Lapwing

Been a little silent for awhile, mainly because I've been enjoying sharing through Instagram more plus working at A Good Yarn keeps me pretty busy. Please do come say hi on Instagram.

A Good Yarn is moving at the end of this month and the grand re-opening is going to be on Saturday September 2. You're all invited. I've done all the artwork for the logos and the invites and love how they've turned out.

I've just released a new pattern for sale on Ravelry. Lapwing - Buy Now

It’s a very versatile shawl pattern, it can be made with any weight yarn and you just keep knitting until it’s the size you want. It's quite a simple design - perfect for TV knitting. There’s details in the pattern for optional beading too. Once you get passed the initial point then it's essentially just a 2 row pattern except for adding in the picots. The picots make blocking on wires super easy as all you need to do is run the wires through them all and you're done.

The multi-coloured sample is made from Louisa Harding Amitola in Elvira 124 and takes 2 balls. It takes about 370m to make it this size but it's very adaptable and you just do more or less repeats.

The pink sample is made in Debbie Bliss Rialto 4 Ply and again the sample took 2 balls.

We've been running a KAL in the shop for this pattern, so please feel free to share any progress or finished object photos - either in the Facebook group or on Ravelry.

Here's a link for the A Good Yarn facebook group. Even if you're not a shop customer, everyone is welcome to join the group - it's like an online knit and natter. Hope to see you there.

Medley...

I did get a few nice knitting bits for Christmas, mainly books this year.

I'm really loving all of these.

From left to right - Botanical Knits 2 by Alana Dakos, New Lace Knitting by Romi Hill, Sock Architecture by Lara Neal and Knitsonik Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook by Felicity Ford.

The first two are pattern books and there are some really beautiful ones included.

Knitsonik is a self published book that is just gorgeous and really interesting. I've really enjoyed reading this one.

The Sock Architecture book is very good and I think my favourite one, since it's the one I've used the most so far. I've started a toe up Dydas with the leftover WYS yarn from my Holly socks.

A lot of the patterns have toe up and toe down versions. There are options for different toe lengths and whether you want gussets or not. There's a lot of info and you could easily use the patterns as bases for putting your own patterns onto.

Over New Year, I started a stash busting shawl. Here's the pile of yarn I had to play with.

I worked out which colours I had enough of from other people's project pages but at the moment I'm not really in love with the colour combination in the shawl. I liked it before I started knitting. It might be because it's a departure to what I normally like - I tend to be drawn to brights, blues and yellows. I'm going to finish and block, then make up my mind. The pattern is Exploration Station by Stephen West - I seem to be on a bit of a Stephen West kick at the moment as that's the 3rd one in a row. Though I think it's because there's a lot of garter stitch involved (which I do love) and they are great for watching the TV at the same time.

I'm going to try and keep a list of exactly how much yarn I've used for each section, so others can use it if they want to do the same. I'll put all the details on my Ravelry Project Page.

New Year

Hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas and New Year. I enjoyed mine though glad to be back to some semblance of normality.

I’ve got a few projects to share that I gave as Christmas presents.

Actually, the first one wasn't a present but I didn’t get around to blogging about it. This one was for me.

I started on a weekend away as I thought it would be one of those really easy travelling projects. It was a very simple pattern. I worked it in one colour but I’ve seen some nice multi-coloured versions about.

The yarn is Posh Yarn Martha Sock and the pattern is Dotted Rays by Stephen West. There’s something about it that bugs me a bit but you’ll have to spot it for yourself. Here’s my Ravelry Project Page.

This little one was a Christmas present for my new godson. I’ve made this one before for another friend and it went down well. I did it in about a week before I had to give them the presents so was a bit rushed. The pattern is a Sirdar one and the yarn is Rico Baby Classic DK. Here's my Ravelry Project Page.

I only managed to snap this one photo of the mitts. I’ll try and get some modelled ones but Mum got these for Christmas. The yarn was one I got two Christmases ago from my Mum and I think she picked her favourite colour, so it was only fair to make something for her and give it back!

