New Pattern Release - Criss Cross Cowl

Back in the summer I had a lovely chat with designer Erika Knight, whom I sometimes knit up samples for, and we got onto the subject of my own design work and how I loved working with the super chunky yarn and 25mm needles for my Wool and the Gang blanket. Erika told me about a new addition to her Erika Knight for John Lewis range of wool due to be released in the autumn and very kindly sent me a hank to play with.

XXL Wool is 100% super chunky wool grown and spun in the UK and is available exclusively in top John Lewis haberdasheries and online priced at £20 for a 250g hank. Each hank is approximately 55m of pure squish!  It comes in three colours - blanc, soft grey (both shown below) and dusky pink.
XXL Wool is soft yet sturdy and has great stitch definition so I wanted to come up with something that could be knitted up with one skein and be full of interesting texture...

Introducing...

The CrissCrossCowl*

This one skein wonder is knitted on 20mm needles (mine are gorgeous Brittany Birch needles) in a deceptively simple stitch pattern that is easy to memorise and grows super fast. Slipped stitch edges give it a neat finish and it is knit as a long straight piece with the cast on and bind off edges joined at the end.

Start to finish, this project should not take more than a couple of hours! How's that for instant gratification?

I just adore the way the fabric looks almost woven rather than knitted (indeed several people thought it resembled basket work) and the sturdiness of the yarn means it holds it's shape well. Plus it is so warm and soft against my face - no scratchiness here! - I would be quite happy to hunch down inside this cowl. I'm sure it will keep the worst of the Winter chill away!

CrissCross Cowl is available now from Ravelry priced at £3.00
 (plus VAT if you are in the EU. Sorry!)

Not on Ravelry? 

click here to

 

*thank you to Karen Guenther on Facebook and lesleyana on Instagram who both suggested that name


PS I love to see my patterns in the wild so if you make the CrissCrossCowl please share on Twitter or Instagram with #crisscrosscowl and #forestflowerdesigns so I see it!

Never not knitting?

Well the past couple of months have been very busy and this blog has been a little neglected so I thought a little catch up was in order...

New Patterns

First up is the exciting news that my first pattern appeared in print. In an actual magazine!!
My design - Skinny Lace Scarf in Boho Spirit yarn appears in the 'Designer Challenge' section of Knit Now magazine this month (issue 67). Submitting this design idea and then subsequently writing up the pattern for publication was a very steep learning curve for me - from swatching with totally the wrong yarn (won't make THAT mistake again) and sketching my idea to trying to create a knitting chart using excel (won't be doing THAT again either now I have discovered the brilliant Stitch Fiddle - a free to use, online chart maker) and writing out the pattern to a very specific set of rules so that it fits in with the rest of the magazine's style.  The whole, apparently simple, project gave me a few days of headaches before I finally let it go the magazine editor but it was worth every second to open up the magazine and see my scarf, beautifully modelled and photographed alongside my pattern in print. My mum even phoned me the other day to say she was knitting the scarf for herself and loving it (although she may be slightly biased...).

 I also managed to publish another pattern on Ravelry. Mind the Gap is simple triangle shawl I designed especially for my 8 year old son who wanted something 'like the ones you wear mum but not so girly'. The body of this child sized shawl is knit from the top down in stocking stitch with contrast garter stripes and the addition of extra long ties to help keep it secure whilst your little one is running wild! I am incredibly pleased with the result, as is my son which is the most important thing...

The pattern is priced £3.00 from my Ravelry store or click on the BUY NOW link under the picture.



It has been very well received so far, so much so that I am currently in talks with a well known yarn dyer/seller about creating a 'grown-up' version that will be absolutely gorgeous!

Another project due for release very shortly is a design I came up with whilst playing with a new yarn in the Erika Knight for John Lewis range. The new XXL wool was released last week and is available exclusively through John Lewis haberdashery departments and online and my pattern uses one single skein of this super bulky pure British wool to create a snuggly textured cowl. More to come very soon...

*********************************

Sometimes it feels like I am never not knitting. That's not true, although I wish it were! I have a couple of cleaning jobs and I do all the admin for my partner's motorcycle retail business, not to mention the whole taking care of the family thing (washing up doesn't do itself apparently and the boy is still not old enough to walk himself to school and back!) but this year I have come another step closer to my dream of earning a living creating beautiful things with yarn. I am feeling more confident about pattern design and what I can achieve and I am learning more about presenting ideas to publishers, approaching yarn suppliers and releasing finished patterns to the public. I have so many exciting plans for next year including opening an Etsy store to go alongside my soon to be revamped Folksy store, and collaborating with more indie yarn dyers and manufacturers.

