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Podcast Episode 6

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I Hope you are all having a truly fabulous and meaningful Christmastime .. much love to you all … ❤ christmas b

Here you will find all the show-notes and links for items mentioned in the latest podcast. (Episode 6).

Christmas Stocking for Ellie:

Toe up construction,worked in the round with DK/Light Worsted yarn on size 4.00 mm needles. Rowan Pure New Wool in Avocado, Kiss and Snow. CAM02438

Using Jeny’s Magic Cast On, cast on 20 stitches, 10 on each needle. Increase, using K1fb’s as you would for a normal sock toe until you have the desired width. Continue to knit straight, in the round, using your chosen fair-isle or intarsia patterns until the foot measures approximately 4.5 inches from the cast on. Knit across half of the stitches with waste yarn in a contrast colour, (this will be where you place your afterthought heel), then slip the stitches back to the start of your needle and continue working the leg of the stocking in the same way as the foot until you are happy with the length and add a few rows of ribbing in your chosen design. I used K1, P1 single rib. Add your heel.  I worked my heel by working alternate stitches in red and green, but it would look good plain too. Decorate as required…I added pom-poms on skinny knitted icords, tied into a bow, a slightly thicker short icord sewn to the inner back to form a loop for hanging and then hand embroidered her name in a darker green which I embellished with red and green stitches on top, to resemble candy canes.

Afghans were both worked using 4.50 mm crochet hook and a mixture of Aran/Worsted and DK yarns. Granny square blanket was made using a join as you go method.

Naughty Reindeer Chart by Anne Rutten. Yarns used: Patons Baby Smiles 4ply in Camel and Drops Fabel, Uni Colour.

Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith. Susan B Anderson’s modifications. Yarns used: Stylecraft Special Aran in White, Silver and Raspberry.

Own ‘Designed’ Cowl. Yarn used: Drops Big Fabel Print in Pink, Yellow, Green Colourway.

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Featured Designer: Pat Alinejad of Huggable Bears.

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image belongs to Pat Alinejad

Featured Blogger: Kristina of Decorartuk

LUA Pouches/Purses/Bags.

Wightstitches Podcast Group on Ravelry. Join Here.

Nattering Knitters Group on Facebook.

NB: Yarn images credited to Love Knitting 

Podcast Episode 4, Show notes …

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Featured Designer: Sorren Kerr

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Anders by Sorren Kerr

Shout Outs:

Podcast Yarnciful   Blog: The Twisted Yarn

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Graphic Design by Wightstitches on Redbubble.

Miyu Hare knitting Pattern

MIYU USE A

Flowers in the Snow Crochet Pattern 

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image by Solveig Grimstad

Wightstitches Podcast Ravelry Group.

Thank you so much for watching… ❤ x

Podcast Episode 3 … Hair & Hares …

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Happy Halloween Everyone.

I thought today was entirely appropriate to frighten you all with the latest episode of the Wightstitches Podcast … 😀  Enjoy.. ❤

Show notes/links … Please subscribe on YouTube to show your support … thank you lovelies. x

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Sweet Candy Bag

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sweet-candy-bag

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Goldfish Mittens by Amy Christoffers

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goldfish-mittens

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Osbourne House

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/

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Victoria Shawlette Knitting Pattern

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/victoria-shawlette

My Foxylicious: pattern by Little Cotton Rabbits

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/greanise/girl-fox-in-a-flowery-frock

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http://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-9551,00.html

Recommended Podcasts:         Made With Carlenergy          Stitched Together

Miscellaneous:

Ice Yarns

Rowan Yarns

Wightstitches Ravelry Group.

New Venture & Knocking Knees …

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They do say that you are never too old to experience new things. Well I certainly hope that this is true!

For several months I have been contemplating joining the happy band of knitting podcasters on that massive platform known as You Tube. Many, many hours have been spent enjoying the company of The Dancing Geek, Little Bobbins, The Sockmatician, Knitworthy and a whole gamut of other fabulous yarnaholics. So today, with trembling hands and knocking knees, I did just that … and I am simply terrified waiting for any reaction. So, as the whole point of the exercise is to get viewers/subscribers, I thought I would bite the bullet and share my dodgy musings with you lovely lot! Please be kind … I am a virgin you know. lol

My first episode is full of me waffling on a bit, which is, I’m afraid, just the way I am, as you probably know already! It also contains some pretty dodgy editing, (the waffling went on just a bit TOO long) … and ends with some pretty knitting stuff. The aim for future episodes, if viewing figures warrant the making of any, is too include more yarny content, give-a-ways, knitting/crochet advice and tips and less chattering … well I’ll try anyway! I also hope the quality will improve too, it really is very much a steep learning curve twinned with very basic equipment, but it can only get better … she says optimistically.

