Scottish Snowdrop Festival, Mellerstain

Snowdrops at Mellerstain, 24.2.13

Today I've had a lovely day out at the Scottish Snowdrop Festival event at Mellerstain House and Gardens.

There was a walk to follow:

Snowdrop Walk at Mellerstain, 24.2.13

And lots and lots of snowdrops:

Snowdrops at Mellerstain, 24.2.13


Snowdrops at Mellerstain, 24.2.13


Snowdrop at Mellerstain, 24.2.13

From little acorns

My Mini Lopapeysa Keyring, and the keys to my new home
Pattern by RodPrjónar
I recently moved house. I was looking for a pattern that would be relatively compact to carry around, wouldn't take too long and didn't involve too much thinking. I also wanted to make something useful, perhaps something I could make again for Christmas presents if the first attempt came out OK. I'd made some keyrings last year, and they were quite well received, so that probably guided me towards my choice. The pattern I chose was the MiniLopapeysa Keyring by RodPrjónar.

This is a little jumper, about 6 cm long, knitted in the traditional icelandic style - from the bottom up, in the round, with body and sleeves joined before knitting the yoke; the underarms are grafted. The pattern calls for Ístex Létt-Lopi, and I had plenty of that.

I made my first one in a hotel room the night before getting the keys to my new house. I was even able to wet block it that evening in the en suite bathroom! The photo I put on Ravelry showing the cute little sweater in my hand for scale will always remind me of this move: my hands ended up red, rough and wrinkly from all the packing and cleaning.

My Mini Lopapeysa
Pattern by RodPrjónar

I just loved the result, so incredibly cute! I made two more as gifts, refining my technique with practice - I now start with the sleeves, have a collection of safety pins and stitch holders that are perfect for the job and found the best amount of slack to leave when grafting. I made the colour pattern a little different on each.

So why title this post "From little acorns"? - well, although I haven't knitted a large garment for years, I have started to make a full size lopapeysa for myself! I'm sure I wouldn't have considered it had I not had such fun with the keyrings.

The pattern I chose is from Knitting with Icelandic Wool by Védís Jónsdóttir (St Martin's Griffin, New York, 2013. ISBN 978-1-250-02480-0). The design is called "Dropar" in the book. It is by Astrid Ellingsen, and is, I think, a translated, yarn changed, version of Lopi 120 (here on Ravelry).

Upland Meadow Mittens

Upland Meadow Mittens
Pattern by Helena Callum, published in Ennea Collective, December 2012

My new pattern for a pair of mittens that are almost, but not quite, in the traditional Norwegian style, is now available from the Ennea Collective.

The fibre I used for the samples came from Fluff-n-Stuff - I posted about it here. The background, cream-coloured, yarn is New Lanark DK.

When I posted about the Masham Sheep Fair back at the beginning of October, I didn't mention one of the most exciting things that happened, because it involved my new mitten pattern which couldn't be made public at that point. I was awarded first prize in Class 18 of the Wool Craft Competition, which is for "Any other item using some handspun yarn".

Upland Meadow Mittens
Pattern by Helena Callum, now available in Ennea Collective, December 2012

Random knitting

When I find something that I carefully filed away many years ago because I thought it was interesting, I am often surprised that I still find it interesting! Perhaps I think I was a different person in the past?

What I found today was a yellowing article published in New Scientist, dated 26 March 1987. It is by Mary Griffin, and the topic is random knitting. To knit the random pattern (on every fourth row, the other rows are stocking stitch) you work with a random number table. The article gives a key for what you should do for each digit from 0 to 9 - for example knit 3 stitches or cable 6 front. A rather lovely squiggly pattern results.

The article has been archived by Google. Follow this link or see Wear your own theory below:



I searched on Ravelry, and there's a group dedicated to random patterns. They've even discussed the Mary Griffin method, and identified a Knitty pattern that used the approach.

Now in pdf: Cragside Gloves

Cragside Gloves by Helena Callum.
My Cragside Gloves pattern is now (13 November 2012) available to purchase as a pdf download. The pdf version includes full-fingered gloves that were not included in the magazine, and also written, as well as charted, instructions.

Click here for full details and a BuyNow button!

Colours of autumn

North Yorkshire, 10.11.12

Colours of autumn, 10.11.12 North Yorkshire.
Abstract in the style of Leeming & Paterson

Now in pdf: Limestone Pavement Beret

Limestone Pavement Beret by Helena Callum
My Limestone Pavement Beret pattern is now (16 October 2012) available to purchase as a pdf download.

Click here for full details and a BuyNow button!

I had a little fun when working with the new images, and on the way created this picture, which I love for the way the beret seems to glow from within!

Limestone Pavement Beret by Helena Callum