The Shetland Trader

I'm Moving

2010-10-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

You will be redirected to the new site in a few moments:

I now have a lovely new website with an exciting announcement...come and visit me...

www.theshetlandtrader.com

and be sure to look around the new site!

Hansel

2010-09-24T10:40:00.001-07:00

After several requests for a written pattern for Hap Shawls I decided to put one together.
Written and charted instructions are provided as is yardage for a DK and fingering weight version.
This pattern shows how to make a Hap Shawl using the borders outward method. This means that extra repeats of the Hap Shell border can be worked to make a larger shawl, and there's no seaming!

A ‘Hansel’ is a gift to mark a special occasion, such as the birth of a baby.

Size:
Approx 45 inches square
Needles:
US #8/5mm 32 inch circular needle
US #8/5mm DPN (only 1 is needed)
Yarn:
2 ply Jumper Weight shawl: 1000 yrds MC, 250 yrds of 4 other contrast colours.
DK Weight shawl: 900 yrds MC, 200 yrds of 4 other contrast colours.
Shown in Green Mtn Spinnery Alpaca Elegance.
Notions:
Stitch Markers
Row Counter
Tapestry Needle
Gauge:
16 sts and 30 rows = 4 inches in Garter st on US#8/5mm needles.

$5.00

Sale!

2010-09-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

As a little "heading into Fall" treat I'm offering 20% off all Shetland Trader Patterns from now until Rhinebeck time (Oct 17th). The discount will automatically be applied when you make a purchase!
Enjoy it while it lasts!
Happy almost Fall!

Photoshoot Day

2010-08-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

As promised a selection of my photos from the day of the shoot....a couple of fully disclosed designs (because they've been on the internet already) and a couple of blurry teasers!

Huge thanks goes out to the incredible team I had on hand.....

Maryjane Mucklestone on photo styling ......she was so aware of things I would totally have missed, like sticking out dress straps!

My gorgeous friend Julia all the way from Massachusetts braving the midges....

Jared Flood behind the camera.....wait til you see HIS pictures........

Jess as other photo stylist (she also captured some great behind the scenes shots)....

Ysolda who was also kind enough to offer herself for modeling and made a beautiful contrast to Julia.....

...and my dad's cat Polly who crashed the shoot ....(think she was pretty interested in Julia's hair)....

and it's a wrap!

I have a great tech editor and graphic designer who will be working with me to get this collection together and hopefully out to you by late October-early November with pre-orders happening before that!

Saba!

2010-08-22T05:49:00.001-07:00

Well my next blog post was supposed to be a wee window into the day of my photoshoot in Shetland....however....something sort of massive interrupted our lives and I pretty much have to share it.......
We are now the owners of a gorgeous 10 week old rescued Ridgeback puppy!

He's called Saba (this being a name we picked years ago for our then hypothetical dog-it's a small Dutch owned island in the Caribbean).

We've been in love with this breed for going on 12 years now and recently decided it was time to make inquires into adopting a rescued Ridgeback. We had a home visit before we left for Scotland and then were told we'd have to be patient for the right dog to come along.
Well on Friday night (a few days after returning home) we get a phone call about this little guy.....we had to make a decision fast...rescued Ridgeback puppies pretty much never show up in Massachusetts.....how could we say no?
As you can imagine we're reading up fast on puppy training and rapidly learning what we can and can't have lying around the house!

Next time will be the photoshoot post....promise!

Friends in Shetland

2010-08-12T01:03:00.000-07:00

During our second week in Shetland we were joined by lots of knitterly friends....I think you'll know who they are!

Knitting belt lesson from Auntie Grace....

Internet Cafe at Dad's house....

New England Knits in Jamieson and Smith's store....

The photoshoot models get in some practice.....

Late evening walks.....

Rock collecting....

Bird watching in Unst....

Choosing colours at Jamieson's.....

Putting knitters to work before the photoshoot.....

Next up the day of the photoshoot!

Shetland Highlights Day One

2010-07-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

New cousins to get acquainted with.....

Drams on the patio at 10:00pm......

Conversations with grandpa........

Late night fishing.......

and Mackie's Honeycomb ice cream......
Perfect first day!

Mellow Yellow

2010-07-13T05:05:00.000-07:00

It is most definitely crunch time for me with 10 days to go before I leave for Scotland!
Obviously I'm very excited to see family but I also have a LOT of knitting to get done before the photoshoot of my booklet/collection.........so just to show I've actually been knitting here is a sneak peak of one of the shawls that will be in it!

The yarn is Madelinetosh Prairie, 100% superwash merino, laceweight. My hand and eye were instantly drawn to it's mellow mood and luscious texture and it's been a calming and soothing project to work on over these recently hot and sticky days.

Plenty more to come I assure you ...........

2010-07-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

The lovely folks at Squam have put together this beautiful journal to inspire, entertain and bring you some of that specialness that is Squam!
For more detailed info go here!

A Tiny Tea Leaves...

2010-07-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

...for a not so tiny-just-turned-11-years- today daughter of mine!

I took a brief bit of time out from my own designs to whip this out for Maya....she requested it and chose yarn and buttons herself...fits her perfectly and she loves it...thanks Melissa!

It was another lovely person's birthday yesterday (that would be Ysolda -see the resemblance) and Maya drew the above for her.....had to share!!

Happy Birthday my sweet lovely talented girl...keep doing what you're doing!

TNNA!

2010-06-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Our adventure to TNNA began with trips to several stores to collect the necessary items for Ysolda's booth .....furniture, vintage tea cups, lighting, parasols, rugs and plumbing pipe were just a few of the things on our list!

Seeing as this was all Ysolda's idea (and given the fact that she is not a driver) she was packed in the back of the car with Bob for company!

Sarah (Ysolda's lovely assistant) and I shared the 16 hours of driving and sang along to a lot of Kate Rusby!

Like magic the booth was put together the following day with the helping hands of many other friends....it only took ALL day and a small amount of cursing at IKEA furniture! (or maybe that was just me)!

Above is my corner of the booth and yes that is a design for the new collection at the front! (Proof that work is being done).

Laura Chau of Cosmicplutoknits also brought along some of her samples.

(Stephen West, Casey, Laura Chau, Sarah, Mary Heather Cougar)

(Olga Buraya-Kefelian, Cecily Glowik Macdonald, Melissa LaBarre, Melissa Wehrle)

Lots of folks were very grateful for the couch that Ysolda hired....walking the convention center floor was no easy task! We even served tea and cakes on both weekend days and were mobbed with attendees. I don't have any photos of this part as I was too busy pouring cups of English Breakfast .......

Jess in an Audrey.

Mary Heather in a Kerrera and Snapdragon set.

Sarah in a Tanit's Jacket.

Cirilia and Laura modeling some of Ysolda's latest designs.

Everyone had fun trying on our samples and then getting shots of themselves in the photobooth (that's where the plumbing pipes came in).

Very enjoyable (with a tint of exhausting).....already scheming for next year!

Squam High

2010-06-07T08:23:00.001-07:00

I've just returned from teaching at the Squam Art Workshops and it was a totally brilliant experience so I had to share some of the highlights here!
Of course I took very few photos as I was too busy enjoying myself to remember the camera!

SAW is held at the Rockywold Deephaven Camp up in New Hampshire. It's a stunning setting with cabins dotted throughout the woods, many of which have their own little dock. I was in a cabin with Jess and Casey, Jared Flood, Ysolda and her assistant Sarah. In between the teaching and the class taking that was going on we had the chance to hang out, swim, star gaze and of course knit!

I taught two full day classes, one on the Hap shawl and one on my Aestlight shawl. I had great students which made it super enjoyable and I think they all got a lot out of it. (Yeah and I have no photos of this part)!
There were all kinds of classes going on, block printing, sewing, embroidery, book making, spinning...and many more. Next year I plan on attending at least one class in a different medium!

On the final evening there was a marketplace filled with beautiful handmade goodies. Ysolda had a booth to showcase her patterns and I snuck in a few of mine too.

...free cake and beer from the Ravelry team....didn't last long!

Elizabeth (the organizer of this whole shebang) made it a very special experience for everyone attending. She lined up some awesome talent for our evening entertainment; the beautiful singing of Jonatha Brooke, the insanely entertaining, laugh-till-you-cry words of Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee, and the thought provoking stories of Jenlee.

So if you've ever wanted the perfect creative getaway you must check out this incredible event...you won't regret it!
Thank you so much Elizabeth for a rewarding and rejuvenating experience....can't wait for next time!

Hilltown Rasta

2010-05-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

Remember I mentioned I was in a band?

Well we had our first gig last night! It was a beautiful May evening, thunderstorms abated and the skies were clear.

As you can see the weather was important what with it being an outdoor venue! It was a tad breezy however and I was a little concerned at points that I was going to do a Marilyn Monroe in my new dress....thankfully that didn't happen!

This was my first time performing in a band and with a mic.....my whole music background is in the classical domain with very serious recitals where you don't tend to do a lot of dancing!

I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again!

Here's our lead singer and instigator of the whole shebang....Jah Gerry....he's worked so hard on getting this whole thing up and running and has even made a wonderful website for the band (we're called i Idren) where you can check out more of our reggae-roots songs!

I leave you with one of my favourite tunes .......Hilltown Rasta......!!
ETA: Thanks to David and Sage for the photos!

Fibery Frolicks

2010-04-12T04:47:00.000-07:00

Choosing the right fiber for a design is often the most challenging (but also exciting part) of the process. Often my choice is dictated by a particular colour and I have to have that yarn without necessarily knowing what it will be become. Other times it is only after playing with a certain fiber that a plan falls into place.

The latter was the case for this beautiful yarn from the Fiber Company. This is their Canopy Yarn in fingering weight (colour Yerba Mate). A luscious blend of baby alpaca, merino and bamboo. Soft doesn't even begin to describe this yarn. It's the kind of yarn you want to rub against your face in ecstasy (unless of course you're allergic to alpaca then definitely not a good idea)! After swatching with this I could see which of my design ideas it would work well for. Progress is being made and I'm very happy with how that one is coming together.

This choice had a lot to do with the colour. I knew I wanted a lace weight yarn and I knew I wanted something with some silk so my first instinct was to visit the Jaggerspun Zephyr at WEBS and this cone of Curry yelled out to me! I snagged it and ran off most satisfied! I love being able to use a cone to knit from, one continuous thread of gold (or tussah silk in this case)! This is destined to become a delicate cardigan in the collection.

