A Cornish Knitting And Rambling Retreat, With Raw Wool.

After a spring thunderstorm, this beautiful rainbow arched over the bay as I walked home last Friday.

As I walked down to Knit Group today, I felt the first true warmth of spring sun on my face, whilst on Saturday I met with a wonderful bunch of knitters who braved the blustery showers to walk along the coastal paths to knit on the beach. In short, Spring Time has truly arrived in Cornwall, and one of the best ways to celebrate was to hang out with the gang who were enjoying the Cornish knitting and rambling retreat with The Raw Wool Company.

Knitting retreats have often passed me by, as in truth, I can’t sit and knit all day. I am too fidgety, and the most amount of time I would knit in a weekend is a couple of hours a day. When I enjoy my days away from the writing desk, I make plans to meet friends for walks and beach visits, often getting out my knitting projects when we arrive at the local pub for chips and a pint. So when Anton started telling me about his Raw Wool Retreat ideas last spring, my ears pricked up; meeting new knitting friends over a weekend of coastal walks, pub knitting and trips to see the sheep that produce his yarn?! Sign me up! 

Anton and his very bouncy Spaniel, Moose, enjoying the spring weather.

Anton has a passion for connecting people with the nature that surrounds us here in West Cornwall, and it is the inspiration for both his knitting patterns for Raw Wool, as well as his personal knits (I have often seen his colour choices mimic the country that surrounds us). So it was with no surprise at all that his dream knitting retreat would be creating a space for people to be welcomed in the stunning surroundings of the Bosveal National Trust home on the banks of the Helford Passage. Just 20 minutes west of Falmouth and hosted over three days, knitters would be able to visit the farm where his flok of sheep are shepherded, enjoy lunch in the iconic Ship Inn at Porthleven, and learn about the history and design of the Gansey sweater as they created their own versions. Between walking around Durgan, knitting by the living room fire, and pottering down to the small coves on the banks of the river to cast on a new project on the beach, I knew that it was going to be a retreat to remember. It was so very Anton, and therefore so very Raw Wool! 

Braving the weather as we climbed the hills by Bosveal House, West Cornwall.

After putting all his plans in place, with a healthy dose of anticipation, and the support from Jonathan Days, the retreats were launched in October of last year. The first was such a success (and just a week after my move down here), that the March dates were published soon after, and I was delighted that I was able to join the group for part of it this past Saturday. 

It was fantastic to meet so many passionate knitters from all over the globe. Each brought their own love of natural fibres, joyful patterns, and vast knowledge on the subject of knitting lore. I learned how one knitter’s passion for bird watching inspired their own Gansey pattern, with the seed and bar stitches representing the steps they walked down during the weekend to watch the birds take flight. An American woman told me stories of how she and her husband took their motorbikes around Colorado as they sought out new yarns, as well as her passion for the country of Wales. The stories of how the English coast brought comfort to all of them through childhood memories, and their later life adventures, my feelings of happienss to be living here were renewed.

As we walked up the hill as the wind blustered around us, the view of the river flowing into the sea was simply breathtaking; waves chasing themselves up the Helford. After catching our breath and taking a walk around the 400 year old church, we headed east towards Mawnan. With the rain and sea spray dancing through the air, we made time to sit on the beach and knit a few stitches whilst Moose, Anton’s spaniel, ran rings around us. (I swear that dog did more than double the miles we completed that day!)

After we headed back to the house for a wonderful cream tea, we sat down to knit next to the fire. I cast on the Kintra Sweater that I have been gauge swatching for the past couple of weeks; the perfect sweater for late spring and early summer when the wind can still be a little chilly in the evenings. Listening to the chatter whilst the scones were baking in the kitchen, I felt the tension I had been holding over the past week simply slip away. To be warm, comfortable, surrounded by the gentle peace that knitting offers us, after a stunning walk, is the best way to spend my day. 

As I drove home, awash with tea, I knew that I had to arrange my diary to book in for the full retreat this coming autumn. Although I had only been there for a few hours, it felt as if I had enjoyed a magical time of rest and relaxation that I simply would not have had at home. Looking at the cast-on I did for the collar of the Kintra, I now also know that I will need to take my simplest stocking stitch projects, as I still have not mastered the art of chatting and following a pattern; my rib is wonky and my stitch count is off! 

