If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have seen me proudly parading my handmade knitwear for the past month.
Mittens
What is it about Autumn?
It’s been a while since I’ve delved into the new knitting releases world. I had such a growing stash of projects and materials, that I had to reinstate the yarn embargo. That meant no pouring over beautiful skeins on Loveknitting or Loop. No Googling Brooklyn Tweed, Quince & Co. and Woolfolk. It also meant shutting my eyes as I scrolled through my Instagram feed, every time Melanie Berg, Melanie Hoffman or Andrea Mowry post oh-so-tempting knits…
But I’ve caved… Continue reading
Sonic Knits Christmas Kits with Fyberspates
I’m not even going to apologise for mentioning the ‘C’ word. I’ve already been knitting my Mum’s present for the last two weeks, so I’m fully in the pre-Christmas planning mode already! Get on board 🙂
If you’re struggling to find the perfect handmade gift for someone this year, I’d look no further. You all know I’m partial to a Sonic Knits kit – I’ve signed up for six months! And now I’m treated at the first of every month to a brand new set of knitting notions, British yarn and a great pattern to get stuck into.
I have been knitting for five years…
I can’t believe where the last five years have gone. It feels like just yesterday that my friend Claire and I tentatively picked up a pair of knitting needles.
Brooklyn Tweed Capsule collection
Can we just quickly talk about the most exciting news in my knitting calendar so far this month!
Brooklyn Tweed have just released their first ever printed knitting book – Capsule. A beautiful collection of knitted pieces designed by one of my favourite knitwear designers, Olga Buraya-Kefelian.
In what looks set to be the first of many similar projects, Brooklyn Tweed have given one knitwear designer centre stage to design a range of knitwear using their wool. Olga Buraya-Kefelian is unique in her construction and use of geometry in her patterns, a perfect way to kick off BT’s new series!
Personal favourites of this Capsule collection are the Cusp geometric cabled poncho and the stunning Tatara mitts. You can check out the entire collection here.
Which pattern will you be casting on first? Let me know by commenting below.
Knitwear from the movies
The silver screen is a great source of inspiration for many things…quotes to throw at your friends, travel destinations, fashion, beauty, hair and makeup….all of the things.
And we can definitely add knitwear to that list, with plenty of knitters and designer/makers providing patterns for our favourite on-screen garments. These little beauties have caught my eye over the years, so I had to share! Some are iconic, others more obscure, but these gorgeous examples of knitwear have had me scouring the internet for replica patterns/garments that I could get my hands on.
Katniss’s hunters cowl vest
Heart Mittens – free knitting pattern
Love is in the air….and I want to share with you my brand new FREE knitting pattern!
Raspberry stitch mittens – a different take
In January, I posted about the Raspberry Stitch Mittens I had made for my friend Su. These winter warmers were made using Debbie Bliss Paloma chunky yarn. They have been so well received and I’ve had some lovely comments about them (which was a nice surprise). So much so I had a request to make them in aran weight yarn, with a bright contrast thumb!
Leon wanted ‘his and hers’ fingerless mittens, a pair for him and a pair for his wife. The only difference, the colour on the thumb! So I set about recrafting my pattern to suit the different yarn weight. Here’s the free knitting pattern for you to try…
Stitch patterns…a few of my favourites
There’s more to knitting than garter and stockinette, and although these stitches form the solid foundation of many of my favourite knits, it’s nice every once in a while to break the monotony and explore! So here are a few of my personal favourite stitch patterns and instructions on how to do them.
Bee stitch
Raspberry stitch mittens
Over the Christmas break, I took the opportunity to get a few projects under my belt. There’s nothing like having three days with no plans to make a considerable dent in your knitting list!
One of my favourite projects has to be the raspberry stitch mittens I designed and knitted for my friend Su. I’m a big fan of Debbie Bliss yarn at the moment (I’m going through a phase…) and made these fingerless mittens out of the beautifully soft Paloma in Rust (007). This yarn suits mittens and smaller projects perfectly due to its ‘chain’ construction, meaning it’s warm and chunky yet stretchy and light too.
So without further ado, here’s the free knitting pattern for you to have a go yourself!
