It has been so warm recently here in Sweden and we have been loving all the wonderful displays of blossom in the area. We don’t see Spring blossom in Florida, so we have been enjoying seeing the succession of flowering trees here.
The cherry blossoms I featured last time have gone of course, but after they finished we were treated to the sight of an absolutely magnificent apple tree in our daughter’s back garden. There weren’t many flowers last year, but this year it was covered in blossom.
The cherry blossoms I featured last time have gone of course, but after they finished we were treated to the sight of an absolutely magnificent apple tree in our daughter’s back garden. There weren’t many flowers last year, but this year it was covered in blossom.
I love apple blossom. The flowers start as such tight red buds but then they transition to the palest of pink puffs before bursting open to reveal snowy white petals. It really is quite a sight when you see a whole orchard full of trees isn’t it, but even one large tree in full bloom is beautiful.
Then came the flowering May and now the amazingly perfumed lilacs. One of the houses near us has a wonderful display of large purple and white lilac trees and their scent is so heady. I think that would be a wonderful spot for a morning coffee with freshly-baked scones - yum!
Then came the flowering May and now the amazingly perfumed lilacs. One of the houses near us has a wonderful display of large purple and white lilac trees and their scent is so heady. I think that would be a wonderful spot for a morning coffee with freshly-baked scones - yum!
So at this time of year, my thoughts often stray to making a new set of placemats ready for picnics out of doors. Of course, the ones I made last year are still lovely, but there are such wonderful new colours in the yarn stores right now so it’s a fun project to make new ones ready for some al fresco dining.
The photo above shows the set of placemats and coasters we use most of the time in Sweden. These are the Somertide Placemats and are worked in KnitPicks Cotlin, which is a wonderfully crisp cotton/linen mixture. The soft, gentle colours really suit white tables and sunny days eating outside.
The photo above shows the set of placemats and coasters we use most of the time in Sweden. These are the Somertide Placemats and are worked in KnitPicks Cotlin, which is a wonderfully crisp cotton/linen mixture. The soft, gentle colours really suit white tables and sunny days eating outside.
The pattern features a lovely dual-sided reversible stitch so you can have two different looks from the same set of mats. When people think about reversible knitting stitches they often think of a pattern where both sides look exactly the same. However, there is another category of reversible stitch patterns where the front and the back look quite different and these are called “dual-sided” or “double-sided” stitches.
In the case of the stitch I have used here, Double-Banded Rib, one side features a striking pattern with horizontal bars crossing raised columns of stitches. However, turn the fabric over and the back is much smoother with tight columns of knit stitches separated by narrow dotted lines.
And that’s the beauty of a dual-sided stitch! The two sides are so different but compliment each other perfectly. I just love the flexibility that brings to a design. Our Reversible Knitting Stitches book has quite a number of these double-sided patterns and they are such a great choice for items where you see both sides such as scarves, shawls, table runners and placemats.
In the case of the stitch I have used here, Double-Banded Rib, one side features a striking pattern with horizontal bars crossing raised columns of stitches. However, turn the fabric over and the back is much smoother with tight columns of knit stitches separated by narrow dotted lines.
And that’s the beauty of a dual-sided stitch! The two sides are so different but compliment each other perfectly. I just love the flexibility that brings to a design. Our Reversible Knitting Stitches book has quite a number of these double-sided patterns and they are such a great choice for items where you see both sides such as scarves, shawls, table runners and placemats.
The Somertide Placemat pattern has four different sizes so you can make larger or smaller placemats to suit your setting, and there is also a set of matching coasters. You can work them in bright summery shades or choose more neutral colours as a perfect match for a wooden picnic table. Add a cup of tea and some of those afore-mentioned scones and you have the perfect recipe for a gentle afternoon chatting and knitting in the garden!
If you would like more information about the Somertide Placemat pattern, then please click here, and for more details about our Reversible Knitting Stitches book, then please click here.
Until next time – Happy Knitting!
Moira
If you would like more information about the Somertide Placemat pattern, then please click here, and for more details about our Reversible Knitting Stitches book, then please click here.
Until next time – Happy Knitting!
Moira
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