tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46972019237658769752024-02-18T19:16:20.909-08:00annidomino........ Design-related ramblings knitted with inspiration and ideas .......Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-54890173518419107262015-08-28T11:32:00.000-07:002015-08-28T11:45:05.312-07:00Allotment knits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Knit Now magazine issue 51 has hit the shelves, so I'm pleased to introduce the Artichoke Beret and the Trellis and Vine Jumper, two designs from the Allotment Knits collection. It's my first foray into curation for the magazine, in which I set the theme and was part of the team that chose the designs.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Artichoke Beret by Anni Howard<br />Photo © Practical Publishing</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Artichoke Beret is knitted in Kettle Yarn Co Islington DK with a contrast pompom in KYC Twist 4ply. It is knitted in the round, with k2, p2 ribs and a clever lace design that grows progressively smaller as it nears the crown, just like the petals of an artichoke in fact. I love this yarn - the 55% Superwash BFL and 45% silk construction results in a smooth, soft yarn with a gorgeous sheen. It takes just one skein of the Islington DK (£19 per 100g skein from <a href="http://kettleyarnco.co.uk/product-category/dk/" target="_blank">here</a>). I used a finer weight yarn for the pompom as I feel it gives a more professional effect and the Twist 4ply was ideal. Y</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ou could use yarn from your stash for the pompom instead, just choose a contrasting bright shade.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Trellis and Vine by Anni Howard</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Trellis and Vine Jumper is knitted in Rowan Softknit Cotton - it's soft and drapey but with good stitch definition, so produces the texture of the front panel beautifully while also giving a smooth stocking stitch.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The idea behind the front panel is that dichotomy within all gardens - we attempt to control nature with grids and beds and trellis, but nature grows where it likes and won't be contained. So here the vine panels sit outside of the trellis panel. The sides of the jumper are shaped for a flattering fit, and I designed the sleeves as 3/4 length, because no-one wants their lovingly crafted knitwear to trail in the mud when weeding.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Choosing a varied range of designs for the collection was an interesting experience, not least of which was the bumper crop of wonderful carroty designs, including one by me. As we couldn't include them all, which should we leave out? In the end this design</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> ended up on the compost heap, but I'm intending to one day reuse the stitch pattern in a new design - if I ever have the time!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">© </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Anni Howard</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was really excited to be asked by Kate at Knit Now to curate this collection. Read more about the process in the magazine - in stores now, or to buy a digital edition, visit <a href="https://www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine.aspx?catid=1034&category=Hobbies+%26+Crafts&subcatid=213&subcategory=Sewing+%26+Knitting&title=Knit+Now&titleid=2670&issueid=104113" target="_blank">pocketmags.com</a>. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And you can see the inspiration on my Allotment Pinterest board </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/annidomino/allotment/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And finally, for your delectation and a bit of non-knitty, this-is-not-an-allotment surrealism, and just because ... here's an allotment inspired Bento box ... :D</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Bento box and photos © </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Anni Howard</span></td></tr>
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<br />Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-35466962109847548092015-02-08T05:20:00.000-08:002015-08-19T11:04:59.139-07:00... and the winner is ...<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you to everyone who entered the Cublington giveaway to win 600g of Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran - the winner is B Livingstone, whose name Dave drew out of my Flower Beret a few moments ago. If B Livingstone is you, mighty congratulations, and please get in touch so I can get your prize to you. :D</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sorry to those that didn't win but maybe I'll have another giveaway soon, so keep watching ... </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Putting the names in the hat</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The winner!!!</span></td></tr>
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Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-55391382158976741432015-01-08T12:30:00.004-08:002015-01-09T10:45:28.808-08:00Cublington <span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My Cublington Tunic and Cowl are published in issue 43 of Knit Now magazine today (8th January), and to celebrate I've got a giveaway for you lovely knitters. You could win enough Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran to knit the tunic and/or the cowl for yourself - 12 balls in the colour shown in the photos, worth over £60.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">© Dan Walmsley for </span><br style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" /><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Practical Publishing</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ok, a bit of an admission - when Kate the editor of Knit Now asked how much yarn I would need, I overestimated ... slightly. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The lovely people at Designer Yarns said I could add the extra yarn to my stash. Normally I'm happy to 'improve' my stash, obviously, but I thought it only fair that I should pass it on - to you.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The tunic is shaped at the sides and armholes, and has a low round neck, making it ideal to wear over a thinner jumper or long-sleeved dress. It is worked in stocking stitch and rib with a cable panel up the centre front. The coordinating cowl is separate so you can take it off indoors, and it's long enough to wrap twice round your neck when you venture out into the cold.