Product of the Month May

knitshop.co.uk Product of the Month May: Cotton Plied Wool Yarn

At knitshop.co.uk we’re looking forward to some sunshine and long balmy summer evenings, but we’re not quite ready to risk sleeveless cotton vests or camisole tops just yet. Instead, we’re hedging our bets with lightweight cover-ups and lighter yarns that provide warmth without bulk.

knitshop.co.uk Cotton Plied Wool Yarn is our Product of the Month for May and is the perfect yarn for late Spring.  The yarn is a blend of 60% cotton and 40% wool. It’s soft and light as well as being warm. It comes in some lovely variegated colours such as Orange-Apricot and Blue-Green and well as single shade yarns such as Yellow and Blue.

Cotton Plied Wool Yarn in Blue and Green blended shades

Cotton Plied Wool Yarn comes in 100g skeins of approximately 225m and knits up on 3-4mm needles and has a tension of around 26 stitches per 10cm. It’s ideal for projects that call for a thicker 4ply or DK yarn and, because of its strength, it’s equally good for knitting or crochet.

A Stitch In Time Vol 2 featured the Cotton Plied Wool Yarn in Apricot
in this vintage knitting pattern. Pattern: Ribbon Threaded Jumper.

One of our favourite patterns is Meg Crowther’s Julia jumper. This lovely pattern features a Lily Of The Valley motif on the sleeves and is knitted using Cotton Plied Wool Yarn in Blue. Julia Lily Of The Valley jumper uses between 5 and 7 skeins of yarn and knits up on 4mm single-pointed needles.

Julia - Lily of the Valley Jumper in Blue Cotton Plied Wool Yarn

knitshop.co.uk newsletter subscribers can download the pattern for free throughout May. Combined with the Product Of The Month 14% discount on Cotton Plied Wool Yarn, this makes Julia jumper a great project choice for intermediate knitters.

Beautiful summer colours are available
in the Cotton Plied Wool Yarn

If you’re after a more straightforward project, our Sugar And Spice Ginger Silk Top is a great quick knit that flatters all shapes. Cotton Plied Wool Yarn has a very similar tension to the Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn used in the original pattern and comes in similar length skeins, so you can simply substitute yarns here.
Another of our patterns that will work well with Cotton Plied Wool Yarn is the Jasper Pullover Tank Top. This lovely slipover top is ideal for this time of the year and will fit kids from two to seven-years-old. You need two skeins of yarn for the main colour and one skein of the contrast yarn. . You’ll also need a pair each of 3mm and 3.5mm circular needles.

Jasper Pull-over originally knitted in 100% alpaca yarn.
For a more summery version use Cotton Plied Wool Yarn.

If there’s a pattern you’d like to knit or crochet using Cotton Plied Wool Yarn or another knitshop.co.uk yarn, please contact us for needle conversion and yarn substitution advice. We’re always happy to help!

Cotton Plied Wool Yarn is also available at
the knitshop.co.uk Boutique Outlet in Lee Green

Links to this blog:
Click here to see the latest newsletter sent by knitshop.co.uk
http://fairs.knitshop.co.uk/index.php?option=com_acajoom&Itemid=99&act=mailing&task=archive&listid=1&listype=1

knitshop.co.uk Knitting and Crochet Yarns: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/81-knitting-yarn

Blue Cotton Plied Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/cotton-wool-yarn/1309-blue-cotton-wool.html

Blue-Green Cotton Plied Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/cotton-wool-yarn/1314-blue-green-cotton-wool.html

Cotton Plied Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/167-cotton-wool-yarn

Jasper Pullover Tank Top pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2931-tank-top-fino.html

Julia Lily Of The Valley jumper pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2726-julia.html

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/31-mulberry-silk-twist

Orange-Apricot Cotton Plied Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/cotton-wool-yarn/1305-orange-apricot-cotton-wool.html

Product Of The Month: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/content/17-product-of-the-month

Sugar and Spice Ginger Silk Top pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2725-sugar-spice-ginger.html

Tropicana Camisole pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2778-tropicana.html

Yellow Cotton Plied Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/cotton-wool-yarn/1310-yellow-cotton-wool.html

3mm circular needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/2518-3mm-60cm-bamboo-circulars.html

3.5mm circular needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/2967-35mm-80cm-bamboo-circulars.html

4mm Bamboo Knitting Needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1696-bamboo-knitting-needles-4mm.html

Product of the Month August

A Stitch in Time Volume I - new edition now available

If you’re an admirer of vintage clothes and patterns, you’ll absolutely adore Susan Crawford’s fantastic books A Stitch in Time. They have just been republished with updated yarns and even more detailed instructions about how to create your own vintage knits.

