Knitvent 2018: Frost at Midnight Cowl

Hello, I hope everyone has a good week. Are you all getting into the festive spirit yet? I know that I am and will share some posts with you over the coming days.

I'm here today to share the last design for Knitvent 2018 I can't believe it's the final pattern, it's gone so quickly, the name is  Frost at Midnight Cowl.

“Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee, 

Whether the summer clothe the general earth 

With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing 

Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch 

Of mossy apple-tree, while the night-thatch 

Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall 

Heard only in the trances of the blast, 

Or if the secret ministry of frost 

Shall hang them up in silent icicles, 

Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.”

From “Frost at Midnight, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Frost at Midnight Cowl is a sweet, comforting hug of a cowl. Made with a super bulky yarn, it can be knit in just a few hours: about as quickly as frost appears on a windowpane and perfect for those almost-inevitable midnight knitting sessions as the holidays draw near! The design features a simple texture and eyelet stitch pattern to suit both men and women, and while the pattern comes in one size, it’s very easy to adapt for just about anyone on your list.

I'm using We Are Knitters The Wool in the taupe colour, a super bulky, 100% Peruvian Wool. It's a very quick and fun knit, this will make a great gift last minute gift.

Thanks for stopping by and happy knitting,

xxxxDebxxxx

Knitvent 2018: Winter Sleep Socks

Hello, my friends, I hope you've all had a good week. I can't believe we're in the last week of November! This year has flown by.

Well, we are on the penultimate pattern of this year's Knitvent and they are some gorgeous, cosy DK socks. Winter Sleep Socks come in four sizes ranging from kids to men's size, they are super quick to knit which make them perfect for gift knitting.

“Just as the spiniest chestnut-burr 

Is lined within with the finest fur, 

So the stoney-walled, snow-roofed house 

Of every squirrel and mole and mouse 

Is lined with thistledown, sea-gull’s feather, 

Velvet mullein-leaf, heaped together 

With balsam and juniper, dry and curled, 

Sweeter than anything else in the world.

O what a warm and darksome nest 

Where the wildest things are hidden to rest! 

It’s there that I’d love to lie and sleep, 

Soft, soft, soft, and deep, deep, deep!”

From “Winter Sleep” by Elinor Wylie

I knit the XS and they fit both my 4 year old grandson and 2 year old granddaughter, I would say they'd fit up to a 7-8 year old and then maybe go up to the Small size depending on how wide their feet are.

My grandson said he didn't want holes in his socks, us knitters might call it lace but to Caiden they are holes so I just did rib throughout with contrast heel and toes.

I used Bergère de France Ideal DK, I bought 2 x 50g balls in contrast colours and got two pairs by reversing the colours.

DK sock yarn with nylon is probably harder to find especially for UK knitters. I found a few different brands that would work well.

West Yorkshire Spinners for a budget-friendly DK Sock Yarn 

Eden Cottage Yarns Milburn DK, 85% BFL 15% silk 

Socks Yeah DK 75/25 

Julie Asselin Leizu DK 90% merino 10% silk 

Qing Fibre Super Soft DK 

Skein Queen Crush DK 

Magpie Fibers Swanky DK available from A Yarn Story in the UK

If you want them as a cosy pair of house socks, I wouldn't worry about the nylon just go for some soft, luxurious yarn. 

Also, you could always use a fingering weight sock yarn. Just note that the stitch pattern repeat is 6 stitches so if you’re converting to fingering you would want a repeat of either 60 or 66. 

If you go with 60 then you will have an even number of repeats - ie a whole repeat front and back of your socks. 

If you go with 66 you’ll have an odd number so will have to split a repeat between the front and back (like the pattern for the small and large sizes).

Let me know if you knit a pair so I can take a look, let me know what your IG or Ravelry name is.

Have a great week and happy knitting.

xxxxDebxxxx

Knitvent 2018: How Quiet Hat and Mitts

Hello, I hope you've all had a good week. It's been a glorious week here, cold crisp days with plenty of sunshine, perfect weather for what I'm sharing with you today.

It's the third week of Knitvent 2018 and there is two patterns, a matching hat and mitt set. They are the How Quiet Hat and the How Quiet Mitts, a quick, gratifying knit. I used Eden Cottage Whitefell in Misty Wood, A beautifully, soft 100% alpaca.

we have to seek, as children do 

for something like the beetle 

scuttling between grass, 

hidden in plain sight.

