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January 22, 2006
Full disclosure
I confess, there are no instructions for crochet button-covers in the Jess pattern. This is because I do not know crochet, or how I did what I did. I will attempt to deconstruct a crochet button-cover and post a photo-tutorial to help out, unless anyone knows of a decent one in existence?
Edit to add: You'll find a great tutorial for crocheted buttoncovers here – I couldn't hope to do better.
Posted by Anna at 02:40 PM | Comments (9)
Jess pattern
Sizes to fit bust 32-34: [36-38: 40-42: 42-44: 44-46] inches
Finished size: 35: [37: 40: 43: 45] inches
A useful, between-seasons jacket. It's a quick knit on large needles, and there's plenty to keep you interested with the hemmed cuffs, basketweave stitch pattern, buttonholes and integrated button bands. The stitch pattern makes a stretchy fabric which gently hugs, giving the jacket its fit.
Knit in Elle yarns Pure New Wool - an all-purpose superwash merino DK, which knits up at 22 st x 30 rows on 4mm needles. 50gm (100m [109 yards]) 12 [13: 14: 15: 16] balls
Gauge: After blocking, 12 sts and 16 rows in basketweave pattern and yarn held double, to 10 cm (4 inches) using 8 mm (US 11) needles.
Skills: Knit and purl stitches, knitting a hem, slipped stitches, buttonholes, decreases, picking up stitches
You can find a tutorial for easy crocheted buttoncovers here
£3.50 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 1.5Mb
Posted by Anna at 10:00 AM | Comments (10)
January 21, 2006
21st Jan
Thank you so much, everyone, for your kind, comforting words. Mum reads here and I know she will be touched too. Harvey did indeed shuffle off his mortal coil this afternoon (helped, in the end, by the vet), and is already buried in her garden with a new rose bush on top. He was a wonderful pet, gave so much happiness, and it is only right we shed a few tears for him. Also right that we dry our eyes and smile because he lived the best possible life, and had a quiet, calm end.
The sun came out, and I spent the afternoon looking at this. I love a good edge... will knit and rip endlessly, with increasing frustration, until arriving at last at the solution. It's always worth it - the difference between something to wear and something to cherish is in the details.
Posted by Anna at 06:08 PM | Comments (16)
Sock set
Patterns for Badcaul, Nautilus (scroll down) and Giotto are now available, individually (follow the links above) or as a set
Size: women's medium
All the patterns are written for magic loop technique, but would convert easily to dpns. The Giotto socks use no cable needle, and Badcaul is perfect for practising cabling without a cable needle - the cabled stitch is slipped, so it doesn't 'want' to run. If you're using magic loop technique, make sure your circular needle has a smooth join before attempting Giotto or Nautilus, or you will end up cursing just as I did.
All knit in 4-ply (fingering) weight yarn (I used Koigu, lucky me) on 2.25mm needles at 15 sts and 20 rows over stocking stitch to 10 cm (2 inches)
£4 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 2.3Mb
Posted by Anna at 02:00 PM | Comments (9)
January 20, 2006
Dear Harvey
Little Harvey (seen here (scroll down) modelling his very own sweater, and here (scroll down again) with Mum, the object of his devotion for all of his years) will probably pass away tonight. On Wednesday, he sat on the bench next to the table in Mum's kitchen, and he's been there ever since. He's not eating, drinking, peeing, meow-ing (he is an extremely vocal cat) - just sitting, waiting for the end to come, his little body shutting down. He won't go to the vet, it would be too upsetting for him, and he doesn't seem distressed. The grown-up children have been visiting him this evening, to say goodbye. My Stepfather remarked how dignified he seems, how patient. I heard Mum tell him, 'Don't worry.'
Goodnight little Harvey. The good cat against whom all good cats are measured.
Posted by Anna at 08:45 PM | Comments (40)
January 18, 2006
Cakewalk
The tabby socks were such a success, and seeing Cara's pink socks reminded me of the pink and white sock yarn I dyed with Kerrie back in September.
An antidote to late winter gloom. Before you know it, we'll be walking beneath cherry blossom while daffs and bluebells flower round our stripy toes.
Posted by Anna at 08:01 PM | Comments (18)
January 15, 2006
Below stairs
Undoubtedly there's a common flavour to the designs I come up with. So far, in the broadest terms, I've been inspired by 'The Big House'. The grand homes of the English countryside, with land, and staff. I imagine how chilly it must have been the whole time, old houses being draughty the way they are, before central heating; and how little there would have been to do. I imagine the jumpers and cardigans that the family and guests must bundle themselves in to keep from perishing in the cold.
Hence all the pearl buttons.
I'm also interested in what they wore below stairs. With a vague idea for a coarse, garter-stitch jacket, I started thinking about pockets. And how you could reinforce them so that they don't stretch and distort if you actually use the pockets. It started out as a warm, utilitarian layer for a scullery maid.
It's Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed (on sale at Get Knitted) the colour of porridge (which incidentally was the perfect breakfast with blueberries and honey). Wool, silk, cashmere. Not so utilitarian now. I think it need some kind of stitch pattern, something modest but enough to keep one from expiring due to too much stocking stitch.
PS: It's been a busy few weeks catching up with pattern-writing. Expect to see Jess and the sock patterns up in the next few days, then my little shop is stocked, for now.
Posted by Anna at 03:06 PM | Comments (24)
January 14, 2006
Pippa pattern
Sizes to fit bust 32 [35: 38: 41: 44]
Finished size 35: [38: 41: 44: 47] inches)
I have to tell you I love this cardigan. It is perfect for work, even on days when I have meetings. It is also perfect for any occasion when one wants to look a little less than casual - Sunday lunch with Gran, for example. It draws compliments on every outing. So very comforting to wear, and the little cables make flattering vertical stripes which extend down through the cuffs. With a silk camisole underneath, and pearl buttons on top, I couldn't ask for a stitch more luxury if I was a millionaire.