In the five years since A Stitch in Time Volume I was published, vintage knitwear fans have taken this book to their bosoms. It’s become a bible for needlecrafters keen to reproduce the fashions, colours and fit of the clothes of the early 20^th century. In fact, the first three print runs quickly sold out. Now, however, A Stitch in Time Volume I is back and is available as an ebook with updated patterns designed for the very latest yarns.

A Stitch In Time Vol 1
by Susan Crawford and Jane Waller

Garments featured in this wonderful homage to knitwear from 1920 to 1949 include the beautifully detailed Rose Jumper which is finished with a row of matching roses along the botton of the yoke, and heavily textured tops such as It Cannot Fail To Please.

A Stitch In Time Volume I features 59 divine items of clothing that flatter the shape of any woman and Susan has updated the original patterns to work with today’s yarns. You can view the full gallery of patterns on this Flickr web page.

Light and Lovely - Coquette Vintage Cotton
in Spearmint and Sapphire

Susan’s genius is her attention to detail. Even the names of each garment evoke the period from which they’re taken. For effortless beachside glamour who could resist Sea-Waves And Sunny Days Ahead – a modest but neatly fitted bathing suit? 

Several of the designs are perfect to be made in  Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn, the 100 percent mercerised cotton yarn Susan launched in conjunction with knitshop.co.uk this spring. Coquette’s vintage credentials include the feel of the yarn, the 13 shades Susan chose to match her vintage knitwear and crochet designs and the traditional method of winding the yarn. It even has a centre pull just like the yarns 1940s knitters would have used. 

 

Call of the Sea - Coquette Vintage Cotton
in Sapphire and Snow

A Stitch in Time Volume I New Edition costs £20 for the complete ebook. Alternatively, you can buy selected patterns from the book direct from knitshop.co.uk. The patterns available to be used with Coquette Vintage Cotton: 

The Call of the Sea

Sea Waves and Sunny Days Ahead

A Dashing Little Swim Suit

Knitter’s Delight

Light and Lovely

Here are the latest accessories 

Knit These Slim-Line Undies

Each of these patterns can be knitted using knitshop.co.uk Vintage Cotton Yarn on 2.75mm to 3.75mm needles or crochet hooks. For more information about when each pattern will be available contact info@knitshop.co.uk.

Knitter's Delight
Coquette Vintage Cotton in Oyster

Links to this blog:

A Stitch In Time Volume I New Edition: http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/A_Stitch_in_Time_Volume_1.html

A Stitch In Time Volume I Flickr gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/astitchintime_vintage_knitting/sets/72157622459568509

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

3.5mm metal crochet hook: www.knitshop.co.uk/metal-crochet-hook/1761-35mm-metal-hook.html

3.5mm bamboo knitting needles: www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1694-bamboo-knitting-needles-35mm.html

Susan Crawford Vintage: www.susancrawfordvintage.com

Product of the Month July

Look chic in a classic summer top

This Attractive Affair is a fantastic classic summer knit. This vintage short-sleeved top can be worn as either a loose-fitting jumper or as a jacket. It’s quite the number to be seen wearing as you stroll down the promenade on the French Riviera.

Devised by wonderful vintage knitwear designer Susan Crawford, This Attractive Affair is a loving recreation of a garment from the 1940s. The two-tone colour scheme is an exact match for the colours that would have been available to knitters in the early part of the 20^th century too: the pattern has been specially designed for Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. The shades for this 100 percent mercised cotton yarn were handpicked by Susan, who is renowned for her painstaking research into all aspects of vintage knitwear.

This Attractive Affair

The shades of Coquette used in our version are Oyster and Wine. However, there are now 13 shades of Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn to choose from as we have recently added Sapphire, Carnation and Snow to the range.