In the meantime thank you to everyone who has commissioned work, trusted me to knit samples and purchased my patterns through Ravelry or supported me in other ways.
Because of you I can keep going, keep pursuing my dream and not get too downhearted when I have to go out and scrub another toilet...

New Pattern Release :: Tracks in the Snow

Brrrrr it's been getting mighty chilly overnight here in the Forest of Dean - no frost yet but morning schoolrun temperatures have been around 5°C, add in that wind chill (oh the joy of hilltop living) and I think I have been perfectly justified in piling on ALL the woollies!!

a big woolly hug..

We are really hoping for some snow this year as it's been a bit sparse the last couple of winters - some good, deep, crunchy snow to stomp around in and build snowpeople with. Not so keen on snowball fights but the boys love them!

When the temperatures drop and the world is blanketed in snow and ice what you basically need is a big woolly hug to keep you warm whilst you play in all that wonderful white stuff (or fight your way through the chaos to get to work/school - I know snow isn't always welcome!) and that's where the inspiration for my new pattern comes from.

Tracks in the Snow is knitted in super bulky wool yarn - I used Drops Polaris for my sample but Wool and the Gang's Crazy Sexy Wool or we are knitters The Wool would both work fabulously well - and uses 15mm needles (I use beautiful sustainable birch wood needles by Brittany - they are simply wonderful to knit with and, although a US company, they are widely available online in the UK).


Thanks to yarn and needle size it's a super fast knit. The pattern is easy to memorise and the scarf requires minimal finishing (a quick light steam blocking with your iron on the reverse of the work is all it needs) so you could knit your scarf in an evening - perfect if the weather report mentions an unexpected chill!
 

Bulky wool is perfect for textured stitches - I think this lovely skyp stitch looks beautiful against the stocking stitch background!

slipped stitches at each edge give a lovely neat finish

The chunky fringe adds a touch of luxury

Tracks in the Snow is available to buy from Ravelry now 

Click here

 

Knitting Disasters...

There is no feeling like the satisfaction of completing a knitting project. Hours and hours of labour - not to mention the investment in the yarn - coming to fruition and resulting in a beautiful garment that you can proudly show off on Instagram or in your Ravelry group (is that just me?) or, if you are lucky enough to have friends/family who actually appreciate the time and effort that goes into a hand knit, to gift on with love.

But sometimes it all goes a bit pear shaped...

I started my Lush cardigan back in the summer with the intention of having a nice little transitional knit for those cooler Autumn morning school runs - you know, when it's not quite chilly enough for a coat but to cold for just shirt sleeves. I made really good progress and had divided for the sleeves a couple of days before we were due to take the camper down to Devon for a few days. Of course I packed my project bag, anticipating several hours of knitting time on the journey down and in between beach visits. I had a whole body's worth of straight knitting to do and I really wanted to get past that and onto the sleeves.
I didn't get as much knitting time as I would have liked - the weather was awesome and we spent more time on the beach than at the camp site! But a fair chunk of the body was knit over those few days. So far, so good.

Until I got to the waist shaping... (thank goodness I decided to do the optional waist shaping!)
My stitch count wasn't right and I could not for the life of me work out where I had lost 8 stitches. I know the count was correct when I divided for the sleeves all those rows back, and really 8 stitches is a lot of stitches to lose.
I read and re read the pattern before it dawned on me that I had not cast on enough stitches under the arm holes.

So this was not a fudge it job. If I left it as it was there was a real chance that, once finished, I wouldn't actually be able to get my arms through the sleeves...

unravelling is hard to do...

So all my hours (ok not that many, maybe 3 or 4?) of boring stocking stitch had to be unravelled. Right back up to the armhole. I got it sorted and even managed to re-knit a bit of the body but the net result was I returned from holiday with slightly less Lush cardi than I left with.

Now I know that in the grand scheme of things this is no great disaster and, although unravelling all that work was frustrating, I was able to fix the mistake and I will have a Lush to wear sometime soon. I have also learnt a very valuable lesson - ALWAYS check your stitch count after you have done any kind of shaping/dividing for arms/decreasing for neck etc etc. It saves a lot of hassle later!

