So for my first blog post, now that I am officially back in business, I thought I would share my first pattern released as a Helsinki based entrepreneur. I think it was October of 2018 when Laine first approached me about collaborating on a sock publication. I was in, instantly. My own collection of sock designs has been slowly growing and I also love seeing knitwear magazines grow and expand into book publishing.
Read moreMartinique Mittens
In continuing the celebration of the one year anniversary of Take Heart, I am releasing a free pattern as a small thank-you to my followers. It was this time last year when Take Heart was finally able to grace the hands of readers and knitters at Pom Pom's annual Christmas Party in London. Even though I had spent several months knitting each piece in the book, there were a few I was eager to cast on again and knit specifically for myself. I started with Martinique Beach. I was off to Sicily for the holidays and needed a project to knit along the way. So as a Christmas present to myself, I picked out four skeins of The Uncommon Thread's Lush Worsted. I went with a much more subtle colour combination that would fit with my own personal wardrobe. I settled on Tea Smoked and of course, three different shades of grey, Grit, Olive Leaf and Toast. You may recognize this project from last year, as it has been featured in a few previous posts.
It was shortly after finishing the cowl when I decided to make a pair of mittens inspired by the original pattern and I had plenty of leftover yarn to use. I was able to finish the mittens last January, just before my trip to Iceland. I posted one photo of the mittens on Instagram while I was away and had intended to write the pattern up when I returned. Of course, life and other priorites got in the way. However, nearly one year later, I have it for you now! In case you needed to purchase 100g of each colour to knit Martinique Beach, these mittens would be a great idea as to what to do with the left over yarn.
You'll be able to find my Martinique Mittens as a free download through my Ravelry shop. Thank-you for the overwhelming love and support this year. Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy the pattern!
Picot Hem Tutorial for Lunenburg Harbour
When I traveled to Iceland a few weeks ago, I was in need of a small portable project to take with me and what's more perfect than a pair of socks on the go. It was an excuse to reknit the Lunenburg Harbour socks from my book, Take Heart. They were originally one of the first pieces I started to design and knit for the book. It was a pleasure to revisit them again. In doing so, I unfortunately regret to mention that I did come across a few mistakes in this pattern.
I will post the erratas here. You can also find them on Pom Pom's Errata page. The first one is in the very beginning of the Foot Section.
Foot: Round 1: K10 (12), [sl1, k2] 5 times, k8 (k10), k to end.
Knit to end, instead of purl to end, only for this first round. This insures a seamless joining of the two contrasting colours.
Leg: The round numbering is out of sync after Round 16 and currently reads from Round 11-39. All pattern text is correct but the rounds should be numbered from Round 17-49.
Cuff: Using the backwards loop method, cast 4 sts onto LH needle. Ignore turn work.
This should be Leaf Hand needle instead of RH. I'll revisit this again in the Lace Trim Tutorial.
The rest of this post is a tutorial on how to finish your sock with the picot trim. How to pick up for the lace trim will be in this second blog post. You'll need the lace yarn (Yarn B), a darning needle and scissors. So far, I have finished knitting the sock (excluding the heel). The last round of stitches is still on my knitting needles.
This pattern does call for double pointed needles. However, this time I knit this pair on a long circular needle using the Magic Loop Method. I used one 80 cm / 2mm Chiaogoo circular needle. I prefer to do one sock at a time. I also did knit the majority of this pair inside out. I cast on and did the toe as directed in the book.
I added a short-row to change direction once I joined my main colour (Yarn A). This allows me to kint my sock inside out. Follow the directions but knit instead of purl, purl instead of knit and slip stitches with yarn in front instead of yarn in back. I used some yarn I already had in my stash (shocking I know). I had plenty left over from Toft's Alpaca Fine Sock yarn from the original pair. You'll also recognize The Uncommon Thread's BFL, colour Attic Room, used in the Pennard Castle leg warmers from the book.
1. Break Yarn A and leave a long tail, approximately three times the circumference of your sock, for sewing down the picot hem. Thread the darning needle with Yarn B. Slowly thread the stitches from your needle onto the darning needle and Yarn B. Work in a clockwise direction.
2. Continue to transfer all of the stitches and remove your knitting needles. Unthread darning needle and leave Yarn B still attached and off to the side. Yarn B will be used to knit the lace trim later.
3. Fold down hem to see the picot edging. Thread darning needle with your main yarn (Yarn A).
4. To sew the hem down, start by inserting the needle into the first live stitch, as if to purl. Draw yarn through but do not pull it too snug. If the hem is sewn down too tightly, the cuff of the sock will be difficult to pull on.
5. Lift hem up to find the corresponding stitch directly below. Insert the darning needle into the first purl bump several rows below, from top to bottom.
