It’s been a busy January here at YAK headquarters as you may have gathered but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been ogling the latest patterns that have appeared on Ravelry this month. It was clearly a great start to the year because there were so many I could have gone for this month but I have narrowed it down to my favourite 4.
First up is a long cowl scarf, Sugarloaf by The Plucky Knitter.
I make no secret of my love of colour blocking so this cowl really appeals. Blocking the texture with the different colours also gives it a lovely effect. Depending on the colours your choose this would either be a fun bright addition to your winter wardrobe or something quite sophisticated if you chose more muted tones. It is knitted flat and joined together at the end using a three needle bind off so if cowls aren’t really your thing you could just miss that step out and you’d just have a normal scarf.
I paired the pattern with Bessie May Snug which is a lovely chunky 100% merino wool. They have a great range of colours some bright and some more cool tones. And it is also machine washable so perfect if you like to spill your coffee on yourself like I just did this morning.
Next up is a Brooklyn Tweed pattern from their newest collection for winter 2015, Agnes.
I already raved a bit about the new collection on Facebook last week. I am always impressed by the designs the Brooklyn Tweed team come up with and am in awe that they manage to produce so many each year. They are always so wearable and timeless. I, as always, had a hard time choosing just one pattern but I really liked that the Agnes pattern was shown in two different colourways showing its versatility. And its colour blocking again and I’m clearly some kind of sucker for it!
I have paired it with The Uncommon Thread BFL Fingering which I think would be a great match and substitute for Brooklyn Tweed’s own yarn as it is 100% Blue Faced Leicester wool. The Uncommon Thread produce some kind of magic when it comes to colours and they have a wonderful palette of both deep and neutrals hues. This jumper would definitely be something easy to wear and I can imagine it being such a wardrobe staple you might want to make two.
Next a baby pattern for a little one in your life, Retrobabe by Dani Sunshine.
Dani has some really great patterns for children up on Ravelry and this one is her newest offering. The sweet little vest is knitted in the round and then while the back carries on to create a flap over the shoulder short rows are used to shape the front. I just love the contrast i-cord edging, it’s a really lovely detail.
I chose YAK as it’s yarn matching because it is super soft which is of course important for babies but it will also be quite hard wearing another important thing for little tots who like to run around. 50% wool, 50% yak this yarn comes in some really lovely natural shades as well as some more bright colours perfect for a contrast edge.
Last but not least a shawl pattern by Karie Westermann, Byatt.
I spotted this pattern on Karie’s blog Fouth Edition just yesterday and was so drawn to the story behind its design. Its the first in a series called Authors & Artists and is named after the novelist A.S.Byatt. I would really recommend reading what Karie has to say about Byatt and the influence her novels have had on her life. Its not often you get an insight into someone’s design process and I found it really interesting. The shawl itself is aesemetrical and has a couple of different design details. The body is garter stitch with slip stitch braiding and then it is finished with a lacy edging.
The last yarn for today which would be perfect for the shawl is Eden Cottage Yarns Titus 4ply. It’s beautiful blend of 75% merino wool and 25% silk and is hand dyed to perfection. Such a sophisticated shawl needs a sophisticated yarn and this one is perfect.
A note to the pattern designers out there, you’ve got your work cut out for February. Just saying.
No products in the basket.