Stylecraft .... and Teenagers

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

I've been meaning to blog for days but every time I think about it something gets in the way - specifically this week 11 sacks of yarn from Stylecraft needed emptying, sorting and putting away (often it's the putting away that's the hardest as space needs to be made first) and then the website, finally, gets updated.  It's all done now so Stylecraft stock levels are good (and we have loads of 400g Aran, which seems to be incredibly popular at the moment) and their prices haven't gone up - woo hoo!

If that wasn't enough, we're also off on our jolly hols tomorrow and it's been utter chaos and mayhem getting organised - FB and I are going for 3 weeks, Guy is going for 8 and Tom is going on from our family holiday to his gap year and not returning until June next year.  It probably doesn't take much imagination to envisage the state of our house.  Piles of clothes everywhere and then the inevitable yells of, "Mum, can you get this washed and dried in time?" and, of course, endless leaving parties for the boys.

8 days ago I woke Tom up with the announcement that, "Tom, you are leaving the country in 9 days time for a year.  Can I suggest that you a) start tidying your room, b) start thinking about what clothes you are going to take {refer back to washing above} and c) write your personal statement for your UCAS application" (which FB and I are in charge of come the autumn).  I probably don't need to say that the personal statement was started on Monday,  the final washing will be done this afternoon and - as at 8am this morning when I left the house - his bedroom was in no fit state to be either dusted or hoovered. 

I love teenagers and I really do envy them their laid back and relaxed take on life.  How lovely to get up the day before you're flying off for a year and only then start to think about packing.  How lovely to be so laid back that the final leaving party {which turned into an all-night affair - when I asked him what time he went to bed he said, "it was light"} was a million times more important than organising foreign currency, confirming flights or, even, packing.  But, of course, they are only able to be so damned laid back because they have 2 frantic parents sorting and organising everything behind the scenes.  So, when they get to the airport which their (badly) packed rucksack their parents Mother will produce the necessary documents and, essentially, passports.

Of course, when he returns there will be no Mother to organise him - which is what worries me because he did once, famously, miss a flight home from France. 

It could be a roller coaster year, folks!

I may blog whilst we're away, if not I'll fill you in on our return - one thing's for sure - it's going to be hot and I have packed knitting!

New Colours in Marble Chunky & Marble DK

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

There are one or two yarns which sell like the proverbial hot eggs - in fact, it's rare for a day to go by when we don't sell them; one of these is Marble Chunky from James Brett.  Now available in over 30 colours it's a yarn that just keeps on going and giving and Brett's just keep on adding more and more glorious colours (and patterns) to keep us constantly tempted and busy knitting.

We now have 4 new colours in Marble Chunky (colours are listed numerically so scroll down for the newest colours):

and 6 new colours in Marble DK:

For sheer value and wear-ability (if there is such a word) these yarns are hard to beat - and they now have a load of new patterns too - here is a selection (as ever, click on the yarn pages and the relevant patterns are displayed down the left hand side of the page - click on the pattern image to get all the details you need):

We've also had a small "top-up" delivery from Adriafil so our most popular colour in Sierra Andina (that's another of our best sellers - 4ply pure alpaca) is back in stock:

along with the best selling colour in Poema:

Poema is a gorgeous multi-coloured pure cotton so we couldn't resist knitting up a garment in it for summer.  We knitted this King Cole Cottonsoft pattern:

in Poema.  It's a really lovely yarn but the lacey top definitely benefited from a good old blocking (I shoved the whole thing into warm water and then dried it flat) - what a difference.  Before:

and after:

before:

and after:

And here is the final garment in its post-blocked glory:

And the socks I mentioned before?  Done and ready to be posted:

(Stylecraft Aviemore, shade 1617, blue/grey (imaginative colour naming going on there!).

What have you been knitting?

Rico Baby Cotton Soft

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

Rico's Baby Cotton Soft yarn is a blend of 50% cotton and 50% acrylic so perfect for summer knits when you don't want a pure cotton or for when pure cotton might be a little heavy.

Rico started off with patterns for ladies but this year they've introduced a whole range for the small people in our lives and I just couldn't resist knitting one up.  Unusually, Rico's sample was knitted in boys' colours and modelled on a boy:

Don't you just love the contrasting elbow patches?!!

So - to ring the changes - I knitted our sample up in lovely, summer, girly colours (with, of course, contrasting elbow patches):

As you can see, I also added buttons in the elbow patch colour:

I do love knitting little baby things! - so quick and neat and easy (although there were one or two errors in this pattern!).  So - just in case you feel inspired, here are the errors (which I have passed on to Rico - bet they love me!):

1.  Throughout the pattern it says "single rib".  However, as can be seen from close inspection of the photo it is, in fact, worked in 2x2 rib throughout.  Sadly, I didn't notice this until I'd got to the shoulders so mine is knitted in single rib and then one row of reverse stocking stitch before the single rib on the shoulders - stocking stitch moving into single rib just doesn't look right.

