Yarn review - Fat Bubba by Melanie Porter

Following on from my review of Melanie Porter's book 'Big Needle Knits' the other week I was having a lovely chat with the lady herself over on Twitter and she offered to send me a sample ball of her amazing Fat Bubba wool to have a play with.


Fat Bubba was born when Melanie tried unsuccessfully to source top quality super bulky British wool for her chunky knit projects so she decided to create her own!

Fat Bubba is hand spun and lightly felted and so unbelievably soft it just begs to be knitted up into beautifully squishy accessories or blankets. It is available in a small range of contemporary colours. Mini fat bubbas (250g /approx 36m) are perfect for a hat or cowl whilst the larger 500g balls would knit up a longer scarf or a cushion. A blanket may require 2 or 3 large balls -  which at £50 each makes for quite an expensive project but it would certainly introduce a touch of luxurious style to your home.

Fat Bubba weighs in at approximately 15m per 100g. It doesn't sound like a lot of yardage but when combined with extra large needles a little goes a long way!



My sample ball was approx 20m - and was the most glorious egg yolk yellow colour! Using 25mm needles I cast on 4 stitches and knit 30 rows which left me just enough yarn to lace the two ends of my knitting together to form a tube. One super snuggly cowl in 15 minutes! If quick knits are your thing you can't get much quicker than that!!

Fat Bubba yarn by Melanie Porter is available to order through her website or Etsy shop where you can also buy custom made super chunky needles to knit it up with.
 If you fancy having a go at making your own fat wool Melanie includes full instructions on how to do so in her latest book 'Big Needle Knits'


*disclaimer - Melanie sent me some Fat Bubba to try because she is just a lovely person, I decided to review it here because it is fab!

What's on my needles - February

Hello! Can you believe we are over half way through February already? It will be spring before we know it! (I do hope so!!) Not unsurprisingly I have been using the coldest, greyest winter month as an excuse to encase myself in super chunky wool with not one but two blankets on my needles right now!

The first - a pretty lap blanket in three coloured linen stitch - I introduced in my last post. It's growing quite nicely into a pastel coloured dream of squishyness (probably not a word but I like it ). Both cats have shown a lot of interest in this one and I can't help thinking that they may be taking total advantage of it once it's finished if I leave it lying around unattended...

My second blanket is the Koselig Blanket from Wool and the Gang -  yup that's the one I designed for GangLabs. It's been well over 18 months since I spent the hottest week of the year knitting up the sample. I'm still not entirely sure how I managed to knit those huge cosy panels without melting away - a good ceiling fan and plenty of rocket lollies may have been involved - but it is certainly a much more pleasant experience this time around.  To make the task even easier Wool and the Gang have now sourced 25mm circular needles which means it is possible to knit the whole blanket in one go rather than in panels! Yay!!

From 25mm needles to 2.5mm needles. My Blue Skies Sock Club socks are coming along a treat too, helped greatly by being the only current project portable enough to take with me when I went to my parent's house with Riley for a few days. I love how this pattern flows -  it's so intuitive that I have barely needed the pattern for sock number 2 (no second sock syndrome here. Oh no!) . Only half a foot to go so I should be able to finish them before the next instalment arrives in the next couple of weeks...






Although I haven't managed to finish the socks I started in January, the two other projects I shared in my January 'What's on my Needles' post are finished. The Fox Jacket turned out beautifully and is probably the fastest knit adult sized garment I have ever made! It is so soft and luxurious (all that lovely silk, baby alpaca and kid mohair). It's been keeping me warm and cosy on the most chilly winter nights and is so comfy I may have fallen asleep with it on at least twice...


The #naturesshades project is also finished and I am currently working on a pattern and will post more on this another time (if you really want to see it now though you can nip along to the project page on my Ravelry) Also don't forget to check out all the finished objects for this KAL over on the BritYarn Ravelry forum. There you will find an array of patterns all knitted in gorgeous natural, undyed shades of (mostly) British wool. What a wonderful way to celebrate our woolly heritage!

Id love it if you would share what's on your needles (or hook) for February - please feel free to leave links to your own blog posts or Ravelry project pages so I can have a look! (Only relevant links please - Any spam comments WILL be deleted!)

