Vanessa by Marie Wallin

Vanessa is a cardigan that I have been working on for more than a year.  I first noticed the pattern in November 2018 when I was in Oxford Yarn Store with my World War 1 Memorial Quilt.  I wanted to have another go at knitting a fair-isle cardigan. I still haven’t actually finished it.  I have finished the knitting unless I need to alter the sleeves but the garment is still in bits.

The cardigan is knitted in several shades of Rowan Felted Tweed – which is a lovely yarn.  I made a mistake and used the purple colour for the diamonds when I was supposed to use blue.  The chart is so small – I misread the symbol.  However I think it looks more cohesive to use the purple twice.  Also it demonstrates a point that Kaffe Fassett makes that colour look different depending on the colours that they are next to.  I think the purple looks like a different shade further down the pattern when it is next to the pink.

I don’t think I have ever finished a fair-isle cardigan  for an adult – I remember trying to knit a Debbie Bliss design in cotton.  I never finished that.  I have knitted lots of little fair-isle cardigans for babies and small children and I have knitted a fair-isle jumper that I don’t think I ever wore. 

In order to make this cardigan more wearable I have knitted the sleeves downwards (so I didn’t exactly follow the pattern - I knitted the instructions backwards).  This means that if the sleeves are too long (or too short) I can unravel or knit more rib.  I know I should measure them and I do but somehow I often still have problems. 

I have been to my local yarn stores more recently – and on one of my last visits to the nearest one (Banbury Sewing Centre) – I bought a lot of buttons.  For many years I have said I must start a cardigan with the buttons and then get the yarn to go with them because I always have problems the other way around.  Also although I have a lot of yarn and lots of odd buttons – if we have another lockdown – it would be good to be able to finish garments because I had already bought the buttons.  I still haven’t finished a jacket I knitted during lockdown because although I have now bought some buttons – I haven’t sewn them on.  I need to keep up the momentum on a project or it just drifts.

I have started knitting a few things for Christmas.  I did do some in April but now the deadline is a bit closer.  This is good because it does focus the mind on finishing them.  I hope I am doing better this year because – at least it isn’t December yet.  Unlike some knitters who are still knitting on Christmas Eve – I have to be more organized because most things need to be posted – so I have to complete them before the last posting date!

Afternoon Tea Throw – Butterfly Cake and Flapjacks

I know it is ages again since I wrote anything – I have been working on a fair-isle cardigan which I hope to finish soon.  Now it is getting chilly – it would be good to wear it.   However I also took a break from that project and knitted 2 more blocks for my Afternoon Tea Throw.  

This first block represents a Butterfly Cake.

 

My mother used to make Butterfly Cakes.  I remember when I was small being fascinated that by just cutting off the top and cutting that piece in half – a cake could have wings!

The second block represents 2 flapjacks – probably not a feature of a posh afternoon tea – but we used to have them whenever we visited my mother’s sister. 

I have a few more ideas for edible blocks – but I also want to include some that represent china.  I also ought to include tea and sugar – and even a tea-cosy!   However – I think before I do any more for this throw – I had better finish the cardigan I am working on and make a few Christmas presents. 

In the last week – I may not have written this blog but I have been to all 3 of my local shops which sell yarn and have ordered some online.  I always say I am going to use up some of my yarn mountain but then I haven’t quite got the right yarn – so I have to buy some more.

Jewelspun Tea Cosy

I am aware that I haven’t written anything for weeks.  I haven’t done much knitting recently. My cousin asked me if I would knit her a tea cosy for her tiny teapot.  This is what I have come up with.

It is double-sided.  It is 2 tea cosies in one.  This means it is very thick to keep the tea warm and she can decide which side she likes the most.   The teapot is about a 2 cup size.  I made the pattern up as I went along.  I used 4mm needles and Sirdar Jewelspun yarn  which is aran weight.  The shade is 844 which is blue and pink, and green and orange.   The balls are 200g in size – so I have quite a lot left over for something else.

