These mittens were inspired by the colourful glowing lights of midwinter’s night. Stained glass windows, cottage windows, fairy lights… any bright light that sparkles in a blanket of white. Although the backs are covered in little eyelets shaped like arched windows, they aren’t any colder for it thanks to the bright mitten liner that is sewn in. The mitten shell is knit in Koigu sock yarn and the liners are knit from sock yarn scraps.

The pattern hasn't been tech-edited, although I might spring for that down the road. In the meantime, I’ll put the pattern draft here. 
If you knit this free pattern and are happy with it, please consider making a food donation to your local food bank. Thank you 💛

ps. If you notice mistakes (and there are sure to be many!) please email me at knitbug at gmail dot com or message me through Ravelry and I'll fix it ASAP!






Little Window Mitts

Size: 
One size, fits average woman’s hand.
Sample dimensions are 8.5” x 4”. Size can be altered by adjusting gauge.

Gauge: 
32 stitches x 44 rows in 4” using size 1.5 (2.5mm) needles in stockinette stitch.

Materials: 
Yarn: I am so sorry, I didn’t weight my mitts until after they were assembled. So 96 grams (approximately 340 yards) of yarn was used in total, mitten shell and mitten liner together. IMPORTANT: The little windows naturally create shadows that can really obscure the colour that is trying to peek out from underneath. I recommend using a white yarn for the mitten shell and very bright and contrasty yarn for the lining. The lining colours will show up the most when the mittens are worn as that will press the two layers closer together. (📷 photo tip: to photograph them on a table instead of the hand but still have the lining colours show through, you can stuff the mitt with a bit of tissue. That's what I did.)
Needles: US 1 (2.25mm)  for the cuff and US 1½ (2.5mm) for the rest of the mitten and for the lining. I used double pointed needles, however magic-loop would work just as well.

Abbreviations:
CO: cast on
m: marker
pm: place marker
UNkFBF: unwrap the first of the 2 yarn overs so that only 1 loose yarn over remains on the left needle, knit into the front, then into the back and again into the front of it. https://youtu.be/XRDQ9g7OZ3Q
pubk2tog: pick up little bump from top of whole and knit together with next stitch https://youtu.be/lpDs9JTgUkE
yo2: yarn over twice
bo3: bind-off 3 stitches https://youtu.be/8rn57OwTN04
m1r: make one right
m1l: make one left
ssk: slip slip knit
k2tog: knit two together
sssk: slip slip slip knit
k3tog: knit three together

PATTERN:

Right hand mitten shell:
With smaller needles, CO 58 sts.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.
Place m to mark beginning of round and work in garter stitch for 34 rounds.
Change to larger needles work in st st for 3 rounds.
Round 1: k 33, pm, k2, m1r, k3, m1l, k20. —60 sts
Round 2: K4, [bo3, k5] x3, bo3 https://youtu.be/8rn57OwTN04, k2, m, k to end.
Round 3: k3, [yo2, k5] x3, yo2, k3, m, k to end.
Round 4: k3, [UNkFBF https://youtu.be/XRDQ9g7OZ3Q, k5] x3, UNkFBF, k3, m, k2, m1r, k5, m1l, k to end. —62 sts
Round 5: knit.
Round 6: knit.
Round 7: k4, [pubk2tog https://youtu.be/lpDs9JTgUkE, k7] x3, pubk2tog, k4, m, k2, m1r, k7, m1l, k to end. —64 sts
Round 8: knit.
Round 9: knit.
Round 10: K8, bo3, k5, bo3, k5, bo3, k6, m, k2, m1r, k9, m1l, k to end. —66 sts
Round 11: k7, [yo2, k5] x3, k2 m, k to end.
Round 12: k7, [UNkFBF, k5] x3, K2, m, k to end.
Round 13: k to m, k 2, k the next 11 sts with a piece of contrasting colour yarn, then slip those 11 sts back onto the left needle and knit them again with main colour, k to end.
Round 14: knit.
Round 15: k8, [pubk2tog, k7] k1, m, k to end.
Round 16&17: knit.
Round 18: K4, bo3, k5, bo3, k5, bo3, k5, bo3, k2, m, k to end.
Round 19: k3, [yo2, k5] x3, yo2, k3, m, k to end.
Round 20: k3, [UNkFBF, k5] x3, UNkFBF, k3, m, k to end.
Round 21&22: knit.
Round 23: k4, [pubk2tog, k7] x3, pubk2tog, K4, m, k to end.
Rounds 24&25: knit.
Round 26: K8, bo3, k5, bo3, k5, bo3, k6, m, k to end.
Round 27: k7, [yo2, k5] x3, k2 m, k to end.
Round 28: k7, [UNkFBF, k5] x3, K2, m, k to end.
Rounds 29&30: knit.
Round 31: k8, [pubk2tog, k7] k1, m, k to end.
Round 32&33: knit.
Repeat rows 18 to 33 twice.
Begin decrease rows:
Round 1: ssk, k10, bo3, k5, bo3, k to last 2 sts before m, k2tog, m, ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. —56 sts.
Round 2: ssk, k8, yo2, k5, yo2, k7, k2tog, m, ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Round 3: ssk, k7, [UNkFBF, k5] X2, k1, k2 tog, m, ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Rounds 4&5: ssk, k to last 2 sts before m, k2tog, ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Round 6: ssk, k5, pubk2tog, k7, pubk2tog, k4, k2tog, m, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Rounds 7&8: ssk, k to last 2 sts before m, k2tog, ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Rounds 9&10: sssk, k to 3 sts before m, k3tog, m, sssk, k to last 3 sts, k3tog.
Graft remaining 18 stitches using kitchener stitch.

