Wednesday 29 October 2014

Colinette Arizona Dreams – Sonaran Design Progress Report

 


I am enjoying knitting this modular knitted throw and despite having a weekend away, I have almost finished knitting all the diamond shapes.  I have just got the last four individual ones to finish off.  I have then got to work out how to knit the triangles up the sides and do the finishing. 
I will take a photo of the whole throw when it is finished.

 

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Colinette Arizona Dreams Sonoran Design – First Module


 
This is the first module of the Arizona Dream throw I am knitting for Colinette.  I am always interested in how different a module can look depending on the number of stitches, the choice of yarn and how the decrease is carried out.  This decrease is done on the front using, slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slip stitch over.  I am not sure I have done that before.  I would normally knit the centre 3 stitches together – that is what I did on my L-shaped modular knitted jumper.

Since I took this photo yesterday – I have knitted another 6 diamond shapes.  Somehow I don’t think this throw is going to take very long to knit.

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Modular Knitted Jumper – Final Progress Report


modular knitting jumper
 
At last I have finished my L-shaped modular knitted jumper by sewing on the buttons, but at the moment it is too hot to wear it! 
 
I am already thinking about and working on several more projects.  There is another tea cosy that I want to make and two scarves that I have the yarn for but have not yet finalised the pattern.  I have also collected the yarn for three jumpers and a cardigan!   I don’t want to find myself with no knitting to do when it is too cold to go out for long!
 
The next project that I am going to concentrate on is another throw for Colinette Yarns.  The yarn arrived yesterday and I am now winding the skeins into balls and making sure I understand the pattern.

Monday 13 October 2014

Domino Square Tea Cosy


 

Since I designed a diamond-shaped tea cosy for the first GMC Tea Cozy book – I have wanted to make one using domino squares.  I think it looks very effective, fits the tea cosy well and is thick enough to keep the tea warm.   If you would like to make one – a pattern is recorded below.
Materials: a small amount of 2 shades of DK yarn (Cream and Blue). (50g is enough, 25g may be enough)
Needles: 4mm
Each side of the cosy is made up of 3 rows of 4 squares.  I actually knitted the squares in columns rather than squares, but you could do it either way.
First square (bottom left-hand corner)
Row 1: Using cream cast on 21sts.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Change to blue yarn and K9, K3tog, K9.
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Change back to cream yarn and K8, K3tog, K8.
Row 6:  Knit.
Row 7: Change to blue yarn and K7, K3tog, K7.
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: Change to cream yarn and K6. K3tog, K6.
Row 10: Knit.
Row 11: Change to blue yarn and K5, K3tog, K5.
Row 12: Knit.
Row 13: Change to cream yarn and K4, K3tog, K4.
Row 14: Knit.
Row 15: Change to blue yarn and K3, K3tog, K3.
Row 16: Knit.
Row 17: Change to cream yarn and K2, K3tog, K2.
Row 18: Knit.
Row 19: Change to blue yarn and K1, K3tog, K1.
Row 20: K3tog and fasten off.
 
Middle Row (Square above first square)
Row 1: Using cream pick up 10 sts from top of first square,  and then turn and cast on 9 sts.  (19 sts.)
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Change to blue yarn and K8, K3tog, K8.
Row 4:  Knit.
Row 5: Change to cream yarn and K7, K3tog, K7.
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Change to blue yarn and K6. K3tog, K6.
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: Change to cream yarn and K5, K3tog, K5.
Row 10: Knit.
Row 11: Change to blue yarn and K4, K3tog, K4.
Row 12: Knit.
Row 13: Change to cream yarn and K3, K3tog, K3.
Row 14: Knit.
Row 15: Change to blue yarn and K2, K3tog, K2.
Row 16: Knit.
Row 17: Change to cream yarn and K1, K3tog, K1.
Row 18: K3tog and fasten off.

Top Row (Square above second square)
Row 1:  Using cream pick up 9 sts from top of second square and then turn and cast on 8 sts.  (17sts.)
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Change to blue yarn and K7, K3tog, K7.
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Change to cream yarn and K6. K3tog, K6.
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Change to blue yarn and K5, K3tog, K5.
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: Change to cream yarn and K4, K3tog, K4.
Row 10: Knit.
Row 11: Change to blue yarn and K3, K3tog, K3.
Row 12: Knit.
Row 13: Change to cream yarn and K2, K3tog, K2.
Row 14: Knit.
Row 15: Change to blue yarn and K1, K3tog, K1.
Row 16: K3tog and fasten off.

Repeat these 3 squares picking up or casting on as appropriate until you have knitted 2 sides of a tea cosy each consisting of 12 squares.
To tidy up the bottom of the cosy – using blue yarn, pick up 44 sts along the bottom edge and then immediately cast them off.

To finish the top of the cosy:
 
On the first side
Row 1: Using cream yarn pick up 32 sts along the top edge.
Row 2: *K2tog; repeat from * across the row. (16 sts).
Row 3: Change to blue yarn and knit.
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Change to cream yarn and knit.
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Change to blue yarn.  *K2tog; repeat from * across the row. (8 sts).
Row 8: Knit.
Leave stitches on a spare needle.

Repeat the above for the top of the second side.
Knit the 2 sides together.

Sew in ends.
Sew down the sides, above the handle and the spout.

Join the sides at the bottom leaving openings large enough for the handle and spout.
Make a pompom and sew it on the top.

Monday 6 October 2014

More Tea Vicar Tea Cosies

I have been told that no one uses tea cosies anymore and so no one sells them!  In fact people want to buy tea cosies but not many people sell them.  My local newsagent sells hand-knitted tea cosies and they never keep one in their window for long – someone has come in and bought it.

During the summer I have been making tea cosies for the London-based business - All the Fun of the Fair.

 

If you are interested in buying them – they are available from www.allthefunofthefair.bigcartel.com or www.ravelry.com/stores/all-the-fun-of-the-fair-designs  You can also buy a pattern if you would like to knit one yourself.