Welcome! Thank you to Lucy at Attic 24 for the lovely introduction to the Stylecraft Blogstars Garden Party. If you haven’t seen Lucy’s blog post and her gorgeous Summertime Tins crochet design check it out here. Gardens are special places, during recent lockdowns they have become so much more important. Many parties and gatherings have been held outside providing a place for wellbeing and socialising in all seasons. Even now when restrictions have been lifted I enjoy afternoon tea with family and friends in the garden.  The Blogstars have been busy designing ..read more

  First post in 2022 about my last completed project in 2021. This is Sven Scandinavian. I loved knitting him! Sven was purchased as a knitting kit from the lovely Lucy Locket Land in the north east of England. The pattern is by Carol Anderson of Cottage Creations and originally printed in 1983. Sven is knitted in the round and has no visible seams (the hat is knitted separately). The yarn in the knitting kit was from New Lanark Spinning in the border area of Scotland and I used my 4mm double pointed needles throughout. The little fellow has a backpack for his books and fo ..read more

  It's cast on day for the Wee Houses scarf and cowl in the Stylecraft Yarns Make Along Group. Both the scarf and cowl are knitted in the round and are suitable for knitters with some experience with stranded knitting where different colours of yarn are 'carried' across the back of the work. You can find the pattern on Ravelry and lots more details about it. If you join the Make Along Group you will find a discount code valid for use on Ravelry from 1st November to 30th November 2021. The pattern is also available from Etsy (but no discount code). The scarf and cowl both use Highl ..read more

  There's an updated version of the Transitions Shawl pattern.  New instructions have been added for a Shawlette. It's a smaller version of the original asymmetric shawl but long enough to wrap around and secure with a loose knot. Knitted with a new yarn called Charm, which I received from Stylecraft as a sample. It's a blend of acrylic, wool and mohair with colour swirl shade changes. I love the colours of this particular combination called 'Spring Dawn' and enjoyed seeing the changes as the knitting progressed. Charm is a 4ply, light and soft yarn ..read more

There's a lot written about gauge and tension in relation to knitting which can be quite intimidating to the beginner knitter. Where toys are concerned, the good news is, you don't have to worry too much about gauge and tension except where you want something to be a specific size. Generally, for toys the most important consideration is to prevent the stuffing from coming out or showing through the knitting. Using a needle size smaller than the one recommended for the size of yarn is the most popular way to achieve a closer knit fabric. There are other factors which can influence the end re ..read more

  Alternate bands of contrast colour on lacy cuffs. These mittens are knitted flat, suitable for confident beginner knitters. The pattern has been updated with new instructions and knitted in this gorgeous tweedy yarn Highland Heathers from Stylecraft. Scallop Mittens Pattern is available to download from Ravelry and Etsy. Knitting Skills  Cast on, cast off, knit, purl, slip one stitch, pass a stitch over another stitch, bring working yarn forward, make one stitch, knit 2 stitches together, basic seam sewing ..read more

Thinking about gifts for Christmas? Red Roof Croft House knitting kits are back in stock. Available from my Etsy shop.   The kit contains everything to make the house: Yarn - 3 colours of washable acrylic double knitting yarn Pair of bamboo knitting needles 3.25mm Blunt tapestry needle for sewing Toy filling 100% polyester Packaged in a paper gift bag this would make a lovely gift for a knitting friend or relative. Finished size: 18cm tall x 30cm wide 10 cm deep Here's a short video about the kit. The kit is aimed at intermediate knitters or confident beginne ..read more

  So happy to have been gifted a copy of 'The Power of Knitting' by Loretta Napoleoni, published by Tarcher Perigee, October 2020. The title grabbed my attention followed by a curiosity to find out what could this Italian journalist, economist and political analyst have to say about the gentle craft of knitting. "In a fractured world plagued by anxiety and loneliness, knitting is coming to the rescue of people from all walks of life. Economist and lifelong knitter Loretta Napoleoni unveils the hidden power of the purl and stitch mantra: an essential tool for the survival of ou ..read more

Would you like to join a knitting Make Along for this blanket? It’s the Special Stripy Blanket in a new colour way called ‘Sea Breeze’ made with 7 shades of Stylecraft Special Chunky yarn. The Make Along begins on 13th August in the Stylecraft Yarns Make Along Group on Facebook where you’ll be able to find the link to the pattern with a special discount code. The original colour way 'Beach Huts' (on the left in the image above) and the new 'Sea Breeze' were inspired by the seaside. There’s a competition to design a new colour way based on a 'Deck Chair' theme. You can find the entr ..read more

Keeping busy and a positive mind set is something to be aimed for and never more so during this time of Covid-19. Knitting is something which helps me to stay occupied and focused generally but especially so now.  This latest pattern is a shawl which uses a variegated cotton blend yarn with contrast stitches creating ripple effects. It's a wrap to use as a cover up when sitting outside (hopefully) enjoying the unpredictable summer weather.  The yarn is from Stylecraft and inspired by the artist Monet. This shade of blue called Giverny gives an hint of the artists work and reminiscent of ..read more