From “How Quiet” by Judith Harris

The How Quiet Hat is a quick and easy knit in soft DK weight yarn, ideal for holiday gifting or a gift to yourself. The wide ribbed brim can be worn down for a relaxed, slouchy feel or turned up for those who prefer a more fitted beanie. The design features a simple and subtle chevron stitch pattern and is finished off with a fluffy pompom. This is a unisex pattern which includes sizes from baby to large adult, and it might just become your next go-to pattern for last minute presents. When paired with the matching How Quiet mitts, they’ll stay warm and cosy on even the chilliest winter walks.

The How Quiet Mitts the perfect companion to the How Quiet Hat, they make a perfect last minute gift. 

This is the baby size knit with some leftover Dusty Dimples DK in Call Me Baby, this will be going to a sweet baby girl who was born last week. I knit this in an evening so makes a great last minute gift.

Thanks for stopping by.
xxxxDebxxxx

Curious Handmade Knitvent 2018

Hello my friends, long time no see, I haven't been able to sign into my blog for months, I don't know what the problem was but I thought I'd give it one more go before completely giving up and result, I'm back in!

I've had an extremely busy summer with family and work, I've been doing a lot of sample knitting including some for Knitvent 2018. Knitvent is a wonderful holiday tradition for knitters, after purchasing the collection you will receive six beautiful accessories over five weeks. They are perfect for gift knitting as they are fairly quick except the one which is a stunning wrap, designed to use with your mini skein Advent calendars. 

The theme this year is PEACE.

The first two designs have been released so if you haven't signed up yet, you will receive the first two patterns straight into your Ravelry library. 

The first pattern is the Dust of Snow Wrap, and it's a stunner! 

The way a crow 

Shook down on me 

The dust of snow 

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart 

A change of mood 

And saved some part 

Of a day I had rued.

“A Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost

I knit this sample for Helen using the Herbsblatt Regina Mini Skein Advent Calendar held with Shibui Silk Cloud, it is sheer luxury. The mohair/silk is the "dust of snow, though you could knit it without the mohair. I've ordered some undyed mohair/silk from Bluefaced Undyed Yarn, a more budget-friendly alternative.

Quite a few people have already cast theirs on but I'm going to hold out and wait until the 1st December. December is always a busy month and I look forward to opening my Advent calendar, sitting down for an hour each day with a coffee and knitting each mini skein over 24 days. We all have stress in our lives especially over the festive period so make some time for yourself each day whether it's knitting, reading or anything that makes you happy, don't forget the theme is peace!

The second design is the Peace of Wild Things Shawl, a beautiful, one skein project so if you've been saving that precious skein for something special, here's the pattern you've been waiting for. There is a sprinkling of beads that are optional and a delicate lace border, it's so pretty and quick to knit.

“I come into the peace of wild things 

who do not tax their lives with forethought 

of grief. I come into the presence of still water. 

And I feel above me the day-blind stars 

waiting with their light. For a time 

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”

From “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry

Thank you so much for stopping by, I'll be back soon to share the next design from Knitvent 2018

Happy Knitting

xxxxDebxxxx

Woollinn...... Dublin's Festival of Yarn.

Location: ALSAA Sports and Social Centre, Old Airport Road, Dublin Airport.
Marketplace: 10am to 5.30pm, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th May 2018.
Workshops: Friday 25th – Sunday 27th May 2018.

Hello, my friends, I'm popping in to tell you about Dublin's Festival of Yarn, Woollin. A spectacular marketplace with some of the best vendors and their gorgeous wares. You can find the directory of vendors here.

Also, they have some fabulous workshops with world-renowned designers including Nancy Marchant, Isabell Kraemer, Karie Westermann and more. Check out the full list here.

To celebrate, I'm having a giveaway over on my Instagram, you can find me as Tinkhickman. Woollin has given me some beautiful The Fibre Co Luma, some stunning Irish wool from Studio Donegal and a Woollin wooden gauge.

Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to U.K. residents due to shipping costs so if you'd like to leave a comment on my Instagram on the giveaway thread, tag friends too if you think they will be interested.

Have a great week.

xxxxDebxxxx 

The Impressionist MKAL by Curious Handmade Giveaway.

Hello, my friends, I really don't know where the first part of the year has gone. It's been a very busy time over the last couple of months with work and everyday life, unfortunately, it was my blog had to take a back seat. Hopefully, things are settling down a bit and I will get back on track.

