Urban Hat

Hello!

I haven’t been able to knit much over the last couple of weeks as I have been away at my daughter’s. Before I went, though, I managed to finish a poncho for my two granddaughters, or ‘Princess Cape’ as the four year-old calls it, and a simple, Urban Hat for Niamh, the elder girl. This is the second of these hats I have made for her: one has a pompom, and one does not. When I made the first one, neither my daughter, nor my granddaughter could decide whether they wanted a pompom or not, so my daughter decided that I could make two hats. She is not a knitter. More about the hat, shortly.

Urban Hat

Materials:                            100g Aran or Worsted weight yarn

I used Debbie Bliss BFL Aran in Gunmetal (100% BFL wool)

Or: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran

Rowan Wool Worsted

Sublime Aran

4.5mm 40cm circular needles, or double pointed needles; one long (at least 100cm) 4.5mm circular needle if using Magic Loop; a second 40cm circular needle if using two circulars for the crown.

Tension:                               26sts and 26 rows to 10cm (4ins) in k2, p2 rib

 

Size:                                       One size but see information below about changing the size

The hat will look very narrow while knitting because of the ribbing, but k2, p2 is a very stretchy stitch and a hat that measures about 40cm (14ins) unstretched will easily fit a head measuring 55cm (22ins).

I knitted this hat for a girl with lots of hair and her head measured 53cm (21ins). If I was making this for me, I would add an extra 8 stitches to the total, and for a man with a large head, an extra 12 stitches. The pattern repeat is 4 stitches, so just ensure the total number of stitches cast on is divisible by four. If you wish to make a smaller hat, cast on fewer stitches by deducting multiples of four.

Level of Difficulty:            Suitable for knitters who can knit in the round; can work a simple k2 tog decrease; can work k2, p2 ribbing

Instructions

Using 4.5mm needle of your choice, (see above), cast on 92 sts.

Ensuring sts are not twisted, join to work in the round, placing a marker to denote the beginning of the round.

Round 1 and every round:* k2, p2, rep from * to end.

Rep this round until hat measures 26cm (10.5ins) from cast on edge.

Note: You may wish to change this measurement so the hat is suitable for its recipient. Measure from the base of the ear to the top of the crown, e.g. the measurement for my model was 19cm (7.5ins), then add on the amount of turn up desired on the cuff of the hat. I added on 9cm (3.5ins). For an adult, you may wish to work 10-12cm (4-4.5ins) for the turn up. So, if I was knitting this hat for me, I would probably knit 30cm (12ins) in rib.

Crown shaping: Change to dpns or two circulars as sts dec to make the knitting easier.

Round 1:              * k2, p2tog, rep from * around

Rounds 2 &3:     *k2, p1, rep from * around

Round 4:              *k2tog, p1, rep from * around

Round 5:              *K1, p1, rep from * around

Round 6:              *k2tog, rep from * around

Round 7:               Knit

Round 8:              *k2tog, rep from * around

Round 9:              Knit

Round 10:            *k2tog, rep from * around

Round 11:            Knit

Round 12:            *k2tog, rep from * around. 6sts remain.

Break yarn, leaving a 20cm (8ins) tail. Thread yarn through remaining sts and finish off on inside of hat. Weave in ends.

I washed the hat in Eucalan, wrapped it up in a towel and squeezed hard to remove the excess water. I then laid the hat out on a mat or towel, smoothed out the stitches gently, and placed some empty kitchen roll holders inside the hat to avoid creating fold lines as the hat dried. There is no need to pin or stretch the hat, just a gentle smooth with the hands. Enjoy!

 

Add a pompom if desired. There are some lovely pure Alpaca ones available at the moment, if a little pricey. Or you can make your own, either using a pompom maker, or the old-fashioned method with cardboard.

 

Abbreviations

K                             knit

P                             purl

K2tog                    knit two together

rep                         repeat

sts                          stitches

dec                         decrease

dpns                      double pointed needles

 

I hope you enjoy the hat pattern. If you have any questions about it, please do not hesitate to contact me via the Stash contact form.

If you have any questions about the poncho, or would like to see it as a pattern, please contact me.

As ever, knit on.

