Seeing Red

Weather!

What a Winter it has been. We have had temperatures in February reaching 18 degrees Celsius and now in April we have snow showers and sharp frosts here in some parts of the UK. 

One thing that will always come in useful during the cold spells in the winter months are some bright, warm accessories and I have been experimenting with yarns and reds. 

I had already started, and wanted to finish, Veiled which is by Martin Storey and was in Rowan Magazine 62. It is a scarf in moss stitch which buttons up to create a continuous loop. It uses Rowan Kid Classic in 847 Cherry Red. The Kid Classic is made up of loosely woven strands which can split easily when knitting. I found the recommended beads fit very snuggly when strung on the yarn and was causing damage to the wool so I opted for applying them with a thin crochet hook as I went along instead. The wool does give a good stitch definition and the scarf is very warm and pretty to wear.

Next I decided to try some Di Gilpin wool and she had a pattern for Seol Gansey Mittens which used one ball of the Lalland 100% Scottish wool in 50gram balls. The pattern was easy to follow (except for the times I kept going wrong because I have terrible powers of concentration) and the finished mittens were absolutely beautiful. I loved using the wool although I know lots of people found it very splitty (much like the Rowan) as it is made up of loosely woven threads but blunt ended knitting needles will help with that problem. The pattern definition this wool gives is superb.

Pattern, 100% Scottish Lambswool and shade card all from Di Gilpin

My final foray into red yarn was also to try a new, to me, wool which was Rowan Moordale  and I made The Buckler Hat also by Martin Storey. This was a beautiful traditional wool with an added softness achieved by blending it with  very soft alpaca. Technically then it  would be described as a skein yarn rather than a skein of wool.   70% wool and 30% alpaca in 100g skeins. The hat took one skein of yarn and I used smaller than recommended needles to achieve a tighter gauge and I also knitted a deeper ribbed section which I folded back on itself to make a less slouchy bobble hat. I used a Toft Alpaca pom pom which I bought at the Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia. I loved knitting this hat and am so pleased with the finish. You have to pay attention to the stitch Martin uses which is similar to brioche where you knit one below because unravelling will be very difficult if you go wrong. 

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring some British yarns and wools and the lovely cheerful reds have resulted in some gorgeous Winter accessories. 

It is good to finally get back to blogging as Instagram seems to have overtaken how I have been sharing my crafting life but there is no time for more detail there so I have enjoyed sharing in a little more depth with you some of my finishes so far in 2019.

Off the Needles

::A flurry of activity over the past couple of months has seen quite a few projects flying off my needles::

::Avana by Annie Rowden was lovely and quick to knit with an unusual construction::I used the natural undyed Ullcentrum DK/Worsted for a lovely summer cover up::

::Then there was the very pretty Kiva Beach Shawl by Yellowcosmo::I was so taken by basilandbelle's Coast to Coast Kiva Beach Shawl test knit that I made an exact copy::the Mabel & Ivy Coast Merino and Cotton 3ply yarn was absolutely wonderful to knit with and I have plans for more knitting with it::It has a beaded lace section which I achieved by threading the beads onto the yarn and introducing them at knit stitches on the right side::

::Now, of course, it is Tour de Fleece::I am in the Fondant Fibre team::We have to use her fibre which is absolutely never going to be a problem::Punis in the Silent Movie colour way in merino, kid mohair and sparkle, were my first stage of the race::we are spinning every day that the Tour de France is on and resting on their rest days::there are prizes on the Ravelry groups for several aspects of spinning::

::having spun 100g I could not wait to start knitting a project and have decided on a pair of Victoria wrist warmers by Louisa Harding from her book Knitting Little Luxuries:: 

::Everyone seemed to be knitting the Waterlily from Pom Pom Quarterly magazine::so I did too::

::I also visited Cowslip Farm near Launceston on my way home from a trip to Mevagissey in Cornwall::I fell in love with this little pillow and made one for myself::

::My free gift from my Rowan subscription in the Winter was Big Wool and a Wickery Cowl pattern by Diana Krawchuk and it was quick and easy to knit::

 ::Dani of Little Bobbin Knits organised a swap and we had to send a mug cosy and tea to another participant::I had fun knitting a cosy, coaster and teabag holder for Emily and she sent me a lovely package with a beautiful blue cosy in return::

::Here is the finished result of my fat quarter tote::I absolutely love it::And it's purple handles are just perfect for the fabric::

::A double gold star for my Fancy Silk Sock for a Child by Nancy Bush at the Essex Federation of Women's Institues Summer Show at RHS Hyde Hall::

::More sewing and a lovely Washi Tape Dress in a Swiss lawn cotton::very happy to have found something simple but pretty to sew::

::Spurred on by my success I made this charming little Sailor Top in a cotton fabric::

::I am off to Shetland to join in a wool holiday and there was a free bobble hat pattern that I adapted to make this cute head band::it is very windy there::they are having the coldest summer since 1947::thank goodness I am a knitter::

::the road trip to Cornwall saw me making a start on the Lus by Mer Stevens from the Spring Pom Pom Quarterly::it will be a long knitting 'trip' for this one::

::And what would a knitting life be without a little stash enhancement::And a little reading too::

::Whatever your summer brings you I hope it includes some handicraft work or some reading::

::Teresa::