An Elven Reckoning Update and Sale

I am nearly ready to announce the release of my next book of knitting patterns and the excitement is starting to build. The pages have been sent to the printer, the ebook is ready and draft pattern pages are waiting to be launched on this site!

It has reminded me that some of the patterns in my last book, An Elven Reckoning, have yet to be released as individual downloads.  This weekend I have set myself the task of updating all the patterns and adding them to my website and Ravelry and Etsy (yes you can buy my patterns on Etsy as well!).

Each pattern can now be purchased as an individual pattern, and for those of you who have the ebook, each pattern is also available as a separate pattern for you too, you will receive an update email if you have purchased the ebook.

Eryn is the first pattern, a great sweater for Autumnal weather with its three quarter length sleeves and lace pattern travelling up the front. The A-line shaping is figure flattering and it is knit at a loose gauge for drape.

The next is Faradrim, a pair of slipped stitch fingerless mittens. These can be knit in long or short versions and knit up quickly.

Maethor is a sweater has cables travelling up the sleeves to the hood. It is a lovely and cozy sweater to wear in winter with an integral pocket to keep your hands warm.

The another winter knit is Nînim. This scarf has buttons so it can be worn as a cowl or wrap. It's double sided lace pattern means that there is never a wrong side to show no matter how you wear it.

Nórui was one of the most popular knits at Yarndale last year. This pretty sweater has i-cord edges, corrugated rib cuffs and a sunburst stranded colour work yoke.

Randír leg warmers are perfect for changing weather to wear over tights or under boots. They have an easy lace pattern and a stretchy cuff.

Gilgalad is probably my favourite pattern. I love the loose fitting cardigan with its wide hood and deep pockets.

The other patterns in the book have already been released as individual patterns. Rhien, Amrûn, Imloth, Rhovan and Míriel can all be purchased individually.

To celebrate the start of Autumn and the beginning of knitting season I am including all of these patterns in a September Sale. If you purchase two or more patterns from this collection, a 25% discount will be applied at checkout (no coupon needed).

Happy knitting!

Magic Cast-On Tutorial

I have been working on a new tutorial for a cast-on method that I use on several of the designs in my forthcoming book. It can be used for toe-up socks or tubes of knitting, such as a band on a hat or cuff of a glove.

A toe-up sock

A toe-up sock

Toe-up socks are one of my favourite things to knit. I love that I can try the socks on as I go, there is no grafting of toes needed and you can use all of the available yarn for the leg.  To start knitting the toe I prefer a cast-on that allows me to begin knitting in the round straight away.  I use the fantastic Judy's Magic Cast-On developed by Judy Becker with a variation.

With Judy's magic cast-on method the stitches on one needle end up with the wrong 'leg' of the stitch in front, meaning these stitches are twisted if knitted normally, or have to be corrected by knitting through the back loop.  My variation means that all stitch 'legs' are the right way round and avoids the twisting.

You will need a circular needle or two double pointed needles to begin.

To start, have a tail of yarn that is long enough to make all the stitches on one needle and a tail to weave in once finished knitting. Hold both needles together and drape the tail of yarn over the back needle. This forms the first stitch on the back needle.

I put my left index finger and thumb between the two strands of yarn and hold the rest of the yarn out of the way with my left middle, ring and pinky finger.

1)  To make the first stitch on the front needle I bring index finger yarn under the front needle, over the top of it and then down between the two needles.

2)  To make the second stitch on the back needle I bring the thumb yarn up between the two needles and over the top of the back needle.

3)  To make the second stitch on the front needle I bring index finger yarn under the front needle, over the top of it and then down between the two needles.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the required number of stitches are on each needle.

To finish off, wrap the tail of the yarn over the yarn attached to the ball (working yarn) to secure the last stitch.

The wrong side of the knitting has the purl bumps.

Transfer the needles to the left hand and knit along the top row of stitches. When you get to the end of the row, turn the knitting upside down and knit along what was the bottom row of stitches, pulling the yarn tight at the side.  This is one round of knitting.

Keep knitting round as the pattern describes. For toe-up socks this might be with increases at either side, or for a hat band the stitch numbers may stay the same.

I have also made a video of the technique and this can be viewed below or on my YouTube channel.

Happy knitting!

Orenburg Lace - a Knit and Crochet Guild Talk

I have to confess that I had never heard of Orenburg lace until it was the topic for my local Knitting and crochet guild meeting for May, but now I have an urge to buy the thinnest and softest yarn and cast on with the tiniest needles!

Marie, one of the committee members of our guild meeting put on an amazing talk about the history and folklore surrounding Orenburg lace. She also produced many swatches to show the different types of patterns and layouts, as well as ordering a supported spindle and the traditional fibre from Russia to show us.

Orenburg fibre and yarn

Orenburg fibre and yarn

Russian supported spindles for spinning (top) and plying (bottom)

Russian supported spindles for spinning (top) and plying (bottom)

The fibre (down hair from Orenburg goats) is the thinnest in the world – 16-18 micrometer (in comparison Angora goats (mohair) is 22-24 micrometer) so it is very soft, light and warm. It was traditionally spun on a supported spindle and plied with silk. This swatch was knitted in the traditional fibre and it is so fine and like a cobweb.

Swatch in traditional fibre

Swatch in traditional fibre

The Orenburg shawls (or "Orenburgskyi Platok" in Russian) are traditionally square. The lower border is knitted first on the side. Stitches are then picked up along the top and then the main body is knitted in one piece, including the borders. Once the top is reached, the top border is worked sideways picking up stitches along the top of the square and then Russian grafted together. Marie included some great photos of the construction in her talk.