Thumb:
Attach yarn and pick up the 11 sts above and 11 sts below the scrap yarn.
Inc. 4 sts on the first round by picking up 2 sts on each side of thumb. —26 sts.
Knit 26 rounds in st st.
Round 27: [ssk, k9, k2tog] x2.
Round 28: [ssk, k7, k2tog] x2.
Round 29: [ssk, k5, k2tog] x2.
Round 30: [ssk, k3, k2tog] x2.
Round 31: [ssk, k1, k2tog] x2.
Break yarn and draw through remaining 6 stitches.

Left hand mitten shell:
With smaller needles, CO 58 sts.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.
Place m to mark beginning of round and work in garter stitch for 34 rounds.
Change to larger needles work in st st for 3 rounds.
Round 1: k 33, pm, k to last 5 sts, m1r, k3, m1l, k2. —60 sts
Round 2: K4, [bo3, k5] x3, bo3, k2, m, k to end.
Round 3: k3, [yo2, k5] x3, yo2, k3, m, k to end.
Round 4: k3, [UNkFBF, k5] x3, UNkFBF, k3, m, k to last 7 sts, m1r, k5, m1l, k to end. —62 sts
Round 5: knit.
Round 6: knit.
Round 7: k4, [pubk2tog, k7] x3, pubk2tog, K4, m, k to last 9 sts, m1r, k7, m1l, k2. —64 sts
Round 8: knit.
Round 9: knit.
Round 10: k8, [bo3, k5] x3, k1, m, k to last 11 sts, m1r, k9, m1l, k2. —66 sts
Round 11: k7, [yo2, k5] x3, k2 m, k to end.
Round 12: k7, [UNkFBF, k5] x3, k2, m, k to end.
Round 13: k to m, k to last 13 sts, k the next 11 sts with a piece of contrasting colour yarn, then slip those 11 sts back onto the left needle and knit them again with main colour, k to end.
Knit rounds 14: knit.
Instructions for remainder of left mitten are the same as for right mitten.

Left Lining (will be turned inside out when completed):
*for a multicolour lining, alternate colours every 10 rounds.
Using larger needles, cast on 56 sts and join to work in the round and place marker to mark the beginning of round.
Knit 4 rounds.
Round 1: k32, pm, k2, m1r, k2, m1l, k to end. —58 sts
K 2 rounds.
Round 4: k to m, k2, m1r, k4, m1l, k to end. —60 sts
Knit 2 rounds.
Round 7: k to m, k2, m1r, k6, m1l, k to end. —62 sts
Knit 2 rounds,
Round 10: k to m, k2, m1r, k8, m1l, k to end. —64 sts (with 32 sts between markers)
Knit 2 rounds.
Round 13: k to m, k 2, k the next 10 sts with a piece of contrasting colour yarn, then slip those 10 sts back onto the left needle and knit them again with main colour, k to end.
Continue knitting in st st for 48 more rounds.
Decrease round: [Ssk, knit to 2 sts before m, k2tog] x 2. —60 sts.
Repeat decrease round 7 more times. —32 sts
Next 2 rows: [sssk, knit to 3 sts before m, k3tog] x 2. —16 sts.
Kitchener stitch remaining 16 sts.

