22 October 2015

New pattern - Tromso Rug

Tromso Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
When I was a child, our house was unheated and there was a lino floor in my bedroom. I can still remember the shock of cold every morning if my feet touched the floor rather than my bedside rug. However, since the rug was where my cat used to sleep I often didn't have much of a choice about this. There really wasn't much square-footage of rug left after she had claimed it as her own!

​Of course, with the perversity of a cat she would then stretch, wake up and follow me out of the door ever-hopeful for an extra saucer of milk.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
That memory of cold has always stayed with me and even though we now have the luxury of central heating I still like to have a rug by my bedside. So I suppose it's no surprise that I have a couple of rugs already in my pattern collection, including the Rare Earth Rug above and the Ocean Currents Rug below.
Rare Earth Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
However, this time I wanted to make an extra-thick rug, quick to work up and just a nice size so you could use it in many situations.

So here’s the next idea in my “Knitting Ahead” series: to make a cozy rug for all the cold spots in your house. Do you have a place in the house where your feet feel chilly in the winter? Standing by the kitchen counter peeling potatoes...? Sitting knitting by the window so you can catch the last of the winter light...? Me, too! Wooden floors can be very cold when the temperatures dip.

So that's where my new Tromso Rug pattern comes in.
Tromso Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The rug is worked in Rib & Garter Stitch, which is a wonderfully textured reversible stitch from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. This gives the rug a lovely depth and character, with strong lines running along the length of the knitting. This improves the warmth and softness of the rug so that is both nicely cushioned and also warming under your feet.

You can see the two sides of the rug in the photos above. The photo at the top of the page shows the Right Side while the one above shows the Wrong Side. They both have their own individual character and you don’t actually need to decide which side you're going to use until the very end. Even then, if you're careful about finishing off the ends invisibly you can always turn it over later on.

The Tromso Rug has been worked in a 100% wool which gives a lovely warm finish, and the yarn is also super-thick so it works up quickly. There are three different sizes included in the pattern:
  • Small: 50 x 75 cm / 20 x 30 ins.
  • Medium (pictured above): 60 x 90 cm / 24 x 36 ins.
  • and Large: 70 x 105 cm / 28 x 42 ins.

This makes it a very versatile pattern as you should be able to find just the right size to keep you cozy through the winter.

For more details about the Tromso Rug knitting pattern, please click here. The pattern is available for instant download from the site so it won't be long until you have a new rug or two in readiness for the next cold snap!

Happy Knitting!

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

Last Blogpost: Norwegian Wood
"Knitting Ahead" Series Introduction: Autumn is coming!
​Next Up: 
So it begins

Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/Rugs,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, rug, rugs, mat, carpet, wool, reversible rug, knitted rug, reversible stitch, knitting stitch,

15 October 2015

Norwegian Wood

Tromso Rug by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Wooden floors are such a feature of Scandinavian homes and are easy to sweep clean, which is a real bonus when you have a spinner in the house. I have a constant circle of fluff around my wheel when I am spinning yarn, but a quick whisk around afterwards and it's all clean and tidy again (or so my husband tells me – housework is not one of my strong points...)

In the summer‐time wooden floors are cool to the touch and wonderfully pleasing to look at. However, when the winter comes along then you see one of the drawbacks of this type of flooring… it can be very chilly underfoot! You can wear socks and slippers in the house to keep yourself a bit cosier, but even that doesn't seem to really help.

What you need is an extra layer underfoot such as a lovely thick rug. Of course you could go out and buy all the rugs you need from a carpet store. However, it is much more satisfying to make your own so you can choose your own colours and sizes. So here's this week's “Knitting Ahead” idea: make some extra rugs to keep you warm as the winter weather really starts to take hold.

There are lots of areas where a rug or two would make a big impact:

Kitchen: Make one rug so you can stand on it while stirring a steaming pot of winter vegetables, then another in front of the sink.

