How fast is this year going? Everyone I speak to seems to be saying the same; that after the last couple of years, 2022 seems to be flying by; so I thought it was high time I added a blog before the summer has disappeared.
Spring and Summer knits
I've designed two knits so far this year. My pussy bow blouse is a close fitted knit, with longer sleeves, a twisted rib detail and bow stitch and bead detailing too. I knitted this in West Yorkshire Spinners 4 ply Exquisite yarn - a mix of wool and silk; so it has a beautiful sheen to it, which makes the light just bounce right off the stitches. It's really soft to knit with too - a real pleasure to work. I've yet to type out the pattern for this knit (woe betide the unfortunate who has to make sense of my written scrawlings and working outs! Oh yeah, that'll be me then!) I do love it though, and besides it keeps me out of mischief!
My pussy bow blouse - featuring a twisted rib, longer sleeves, beads and a satin bow
My second design was another top - this time a sailor inspired 1930s style blouson top with three quarter length sleeves, lace panelling and stitch detail. There's a open work collar finished in crochet stitch; and although I knitted this in one colour, it would work really well in two or more colours. This is knitted in a Rowan wool cotton mix, now discontinued; but the cotton mix in the yarn helps define the lace pattern and contrasting stitches; which is what I wanted to achieve. I'm in the process of typing this knit up for test knitting in a number of sizes, and will share this once the pattern in ready.
My sailor-inspired top, featuring 3/4 length sleeves, lace panel and stitch detail. The brooch came from a charity shop buy, but I think it works really well here
My current knit isn't my own, but from Susan Crawford's 'A Stitch In Time' book. I've been wanting to knit this since last summer; and it's take me a year to get around to it (so many knits; so very little time....!) I've gone back to WYS Exquisite 4 ply for this, in a cream colourway, and again, the yarn really showcases the stitch pattern. I'm going to knit the edge in black, which will give a real Chanel look to this beautiful pattern!
WIP - the current knit on my pins, a 1930's pattern republished by Susan Crawford
A lot of my time over the spring and summer months when not knitting has been taken up with gardening; and this year I've created a potager patio where I'm growing strawberries, a drawf rootstock apple, raspberries, french beans, tomatoes, cucmbers and herbs. It's not a big plot and everything that's growing is in pots, which has meant more watering in the unseasonally warm weather we've been having here; but I've picked some of the french beans for dinner tonight (tuna nicoise), which tasted delicious! I do love gardening; I find the propagation, growing and harvesting really satisfying and choosing the colours, shapes and textures of leaves is a great creative outlet. It's like creating an outdoor tapestry! We have toads and frogs in the pond, birds in the trees surrounding the garden and a whole thriving ecosystem! There's nothing quite like sitting in the garden of an evening with my knitting in my lap, surrounded by nature.
My outdoor tapestry! The last photo in this set shows my favourite knitting spot - in the Japanese harbour, surrounded by fragrant honeysuckle and roses
Do you have a favourite knitting spot? I have one in summer outside at the top of the garden, and one in winter, in the lounge, under the wall light, infront of the stove!
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