Jen Arnall-Culliford Knitwear

Shetland's Stunning Landscape

We really weren't expecting much in the way of good weather for our 6 day stay in Shetland. I'd had such luck in the summer, that I thought it was too much to dream of more of the same. And yet...

This is the view across the tombolo to St Ninian's Isle! The sky was deep blue and the sea was all sorts of sparkling blues and greens. We simply couldn't believe our luck.

It was plenty warm enough to wander around the island without coats, and we sat and ate our lunch on the grass overlooking the most amazing cliffs.

No, it wasn't boiling hot by any stretch of the imagination, but for early October, we couldn't complain! The cliffs were covered in gulls, swooping in and out as they fished for lunch.

We spotted a wide variety of mushrooms - does anyone know what type these are? They were really red in colour, with orange around the edges. When we got back to the car, a group of birdwatchers had monoculars set up and were looking out to sea. I cheekily asked what they were looking at and was allowed to have a look. I got excellent views of a Great Northern Diver, and we also saw some seals swimming off the shore of St Ninian's. What luck!

In the afternoon we took the audioguide round Jarlshof - an incredible collection of buildings dating back from the late-neolithic era right through to the 1600s. The site had been featured on a BBC programme about the Vikings the previous week, and it was brilliant to see in person. The wheelhouses were almost snug against the sea and wind.

I am constantly fascinated by lichen, and there was LOTS on the stones of the site.

Our luck didn't hold out for the entire stay, and our trip to Eshaness on Saturday was a lot less nice...

That's the view out of the front windscreen into the driving wind and rain. Eshaness is definitely on my list of places to return to another time. It was spectacular and the violent weather added a level of rawness to the landscape, but it would be nice to be able to get out of the car and wander around without risking being blown off the cliffs!

I took fewer pictures of food this holiday than I normally do, but this new discovery definitely warranted a shot:

We dubbed it Shetland Breakfast - fried scallops with bacon and scrambled eggs. Oh my word! These were DELICIOUS!

The holiday was then topped off completely with a display of the Northern Lights on Monday evening. Sadly I have no pictures as my iPhone just wasn't up to taking shots of something so subtle. I've always wanted to see them, so it really just rounded things off nicely.

On my next trip to Shetland, I'm hoping to see either otters or whales... Is this asking for the moon on a stick? I'm not sure!

We pooled our photos, so some of these were taken by me, and some by Rachel Coopey. Thank you m'dear!

Woolly Adventures in Shetland

What do you get when four knitters stay in a flat in Shetland, within walking distance of Jamieson & Smith? I think that the answer, LOTS OF YARN, is hopefully fairly obvious. We visited J&S almost every day of our stay.

Just look at the effect it had on us...

By us, I do of course mean Nic...

How could we not get carried away? There was just so much inspiration. I kept spotting more and more colours that I wanted to knit with... and they weren't all teal!

Well, not quite anyway...

Ella and Sandra gave us lots and lots of help and encouragement with chosing combinations. They really are fantastic!

Many thanks to Ella for taking this lovely picture of us against the wall of yarn. Left to right we are: Jen (that's me), Nic, Sarah and Rachel.

Rachel and I were also lucky enough to have a brief chat with Oliver Henry about the grading of the Shetland clip. He talked us through the qualities of Shetland wool, and showed us how it's all sorted by hand. It was absolutely fascinating!

Finally, on Monday I taught a lovely class all about pattern writing, as part of Shetland Wool Week. It was great to work surrounded by all the delicious yarn, and the class were brilliant! Thank you all!

I didn't take any photos at Kate's trunk show - I was too busy picking colours for the hoodie I'm planning to make from her new book. There will be more on that when my yarn arrives in the post (no spare space in my luggage!). I'm dreaming of my next (as yet unplanned) visit already.

We pooled our photos, so some of these were taken by me, and some by Rachel Coopey. Thank you m'dear!

Unst - with more puffins and an extraordinary bus shelter!

We had a wonderful trip to Unst yesterday, and managed to squeeze in 2 museums (Unst Heritage Centre and Boat Haven), chocolate and not one, but two nature walks with bird-watching.

First up was a walk along Lambaness, where we hoped to see whales, but instead met some lovely sheep!

This is the end of land. At the edge of the grass it dropped sharply into the sea, before rising up in this rock outcrop. The next land in a straight line from here is probably Canada.