Happy crafting x

Book Review :: Big Needle Knits

Big Needle Knits

By Melanie Porter

£12.99

Published by Cico books


Melanie Porter, best known for her amazing knitted upholstery, is no stranger to knitting with huge needles and in Big Needle Knits she shares 35 fabulous projects - ranging from small (ish) accessories to huge squishy blankets - all using super bulky yarns and needle sizes from 10mm up to custom made 35mm (that's like a broom handle!)

The book is divided into three sections. Chunky textures includes patterns for smaller accessories - a lovely clutch bag, a little purse, headband, scarves, hats and a fabulous blanket. Lighter Knits features projects using fabric yarns and includes summer tops, rag bracelets and lightweight floaty cowls and scarves.  The third section - Mega Knits - focuses on those super chunky yarns and mega sized needles for statement pieces that grow really quickly. I adore the Infinity Cowl knitted in Lion Brand  Quickie yarn!

There is a comprehensive section at the back with all the knitting techniques you will need which makes this book ideal for beginners (although I have to say huge needles are not the easiest to work with if you are a true beginner. Especially if you have small hands!) Melanie even lists a few yarn alternatives and suppliers AND shows you how to make your own fabric yarn and fat wool from roving (it involves wearing wellies in the bathtub! That fact alone makes me want to try it!!).

I decided to have a go at the lovely three colour linen stitch blanket in section one, using some Drops Eskimo wool I had in my stash and 15mm needles.

Just to demonstrate how quickly these Big Needle Knits work up the picture shows the result of about 4 hours work...


With a bit of dedication, and a good box set on TV, it would be perfectly feasible to produce a whole blanket in a weekend.

Now that's the kind of project I like!




Big Needle Knits is a great introduction to using the jumbo needles and wool that seem to be so popular at the moment and the book will appeal to newbies and more experienced knitters alike. It would be a great addition to any knitters library.

Find out more about Melanie Porter here 
Find out more about Cico Books here

Big Needle Knits was sent to me by Cico Books for the purpose of this review. All words and pictures are my own :) 

What's on my needles - January

Selfish knitting

If November and December are mostly about knitting presents for friends and family  then January is all about selfish knitting. That's right, knits that are just for me!

2016 Learn something new!

Happy New Year lovely readers! I hope you have all had a fabulous festive season full of love, joy, family, friends and chocolate!

Now we are all ready to spring into 2016 full of energy and intention. Ready to face the world, take on new challenges, embrace the things we love and change the things we don't! Hurrah!! (Yes? No? Ok finish the Christmas chocolates first...)

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions- if you really want to make changes why wait until the calender changes? That said the Christmas holidays offer a perfect opportunity to take stock, look back and decide what needs to be done next...

Last year actually turned out alright -  I absolutely rediscovered my knitting mojo and my design for Wool and the Gang -  The Koselig Blanket -  became a best seller. I also self published my first pattern on Ravelry (Lost in the Forest Mitts) inspired by the lovely Cornish Tin from Blacker Yarns.
My partner's business also had a better year than it's  had for a long time as people actually started buying motorbikes again! I finally managed to lose some weight;  we gained a new kitty family member; the house didn't fall down and our camper van made it through it's MOT so all in all not a bad year (about time too as the previous few years have been a bit pants lol!).

A little bit of my stash. Just a little bit. I don't have a problem. Honest.

Lots of tidying and sorting has been happening through 2015 too - not least of which involved my yarn stash.  To be fair it's got a bit out of hand. I'm not saying I have too much yarn (is there such a thing as too much yarn? I think not...) but I do have more than enough to keep me knitting for years to come so this year I have made a promise that I will not buy anymore yarn UNLESS it's for a specified project and will be used straight away. No more stash building for at least a year...
There are also many knitty techniques I want to learn in 2016 -  toe-up socks, brioche, double knitting, top down sweaters, continental style knitting whilst purling (why is that so tricky?) so plenty of excuses to cast on lots of lovely projects throughout 2016 and plenty of opportunities to use some of that stash.

But what I want to master this year, more than anything else, is spinning with my drop spindle.
I want to turn fluff into beautiful yarn and knit with it.
I have tried previously - and blogged about it here - but after an initial burst of enthusiasm finding the time and the opportunity to continue has eluded me.
Like many things it's practice that makes perfect so I am going to aim for just a few minutes a day (preferably when the cats are out side -  Have you ever tried using a drop spindle with a cat in the room?). It's possible I won't  manage everyday but I will do my best to devote just 15 minutes a day to practising. 15 minutes. That's all. I'm sure I can manage that!*

I have often thought that regular practice in small chunks is more effective and easier to maintain than the occasional big chunk of time - especially if you have a busy family life/job to juggle around. So what new skill would you like to learn? Why not try just 15 minutes a day (or as often as you can) and see what you can achieve in 2016?  Maybe you want to learn to draw or doodle; write a novel or poetry; play a musical instrument; learn to crochet, knit, needlefelt or some other craft?