But what about the disasters that can't be fixed?

This weekend got off to a grand start when I pulled a load of washing out of the machine to hang up to dry and found both my pairs of Blue Skies Sock Club socks, reduced by about a third of their original size and properly felted to boot. They weren't supposed to be in that load. They were supposed to be kept separate and hand washed! This wasn't just any old sock yarn - this was the fabulous Knitting Goddess's equally fabulous Brit Sock.

shrunken socks...

I may have cried.

A lot.

Unfortunately once your hand knit socks have shrunk there's not much you can do with them except hand them to someone with smaller feet. So Roo now has two lovely pairs of cosy felted socks to wear this winter (until he grows out of them, which given his current rate of growth means approximately one season) and my handmade sock drawer is reduced to 2 pairs once again.




On the bright side I suppose this means I have an excuse (if one were needed) to knit more. So Operation Sock Drawer begins anew...


What knitting disasters have you had? Have you ever accidentally ruined a much loved piece in the washing machine? Please tell me about them so I don't feel quite so alone in my despair and we can commiserate together...

Yarn Review :: Cornish Tin II

Some of you may remember the general excitement that accompanied the release of Blacker Yarns 10th Birthday blend Cornish Tin (you can read my review of this yarn on my old blog Tales from Mount Pleasant). This gorgeous limited edition yarn exceeded even their expectations and sold out within weeks...

But, if you missed out last time, never fear because Sue has decided to do it all again to celebrate their 11th Birthday!

image copyright Blacker Yarns

As before the blend is a limited edition and will only be made once. This time there are a few changes to the blend - most notably that it is made from 100% UK based fibre (the first Cornish Tin contained Falkland merino). 

Tin II is a woollen spun yarn blended from a collection of British fibres including Alpaca, Portland, Saxon Merino, Gotland, Jacob, Shetland, Black Welsh Mountain, Mohair, and English Merino and will be available in both 4ply and DK weights.

Once again it will be available in undyed Levant Grey and Blacker have tweaked the colour palette to seven glorious dyed colours, all named after Cornish Tin Mines.

Sonia sent me a small sample of both weights to play with and I couldn't wait to knit up a couple of swatches...

I kept it simple with my DK sample in deep and mysterious Polgooth Blue.  Squishy garter (after hearing Louise at Knit British rave about how the garter bumps popped -and OMG she was so right!!) interspersed with a panel of textured moss stitch with a couple of rows of stocking stitch in between for definition, on the recommended 4mm needles. It knit up quickly and smoothly - the yarn is definitely less 'rustic' than the first Cornish Tin  - and formed a thick, robust fabric. I think it would make the most fantastic winter sweater, it would certainly keep you cosy and warm!

For the 4ply sample (in the fantastically named Ding Dong Purple!) I decided to try something a little more lacy and knit up a small swatch in Old Shale lace.  Again the swatch knit up quickly; the yarn just slides through your fingers so smoothly, with superb stitch definition. This fabric too seemed quite thick but opened up beautifully with blocking. There is more than enough give for quite aggressive blocking here too - the lace opened up nicely without losing any of that wonderful texture or definition.

Both yarns appear to be sturdy, robust, smoother than the original Cornish Tin and soften and bloom  with blocking. I imagine they will wear well and age beautifully... (this is beginning to sound like a review for fine wine lol!) Cornish Tin II has wonderful stitch definition and would be perfect for structured and textured projects - cables in particular - and I think both yarns could easily cope with going up a needle size or three for a little more drape.

As my shawl obsession shows no signs of abating I have been looking, on Ravelry, at some of the lovely haps in Kate Davies' 'Book of Haps' and I think Cornish Tin II would be the perfect yarn to use for any of these gorgeous designs (I don't have the book as yet, I am saving my pennies for it because, however practical a digital download might be, you just can't beat the feel of a beautiful book in your hands...)

Tin II goes on sale on the 20^th September and will retail at £16.20 per 100g, this is a limited edition yarn so don’t miss out! 

