Art deco

Let me introduce Art Deco, my latest little hat pattern. Art deco was created using one 1 of the Mandarine's Avranchine DK, 2 skeins of De Rerum Natura, Penelope or 2 skeins of Isle Yarns Poll Dorset.

The designing process was very interesting andcompletely different from what I'm accustomed to. I usually create a pattern first and then spend a lot of time researching for the yarn that will translate the design I want. This time I procedeed the other way around, starting with the yarn.

Mandarine's Avranchine DK is a "French Country Yarn", a rustic yet gentle fiber with a wonderful stitch definition. I knew when I first got the skeins in my hands that I wanted to create a pattern that would allow the yarn to show these characteristics. I imagined something a little bit intricate, playing with eyelets and twisted stitches. The pattern might look complicated at first glance, but the lace repeats are very easy to follow and extremely addictive (just one more row!).

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YARN

• 1 skein of Mandarine’s, Avranchine DK (260m/283y) 100g OR

• 2 skeins of De Rerum Natura, Penelope (133m/145 yards ) OR

• 2 skeins of Isle Yarns Poll Dorset (110m/120 yards)

NEEDLES

• US6 (4mm) circular

• US7 (4,5mm) circular

• set of DPNs

or sizes needed to obtain gauge.

GAUGE

20 stitches and 28 rows in pattern stitch = 4”(10cm).

NOTIONS

• A tapestry needle

• 1 stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.

• 4 stitch markers to divide the repeat sections.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

25cm high/ 47cm in circumference in Mandarine’s Avranchine DK.

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Coming up...

In the meanwhile, I'm having a little giveaway. If you want to win a copy of the Art Deco hat, which is knit in th yarn that I will be selling on Sunday, please head over to your Ravelry profile, and add the pattern to your queue! I will select a winner randomly on Sunday!

Coming up on Sunday 15th at 5pm Latvia time (GMT+2) is the openning of my shop and the release of the Art Deco hat! I cannot tell you how excited I am and how hard it is not to open the doors already, but as we say, patience is a virtue.

Unearth: Goldenwood & Discovery

photo credits @6bitsstorybooks

Itold you a little while ago that I've been working on a couple of secret projects. Well I can finally talk about my last collaboration with the sweet Melissa. A little while back she contacted me, asking me if I would be interested in joining her in a new adventure. I remember her using the words "yayn, photography, nature, collaborations", and the more she was talking abou the project, the more excited I was. Melissa created a new digital publication called "6 bits storybooks". It is a digital quarterly that features knitting patterns and articles.

“6 Bits
is an INNOVATIVE knitting publication flowing from
journeys of story tellers:
knitters, photographers, writers, designers, friends
& nature.”

For the very first issue, I got to create two sweet little patterns, and write a couple of articles.
 The first pattern that I created is the Discovery scarf. I have knit it using two skeins of Buckaloo View, sport IV, 100% superfine alpaca. It is a very simple pattern that features a very danty lace stitch that reminds me of acorns and medallions. This pattern was a little bit challenging for me because I usually work with a design in my mind and then select the yarn to make it. But this time I worked the other way round and started creating with the yarn in hands.

My second pattern is the Goldewood cowl, a pattern inspired by the world of Tolkien. For this one I have used two skeins of By Annie Claire, Full Belly Feels Good which is a 100% organic wool. This yarn is quite rustic and actually influenced the way I created the pattern. It is closed in the back by three little apple tree buttons.

I will be casting on the Goldenwood this weekend for the #unearthKAL which started on November 2nd. Head over to the 6 bits ravelry group to learn more about the knit along and enter to win prizes!

Baa-ble hat

M y Baa-ble hat is finished! Well I've actually finished it a couple of weeks ago, and I've been wearing it non-stop ever since. I just hadn't had find the time to photograph it properly.

It took me two attempts to get the hat to fit me perfectly. The very first time, I used the same needles as in the pattern. But the after-blocking hat was a disaster. My already-massive head was floating in my damp hat. And I had to admit that it didn't fit me, and had to start over. So I ripped it back, and knit with a much smaller needle for the brim and for the body. Three evenings later the hat was knit, and the pompom fixed.

I must say that I'm not usually drawn to these type of hats as I thought that they would never fit me. But after trying my finished hat, I really like it! I love the double folded brim that keeps my ears and forehead very warm. It wil definitely be staple in my wardrobe, and I will most definitely be wearing it a whole lot this winter.

The yarn was a dream to knit with. That was my very first time knitting with Jamieson's of Shetland Heather, but definitely not my last. The yarn is rustic and crunchy, but surprisingly soft for a 100% Shetland wool. And did I mention that it comes in the most beautiful colors? Head over to the Jamieson's website to discover their incredible range of colors!

The end of October wraps up the Shetland Wool Week KAL. It was wonderful to spend another month with fellow knitters, dreaming about Shetland, knitting a pattern inspired by the Shetland isles & knitting with Shetland yarn. I will draw the winners of the knit along later this week, and announce the winners in the Ravelry thread.

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Pattern — Baa-ble hat by Donna Smith

Needles — US3 & US6

Yarn — Jamieson's Heather Aran

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Thanks again to Jamieson's of Shetland and the 60° North magazine for sponsoring the knit along!

Your woodland Tales

I was in such awe discovering all the beautiful projects that had been created using the same pattern. So many different yarns have been used, and so many different colors have been selected. Some knitters were more adventurous than others in their creations and decided to modify the pattern to their liking.

This is a humble thank you note. Happy weekend!

One of my ultimate favourite thing about my creative work is that I get to see all of your beautiful versions of the patterns that I create. I found myself browsing the Woodland Tales ravelry project page the other day, and I let this sweet feeling of joy overwelm my body.

Swatches diary: fir cone

Im not getting tired of this golden light that is flooding my little studio these days. So I took advantage of this autumnal light the other day to snap a couple of pictures of my most recent swatches that will be featured very soon is the first issue of 6 bits storybooks: Unearth.

I don't want to speak to soon and say that I have found my favourite stitch pattern, but this fir cone stitch has something to it than I cannot get tired of.