Then we had an impusive urge to walk across Hermaness nature reserve. It was 4pm, the walk was marked at 45-60 minutes each way, and we knew it would take around 2 hours to get back to Lerwick. We nearly gave it a miss, as it seemed too late to get there and back in enough time, BUT THERE WERE PUFFINS TO BE SEEN!

We route-marched our way over the moorland, and got from the visitor centre to the cliffs in 35 minutes. I was very grateful to my bootcamp training, as I'm not sure I would have made it otherwise. I was a bit of a wheezing mess when we arrived, but the birds were so worth it.

I could have sat and watched them flying in and out for hours. We even saw a puffin arrive with fish in its beak, and deliver the meal to the puffling in its burrow.

The views over the cliffs were dizzying. the ground just falls away from your feet.

On the walk back over the moorland we saw this little bird. After some online sleuthing, we've identified it as a Dunlin. While we were watching this Dunlin feeding, we heard a very distinctive call coming from some birds flying overhead. I can only describe it as sounding a bit like the TARDIS. Much listening to recordings on the RSPB website has identified it as a Snipe. You can hear a recording of the Snipe's call on the RSPB site. It's very distinctive.

This is the view on the walk back to the car - it gives a sense of how much the ground had risen on the way up to the cliffs. I was very happy that the route back didn't tire me out as much as the walk to the cliffs. And I was even more delighted that we had a couple of pots of crème caramel remaining from lunch when we made it back to the car at 6pm!

Just in case you think that all we have done is bird-watching and other such worthy pastimes...

We stopped for a photo-opportunity at Bobby's Bus Shelter. It is currently themed for the Jubilee (I'm reading a book about Queen Elizabeth II).

I'm looking at the drawers and wishing I had opened them! Without doubt the best bus shelter I have ever visited.

I'm also getting lots of knitting done, so as soon as I've nailed Jim down for some modelling, there will be FO updates.

Photos of puffins at Sumburgh Head

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon (Sumburgh Head, Shetland).

Skull of a sperm whale

Puffin!

Sumburgh Lighthouse

Mummy puffin

Puffling!

Mummy puffin sends the little puffling back inside.

Lots of puffins!

Amazing colours - the weather this afternoon was perfection.

Windy, but warm in the sun!

There were heaps of other birds too (not just puffins). We think this is an oystercatcher. We also saw gulls, terns, guillemots, gannets, shags, skuas, kittiwakes and fulmars! Oh, and a few sparrows for good measure.

I think it's clear that the puffins were my favourites. They have a special place in my heart, as we missed seeing them on honeymoon on the Scilly Isles by about 2 weeks.

Weekend delights at The Sunday House

I thought that you might like to get a peek at the other delights involved in my weekend quilting at The Sunday House. It was a joy from start to finish.

Based in a converted Methodist chapel in Cornwall, The Sunday House quilting weekends are such a treat. Anne Baxter is the quilting tutor, and Corinna Knowles produces the most amazing feasts to fuel the crazy dawn to dusk sewing activities.

Ceiling detail - inspiration at every turn.

I'm not sure how best to describe the food. There are always plenty of tasty and unusual vegetable dishes alongside delicious main pieces - stew or quiche or soup. It's probably easiest to just show you some pictures...

This was a pear, walnut, parma ham and crouton salad with a blue cheesey dressing. I'm trying not to add Masterchef-style descriptions of it being packed with flavour, but it really was!

The main meal on Sunday was particularly spectacular, and I couldn't help but try a bit of everything. Working clockwise round my plate, starting at midday, you can see:
Roast baby potatoes
Mushroom risotto covered in parmesan
Apple, celery and walnut salad
Carrots with cumin
Smoked fish and pea puree quiche
Cauliflour cheese and bacon quiche (this is to die for!)
Pasta salad with pine nuts and herbs of some sort
Mixed bean salad

I'm feeling full just thinking about it again...

And here's a taste of what everyone else was up to while I was on my snowball/Gran quilt mission. Above is Julie's snowball quilt top. It really reminds me of French Parterre gardens, don't you think? So pretty! And quite unlike mine. Click on this and the following pictures to see a larger version in a pop-up window.

Val made this incredible string stars quilt top. The amount of work that went into the careful piecing of the stars and those scrappy borders was astonishing to behold. One day I'd like to have a go at something like that. I don't think my skills are up to it just yet though...

