My Weisdale Tam

I don't want to seem pessimistic, but I've just finished knitting a lovely, warm Fair Isle hat. I don't expect to be able to wear it any time soon, but you never know.

It's from a pattern called Weisdale Tam by Catherine Vardy, and I got it as a kit from my parents for Christmas, so all the yarns I needed were included. It's a Jamieson and Smith kit, so it's 100% Shetland wool, and the design uses traditional Fair Isle motifs and colours to make a very traditional Scottish tam shape.

The thing about Fair Isle knitting is it's incredibly warm. Each row switches between two colours, with the unused colour running across the back between stitches.

 So in effect you've got two layers of fabric, making for a very toasty knit.

  

If you want to know more about Fair Isle knitting there's a brilliant book by Alice Starmore that covers everything; from the history of Fair Isle traditions, to comprehensive charts of motifs, patterns for garments, instruction on technique and colour studies for creating your own Fair Isle designs. I got mine in a charity shop, but it should be pretty widely available in book stores.
Another great resource is the blog of Kate Davies, one of my favourite contemporary knitwear designers.

 I'll leave you with this none too brilliant hat selfie. Spice rack included.

Knitting with Cables

Cable knitting is one of my favourite techniques, and it's also incredibly easy to learn. With just a few simple tricks you can make endless variations on basic cable designs and use them to add texture, warmth, and visual interest to almost anything. Here are a few of my top picks from Etsy that show just how versatile a technique it is.

 

Cable knits are still very popular for homewares, this cushion cover by jennilyons81 uses a very basic cable design to create a cosy looking piece.

This made-to-order throw by HanksAndNeedles combines cable patterns and lace knitting to achieve  a very sophisticated finish.

Cable knit headbands were everywhere this winter, and this pattern by CableCable is particularly fun, combining a five strand braid pattern (easier to do than it looks) and a simple two strand cable on the 'knot' band.

Cable knitting is probably best known in Aran sweaters, and this bag by KnuttinButYarn uses traditional Aran motifs, like travelling cables and moss stitch, to create a chunky, rustic looking piece.

Cable knits needn't be chunky; these button down legwarmers by gertiebaxter are knit in a lightweight yarn and are perfectly complemented by the delicate lace edging.

Even dogs love cables! This french bulldog is modelling a lovely basket weave sweater by bychancedesigns.

If you are in the Merseyside area and interested in learning how to knit cables you can book a place on my class with the Liverpool Happy Hookers on April 8th. We'll be at Hopscotch on Matthew Street from 7pm and I will teach you everything you need to know to create beautiful cable designs. Check out their Meetup page for more details!

Etsy Picks: Foxy

I've been thinking about foxes a lot recently, probably an Autumn thing, and because I quite often see them snuffling round empty crisp packets on my street. Mostly because I wish I had a lovely orange coat though. And a tail.

Smoke Signals, Open Edition Giclee Print - Sized 18 x 14 - by Bark Decor 

Silver Fox Necklace, Laser Cut Bamboo and Silver Paint by One Happy Leaf

 

Wooden Fox Brooch by Layla Amber

 Winter Fox Illustration, Framed Mini Print, 6"x8" by Lyndsey Green

 The Failynn Fox Cowl, Knitting Pattern by The Velvet Acorn

Tutorial: Hand Knit Chevron Baubles

This post has been moved to my new blog Should Be Sewing. Check out the full tutorial here!

Go Wild in the (west) Country

Had myself a little holiday this week! My good friend Jo moved down to Bristol last summer and terrible friend that I am I hadn't visited yet, so while I had a little time and a little money I booked my trains (excellent opportunity for uninterrupted knitting) and off I went!

While I was down there we took a day trip to Bath, first stop was Wool, a fabulous little knitting shop tucked away on a side street and brimming with beautiful yarns and handmade items. Another crafty pilgrimage we made was to The Makery, full to the brim with fabrics, ribbons, stamps, buttons...Took us a while to find it, but on our wanderings we found a fantastic bakery so all was not lost.

Another gastronomic feature was Gillards of Bath, a tea and coffee merchants in the Guildhall Market, perfect for presents.

A trip to see the Royal Crescent is a must, I was looking forward to some Jane Austen fantasising and architectural splendour and I wasn't disappointed.

 But I wasn't expecting all the personal touches, like rambling roses;

 ..and idyllic courtyard gardens.

 I did feel a touch bad as we peered through the railings, snapping away with our cameras at peoples homes and gardens, but if you live in one of the most famous Georgian wonders in Britain I expect you get used to it!

No guilt at The Assembly Rooms though, a really wonderful destination if you find yourself in Bath, particularly for Austen fans. The ultimate hangout for regency Ladies and Gentlemen, its Ballroom and Tea Room were the centre of Bath society in it's heyday. When I was there it had been festooned with colourful knitted bunting, ready for the jubilee celebrations.

 Inside the building is much as it was, sadly the ballroom and tea room were being used for functions, but the Great Octagon gave a little taste of the luxury enjoyed by fashionable society.

 

And in the basement is somewhere I have been meaning to visit for a while.

 

 The Fashion Museum houses an incredible collection of historic and modern clothing, presented beautifully and full of fascinating information. The collection of sportswear was a real treat; 1920's tennis dresses, Victorian riding habits and edwardian swimwear plus much else. The best part though...