Bedroom: I've written before about the joys of stepping onto a cozy rug as you get out of bed first thing in the morning. It really does allow you to wake up slowly rather than with a shock of cold as your feet touch the chilly floor. It would be great to have another right by your dressing table, too.

Basement: A large rug by the sofa would be so welcoming when you settle down to watch the next big game on TV.

Sitting Room: And don't neglect your knitting area! Make another rug to keep you comfortable when you sit in your favourite chair. Now your feet will stay warm while you knit your next creation, gazing out at the beautiful fall foliage outside (aren't those colours wonderful right now...)

Did you also know that if you have lots of nice rugs around your home you can reduce your winter heating bills? Yes it's true – you feel warmer so you can turn your thermostat down a degree of two. I read that every 3 degrees less on the thermostat saves you about 10% on your heating bills, so that's a really good incentive.

Im my next blogpost I will include lots of details about the rug you can see at the top of this page. This is the Tromso Rug and features a lovely reversible stitch from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. So please be sure to click the link at the bottom of this page to read all about that.

Until then, wrap yourself up warm – some places have already had their first snows of the year!

Happy Rug Knitting!

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

Last Blogpost: New pattern – Winsford Stroller Blanket
"Knitting Ahead" Series Introduction: Autumn is coming!
​Next Up: 
New pattern – the Tromso Rug

​​Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Series/Knitting Ahead, Patterns/Rugs,
#knittingahead, autumn, winter, rug, rugs, mat, carpet, wool, reversible rug, knitted rug, reversible stitch, knitting stitch,

03 October 2015

New pattern - Winsford Stroller Blanket

Winsford Stroller Blanket By Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
October has arrived! And with it the scent of woodsmoke in the air as the first fires of the year are lit to ward off the evening chills. There are more scarves in evidence on the streets, and I think perhaps I was the only one not wearing a jacket yesterday (my mistake – that wind had a distinctly cool edge to it!)

And here's something else I have seen this month – an increase in the number of little pumpkin figures on all the backpacks. We are in Japan right now and most of the girls have some kind of soft animal attached to their school bags at all times. Well, to be honest there's also a fair number of boys' bags with something attached too! But today, I saw Pooh Bear on a pumpkin, a super‐hero‐style teddy with an orange cape and several other ghouls, ghosties and other figures in Halloween outfits.

Yes, Halloween is only 4 weeks' away and creeping up fast!
Winsford Stroller Blanket By Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
So, here's the "Knitting Ahead" idea I promised last time – a blanket in glowing pumpkin colours! This is  the Winsford Stroller Blanket and features a really interesting stitch, Wide Garter Columns from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. This is an easy stitch to work and has a wonderful interplay between the two yarn colours. The blanket works up fast, so there is time to make this ready for baby's first Halloween outing!

The pattern comes in two size: a Stroller/push‐chair size and a Toddler bed size. The Stroller blanket is a square pattern measuring 90x90 cm/36x36 ins, with rounded corners as an extra feature. The pattern is completely reversible too, so it is easy to put into position without having to worry which side is showing.

The Toddler‐bed size is a little wider and longer (100x110 cm/ 40x45 ins), so would be perfect to keep your little one warm when they get back home again.
Winsford Stroller Blanket By Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I used Knit Picks "Wool of the Andes" for this pattern in Colours #24655 Orange and #24650 Caution (an amber/yellow shade) and I love the way these combined together. However, any type of worsted‐weight yarn would work if you already have something suitable in your yarn stash.

The pattern can be purchased and downloaded directly from my website, so please click here for more details. I hope you enjoy the build‐up to Halloween! (Oh, and where can I find one of those little Pooh Bears on a pumpkin.....?)

Happy Halloween & Happy Knitting!

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

Last Blogpost: It's spooky how time flies
"Knitting Ahead" Series Introduction: Autumn is coming!
​Next Up: 
Norwegian Wood

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, reversible blanket, reversible stitch, knitting stitch,

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