Lining Thumb:
Attach yarn and pick up the 10 sts above and 10 sts below the scrap yarn.
Inc. 4 sts on the first round by picking up 2 sts on each side of thumb. 24 sts.
Knit 25 rounds in st st.
Round 26: [ssk, k8, k2 tog] x 2.
Round 27: [ssk, k6, k2 tog] x 2.
Round 28: [ssk, k4, k2 tog] x 2.
Round 29: [ssk, k2, k2 tog] x 2.
Round 30: [ssk, k2 tog] x 2.
Break yarn and draw through remaining 4 stitches.

Right lining:
Cast on 56 sts, join to work in the round and knit 4 rounds.
Round 1: k32 pm, k to last 4 sts, m1r, k2, m1l, k2.
K 2 rounds.
Round 4: k32, m, k to last 6 sts, m1r, k4, m1l, k2.
K 2 rounds.
Round 7: k32, m, k to last 8 sts, m1r, k6, m1l, k2.
K 2 rounds.
Round 10: k32, m, k to last 10 sts, m1r, k8, m1l, k2.
K 2 rounds.
Round 13: k32, m, k to last 12 sts, k the next 10 sts with a piece of contrasting colour yarn, then slip those 10 sts back onto the left needle and knit them again with main colour, k2.
Continue knitting in st st for 48 more rounds.
Continue as for left mitten lining.

Block all four pieces, paying particular attention to the mitten shells to open up the “little windows”.

To sew lining into mittens, turn lining inside out so that the wrong side of the lining is face you. Place into mitten shell and whipstitch in place, using the garter stitch lines to ensure sewing in a straight line.






Little Window Mitts

Sunday, December 1, 2019


Yesterday on Instagram I posted the idea of casting-on for a sock knit-along with the goal to finish them in time to wear them Christmas morning. I thought it might be an existing KAL but I can’t seem to find anything, and the #christmasmorningsockskal hashtag doesn’t seem to be taken! So let's just jump in, shall we? I want to be clear: although my family observes Christmas I hope knitters of any, all or no religious denomination will participate by adding a #holidaymorningsocks tag! To make it official, I’m going to put together a yarny prize or two.
There will be few rules; any sock pattern yarn and sock pattern goes!  To participate, just post a photo of your finished socks on Instagram with the hashtag(s) #christmasmorningsocks and/or #holidaymorningsocks by midnight EST December 26th (although I’d love to see progress photos along the way too!) and I’ll draw a post number from a online random number generator. I’m happy to ship world-wide, so everyone is welcome! Next post: prize stuff!


Hier j’ai lancé sur Instagram une idée, un KAL de chaussettes à tricoter juste à temps pour les porter le matin de Noël. Je pensais qu’un tel Knit-along existait sûrement déjà mais j’arrive pas à en trouver et le hashtag #christmasmorningsocks me parait libre, alors je saute! Je veux éviter à tout prix d’exclure qui que ce soit alors si vous ne fêtez pas Noël je vous invide à utiliser le #holidaymorningsocks. Et pour rendre le tout officiel, je vais rassembler quelques petits trésors pour un tirage!
Il y aura peu de règles! Choix libre de patron et de laine. Tout ce dont vous aurez à faire pour participer est de poster une photo de vos chaussettes complétées sur Instagram avant minuit, le 26 décembre - quoique j’aimerais aussi admirer des photos de votre progrès tout au cours des prochaines semaines c’est pas obligatoire! Je pigerai une participante au sort. Je suis prête à expédier le prix au bout du monde pourvu que la poste peut vous rejoindre, alors tous sont la bienvenu n’importe où vous vous trouvez. J’annoncerai bientôt la laine à tirer!

The Christmas Morning Socks Knit-Along!

