Spun Gold…

My Ostrich Plume Stole is finished (and had a successful ‘posh’ first outing too!)

The stitch pattern was incredibly easy to memorise – which is always a bonus but doesn’t mean it’s free from mistakes, obviously…

The gold Fyberspates Lace weight yarn was a dream to work with and the colour sang out from the depths of my knitting bag as it accompanied me here, there and everywhere! This was knitting with a deadline after all… the family wedding with the slightly scruffy ‘vintage’ (read second-hand-up-cycled!) dress, the shiny new shoes (orange!) and the finishing touch – the ta-da flourish – the gold stole! It was, amazingly, finished, ends woven in and steam blocked with a whole 4 days to spare! I am wondering if maybe I have been abducted by aliens it’s so unlike me not to work right up to (and possibly beyond) an important deadline

The outfit was declared a success, the stole garnered the odd compliment (without casting a shadow over the bridesmaids who were resplendent in purple!) and it will be a welcome addition to my Autumn wardrobe for it is light, airy and the perfect length to accessorise my usual – slightly less posh – jeans and scruffy t-shirt!

All details ‘ravelled’ here

Gold silk… made with love

A little something rolled off the needles last week…

It is always a real pleasure to knit with Amanda’s amazing Natural Dye Studio yarns, especially the wonderful Precious silk which is truly a very special experience.

This simple lace scarf (Ravelry link) was a gift for my mum, whose birthday was this past weekend. A while on the needles, it was a pleasure to turn to it when simple, soothing knitting was required after a busy day. An easily memorised pattern repeat meant not too much ‘tinking’ (although obviously I was still making mistakes an inch from the end!!) and hopefully some of the calm moments making it will stay within it… it’s been a trying year throughout our extended family with plenty of stress, sadness & worry but the safe arrival of my wonderful niece 7 weeks ago (who I finally got to cuddle at the weekend!) hopefully signalled the start of a healthier, happier, more peaceful time.

Mum ‘doesn’t do wool’ – it terrorises her sensitive skin and she can’t wear it anywhere but especially not near her neck. I think I may be able to show her that some of our finest merino wools are not the itchy, scratchy ‘wool’ that she has in mind but that’s a mission for another day! In the meantime, I hope she enjoys this touch of silky luxury…

Perfect knitting weather…

Well… the weather has been perfect this week and we’re obviously still knitting!

Aside from casting on for a chunky tweed cardigan for Chris (the first ever!) of which you’ll hear more later this week, my thoughts are turning to lighter weight, airy knits. Lace knitting will be perfect for whiling away the hours I intend to spend sipping cold ginger beer in the dappled shade of the birch tree in our garden (well, a girl can dream can’t she!) Obviously the children will be playing delightful, harmonious games (quietly) while I do this and not demanding endless drinks, snacks and falling out over what to play and whose turn it is to be Yoda (!) while simultaneously falling off bikes, out of trees and into patches of stinging nettles!

Because some of you might actually be living my dream we’ve got a fabulous offer on our favourite lace weight yarns and the needles to match… Until the end of April (Saturday 30th) lace yarns from Fyberspates, Natural Dye Studio, Austermann, Rowan, Noro & Manos del Uruguay are all 15% off. There’s also 15% off Addi Lace Circular needles, the perfect tools for delicate projects in luxurious yarns…

Just one little cloud in a blue blue sky…

Well, Enid is almost finished bar some jigging around with the neck, weaving in ends and blocking… Now we’ve hit mid-summer I wonder how many weeks it will languish before those final finishing touches are applied – ahem!!

Having worked with the gorgeous Alpaca 4 ply for so many weeks and with the arrival of some much needed summer weather I had been contemplating a little ‘lighter’ knitting for my next project. Enter Cloud…

This cake of dreamy Merino Silk lace weight from the Natural Dye Studio in a subtle heathery shade of dusky pinky beige is destined to become a gorgeous Annis shawl. As soon as this pattern appeared as a Knitty ‘surprise’ recently I knew it would be on the needles before long.  A nice, lightweight, airy knit for hot summer days spent lounging under a tree (well, a girl can dream!) and hopefully complete in time for cooler evenings when its Merino warmth will be just the thing…

Casting on 363 stitches ‘German’ style was challenging but the first few rows of the lace pattern are settling into a nice rhythm and I have a good feeling about Annis. I’ll keep you in the loop!

Mmmm… the sun is shining!

After a long cold Winter and Spring full of woolly hats and mittens, of cold noses and frozen toes the sun is finally with us! Throwing off the woollies for a couple of months, the pleasure of bare feet in long grass and freezing sea water – I love summer! The only dilemma is what to knit!! Nothing too heavy to carry to picnics and beach trips, nothing that has no prospect of being rapturously worn the moment it’s off the needles… So, we move to lightweight yarns and airy wraps and shawls, cotton vests and cardigans.

Top of my list of new yarn to get to grips with this sunny season is the brand new Manos Lace. A mix of baby Alpaca, Silk & Cashmere this is truly luxurious and although the fibres are certainly woolly they’re fine and light and airy.

Just a selection of the beautiful shades available.

If you’ve not tackled lace knitting before then don’t be put off by the resemblance to embroidery floss! Lots of patterns abound that require just one skein of this wonderful yarn and remember, it’s just knit and purl

I’m thinking this, or maybe one of these to start with?