This Attractive Affair requires between eight and 13 balls of Coquette for the main colour, plus three to five 50g balls of the contrast colour. Instructions are given for 32in to 48in busts. Since the colours are changed at the end of a row, you don’t need to have much experience with colourwork in order to make this lovely top.

Julieta wearing This Attractive Affair

The main part of the garment is knitted in four pieces, with both main body pieces knitted side-to-side. You then knit the side panels in the more usual top-up manner. The jumper’s set-in sleeves are also knitted sideways and have separate cuffs grafted on to them. The intriguing oversized collar is made from four small pieces. The pattern is knitted on straight 3.25mm needles. You will also need four small buttons.

This Attractive Affair is one of 79 patterns featured in Susan Crawford’s book A Stitch In Time Volume 2, which you can buy from knitshop.co.uk along with the needles and Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn you’ll need to make this striking garment. 

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn

This Attractive Affair was featured in the current issue of The Knitter as a pattern on page 41. We currently stock a limited amount of printed pattern that are available to purchase from the Boutique Outlet in Lee Green or per mail order +(0)20 7099 8864

Coquette usually costs £4.95 for a 50g ball of 125m of mercerised cotton. As the newest addition to the knitshop.co.uk range of yarns, Coquette is available for just £4.45 per ball for a limited time.

Previous blogs about A Stitch In Time 2 

http://knitshopcouk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/stitch-in-time-volume-2-is-finally.html

http://knitshopcouk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/pictures-of-stitch-in-time-vol-2-using.html

Links to this blog:

knitshop.co.uk: http://www.knitshop.co.uk

This Attractive Affair pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/this-attractive-affair

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

Susan Crawford Vintage: http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Home.html

A Stitch In Time Volume 2: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/patterns-magazines-books/2141-a-stitch-in-time-2.html

Product of the Month June

Get set for summer with this Tropicana vest pattern. 

The sun is shining steadily and shows no sign of leaving, so it’s hardly a surprise that at knitshop.co.uk our thoughts have turned to summery knits. With a brand-new yarn to experiment with, we can’t wait to get our needles out and give Susan Crawford’s Tropicana vest a try. 

Tropicana by Susan Crawford

We’ve recently launched our own vintage cotton yarn range, known as Coquette. The 4ply all-cotton yarn, developed in partnership with respected knitwear author and designer Susan Crawford, is perfect for lightweight spring and summer knits. It’s also bang up to date thanks to the vogue for all things vintage and the popularity of Downton Abbey and the new Great Gatsby film. 

Tropicana knitted in Yellow Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn

Tropicana is a fantastically-detailed pear-and-trellis pattern top that offers a figure-hugging ribbed fit and falls flatteringly beneath the bust. Team it with linen trousers or a pair of shorts for a casual holiday look. Previously available as a recommended pattern for our Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn, we’ve updated Tropicana to knit using Coquette. 

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn

This brand-new yarn knits up into garments with beautiful drape while also showing off the finest detail in your patterns. In other words, Coquette rewards you for the extra effort involved in knitting more complex designs. We think the more eye-catching shades in the 12-strong Coquette yarn range work especially well for Tropicana. If Canary yellow isn’t your colour, Aquamarine or Pumpkin will look every bit as good. 

Canary Coquette Vintage Cotton

You’ll need six skeins of Coquette and a pair of 3.25mm needles. Choose a contrasting shade of ribbon to complete the look. As if the pattern and the challenge of a new yarn weren’t enough to tempt you to get the needles clicking, we are also running an introductory offer on Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. A 50g (125m) ball usually costs £4.95, but for a limited period we’ve discounted them to £4.45 each. 

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn

The Tropicana Vest pattern is available as an instant PDF download in versions for either Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn or Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn. Grab a copy now and make a start on your summer holiday wardrobe. Just imagine how good you’ll look in Tropicana once you’ve a tan to show off!