Jamieson and Smith's jumper weight yarn.

In this case I did not pick the colours but was asked to put together a design with them. This particular design will be published elsewhere but I still have a lot of these colours left and plan on using them for the collection. As you can see some ends had to be woven in!

Still more choices to be made and playing to be done!

Totally Not Knitting Related!

2010-04-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hope you're all enjoying a chocolate filled Easter weekend. We kicked it off here with this egg nest cake by Nigella Lawson. No flour but plenty of goo...and topped with mini eggs!
The sun is shining and it's ridiculously warm for the beginning of April...I mean I've even had to apply sunscreen already and attack a mosquito in my bedroom!
Sadly the knitting all went backwards today.....more on that another time!

Oldie but Goodie!

2010-03-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

Before I talk about being re-united with this sweater I want to thank you all so much for your birthday wishes and wonderful words of encouragement re the pattern collection. It helps a LOT to know I have folks eager to see the fruits of my labour!

So, the OBG! I haven't had this sweater for almost 3 years but it made it's way back to me last week. It is of course my Slipped Hours design that I made for the Sanguine Gryphon using her Dance yarn.

I was really satisfied with this design (an early one in my short career as a designer) and am very happy to have it as a new addition to my wardrobe (this sample fits me so well too)! I love the pleasing, simple shapes of the slipped stitch pattern, the 3/4 length sleeves and the floppy cowl.....

Unfortunately the yarn used for this is to be discontinued but I have plans to re-knit it using a different Sanguine Gryphon yarn and then re release the pattern here on my blog.

Now to choose a yarn and colour from all the wonderful ones on offer over at the Sanguine Gryphon!

A Wee Revelation

2010-03-18T07:22:00.001-07:00

What isn't a revelation is that I turned 36 today! However as I'm feeling in a celebratory mood I thought it was an apt day to share important news on the knitting/designing front!

I've been keeping this to myself until I felt sure that enough of the pieces were coming together and I'm now at the point where I think I can safely nod the affirmative to that.

So....the real revelation .....I'll be self-publishing a collection of Shetland Trader patterns! There will be around 8 or so designs, all Shetland inspired (mostly lace influenced) and all to be photographed in that beautiful landscape this summer. The designs will also be available individually.

As it is going to be a bit of a wait before this collection is ready I felt the need to be able to share some of the process here with you on the blog. I won't be giving you full disclosures but rather snippets here and there....to whet the appetite as it were!

Hope you'll stick with me as I attempt what feels like an exciting and hopefully rewarding new venture!

Reasons To Be Cheerful

2010-03-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

Hello! It's been a frighteningly long time since my last post as my husband keeps pointing out so I'm popping in with a brief recap as I emerge from my semi-hibernation!

So...reasons to be cheerful:

1) It's March and spring is in the air (as can be seen by Maya's colourful wellies and socks above). I'm so happy to be leaving February behind...always a tough month for me. It might also have something to do with the fact that March means birthdays in our house, one of which is mine!

2) I'm grateful for my beautiful friends who I'll be hanging out with on said birthday to make hula hoops and have henna tattoos applied!

3) Enjoying watching my kids grow and find their way.

4) We almost have a new mud room (interior work still unfinished)! It's maybe a little reflective of the tidy parent I have become that this makes me so happy!

5) Making music with my friends Jenn and Gerry has been a big part of my life these last couple of months. We're all in a band together (with some others) and have been jammin (it's a reggae influenced dynamic)! Here's a sneak listen!

6)...and last but not least knitting....always makes me cheerful (well maybe not the ripping). The hap shawl shown above is in preparation for a retreat I'm teaching at this coming weekend for Green Mtn Spinnery.....2 nights at an old inn and knitting...can't wait!

There is of course a lot of other knitting going on but I'll save that announcement for a different blog post!

An Audrey Of My Very Own!

2010-02-07T14:36:00.001-08:00

After seeing so many gorgeous Audreys pop up on Ravelry (111 projects to date) I've been wanting to make another to add to my own wardrobe. The original is still with Twist Collective and in a shade of red that's not the most suitable for my tones.....and I plan on giving that one to my sister who immediately coveted it on it's publication!

I seem to be particularly drawn to purple these days and found the exact shade I was looking for in Soft Sea Wool by Great American Yarns. This yarn also has great stitch definition so the Unst Lace really pops.

Buttons were picked out yesterday at WEBS (I think they're tagua nut) and sewn on this morning.
So happy to have a new cardi!

Squam Art Workshops!

2010-01-31T11:37:00.001-08:00

Hey what are you doing in June?
Looking for a fun filled artsy retreat by a lake in the woods?
Come to Squam!
I'll be lucky enough to be there as a teacher this year and I'm very excited! I'm offering a class on the Traditional Hap Shawl and also a class on my Aestlight Shawl.

There are many other wonderful offerings from many other wonderful teachers.
Jess and Casey will be there to host a Ravelry party and Stephanie Pearl McPhee is also going to be hanging out!
Registration for classes opens tomorrow....go and check it out!

....and here's something I made earlier!

2010-01-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

I signed on to Ravelry this evening and saw that this had been added to my design page! I did indeed design it for Classic Elite several months ago but didn't know it would be out already.
I'm particularly proud of this one.....and I love Soft Linen!

ETA: I made the sweater below at the same time....it just showed up today on my Ravelry page!

The Conway Cloche

2010-01-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

My friend Jenn's birthday is on the 24th of December and for a several years now I have always knit her a hat as a present. This year I even designed one especially for her (she's a very good friend). I've been drawn to the cloche style recently and decided this would suit her too. I chose to use the same ribbing as seen in my Tanit's Jacket. This texture is wonderfully dense and therefore creates a really cozy layer, which is much needed in my neck of the woods at this time of year!

I admit that I was also taking my own considerations into account when designing this, knowing that I would be making one for myself too. One of the major things when it comes to hat wearing for me is to have my ears nicely snuggled inside. It ruins a winter walk for me if my ears get exposed! So the Conway Cloche is nice and long in the body. The folded brim also adds to the length and even has a nice little contrast of colour on the inside which I find very pleasing to the eye!

You even get a choice of whimsy to add for decoration!

Size
21-inch circumference at brim of hat. To fit head size 21-24 inches. The ribbed pattern is very stretchy!

Yarn
215 yrds of worsted weight yarn. Shown in Berroco “Vintage” yarn in blue and Berroco “Ultra Alpaca” in red.

Materials
US 7/4.5mm 16-inch circular needle US 7/4.5mm set of DPNʼs US 8/5mm 16-inch circular needle Small amount of scrap yarn (in contrasting colour to hat yarn) Stitch Markers
Tapestry Needle Button (optional depending on which flower is added).

Gauge
20 sts and 35 rows = 4 inches in ribbing pattern on US #7/4.5 mm needles. 19 sts and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st on US #7/4.5mm needles.

$4.00

All proceeds of this hat pattern will be donated to MSF for their relief work in Haiti from now until the end of January.

Hats and a Man Scarf!

2009-12-30T06:13:00.001-08:00

My Xmas knitting was mostly about hats this year. It was great to get around to knitting some designs that I had queued on Ravelry.
There was a Thorpe, Wurm, Ripley, Miller's Hat and a couple of Koolhaas'

(Not all pictured here obviously).

Yes I was still knitting on Xmas morning but it was worth the stiff fingers to see so many delighted recipients!

I even managed to squeeze in a new design....(the flapper style hat you see below).....I'm making a couple of changes as I knit up the next one but this should be available pretty soon.

David has been jealous of all my shawl wearing recently so I made him one of his own! This is of course Stephen West's Daybreak pattern. After a wee lesson in how to wear it I think David is enjoying the benefits as he sits in his chilly office working on Book Three of his Acacia series!

Maya also got in on the knitting action and made this....er blobby thing.....requested by her friend Sedona....as you can see she is mighty pleased with it!

The crowing glory for me though was the gift of this beautiful antique cedar chest from my now yarn-conscious husband! Best gift ever! Percy is of course a little perplexed as to where all my baskets of yarn have gone....as you can see I did leave one out for decoration!

Hope you all had good times!
Here's to having many more in 2010...CHEERS!

2009-12-24T06:13:00.000-08:00

Sending festive and jolly holiday vibes to all my lovely readers!

(Image by Maya)

Hap for Georgia

2009-12-09T04:42:00.000-08:00

Well I'm back home in New England and finally able to get together a wee blog post to document the knitting I was working on in Scotland.
I"m afraid I wasn't a very prepared auntie and did not have this anywhere near finished before I arrived to see Georgia. So in between holding my little niece and other domestic bits and bobs I worked away on this Hap shawl so that I could leave having done my Shetland duty!

I went with the "in the round" construction on this shawl. I started with the central square, picked up sts around the edge and worked outwards from there. I didn't do the traditional knitted on edging however and instead went with an I cord bind off (as Jared uses in his version of the Hap).

I did use Sharon Miller's Hap Shawl book for reference but had to change a lot of numbers as I was using a heavier yarn- Rowan Scottish Tweed DK.

As you can see I went with very Scottish landscape colours....the photo below being Georgia's immediate surroundings....so she'll blend right in!

I had a wonderful visit with my Scottish clan but it's also lovely to be back with my kids and husband in beautiful snowy New England!

We are family.....

2009-11-24T01:34:00.000-08:00

...I've got one of my brothers and sister with me!

(and they were being very silly for this photoshoot)!

I'm back in Scotland where it is of course pissing down! However I keep telling everyone I didn't come for the weather.....I came to see the family (and some friends).....and to meet and spend time with my new wee niece (Georgia) and hopefully help out her mummy who is a little sore and sleep deprived right now!

I spent the weekend with my sister in Edinburgh which was so lovely and much needed on both our parts. She came from a lot further away than I as she now lives in New Zealand. We haven't seen each other for 2 years and haven't spent time alone in far longer than that.....of course we went shopping together, went for coffee, went to the pub, had nice food and wine and did lots of chatting. She's off up to Shetland this week to see my parents but we'll re-connect next week when she comes to meet this lovely little bundle of cuteness!

Plenty more pictures of her to come!

