I’ve made my first submission to the Twist Collective online knitting pattern magazine. I have no idea if it will be accepted, but I’m excited to find out. If it is, it should appear in their winter 2013 issue. If it’s not, I’ll make it available here and on Ravelry, so I’ll keep you posted.

An easy fitting raglan sleeve sweater knitted in the round from the hem up and subtly shaped at the waist, it has crocheted hem panels and band collar. I wanted a warm, but not too heavy sweater that would be both striking and easy to wear over other layers.

I like to combine media; but I know some knitters don’t crochet. So I swatched a knit alternative, which I think came out looking similar enough.

I used Dream in Colour Smooshy in Peacock Shadow (100% superwash merino)  and Zwerger Garn Opal in Neon (75% superwash wool and 25% polyamide), both fingering weight. This sweater was designed in response to the Opal yarn (which is actually a sock yarn). Having decided it was too bold to use all over a garment, I thought a dark blue main yarn would make the Opal colours really pop. A slightly variegated yarn would look better than a solid or a colour-way that was as mixed as the Opal. Alex from Zigo Zago helped me to find the perfect dark blue, non-solid shade. It’s quite a bit darker than it looks here.

The Smooshy is soft, squishy and gorgeous; the Opal is stiffer and more sculptural, but because it’s such an easy fit, I’m finding the harsher feel of the Opal isn’t a problem at all. Other fingering weight yarns would work as well. It would also be interesting to see it in a softer, all over colour-way, such as an icy blue-green. In fact, that sounds so good, I may have to knit one …

I idly suggested to a friend in the CWA (that’s the formidable Country Women’s Association, referred to by one young friend as ‘the kwah people’ ) that I might enter some hats into their Beanie Affair this year, and before I knew it, I had entry forms, bank details and swing tags in my letter box, and a short deadline to work to.

So I had to get knitting.

First up was a good way to save some time: a cap I’d had sitting unfinished for some time in my collection of UFOs. It came from a free pattern I’d made up a few years ago, only to find it was too small on my head to cover the ears nicely. I had a remnant of some lovely dark blue wool and alpaca yarn, that I used to give it a band, and a pink crochet flower I’d made to test a pattern, which I sewed on to give it a bit of something.

Because crochet is nice and speedy, I crocheted a beret next. I’d been wanting to try out this pattern for some time. All these projects either used remnant yarn or single balls sitting in my stash.

This one wanted a nice, loose pompom to give it a classic look.

Then I looked at a chunky yarn I had in some lovely colours: sage, mauve and berry. It would have been perfect for a nice warm cowl, but for the Beanie Affair, this had to be head-wear, so I decided to make it a hooded cowl.

I chose an interesting stitch pattern; at first I wanted it all over, but not only did I not have enough yarn to achieve this, it actually looked better with the main part in stocking stitch.

It’s perhaps  little too Game of Thrones, but I’m sure someone will like it. It’s certainly very warm to wear.

When I found I had one or two more days left before the deadline, I thought I’d better make an actual beanie. This lace beanie pattern I knew was  good ‘un, having knitted it before.

Although the lace is knitted on large needles to give an open effect, it’s still quite warm to wear. Warmth is important around here, come the cold weather (which it has!).

The exhibition opens on the evening of 23 May at the Market Building on Mostyn Street, Castlemaine. It will be up until the 26th, and all work is available to purchase.

Side note: when you’re photographing yourself in a hat, it’s darn tricky to get the framing right!

For a friend’s birthday, I decided to knit a small shawl – or shawlette – for keeping her shoulders warm in the cold of the country winter. I chose my yarn carefully from Zigo Zago: Classy from Dream in Colour in Cranberry Melt and Crying Dove. It’s 70% merino wool, 20% cashmere and 10% nylon, and feels beautifully soft and warm.

In my head was a semi circle that had been stretched at the ends, making it more long and narrow. The best way to achieve this was to increase at both ends on every row. The finished shawl used up nearly all of both colours, so it was an efficient use of the yarn, too.

And then I decided to make the pattern available for free! So here it is: Linda Shawlette pattern.

The first went in to a raffle to raise funds for the education of the children of a not very well off Balinese family; friends of ours are supporting them through college, basically because they have known the family for years and it’s a Good Thing to do.

This one is going for sale in a souk-style morning tea grand bazaar to raise funds for women in Gaza. You can go if you’re in Sydney and female. It’s on Wednesday 6 February 2013.

I used a lovely, fine pure wool 4 ply yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills. I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out; it’s the first time I’ve tried putting my own lace shawl pattern together.

And until it’s blocked, lace knitting doesn’t look great. Not only that, but I was using circular needles, so I couldn’t even spread it out to have a look until it was finished. It was quite a relief, after casting off, to pin it out and see that it was, in fact, rather lovely.

Blocking means spreading it out and pinning it to the right shape and size. I either spritz it with water or use a steam iron held just above the surface to set the yarn, then leave it to dry. As you can see, I use a child’s foam mat to pin things to, as it was very cheap, packs up small and is waterproof.

And due to the generous 200 g size ball, it even counts as a one ball project!

She sells vintage haberdashery and fancy goods from the second floor of the Nicholas Building, in Melbourne.

Check our that super wide ribbon! It’s intended for making espadrilles (which I love to wear).

Words cannot describe how stunning it is in there. It’s almost too much beauty all at once. It even smells divine.

