A Kingfisher Morning @jzblue - Tumblr Blog

Sad endings

I love to knit, no, I really love to knit. But I have a real dread of finishing a project. It’s not because I don’t like sewing up or sewing in ends. I actually quite enjoy that process and mattress stitch continues to delight me every time I use it. No, I think it has something to do with the sadness of finishing a project that you have really enjoyed, just like the end of a special love…

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Fruit Garden

I’m not the most proficient crocheter in the world, but I do love a good crochet along. There’s something about seeing how others are progressing and picking up on their hints and tips – I learn so much. Having said that I am pretty rubbish at keeping up. I am amazed how many people can so quickly complete a section, often the day that it launches. I guess in lockdown anything is possible. My…

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Antidote to the yarn diet

I am on another yarn diet. Two months down and just ten to go. It’s already testing my resolve with so many gorgeous new yarns out there. I cruise website, fill up my basket and then walk away. Sorry, but I am determined because I simply have too much yarn. Most of it is in the loft and I need to get it down for a cull but I haven’t had the heart yet. It’s lucky then that there are so many…

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Zig Zag

You know by now that I am a complete Fair Isle junkie and I am always looking for new opportunities to introduce knitters to the technique. Stylecraft are a client of mine and wanted a pattern for their Makealong group so I was delighted to be able to come up with a design for a hat and mitts for them. The Zig Zag design is an easy and repetitive motif for those who haven’t tried the technique…

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Còinneach

By now I’m sure you know how much I love Kate Davies’ designs and writing. Còinneach is the latest of her patterns that I have knitted in her own yarn, Milarrochy Tweed.

I chose Cowslip as my main colour with Bruce, Garth, Cranachan and Stockiemuir. Knitting the yoke was such fun and even the acres of stocking stitch were enjoyable because of how the yarn just glides along the needles.

T…

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Between the pages

Over the last year there have been so many fantastic books that have landed on my desk – there is certainly no lack of creativity out there. I thought I would share some of my favourites here.

If you are a lover of Fair Isle and colour, you are going to love Colour Movesby Claudia Fiocchetti from KDD&Co under their Make//Mark imprint, which supports emerging talent in our industry. I was…

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Hello

My dears, I am so sorry. It has been over a year and I have no excuses, I just lost my mojo there for a while and life got in the way.

But now I’m back. Isn’t our world a strange place to be? I knew what was expected of me during lockdown but each week now, even each day, things change and I have to completely reframe my world and expectations. Is anyone else finding it exhausting?

I am…

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Knit By Numbers

I have been noodling around, swatching for some up and coming projects. My yarn of choice this time was John Arbon’s Knit By Numbers 4 ply, which comes in an extensive range of colours – 109 0f them.

I have knitted quite a lot in Knit By Numbers DK but never tried the 4ply. The yarn is made from 100% organic Merino and my first impression was how well the yarn takes the colour. I was knitting…

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I’m not all that good at embroidery. I can manage a little embellishment on a hand knit and I’m not bad at Sashiko but fancy stitches…. I’m just not that neat or skillful.

I recently subscribed to a box scheme called Craftpod to help me learn and improve my skills. Although my first box arrived a while ago it was only on Easter Monday that I had the chance to see what I could do.

It was a beautiful day so we flung the doors of our extension open. My eldest got my sewing machine out to make a shirt and I unpacked the two kits in my Craft pod. The embroidered and collage picture of a bird was a little daunting so I began with the pin cushion. I had thought that the template might be an iron-on transfer that I could follow on the felt. But they were just to give you an idea. I was expected to embroider them freehand and without a safety harness. GULP. After one leaf I decided the supplied design was too difficult so just made it up. If I was going to improve this design I think a beginner needs a bit more help and direction.

I’m really pleased with how the embroidery turned out. Sewing the rest of the pincushion together was really easy and I’m delighted with the finished object. I now have enough confidence to try out the picture. I’m not sure that I will leave it in the hoop-it looks a bit twee to me. I might just turn it into a Book cover or a handy project pouch.

