Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet projects This week I've been knitting socks. My friend Hazel gave me some lovely sock wool (king cole, Zig Zag) I love knitting socks, they are relatively easy to do, don't take too long and are a great way to try new stitches and techniques. The skills you need to know to try a sock are to knit, purl, decrease and pick up and knit. So why not give it a go. I still have some spaces on my Autumn courses so please look at the website for more details http://www.woollyhattie.co.uk/workshops
Oooh something big is coming to my needles
Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet projects. This week I have picked up the aran sock I started in June. I had got distracted by other bigger projects but now I can focus some time on this sock. It is quite complicated, a 34 row aran pattern using travelling twisted cables. So I do have to concentrate, not a knit for doing while watching the TV. The yarn is gorgeous, merino and cashmere, and the colour is so bright. The yarn feels so luscious and I certainly won't loose these in the sock draw.
I am planning my next big project. It's a Fair Isle style jumper from Rowan 66 book designed by Arne and Carlos. It's for my Mr W's nephew who will be forty in December. I'll be going off to choose the yarn as soon as I have Simon's measurements and preferred colour. I love fair isle or stranded knitting technique and this one should be nice and snuggly as it's knitting in Rowan felted tweed.
My evening crochet class is just about full but I have spaces in my day time class and for the learn to knit class. Contact me if you want to reserve a space. For more details go to my website http://www.woollyhattie.co.uk/workshops
Stash busting basket weave
Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet projects. This week I have been making a cushion cover using a crochet basket weave stitch. It uses post stitches which gives a lovely textured pattern to a plain fabric. My cushions will compliment the colourfull throw I made earlier. I'm also doing some Christmas knitting. Some fair Isle Christmas stockings using lovely West Yorkshire Spinners colour lab DK. This is great for fair isle or stranded knitting as the 100% wool is 'sticky' and creates a firm fabric. Some smoother yarns can leave holes in this type of knitting. It's rather cool today so I am wearing a cotton top I knitted a few years ago. It's a rowan pattern and I used Rowan Handknit cotton. It knitted up really well and is just right for a cooler summer day. My crochet courses are filling up. I have more space on the afternoon sessions. If you want to book on any of my knitting and crochet courses please contact me. Join me tomorrow (Thursday 19 August) at 11 am for some alfresco knit and natter.
Planning for Christmas in August
Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet project. I've just finished my new summer top. It's from the latest Rowan magazine 69 called Ronnie. I'm really pleased with it especially as I made quite a few alternations to the pattern. I often use patterns for inspiration rather than following in them to the letter. On this project I knitted it to the actual size I prefer, used a different yarn than recommend, changed the neckline and length. I'm rather pleased with the finished project and will be wearing it a lot. So one project finished time for a new project. I've just bought some West Yorkshire Spinners colour lab yarn to make some Christmas stockings for two special boys. I'm using good quality yarn as hopefully these will be a keepsake for many years. I'm really looking forward to making these, I'm using a pattern that can mix and match motifs and fair isle patterns. I have three more knit and natters, tomorrow and the next two Thursdays. Just bring yourself and your project and I will provide refreshments and cake. My new classes start in October so I'll also be preparing for these. More details on my web site. http://www.woollyhattie.co.uk/workshops
The joys of knitting outside
Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet projects. I'm hosting some alfresco knit and natter session in August, one on Friday 6 August and then the following Thursdays all at 11 am. All sessions free, I will provide drinks and cake, just bring yourself and your project. I've nearly finished my Ronnie top from the latest Rowan Magazine. I'm using Sirdar linen drap I bought last year in a sale. Don't forget I have new classes starting in October. Each four week course you learn a stitch or technique and I give you a small project to help you practice and perfect it. If you book before 15 August you get £5 off. For more details of all my courses go to www. woollyhattie.co.uk
Special Olymic edition of Woolly Hat's wednesday wips
Welcome to Woolly Hat's Wednesday wip, my weekly ramblings about my knitting and crochet projects This week is an Olympic special celebrating the first olympics in Much Wenlock and the games in Tokyo. The Much Wenlock games inspired the setting up of the international games that we know and love today. Many of the activities were the athletic type we are used to but they also had prizes for knitting. How fab is that. Well done to Tom Daley for not only winning gold but also knitting himself a cover for his medal. Inspired by this I have dug out my own medals and I'm inspired to knit myself a medal cover. If you'd like to learn to knit or crochet your own medal cover book on to one of my new courses starting in October. Book before the 8 August and you get £5 off. http://www.woollyhattie.co.uk/workshops
Just the weather for washing my handknits
Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet projects This week I've been crocheting cushion covers to complement the throw I finished last week. I'm using plain colours and a feather filled cushion pad. And I'm using up more stash. I've also been washing my hand knits. The warm weather is ideal for drying them. Remember use luke warm water, a gentle detergent, rinse thoroughly and dry flat on a towel. You can also make an repairs like I will have to on my lovely bamboo top. Don't forget that I am giving a £10 discount on my learn to knit course if you book before 8 August http://www.woollyhattie.co.uk/workshops#/learntoknit
So many ends to weave in
Welcome to my weekly ramblings on my knitting and crochet projects.
Today I'm focusing on my spiral granny square blanket. I've nearly finished so I'm having a concerted effort to finish the few squares I need, sew them up and then complete the border. The spiral squares are made using three colours in turn to build up the spiral before finishing off with a corners to make the square. The pattern using six colours making six different squares. The amazing affect is made by sewing them up the in the right order. I found that making small balls of yarn helps to reduce the twisting of the yarn while crocheting the square. It's always important to control your balls of yarn! The pattern is Rainbow galaxy blanket by Hannah Martin available on Ravelry
Going around in spirals
Well I managed to get my Wednesday wip done on a Wednesday. I'm back in Woolly Hat towers after two weeks of travelling and reflecting on my holiday crochet and knitting projects.
The Aran sock is taking up a lot more effort than I'd anticipated- I have to concentrate to decide where I am on the 34 row pattern. I've decided to do some more rows on my spiral crochet blanket. and I'm making good progress on my Ronnie cotton top.
On my return from holiday I had a couple of magazines. It struck me that both knitting and crochet trends include mosaic type work using textured stitches. May be a topic from some workshops in the autumn.
What day is it again?
Well what a nana I am. I was so busy down the allotment I forgot to do my Wednesday wip. So one day late here is what I'm up to.
I finished the socks for Mr W. I used pure blue faced Leicester sock yarn from Ewe and Ply based in Oswestry, Shropshire. It was lovely to knit with and will keep Mr W's toes warm on our forthcoming camping trip. The contrasting colour is West Yorkshire Spinners blue faced Leicester sock yarn with nylon. We're off visiting friends and relatives next week so I will be taking a new knitting project to work on. I'm using Sirdar linen mix to knit one of the lovely cotton tops from the latest Rowan magazine. It should be a nice easy knit.
I'll also be working on my spiral granny blanket. I've nearly finished all the squares but there is a lot of sewing up to do and weaving in ends.
And you never know I might take a sock to work on as well