Swatching

I'm currently working on some magazine samples which I can't really blog about so I've not had a lot to say here. I am full of ideas for self-published patterns but I'm struggling to carve out time to work on them whilst balancing my day job and my magazine work (and the need to sleep from time to time). I definitely need to slow down in at least one part of my work and at the moment self-publishing new patterns is taking a back seat.

Where I have been able to find some time I have been doing the occasional swatch. I've been playing around with texture a lot at the moment and have been starting to bring colours and textures together as I learn new techniques. These swatches are in some no-name very bright wool and are adaptations of the Quilted Lattice stitch on Knitting Fool.

I have an idea in mind for a new pattern using 2 colours of heavy laceweight with at least some colour/texture work. I don't think I'll be using the lattice work above, although I do like it a lot. Instead I've been looking at smocking stitches on the Knitting Daily video tutorials. I have a strong mental image of what I want to make and have the yarn already (two shades of Brown Sheep Legacy Lace from a Magpie Yarns special order) - just need to find the time!

WIPs and the frog pond

This little collection is my current pile of WIPs and half worked ideas - not including himself's socks which have half a sock to go and have been that way for about 8 months:

A sketch and yarn for a new design, already frogged due to the joining in the round looking weird

Another version of a design that's being published. I started knitting a third mitt to check gauge before submitting the pattern and then never finished it. I did confirm the gauge though. To the frog pond and then to become a hat possibly

My endless Audrey in Unst which needs half a sleeve, button bands and finishing. And I need this for work really. To be finished

An idea in progress for fingerless gloves. The pattern works but I'm not enjoying it much and my colour dominance isn't quite right. To the frog pond and then to become a colour work shawl although I will go back to this pattern idea.

Frogging WIPs is quite cathartic, freeing yourself from failed or failing projects that look at you unhappily from your knitting box, use up your needles, and stop you knitting other things. It also has a side benefit of returning lovely yarn to your stash for use in other projects. So that's my task for this morning after so I can clear the decks before starting samples for publication since I have quite a few to do.

Knitting for a good cause

After putting my colourwork mitts on the back burner for ages I can now very proudly announce that the pattern is available via p/hop in return for an honesty box donation to Medicins Sans Frontieres.

P/hop is a fantastic programme and I'm very proud to be contributing to it. If the mitts aren't for you then there a plenty of great patterns for all tastes and you get the extra pleasure of knowing you're supporting a very worthy cause.

FO: Phanessa Tam

This is new design (hopefully) and my latest FO:

I nearly killed my hands and wrists knitting this entire hat in a weekend from design sketches to final blocked piece, especially as the ribbing is on 2mm needles with 4ply yarn. I do like the it and it fits well. Although the photos don't show it there's a subtle butterfly motif on the sides (where the fold is in the picture) which is why it's called Phanessa which has a tangential link to the name Vanessa which is a butterfly genus.