Innehållsförteckning för Issue 102 från The Knitter

LONDON LOOK A trip to Alexandra Palace in London for the Knitting & Stitching Show always feels like a treat, thanks to the gorgeous surroundings, its huge halls packed with nearly 400 exhibitors, its inspiring workshop programme, and textile art exhibitions. This year’s show runs from 5-9 October at Ally Pally, and will be a great place to find your craft supplies and discover new producers. Highlights include Crafters In Action, a series of free demos from leading experts, plus drop-in knitting sessions with the team from UK Hand Knitting. There are also more than 230 workshops available, including classes on knitting Magic Loop two-at-a-time socks, and Fair Isle and lace techniques. Advance day tickets cost £14.50 (£17 on the door); tickets for Thursday’s evening session cost £8. www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com Crafty…

The latest new yarn from Juniper Moon Farm is Stratus, a luxurious aran-weight yarn that blends merino, yak, baby alpaca and nylon. Its chainette construction and light halo make it ideal for soft, cosy and quick-knit accessories - just what many of us are looking for at this time of year. To support the new yarn, Juniper Moon Farm has launched a range of pattern leaflets for accessories such as hats, mitts, and warm and textured cowls. There’s also a simple cowl-neck sweater that you’ll be able to whip up in no time - and will feel fantastic to wear. The colour palette is particularly attractive, and includes lilac, plum, teal and rust, as well as a choice of neutral shades. www.intercontinentalyarns.co.uk 01535 664222 Yarn the movie A new…

SIZE YARN TENSION 27 sts and 34 rows to 10cm over Wave Pattern on 3.5mm needles. 29 sts and 30 rows to 10cm over Lace Pattern on 3.5mm needles. YARN STOCKISTS Knit Picks www.knitpicks.com NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 set 3.5mm (UK 9-10/US 4) circular needles, 40cm long Stitch holders or waste yarn Stitch markers Tapestry needle For general abbreviations, see p95 ELEMENTS FROM traditional Shetland knitting are visible in this pretty top by Mary Henderson. It’s a short-sleeved design with a square neckline, and a fabric combining colourful garter stitch stripes with a lace stitch pattern. The top is knitted using Palette, the hugely popular 4ply Peruvian Highland wool from Knit Picks that comes in an astonishing choice of colours and is excellent value. It offers great stitch definition and…

SIZE YARN NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 pair 3.25mm (UK 10/US 3) knitting needles 1 pair 3.75mm (UK 9/US 5) knitting needles Spare needle Stitch markers Stitch holders or waste yarn Tapestry needle TENSION 27 sts and 30 rows to 10cm over Charts A and C and K2, P2 rib on 3.75mm needles, slightly stretched. 23 sts and 30 rows to 10cm over st st on 3.75mm needles. YARN STOCKISTS West Yorkshire Spinners 01535 664500 www.wyspinners.com SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS T2B: Knit into front of second st on LH needle (do not drop sts from needle), knit into first st, then drop both sts from LH needle. T2F: Knit into back of second st on LH needle (do not drop sts from needle), knit into front of first st on LH needle, then…

SIZE YARN NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 pair 3.75mm (UK 9/US 5) knitting needles 1 pair 4.5mm UK 7/US 7) knitting needles 1 set 3.75mm (UK 9/US 5) circular needles, at least 120cm long 6 x 18mm buttons Stitch holders TENSION 24 sts and 23 rows to 10cm over pattern st st on 4.5mm needles YARN STOCKISTS Rowan 01484 950630 www.knitrowan.com BLOCKING DIAGRAM A STYLISED, two-tone pattern of flowers, leaves and trellis adorns this lovely Fair Isle cardigan by Marie Wallin. Her design has a longer length, a deep V neck, and little pockets, making it comfortable and practical. She has knitted her cardigan using Rowan’s Kid Classic, the aran-weight blend of lambswool and kid mohair that produces such a warm, soft fabric. It’s available in 23 muted shades. BACK Using…

