Tag: Tension

Sadness

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I sat down today all prepared to begin typing up some of the many posts that I have notes written for in my little book. First though, I thought I’d have a quick scan over Ravelry for a little link to post up on the Facebook page.  Noticing the new issue of Petite Purls is out I went straight over to their site to have a look at all the yummy goodness in issue 16.

As per usual the cover alludes to much knitty joy, particularly as it’s the Upsize Issue.  On opening the magazine I clicked  straight on the ‘note from the editors’ link, which is where my sadness comes from. Allegra Wermuth & Brandy Fortune have announced that issue 16 is their final issue of Petite Purls 😦

Before they’re gone though let’s have a little look at a couple of the patterns available in this issue. The beautiful hats at the top of the page are called Ava and are designed by Sarah Grieve.  Made in 4ply the pattern gives instructions for ages child to large adult.

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The Pembroke Hat was designed by Kirsten Kapur based on her Pembroke Vest pattern that was published in the first issue of Petite Purls.  The adult hat is knitted in aran weight yarn and has an unusual cable pattern that meets at the top to form an eight-pointed star. Here is the link if you want to have a look at the Pembroke Vest. http://www.petitepurls.com/Summer09/summer2009_pembroke.html

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My absolute favourite from this issue is the Child – Teen Radiant Vest and the separate Adult Radiant Vest.  It is split into two individual patterns to accommodate the vast range of sizes between the two patterns – six years to adult 54″ (wow!).  The sleeveless cardigan is knitted sideways in chunky yarn, with short row shaping to create the yoke.

It’s sad to see the end of Petite Purls but here’s hoping Allegra and Brandy move on to bigger and better things.  No doubt the resources from their time at Petite Purls will continue to delight knitters for years to come.

Happy Knitting!

The Mohair Bouclé Is Back

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Feature Boucle mohair knitting kit

I know there are quite a lot of you that love the Mohair from Cushendale just as much as I do so I thought I’d show you a couple of pictures with all the lovely new shades that arrived in late, last Friday.

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The shawl is a super quick knit, 1 ball, 34 stitches on 12mm needles and plain garter stitch all the way until the ball has gone.  A good tip is to make sure your cast on and cast off are on the loose side so as not to pull the ends of your shawl in.

By happy coincidence several new designs in the shawl pins have arrived in too, just in time for all your Christmas gift knitting.  Who knows I might even get some made.

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Happy Knitting!

More Items of the Woolly Persuasion

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Two more beautiful yarns for you to cast your eyes over.  Some of you may have already seen them in the shop though as I’m a little late getting the photos uploaded, sorry.

First there’s Rico Essentials Super Chunky

100m per 100g of squishy 50% wool & 50% acrylic

Knits to a tension of 9stitches to 12 rows on 10mm needles.

Great to use as a substitute for all your super chunky patterns

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Here’s my Super Chunky Ribbed Tea Cozy shop sample.

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Lastly for this post is Rico Essential Big

Each 50g contains 48 meters of smooth yarn which will show of your stitches perfectly.  Neither a standard chunky or super chunky the yarn is again made up of a 50% wool/50% acrylic blend.

Knitting up with a tension of 11 stitches by 16 rows on 7/8mm needles.

bigThis is the cowl I made recently for the shop sample modeled by what most be the most tolerant daughter in the whole wide world.  Her enthusiasm for the job at hand is obvious don’t you think?

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Not sure the hand over her face is doing much to hide her gorgeousness though.

Happy Knitting!

Some Of The New Stuff (items of the woolly persuasion)

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As I mentioned on Facebook last week we’ve had so many deliveries arriving that I’ve found it a little difficult to keep up with everything of late.  Those of you that know me, know I struggle with organization at the best of times 🙂

Like everyone that knits or crochets I still get excited at the prospect of new yarn, it hasn’t stopped just because I own a shop, if anything it’s worse.  When i open the boxes the sense of desperation to get playing with the new goodies is a bit overwhelming.  I tend to select a display garment pattern when choosing the yarn and will often order an extra pack to knit it in.  At this time of year I find myself a bit bogged down with things to knit and my number of WIP’s increases alarmingly.

So in order to get back to some bookwork and knitting here are some of last weeks arrivals and I’ll pop some more on a second post.  Another bag has already arrived this morning to be unpacked too – woolly heaven?  Most of the time, anyway.

Happy Knitting!

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Sirdar Faroe Chunky
The new colours in Sirdar Baby Crofter
The new colours in Sirdar Baby Crofter
A Wee Willie Winky hat shop sample in the new Baby Crofter
A Wee Willie Winky hat shop sample in the new Baby Crofter
Wendy Mode Chunky (love the colours especially the blue)
Wendy Mode Chunky (love the colours especially the blue)
New shades in Wendy Merino DK
New shades in Wendy Merino DK

I Think We’re There Now

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The last two weeks have seen an enormous amount of squares and finished blankets being handed in to us at the shop.  So many in fact that I’m pretty sure we’ve now passed our 83 blanket target – YIPPEE!

I know from talking to many of you that there are still squares out there yet to be handed in and we will still happily sew them up into the blankets.

