Salcombe & A Discount

I'm excited to release a new pattern - Salcombe. The Salcombe shawl is a beautiful circular shawl worked from the centre out using the ‘Pi Formula’ which makes the shaping easy, allowing you to focus on the lace pattern. The pattern includes links to several tutorials on page 2. Blocking tutorial can be found here.

The Salcombe pattern is 25% off until end of April 2020. Use coupon code: SALCOMBE25.

I knitted Salcombe in Laceball 100 (2 balls needed) and it used a total of 135g (1080m/1181yds) which means you can also use Lace Flower (1 ball needed). I've got a selection of kits available for pre-orders. Pre-orders close on Monday 27 April at 9am. Kits will be shipped within a week. 

The YarnAddict Online Shop has been updated with new kits. Until the end of April, I'm offering 10% off all orders from the YarnAddict Online Shop.  Use discount code: APRIL20.

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Chunky Hat Recipe

In February Vanessa asked me to knit her a hat to match a scarf she had and she told me she wanted a chunky hat. I must admit knitting with chunky yarn is not my favourite. I was teaching at Wool On The Exe a few days later and picked out three yarn combinations: one set of luxury wool/silk blend 4ply yarns, one set of wool dk yarn and one set of wool chunky yarn. 

Want to guess which was my preferred option? Vanessa chose the chunky set (hint: this was not my preferred choice). The advantage of chunky yarn is that it's quick to knit. Even with the long rib so it could be folded over, this hat took only an evening to knit. 

I used Re:Treat from West Yorkshire Spinners.  The yarn is beautiful and lovely to knit with.

Then Simon asked me to knit him a hat too. So I used the same pattern but added four rounds to the rib for him and used fewer colours. I used up the grey yarn from Vanessa's hat and bought a ball of blue. I used 90g so you can easily get a hat out of one ball rather than using three like I did for Vanessa.

This is not a full pattern, but a guide to how I knitted these two chunky hats. There are notes at the end to help you work out your own size. You can download the Chunky Hat  Recipe for free.

Both Simon and Vanessa have fairly large heads so this hat is big but you can easily make it fit a smaller head. Follow my guidance below (which are also included in the pattern).

To work out your own size:

/ = divide

x = multiply

Knit a swatch in stocking stitch and measure your tension per 10cm (4in).

Total stitches per 10cm/10 = stitches per 1cm

Measure the head of the wearer - negative ease (2-4cm) = circumference of the hat x stitches per 1cm = stitches to cast on. Round up or down so you get a number you can divide by 4 for (k2, p2) rib.

Cast on and knit the rib for the desired length.

Knit stocking stitch until the hat is the desired length minus crown shaping.

Shape the crown:

(Total stitch count/8) - 2 = stitches to knit before decrease

For example: (80/8) - 2 = 8 = (k8, k2tog) to end. 8 sts dec.

Continue alternating between decrease rounds and plain rounds (on decrease rounds work one stitch less before k2tog than on previous decrease round) until you have 8 stitches left. Break yarn and pull through remaining stitches.

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Spring Mystery Knitalong

I hope you will join me in this fun, informal mystery knitalong. I’m designing this shawl as I share it with you to show you a glimpse into my design process. Because of this, the pattern has not been tech edited or test knitted. If you think there are mistakes please leave a comment in my Facebook Group - Love of Lace Knitting or e-mail me on yarnaddictcs@gmail.com.

I have only planned out the beginning of this shawl so I don’t know exactly where we’ll end up. I will keep a step ahead of you so the clues I’m sharing will have been knitted by me before I share them with you. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic and many of us are isolating ourselves in our homes. My family are all working from home so I will film tutorials and information for each clue as I’m able.

I’d like this shawl to be accessible to knitters of all skill levels. So if you can cast on, cast/bind off, knit, purl and follow a pattern, you will be able to join us. There may be a couple of sections where I will offer easier or more difficult versions. I will also offer information on how you can adapt the size. I recommend you have between 600-900m (656-984yds) of sock/4ply/fingering weight yarn. It can all be one colour or several different colours. I’m using three colours. You can use solid, self-striping or variegated yarn.

I am planning to incorporate some short rows. Don’t worry if you ‘re not familiar with short rows. I will show you exactly what to do and you will be able to skip the short rows if you prefer.

I will post videos in my Love of Lace Knitting Facebook Group and also on my You Tube channel.