Friday, November 9, 2018

If you’ve had enough of hats and socks I’m pleased to be able to introduce a bit of variety with a knitted toy! Even before my niece was born I knew I’d one day knit her an entire zoo. I have dozens of patterns bookmarked but I wanted to start with a rabbit, namely Amanda Berry’s clever Pip the Bunny pattern. I had to make some modifications to size down the bunny so rather than using worsted yarn with US 6 needles, I held some light fingering yarn doubled to make a DK weight and used US 3 needles instead of US 6. By my calculations this would allow me to knitting the bunny a well-fitting sweater in fingering weight yarn. 

Si vous en avez eu assez des chapeaux et des chaussettes, je suis ravie de pouvoir vous offrir un peu de variété avec un animal en peluche! Même avant que ma filleule est née, je savais que j’allais lui tricoter une véritable animalerie un de ces jours. Je commence donc avec un petit lapin à l’aide du patron ingénieux Pip de Bunny d’Amanda Berry. Le patron prévoit une laine worsted mais je voulais rapetisser le lapin pour les toutes petites mains de ma nièce de 6 mois. J’ai alors doubler une laine “light fingering” pour créer une laine DK et utilisé des aiguilles de 3.25 mm plutôt que 4mm. Ensuite pour le petit chandail j’ai utilisé une laine fingering qui selon mes calculs devait bien faire à la taille réduite de mon lapin.






Although I loved the pattern’s included bunny sweater, I substituted the original short-sleeved intarsia-heart design with a long-sleeve plain stockinette pullover that I could duplicate-stitch before seaming up. I added little multicolored v’s with some gorgeous leftover Koigu sock yarn and love the subtle colour shifts! My modified pullover was a bit longer than the original so I decided to omit the tail altogether, which I guess is just one less piece that could accidentally be ripped off by baby hands. I also changed the face a bit by using black embroidery thread to create some simple lines hinting at a nose and mouth for a vintage feel. Aside from needing a name, he’s all ready for tiny grabby hands!

Bien que j’aime bien le chandail original du patron (un pull aux manches courtes avec un gros coeur), je voulait un peu plus de couleur. Alors j’ai tricoté un pull simple à manches longues sur lequel j’ai brodé de petits V avec une laine Koigu multicolores. Puisque mon chandail est plus long que prévu j’ai dû omettre la queue entièrement - pas de place! Mais dans le fond puisque ma nièce est si petite, c’est une pièce de moins qui pourrait accidentellement se détacher, alors ça me va! Il ne restait que d’ajouter deux petites billes noires et quelques ligne s simples avec un fil à broder noir pour lui donner une jolie mine de de style vintage. Alors Monsieur Lapin ne manque plus qu’un prénom et il est prêt pour les câlins de ma nièce!




Bunny Making

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Oh, my poor neglected blog! I’ve managed to finish a few small projects since January - including a new baby cardigan pattern - and I truly do plan to catch up in the next few posts. In the meantime, here’s a free slouchy hat pattern as a token of my guilt - I mean, gratitude :) I’d hoped to share this pattern on Canadian Thanksgiving but once the shorter hat was finished I was unhappy with the poor contrast/visibility of the colourwork (sound familiar? I still need to work on grasp of hues and values). But honestly, it’s just a free little hat pattern, a small thank you to you lovely fellow knitters, so why stress about it? And if you’d like to give back, please consider making a small donation to your local food bank, soup kitchen or women’s shelter. Thank you!

Ouf, je crois que 8 mois sans billets de blogue… c’est un nouveau record. Pourtant,  j’ai bien réussi à compléter quelques petits projets depuis janvier! Je compte me rattrapper dans quelques semaines mais en attendant, voici un petit patron gratuit en guise de remerciement pour votre patience. En fait, j’aurais voulu le partager lors de l’Action de grâce, mais j’ai été déçu de la faible visibilité de la tuque aux tons gris. C’est hallucinant comment j’arrive à constamment ruiner les fair-isle avec mes choix de couleur! Mais en fin de compte, pourquoi stresser pour un tout petit patron gratuit? Alors le voici, en anglais. Si quelqu’un veut s’aventurer à le traduire en français je serais prenante! 






Hazelwood Hat

Finished size:
Fits average adult. Hat measures 9.5" in (24cm) diameter at ribbed brim. Slouchier version measures 10.25" long (26cm), shorter hat measures 9.25" long (23.5cm).