Lesley

Copyright, Lesley Conroy 2016

Poncho fit for a princess!

I haven’t been able to knit much over the last couple of weeks as I have been away at my daughter’s. Before I went, though, I managed to finish a poncho for my two granddaughters, or ‘Princess Cape’ as the four year-old calls it.

I loved making the poncho. It was custom designed for both girls, and they had their own input. It shouldn’t be too close fitting around the neck, as neither girl likes that; it must have stripes; it shouldn’t use ‘scratchy’ yarn; and it should be quite long. Robyn, the younger girl, wanted it to reach the floor, but I managed to talk her out of that.  Armed with these instructions, and considerations, I did my best. I used an Aran or worsted weight yarn for the main color, and Noro Silk Garden self-striping yarn for the contrast garter stitch stripes, collar, and border. Suitable yarns for the main would be Debbie Bliss BFL Aran; Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran; Rowan Wool Worsted: Sublime Aran; Juniper Moon Aran.

I decided to work the poncho from the top down. I enjoy working in this manner, and it’s easy to try the garment on while in progress ( or it would be, if the intended recipients didn’t live 250 miles away. ) I started with the collar, in Noro Silk Garden, and in garter stitch, and then joined the work into the round when the collar was long enough. The body of the poncho was then worked as if I was knitting a raglan sweater, working eight increases on every alternate round. When the ‘sleeve’ section was long enough, I ceased increasing in these sections, and just continued with four increases in the Body sections every alternate round. I then continued in this manner until the poncho was the desired length, minus the border. I decided to work some short rows on the Back and Front borders to give some extra detail, but it could equally well be worked as simple garter stitch. I used a stretchy cast-off, in this case, the Russian Cast-Off, to create a nice edge.

Yarn requirements
Child (10year old) size:
4 x 50g balls Noro Hanabatake

250g Aran weight yarn, so effectively 3 x 100g balls/skeins

Adult size:
5 x 50g Noro Hanabatake

300g Aran yarn

Tension: 18sts and 25 rows to 10cm/4ins. 

Pattern will be available soon.

 

As ever, knit on!
Lesley

Debbie Bliss Rialto Luxury Sock

We’ve been working with Debbie Bliss Rialto Luxury Sock which comes in a large, and exciting array of colors. It comes in 100g balls, and is 75% Super-wash Wool, and 25% Nylon.  The yarn we’ve chosen to work with is 04 Ultra, which is a gradient of different greens, ranging from quite dark to a lovely spring, leafy green.

It was a slow start because I cast on the wrong number of stitches! I cast on stitches for knitting a thicker pair of socks, and was happily knitting along shaping the toe when I realized my mistake. So I had to rip out and start again. I like toe-up socks because it’s easy to try them on while knitting, and I can work an Afterthought Heel, of which there are many, but one of the simplest is shaped like the toe. Thus, they are a good portable project, or an easy project to work on while at knitting group, or watching television, as the heel is left until last.

I like to knit socks on two circular needles, and I am using size 2.5mm needles for these. Double-pointed needles or Magic Loop work equally as well, if you prefer either of these methods.  I used Judy’s Magic Cast On, which is so quick and easy, and makes a beautiful, seamless toe. I usually knit with metal needles, but it’s often a good idea to cast on small numbers of stitches with wooden or bamboo needles, as those materials are less slippy than metal, and the stitches are more likely to stay on smaller diameter needles. I cast on with wooden needles, work the first and trickiest rounds with them, and then switch to my favourite metal needles. I’m shaping the toe with Make 1 increases, but a simple knit in the front and back of the same stitch could be used.

I have small feet, so I cast on 20 stitches, 10 on each needle. I then knit one round, and then began to shape the toe, thus:

Round 1  (Increase Round ):

First Needle:       K1, M1L, knit to last st, M1R, k1

Second needle:                K1, M1L, knit to last st, M1R, k1

Round 2:              Knit all the stitches on both needles.

I’m going to repeat these two rounds until I have 56 or 60 sts. I will try on to see what number of stitches fits best. After that, it’s plain sailing with stocking stitch until the foot measures 2 inches     (5cm ) less than the length of my foot.

