Moody Blanket – Part 2

January 7, 2013 LeftFootDaisy2 Comments

If you read Part 1 http://knitmidleton.com/2013/01/07/moody-blanket-part-1/ , you’ll know that I had decided upon 3 shades of Sirdar Bonus Aran to use for my blanket. Each shade represents my predominant mood of that day.

The darker shade (top right) represents my OK days.

The lighter shade (top left) represents my good days.

The brighter blue (bottom) represents my very good days.

I will also have to include a colour or 2 for a totally ‘unexpected day’ which will probably be navy for a bloody horrendous day (hope I don’t have any of those) and maybe a baby blue or something else for a truly spectacular day, but it would have to be out of this world, super fantastic to make it into my blanket.

I’m assuming the bulk of my blanket will be made up of the darker and lighter shades as most of my days will probably be OK or good.

Tension next. The little sample squares above were knitted on 10mm’s and the tension seemed a little on the loose side, especially for a blanket. So I opted to use 8mm’s instead.

Based on this I was able to calculate that I would need to cast on 216 sts to achieve a blanket that’s approximately 6 foot wide. It will also take 324 rows or 162 garter stitch ridges to achieve the 6 foot in length that I’d like to achieve (although I might end up making it a little longer).

Ooops – The glaringly obvious problem is it’s not going to take me a year to knit is it? I would prefer to knit 1 garter stitch ridge or 2 rows per day to keep the blanket the same on both sides. Nevermind, if it works I shall knit one for each of my 3 children as per their mood, so now I have the next 2 years planned. Another way of doing the blanket could be to do your mood based on so many days per months, days of the week.

As an added design element also thought an applied I-Cord edge would tidy up the blanket, whilst providing the ideal place to hide the multiple ends whilst sewing them in. I’ve used it many times before on blankets and am currently trying to finish my Ravi (designed by Carol Feller) which uses it too.

To make finishing with the i-cord around all four sides, I decided to use a provisional cast on. I find it easiest to use a crochet chain and use each chain to knit through.

It’s easier if you use a hook a couple of sizes larger that the needles your going to eventually use and you need to make sure you add a few extra chains just to make it easier to put your stitches up.

I used a 12mm hook (because I didn’t have a 10mm) and some Wendy Serenity Super Chunky that I had left in my stash. The chain is 228 stitches long which is plenty for the 222 stitches I need.

There are a few more things that I needed to work out before writing the pattern up.

How much yarn will the blanket take? – I can get 30 stitches on my 8mm’s out of a metre of yarn, which means one complete row will take 7.4metres (there about) x 2 because the yarn is worked doubled. That means the blanket will take at lease 2398 metres of yarn, not allowing for the extra yarn for the applied i-cord at the cast on and cast off edges.
There are 840 metres in each ball of Sirdar Bonus Aran/Aran Tweed so I will need at least 3 x 400g balls in the base shade 929 and there’s no real way to be sure how much I’ll need in each of the ‘mood’ shades. Based on the size of the balls and my predominate moods I envisage it will be 2 of the lighter and darker shades (817 & 822) and 1 of the brighter one (994)

I also wanted to time how long it will take to complete a row, so I know I’ll have enough time to do a little each day. It took me approximately 9 minutes to knit all 222 stitches, but there is no weight or bulk to the knitting yet so I assume it will end up taking much longer as the knitting grows.

For the pattern see part 3.

Moody Blanket – Part 1

January 7, 2013January 7, 2013 LeftFootDaisy6 Comments

Before I start this post, I should warn you it’ll be quite lengthy, so I’ve decided to split it into three. The first two discuss the concept of the mood blanket and the third gives the pattern.

Some of you may have seen the link I posted on the shop’s Facebook page with regards to the ‘My year in temperature’ concept scarf by Kristen Cooper, but for those of you that haven’t, here’s the link.

http://400squareftliving.blogspot.ca/2013/01/knitting-my-year-in-temperatures-scarf.html

Kristen’s idea is to select shades of yarn to represent the temperature that day. In her case she is using 15 shades with each one equating to a 5 degree jump in temperature. She then intends to work a row of her scarf a day with the colour that she has previously chosen for the temperature of that day. The end result will be a scarf that represents the year’s temperatures a stripe/day at a time.

OK, as ideas go it’s great and I love the concept, so why haven’t I reached for my ever bulging stash crates and needles and cast on?

