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Archives for April 2013

Moss Stitch Fingerless Mittens

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When I was planning these fingerless mittens, I remembered the astrakhan mittens that my mum wore when I was a small girl in the late 60s. I remember loving the soft textural top of the mittens contrasted with the plainer suede of the palm. This was the effect I wanted to capture for these fingerless gloves with the textural moss stitch on the cuffs and the top.

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Moss Stitch is one of the simplest and most attractive textural stitches that I know. I love the way the stitches look as though they slightly skew as the pattern develops.[Read More]

Keeping a Knitting Notebook

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Broken Rib Socks Notes

I love, love, love, the notebook I am using for writing down all my in process notes about the Broken Rib Socks (or any of the other works in progress that I am knitting at the moment). The notebook was created in January when I treated myself to joining the New Beginnings Journal online workshop by Juliana Coles.

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The Knitting Squirrel Ideas 2013 notebook started life as an RSPB spiral bound diary. Making it involved lots of taping with masking tape and painting over the tape. I should have used more decoration on the pages but I wanted to retain plenty of writing space. The wonderful thing about this notebook is what a pleasure it is to write in. I quickly started using it for my works in progress. I’ve even found myself using the images to influence colour choices for new projects.[Read More]

Heather Socks featuring Strong Heel

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I first read about the Strong Heel in a discussion a few years ago on the Socknitters Group on Yahoo. As I love to try different ways of knitting heels, I thought it would be fun to try this one. The Strong Heel is named after the lady who designed the heel Gerdine Crawford-Strong. The heel technique was first published in Knitter’s Magazine, Fall 2003, Issue 72. This issue seems impossible to find.

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Later I read the pattern Uzu by Mary the Hobbit published in the online magazine Knitty. On reading this I was a little disappointed to find it was a toe up pattern and I wanted cuff down instructions for this heel. Continuing my search, I found the clearly written instructions Easier Socks with the Strong Heel by Aaron Clark. These instructions were written for Fibre Camp Boston where he taught a class.[Read More]

Wrapping Your Hand Knit Gift

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Some people are absolutely amazing when it comes to wrapping their beautiful hand knit presents. They are inventive and creative. Wonderful papercraft artists.

I do not profess to be one of these tallented people. But, having said that, it is worthwhile making an effort when wrapping a handmade gift, to make the experience of giving and receiving extra special.

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Oriel Scarf and the Kingdom of Oriel

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Oriel Pattern

I first read the Oriel Pattern in Barbara G. Walker’s “A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns” published by Schoolhouse Press. I thought this lovely pattern would be perfect for the gorgeous skein of Halycon yarn hand dyed by Flamboyance Yarns which was in my stash. This is a wonderful 50% silk and 50% merino wool yarn. Another wonderful choice of yarn is the KS Merino Silk 4ply.

Oriel-Scarf-1web[Read More]

How to Knit Your First Sock – Part 4

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The final part of the How to Knit Your Sock series looks at knitting the foot, shaping the toe, grafting the toe, finishing and blocking your new socks.

This series on knitting a sock in four step by step articles is aimed at someone who is knitting their first sock.

Finished Step by Step sock

  • Part 1: you covered the anatomy of a sock, knitting the cuff and the leg section.
  • Part 2: you learn how to knit a strengthened heel flap which gives comfort and helps lengthen the lifespan of your hand knit sock and finally, turn your sock heel.
  • Part 3: shows how to set up for the gusset and gusset shaping.

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