My knitting this week has been monopolised by writing patterns instead of working on them, but I have managed to fit in a new hat for Terry.
He has been complaining for weeks about how cold his ears are getting while walking the dog so I figured it was my duty, as a knitter, to fix the issue.
I chose Graham by Jennifer Adams, a free pattern knitted in aran weight yarn. It’s a pretty fast knit and is worked completely inside out, which is cool. I have extended the brim since Terry likes his hats pulled down almost over his eyes and folded double.
I will show you the finished hat in a couple of days I expect!
Ok…I’ve been a big bad slacker with my blog lately. Like massively slack. Big bad slacky blogger. Pfft. So here I am to tell you why I’ve been slacking and what I’m gonna do about it. That’s if anyone really cares anymore… Anyhoo, here’s what’s happened since the last time I blogged which was like 6 or 7 months ago apart from the measly happy birthday blog cop-out post.
Since March and my last free pattern release, Pearl, I have released lots of patterns through Let’s Knit magazine. It’s been going pretty well actually. I think I stopped blogging because everything for Let’s Knit is secret. It’s kinda hard to blog about secrets, but what I’ve decided to do is tell you all about the patterns once they’ve been released and show you the process. That way, I can still tell you stuff.
First though, let me run down all the things I’ve released since March 2013.
First there was Anais, my first Kindle cosy from issue 65 of Let’s Knit. This pattern is now available free!
Anais Kindle Cosy
Followed by the Ceres market bag and the Azealia wide-brimmed hat, both in issue 68.
Ceres Market BagAzealia Wide Brimmed Summer Hat
After those I had another two patterns in issue 69 of Let’s Knit. Kelsey – a little girls pinafore dress in sizes 12 months to 6 years, Plus Hyades, a lace work slouchy beanie.
Kelsey Pinafore DressHyades Lace Slouch Beanie
These two were followed by Monroe from issue 71. Monroe is a hat, gloves and cowl set. The cowl pattern is available for free.
Monroe Hat and GlovesMonroe Cowl
Next I was accepted for the designer challenge in Knit Now issue 25. Détour is a French feel Fair Isle beanie with bow to the side.
Détour Fair Isle Beanie Hat
And finally, my first ever garment was selected for issue 72 of Let’s Knit! Carmen is a lace topped cardigan for sizes 8 to 22 (UK sizing).
Carmen Cardigan
Busy busy busy few months and not once did I blog. Wow I’m bad!
So I will tell you all about the design process of these soon – I mean it! And I have a few other things I’d like to start to do. I promise to sort out my blog once and for all.
Ooh also, since March, I have moved house and this also happened:
I got Engaged!
Wedding in 2015 (or never if we can’t save up enough after the house move)
And this happened:
Sansa
Along with our family of 3 cats we now have Sansa. She is a Japanese Akita with a tiny bit of Staffordshire Bull Terrier crossed (Her mum was a Staffy crossed with an Akita, her dad was all Akita). She is now 7 months old and a huge beast! More photos later. I’ll just leave you with the cute.
Yes I am still alive and kicking. I’ve just been so crammed full of stuff to do that this is the first chance I’ve had to do this.
Last year I wrote a post in the New Year about all the patterns I’d achieved over the previous year (2011) and told you all my resolutions for 2012.
So I’ve decided to do the same and to look back at those resolutions and see what I accomplished… (it’s not good, I can tell you!)
So first, here are the patterns I released last year:
That’s fifteen patterns in total this year. There are 3 included in there that were in magazines too so Yay!
All the patterns are available from the pattern link above, except the magazine ones. You would need to buy Let’s Knit magazine for those.
So last years resolutions…let’s have a look:
Resolutions
Lose weight. Every year I have to shift some Xmas fattage.
Continue to write patterns while studying into knitwear design more.
Train myself up properly. I will complete my Knitting workshop and get more handy with the needles.
Blog better. I need to tell you more knitting things. I keep a lot of secrets from you!
Finally,
Get a pattern in a magazine, whether that’s online like Knitty.com or a paper magazine. Maybe make an E-Book or something.
Well, I have recently started a diet about 3 weeks ago, so obviously it didn’t work to well last year.
I did continue to write patterns! I did 15!
I never did work through that knitters workshop thing but I really still should. There is a lot I don’t know, but I learn something new all the time.
I’m a terrible blogger. I admit it. I’ve actually got worse recently since I’ve been too busy with other things. I will try my hardest to blog more though. Honest!
And finally, get a patter in a magazine. I managed that! I got my first pattern in Let’s Knit mag in October 2012 and I have been in every month since. I have designs going in right up to the April issue so far so things are going well on that front. I also released an eBook of five hat designs. You can see it on my pattern page.
