Grr! Wild Thing jumper in issue 113 of Knit Now magazine

I am delighted to share a new design with you today, and doubly delighted that it has the starring role on the cover of Knit Now! Let me introduce, the Wild Thing jumper.

Animal prints have been everywhere for the past few months, and here's my take on the trend: the Wild Thing jumper. The jumper features a large leopard-print heart on the front. You can either make the jumper in subtle, animal-inspired tones, or go all out and choose something much brighter and bolder. I've gone for a combination of bold and subtle: animal tones for the heart and a bright coral for the jumper itself.

The jumper is knitted in pieces that are then seamed, and the heart is created using a combination of intarsia, stranded colourwork and duplicate stitch. The neckband is added in the round once the jumper has been seamed.

I've used Deramores Studio Aran to knit the Wild Thing jumper, a 100% acrylic yarn that is plump and lovely to work with.

Want to knit your own Wild Thing jumper? You can find the pattern in issue 113 of Knit Now magazine, which is in stores now. If you can't find a copy locally, you can order a print copy from the MoreMags website, or a digital edition from PocketMags.

If you’d like to add the pattern to your Ravelry queue or favourites, you can find the Ravelry pattern page here.

All images copyright Practical Publishing. Used with permission.

Fashionably late (Yarn Along February 2019)

Last weekend I went to visit my sister, and for a 60 hour weekend away, with a baby, I packed one sock project, a jumper project, a spare 150 g of yarn for the jumper and an extra 100 g of sock yarn *just in case*. I’m pretty sure that makes me an optimist, even if only about the amount I can knit while (1) driving, (2) feeding a baby, (3) sleeping, and (4) entertaining three babies and a preschooler. Perhaps predictably, I didn’t get that much knitting done. I did however, spend a lovely couple of evenings sat feeding my baby in a hotel room and getting into a good book, which was such a treat - I feel like it’s been ages since I last sat down with the specific intention of reading for an evening. With all that in mind, here’s this month’s Yarn Along post, better late than never!

So, what's on my needles? This month I've been joining in with the Lots of Socks KAL in aid of Down Syndrome International (full details can be found here,* but the prize list is amazing and you only have to knit one sock to enter) so have two pairs of socks on the needles. The first pair are three-quarters done and are fabulously pink! The yarn is King Cole Zig Zag, in the colourway Pinks. The colour is not one I would typically go for, but is so marvellously cheery that it's perfect for February.  I'm using a pattern from Kate Atherley's Custom Socks - Basic Ribbed Socks - and am planning on knitting several pairs of socks to this pattern over the next few months for a project I'll talk about once I have the first few pairs off the needles.

The second pair of socks is a bit slower as the pattern (Galiano Socks by Tracie Millar) is a tiny bit more complicated (though not that complicated in the scheme of things - there is some texture and a cable or lace round for two rounds out of eight). I'm knitting the socks in a sparkly brown sock yarn from a Knit Crate from November. Again, not my usual colour, but the shades and tones are so rich that I'm enjoying every stitch.

The jumper I mentioned is for the This One's for Me KAL* that I'm running in my Ravelry group, and is a Bright Above Me jumper in Drops Karisma. It's my first top-down colourwork-yoked jumper and I will confess to finding the pattern a challenge: the floats are looooooong, and that combined with the increases is hard work. I think that’s why I gave up at the weekend and opted for reading over knitting, but once the colourwork is done the rest of the jumper is rounds and rounds of stocking stitch, which I can do while feeding, so I’m quietly optimistic I might get this done in time to wear to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival.**

The book that grabbed my attention at the weekend was Some Kind of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher. Liz has been with Ian for 10 years, and is expecting him to propose while they're on holiday in Dubai. Instead he tells her the relationship is over, and she embarks on a quest to find out who she is now she is no longer 'Liz and Ian'. Yes, it's an easy read, but that seems to be what I need at the minute!

Are you favouring knitting or reading at the minute? Any recommendations for reading for tired eyes?

Linking up with Ginny for Yarn Along.

*Ravelry link. You need to be a member of Ravelry for this link to work. Membership is free.

**I’ll be there on the Saturday. I don’t have an advance ticket, so you might see me in the queue! If I’m not wearing a jumper with stars round the yoke, assume I didn’t finish it, and that sleep won over knitting...

New designs: Reach for the Stars cushion and children's jumper

I have two new patterns for you, both on a astronomical theme: the Reach for the Stars children's jumper and cushion. Both items are from my Reach for the Stars collection, and go with the baby blanket that I released last year. Each item in the collection features a brightly coloured space rocket with a fiery trail, inspired by one of my children's favourite toys.

Both patterns are suitable for intermediate level knitters, and the intarsia section is provided both as charts (in greyscale and colour for your preference) and as written instructions.

