Say hello to my latest knitting pattern Hessian. So called for the repeating slipped stitch pattern used, which creates a similar texture and weave to a hessian or burlap fabric. This super soft baby blanket knitting pattern is quick to knit, and features a non-rolling edge stitch for a very neat finish. It’s available to purchase on Ravelry and LoveKnitting right now.
Happy New Year! And here’s to a fantastic 2016.
Last year was a fantastic year for me and Mr Shortrounds. Not only did we shirk 90% of our DIY projects in favour of days and nights out with friends (oops must do better this year!), we travelled to some amazing countries and met some wonderful people!
Christmas was spent cosily with just Mum, Dad and Lil Bro this year. After a walk around the village, we settled in for a fantastic dinner prepared by Michelin star chef – Mum (ok well, she deserves at least two stars in my opinion). Presents were opening, champagne was quaffed and I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard in a long time! These pictures capture the perfect moment when my Mum turned her nose up at the champagne (saved for this very special occasion) – needless to say, we drank it anyway, and very nice it was too!
Oh Ravelry! How I love you.
Here are a few more patterns that sit in my stash, waiting to be purchased and knitted in good time!
Google ‘knitwear designers’ and you get thousands of links directing you to mega fashion houses and large retailers. The large brands that pop into your head every day of the week. Not what I really wanted to see.
When I think of knitwear designers, names like Pam Allen, Jared Flood and Olga Buraya-Kefelian come to mind. Knitwear designers that inspire me to pick up my needles, purchase their wonderful patterns, or even get creating my own. Sadly, Google didn’t agree with me.
I’m not-so-secretly waiting for the day when slow fashion really takes over and these become household names not just for knitters. It’s slowly bubbling under the surface. Non-knitters are beginning to see the influence making-your-own is having over our generation, that even ready-to-wear companies are getting on board. Knowing where your fibres have come from, the farm where the sheep were reared, the dyer that dipped the skeins of wool…the list goes on. And whether I buy my yarn or patterns in the UK or across the pond, provenance is increasingly important for me.
The reward I get from taking time over my own clothing and homewares is entirely the reason I knit. And I’ve rounded up the list of knitwear designers who are (for me) synonymous with the slow-fashion movement.
After starting my ‘Knitwear Faves’ series, I’ve been inspired to branch out into a new series exclusively on my ‘Ravelry Faves’. I thought I’d share my stash of ‘to knit’ projects, because let’s face it, after four years of full-on knitting I’ve developed quite the list – on an epic scale! Each month, I’ll run through a selection of both free and paid for projects I have on my Ravelry ‘Favourites’ page, starting with these five absolute beauties for this installment.
I made something for myself!!! This is a momentous occasion. Not that I don’t love making things for anyone else, but it’s lovely to make something and know I’m going to be the one wrapping up in it. So I really treated myself this time. I invested in two massive skeins of amazingly soft, super chunky Cascade Magnum in my favourite colour Camel, which I picked up online from Loveknitting.com
A lot of exciting things happened this week! WOOL AND THE GANG revealed their awesome team-up with Aurélie Bidermann for their new collection, Woolfolk launched their AW15 collection and Bonnie Sennott announced her latest Neckwear KAL!
The previous knitwear faves was dominated by retailers and their new AW15 collections, but I’m pleased to balance the scales with designer/makers leaping forward this week with their handmade patterns and goodies!
Wool and The Gang and Aurélie Bidermann collection
I’ve been having a trawl on Ravelry for new patterns (I have no idea why, because I have a queue of projects longer than the wall of China…) and so all of my knitwear faves this week are the latest additions that caught my eye.
I love cables! My last post on the ‘Honeymaker‘ may tell you otherwise, but I do really love a good cabled knit.
One of the first things I ever knitted for my mum was this cowl by Pickles with lovely cables to twist the entire fabric, creating a really elegant effect! But this post isn’t about that cowl (maybe another time)…
Three years on, and I found this little gem of a pattern on Ravelry. And bonus…. it’s free!