Here is the toe in progress. The socks will probably be a project that I take my time over, knitting a few rounds when I want some simple knitting to do. I will post progress in future blogs.  I’m hoping that I will be able to do a tutorial on Judy’s Magic Cast On in the future.

Wendy D. Johnson has written two great books on toe-up socks: Socks from the Toe Up and Toe-Up Socks for Every Body. These books look at all the techniques required for toe-up socks, and should be available in libraries, if you don’t want to buy a copy. Wendy covers different cast-ons, types of toes, heels, and stretchy cast-offs. Most good, general sock knitting books also cover Toe-Up socks.

Please contact me if you have any knitting queries, or specific questions about this post.

In the meantime, knit on!

Lesley

Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Tonals

Hello,

This week I’ve been playing with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Tonals yarn. As you would expect from Debbie Bliss, it’s a fabulous yarn. It has exactly the same composition as Baby Cashmerino, but is in semi-solid tones. The shading within each colour is subtle, and I really like it. There are no wildly differing colours or variations within the colourways, just gentle subtleties. It reminds me a little of the more monochromatic semi-solid shades of Malabrigo Arroyo. The yarn is soft from the cashmere component, yet is bouncy, has a good ‘memory’, has an excellent stitch definition in lace and textured stitch patterns, and a neat, smooth look in stocking stitch. Debbie Bliss has produced an excellent pattern booklet to accompany the yarn, all for baby and children’s garments, and they are all cute and stylish, and there are some patterns for boys, who often seem to be a little neglected in pattern books.

The recommended gauge, or tension for this yarn is 25 stitches and 34 rows to 10cmin stocking stitch using 3.25mm needles. Now, I prefer to use 3.75mm needles with this yarn, and I obtain a tension of 24sts and 32 rows over stocking stitch after washing and blocking, and I think this makes a really lovely fabric, neither too dense, not too loose. I’ve knitted a couple of swatches so you can see how the yarn looks knitted up. The stocking stitch swatch is in Ocean 26, and the Lace swatch is in Peppermint 03. Remember, when knitting tension swatches to cast on more stitches, and knit more rows than you need, to obtain a more accurate measurement. For example, I cast on 34 stitches, and knit 36 rows in stocking stitch for my stocking stitch swatch. You will probably also find that if you knit a lace stitch swatch you will have fewer stitches to 10cm than in a stocking stitch swatch. My lace stitch swatch has 22 stitches and 32 rows to 10cm. Some patterns just give a tension in stocking stitch, while others include both stocking stitch, and pattern stitch tensions.

I knit a February Baby Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmermann using the basic Baby Cashmerino and 3.75mm needles, and I think this would look equally as cute in the Tonals yarn. As you can see from the picture of this garment, I added a ruffled collar, cuffs, and hem to the basic pattern to add a special touch to a girl’s cardigan. This pattern is a great introduction to top-down knitting, and has an easy lace-patterned body. It’s one of my go to patterns for babies, and it looks good in bright, neutral, or pastel shades.  Taiga Hilliard Designs also produce fabulous baby and children’s knits. Check out her Merridy Tunic. These designs are all available on Ravelry.

February Baby Sweater Pattern

Although this yarn is called Baby Cashmerino Tonals, there is no need to restrict our knitting to baby or children’s designs. I think this yarn would make equally gorgeous adult garments and accessories. Try the beautiful Hitofude Cardigan by Hiroke Fukatsu, but do check your tension with this design. It’s so soft that the yarn is comfortable to wear around the neck, and next to the skin, so I think it would be comfortable and cosy as a scarf, shawl, or wrap. Try Wavy Bias by Susan Ashcroft using the Ocean 26 colourway. Susan has many gorgeous, well-explained patterns for shawls, scarfs, wraps, and cowls, and most of her designs are customizable, and may be made in different weights of yarn. Or try mixing the Tonals yarn with the laceweight Debbie Bliss Angel, and make a Happy Half Moon wrap, also by Susan Ashcroft. Other striking shawls are The Age of Brass and Steam by Orange Flower Yarn; Multnomah by Kate Ray; and one of my favourites,  Yvaine by Liz Abinante, which I think would look stunning in Cashmerino Tonals Speedwell 09.

