HRYC

Dream Mitts

I dreamed this mitt. Seriously. And when I started knitting it, I was all concerned that I wouldn't do the stripes justice. (I still feel that I haven't, really). Also, Blue Sky Alpaca Sport is a dream yarn - 100% baby alpaca is beyond words. 

Feel free to freestyle the stripes: starting them after the thumbhole will make life easier, and allow for nice big chunks of the two colours at opposite ends.  

The mitts are designed so you can either hide your thumb inside the mitt on super cold days, pulling the mitt up and scrunching it around your wrist, or wear them the usual way, so you have full dexterity for important things such as carrying your coffee on a brisk morning walk to work. 

Yarn:

Blue Sky Alpaca Sport 100% baby alpaca

100m / 50g

1 skein nat light grey

1 skein citron 

or

Zealana Kiwi Fingering

124m / 40g

1 ball Majesty colour 14/4

1 ball Papura colour 06/4

Needle: 2.75mm 80cm fixed circular (for magic loop)

Gauge: 25 sts x 36 rows = 10cm

Abbreviations:

K – knit

P – purl

Kfb – knit into the stitch as normal, without taking the stitch off the left hand needle. Knit into the back of the same stitch, slide stitch off needle

Pattern:

CO 52 sts

Join in round, being careful not to twist. Place marker at beginning of round. Work using the magic loop method.

Next row: *k2 p2 repeat from * to end

Work in rib pattern for 2.5cm

Next row: knit for 3.5 cm

Next 2 rows: p2, k 46, p2

From here you will be working the mitt as if it were flat - turning your work when you reach the end of the row. When the thumbhole is completed, you will join your work in the round again.

Work back and forth for the next 12 rows

row 1: k2, p 46 to last 2 sts, k2

row 2: k all sts

repeat rows 1 & 2 four times more (12 rows)

next row: knit to last 2 sts, p2

re-join in round, p2, k to end

next row: k to last 2 sts, p2

next row: p2, k to end

Knit 14cm in stripe pattern (carry ends to you don’t have to weave lots in).

Continue stripe pattern, and:

k1, kfb, k to last st, kfb, k1 (54sts)

repeat increase row every 4th row four more times (62 sts)

Knit until the arm is as long as you'd like (the mitt I knit is 21cm from the last row of the thumb hole to the beginning of the ribbing)

Next row: *k2, p2 repeat from * to end

Continue in rib pattern for 2.5cm

Cast off using a stretchy bind off - I like Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind off.

Here are the stripe patterns we used, however feel free to have fun with them J

Thanks to all our pattern testers as well! xx

January has brought a whole bundle of brand new babies to the worlds of my friends. As a rule I don't knit for other people, but babies...well, they're an exception. 

After quick, simple, cute baby cardigan patterns, here's my picks.

Bluebell Cardigan by Schneckenstrick (image by nadia1981 on Rav) 

Garter Yoke Baby Cardi by Jennifer Hoel

Garter Tee by Justine Turner (we'll have this pattern booklet in store shortly!)

All three of these patterns are knit in 5 ply yarn - so quicker to work up than 4ply patterns, and have a little bit more weight to them. We have loads of 5ply options in store - and can't wait to re-open tomorrow so you can see all our new treats that have arrived over the break!

xx Tash

The great thing abut being a kid is wearing ridiculous things. Some fantastical hat patterns have been popping up lately - and i'm mighty glad some of them are sized up to adult. Because we're all kids underneath it all.

The Failynn Fox Cowl by Heidi May. There's also The Burton Bear Cowl and they go up to adult size! Hooray! This cowl would be so snuggly and perfect in Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky. 

Foxy and Wolfie by Katie Tricot - once again available in adult! Hooray! Cascade 220 would be just the ticket for this pattern - will have to be sure to add foxy colours to our next order.

The Baby & Child Gnome Hat by Creati Knit. How cute is this little munchkin?

Next week i'll do a round up of great adult hat patterns. Leave a comment if there are any you love that I should be sure to include :)

 Way back a year ago, I started the Queue Project. The idea was to limit my knitting attention to things I really, really wanted to knit. I have this tendency to flail around after finishing big garments and get distracted with silly little play around things of no consequence. Which is fine, except it leaves me feeling as if i've achieved a sum total of nothing.

Of the two updates I did last year, one covered some actual finished objects and the other wandered down a dangerous path of getting distracted.  Really, I should have two queues: Shop knitting (as in, samples for the shop) and Me knitting (as in, stuff I really desperately want for my own out of yarn we don't stock).

Looking back, I didn't do too badly:

The last project on that top row of pics, Marlene, was frogged as it was too small! Boo! But I put it there anyway. 6 of 12 projects from the queue done in amongst all the distractions and shop knitting and designing...and now i'm determined to knock some more off so fresh patterns can be added. 

This month must see Jared Flood's Hemlock Ring blanket started and finished, as it was promised to friends as a one year wedding anniversary gift. However, there is the small problem in that I don' t have the yarn for it yet. Oops. 

Seeing as I've got yarn for the Hooray Cardigan, i'm going to wind that up and get started. 

So, after that random slightly stream-of-consciousness New Year post, what are your knitting goals for the year? Do you plan ahead and try to be organised so that you achieve lots of productive knitting?

 It was super super lovely to have Just Jussi in store with us on the weekend! It would seem everyone was a little busy to take any photos, but our new corner of Just Jussi samples and patterns is the cutest thing ever.

We'll have this wee suitcase of samples until early next year, and the printed patterns will be a permanent fixture. They've been flying out the door already this week - hooray! It's so wonderful to share the work of a talented local designer.