German Short Rows

The On The Other Foot MKAL is now in full swing and it has been great fun watching all the combinations of patterns and colours for the toes and feet appearing in the Ravelry group. We are now into week 3 and this week it is the gusset increases and heels. Both Ann Kingstone and I have used German Short Rows for our heel shaping, but in very different ways. One pattern uses it in a stocking stitch heel and the other in a garter stitch heel.

I like German Short Rows as a short row technique because it is very easy way to create short rows with no gaps at the turning points, it is easy to spot the previous turn compared to many wrap and turn methods and it is almost invisible in the knitting.

I have created the video tutorial below to show this technique both in stocking stitch and garter stitch.

Happy knitting,

Sarah x

On The Other Foot MKAL 2018

Can you believe it has been over a year since Ann Kingstone and I ran our last joint MKAL? We have been busy designing and coordinating an new pattern for this year... On The Other Foot!

Join us for our third annual mystery knit-along (MKAL), leading you in an intrepid knitting adventure with juicy new techniques to learn, and lots of fun to be had whilst knitting a unique pair of socks.

The MKAL is designed to stretch your creativity by giving you not one, but two options for each section of the socks. We will send out a section of two great linked designs each week and the choice becomes yours. You may decide to make both socks the same, or On The Other Foot (see what we did there?), you may decide to do things differently.

This innovative MKAL will start with part one of the designs on the 9th of March, followed by Part Two on the 16th, Part Three on the 23rd, Part Four on the 30th, and Part Five on the 6th of April. The final full pattern will be revealed on the 13th of April with winners chosen and prizes announced for those who have posted pictures of their completed socks in our Ravelry group forum page. You will automatically receive an email with the pattern update on these dates to download the next section. Each part will have one option designed by myself and one option designed by Ann Kingstone. They can be mixed and matched giving you many different sock pattern options!

We will be supporting you throughout the MKAL with online video tutorials and advice on our blogs, and an online live chat each week. In our Ravelry group we will have forum threads for each update, spoiler threads and a finished sock thread as well as chat and prize giveaways. We love seeing your colour and yarn choices and sharing with you the fun of a MKAL. The last two MKAL - Neck and Neck and On The Other Hand - were great fun and we think this one will be even better!

For this MKAL you will need:

SIZE

To fit foot circumferences of up to 20½(23:25½)cm/8(9:10)“, measured around the mid-foot. After blocking the finished socks measure 17½(20:22½)cm/7(8:9)” around at the mid-foot. Foot and leg length are customisable.

MATERIALS

4ply/fingering weight yarn with approximately 400 metres/437 yards per 100g. You will need 100g of your main colour. You can work the socks entirely in one colour, however two of the ten pattern options involve one or two contrast colours. For each of these pattern options a 20g mini-skein of contrast colour will suffice.

For the prototype socks Sarah used Undercover Otter ‘Singularity’ (100% merino wool), and Ann used Eden Cottage ‘Bowland 4ply’ (100% wool).

NEEDLES AND NOTIONS

Swatch to determine what needle size you need to use to achieve the tension/gauge given below. I used 2.25mm needles (I am a loose knitter!) and Ann used 2.5mm needles. Choose the needle type and length you prefer for small diameter circular knitting.

A stitchmarker.

A cable needle. (Optional)

TENSION/GAUGE

32 stitches and 44 rounds per 10cm/4” in plain stocking stitch/stockinette, measured after blocking.

Click here to go to the Ravelry pattern page: On The Other Foot

Happy knitting! xxx

Winter Thyme

Winter Thyme is a curved garter stitch shawl with a simple rippled lacy edge that drapes beautifully around the shoulders. It was on show and admired greatly at Yarndale and I have been looking forward to releasing it as a pattern since. It is the sixth pattern from my Winter Blooms book.

I created Winter Thyme to satisfy my love of knitting shawls, but I find traditional triangle shawls difficult to wear, so I designed Winter Thyme to have an asymetrical crescent shape that drapes easily around the shoulders and can be worn as a shawl, wrap or scarf. It has a simple repeating ripple lace pattern and uses four colours of TJFrog's Shorelines & Strata 4ply yarn. 

I first met Tania of TJFrog at the British Wool Show in Thirsk last summer and fell in love with her beautiful yarn. I loved the natural grey against the three specially dyed mini-skein pack and just knew I had to knit this into a striped shawl for Winter Blooms.

Winter Thyme is quickly knitted up in an easy garter stitch pattern with short row shaping to create the crescent shape. The lace pattern is based on a very simple traditional feather and fan pattern, suitable for adventurous beginners.