SIZE YARN NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 pair 3mm (UK 11/US 2-3) knitting needles 1 pair 3.5mm (UK 10-9/ US 4) knitting needles Stitch holders Cable needle (cn) 4 x 15mm buttons TENSION 29 sts and 30 rows to 10cm over cable patt on 3.5mm needles. 24 sts and 28 rows to 10cm over st st on 3.5mm needles. YARN STOCKISTS Bergère de France www.bergeredefrance.co.uk SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS C5F: Slip 3 sts to cn at front of work, K2, K3 from cn. For general abbreviations, see p95 THIS BUTTONED cardigan has a cropped length, long sleeves and a deep scoop neckline, and looks good layered over shirts, blouses and dresses. It features a neat cable pattern on the body. The design is knitted in Bergère de France’s Estivale yarn, a hemp blend…

This inspirational designer has a talent for creating exquisite lace and cable designs and beautifully feminine garments When did you learn to knit? “Well, I have my daughter to thank for my learning to knit. When she was in middle school, she read The Witch of Blackbird Pond. The descriptions of colonial women knitting captivated her, and she begged me to teach her how to knit. So I bought a book, some needles and yarn, and we learned how to knit. I fell in love! Something about this age-old craft captured me immediately, and I have hardly put the needles down.” What was the first original piece of knitwear you ever created, and what was the first pattern you had published? “Nothing too exciting - a seed stitch scarf with…

LISA RICHARDSON Designer and pattern editor Lisa is at the heart of Rowan’s in-house design team, and has been creating inspirational patterns for the world-famous yarn brand for more than ten years. She plays with shapes and stitch patterns to create modern, wearable garments. Her chic batwing top with beaded shoulder detailing is on page 8. PENELOPE HEMINGWAY Writer and historian Penny loves to explore the history of knitting, and she examines newspaper archives, parish records, and even crime reports and asylum records to uncover stories of knitters from the earlier eras. She brings us an evocative account of 19th century knitting schools and the children who attended them, on page 42. EMMA VINING Emma honed her knitwear design skills through the City & Guilds programme, and loves to combine…

Beautiful Fair Isle patterning combined with modern, wearable shapes make this new pattern collection from the Knit Picks team a real winner. It contains 15 patterns for women’s sweaters and cardigans, jackets, and cowls, scarves, mitts and slippers. Some of the designs use Fair Isle to add small, decorative touches to a garment. Allison Griffith’s ‘Bitterlake’ cardigan, for example, has delicate bands of colourwork around the hems and front openings, while neat Fair Isle panels are used on the seamless ‘Flower Island Cardigan’. Other projects feature more extensive Fair Isle patterning to make an impact. The long, intricately patterned ‘Londonderry’ jacket is a real show-stopper, while the ‘Happily Sweater’ has a deep Fair Isle yoke incorporating a lovely colour gradient effect. The complete collection costs £22.49, or individual digital patterns…

If you love to knit with alpaca, it’s definitely worth trying out the appealing yarns offered by The Border Mill. It’s a Berwickshire-based business run by Juliet and John Miller, who process and spin alpaca fleece both from their own alpaca herd and from other breeders. The range of yarns available online includes an attractive, aran-weight Alpaca Tweed. Alpaca Lopi blends Huayaca and Suri fibres and is spun to mimic Icelandic lopi wool, as is the lighter Suri-Merino Lett Lopi. Both come in soft, hand-dyed hues inspired by Scottish landscapes. Alpaca Silk, sold as 50g balls or 500g cones, is a 2ply blend of natural alpaca and dyed mulberry silk with a luxurious feel. The Border Mill also produces handwoven baby blankets and scarves, in a range of colours, textures…

INSPIRED BY crystals, this cosy cowl has a textured fabric based on triangles, worked in a knit-and-purl pattern. With simple garter stitch borders, this project will be quick yet fun to knit. Designer Georgia Farrell has used a variegated yarn from Fyberspates to add extra interest to her cowl. STITCH PATTERN CRYSTAL PATTERN Rnds 1 and 2: *K1, P10, K10, P1, rep * to end. Rnds 3 and 4: *K2, P9, K9, P2, rep * to end. Rnds 5 and 6: *K3, P8, K8, P3, rep * to end. Rnds 7 and 8: *K4, P7, K7, P4, rep * to end. Rnds 9 and 10: *K5, P6, K6, P5, rep * to end. Rnds 11 and 12: *K6, P5, K5, P6, rep * to end. Rnds 13 and 14: *K7,…

