28 September 2015

It's spooky how time flies

Winsford Stroller Blanket By Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Have you any "little people" in your family? A brand‐new autumn baby or a small toddler? Then you know the excitement that this time of year brings in the build‐up to Halloween.

If they are only babes‐in‐arms then they might not appreciate much as they are pushed along the neighbourhood streets from one glowing house to the next. But you know that next year they will be taking their first steps up to each front door, and the year after they will be running from one place to the next. By that time you will have your hands full trying to make sure they don't either get lost or eat too many sweets before they get home again!

And before you think: "It can't be that time already" – yes it really is. Halloween is only 1 month away! Where is the time going this year...

However, before you start planning their costumes, why not try out this week's “Knitting Ahead idea – a fall coloured blanket for their stroller or toddler bed. Those October evenings can be chilly, so a Pumpkin‐coloured blanket will keep them toasty warm.

The picture at the top of this page shows a new pattern, the Winsford Stroller Blanket. This is a fairly quick project so there's easily enough time to make this before the big day. In addition to a stroller size, there's also a matching blanket for a toddler bed so everyone can have a cozy evening.

If you would like to make this pattern, then you'll need about 350gm of the orange colour and 250gm of the yellow. I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes worsted weight yarn in Cols #24655 "Orange" and #24650 "Caution" (amber/yellow), but any similar yarn would work well. I'll post more details about this new pattern in my next blogpost, so please click the link at the bottom of this page to read that.

Thanks again for all the lovely messages about this "Knitting Ahead" series. I’m glad everyone is enjoying this. If you’d like to read the first of the series, then please click here, then follow the links at the bottom of each page to get back to this point. 

Until next time – Happy Knitting!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs

Last Blogpost: How to fill a hot water bottle
"Knitting Ahead" Series Introduction: Autumn is coming!
Next Up: 
New pattern – Winsford Stroller Blanket

Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/For Little Ones,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, blanket, blankets, stroller blanket, push-chair blanket, pram blanket, baby blanket, toddler blanket, toddler bed, nursery blanket, child’s blanket,

25 September 2015

How to fill a hot water bottle

Joules & Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Cover by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Thanks to everyone for your messages about this “Knitting Ahead” seriesI am glad you are enjoying all the ideas. I had a query about filling your hot water bottle, so here's the method my mother taught me, and mother's are always right eh?... (Well, that and the manufacturer's instructions of course!)

Firstly it is important that the bottle is emptied in the morning after it is finished, so we are starting now with a hot water bottle which is out of its cover and empty.

So here's what to do:

#1 ‐ Fill a kettle with freshly‐drawn cold water. Do not use hot water, as the hot water pipe often contains minerals that degrade the rubber of the bottle. If you don't have a kettle, then you can heat the water in a saucepan with a pouring lip, or in a microwave.

Heat the water until it is hand‐hot (about 42ºC/108ºF)You do not need it to boil, and in fact if it does you then have to wait a long time for it to cool to an acceptable heat. Bottles can leak from time to time, so it is important that the water will never scald you if the rubber gives way.   

Many modern kettles have variable temperatures which allow you to start with a lower shut‐off point. If you have an older‐style kettle, then wait until the water is just starting to sound "noisy" and then immediately turn it off.

Pour the water into a jug that pours well and add cold water until the temperature is right. You should be able to briefly put your hand into it without scalding.

#2 ‐ Now hold the hot water bottle upright over a sink. Grasp it firmly by the top and carefully pour the water in until it is about 2/3rds full.

#3 ‐ Hold the bottle at a slight angle and then gently lower it onto a flat surface until you see the water at the top. This expels all the air. Insert the stopper and close it firmly but without too much force. Press the bottle gently, then turn it upside down to check for leaks.

Dry the opening around the stopper and any damp patches on the outside. Feel the bottle to make sure that it is not too hot. It should be comfortably warm, not too hot to hold at this point. If it feels a little too hot for comfort, then pour a little of the hot water out and run in some cold.

#4 ‐ Place it into its cover and prepare additional bottles if more are required. Place two in each bed, one at the top with your PJ's wrapped around, and one for your feet. If you do this about 20‐30 mins before you go to bed you'll be super comfortable when you snuggle under the duvet.

