Electric Sheep

Playground politics this week, as I make my own small defence of the National Health Service.  Plus a whole new playground of knitting, with a brilliant way to add a little random surprise to your pattern. There’s also the ultimate handmade film project and the beards return…. So come out and play with the Sheep – but no fisticuffs please….;) Game Knitting Star Wars Uncut Wife of Brian

This week is in aid of Christmas Knitting Elves everywhere, as we run down the list of ways to help you finish all those gifts in time. Plus there are some handy gift patterns over at Let’s Knit Magazine; a brilliant charity theatre project in London; and the most terrifying thing ever to have been made out of wool. The Big Knit Knit the City – BFI Showtime Challenge – Crazy For You Let’s Knit! The scariest knitting pattern in the world

This week there’s a look at a few of the more unusual paths to spiritual enlightenment; a round-up of the patterns in Jared Flood’s Made In Brooklyn; a very special knitter in California; and the Shakespearean hat finds fame. A murmuration of starlings Made In Brooklyn Manly Lace Scarf Olive Wheeler See the previous post for info on the Hat

The Sheep is back. Kicking off Series II with a look at inspiration; a rundown of some fab knitting podcasts; the highs (and lows) of Interweave Knits Weekend and a new yarn from Rowan.  Plus we learn that the Force is strong in Tescos and that you don’t have to be able to write to become a publishing phenomenon. Knitting podcasts (which are all easily found in iTunes): Forgotten Classics;  Belle of the Ball; Stitch Stud; Knitajourney; Knitting in the Round; The Sassy Sheep; CraftLit,; KIPping It Real; Savvy Girls; Here’s To Ewe; Knitmore Girls; CogKNITive. Interweave Knits Weekend Rowan Lima Jedi in Tescos Dan Brown’s 20 Worst Sentences

This week, by popular demand, we return to the Hoxton Handmade film review, with a look over that magical TV mini-series, Merlin. Plus some impressive ukulele action has been going on at the Proms; there’s an excellent charity knitting project to get your needles into; a fabulous new yarn over at Rowan; and a wonderful new knitting pattern resource. Oh, and some singing chaps from New Zealand… The links: Merlin The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Innocent – The Big Knit Felted Tweed-Tastic Knitfinder Frodo Don’t Wear the Ring Hiphopapotamus vs Rhymenoceros Here endeth the First Series. But the Sheep will be back on Sunday 20th September, so keep those needles pointy, and in the meantime you can reach me at hoxtonhandmade@gmail.com, or through Ravelry and Twitter.

This week Electric Sheep goes back to its roots with a show all about the knitting and the handmade. With a knitting hero, a warning to anyone planning some Christmas gift knitting, the new issue of the Twist Collective, some fabulous knitting graffiti and…a ukulele? This week’s links: Wallace & Gromit – Plus it turns out there’s a whole exhibition with them at the Science Museum!! Twist Collective – with a few patterns that caught my eye, Peyton; Novak; M’gonigle Knit the City – Web of Woe Amanda Palmer and Radiohead show how it’s done The Christmas patterns (which are all in Ravelry): One Row Scarf; Wisp; Porom; Icing Swirl Hat; Endpaper Mitts; Chevalier Mittens; Bella’s Mittens; Fetching; Garter Mittens; Minimalist Cardigan; February Lady Sweater; Heather Hoodie Vest; Owls; Every Way Wrap; Coblestone. Get in touch: hoxtonhandmade@gmail.com

My great-grandparents This week we remember Harry Patch and enjoy the genius of Blackadder. Plus some impressive facial hair, a look at some new knitting patterns and crafty websites, and a knitted fish or two. Radiohead – Harry Patch (In Memory Of) Blackadder II Blackadder the Third Blackadder Goes Forth (final scene) Rowan 46 (via Xtreme Knitting Blog) Lemmings Kate Jenkins Stitch Wars Crafty dining table Bright Bazaar Lovely Lovely World Beard Championships

This week I report back from Camp Bestival, plus there’s the latest issue of Interweave Knits, a great craft/home site, and some fabulous furniture. Hedgehogs Beardyman Interweave Knits Swing Patrol Ian’s Shoelace Site Domestic Sluttery Melanie Porter chairs

I’m heading off to Dorset tomorrow for Camp Bestival and so won’t be able to post a new episode of Electric Sheep this weekend. However, events on Monday inspired me to write and I thought I would share the result, in a mini-episode. Nothing to do with knitting, it’s a one-off, just for a bit of fun. A sort of film review, looking at what happens when Americans tackle English myths. Hope you enjoy and I’ll be back next week.

