Tag Archives: Plymouth Galway Wool

A great cast on when starting at the top

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I love to knit mittens and hats from the top down! Starting at the top provides me the opportunity to keep trying it on as I go. . . and my projects always turn out the right length.

Here is a video of a really nice cast on that I have started using to get a sweet flower at the top of my hats and mittens.

I used this method for this hat –

I’m a big fan of fulling and felting too. These mitts are knit using two strands of Galway wool and US 17 circular needles, then fulled to fit.

I’m working on a pattern that explains how I knit mittens from the top down. . it will include directions for this fulled mitten, which by the way is super warm and great to wear in MN winters while waiting for the bus! This could also be used as an oven mitt.

More fingerless knit in my new stitch pattern

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I don’t really know what to call this: is it a stitch, a pattern, a stitch pattern? I’m really only knitting in stockinette – knit a row, purl a row – but adding a hitch.

Haleigh loves her new fingerless mitts

On a circular needle cast on the required number of stitches (yes it is a secret to be revealed later) Knit one row with color A (in this case the blue). Slide all the stitches to the other end of the needle and purl with color B ( in this case the red).

I knit these yesterday for my 7 year old niece. These mitts are the size we will make in the class I’m teaching at Shepherd’s Harvest in May.

Fingerless mitts make it easy to throw a big softball!

Shepherd’s Harvest is just around the corner!

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I have been having fun with a new knitting pattern I’m developing. I’m not going to say that I’m the only one who has thought of it, but I haven’t seen it before. The concept is very simple:

using two different colors of yarn, knit one row on a circular needle. Then slide the stitches back to the other side/end of the needle, and purl with the other color. Repeat these two rows. The result is a very fun ribbon like fabric.

One of the projects I knit with this technique is a pair of fingerless mitts:

fingerless mitts

And the good news is!!! I will be teaching a class at Shepherd’s Harvest and we will be knitting these mitts.

If you live in Minnesota or Wisconsin come to the festival and learn to knit this very fun easy ribbon stitch. Here is a link to register for the class.

I love Shepherd’s Harvest! It is such a good way to start the summer. . . lots of vendors selling yarn, roving, and finished items are available too. Lots of animals to pet and food to eat. I’ sharing a booth with Gale Woods and will be selling my original patterns. I’ll have lots of samples there too. I’m hoping to have a shawl pattern in this style of knitting too. My mom is test knitting the pattern for me. Hope to see you there! Look for me in the middle of Barn C.

Look what I found in my closet!

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I was rooting around in my yarn boxes the other day and found this sweater that I knit TEN years ago! The poor thing needed one sleeve sewn in and the collar knit. Lucikly there was a partial skein of each of the yarns left in the box with the sweater so I could knit the collar.
I must have been planning for the future when designing this because it fits me now. This would look so great on the slopes . . . if only I were a skier!

Peasant birds sweater

I have a book of charts titled “Charted Peasant Designs from Saxon Transylvania” and spend many an hour looking through the charts in awe. These birds always attracted me and now I find I’ve knit them into a sweater! I totally forgot about this sweater. . . hard to believe.
Peasant bird sweater 2

The sweater is knit in the round and armholes are steeked. The yarn is Plymouth Galway.
Front of sweater on the body formsweater front shown laing flat

I also love that curly cue “S” design. The shoulders have two stripes of this “S”design on the front and the back.
Peasant birds top of sweater
It also runs up the sides of the body and the sides of the sleeves. I knit the sleeves in the round and worked the increases on each side of the stripe. Makes a good looking sleeve!
Sleeve underarm

Freeform knit and crochet fans

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blueyarnsamples72

I’ve started to destash my fancy yarns and am selling it on Ebay

Check it out!!

There is a total of 390 yards of 39 different colors of yarns in 10 yard increments.

Yarns included are silk/mohair/cotton/wool/ribbon.

Save money and get some fun yarn to play with.

Right now all I’ve put together are blues – but stay tuned or more colors!

Lace Leg warmer pattern

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I’ve finally finished the leg warmers! I actually finished writing the pattern too. I posted it as a separate page. . .

I have included pictures of them lying flat in the grass. . . on a pair of smaller legs. . . and on my bigger legs. (17″ around at the calf) The pattern is written in only one size but from the pictures you can see they will fit different sizes. And I have included in the pattern a few ways to change the size if you want to.

1legwarmersflat.jpg Here they are lying flat

1legwarmersideview.jpg Side view showing increase and shaping

1legwarmeroneleg.jpgOn the smaller leg. . . isn’t it a beautiful leg!

1legwarmersstanding1.jpgAnother view of the smaller legs.

1legwarmersgside.jpg Okay, here are my larger legs

1legwarmersgfront.jpgfront view of my legs in side the leg warmers.

The Plymouth yarn was really nice to knit. It is soft and warm and has good memory so the leg warmers will contract back to size when not on a leg.

Happy Knitting,

Shawn