Arne and Carlos crush

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I was warned. I was told quite distinctly by Sara from Black Sheep Wools that if you meet Arne and Carlos, the celebrated knitting designers, you will fall in love with them.

‘You must come,’ she said, ‘you will adore them….please say you will be there?’

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So there you have it. That is why I took a day of annual leave and popped over to the lovely yarn barn for a full day of knitting joy and laughter. I rocked up to the shop to find that there was almost a queue waiting to see these fabulous gentleman. If you don’t know anything of Arne and Carlos, they are celebrated knitting designers and authors. They live in Norway and the Scandinavian style greatly influences their work. But more significantly it is their sense of fun and joy which permeates their design that makes their books so very popular.

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The workshop last week took us through making a knitted bird. They have just published the utterly fabulous; Arne & Carlos’ Field Guide to Knitted Birds: Over 40 Handmade Projects to Liven Up Your Roost. The spacious workshop room at Black Sheep wools was full to bursting. I was so delighted to sit next to good friends Lynne Rowe and Christine Perry aka Winwick Mum. Whilst we wrestled with our five double pointed needles we chatted happily about, knitting, crochet, designing and blogging. I was utterly delighted to learn a new way to increase stitches – I adore a new trick.

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It was also very special to see how Arne and Carlos skillfully tutored and socialised with the workshop students. They were so so supportive showing people how to work the patterns. This new book is inspired by the way Japanese knitting and crochet patterns are written using diagrams or schematics. I very used to schematics for crochet, but it took me a while to get my head around a knitting pattern. It is great fun.

Arne-Carlos-Black-Sheep-Emma- VarnamGreat Food

The good coffee and delicious cakes were available as unusual and miraculously at the end of the three hours I had made this rather sweet seagull. B has named him ‘Flutter’. As you will have guessed he has already been adopted by B and disappeared into the menagerie of his bedroom.

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Following a fullsome lunch, we popped back into the workshop space for a talk. Arne and Carlos talked about how the ideas for their book evolved and the development of their beautiful garden in Norway. Their talk was fun, disarming and entertaining. I loved every minute. So many of the people I meet through craft are so kind and generous. This was another day when I left Black Sheep Wools, my heart full of joy, great memories and yes, a little bit in love.

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2 thoughts on “Arne and Carlos crush”

  1. This is such a great review of the day – I think it is impossible to come away from meeting Arne and Carlos without being in love; everything about them is exactly as you’ve said – fun, disarming and entertaining. I loved sitting with you and Lynne, it made the day even better and I’m hoping we can catch up again soon! xx

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