We travel a lot during the summer, principally to Sweden so we can spend the gloriously long summer days with our daughter and her lovely family. However, this also means we have lots of time to explore the wonderful countryside around here.
We recently took a road-trip to Denmark and Germany so we could catch up with an old school friend of mine. We visited many interesting places along the way including Aabenraa in southern Denmark, which you can see in Tim’s photo above. Of interest, the town not only boasts some wonderful architecture and amazingly friendly people, but also claims to be the world’s leading entry in an alphabetical list of towns!
However, travelling always poses a dilemma: what projects to work on while we are away? and perhaps more importantly: how much yarn to pack? Yes, I know there is yarn in Sweden… In fact there is some absolutely wonderful yarn over here. However, if you’re in the middle of creating a set of items as I was here and here, then it gets a bit more complicated.
We recently took a road-trip to Denmark and Germany so we could catch up with an old school friend of mine. We visited many interesting places along the way including Aabenraa in southern Denmark, which you can see in Tim’s photo above. Of interest, the town not only boasts some wonderful architecture and amazingly friendly people, but also claims to be the world’s leading entry in an alphabetical list of towns!
However, travelling always poses a dilemma: what projects to work on while we are away? and perhaps more importantly: how much yarn to pack? Yes, I know there is yarn in Sweden… In fact there is some absolutely wonderful yarn over here. However, if you’re in the middle of creating a set of items as I was here and here, then it gets a bit more complicated.
So one of the things I have taken to doing is to have projects on-going in both locations. Then I can stop work on one set of things back in Florida and pick up where I left off last year in Sweden.
However, another strategy that works well for me is to use rainy days to update old patterns. [It rains a lot during a Swedish summer!] This gives me the chance to make any changes needed, check all the links still work, add in new improved stitch charts and so on.
So the latest pattern for my updating magical wand is the Hebden Gilet Jacket. I made this for one of our grandsons in the USA some years back now and he wore it all winter long! However, I only wrote the pattern up to age 8 originally so I thought I would add some additional sizes. So now there are 6 different sizes for toddlers aged 2 all the way up to bigger kiddies aged 12!
However, another strategy that works well for me is to use rainy days to update old patterns. [It rains a lot during a Swedish summer!] This gives me the chance to make any changes needed, check all the links still work, add in new improved stitch charts and so on.
So the latest pattern for my updating magical wand is the Hebden Gilet Jacket. I made this for one of our grandsons in the USA some years back now and he wore it all winter long! However, I only wrote the pattern up to age 8 originally so I thought I would add some additional sizes. So now there are 6 different sizes for toddlers aged 2 all the way up to bigger kiddies aged 12!
The gilet features a large scale design from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. This is a really interesting stitch called Imitation Lattice which features large central diamonds bounded by a regular criss-cross of purls. The diamond centres puff out slightly as the work progresses and form pockets of air which keep you super cozy during the winter.
If you work the design reasonably tightly and with two ends of a wool yarn held together, then you get a super warm design which can take you from “Brrrr” to “Oh it’s not as cold as I thought” in a matter of moments!
I’m a great fan of using two ends of yarn for extra warmth and you can read all about that in my earlier blogpost series: Seeing Double, so please make sure to check that out.
If you work the design reasonably tightly and with two ends of a wool yarn held together, then you get a super warm design which can take you from “Brrrr” to “Oh it’s not as cold as I thought” in a matter of moments!
I’m a great fan of using two ends of yarn for extra warmth and you can read all about that in my earlier blogpost series: Seeing Double, so please make sure to check that out.
I have just uploaded the newly-expanded Hebden Gilet Jacket pattern onto my website here, so please go and have a look there for all the new information. The pattern is available for immediate download so you can get a head-start on your autumn knitting! If you have already purchased the pattern and would like an updated copy, then please let me know & I’ll send it on to you.
I am now going to turn my attention to some of my cushion patterns. Cushion covers are a great idea for summer knitting as they are so easy to carry around and make an impact in any room. I'll post here as soon as those are ready.
Until then – Happy Jacket Knitting!
Moira
I am now going to turn my attention to some of my cushion patterns. Cushion covers are a great idea for summer knitting as they are so easy to carry around and make an impact in any room. I'll post here as soon as those are ready.
Until then – Happy Jacket Knitting!
Moira
 | Last Blogpost: Brunch under the blossoms Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches My website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com Many thanks to my husband Tim for his photo of Aabenraa in Denmark. To see more of his photos, please see his Flickr site. |
Keywords: Childrenswear,
jacket, gilet jacket, body warmer, winter warmer, winter knitting, using two ends of yarn, reversible stitch, knitting stitch,
jacket, gilet jacket, body warmer, winter warmer, winter knitting, using two ends of yarn, reversible stitch, knitting stitch,
