May 10, 2008
This is The News
It's a bit disappointing, but I've withdrawn from the agreement to produce a book of my work. The intentions were good, but the timing was bad. I have enough keeping me awake at night without worrying about my lack of progress towards deadlines. It would have been glorious to see a beautiful, glossy hardback with my name on it. A book would likely have opened many doors - and I admit that part of me feels like a dismal failure.
Another part, however, knows surely that as one door closes another opens, and this is the right decision. As soon as it was made, I felt a huge weight had lifted from my shoulders. And of course, I still have all the work I had done so far (including patterns for Daisy, Tiggy, a lace stole designed for a bride, a beaded clutch, delicate cotton gloves, a dense cabled cardigan coat and more), which I can publish myself and submit to magazines.
I hope, too, to get back to writing here; sharing the process, and having space to knit other people's patterns, both for me and for my precious boy. I've missed it. Spread too thin - the joy of knitting was in danger of leaving. I have a little work to do to extricate myself from a mild funk, but I hope you'll be here with me.
With love,
anna
x
Posted by Anna at 08:55 AM | Comments (66)
May 05, 2008
Daisy pattern
To fit size: 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 48, 52) inches
Finished size: 33.5 (36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46.5, 50.5, 54.5) inches
For days which appear, through a window, glorious, but on venturing out are found to be cooled by a breeze. Elbow length sleeves, v-necked, invisible fastening and fabric binding to back neck.
Knit in Rowan Wool Cotton, a 50% wool/50 % cotton blend with a stated tension of 22-24sts x 30-32 rows over 4 inches. 50gm (113 metres (123 yards) x 9 (10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) balls.
Skills: Knit and purl stitches, slipped stitches, working a hem, increases, decreases, yarnovers, sewn buttonloops, sewn-on binding
NB: Read more about the method used for sewing the buttonholes here.
£3.50 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 1.8Mb
For more photos, see my previous entry here
Continue reading "Daisy pattern"
Posted by Anna at 06:36 PM | Comments (4)
April 24, 2008
Holly pattern .pdf
I've had a number of enquiries about patterns which used to live at Magknits - I've today added a link to download a .pdf to this post, and will add .pdfs of Argyle and Sally in the near future.
While I'm on: those who have told me 'a friend will give me a copy of (pattern x)' please know that your friend, while charitable to you, is actually in breach of my copyright - perhaps now, the friend will direct you to my website where you can find this and many other patterns available for download. My free patterns are offered to be knit, but not distributed without my prior permission. I know this sounds persnickety, and there's no way for it not to, but if knitwear designers do not have our copyright, then truly we do not have much at all.
There have been some changes at Raitte Hall and I'm itching to update and spring clean the site. It's looked like this for years now, and it's high time we moved some furniture around. Also, stay tuned next week for an exciting new pattern release - a favourite from the archives. You won't want to miss it.
Posted by Anna at 12:14 PM | Comments (12)
March 25, 2008
Verse for spring
I saw a jolly hunter
With a jolly gun,
Walking in the country
In the jolly sun.
In the jolly meadow
Sat a jolly hare,
Saw the jolly hunter,
Took jolly care.
Hunter jolly eager -
Sight of jolly prey,
Forgot gun pointing
Wrong jolly way.
Jolly hunter jolly head
Over heels gone,
Jolly old safety catch
Not jolly on.
Bang went the jolly gun.
Hunter jolly dead.
Jolly hare got clean away,
'Jolly good', I said.
Posted by Anna at 11:31 AM | Comments (10)