Making the most of it

Autumn colour hunts and why AI can't help

Autumn colour at Audley End glasshouse

Colour has been very much on my mind this week.

After a lot of wet and windy weather I finally got a chance to go and stomp in some crunchy autumn leaves and generally appreciate the colours at my local English Heritage property - Audley End - and honestly I don’t think there is a better thing to do on a cold, bright autumn morning. I had a few conkers in my pocket, there was blue sky with a last quarter moon still clearly visible and the trees were still clinging onto their vivid leaves.

It was that kind of magical morning you feel you have to make the most of - one windy night and you just know that the next time you pass this tree it will be bare and all that glorious colour will be on the ground, going slightly mushy.

In her book, Self Care for Winter, Suzy Reading advocates going on a colour hunt especially on darker days. Purposely seeking out colour wherever you can find it. Luckily we are in the short phase of autumn where there is no need to seek - it’s all there right in front of us. A visual feast for the eyeballs every time we step outside.

Coffee Break Cowl - link to pattern here

Speaking of colour and if you want a giggle …read on

What’s making me smile this week

🍁 I know that AI gets a bad rep but this post from

Mike Sowden

of Everything Is Amazing is genuinely hilarious. I’ve included the link so you can read the whole thing for yourself but essentially he took a neural network and fed it 1000s of paint names that are commercially available, along with the corresponding RBG values (red, blue, green) and then turned it loose to create it’s own paint colours and matching names. The results are compellingly, hilariously awful and I think it’s fair to say that AI has a way to go in this regard. Colours such as Snowbonk, Sindis Poop and my personal favourite Stanky Bean might not be appearing as yarn colourways any time soon.

🍁You’ve heard of our so-called Lizard brain probably? Our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is wired for stress and fight/flight. I came across this piece recently which introduced me to the concept of our Otter Brain. The opposite to the SNS - the parasympathetic nervous system which some call our ‘rest and digest’ brain. Tanya calls it our Otter Brain which I just thought was utter genius. I’d rather think of myself as an otter than a lizard any day.

🍁I don’t normally do Christmas sweaters but I came across this one from Espace Tricot on Instagram and rather fell in love with it. It’s festive but without being too much - if you know what I mean. Sleigh Ride is only on Ravelry as far as I can tell but you can find all the info here.

🍁This piece on Loose Ends from

Sarah C Swett

was very relatable. I’m sure we all have ‘finished’ pieces in our wardrobes with a few loose ends still attached, but hidden on the inside. I know I do. In fact I have an entire blanket on my bed right now. It’s been in use for years but the reverse still has a multitude of dangly ends. As far as I’m concerned they just add extra insulation 🤣

🍁Last call for The Everyday Knitter Gift Swap for 2024 - sign ups close on Oct 28.

If you would like to become a member of my paid community and join in with this seasonal yarn swap you would be very welcome indeed.