Naming of Kerrera

2009-11-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

I am not responsible for naming this pattern....infact I was having a hard time coming up with the right thing (it was called "In Da Hoodie" for a while in my house).......then along came Sarah and sorted it all out for me.....I wasn't sure how much she would want me to go into details but she has disclosed all here!
I was shocked to discover the name of an island I'd never heard of on the West Coast of Scotland (I even lived on an island not too far away at one point). That alone was reason enough to honour it by naming the pattern after it!

Kerrera Hoodie

2009-11-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Well folks I'm about to make my trip across the Atlantic to meet my new niece........but I'll leave you with the newest Shetland Trader design:

Kerrera Hoodie (Rav link)

I re-knit this in Fiber Company Organik, which I'm very happy with. It has a little alpaca and silk to add to it's lusciousness!

Here are some more details:

This comfy hooded cardigan is worked bottom up in one piece and features a deep, ridged pattern at the hem, cuffs and bands. The pockets, hood and upper body are worked in reverse stockinette to add a small amount of texture. Short rows are used to shape the sleeve caps, pockets and hood. Kerrara is the name of a small island off the West Coast of Scotland.

There are 12 sizes available for this pattern.
The pattern comes as a PDF file and is 10 pages long. The pattern is written in a table format where you fill in the requisite numbers.

Sizes:
32.75 (34.5, 36.5, 38.25, 40, 42, 44.5, 46.25, 48, 50.5, 52.5, 54.25)”/ 82 (87.5, 92.5, 97, 101.5, 106.5, 113, 117.5, 122, 128, 133.5, 138) cm.
Shown in 34.5”/87.5cm with 2 inches of positive ease.

Needles:
US #9/5.5mm, 32 or 40 inch circular
US #9/5.5mm 16 inch circular
US #8/5mm 32 or 40 inch circular
US #8/5mm 16 inch circular
US #8/5mm set of dpn’s.

Yarn:
1250 (1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1900, 1950, 2000) yards of worsted weight yarn.
Suggested yarn: Fibre Company Organik (98 yrds/50g; 70%Organic Merino/15% Alpaca/15% silk) shown in Magma.

Notions:
Crochet Hook US E4/3.5mm (for button loops)
3 toggle style buttons
Tapestry needle
Row Counter
Scrap Yarn

Gauge:
18 sts and 26 rows=4 inches in Stockinette St on US #8/5mm needles.
17 sts and 17 rows=4 inches in Double Garter St on US #9/5.5mm needles.

$6.50

Tanit's Jacket

2009-11-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

The new Twist Collective is out and yes I do indeed have a new design in there!

Tanit's Jacket is a top down raglan jacket in a stitch called Tunisian Rib. This pattern produces a nice dense texture which proves rather cozy for a Fall/Winter layer. I added some cording stitch at the collar, cuffs and hem to create some contrasting horizontal lines and to help define these areas a little.

Below are some photos of the prototype which was worked up in Classic Elite Yarn's Soft Linen. As you can see I made some changes to the pattern that ended up in Twist. The first thing was the collar. I originally envisioned a fairly big folded down collar but it didn't quite come together. So on the prototype I ended up folding it to the inside and tacking it down. In the final pattern this translated into a more rounded collar worked using short rows
I then mirrored this in the hem, removing the hard corners with the use of those magical short rows again!

I noticed in Twist that Clara Parkes has a swatch story for Tanit's Jacket and she describes some of the possible ways to go with yarn choices. I like both the Valley Yarns Northfield and CE's Soft Linen, but other yarns with some linen or silk component would work well too.

For those that care Tanit was a Phoenician lunar Goddess of Carthage. I wanted to get a Tunisian connection in there!

Wast Side Shawl

2009-11-06T10:15:00.001-08:00

Wast Side Shawl is now available to purchase!

This shawl’s construction begins with the edging. Yarn over loops are created along the top edge and then picked up along the entire strip of edging. The shawl is then worked inwards, thus reducing the number of the stitches on the needles every row! The lace patterns featured in the edging and border are both of Shetland origin. Fern Lace is an easy to memorize and distinctive pattern.
Wast Side refers to the West Side of Shetland, where my parents live.

Charted and written instructions are included in the 5 page PDF

Sizes

Approximately 45 inches/114 cm (52 inches/132 cm wide) and 18 inches/45.5 cm (21 inches/53 cm) long.

Gauge

20 sts and 32 rows=4 inches in Stockinette st on US#6/4mm needles.

Yardage

450 (550) yards of fingering weight (4ply) or lace weight yarn. Shown here in Malabrigo lace in larger size (purple) and Cascade Heritage in smaller size (green)

$5.00

Meet Julia!

2009-10-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

So after posting about Rhinebeck and the fact that I went with my friend Julia, it seemed a little sad that there were no photos of her! So I'm making up for it with a Julia focused post!

Julia is going to be modeling some knitwear for me and we had a test run photoshoot at her house yesterday so I thought I'd share a few of the many gorgeous photos of her.

Here she is sporting what was my Rhinebeck garment......(a new design).....hooded cardi, with no name yet. She's going to be test knitting this one along with Christy.
This prototype is in Malabrigo, which I do love, but pills so badly.....so the sample will be in something else.

.....and this is the new shawl design, pattern being written right now, also being test knit by Julia (what a great friend she is)!

...I also took a lot of photos of Julia's own finished projects so she can improve her Ravelry page....here is her stunning Counterpane Carpet bag....made from her own handspun and also dyed by her! She needs some more friends on Rav so go and check her out!

I'm so happy that I get to live near this lovely person again, she's really the one responsible for getting me into this whole knitting/designing lark in the first place!

Rhinebeck!

2009-10-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

My first ever Rhinebeck experience was truly wonderful and most definitely overwhelming! I was anticipating feeling over stimulated by all the yarn and all the people and after wandering around for 4 hours the first day I was a total space cadet…….but very happy!

I drove down from Western Mass early on Saturday morning with my dear friend (and new knitwear model of mine) Julia, who is an experienced Rhinebecker. She very graciously agreed to show off some designs for me and hand out business cards accordingly. There was a bit of a biting wind on Saturday but we both soldiered through without covering up our handknits in winter coats!

I stupidly left my camera behind the first day and then it rained the second which rather stumped my photography! However Steph (aka Gleek) has let me snag a couple of her's. She took loads of wonderful shots.

This one is a gorgeous photo of Jess (of Ravelry). As you may be able to tell she is wearing my Vaila jumper (the original) from last year’s winter Twist Collective issue. I was very excited to see it walking around, and of course to meet Jess properly too!

And then there is this one ......a photo of the giant Bob head that Ysolda began when staying at my house (with many a confused look from us) and finished within a week in order to be the Rav mascot at Rhinebeck! (Pictured with her is another Jess)!

I of course also saw Casey and got Ysolda to snag a photo of the three of us bedecked in knitting!

One of the highlights for me was getting to spot my designs in the wild...most satisfying!

Looking forward to next year already!

Ysolda and Connie!

2009-10-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have had such fun hosting Ysolda during her stay in Western Mass the last few days.
Having a fellow designer living in my house has been very useful I must say....her first day here she solved a short row issue I was having and is in general a font of useful information and advice! She has blended right into the family and we'll all miss her when she leaves tomorrow!

She wasn't here just to see me though! She had an event at WEBS where she displayed lots of samples from her Whimsical Little Knits books. There was a great turn out and lots of admirers.......although the very first question asked was "How old are you"?!

We were joined by Connie Chang Cincino over the weekend and decided it was a great opportunity for a wee gathering of designers so we threw a pot luck with Melissa La Barre, Cirilia Rose, Cecily Glowik, Cheryl Burke (not seen here-but she was present) and my good friend Julia. It was a great (late) night of designery chat, knitting of course, talk of Rhinebeck sweaters, loads of yummy food and yarn goodies to boot from Cecily! Our kitten also provided some entertainment as seen below!

Ysolda, Connie and I took some fresh air the next day and I got to play photographer for one of Ysolda's latest designs (coming soon)!

Connie and I have corresponded for a while now but never met in person so I was so glad to get the opportunity to spend time to get to know her better......she doesn't like having her picture taken so this is a candid shot!

Time to get back to that Rhinebeck sweater.....only a few days left.....say hi if you see me there!

Maine and Mary Jane!

2009-09-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Just had a wonderful weekend in Maine with the colourful and adorable Mary Jane Mucklestone! We were both teaching at an event called Fiber College in Searsport Maine and in fact we also attended each other's classes! Mary Jane's was on Fair Isle and she brought so many wonderful samples with her to inspire us all to be bold with our colour choices. It was a great class and gave me a lot of confidence to plunge deeper into Fair Isle!

(Some of Mary Jane's tams)

(Mary Jane's Boyfriend Socks from the new book Joy of Sox)

This was my first official teaching gig and I felt it went well. I taught a class using my Crofter's Cowl pattern so it was a basic intro to lace, knitting in the round and grafting. Just to create a bit of atmosphere I also showed some images I'd taken in Shetland last year, played a wee bit of music from some Shetland bands and provided a little history of lace knitting.
Anyway it has definitely whet my appetite for more teaching!

Mary Jane was such a joy to hang out with. I brought David and the kids with me too and we all felt so at home in Mary Jane's house and with her cute wee Puerto Rican doggie Lee Lee (probably not the right spelling)! We briefly met her husband too (also very nice) who had recently set up their archery target so David and the kids got in some practice and ended up buying a new bow!

Mary Jane has a great taste in textiles, colour and vintage-antique decor. I was often reminded of my mum when perusing her home, perhaps that's why I felt so relaxed there. My mum would have loved meeting her too.
I'm so excited that Mary Jane will also be teaching at the UK Knit Camp in Scotland next summer and that she also plans on getting up to Shetland with me during that trip. Can't wait!

Blame the Bugs!

2009-09-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

I know I’ve been a very lame blogger this summer! It wasn’t intentional! I am still here though and most definitely knitting away!

We don’t have the best of internet connections at our house so that has had an impact on how frequently I make online appearances (and add to that the fact that we have to be outside to go online which means for me being mercilessly attacked by mosquitoes)! We have of course also been enjoying settling back into the house and catching up with friends during the longer summer days.