Part 1 of the pattern is available to download for free now.

Please share your progress in the Facebook Group or on Instagram by using #ahaspringkal. You can also tag me on Instagram - I’m @YarnAddictAnni

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Free Pattern & Discounts on Online Courses

We're in the middle of some very difficult times at the moment. I've spent the last week trying to process everything that's happening and keeping my anxiety under control. I'm not sure whether I should be carrying on as normal or go into full panic mode. I'm sure many of you feel the same. I'm trying to not worry about the things I can't control which I'm normally pretty good at but it's a struggle these days. I'm sure many of you are in the same situation.

Here in the UK, we've been told to self-isolate as much as possible but we're not in full lock down like some other countries. Shops, restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, gyms, hair & beauty salons etc are all still open but we've been told not to visit them unless it's essential. Schools are closing tomorrow and many businesses are telling their staff to work from home.

Yarn shows are being cancelled. The two I was attending that have been cancelled so far is Wonderwool Wales and Cornish Fibre Festival. I've only had one workshop cancelled so far but I'm sure more will be cancelled soon. I think yarn shops are waiting till the last minute to make a decision. This period we're facing worldwide will be very hard for small independent businesses like yarn shops, indie dyers, knitting and crochet designers. A big chunk of my income comes from shows and workshops so my income will be drastically reduced over the coming weeks (or possibly months).

I'm making some plans to move some stuff online. I will start filming online workshops next week but it's time consuming to create the content, film and edit the videos and create the online courses but I'll have more time if I'm staying home all the time. So if there's a workshop you'd like to do, let me know by clicking reply to this e-mail or telling me on social media. I'm also planning some free content for you.

In my Love of Lace Knitting Facebook Group I'm planning to host a mystery knitalong starting next week. I'm still working on the details but I will design the pattern, knit it and share the process with you and you can knit along with me. I will probably do live streams in the Facbook Group which I will save and then share on You Tube for those of you not on Facebook. I may also pre-record some videos.

An e-mail has been sent out to my Newsletter List with a coupon code for a free pattern (if you missed it or haven't signed up yet, the code will be in next week's newsletter too - Sign up to the newsletter here).

If you're in my Love of Lace Knitting Facebook Group, there's a pinned post there with another free coupon code for you. So you can get two free patterns if you're a member of the group or join the group.

The coming weeks will be hard for many of us. Many people, myself included, will have our income reduced drastically. So if you're able to, please support your favourite indie businesses.

If you'd like to support me by making a purchase, you can browse my Ravelry Pattern Shop, choose from a selection of yarns, kits, beads and my books in my YarnAddict Online Shop (I will be adding more shalws to the Shawl Sample Sale in the coming weeks too) and I also have three online courses, Finishing School for Hand Knitters, Continental Knitting with Norwegian Purl and the Aventuras Sock Course (learn to knit socks toe up, top down with a choice of two different afterthought heels and two different toes).

For my Online Courses I'm offering US $5 off each course until end of March 2020 (the courses are priced in US  dollars because they're hosted on a US site). See each course for details of full price and what's included in the course. Finishing School for Hand Knitters, Continental Knitting with Norwegian Purl , Aventuras Sock Course

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Trevella Cowl - new pattern & tutorial

I’ve been wearing my new Trevalla cowl a lot and I’m excited to release the pattern today as well as a couple of tutorials. When I knitted the Trevalla cowl I learnt a new decrease I’ve never come across before. It is called the Bunny Ear decrease and I’ve created a short tutorial for you which you can find here (it’s also linked in the pattern).

 

In my Facebook group, Love of Lace Knitting, I’ve uploaded a new longer tutorial (look under Videos in the group) for the Trevella cowl. A lot of new members lately have mentioned that they’d like to learn to knit lace so I created a tutorial showing how to knit the lace pattern I used for the Trevella cowl.

There’s a 50% discount on the Trevella pattern until 16 March 2020. Use coupon code: TREVELLA50.

 

The Trevella cowl combines a silky-soft yarn with two beautiful lace patterns for a cowl that’ll keep your neck warm but won’t feel bulky under your coat. For a cowl with more structure choose a yarn with less drape. The cowl comes in two sizes.

I knitted the Trevella cowl in Wool On The Exe Hand-dyed Merino & Silk DK and the cowl took one 100g skein and you can find the yarn here. 

