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.
Read MoreOn Jim's needles
I've been knitting far more over the last couple of months than I have probably ever. That's not to say I've been exactly prolific, or quick, but things have been growing from my needles.
Read MoreNew design: Sumburgh Hat
We've been back from Shetland for a fortnight and I'm still daydreaming about when I will get back there. I keep squeezing balls of Shetland wool and thinking about casting on new projects. I designed a hat for this year's Wool Week Annual which I haven't yet shared here. Sumburgh hat is a beanie with fine twisted stitch cables winding seamlessly from brim to crown.
Read MoreKnitted-on edging beyond Talmadge
his month's Talmadge cloche has proven to be a pretty quick knit for many. Rather than twiddling your needles in anticipation of July's project, why not try one of these patterns, also featuring a knitted-on edge, to cement your learning?
Read MoreElla Austin talks toys and colourwork
Jen caught up with Ella Austin (BomBella Designs), colourwork toy designer extraordinaire, recently to find out all about her inspiration and process of design.
Read MoreNew Design: East Woodlands
I just couldn't stop thinking about those tucks. The delight of them flowing from ribbing to tuck! The satisfaction of the stitches working in just the right ways. And then it occurred to me that they could work from ribbing to stocking stitch... Or indeed from stocking stitch to ribbing...
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