Sandra's Designing Blog

This is an exclusive area of my web site where you can find out more about my knitted designs, what inspires me, how I work and what I like (and don't like) to design. 
 
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  1. Christmas Trees in July

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    Just before last Christmas , the Christmas of 2014 I was inspired to have a play around at creating a Christmas Tree Fair Isle chart. I wanted something that you could build up, step by step, piece by piece. 

    I finally came up with a nifty little Christmas tree chart, one with bows and a lovely bright shining star on top. 

    All the pieces to make the Christmas tree in this fair isle cushion are available in the pattern available to buy here. The pattern you get includes the fair isle charts and instructions to make the cushion cover.

     The charts can be used on their own for your own christmassy sweaters etc or follow the instructions to make a small 12" square cushion cover.. 

    6 Mini Tree Christmas Tree: (30 stitches across x 41 rows) finished size - 6” / 15 cm x 6” / 15cm 


    15 Mini Tree Christmas Tree: (50 stitches across x 61 rows) finished size - 10” / 25.5cm x 10” / 25.5cm 

    The 12 " cushion cover - uses the 15 mini tree christmas tree chart.

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    Today , one wet windy day at the end of July, getting myself prepared for the Christmas period, I again got to play.

    This time I wanted to try out my fair isle charts once again. I used mega chunky wool (a mix of Rowans Big Wool and Wendy's Pampas Mega Chunky) to see what sort of effect I could create using chunky wool and large needles (10mm). I used the smaller 6 mini tree chart and was rather surprised when I finished up with this great wall hanging. So much so that I hung it in the garden , hung over our new fencing.

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    And as part of the Christmas in July promotions undertaken by the bigger retailers , this little pattern was chosen by LoveKnitting. I was so surprised that they chose my pattern as a Christmas In July feature. Such a lovely blog posting  celebrating Rowan's great tweed yarn that I initially knit the cushion in. Such glorious colours , all inspired and named from my neck of the woods , Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Dales. The famous designer Martin Storey that's mentioned in the posting is one of my faves too , after meeting him at a Big Cabling workshop at Rowan's HQ in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. 

     

  2. New Pattern ! Lace Boxy Cardigan

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    When I walked into a knitting workshop a few weeks ago that had been arranged by my local knitting group I was totally surprised that one of the group members was offering some lovely mohair yarn for sale mega cheap. Seems she hates knitting with mohair , whereas I simply love it! , so I snatched it up immediately. It was a mohair brand that I wasnt familiar with but the colour was an amazing subtle purple / lilac colour which I loved and knew that it would blend in perfectly with a lot of items in my wardrobe.

    The yarn was Louisa Harding's La Salute , it's a fuzzy worsted of 79% mohair and 21% nylon. It is available in colors from pastel to bright.  The tension is 20sts x 28rows when knitted on a 4mm needle Comes in 25grm balls 105mtrs. Apparently the yarn is now discontinued , but can be found on ebay and ravelry if you do a little digging.  If you want the lace pattern to be more prominant , then any yarn that knits up to the same tension will do the trick.

    Anyway It sat at home for a few days before I decided to have a little play. 

    I started playing with a lovely lace pattern I had found on the web a few weeks previous, of course I had to put my own twist on the pattern, it wouldn't be me if I didn't. I loved the effect I achieved with it. The mohair being a really fuzzy type did hide the pattern a little but I carried on with it regardless.

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    Within no time at all I had knit the back of a cardigan and lots and lots of scribbles and mathematical workings out later I had knit the fronts too. It was a simple design as I wanted to concentrate on the lace rather than armhole shaping's , so there is none ! I just simple increased for the arms and carried on knitting. The lace I worked into the sleeves too and across the back just underneath the neckline. 

    This cardigan I love ! I have worn it a few times so far and always have had such lovely comments. This is probably the first time in my life I'm waiting for the weather to cool down a little so I can wear it more often.  You can find the pattern here - Lace Boxy Cardigan 

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    The photo was taken on one of our dog walks round our local reservoir. Wonderful views in the background, don't you think.