Winter Thyme can be purchased here and the Winter Blooms ebook can be purchased here and the print copy (includes the ebook) can be preordered here.

Happy knitting and keep warm, winter has definitely arrived,

Sarah x

Elysium - a textured ripple crochet throw pattern release

Elysium is a pretty striped blanket with a simple but interesting ripple pattern that crochets up quickly. It is a very special blanket pattern to me and I am so glad that it had such a positive response at Yarndale - my copies sold out and I ended up taking orders for more!

I designed Elysium to be a warm and cozy throw, or a thoughtful gift for a new baby. It has a simple repeating ripple pattern and uses eight colours of DK weight yarn. I used Woolyknit Blue Faced Leicester DK for my blanket in colourways Iron, Gold, Mist, Silver, Peridot, Cream, Mint and Mauve.

Elysium has a lot of texture not normally found in ripple patterns with stitches crocheted together and the use of front and back loops between rows. Fear not though, Elysium is a beginners pattern with just a two row repeat that is easy to learn.

The pattern comes in three sizes: small, medium and large. The small is perfect for a baby blanket and the large makes a cozy throw for a sofa or bed.

The name Elysium means 'the place at the ends of the earth to which certain favoured heroes were conveyed by the gods after death' or 'a state or place of perfect happiness'. It was a word that meant a lot to my Dad and I named this pattern for him. It was designed and begun whilst caring for him during his last weeks and provided a lot of comfort to me as we said goodbye. It is now a warm hug in my living room whenever I need it.

Elysium can be purchased here, I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did.

Happy crocheting,

Sarah x

Yarndale 2017

Can you believe it has already been a week since Yarndale? I enjoyed this year so much, this week has felt very sad knowing that there are 363 days until the next one.

Thank you to everyone who came to my stall, it was lovely to meet you all. I do have the most lovely customers! I am sure you have no idea how much it means to me to get such lovely feedback on my designs but I am still on a post-Yarndale high. It was great to hear that things were travelling home to all over the country, and abroad - South Africa, Australia, USA, Netherlands... it is great that people are travelling so far to visit.

It was also great to know that you like the designs in my new book. The next Winter Blooms design (there is a sneaky pic of it above if you can spot it) went down very well and I hope to release this in a few weeks time. My Elysium crochet blanket pattern sold out, I am sorry if you missed out on getting a copy. I will be uploading the pattern to Ravelry next week - newsletter subscribers will get a discount so sign up now if you have not already!

I did not get much chance to look around but I managed to get a few photos of the fantastic yarn bombing outside. The Shaun the Sheep was my favourite. The knitted and crocheted heart display was amazing to see. I am so glad it raised so much money for charity. Well done to all those who made hearts and bought them.

As usual the Yarndale team, volunteers and security staff all deserve a huge thanks for putting on a fantastic festival. I am sure it gets better each year and I am really grateful for being an exhibitor at this wonderful event.

There is a little bit of gorgeous Lichen and Lace sock yarn still available and I will be updating the website later this week so keep an eye out if you missed out. The colourways are gorgeous and it goes well with both my The Chain and Florens sock patterns and the Faradrim fingerless mittens patterns.

Packing up is always hard to do, I always feel so sad that it is over. This time my friends had a great surprise for me as I brought out the last bags to pack in the car - two cheeky bottoms to moon the cars behind on the way home! It made me giggle and I hope it gave others a laugh too. :)

If you did not make it to Yarndale this year, Cathrinksey made a lovely video showing just what a riot of colour and yarn this festival is. She very kindly shows my stand at 2.57 - thanks!

Happy knitting,

Sarah x

Gillyflower

Gillyflower is the fifth pattern to be released from Winter Blooms, and the last pattern before Yarndale this weekend.

I used the gorgeously soft Lichen and Lace 80/20 bulky in Linen and Wildflowers to knit this very cozy cowl. Just one skein of each colour is needed and it knits up a dream. 

Garter stitch rib borders a simple slip stitch pattern that shows off the yarn colours perfectly. This cowl is great for beginner knitters as only one colour is worked in a row and it can be made in an evening.

It is so cozy, this cowl is a warm woolly hug and the perfect winter accessory. 

Gillyflower can be purchased on its own or as part of the Winter Blooms e-book or pre-order print book.

I am getting ready for Yarndale now, I hope to see you there as it is a fantastic event in the woolly calendar and great fun.

Happy knitting!

Maiden Pink

Yesterday I released Maiden Pink, the fourth design from my Winter Blooms collection. Maiden Pink is a sweet cozy jumper knitted in chunky yarn with a simple stranded pattern.

