Baby boy jacket

Sharon is expecting a new grandbaby. For some reason, she is suddenly extra keen to try the new baby knit patterns. I have several recent projects of hers to show you!
Look at this manly but gorgeous jacket.




Sharon has used some of the Aslan trends Glaciar del Cielo cotton (114 Reno)for this darling Sublime pattern, because she loved the colour and the soft hand. You need exactly the right blue sometimes....

Silkroad DK Tweed Man's Pullover

I was very pleased when the December 09 Airline security paper was published, and bamboo knitting needles were removed from the prohibited list.
This meant I was able to knit at the airport, and whilst flying.
See what I made whilst travelling.


I had started out with a pattern from Jo Sharp Contemporary Knitting, but as this is a mid 90's pattern, it needed updating.
The only thing I ended up using from the pattern was the cable stitch pattern and the same yarn type.
My version has set in sleeves, is more fitted, and has a doubled neck band, with shaping at the back of the neck. Unfortunately, it took me 3 attempts before I was happy with the armscye and sleeve head. I should have done more preliminary maths instead of trying to wing it.

The yarn is Silkroad DK Tweed, Magnolia. It coped very well with multiple frogging sessions.

My husband says that he really likes this jumper. He might even keep wearing it now we are back home!

Enid's Wrap

There has been a lot of knitting going on whilst I was away, so I am slipping in an extra post this week to show you this fabulous wrap by Enid.
In autumn, Enid saw a wrap at a lovely clothes boutique in the Dandenongs. Feeling a little faint at the price, she sensibly decided, that although a luxury garment is worth a lot of money, knitting a luxury garment from wonderful yarns would be a more budget friendly wardrobe investment.

We worked out a pattern together. The wrap is made from two rectangles in a very wide rib pattern, using Jo Sharp kid comfort mohair and Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed knitted together as one yarn.


The fringe is made from the mohair alone.



Although this is an easy knit, it is large, and took Enid about 3 weeks of solid knitting time. Enid is modelling the wrap (do you notice the Knit4 jumper underneath - there will be a post about that later), but it is actually intended for her daughter (lucky daughter), who is taller.

There are 11 balls of mohair and about 9 balls of Aran Tweed in the wrap.
The pattern will be available in the shop soon.
I am hoping for some more photos of the wrap for the pattern sheet, but this wrap will be posted off to Melbourne soon. I am sure it will get plenty of wear.

I'm Back

I have just returned from an investigative trip including France, Spain and England, where I had a fabulous time checking out knitting shops. I also was able to look at 2 different factories involved in yarn production and have got my hands on some truly gorgeous fibres - whole ranges not currently distributed in Australia but even more excitingly some products from small independent mills and dyers. I am really looking forward to knitting up some of these and deciding which we might be able to stock in the shop.
I patted all sorts of delicious yarns - camel, yak, silk and cashmere blends, even some unwashable paper yarn (I am afraid I am too practical to stock paper yarn at this point, but who knows!)
Just to whet your appetite, I will show you how the market at Knit Nation in London looked when I first walked in. Unfortunately, you can hardly see the yarn for the shoppers, but there was a whole warehouse sized building full of different yarn stalls.I was in heaven!



There were fabulous classes and instructors here. I am currently working on some new classes to add to our list at Stitch Bliss to pass on some of the new ideas I have picked up. I will also have some terrific books coming in over the next few months.