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Trip to London

Beautiful Knitters and workshop below

A couple of weeks ago I was in London for a few days. I was there to teach at Beautiful Knitters in Pimlico (not far from Victoria). Beautiful Knitters is a beautiful shop and well worth a visit if you’re in central London.
 

On one of the days we headed out to Richmond to visit Kew Botanical Gardens and Tribe Yarns which is also worth a visit if you’re in the area.
 

Tribe Yarns (above) and my purchase below

In the last episode of the Confessions of a YarnAddict podcast I share some video from both Beautiful Knitters and Tribe as well as what I purchased from both shops. You can watch the podcast here.

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New Pattern - Hope Cove

I've just released a new shawl pattern this morning. Hope Cove was knitted in one 50g ball each of Blacker Yarns Bluefaced Leicester Laceweight. I loved working with Blacker Yarns as they're a British yarn company based half an hour from where I live. 

Hope Cove is a beautiful crescent shawl worked from the top down. An all over lace pattern is combined with wide stripes and a knitted on edging (tutorial link). If you prefer, the shawl can be worked in one colour.

Get 30% off the Hope Cove pattern until 16 February 2020. Use coupon code: HOPECOVE30

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Jul Christmas Balls - Free Tutorials

Do you knit Christmas decorations? Fancy a quick little project to decorate your house or tree? These little balls are worked in the round using either double pointed needles or a long circular needles (magic loop technique).  I've got a set of four tutorials so you can knit along with me. 

The Jul Christmas Balls pattern includes four balls - one stranded colour work, one stranded colour work with beads and two beaded designs. Jul is Christmas in Norwegian.

Chart A

 Chart A is a Christmas tree which is a simple and easy design to knit.

Chart B

Chart B is a beaded stranded colour work design but you can leave the beads out if you prefer. See the red and grey ball below for this design without beads. If you don't use beads, then just knit those stitches in the colour indicated on the chart.

Chart B with and without beads

Chart C

Chart C is a beaded design but as you can see below, if you don't like beads, knit the beaded (B on the chart) stitches in another colour for a stranded colour work design.

Chart C with the red ball knitted in stranded colour work instead of beads.

Chart D

Chart D is a beaded design but as you can see below, you can also knit it in stranded colour work instead of beads. You can also combine the beads and stranded colour work.

Chart D with the right ball knitted in stranded colour work instead of beads.

I will post a tutorial for each section of the ball over the next three days. Today is a little introduction and a chance for you to get your tools and materials together.

Watch video here.

Part 1

Watch Part 1 - Getting Started & Shaping the Beginning here. 

Watch the video on how to knit the  middle section with beads. 

Watch the video on how to knit the middle section in stranded colour work.

Part 3

Here's the final video on how to shape the top and how to finish the ball.

I will add videos to this post once they go live each day. You can download the Jul Christmas Balls pattern here.

These balls are knitted in the round and you can use either double pointed needles (I recommend a set of 5) or circular needles using the magic loop technique. I'm using magic loop in the video and I give you a quick introduction in the first video but I have a more in depth Magic Loop tutorial you may find helpful. 

The balls are charted and if you're new to charts you may find my De-mystifying Charts tutorial helpful. This tutorial is based on lace charts but the principles are the same. Here's a quick re-cap:

• Charts are read from bottom to the top, so round 1 in at the bottom of the chart.
• When you knit in the round, all rounds are read from right to left (so all round numbers are on the right hand side of the chart).
• Each square is a stitch.
• Check the chart key for the meaning of each symbol. On these charts, you only have to worry about which colour to knit each stitch in and where to add the beads (B on the chart). 
• The balls are knitted in stocking stitch (knit every stitch).

Here's what you need:

You can use any dk yarn but below are the details of what I used. I do recommend using a smooth wool yarn.

Lang Merino 120 (dk; 100% Superwash Merino Wool; 120m/131yds per 50g) x 10g of each colour per ball. Shown in shades: Grey 0324, Cherry 0162, Aubergine 0180

3.75mm (UK 9/US 5) set of 5 double pointed needles or  circular needle, 80cm (32in) length

Seed Beads size 6 - I used Debbie Abrahams beads

Chart B - 32 beads 

Chart C - 96 beads

Chart D - 144 beads

0.75mm (US 14) crochet hook (for adding beads)

Approx 15g toy stuffing per ball

15cm/6in narrow ribbon per ball

Find my full list of tutorials here.

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