25 February 2014

Planning Ahead

Ocean Currents Blanket by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I like having at least one large project on hand at all times. Of course, it's good to have several smaller items on the go too, but there's always one large basket in the corner of my sitting room where I can pick up my needles and add a touch more.

And I'm not sure why exactly, but it always seems to be about this time of year when I start these. Perhaps it has to do with the end of winter being in sight and, funnily enough, planning for the next one!

If you had to ask yourself what was the one item you most missed this season, what would it be? A large shawl to wrap around while you sit by the fire? A muffler and hat so you can keep cozy while shovelling snow? Perhaps that gorgeous Norwegian sweater you've been promising yourself for years...

Well for me, it was the idea of a large colourful blanket to throw over the bed for some valuable extra degrees of warmth overnight. I wanted a king‐size blanket but I wanted to make sure it wasn't too weighty. This pointed to a lace pattern, or rather a series of lace patterns for interest both during construction and in the final product.
Ocean Currents Blanket by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I had some yarns left over after knitting the Ocean Currents Rug, so those became my starting point. However, I quickly realised that I could actually use up all kinds of remnant yarns in my collection and incorporate them. The more I added, the more interesting the blanket became.

Slight variations in shade between batches just lent a "country" air, and completely different yarns just melded together to give a lovely result. I even incorporated some thinner yarns used double.

It became, in short, the knitterly equivalent of an American quilt, where many different fabrics are patched together to give a wonderful finished article.

This is the Ocean Currents Blanket and the pattern includes three different sizes so you can make a Single/Twin-sized blanket or a Double/Queen size as well as the King-sized version that I have shown in the photo above.

I have written the pattern so you can work it completely in new yarns, but I am sure you will find lots of wonderful oddments of yarn that you could incorporate too. So have a look in your yarn stash now and see what yarns are sitting there waiting to be used in a project such as this.

And of course, a new blanket would be a great gift project too. Perhaps you have a teenager going off to college in the Autumn. I'm sure they would really appreciate a bedcover for their new freezing dorm room! Or a wedding gift for the newly‐weds maybe. Just perfect for the next Winter!

Until next time – Keep warm and keep knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Blankets,
blanket, blankets, patchwork blanket, quilt, striped blanket, using different dyelots,

14 February 2014

Never-ending Winter

Washington snow, photo by Tim Ravenscroft for blogpost  by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
There are very definite reasons why Florida seems a good place to be in February. I love New England – well I love "Old" England too come to mention it – but memories of shovelling huge quantities of snow on a very regular basis serve as a powerful reminder of what a true winter can be.
Moira Ravenscroft Knitting at Nokomis Beach, Photo by Tim Ravenscroft for blogpost, Wyndlestraw Designs
My husband Tim is currently in the Washington area and is digging himself out of a 40cm/16 ins snow accumulation with an added ice layer too, just to make life interesting. Fingers crossed he can get home from there later today. And yes, that rounded 'blob' in the photo at the top of this page is our car!

MInd you, it can get cold here too. Not the –20° C wind‐chill kind of cold, but chilly enough that a large knitting project is a definite bonus. In the photo above, I am sitting on the life‐guard steps at Nokomis beach just to the north of Venice, FL. It might actually look reasonably warm, but there was quite a cutting breeze, and a rapidly‐growing blanket was perfect to keep my knees warm.

That's what I love about knitting. In the summer you can sit under a beach umbrella and finesse your latest sock, and in the winter you can create instant warmth just with the infusion of a number of skeins of wool. There's not many crafts quite as flexible and rewarding as that!

​I'll be back next time with more news about the blanket I was working on, the Ocean Currents Blanket. So until then,

Keep warm ‐ and keep knitting!

Moira 
Keywords: Travel Notes,
blanket, blankets, winter knitting, snow,

07 February 2014

One week to Valentine's Day

Lamberhurst Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
It's February already! How did that happen... It's hard to believe that a whole month has gone by in 2014 so far – and still no sign of an end to the winter weather. Mind you, I am knitting a blanket at the moment and that is helping to keep the chills at bay.

But here we are: it's February 7th and only one week away from Valentine's Day! Time to think of something quick and easy to knit as a gift I reckon. So here are two suggestions for scarves that would be great for your loved one this year.

The scarf above is the chunky winter version of the Lamberhurst Scarf. It is an easily memorised pattern so is fairly fast to knit and would be perfect for your boyfriend or significant other. Oh and there's no "Boyfriend Curse" for scarves the way that there is for sweaters – a double bonus!
Elizabeth Scarf by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
And here's a great scarf for ladies, and again it's a chunky version so is quick to knit! This is the Elizabeth Scarf and is an easy pattern to work, so should make the perfect scarf for your friend or partner.
Japanese Valentine's chocolates, photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
When we lived in Japan there were actually 2 events around Valentine's. On the day itself, the ladies gave dark chocolates to men. Then a month later there was "White Choco Day" when the guys gave white chocolate or other gifts to the ladies and also their co‐workers. It made for a lovely month‐long celebration and lots of wonderful chocolates everywhere. We definitely should institute that tradition over here!

So perhaps give a gift of a scarf to your loved one on February 14th, and then maybe some chocolates will come your way in March! You can but hope…

Happy Knitting!

Moira 
Keywords: Patterns/Mens Patterns, Patterns/Women’s Scarves & Wraps, Notes & Travels,
scarf, scarves, gift ideas, chunky scarves, zR-231114

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