However now that we’re heading into Fall (my favourite time of the year) and back to a bit more of a routine I do plan on posting more regularly again.
I have several self published items in the works and plenty more in my head (I really do need some little knitting elves to help me out)!
One of the current wip’s is another shawl to be a companion of sorts to Aestlight. This will be worked the opposite way and also contain Shetland lace.
Then there’s the cozy deep red cardigan to keep me warm as the weather turns chillier…..and the Fair Isle smock (a re-working of one of my mum’s designs)…and hopefully more!

As I said I just love New England in the Fall, the colours are so appealing to me and I relish being able to wear handknits again. All the yarn I’ve purchased recently reflects my attraction to this spectrum of reds/yellows/browns.
So what’s on your needles or in your basket for Fall knitting?

Audrey In Unst

2009-08-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

The new Twist Collective is out and I'm in it!

Audrey In Unst is a cropped cardi featuring a bib of Shetland Lace. It is worked seamlessly from the bottom up including seamless set in sleeves which are worked using short rows to shape the cap. I was definitely thinking of an Audrey Hepburn inspired Cardigan when I designed this hence the use of the name.....and the lace originates from the northern most Shetland Isle, Unst.....I don't suppose Audrey Hepburn ever actually made it to Shetland but she would have looked great on a windswept beach in this cardi if she had!

Once again it is such an honour to be in an issue with so many other wonderful designers and great to work with the team at Twist!

Here are a few more poorly taken photos before I sent it off....I deliberately subdued them as bright red is not the best colour on me (the cardi is also a little on the small side for me in this size).....I will be making another in a rusty colour....possibly starting it today!

Spotlight On David

2009-08-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

Just returned from Montreal where David took the kids and I to attend our first WorldCon event....mostly we wandered around the city while David rubbed shoulders with the some of bigwigs of the Sci Fi/ Fantasy world.

(The location for the Con was in the Palais De Congrais which had these fabulous coloured windows)

The highlight of the trip was when David took the John W Campbell Award for Best New Writer of Science Fiction/Fantasy for his book Acacia. It was a tense and exciting evening while we waited to hear the results read out....and then we screamed and jumped up and down with excitement!
(David giving his acceptance speech on the big screen- and yes he thanked me)!

(The kids taking some of the limelight .......and David wearing a tiara)!

Terrible photo of some of the winners that evening (holding camera above head and randomly snapping)......but I had to get a shot of David beside Neil Gaiman who won a Hugo for Best Novel.....and he let David hold it!

Maya's doodle while waiting nervously for the results......thinking of entering her for best artist category sometime in the future!

Teeny Taster

2009-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Twist Collective put up this wee teaser for their Fall issue......and it's my design!! .....so cool to see it in live action!

Not only am I walking these same streets this weekend (spending a few days in Montreal) but I also got to hang out with the lovely Kate Gilbert and her sweet little girl yesterday.

Only a few days to wait for the full issue!

Crofter's Cowl Class

2009-07-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

I don't think I mentioned this yet but I'm going to be teaching a class at Fiber College in Searsport Maine in Septemeber!
I'll be teaching my Crofter's Cowl pattern in a 3 hour class on Sunday the 13th of September. If you know of anyone in that area that may be interested in making a cowl as we head into cooler weather then please let them know!
The class will be appropriate for beginners (with a teensy bit of experience) and up.
Skills that will be taught:
Knitting in the rnd
Simple Lace
Grafting
The Fiber College folks have also put up a wee interview I did for them on their blog.
I'm very much looking forward to it and for the opportunity to meet Mary Jane Mucklestone who is also going to be teaching there!

New Connections

2009-07-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've spent most of today online getting together a Shetland Trader Group on Ravelry! I decided it was time for a central location for Rav users to ask questions and for me to be able to respond easily! If you're on Ravelry please come and join!

The Shetland Trader Group

Also got sucked into twitter today......username shetlandtrader!

"Best Raspberry Jam I've Ever Tasted!"

2009-07-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

......this is what Maya said about my first ever attempt at jam making......can't get better than that!

The kids and I picked the berries this week from Nourse Farms......obviously a few didn't make it into the jam!

I had seen Lolly's lovely looking peach jam and vowed that I would finally get around to making jam of my own this week......and I did!
After I grilled my canning expert friend on the phone I felt equipped enough to take the plunge!It was of course pretty easy! However I was surprised at how much those berries condense down ......I only got 2 and half pints out of our pickings..........

.......with the rate that it's being eaten we'll need to get back to the farm soon!

Aestlights!

2009-07-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

One of the most rewarding things about designing is when you get to see finished products of your patterns. This has become so much easier to do what with Ravelry and all the blogging that goes on these days!
I've been checking out all the lovely Aestlights that are appearing and thought I'd share a few of the multi-coloured interpretations.
Obviously I designed this with a solid-ish colour in mind but after one of my test knitters (The Lady-see below) tried out a blue and orange combo, I think she sparked the interest of others to explore the use of more than one colour. The construction of the shawl lends itself well to this with it's multi-directional knitting.

theladyknits

goodgirlsaturday

Feltedfanatic (rav link)

Looks great in variegated yarns too!

dyedinthewool

mobbysthoughts

(All photos by permission of the photographers)

Bird's Eye Lace-Video Tutorial

2009-07-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

I've thrown together a very rough tutorial on the Bird's Eye Lace used in the Aestlight Shawl as it seemed to be causing issues for a small number of people.
Hopefully it will be of use to some of you.....apologies for the lack of editing and quality control....best I could do for now!

(I've been admiring lots of gorgeous finished shawls on Ravelry.....thanks for purchasing)!

Persy!

2009-07-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Maya said goodbye to single digits today! All she wanted to celebrate her 10 years was another kitty....so we surprised her with this little ginger cutie!
He comes from the home of Kristin Nichols no less! Kristin had blogged about these kittens a few weeks ago and I contacted her to get first dibs on a ginger one. We kept his given name....Persimmon, or Persy for short.

It was so adorable to see the absolute pleasure and surprise on Maya's face! It was also wonderful to meet Kristin and see her beautiful and colourful home in person!

Life is good!

Aestlight Available For Purchase

2009-06-22T07:19:00.001-07:00

Aestlight is all ready to go.....thanks to the wonderful test knitters for all their improvements of the pattern! I decided to add a slightly smaller version of the shawl that would only use 1 skein of the Malabrigo Sock Yarn (shown in the brown below).

See some more versions here, here and here

DETAILS:
This shawl is knit using a traditional Shetland construction. It begins with a garter stitch triangle increasing from the point outwards. Stitches are then easily picked up from the very visible yarn over loops along the edges and the border is worked outwards from the triangle. The shawl is finished with an edging that is knitted sideways and attached to the live stitches of the border as it is being worked.

Two sizes are given. The brown shawl is the smaller of the two. Written and charted instructions are provided.

Make it in your favorite fingering weight yarn (shown in Malabrigo Sock) and enjoy the garter stitch goodness draped around your neck!
‘Aestlight’ means ‘east light’ in Shetland dialect.

Finished size:
Approximately 45 inches/114 cm (52 inches/132 cm wide) and 17 inches/43 cm (21 inches/53 cm) long.
There is a generous amount of give in this shawl at the blocking stage.

Materials:
• US #6/4mm 32 inch or 24 inch circular needle
• 440 (550) yrds fingering weight yarn
• Stitch markers
• Row counter

Gauge:
24 sts and 42 rows= 4 inches in garter stitch using US #6/4mm needle.

$5.00

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy Jig!!

2009-06-21T15:21:00.001-07:00

We made it!

All very happy to be back ....almost as if we haven't been away..........there is however work to be done to make it our home again.....the painting has already begun!

The kids have been off in the woods exploring .....snakes, salamanders and frogs have been found and many mosquito bites have been made!

.........that's all for now......I'll be back to more regular internet interactions when we get our online stuff sorted (no high speed here in the woods)!

PS:Hoping to get Aestlight up for purchase tomorrow!

Countdown.......

2009-06-09T11:26:00.001-07:00

Our POD arrived yesterday at a bright and breezy 7am (yes we were still in bed)......

.......and we decided to take the day off from packing and head to the river one last time!

I got to have a wee practice with my new camera and the boys braved the water....which was painfully cold!

Now it's back to packing ..........

....for some of us at least!

Test Knitters!

2009-06-07T14:10:00.001-07:00

Just to say I now have all the test knitters I need for the shawl but I really appreciate all the offers! Hope to have the pattern out by the end of the month!

Aestlight Shawl

2009-06-05T09:43:00.001-07:00

We interrupt this silence to bring you some gartery goodness!

Along with all the preparation for transporting ourselves some 3000 miles (which happens in 10 days) I've been fervently knitting.....some secret...and some, like this shawl, not!

I was inspired to come up with my own design for the Eastward facing aspect of Project Spectrum........and as we'll be turning ourselves to head to Massachusetts soon I thought the name "Aestlight" (East Light in Shetland dialect) was appropriate.

This shawl is all based on garter stitch and is therefore incredibly squishy and bouncy!

It is constructed using one of the traditional Shetland Shawl making methods. In this case that means starting with the garter stitch triangle and making increases at the end of every row with a yarn over. These yarn overs are then easily picked up and the borders are worked out from here. The edging is then knit sideways and attached to the live sts of the border at the end of every right side row.

Sounds complicated?.....I assure you it's not at all ....in fact it's rather a lot of fun watching this evolve!

The pattern is mostly written up but I'm in need of some test knitters (ETA: actually I'm all set now)!! So if this tickles your knitting fancy please let me know! It requires approx 550 yards of fingering weight yarn and is worked on US #6 needles.
Finished dimensions are approx 56" wide and 24" long.

These are some of the very first shots taken with my new Canon Digital Rebel XTi......which I'm mostly enjoying so far....with a few minor annoyances (like no live view and only a 10 sec delay timer)!

A few more photos on flickr

...and now back to packing!

Hip To Be Square

2009-05-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

Yikes it's been two weeks since I posted....! I've had to do some marathon secret knitting which won't be public for a few more months....(so hard not to share)....despite the stress of the short amount of time to get it completed (there was a big delay on my yarn getting to me) I was very happy with how it turned out.

However during the past few days I did manage to squeeze out a few squares for Larrisa Brown's Barn Raising Quilt charity benefit to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Info can be found here. There is still plenty of time for you to participate.....you know you've got some left over sock yarn in that stash of yours....and these don't take long to make.

