The Weekly Swatch: Ridged Feather Knit Stitch

A variation of the Feather and Fan knit stitch, the Ridged Feather Knit Stitch is another classic and simple lace knit stitch. This stitch motif consists of four rows and the lace in- and decreases are worked on the third row. The remaining rows are knitted and purled throughout. 

The Weekly Swatch: Crest of the Wave Knit Stitch

Another classic lace knit stitch, this week's weekly swatch showcases the Crest of the Wave knit stitch. This lace stitch motif is worked over a total of 12 rows; and the lace in- and decreases are worked on rows 5, 7, 9 and 11 only. The remainder of rows are either knitted or purled throughout. 

Audiobooks and Knitting: My 2020 Audiobook Round-Up Fantasy and Horror

Not having mastered the ability to knit and read at the same time (and doubting I ever will), I am continuing to turn to audiobooks to provide some additional stimulation when working on my knitting projects. As I have been knitting quite prolifically during the past year, the number of books I physically read in 2020 has plummeted, whilst my consumption of audiobooks appears to have increased quite significantly compared to previous years. 

Provided my count is correct, I seem to have listened my way through some 20 audiobooks between January 2020 and now. This group makes up a wide selection of genres, including literary fiction, historical fiction, fairy tales, young adult, fantasy, horror and, of course, some crime, mystery and suspense.

Round-Up: Works in Progress and Upcoming Patterns

It's been relatively quiet on the knitting front these past few weeks and despite my best efforts, I haven't been able to block my finished projects, including a bottom-up sweater (for which I haven't even taken photos due to a lack of daylight) and my Virga shawl, which I finished back in the summer.

Virga Shawl

The lack of blocking activity is largely a result of my blocking space for larger projects (the bed) being, it would seem, permanently occupied by Mietze.

Mietze one month after her unilateral thyroidectomy

Following her unilateral thyroidectomy back in September, Mietze has completely and permanently appropriated my bed; and with her thyroid levels having returned into the normal range, she now spends the best part of the day resting and lounging on my duvet.

Despite some initial and rather scary complications in the immediate aftermath of the procedure, Mietze is recovering well and it is, of course, not an option to remove her from her adopted resting space for now (or ever).

Mietze

As the year draws to a close and with winter solstice coming up in just a few weeks, I blame the remainder of my sluggishness on the current lack of daylight, which not only affects my productivity on the whole, but only leaves a very small window of time with sufficient light to take photos of finished projects. 

Nevertheless, I am currently working on a number of knitting projects, and this weekend I made good progress on a fingering-weight mohair shawl, which is knitted on needles with different circumferences, resulting in a uniquely textured fabric. 

I am hoping to release the pattern for the mohair shawl (no pattern name thus far) before the end of the year. As it happens, I might just meet this self-imposed deadline, as I do not need to block the shawl on the bed.

Fingering Weight Mohair Shawl 

Fingering Weight Mohair Shawl 

The Weekly Swatch: Trinity Knit Stitch

 

Trinity Knit Stitch

The Weekly Swatch: Chevron Garter Lace Knit Stitch

Chevron Garter Lace Knit Stitch

Vintage 1980s Knitting Patterns - Part 10

Time for the 10th instalment of vintage 80s knitting patterns.

...in which I am featuring all 13 exclusive knitting patterns (and adverts!) from the February 1985 edition of Handknitting News - a truly vintage knitting publication.

Enjoy. 

All my other vintage patterns can be viewed via this link.

 Handknitting News, February 1985 

The Weekly Swatch: Snowball Knit Stitch

 

Snowball Knit Stitch

The Weekly Swatch: Mermaid Tail / Fishtail Lace Knit Stitch

 

Fishtail / Mermaid Tail Lace Knit Stitch

Virga Choker (beaded version) - Free Lace Choker Knitting Pattern

 - These are the pattern instructions for the beaded version of the Virga Choker, the pattern for the Virga Choker without beads is available here. - 

Virga Lace Choker Free Knitting Pattern (beaded version) 

As an in-between project I finished another choker. I was inspired to design this choker when looking at in-progress project photos of my Virga shawl, an upcoming pattern for a semi-circular lace shawl, which will be published on the blog shortly. When I took the photos of the shawl, the dressmaker's dummy still had my Cascade choker wrapped around the neck and I got the idea to make a choker in the same lace motif as the Virga shawl. 

The result of this endeavour is my Virga Choker.

Virga Choker - Free Lace Choker Knitting Pattern

As an in-between project I finished another lace choker, the Virga Choker, and my free pattern is available below.

Virga - Knitted Lace Choker

I was inspired to knit a choker in this lace pattern when looking at in-progress project photos of my Virga shawl (pictured below, more information here), an upcoming pattern for a semi-circular lace shawl, which will be published on the blog soon.

Virga Lace Shawl (in progress, before blocking) 

When I took the photos of the shawl, the dressmaker's dummy still had my Cascade choker wrapped around the neck and I got the idea to make a choker in the same lace pattern as the Virga shawl. 

The result of this endeavour is my Virga choker.

The Weekly Swatch: Ostrich Plume Lace Knit Stitch

 

Introducing the Virga Shawl

New Knitting Pattern: The Virga Lace Shawl

Despite having completed work on a number of new patterns in recent weeks and months, I have not updated the blog with them. 

This is about to change and I decided to make a start today by posting a few images of my new shawl pattern, the Virga shawl.

Whilst the first test knit of the pattern is now complete, the shawl still requires blocking as well as a minimal amount of finishing; and I need to get to grips with my pattern notes before combining them into a usable pattern.

The Weekly Swatch: Vine Lace Knit Stitch

 

Vintage 1980s Knitting Patterns - Part 9

Time for instalment number nine of my vintage 80s knitting patterns. 

This post features numerous Alafoss and Wendy knitting patterns, plenty of batwing and dolman sweaters, pastel shades and headband accessories, with some entrelac and colourwork thrown in for good measure.

Enjoy.

All my other vintage patterns can be viewed via this link.

Vintage 1980s Alafoss Lopi Traditional Sweater Knitting Pattern - Booklet No 2

Vintage 1980s Alafoss Lopi Traditional Sweater Knitting Pattern - Booklet No 2