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In case you are wondering, Cublington is the name of a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book, but then, for reasons unknown, moved from its original site to the current location some time in the Middle Ages. Evidence of the first village including the remains of a small castle and the original church can still be seen. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Visit the Cublington website <a href="http://www.cublington.com/?page_id=36" target="_blank">here</a> to discover more about the "village that moved."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ok, so what do you have to do to win the yarn? All I ask is that you leave a comment about Cublington (the tunic, the cowl or the "village that moved") on this blog before the 5th February when the next issue of Knit Now is published. I'll draw one comment out of a (hand knitted) hat over the weekend of the 7th/8th of February, publish the name of the winner and contact you for your address. Royal Mail will do the rest!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, add your comment here, and good luck!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-91598467868837930612014-03-12T15:10:00.000-07:002014-03-12T15:10:12.885-07:00Grace Darling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Every year Knit Now magazine publishes one issue that celebrates all that is good in the British knit world, from wonderful home grown wool to local yarn spinners and dyers. I am thrilled that one of my designs has been included in this year's showcase issue, my tribute to a true 'Best of British' heroine, Grace Darling.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Photo © Dan Walmsley</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11pt;">One early morning in September 1838 Grace Darling
looked out across the North Sea from the window of her father’s lighthouse to
see the wreck of the SS Forfarshire, and the survivors stranded on a nearby
rocky island. The weather being thought too stormy for the lifeboat, Grace and
her father rowed out to save 9 people. She was hailed worldwide as a heroine – gifts
of shawls, silverware and silk arrived, artists turned up unannounced to paint
her portrait, and Queen Victoria sent £50 (which would be worth nearly £4,000 today) as a token. After refusing numerous
proposals of marriage (and one invitation to appear in a circus) she succumbed
to TB in 1842, aged 26. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Grace Darling by J W Carmichael<br />© RNLI Grace Darling Museum</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px;">Ever since that fateful day, the RNLI lifeboat at nearby Seahouses bears her name … as does this capelet, with its breaking waves pattern and foamy edging. I imagine Grace hastily wrapping it around her shoulders as her eyes search the cold, crashing waters below. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Small size, knitted in baa ram ewe Titus<br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Photo © Anni Howard</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11pt;">A word of caution - the cast on row takes some stamina. For every stitch, you cast on 4 stitches then cast off 3, which pays homage to Grace and echoes the rhythm of her rowing as she struggled against the waves. But, the remainder of the knitting is fast and easy, so once you are past the cast on row, the rest will sail by. And a tip - </span><span style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">when working the edging and wave patterns, you may find it easier to keep count if you place a marker at the end of each repeat.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Large size, knitted in <br />YarnAddict Silky Camel 4ply<br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Photo © Anni Howard</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px;">Using only one skein of baa ram ewe's gorgeous Titus 4ply (last year Knit Now readers voted this wool/alpaca blend their favourite British yarn) the capelet is warm, quick to knit and versatile. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">You can wear Grace Darling in various ways - the smaller two sizes fit loosely around the shoulders as a lacy capelet, as shown in Knit Now, while the largest size can be wrapped around the neck like a scarf and tied at the front or side. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px;">The Knit Now photoshoot was held on a bitingly cold January day, and I respect the poor model for her determination to keep smiling while wearing such flimsy attire. You can read more about the day in editor Kate's blog in the magazine.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Knit Now issue 32 is in store now, or can be purchased online <a href="http://www.moremags.com/knitting/knit-now" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To find out more about Grace Darling visit the <a href="http://rnli.org/aboutus/historyandheritage/museums/Pages/Grace-Darling-Museum.aspx?utm_source=rnli-website-redirect&utm_medium=vanity-urls&utm_campaign=gracedarling" target="_blank">museum website</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To buy baa ram ewe Titus, see all the shades <a href="http://baaramewe.co.uk/products/titus-original-4-ply" target="_blank">here</a>.</span>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-71813359731369691132013-11-28T13:58:00.001-08:002013-11-28T13:58:42.897-08:00Ann Kingstone, taking the Eek! out of Steeking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've only met Ann Kingstone a couple of times in person. I've been so bowled over by her friendliness that I already consider her one of my closest knitting buddies and I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to review her latest book 'Stranded Knits - Smart skills for colourwork knitting, 16 glorious designs'. Her warmth and supportive nature come out in her writing too, so in knitting up her designs, you just know that she is willing you on to succeed, providing you with all the information, advice and hand-holding you need to take your skills to the next level. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In her instructions she makes everything as easy as possible. Concise and unambiguous instructions. Extra explanations and diagrams for the techniques that until now you thought of as 'advanced.' Clear and beautifully coloured charts. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, in Stranded Knits you get all that as well as 16 to-die-for colourwork designs in which to practise your new skills. Ann shows the endless variations possible just by stranding two colours across a row of knitting (and she even helps you with deciding which two colours!) Despite the complexity of some of the garments, they are all achievable due to the help in the skills section, which covers steeking (cutting into your knitting), two-handed colourwork knitting, short rows, cast on techniques and more. This book provides everything except needles and yarn!