After much anticipation over the last few weeks, the first clue of the Impressionists MKAL shawl by Helen Stewart has just been released.

The inspiration behind this mystery knitalong is from impressionist artists and their works using your beautiful skeins of yarn. The pattern uses three skeins of yarn a light, medium and dark and lends itself very well to the popular speckle yarns.

I had the pleasure of test knitting the design and my colours were inspired by this stunning painting by the talented contemporary artist, Dmitry Spiros.

These colours really aren't my usual colour palette but after seeing this wonderful piece of art, I knew which of my yarns I'd be using. The one in the middle is La Bien Aimee Merino Singles in Romance and the other two are a Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 set in Elated. I absolutely love how it turned out and how the yarns worked together.

Helen has done it again with this design, I had so much fun knitting this shawl, I obviously can't give anything away as it's a mystery but I would definitely knit another one. I enjoyed choosing the yarns, looking at the impressionist art and the knitting. There are pages of inspiration over on the Ravelry Forum if you want to take a look.

Helen used a set especially dyed for the design by Kristen of Voolenvine Yarns, she is having another update today 31st March at 10am ET. They do sell out very quickly so if you don't manage to nab one, Circus Tonic Handmade was dying some sets inspired by the Belle Èpoque.

Helen has kindly given me a pattern to giveaway to one lucky knitter. I will pick a winner after the Easter weekend if you can just leave a comment and your Ravelry name.

THE WINNER IS LEE GIFFORD.

Have a great Easter Weekend
xxxxDebxxxx

The Year of Socks.

Hello there, I hope 2018 has been good to you so far. Well, last year was the year of socks for me, I added up how many pairs that I knit in 2017. I knit 18 pairs of socks!!!!! I can't quite believe it myself but they were my go-to project and found plain vanilla socks very meditative and therapeutic for me. If you want to see all the different designs that I knit, you can check out my Ravelry project page.

These are one of the last pairs I finished, they are one of my favourite socks that I've knit. I used Grundl Hot Socks Pearl Colour, it has cashmere in the merino/nylon blend and is exceptionally soft. I knit the leg fairly long, I wanted a nice, cosy pair for the winter. I used Hot Socks Pearl for the cuff, heels and toes the solid colour version of this beautiful yarn.

The last pair of the year was my Christmas Stripe Socks, knit with Knit Picks Felici in Spring Blooms so not officially a Christmas colour but it reminded me of the bright vintage colours.

I have cast on a pair of socks this year but I definitely won't be knitting 18 as I want to knit more garments. Again, I'm knitting with Knit Picks Felici in Chesire Grin, rather than doing a plain sock though, I'm using Vanilla Bean Striped Sock by Emily O'Grady, which is more of a recipe than a pattern. It relies on that you know how to knit a basic sock but I love the simple slip stitches that break up the stripes.

What are your favourite things to knit? Is there a pattern that you go back to again and again?

Have a great week and happy knitting.
xxxxDebxxxx

Happy New Year........

Happy New Year, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, it goes too quick for me, I love Christmas and always have a hectic couple of days and lots of fun. I also enjoy the week between Christmas and New Year where you don't remember what day it is, you can eat Christmas pud for breakfast if you want to plus lots of knitting time.

I don't celebrate NYE but I do embrace the new year and love the feel of new beginnings. I don't make resolutions but I do like to have some sort of plan.

Do you have any knitting plans for the coming year? I want to get some WIP's finished, knit at least three garments and knit more colourwork.

I'm a big fan of advent calendars and had a few to open including yarn, tea, chocolate and beauty. I want to talk about the yarny calendars though. They were so much fun, I did a swap with my friend Dani, we'd spoke about it over a year ago and decided to make each other one with a full skein of yarn for the 25th.

We added little extra gifts in some of the days, including stitch markers, tea and I even had a gorgeous fluffy pompom. It was so much fun to put together and also open, we've both said we will definitely do it again next year.

I was also lucky enough to swap one with another friend, Sara of  Cauldron of Colours, these were all alpaca blend mini's and very soft.

Christmas Eve, I cast on my Twas the Night Before Christmas by Danielle Jorge. This is her very first pattern, I was lucky enough to test knit them and take the photos for the pattern.

It's such a fun pattern with a simple tree pattern running down the side of the leg then some potato chippy plain stockinette. It took me three days to finish them and I love them.

I used West Green Loft Yarns in Christmas Candy which was their December yarn club colourway.

Have a good week and happy knitting.
xxxxDebxxxx