Martin Storey KAL 2 :: Week 1 Squares

Knitting the week 1 square has been really fun.  I loved the moss stitch heart pattern and once I’d knitted the first square it was relatively easy to memorise the pattern with the help of the chart supplied by Rowan.  I did occasionally forget to knit the garter stitch border in a couple of places and if this happens to you, remember that you can easily rectify this by simply undoing the stitches directly above the errant stitch and correcting them with a crochet hook, rather than having to undo several rows of knitting to get back to the place where you went wrong.

I’m hoping to stay on top of the blocking this time (rather than leave it all to the last minute like I did with the last KAL!!).  I’ve tried out some new blocking wires which make things easy and give a nice straight edge to the squares.

Have you seen Martin Storey’s KAL You Tube Interview?  Its really helpful and nice to see the blanket in its entirety so you can get a picture of how yours will turn out.  I also liked the idea mentioned that you could just use a small number of squares to make a cushion or pillow cover, if you didn’t fancy knitting the whole blanket.  The moss stich heart pattern would make a perfect valentines cushion don’t you think?

Its been really great to see everyone’s progress over on Instagram where people have been using the hashtag #MartinStoreyKAL2 to share photos.  Pop over and take a look and don’t forget to visit the Rowan Facebook page for progress updates and shares too.

Planning ahead, Rowan are going to run a KAL competition which will be announced towards the end of the KAL and run from 26th May – 29th June and also for Stage 7 of the KAL you might wish to note that there is a beaded square option which you will need to purchase 180 size 6 Debbie Abrahams beads of your colour choice, if you would like to try your hand at beading.

Excited to get the second square pattern which will be released by Rowan tomorrow!

More details and tutorials for the KAL and the first square here: Stage 1

Happy KAL knitting! xx

Merry Christmas

Hello friends, just popping by to wish you a merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy 2016.  2015 hasn’t been the easiest of years with family health issues to deal with so I’ve had less knitting time than usual.  I’ve just been finishing off a few projects including Trent which I’ve knitted for my husband in Rowan Yarns Brushed Fleece, just in time for Christmas despite having to knit three sleeves! The first sleeve disappeared and I have no idea where it went so I had to buy more yarn and start again… luckily it was a quick and easy knit 😉  Here it is unblocked, but you get the general idea and it was the perfect cosy garment to wear whilst walking the dogs in the woods today.

If you haven’t knitted with Brushed Fleece before, I’d definitely recommend it.  Its a very light and super soft blend of extra fine merino wool and baby alpaca with a soft marl colour effect.  The colour my husband chose for Trent is called Peat 262.  You can view the Brushed Fleece collection on Rowan’s website which includes 16 knits for men and women including wraps, shrugs, capes, sweater dresses and cardigans designed by Martin Storey.

Hope to be back soon with some more ‘finished knits’ and I’m also going to sign up for the second Martin Storey Knit-a-Long starting on 28th January; details here:   http://www.knitrowan.com/news/martin-storey-knit-along-2-%E2%80%93-official-announcement-image  What are everyone’s knitting plans for next year?

Merry Christmas and see you in 2016! xx

 

Easter Crochet ~ Rowan CAL Scarf ~ Weeks 1 & 2

 

Happy Easter to everyone!  Its the school holidays here in the UK and I’m looking forward to spending a long weekend with my family.  Hope the weather cheers up – its a little rainy and grey here in the south west at the moment and I would love the Spring sunshine to come back.  This week the less than Spring-like weather has been cheered up by my girls doing a spot of Easter baking.  I’ve been making green smoothies to try and counteract any chocolate over indulgence! The pup has been snoozing, whilst I’ve been crocheting my CAL hexagons and we have been watching Harry Potter films, crafting, drawing and reading whilst the wind blows outside.  If he’s not snoozing, the pup has a habit of trying to snatch my lovely summerlite yarn and would probably eat my crochet if my back was turned, so I need to make sure its in a safe place when I’m not working on it!

Has anyone joined in the CAL?  I’m really enjoying it so far – the ‘vibrant’ colourway is fab and I’m loving seeing my stack of hexagons starting to grow… The free pattern download for week 1 is here if you are interested: Rowan CAL week 1  To download your week 1 pattern you just need to register for free or log in and click on the ‘Download PDF’ button at the bottom of the Rowan website’s page. The free pattern PDF has also been translated into French, German and Dutch and beginner crocheters can also find helpful links on techniques including covering the basics such as how to hold your yarn and hook.  You can also check out my friend Violetta’s blog “A Knitting Bakery” for a Spanish translation and some fab charts to help alongside Rowan’s patterns.