SIZE YARN NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 set 4.5mm (UK 7/US 7) circular needles, 60cm long 1 set 4.5mm (UK 7/US 7) double-pointed needles (DPNs) 1 set 3.5mm (UK 10-9/US 4) circular needles, 60cm long 1 set 3.5mm (UK 10-9/US 4) double-pointed needles (DPNs) Cable needle (cn) Stitch markers Stitch holders Waste yarn for provisional cast-on Tapestry needle Separating zip fastener, 51-66cm long TENSION 20 sts and 28 rnds to 10cm over st st in the round on 4.5mm needles. 27 sts and 28 rows to 10cm over cable patt worked back and forth on 4.5mm needles. YARN STOCKISTS Cascade Yarns www.cascadeyarns.com SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS C4B: Slip 2 sts onto cn and hold at back of work, K2, K2 from cn. C6F: Slip 3 sts onto cn and hold at front of…

About our expert Jen Arnall-Culliford is a technical knitting editor and knitwear designer with an encyclopaedic knowledge of knitting techniques HAVE YOU ever seen a pattern you loved, but wanted to make it longer, and wondered whether you would have enough yarn? This Masterclass will show you how to calculate the yarn quantities you require when changing dimensions on a project. Whether you want longer or shorter sleeves, a larger shawl, or would like to turn a pair of ankle socks into knee-highs, checking your yarn quantities in advance can save you from a dangerous game of yarn chicken*! There are three steps to calculating yarn quantities. Step 1 is to work out the area of the existing project, as well as the area of your desired project. Step 2…

THE WORLD of Kate Jenkins is split in two: the sensible-cardigan life of a professional knitwear designer on one hand, and the unpredictable life of an artist on the other. Kate began her label, Cardigan, back in 2003; her work involved designing her own range, offering consultancy to fashion brands such as Marc Jacobs and Sonia Rykiel, and popping off to Florence for business meetings at the textile and knitwear industry expo, Pitti Filati. Then there is the wacky world of Kate’s Pantry, which brings us knit and crochet one-liners – if comedian Paul Merton knitted, this is what he would make. The humour is genuine, and the quality of the work raises it above the level of puns and the ubiquitous knitted cupcake. “I still like to do both,…

By working closely with British breeders, UK Alpaca is able to produce large amounts of high-quality yarns each year WORDS: Louise Smith HAVE YOU ever dreamed of going to work and being surrounded by adorable alpacas? For Chas Brooke and Rachel Hebditch, that dream is a day-to-day reality. Resting quietly in the beautiful countryside of Devonshire, Vulscombe Farm has been home to the expert breeders and their prize-winning alpacas for more than a decade now. Chas and Rachel had already been breeding alpacas as Classical MileEnd Alpacas for many years, before expanding into the high-quality yarn company, UK Alpaca, more than 11 years ago. The company was launched as a result of the third collapse of the British Alpaca Fibre Co-operative, says Rachel. “We felt that something had to be…

Ammonite Yarns www.ammoniteyarns.co.uk 01443 520200 Celebrate Autumn with the new season yarns. We have added Adriafil to our wide range, come and take a look. 5% discount valid on all our yarns, use code 18October5. Find us on Facebook at Ammonite Yarns or give us a ring. The Wool Merchant www.thewoolmerchant.co.uk 01884 243569 Specialising in high quality, natural fibre knitting & crochet Yarns. Open Tues-Fri 10am-4.00pm and Sat 10am-3pm. 3 Fore Street, Tiverton. And Dart Studio Yarns at The Cider Press Centre Dartington. Tel: 01803 866499 Sew-In of Marple, Buxton & Cheadle www.myknittingyarnandwool.co.uk enquiries@myknittingyarnandwool.co.uk 0161 427 2529 Three high street gems stocking all that’s best in handknitting! Rowan, WYS, Sublime, Debbie Bliss, Sirdar and more. Extensive selection of needlecraft and haberdashery. Oxford Yarn Store www.oxfordyarnstore.co.uk info@oxfordyarnstore.co.uk 01865 604112 Exquisite yarns…