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Field Study Photo by Verity Britton</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, which are my favourites? I love the patterning in Field Study and how one section of pattern merges into the next. Knitted in just two colours throughout and worked in the round (as are all the designs in the book) and st</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;">eek</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ed at the neck it would take me an age, but it's a jumper worth attempting for its sheer beauty.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thomasina Photo by Verity Britton</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Alternatively, for a smaller project, Thomasina combines stranding with increases and decreases to create directional knitting within the pattern. This is probably the one I'll make up, because I don't have too much time for personal knitting.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">William Photo by Verity Britton</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And I love, love, love the rabbits in William. Traditionally motifs like this would be knitted in the intarsia technique, using separate strands of yarn for each section of colour, but if you prefer to strand, Ann shows you where to trap the yarn at the back of the work so the floats aren't over long.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, all this does sound rather gushing, so to balance it out I do have a couple of niggles. Firstly, the colour wheel, which Ann calls 'basic' isn't a standard wheel as the primary and secondary colours aren't in the usual, regularly spaced places. But her accompanying explanations make up for this for me. Secondly, some of the adult necklines seem rather wide, and although I personally prefer wider necks, these seem to be wide to the point of falling off the shoulders. In a collection of this type, where the emphasis is on the stranded colourwork, I might have hoped to see at least an option for a more traditional neckline. But never fear, because Ann has provided advice for altering necklines in her Ravelry group. I told you she was supportive!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I asked Ann how the idea for the book came about ...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"The idea for Stranded Knits came because I specialise in stranded colourwork, and realised I need to share some of my techniques with knitters. Many folk don't realise there are things they can do to make stranded knitting easy and fun. I wanted to take the fear out of it for folk."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I was interested in her method of placing stitch counts in a table rather than in the main text. It certainly makes the instructions easier to read, especially as the adult designs are written up from 32" to 58" bust - that's 14 sizes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138;">"I learnt pattern writing by trial and error. I'm sad to say that I am embarrassed by the quality of the instructions for some of the stuff I published back when I started designing. I've always been committed to excellence, and they were the best I knew how to do at the time. It's just that I've developed a lot since! I have a great relationship with my technical editor, Karen, and working with her has really helped improve my style.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The placement of the sizing information in tables is something I wondered about doing when I wrote the patterns for my first two jumper designs. I covered such a huge range of sizes that the text in the pattern was awkward to format. There were so many numbers in brackets everywhere! I thought it would make the pattern a lot less confusing if the sizing information was in tables instead of in the main text. However, as a newbie designer I didn't dare risk doing something so unorthodox until I had seen it done very effectively by Ysolda Teague in Little Red In The City."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Lastly I asked Ann where she is going in the future and what's the next book all about - because I for one can't wait!!</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"I'm working on a book of seamless garments for beginner plus and intermediate knitters. The idea is to teach seamless constructions through designs that are approachable for new knitters, and knitters that are new to seamless knitting. The challenge is to also make those designs attractive and exciting! It's an interesting discipline for me... ;o)"</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />What makes this book essential for any adventurous knitter's bookshelf is the 'smart skills' section - this book will give you the confidence to start (and the skills to complete) any of the 16 'glorious' designs for women, children and men. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Put Stranded Knits on your Christmas list ...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">... but while you are waiting, you could knit some of these - Ann Kingstone's Wesley Bobs (Wesley Bob is the traditional Yorkshire name for a Christmas decoration, and as an authentic Yorkshire lass Ann is rightly proud of her heritage). I'm casting on for my Wesley Bob as soon as this blog is published.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Wesley Bobs Photo by Ann Kingstone</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Buy the pattern for Wesley Bobs <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wesley-bobs" target="_blank">here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">See all the designs in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/stranded-knits" target="_blank">Stranded Knits</a> on Ravelry.<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Buy Stranded Knits by Ann Kingstone from good yarn shops. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">All the designs in the book are shown knitted up in Rowan yarns.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-3840273367163555382013-03-05T07:16:00.001-08:002013-03-05T09:28:25.806-08:00Plaid revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span class="hw" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">plaid</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">n.</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>1. </b>A rectangular woollen scarf of a tartan pattern worn over the left shoulder by Scottish Highlanders.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2.</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>a. </b>Cloth with a tartan or checked pattern.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>b. </b>A pattern of this kind.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tartan and plaid wool fabrics go back a long way in British history - the ancient Celts of Boudica's Iron Age era wove checked textiles, which we think they wrapped and draped around their bodies and shoulders very much like the Scots wear their tartan fabric in kilts today. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Top fashion designers, too, periodically use checks in their collections. Vivienne Westwood has always been fascinated by tartan, from the original punk designs for her Sex shop in the 70s to the Anglomania collections. Westwood even designed her own tartan, Mac Andreas, named for her husband, in 1993. Seen represented in a UK stamp design, this outfit is famous for Naomi Campbell's fall from grace on the catwalk.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Pre-Fall and Winter 2013/4 collections are full of the look - lots of tartans and draped check fabrics worn on top of each other from Chanel, and angled checks from Junya Watanabe. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I lo</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">ve these multi-layered tartans and pattern mixes - it's probably a throw back to my days as a punk.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Chanel Pre-fall 2013</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Chanel Pre-fall 2013</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Watanabe A/W 2013/14</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But what if you want a simpler look? </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To give a more sophisticated nod to the story, my tartan and kilt inspired Plaid Scarf gives an understated extra layer. Focusing on texture in one colour, with an interesting-to-knit angled construction, i</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">t was designed for Knit Now magazine, for their Best of British issue, where the magazine celebrates all things home-grown and sheepy.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Photo by Dan Walmsley </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It suits both men and women, and </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love that Knit Now magazine have shown it on a man. It’s a really versatile design that can also be draped and fastened with a pin - try a lucky heather brooch or traditional kilt pin.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A little bit about the yarn - Blacker Swan Falkland Islands DK is a joint venture between Blacker Yarns and the Swan Inlet Farm near Stanley on the Falkland Islands, where Andrez and Ali Short herd their merino sheep on horseback across the tree-less landscape.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; line-height: 21px;"> It is a beautifully soft and squishy yarn to knit with, highly recommended for when you need good stitch definition, and comes in a range of natural-inspired colours. Loads more information and a list of stockists are available from the <a href="http://www.blackeryarns.co.uk/" target="_blank">Blacker Yarns website.</a></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGO8d1GnHRXt_xJWHtXsDLR-Bn8tJPrfQZegbrPGPZErncZevxWaTN4bCW2fJpVyfpYRFnKqkLe28ouqhOtfFzdnJ-KqAriuBkAu_DePuK6BY8ii-in4OU1_Wz-WtBjdCf76wOCem8EGc/s1600/sheep+farming+stamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGO8d1GnHRXt_xJWHtXsDLR-Bn8tJPrfQZegbrPGPZErncZevxWaTN4bCW2fJpVyfpYRFnKqkLe28ouqhOtfFzdnJ-KqAriuBkAu_DePuK6BY8ii-in4OU1_Wz-WtBjdCf76wOCem8EGc/s400/sheep+farming+stamps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And, to end with more stamps, these from the <br />Falkland Islands in 1976 show the sheep <br />farming industry there at the time</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Knit Now issue 19 is due out 7th March 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Buy Knit Now magazine from all good newsagents, supermarkets or direct from the website, <a href="http://www.moremags.com/knitting" target="_blank">here.</a> Or alternatively, you can now buy a digital copy via the new <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/id602272165" target="_blank">app</a> for iPhone and iPad. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">See the whole range of Great British Fashion stamps, issued in 2012, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2012/may/11/royal-mail-fashion-stamps?CMP=twt_gu#/?picture=389819200&index=0" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Vivienne Westwood's 1993 tartan design Mac Andreas can be seen at the Tartan Register, <a href="http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=5530" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div>
<br />Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-64947863858689588042013-01-04T07:35:00.000-08:002013-01-04T07:35:15.956-08:00The Viñoly Beret<div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The firstsite building, a contemporary art gallery and community education space in Colchester, Essex, opened in September 2011.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The curves and diagonally pleated panels of the building have inspired me to design the Viñoly Beret - a modular, ridged hat knitted on two needles and </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">with a picked up brim</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">© </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Dan Walmsley for <br />Practical Publishing</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The hat in the magazine is knitted in Colinette Art (how appropriate is that!), but I've also since knitted up the design in Rowan Silk Twist (sadly discontinued, but still available in some LYSs) and in Lang Yarns Mille Colori, and it looks great in all three. You could use any aran-weight yarn - as long as stocking stitch knits to 18 sts and 24 rows to 10cm using 5mm needles.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; text-align: start;">Vi</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: start;">ñoly</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> Beret <br />knitted in Rowan Silk Twist</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, why Vi</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ñoly? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 45px;">"My design philosophy is rooted in the development of architectural ideas that are powerful, distinctive, and relevant to the specifics of both program and context."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 45px;">Rafael V</span><span style="line-height: 45px;">i</span>ñ<span style="line-height: 45px;">oly</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Originally from Uruguay, the architect Rafael Vi</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ñoly won the competition to design a new contemporary art space in Colchester. The brief was to provide a building that could also be used as an educational facility and importantly would not damage the ground on which it was built - Colchester has a rich archeology, and a Roman mosaic found on the site has been reinstalled as the only permanent exhibit. (For anyone that's more interested in the Berryfield mosaic than the beret, this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC1027EFBEA53F5DB" target="_blank">series of videos</a> shows the conservation process and installation into its new home.)