Between December’s Confident Knitting pattern, the Stellar Hat, and the ShetlandTrader3KAL, there are a lot of Gudrun Johnston’s stunning designs in our lives right now, and we couldn’t be happier about that! Born in Shetland but currently living in the US, Gudrun regularly brings out breathtaking garment and accessory designs, many of them inspired by the knitting traditions of Shetland. She’s one of those designers who manages, without fail, to bring out designs that make me want to drop everything else and cast on right away.
Read moreThe Magic of Martina Behm
Whether or not you’ve been working on this month’s Confident Knitting pattern, the Flux Hand Warmers, chances are, if you’ve been knitting any length of time, you’ve knitted one of Martina Behm’s patterns. She is able to dream up patterns that constantly have me asking “how did your brain come up with that?!” But that complexity doesn’t translate to a tricky knitting experience – quite the opposite. Her patterns are clear and really relaxing to knit and often friendly for beginner knitters! Blending those two elements — of clever surprise and easeful knitting — is, in my humble opinion, a very rare skill!
Read moreKeyford Hat and a 2x2 Tubular Cast On
It was frosty this morning as I walked to work. We are still without a car, and I am so enjoying noticing the differences in the hedgerows and front gardens as the weeks go by. I pulled my hat down over my ears and was particularly grateful for the cosy aran-weight colourwork of our newest pattern release – the Keyford Hat. Designed by Mary Henderson and featuring a bold, geometric motif as well as a neat 2x2 tubular cast on.
Read moreLet's double-knit with the Peaks and Troughs Hat
This month, we’re carrying on with a zigzag theme — meet the Peaks and Troughs Hat, designed by yours truly! This warm, squishy, and completely reversible hat is the perfect project for practising double-knitting, this month’s Boost Your Knitting technique.
Read moreBanishing Brioche Blues with the Flying Leaves Scarf
The first leaves are starting to turn, there’s a crispness in the air, the kids are heading back to school … all signs point to autumn’s arrival! With the start of a new season, it’s also time to embark on our September Boost Your Knitting project …. the aptly named Flying Leaves Scarf! This beautiful, reversible scarf designed by Carol Feller will not only keep you cosy as temperatures drop, it’ll teach us the finer points of working two-colour brioche!
Read moreAn Interview with Thea Colman
Last week, Boost Your Knitting designer Thea Colman’s delicious Apple Swizzle Hat was released. Thea is a prolific independent designer who likes to play with cables, lace and motifs that, in her words “look harder than they are.” The result is timeless garments and accessories full of fun and interesting twists — make one of her patterns, and I venture a guess you’ll be wearing it for years to come! I caught up with Thea last month to talk about dip stitches, design, and the highs and lows of turning a favourite hobby into a career.
Read moreAndrade cowl
As I mentioned yesterday, one of the ways in which helical stripes differ from traditional stripes is that they make the fabric slant. The more rounds you have in your stripe pattern, and the smaller the circumference of your knitting, the more the stripes appear to slant in the fabric. I absolutely love the effect this gives when you push it as far as you can, and I struggle to see how else you would achieve this look in your knitting.
Read moreMomo hat
Clearly I’m not yet done with helical designs! If you’ve already purchased Something New to Learn About Helical Knitting, this bonus design will be added to your Ravelry library later today, but this is also available as a single pattern download. Giuseppe Momo is the name of the architect who designed the newer 1932 double helix staircase at the Vatican Museum in Rome (below). This is one of the most spectacular double helix staircases, and so it seems a fitting name for a hat that features both helical garter stitch, and a cable panel that has a bit of a helical look to it!
Read moreSangallo cowl and Bramante mittens
Yesterday I talked about working shaping and charts at the same time as helical knitting, and today I’m sharing the two patterns that come with chapter 3 of Something New to Learn About Helical Knitting…
Read moreDecember: Hedera Helix Socks
It's December so, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, it's going to be cold. Your feet will really appreciate being wrapped up in something thick to keep the cold out and these socks are just the trick. You can find out all about the ideas in the blog post I wrote way back in August.
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