We've been blessed by some glorious autumnal sunshine here in the UK, which is prime opportunity to reintroduce some sleeveless knits into our hand-made wardrobe. I'm also sharing stories of my upcoming Westcountry Collection – a knitting pattern collection I'm designing using local British wool. There are also details of a very exciting mystery hand-dyed yarn/fibre box coming soon...
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Featured knit designs
Today, I'm wearing the Pediment jumper; a simple, drop-shoulder silhouette with a comfy crew neck and a lovely wedge-shaped section of moss stitch at each side coming up from the hem which, as a moss stitch fan – especially in contrast with stockinette stitch, I love! You can find the Pediment jumper knitting pattern on my website or on Ravelry.
Behind me, you'll see my Weod Yoke which is a DK weight jumper with a stranded colourwork yoke, hem and cuffs, with botanically inspired motifs. This ones knit in my Mendip DK hand-dyed yarn in the shades Sheep and Beech (Cloudy). You can find the Weod Yoke knitting pattern on my website or on Ravelry.
Sleeveless knits for Autumn knitting
We've been having some really nice autumnal sunshine here in the UK which is the perfect time for layering up with some sleeveless knits. If you're thinking about casting on a new knitting project for autumn, I've got a few designs that I hope might provide you with some knitting inspiration.
Deep Field top – starry stranded colourwork
First up is my Deep Field top, a stranded colourwork knitted tank inspired by the endless array of stars and galaxies captured by the Hubble telescope in its ‘Deep Field’ image. I originally knitted this for a magazine, which meant the colours I used to knit the sample aren't 100% me, so I'm delighted to have been able to put together some knitting kits in my own hand-dyed Mendip 4-Ply in my dream colour combination. The main colour is Night (Cloudy) which serves as the background like the night sky and then we have a little gradient of three colours for the stars in Chick (Cloudy and Sunny) and Sheep (Sunny) which plays with the idea of some stars being further away. I love the idea of this being worn as a Christmas jumper if you're feeling organised enough for some Christmas knitting.
I've just added the Deep Field Top knitting kit to the website which contains all the Mendip 4-ply you need to knit your chosen size plus a pattern PDF which will make its way to your inbox pretty much immediately. You can also purchase the Deep Field Top knitting pattern on my website or on Ravelry.
Dryopteris – a lightweight base layer
Next we have Dryopteris, a lightweight sleeveless top, knitted from the bottom up, with panels of diagonal travelling stitches up the sides that continue round the armhole to the shoulder. You can find the Dryopteris top knitting pattern on my website or on Ravelry.
Scrumper Waistcoat – the ultimate knitted layering piece
Finally, we have the Scrumper Waistcoat which is a textured waistcoat with cables and moss stitch details and is by far my most popular knitting pattern yet. I knit up 2 versions - I full length and 1 cropped. You can find the Scrumper Waistcoat knitting pattern on my website or on Ravelry.
Handmade wooden buttons
If you like the look of the buttons on my Scrumper Waistcoat, they are some wonderful yew buttons by Tom Dyson Woodworking. The first batch I got for the website vanished immediately, so you'll be pleased to know that Tom has very kindly been busy in his workshop making me some more. I've added them to the shop, which means the Laburnum and Yew buttons are both available if you are interested.
My knitting pattern collection inspired by local farms and their wool
I'm designing my Westcountry Collection of knitting patterns titled 'From This Land' and I'm currently working on a new cabled cardigan design which I'm knitting with rustic DK yarn from Gullet Farm in South Devon. It's very much a work in progress, but it's starting to come together with the lovely cabled shoulder tabs for a saddle shoulder which then continues down along the top of the sleeves. I'm so pleased with how it's looking so far, and it feels like the end is in sight. All that's left is to add a cosy shawl collar which will be finished with a beautiful contrast edge and then I'm faced with a rather lengthy tubular bind off – and then the pockets, of course!
This new knit cardigan design is part of my Westcountry Collection which is going to be published... date TBC! All the knitting patterns are designed using yarn exclusively from the Westcountry, so fibre that has been grown, processed and spun in the South West of England by farms that have good values, who care for the welfare of their animals, the environment and strive to improve the land on which they work. I've been visiting each of the farms I am getting yarn from and taking inspiration from those farms for each knitted design I create. The collection is being made possible by some funding from South West England Fibreshed, an organisation I am part of, which aims to promote regional textiles and local textile systems.
If you're in the UK, there is fibre being produced just down the road from you. Yes, it may need to be sent off a little way for processing and spinning, but it doesn't necessarily have to be grown on the other side of the world and then shipped to different continents to be processed and spun and then sold. The UK wool industry was so huge and, whilst aren't yet back to a time like that, I find it very exciting that there is a resurgence of interest in British wool and British fibre, and I want to celebrate that.
If you'd like to see if you have a local Fibreshed filled with textile producers doing good work, check out the Fibershed website.
British wool and a loom
A few weeks ago I went to see Anton of the Raw Wool Company, known for his flock of coloured Wendsleydales and I picked up a cone of beautiful very dark brown, almost black yarn which I will be using for my next knit design in the collection. This limited edition British wool is a mix of 70% British Zwartbles Wool from fields overlooking the sea in West Cornwall blended with 30% Anton's own British Wensleydale long wool and is called Rum and Raisin.
Whilst I was down in Cornwall, I also picked up a new loom! It's a floor loom as opposed to my current rigid heddle loom which means lots of playing and the possibilities of some exciting new slow textile projects – when I find the time that is! When I do, I will make a video for my Patrons showing you around the loom and generally getting to know it as I have had a few requests already so do join me over there if you are interested in that.
Winter Mystery Boxes – Hand-dyed British yarn and spinning fibre to enjoy in December
Fleece to fabric – follow my making process
Intro and outro music is Dead from the Beginning, Alive to the End by Doctor Turtle.
