The Great British Pattern Pick - Winter by Jo Milmine

Welcome to the third Great British Pattern Pick at BritYarn. In this series of blog posts, we’re aiming to bring you some of the best British-based design talent out there at the moment. We’ll also give you some suggestions as to which lovely yarns you could use for the project. All of our pattern enabling is fully compliant with BritYarn’s Woolly Principles, so you can be sure you’re shopping local!

Knit Me by Louise Zass-Bangham 

I’m not sure about you, but Autumn seems to have flown past in barely a flurry of golden leaves and we’re already on the downhill slope to Christmas! No doubt some of you will be feverishly working on gifts for loved ones or a well-deserved project for yourself. Although it’s a hectic time of year, there’s nothing quite like indulging in a new cast-on over the festive period. With that in mind, let’s dive in to some cosy knits to enjoy with a hot chocolate.

The perfect accompaniment to yarns variegated and solid, Knit Me by Louise Zass-Bangham is a great go-to pattern. An easy knit, it shows off a jazzy yarn to its best effect, yet still has enough interest for a semi-solid to shine. There’s always a use for a scarf to keep the chill off your neck when doing your Christmas shopping. Avoid that freeze/thaw feeling you get from walking in and out of baking hot shops to the outside by choosing something a little lighter weight.

Louise loves hand dyed yarns and specifically designs her patterns to show off their individual beauty and character, so for this pattern I’d go for Mobberley 4ply from Yarns From The Plain. 

Ok, so I know this is sort of cheating as I’m giving you a whole book of patterns here, but you really can’t go wrong with a range of hats when it comes to winter. They keep off the chill and keep your head dry if you’re unexpectedly caught in a quick rain shower. Making a hat statement is easy with this collection of nine designs, including a scarf and mitts pattern. 

Brighten up a gloomy season by opting for the West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply Sugar and Spice range. With a wide range of colours to choose from, you’re sure to be able to create a combination to dazzle.

If colourwork hats are not your thing, consider adding some chunky texture to your wardrobe with the Kyla hat by Katya Frankel. This slouchy beret with honeycomb cabled detail would be perfect to ward off the chill, particularly in a snuggly alpaca yarn. For this, I’d go for the UK Alpaca Baby Alpaca and Silk blend, which would add a touch of shine to proceedings from the silk content, not to mention beautiful drape. For a natural coloured alternative, the Lincoln Longwool DK would be a good choice and a great way to try a breed yarn in a smaller project.

Kyla
Image used with kind permission from Katya Frankel

Sound the cute kid in knitwear alert! And what could be better than a nifty little waistcoat with minimal seaming? Although it’s modelled by a lovely wee chappie, this could easily be a unisex piece and there are lots of options for customising the design to your choice. Yarn-wise, you simply can’ go wrong with West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley Aran. It comes in a variety of colours, is machine washable and is at a really competitive price point.

Peop Pie by Joeli's Kitchen.
Image used with kind permission from Desire2Phorography

If you’re fretting about fitting in some last-minute gift knitting or want something truly warm to snuggle down into, why not get a ‘Big, Thick, Warm and Quick’ on the needles? Kat Goldin’s free pattern for a garter stitch cowl would even warm the White Witch of Narnia in super chunky yarn. Erika Knight Maxi Wool would be the perfect match for this (there’s even an icy blue for Jadis!) and it’s sure to be a staple accessory during the winter months. 

Big, Thick, Warm and Quick by Kat Goldin
Image used with kind permission from Kat Goldin

Now we couldn’t possibly finish off a pattern pick this close to Christmas without adding in a little fun. The fabulously cute ‘Wesley Bob’ by Ann Kingstone adds a tad of knitty chic to any Christmas tree. You can rattle up a load of these cost effectively and in a shade to complement any colour scheme, thanks to Jamieson and Smith’s 2ply Jumper Weight Shetland Wool. They are also a good way to try out a bit of colourwork if you’ve never done it before or make a satisfying quick knit for the more seasoned.

Wesley Bob by Ann Kingstone.
Image used with kind permission from Ann Kingston.

So there’s our festive pattern pick for winter. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to pick up the needles and cast on. I’ll be back in spring with some floaty and light patterns to welcome brighter days!