The tea cosy is mainly made up of diamond modules.  I cast on 17 sts and the first row was K8, P1, K8.  I then decreased in the centre on the front facing rows maintaining the centre line on each diamond.  I fill the base with triangles which I made up as I went along.  I shaped the top by using a 3-needle cast off to join the diamonds together.

I am now going to knit some more blocks for my Afternoon Tea throw.

Afternoon Tea Throw – Fondant Fancy, Chocolate Tiffin and 3 More Sandwiches

I am supposed to be knitting other things but I have knitted a few more blocks for this throw.  The first was inspired by a pink fondant fancy.

I like the fact that it has a random wavy line across the knitting.  There is an idea that knitting has to be regimented – it doesn’t - it can be random and wavy!  The Chocolate Tiffin block has a much more regular pattern.

I was eating some Chocolate Tiffin when I decided to knit this block.  It isn’t a very traditional “afternoon tea” ingredient – but I like it and I wanted to include some more chocolate in the throw.

The last 3 blocks represent different kinds of sandwiches.  The first one is Tuna and Cucumber, the second Ham and Mustard and the third one is Cheese and Tomato. 

I did think about Coronation Chicken and other more sophisticated fillings but they are not very interesting colour-wise.  I also wanted to pay tribute to the sort of sandwiches I used to eat. 

I am now going to have a short break from the throw and knit a tea cosy for my cousin.

Afternoon Tea Throw – Iced Bun, Viennese Whirl and Sandwich

Last week I knitted two blocks inspired by my grandparents.  When we used to visit them – which was not that often as it was quite a long journey – my grandma used to give us iced buns.  They were her favourite. 

 

Then we used to go into my granddad’s room and he would open a box of Viennese Whirls which were his favourites. 

 

Both of these are not very typical afternoon tea ingredients but I have included them because of the personal connection.  The background represents a Cornish ware plate which can be found in many English households.

The third block is inspired by 2 sandwiches.  The turquoise background is similar to the Poole pottery plates that my parents had.

 

This design has been very difficult.  Originally I thought of a striped block representing a pile of sandwiches – but I thought that was boring.  Then I thought I could just divide the block with a diagonal line representing the filling but this does not work out because the block is not square.  I also tried making the sandwiches smaller and having 4 – but that looked very odd when I knitted it.  My second attempt at actually knitting a block inspired by a sandwich – had just one sandwich – but that looked odd as well.  In this version the sandwich and the filling are thicker which I think looks better.

The filling was originally intended to represent cucumber, then I changed it to lettuce (which is not very traditional but the sort of filling I had at home) and now it is more egg and cress!  I will now knit a few other varieties.

Afternoon Tea Throw – Scotch Egg

I have finished the Scotch Egg block for my throw.  It was very easy to knit and I am happy with it.

I had meant to knit a block inspired by cucumber sandwiches and I will produce one eventually.  I have tried 2 different versions this week and I didn’t like either of them so they have been unravelled.  I will think of something but for now it is better to have a break from that idea and try something else.  I may even go back to the fair-isle cardigan that I am supposed to be knitting.

Afternoon Tea Throw – Chocolate Cake and Swiss Roll

This week I have finished 3 more squares for my afternoon tea throw.  The first one is supposed to be chocolate cake.  In real life I think the filling would probably be a similar colour to the sponge – but that would not make for a good design.  Alternatively my mother used to make a delicious chocolate cake with cream on the top – this would not make a very interesting design either.

The block is the same a one I have knitted before only in different colours.  I have repeated this idea for the Swiss Roll blocks.  The first one is chocolate like the cake and the second one uses red and yellow like the Victoria sponge block.

It is not going to be all cake.  I have thought about some savoury blocks.  I am currently knitting a Scotch egg – that is not a phrase you come across very often!  I am supposed to be finishing a cardigan but I keep getting ideas for my throw and wanting to try them out.