I think there is a knitting retreat out there for everyone. From spa based knitting time in Bath, cruises around the Shetlands, and ranch style dying weekends in the Rockies, there is an experience to suit you and your textile interests. I am blessed not only to be able to be here in Cornwall and take full advantage of Anton’s friendship over coffee time at the Falmouth Bookseller on a regular basis, but also to witness his love of the countryside that embraces us whilst he shares it with us.

For myself, I think my ideas around textile retreats has changed from one of not quite knowing why I would go on one, to one of curiosity. I would like to explore natural dying, spinning, quilting, and different sewing techniques, and I think retreats may be a great way for me to gently travel and learn from experts in a relaxed environment. We shall see where I go next, but one thing is for sure, in the autumn you will find me back at the Helford, with Moose running amuck, surrounded by welcoming and warm-heated knitters. 

Raw Wool's beautiful mini yarns, and their wooden gauge rule.

The Perfect Hug. Knitting my first Gansey sweater.

It has been a grey springtime. Rain has stormed through the valley where I live, flooding the lammas lands and driving most people indoors to snuggle up on the sofa as if it was autumn. Plants in the greenhouses are a few weeks behind in their growing seasons, and like them, everyone was feeling rather droopy around the edges before the sun came out on Monday. 

So it was rather fitting for me to step into The Knit Lounge at the end of April, and shake my raincoat off whilst I said hello to Sarah. We were catching up with stories about our latest WIPs, and she was filling me in on what I had missed out on when the knit-night crew met on the previous Tuesday whilst I was in Cornwall. As we were chatting away, my eyes were drawn to a lower shelf where I saw, to my heart’s delight, a true navy ball of yarn; a colour I had been seeking for about 6 years, and in the perfect yarn weight. 

Baa Ram Ewe's 'Skipper Yarn' From The Knit Lounge,

As I walked over to pick up this longed for treasure, I had a flashback to the days where I used to go clothes shopping. I had been browsing through the racks at Jigsaw and found the most beautiful blue fisherman’s jumper, and I can remember dithering about purchasing it and trying to convince myself that spending £300 that I didn’t have would bless my wardrobe. Fortunately for my budget, my better-self put it back on the shelf, but there hasn’t been a time when I have thought about it and not then kicked myself. There was only one reason why I didn’t just go home and knit my own version, and that was the colour; a deep true navy in a solid yarn that would make a trustworthy sweater that could see me through wild days. Through all the yarn shows and crawls that I have been to, I’d never seen ‘The Navy’ that was on my dream list. In the days of variegated dyes, poppy neons, and soft neutrals, the classic colours have been hard to find, especially when I wanted it in a raw British wool. 

I confess that at the point in time when my coat was still dripping rain water onto Sarah’s shop floor, my yarn budget felt as if it was breeding moths in the bottom of my wallet; I was down to my last £50 in the ‘Knit Pot’ and I had been planning on topping it up for a new sweater in May. 

But… there it was… and it was raw British wool. What’s a woman to do?! The first thing to do was pick it up and try to convince myself that it was too scratchy. Well that didn’t work, as the yarn is ‘Skipper, 5 ply Guernsey’ by Baa Ram Ewe, with a micron count that was just on point for a hardy Gansey sweater with little itch factor. I was also flummoxed as I also had a pattern in mind; The Gansey Folk Sweater by Anton at Raw Wool, which is a pattern I have wanted to knit for ages as it reminded me of the sweater in Jigsaw all those years ago, (but with a better construction around the neckline). 

With my £50 in mind I worked out that I wanted to purchase 5 balls of yarn, thinking that it would cover the yardage, and asked Sarah how much it would be. The total came to £39.50, and with the £7.50 for the pattern, I came out under budget for an inspo knitting project, and I was beyond elated! 

I can’t remember casting on a gauge swatch so quickly, as when I got home I popped the kettle on and went straight for my 2.75mm needles as the tea was brewing. As I knit the sample swatch, I was nervous as the stitches seemed a little too rigid, and the cloth that it was forming a mite too stiff, but I carried on and thought it would be easy enough to loosen the stitches if need be. With a little dip in the Clothes Doctors Wool Wash and a gentle block overnight, I was delighted to see that the resulting fabric was structured but not stiff, and bang on gauge for the Size 2 option that I wanted to make. (I’m a chest size 37 inches, and wanted the finished size to be 44 inches.)