Special Offer - pattern discount

Last year I designed a little pattern for the release of Cornish Tin (my first pattern for sale on Ravelry!) Lost in the Forest Mitts are a simple lacy fingerless mitt, inspired by autumnal walks in the Forest I call home. They take a very small amount of 4ply yarn (130m/142yds) and are a great project for using up those precious leftovers. They would knit up just perfectly in Cornish Tin II 4ply (or any of Blacker's other gorgeous 4ply yarns) and I would like to offer a special 20% discount to all you lovely readers using the code CT2BLOG at the checkout.
This offer runs till the end of September.

Summer knits...

Last week I wrote about how I was not likely to get very much knitting done during the school holidays (you can read about that here). Turns out I needn't have worried too much - last weekend saw the completion of not one but two knitty additions to my handmade wardrobe!*

First up were the Langit Socks that have been lanuishing in my sock knitting project bag since we came home from our little Lake District holiday back in early May and have since been suffering from a bad case of second sock syndrome. These socks were the second instalment of the Blue Skies Sock Club -  a bi-monthly yarn and pattern club from The Knitting Goddess that I signed up to at the beginning of the year with the best of sock knitting intentions. I chose the Britsock option so each hand dyed skein I receive is a thoroughly British product -  grown spun and dyed here in the UK. Each skein comes with a sock pattern exclusively designed by the lovely Clare Devine at KnitSharelove. Two more glorious skeins have since arrived along with their respective patterns but I have fallen so far behind I'm really not sure if these skeins will actually become socks. Mainly because I still want to knit ALL the shawls...

acres of stocking stitch...

Also finished is the lovely Bonny sleeveless top by Emily Wessel of Tin Can Knits. I treated myself to her pattern book Handmade in the UK along with five balls of Jamieson & Smith's 2ply laceweight Shetland and lambswool from BritYarn a couple of months back and thought I really should crack on so that I could actually wear it this year before summer (such as it is ) deserted us for another year...

...and a fair bit of lace!

To be honest the thought of knitting an entire garment in laceweight was a little daunting but Bonny is knitted on needles more usually associated with sportweight or dk (I used 3.75mm needles rather than the 3.5mm suggested) to give the fabric plenty of stretch and drape so it actually grows really fast. Knit in the round from the bottom up meant the first half of Bonny was an easy tv knit and once I got the lace pattern established and separated the front and back it just seemed to fly off the needles. I did make one adjustment, knitting a few rows in garter stitch for the hem rather than the roll hem in the pattern -  I find they just keep on rolling over my belly and another spare tyre is the last thing I need!

If you fancy knitting your own Bonny don't be afraid to follow the suggestions for knitting a couple of sizes smaller than you usually would. My Bonny is knit with 4" of negative ease (ie 4" less than my actual bust measurement) and fits perfectly!

Using the J&S wool made this a suprisingly budget knit, coming in at less than £15 - once again proving that knitting with homegrown yarn needn't be expensive!
I absolutely love it. In fact I love it so much I might even knit another one in something a little more luxurious...

Not one to hang about, I have already cast on my next item from Handmade in the UK, the fabulous Lush cardigan, using more British wool - Wendy Ramsdale DK in the Bedale colourway (also purchased from BritYarn). It's 3/4 length sleeves make it perfect for those cooler September days.

Yes, I am looking forward to Autumn already...





*there is a reason why I had extra knitting time. I went out on Saturday night and danced the night away with friends. On Sunday I literally could not walk... must remember that I am not 18 anymore!

 PS - for those of you who are wondering, I have also made a little progress on my other summer projects as mentioned in the last blog post and hope to have a new pattern or two to share with you very soon!

School's out for summer...

Well as it's been almost a month since my last post I thought I had better check in before I forgot I had a blog!!

Those last week's of summer term always seem to fly by in a daze of sports days, school fetes, end of term parties and class exhibitions of the year's work all whilst I desperately tie up the last financial year's shop paperwork for the accountant, make sure all of this year's is up to date so I don't panic over the holidays AND get my own tax return sorted.

But it's done and now the summer holidays have begun!

We have day trips to plan and a short seaside break in the camper to look forward to. Riley has discovered his reading mojo so regular trips to our local library will be essential and our very local (just 10 mins walk away ) independent cinema has the most amazing ticket prices which means weekly movie trips are possible, even on our very limited budget! I also have some home projects to work on like finishing the kitchen re-paint and tackling more of the garden jungle...

