Latest News, Knits and Kits

The awful weather has continued since my last newsletter but, rumour has it, that we are due to experience temperatures in the 20's this week. The sun actually shone yesterday and my car temperature gauge reached 11.5 degrees so perhaps the forecast is going to be correct. It has been a long, wet and grey start to the year and some blue skies would be much appreciated!

Porcelain Sweater knitted in Studio Linen by Erika Knight

It may even get warm enough to wear my finished Erika Knight 'Porcelain' sweater in Studio Linen. I am really pleased with the finished garment and whilst it was originally knitted for Alice, I think this may be one to share......in fact, there are so many other lovely colours in the studio linen that I think I will definitely be making another one. I originally thought that the V-neck may be a little too low but, as it is rarely warm enough not to wear a tee shirt in Yorkshire, this sweater is the perfect cover-up and would be great for evenings abroad when the temperature drops. You can purchase the yarn and pattern together in the Erika Knight Porcelain kit we have put together for your convenience.

Jampa sweater by Marie Wallin knitted in Rowan's Softyak DK

One of my favourite cardigans from Rowan is the Jampa pattern knitted in Rowan's Softyak DK. The cardigan looks great either dressed up or down and is available in a beautiful range of soft colours. This is a really lovely yarn to knit with and is composed of 76% cotton, 15% yak and 9% nylon which gives the yarn a stunningly soft handle. According to Rowan the yarn is also 'static resistant and anti-microbial' which apparently keeps fabric fresher for longer!

This was one of the garments featured in the article by The Yorkshire Post and having received a lot of interest in it, we have put together a Jampa kit for those interested in making it for themselves. The pattern usually costs £3 to download but it is available for free if you purchase the kit.This garment is one that will be suitable for all seasons and occasions so I can highly recommend it as a knitting project.

Puddle getting comfy amongst our striped cushions

Over the last couple of weeks I have also finished off the trio of striped cushions:  Hipster, Retro and Classic. The garter stitch cushion kit has been one of our most popular and this pattern introduces coloured stripes in stocking stitch on one side and moss stitch on the reverse and so provides a very easy project for those starting to knit. Each cushion is knitted with 4 balls of Erika Knight's 25g balls of British Blue wool and 2 hanks of her Vintage wool.

Erika Knight supports British wool and manufacturing and her British Blue is derived from the renowned Blue Faced Leicester sheep whilst her vintage wool comes from Masham sheep. Both yarns are excellent quality and the knitted covers provide an easy way to give old cushion pads a new lease of life. The covers are designed to fit 16in/40cm square pads which are easy to find and purchase on Ebay. I seem to have plenty of cushions which are looking rather tired and knitted covers are an easy way to update your décor.

I was going to finish off and show you the completed Debbie Bliss project I have made for my niece but, as my daughter pointed out, perhaps Eleanor should see it first and so that will have to wait for another newsletter....

As usual, I have a very long list of projects that I want to make for the new season - I need to cheer myself up with thoughts of better weather by knitting with summer-weight yarns in anticipation of sunshine yet to come. Up until today, I have been wearing my winter woollies and I definitely feel the need for a change.

Those who know me also know that I love books of all genres and that I already have a fantastic collection of knitting publications. However, I could not resist the new 'completely revised and updated' Vogue Knitting - The Ultimate Knitting Book. I was not disappointed. If you know anyone who is starting to knit and wants a superb reference guide then this is the book for them. 

We were due to run a 'Professional Finishing' Class on April 30th but this date has had to be changed and the class will now take place on June 4th. This is a superb class for anyone who wants to ensure that their finished knits have a professional finish. I used to love the knitting but hated sewing up the finished pieces. Fortunately, my mother used to help me with that when she was alive otherwise I doubt if anything would have been completed. However, having been to a Professional Finishing Class where I was shown how to do mattress stitch, short row shaping for shoulders and various other 'tricks of the trade' I now feel competent enough to finish off the garments to a sufficiently good standard. However, there is always room for improvement and so I will look forward to Melanie's class and I hope you can join me then. The class is held in our studio on the outskirts of Harrogate from 10.00am to 4.00pm. A light lunch and refreshments are included in the price of just £55 for the day.

And finally, for those of you interested in the progress of our new addition, Puddle, I can say that she is an absolute bundle of fun but I had forgotten just how much work a puppy involved! Here is the latest photo - leaving my knitting lying around is definitely no longer an option........!