Jasper Pull-Over

Jasper Pull-Over is a great little knit for two- to seven-year-olds. The ribbed edges and contrasting colours add interest to this smart top design. Jasper is made from knitshop.co.uk’s Alpaca Fino Yarn, which is naturally hypoallergenic and soft enough for sensitive skin. The yarn also comes in a great range of shades – 20 in all – including Burnt Orange, Peacock, Dark Blue, Red, Green and Dark Berry.

Jasper Pull-Over a sweet tank top to keep children warm and cosy!

To make Jasper you’ll need three 100g hanks of knitshop.co.uk Alpaca Fino Yarn – two of the main colour plus one hank of the contrast colour. In our pattern we’ve used Alpaca Fino Yarn in Dark Blue for the main colour and Light Grey for the contrast colour around the armholes, around the waist and round the v-neck. You’ll also need a pair each of 3mm and 3.5mm circular needles. Both 60cm or 80cm circular needles are suitable. You might find it handy to use a stitch marker and a stitch holder too.

Jasper Pull-Over knitted in Alpaca Fino Blue and Light Grey

Jasper is knitted in the round using stocking stitch and a simple but effective rib stitch. It’s easy to knit, even if you’re new to knitting in the round. To create the stocking stitch body you just need to knit every stitch. Knitting this way is usually faster as you aren’t knitting alternate knit and purl rows (as you do with flat knitting). Another advantage of knitting in the round is that there are no side seams to sew up or to make the garment bulky. 

Jasper Pull-Over in the size 3-4 years.

Alpaca Fino Yarn is made from 100 percent alpaca yarn and knits to a tension of 23 stitches and 32 rows over 10cm on 3.5mm needles. Each 100g hank contains around 200m of yarn. Our Alpaca Fino Yarn usually costs £7.98 per hank, but because it’s our Yarn of the Month, you can currently get 15 percent discount – making each hank just £6.78 and the total cost just £23 including the Jasper Tank Top pattern.

Jasper Pull-Over in Dark Green and Yellow Alpaca Fino

Now the kids have gone back to school, why not make them a Jasper Tank Top in their school colours to slip over their uniform and keep cosy in the playground or to and from school?

Links to this blog:

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

Alpaca Fino Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/180-alpaca-fino

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Burnt Orange: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/2819-burnt-orange-fino.html

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Dark Blue: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/2934-dark-blue-fino.html

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Green: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/1256-green-fino.html

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Light Grey: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/903-grey-alpaca-fino.html

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Peacock: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/1785-peacock-fino.html

Jasper Tank Top pattern:

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

3mm bamboo circular needles (80cm): http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1961-3mm-80cm-bamboo-circulars.html

3.5mm bamboo circular needles (80cm): http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1879-35mm-80cm-bamboo-circulars.html

Knitting in the round: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1961-3mm-80cm-bamboo-circulars.html

Product of the Month January

Save 15 percent on knitshop Alpaca Fino Yarn in January

knitshop.co.uk has declared Alpaca Fino Yarn the Product of the Month. This means that as well as patterns designed especially for the yarn, you’ll be able to buy Alpaca Fino Yarn at the promotional price of £6.78 for a 100g ball, rather than the usual price of £7.90. Each ball contains approximately 200m of yarn. 

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Dark Green, Burnt Orange
and Light Grey.

Alpaca Fino is an exceptionally soft sports weight yarn that comes in lots of distinctive shades. It’s made from 100 percent alpaca wool and can be knitted or crocheted on 3 or 4mm needles. Alpaca Fino Yarn knits to a tension of 22 stitches and 32 rows on 3.5mm needles. 

colours: Dark Green, Red, Burnt Orange,
Anthracite and Light Grey

If you’re looking for ideas of what to knit using Alpaca Fino Yarn, why not try our new Jasper Tank Top pattern for boys? Jasper was designed by knitshop.co.uk founder Julieta Brandao and includes instructions for knitting sizes to fit 2 to 7-year-olds. Watch our for the next blog about our brand new pattern Jasper Pull-Over coming very soon.