I paid £84 for a year’s subscription to Craftpod which I think is great value.

Craftpod I'm not all that good at embroidery. I can manage a little embellishment on a hand knit and I'm not bad at Sashiko but fancy stitches....

Warm Hands Competition

Anyone that knows me will be aware that I am a huuuuge fan of Kate Davies, who I first came across when she was writing for the Rowan magazines. Her beautiful designs, in sumptuous yarns, translated into thoughtfully written patterns are a joy from start to finish.

What you may not know is that Kate Davies Designs (KDD) is currently running an amazing design competition called Warm Hands, which…

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A crochet blanket

I’m not very good at crochet. My tensions is nice and even but I have so much to learn. However I do find the rhythm of crocheting squares to be supremely relaxing.

I recently noticed a post over on The Patchwork Heartabout a grey blanket. For my taste a lot of crochet blankets are just too bright for me but this one was just my cup of tea – mellow blues and greens, a couple of brights and…

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On my needles

To get back in to my knitting I wanted to choose a really elegant and simply pattern in a beautiful yarn, so I hit Ravelry and came across this lovely design called Spiral Escape by Martina Behm.

As the name suggests it’s a cowl worked as a spiral in garter stitch. What could be nicer than that? The original design was knitted in Bilum Hand Dyed Yarns called Loli. This yarn is from Hungary…

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Listening

Things have been a bit busy here with lots and lots of writing and a little bit of designing. I always like to have something on in the background, usually voice-based but sometimes music, to help me concentrate.

The downside of doing so much knitting is I don’t get enough time to read books so I am a huge fan of Audible. I have a membership of 24 books a year and even that isn’t quite enough. …

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Badlands Mitts

With this spell of cold weather and with a long-planned trip to the north (now cancelled, unfortunately), I thought it was time to bash out a pair of gloves.

I found a ball of Pickles Pure Wool in my stash that I bought while visiting my dear friend Elinein 2017. The yarn is actually spun in the UK and is a generous 380 metres in a fantastic palette of colours. It feels a little rough when you…

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Before I start this post I should come clean. Innocent have been a client of mine for 14 years but I wanted to tell you a bit more about what I do for them.

Most of you will be aware of their campaign in aid of Age UK called The Big Knit. Each year thousands of knitters and crocheters from all generations knit little hats that adorn innocent smoothie bottles, usually in October. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of fuel poverty among the elderly.

I really look forward to seeing what challenge the team at innocent will have for me each year. I have knitted hats for statues in Copenhagen, including the Little Mermaid, created hats from a sketch submitted by numerous celebrities from Zandra Rhodes to Stephen Fry, designed character hats for Miranda, Liam Gallagher and Michael Sheen (although they weren’t used and designed lots of patterns featuring fruit, veg and animals.

Here are a few of the hats I have created over the years.

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This February has been declared Big Knit Month so why not knit or crochet some hats to help this great cause. You can find some of my patterns here.

Big Knit February Before I start this post I should come clean. Innocent have been a client of mine for 14 years but I wanted to tell you a bit more about what I do for them.

Falling out of love

The last few days of 2018 and the first of 2019 saw me in a very sorry state.

I HAD FALLEN OUT OF LOVE WITH KNITTING.

Can you imagine? No matter which WIP I picked up, which new pattern or lovely yarn I looked at I just couldn’t find my mojo. I was like a teenager, don’t want to do that, that’s stupid, that’s boring.

Joe’s socks

I think it’s because of all the knitting I did before…

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My favourite books

I have been tidying up my book shelves just recently and have spent a happy afternoon re-visiting some of my favourite knitting books. So, if you are still looking for a gift for a knitworthy friend or something for your loved ones to give you for Christmas, have a little look at these.

I certainly never knew or even suspected that there were so many different ways to cast on and off until I…

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A Kingfisher Morning