Seamless Top-down Jumpers with Karina Westermann
25th October 2014 , 10.30am - 4.30pm
£45 which includes all materials and lunch
Together we will look at top-down construction. Knowing the basic top-down structure allows you to play around with your pattern as you like - we'll look at examples of both jumpers & cardigans that use this construction method. During the workshop we'll knit a tiny jumper that uses all the techniques you need to know to knit yourself a full-size

Socks:An introduction with Clare Devine

8^th November , 10am – 1pm

£35 which includes all materials

This is the perfect class for those wanting to get to grips with the basics of sock construction. In class you will create a mini sock and learn all the skills you need to knit your own top down socks. Suitable for beginners

"finishing School” with Clare Devine
8^th November ,2pm – 5pm
£35 which includes all materials
Dont fall at the last hurdle. Finish your knitted items with style and make the most of your gorgeous knitting. This workshop is perfect if you want to brush up on your finishing skills.


Off to finish some more giant crochet. watch this space.

*filled to the gunnels in doric means jam packed

Karina Westermann comes to Dundee

I'm still on a buzz after our visit from Karina who brought so much glamour to the west end of Dundee on Saturday. She has taken a very early and long bus journey up to teach to very eager students how to overcome their fear of lace!
Now when chatting to people about Lace, it is widely assumed that you use one ply yarn making very extravagant shawls like those traditionally found in Shetland. I would like to abolish that myth now. knitting lace, as Karina puts it, is
                    "strategically placed holes."

You can knit lace in any thickness of yarn and make the most gorgeous hats/ mits/ shawls, cardis anything you can imagine. This beautiful specimen below for example, this is shawl is a lace shawl! beautiful huh....and not scary!

Kirkja by Karina Westermann

Anyway that's enough of me righting the wrongs of the world. The class was a small one, which meant that they got to learn a lot more than planned, which included designing their own lace...I even gave it a go....it needed more holes :/    
The shop was also filled with shawls, so many shawls, I made it my mission to wear as many as possible. The total reached four before anyone noticed! Karina is such an amazing tutor, one of the students just messaged me a photo of some lace knitting that they started and its beautiful! Both girls did such a good job. Madam Westermann will be back on the 13th of September to teach colour work (see the last photo of the wristes) I urge EVERYONE to book on, one because Karina is amazing, Two because colour work is so in this season, and three, she wont be back until Spring :(

Ronaes by Karina Westermann

      

Serpentine Avenue by Karina Westermann

Navy: Vedbaek by Karina Westermann

Yellow: Kirkja by Karina Westermann

 

Botanical Gardens by Karina Westermann

Gillean Wrist Warmers by Karina Westermann

p.s She was a little bit creeped out by the "shrine" (information board) that i had made for her classes!