Sometimes it takes a bit of ordinary wear to fully iron out the kinks of a project, and that’s exactly what happened with my Bronwyn jumper. The ribbed neckband, which seemed just right before blocking, stretched out to a more open neck after a good soak. Continue reading “Rethinking Brownyn”
Category: Knitting
Winter knitting plans
Now that winter has well and truly arrived, I’m enjoying being snuggled up inside with my knitting. I’ve already shared some garments I knitted last year (Bronwyn and Strokkur), so here are my knitting plans for this winter.
Bronwyn Jumper
Last I wrote about my Bronwyn jumper, it was destined for the frog pond. With so many issues I couldn’t face ripping and reknitting the sleeves yet again, nor doing the calculations to make them fit the seamed yoke shaping, particularly not in a complex cable pattern. It took some time away for me to realise I couldn’t give up that close to finishing, so I put on my patternmaker hat, finished the sleeve maths and then the jumper itself, an exact year after casting on.
Strokkur
After starting with fair isle hats, the next progression in my colourwork knitting was a yoked jumper. The classic style of a colourwork yoke knit in the round above a plain knit body seems to have been around forever, but it is in fact a fairly recent invention – Bohus-style jumpers appeared in Sweden c. 1940, followed by Icelandic lopi yokes (or lopapeysa) in the 1950s.* They really took off in the 60s and 70s, then as now contributing to Iceland’s national identity and tourist trade.
An easier way to cast on
Do you ever find yourself getting confused when you’re trying to cast on a large number of stitches? I inevitably lose count when I’m casting on for a cardi body or hat brim, and only realise my mistake when the ribbing ends with the wrong stitch! Continue reading “An easier way to cast on”
Ljós Hat, and woollen vs worsted spun yarns
You’d be right in thinking I spent most of this summer knitting hats. I tend to knit all year round, and hats are so much easier to manage when a full jumper swelters in your lap and even the thought of wearing wool makes you feel overheated.
Continue reading “Ljós Hat, and woollen vs worsted spun yarns”
INSULATE! Hat
One thing I love about the knitting community is how its members unabashedly embrace pop culture. Ravelry forum groups, designs and challenges revolve around Harry Potter, Star Trek and Totoro. And of course, there are a pleasing number of designs in tribute to my favourite TV show, Doctor Who.
