Beginnings...

Colour wheel

Hello for the first time, and a very warm welcome to those of you who drop by my place! 

How did I choose this name?
Wild About Yarn will be my first book of handknits and crochet projects and I must say, I'm loving the process of designing and making, but oh woe is me -  there are too  many to include and I love them all!  This year, I started an Instagram account of the same title  (@wildaboutyarn) so I could share what I was doing.  Wow, how inspiring seeing  the work of many other designers and makers across the world and in my own country!    

My mother  was creative in so many ways - embroidery, sewing, knitting and clay - but she and my grandmother never took up crochet.   When I was 6 years old, I asked to be taught to knit. It was a Sunday night.  I  vividly recall my mother leaning over the stove and saying that after she turned the roast potatoes, she'd start me on the needles.  I couldn't wait, but guess what yarn I began this journey on?

MOHAIR.  Red mohair.  I shudder to think how hard it must have been with all those loose fibres that knotted if it needed to be undone, or if there was a dropped stitch! But it didn't daunt me and in years to come, we worked in tandem. My mother would knit the body of  the jumpers and assemble the parts and I would do the sleeves.  A great partnership!  

Here I am many years  later, rather averse to using Mohair but loving how it looks if anyone else uses it! :-)  (Please tell  me your mohair story!) 

There is much discussion about costing out handmade items to sell and my philosophy is to ensure you include some fee for your time.  Don't just sell at a price you think people might pay or you aren't educating them as to the value  of handmade. Giving handmade gifts to friends brings more joy than can be expressed so my latest has been a scarf in the shell design. I love this colour!  The design is no less ordinary for its ease of working and handmade is welcomed everywhere!

                                     Details: 8 ply pure  merino wool, 4mm crochet hook, 15cm wide x 150cm long

Over the last ten years, I've made many cloth dolls and bears, bags and quilts,  and had these patterns published in magazines here in Australia.  Every year, motifs come into popularity and I'm loving the owl, the rabbit and fox right now!   What are your favourites?  The current project is iphone cozies with  some of these motifs so look out for those in a future post!   It's great when You find another designer's pattern that you just fall in love with!   I've just completed  the crocheted rabbit from  the lovely Jacquie - Bunny Mummy. She has sweet owls as well.    Find this here:



Bunny mamma's gorgeous rabbit

I hope you drop by on a regular basis to see what we are up to here, and to tell me about your yarn capers too!

Warm wishes and happy yarnings!
Lu