Two reasons really:

The first, and most obvious to my fellow citizens of this very Emerald Isle, is the weather. To be honest the temperature, whilst prone to fluctuation, doesn’t have the obvious highs and lows of British Columbia in Canada, where Kristen is from, more’s the pity. Which led me to think about other things that happen on a daily basis that could be used to create the effect. The most obvious to me being our mood, which can be changeable from a day-to-day basis = Design Element Sorted, lovely.

The second reason is because it’s a scarf, not that I have anything against scarves. In fact I can usually be found wearing one in all but the very hottest of temperatures, which to be fair I don’t get to see much (second dig at the Irish weather, sorry). I suppose I’m not really that big into multi-coloured clothing and yes I do know I could keep the palette of colours very similar, but I still feel it’s not for me.

So after much pondering, well not really that much as I’ve always wanted to knit one, I decided a blanket would be a more my kind of thing. Having seen one years ago, worked in two strands of yarn with one always the same shade, I set to the planning.

I knew I wanted the blanket to be a big one; much more than a throw for the sofa. If I’m going to make one it’s got to be big enough to use as extra insulation on the bed in the winter months, so it’s going to take a lot of yarn. I also want it to be chunky and squishy, but the yarn, if it’s going to be held double, doesn’t need to be too thick. Aran weight should do.

The initial decision is always what yarn to use. It has to be gorgeous and not too expensive (yes I do have a wool shop, but you still have to pay for the stock you use, even if it is at cost+vat). Having moved away from the pure merino staring lovingly at me from the shop shelves, I was drawn to the Bonus Aran from Sirdar, particularly the lovely new shade of blue that I’ve been coveting since it came in.

There is a good selection of shades available in the range, especially when combined with the Bonus Aran Tweed colours too. Yes, it’s not pure wool, or even 50%, in fact it’s only 20% wool with 80% acrylic. It is however, machine washable, which is definitely a bonus in a blanket, and it also comes in massive 400g balls each containing approximately 840 metres. I want my blanket to be utilitarian rather than something I’m petrified to throw over the bed and I’d rather the moths weren’t interested either.

OK, so which colour for which moods and how many moods do I really have?

The honest answer is not many. I’m lucky to be a glass is half full kind of person (sickening at times according to my husband) and truthfully very rarely have bad days. That’s not to say there haven’t been the odd truly horrific days in my life like we all sadly experience; fortunately though they’re very few and far between. So my base mood is for the most part OK: I then have good days and some that could be classed as really good.

That’s really it – three moods?

So……….. on Saturday I played with colour combinations. As the royal was the shade I was drawn to I experimented with it first. It’s too bright to use as my base shade (the constant one) but I figured that if I could find the correct combination to go with it the other two shades would be easier to work out.

These look much better in the photo than they do in reality, the royal just wasn’t sitting with anything else properly. So back to the drawing board. Of the four samples, the one I liked the most was the one knitted with the cream tweed yarn – shade 929. Using this as my base shade I looked at the other options available to me in the range, focusing on the blues predominantly, as blue is my favourite colour

So I decided to go for these:-

Shade 817 - Mill Blue — Shade 817 – Mill Blue

Read Moody Blanket part 2 to get the rest of the blurb about the blanket and part 3 for the pattern.

A Few Secret Santa Ideas

November 29, 2012November 29, 2012 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

At this time of year you can’t fail to notice the impending visit of the jolly white-haired geezer in the bright red suit. The infection spreads like wildfire and before you know it you’re walking around singing carols and driving everyone mad (just me then?).

Anyway, across our three knitting groups we try to encourage everyone to join us for our annual Christmas get together and take part in our Secret Santa present swap.

Every year we stick to the same theme – A Christmas Decoration. The only rule is that the decoration must be handmade, preferably knitted or crocheted. I have been posting up links to various patterns which could be used for these gifts but thought it might be an idea to put them all in one place for everyone to see.

