Tag: Knitting Tools

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Zip-iddy Doo Dah!

This morning I spent 3 hours at a sewing workshop run by Jo Paloma Makes at Amanda’s Fabrics in Mold. There were four of us taking the class and by the end of it we all had our own completed zipped pouch. I learnt so much during the morning and made copious notes on the handout as well as taking plenty of photos of specific stages.

I chose to make the smaller of the two size options and it’s the perfect size for a sock project or similar!

Another great thing about this size is that you can get two of the smaller bags from two fat quarters of fabric. The large size would be ideal for large scissors, pencils/brushes/projects with straight knitting needles.

Jo is a great teacher – very kind and patient – and was super helpful if any of us got stuck or just wanted to check something before we sewed or cut.

For the majority of the time we were looking at the lining fabric and sewing the corners became quite a feat of origami.

But when we turned it out through the gap we’d left it was like magic! I just couldn’t stop grinning. It’s not perfect; the seams next to the zip are not identical and the tabs aren’t exactly centred, but it was the first time I’ve made anything like this, and I shall certainly be making more – and improve my sewing with each one!

The end of the Summer KAL went well last week and the updated pattern of Marianne Half Hap Shawl (the laceweight sample of this was my KAL project) has now been published. If you have an older copy, please do download the new version.

You may remember I recently started a new sample of my Amy March Shawl using two gorgeous skeins of yarn from The Yarn Artist. It’s zooming along now – and might even be finished before the Pop-Up Wool Show on August 19th.

When you’re knitting two colour brioche, there’s a decrease called the ‘Br4st dec’ (brioche 4 stitch decrease) where you have to put the centre stitch of five onto a locking stitch marker or similar while you work on the stitches around it. I find this quite fiddly as locking stitch markers are quite small and it’s easy for the stitch (and its accompanying yarn over) to slip off. However – I may have a new solution! I popped into Yarn O’clock after the sewing workshop and saw the new ‘Flox’ multitools from Floops Stitch Markers that Anne has. I’d seen them on her Instagram, and had thought they were the size of regular bent cable needles.

They’re really not – they’re much smaller and the cable in the middle is moveable (and stays where it’s put) and I think they’ll be perfect for this brioche decrease. I had to get the rainbow one!

I’ve started advertising my September knitting workshops. They’re all taking place at Shaz’s Shabby Chic in Buckley on Wednesdays 6.30-8.30pm. All the details are here, but the short summary is:

  • 6th Sept – Absolute Beginners’ Knitting Workshop
  • 13th Sept – Next Steps Beginners’ Knitting Workshop
  • 20th Sept – Working with Colour – Slip Stitch Knitting
  • 27th Sept – Knitting in the Round

Places are limited to 8 per workshop, which means everyone gets plenty of individual attention, and yarn is included with all of them. If you know someone who would enjoy one or more of these workshops, please pass on the details to them.

That’s all from me for today – I need to go and marvel again and what Jo taught us to make! Take care and why not think about learning something new? K x

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Open the Door

I bought this book a couple of weeks ago in our local Welsh shop along with The Welsh Learner’s Dictionary. It was encouraging that I could understand the title (Agor yr Drws, 6 stori i ddysgwyr – Open the Door, 6 stories for learners) even then, and that each page has a couple of new words in bold with their definition at the bottom of the page. Today I sat down to read part of one of the stories and, although I didn’t know or quite understand every word, I certainly got the gist of the first half and was using my dictionary as best I could with some of the other new vocab! I’m looking forward to finding out how Martin gets on with his plan to get fitter now he’s turned 50 – he’s already visited the gym and bought lots of vegetables (llysiau) and fruit, but his boss is causing him stress.

Having said last week that I thought my plan to finish the Safe Space cross stitch by the end of the month was looking more possible, I went and finished it on Sunday! It needs a wash and a press and then it can be stretched over the mount board that I picked up from the framers today. What do you think? I’m really pleased with it.

The Christmas Fayre on Saturday at The Rise was well attended and it was good to see people getting out and supporting a local event even though it was snowing for much of the day.

I didn’t sell a lot, but I did have some lovely conversations with other stall holders and visitors to the fayre. Sometimes we were talking about the knitting they used to do but found themselves unable to do any longer, sometimes about types of knitting needles, techniques or letting people know about my online courses. And sometimes it was talking to the primary age children with their parents who were quite fascinated seeing knitting in action. A number of people said they didn’t knit, but wanted to learn – or refresh their skills from many years ago. This makes me think that it would be a good idea to book in another series of Knitting for Beginners classes in the New Year – so watch this space!

Saturday was also a great opportunity to catch up on my sock knitting. The ball of yarn can easily sit in my dress pocket while I move around and chat with folk. The heel and gusset fit really well, although the toe is less marvellous. I’d got carried away on my rounds and had done 40 from the end of the gusset before I realised it. Never mind, thought I, I’ll just do a squarer toe. It works well by my big toe, but there’s far too much spare fabric by my little toe, so it won’t work in shoes. Fortunately I didn’t have my tapestry needle with me on the day so was unable to graft the end. This will make it a lot easier to rip back and reknit. Normally I find my socks are a bit too short when I do 30 rounds between the gusset/instep decreases and the toe shaping. Maybe 35 rounds will be the sweet spot?

This Friday sees Ceridwen published as an individual pattern on all my usual platforms (my website, Payhip, Ravelry and Lovecrafts). The pdf is nearly ready; I just need to do a final check that everything is in the right place, comparing it against the version that went in The Knitter in September, and choose a second photo for the front cover. It takes 250g/2000m of lace weight yarn. Yes, that is 2km of yarn! The Lammermuir Wool I used was so gorgeous to work with and so comfortingly sheepy. They are currently sold out of the lace weight yarn – hopefully they will be getting some more spun.

Today I popped into Yarn O’clock for a natter and to set some dates for our next Mystery Knit-a-long in the New Year – more on that on the socials at the end of the week! While I was there I picked these up; Repair Hooks. You get 5.5mm, 4.5mm and 3.5mm in the pack, each with a crochet hook at one end and knitting needle point at the other. I’ve been doing some brioche knitting in the evenings recently and if a stitch pops off the needle in the middle of decrease it can have unravelled a couple of rows before I catch it – especially if it’s happened on the other side to the one I’m looking at! I think these little tools will be just the thing to quickly hook any dropped stitches back into place without stretching the stitches near the tips of the knitting needles out of shape.

Next week I might even given you a little sneak preview of what I’m working on!

Until then, take care, stay safe and warm – knitting really helps with this! K x