...getting to dress up!

Holy Scripture

Here's what I've been doing this week....

 And I couldn't have done it without my bible. 

Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Encyclopaedia of Needlecaft, by Judy Brittain.

I learnt to knit from this book, well, not *this* one, but the one my Mum has at home. (I got mine second hand on Abe Books, which I highly recommend if you're ever looking for a particularly old tome). It is the most comprehensive work, covering nearly every craft you could ever want to learn, so long as it involves fibres and fabrics. And being from the 70's it's full of fantastic Aran clad men with beards, babies in crocheted romper suits and all kinds of folksy embroidery on peasant blouses and waistcoats.

Every technique is very clearly illustrated, with colour photographed examples for every section, and precisely written instructions. The start of each chapter has a brief history of that particular craft, and after all the technical instruction there are often projects incoorporating the techniques descibed.

 I cannot recommend this book highly enough, so if you're interested in....

...Knitting

Crochet

Macrame

Tatting

Embroidery

Needlepoint

Dressmaking

Upholstery

Smocking

Patchwork

Applique

Quilting

Weaving

Rag rugging...

....BUY THIS BOOK!

Retail Therapy, Part 3

I was given a great opportunity last year to sell my knitted baubles through the cafe where I work, no commission, no strings, just put the baubles on the tree, see if they sell and keep the profits. Brilliant!

I bought the wool....

I did the designs....

 

I knitted as though my life depended on it....

When the festive season rolled around I labelled them individually, and hung them on the tree...

And four days later not one of them had been sold but 9 of them had been nicked!

If they'd been on the tree all christmas and hadn't sold I'd have been a little disappointed, but no harm done. For so many of them to have been taken and in such a short time, that just made me sad. I probably served those people drinks!

I took the rest of them off the tree after that. And it made me wonder, if as a crafts person you take your work to a craft fair or market and you are the victim of 'stall-lifting', is there a way of recouping your losses? Is there an insurance you can put in place to deal with these events? Perhaps this is the kind of thing I should have already looked into but, to be honest, I never expected that it would happen to me. Naive? Perhaps.

Has anyone else had an experience like this? I hope not, and I hope you never do, because it feels horrible, and there's nothing you can do about it. Unless you fit all your handmade goods with tracking devices, or tiny explosives that you can detonate remotely when you know they've been stolen. But that's a little extreme.

Oh well, at least someone, somewhere had a beautifully baubled tree, even if they didn't pay for it.

Retail Therapy, Part 2

In Christmases past I have tried to be superwoman and make all my gifts, or at least make one thing for each of my immediate family. I enjoy being able to make something specific for someone and know that it's exactly what they'd like and when time isn't an issue it's well worth the effort. But sometimes there just isn't time, and that was the case this Christmas. Instead I resolved to buy each of my family something handmade, and support my fellow designer-makers. Here are my handmade Christmas Highlights:

Both of these beautiful items are by Chatty Nora, a graphic designer based near York. The tote bags she makes are all so beautiful, it took me an age to choose one for my older sister, but as we are a family of cat lovers I think any one of them would have been perfect. I particularly liked the scrolling Art Nouveau text on this one. The Jane Austen quote poster was for my younger sister, and the picture here doesn't show just how much work went into it. All her posters are hand drawn in pen, so each one is unique, and I can't imagine the time that must take, I certainly couldn't have found anything better for my Austen addict sister!

This lovely sock yarn from DyeSpinKnitUK is hand dyed by Kerry, a fellow Merseyside Etsy Team member, and with another skein I bought, made the perfect present for my Mum, who's been knitting and crafting for as long as I can remember.
The colours in the yarns are so beautiful, and there's lots more amazing colours in her Etsy shop, it was hard not to choose things for myself while I was shopping for gifts!

I had a similar problem when I went to Landbaby, so much to look at and so much to want! It might sound odd but I always forget to look up in shops, eye level is buy level as the saying goes. I thought I'd seen everything there was to see  and was struggling to choose, and then I glanced up at the top shelves and saw so much more!   I managed to restrain myself though and only came away with presents, a lovely pink felt brooch by Love Ruby Red, and some amazing birdie hair slides by Layla Amber for my friend Jo. I don't have a picture of them but here's some lovely budgie studs, and you can see other lovely illustrated items in Landbaby or in her Etsy shop.

I'll admit I struggled with my Dad, handmade for men is always a little trickier, but I'd seen this for sale from one of the exhibitors at the Liverpool Design Festival, and it seemed just the thing, not handmade but definitely not high street either, a happy compromise!

Next time, a tale of retail woe....

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas all, I hope it was a joyful time for everyone! I have had a brief but welcome break from the day job, and recovered from the furious making I was doing for the rounds of the Christmas fairs (more on which later).
But that's not to say I've been idle; in the last two weeks I've squeezed in a bit of selfish knitting (a lovely stripey snood, all for me!)...

....finished 2 dresses for a customer, with a bag to match, altered a vintage dress of my own that's been on the to do list for ages......

....and after a Christmas Day walk on the beach....

...successfully made a feast for me and my boyfriend on our first ever Christmas away from the parents, including Delia's Boeuf en Croute, which I chose to wrap like pressies, with bows and everything! (stopped short of making individual pastry gift tags with our name on)....

All in all a very productive time!