http://www.handknitter.co.uk Knitting news and blog picks from handknitter.co.uk en-gb http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#japaneseknittingbook What made you fall in love with knitting? Cotton and Cloud shows us the amazing book which turned her onto knitting.

A fascinating idea; a story book combined with patterns (some looking deviously difficult!)

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 10:13 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#healthsafetybattle This lovely story from a 1908 New York Times tells the story of one knitter's stand against Health and Safety.

With thanks to the Knitty Blog for sharing Sun, 02 Sep 2012 10:06 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#rainbow_queen This amazing chart shows The queen's outfits sorted by colour and shows which is clearly her favourite colour.

Thanks to http://www.facebook.com/WeLoveWool for sharing. "Lots of wool outfits in there too!!" they say. Sun, 02 Sep 2012 09:58 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#chainmail Have you used stainless steel yarn?

Minniemoll has given it a go and says that it's fun and that you can shape the finished item.

Here she writes her thoughts about how to avoid the 'chain mail' look and knitting straight from the cone. Sun, 02 Sep 2012 10:29 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#finishedshawl One of my own blog posts, I'm very proud of this project.

I managed to spin and knit this shawl in 10 days of the Olympics, leaving time for some WIP wrestling.

Here are the details and lots of photos. Sun, 02 Sep 2012 09:30 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#haapsalushawl Jobo Designs has made her first Haapsalu Shawl - knit as a rectangle with a separate border seamed on.

The result is a rectangular shawl with beautifully rounded corners.

Despite being a slightly larger yarn than called for, it fits through her wedding ring.

Click through for more pictures and information.
Sun, 26 Aug 2012 11:13 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#20120826110257 Knitsnthings has a new look to her blog but she's being just as crafty as ever.

Wanting to do something with a dead branch from her pear tree, she's learned to carve crochet hooks which look cute and work well. Sun, 26 Aug 2012 11:05 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#readingcharts Many knitters are frightened of reading a chart for the first time, but when you know a few basic rules, they're not scary at all, says Anniken Allis.

She gives us an easy-to-understand but comprehensive tutorial which will help you to knit more quickly by following the chart rather than written instructions. Sun, 26 Aug 2012 10:57 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#karengillanshawl Thanks to Knitty Blog for reporting this wonderful 'knitting meets Dr Who moment'.

Knitter and Doctor Who Fan Lisa Pinedo made this 'Bigger on the Inside' shawl and wore it to a convention. She made a spontaneous decision to give it to actress Karen Gillan (Amy Pond). She says it was "tough parting with it" but she now has this amazing photograph.

Bigger on the Inside is a free shawl pattern from Knitty. Sun, 05 Aug 2012 10:27 +0100 http://www.handknitter.co.uk/index.html#Lydia_Tayler Lydia Tayler and Ash Pears went budget on their wedding in order to save money for a house, but Lydia still looks a million dollars in this beautiful dress that she knitted herself.

She spent four months knitting and says, "everyone just loved it. They could not stop looking at it and taking photographs"

She adds, "'If someone else was considering knitting their own dress, I'd tell them to go for it."

With thanks to VonnieS for sharing Sun, 05 Aug 2012 10:27 +0100