3118717359_06ceed22ed_z — Christmas Tree Decoration – Jill Koerner

This little tree decoration by Jill Koerner is free and is available via Ravelry on Jill’s blog. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christmas-tree-decoration

CF1_medium2 — O Christmas Tree – Jenna Krupar

Jenna Krupar has an ebook of 4 knitted patterns available on Ravelry for $6 which include this very lovely little tree decoration – http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/o-christmas-tree

Santa_Hat_medium2 — Knitted Sanat Christmas Hat Decoration – Linda Dawkins

This lovely little Santa hat by Linda Dawkins is free via Ravelry on Linda’s blog. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knitted-santa-hat-christmas-ornament

These lovely little mittens are free on the Red Heart website http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mitten-ornaments-wr2082

SN0160_project_medium2 — Yarn Basket Ornament – Scarlet Taylor

I was given one of these little bags of yarn last year by Caroline and I love it. I know she won’t mind me saying it’s a lovely, easy, little knit. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/yarn-basket-ornament

Linda_items_Sept_2011_015a_medium2 — Christmas Knitties – Linda Regel

I’m rather fond of these 4 decorations from Linda Regel for £2.50 and downloaded them much earlier in the year. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christmas-knitties

If you’re still stuck for ideas there are literally 1000s of them out there – there’s even my decoration that I posted last week. Another idea if you’re not too confident is to make a felted heart or knit a little scarf and wrap it around a shop-bought snowman/reindeer or Santa ornament. Or you can wind yarn around a polystyrene ball to make it look just like a ball of wool.

It is after all the thought that counts.

Happy Knitting!

Heart Decoration

November 22, 2012November 22, 2012 LeftFootDaisy2 Comments

(Bleeding awful photos again ain’t they? Sorry! Said in my South East London accent of course)

Size (approx)

Width at widest point 11cm

Height from top of curve to point 9.5cm

Materials

A pair of 4mm needles

Rico Cotton Aran any colours

Darning Needle

Toy stuffing

A 4.5mm crochet hook or ribbon

Abbreviations

St(s): Stitch(es)

K: Knit

P: Purl

Alt: Alternate

Tog: Together

S1: Slip 1 stitch

PSSO: Pass slipped stitch over

M1: Make 1 – From the front, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit into back of the loop.

K2tog: Knit the next 2 sts together

K3tog: Knit the next 3 sts together

P2tog: Purl 2 sts together

p2togtbl: Purl 2 sts together through back loops

SSK: Slip, slip, knit slipped stitches tog.

Heart – Make 2 pieces

Ornament is knitted in stocking stitch – knit 1 row, purl one row

Using 4mm needles and shade A cast on 3sts.

Work 2 rows in stocking stitch

3^rd row: – Using shade B, k1, m1, k1, m1, k1

4^th row: – purl

5^th row: – Switch to shade A, k1, m1, k3, m1, k1

6^th row: – Purl

Continue working 2 row stripe sequence, increasing by 1 stitch at each end on the next and every alt row until there are 21 sts. Work 3 more rows ending with a purl row.

Decreases

Continue working in 2 row stripe sequence except for the last 3 rows, work these and the cast off in the same shade.

1^st row: – k1, ssk, k7, turn. (9sts)

Working on these stitches only slip the remaining 11 sts onto a small stitch holder

2^nd, 4^th and 6^th row: purl

3^rd row: k1, ssk, k6. (8sts)

5^th row: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1. (6sts)

7^th row: k1, ssk, k2tog, k1. (4sts)

8^th row: P1, p2togtbl. (3sts)

9^th row: S1, k2tog, psso, cast off remaining stitch.

Rejoin yarn to remaining sts

1^st row: k2tog, k until there are 7 sts on right hand needle, k2tog, k1. (9sts)

2^nd, 4^th and 6^th row: purl

3^rd row: k6, k2tog, k1. (8sts)

5^th row: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1. (6sts)

7^th row: k1, ssk, k2tog, k1. (4sts)

8^th row: p1, p2tog, p1. (3sts)

9^th row: k3tog, cast off last stitch.

You need to make a braid to hang the ornament. I crochet 18 chains on a 4.5mm crochet hook, but you could knit a braid, plait some wool or use a piece of ribbon.

Place the hearts right sides together and sew up using a backstitch, remember to sew over your braid in order to hang your ornament. Sew 90% of the way round, sew in and trim ends except the one you’re using to sew up.

Turn heart right sides out, stuff, if you insert the filling a little at a time you will achieve a more even fill.

Sew up remaining opening.

They look great on a plain tinsel wreath like this. Those of you that know me will know I prefer odd numbers so there is one missing!!!!! The wreath was from a euro shop and cost €7 I think.

I love using Rico Creative Cotton Aran for these decorations as it comes in such a wide range of colours and it’s easy on the pocket;however, I’ve also made a good few of these little hearts in sock wool with 2.5mm needles. Once made I omitted the hanging braid, opting instead to put them in a little felted bowl as a gift. They work equally well for Christmas, Valentines or for when you just want to let someone know you appreciate them. They’re quick and easy to knit and can be decorated with buttons and sequins to jazz them up a bit if you like.