Despite working hard on writing up the pattern of said secret knitting I've found myself casting on for a new Shetlandtrader design in the Malabrigo Sock yarn I recently acquired......as you can see lots of gartery goodness so far......it will be a shawl made using one of the traditional Shetland construction methods.

Here's a sneaky wee peek of the secret knitting....hard to work in wool when we're having such ridiculous temps already....the kids and I spent the entire weekend in the pool!
And my last bit of randomness.....camera question.....I'm think of upgrading to the above...anyone have anything to share on it's pros and cons?

North to East

2009-05-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

(Mosaic of greeny and stoney things-all my own pics)!

The arrival of May heralded the end of the first quarter of Project Spectrum. My ambitious plans of knitting the Astrid Shawl were thwarted early on when I realized that the web-like motifs were too demanding for my addled designing brain. I needed something simpler and soothing that I could come to in calmer moments.
Therefore I decided to knit Laura Chau's Simple Yet Effective Shawl.
Just the ticket and even though it's on the small side it's going to be a cozy neck warmer for the cooler months back East.......

...and speaking of East, that is the new spectrum for the next couple of months.....feels very apt considering we'll be spending about 5 days driving in that direction in June! Other elements to think of will be yellow, air, wood and Spring (think spring has already passed me by here in California)!

I'll be fondling this lovely buttery malabrigo sock yarn and trying to decide what I want it to be (it has a mate too).....before that though I have some serious secret knitting to get on with!!

One For The Boy!

2009-04-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

It has been far too long since this boy had a handknit garment from his mum....sure he's had his share of hats and knitted animals but other than that he's only got a scratchy poncho to show for it (which he graciously loves and won't let me recycle even if he can't wear it)!

So I gathered together some of his favourite colours in Cascade 220 and went the stripey route!

The pattern is the Staccato Hoodie from the lovely and talented Kirsten Kapur of throughtheloops. I sort of went with the smallest size and also had a different gauge. I could have made it a little longer and wider in the body but I ended up with using all my yarn with very little left over.
This was also my first hooded and zipped garment!! The sewing in of the zipper had me a little scared (and it didn't help that I started off with a closed zipper-duh) but I'm happy enough with how that part turned out.

Sage is super pleased with it and even though it's mostly too hot to wear in Fresno he'll get to air it at the coast this weekend! Fingers crossed he doesn't get too big for it before the winter season in Massachusetts!

Drumroll...........

2009-04-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

(imagine the drum roll continuing as you read on)
.... before I announce the winners, I just have to say that I've spent the past week being totally gobsmacked that so many of you left comments. It was so nice to see some of you poke your heads out of the woodwork, albeit with a little enticement! I hope you'll feel more inclined to leave comments in the future as that's the part of blogging I enjoy the most, the feedback! When I can, I respond to each comment I receive (not in the case of the last post obviously)!

I promise that the picking of the winners was done in a fair manner! Maya and Sage were my unbiased name drawers and they had a LOT of fun being VERY dramatic about the whole thing!

I wish I had prizes for you all.....but without further ado.....here are the winners:

Hap Shawl Book, Yarn and Bag-Melissa!

Moch Cardi Pattern- Katya, C and Yulian

Acacia-Autumnafternoon
Pride of Carthage-Anonymous Mary
Walk Through Darkness-Lynne S of OZ
Gabriel's Story- Gaea

Please email me your physical addresses (or emails in the case of the Moch Cardi Pattern) so I can send out your prizes.

Congratulations and thanks for taking part everyone!

Happy Blog Day To Me!

2009-04-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

My very first post on this blog is dated April 18th 2007 so technically this is my 2nd anniversary with The Shetland Trader! I was quite wet behind the ears when I began my relationship with the blogging world. I had also just had my first design accepted by knitty.com. Looking back I feel like I've accomplished quite a lot since then! I've also connected with some fantastic people many of whom have shared their wisdom and knowledge with me as I struck out on the designing path. I'm so glad to have "met" you all. Keeping this blog helped me through a time when I've been far from some of my nearest and dearest friends and family. So to show my thanks to all who stop by and for the pure fun of it I'm doing an anniversary give away thingy!

First prize - some Shetland goodies:
A copy of the book Shetland Hap Shawls Then and Now by Sharon Miller and enough Jamieson's Yarn (direct from the mill) for you to complete your very own Hap Shawl. I have picked the same colours that I used in the shawl I made for little Daisy last summer (photos of that one below) and a cute tote bag made by phatsheeptextiles in Shetland featuring cute and colourful croft houses.

Next up - Books for all tastes!
For those that don't know, my husband is a novelist with 4 books under his belt so far and another, The Other Lands (Acacia, Book 2), coming in September. He has kindly donated a copy of each (in English) for this giveaway. Each of the books will be given away individually. More info on the titles (with links) below the photo:

About Gabriel's Story (a New York Times Notable Book) Publishers Weekly wrote: "The old West, both beautiful and brutal, is the setting of Durham's magnificently realized debut novel, a classic coming-of-age story of an African-American boy."

Walk Through Darkness (also a New York Times Notable Book), combines aspects of his family's African-American history with my Scottish ancestry. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: "David Anthony Durham's evocative and finely wrought second novel, Walk Through Darkness resonates with the great American historical irony: Founded in reaction to tyranny, America's habit was slavery and the acceptance of institutionalized racism its denial."

Pride of Carthage tells the story of Hannibal's war with ancient Rome. It's been published in the UK and in eight foreign languages. The Christian Science Monitor called it, "a brilliant exploration of the tension between private destiny and historical force, as full of the sweep of geopolitics as the quiet intimacies of a marriage. He so clearly creates the hopes and fears of these people removed from us by time and culture that we can recognize our tragic, common heritage."

Acacia: The War with the Mein is an epic fantasy set in an alternative world, featuring a multi-racial cast, it's been published in the UK and eight foreign languages, and it got David nominated for the John W Campbell Award. The Washington Post wrote: "From the first pages of Acacia, Durham, a respected historical novelist, demonstrates that he is a master of the fantasy epic. "

Last-but not least, a Shetlandtrader original pattern:
I thought it appropriate to include some of my creativity in this celebration so I will be giving away 3 free copies of my latest self-published pattern Moch Cardi. Please note that this is just the pattern...not a finished cardigan!
To enter please leave a comment on this post with a way for me to easily contact you (no addresses, I'll get them when I pick the winners). This is open to anyone, anywhere. If you want to state a preference for a prize please do so.........No promises but I will try to accommodate where possible. You have until next Friday, the 24th of April to enter!

Some More Solidarity

2009-04-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

In the hope of continuing to create some awareness in the internet world about the "do's and don'ts" of pattern use (free and paid for) I'm writing a wee post in support of some fellow bloggers/designers who have spoken up about said topic recently (there are others that have talked about this in the past).

Pam of flintknits, Kate of Zeitgeist and Kate of needled have all blogged about this recently and have been very clear about what aspects of the misuse of their patterns are the most displeasing. If you haven't already I recommend that you read their posts (I have linked to their blogs above).

I am not aware of having as many problems as some designers have had with their free patterns but on reading Pam's post I did do a quick search for some of my free patterns and came across a few things that made me unhappy.

I'm not a very confrontational person and I don't like having to deal with contacting persons who may be violating the copyright on my patterns. I have less of an issue about a LYS using a free pattern without asking (as long as they clearly give me credit for the pattern within the class) although I do appreciate being asked permission as a courtesy (and this has happened for the most part). Not crediting the designer and renaming the pattern is not OK though.

The thing that really does rub me the wrong way is when other people make and then sell said free pattern under a different name (whether they are selling the actual pattern or making the item and selling the finished product)!! This I don't like to see. I think that often that person may be blissfully unaware that this is a big No No and probably hasn't paid attention to the copyright. I know when I first began blogging I was not as aware as I am now of these issues.

So the point here is to educate the users of free patterns (and other free things on the internet that come with a copyright attached) so that they give credit where it is due and do not abuse the terms of the work being offered for understand, people aren't out to surreptitiously profit from the hard work put out there by so many wonderfully creative people (although some are and that's plain not nice)! FREE! A lot of hard work goes into writing up these patterns and most of the time continued pattern support is given free of charge (designers get many emails asking for help and I for one always respond).

We all want to keep seeing such awesome free patterns out there for our knitting pleasure do we not? Just be sure to keep within the parameters set out in the copyright and if you see someone else abusing these terms of use perhaps offer a friendly reminder not to do so.

I do believe that by having these online discussions we can make some kind of impact. Reading through Pam's comments it is evident that this is the case.

There will be knitting in my next post...promise!

Calico Cat

2009-04-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

Looks like sewing will be making it's appearance here on a regular basis now!
Success with my first skirt:

This started out as the pattern for the Smocked Sundress from Weekend Sewing (with the intention of making it a skirt instead). I knew that the largest size would be too small for Maya so I added on some inches to compensate. However it was apparent after the smocking that this would in no way pass as a skirt or dress for my soon to be 10 year old!

After a bit of a panic as to what to do I realized if I just made another panel the same size and sewed the two together I would indeed have a skirt that fit.

So more fabric was ordered (it's Calico Cat -Alexander Henry)......another panel made....and then sewn together. I had left enough room above the smocking to add an elastic waistband casing (directions of which I followed from Sew What!: Skirts)........and ta da...it worked!

I spent all day yesterday admiring my handiwork while Maya pranced happily around in her new attire!

This really was a lot easier than I'd anticipated......one for me next I think!
On a side note I spoke to a dear friend of mine in Massachusetts today and shared my sewing success with her (she knows what my relationship with the sewing machine has been in the past) and she informed me that the author of Sew What!:Skirts has a fabric store in the area and teaches classes!!! I'm now even more excited about returning back East!

Other Creative Endeavours

2009-04-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

Along with all the knitting I've been dabbling with some sewing and photography too.....thought I'd share some of that on here!

I recently purchased the much blogged about sewing book "Weekend Sewing" by Heather Ross and the above apron is my first completed project from the book. I really have no sewing background whatsoever and have actually been pretty scared of the sewing machine for a while now! After the success of the wee bag I made a few weeks back I mustered up some confidence and decided to get more adventurous.

I won't pretend that it all went smoothly......because there was plenty of profanity leaving my lips as I wrestled with various aspects of my first proper sewing project......for instance the basting stitch did not work well for me, hems are far from perfect, needles jammed a lot, I cut out the ties wrong and needed to make more (I could go on).....however despite some ugly looking stitches (on the back side) and wobbly lines I am pretty happy with the finished product.

