Tardy Ta - Dah !!!

 I'm only about two months late with this post.... You may have seen it already but I designed a hat based around a previous love - Patchwork & Quilting.

Several years ago I was a slave to the cutting board and sewing machine and would spend many, many hours creating quilts and quilted items. Eventually, it started to play havoc with my back and I had to look for something else to do, and ended up with a new passion of crochet!!

Time has moved on again and now I have a passion for fairisle hats. While chatting with someone about my last hat, Boanny Starns, I mentioned that one of the stars on it looked like a quilting block - and that was a light-bulb moment!! A fairisle hat based on my favourite quilting blocks and before you knew it, I had designed 'Quilters Delight'!

In true patchwork style, it's a real stash buster as most of the colours used take just two grams of yarn or less. And there are quite a lot of colours!!

Rather than have just one star as the main motif, I devised eight different centres - and it's surprisingly easy to work those different centres following the simple instructions in the pattern.

As I made each sample with different colours, I kept changing the pattern on the crown until - finally - I was happy with the result. This one -

I tried to use all my favourite quilt blocks - flying geese, stars, pinwheels. And the corrugated rib is a play on a colourwash/bargello quilt. Although I must admit to never having made the Dresden plate that features on the crown...

As you can see from my samples, you really can use whatever colours you have to hand for a truly one-of-a-kind hat.

If you don't like sewing in the ends, I explain how to weave them in as you go!

Click on any of the photos to take you to the pattern.

I'm already working on the next design and the pattern is being written as we speak!! To be honest, I've been working on it on and off for over a year now and finally reached a point where I was (almost) happy with it. 

This one will also feature lots of different colours, although there's no reason why you couldn't make it with a more limited palette if you prefer.

I'll try and make sure to pop back and show you when it's published, rather than two months later!! For now, here's a little sneak peak.

Happy Knitting!!

Introducing Boanny Starns

 May I introduce Boanny Starns, my latest fairisle style hat design? (Although I haven't had time to make it in several colours rather than just two yet! 🤦‍♀️)

I had barely finished adding a project to Ravelry, with all the relevant details so I didn't lose them, when Lorraine, a lady in the Shetland Islands who has tested for me, saw it and sent a message. 

I think I had called it Unnamed and she wanted to know why there wasn't a name yet but it looked very interesting. I said I had only just finished designing it and would she like to name it? She came straight back with Boanny Starns! She said it's Shetlandic for Pretty Stars -  a very pretty name that I liked very much! 

Only it had a flower motif in the middle row... How could I call it Pretty Stars if there was a Flower?!

So when I came to make it again in the reverse colours, I swapped the flower for a different star - as you can see in the photo above. The ivory background is all stars. 

This is the original  -

I put pictures of both on Instagram and asked opinions and there were several people who liked the original. And several who liked the 'all star' version. 

So I decided to do two separate patterns, one with the original flower included which I called Boanny Flooers, and the Boanny Starns version. A proper 2-for-1 offer! (Also known as a BOGOF!)

You'll find it in my Ravelry Store, along with my other hats, blankets, shawls, scarves and poncho. 

Click HERE to go straight to it, or click any of the photos.

It has a very pretty crown too!

My next design is already well underway - I just need to start the actual writing! 😄

Have you made one of my designs? I'd love to see a picture if you have. Even better, if you're a Ravelry member, perhaps you could create a project and link it to the pattern so everyone can see it? 

Happy Knitting!    T   xXx

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

 I do hope you managed to celebrate together, either in person or virtually. 

We had a quiet day at home, which was actually quite nice. 

We had had the bad news from the government that we would be entering 'Tier 4' on the south coast today, so I made my Hope Springs Hat free for Christmas  - well it had been free during the first lockdown, so it felt like the right thing to do. 

It proved very popular again and I was delighted to see this today  - 

Woo Hoo! I had seen it gradually climbing up during Christmas day but at some point during the night it got to the top! It isn't there anymore but it got there and I managed to grab a screenshot!!

If you would like a free copy too, click the link in the sidebar to pop across to Ravelry and use the code Hope at checkout. 

Be quick though, it's only valid until midnight tonight, UK time. 

And please consider linking a project of your version so we can all see it 👀 . If you would prefer to buy a ready made hat, there's also a link to my Folksy Shop in the sidebar too - there's a pink version of Hope Springs Hat still available. 😊🎅

Here's to a MUCH BETTER 2021! Stay safe everyone ❤❤❤

New Folksy listings!

 I have finally taken the time to list some of the hats I have made on Folksy - I was delighted when two of them sold the same day! 

I still have some more to list, and naturally, I'm knitting another! So you might want to take a look regularly 😉. 

Hope you find something you like!