The pattern is Tatara by Olga Buraya-Kefelian. It has short rows around the wrist section that allows the fabric to rib up. It’s very clever and interesting enough to knit. The yarn is Loft by Brooklyn Tweed which is very nice and creates quite a spongy fabric, though you have to treat it gently because the style of yarn means it does break if you give it a tug. Here's the Ravelry Project Page.

This was the big hit of Christmas. Mum absolutely loves it and has been showing it to everyone.

It’s the MKAL by Westknits and I kept seeing all these stunning photos of shawls around Instagram. I had no intention of doing it as I was a bit under pressure work wise but I was tempted in the end. I ended up stash diving and using some yarns that were intended for other projects but they went so nicely together. The green is Drops Alpaca, the beige is the original Baa Ram Ewe Titus and the lovely dark brown is Fyberspates Vivacious 4ply. Doodler by Stephen West. Here's my Ravelry Project Page. I kept a list on my project page on how much I used of each yarn in each section, which might be useful to those planning on making one (Nicki!).

The final project was for me and it’s my Christmas socks. The yarn was the limited edition Christmas one from West Yorkshire Spinners and the pattern was free with the yarn. Here's my Ravelry Project Page.

Antipodes

I have a new favourite shawl. The pattern is Antipodes by Libby Jonson aka Truly Myrtle. Ravelry project page. Libby has some really lovely patterns – I really like her style and all the patterns all seem very wearable to me. Check them out

The pattern was a pleasure to knit from start to finish. It’s worked from point to point, so you just increase until just under half of your yarn has been used then decrease to the point. It’s great for getting the most out of one skein of 4 ply.

I used Titus 4 ply in Harvest Gold by Eden Cottage Yarns. Looking at my past blog posts, I bought it at Woolfest all the way back in 2012. I’d been saving it for just the right project. I’m very happy I used it for this and the colour is just so rich.

The skein I used was quite generous at 110g, so I was able to work 29 repeats of the main part of the pattern.

I really love this and have been wearing it lots.

FO: Follow Your Arrow KAL

Not my latest finished object but it’s taken me awhile to get around to blogging about it. I mentioned before that I was partaking in Ysolda’s Follow Your Arrow knitalong this year. Project page here.

I used Sparkleduck Solo which is a lovely yarn. A very vivid sea green colour and has lovely stitch definition.

I managed to keep up with the KAL. I do like knitalongs, as each section is in a bitesize piece. I managed to complete the first 3 clues in an evening and the 4th and 5th in 2 evenings, so it didn’t take up too much of my knitting time.

Each clue has an arrow theme. I did clues BABBB plus the extension chart and 4 repeats of Rows 3 & 4. I liked the choices I made with the clues, though I think after seeing all the other shawls, I prefer the smocking chevrons on clue 3 instead of the little arrows. The little arrows are still very cute, I just think the design would have more cohesion with the chevron. At the time, I’d just completed the Rendevouz Shawl, which has quite a bit of smocking type stitches in it, so I went for something different.

Anyway, I took lots and lots of pictures of the shawl, so here is just a small selection.

Catch Up #3

This time it’s shawls.

I’ve finished the 3rd Fine Donegal Shawl. I liked knitting with the yarn but 3 shawls meant over 3km of knitting the same thing. I'm glad I can have a bit of variety back in my knitting. I blogged about it last here. Ravelry project page.

The other shawl that I’ve recently finished is one I started last February and didn’t pick up again until December. It’s quite an intensive pattern – lace and twisted stitches on both sides. This make a beautifully intricate texture but not good for talking or watching TV. I think this might be the reason it's not been on the top of my to do list. The pattern is Rendevouz by Lily Go. The yarn was pure heaven - Gretchen Heavy Lace by Posh Yarn.

The only thing that I’d wished I’d done differently was make the next size up so I could have used the yarn up.