Cast Away on a South Pacific Island

Emily Beach, Norfolk Island

The Online Shop is now a month – and this Blog is three days late, for a very good reason.

For the last week-and-a-bit we’ve been on Norfolk Island. (For those non-Antipodeans amongst you, that’s a small island in the South Pacific, approx. half way between New Zealand and New Caledonia, and to the east of Australia). It should have been just one week – but the combination of bad weather and a small prop-driven plane meant an enforced two-day (plus a bit) delay.

Norfolk Island is beautiful – but after you’ve done all the things that the locals have set up for the tourists, there ain’t much to do – especially in the rain. But, fortunately, I’d taken my trusty knitting with me.

And when you’re cast away on a South Pacific island - it;s time to Cast On!

For this break, I’d decided to experiment with a new pattern for a wrap using the Brioche knitting technique and two-colour garter stitch. As by the nature of hand-dyed yarns they are unique, and difficult to buy more of the same batch, I like shawl/wrap patterns that keep going until you run out of yarn. So, you start small, and keep expanding.

My yarn is a 2-ply merino, hand dyed in moss green and silver grey, and knitted on 5mm circular needles. Not my usual yarn (I’m using up an old base), but perfect for a lightweight wrap. And 2 x 50g skeins will be more than enough! I think it’s looking like it will be a success – what do you think??

When I’ve finished it, I’ll write up the pattern (using a 4 ply/light fingering weight yarn and bigger needles) and add it to the shop. Watch This Space.