But what about knitting? Well to be honest it's been too hot for much knitting the last couple of weeks, (although, typically, now the summer hols have started the cooler weather is back!) and constant interruptions of the small boy variety means anything too complicated is out so I have decided to dedicate this summer to home knitting and crochet projects - simple, easy to pick up and put down at a moment's notice; portable, so I can work on them in the park whilst Riley plays and mostly using cotton yarns which are cool to handle and don't make my hands sweat!



New dish cloths and wash cloths for starters, knitted and crocheted in Drops ❤s You 5 - an aran weight recycled cotton yarn. (I've made a start with the Happy Face Cloths from the wonderful book Crochet Therapy I reviewed here). I may even knit a tea towel or two! This yarn is perfect for placemats and coasters too as it's washable, hard wearing  and comes in lots of pretty colours, so I may add some simple linen stitch table accessories to my summer making list...

I have crochet summer bedspread to work on in beautiful jewel colours of Drops Safran cotton yarn.

Then there is the cat bed I started a while back hooked up from strips of fabric using a 10mm hook. I have used all the fabric I prepared and really need to hunt through my stash for some more. Or scour the charity shops for old bed sheets which are perfect for recycling in this way!

I know the next six weeks will fly by and it will be back to school time before we know it. Riley is getting older and it won't be long before summer hols won't be about day trips with Mummy any more but hanging out with his mates so I feel the need to make the most of our time together while I can! Making memories is my priority this summer.

Making things can wait until the nights draw in again...

Book Review :: Crochet Therapy by Betsan Corkhill

 

Crochet Therapy

by

Betsan Corkhill

paperback  £12.99

published by Apple Press

July 2016

Author Betsan Corkhill is a clinical practioner who has passionately advocated whole person health and well being since the 1970's and has extensively researched the use of therapeutic craft to improve health, wellness and manage illness. In this brand new book she looks at the benefits to mind and body the practice of crochet can bring.

Combining 10 therapeutic exercises designed to help focus the mind, energise or relax into a mindful state with 20 beautiful patterns to inspire and uplift, Crochet Therapy aims to bring moments of calm into our otherwise chaotic lives with well written explanations of the different forms of therapy covered such as relaxtion techniques and mindfulness and the benefits such practice can bring.

The Exercises

Crochet Therapy includes a number of exercises for the body and mind - from simple stretches for you hands and arms (essential if you are planning a lengthy crochet or knitting session!) to creative visualisations to ease stressful situations, even if you don't have your crochet with you. There are tips on how to energise and refresh yourself during work breaks and permission to allow yourself a little time to daydream too!

The Patterns

There are 20 patterns included to tie in with the exercises ranging from quick and easy mandalas, colourful coasters, wall hangings and accessories through to slightly more complex and time comsuming cushions, blankets and wraps, finishing with a beautiful project you can work at with friends.
The patterns are all well written, using UK crochet terms,  and easy to follow. I especially like that no specific yarns are listed, just weights and yardage (although there is a list of the yarns used for each project at the back of the book). Also at the back of the book is a fairly comprehensive guide to all the crochet techniques needed to complete the projects in the book making it an ideal beginners book too!

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this book - the author's expertise in her field clearly shines as does her passion for holistic health. The patterns are lovely and I can honestly say I would be happy to make nearly all of them. They are easy enough for beginners to follow and interesting enough for more experienced crocheters too,

In all a good looking book with enough substance to return to again and again!

Ravelry Round-up - Nine fab jewellery patterns.

One of the best things about starting a new blog has been planning lots of lovely features to include. The first of these is a regular Ravelry Round-up where, once a month, I share with you my picks from Ravelry.

This month, being the hater of waste that I am, I have mostly been looking at things to do with left-over yarn. You know, those little bits, 5 or 10g of a skein left when your project is done. Not enough to make anything substantial but too much to throw away. Now I know there are plenty of 'scrap blanket' designs out there - indeed one of my favourite long term projects, The Beekeepers Quilt, is perfect for using up the bits left over from sock knitting - but sometimes we want something we can knit up and use/wear/gift right now! And what better way of using up those luxury silk blends than in knitted and crochet jewellery?