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Abstract shots of the building</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #666666;">The instructions to knit the beret are </span></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">published in this month's Knit Now magazine, due in shops on the 10th January, and not only that ... I've also written all about where I got the idea from and how I worked out the geometry of the knitting, illustrated with pages of my sketchbook. A bit of a peep inside my design mind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;">If you'd like a peep into Vi</span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ñ</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;">oly's mind too, he discusses his work <span style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/29751775" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span lang="EN-GB">For details of
current exhibitions and events at firstsite visit <a href="http://www.firstsite.uk.net/">http://www.firstsite.uk.net/</a> or t</span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">ake a tour of the building with RVA Project Architect Julin Kinal at </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://youtu.be/mLQTZrTh6Lc">http://youtu.be/mLQTZrTh6Lc</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Knit Now magazine can be bought from all good newsagents and most supermarkets, or online direct from the publisher <a href="http://www.knitnowmag.co.uk/" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div>
Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-72951330095839452512012-06-03T06:42:00.000-07:002012-06-03T06:42:02.051-07:00Iceni mitts<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, following on from the last post about Lavenham Blue yarn, here's what it inspired me to do:- </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"In stature she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh; a great mass of the tawniest hair fell to her hips; around her neck was a great golden torq; she wore a tunic of divers colours over which a thick mantle was fastened with a brooch; and on her hands were blue wool mitts of studded ropes, through which her fingers pointed out the direction of her foe. This was her invariable attire."</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The quote above was written by Cassius Dio, a Roman commentator - well, all except the bit about the mitts. I made that up!* I just loved the fanciful idea that Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, would have knitted her own gloves in Lavenham Blue DK, possibly at the camp fire, relaxing after a hard day in battle. We actually know very little of her life but we do know that knitting was unfortunately not around in the 1st Century - t</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">he earliest records of knitting are from the middle ages. However, the Celts of the iron age were skilful textiles craftpeople: evidence of spinning, dyeing, weaving (including intricate multi-coloured checks and tartans)and tablet weaving have all been found, while their iron-working ancestors were the original inventors of chainmail. Surely someone at the time was trying to create fabrics from a single strand of wool? I'm intending to continue my research into the textiles techniques utilised by contemporaries of Boudica, so watch this space ...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Boudica, Colchester<br />by Jonathan Clarke</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But back to my Iceni mitts design. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Boudica lived during the Roman occupation of Britain. Following the death of her husband the Iceni King, after which her daughters were raped and she was tortured and humiliated, she led a revolt</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> which resulted in the burning of Colchester, London and St Albans, and thousands of deaths including her own. Obviously there was more to it than that (for in-depth analysis of this "Barbarian Spring" in a rap style, you could watch <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1LhT7rCC6O8&h=MAQG-mCze" target="_blank">Horrible Histories</a>), but I digress!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Inspired by "what Boudica would wear," I decided that a vengeful Celtic Queen with a spear in one hand and a long chariot drive ahead of her would most likely need a pair of fingerless mitts. I liked the idea of a gauntlet shape, to fit snuggly up the arm, and I also wanted cables to symbolise Celtic interlaced designs.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1ig91L0mxHSM8dipwLDc0zzMXcpYbl2mIfa4DZT3iWLC6MkB6ntx3Qt3DpKwRNIk7Zb6TNcGVZFPvo1bwzdFUJ8D7HV7f4EE0GBsEjLGTF77vgGj-v_gDAwVPMSIARnjqaGAKzIc97vF/s1600/sample1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1ig91L0mxHSM8dipwLDc0zzMXcpYbl2mIfa4DZT3iWLC6MkB6ntx3Qt3DpKwRNIk7Zb6TNcGVZFPvo1bwzdFUJ8D7HV7f4EE0GBsEjLGTF77vgGj-v_gDAwVPMSIARnjqaGAKzIc97vF/s320/sample1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Iceni mitts start with a cabled cuff ...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnqaMlc5iX2L_AdB1qQ2gxCnySb8HLS4xrChdrdyG_-i-hGD4BeASWuC5iLakGwSkoeRs-HNc-B5RvDKBaP7a6sBGlp3JgsdOnO-OH84F1CH5MI_JstMgHe-UG4SiUcSnaFe8S43crcV0/s1600/sample4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnqaMlc5iX2L_AdB1qQ2gxCnySb8HLS4xrChdrdyG_-i-hGD4BeASWuC5iLakGwSkoeRs-HNc-B5RvDKBaP7a6sBGlp3JgsdOnO-OH84F1CH5MI_JstMgHe-UG4SiUcSnaFe8S43crcV0/s320/sample4.jpg" width="255" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">... then the sts for the hand <br />are picked up along one edge, <br />and the mitt is knitted in the round</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The pattern is available in two sizes. I knitted the small size which measures 19cm (or 7.5in) around the palm, and two stocking stitch swatches, all out of one skein of Lavenham Blue DK. At 209m per skein, it is really good value for £10! It is spun from 100% Leicester Longwool and dyed with woad grown in Norfolk, home territory of the Iceni tribe. The mitts can, of course, be made in any yarn that knits to standard DK tension.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_yJyn2EL_dRF8rIgnJ7tPMYE-RdpE0ExP9X0AQncv3zrRJ14K6-cSxfpjo5SFujuNenUX62aRld3piLQamfPwrZsK6CKubV8oN6vahnboYfL27aAM9LSg98EIm3CdC_L-Ja9HP_cYtN7/s1600/sample3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_yJyn2EL_dRF8rIgnJ7tPMYE-RdpE0ExP9X0AQncv3zrRJ14K6-cSxfpjo5SFujuNenUX62aRld3piLQamfPwrZsK6CKubV8oN6vahnboYfL27aAM9LSg98EIm3CdC_L-Ja9HP_cYtN7/s320/sample3.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Iceni mitts by Anni Howard</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Iceni Mitts pattern is now available for sale as a Ravelry download <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/iceni-mitts" target="_blank">here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lavenham Blue DK is exclusive to </span>