There’s also a fantastic project to knit using Alpaca Fino Yarn in the latest issue of Knitting magazine (February 2014). The stunning Lacy Cabled Sweater pattern was designed by Natalie Smart knitted using knitshop.co.uk Alpaca Fino Yarn in Peacock. Better yet, Knitting magazine includes a competition to win the Alpaca Fino Yarn to make your own Lacy Cabled Sweater. 

Lacy Cabled Sweater in Alpaca Fino Yarn, shade Peacock
image courtesy of Knitting Magazine

The Lacy Cabled Sweater is knitted on 3.75mm straight needles and a 3.25mm circular needle and includes lots of beautiful cable detail on the lower half and the arms. The top half of the pattern, meanwhile, is knitted in stocking stitch with a flattering soft v-neck shape. The sweater has pretty scalloped edges and sits neatly on the hips. You’ll need between six and nine 100g balls of Alpaca Fino Yarn to make your own Lacy Cabled Sweater. Instructions are given for knitting the sweater in six different sizes. You can get copies of Knitting magazine from the knitshop.co.uk magazines store as well as many newsagents.

pattern featured in the Knitting Magazine issue 125
image courtesy of Knitting Magazine

Natalie used the Alpaca Fino Yarn in Peacock for the sample garment in the Knitting Magazine. Julieta also recommends to knit The Lacy Cabled Sweater in Dark Berry-Pink or Moss-Green. To see all colours in stock and make use of the Product of the Month discount visit the knitshop.co.uk website.

Links to this blog:

Knitshop.co.uk Alpaca Fino Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/180-alpaca-fino

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Peacock: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/1785-peacock-fino.html

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

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Grey: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/903-grey-alpaca-fino.html

Alpaca Fino Yarn in Navy Blue: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/alpaca-yarn/1258-navy-blue-fino.html

Knitting magazine: http://www.thegmcgroup.com/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=704

Knitshop.co.uk magazines: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/163-magazines

Natalie Smart Ravelry pattern page: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/natalie-smart

3.75mm bamboo knitting needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1709-bamboo-knitting-needles-375mm.html

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

3.5mm circular needle: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1878-35mm-40cm-bamboo-circulars.html

Knit Christmas mini stockings for your tree

Decorating the Christmas tree is a wonderful tradition. Take a look at Facebook or Twitter anytime in December and you’ll see photo after photo of friends’ Christmas trees duly trimmed. A well-decorated tree with unique elements is a point of pride for many of us.

Handmade items mark out your tree from everyone else’s – and often tells a tale in itself. The glitter-adorned cardboard angel your kids made at school; the snowflakes you made by folding a piece of paper on itself and snipping out tiny segments; the trinkets you got at the Christmas market. 

 

Christmas Mini Stockings by Julieta I. Brandao
using Susan Crawford's Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn

 

Knitted decorations are another wonderful way to make your tree unmistakably yours. knitshop.co.uk’s Christmas Mini Stockings are a great example. The tiny stockings are quick to knit and give your tree a cosy homemade feel. They’d also look great strung up above a fireplace as bunting.

The Christmas Mini Stocking pattern contains five variations, so once you’ve got the hang of the basic pattern you can make plain and patterned versions. We’ve used yarns from knitshop.co.uk’s Coquette Vintage Cotton range for our versions. The stockings knit up on 2.75mm needles, but because they’re small they really won’t take long to make. 

 

The green stocking is version two on the pattern.

 

The pattern is knitted in the round, with some shaping for the toe and heel. However, the instructions are very clear, so you should be able to follow them even if you’ve never tried shaping using the short row technique before. 

 

Zig-Zag stocking is version four on the
Christmas Mini Stocking Pattern

 

Once you’ve made stockings with a zigzag pattern, you can challenge yourself with the Christmas tree and holly designs. The pattern includes a chart for each design as well as written instructions. 

Christmas Tree Stocking is version three and is the first to use
all three colours of Coquette: Flame, Highland and Snow.