Writer, historian and designer Penelope is the author of our fascinating article on Victorian knitting schools PENELOPE HEMINGWAY loves to explore the history of knitting, especially of her native Yorkshire, and her expertise as a ‘knitting genealogist’ has led her to uncover fascinating stories of knitters from earlier eras. When did you first become interested in knitting history? “When I was 18, I became involved in the start of the movement that became ‘Living History’. I was one of only two women in the first-ever living history camp, and it quickly became obvious when we were at events that we’d need to find roles for ourselves. I wanted to be a weaver, but we couldn’t afford a big floor loom or travel about with one, so I settled on spinning,…

LISA RICHARDSON’S latest design for The Knitter is a raglan jumper with a modern, cropped shape, three-quarter-length batwing sleeves, ribbed edgings, and a glamorous beaded pattern on the shoulders. Lisa has knitted her jumper using Rowan’s Fine Art 4ply, a handpainted yarn which is available in variegated colourways as well as more subtly blended tones, as used here. BEADING NOTE At the point indicated in the pattern, thread beads onto the yarn. To do this, thread a fine sewing needle (one that will easily pass through the beads) with sewing thread. Knot ends of thread and then pass end of yarn through this loop. Thread a bead onto sewing thread and then gently slide it along and onto the knitting yarn. Continue in this way until the required number of…

Inspired by fishermen’s ganseys, Meg Roke has created a wonderful collection of charming projects, incorporating traditional stitch patterns and construction elements with a fun, modern style. The e-book contains 10 patterns - five accessories for children and adults, and five garments for children aged 1-12 years. The unisex ‘Whitby Vest’, with its double moss stitch yoke and i-cord neck edging, is handsome and practical, as are the ‘Patches’ pullover and cardigan, which are based on classic gansey shapes. The ‘Coastal Capelet’, meanwhile, is lots of fun, with its zigzag patterning. The ‘Filey Vest’ has an all-over moss stitch fabric with cable details and a buttoned collar. Keep your kids (or yourself!) cosy with the textured ‘Inshore Legwarmers’, the cabled ‘Fisherman Mitts’, the worsted-weight ‘Cullercoats Cap’, and the quick-knit ‘Broadside Mittens’…

SIZE YARN NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 pair 2.75mm (UK 12/US 2) knitting needles 1 pair 3mm (UK 11/US 3) knitting needles Cable needle Stitch markers Stitch holders TENSION 28 sts and 36 rows to 10cm over st st on 3mm needles. 28 sts and 36 rows to 10cm over lace patt on 2.75mm needles YARN STOCKISTS Rowan 01484 681881 www.knitrowan.com For general abbreviations, see p95 FROM THE front, Sarah Hatton’s design is a neat, well fitting shell top with a high neckline. Turn around, though, and there’s a surprise - a lovely diamond mesh fabric, paired with a deep, shaped lower edge that’s pleated in the centre. The hems, armhole borders and neckband are worked in moss stitch. Sarah has knitted her top using Rowan’s Summerlite, a 4ply cotton that…

Playing with colour I enjoyed seeing the jumper pattern in Issue 94, ‘Little Sailor’ by Cecilie Kaurin and Linn Bryhn-Jacobsen, and wanted immediately to make it for one of my grandchildren. I love the stranded colourwork or Fair Isle type knitting and have done quite a number of garments - so sensible for using up yarns also. However I knew I wanted to make it in DK not 4ply and for age two. Also, I wanted to use a very summery mix of some leftover cotton/acrylic recycled yarns in a range of blues with some yellow ‘sand’. I decided I wanted to change the hearts for a seaside motif (I used a chart from Ravelry for the whales by Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter). I widened the bands a little and scaled up…

“THIS DESIGN was inspired by a holiday to Oxford,” says Caroline Bawn. “We visited Waddesdon Manor, a former home of the Rothschild family, and I was fascinated by the plants growing in a lattice pattern on a wall; it formed the basis for my cable design. This wrap has buttons on one end, and down the edges at opposite ends, to enable it to be worn in different ways. It has garter stitch ends and borders, with the lattice panel worked in the middle.” STITCH PATTERN LATTICE PANEL Row 1 (RS): K4, C3B, *C3F, K6, C3B; rep from * to 7 sts before mrk, C3F, K4. Row 2 and every WS row: Purl between mrks. Row 3: K3, C3B, K1, *K1, C3F, K4, C3B, K1; rep from * to 7…