Reach for the Stars cushion

 

The cushion features a large intarsia rocket, is fastened with four buttons across the back and is designed to fit a 46 cm (18 inch) square cushion with a little negative ease to ensure a nice plump cushion. The cushion is knitted flat in one piece, starting at the middle of the back with a ribbed button band, then the first half of the back, the front and the second half of the back are knitted in stocking stitch, and finally the ribbed buttonhole band is worked. The cushion is seamed down the side edges using mattress stitch.

The cushion sample is knitted in Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky* [100% acrylic: 136 m (149 yds) to 100 g] in Midnight Blue (MC, 337), Buttercup Yellow (CC1, 322), Blood Orange (CC2, 319) and Pillar Red (CC3, 314).

Reach for the Stars children's jumper

 

The Reach for the Stars children's jumper is knitted in pieces from the bottom up; the neckline is picked up and knitted in the round after seaming the shoulders of the jumper. The rocket motif is incorporated using the intarsia technique.

The jumper is knitted in aran weight yarn, and has a casual fit with approximately 9 cm [3.5 in] positive ease, making it perfect as a cosy extra layer in the winter, or an outer layer as the weather starts to warm up.

Sample shown is knitted in size 4 years, in Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran* (100% acrylic, 184 m [201 yds] per 100 g ball) in Midnight Blue (237, MC), Buttercup Yellow (222, CC1), Blood Orange (219, CC2) and Pillar Red (214, CC3).

The pattern is written in 6 sizes: 2 (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) years, to fit chest sizes 53 cm [20.75 in], 58.5 cm [23 in], 63.5 cm [25 in], 67 cm [26.5 in], 71 cm [28 in], 76 cm [30 in] with approximately 9 cm [3.5 in] positive ease.

Introductory offer

If you'd like to pick up either pattern, why not make the most of my introductory offer? If you buy any of the patterns from the collection: the cushion, children's jumper or the blanket, there's 25% off until 11.59pm BST, June 24th 2018, no code needed. The patterns are also available in an ebook, which is also included in the offer – it's a bargain as you get all three patterns for the price of two – perfect if you're thinking of making more than one item.

All the patterns are available now in my Ravelry store.

*Affiliate link.

New design: Sunday Brunch baby sweater

The current issue of Knit Now magazine (issue 70) came out last Thursday and features my latest design, Sunday Brunch.

Knit Now issue 70. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

Sunday Brunch is a baby sweater knitted in the round from the top down featuring a waffle stitch pattern on the front and back, with a placket that is excellent for showing off some special buttons. The jumper is designed to be loose-fitting, with 7.5 cm positive ease; this gives the jumper a casual fit, and plenty of growing room. The jumper's name, Sunday Brunch, is inspired by the waffle stitch pattern, which reminded me of edible waffles, which are perfect for a leisurely Sunday Brunch!

Sunday Brunch. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

The sample is knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley Aran, which is a British wool-nylon blend yarn. The yarn is an excellent workhorse yarn, is excellent value for money and is very hard-wearing. Aire Valley Aran comes in a wide variety of colours, from traditional arans to bright shades, so there should be something for everyone.

Issue 70 of Knit Now is the Best of British issue, featuring designs by British (and British-based) designers knitted in British yarns. I love Ruth Garcia-Alcantund's Orchid Ombre socks, knitted in The Knitting Goddess Hand Dyed Colour Wheel Britsock, and the Fieldfare Scarf and Mitts by Miranda Jollie. The magazine is on sale now in newsagents and supermarkets, or can be purchased online, either in print or digitally.

Orchid Ombre Socks by Ruth Garcia-Alacantund. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

Fieldfare Scarf and Mitts by Miranda Jollie. Image copyright Practical Publishing.

New design: Waddle jumper

I have two new designs in this month's Knit Now magazine (issue 66), which went on sale in the UK last Thursday (13th October). The first is a classic Vikki Bird Designs item: Waddle: a children's jumper featuring an intarsia penguin; perfect for the festive season.

Waddle jumper, image copyright Practical Publishing

I love Christmas, and Christmas jumpers are one of my favourite things to knit: Waddle is my third Christmas jumper design, following Rudi (which stars a reindeer head), designed when my son was a toddler, and Can't Catch Me, a jumper featuring a gingerbread man, so designing a penguin jumper this year seemed obvious. And handily the sample will be back in time for my daughter to wear it for Christmas next year, which is a bonus!

Rudi

Can't catch me! Image copyright Practical Publishing

The jumper is knitted flat with the penguin knitted into the front using the intarsia technique. The garment is then seamed and the neckline knitted in the round once the rest of the jumper is complete. The pattern is written for sizes 2-10 years, and is worked in MillaMia Naturally Soft Aran, a 100% merino wool aran which is wonderfully soft and very luxurious, and comes in a fantastic range of colours.

The second pattern in the issue is a special one, and deserves its own post, so I'll tell you about that tomorrow.

Knit Now magazine is available from newsagents and supermarkets in the UK, or can be purchased digitally via http://www.moremags.com/digital-editions