2.  I knitted the second size, which says 1 + 2 balls for the stripes (plus one contrasting for the elbow patches, of course).  I definitely needed 2 + 2 and I notice, now, that the 3rd size also says 1 ball (plus 3) so it should be 2 + 3 as well.

3.  Getting really detailed now, the second size front says to work to 34cm prior to shaping the neck.  This should be 32cm, as per the back.  As before, I'd knitted on to 34cm before realising my/their error - doh!

4.  The pattern says to sew all the seams and then knit on the neck and the elbow patches.  It is far easier, in my humble opinion, to knit on the neck first, then sew on the elbow patches (far easier when the sleeves are flat), then sew up the top of the sleeves and the fronts and then, finally, the sides and the arm seams.  Just my opinion, so I'll throw it out there.

I don't want to make that sound really complicated (because it isn't) but it may just be useful for the next people who knit this pattern - which is well worth knitting as it's really, really sweet and the buttons on both sides of the neck make it easy to get on and off a wriggling small person!

As a complete contrast, I am now knitting socks - someone has a birthday coming up and expressed disappointment at not getting socks at Christmas so I want them to be happy on their birthday!

Opium From King Cole - We Knitted A Sample!

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

The long-awaited "Opium" from King Cole was a little delayed in getting down to us in Penzance but we wasted no time in knitting up a sample garment once it was here.  We think this tie-front cardigan (available in both long and short sleeved versions) is the "must have" for this summer - easy to slip over a t-shirt when the evenings get a little cooler and flattering for every body shape. 

Here is mine:

I knitted the smallest size and it took just 2 balls - that's just £9.98 for the yarn - and that, my friends, is unbelievably good value in anyone's book.

The only thing I would add is that it's very, very difficult to sew your garment up with the yarn itself due to the way it goes from thick to thin.  I used a DMC embroidery thread to sew mine up and it worked an absolute treat.  We stock the full DMC range so do please give us a ring (01736) 367069 if you want a matching thread added to your order.

Fingers crossed the warm weather is here to stay for a while and this will become a summer staple.

The Sun Came Out ... So We Took Some Photographs ...

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

Finally, on Saturday, the sun made an appearance!  After what felt like weeks of grey, overhanging cloud (and was, in fact, weeks of grey, overhanging cloud) we actually saw blue sky and a big, shiny, warm orb in the sky.  Had spring finally arrived?  Sadly - no.  Since then we've been back to grey, drizzle and sea mist; but it gave us hope that maybe, just maybe warm weather is on its way.  (And then I listened to the long range forecast which was, basically, that this week's weather is going to take two steps forward and one step back so no little summer tops just yet.  Which is a pity as that's exactly what we've been knitting.)

As with all fashion retailers, wool shops have to think (and work) in advance and our suppliers are working even further in advance than us - with one rep telling me this week that he's off to a meeting next week to see the new autumn/winter range for 2013-14 - yikes, now that's really scary, given that we're not really out of last winter yet.

So - for some weeks now we've been knitting up summer knits in the strong hope that this is going to be a really lovely hot summer (well, come on, it's got to happen some time!).

King Cole's Bamboo Cotton yarn is one of our biggest sellers all year round and this spring they've brought out a range of new colours and new patterns.  We particularly like this one:

but felt that a really bright, zingy version might be fun.  So we Tracey knitted one for me.  I love it - but just wish my arms were a little browner!:

Given that there is a huge range of colours in Bamboo Cotton, the various colour combinations are endless.

Next up is a little summer top in Rico's new Summer Print Yarn:

I thought this pattern was/is lovely:

but it has a but it has a pattern panel on the front with holes and blackberries - which you can see better in the picture of the plain, capped sleeve version of this top:

That pattern is fine and dandy but, as can be seen from the models, you really do need to wear a light t-shirt underneath which, in a summer top, I think is a bit daft.  So, I missed out the pattern and knitted this:

Again, lovely top, shame about the pale, pastey, post winter arms!