UPDATE: Rowan has released the pattern for WEEK 2 today as an early Easter present and it is available to download now: Rowan CAL week 2

Here’s my first attempt at the week 2 hexagon.  They’re super quick to whip up and a very portable project.

Happy Easter!  Back soon with more CAL updates 🙂

Claire xx

Happy Valentines Day from Shaun the Sheep // competition

Last weekend Rowan Yarns teamed up with the Telegraph Magazine with a special offer to get some free Rowan wool to knit Shaun the Sheep in celebration of the opening of the new Shaun the Sheep Movie. If you fancy knitting your own Shaun, you can download the pattern for free by visiting the Rowan Yarns website knitrowan.com or by clicking here. You will need 25g of black yarn DK and 25g of cream/white DK.

Rowan currently has a competition to win £100 of lovely Rowan yarn – you just need to photograph your finished Shaun in an unusual location and post it on Rowan’s Facebook page before 24th February.

It was great fun knitting Shaun this week – he has now been adopted by my little girl, but the pup has also taken a fancy to the little sheep too (must think it looks like one of his dog toys) although he does seem to have taken a fancy to snatching yarn in general looking at the ‘caught in the act’ photo above!!!
Hope you’re enjoying Valentine’s Day today, however you are spending it with the knitting, people or pets that you love.
Claire xx

COMPETITION!!!!:

I’m running a little competition to win some Rowan Yarn to knit your own Shaun. Answer the following Question if you’d like to enter:

Which was the name of the film that Shaun the Sheep first appeared in? Leave your answer here or on my Facebook page with an email address or Ravelry details so that I can easily contact you. Deadline is 5pm sunday 22nd February. UK only please. Good luck 🙂

EDITED TO ADD: COMPETITION WINNER!

Thank you to everyone who popped by to enter the competition. I had 30 entries in total and chose the winner using random.org. My competition winner was Carol Hesketh – congratulations Carol! I’ve since discovered that Carol has her own Knitting page on Facebook called Fred Knits. Do pop by & say hello 🙂

Tullia Snood in Rowan Fazed Tweed

My Tullia Snood in Rowan Fazed Tweed has been such a useful accessory this year. A simple but effective design.  I finished knitting it in the school christmas holidays and took it on its first outing to the beach at West Bay in Dorset (where Broadchurch is filmed, if you’ve been watching it on TV!) at the start of the new year. It’s been so bitterly cold this winter that I’ve also worn it in the house too!  It’s a very adaptable knit as it can be worn as a loose cowl around the neck, or it can be worn lower down around the shoulders for an instant hug of warmth.  See the pictures below from the Fazed Tweed brochure.  My Snood is knitted in a gorgeous purple called ‘Sycamore’ 003.

The brochure contains 16 designs by Marie Wallin.  The Fazed Tweed yarn is an interesting mix of wool, and fine alpaca, with a filled tube like construction giving a soft blended tweed like knitted fabric.  I found it very easy to knit with and I really love the tweed effect.

Until next time, when I’ll be back be back with some news of a new soon to be launched Rowan Crochet-a-Long,
happy crafting 🙂
Claire x

A Nordic Garland Christmas

So I’ve finished my Rowan Nordic Garland just in time for Christmas. I’m really pleased with how it turned out – it fits perfectly above the mantelpiece by the fire in our front room. It was a great little festive project to work on throughout December. Hope you like it too.

A big thank you to everyone that took the time to comment on the #RowanNordicGarland Knit-a-Long on my blog, facebook page or on Instagram, and to those of you who shared your photos with me of trees that you knitted or other handmade Christmas projects.  Its been great fun and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have – part of the fun has certainly been sharing all of my updates with you and sharing the Knit-a-Long with my knitting buddy Anne who has been knitting the Garland too.  Don’t forget to pop over to Life Lackadaisical Blog and check out Anne’s version 🙂

Now I think I’m just about ready for Christmas… how about you?
Happy holidays, have a great christmas and see you in 2015 for more yarn-tastic projects 🙂
Claire xx

The Nordic Garland is knitted in Rowan Felted Tweed DK and the pattern can be found in Easy Fairisle Knits by Martin Storey.

Advent

It’s been such fun making Christmas trees for my Nordic Garland this week. I’m hopefully on target to finish my little tree garland ready for Christmas…

Although things got quite busy this weekend, when this little fella popped by…he’s our new pup! Too cute!