Here is a selection of lovely designs from my Jewellery Favourites Ravelry bundle. I hope you like them! (You can see the rest here)

 1. Tassel Necklace by Ambah O'Brien 2. Seven Sisters Necklace by Brenda Burrell 3. Easy Knitted Bangle by Ambah O'Brien

I-cords make great jewellery - knit for as long as you want/until you run out of yarn, add a button and a loop and - ta-dah!a trendy wrap around bracelet. A perfect way to show case left over hand-dyed variegated yarns. Stack them, layer them or, in the case of Ambah O'Brien's fab necklace add a neon tassel and wear them around your neck! I adore Ambah's Easy Knitted Bangles too - just a few rows of stocking stitch knit in the round and allowed to roll over. I can see a whole stack of these on my arm very soon!

4. Knitted Knit Bracelet by Isobel Morainn  5. Blommer Bracelet by Helda Panagary 6. Autumn Leaf Earrings by Amy Yarbrough

 Oh I do love bracelets. The Celtic Knot inspired Knitted Knot Bracelet is all about those i-cords again. Helda Panagary's Blommer Bracelet is such a colourful treat for your arm and for those of you who make beaded jewellery as well (or like me, have dabbled and still have loads of kit) those delicate autumn leaf earrings are just adorable - be warned though this one requires teeny tiny crochet hooks but would be fabulous made in silky embroidery threads or fine silk lace weight yarn.

7. The White Flower Necklace by CreativeYarn  8. The Daisy Chain Kit by Frankie Brown  9. Tiny Rosettes by Melanie Larson

Finally something a little more delicate. Three sweet crochet patterns for summer days. I am totally in love with that Daisy Chain Kit - each daisy is individually worked with a little split in each stalk for threading them together, just like the real thing! And those tiny rose bud earrings are just perfect for those who like their jewellery on the more subtle side.

I hope you have enjoyed my first Ravelry Round-up. Have I tempted you by any of these patterns?

If you have never considered yarny jewellery do give it a go - it's the perfect way to use up those oddments and you still get to wear a little woolly wonderfulness even on the warmest of summer days!

Designs and Prototypes and Shawls, Oh My!

Well I had hoped to write a few more witty and informative blog posts this week but I have been so busy with actual knitting the writing about knitting thing has had to go on the back burner.
Priorities y'know.

First, and most excitingly, I got my very first pattern commission from a magazine! A month or so back I got in touch with the editor of Knit Now magazine asking about their design submission process.  She sent me a link to sign up to their designers email list and a couple of weeks ago I received the first 'call to action' - a design challenge using just one skein of yarn (from a selection) to be submitted in three days. I spent a quite enjoyable Sunday playing with stitch patterns, sketching my idea and creating a design submission which I duly emailed before the deadline. I may have whooped a little when I got an email back to say that they wanted to commission my design for the December issue!! So now I am furiously knitting up my design and wading through the magazine style sheet to write my pattern in the correct manner for the magazine. It's all a bit exciting. And scary. What if I get it wrong? What if the design just doesn't work with the yarn? What if I just don't like the finished object? What if no-one else likes the finished object? Stepping into the unknown is always a little stressful for me but I keep reminding myself that they must have liked my idea enough to take a chance on me.
Obviously I can't reveal any more right now but I will be shouting from the rooftops when the pattern finally goes into print!

Then a few days later I received another knitting job - this time from designer Erika Knight whom I knit design samples for. A bag of super chunky wool and a prototype pattern to knit up asap for a photo shoot for new product range for John Lewis. How exciting is that? Again I can't share much just yet but it's a great project and I look forward to seeing the results!

Thank goodness for knitting, tea and chocolate digestives.

And if that was not enough knitting to be getting on with the first pattern in The Shawl Society was also released and after a month or so of anticipation (I blogged about it here) of course I just HAD to get that started too! I probably shouldn't have, what with deadlines and all that, but I just couldn't wait to start knitting up that gorgeous Wool Kitchen yarn!

The Talisman Shawl is a simple stocking stitch crescent shawl with cute, yet subtle rows of star stitches and lace border. As always Helen's pattern is beautifully written with percentage system she uses being so useful in ensuring you have enough yarn AND so encouraging - just want to keep knitting to the next 5% mark! It's a simple enough knit to work whilst watching TV so whilst my days have been filled with work knitting, my evenings have been all about Talisman. As I type I am at about 75% so it won't be long before I get to the lace border and that picot bind off but they may have to wait due to aforementioned deadlines!!




And so, although it's the weekend, I shall mostly be working - albeit in my pj's, on the sofa, watching movies with my boy...  #lovemyjob

Contour Shawl by The Crochet Project

Last week I shared with you my love of knitting shawls. Turns out I like to crochet shawls too!

