Curious Handmade with Helen Stewart

I am finally back from my family holiday in Australia, and in this episode I catch you up on all the fun we had, and all the yarn I brought home with me. We’re also chatting about the latest pattern release for The Shawl Society Season II, and I reveal a bit more about the […]

This week I’m talking about the ways that the knitting community comes into designing a pattern. For many knitters, making a change to an existing pattern is their first step into the world of pattern design. It’s a good way to gain a little confidence, experiment with new ideas, and flex your technical and creative […]

On today’s episode I discuss how important photography has been to growing my design business and the Curious Handmade community, and share some simple tips I’ve picked up along the way. Whether you want to beautiful images in order to publish a pattern, or just want to share photos of your creations with friends and […]

  Today in Camp Curious we take a look at the finishing touches that can completely transform a shawl. Borders and edgings add a lot of character to a shawl and can change its shape and the way it hangs. I chat about how I choose a border for a shawl, some technical considerations, and […]

This week on the podcast I introduce you to the latest Shawl Society design, the Rune Shawl, and then dive into a discussion of the many amazing types of stitch patterns that can enrich a shawl design. Lace, colourwork, cables…stitch patterns are an endless source of interest for me. I share some of my favourite […]

I start off this episode revisiting a topic I find endlessly interesting…travel knitting and what projects to bring on holiday,. Then it’s off the Camp Curious again to explore this week’s theme…choosing shapes for shawl designs. The shape of a shawl is obviously one of its most distinctive design elements, and I discuss how I […]

Welcome to our second session of Camp Curious! I start off today’s episode by recapping my visit to Pomfest Birthday Celebrations for Pom Pom magazine last weekend…it was such a lovely occasion I couldn’t resist. I also talk about all the ways that colour influences the design process, some sources of colour inspiration, and how […]

Welcome to Camp Curious! This week in the series we are talking about how influential yarn is and always has been to my design process. I walk you through the yarn inspiration behind two of my shawls, and chat about the different aspects and qualities of a yarn that can impact the look and feel […]

There’s a lot happening at Curious Handmade this week! In this episode I talk about all my WIP progress, tell you about the fulfilling design process for the third shawl in Season II of The Shawl Society, and fill you in on the virtual retreat we’ll be having over the next two months of the […]

Today’s post is a little roundup of everything going on in the Curious Handmade community right now and all the wonderful things coming up, with a few updates about my own WIPs and a little more information and advice about the yarn for the third TSS shawl. Show Sponsors: Alongside an eclectic yarn range, which […]

Today on the show I talk about how my new WIP obsession–the Confetti Pullover–is going, update you on some KALs and announcements, and ask you a question about what you’d like to hear from Curious Handmade this summer. Show Sponsors: Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It’s a small, family […]

Today’s episode is packed, as I share all my stories from Squam, talk about a wonderful collaboration I’m a part of this weekend, and catch you up on the many exciting WIPs I have going on at the moment. Show Sponsors: Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It’s a small, […]

I’m in New York City this week, about to head to Squam. Today I chat a bit about the newest Shawl Society design, with some handy advice for the knitting process. I also talk about what I’ve been getting up to in the city, some of the things I’m looking forward to at Squam, some […]

  I recorded today’s podcast a bit early, in preparation for my visit to Iceland…but as you might know if you’ve been following along on Instagram, airline troubles meant that our Scandinavian vacation turned into a London staycation! I’m still delighted that the anticipation of the trip spurred me on to finally finish a long-standing […]

Today’s episode is short but packed! I’m getting ready for more travel…to Iceland and to the last ever spring Squam! I chat about the many projects I have on the go, and which ones I might bring along with me. I also have a litte roundup of some wonderful Scandinavian podcasts I’ve been enjoying lately. […]