We also chose and decorated our Christmas tree…

I must make a start on the I-cord this week…
and there are more Christmassy goings on to look forward to….
Reception class school nativity play and a trip to Santa’s Grotto with my little girl at the school Christmas craft fayre…

Hope you have a good week and if you’d like to please share your Christmas makes with me on Instagram or my Facebook page. Find the garland pattern here: http://www.knitrowan.com/designs-and-patterns/books/easy-fairisle-knits

Claire xx

Rowan Nordic Garland Knit A Long

Welcome back!   I’m so pleased you’ve popped by!  Here are the details of mine and Anne from Life Lackadaisical’s “home made Christmas challenge” knit-a-long just in case you’d like to follow our progress or join in too or maybe even share some photos of your own Christmas knits with us?

So… using the Nordic Garland pattern from the Rowan Easy Fairisle Knits book that I mentioned yesterday, our challenge for December is to knit our Nordic Garlands ready for Christmas with both garlands finished ready for Christmas Day.

Starting on 1 December, my knitting buddy Anne will be attempting to knit a tree a day with a goal of 25 trees by December 25.  I’m going to be knitting the garland pretty much as illustrated in the Easy Fairisle Knits book as shown below, so I’m aiming for 15 trees… although I may do more if I find the time and I’m hoping to knit the I-cord as I go along.  I know its certainly a busy time of year but this pattern is straightforward, super cute and the little trees are super addictive….. so I think its going to be lots of fun 🙂

We’ll be sharing our photos and regular updates on our blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #RowanNordicGarland and we hope you might like to join us and share your photos using the same # if you’d like to take part or use it to share your own Christmas knitting projects with us too 🙂

So here’s my first tree…. there are 3 designs – this is the plain garter stitch version and the other 2 designs have a touch of fairisle.  If you’d like to join us, or would just like to see how we get on with our “home made Christmas challenge” follow us using #RowanNordicGarland and share your photos and progress of any other Christmas knits you’re making with us too.  We’d love to hear from you 🙂

Links:

Rowan Yarns Easy Fairisle Knits by Martin Storey;

Martin Storey on Facebook

Rowan Felted Tweed DK – view the 28 shades on Rowan’s Website

Knitandpurlgarden Facebook Page and Instagram

Life Lackadaisical Blog, Facebook Page and Instagram

Happy Christmas knitting!
Claire xx

 

Easy Fairisle Knits

Hello again!  Its nearly December and I’m thinking about Christmas knitting….

Have you seen Martin Storey’s latest publication ‘Easy Fairisle Knits’ yet?  It features 14 delightful simplified fairisle designs using  Rowan Felted Tweed DK and ranging from hats, socks, scarves and cushions and including a slipover, bag, throw and garland – all with only two colours in a row – so suitable for even novice fairisle knitters like me!

Check the images out via the link to Rowan’s website here, and in the meantime, here are a few of my favourites (aside from the gorgeous kitty scarf featured on the front cover!):

And you can drool over the 28 shades of Rowan Felted Tweed DK by clicking here 🙂

So, talking of Christmas, I think its time to create a little something “home made” for the festive season don’t you?
My knitting pal Anne at Life Lackadaisical and I will be taking part in a “home made Christmas challenge” and I’m hoping you might join us too…?

Come back on Friday 28th November, when we will have the details ready for you 🙂
Hope to see you here tomorrow….
Claire xx

 

Autumn Salsa – a Hat in Big Wool Colour

Hello Autumn!

Meet Salsa, a hat designed by Lisa Richardson and knitted in Big Wool Colour from Rowan Yarns.

My daughter loves her new hat – she’s a big fan of slouchy hats with bobbles…

Big Wool Colour as you can see has a fun bright colour palette and is ideal for accessories.

Its fantastic for the beginner knitter as projects can be easily completed within a matter of hours.

Rowan Big Wool fans will also be pleased to hear that Big Wool Colour knits to Big Wool tension so knits to all Big Wool patterns.

The Big Wool Colour Collection published by Rowan this autumn features 13 designs by Lisa Richardson using Big Wool and Big Wool Colour. Here are a few of my favourites:

Jitterbug:

Foxtrot:

Mambo:

Fandango:

Have you seen the recently published Simple Projects for Cosy Homes by Sarah Hatton?

I love this collection, with gorgeous projects like these cushions that also make use of Rowan Big Wool.  I think they would look really great knitted up with Big Wool Colour too.  What do you think?

And how about using Big Wool Colour for these sweet little knitted baskets?

Thanks for popping by!
P.S I’ll be back soon with an update on my Alpaca Colour sweater – its all finished and good thing too, as the weather is certainly getting chillier!   Happy Knitting 🙂
Claire xx