By the way, it is fine to gently hug your bottle while you are still awake, but don't press it too firmly or it could burst. However, for a child's bed, it is best to remove the bottle before they get in.

#5 ‐ In the morning, take the bottles out of their covers and drain them completely. Hang them upside down to store and to drain further. It is a good idea for each stopper to be attached to its own bottle by a string around the neck, as different bottles can have slightly different threads and you want your stopper to be completely water‐tight.

When they are not in use, store the bottles upside down in a dark, airy place. Always buy a good rubber bottle rather than the cheaper imitations and replace them every year or two. It's also a good idea to check the bottle really well before using them for the first time each season. Filling it with cold water and squeezing gently will soon show if any areas are compromised.
Joules & Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Cover by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
And a quick note on hot water bottles… 

These come in all sorts of sizes and designs. You can use the Joules and Joulietta hot water bottle cover pattern for regular size bottles and also for travelling size bottles and microwave packs. I am not so keen on the microwave versions as they can get hot spots, but they do suit some people.

However, don't place hot wheat packs into your bed as they can go on fire!! These are great for sore necks and backs, but are not a substitute for a good old‐fashioned hot water bottle.

I love hot water bottles and have fond memories of watching my mother go through the routine of filling them every night. I hope you enjoy yours too! I’ll be back next time with some ideas for a new stroller blanket pattern in Halloween colours! 

Until then, I hope your hot water bottles keep you toasty warm.

Until next time – Happy Knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/Home Extras,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, hot water bottle covers, reversible stitch, knitting stitch, texture,

23 September 2015

New pattern - Joules and Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Covers

Joules & Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Covers by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Design
It's fun being married to a Scientist. Sharp as a tack, quick‐witted and slightly random, you're never quite sure what they are going to say next. So when I asked my dear husband for a suggestion for a hot water bottle cover name, he immediately said "Joules!" That made me chuckle and it seemed such a great name to choose.

It's many years since I studied any physics but I still remember the confusion caused during my school years when they changed the scientific measuring systems from Imperial units to metric, via something else in-between all within the space of a year or two. At first everything was in British Thermal Units, the next year it was Calories, and then the next it was Joules. I am not sure if I ever really knew what ‘Joules’ were but the name made me laugh even then.

So here is the latest pattern in the “Knitting Ahead” series, the Joules and Joulietta hot water bottle covers! The larger size fits a regular‐sized hot water bottle, which usually has a capacity of about 2 litres/2 quarts. Mine measures 35cm/14 ins high x 20cm/8 ins wide, which I think is fairly standard.
Joules & Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Covers by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Design
The smaller cover, the “Joulietta”, is great for a travelling size bottle or for a child. My mini‐bottle is 25cm/10 ins high x 15cm/6 ins wide, and takes about 1 litre/1 quart of water. I also use this size to ease aching joints or muscles after a day gardening or when we have been on a long car journey. Both sizes are sure to keep you warm and to make your bed super‐cozy. 

The pattern features a beautifully textured stitch, Barley Corn from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. Barley Corn has an interesting depth and texture which helps to hold the heat in and also makes the cover soft to use. The pattern is easy to work so the bottle covers knit up quickly. Both versions are also worked seamlessly, so there is little finishing required after the knitting is completed.

Please click here to see my blogpost extolling the virtues of hot water bottles, and here for some timely tips on how to fill and use them. The pattern is available in my pattern store here, and is available for immediate download so you can start work on your new hot water bottle covers today.

Enjoy your new cozy bed‐time!

Happy Knitting!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs

Last Blogpost: How long can you wait?
"Knitting Ahead" Series Introduction: Autumn is coming!
Next Up: How to fill a hot water bottle

Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/Home Extras,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, hot water bottle covers, reversible stitch, knitting stitch, texture,

21 September 2015

How long can you wait?

Joules & Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Cover by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
They make them tough in Boston. Yes, you really can see people dressed in shorts as they walk through the snow on Boston Common. Perhaps it's Red Sox fever flowing through their veins...