I already have a new stash.....of the fabric kind.......so many cool ones out there!
Ultimately I'd love to be making more clothing for myself and the family......next up is a skirt for Maya...in this wonderful Calico Cat fabric.

......and a few shots of my exploration in photoshop ........most of the above have some kind of texture added.....that's my theme this week in my 365 flickr project!
(Bottom picture is us returning from an invigorating 8 mile hike in Sequoia National Park at the weekend)!

Moch....

2009-04-06T15:25:00.001-07:00

.......is ready!

An 'aafil boanny' cardigan with flattering lines and an easy Shetland lace featured at the yoke, hem and cuffs.
‘Moch’ means moth and ‘aafil boanny’ very beautiful in Shetland dialect.

This cardigan is worked seamlessly from the bottom up starting with the hem. Sleeves are worked in the rnd separately and then joined to the body at the yoke. The buttonband is worked at the same time as the yoke. Underarm sts are grafted together at the end.

Also included in this pattern:
Table format where you fill in the appropriate numbers for your size.
Notes on sizing and modifications.
Written and charted instructions for the lace yoke.
Detailed instructions on how to work a One Row Buttonhole.

Please note:
As there are 10 sizes in total in this pattern I chose to write the pattern using a table format. I believe this will allow for easier reading of the pattern and avoid long brackets packed with numbers. When you begin the pattern you will fill in the appropriate numbers from the table for your size. Spaces have been provided next to each bold letter in the pattern for your convenience.
I was prompted to implement this after reading a timely discussion about it on Ysolda’s blog. Thanks Ysolda!

Materials:
v 850(950, 1000, 1075, 1150, 1250, 1300, 1380, 1460, 1530) yrds of DK weight yarn. Shown in Jaggerspun Zephyr-Silk (50% Merino wool/ 50% Tussah Silk), DK weight, 1120 yrds per cone. This yarn can be ordered by the cone and also by 140yrd balls from sarahsyarns.com. This is not the laceweight version of this yarn.
v US#6 (or size needed to obtain correct gauge) 32-inch or longer circular needle.
v US#6 set of DPN’s or two US#6 circular needles if you prefer working with two circulars for knitting in the rnd.
v A spare circular needle or set of dpns (US#6 or smaller), stitch holder or waste yarn (for sleeve sts to sit on while working second sleeve).
v US#7 24-inch or 32-inch circular needle (Optional- See under technical notes)
v Row Counter
v Markers
v Tapestry needle
v 4 buttons of 3/4 inch diameter and matching thread.

Suggestions for yarn substitutions:
Wool/silk blends or Alpaca/silk blends in a similar weight and with good stitch definition and drape.

Sizes:
Chest:29.5(32.25, 35, 37.5, 40.25, 43, 45.5, 48.25, 51, 53.5) inches
75(82, 89, 95, 102, 109, 115.5, 122.5, 129.5, 136) cms
Shown in size 35 inch with 1.5 inches of negative ease.

Gauge:
21 sts and 28 rows = 4inches in stockinette st on US#6
5.25 sts per inch, 7 rows per inch

$6.00

Amusing Interlude

2009-03-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of things to make you chuckle (hopefully) while I finish up my pattern!

This was aired on the news in Britain last April 1st!

I came across this yesterday after picking up the latest Yoga Journal magazine:

The Whole Shebang!

2009-03-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

The pattern isn't ready yet but I thought I'd share the finished product because I'm so happy with how it turned out!
......I Promise to work really hard getting this written up and ready for purchase soon!
Meanwhile here are some of the specs:

Pattern: Moch Cardi (moch means moth in Shetland dialect) A bottom up, seamless yoked cardigan with 3/4 length sleeves and body. Features a well known Shetland Lace pattern at the yoke with a hint also in the hem and cuffs.

Size: The above size is 35 inch chest shown with 1 inch of negative ease. I will be supplying a broad range of sizes.

Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr Silk (50% wool Merino wool/ 50% Tussah Silk), DK weight, 1120 yrds per cone. Approx 910 yrds used for this size.
This yarn is on the heavier side of DK than some out there. Some suggestions for substitutes:
Malabrigo Silky Merino
Jo Sharp Silk Road DK
Louisa Harding Grace silk and Wool
Rowan RYC Silk Wool DK
There are lots of others but I would recommend something with silk in it or something with good drape and stitch definition.

Gauge: 5.25 sts per inch on US#6 in Stockinette st

A Wee Teaser....

2009-03-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

.....just so you know I am being productive with my own designs too........sharing a little glimpse of what will be an original Shetland Trader design self published here in the not too distant future.....

It's a cropped length yoked cardigan worked in Jaggerspun Zephyr Silk DK weight.....and yes, as you can see from the top photo, I'm still attached but almsot ready to cast off and I love how it's coming together!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes.......what made it all the more special is that it has been week chock full of lots of lovely knitting/design related news......more to come on that later!

I Have My Cake.........

2009-03-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

......and will eat it too!

White Birthday Cake with Italian Meringue

Yes I'm shamelessly blogging on my birthday......decided to make the most of it as usually it gets minor attention due to the fact that many in our family have birthdays this month.... 8 years ago we were waiting for Sage to arrive...due on the 17th he stayed in over my birthday and then my husband's (the 23rd) and arrived on the 26th....
Being a kid his birthday takes precedence over his parent's (he's been counting down the days to his happy day for over a month now).....and we have a niece who shares David's birthday too....there are more but you get the picture!.......so I'm going to milk mine for all it's worth!

Knits In Action

2009-03-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

My sister and hubby very kindly donned their woollies during what is the tail end of New Zealand's summer and took some requested photos of the garments that I made them:
As you can see Nick's vest does indeed fit perfectly....so relieved...and he looks rather dashing in it!

I designed and made this sweater for my sister more than a year ago and still haven't done anything about writing up the pattern!! This was partly due to the fact that I thought I wanted to change the raglan to a set-in sleeve...but now that I see it again on Beth I quite like how it looks....neckband ribbing is looking a bit baggy however.....must revisit this pattern soon!

Big kisses to Beth and Nick for lovely modeling!

I Can Sew Cute Stuff!!

2009-03-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

It is known within my household that the sewing machine and I should not be left alone......we fight.......I curse.......the machine malfunctions.......it is never pretty......
But then one day (this past week) we made peace:

Nieces and friends were in in need of birthday presents.

Maya takes credit for all the wee animal faces......we had a hard time making them look happy!!

Yes there are some imperfections in my machine sewing but hey....nothing broke and I remained calm...that's the important thing!

It has to be said that I had a major helping hand with this super user-friendly sewing book (discovered when reading this post of Kat's)

......when it comes to needle and thread I need it all spelled out in the most simple terminology.......I literally haven't a clue.....but after this positive experience I can almost imagine a sewing corner filled with beautiful fabric like this one

It's All Such A Hoot!

2009-03-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Who could resist knitting a jumper with so much personality?............not me apparently!

Kate's OWLS has been a big hit in the knitting world with many wonderful versions taking flight.....mine was adapted for Maya who requested a front pocket (for storing snacks for the owls of course) and a longer length.

I kept the overall shaping and it does indeed fit her like a glove.....here's hoping she doesn't burst out of it before she has a chance to enjoy it during a Massachusetts winter!

As you can tell a lot of hilarity was had during our photo shoot...(many out-takes believe me)......but she can be a serious wee soul sometimes:

To show her thanks Maya drew me this!

Project Spectrum

2009-03-05T22:59:00.001-08:00

I've decided to take part in Lolly's 4th Project Spectrum......those participating will be exploring the Compass Rose and the colours/season/material and elements associated with each direction. There are no hard and fast rules with how to take part, thankfully ........each to his own!

The first grouping is North/Green/Winter/Stones-Gems-Rocks/Earth for the months of March and April
As I have started to explore my photography more in depth I've decided to focus on photo collages (as above) and will include at least one knitting project.

To get me started I've used some photos from my stay in Shetland a few months ago. This seems apt considering it's northerly location and it's landscape of green and stone.
My heart and mind are drawn in this direction on a daily basis when I think of my family and place of birth.

Also included in this mosaic are: a photo of some stone Georgian architecture in Edinburgh, the home and lush garden I'm returning to in Massachusetts in a few months time and some shots of the knitting project I'll be working on.
I've picked the Astrid shawl (Rav Link) by Norah Gaughan for the knitting aspect..... I've been smitten with it since seeing this one. It also kind of resembles snowflakes which fits nicely into the Winter theme.
I'm using Shibui sock yarn in a green called Wasabi.....I've only completed 1 of the large circles so far and have 12 more of them to go, 14 mediums and 25 small ones!!

Our House.....In The Middle of Our Woods

2009-03-02T18:31:00.000-08:00

Subtitle: Going Home!

This is our house in Shutesbury, Massachusetts which we left almost 3 years ago.....we were only supposed to be gone for 9 months but we got side-tracked along the way by the offer of a good teaching job (for my husband).....however........we have not settled into our life in Fresno and have pined for this house in the woods and the wonderful community surrounding it......so for the sake of a happy family (and believe me this makes us all so happy) we have decided to move back to Western Mass this summer!
Thankfully we never sold the house.

(Yes it may seem crazy to some to actually give up employment in this current job loss climate....but David already has a job that he wants to now devote all his time to.....he's a successful international author.....)

WEBS will once again be my local yarn store...hooray!

Flexible Francis

2009-02-25T14:51:00.000-08:00

Francis caught my eye a while ago, particularly after seeing these two versions. Feeling the desire for a quick and simple project to relieve the designing part of my brain I decided to create my own interpretation.

I had a fairly different gauge than the pattern called for so I mostly made it up as I went along....the beauty of the top down raglan being those golden opportunities to try as you go...and rip back if it isn't working! I did some unraveling and changed the increases on the sleeves, also choosing to work a few more rounds of texture at the hem and cuffs (mock rib).I used Cascade Eco-Wool Plus for the first time (in a colour called Fern that isn't very well represented in my highly edited photoshop pictures).
Great value for money but fairly workhorse ...think I would have preferred something with a little more drape for this project.....oh well, it will still get some use!

OK.......back to the drawing the board!
(Edited to add some more images)!

I Say Beetroot And You Say Beets?