If you'd like to join me on Instagram tag me (@theforestflower) and use the hashtag #15minutesaday so we can share our progress and offer support. I can't wait to see what new skills you master this year!

*if anyone can suggest any books/tutorial videos or blogs that might help me on my spinning journey PLEASE leave a comment below. Any help gratefully received!

Checking in...

Wow - I cannot believe it's been 6 weeks since I last blogged!

Things have been pretty busy around here so here's a little update on everything we've been up to in October...

Happy Birthday Blacker Yarns!

picture courtesy of Blacker Yarns

Blacker Yarns are celebrating their tenth anniversary at their Cornish woollen mill in Launceston this month by releasing a limited edition yarn they have named Cornish Tin, spun from ten different fibres to create one gorgeous, soft and bouncy yarn that is a pleasure to knit with.

Book Review :: Sharpie Art Workshop

Sharpies at the ready...

Sharpie Art Workshop 

by Timothy Goodman 

£14.99

published by Rockport


Did you know that Sharpie markers were first invented in 1964 (as a refinement of the earlier Magic Marker felt tip pen) and were the first permanent marker pens?

GrannySquareDay2015

it's hip to be square...

Here's a little heads up for all you happy hookers out there!

Saturday August 15th 2015 is Instagram's #grannysquareday15 - hosted by Susan @suregal27 this is a little fun for the wonderful Instagram crochet community.

Rhubarb Crumble Tart Recipe

I love rhubarb - the tartness contrasts so wonderfully with all the sweetness that abounds in summer. Since planting my own rhubarb crown three years ago I have been blessed with an abundance of lovely pinky green rhubarb stems all through late spring and early summer. I love it served as a compote with yoghurt, whisked up with cream and yoghurt to make Rhubarb Fool and in my all time favourite pudding - crumble with custard. But as lovely as crumble and custard puddings are sometimes you want something a little more....well... refined. Try this lovely tart with a sweet pastry base (adapted from Jamie Oliver's wonderful Old Fashioned Sweet Pastry recipe), and a crispy crumble topping. Serve cooled slices with a little cream for a lovely summer dessert.

Summer Holidays - Seaside trips and summer knits

The summer holidays officially started here on Friday! We celebrated by heading over to my parent's place for a few days and taking a little day trip down to Barry Island (of Gavin and Stacey fame) to paddle in the sea, dig in the sand, explore rock pools and eat fish and chips and ice cream on the promenade...

A month of knitalongs...

Instagram has opened up a whole new knitty world to me - knitalongs!

I signed up to not one but two shawl knitalongs at the end of May - not that I don't have any other projects to be getting on with but you know how it goes...

First up was #greatdividekal2015 (I'm using the Instagram hashtags here so you can go check them out if you wish) which was hosted by the lovely Jessie @bigheart_smalltown.

This what a bit of an impromptu project - I was packing to take Roo to stay with my parents for a few days in the half term and looking for something small and simple to take with me when I spotted her post about a shawl knitalong using a pattern called The Great Divide Shawl by Michele Brown.  Rooting through my stash I found a couple of vintage cones of yarn I had been given a while ago that I thought would be just perfect.

WIPS Linky is back!!

Yay! It's back!! The monthly Works-in-progress post with linky is back!!

For new readers and those older ones who may have forgotten, the WIPSLinky was a monthly post where I showed you what various crafty projects I was working on and I invited you to show me yours via the little linky widget at the bottom of the post (here are a couple of earlier WIPSLinky posts to give you an idea - you may recognise a certain Butterick pattern that was featured on The Great British Sewing Bee this year! Way ahead of my time, me!!)

So what am I up to right now?

Crochet a Granny Cushion Workshop for Absolute Beginners!

Would you love to learn how to crochet but don't really know where to start?

Well if you live in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border country you may be interested to hear that I have been invited to teach a crochet course at the lovely Sew Sew Studio in Newent!!