Materials:
Roughly 170 yards of Aran-weight yarn. I used Garnstudio's Drops Nepal. I was using up scraps and didn't measure the length used for each colour - sorry!
US 6 (4mm) and US 7 (4.5mm) 16" circular needles
US 7 double pointed needles
1 stitch marker

Gauge:
20 sts and 22 rows per 4" (10cm) square, knit in pattern with larger needles.
Instructions:
With MC and smaller needles, cast on 96 sts. Place marker and join to work in the round.
Work in k2, p2 rib for 8 rounds.
Next round: *M1, k12. Repeat from * to end of round. 104 sts.
Change to larger needles and knit one round.
Begin working colourwork chart or your choice below. Chart is read from right to left, each 8-st repeat is worked 13 times in one round.



Decrease rows to shape crown: *k10, sl, k2tog, psso, repeat from * to end of round. Remove marker, k1, replace marker. Marker has been moved over one st.
Next round: knit.
Next round: *k8, sl, k2tog, psso, repeat from * to end of round. Remove marker, k1, replace marker. Marker has been moved over one st.
Next round: knit.
Next round: *k6, sl, k2tog, psso, repeat from * to end of round. Remove marker, k1, replace marker. Marker has been moved over one st.
Next round: knit.
Next round: *k4, sl, k2tog, psso, repeat from * to end of round. Remove marker, k1, replace marker. Marker has been moved over one st.
Next round: knit.
Next round: *k2, sl, k2tog, psso, repeat from * to end of round. Remove marker, k1, replace marker. Marker has been moved over one st.
Next round: knit.
Cut yarn, draw tail through remaining stitches and pull to close opening. Sew in ends and block.










Hazelwood Hat

Tuesday, October 9, 2018


It's pretty obvious that my projects have had a common baby theme lately, and honestly it’s been absolutely delightful.  As usual I planned for many more projects than I had time to complete before sending off the care package. I’ve already shared the Koigu Blanket, next was a cotton-bamboo garter stitch cardigan. The pattern is the Garter Stitch Jacket from The Debbie Bliss book Quick Baby Knits. I purchased it in university about 16 years ago and it’s still my go-to book for sweaters and booties! It’s times like these that I’m so grateful  to have such a well-stocked knitting library. Although I’ll enjoy the occasional ebook, nothing compares to curling up in a chair with a cup of tea to browse glossy paper images of beautiful knits. Debbie Bliss publications have always featured such gorgeous baby and children photography and the classic patterns make the books rather immune to the passing years. Quick Baby Knits is now out of print, but if you keep an eye out for a used copy you should be able to pick it up for a bargain. There are also a slew of excellent current Debbie Bliss baby and children pattern books and I've found her designs for kids to be reliably great. I'm waiting to find out the baby's gender before starting the next project, but I'm tempted to cast on for these little moccasins anyway:

Difficile à nier que mon bricolage à un thème évident ces derniers mois… mais je trouve tous ces projets pour bébés complètement irrésistibles! J'ai déjà partagé la doudoue Koigu, ensuite j'ai tricoté une petite veste en point mousse. Le patron provient du livre Quick Baby Knits de Debbie Bliss. C'est un livre de 1999 mais honnêtement il aurait pu être publié hier tant les designs sont classiques. En fait je trouve tous les patrons pour enfants de Debbie Bliss très réussis! Je me réjouis beaucoup ces temps-ci d'avoir une bibliothèque si bien nantie. J'aime bien les publications numériques mais j'adore tellement passé une heure sur le canapé avec une tasse de thé et quelques livres de patrons bien illustrés. Quick Baby knits est épuisé mais il est surement disponible d'occasion pour seulement quelques dollars. En fait, Debbie Bliss a publié plus d'une douzaine de livres de patrons pour enfants et les designs sont tous intemporels, ce serait difficile d'être déçu! J'attends d'apprendre le sexe du bébé avant de commencer le prochain projet, mais je suis tentée de commencer ces petits mocassins tout de suite:



Image coryright 2009 Ebury Press



Pretty cute, eh? Although this will be a Brisbane baby so maybe the booties would be overly warm even in winter… any Aussies out there willing to chime in? I'd love to know what kind of baby knits would be ideal.