<a href="http://www.cafeknit.com/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">Cafe Knit</a> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- if you order online before midnight on June 5th 2012, enter the code CKJubilee at the checkout for a 15% discount on everything you buy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">*Actually, Cassius Dio may have made up his description of Boudica too - it was written more than a hundred years after her death. </span>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-10395372259798980292012-06-01T03:44:00.004-07:002012-06-01T03:44:51.721-07:00Lavenham Blue<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I haven't written a yarn review on this blog before, but this yarn deserves a bit of wider coverage ... if only because I so love the concept! </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Local yarn shop. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Local sheep. Local dye. Local history. If you like local, this yarn has it all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Let's start with the shop. After running a successful internet business, last November Victoria Beech and her family moved from London to open Cafe Knit's first wool and coffee shop in picturesque, medieval Lavenham. Cafe Knit stocks a wonderful array of yarns and patterns, tools and buttons, and is also a place to sit and browse a knitting magazine (or newspaper) over a leisurely latte and cake. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As you first enter Lavenham you can't fail to notice the timber-framed buildings which were built when the town was at the centre of the textile trade. By 1524 it was one of the wealthiest places in Britain because it exported as far as Russia and the Middle East. Its most renowned cloth was Lavenham Blue (or Blewes) Broadcloth, a </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">plain, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">heavy wool fabric, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">measuring 28yd 28in long by 5ft 3in </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">wide, and dyed blue with woad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And so to the yarn ... </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULfZx9eGA_2gc9-hMATkl-tv0pqy0Wh9Nc_8YASMLSj2XKGpdOEFSVQUEowp7hv16DAnVHUEWqvnNkvm94CmUWj_TlN7ByvCnZbS4LH5Wlcx0-lW74rCWdpFm9ON-kHem6V38kHzD4SZe/s1600/Lavenham+Blue_s+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULfZx9eGA_2gc9-hMATkl-tv0pqy0Wh9Nc_8YASMLSj2XKGpdOEFSVQUEowp7hv16DAnVHUEWqvnNkvm94CmUWj_TlN7ByvCnZbS4LH5Wlcx0-lW74rCWdpFm9ON-kHem6V38kHzD4SZe/s1600/Lavenham+Blue_s+(1).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lavenham Blue DK</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Victoria told me "As soon as we became more aware of Lavenham and its rich wool history, it was one of my ambitions to recreate Lavenham Blue yarn, as it was Lavenham Blue Broad Cloth that brought the village such wealth back in the 1500s. The response so far to the yarn has been brilliant, I think people love the idea of this yarn that is steeped in history!!!"</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: left;">The yarn is from Marion Knights at Stoneweaving, an active member of the Lavenham Guild of Spinners, Dyers and Weavers and uses fleece from Leicester Longwool sheep. The flock belong to Jo and Mark Tavernor of Apple Tree Cottage in Felsham, only about 8 miles from Lavenham, and as well as using the fibres in her work, Marion also helps out at lambing and shearing time. Lavenham Longwools are</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">on the rare Breeds Survival Trust Category 2 endangered list</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">, which means there are only between 300 to 500 left, and the gene pool is so low that breeding programmes have to be carefully worked out to prevent inbreeding. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iS_vGKl6ihg85CIJqHD3iOttNXM4mN7p-HXPauk7AjDuwJAPqufRPKWKOmWSdphEqmjx4ZbEAx2ohOeKq9-RJcedsESF6g4TuEpAriEctHCO5_faE6spVqajBTjgte2hv27jPAYvGiCt/s1600/leicester++longwool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iS_vGKl6ihg85CIJqHD3iOttNXM4mN7p-HXPauk7AjDuwJAPqufRPKWKOmWSdphEqmjx4ZbEAx2ohOeKq9-RJcedsESF6g4TuEpAriEctHCO5_faE6spVqajBTjgte2hv27jPAYvGiCt/s320/leicester++longwool.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Leicester Longwool sheep</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">Look at that fleece! How gorgeous is this sheep?</span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 14px;">In the middle ages, woad was the go-to dye for blue, until it was gradually replaced by imported indigo from Asia - although woad is more colour-fast, indigo produces a deeper shade than woad. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">The Celtic Iceni tribe (Boudica was their Queen), used the blue dye obtained from woad leaves to paint swirling patterns and religious symbols on their skin prior to going into battle. With its mildly antiseptic properties it probably gave some protection against minor wounds, but it also scared their opponents, the Romans. (In Scotland the Picts also painted themselves with woad - the word 'pict' means 'painted' in the Celtic language.) </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 14px;">The woad used in Cafe Knit's Lavenham Blue was grown in Norfolk, home of Boudica and the Iceni tribe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These are my 'before and after' stocking stitch swatches - the 'after' swatch is on top in the photo. After blocking, the tension stayed at 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10cm (very satisfying). Although my fingers became pale blue while knitting, no dye came out of the swatch in the washing process. It washed out of my fingers easily though - phew! When knitting it felt a little rougher than I would have expected, but after washing the swatch was softer and slightly fluffier than before - I'm very pleased with the result. I also know it felts up really well, as I saw a felted bag in the Cafe Knit shop when I visited. Get the feeling this yarn will be a regular addition to my stash, especially now there is a 2Ply version too! :D</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If you are tempted to buy Lavenham Blue DK, or the 2Ply version, <a href="http://www.cafeknit.com/" target="_blank">Cafe Knit</a> is offering a 15% discount on all purchases in store or online from now until midnight on Tuesday 5th June 2012. Simply mention the offer in the shop or use the following discount code at the checkout: CKJubilee</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The next installment of this blog will be published to coincide with my new design, Iceni Mitts. I'm sure Boudica would have worn mitts in Lavenham Blue ... if knitting had been invented in the first century! Here is a taster ...