Meet the designer: Julie Ferguson

Name: Julie Ferguson

Speciality: Colourwork

Website or blog: www.mrdarceyscottage.co.uk

Favourite yarn: Silk, followed by cashmere then alpaca (my husband is always bemoaning my expensive tastes!)

Favourite local yarn shop: I try and pop in to any wool shop anywhere I go, so I don’t have a particular favourite.

Knitting since: Forever… maybe 55 years?!

Best knitting memory: My earliest knitting memory is when a group of schoolfriends and I would take our knitting to school, to do at playtime (I was probably 5 or 6). We all had our mum’s and gran’s leftover bits of yarn, which in my case were all grey and bottle green from the school jumper knitting. But one girl came with the most exquisite ball of creamy soft angora… I coveted that yarn so much!

Get the pattern for Julie’s heritage-style baby blanket free!

Guilty pleasure: A large glass of Sauvignon Blanc, packet of Maltesers and a Robert Redford movie!

Tea or coffee? Coffee most of the day but Lady Grey for afternoon tea!

Favourite colour: Most shades of blue but I love to knit with natural creams and greys

Favourite film or television show to knit to: NCIS on TV (perhaps that should have been my guilty pleasure!) I have, however, discovered that it is impossible to knit a complicated lace or Fair Isle pattern while watching The Killing or The Bridge, as I miss all the vital bits of the subtitles!

Lace, cables or colourwork? Colours every time, with lace a close second!

What’s your favourite gift to knit for others? Shawls, cowls and mitts as I can buy some really expensive yarn without breaking the bank!

Perfect day: Having all the family at home together and a long lazy lunch/ supper with good music, good food and good wine

Number of projects on the go: Do I have to answer that one? Too many to count… baskets and boxes of them all over the cottage!