 

You can make several stockings in each of the five designs – or lots of stockings using one or two of the designs – using one ball of each colour of Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. We’ve used Flame, Snow and Highland shades. There’s a 15 percent discount voucher on the downloadable pattern. Just scan this to get the discount code for your Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. 

 

Holly Berries Stocking, this is Julieta's favourite!
It is version five on the pattern.
It is using all three colours of Coquette: Flame, Highland and Snow

 

If you prefer, you can use knitshop.co.uk’s Sock Yarn instead. Using the Green, Bordeaux Red and Natural shades of Sock Yarn, you’ll get a more muted effect. If you use this yarn with 3.25mm needles the tension will be very similar. The designer Julieta Brandao also recommends to use knitshop.co.uk's Alpaca Fino Yarn in red, grass green and natural white using 3 - 3.25mm needles. 

And please share your photos of your finished stockings or anything else you have made using knitshop.co.uk yarns with us on our Facebook page! 

Green Stocking, Christmas Tree Stocking and Zig-Zag Stocking.

Green Stocking using Highland and Snow.

Red Stocking using Flame and Snow.

Links to this blog:

Knitted Christmas Stockings pattern: http://knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2918-mini-stocking.html

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

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn Highland: http://knitshop.co.uk/coquette-vintage-cotton/2763-highland-coquette.html

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn Snow: http://knitshop.co.uk/coquette-vintage-cotton/2801-snow-coquette.html

Knitshop.co.uk Sock Yarn: http://knitshop.co.uk/165-socks-yarn

2.75mm double-pointed needles: http://knitshop.co.uk/275-bamboo-dpn

3.25mm double-pointed needles: http://knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1564-325mm-dp-13cm.html

Knitting the round video instructions: http://www.stitchdiva.com/tutorials/knitting/on-double-pointed-needles

Short row shaping instructions: http://www.vogueknitting.com/pattern_help/how-to/beyond_the_basics/short_row_shaping.aspx

Knitshop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Knitshop/82318014483

Christmas Tree Tea Cosy

ChristmasTree Tea Cosy pattern – a festive pattern for you to knit

One of the joys of Christmas is all the decorative items to transform your home and welcome guests. Knitted and handmade Christmas decorations are often far nicer than coloured paper and plastic ones – and they have the advantage of being usable year after year. Trimming the tree with homemade baubles, Santas and snowmen figures is a popular tradition in many families.

Practical items can be jazzed up and made festive too. Christmas is such a sociable time of the year, when we invite friends and family into our homes to enjoy the seasonal cheer. It doesn’t always have to involve a glass of mulled wine either. We’re just as likely to be putting the kettle on and catching up over a pot of tea. Producing a festive teapot and a mince pie or Yule log is Christmassy too.

knitshop.co.uk has created a special pattern for just such occasions. The ChristmasTree Tea Cosy transforms even the plainest teapot – and of course has the benefit of keeping your tea warm while you chat. Knitted on 5mm needles using knitshop.co.uk’s Alpaca Fino Yarn, this cheery tea cosy is likely to be talking point all of its own. 

 

The front and back of the Christmas Tree Tea Cosy are both alike. It can be knitted by anyone with a bit of knitting experience. Because it knits up on 4.5mm and 5mm needles, it doesn’t take long to make, either.

As long as you know how to knit stocking stitch and how to increase and decrease, you’ll be able to tackle this fun project. The bobbles that represent the baubles on the tree are easy to incorporate into the pattern too and add a 3D element to the tea cosy design.

As well as written instructions, the pattern includes a clear reference chart showing where you need to change colour to make the Christmas tree and where the baubles should be added. We’ve used yellow Alpaca Fino Yarn for the baubles, but you could choose any colour from the range.

The knitshop.co.uk Christmas Tree Tea Cosy has overall dimensions of 21cm wide – measured from spout to handle opening – and 18cm tall. To achieve this, you’ll need a tension of 16 stitches over 22 rows on 4.5mm needles.