Anyhoo, my sweets, It would be smashing if you could spare the time to check it out, it is rather long, (back to the waffling element again …), you can always fast forward, and I would really appreciate any comments you would like to make. I may not be at all what you were expecting, so apologies for any disappointment, and this really is a very big, (no pun intended), deal, for me to be doing this, up to now I have managed to stay fairly anonymous so be honest please, just not brutal ..  (or at least leave that for episode two!) lol.

If you do watch,

thank-you-card-with-daisy-flowers-shutterstock_141076960 … I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know. ❤ x

A Post of Miscellany …

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I am often asked the best way of joining a crochet chain when working in the round and how to avoid it twisting…came across this and thought it was such a simple solution it would have been rude not to share…

If you are looking for the ideal Mother’s Day crochet project that is quick, pretty and versatile, this could well be the one …

image by 'Crochet in Colour' ... Free Pattern Here.
image by ‘Crochet in Colour‘ … Free Pattern Here.
Great way of making sure you start off with the right length circular needles at the start of a project.
Great way of making sure you start off with the right length circular needles at the start of a project.

 

For knitters looking to start their Easter gift making, these egg cosies are adorable. Pattern Here.
For knitters looking to start their Easter gift making, these egg cosies are adorable. Pattern Here.

Finally in this potpourri of a post my latest Digital Art launch… ‘Flora’ … exclusive and available on lots of lovely goodies from t-shirts & tote bags to the pictured tablet skin.

Designed by Wightstitches, Here.
Designed by Wightstitches, Here.

Hope something appealed … 😀

Cast Away …

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image by Nadin Trautzsch
image by Nadin Trautzsch

Over the  years I have often been asked about my favoured casting-on method. Rather embarrassingly,  for a large number of those years, I truthfully believed there was only the one method; The Cable Cast-On.

Thus everything I made, began in this way. When I first started knitting, my tension was so tight my needles squeaked rather than clicked and liberal sprinklings of baby talc were regularly required. Every sweater had a button plaque so it would go over the head and socks were in definite danger of cutting off the blood supply. As I got better, I learnt to cast-on with needles a size or two larger than those used for the body of the pattern. But even then, I was never completely content with the finish…neat, yes, stretchy? Not really. When making my first pair of gloves, I compensated by knitting a ridiculously loose edge. Slipped on great. Then promptly flew off again with the first wave. A strap and popper affair solved the issue but I vowed to never knit mittens again.

Mine weren't quite as silly as these ...
Mine weren’t quite as silly as these 

Then, the marvel of the Internet appeared and my world of wooliness was transformed. Fabulously generous knitters, from all over the globe, began to share their knowledge and ‘recipes’. It was like a whole hardware store of light-bulbs had popped above my head all at once. All those ideas for patterns that had been scrawled down on bits of paper now became a possibility. All those gloves and hats and socks I longed to design could become a reality.

That was 10 years ago now, and although it took me another 8 years to properly throw myself into the ‘designing game’, my love for all things yarny stemmed from that realisation that there were other ways of casting-on.

I thought I would share my favourites with apologies to those lovely folks I taught in the past, I do so hope they quickly discovered internet tutorials too…

Most Useful, Long-Tail Cast-On:

Perfect For Toe-Up Socks/Crown Down Hats/Bags, Judy’s Magic Cast-On:

Best for Double-Knitting & Brioche, Italian Cast-On:

Best Method for Adding Stitches at ends of work or in the centre over the top of Button-holes, Grandma’s Easy Thumb Cast-On:

I am well aware I am most probably preaching to the converted but I promise I am not trying to teach ‘grandmothers to suck eggs’, I just hope to inspire newbies to explore new horizons and not waste as much time as I did; wallowing in frustration… lol

Happy Casting…