2009-02-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

I'm most definitely the soup queen in my household.....whilst the weather is still cool enough to enjoy a hot soup I'm making the most of it...thought I'd share one of our favourites:

Brilliant Beetroot Borscht
(Or beets to you Americans)

Ingredients:
2oz butter
2 large carrots
3-4 medium beetroot (pre-cooked or not)
4 medium potatoes
1 large apple (whatever is handy)
1 large onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1.5 litres of broth (veggie or meat)
I heaped tablespoon of plain flour
1 small tin/6fl oz of tomato paste
2-3 tbls balsamic vinegar
2-3 tbls brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
dill or parsley to garnish (fresh or dried)

Directions:
Chop all the veggies up. Melt butter in large pot and add garlic, onion, carrots and beetroot. Add a bit of salt and pepper and cook for approx 10-12 mins. Get the stock ready if you haven't already done so (I just use a veggie broth paste that I add boiling water to). Mix the flour into the veggies and gradually pour on the stock mixing as you go and add in the tomato paste. Next stick in the potatoes and apple and let the soup simmer for 35-40 mins until all the veg is cooked. Add the vinegar and sugar (taste as this point to check the sweetness versus vinegar ratio). Blend the soup and serve with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh dill or parsley to garnish. Great with some warm fresh bread or rolls.

Copycat Tweedy

2009-02-18T19:09:00.001-08:00

Finally some knitting content to share!!

This is a long overdue gift destined for my lovely brother in law in New Zealand.
I promised him a vest about a year and a half ago.....he even paid for the yarn....and it's taken me until now to get it all together!

Initially I was going to design something myself and did even play around with some ideas... but I really wasn't feeling it.... of course it got put aside for other knitting as I tried to figure it out.......then it all became obvious.....I needed to make a copycat version of Brooklyn Tweed's Striped Vest! I sent Nick (the recipient) links to Jared's blog and he gave the thumbs up.

I literally finished this today and then logged on to flickr to see that Jared has now published a pattern for this- The Alberta Vest (Rav link)!! I obviously didn't have the pattern and referred to my handy knitting bibles (and Jared's Blog) to help me out. This is made to measure (jury is still out on that one)...and at a slightly different gauge.I went for Rowan Felted Tweed as my choice of yarn.....the colours were the most pleasing and there's a good range to choose from.
This was also my first time steeking (went for the well praised crochet steek) and will definitely not be my last...such fun! BTW when I was in Shetland and mentioned steeking at my Fair Isle knitting class I was met with a lot of blank faces....apparently it's not as common over there as I was led to believe....they're more likely to switch to knitting back and forth once they reach the armholes.

I'm really pleased with how this turned out and just hope that it fits Nick after his waiting so patiently for it...admittedly it is still Summer in New Zealand so he's not going to get a lot of wear out of it just yet!

Impulsive is my Middle Name

2009-02-13T17:45:00.000-08:00

My sister was right....I do make impulsive decisions when it comes to my hair.....however, no regrets this time (despite the fact that I booked a haircut on Friday the 13th)!

I appreciate all the kind words on the longer curlier look...... but this is definitely more "Me"!

Wednesday in Fresno

2009-02-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

Just sharing some snippets of regular activities at our house:
Maya snuggling with her cat Dolphin (who enjoys a suckle on a knitted poncho I made for her 5 years ago).

Maya doesn't show anyone else in the family the love and affection she gives this cat!

Sage loves the cats too but a close second would be his Star Wars paraphenalia....so great to watch boys and their toys...I don't get it.....but he's so absorbed!

And then there is serious looking me....testing what my hair does when left to it's own devices (Maya's suggestion)....the hair and I seem to do battle...I'm thinking it's time it went!

Taking The Pledge

2009-02-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

Because I want to show my support and solidarity to those that have spoken up on this issue already, I am officially taking the pledge-

"Today I pledge that henceforth, I will only sign contracts that allow me the freedom of determining what happens to my intellectual property after the initial publication."

Like others I will also be writing a note of concern to the folks at Vogue.

Zesty Beret

2009-02-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

Maya has been asking me to knit her a beret for a few weeks now....she even picked out the yarn whilst we were still in Scotland. She did originally request one of my patterns but after knitting so many of my own berets recently I needed to move on....so here is Rose Red (by Ysolda) re-interpreted in Lime Green.

I've seen some lovely versions of this floating around cyberspace but after seeing this one I had to cast on immediately!

Another great pattern from Ysolda...lots of fun to knit.... Maya loves it......and gosh it feels good to support other indie designers!
As I write this post and go and get the link for Ysolda's blog I got side-tracked by her latest post....if you care about designers in the knitting world then please go and read.....

Winter Camping Californian Style

2009-02-02T13:54:00.001-08:00

( In which Gudrun's Knitting blog is taken over by family photos)!
Camping in January on the Californian coast can mean better weather than in the height of summer and we were not disappointed with what we found at Montana De Oro this weekend.

We were even able to book one of our favourite camping spots at the last minute. A beautiful environmental (hike in, no water) spot that sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean in a small grove of eucalyptus trees.

Montana De Oro is full of trails and dunes and miles of deserted beach. We all couldn't wait to dip our toes (and more) in the Pacific waters.

Yes it was glorious...... but we did have to cut it short as Sage was inflicted with a stomach virus in the middle of the night! So it wasn't all a bed of roses!

Reasons To Be Cheerful

2009-01-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

The most obvious being this of course.....

David taking the moment in

...and some more reasons:

.......sunny weather and warm temps for happy kids to play in.....

...fresh orange juice for breakfast.....
and great music to listen to.....
Happy New President everyone!

Linga

2009-01-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

I'm back in the West and feeling seasonally confused once again......leaving chilly dark days in Scotland for sunny mid 70's temps in California!
Owing to jet lag I've been up at 5:30 am every morning since being back (and I'm not a morning person)! However being awake in the wee hours has meant that I've finally sorted out the pattern for the Linga beret and I can now offer it for purchase!
(Thanks again to Christy for speedy test knitting)

Here she is:
LINGA

This slouchy beret features a beautiful hexagonal Shetland Lace pattern.
Ling is Scottish for heather and Linga means heather covered island in Shetland.

Finished Size
Diameter across top of beret is 11 inches
Materials
* Approx 210 yrds of DK weight yarn. Shown in Rowan Pure Wool DK ( colour 014) and Louisa Harding Kimono Angora Pure (Colour 11).
* US#4/3.5mm 16-inch Circular Needle
*US#7/4.5mm 16 inch Circular Needle
*Set of US#7/4.5mm DPN’S
* Stitch Marker
Gauge
21 sts and 28 rows=4 inches in stockinette st on US#7/4.5mm in DK weight.

$4.00

Goodbye Shetland!

2009-01-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

This is our last night in Shetland.......we're all packed........the house is clean and tidy ready for my dad's return (he went to see my sister in New Zealand for Xmas)......and I'm feeling pretty emotional!

We got to spend the last few days with dear friends of ours who visited from Edinburgh. Below is their adorable 5 month old baby, Daisy...fitting that I got to get a photo of her in the Hap Shawl I made her back in the hot Fresno summer! It has aready seen heavy usage and actually needed some repair work!

So goodbye from Shetland and see you in a couple of weeks back in California!

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

Our peerie (but much apreciated) firework display at Muckle Bousta.

Countdown Begins

2008-12-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

In one weeks time I'll be heading off from these windswept isles.......I can hardly believe we've been here for three and half months.....it's going to be hard to say goodbye.....I will endevour to get plenty more photos this week.

Today we had a beautiful walk along the coast at Dale of Walls:

We Wish You a Merry Xmas......

2008-12-25T14:41:00.000-08:00

..... or whatever you celebrate at this time of year.

Some highlights from our day......champagne for breakfast, generous and thoughtful gift giving, grateful recipients of gifts, calm day for walking, sticky toffee pudding, Xmas crackers, a new Wallace and Gromit TV special, dancing contests...fun with family.....feeling grateful.....

My Man!

2008-12-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Reunited with my man after three months...he arrived in Shetland today.....and is already making dinner.....so incredibly good to have him here...especially as Maya and I have raging colds and need to be taken care of!

The Festivity Begins

2008-12-11T02:42:00.001-08:00

Thought I'd share some festive tidbits from Muckle Bousta. We don't usually get a tree this early but both of my kids have been ill this week and needed some cheering up! I have to admit to being a bit nervous that we wouldn't find a real Xmas tree up here where as you can see there is a distinct lack of the things! But of course they were imported (probably from Norway) and we picked one up at the supermarket!

We unearthed some of my parents old decorations and added a few of our own to make it a particulary Shetland tree: Some old glass floats, a puffin, a shetland pony and some felted fish!

We also added a freshly made felted goddess as the tree topper.....I like the crooked crown she has....too much Xmas punch already!

And Maya and I are both whizzing up the Xmas knits!

Breiwick Beret

2008-12-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

Breiwick has been test knit (thanks Christy) and is ready to go!

Inspired by beachcombing walks in Shetland this highly textured beret uses a slip stitch pattern to create a cable-like lattice evocative of fishing nets. Make this in a worsted weight yarn for a thicker, sturdier beret or in a DK weight for a more peerie (small) beret.

Finished Size
Diameter across top of beret is 10.5 inches in Worsted weight and 10 inches in DK weight.
Materials
Approx 190 yrds worsted weight yarn or 210 yrds of DK weight yarn. Shown in Dream In Colour, Classy and Rowan Pure Wool DK.
US#4/3.5mm 16-inch Circular Needle (for both berets)
US#8/5mm 16-inch Circular Needle (for worsted weight beret)
US#7/4.5mm 16 inch Circular Needle (for DK weight beret)
Set of US#8/5mm DPN’S (for worsted weight beret)
Set of US#7/4.5mm DPN’S (for DK weight beret)
Crochet hook (for catching slipped sts)
Marker
Gauge
19 sts and 28 rows=4 inches in stockinette st on US#8/5mm in worsted weight.
21 sts and 28 rows=4 inches in stockinette st on US#7/4.5mm in DK weight.

Skill Level

Intermediate. The slip stitch patterns requires dropping and catching stitches without using a cable needle.

$4.00

December Light

2008-12-03T03:09:00.001-08:00

Driving back from Lerwick at 3:30pm....sun about to dip below the horizon.

Papa Stour ferry that passes daily in front of the house.