Now I know what I SHOULD have been doing whilst waiting (im)patiently for the first of The Shawl Society pattern to be released (just one more sleep!!!). I should have been working on my pile of current WIPS. There's an almost done sock - it's the second one too! - in the pile, not to mention half a sweater for the 8yo, two blankets, one knit and one crochet squares*, a fingerless mitt (again, the second one) and a rag yarn pet bed for whichever cat deigns to use it. Not to mention the ongoing hexipuff mountain that is the Beekeepers Quilt...

I really should have got at least one of those off the needles.

But I didn't. Instead I started another new project. Another shawl. But this is crochet not knitting so it doesn't count. Right?

Let me just introduce you to The Crochet Project if you haven't come across this before. Founded by designers Kat Goldin and Joanne Scrace (aka Not So Granny), The Crochet Project's main aim is to create and promote beautiful, wearable designs and they have certainly achieved that, publishing four beautiful books so far. Contour Shawl is their latest pattern and was released into the wild just in time for the bank holiday weekend - I think I spotted it on Instagram and instantly fell in love! I knew that it would be the perfect project to tide me over (or the perfect avoidance tactic ref all the WIPS currently clamouring for my attention...)

I was very good - I had a good rummage through my stash BEFORE I purchased the pattern just to make sure I had something suitable in the right quantity as this shawl requires quite significant yardage and I wanted a project to start NOW not have to wait for more yarn to arrive. Luckily I had four balls of Drops Delight hidden away at the bottom of the box with the exact yardage requirements.


The pattern uses only 2 stitches with increases in the centre and at either end to create the interesting asymmetrical triangle - it's shaped like a giant tick! - and despite never having done either stitch before I was able to get into the swing of the pattern very quickly and had no need to constantly refer to the instructions after the first few rows. I do find crochet projects so much easier to pick up and put down when the mood/opportunity arises as the need to 'finish this row' is much less pressing - perfect for a busy bank holiday weekend with family - but I surprised myself with just how quickly the shawl grew! I even took it to the cinema (Angry Birds no less. Ah the joy of half term movies...) and managed to hook a couple of rows. In the dark. Without making ANY mistakes!

Crochet, coffee, cat. What Sundays were made for!

Anyhow, my Contour Shawl was finished over the half term week and has served it's purpose of satisfying my need to start a new project and keeping my hands occupied before the Shawl Society kicks off. It's been blocked to within an inch of it's life and is looking beautiful. Unfortunately it's just too darn hot to wear it right now so I will have to make do with showing it off here until the Great British Summer does it's usual thing of sodding off just as we are getting into it!

The Knitty-Gritty
I hooked up my Contour Shawl using 4 x 50g skeins of Drops Delight in Autumn Forest colourway using a 4mm hook. I managed to get an extra row on my shawl than the pattern states and pretty much used up all the yarn. The pattern is available through Ravelry and costs £3.00




*actually when I look through my Ravelry projects I see there is a third blanket stashed away that has been ignored for far too long as well. Oops.

Garn Studio needs your help!

just a small selection of my Drops collection...

I am big fan of the Drops range of yarns by Norwegian company Garn Studio. They have an extensive range of gorgeous high quality yarns at prices to suit the most budget conscious crafters and are easily available via mail order (I purchase most of mine from the wonderful Wool Warehouse).

They also have a very impressive catalogue of patterns available to support their yarns. Pattern books are published several times a year and, for those of you who don't like having pattern books cluttering up your shelf, the entire back catalogue of individual patterns (nearly 92,000 of them!) is available to download from their website for free!

Garn Studio have just announced the shortlist of patterns for their Autumn/Winter 2016 collection and they want us - the people who buy and create with their yarns - to chose our favourites for publication later this year. There is an amazing array of patterns to choose from, from sweaters and jackets to ponchos, shawls and bags along with socks, slippers, hats and gloves. There are even some skirts and dresses and a selection of home accessories too! And these are not just for knitters - there are lots of crochet patterns as well.


If you fancy having a say in their Autumn Winter Collection why not nip over and check out the list here. Garn Studio are asking you to chose your 10 favourite designs (only 10! It's not easy...) with the most popular designs being included in the season pattern booklets.

