30 January 2016

New pattern - Okehampton Tie

Okehampton Tie by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Knitted ties have a special place in a man's wardrobe. They fill the void when the invitation states "business casual" yet you wish to wear a tie. A knitted tie adds a dash of panache, an updated fashion edge that a simple open‐necked shirt does not provide.

And what do you do if you are not sure of the dress code for an event? You don't want to be the only person without a silk tie or the only one with one! A knitted tie bridges this divide. It can gently tone down a crisp work‐day shirt but also sharpens up a more casual one so that you hit just the right note for the occasion.

The Okehampton Tie pictured here is perfect for these occasions and features Purl Triangles, which is a strong graphic pattern taken from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. The stitch gives a really interesting texture on both the tie and the knot.
Okehampton Tie by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​The tie has neat squared-off ends for a modern look and is shaped to be a little slimmer at the neckline. This allows a variety of knots to give either a small, neat knot or a wider one as desired.

The usual knot for a knitted tie is the simple Four‐in‐hand knot that you learnt at school. That one is easy to work and gives a good finish, as you can see in the photo here.
Okehampton Tie by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​However, how about trying a Pratt‐Shelby knot? This is a medium-sized knot which is a variation of the traditional Windsor Knot. ​It is not hard to work and gives a very stylish symmetrical knot with a pronounced central dimple as you can see in the photo on the left.

There are many other examples of knotting techniques on the internet, so have some fun exploring a new knotting technique for your new tie!
Okehampton Tie by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
​The Okehampton Tie is worked in a crisp cotton/linen DK yarn so the tie holds its shape well and can be made in a wide range of colours. The green tie on the left would be perfect for a country look, for example, but you could go bolder for the summer and select orange or light blue to accompany your Chinos.

In the winter you could opt for deeper colours and make several in a navy blue, maroon or charcoal. Or theme your tie for your next event, such as a bright green one for a St Patrick's Day gathering.
And knitted ties are not just for men! Designers routinely feature them in their collections both for men and for women seeking a masculine look. For more details about the Okehampton Tie, please click here. The pattern is available for instant download from the site.

Happy Knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Patterns/Mens Patterns,
tie, knot, mens tie, unisex tie, knitted tie, reversible stitch, reversible tie, knitting stitch,

25 January 2016

The frosty side of cool

Yarns for Malvern Bath Mat by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Charles Dickens had it about right when he wrote about an old porter at the end of a long winter's day:
"Toby's nose was very red, and his eye‐lids were very red, and he winked very much, and his shoulders were very near his ears and his legs were very stiff, and altogether he was evidently a long way upon the frosty side of cool."
     The Chimes, 1844.
Oh yes, it's cold right now. Snow‐drifts, howling gales, sharp northerly winds – brrrr. We even had frosts down in Florida this morning. However, ever an optimist, I can see that the official start of Spring in less than 2 months away! It's hard to believe, isn't it? The months go by faster every year.

So I have been enjoying working with some cotton yarns in readiness and there are a number of projects on my needles right now in lovely soft cottons. I have just finished a few men's ties in KnitPicks Cotlin yarn, a crisp cotton/linen mix, and a bathmat in DMC Natura XL chunky cotton which is pictured at the top of this blogpost. I have to say the bathmat has already been pressed into service to keep my toes from contacting chilly tiled floors.

I also have some placemats started in Rowan Denim yarn and a little girls' dress planned too. I am certainly living up to my blogpost where I suggested starting several projects at once! My yarn drying racks are filled with cotton yarns in varying stages of washing and drying and I have a pleasingly large number of skeins waiting to be wound back into balls again.

I hope everyone is keeping warm, and finding enough projects to do in front of a cozy fire. I'll be back next time with news of a new tie pattern for men.

Until then – Happy Knitting!

Moira
Reversible Knitting Stitches by Moira Ravenscroft & Anna Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
Last Blogpost: Without the Ocean
Next Up: New pattern – Okehampton Tie

Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com

Many thanks to my husband Tim for the photo at the top of this post.
​Please look at his Flickr page to see more of his work.

Keywords: Notes & Travels,
cotton yarn, knitting, winter knitting, spring knitting,

13 January 2016

Without the Ocean

Ocean Currents Blanket worked in cream yarn, by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
It is amazing how different a pattern can look when you work it with a different colour, an alternative yarn or with slightly larger or smaller needles. Here's a recent example of a multi‐coloured pattern being worked in a single natural colour and looking completely different from the original.