This week we’re talking about the nation’s favourite drink. Plus we find out who’s won the plinth competition and some lovely Koigu yarn, and the comedy delights to be found in town, in podcasts and in essays. Tea & Sympathy The UK Tea Council Eddie Izzard – Tea & Cake or Death? The Sunday Defensive The Girl & Dean Edinburgh Comedy Previews The podcasts: BBC Friday Night Comedy; This American Life The books: A Point Of View by Lisa Jardine; Letter From America by Alistair Cooke; Ex Libris and At Large And At Small by Anne Fadiman Where I’m off to… Editor’s note: Ah-ha! I’ve discovered I’m the last person to have heard of Girl & Dean (there’s no ‘The’, no wonder Google had trouble tracking them down) so sorry for being slow on the uptake but their website is here should you wish to find out more.

This week the Sheep comes over all artistic, looking at Anthony Gormley’s One And Other art project for the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. Plus there’s a competition, a handmade film review and a seriously cool bit of yarnstorming. One And Other Ravelry – Knitters on the Plinth Bunny And The Bull Knit the City

This week London has been sweltering in the heat.  Noel Coward had a point and we’ve all been out in the midday sun a little too much lately. So it’s time for Britain’s favourite pastime, as we talk about the weather and what to knit when it’s hot. Plus another crazy knitted ensemble, courtesy of Sacha Baron Cohen; a fantastic animated short film featuring a knitter with whom I’m sure you’ll empathise; and the Rowan sweater that’s becoming the Sheep’s nemesis. Of course by the time of going to press, the temperature’s back to normal and the rain has started up again, but I guess that only proves the unpredictability of the English climate… Mad Dogs & Englishmen – Noel Coward Farah (scroll down to see the sweater) Bruno in Berlin The Last Knit

We’re going back a few thousand years in search of fairytales, heroes and pagans. As you do. Plus I tackle a creature of mythical proportions and we bid farewell to a modern day legend. Fortunately the latest issue of Knitty, and one of our lovely listeners, bring the Sheep back to the knitting. The Jabberwocky President Obama vs The Fly Stonehenge Eddie Izzard – Stonehenge Malcolm Gladwell – Outliers BGT – Signature BGT – George Sampson Knitty

The Sheep is back! Apologies for the delay in getting this episode out, but Hoxton Towers had to be seriously re-vamped. We now have enough bandwidth for the Sheep to frollick merrily in pastures new. In celebration of Fathers’ Day, this week it’s all about the boys. I’ll be venting my wrath over gender stereotypes, celebrating some crafty menfolk and taking a look at fellow Men Who Knit. Plus get the lowdown on the subject from the talented Brooklyn Tweed and DudeCraft, who both kindly contributed their thoughts to this week’s show. With a little more beef than usual, it’s a bumper episode: Brooklyn Tweed DudeCraft Troon Tweed Lanark Tweed The Panopticon iKnit It’s a Purl, Man Sticks and String Look who’s coming…

World Wide Knit In Public Day, and what better way to celebrate than with Stitch’n'Bitch London’s Knit Crawl.  Debating knitting alone versus knitting en masse, I report back from the tashtastic adventure. Plus a rundown of what other knitters have been up to in public. And the Crawl inspires a look around town at some of the quirky attractions on offer if you’re in search of an alternative tour of London. Stitch and Bitch London Knit Crawl pics – Hoxton Handmade blog London’s 10 Top Culture Secrets Tour of 10 Quirky London Places The Guardian Craft Site Sheep Dash