011 — They look pretty in plain colours too.

Our Latest Charity Collection Is………..

November 15, 2012 LeftFootDaisy1 Comment

OK, so I know we’ve already been busy knitting and crocheting for this charity however, the charity is involved with so many different projects (all as needy as the rest), that I feel sure I’m not asking too much of you all again.

This time we’re hoping to help the 500 residents that live on 5 floors of the Kyl asylum. Many of the children that the charity work with in the orphanages out in Belarus end up going to Kyl asylum when they turn 18. Conditions are hard with the total allowance for clothes and shoes per patient being €3 annually. The Chernobyl Children’s trust have been working with another group The Bureen Chernobyl Project and have recently managed to collect in approximately 1000 pairs of secondhand shoes as the residents had been using cardboard on their feet whilst working out in the fields.

We’ve been asked for hats, scarves and mitts again and in addition maybe some socks and legwarmers, anything to help to try and keep out the cold.

276840_266641406707522_568627897_n — Bureen Chernobyl Project

A lot of the links I put up for our previous collection will still be valid as are

Easy hat pattern

http://knitmidleton.com/2012/07/06/quick-chunky-hat-great-for-charity-knits/

Easy scarf pattern

http://knitmidleton.com/2012/06/02/easy-rib-scarf-for-chernobyl/

Previous blog post with links to more patterns

http://knitmidleton.com/2012/06/01/knitting-f or-chernobyl-childrens-trust/
Our collection will run until the end of March when the next containers will be traveling to the area, so you’ve plenty of time to get cracking. Items will be accepted in all colours of the rainbow, so break out the stash and use up your leftovers. The residents are both male and female and all are over 18 although they will be slight for their ages.
We’ve also been asked to collect any unwanted needles and wool in for the residents some of whom love knitting. If you can’t knit or crochet maybe you could be persuaded to drop off some personal hygiene products like soap, shampoo, etc. which we will also be collecting in (all new and unopened please, with as long a ‘use by’ date on)

A big thanks in advance for all of your help AGAIN.

Happy Knitting!

Time for a Little Feedback

November 14, 2012November 14, 2012 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

Having just sent off two rather large boxes full of knitted and crocheted garments for preemies it’s great to be able to come back to you all with a little feedback from one of our previous collections.

Our collection for the Chernobyl Children’s Trust earlier in the year for knitted hats, scarves and gloves was extremely successful thanks to the fine brigade of people that gave up their yarn, time and skills to ensure that we were able to hand over several black sacks full of winter woolies.

Deena at the charity has very kindly got back to me with a couple of photos of the children wearing some of the items. The photos were taken earlier in the summer at the holiday camp the charity arrange for disabled children and their families to attend.

This is one of the little girls Vika modelling one of the knitted hats on a balmy summer’s day; however I’m sure she’ll be grateful of it now it’s much colder in Belarus.

Sveta and her mother Galina are in the picture above sporting their scarves, with a little help from Deena on the left.

I hope, like myself, you enjoy knowing the items crafted by all of us are actually going where they’re supposed to and that the right people are benefiting from our work. The charity itself is wonderful and everyone involved are so generous of spirit, time and resources that I find them totally inspirational. I know they are presently looking for more people to become host families, and if any of you are interested, or know someone who would be, please get in touch.

Our next collection (details to come) will be for another project The Chernobyl Children’s Trust is involved in too, so I hope we can rely on your continuing support.

Happy Knitting!

They’re Off!

November 7, 2012 LeftFootDaisy2 Comments

After months of knitting and crochet it’s now time to send off our teeny, tiny creations to the Irish Premature Babies Charity.

Didn’t we do well?

In addition to all of the items pictured there are still some to collect and add at the shop but for now our totals are as follows –

Hats & Bonnets = 228

Cardigans = 180

Blankets & Sleep Sacks = 140

Booties & Socks = 13 pairs

There is also a little Paxton sitting on the side here knitted by Dina, awaiting sleeves which will be completed by the end of the day (yes I’ll be doing it).

I’m so very proud of how many items we’ve managed to collect and want to extend a huge message of thanks to all of you that gave your time, your creativity and your yarn to make the delicate, little creations. It’s great to see how much the collection has inspired so many of you and I know there have been a good few ‘retired’ knitters that have been persuaded to pick up their needles once again and knit for this charity.