Di produced this completely stunning Milky Way quilt, which is all layered up here, ready for quilting. She's used some beautiful Tilda fabrics (not unlike ones I used in Jeni's quilt some time back). This is another large quilt, and just gorgeous!

Finally, Denise worked on a Glad Tidings quilt, which is just awaiting applique stars in the centre of each block.

Aren't they all amazing? And hopefully they give you a flavour of the variety of designs that were worked on over the weekend, as well as what a contrast the fabric choices make. Tomorrow, I'll share the first pictures of Gran's quilt with you. I think it's pretty safe to say that she won't be surfing and reading my blog, so I can share the secret with you.

Travels: A pair of yarn shops

I'm back from my journeying, and have news of two lovely yarn shops that I visited. First up is Yarn in Chilwell, Nottingham. We were staying with friends not far from this well-stocked shop, and following a delicious lunch at the Victoria Pub in Beeston (this pub is worth a journey - the food and beer are amazing), I persuaded Jim that it would be rude not to go and check it out.

The lady working behind the counter was just the right combination of friendly and helpful, while leaving us to browse. I had a good old look through the yarn - they stock a very wide range of Rowan yarns, and I was able to fondle some of their newer ranges that I hadn't previously met in person. I hesitate to say that they stock the full range, but they must come pretty close. I was quite restrained though, and only picked up City Retreat - a pattern collection by Martin Storey all using their new Creative Focus Worsted yarn. I love the colours in this range, as well as the wearable shapes of many of the designs in the book. I think I know what I will knit from it, but it might have to wait a few months as I work my way through my queue!

The second shop that we visited was one that we stumbled on completely by accident. I know that this seems unlikely, but it really is true. We were visiting my godmother in Stone, Staffs, and arrived a bit earlier than we had expected. So we parked up in the middle of town and wandered towards some shops, thinking that we would pass a half-hour with a cup of coffee. What should we see as we turned the corner though?

Yes! A small but perfectly formed yarn shop - Yarn Gathering of Stone. Jim's heart must have sunk as he hopefully suggested that perhaps it was shut! Happily it wasn't and we passed the time looking round and chatting to Jeanette, the shop's owner.

Here I gave in and had to purchase some yarn (I had to, really I did!).

I picked up a copy of Ysolda's new book, Saturday Treat, which uses her special colours of Fyberspates Scrumptious Yarns. It's a lovely collection, and there are a few patterns which will make it onto my queue in the coming weeks, I feel sure. As well as the book, I also picked up a ball of sock yarn for socks for Jim. I have a fair amount of sock yarn in my stash, but most of it really isn't suitable for boy socks, so I asked Jim to choose his own. He went for this Regia 4ply which will knit up mostly in blue with little flashes of green every so often. I think it will make some great socks (but maybe not untile Christmas! :-D). Yarn Gathering has a lovely selection to choose from. She has quite a few more unusual yarns, with plenty of Natural Dye Studio, some Artist's Palette, and a good selection of basics from Rico as well. A particular highlight was the wide range of independent designers' patterns. Jeanette has all of Ysolda's books, but also single patterns from the likes of Gudrun Johnston and Alana Dakos. Again, if you are in the area, then this is a shop that's well worth finding.

So, that's it for me little treats from my travels. Have you been to any nice yarn shops recently?

Millie Moon Wells

Step by step I will get back up to speed, following five days of frenetic activity at the Knitting and Stitching Show in London. First up is catching up with some blogging action.

On Saturday 1st October, my favourite fabric and haberdashery shop opened its second branch. I am lucky enough to have the Frome branch of Millie Moon just a 3 minute walk from my house, and I entirely hold them responsible for my sewing, and particularly my quilting obsession. Rachel and Becki opened their doors for the first time just 3 years ago, and since then have moved to larger premises and are now spreading their wings to a second shop. The new branch is in Wells at 14A Broad Street, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2DN.

On a very sunny and warm Saturday afternoon (who would have believed it was October?), Jim and I hopped in the car and went over to inspect the new premises.

The shop is instantly recognisable, if you have been to the Frome one. The familiar logo and simple, appealing displays are unmistakeable. There is a good range of fabric, both on the bolt and fat quarters, as well as lots of buttons, ribbons and other tempting treats. The shop is smaller than Frome, but as the workshops will continue to run from the Frome branch, this makes sense. I kept looking round and spotting things that I hadn't seen before (and I spend far too much time in MM Frome).