I won't pretend it's a quick knit; there are a lot of stitches. If you invest the time and a lovely yarn, though, you'll treat yourself to a timeless cardigan to love for years.
Knit in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (10 [10: 11: 11: 12] balls) on 3.25mm (US 3) needles at 28 sts to 20cm (4 inches).
Skills: Ribbing, stocking stitch, twisted stitch pattern, increases, decreases, knitting through the back loop, picking up stitches
£3.50 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 1.5Mb
Posted by Anna at 02:21 PM | Comments (11)
Amelia for Head Girl
Posted by Anna at 10:40 AM | Comments (2)
January 11, 2006
Best bits
Do you love sleevecaps? I do. The gradual but gruelling incline from wrist to armpit seems never-ending but at last you reach the magic words, “Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows” and then you hurtle, like running down the hill you just slogged up. As a grown-up, I don’t run down nearly enough hills. I may take steps to remedy that but in the meantime I have sleevecaps.
This Karabella yarn is heaven to knit with. The softness, and the colour which has something malty about it, reminds me of the inside of a Malteser, a hazelnut meringue, coffee-flavoured icecream. It’s too dark in this picture. I waited all last week for the weekend, hoping for daylight by which to photograph, but alas even between the hours of 10am and 2pm the light could only be described at best as murky. My choices: make do, or have a pictureless journal til Spring.
Thank goodness for brightness adjustment.
Nautilus socks, started 15 Sept 05 finished 7 Jan 06
Pattern: My own, available here, or as part of a set here here.
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM
These were almost finished months ago, but languished in my knitting basket until last week – all that needed doing was the cuff of the second sock. I love them, but they are very open and lacy; definitely a Spring sock so they won’t see much wear for a while. There’s a closer-up picture of the stitch pattern here (scroll down). Patterns for these, Giotto and Badcaul coming very (very) soon.
£2 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 600K.
Posted by Anna at 08:54 AM | Comments (21)
January 09, 2006
Awards season
It must be the time of year...
I’ve never been particularly competitive, nor had an aptitude for self-promotion, but perhaps you can imagine the frisson when Kestrel the muttering muse pointed me here. As far as I can tell the judges are the same for all categories, so knit blogs are judged by the same panel as book blogs, sex blogs and every other kind, so it's not like Queer Joe's Knibbies(!) or any other where peers review, but what fun. It’s an honour mentioned alongside other such talents!
And to whoever was so kind to nominate me, thank you, thank you!
Update: Voting is now open here. Mum please go over there and vote for me. It’s your duty.
Posted by Anna at 08:37 AM | Comments (18)
January 02, 2006
Soon I'll have enough for a gallery!
Anna has finished her Claude! Cute! Can you picture it with wide leg trousers, a big bangle, clogs?
I’m having such a good year so far.
Posted by Anna at 06:24 PM | Comments (1)
Just pussyfooting around
Oh baby. The last FO of 2005 is my best foot forward for 2006. Thank you Cara for showing me the way (and a round of applause for those epic updates!), and to Grumperina for such a refined design. Bias panels for the feet... bliss.
Pet Me socks, started 25 Nov 05 finished 31 Dec 05
Pattern: Jaywalker from Magknits
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM, a gift from my delightful colleague (and knitter!) Meg. Once again I’ve mislaid my note of the colourway.
These socks have bite. They almost had me miss a very important deadline; after sock one I forced myself to abstain totally until all (or at least nearly all) other commitments were met. I dove in, as one does, without pausing to read any supporting literature, and cast on a mere 68 sts. Yes, it’s rather tight, but I have narrow feet and ankles (unimpaired despite years of forced participation in sports, invariably in muddy fields with wooden sticks), and with a pull they’ll come on. If they were a gift they wouldn’t do but they’re only for little me, tra la la.
Is it only my wishful thinking or could they pass for tigerstripes at a distance? No? Tabby, then? After a first try in ribbing, I ripped and decided on a picot trim. I love the edging on my Sockapaltwoza socks, which sticks out a little. Actually it isn’t doing it so much in that picture, maybe it has flared with wear. Anyway, the same edging (K3 rounds, yo K2tog all the way round, K3 rounds and pick up hem) on the Jaywalkers sticks out even more! And waggles up and down! Both very good things. (If you’re of a mind to you can see another picture of the edging in an earlier post.)
Here kitty kitty... I’m off to look at my socks a bit longer. Enjoy your Jaywalk.
Posted by Anna at 03:51 PM | Comments (31)
January 01, 2006
The best of the year
I've only just come to realise that a New Year can be a good thing: a question, an invitation, not a threat. It’s difficult not to feel like fresh start is somehow being made.
Today I took a brisk walk round my corner of London. It was quiet, no one much about, grey and damp as London is in winter, the occassional sunbeam lighting red brick goldly. It’s a wonderful thing, to walk, feet ringing out a rhythm that soon sets the mind free. I indulged in a fantasy where I somehow, miraculously, no longer have to Work and instead live by knitting alone, and turn the back garden over to fruit and veg. Cashmere and carrots. There was a child too. In fantasy, I have boundless energy.
I hope have you get a moment today to corral your hopes for 2006. I got home from my walk with a sniffly nose and cold toes, rejuvinated and excited about the year ahead.
I wish you all the very best that life can offer in 2006. May you ask the questions, and may the answers come, day by day.
Posted by Anna at 03:51 PM | Comments (14)