Jo

Bio

Jo Milmine is an award-winning podcaster, business owner and consultant in North West England. Through her consultancy, Jo works closely with independent dyers, designers and small producers, sharing her business and yarn expertise and supporting them to achieve their goals.

She owns The Golden Skein, the company that brings meticulously curated luxury yarn clubs showcasing the finest hand dyed yarn the world has to offer. 

Passionate about crafting (and comedy knitting patterns), you’ll find her podcasting as Shinybees, as well as on Ravelry, Twitter and Instagram as Shinybees. 

Website: www.shinybees.com

The Great British Pattern Pick Autumn 2015 by Jo Milmine

Welcome to the second Great British Pattern Pick at BritYarn. In this series of blog posts, we’re aiming to bring you some of the best British-based design talent out there at the moment. We’ll also give you some suggestions as to which lovely yarns you could use for the project. All of our pattern enabling is fully compliant with BritYarn’s Woolly Principles, so you can be sure you’re shopping local!

The equinox has been and gone, and although we’re still enjoying the final, fitful bursts of the British summertime, thoughts are already turning to cooler weather. As the nights draw in and the promise of (yet more) knitwear weather, the mind drifts to pumpkins, turning leaves and cosying up in front of a roaring fire. Chunky knitting weather may well not quite have arrived yet, so in this edition, we’re looking at transitional pieces for the changing seasons. 

Scollay by Karie Westermann

Unless you’re been hiding under a rock, you’ll already know about the fabulous Scollay-along that BritYarn is hosting, along with Louise of KnitBritish podcast. I’m sure you’re already taking part, but if you need a little more encouragement, let me tempt you with this combo.

Scollay by Karie Westermann is a perfect cardigan to take you into Autumn. With the pretty lace detailing and straightforward construction, it’ll be an item that is as fun to knit as it is to wear. You can layer up whilst kicking through piles of fallen leaves with your pumpkin spiced latté or ward off a chill whilst on a country walk, before heading to the pub for a hearty meal. Yarn-wise, you could opt for Blacker’s West Country Tweed, to replicate that heathered look in the original sample. I’d recommend to silky lustre of Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Shop in Ruby, a colour recently added to the BritYarn line-up.

Earl Grey by Clare Devine

What’s Autumn about if it isn’t versatile accessories with beautifully cabled details to snuggle into? Step forward Clare Devine with the Earl Grey Duo. Timeless texture is sure to be popular both with the knitwear fanatic and the fashion-forward. The big question is: to pom, or not to pom?

If you want a real treat for this project, why not try the fabulous Chilla Valley Alpacas Alpaca and Lambswool, a single-farm blend of 70% Alpaca and 30% Shetland? This special yarn would have bags of fluffy warmth. For the more budget-conscious, opt for West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley Aran: a great workhorse yarn in a wide range of colours.

Lamitra Copyright Woolly Wormhead

If you have a penchant for lovely, handpainted yarns, you’ll always be on the hunt for patterns that showcase these yarns to their best effect. Luckily for us, the fabulous Woolly Wormhead has created an entire collection of hats that do just that, in Painted Woolly Toppers. A current favourite is Lamitra, a slouchy beret/tam with an eye-catching, rotating eyelet and garter stitch detail. The collection was designed to celebrate handpainted yarns; that being said, this design would work equally well in a solid as it would a variegated yarn. For a lively effect, choose Yarns From The Plain Mobberly 4ply in ‘Blackpool Illuminations’, or opt for the more tonally variegated ‘Ironbridge’ for a more subtle result.

Rainbow Pipes and Linen Stitch Socks Copyright Aurélie Colas

Socks are a great project to have on the needles any time of the year and they are also an ideal way to try out new techniques on a smaller canvas. You’d have to be made of stone to not see yourself in a pair of the gorgeous Rainbow Pipes and Linen Stitch Socks by Aberdeenshire-based Aurélie Colas. Not only do they look great, but you can expand your sock knitting repertoire a little at the same time!

Luckily, there’s a plethora of mini skein sets dyed by Joy at The Knitting Goddess in Harrogate available from BritYarn, along with a good selection of main contrast colours dyed on Britsock. This yarn is 100% British, including the 20% Nylon content, added for strength. What’s not to love?