The sharp-eyed amongst you might also be thinking, "hang on a minute - that bright top is knitted in a plain colour and all the balls on your site are multi-colours".  Well, congratulations to all of you who made this observation.  Yes, there are plain colours in the Summer yarn but we are still awaiting delivery (as are, so far as I am aware, all Rico stockists).  Supply can be a problem for our suppliers and it then becomes a problem for us - a bigger problem when the companies take out full page colour adverts in knitting magazines (which, of course, they've booked months in advance) and then there's a delay in the yarn's arrival and customers are phoning asking about the lovely yarns they've seen advertised which are no-where to be found in the UK.  We await our plain colours with eager anticipcation .......................

Finally, we (Tracey again) also rattled up another Debbie Bliss Angel Cowl (100 sts, 5mm circular needle, knit) - this time without the twist.  Lovely summer colour and perfect for thus who hate having a cold neck in a breeze:

Look - blue sky!

Look At These Old Patterns!

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

Owning any kind of business in these difficult economic times can be fraught and difficult at times and a wool shop is no exception.  BUT - how many other businesses very occasionally have joyous moments such as perusing old patterns which came our way courtesy of the charity shop across the road from us.

Undergarments anyone?:

Sadly, this pattern has no date but it's knitted in 3ply WOOL.  Call me sensitive but, surely that's going to itch and scratch a girl's nether regions?!

Here is a second example (from Sirdar, no less):

Included are very strict instructions that "it is essential that you work to the tension stated".  "The one-inch rule at the side of this page indicates the number of stitches to the inch and it is for your guidance.  PLEASE USE IT".  Who would dare not use it?!!

Wool  specified is Sirdar Super Shetland Wool 3ply or Sirdar Coronella (Lingerie shades) - oh, how I would love to see a shade chart for "Lingerie Shades".

Finally, we have another set from Bestway:

which is described as a "Slim-Fitting Set in a Fancy Basket-Stitch".  "The top edge of vest and knee edges of knickers are turned in, as double hems, making a firm finish, with the effect of a shell edging".  All that for garments which, presumably, no-one would see apart from the knitter and wearer.

The really striking thing is the sizing. Each pattern has just one size - the vests finish at about 26" and stretch up to a 34" bust.  The knickers are about 35", stretching to 38".  It's true - ladies really were smaller but, by jingo, I bet they were warm!

I just love these patterns - I have absolutely no idea what to do with them but I'm certainly going to keep them.

Next up - extracts from Woman's Weekly 1st October 1960 in which Twilley's were offering a free book "Handknits for Health" containing 6 patterns of Health Vests for all the family.  Ah - those were the days!

New Kits from Cornish Organic Wool

Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk

So - the first 4 new kits from Cornish Organic Wool are now knitted up, patterns written (and checked), photographed and kitted up here in the shop.  I love the creative and knitting process - the pattern writing and checking and photography not so much!  These kits are to celebrate our new 50g balls of DK wool, dyed in a wonderful range of new colours too.

All of the new kits (along with our original sheep and teddy bear kits) can be found here.

Fortunately, for this project I had two willing and able sons to help with the modelling.  They have not been paid.  Some may call this child exploitation, I call it helping your parents put food on the table (and boy oh boy do they get through some food - yet remain thin as rails - oh, to be that age again {not that I was ever able to eat just what I wanted and not put on weight - I come from the "look at a cake and put on a pound school"}).

First up is our Cornish man's hat modelled by Tom:

"Cornish" because it is, of course, Cornish Organic Wool but also because it's the Cornish colours of black and white/cream.  Although there is some confusion as the Cornish also wear black and gold and Cornishware (as in the pottery) is blue and cream so there is, also, a blue and cream kit and - to be totally different - a navy and red kit.

Next we have a lady's hat, modelled by yours truly:

This, as you can see, is three colours and comes in an "autumn colour" version too (Copper, Dark Green and Lime Green) and a blue version (Duck Egg, Petrol and Sky).  Because it's in 3 colours there is enough wool left over to make this Feather and Fan Headband as well:

So, in fact, 2 garments for the price of 1!

To give you an idea of the Autumn Colours, we have also made a Man's Scarf using Copper, Dark Green, Lime Green and Ochre in the wonderful Linen Stitch (kindly modelled here by Guy):

and here's a close-up of Linen Stitch:

which I think is just the most amazing stitch and gives a really firm, manly fabric (even if it's a tad slow to knit!).  This kit is also available in an "Autumn Blues" colour palette - a combination of autumn colours with blues - Copper, Dark Green, Navy and Sky Blue.

Finally - to complete the set - we have, of course, a scarf for ladies:

This is knitted in a combination of pinks and blues and is, again, Feather and Fan with lovely long tassells.  This is also available in the autumn colours of Copper, Dark Green, Lime Green and Ochre.

All of our kits come with full instructions but without needles.

Next on my "to do" list are some wrist warmers - probably in red, possibly cabled.  Watch this space!