Puisque Bébé vivra à Brisbane, j'imagine qu'il fera peut être trop chaud pour des bottines, même l’hiver… Y a t-il des Australiens qui me lisent? J'aimerais bien vos conseils!

Despite a well-stocked bookcase, I don't know of a single knitter that doesn't love to discover new classics and support independent designers. And The New Kid by Kathryn Folkerth has “Classic” written all over it! I knit the sweater in a heavy worsted weight (the beloved and bewilderingly discontinued Rowan All-Seasons Cotton), so it was a relatively fast knit. At least it would have been speedier if I had paid better attention while knitting that delicious cabled border. Instead, I watched Victoria and Abdul. Somewhere during the movie I managed to forget the order of the cables and that’s where my problems started. A few days later I forgot the interval of pick up stitches. And then managed to flip the cables again! So the finished product is a bit wonky and I’m asking you not to look too closely at the cables nor the sweater’s asymmetrical… charm :)

Malgré ma collection de livre j'aime autant découvrir du nouveau et appuyez des designers indépendant. Dès que j'ai vu le design The New Kid de Kathryn Folkerth j'ai su toite de suite que le patron serait ajouté à ma rotation habituelle de tricots pour bébés! Je l'ai tricoté avec le fil All Seasons Cotton de Rowan, celui-ci étant malheureusement abandonné par la compagnie il y a plusieurs années. J'aurais terminé la veste bien plus rapidement si j'avais prêté attention à la bordure et le bon ordre des torsades. J'ai plutôt écouté le film Victoria et Abdul et vite et perdu le fil des directives! Je vous prie d'ignorer le manque d’ordre et de symétrie à la bordure, dorénavant je tenterai de me souvenir que les torsades et la télé doivent parfois être appréciées séparément :)






I finished off the package with a hand-sewed a mobile, aiming for a dreamy, whimsical feel. My sister has always loved hot air balloons - we grew up in a town that hosts one of North America's largest balloon festivals! I didn't have a pattern so to figure out how to make the balloon shape I cut out pieces of paper and taped them together to create a three-dimensional shape that I liked before reproducing it with felt and fabric. The mobile's arms are made from a wooden embroidery hoop that I sliced and painted white. I totally failed to weigh each decoration in advance, and if I had one tip it would be to consider how each piece will need to be counterbalances perfectly. I ended up having to adjust my stuffing and place little weights in my clouds to get the mobile to balance properly. The fiddliness could have been avoided by carefully weighing the pieces as I made them. But I'm happy with the result! It’s made me think of making a mobile for my home office, which could use a bit of whimsy!

Le dernier cadeau à être ajouté au colis était un mobile que j’ai fabriqué à partir de tissu et de feutre. Ayant grandi près d’un des plus importants festivals de montgolfières (il était l'hôte pour la première fois en Amérique du Nord du Championnat du monde de dirigeables à air chaud!), ma soeur (et moi aussi d’ailleurs!) les aime beaucoup. Sans patron, j’ai dû construire une petite maquette en papier pour envisager comment créer un ballon à partir de pièces de feutre, et ça m’a pris quelques essais. Le support consiste d’un anneau de bois conçu pour la broderie, que j’ai coupé en deux et peinturé. Ca peut sembler évident, mais je n’ai pas pensé à pespe chaque nuage à fur et à mesure pour assurer un équilibre, et c’était une grave erreur! Finalement j’ai dû modifier le molleton et ajouter des petits poids à l’intérieur de certains nuages pour rétablir l’équilibre. Heureusement que ça a fonctionné! Je songe maintenant à construire un mobile pour mon bureau, qui profiterais bien d’un brin de fantaisie!




Oh Bébé!

