Cocoon...

I just bought this wool for a third jumper I feel the urge to make. Its so soft and lovely I can't wait to get started on it, I'm sure it'll knit up pretty quickly as well as its quite chunky...

Hat Update

So the hat seems to be going well.. However I've not designed any intarsia before so I'm hoping the pattern is going to fit on the hat! I might have to fiddle with it slightly as I think its going to be too tall. It's really good fun to see it coming together though!

Rowan "Lichen" Aran

I love this cardigan. Its fun to knit and looks really impressive, but its really time consuming and I just want it now!



I've discovered that knitting on circulars is definately the way forward for big stuff like this. It makes it 10 times easier to carry around and it means the weight is in the middle and not on each arm when it starts getting big. Also, my tip for cable - use a hairgrip rather than a cable needle - it stays there easier without slipping out and you're much less likely to drop a stitch :-)

This pattern is from Rowan Knitting and Crochet Magazine Issue 40

Broad Street Mittens

I thought I'd have a go at making these. I've made gloves before and swore never to do it again, but that was before I'd discovered 4" double points needles, which makes knitting in the round less like handling a porcupine and more like fun :-)

I'm loving making these as I can take them anywhere, and the wool is exciting as you never know what colour it's going to come out next!



The only problem is I started them at the same time as a my new cardigan, and I want to finish that first.. which means these might be on hold til next year :-(

Chunky Lace

I've been at a loss this week as to what exactly I want to make.. I picked up this wool which I'd previously been knitting into a shawl, but it was a bit too thick and seemed a waste of good yarn. This is the beginnings of a biker waistcoat pattern by Twinkle , a business set up by knitwear designer Wenlan Chia in 2000, consisting mainly of gorgeous chunky knit jumpers and cardigans, knitted in the round. She has since launched a range of jewellery, along with home furnishings, pattern books and yarn (yum..) I bought Twinkle's Big City Knits which is amazing and I think I want to make everything in it.

Also this week I've not been able to put down my guitar which is a first in years, I even played at an open mic night on Sunday which was a tad scary!

Watch this space!

Ribbon Knits....

I recently picked up an old top that I'd knitted with this gorgeous pink ribbon yarn (I can't remember what make it was, it'll come to me...) Plain stocking stitch just didn't seem to do the yarn justice, it was thick and too bulky for a summer top and just looked scruffy. It's been sat in my box of "tricks" for ages, and I finally decided in February to just frog it and turn it into something else.

The result is this, a light, spring/autumn shawl where the yarn can show itself off and keep me warm at the same time!


The stitch is just a variation on garter stitch - knit the first 3 rows, and then wrap the yarn around each stitch of every fourth row around the needle twice. On every fifth row these "extra" stitches are then dropped to create the ladder effect.