Sketchbook challenge day 2 – Wensleydale sheep gets a rasta hat!

12 September, 201228 October, 2017 | Donna

This is your fault, mum! Remember that hint about wanting a pic of your new sheepy? I might have gotten a little carried away… Though I now expect you to knit him a proper Bob Marley hat for Christmas hehehe.

I thought I’d try drawing a sheep in striped hat, similar to one Bob Marley had. Because black Wensleydale sheep do look like they have dreadlocks. They just do….

So um sorry mum, but I will do a proper Marley picture later *giggles*

My new shawl

10 December, 200828 October, 2017 | Donna

Isn’t it funny how the first chill of winter gets you knitting?

I’m part way through knitting and crocheting a shawl that I’m using as the prototype for a new pattern. Essentially the centre triangle will be plain and then I’ll go to town with some crocheted edging. I also want to make up variation designs that are entirely knitted and crocheted.

I was going to sell the shawl originally, but the fine yarn is taking me too long to knit, and I’ve always made this style of shawl and then sold it. I figured it was time I made a really lovely shawl just for me. And the sheep who the fleece comes from is quite special. I have her mother’s fleece knitted into a scarf I now treasure so I wanted to have something from her daughter too. It’s funny knitting this shawl and seeing how similar it is to a scarf I made nearly 10 years ago! Fleece to me is a treasure when I have pet sheep, because I can still “cuddle” them when I don’t have them anymore. Yes, I’m a sentimental animal crazy crafte!

So here’s a pic of the work in progress as it sits now. This is undyed naturally coloured Shetland sheep wool by the way. I spin it in a way that keeps the colour variations in there, so that a solid “plain” bit of knitting actually has a subtle texture of its own. If my knitting and jewellery share anything it’s my love for showing natural materials in their untainted state whenever possible.