September's Patterns of the Month

Been waiting (im)patiently for this month’s Patterns of the Month? Well here they are!

Sugar Cube Knits

 

 

Payhip: https://payhip.com/b/GqvP

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/sugar-cube-knits

Use the code POTM for 15% off (Expires 11.59pm BST, 30th September 2021) - sign up to my newsletter to get a code for 30% off*

Sugar Cube Knits is the perfect collection for autumn. What’s your favourite part of autumn? Crunching through leaves? Collecting conkers with your kids? Curling up warm at home under a cat and some knitting?

One of my favourite parts of autumn is being able to unearth all my knitwear from its summer-banishment under the stairs! There’s something delightful about the first wear of mitts on a slightly chilly autumn day, and I’m sure you’ll agree.

It’s also lovely to make something new to herald a new season, and I’m here today to share some new knits that are perfect for autumn with you: the Sugar Cube Knits.

The Sugar Cube Knits were inspired by one of the activities I missed most during the pandemic: knitting in coffee shops with friends. The set of mitts, cowl and hat features a simple textured stitch pattern, made up of knits and purls, that looks like stacked sugar cubes.

The set uses DK yarn - I used a merino/bamboo blend that really helps the stitches to pop, but you can use your favourite DK base.

Ready to buy?

Payhip: https://payhip.com/b/GqvP

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/sugar-cube-knits

Use the code POTM for 15% off (Expires 11.59pm BST, 30th September 2021) - sign up to my newsletter to get a code for 30% off*

Halloween in the Windows

 

PayHip: https://payhip.com/b/EbVM

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/halloween-in-the-windows

Use the code POTM for 15% off (Expires 11.59pm BST, 30th September 2021) - sign up to my newsletter to get a code for 30% off*

Looking forward to Halloween this year? Still not ready to go door to door trick or treating?: rather than trick or treat, why not go on a pumpkin hunt? If everyone puts up pictures of pumpkins in the windows, kids can go for walks and keep their eyes open for all the pumpkins! I’ve taken this idea a step further, with banners for a ghost, a witch and a pumpkin, and I can’t wait to hang them in the windows for them to be admired.

Fancy knitting your own Halloween banners? The pattern is written for one basic banner that can be decorated with your choice of three intarsia motifs: a ghost, a pumpkin or a witch. The patterns for the intarsia portions are provided as both charts and written instructions. If you’re not a fan of intarsia, you can knit the banner without any colourwork and use duplicate stitch to add the motif at the end.

Each banner uses a small amount of aran weight yarn in a limited palette, and is perfect for stash-busting, or you could buy the yarn you need and make a few extra Halloween banners for friends and family from your leftovers. If you have leftovers from your Rainbow banners you’ll just need to get hold of some black aran weight yarn (sock yarn held double would also work well if that’s what you have to hand).

Want to pick up the pattern?

PayHip: https://payhip.com/b/EbVM

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/halloween-in-the-windows

Use the code POTM for 15% off (Expires 11.59pm BST, 30th September 2021) - sign up to my newsletter to get a code for 30% off*

 

*The 30% off code will go out on all my newsletters in September, and for the final time at 9am 30th September 2021. You must be signed up by then to get the code. 

#YarnFriendsRock 2021 - week one

 Hello! I hope you're well. September is here, and the air has turned distinctly autumnal. This month I'm joining the #YarnFriendsRock challenge, hosted by @unicornpuffsandrainbows, @brightbag and
@sewing_the_seeds_of_love Every day in September, I'll be posting a picture to my intarsia Instagram account (@VikkiBirdDesigns_Intarsia) around a theme. Head over there to follow along. In case you missed it, here's a catch-up for week one.

Day 1: This is me

Hello! 👋🏻 I’m Vikki. I’m a mum of three, and while I’m not wrangling kids, I write and design knitting patterns. Looking forward to meeting lots of yarnies this month via the #YarnFriendsRock challenge!


Day 2: How I became yarny

I’ve always lived surrounded by yarn. My mum is a prolific knitter, so there was always yarn about when I was a child. I learnt to knit when I was seven, taught by a family friend. I caught the bug immediately, and haven’t really stopped since. As a teenager I made a lot of toys designed by Jean Greenhowe. Most of them are long gone, but this ballerina doll was knitted by me many years ago, and is cherished by my daughter.



Day 3: Favourite stitch

You might have noticed that I quite like intarsia… what is intarsia? Well, it’s pretty simple - you change colour mid-way through a row to create a picture. I love that you can use the technique to make any image you like. At first you might find intarsia a bit tricky, and that you get in a tangle, but with practice it gets much easier!

Day 4: Rainbow

Do you remember in Spring 2020, when everyone’s windows were adorned with rainbows? Well, I thought I’d design my own knitted rainbow banner! There aren’t so many rainbows in windows anymore, but this banner would look lovely as a wall hanging too. Want to make your own? The pattern is available for free in my LoveCrafts store; link in profile.


Day 5: Sunday share

Want to know my favourite yarn for intarsia? It’s @PaintboxYarns Simply range, which comes in a great array of colours, three yarn weights (DK, aran and chunky) and is machine washable. I use it a lot!

