Noro Knitting Magazine Issue 7

When I was out doing my last minute Christmas shopping on 23 December – I found the latest issue of the Noro Knitting Magazine.   I did not know it was out yet – it has not been mentioned in any of the newsletters that I get from various companies.

Anyway it is just as good as previous issues - it is full of inspirational patterns.

I like the cover design  - which is an entrelac blanket – but there are several other lovely patterns and interesting articles.  There is an interview with the designer Jenny Watson and another with the Canadian fibre artist Monika Kinner-Whalen who uses Noro for embroidery.  I have done some of this in the past.  It can be interesting to knit something fairly plain and then embroider something complicated on top.  Maybe I will have another go at that in 2016 – I will add it to the list!

My favourite pattern in the magazine is a “modular mitered blanket” knitted in 2 shades of Silk Garden – one multi and one solid.  It is similar to an idea I had a few months ago to use up some of my Kureyon.  My blanket will really be completely different as I intend to use a different yarn, in a different way with a different sized needles and a different number of stitches for each square – but they will both be from garter-stitch modular knitted squares!

In the next few days I intend to draft a list of “things to knit in 2016” – I wonder how many of them I will actually make.

Cardigan for a Little Girl

I am cutting it a bit fine this year – I am still making Christmas presents!  I have just finished a cardigan for the niece/granddaughter of some friends of mine.

It is a Sirdar pattern intended to be used with Snuggly DK – but I have used Robin Bonny Babe.  They are both  manmade but the Robin yarn is much cheaper.   I only needed one 100g ball for a cardigan to fit a 2 year-old.

I have found the knitting a struggle – since I have been ill my tension has been terrible.  The bit that looks the hardest – the edging – was actually the easiest bit to knit.   Now fingers crossed that it fits.

I have one more present to finish but as it won’t be delivered until January – it is not so urgent.  I am looking forward to just knitting – rather than making things for others.

Rowan Brushed Fleece Cardigan

Things have not been going that well recently.  I have been ill for several days and am still trying to carry on as normal.  I don’t even seem to have the energy to knit.  However I have finished this cardigan as a present for my mother.

I had done most of the knitting in October but I hadn’t sewn it together.  The yarn is lovely – Rowan brushed fleece – which is 65% wool, 30% alpaca and 5% polyamide.  This is shade 254.  It is sort of a dull brown – not at all exciting – but I am hoping my mother will like it.  I think I should call it “understated”!

The pattern is a very old one from Littlewoods.  The original design did not have pockets, but Mother likes to have pockets so I have added them to the front hiding them in the pattern. 

Every year I seem to forget how tired and stressed I get in December – note to self: do not knit Christmas presents next year!