My Hat Knitting Design Workshop from Issue 63 is now available through The Knitter app on Apple Newsstand, for iPhone and iPad. Not only does this include the knitting pattern for Gwythian, my latest hat design, there is also a 4 page spread on how to design your own hat pattern, and an interview with yours truly!
If you’re a subscriber, you might have already received your copy of Issue 70, which features the ‘Platinum Collection’, in celebration of our 70 issues. I love the photography from this shoot, and especially Fiona Morris’ cardigan on the front cover.
My pattern is featured in the sock supplement, along with a sweet pair of yellow socks by Rachel Coopey, and some adaptable ’10 stitch socks’ by Liz Lovick.
‘Heliotrope’ were designed with Artesano Definition sock yarn, and the pattern is available in 2 sizes. It’s a really fun pattern to get stuck into, as each repeat is so large, you’re done in no time. The yarn really is what it says it is too, the stitches really pop and are well defined. And I love the colour!
I’m really pleased with this sock design and how the cables flow nicely into the pattern. Worked from the toe up, the heart pattern flows up the front of the foot, and the chain-like cables run up from the heel.
Apologies to my regular readers for my lack of posts lately, we were on holiday for 4 weeks over Christmas and I couldn’t get the WordPress app to work on my phone!
Issue 67 of The Knitter was released on the 7th Jan and features my new hat design, Kolka. I even made it onto the cover!
I was inspired to make this hat by traditional Scandinavian techniques and began looking at different ways to work the head band. I settled on the Latvian Braid, which is fun to make and looks really effective. There is a masterclass in this issue of The Knitter on how to achieve this.
The hat is knitted in the round on 3.5mm needles using 4 different shades of Milla Mia Naturally Soft Merino DK.
The braid is snug around the ears, and because the rest of the hat is worked using the Fair Isle technique, the hat is double-layered and really warm. Instructions are given for both a slouch hat (pictured) and a shorter beanie style hat for those who prefer.
Also featured in Issue 67 is a gorgeous jumper by Sasha Kagan, a tweedy aran cardigan by Linda Parkhouse and an amazing elephant cardigan by Martin Storey – all things I would like to knit when I get the time!
**EDIT** You can now purchase Kolka as a digital download here
I’m a bit late in posting this, but there is a KAL featuring two of my hat designs in the Fyberspates group on Ravelry. There’s still time to join, and you could win a skein of Fyberspates Vivacious DK!
Gwithian
The options are the recently published DK weight Gwithian.  Or if you prefer, you can knit Autumn Gold in Vivacious 4ply. Knitters taking part in the KAL can purchase this pattern at 25% off until the 30th November. Details are in the thread!