I’d also like to say a big Thank You to the East Cork Journal for promoting our collection in their newspaper, the article really helped to highlight the charity.

I understand the charity are sending all of the donations to one warehouse, where they plan to sort through them and divide them up into hampers. These will then be sent to the hospitals around the country. The charity intend on having the parcels to the hospitals for World Premature Baby Day on November 17th.

A big thanks once again to all of you that helped with this collection and if you couldn’t do something this time, maybe we could persuade you to pick up you hook or needles for our next collection? (more info to come very soon)

Happy Knitting!

Chunky Basket Rib Hat

October 31, 2012 LeftFootDaisy3 Comments

Before you read on I feel I owe it to you to apologies in advance for the terrible photos, I keep taking more and they’re just not getting any better because of the glare of the sequins. A good few of you will have seen me wearing the hats by now so hopefully you know what they look like.

I’d been dying to use the sparkly, sequined, chunky yarn ‘Galaxy’ from Rico when it first came in last year and finally decided to make a hat (no surprises there). It’s fair to say I’m a little bit of a hat lover, obviously since having the shop they now tend to be of the knitted kind, but I love all hats.

My first hat purchase when I was about 13 was a vintage purple hat from the 1920’s which I absolutely adored – not sure what became of it. Since then there have been trilby’s, cloches, flat caps, beanies both bobbled and not,70’s styled huge hats, straw ones, berets and slouchie ones I JUST LOVE EM ALL!

It shouldn’t come as a shock to find out that I love knitting them too, their quick to knit and can be great way to show of the most intricate of patterns or ‘over the top yarns’ that you just wouldn’t make a whole garment in. There also ideal to give as a gift. Every year I think I have enough of them and then the madness sets in and I have to make more……….

So here’s my chunky beret in Rico Chunky Galaxy

Hat Size

To fit the average sized woman’s head, at least I think my head is of average size?

The blue hat is approximately 21cm/8.5″ high, whilst the purple one is 19cm/7.25″

Tension

14 stitches x 19 rows in stocking stitch

Abbreviations

k – knit

p – purl

st(s) – stitch(es)

s1 – slip stitch

k2tog – knit the next 2 stitches together

yf – move yarn forward to front of work

yb – move yarn to back of work

Materials

2 x 100g balls Rico Galaxy Chunky

The purple/green hat only took 1 ball whilst the blue hat used about a quarter of the 2nd ball

5mm & 6.5mm needles

Darning needle

Basket Rib Pattern

1st Row (rs) – Knit

2nd Row – Purl

3rd Row – K1 *s1 purlwise, k1: repeat from * to end

4th Row – K1 *yf, s1 purlwise, yb, k1: repeat from * to end

These 4 rows make up the basket weave pattern

Directions

Using thumb method and 5.5mm cast on 73 stitches.

1st Row – k1, p1 to last st k1

2nd Row – p1, k1 to last st p1

Repeat these 2 rows 2 times more and row 1 once more (you will have worked 7 rows in total)

8th row – k2, m1 to last 3sts, rib 3 (109 sts)

Change to 6.5mm needles and begin working basket weave pattern. The purple hat took 6 sets of repeats and the blue hat took 9 repeats.

Shape crown

Decrease Row 1 – k4, k2tog to end (91sts)

keeping pattern correct work 3 more rows

Decrease Row 2 – K3, k2tog (73sts)

work 3 more rows of pattern

Decrease Row 3 – K2, k2tog (55sts)

work 3 more rows of pattern

Decrease Row 4 – K1, K2tog (37sts)

work 3 more rows of pattern

Decrease Row 5 – K2tog (19sts)

purl 1 row

Final Decrease Row – K2tog (10sts)

Leave approximately 12″ of yarn, cut and thread through remaining 16sts using a blunt tipped darning needle to secure. Sew seam

Leave approximately 12″ of yarn, cut and thread through remaining 8sts using a blunt tipped darning needle to secure. Sew seam.

Is it possible to drown in wool?

October 18, 2012October 19, 2012 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

Ok, so I probably mean suffocate, but you get what I’m trying to say.
As it’s full knitting and crochet season right now it seems like there’s at least one sizable delivery arriving in each week, and to be honest it’s hard work. There’s the lugging backwards and forwards of the sacks of yarn, as most of them still get delivered to the house. Then there’s the sorting, checking and recording of the yarn/patterns followed by what can only be described as a ‘nightmare’: the inevitable task of trying to find space in the stock room. While summer yarns present their own problems – cottons, linens and bamboos are firmer yarns so it’s difficult to squeeze extra on the shelves – in winter the yarns are bulkier, squidgier, and to be honest dangerous.

