Looking back at 2017

On checking my Ravelry patterns – http://www.ravelry.com/designers/sylvia-leake –  I realised I’d managed to design, knit, test knit, photograph, write up and publish 15 new knitting patterns last year!  Starting with ‘A Badger Blanket’ at the beginning of the year, which was actually designed and made at the end of 2016.  So here’s the round up:

A Badger Blanket

 

 

Woolly Snowflakes Hat

Woolly Snowflakes Cowl

Woolly Snowflakes Hat and Woolly Snowflakes Cowl patterns (both Toddler to Adult sizes)

 

Love Cats on a Hat

Prowling Cats Cowl

Floral Flutters Cowl

 

Laurel Baby Booties

Laurel Baby Hat

Laurel Baby Booties and Laurel Baby Hat

 

Snugly Sheep Baby Blanket and Snugly Sheep Cushion Cover

 

 

Woolly Sheep Mittens

Woolly Sheep Cowl and Woolly Sheep Mittens

 

Reindeer Baby Hat (to match my Reindeer Booties pattern designed in 2012!)

Winter Robin Hat (Baby to Adult sizes)

 

 

Textured Diamonds Cowl

Basil’s thoughts

We haven’t heard much from Basil recently, so here are some photos with his thoughts!

I was sleeping ……..

when asked my opinion on this cat cowl – my reply!

I was peacefully sleeping, when rudely awakened for an opinion on this cat cowl thing. You can see my reply!

Being offered a tasty morsel

I deserve it as i’ve lost weight recently!

Accepting a tasty morsel, as I’m pleased to say I’m finally losing weight.  The knitter has been starving me, she doesn’t refill my bowl when it’s empty even when I ask in the cutest way possible!

Trying to ignore a rival for the knitter’s attention, it’s certainly not as cute as me!

More Double Knitting

I knitted this ‘Prowling Cats’ Cowl using the double knitting technique in the round on a circular needle.  I found following the chart for the cat motifs a lot easier in the round than when using this technique for my ‘Cosy Sheep’ Cowl, which was knitted flat on two needles.

When knitting in the round you read every row of the chart from right to left.  The first stitch of each pair is knit in the colour shown on the chart whilst the second stitch of the pair is purled in the opposite colour, this applies to every row!  So a lot less confusing than knitting flat, when odd rows are worked the same as in the round, but for even rows you read the chart from left to right and have to remember to knit the first stitch of the pair in the opposite colour to that shown and purl the second stitch in the colour shown.

I have now published the pattern which you can find in my online shops:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/516418527/knitting-pattern-in-pdf-prowling-cats?ref=shop_home_active_3

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/prowling-cats-cowl

Fair Isle/Stranded knitting

I’ve been doing a lot of Fair Isle (stranded) knitting recently and have come up with the following designs.  The written patterns include instructions for knitting flat on two needles with a seam at the back and knitting in the round on a circular needle with no seaming necessary.  The patterns can be found in my online shops – see sidebar.

Love Cats on a Hat

Woolly Snowflakes Hat

Woolly Snowflakes Cowl

Woolly Sheep Hat

 

Double Knitting

I taught myself the double knitting technique over the summer and, using motifs from a jumper I designed for machine knitters many years ago, I came up with a ‘Pink Pigs Scarf’ and ‘Cosy Sheep Cowl’.  The patterns for both are available in my Etsy shop and on Ravelry.

The double knitting technique produces a piece of knitting which is double sided and double thickness, a bit like two separate pieces being sewn together back to back, stocking stitch is uppermost on both sides with the colours reversed on the ‘wrong side’ – although you end up with two right sides!  The two sides or layers are knit at the same time.  If you have not used this technique before all becomes clear as you go.  

Cosy Sheep Cowl

Pink Pigs Scarf

The motifs were originally designed for this jumper back in 2001!

Chunky Cowl – free pattern

It’s a cowl, it’s a scarf, it’s a wrap!  However you wear it, this chunky knit will keep you warm and cosy.  A quick knit in a chunky/bulky weight yarn using moss/seed stitch and two contrasting colours.

Having ripped back and restarted this cowl a couple of times, I am now happy with the result.  I found that by using larger needles than recommended by the yarn company, the moss/seed stitch pattern was a looser knit and did not make the fabric too rigid.  I used two 100g balls of Rowan purelife British Sheep Breeds Chunky Undyed 100% wool, one in a shade of grey and one cream.

Enjoy the pattern: Chunky Cowl

Worn as a wrap

Worn as a cowl