6. Pull the yarn through to close up the hem.
7. Insert the darning needle into the next live stitch, always as if to purl.
8. Insert the darning needle, top to bottom, into the next purl bump.
9. Continue to repeat Steps 7 & 8, until all the the stitches have been worked.
10. Check every once in a while to make sure there is still some stretch in the cuff.
11. Once the hem is sewn down completely, weave in Yarn A and trim excess yarn.
The picot hem in now complete! Next step will be to pick up for the lace trim. You can find that tutorial here. Your sock is almost done!
Many thanks to my talented housemate, Otto Django Masters, for helping with the photography. Check out his website!
The North
Iceland has always at the top of my 'must' destination list for a while now. It's always seemed to be this idyllic dreamland thats oozing with knitting traditions. This January I finally got to escape London and venture to the land of volcanoes. After visitingIceland, the really of the place still felt like another world. The weekend was't long enough it take it all in. I got a taste of the scenery and yarn they offer but I would still go back in a heart beat.
Blue Lagoon Clinic
I ventured to Iceland with my housemate, Abigail. Our weekend started with totally indulging in what the Blue Lagoon Clinic had to offer. The complete silence around the place was slightly haunting at first. Watching the sunrise for their thermal spas was unlike anything even my most relaxed dreams could muster up.
After a night at the Clinic, we traveled in to Reykjavik for the remainder of the weekend. Reykjavik's modern and geometric architecture against some unbelievable colours was completely inspiring.
Their natural landscape is astonishing as well. Abigail and I spent the entire Sunday with Reykjavik Excursions on their South Shore Tour. Sights of glaciers, waterfalls and black sand beaches took our breath away. It was the perfect trip to really put some of my knitted accessory to the test. I played up in both my Ketch Harbour and Martinique Beach. I also took a new pair of mittens that I had made from the leftover yarn from my cowl.
Black Sand Beaches near Vík.
Mittens from my Uncommon Thread, Lush, leftovers.
Loft Hostel in Reykjavik.
During the last day in Reykjavik, we stayed close to our hostel and explored some of the local shops. I'd highly recommend Loft, our hostel, for the inviting atmosphere and friendly staff. One shop that I had on my 'must visit' list was Storkurinn. This quaint yarn shop in the city centre doubles as a haberdashery store and has amazing fabrics and notions alongside their massive selection of yarn. Of course I was interested in browsing their Iceland brands. I'm no strange to Lopi since LK Yarns, the shop where I worked in Halifax, stocked it. However, I was delighted with a new Icelandic yarn discovery, Gilitrutt, by Hélène Magnusson. It's an 100% Icelandic Lambswool 2ply yarn. I picked up a few balls for some future stranded knitting projects. I settled on a handful of colours that will continue to remind me of the colours I kept seeing in the Icelandic landscapes over the weekend.
Till next time Iceland.
Storkurinn.
Reykjavik.
Gilitrutt.
Loft.
Grafting Martinique Beach
Since I just finished making Martinique Beach for myself, I thought it would be a good idea to put together some notes and photos about the grafting required in this piece. This is the second cowl I've designed, where it is knit as a tube and then grafted together for a seamless finish. My first project like this was the Selsey Cowl for Pom Pom's blog.
So far, the cowl has been finished and all the ends have been woven in. Make sure to leave enough yarn in the particular colour required for grafting this piece together. I placed my live stitches onto waste yarn before washing it. I let it soak for about an hour and then reshaped it to the finished measurements before letting it dry. I didn't do a Provisional Cast On this time, since I was traveling and found myself without a crochet hook. Instead, I used a basic Cast On and will have to cut out my waste yarn in order to pick up the live stitches. You'll need two small circular needles, roughly the same size, a darning needle and scissors. Hopefully by the end of this you'll have a seamless finish, try to recreate roughly the same gauge as the knitted fabric as you graft the two ends together.
1: Start by placing your live stitches back onto a circular needle and remove waste yarn.
2: With your second circular needle, pick up the stitches just above your Provisional Cast On by sliding the needle into the right side of the stitch, moving right to left. Once all stitches are picked up, remove waste yarn.
The live stitches on the closest needle towards you will be your Bottom Needle (BN). The stitches picked up from the Provisional Cast On will be your Top Needle (TN).
4: Thread darning needle and slide it into the first stitch, as if to purl, on BN. Leave stitch on needle and pull thread through. You'll want to pull your thread snug but not too tight.
5. Now insert the darning needle as if to knit, into the first stitch on TN. Continue to gently pull your thread snug as you work across the stitches.
6. Insert the needle into the first stitch again, on BN, as if to knit. Slide this stitch off the circular needle.
7. Insert the needle into the next stitch on BN, as if to purl. Leave this stitch on needle.
8. Insert the needle into the first stitch again on TN, as if to purl. Slide this stitch off. Now Insert the needle into the next stitch on TN, as if to knit. Keep this stitch on.
Repeat Steps 6 to 8 as you work across the stitches. Once you are finished, carefully weave in your end on the inside of the cowl. Now your seam should be nearly impossible to spot, as long as you mimic the same gauge as the knitted fabric. I'll try to post more tutorials as I continue to knit my way through Take Heart. Hope this helps!