I hope this has inspired you to try Baby Cashmerino Tonals. I’m sure that if you like Baby Cashmerino, you will like Tonals. Do remember to check your tension if you use a pattern from Ravelry, as lots of knitters who knit in the Continental style, knit more loosely than those of us who knit English style. If you have any questions about this, just ask.

If you have any knitting queries, or topics that you would like me to cover in a short article, or tutorial, please get in touch, and I will do my best to help.

In the meantime,
Happy Knitting,
Lesley

Copyright Lesley Conroy, 2016

A little gift for Mother’s Day

Don’t forget its Mother’s Day here in the UK on the 6^th March – and we would like to say a big thank you to all the lovely mums out there for all that you do!   So send your mum our special gift this year – a 15% off voucher on all orders from NOW to the 20^th March.

All you need to do is email info@stashfineyarns.com with “Mothers Day” in the subject line before 5pm (GMT) on Thursday, 3^rd March and we will email you a voucher with the discount code.*

* one voucher per household,  p&p charges still apply

Juniper Moon Farm

A dream to knit with, the yarns from Juniper Moon are deliciously soft and gorgeous! This offer is available until 3rd February, on all shades.  And remember, 10% discount still applies on all orders over £30 until the – end of January 2016!

Moonshine

Moonshine is a 40% Wool, 40% Alpaca, 20% Silk single-spun yarn and it is just a dream to knit with. You’ll love the depth of color and subtle variation the differing blend lends Moonshine

RRP £14.95
Was £12.95
Now £10.95

Findley
Findley is our lace yarn, 50% Merino 50% Silk, 100% luscious. At nearly 800 yards, you’ll be super happy that it’s in a ball, rather than a hank you have to wind! The yarn is super smooth with a beautiful sheen. It’s soft, doesn’t split and it feel A.MAZ.ING when it’s knitted up
RRP £16.95
Was £13.95
Now £11.95

Herriot
Herriot, named for literature’s favorite veterinarian, is a DK-weight 100% baby alpaca yarn. It’s deliciously soft and utterly gorgeous– you won’t be able to resist it!

RRP £14.95
Was £12.95
Now £10.95

View the Juniper Moon sale area on Stash Fine Yarns

Mirasol Flash Sale

We had a great response to our flash sale last weekend – so we are doing it again!

Make a date in your diaries for this weekend as we are offering great prices on three beautiful yarns from the Mirasol range on these dates only. All shades available (whilst stocks last!)

Mirasol Lines included in the flash sale are:

Miski	Paqu Pura	Sami
RRP = £6.95 Now = £3.95	RRP = £12.95 Now = £7.95	RRP = £12.95 Now = £8.49

 

You can find our Flash Sale on the website!

Flash Sale!

We are holding our first Flash Sale of 2016 on Louisa Harding Lines, including Jesse, Luzia Fur, Colline & Mila. This Flash Sale is running Saturday 16th Jan and Sun 17th Jan 2016.

Flash Sale: Louisa Harding

Our other discounts still stand including free delivery on orders over £30 (ex vat) and our new offer for the rest of Jan 2016, 10% off orders over £30 (ex vat)

Thanks Steph and all the team at Stash Fine Yarns

A bit of Christmas Cheer!

Extra 25% off sale items!

With the festive season being in full swing, we want to keep things going by offering 25% extra off our sale items. This code is valid from 25th December 2015 until 4 January 2016.

Have a look at our sale section here, all you have to do is pop the code in during checkout.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all at Stash Fine Yarns!

Brand New Debbie Bliss in stock!

Debbie Bliss
Rialto Luxury Sock Yarn

Debbie Bliss Rialto Luxury Sock Yarn

Recently awarded with an MBE for her services to hand knitting and the craft industry, Debbie Bliss has released a long awaited new yarn collection.

The yarn is a gorgeous luxury sock yarn with super wash wool and is made up of 75% wool & 25% Polymide. This brand new yarn is currently available in 14 shades, the yarn can be ordered now and will dispatched on Wednesday 6th January 2016.

On Stash Fine Yarns Website and have a quick look at the shade card below!

Debbie Bliss
Rialto Luxury Sock Yarn Shade Card