However, even the hardiest New Englander starts to look concerned when autumn comes around. One minute it's warm and then the next – brrrrr! An icy wind suddenly comes straight down from Canada, creeping under every door and chilling the house to an uncomfortable degree.

But it's only mid‐September! And you know your neighbours won't have their heating on for at least another month. So what do you do? Well here's this week's “Knitting Ahead” suggestion: dig your hot water bottle out of its summer hibernation and make it a brand‐new cover.
Joules & Joulietta Hot Water Bottle Cover by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Hot water bottles are great for adding an extra touch of heat just where you need it. Curl up with one as you watch TV, or put a small bottle on an aching back when you come in from gardening. Brilliant. Instant warmth and no need for the heating to be turned on just yet.

And of course, your evening will be much more pleasant if you know your PJ's are wrapped around a bottle ready for you to put on and snuggle under the duvet. Now all you need is cup of hot cocoa and an evening cookie and that north wind can howl all it likes.

In the next blogpost, I shall be posting details about a new hot water bottle cover in two different sizes: Joules & JouliettaThese are worked using a lovely soft, textural stitch called Barley Corn from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. This traps the air well so is great at keeping the bottle warm for ages. Joules fits a regular‐sized hot water bottle and Joulietta is for a mini‐size bottle – perfect when travelling or for a child's bed.

Both are quick to work so you won't have long to wait until you can have a new cozy hot water bottle to hug! The pattern can be downloaded from my website by clicking the link here.

You don't need a lot of yarn for each cover – about 60gm of worsted weight yarn for the mini size cover and 100gm for the larger one. I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes but any similar yarn would work fine. You might already have just what you need in your yarn stash!

Until next time ‐ keep warm,

Moira
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/Home Extras,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, hot water bottle covers, reversible stitch, knitting stitch, texture,

14 September 2015

New pattern - Ennismore Lap-Rug

Ennismore Lap-Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I always love the autumn. The harvest is coming in, schoolchildren are returning to class with their fresh backpacks and crisp new uniforms, and the squirrels are chasing around gathering nuts with a frenetic energy. We were watching four of them demolishing the berries from a dogwood tree outside our window the other day. It was as though someone had fired a starting pistol to commence a berry‐eating contest!

Of course, they're no fools. They know that tonight's cool evening will soon become tomorrow's snow‐laden day. It really is time to prepare for the winter!

So here's today's suggestion in my "Knitting Ahead" blogpost series: the Ennismore Lap‐Ruga brand-new pattern for a lap-rug to keep those winter chills at bay.
Ennismore Lap-Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
This is a wonderfully organic design and features a reversible stitch called Diagonal Furrows from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. This a lovely textural stitch which always puts me in mind of a freshly‐ploughed field, so seems perfect for this time of the year.

Do you remember when all the ploughing was done by horse‐drawn ploughs? Well, no, I don't either! But there is still something nostalgic about seeing the regular pattern of ridges in a newly‐ploughed field. It gives not only a sense of completion but also a promise for the year ahead. So it's good to see the echo of that feeling for this season's theme of "Knitting Ahead"!
Ennismore Lap-Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The pattern includes instructions for three different sizes. The small size is perfect as a lap-rug for someone in a chair or wheelchair as it is wide enough to keep the draughts at bay without being cumbersome. This size would also work well on long car or plane journeys.

The medium size is both a little wider and a little longer, so is great when you want to put your feet up at the end of a day – perfect for watching TV or settling down to read a good book. Then the large size would make a good-sized afghan for the back of a sofa but could also be used as a cozy guest room throw.  All the sizes are worked in a super‐soft Superwash yarn, so are easy to launder and care for.

For more details about the new Ennismore Lap-Rug pattern, please click here. The pattern is available for immediate download from the site.

Happy Knitting!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs

Last Blogpost: The Chill Zone
"Knitting Ahead" Series Introduction: Autumn is coming!
​Next Up:
 How long can you wait?

Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/Blankets,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, blanket, lap rug, lapghan, wheelchair rug, TV rug, chair rug, throw, afghan,

08 September 2015

The Chill Zone


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