"Ling"-Scottish term for heather.

"Linga"- means heather covered island and is to be the name for this beret which uses the same Shetland lace pattern as my Vaila sweater. Vaila and Linga are islands that lie next to one another on the Wastside of Shetland.

A good portion of Shetland roads are single track with these wee passing places dotted alongside....got to watch out for stubborn sheep too!

I Wish This Morning Would Never End

2008-11-29T03:27:00.000-08:00

That was the last line to a poem my daughter wrote about the beautiful crisp winter morning we had today......still and perfect for walking......

We are starting to get closer to our departure from this far flung location and as often happens when you know you're leaving a place you start to feel nostalgic for it!

(big brother's turn for a visit)

It's been absolutley brilliant to spend quality time with family (although I'm missing not having my sister nearby) and to be back in my own country for a while.

Our departure isn't imminent however.....we still get to celebrate Xmas and New Year here which will be all the more complete when David (my man) gets here in about 16 days time!!

Beret Bonanza

2008-11-26T03:07:00.000-08:00

Hello......still here......just haven't snapped many shots of late as it's been a bit dreich (as us Scots like to say)! However all this indoor time has kept me busy with lots of knitting .....including a slew of beret making/designing (One pattern written up and being test knit...the other to be done asap)!

.....here's a wee selection so far (taken when the sun made a brief appearance)....

There are 2 different designs going on here, one shown in a worsted and DK weight (winey and grey ones) and the other just in DK . I wanted to test out the variety of floppiness that can be had with berets as I find it hard myself to decide how slouchy I want them to be.

What about you? How much slouch do you go for in a beret?

(Just for fun-the view from the kitchen window after lots of cooking has taken place)

Swatching for Vaila

2008-11-16T03:53:00.000-08:00

Firstly thanks for all the wonderful compliments on Vaila.....I'm extremely pleased with it and with Caroline Bergeron's wonderful photography!

After receiving some queries regarding yarn substitutes I realized that it might be helpful for those who would like to swatch the lace panel to include instructions for flat knitting (as it is only worked in the round in the pattern).

I would recommend including some reverse stockinette either side of the lace panel so that the contrast can be seen.

Shetland Twins Pattern B
(This is taken from A Treasury Of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker)
The lace panel in the pattern is 29sts wide which ends up creating two repeats of the lace

Row 1(Right Side)-K1, *k4, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k5; rep from *.
Row 2-P1, *p3, p2tog-b, yo, p3, yo, p2tog, p4; rep from*.
Row 3-K1, *k2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k3; rep from *.
Row 4-P1, *p1, p2tog-b, yo, p7, yo, p2tog, p2; rep from *.
Row 5-K1, *(k2tog, yo) twice, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k1; rep from *.
Row 6, 8, 10 and 12-P1, *yo, p2tog, p9, p2tog-b, yo, p1; rep from *.
Row 7-K1, *yo, ssk, (k1, yo, sk2p, yo) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 9-K1, *yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, sk2p, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1; rep from *.
Row 11-Repeat row 7.
Row 13-K1, *k1, yo, ssk, k2, yo, sk2p, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k2; rep from *.
Row 14-P1, *p2, yo, p2tog, p5, p2tog-b, yo, p3; rep from *.
Row 15-K1, *k3, yo, ssk, k3, k2tog, yo, k4; rep from *.
Row 16-P1, *p4, yo, p2tog, p1, p2tog-b, yo, p5; rep from *.
Row 17-K1, *k5, yo, sk2p, yo, k6; rep from *.
Row 18- Knit

All abbreviations can be found in the Vaila pattern except for p2tog-b which just means purl 2 sts together through the back loops.

Twist Collective

2008-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm over the moon to have a pattern in the new Twist Collective and to be amongst such astounding talent........

November 4th in Shetland

2008-11-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

November 4th was an amazingly calm and picturesque day here in Shetland

Dad and I even had a wee picnic on the beach.........then we stayed up all night to share in the celebrations out west.......feeling very happy (but tired) today!

Beret Lover

2008-11-01T05:06:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge wearer or lover of berets in the past but I notice I've been wearing them a lot lately.......must have something to do with having longer hair after years of very short locks..and the need to take the chill off over here in the windy islands.

The latest one off the needles is Porom by Jared Flood.....great pattern and great slouchy, lacey beret...this one made from some cashmere/angora/lambswool mix from the Isle of Skye.

As this is actually going to a friend of mine I may need to make another for myself!

More Scenery

2008-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

The colours and light quality have been absolutley stunning up here the last few days so I've been snapping away.......these are edited and obviously I'm still fiddling with the colours but it does still represent some of the textures and contrasts that can be seen. A view on the drive into town (which takes about 45 mins )

Thought it was time to include a shot of a sheep however this one ain't a Shetlander, it's a scandinavian breed that produces a bigger lamb apparently....anyway these are the ones that reside around my dad's cottage....I'll get some locals before too long!

Looking at the hoose from behind.......and.......

......ta da.....I finished my Fair Isle project! Here they are being 'dressed' on some hand boards that my dad happened to have lying around.....some modeled photos soon..and perhaps a pattern!

Great Day for Knitting

2008-10-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

Back up North now and have been watching some dramatic seas mostly from indoors whilst knitting and drinking cups of tea......lovely!

Here's one with sound effects:

Edinburgh and Ysolda!

2008-10-24T01:46:00.000-07:00

Just had a great few days in Edinburgh soaking up the Georgian architecture of the New Town and roaming the old cobblestone streets of the Old Town and generally being quite a tourist!

Along the way I had the pleasure of meeting this lovely knitwear designer......

who supplied me with a cup of tea and a scrumptious mini apple pie whilst we chatted about Edinburgh (we both went to the same school although about 12 years apart) and knitting of course! She graciously shared some of her latest projects with me and has some fantastic designs coming your way soon!

They Have Trees On The Mainland!

2008-10-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

We're having a lovely time catching up with friends and family on the mainland (despite some stinking colds and coughs).......most of these pictures are from Perth-Shire....another spot in which we lived at one time!

Off To The Mainland

2008-10-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

We're taking the boat to the mainland tonight for a 10 day whistle-stop tour to visit friends and family during the school holidays so I'm leaving you with a few more recent shots!

Yesterday was a day of sunshine interspersed with downpours and the odd rainbow!

Mucking around with self-portrairts for my 365 thingy on flickr (haven't been too consistent with a photo a day I have to say)!

I'm not much of a boat person so I have been watching the forecast and hoping for relatively calm seas.......at least for the 12 hours that I'll be sailing! Outlook is good and thankfully our boat is a bit bigger and comfier than the fishing vessel pictured here!

Old mill buildings nearby.

Oh yeah.. the Fair Isle knitting is coming along but there are rather a few steps backwards before I go forwards again!

Random Photography

2008-10-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Today was about walking, soup making, older brothers and wood gathering.....

"Lots of Lovely Practice"

2008-10-08T02:17:00.001-07:00

It's just "Lots of lovely practice"....that's what some Shetland ladies at my mum's care home have been telling me as I bemoan how slow going my progress is with the fair-isle! So I'm going to adopt that attitude too and be more patient! I am actually pretty happy with my results so far but there has been a lot of ripping back!

It's a lot harder than I realized to get the sequence of colours right with fair-isle. The effects of pairing different colours makes a huge difference and I can't quite tell until I actually start knitting.....hence all the ripping back. As you can see I've gone for very Shetland colours....moss, peat, moorland, bracken.....haven't decided if these will be fingerless mitts or full mittens....will determine that at knitting class tonight!

I was even given a wee spinning lesson from one of the day visitors whilst spending time with my mum yesterday (for those who don't know my mum has alzheimer's and is now in full-time care in a fantastic home nearby). I didn't get much further than getting the rhythm of the wheel down.......it's hard! However I plan on taking my knitting next time as there are a number of experts there who will help with all my lovely practice I'm sure! Early morning sun before taking the kids to school.....won't see this much longer as we'll be getting up in the dark before too long!

The cat likes to sit on my Dad's desk and survey the weather, check on the rabbits, generally see if the conditions are right for going outside!

View from dad's desk! Took this the other day after a snow shower.

Working on a new hat design.....need to keep my ears warm up here!

Peerie Post

2008-10-02T05:10:00.001-07:00

That's "Little" Post to you. I'm pretty sure this local word will be in my vocabulary after 3 months in Shetland. All the ladies at my Fair-isle knitting class last night were using it constantly along with lots of other Shetland dialect that I had to re-tune my ears to in order to understand the conversation!

Despite feeling a little overwhelmed as I watched folks strap on their knitting belts and proceed to cast on in a way I've never seen before I did manage to accomplish a peerie amount of colour work! I also tried knitting with 3 dpn's (two to hold sts and the 3rd as the working needle). This seemed to be common place with the other knitters.....have any of you done it this way before?

I also attempted holding both colours in my right-hand....not very successfully...will need to practice that one! Despite being pretty slow I was pretty happy with my tension.

Now I need to decide what I want my fair-isle project to be and gather my supplies for next week.....I'll also take along my belt and finally get some experience using it.....I'm sure to be a true Shetland knitter by the end of the 10 weeks!

Oh....and the teacher taught my older brother and sister knitting 30 years ago in the wee school here in Sandness. All these years later my two kids are also getting knitting lessons in the very same room as their aunt and uncle!

As promised more scenery from my various windswept walks!

The seals in the bay by my parents house are very friendly and curious....they all came to watch me as I sat on the beach!

Oh yes I need to amend something from my last post...Twites are not swallow-like......apprently I mis-heard my dad......sparrow-like is what he said.....doesn't quite fit with the Swallow Tail Shawl after all....oh well I never was very good with remembering bird names!

Not such a peerie post after all!

Twite-Tail Shawl

2008-09-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

I started this shawl before I left California and finished it up last night here in Shetland. I decided to rename it the Twite-Tail shawl after the wee swallow-like birds that have been sitting on the telephone wire outside my parent's house.
I thought I might have to abandon this once I reached the nubb-knitting part....purl 5 together was proving a big pain in the butt......BUT.....thanks to good old Ravelry I found something that worked spiffingly.....moving the knitting down to the wire of my circular needle for the p5tog...brilliant!
This is going to my lovely sister-in-law for her birthday next week.

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn clark

Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr merino/tussah silk

Mods:None!

Now back to some designing!