» Listings for 2018

1. Free Pattern - Lace cuffed fingerless gloves

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 22nd Aug 2018

   Modelled by Francis from my local Knitting Group  I developed the simple chevron lace pattern that I have used for the cuffs of these fingerless gloves over an evening of swatching. No planning out on knitting graph paper or slaving over my computer for this simple design, it just developed as I went along.  I was watching the TV at the time, so once I had developed the lace cuff then the rest of the glove design is simple.   Knit on straight needles, so you do have to do a little seaming at the end, sorry. (just remember to leave the gap for the thumb, lol).

   Finished size:- Medium ladies

   Yarn:  50 grams - Woolyknit Aran, yardage 77m / 85 yards

   Needles: 4.5mm (UK 7, USA 7) needles.  

   K = Knit / SL1 = Slip 1 stitch / PSSO = Pass slipped stitch over / K2TOG = Knit 2 stitches together / YO = Yarn over.

   INSTRUCTIONS (make two)

   Cast on 44 sts using 4.5mm straight needles.

   Row 1 (RS): K1, *SL1, K1, PSSO, K9, K2TOG, K1; rep from * to last st, K1. (38 sts)

   Row 2: Knit.

   Row 3: K1, *SL1, K1, PSSO, K7, K2TOG, K1; rep from * to last st, K1. (32 sts)

   Row 4 : Knit.

   Row 5: K1, *(YO, SL1, K1, PSSO) twice, K1, (K2TOG, YO) twice, K1; rep from * to last st, K1.

   Row 6 and every WS row: K1, Purl to last st , K1.

   Row 7: K1, *K1, YO, SL1, .K1, PSSO, YO, SL1, K2TOG, PSSO, YO, K2TOG, YO, K2; rep from * to last st, K1.

   Row 9: K1, *(YO, SL1, K1, PSSO) twice, K1, (K2TOG, YO) twice, K1; rep from * to last st, K1.

   Row 11: K1, *K1, YO, SL1, K1, PSSO, YO, SL1, K2TOG, PSSO, YO, K2TOG, YO, K2; rep from * to last st, K1.

   Row 13: K1, *K2, YO, SL1, K1, PSSO, K1, K2TOG, YO, K3; rep from * to last st, K1.

   Row 15: K1, *K3, YO, SL1, K2TOG, PSSO, YO, K4; rep from * to last st, K1.

   Row 17: Knit.

   Row 18: K1, Purl to last st , K1.

   Repeat last 2 rows for a further 22 rows.

   Knit 5 rows and cast off on Wrong Side row.

   Block your knitting and then sew up the two edge seams leaving a gap for the thumb. Weave in your ends.

   Hopefully now, you'll have a smashing pair of fingerless gloves. Send in photo's please. xx

2. New Skills learnt !

   Posted on 1:00pm Thursday 28th Jun 2018

   I attended a great workshop just a few weeks ago at our Wild About Wool HQ here in Slaithwaite, Yorkshire. The tutor was Gwen Wagner-Adair, another Yorkshire knitting designer who has got a wealth of knitting knowledge and loads of knitting patterns under her belt. She taught us the basics of Brioche starting with a simple 1 coloured swatch and working up to a 2 coloured scarf with increases and decreases thrown in. 

   

   I made mistakes, not properly reading the pattern correctly (I always do this, always make assumptions that are not there). I found trying to pull back my mistakes and rectifying them there and then was futile, I was getting my knitting into a bigger mess. 

   So what did I do when I got home, Yes ! I pulled it all back and started again. This time concentrating, this time I wanted to understand what I was doing so that the unpicking and rectifying could be done. It took me nearly a week of pulling back, unpicking and a lot of swearing but I got to the end, I even found out that 2/3 rds of the way through I could knit Brioche without looking at the pattern and I was whizzing. Here is the beautiful scarf I completed! It's amazing ! 

   So ever since then. I've been experimenting, reading , researching, swatching & knitting. I wanted to add a Brioche pattern into my portfolio and it needed to be EASY. I soon found out that knitting Brioche in the round was easier than in the flat and that 2 colored Brioche work actually helped you in the knitting process.  I think I've surpassed myself with my brief. Not only is it a lovely cowl, I think the wrong side of the work looks just as stunning.   I'll let you decide.

   Brioche Cowl - is available in kit form currently