She’s a major stockist for French crochet designer, Sophie Digard, whose necklaces these are. (I’d include a link to her website, but weirdly, I couldn’t find one.)

Vintage threads, buttons, ribbons are mixed in with new things; they’re all so well chosen and displayed. Kim has an extraordinarily good eye for colour and design, like nobody I’ve ever met.

Everything is inspiring. Including these vintage stamens and other bits for making flowers. (She’s a big hit with all the milliners in the building.)

There’s jewellery,

bags,

and lots of other stuff, including Liberty fabrics, which I neglected to photograph, and hand made gifts. Like these rosettes:

The only problem is that I always want too many things, can’t choose, and go out with almost nothing.

I did finish that blanket: a little late, but not by too much.

I used a decorative method to join the squares, that echoed the squares themselves rather nicely, and a dear little edging that I thought was lovely.

The cotton yarn was from Bendigo Woollen Mills, and is beautifully soft and fine. I rather like the soft colours, too.

Once again the light was poor, so I apologise for the quality of these photos.

The end result was very pleasing. Here it is folded up and ready to go to its new owner, little Evelyn.

We wandered through the woolcraft halls admiring some incredibly fine handiwork and extraordinary techniques. Predictably, there was a full range of styles and objects, some hideous and some just stunning.

After watching the sheep dog trials for a bit (amazing what those dogs can do), we found ourselves in a wood turning display. Not sure why that’s in with everything else, but I bought this beautiful little bowl, just because.

Later, this made more sense: it’s a nosterpinne. You use it to wind yarn into neat, centre-pull balls. Since I often need to do that on the fly, I reckon it was worth the $18 I paid.

We ran into an old school friend at the fashion parade; his two gorgeous little girls were in it (as the only two child models). I bought a lot of bargain-priced merino yarn, some 10 ply in soft grey:

And a rosy pink 8 ply:

One woman was selling vintage pattern books for $2 each, so I bought this one.

Here’s the page that sold it to me:

Imagine that lace pattern in a garment! I can’t wait to figure out how to do that.

And, for good measure, I bought a contemporary crochet book I’ve been resisting buying for ages.

Speaking of crochet, I found these lovely crochet beads.

Tired, hungry and having spent more than we probably should have, my friend and I agreed it had been a satisfyingly fun day.

Getting the stitches to line up, instead of being slightly offset, is rather more time-consuming than ideal, but necessary if you want the the holes to emerge in a straight line, forming a kind of star. You have to insert the crochet hook right in the centre of the stitch, rather than in the gap between stitches, which would be so much easier. So I’m thinking this will take a lot longer to complete than originally planned.

I’ve made five; only an estimated 30 or so to go! Joined together, they’ll form a blanket to wrap my brand new baby cousin in.

Do you know, I don’t think I’ve made crochet squares since I was little, and learning to crochet.

So: as I’ve not stopped making things, I’d better catch you up. I was travelling to and from Melbourne in the last days of winter. I was determined not to be cold; I had a week or so before I left: a new coat was in order. The thing about Melbourne cold is its relentlessness and its piercing wind—a ‘skinny’ wind, my cousin used to call it—one that’s skinny enough to get through the thickest knits. I decided pure wool and a quilted lining were called for.

Of course, since unusual is the new usual when it comes to weather, Melbourne was sunny and warm for most of the time I was there (d’oh!). But Sydney had a cold snap, so I did have proof of the efficacy of this coat when I was home. Now, in Sydney, it’s hot, but at least I know the coat will be a God-send next winter. I don’t care what anyone says, it does get cold in Sydney.

I started with more of a cape in mind, but during the patternmaking process, it morphed into a coat with wide, flared sleeves.

Also originally, I had an image in my head springing from the photos from this stunning exhibition in New York (in March 2011) of classic American red and white quilts. Have a look at the photos on Martha Stewart’s blog (of course she went!). I wanted to cut some ‘snowflake’ shapes in red and appliqué them to the coat.

But when it was done, it seemed ‘done’, if you know what I mean. I think the appliqués would have been too much. I’ll have to use the idea on something else.

It has welted pockets, which look fine until you put something in them, then they spoil the drape somewhat. Oh well.

I used some thin cotton batting and quilted the lining. This means the drape of the original fabric is a little stiffer than I’d like now, but the added toastiness makes it worth putting up with.

I made a concealed button wrap, but still used gorgeous buttons from my stash (well, you can see one on the collar, and besides, I know they are there).

I ran out of time to do anything about it before I left, but it has one small problem. The collar, which is on a wide neckline so you can fill the gap with a scarf or cowl, sits nicely enough …

… until you move, when it drops and gapes.

I think the fix is to sew a small hook to the inside of the button wrap, and a bar just below the collar. I could use a small snap, but think the hook and bar will be more discreet when the coat is hanging open, which it’s designed to be able to do. We’ll see when I get around to doing it.

It is incredibly warm and wind-proof, but as a bonus, it looks great on (much better than on Gertrude, my mannequin, who has even less shoulder than I do). I felt very luxurious wearing it, and it attracted many compliments.

As promised by his Mum, we have some images of young Alby with his crochet Ergool to share. You’ll have to forgive the blur: Alby doesn’t stop moving unless he’s fast asleep.

Alby enjoys playing with Ergool often.

Almost as much as he enjoys his dinner.

Nice to see he’s continuing the star theme.