Martha of Great British Bake Off learns to knit!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a baker, recipe writer and content creator living by the seaside down in Brighton with my husband, Michael. I appeared on the Great British Bake Off back in 2014, which threw me into the food world, a place I absolutely love and adore working in. I’ve written two cookbooks, write a column for Waitrose Weekend and have a big baking community of followers on Instagram where I share images and videos of different recipes I’m working on!

What's your favorite recipe from your collection?

Such a tough question! Recently it’s been my tea and biscuits brownies; I love the nostalgic look and the way the tea flavour works with the chocolate.

Tea or coffee?

A cup of tea, all the way! Milk, no sugar, in my favorite mug.

What's your fave craft snack?

I love making flavored popcorn! It’s such a versatile base, you can make every flavor from salted caramel to peri-peri spice, and it doesn’t fill you up too much!

So you've recently got into knitting, what inspired you to start and how are you learning?

I have indeed! We live in a small apartment, just the two of us, and lockdown meant that my usual hobby of baking became a bit tricky as ingredients were out of stock and we couldn’t have people round to share them with. I was working in the day, but every evening felt the same and there is only so much Netflix a girl can watch! I was keen to use the time to learn a new hobby, and I saw my friend Amy launch Knit School on her Instagram. I’ve always wanted to learn and was aching to be creative, so I followed her tutorials and learnt to make a string of tassel bunting!

I also shared the pattern with my mom and two grandmas, and we all knitted it together from afar, which was a really fun way to stay connected when we couldn’t see each other. That first project gave me the bug, and I’ve started a few new projects since to keep me busy! It’s lovely having something different to do in the evening.

Any advice for a beginner crafter?

I started on some slim plastic needles which was a big mistake! They were really slippery and hard to knit with, but since I swapped to bamboo it’s been much easier. Find a simple, well written pattern. Amy’s suggestion of bunting is great as each triangle can be knit relatively quickly and if you make a mistake, no bother, you can start again without wasting too much time.

What are you currently making?

I’m currently working on a light jumper called the Spring Breeze Sweater. I’ve loved it so far as it knits up quickly and it’s mainly garter stitch, which means I can work on it without needing to think too much. I’ve also made a few bits for newborn nephews and nieces, which are super cute and tiny! I’m looking forward to winter so I can make some of the lovely bobble hats and socks I’ve seen on LoveCrafts!