We have the most amazing wool throughout Britain, with each region offering different properties in the fleeces depending on the environment the sheep grow up in, as well as their breed. I am often astounded that such a majestic fibre is overlooked. At yarn shows, I often hear people proclaim that raw wool is just too itchy or scratchy, as if we are still in the 1970’s and forgetting how far our farming and milling knowledge has come. Anton, Steve and Sarah breed stunningly beautiful sheep-ies that offer us some of the softest raw yarns I have felt for the company Anton runs: Raw Wool. I have knitted with their yarns for a few years now, and it has been a privilege to learn about farming husbandry, micron counts, and the unique properties that wool can offer us through them. (However, sadly, they still have not worked out how to breed a natural Navy into their folks!)

Some lunch-time knitting at work helps get the stocking stitch stretch go quickly!

My knitting notes tell me that I started the sweater on Sunday, May 5th. The hem is made with a 2.5mm needle and I knitted for 2.5 inches to make a depth that was proportionate to my great height of 5 feet. By the time I saw Sarah again a week later, I was on to the body of the project, and that is when my life started down a slippery slope. Along with the rain that had begun to feel unceasing at times, things started to drop from the emotional skies as well; Finchely getting sick and needing emergency vet care, flooding my Mum’s house, work, family, friendships, my move to Cornwall, more work and more family stuff… it all crashed and burned, to the point where I just had a bit of a breakdown and found myself in a pretty dark place after three years of trying to juggle. 

As I trudged through the puddles, my Gansey project started to become my constant companion. As it was all pretty much stocking stitch, and my needles were 2.75mm circulars, I didn’t have to think much as Anton’s design did all that for me. The row repeats and counts were clear, and all I had to do was work out how long I wanted the body before the gusset increases, which was down to my personal preference. The neckline has a clear option; you can either shape it as I did, or you can leave it neutral. I chose the shaping as I wanted the back of the sweater to come up my neck a little. There was a funky technique for the wrap and turns at this point, which I ended up doing wrong, but only because I didn’t read the instructions correctly. 

The ribbing gives shape and structure to the neck, and going down to the 2.5mm needles helped with that effect. The eight rows of stocking stitch gives the classic Gansey roll on the collar, and sits well on the ribbing due to the smaller needles. When I wear it, it doesn’t gape or sag, which is the one thing I was worried about, but with the structure of the raw wool, my neck is safe from gusty breezes from the shore line. 

Sleeves! I love my DPNs for these.

There was a Thursday in May when I was curled up in my knitting nook, listening to Lord Of The Rings on Audible, thunder rolled outside and Finchley was tucked under the blanket I had draped over my feet. We were as snug as could be, but I had a decision to make about the sleeves. In Anton’s pattern there are four rows of garter stitch that form a band around the upper middle arm. Personally, I wanted a chunkier amount of garter to make a bit of a statement, so I simply popped a row of purl stitches on every third round until I got to row 26 and then picked up Anton’s pattern. There is a very gentle decrease on the arms, and I just love the shaping; it’s so satisfying! It allows for movement around the armholes, but the cuffs sit close to the wrist, so you can get a coat over it without feeling all bunched up; perfection for rambling. 

The last sleeve had to wait four days to be finished as it turned out that I needed another ball of yarn. Although annoying, it really didn’t matter, and I was able to cast off five weeks to the day I cast-on, which was the day that both the sun came out from behind the wintery clouds, and my life started to ease up. I can safely say that this project was my emotional hug when all was dark, and its consistency and ease was a balm to my tired mind and heart. The design and wool were perfect partners, and I cannot remember wanting to cast on another one so quickly. I shall certainly be making more of these for my Cornish Adventure in the coming months. 

Blocking my Gansey Sweater!

Enjoying a blustery autumn ramble along the Cornish paths is, I have to admit, one of the things I am looking forward to the most when I move out west. During the summer I soak up the sun like a lizard, capturing every sunray that I can so that I can save it for the winter to come, but there is something about being outdoors in wild weather by the coast that makes my energy dance! The elemental nature is lost here in the suburbs, and I think a lot of my move to Cornwall is about being able to connect with ‘the other world’ more readily. Sweaters like The Gansey Folk, and wool such as the Skipper, are the perfect allies for facing the storms on the cliff paths, as well as those within us. 

The finished object!!