Hopefully the Global Missions Ireland team will welcome a few extra blankets, if not I have a few other charities in mind for the surplus.

A humongous, ginormous, gargantuan THANK YOU for all of you that have supported our collection.  It is heart warming to see the extent of people’s goodwill.  I will take lots of pictures of the piles of blankets when all the sewing and crochet is complete.

Happy Knitting!

Look At The Pictures

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Loads more yummy yarn has arrived over the last few days and I’m trying to stay ahead and photograph them as they come in for those of you that use the blog to plan your trips in. It’s definitely becoming more difficult because of the sheer volume of supplies and my ever growing list of shop samples to get knitted.

Undeterred here’s some of the latest arrivals.  I think it might be quicker to just do pictures.

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New shade in Rico Essentials Merino Aran
New shades in Sirdar Snuggly Double Knit
New shades in Sirdar Snuggly Double Knit
New Hayfied Aran With Wool 100g
New Hayfied Aran With Wool 100g
New Sirdar Snuggly 4ply
New Sirdar Snuggly 4ply
Gorgeous Katia Merino 100%
Gorgeous Katia Merino 100%

In addition to all the lovely new yarns there have been more books and patterns.  Here are just a few to wet your appetites.

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New books from Sirdar
New Sirdar Snuggly DK patterns
New Sirdar Snuggly DK patterns

They’ll be lots more to come, watch this space.

Happy Knitting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve Actually Managed To Finish Something.

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I thought I’d pop up the photos of the finished baby jumper I’ve been knitting with in the new Merino Flash from Katia.  The 0-6months jumper literally only went into the third ball for about a third of the second sleeve (grrr).

So in a bid to be more aware of my ever expanding stash I decided to knit the accompanying hat.  Now I only have a little bit of the yarn left and a much clearer conscience.

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Not sure that button is in the centre now though?  I’m sure it was when I first sewed it in.

Happy Knitting!

 

 

Week Ending 7th September

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Wow!  We had an amazing amount of squares and blankets handed in last week and at this rate we’ll easily make our new target of 83 blankets.

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Last weeks donations include squares and blankets from the following people-

Noreen handed in 3 blankets, 2 of which Lucy joined to make 1

Linda = 2

Kirstie = 18

Cati = 1

Elizabeth = 1

Betty Holland = 16

Breeda Ryan = 35

Martina = 35

Mary Donnelly = 4

Mary Mac = 12

Lise = 32

Joan = 4

Lucy = 4

Total 164 squares and 2 blankets

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Keep em coming please.

Happy Knitting!

New Baby Yarn

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I’m usually very good at staying ahead of the game when it comes to new yarns.  However, I must confess to being caught out rotten by Stylecraft’s new baby yarn.

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I’m not really sure we needed another baby yarn but I just couldn’t resist Lullaby.  There are 14 beautiful shades available in the range and the pattern support is divine.  You can really tell that Stylecraft have a new designer on the team.

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Each 50g ball contains 135 metres/147 yards

The yarn is made up of 55% Nylon and 45% Acrylic and is machine washable at 30 degrees, it can even be tumble dried.

Tension is 22 stitches to 30 rows.

Even better it’s only €3.30 per ball

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Which one of the 9 designs is your favourite?  I think mine is the little blanket.  Many of the patterns have an extra design on them so they’re great value for money.

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Happy Knitting?

Holiday Knitting

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I have been promising to get a quick little post up about the knitting project I took with me on my recent trip to England and as there are so many new yarns, books, patterns, etc to tell you about there’s no time like the present.

As we were staying with our best friends you could guarantee there would be a good deal of talking into the wee small hours and there was.  So I needed something that wasn’t going to be full of lace or require much pattern watching and everything I was knitting (some of which I still am) didn’t fit the bill.

Dina my daughter is always adding things to her Ravelry queue, she loves plain and is always in need of more jumpers.  Having gone through her list of Ravelry favourites and discarded the bulk of them because they’re mostly 4ply (not happening) we agreed I’d make the Il Grande Favorito by Isablell Kraemer.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/il-grande-favorito

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Having knitted Dina a good few jumpers in the past, some of which haven’t ever seen the light of day I was reluctant to use the lovely merino she originally selected.  We compromised and as the jumper is a chunky knit I used a strand of King Cole Haze (now discontinued) and one of King Cole Moods held together.

Like all good knitters (?) I knitted my tension square (actually I really did) and cast on on the ferry crossing to England.  The jumper was completed by the time I got back back to Ireland as I took it with me everywhere in the car with us to try and squeeze some rows in.

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I even managed to get a bit of knitting in at the Pickering Steam Fair and the jumper would have been finished sooner had I not realised I’d picked up one less stitch under the arms than necessary – when I came to knit the cuff! One whole sleeve ripped out and re-knitted.

Even so it was a great, easy, top down project and Dina loves it, even if it doesn’t look like she does here.

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I’ll happily make her another in Merino now and have even added it to my ‘to do’ list as it’s a very flattering knit.  I think I might put a little waist shaping in for good measure too.  If you have a look at the projects tab on the pattern page you can see other knitters have used a combination of stocking stitch and reversed stocking stitch.  The pattern does cost €4.50 to download but I think it’s worth every cent.

Happy knitting!