This is the Ocean Currents Blanket pattern I was writing about a few weeks ago, but this time without the ocean!

I have recently been knitting a few projects with Cascade "EcoCloud" which is a gorgeously soft merino/alpaca mix with a very interesting chainette structure. The yarn is, in effect, like a slim i‐Cord and really holds the heat well. Between the two ultra‐soft fibres in the blend and the airy‐ness of the structure, it is super cozy in use.
Ocean Currents Blanket worked in cream yarn, by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I had a ball of the Cream colour left over after I had finished a little baby jacket and have just worked up a swatch using the Ocean Currents Blanket pattern.

​The result is a lovely retro sampler effect which really highlights the different patterns used in the design. The yarn shows the stitches well and I think a blanket or throw worked in this colourway would be perfect to add an extra layer to a chilly bedroom.
Cascade Eco Cloud yarn, photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
The EcoCloud yarn is 150m/164 yds:100gm, so is a little thicker than the one suggested in the pattern.

​I worked the sample on one size larger needles to compensate for this and to maintain the open feel of the fabric and it worked out beautifully.

​OK, who has some good offers on Cascade yarns right now..? I feel a creamy blanket moment coming on!
It certainly is interesting seeing a pattern worked in a different colourway, isn't it. The two versions look so different... By the way, you can see me knitting the original Ocean Currents Blanket in this blogpost, and read more about the knitting pattern here and here.

I'll be back next time with some more updates about what I am knitting right now and the yarns I have been using. I'm having fun experimenting with new yarns this year!

Until then – Happy Knitting!

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

Last Blogpost: Roc-ing into 2016
Next Up: The frosty side of cool

​​​​​Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches
My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com
Keywords: Patterns/Blankets,
blanket, blankets, cream, lace knitting, knitted blanket,

06 January 2016

Roc-ing into 2016

Spinning for Roc Day, photo for blogpost by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
I always love this time of the year. It's cool outside and the garden is sleeping. The leaves are cleared, the bushes are trimmed and fragile plants are bedded down with straw for the winter. Even the frenetic build‐up to the holiday season has ended and everyone is feeling well‐fed and ready for a change of pace.

And I find, year after year, that this is the time I turn my attention to dyeing and spinning. It just seems to come naturally with the change to the New Year. And I'm not alone, for across many countries today is celebrated as a special day for spinners. It's called Roc Day or St Distaff's Day and happens the day after Twelfth Night.

Back in the day when spinning was a long and arduous daily toil for many women, it would be understandable if they might have a bit reluctant to return to their tasks. However, it was made considerably more pleasant by celebrating with other villagers for one final day of merriment before the real work started again.

If you fancy celebrating Roc Day this year, then check your local paper as a number of local spinning groups have events planned for the weekend. And even if you're not a spinner you can join in the fun by knitting a project using hand‐spun yarn from your local yarn store or Farmers' Market.
Knitting patterns using hand-spun yarn, by Moira Ravenscroft, Wyndlestraw Designs
You can use hand-spun yarn for any project which is worked in wool, but it does tend to work best for patterns which already have a lot of texture and/or colour changes, as they will embrace the natural colour and textural changes that are inherent in a hand-spun yarn. For example, here are some projects which can be worked with either a commercial yarn or with hand-spun:

At the top left there's the Henley Blanket in a two‐tone blue and purple combination. This has a beautiful waffle texture which would work well with hand-spun yarns.

Then the photo at the top right shows a scarf, the Sawston Infinity Scarf, which is worked in a soft Blue‐Faced Leicester yarn. You can read a little more about this here. If you have never tried this fibre before, then see if you can find some soon – it may be the softest wool you have ever worked with.

The centre photos show the Rare Earth Rug and Rare Earth Cushions which use natural coloured yarns. And lastly, the Ocean Currents Blanket that I featured in my last blogpost is shown alongside a co‐ordinating rug, the Ocean Currents Rug. Those four patterns really embrace yarns which might have thick and thin sections or slight variations in colour, so would be perfect to try out with your hand-spun wool.

It’s always fun to try something new for the New Year so I hope you enjoy experimenting with hand-spun for your next project!

Until next time – Happy Knitting!

Moira
Keywords: Notes & Travels,
Roc Day, spinning, hand-spun yarn, handspun yarn, wool,

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