Sandra's Designing Blog

This is an exclusive area of my web site where you can find out more about my knitted designs, what inspires me, how I work and what I like (and don't like) to design. 
 
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  1. You never know what you’ve been missing until you find it

    Posted on

    This phrase captures the idea that sometimes we only realise the value or usefulness of something once we experience it for ourselves. That's exactly how I'm feeling now. I sell 3 new knitting tools in my shop and until I started using them myself I did NOT realise how useful they could be.  I'll explain more...........
    I picked up this gorgeous yarn (silk and wool blend) at one of the Knitting & Crochet Guild yarn sales a few months ago. Before I could decide what to make with it I knew I had to determine what yarn weight it was, was it a fine DK, a fingering yarn (4 ply) or lace weight?  The label didn't tell me and I didn't want to ball the skein up until I knew I was going to use it........ So I got out the handy WIP measure tool. It was obvious as soon as I put the yarn in the slots that it was 4 ply yarn. Didn't even need to do the wraps per inch test. [This is where you wrap the yarn round the tool and see how many wraps fit in the 1 inch gap].
    So now I knew I could start my search for a 4 ply garment to make. Yes!
    This is the design I decided to make with my purchase along with some plum mohair yarn I already had in my stash. This beautiful top ( and lots more) has been designed by Elenor Mortensen.

    Art Nouveau Sweater

    Yarn weight - Fingering / 4 ply (14 wpi) ?
    Gauge - 26 stitches and 34 rows = 4 inches
    So I purchased the pattern and started to knit the swatch. I had to make sure the sweater would actually fit me after all that knitting. The yarn label gave me no indication of guage and even though I was sure it was 4 ply, I still needed to be sure. I mean, I say this to all knitters so I really had to do the same myself.

    To help me knit my swatch of the stranded knit pattern I decided to use the pattern tracker tool that I also sell. WoW ! This was a total game changer for me. I normally use post it notes on a print out of the pattern and inevitably they fall off when I'm putting the pattern away or just moving from one chair or my knee to somewhere else.  With the pattern tracker this just doesn't happen. It stays on the row you want it to stay on.  Magic! 

    And to measure the swatch I used the Swatch Ruler that I also sell

    I didn't just use the pattern tracker for my swatch I'm using it for the whole sweater, so impressed.  Only been knitting this for a few evenings so a long way to go yet!. 

     The New Knitting Tools 

    These unique knitting tools have been designed by Jen Hogg from Glasgow, Scotland. Jen competed in the TV series The Great British Sewing Bee back in 2019 reaching the semi final. So a keen sewer but also works her magic with knitting and silversmith. 

  2. Get ready to dash into your next project!

    Posted on

    Introducing "Striped Dashers", the fingerless gloves that combine bold stripes with playful dashes in garter stitch. With four unique motif options and full instructions to master three new techniques, this pattern is perfect for knitters looking to up their game. Whether you're knitting for warmth or style, these gloves will keep your hands cozy and your skills sharp!

    Grab your needles and start dashing through those stitches!
    My new pattern "Striped Dashers is available via my Web site  and Ravelry store
    .

    These fingerless gloves are knit sideways in garter stitch. The garter stitch provides the stretchiness needed for the cuff and the hand without the need for any shaping. They are knitted on straight needles, so no DPN’s or circular needle required. And for those knitters that don’t like purling, you are in luck as there isn’t any! 

    However 3 techniques are used which you may not have come across. Use this pattern as a starting point for to you try out some new skills all in one small project. Skills that you can try time and again with the 4 different designs until you have really mastered them.

     

    These are the:

    • Crochet provisional cast on - this technique leaves live cast on stitches on the work which are then used at the end to graft onto the finishing stitches. This creates the tube of the hand and the thumb. 
    • German short rows in garter stitch - the recommended short row method which blends well with garter stitch and is easy to do. 
    • Garter stitch grafting  -  a way of invisibly joining the work so it looks just like a garter stitch row. 
     

    I was inspired by the new book by Woolly Wormhead - "Short Row ColorWork Knitting". which just arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago. Woolly is well known for her beautiful hat designs. Some of her designs are worked sideways in garter stitch where she can use short rows to shape the crown. 
    In her new book, Woolly uses the short rows, not for shaping but for creating beautiful colour work, concentrating on ensuring that the fabric size stays balanced rather than shaped.