A very quiet blog

I've not been blogging much (at all...) recently for a couple of reasons.

1. Most of my knitting has been publication samples and I can't talk about them much
2. I discovered Twitter
3. I have had precisely no time to do anything much of late

Still I should get back in the habit as I've a number of self-published patterns coming out over the next few months and a few more magazine patterns.

As you might have seen I've been lucky enough to have quite a few patterns in Knit Now which launched in the UK in October. My shawl "Diamond of the First Water" featured in Issue 1 and I've just had the sample returned to me so I've been doing a bit of a photo shoot in Dunham Massey deer park with my husband taking the photos.

Here's a sneak peak

New Pattern: Flapjack Mitts

I have been AWOL for far too long - pressures of work and publication deadlines. Also I've not had much to share as I've mostly been knitting magazine samples. I do intend to do some yarn reviews over the next few weeks as I've had the chance to knit with lots of different yarns - almost all wools or wool blends though.

One of the publications that I've been working on with the lovely folks at Knit Now magazine is a pattern supporting Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children Charity. Knit Now are co-ordinating Marvellous Mittens which will is a collection of patterns for mittens, gloves, arm warmers etc which will be released over the forthcoming months. I am lucky enough to be the designer of the first release:

The Flapjack Mitts are simple and quick with a cabled pattern that splits to form the thumb. They are knit with 1 skein of Colinette Cadenza (shade shown: Cumin) but other standard wool yarns at approximately 130yds/50g would also work. My original prototype was in Rowan Silky Tweed which is a very light aran (really a dk) and gave a more rustic look.

You can download the pattern via Ravelry here and there is a link on the pattern page to a JustGiving site for honesty box donations to the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children Charity. You can also go straight to the JustGiving page by clicking here.

These gorgeous photos were taken on a beautiful late Autumn day using one of our last dahlias as a prop. I can only take credit for the hands - the photos are the work of my very talented husband.

In Print

I may have mentioned that a couple of my patterns are being published in a new print magazine in the next few months. Whilst I don't want to ruin the surprise by saying which ones they are I can tell you about the magazine.

Knit Now is a brand new magazine focussing on accessories and homeware. It's being edited by the gorgeous Kate Heppell (indie yarn dyer and designer) and will be distributed nationwide. You can subscribe here for a truly bargainous price. The first issue is out on or around October 20th and I'm not sure if I'm in Issue 1 or 2 but one or the other...

I'm very, very excited - I've never been in print before!