Situated just 15 mins drive from the city of Gloucester, The Newent Shambles Retail Village is a quaint courtyard populated by local artisans and independent shop keepers and is a project I have been involved in since it's conception (you can see more about The Shambles here)

Nic opened Sew Sew Studio at the end of 2014 and it has gone from strength to strength as her sewing classes for adults and children have proved extremely popular. Now she is offering the chance for yarn lovers to extend their skills too!

I have put together a three day workshop (running one morning a week over three weeks) aimed at absolute beginners where you can learn all the basic crochet stitches you need to know to get you going.

Starting with a basic granny square, with colour changes and tips on weaving in the ends, moving on to joining the squares together then creating a beautiful granny stripe back, the course includes everything you need to complete a fabulous cushion - all yarns, pattern and tip sheets, cushion inner and even a crochet hook are provided (along with a cuppa or two and some homemade cakes and cookies!)

Course Details

When:   3 x 3 hour sessions 10am- 1pm on 29th April, 6 May and 13th May 2015
Where:  Sew Sew Studio, Unit 19 , Newent Shambles Retail Village, Newent, Glos

Cost :  £90 for the course

What's included:  Everything! Yarn, cushion inner, time spent one-to-one if needed, pattern, tip sheets to take home, and even your very own crochet hook!

 And refreshments too - Tea and coffee will be available plus I will be baking muffins and cookies especially for my students!

Week one - we will focus on the granny squares - including how to add in new colours and weave in the ends (please note you won't have time to complete ALL 9 granny squares in this session - unless you take to crochet like a duck to water! - so please be prepared to do a little homework!)
Week two - we will be joining the squares together and hooking up a little border and then making a start on our granny stripe cushion back!
Week three - Finishing off the granny stripe back and then joining the front and back together around the cushion inner before patting ourselves on the back for completing a fabulous Granny Cushion!

Spaces are very limited so if you are interested please don't hesitate to get in touch with either Nic at Sew Sew Studio or myself (you can email me at forestflower@hotmail.com )

For more information and to book please visit Sew Sew Studio's website   www.sewsewstudio.bigcartel.com


I am so excited to be given this opportunity and I cannot wait to introduce some new people to this highly addictive and bang on trend skill!

Upcycled Jeans Patchwork Quilt (part 1)

Debenhams are celebrating the launch of a brand new jeans page on their website by challenging crafty bloggers to come up with ideas for upcycling their old jeans.



Well as I have recently lost rather a lot of weight (hurrah, finally starting to shift the mumtum!) I have a pile of old, worn out jeans just ripe for upcycling so this challenge was perfectly timed.

All in a spin...

Last weekend we went on our annual outing to the Creative Crafts Show (herein referred to as CCS) at Malvern Three Counties Showground (you can read about previous years excursions here)

This year was a little different because (a) I had very little money to spend and (b) I had Roo with me.
I won't lie, I didn't enjoy the experience nearly as much having to keep a constant eye on a curious six year old rather than immersing myself in glorious crafty stuff - although the sheer joy on his face when he showed me the stamps and ink pads he had bought with his Christmas money kind of made up for that! - but I still managed to come away with a new nugget of knowledge, some beautiful yarn and lots of inspiration.

Crochet Pattern Testing...

I like to do a little pattern testing for others now and again and this month I have been helping out the lovely Marta (mrsdaftspaniel@blogspot.co.uk) with her fab new pattern for a Child's Crochet Cowl.

The Beekeepers Quilt 2015 Knitalong

Once upon a time (quite a while ago) I stumbled across the most wonderful knitted blanket pattern I had ever seen.

Knits for Men #DebsKnittingChallenge

Knitting for the men in your life is renowned for being a bit tricky.
Take my Other Half for example...
He mostly lives in combats, tshirts and hoodies. In black (or, to paraphrase Lego Batman, ' very, very dark grey'). He would not be seen dead in a fair isle sweater. Or any kind of sweater to be honest!

Book Review - 'Giftwrapped' by Jane Means

Giftwrapped  by Jane Means
November 2014 Hardback £20
published by Jaqui Small 

The Christmas season is nearly upon us and the trend for beautifully wrapped gifts using unexpected embellishments and recycled materials has never been stronger.


In this fabulous book, Gift Wrap Guru Jane Means - gift wrapper to the rich and famous - celebrates her signature style and shares her secrets of a perfectly wrapped gift!