My Nan had Maiden Pinks growing in her rockery and I have always liked their pretty pink flowers with feathered edges. There is a simple stranded pattern around the empire waist and this is echoed on the cuffs of the sleeves and hips. 

The jumper starts with an i-cord neck edging and is then knit in the round top-down. The lower edge and sleeve cuffs are finished with i-cords making this completely seamless. Princess-line shaping makes this fitted jumper flattering and it can be knitted longer for extra length if required.

I used New Lanark Wool & Textiles Chunky 100% Wool for this design as it is great for warm winter clothing and they have lovely colours that work well for simple stranded knits. 

Maiden Pink is a great option for a first colourwork sweater as the pattern is simple to remember, there are no long floats and the chunky yarn knits up very quickly.

I may well be wearing this soon... Winter is definitely coming and the evenings are getting quite chilly!

Happy knitting x

Frostberry Hat and Mittens

Frostberry hat and mittens are the next two patterns to be released from my Winter Blooms collection. A matching set that are full of pretty berries and finished with a super-soft pompom, perfect to keep you warm in cold climates.

Frostberry Mittens

Both the hat and mittens are knitted in the round from the top down. The brim is knitted on sideways so there is no seaming and has a cable design for extra warmth. 

Frostberry Hat

I have knitted these in Shilasdair luxury DK with camel. I loved working with this yarn. It shows the pattern details well but is so soft to touch and does feel very luxurious.  The pompom is from Toft Alpaca and is just so soft and fluffy! It makes the perfect trim to this hat.

Frostberry hat and mittens patterns can be purchased together as pattern or purchased as part of the Winter Blooms e-book or pre-order print book.

Detail of Frostberry Hat crown

Winter really feels as though it is coming this week and I had better get knitting a hat and mitten set for myself as it is getting quite chilly here in Yorkshire.

Happy knitting x

Weirwood

Winter is coming and I am very excited to release my Winter Blooms book today!

Weirwood just had to be the first pattern and the cover photo of the book and I have loved designing and knitting this long flowing cardigan. Weirwood trees are one of the signature images from the Game of Thrones TV series, with the beautiful white trunked trees with five-pointed crimson leaves growing during the opening credits. Within the stories they are sacred trees and many scenes take place under their bows.

Weirwood

This became the inspiration for the yoke leaf pattern of this cardigan, and the long length represents the tall white trunk of the tree.

The sleeves are flared and the garment just swings when you walk with such lovely drape in this yarn. I used baa ram ewe Titus yarn in White Rose for the main colour and Heathcliff, Rose Window, Bantam and Coal as the colours for the leaf stranded pattern.

The cardigan is simple to knit as it is knitted in one piece and then steeked - which is far easier than it sounds! The gentle waist and hip shaping gives an elegant look and the wider neck suits many shapes. 

Weirwood yoke

The buttons are ones that I sell in my shop and just fasten the yoke together, allowing the rest of the cardigan to flare and swing.

Weirwood is available now for instant download as an individual pattern or can be purchased with the e-book. The next two patterns will be released on Sunday 17th September. As I mentioned in my last post, the patterns will be updated over the next year to the book but it can be purchased now as an e-book or pre-ordered as a print copy with a free e-book.

Winter Blooms

Winter Blooms is my new collection which is due to be released at Yarndale this year. The collection features twelve patterns inspired by the gardens of Winterfell from the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin. 

The idea for the book came about from the shows popular catch phrase: "Winter is coming". Every time I picked up my knitting needles with the idea to make something warm and cozy the phrase came to mind. Winter is coming.... better get knitting!

There will be seven garments and five accessory patterns in the collection and each pattern is inspired by a plant that could be grown in a northerly climate. The first pattern will be Weirwood shown on the book cover below, inspired by the important sacred trees from the stories.

This collection is a WIP (work-in-progess) of its own and I am releasing it in stages. This Friday (15th Sept) the ebook and Weirwood will be available. The next four patterns will be released and added to the ebook over the next 7 days before Yarndale. The remaining seven patterns will be released and added to the ebook over the next twelve months with a final completion in September 2018.

The patterns will be available to buy individually and you will be able to convert past purchases of the individual patterns into the ebook at any time. The price of the ebook will be £15.99 whilst the collection is not complete and will rise once all patterns are released. The print version will also be available to preorder from my website shop from Wednesday. The price is also reduced to £19.99 for pre-orders and includes a complimentary ebook on the preorder only.  The book will be delivered the week of its release in September 2018. I know this is a long time to wait, but I believe it will be worth it!

Happy knitting x