Honeycomb pattern

Honeycomb pattern

The lace stitch patterns are very simple and there are only a few traditional ones, but arranged together they make the most intricate and beautiful patterns.

An all over strawberry pattern

An all over strawberry pattern

Snowflake pattern

Snowflake pattern

5 diamond layout

5 diamond layout

There are many patterns for Orenburg lace shawls and other garments and accessories that are less traditional on Ravelry, such as those by Russian Lily.

Stole

Stole

We also had a real Orenburg shawl owned by Angharad who was given it as a gift from Russia. It really is very beautiful and very warm to wear. This would be a winter shawl as the centre is garter stitch and it was probably machine knit.

Orenburg shawl belonging to Angharad

Orenburg shawl belonging to Angharad

Orenburg shawl label

Orenburg shawl label

There is also a book of Orenburg lace stitch patterns and shawl designs where more information on this traditional knitting can be found:

Gossamer Webs: the history and techniques of Orenburg Lace Shawls by Galina Khmeleva and Carole R Noble, Interweave Press

Gossamer Webs: the history and techniques of Orenburg Lace Shawls by Galina Khmeleva and Carole R Noble, Interweave Press

My favourite part of the talk though was this youtube video of a Russian choir singing a traditional song about an Orenburg downy shawl. The lyrics are a daughter who knits her mum an Orenburg shawl and wraps it around her shoulders to keep out the cold harsh winter. It is a beautiful song and I love that all the choir are wearing Orenburg shawls!

Rhien, the perfect spring shawl

Spring has definitely sprung around Yorkshire. The crocuses have been and gone and the daffodils are now in flower. The hills all around are changing from brown to a light green and there is definitely some warmth behind the sun. Even my Nan's orchid is gracing me with its beautiful flower.

As spring arrives my knitting likes to move to lighter weight accessories from the cozy winter woollies. Rhien, from my An Elven Reckoning book, is my favourite shawl to knit in warmer weather. The lace weight shawl is light enough to feel summery and yet it is warm enough to wrap around me as a shawl or scarf on colder days and a pretty wrap to cover my arms on warm evenings.

It is also a great project to travel with. The garter stitch and simple repeating lace pattern becomes easy to remember and it only needs one skein of lace weight so is light and portable. 

I used Garthenor Organic Pure Wool Shetland Single Ply Laceweight yarn to knit this sample with and it was a lovely yarn to work with. The Shetland wool shows off the Shetland lace pattern beautifully and I love the natural colour. It would work well in colourful solid or semi-solid lace weight yarns too.

The pattern uses a percentage system to work the increase and decrease sections so all the skein can be used. Lace weight yarns are so beautiful it seems a shame to leave some unknitted!

The name Rhien means a crowned lady or Queen in Elvish. This shawl was inspired by my Nan Queenie, who was often called 'Queen' for short. She always wore a shawl no matter how warm the weather to keep her neck warm. I think she would have loved this one with its elegant lace pattern and curve.

To celebrate the arrival of spring and shawl-wearing weather I have released Rhien as an individual pattern for download and it has 15% off the regular price for this week only. No coupon code is needed, the discount will automatically be applied on checkout. Don't forget to sign up to my newsletter here if you want an even bigger discount!

I hope you are able to enjoy some spring weather and flowers too. What are your favourite things to knit in warmer weather?

Happy knitting,

Sarah x

 

A letter to a moth

Dear Mr (or Mrs) Moth,

This is the last straw. I wish to make it quite clear that there is now a war between us and you are not welcome in my house. Not that you ever were. You have been having free meals on my handknits for far too long and this week was the end.

After the past couple of years of finding you in the house eating my carpets and hexipuffs, I thought we were finally through. There was also the felted wool dress that you had for lunch. I was not quite so sad about losing that as the dress was not meant to be felted and dolls size but I did have nice plans to make a bag out of it, but what use is a bag full of holes? I had not seen you for a few months so I thought I was safe. How wrong I was.

In 2011 I knitted a Swallowtail Shawl for my Nan's birthday. She always wore a shawl around her shoulders to keep her neck warm. It was beautiful and she loved it. In fact, she loved it so much she hardly wore it because she was frightened something might happen to it. She wore it for her 90th birthday party in 2013 and loved it.

Queenie died just over a year later and I still miss my Nan. I kept her special shawl to remind me of the birthday party fun we all shared with her.

So last week when I was sorting through my clothes as part of getting organised I took out the shawl and found you and your children had been munching through it. 

It was obviously very tasty as there are large parts of it now gone and it is far beyond repair. There are other just as lovely and yummy (now don't go getting any ideas) shawls and scarves in that drawer but none that meant as much to me as Queenie's shawl.

I mean, I know it is a lace shawl and maybe you thought you was helping to add some more holes but there are holes that are meant to be there and holes like the one below that really are not.

So this means war. So far I have not found you in my yarn stash or my design samples but let it be known these and all other areas of my house are no go areas for moths. Things are now so serious that I am even letting spiders stay rather than getting them evicted when they show their hairy little bodies with creepy legs. Despite my terrifying fear of spiders I currently prefer them to you and they are welcome to eat you if they find you.

I have prepared all my weapons (moth killers) and my shields are up (essential oils). You will not survive here so give up and leave. Please warn all your children, and your children's children that I am on the warpath and I am not taking prisoners.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah the moth killer