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

On dirait que je sort le métier à tisser seulement qu’une fois par année, habituellement juste avant le temps des fêtes. Heureusement qu’il est compacte, j'aurais de la difficulté à justifier un appareil coûteux aussi rarement utiliser s’il occupait une salle entière! Quand je l’ai acheté j’avais opté d’acheter le sac Ashford aussi, même si je doutais que j’allais beaucoup me déplacer avec un métier à tisser sous le bras. Bien que ça ne s’est pas encore produit, le sac sert très bien pour son entreposage les 340 jours de l’année qu’il repose patiemment attendant d’être utilisé, et c’est utile pour garder tous les petits accessoires ensemble. Alors si vous considérez un métier à tisser portatif, je recommande non seulement le mien, c’est à dire le Ashford Knitter’s Loom de 60 cm, mais également le sac de transport. Je n’ai pas acheté le support pour métier car j’aime bien travailler à la table, reposant le métier sur mes genoux. Je trouve que plus large que ça, ce n’est plus tellement confortable de passer la navette manuellement, c’est dur sur les épaules. Et comme je l’ai constaté à quelques reprises, pour tisser un tissu plus large que 60cm il suffit simplement de tisser deux bandes et de les coudre ensemble. C’est ce que j’ai fait pour cette DÉLICIEUSE couverture pour bébé … les couleurs me rappellent des petits gâteaux au glaçage pastel, saupoudrés de petits bonbons!

Despite my best intentions, I only take my loom out once a year, usually right before the holidays. Good thing the Ashford Knitter’s Loom is so compact, I’d have a hard time justifying keeping it otherwise, considering how many days of the year it’s stored away. When I first purchased it I hummed and hawed about the Ashford carrying tote. How often would I realistically be travelling with it? But in the end I’m so glad to have the bag, since it keeps the loom and all of its accessories stored away neatly and for once I’ve yet to misplace an important component :) I don’t regret skipping on the optional little frame/table for it though, since I love leaning the loom against the table and weaving on my lap. 21” really has been the perfect width for me. As much as I’d love to weave a larger cloth, I suspect movement of passing the shuttle across a wider shed would be too much strain on my neck and shoulders. Instead I’m happy to weave wider pieces by sewing panels together, which I did for this SCRUMPTIOUS baby blanket. These shades of Koigu KPPPM makes me think of cupcakes with pastel icing covered in sprinkles.


Pour tisser la laine fingering de Koigu (preuve qu’elle sert à plus que de se tricoter des chaussettes!) j’ai utilisé le peigne 12.5 DPI. J'ai laissé environ 5 cm d'espace de chaque côté plutôt qu’utiliser toutes les fentes, je trouve que ça m'aide à obtenir des lisières plus droites et soignée. J'ai utilisé 6 différentes couleurs Koigu KPPPM pour la chaîne et une laine de couleur nature pour la trame. J'ai tissé deux morceaux, utilisant trois couleurs différentes pour la chaîne de chaque morceaux. J'ai été particulièrement chanceuse que mes deux morceaux étaient d'une longueur presque identique étant donné que je n'avais pas mesuré la longueur de mon travail avant de le retirer tu métier. Je n'ai eu qu'à défaire trois rangs de tram  pour les rendre égaux! Si ça ce n'est pas de la chance...

I used my 12.5 DPI reed and it worked a charm (fingering superwash yarn... not just for socks)! I left about 2 inches of space on either side of the reed since I find leaving the first and last slots empty helps me to achieve a neater selvage. I used 6 different colours for the warp, and a single cream color for the weft. I wove two panels of 3 different colored stripes each and seamed them together with mattress stitch. I think I was especially lucky with this project since both pieces were almost identical lengths despite the fact that I wasn’t measuring my weaving at all. I frogged back 3 rows on one piece (do you “frog” in weaving though?) before seaming to make them even. I mean, that feels pretty darn lucky to me. 


À refaire, je n'aurais pas utilisé la laine couleur nature pour coudre les deux morceaux ensembles. La couture serait moins évidente si j'avais utilisé la laine de chaîne correspondante à une des deux rayures. Mais honnêtement, je suis tellement ravie du produit final et je ne pense pas que Bébé sera trop préoccupé d'une petite couture sur sa doudoue! 

The only thing I'd change for next time would be to use the appropriate warp yarn for the seam rather than the cream colored weft yarn. I'm pretty sure the seam would be less conspicuous if I'd thought to use yarn the color of the stripes! If I had a single perfectionist bone in my body I would unpick the seam and redo it but I'm already so enamored with the blanket as is! And something tells me Baby will be more concerned with being cozy in a glorious Koigu burrito than any visible seam.




Doudoue Koigu!

Monday, January 8, 2018

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