I’m still working on the crochet version of The Hiking Reindeer cowl. It’s slow, because slow is what tends to happen when you work 4-ply (US: fingering) black yarn in a gloomy room when your previously-stupendous eyesight has suddenly remembered that you're not young any more and has gone all blurry. When the cowl is done, I’ll post the pattern here... if I can still see well enough to find my computer. Meanwhile, do please have a seat. Yes, you may indeed sit on the chair, although you may Continue Reading
Free Pattern Alert! The Cowl Is Done!
I've been in a bit of a frenzy to finish designing and making the fiery sunset cowl, since so many of you said such kind things about it. I knitted round, and round, and round, so very fast that I was almost flung backwards across the room by the centrifugal forces. Anyway. It's done. And I've typed up the pattern for you. But first, a message. Mother Twisted was enormously touched by all your lovely comments about her cathedral window quilting, and she sends you heartfelt thanks. I think Continue Reading
Knitting A Fiery Sky
Hello. There's a stretch of motorway that I drive often. If it's dusk and there's a half-decent sunset, the view is stunning, with sharp conifers and rolling hills silhouetted against the sky. Often, I see deer. I've long wanted to show you this view because I know you like colour, but stopping on a motorway to whip out my camera would be both illegal and stupid, so it hasn't been possible. But then something happened that meant I could at last show you... in knitting! Because look what Continue Reading
Technology
Technology and I have had a little falling out. The laptop in this house knows full well that I'm a pen-and-paper lass at heart, and so it taunts me with nonsense such as "The file you've been working on for three hours without even so much as a loo-break is no longer available". You can't go wrong with pen-and-paper, though. I even draft this blog on paper:- I like to design stranded/fair isle motifs on paper, too, but then I have to type them up. And that was the origin of the problem Continue Reading
Free Colourful Cowl Pattern!
OK, would you like the free pattern for this fairisle cowl that I designed? You would? Well there's a link to the pattern near the bottom of this post. Enjoy! It's a fairly generous one size, that would fit an adult or teen. The version in the pictures was made using all 16 shades of Stylecraft Batik, but of course you could use fewer colours, or indeed a different DK/light-worsted yarn entirely. The cowl is worked in the round, so although you'll have a fair few ends to weave in, there's Continue Reading
Story Of My Life
So shall we get back to discussing knitting and crochet? That said, I do have lots more 'musical' (I use that word very loosely) tales to tell you about The Purlz, if you'd like to hear them? Anyway, in other yarn-related news... A while ago, the Knitting And Crochet Guild (KCG) ran a competition with lovely Yarn Stories yarn to design knitted/crocheted squares inspired by the KCG historical collection. These squares were for a blanket. This was my entry: a crazy messy knitted hybrid of Continue Reading
Subverting The Medium Of Colourwork
Friday, my fine friend, you have been a long time coming this week. And by the way, ANYONE WHO RECEIVED AN EMAIL NOTIFYING YOU OF A BAG PATTERN POST THAT DOESN'T YET EXIST, PLEASE SEE THE END OF THIS POST! Anyway, the Knitting And Crochet Guild / Yarn Stories competition is closing. Did you enter? Best o' luck if you did. I can't wait to see everyone's entries when they're shown online. For anyone who hasn't seen it, the Knitting and Crochet Guild promotes both crafts within the UK and also Continue Reading
Thank You, People :-)
A quickie, because I'm busy knitting. But I wanted to post a wee bit of enthusiasm because there's a chance that maybe, just maybe, the Yorkshire Skirt will be done by Tuesday's deadline (if I employ a team of minions to weave in the ends and block it on the back seat of the car on my way north). Look! But mostly I've come on here to say thank you for all the kind words and suggestions for my sore, knit-weary hand, and also for the encouragement. You're kinder than I deserve, and I appreciate Continue Reading
This Is Crazy, No? NO?
I know you’ve all been there: the three more pairs of gift socks still to be knitted and it’s 10pm on Christmas Eve. Or the exquisite, fit-through-a-wedding-ring bridal shawl that the bride really needs like, erm, tomorrow, for her wedding, and you’re only half way through the working the lace. OK, I made up these exact scenarios, but to a knitter/crocheter, they’re normal and completely understandable, right? But I think I might have over-stretched myself this time. The knitting in question Continue Reading
The Blog Post Of Many Things
That stranded skirt I'm designing? It's progressing, y'know:- No further progress has been made on the crocheted house, but the yarn for the windows has arrived, so I need to begin swatching some glasswork. Is it obvious that this post will be a tad desultory? Well the past few days have been a bit like that. I have some exciting secrets to reveal soon, but not quite yet. Rest assured, I'll be telling you as soon as I can... But look! I've discovered a quirky new stitch! Nothing Continue Reading