I want a spool of each cotton just because they look so beautiful!

Alongside the fabric are plenty of pattern ideas, and Rachel and Becki are always ready with a suggestion, if you are stuck for ideas. I was absolutely delighted to hear that the mix of staff across both shops will continue to be regular Millie Moon faces - Angela, Gaynor, Anne and of course Rachel and Becki - so you can be assured of a warm and knowledgeable welcome.

That's enough gushing for now. If you are in the area then do check out the new (or old) branch. It's well worth a trip. I came away with border and sashing fabric for a jelly roll quilt that's still in pieces on our dining room table. I had better add that to the to do list!

Disclaimer: I am good friends with Rachel and Becki, but they didn't ask me to write this blog post. :)

The knitters are everywhere

When spending 3 days on holiday in the company of other knitters, it was pretty much guaranteed that there would be a lot of knitting.

But I'm not sure that even I thought there would be this much. It was heaven! Above is Mary's shawl in Scrumptious 4ply. It was cast on in the car, and cast off in bed, and knitted on at every opportunity over the weekend.

We knitted in cafes, during informative film screenings, on the beach, in the car, in the house, in bed, in fact pretty much everywhere (yes, that is my Golden Wheat Shawl, and I knitted a whole 8 rounds of it!).

We visited fibre-related sights. This is at Tregwynt Mill, and these are samples of the yarn they use for weaving beautiful woollen fabrics. I was sorely tempted by a purple spotted coat.

There were bolts of fabric at every turn.

We then headed off to visit Blueberry Angoras, and purchased some yarn... It's a beautifully soft mohair that's available in 4ply and DK weights. I was quite restrained and only purchased a hank for a friend, but I'd certainly go back and get more once I've worked my way through some more of my stash.

Blueberry Angoras also sell wonderful woven finished items, such as these gorgeous throws. They were hard to stop stroking!

Yes, that's Mary's knitting project in the bag at her side. We didn't actually stop and knit on the beach on this day, as there was a lot of sand whipping around, but we did take it just in case. Then we headed home for a cuppa and a few more rows.

Pepita's mohair mittens.

Julie's stripey scarf.

And Mary's calabrese shawl. See those hands working at like greased lightening.

Thank you guys! I had such a great weekend with you all. Let's do it again soon.

Inspiration is everywhere

We had an amazing weekend in Wales - there was inspiration at every turn.

The colours of the stone used for builing against the resilient weeds, growing in even the smallest cracks.

Old commercial signs on the sides of many of the buildings. The faded and distorted writing is beautiful.

Rows of houses with delightful front gardens, and rugged stone walls.

Places to sit and knit, with the most amazing views.

Brightly coloured buildings and hints of a time before supermarkets.

Birds, boats and the sea. Doesn't the headland look like a collapse cake with icing?

Wind whistling through the grass on the dunes, and so many different colours in that stretch of green.

Light catching the sand being blown over the beach.

Feet about to get wet as the tide comes in.

Who knows what might find its way into my next design?

Was it really ten years ago?

I can't believe that it is ten years since the England football team beat Germany 5-1 in Munich! So it is even harder to believe that it is also ten years since Jim and I got married.

It was a day filled with smiles and laughter, much like the last ten years have been. Mum's hat is still just as "terrible" (say that with a French accent and meaning please!), as it was on the day. I love it! Mum did an amazing job with the speeches and all that, while Chris was awesome at keeping us up to date with the score, and persuading people to dance! Sadly it was just before the point where everyone had digital cameras, so we only have one set of digital pics - thank you so much Keith for taking these!

We have all come such a long way since then, with weddings and new family arrivals, changes of career (some of us more than once!), and moves around the country and abroad. I am enormously grateful to have been blessed not only with a wonderful husband, but also with an inspiring and fabulous family-in-law. Thank you A-C clan for making me so welcome!

And of course the day was filled with friends as well as family. This is just a small selection of the wonderful people who came and shared our day with us. Sending a big wave and hugs to all of you!

But most of all, I want to thank you Jim, for being the amazing person you are. Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary! And here's to many more happy years.

Jen xxxxxxxxxx