Today, I was stacking a pile of new yarn behind one of the doors in the stock room (it’s the only space I could find!). There was a protest made, the yarn tumbled down, closing said door, which I promptly banged into while being attacked by the falling yarn?????? Unsurprisingly, I gave in and packed up several sacks of yarn to bring home to store in the stock room here.

In the three huge sacks and one rather large box that I unpacked last week there were loads of goodies from King Cole including:-

Galaxy chunky is the same great yarn as the double knit version that King Cole released around this time last year but as the name suggests it’s a chunky weight and is available in the six shades pictured. To complement the yarn there are some great new designs, some of which would knit up in next to no time, great for gift knitting. In addition to the Galaxy Chunky we also bought a really lovely sapphire blue in the double knit version.

Sapphire, a beautiful baby yarn also arrived in. As did Glitz which is similar to the sapphire but in more adult/Christmas shades. I assume the red will be quite popular for little people knits. Both yarns have a little lame running through them for that little bit of a sparkle.

As you might expect there were new shades in Value Chunky, Wicked, and a few shades in another baby yarn Melody, which is very similar to Sirdar Baby Changes.

Last but not least is the beautiful 4ply Merino in eight scrumptious shades. This yarn has great meterage at 180 metres per 50g ball.

I’ll be writing another post over the next couple of days to let you know what’s in the boxes waiting in the hall to be unpacked now!

Happy Knitting!

If You Love Knitting………

October 2, 2012October 11, 2012 LeftFootDaisyLeave a comment

In an effort to try and publish posts a little more regularly I have written myself a list of the knitting things that interest me. I subscribe to quite a number of different knitting newsletters but find a few in particular are my favourites.

In this post I’d like to talk about knitty.com

Knitty is an online knitting magazine that publishes four times a year in March, June, September and December. If you sign up to their email list they’ll notify you when the latest edition is out. Occasionally an odd pattern or two are released as a ‘bonus’ and you’ll be emailed again.

Knitty is very much a magazine: there are features pages, product tests, letters from the editors, competitions and of course there’s patterns. FREE PATTERNS

Yep, you read it correctly, the patterns are all free for individual use only. That doesn’t mean the patterns aren’t great, on the contrary. Some of the most well-known patterns have originally been published in knitty.

www.kategilbert.com-clapotis — Clapotis by Kate Gilbert

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html

One of my favourite patterns, as I think I’ve mentioned before, is In Leaf by Avril Lang.

inleafbeauty — In Leaf Cardigan from Knitty.com

Currently, the 41st issue is out and the magazine is celebrating their 10th year. This issue contains 4 lovely sock patterns, 2 for gloves, 3 hats, 4 shawls, 9 jumpers/cardigans, 3 of which are for men.

I think one of the sock patterns is absolutely fab. I have to admit that I just don’t have the time to knit socks, particularly ones like these, however I can appreciate their uniqueness.

Pair-a-normal by Barry Scates

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf12/PATTpairanormal.php

One jumper that has already been added to my ever increasing ‘to do’ list is the Party Mix Pullover by Julia Farewell-Clay. It’s an aran weight, raglan, A-line jumper that will be great for using up some of my stash. Even better, being an A-line design it will help to hide a multitude of sins (mostly of the cake kind).

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf12/KSPATTpartymix.php

I find the Cool Stuff section where books, classes, etc are reviewed particularly interesting being a keen collector of all things knitting. For me this issue the most interesting items have been the reviews of several books I am keen to own including November Knits and the Knitters Handy Book of Top Down Sweater Designs.

I also like the Knitty Yarn Roundtable feature as it helps me to keep an eye on possible new yarns for the shop or what new trends are coming.

In addition to all of the above, not to mention the competition, crossword, adverts and shopping, there is also Knitty Spin, which is a section of the magazine aimed at spinners. I do intend on learning to spin, I even have a lovely Ashford Spinning Wheel, which at present adorns the window sill at the top of my stairs (sadly). This doesn’t stop me coveting fibre and lusting over the endless possibilities……

Knitty Spin has reviews of fibre that the testers spin and then knit, reviews of cool spinning stuff, a spinners glossary and yet more patterns. My favourite this issue without a doubt are the beautiful mitts Calertne by Sandy Sitzman & Lynne Vogel – they are truly beautiful.