I have cast my vote and already have my eye on a beautiful alpaca shawl (pattern z-752) and a loose flowing sleeveless jacket in alpaca boucle (pattern ab-068) so perfect for layering, so I really hope those two make the final selection!

What will you choose? I would love to hear your thoughts on this collection!

I want to knit ALL the shawls

I never thought I'd be a shawl person.
Then I knit a Hitchhiker and was hooked.
Shawls are a great way to showcase those beautiful hand dyed skeins that accidentally fall into your basket everytime you spend more than a few minutes browsing Etsy. Or is that just me?
Anyhow as I can rarely afford to buy sweater quantities of these yarns my single skeins stash is ever growing and, as I promised myself earlier this year that I would not buy any more random skeins until I'd used what I had, I have been drawn more and more to shawl patterns.

Last month I finally found a pattern worthy of my two special skeins of Blacker Yarns' Cornish Tin.

Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade released a lovely shawl pattern named after the Lake District home of Beatrix Potter -  the Hill Top Shawl is a cosy large crescent featuring wide bands of garter stitch alternating with bands of simple lace.  Helen's shawl was knitted in one colour but I knew there wouldn't be enough yarn in one skein so I decided to knit the garter in the Levant Grey and the lace panels in Dolceath Turquoise. If you want to knit a two colour one like mine i have listed exact quantities in my Ravelry project notes. The shawl knit up really quickly and with Helen's unique percentage method of pattern writing keeping track of progress, and yarn requirements, super easy.

wearing my Hill Top Shawl at Hill Top!

I love it so much and when Helen announced her new project I couldn't wait to jump in!
The Shawl Society is a series of six brand new shawl patterns released over six months. There are no previews - each pattern is a surprise - but a quick look through her back catalogue of patterns has convinced me that these will all be shawls I want to knit (her Pebble Beach has been in my Ravelry queue forever!) and I signed up there and then.  A Ravelry chat thread has been set up in the Curious Handmade group and there is a real buzz of excitement around the Shawl Society already with lots of speculation about pattern possiblities and yarn choices. I for one can't wait till the first pattern release and I am working hard to finish what I have on my needles so I can cast on straight away.

So maybe this year I will get to work through my single skein stash. Which means I don't need to feel too bad when another gorgeous hand dyed skein accidentally drops into my Etsy cart...

If you want to join the Curious Handmade Shawl Society there's a special earlybird price of £9.95 (+VAT) for all six patterns if you sign up before the first pattern release on 9th June 2016. You'll receive a few emails from Helen with hints about yarn choices and quantities but each pattern is top secret until it's release date.


I'd love it if you could join me in The Shawl Society. Do let me know if you decide to sign up and we can knit all the shawls together!

Hello and welcome!

Hello and welcome to my brand new blog!

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Anthea, although you may know me as Forest Flower, and I am a knitter, designer and general all round crafty person who loves to create beautiful things with yarn, bake (and eat) scrummy cakes, read good books, potter in the garden and take lots of photographs.

I am no stranger to blogging having maintained a successful 'crafty mummy blog' - Tales from Mount Pleasant - for many years, but I have found myself more and more wanting to blog about something I love almost as much as my family. Something I can fully immerse myself into because the passion is strong. Plus my now 8 year old son is rather more reluctant to be photographed for humourous parenting stories/product reviews than he used to be!

I am starting fresh because it feels like the right thing to do (and I am ALL about the feels)

In this blog - knit.home - I hope to share with you one of my greatest passions: my love of yarn crafts. Knitting, primarily, but also crochet, felting, weaving and spinning and of course an appreciation for the yarn itself *. Although a life long knitter it is only in recent years my knitting mojo has pretty much taken over my creative life and the desire to discover new yarns and techniques and create new designs can almost be overwhelming.  I hope that this blog will enable me explore even further this more-than-just-a-hobby that makes me who I am.

Blogs are great  resource, full of ideas and inspiration and I hope to provide you, my lovely readers, with plenty of content to inspire you on your own fibre journey, wherever it may lead you. I hope also that you will share your journey with me so that we can grow and learn and enthuse about all the yarny goodness that is out there together! I know it's all a bit bare at the moment but let's look at it as a page full of potential just waiting to happen...

So please pop by again. Subscribe by email or follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for blog updates. Let's keep in touch. It could be the start of a beautiful friendship.



*yes this does possibly mean lots of stash related posts. I am not ashamed.