You’ll need a set of 4.5mm double-pointed needles as well as straight 4.5mm and 5mm needles. knitshop.co.uk stocks these, as well as the beautifully warm and soft Alpaca Fino Yarn on which this pattern is based. 

 

For the main colour, you’ll need a 100g hank of knitshop.co.uk AlpacaFino Yarn in red (item 40AF0420C). The Christmas tree design uses a hank of green Alpaca Fino Yarn (item 40AF0540C). And yellow for the bobbles (item 40AF0400C).

Links to this blog: 

Christmas Tree Tea Cosy Pattern - http://knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2632-christmas-tree-tea-cosy.html

Alpaca Fino Yarn - http://knitshop.co.uk/56-alpaca-yarn

Knitting Needles and Accessories - http://knitshop.co.uk/274-knitting-crochet-accessories

A little snatch at Autumn

As the British Autumn approaches fast, the leaves turn gold and the skies darken we all feel pleased to have a lovely project to be getting on with, keeping us warm and look forward to what the new season will inspire us with.

Le Rouge

This season's on trend colours are deep crimson, mauves, violets, peaches and reds. Coming together these colours will make for a warm autumn colour palette. I love this alpaca yarn in crimson. It's the ideal colour of the season. Warm colour matched with a warm texture, this is all you need to complete an autumn project. Alpaca Fino Yarn in pink.

One of our popular yarns in-store is this dark purple Chinese silk, the colour and sheen create a wonderful yarn that when knitted is sumptuous to all senses! Try using a dash of this lilac to smooth between the warmer colours. 100% this is soft to the touch and even used alone in a project, this is a wonderful colour to work with and one that is always popular from season to season. knitshop's Simply wool yarn.

This mulberry merino is perfect. A stunning shade, soft and easy to knit and crochet with, this yarn is a winner with me and represents the crimson colour palette perfectly.

The Canary

Other colours to also look out for are the blacks and greys with a splash of canary yellow to liven the palette. The mustard and grey linen blend is a great example of the palette trend, however I would add a darker grey or black for further contrast and impact. This zesty canary yellow alpaca is simply perfect to add a stripe of colour to projects.

For a touch of texture and dramatic effect, why not try the mohair in yellow. This yarn when knitted up will have a beautiful fluffy texture and the tiny yellow fibres will blend and merge into the black and grey dispersing and giving a wonderful subtle finish.

This mulberry silk silver would be a perfect match to the above yellows, and a gorgeous yarn to knit with. This is ideal for winter aran knits and more.

Indigo and you

But watch out for teals, indigos and greens as these will be taken us through from winter into spring. Again the cotton linen blend the knitshop.co.uk offer is ideal as the palette is already created for you. The subtle mix in teal and indigo dye knits-up wonderfully giving the fabric a shadow and depth that is beautiful. I also like the denim blue Chinese silk. I like the raw feel of the yarn and the slightly washed out look you would get with denim-wear. I find this yarn very inspiring and look forward to use it in future projects.

If you are looking for a merino wool, then look no further than this blazing neon blue. This is a statement colour, but definitely one worth using for your fashion projects as this is this winters must have sparkler! However, if this is a little too bright, then perhaps try the denim merino.

Gold

A classic British colour palette is always a safe bet, browns, golds, and creams. Of course the knitshop.co.uk have plenty to offer here too when it comes to yarns. Again the Chinese silk really stands out colour-wise. This gold is stunning, it has the right shine to it and is a little more unique than most browns and golds sold at the moment

This deep brown is really representative of the season and not to be missed out on if you are planning to use autumn shades. The softness of the merino wool will make your project lovely and easy to knit up and most importantly wonderfully soft.

Finally this antique gold mulberry silk will complete your palette or is perfect to be used as a single colour in your projects. Ideal for vintage patterns, the parchment colour is original.

 

Links to this post:
Autumn Half Term Activities

Alpaca Fino Yarn, pink

Chinese Silk Yarn

Simply Wool Yarn

Mulberry Silk/Merino Wool Yarn

Cotton Linen blend yarn

Mohair Silk Yarn in yellow

Mulberry Silk silver