Colossus Copyright Eden Cottage Yarns

Not quite cold enough for a full DK cardigan? Get your tank on to keep your core warm whilst allowing the arms to stay free, for those days when the weather doesn’t know what it’s doing. Knitted in the lustrous and silky Eden Cottage Yarns Milburn 4ply (and part of BritYarn’s featured pattern collection for August) Colossus is an intricately cabled tank. Style it over a shirt for a more formal look, or throw it over a plain, long-sleeved tee for more casual occasions.

Milburn 4ply would be the optimal choice for this pattern, but if you need a more cost effective alternative, consider the West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply.

Fuss Free Baby Cardigan Image Copyright Louise Tilbrook

Whilst we’re keeping warm, it’s also important to keep the smaller folk in our life toasty as well. With its simple, button down detail, the Fuss Free Baby Cardigan by Louise Tilbrook is a great option for this. It’s a free pattern for a cardigan that goes up to size 3-6 months, making it a perfect baby shower or new arrival gift. Coming in at under 100g of DK, it’s fantastic for stash busting and very easy on the pocket if you do need to buy yarn.

Being a huge fan of babies in bright knitwear, the West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley DK range gives a huge range of colour options at a very competitive price point. For a more traditional, muted palette, with a touch of luxury, UK Alpaca Baby Alpaca and Silk DK would fit the bill nicely. Supremely soft, this yarn would also be a superb choice for an heirloom blanket for the precious bundle.

That’s the round up of Autumn patterns for you. I’ll be back in Winter with some more great British designers and yarns!

Bio

Jo Milmine is a podcaster and blogger based in Scotland. She co-owns The Golden Skein, the company that brings meticulously curated luxury yarn clubs showcasing the finest hand dyed yarn the world has to offer. 

Through her bespoke consultancy business Jo works closely with independent dyers, sharing her business and yarn expertise and supporting them to achieve their goals.

Passionate about crafting (and comedy knitting patterns), you’ll find her podcasting as Shinybees, as well as on Ravelry, Twitter and Instagram as Shinybees. 

Website: www.shinybees.com

FO's Baskerville and Paddle

My Baskerville Hat

I know it's summer (apparently) but I wanted to share with you my Baskerville hat and Paddle gloves I recently finished.  Small projects like these are brilliant for trying out new yarns that your not familiar with.  For just over 50g of yarn each I got to knit a brilliant hat and some very cosy gloves.  

I purchased two balls of yarn from Dodgson Wood.  The yarn is a Castlemilk Moorit and Cheviot blend.  I first came across them through the power of Twitter. Dodgson Wood have their own farm in the Lake District where they specialise in rearing rare and native British breeds.  They have recently started to get their fleeces spun into yarn and selling the yarn locally.  I couldn't resist dropping them a line and making a purchase.  I decided to use the yarn to make a Baskerville by Karie Westermann.

Castlemilk and Cheviot yarn

     

The blend in the yarn was not one I was familiar with so I was really interested to see how it would feel and how it would knit up.  The yarn in the ball has quite a rustic feel to it (which is a positive in my opinion) and once knit up had great definition.  It also withstood lots of tinking (knitting lace on an evening when tired perhaps was not my smartest idea!).  

Despite my mistakes Baskerville was a quick hat to make.  You do need to keep an eye on your stitch count and where your stitch markers are throughout the pattern as the end of the round sometimes changes its place.  I am super happy to have another knitted hat to my collection ready for the winter!  

Paddle Gloves

The second FO was my Paddle gloves by Tin Can Knits.  These were cast on to test some new yarn I was interested in stocking, so each glove is made in a different yarn!  Only one of the yarns made it into the shop - the UK Baby Alpaca.  These were another quick and simple project.  I  used some of my left over Dodgson yarn from my Baskerville for the stripes.  The UK Baby Alpaca is so, so soft, probably the softest yarn I have ever knitted with! 

Over the coming months BritYarn will start to stock a range of yarns from smaller producers.

Have you started or finished any unseasonal projects recently or using any new to you British yarn?   I would love to hear from you on Twitter, Instagram, Ravelry or comment here on the blog.