</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The website of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust can be found </span><a href="https://www.rbst.org.uk/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">here.</a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A fact sheet about Leicester Longwool sheep from by the RBST can be found </span><a href="https://www.rbst.org.uk/sitemanager/uploads/ck_files/files/Leicester%20Longwool%20-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">here</a> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and information from the Leicester Longwool Sheepbreeders Association <a href="http://www.leicesterlongwoolsheepassociation.co.uk/description.html" target="_blank">here.</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Marion Knights was featured in an article in the East Anglian Daily Times magazine which can be seen <a href="http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&pnum=49&refresh=3c1F0Nf8e04T&EID=082b72fa-0ad2-4a07-bc61-085d320c7bd4&skip&p=49" target="_blank">here.</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Apple Tree Cottage website is <a href="http://www.wix.com/appletreecottagefels/appletreecottage#!sheep" target="_blank">here</a> - (warning for veggies - the farm sells meat from rare breed animals)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For woad dyeing information and to buy woad, visit <a href="http://www.woad-inc.co.uk/index.html" target="_blank">Woad-inc</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">More information about the wool trade in Suffolk and the east of England through history can be found </span><a href="http://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/EE-STP/cms/pdf/Suffolk%20Threads%20Heritage%20Trail.pdf" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">here.</a></li>
</ul>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-4468995263258395422012-05-25T14:46:00.001-07:002012-05-25T14:49:10.712-07:00Celtica<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've always been intrigued by Celtic patterns - the wonderful interlacing knots found in the borders of illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, or on stone crosses. One step on from "taking a line for a walk," they use plaits and braids with soft lines and curves, strictly ordered geometrics with a sense of spontaneity and vibrancy, and they seamlessly integrate strange animals, birds and letterforms into a background of pattern and endless threads.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8E27uiPmSHUdCtnu1ys3ghwqM_8ssbWRK7Aw_lleFgRhm6_2pZWShpYocOhUV2B6vw1JQLK-YpP8pG7syVc9iQoGR6kFeICA6wHchyH6iySjKzVUMhV6vCTxIf-smYZ1xaO451-AEjAj/s1600/celtic+knotwork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8E27uiPmSHUdCtnu1ys3ghwqM_8ssbWRK7Aw_lleFgRhm6_2pZWShpYocOhUV2B6vw1JQLK-YpP8pG7syVc9iQoGR6kFeICA6wHchyH6iySjKzVUMhV6vCTxIf-smYZ1xaO451-AEjAj/s1600/celtic+knotwork.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My Celtica headband design, published this month in Knit Now magazine, was inspired by the pattern above. Look carefully and you will soon be able to unravel its constituent parts - 4 quite separate strands are woven together in a strictly over-and-under sequence. As soon as I had decided to try to recreate this pattern in knitting I knew I would be working with i-cords, but the challenges were firstly to get the separate lengths right in relation to each other, so that the knot was neither too tight, nor too loose and floppy, and then to expand the knitting out from the centre panel into bands to fit around the head. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So here it is - the Celtica headband (I love this photo!) Knitted in Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, it could of course be knitted in any aran weight yarn, and only takes about 50g.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">photo by Tim Bradley for Practical Publishing</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Celtic art is laced with symbolism - for instance, the Celts thought that
the intricate knotwork designs would protect against the evil eye! I can't verify that claim, of course ... but do you really want to risk it by not making yourself a Celtica headband? :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You can find out more information on Ravelry, here:- <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/celtica" target="_blank">http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/celtica</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Knit Now magazine issue 9 is out in shops on May 31st, or can be ordered direct from the publisher, here:-</span><br />
<a href="http://www.practicalpublishing.co.uk/knitnow/"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">http://www.practicalpublishing.co.uk/knitnow/</span></a>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-90713841676592248772012-02-11T11:55:00.000-08:002012-02-11T12:05:18.791-08:00Mugs and more!<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">DH is such a sweetie, buying me this lovely sheepy mug while we were out today. He certainly knows what I like. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We were visiting </span><a href="http://www.thecheapshop.ltd.uk/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">The Cheap Shop</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, in Tiptree, Essex, which is NOT cheap (if anyone knows how it got its name please let me know), but is a fantastic little yarn, fabric, haberdashery and art supplies store. Quite an Aladdin's cave.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In the end I didn't buy anything, what with being spoilt for choice and DH's claustrophobia (as I said, it is LITTLE), but will certainly be going back for the Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace, and more. I was impressed to see some <a href="http://www.texere-yarns.co.uk/" target="_blank">Texere</a> yarn and inspiration packs nestling away in a corner - when I lived in Yorkshire, the Texere mill was within lunchtime walking distance of where I worked, and another Aladdin's cave, only BIGGER, stocking more fibres and yarns a textile mug like me could ever dream of. Texere, how I miss you, so I've photographed a ball of your to-dye-for Airedale Aran pretending to be the froth in my coffee!</span><br />