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn, Oranke, Ice Blue, Teal, Yellow, Light Pink and Dark Silver Grey

Tropicana by Susan Crawford

Links to this blog:

Tropicana Vest pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2778-tropicana.html

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/31-mulberry-silk-twist

3.25mm bamboo needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/2063-325mm-100cm-bamboo-circulars.html

Susan Crawford blog: http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Home.html

Coquette Vintage Cotton

knitshop.co.uk introduces brand-new Coquette vintage cotton yarn

knitshop.co.uk has some fantastic news for lovers of all things vintage. We’ve developed our own vintage cotton yarn range in collaberation with well-known knitwear designer and historian Susan Crawford.

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn is a 4ply cotton of the highest quality. It comes in 12 magnificent shades that accurately mimic those from the 1930s to 1950s. The colour range consists of Wine, Oyster, Canary, Flame, Highland, Pumpkin, Carnation, Old Lace, Aquamarine, Snow, Spearmint and Sapphire.

Garments knitted in Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn have wonderful drape. Patterns within each design are beautifully distinct due to the crisp and even qualities of the cotton. This means that Coquette really rewards you for tackling more complex patterns with plenty of detail. It’s perfect for lacy crochet projects too. 

"I love Susan's work, she is an inspiration and it's an honor to work with her. To bring Coquette to life means a lot to me, it's a huge value to knitshop yarns and it's a dream come true after many years of hard work. I hope we can work many more projects like Coquette." Julieta Brandao, owner and founder of knitshop.co.uk and knitshop yarns. If you want to read Susan's blog about Coquette, click here

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn costs £4.95 per 50g ball of approximately 125m. It knits to a 4ply tension of 26 stitches and 36 rows on 3mm or 3.5mm needles.

A number of specially written patterns are available for Coquette. These include Susan Crawford’s pear and trellis pattern Tropicana, which uses six skeins of Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. It looks especially good in Canary yellow with a contrasting bright blue ribbon. 

Tropicana - beautiful tanktop for the sunny days ahead!

Another wonderful vintage knit for Coquette is the textured short-sleeved Dinah’s Lacy Jumper. This uses a twisted stitch over a four-row repeat to create a loose-fitting open-weave top that is ideal for warm sunny days. 

Dinah's Lacy Jumper from A Stitch In Time Vol 2
suggested yarn: Coquette in Aquamarine

Coquette patterns will be available as individual PDFs, while the complete collection can be found in Susan’s A Stitch In Time vintage pattern books.

As well as the specially written Coquette patterns, you can use Coquette for any pattern that knits to a standard 4ply tension. If you’d like some advice about whether a pattern is suitable for knitting with Coquette and how many skeins you need, we will be very happy to help.

What’s more, we are offering our gorgeous new Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn at a special introductory price of £4.45 per skein. What more incentive do you need to make a start on this year’s summery knits?

Fashions from the first half of the 20^th century are incredibly popular right now thanks to the success of Downton Abbey and Mad Men. This summer’s hotly anticipated remake of The Great Gatsby is sure to fan the flames even more. 

 

Sea-Waves and Sunny Days Ahead!
Suggested yarn: Coquette in Pumpkin and Old Lace

Coquette can be used for the following patterns: 

A Stitch In Time Vol 1

The Call of the Sea - colours: Sapphire and Snow

Sea Waves and Sunny Days Ahead - colours: Pumpkin and Old Lace

And here are the latest accessories - colour: Old Lace

A Dashing little swim suit - colour: Aquamarine

Knitters Delight - colour: Oyster

Light and Lovely - colours: Spearmint and Sapphire

A Stitch In Time Vol 2

This Attractive Affair - colours: Oyster and Wine

Striped Sun Top - colours: Snow, Spearmint and Carnation

Jumper with Collar & Flowers - colours: Carnation, Snow and Canary

Summery - And a new Pattern - colour: Flame

Dinah's Lacy Jumper - colour: Aquamarine

Ribbon Threaded Jumper - colour: Pumpkin
 

Summery - And a new Pattern
Suggested yarn: Coquette in Flame

Tropicana by Susan Crawford  - colour: Canary

Lost in Music by Susan Crawford - colour: Highland

Lily Jacket by Meg Crowther - colours: Wine, Oyster and Carnation Katy Tee Cotton Top by Meg Crowther  - colour: Wine

Katy Tee Cotton Top
Coquette in Wine

Links to this blog:

Knitshop.co.uk Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

Tropicana lacy vest pattern: http://webmail.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2778-tropicana.html

Dinah’s Lacy Jumper pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dinahs-lacy-jumper

A Stitch In Time Vol 1 by Susan Crawford: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/patterns-magazines-books/2141-a-stitch-in-time-2.html

Susan Crawford website: http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Home.html

Susan's blog about Coquette: http://www.justcallmeruby.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/coquette-4-ply-cotton-launch.html

3mm needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1604-bamboo-knitting-needles-3mm.html

3.5mm needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1694-bamboo-knitting-needles-35mm.html

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn

knitshop.co.uk Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn is made of beautifully soft fibres and is ideal for garments such as vests and close-fitting tops that will be worn next to the skin. If you’re knitting for someone with delicate skin, Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn is a great choice. The fibres are naturally hypoallergenic too. 
 

This silky-soft 4ply yarn is great for springtime knits as it’s not as bulky as wool but still offers plenty of protection from the elements. Our short-sleeved fitted top, Sugar And Spice Ginger, was designed to be knitted in Mulberry Silk Twist yarn. The cap sleeves and the gently fitting drape of the yarn are a flattering combination. It even featured on the front cover of Let’s Knit magazine issue 7. Here is the previous blog about Sugar And Spice Ginger.

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn, colours from left to wright: Bright Green, Deep Pink, Bright Red,
Kahki-Gold, Gold Yellow, Orange, Pastel Lilac, Antique Gold and Yellow

The Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn is our sumptuous choice for exquisite and glamorous eventing knits, it has a clear stitch definition and a beautiful sheen. It knits up very evenly, the ideal yarn for delicate summer knits, lace work or vintage knitwear, it drapes beautifully due to its silky nature. The yarn is ideal for vintage knits and has been used for both A Stitch In Time Vol 1 and 2 by knitwear designer Susan Crawford. 

Our selection of 15 shades includes Teal, Ice Blue, Navy Blue, Gold-Yellow, Pale Pink, Silver-White and Black. Silver-White and Black have been featured in the pattern Cryscelle, front cover picture of A Stitch In Time Vol 2. 

Cryscelle - front cover image of A Stitch In Time Vol 2
using Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn in Silver-White and Black

And another great example is the striking Cocktail Jumper from A Stitch In Time Vol 2, knitted in Pastel Pink and Black, it uses between six and nine hanks and knits up on 3.25mm needles. 

Cocktail Jumper, pattern in A Stitch In Time Vol 2
by Susan Crawford and Jane Waller.

"This pure silk yarn has a exquisite handle and is a pleasure to knit with. Once a garment has been knitted using this yarn, it falls and drapes beautifully. I have used this yarn many times over the years and have never been disappointed with the finished results." Susan Crawford

Frilly Sleeves from A Stitch In Time Vol 1,
using Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn in Antique Gold

For sunnier days, you might also like to knit Tropicana, a lovely pear-and-trellis lace-patterned vest top with a contrasting ribbon tie under the bust. The bottom has pretty scalloped edges. This pattern requires three or four skeins of Mulberry Silk Twist yarn. 

Tropicana using Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn in Yellow

Mulberry Silk Twist yarn comes in 100g skeins of 250m. Recommended needle sizes are between 2.5mm and 3.5mm. The yarn knits to a tension of between 25 and 30 stitches over 10cm depending on needle size 

Mulberry Silk Twist costs £14.95 per 100g skein. This 100 percent natural mulberry silk yarn is suitable for many 4ply patterns. Feel free to email us for advice on converting a pattern to any of our yarns.

Links to this blog:

Mulberry Silk Twist yarn http://www.knitshop.co.uk/31-mulberry-silk-twist

Sugar And Spice Ginger Top http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2725-sugar-spice-ginger.html

Susan Crawford's website http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Home.html
Susan Crawford Cocktail Jumper pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cocktail-jumper

Susan Crawford A Stitch In Time Volume 2 http://www.knitshop.co.uk/patterns-magazines-books/2141-a-stitch-in-time-2.html

Tropicana vest pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tropicana-2

Let’s Knit http://www.letsknit.co.uk

3.5mm bamboo needles http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1694-bamboo-knitting-needles-35mm.html