Day 6: Black & white

When I knit I am all about colour, but once in a while a design works best in simple black and white. Meet my little ghost with no name, a simple white ghost on a black background. What would you call the ghost?

Day 7: Yarny home

I like to start kids early with yarn! All three of my children have had their own knitted or crocheted blankets. Now they’re getting a bit bigger, you’re more likely to find the blankets being used to make tents in the living room than tucked over their knees in a pushchair, but either way, it fills me with joy to see my house full of blankets that have been made with love!

How to secure a dropped stitch

In the summer holidays, I am all about vanilla knits: knitting in the car, at the cinema, on the beach, while I am too tired to concentrate on anything else! Once in a while it doesn’t quote go to plan, and I notice that I dropped a stitch *many* rows ago. Often (pretty much always…) I can’t be bothered to unravel all the way back to where I dropped the stitch, so instead I secure the stitch into the knitting at the end. Want to know how to do that (it’s really simple)? Keep reading.

 

How to temporarily secure the stitch

You will need:

• a locking stitch marker

When you realise you’ve dropped the stitch it’s important to secure it so your knitting doesn’t unravel. You can do this temporarily using a locking stitch marker: open the marker, and insert the pin through the loop of the stitch, then close the marker so the stitch is temporarily secured.

 

How to permanently secure the stitch

You will need:

• A length of waste yarn (in the same colour as your knitting)
• A tapestry needle

1. Thread the tapestry needle with a length of waste yarn, and post the yarn through the dropped stitch

 

2. Thread both loose ends of yarn through the eye of the tapestry needle

 

3. Draw the needle through the knitted fabric at the point where the dropped stitch is, pulling the waste yarn to the wrong side of the fabric

 

4. Weave the loose yarn ends in on the wrong side of the fabric to secure the ends 

 

5. Ta dah! You have secured your dropped stitch!

Daisy Chain Blanket - the crochet version

Did you see yesterday’s Daisy Chain Blanket – the knit version? Well it’s got a friend, the crochet version!

Are you looking for a baby gift that is bright and bold, and can be finished in just a few days? The Crochet Daisy Chain Blanket is just the thing! The blanket uses mini-corner-to-corner crochet, which is really easy to learn and gives a satisfyingly speedy finish.

The pattern is written for the smallest size (a good car seat or Moses basket blanket size), if you want to make a larger blanket, you can make multiple panels, seam them and add the border at the end. This blanket isn’t just for babies, and could also be made as a throw or lap blanket. The blanket is crocheted in machine washable, aran weight yarn, making it quick to work up and easy to care for.

This pattern contains both a chart and written instructions for the multi-colour section (mostly because I hate reading charts diagonally, and I may as well do the hard work so you don’t have to!).

This pattern is written using US terms. Where applicable, UK terms are given in square brackets: US [UK]. Full photo tutorials for both the mini-corner-to-corner crochet technique and border, making this pattern suitable for advanced beginners.

If the Daisy Chain Blanket – the crochet version looks like your sort of thing, head to my Ravelry* and PayHip stores now. Fancy a discount? Use the code DAISY to get 15% off. Code expires 11.59pm BST, Thursday 12th August 2021.

If knitting is more your thing, you can find the knit version here.

*Ravelry link. May cause issues for people with photosensitivity; proceed with caution.

Daisy Chain Blanket - the knitted version

Waiting for a new baby to arrive? A new niece or nephew perhaps? Perhaps you’re looking for a bold new throw for your sofa? Or maybe The Daisy Chain Blanket – the knit version might be just the thing – it’s big and bold, and perfect for Spring and Summer.

The blanket is knitted from the bottom up, starting with a moss stitch border. The daisy pattern is knitted into the main body of the blanket using the intarsia technique, and the moss stitch borders up the sides of the blanket are worked at the same time as the main body. Once you’ve worked the main body of the blanket, you finish it with a top border made of moss stitch. All you need to do at the end is weave in all the loose ends (ok, that might take you a little while, but if you weave some in every few rows, by the time you finish the blanket, there won’t be many left to weave in) and you’re done.

The intarsia blocks in this blanket are nice and large, which means the colour changes aren’t too frequent, making this a good project if you’re fairly new to intarsia – just take it slowly and you’ll be amazed what you can do! The colour changes are included as both a chart and as written instructions.

The pattern is written for three sizes: small, medium and large, so you can choose how large a blanket you’d like to make. Don’t have anyone to make the blanket for? Why not knit it for yourself? The blanket would be perfect for resting over your knees while out on the patio on a summer’s evening.

I very rarely make the same thing more than once, but look what’s currently on my needles… it’s a Daisy Chain Blanket – the knit version with a purple background!

Does the Daisy Chain Blanket – the knit version look like your sort of thing? You can find the pattern now in my Ravelry* and PayHip stores.

Use the code DAISY to get 15% off. Code expires 11.59pm BST, Thursday 12th August 2021.

*Ravelry link. May cause issues for people with photosensitivity; proceed with caution.