<br />Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-27556433838979546482012-01-01T15:30:00.000-08:002012-01-01T15:31:14.427-08:00Strands<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sometimes I am amazed that I have been fairly successful at doing something I love - knitting. I've been really lucky in that I only ever made one decision about my career - I wrote a spec letter at just the right time - and the rest has just flowed on from there, like a strand running through my life. I graduated in the 80's with a degree in textiles, after creating yarns for my final show. My first job out of college was at Wendy Wools in Yorkshire (the company that received the letter) where I joined a team of designers as a trainee. It was boomtime in the knitting industry - fashion items included mohair jackets for winter and drop stitch cotton tops for summer. We produced 40 designs each season, and baby outfits and specials in between. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What a brilliant job it was. I was involved in choosing yarns and shade ranges, writing design briefs, creating and commissioning designs, writing and checking instructions, liaising with printers and arranging photoshoots. And what a lot I learnt about how to create a design that knitters wanted to knit. How to write clear instructions. How to choose the right yarn for the design.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've been a knit designer for so long that some of my rookie designs have since come back into fashion! Batwings, entrelac, snoods? I was there the first time around. </span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Since then I have freelanced for various yarn companies, usually under the company name, so if you have knitted from a Tivoli, Wendy, Jarol, King Cole or Cygnet pattern, there is a chance that it is one of mine. I have copies of all my patterns of course, and one day aim to create a digital record, for posterity. In the meantime, here is just a small selection:-</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: center;">And more recently I have been designing for UK knitting magazines. You will find my stuff in Yarn Forward, Knit, Knit Today, Knitting and the brilliant new publication, </span><a href="http://www.practicalpublishing.co.uk/knitnow/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Knit Now</a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: center;">. My Mum is a proud collector of these, although she is struggling to differentiate between all the "knit" magazine titles. My latest design is on the front cover of Knit - so cool!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-X-WpOWMjK4gCNbvRmmdZUDq0J4e4RXTSngppGMyxKCQVGumJQ-spgM1A20Xl2KsZTdfLL85QclL_Lbzu_4pPIplLTnTV-nF8E_PdhwI4RrGYTdriaoKKJ2T4fwifU56E97q90ImGYrx3/s1600/Knit+45+Cover+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-X-WpOWMjK4gCNbvRmmdZUDq0J4e4RXTSngppGMyxKCQVGumJQ-spgM1A20Xl2KsZTdfLL85QclL_Lbzu_4pPIplLTnTV-nF8E_PdhwI4RrGYTdriaoKKJ2T4fwifU56E97q90ImGYrx3/s320/Knit+45+Cover+copy.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've also started to upload patterns to </span> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/anni-howard" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;" target="_blank">Ravelry</a><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, which is a wonderful world-wide knitting community. I'm fascinated by why certain designs are more popular than others - my Preppie scarf, for instance, has been downloaded by at least one person in the world (and some days by lots of people) every day for the last 18 months. I'm not really surprised by its success though - it's easy to knit, a bit quirky, and it's free!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Things have changed a lot over the years. When I first started designing there wasn't a computer in the department, but now I use my computer all the time - it is an essential tool for a knit designer in the 21st century. I can create charts and diagrams (in Illustrator), organise and manipulate digital photographs (in Photoshop), design the layout of my patterns (in InDesign or even in Word) and publish them online within seconds where potentially the whole world could see them. How exciting is that? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDlYxByIltuVTnkitjYposPbAehEqZzvgNU_kgXin-ZZRAigJa9B_Jh-stgq0o-3iIi8e8omIM34EJn9hBW0Ssk2OMKhz-GPxZvJTHN6TpEuWhYNqpiexGQ1LF292Ta4GLVO3cJzTgEOq/s1600/flower+beret+sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDlYxByIltuVTnkitjYposPbAehEqZzvgNU_kgXin-ZZRAigJa9B_Jh-stgq0o-3iIi8e8omIM34EJn9hBW0Ssk2OMKhz-GPxZvJTHN6TpEuWhYNqpiexGQ1LF292Ta4GLVO3cJzTgEOq/s200/flower+beret+sketch.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;">But I still sketch my ideas with a pencil, on paper! And of course, I still love to knit in the traditional way, with needles - I've never really got to grips with knitting machines. The craft of knitting is my relaxation, and creativity is my life. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Occasionally I wonder if all these experiences might make me an expert but </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">mostly I am amazed at how much I still have to learn about knitting. Every yarn, every stitch, every garment shape adds a new dimension to the creative process and a new problem to solve. I begin each new design with a fresh eye, or a fresh sense of wonder at the infinite possibilities of a strand of yarn. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anni X</span><br />
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</span>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-31629560010657409462011-05-05T11:20:00.000-07:002011-05-05T11:20:28.521-07:00Hold the front page!Ooh, such exciting news - my latest design might make it to the front page of a magazine this month! I can't wait to see it, and I'll be adding pics here as soon as it is released. :DAnni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697201923765876975.post-2248510063346373722011-03-03T06:04:00.000-08:002011-03-03T06:04:12.318-08:00Casting onHa! I've spent a whole morning getting my new blog to look good (colours, fonts, a banner, a photo of me - yuk!) and now I can't think of anything cool to write. So instead, here's a list of the sort of stuff you might find here in the future:-<br />
<ul><li>inspiration - what's currently exciting me, interesting things I have discovered</li>
<li>my projects, WIPs and insights into the design process</li>
<li>my hints and tips, and help with your projects</li>
<li>free stuff to make</li>
<li>newly published designs and where to find them</li>
<li>and finally, quite possibly, opinionated rants on the trials of being a freelance designer! (Not that it isn't the bestest job in the whole world, cos it is!)</li>
</ul>Anni Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13020399763188739522noreply@blogger.com0