1. Birdie Knits My shop specialises in 100% Cotton hand-dyed yarns, including one of a kind colourways and beautiful gradient sets. We offer multiple weights to cover any project you can imagine. Use code YARNLOVE to receive 10% off your next purchase! @Birdiesknits on Instagram www.birdiesknits.etsy.com 4. Made By Jude For over a year now I have been hand-dyeing yarn in my home on the edge of Dartmoor. I love to create fabulous colour combinations to appeal to all senses and the responses have been encouragingly excellent. If you’re a fan of yarn like me you can get a discount in my etsy store using the code LOVEMINIS. www.facebook.com/MadeByJude www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MadeByJudeUK Madebyjude@hotmail.com 2. Dyehouse Yarns Beautiful hand-dyed and hand-painted yarns, created in my Dyehouse in my garden in small quantities, making…

SIZE Wingspan: 160cm (63in) Depth: 65cm (25_in) at widest point YARN Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud Lace (Laceweight; 100% baby alpaca; 402m/440yds per 50g skein) A Elise (26767); 1 x 50g skein B Bennet (26769); 1 x 50g skein NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 set 4mm (UK 8/US 6) circular needles, 80-100cm long 1 set 4.5mm (UK 7/US 7) circular needles, 80-100cm long Stitch markers TENSION 22 sts and 31 rows to 10cm over st st using 4mm needles, before blocking. 16 sts and 28 rows to 10cm over st st using 4mm needles, after blocking. YARN STOCKISTS Knit Picks www.knitpicks.com For general abbreviations, see p95 THIS SHAWL is worked from the top down as a traditional triangle; to shape it, the stitches are increased at either edge of the shawl’s body…

SIZE YARN NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES 1 pair 3.25mm (UK 10/US 3) knitting needles 1 pair 4mm (UK 8/US 6) knitting needles TENSION 22 sts and 30 rows to 10cm over st st, 22 sts and 31 rows to 10cm over lace patt, both using 4mm needles. YARN STOCKISTS Rowan 01484 950630 www.knitrowan.com For general abbreviations,see p95 THIS LONGER-LENGTH top with short sleeves, designed by Marie Wallin, is light yet warm. It’s knitted in Rowan’s Softyak DK, which is a cotton yarn blended with a touch of yak fibre and nylon. It has a lovely soft handle and comes in 14 sophisticated shades. Marie’s design features bands of lace and a keyhole neck detail. PATTERN NOTE When working patt from chart, take care to ensure each decrease of patt is matched…

Abbreviations alt alternate approx approximately beg beginning cn cable needle cont continue dc double crochet (US single crochet) dec decrease (work two stitches together) DK double knitting DPN double-pointed needle dtr double treble (US treble crochet) est established foll following inc increase K knit KFB knit into front and back of stitch K2tog knit the next two stitches together kwise knitwise meas measures M1 make one (inc 1 stitch) M1pw make 1 st purlwise: with RH needle lift the strand between next and last st from front to back and purl through the back loop M1L left leaning increase: with left needle tip, lift strand between needles from front to back. Knit lifted loop through back of loop M1R right leaning increase: with left needle tip, lift strand between needles…

BY JENNIFER WOOD “DWYN IS an ancient-sounding Welsh name that means wave,” explains designer Jennifer Wood. “I chose it for the way the raised stitches wave in and out in this lace-stitch pattern, which mimics the look of cables without actually crossing stitches. I found this stitch pattern in one of my Japanese stitch dictionaries. I rearranged it to create the undulating waves with the pretty lace stitches in between. This is one of those rare designs where the finished project surpassed my expectations. “The lace pattern is worked on both sides of the shawl. The design requires yarn with good stitch definition; the stitches will look sloppy without it. I used Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, a 100% superwash wool that is a very soft, hard-wearing yarn.” THE LACE STITCH…