This year, I decided:
Lose weight (again! I’ve been dieting 3 weeks though so we’ll see!)
Blog more. (I’m really going to try!)
Get into some other magazines.
Get something on Knitty.com
Design some garments as well as accessories. (I’ve started with that already)
I know that I haven’t blogged in two months and I’m so sorry! Things have been rather hectic over here and I haven’t had time to sit and chill for a moment.
But I am going to do a catch up for you today. There should be (all going well) two posts from me today. The first one is a quick one about Starla. A new hat pattern!
A lace beanie worked in the round
The brim is hemmed with a purled turning point.
The lace is a stitch pattern called “Shooting Star” that has been altered slightly to fit the hat better.
The entire hat is lace work all the way up to the bind off.
This is a beautiful hat and will keep you interested as you knit.
The pattern is only four rows each repeat but it is interesting to see it appear each time.
It makes a textured beanie and something that would definitely be loved!
(PDF download only)
The pattern is originally from the Knit Picks website and can be seen and purchased
by following this link here.
However, the way Knit Picks is set up, if you are not in the USA, you cannot buy
anything from them.
So here is the Ravelry links for everyone else, and people from the USA too.
or see it on Ravelry.
Sizes:
To fit one size: Adult head 22 – 25 inches.
Materials:
2 x 50g/ 123 yards Gloss DK Yarn by Knit Picks in Cranberry
1 Size 4mm (16 in) circular needle
1 Set of size 4mm DPN’s
Tapestry needle
Stitch markers as necessary
20 sts / 32 rows = 4 inches in stocking stitch.
Skills required:
Knit and purl stitches
Knitting in the round
Decreasing and increasing
Making stitches by picking up the running thread between stitches
I have been pretty quiet on here lately because I’ve been busy with secret stuff. Kind of like a super hero but without any actual saving lives or specific costume.
One of the things I’ve been dying to tell you is about Emmeline!
Copyright Let’s Knit Magazine 2012
Around February this year I designed this hat and named it Beau Sancy – after the diamond worth £5million but that’s another story.
It was a picot edged beret with diamonds and a swirling crown. It looked like this when I’d done;
It was knitted in Mirasol Wach’i (1511 Light Blue), which is an aran weight, 10 ply yarn. I really wanted to show you all because I loved it and was super proud but I kept quiet and submitted it to Let’s Knit Magazine instead. They only went and liked it!!
So it has now been released in their October issue. There have been a couple of changes. I switched down to a DK weight (8ply) in the gorgeous Fiberspates Scrumptious DK (yum!) and the name was changed to Emmeline.
I am so happy to finally be in print! Hoorah!
So, although I can’t promise to never keep a secret from you again, since I already have lots of them tucked away in my little brain, I can promise that when I share my secrets they will be good ones! Well, they are if you’re me anyway! Depends how much you care I suppose!
Let’s Knit October issue is out in the shops now for you to buy and knit all the goodies in there, including Emmeline. If you want to have a sneak peak of what else is inside you can check it out here on the Ravelry pattern pages.
An slightly slouched beanie hat worked in the round.
The brim is a folded hem with purl bump.
A purled pattern creates the zig zagging line throughout.
The crown decreases in a crossed section.Chicane is named after the zig zagging pattern.
An ear flap hat worked in the round.
Starting with the ear flaps, the hat is knit from the bottom up.
The top is sewn across and “ears” are stitched in for finishing.
The entire brim has an attached i-cord with four dangling pom poms.
Super cute for winter months.Lain is the main character from an anime, “Serial Experiments: Lain”.
It was one of the first anime’s I watched and, although Lain doesn’t wear
this hat in particular, it reminds me of something she would wear.
A slouchy beanie hat worked in the round.
The brim is worked in a 2 x 1 rib.
It has a spiralling mesh pattern followed by a few rows of stocking stitch.
The crown ends in the stocking stitch pattern using a
simple decreasing rotation.
Ombellifére is the French name of the plant, Cow Parsley.
During a competition to name this hat, Racoonims – a brilliant
French test knitter, said it reminded her of Ombellifére and she won the competition!
Thank you for the pretty name Racoonims!
A large brimmed sun hat worked in the round.
The brim has a folded hem to hold the wire in place.
It has a pretty lace pattern followed by a simple decreasing
stocking stitch section which is broken up by purl ridges.
The crown ends in purl rows.
Aestas is the Roman Goddess of Summer. Unfortunately she is naked
except for some wheat in her hair. I think she needs a sun hat!
He has been complaining for weeks about how cold his ears are getting while walking the dog so I figured it was my duty, as a knitter, to fix the issue.
Kelly menzies designs 