Wild and Woolly

Time after time

I went to the 'Vintage Fayre' in Stroud this morning. Different people were organising it this year, but I recognised some of the stallholders from last year (and some of the items for sale!). There was a good selection ranging from 1940s shirt dresses in floral and 'holiday scene' prints, fabulous shoes (too small for either Hatty or me) and hats to jewellery, sunglasses and spectacle frames and wonderful ruched bathing suits. There were a few knitting patterns and I bought a little selection of individual patterns which I can adapt or knit just as they are. I love these little 1940s cardigans, so finely but simply tailored, with deep waist ribbing and restrained pattern details.

Hatty was looking for a summer dress and picked up a 1970s 'playsuit' in a lovely floral fabric. It is basically a dress but with culottes in the place of the skirt part. It fits like a dream, although she is already pinning it up ready to shorten it slightly!

Our best finds, though, were in the vintage shop at the top of the High Street, Time After Time. They were doing a 20% off all purchases deal just for today. I couldn't resist this knitting bag with its bright printed squares and gentians.

 

It is very roomy and perfect for holding my current work in progress. I am adapting a cardigan pattern from the 1960 Vogue Knitting Book, number 56. Described as 'Cinched to fit a slim waist - a Jacket in Wool and Rayon', it is a round necked cardigan with deep ribbing and 'bracelet length' sleeves. The original is knit in light fingering wool but I am using Sublime Extra Fine Merino 4-ply in a beautiful redcurrant. Instead of the original moss stitch, I am taking the stitch pattern from another cardigan in the same booklet. It is a very simple stitch based on stocking stitch but every fourth stitch is slipped purl wise with wool forward. The effect is to create a checked impression and a more stretchy fabric. Not as monotonous as stocking stitch and not as slow as moss stitch! I think the overall effect, in the fine wool, is really nice.

 

Last but by no means least among my haul was this leather schoolbag. I have been looking for one for ages - they were standard when I was at school! New ones or reproduction versions cost the earth. This one did not and just needs a bit of leather cream to revive it a little.

 

 

Double V Cardigan

Just a short post to show off the pictures of my Double V Cardigan from the Spring 2010 edition of Interweave Knits magazine. Despite the hot sunny weather of late, today I had to wait for a break in the rain clouds to take the photos in the garden. The yarn is Rowan Calmer (cotton with a bit of polyester). The buttons are the ones I picked up at the vintage fair last year. I think they suit the slightly retro style of the cardigan. No apologies for featuring the poppies again - they are so short-lived and they are absolutely stunning amongst the greenery.

  

Things past

In the heat of yesterday, our poppies began to open. I love their intense colour, their bendy stems and the 'blousiness' of their petals.It seemed appropriate, too, given their association with remembrance, that yesterday was the anniversary of 'Uncle Charles's' death. Uncle Charles was my mother-in-law's younger brother. During the Second World War, while doing air reconnaissance in the days leading up to D Day, he was shot down and killed in northern France, on 3rd June 1944. We have been several times to visit his grave in the churchyard at Poix-de-Picardie, where he and his crew were buried by local French people. Now the graves are looked after by the War Graves Commission. He was 21 when he died.

 

Today is equally hot and sultry, so, having done a few essential tasks in town, I took refuge among the cool book-lined shelves of Inprint the wonderful secondhand bookshop at the top of the high street. I had anticipated a gentle browse but came away with a fantastic stash of vintage knitting magazines and patterns. They range from pattern books from the pre-war 1930s, to individual wartime 'Bestway' patterns for lacey cardigans and twin sets, to Stitchcraft and Vogue Knitting Books from the 'new look' fifties and swinging sixties. Nor did I forget my 'other half'. Leach's Pullovers and Woollies for Men from 1934 ('knitted wear keeps pace with tailored fashions') should provide for all his knitted needs! The 'Golfjac' for hiking or golf is the star of this booklet. It is the stitch patterns as much as the design of the actual garments that interests me - if I ever get around to designing for myself, they could be a really useful emporium of ideas.

 This Stitchcraft magazine is full of amazing 1930s designs
  

Tea

Yesterday, an old school friend of Chris's came to tea. He was in our area, visiting Tranquillity House which is an eco-friendly, zero-energy house just up the road from where we live. Tim had read an article about it in the Daily Telegraph and arranged to have a guided tour with some other people. In the end, we had a short peek inside, too, when Tim went back there to collect his car. It was fascinating to see just some of the energy saving ideas in action but also, as George, our 14 year-old certainly felt, quite frightening hearing the owner's prognosis on the future of the planet. I'll let him speak for himself through the link above.

Our friend Tim is originally from Cornwall and I know he is fond of home-baking, so I had made scones and a lemon drizzle cake for tea.  As I got the Rodda's out to put on our scones, Tim pointed out that the picture on the packaging contradicts what all true Cornish people know, which is that the clotted cream goes on first followed by the jam on top.

Wrong!

 Right.

My Mum, who is Irish, makes the best scones ever. She uses no recipe, doesn't measure anything, simply does it all by eye and 'feel'. She is able to magic up a batch of scones in lightning quick time. I remember when I was a child, visitors arriving unexpectedly. From the time they were spotted pulling up outside our house and had walked up the drive to our front door, Mum had fired up the oven and had the scone dough mixed! I was born and brought up in Scotland and therefore, I think, more hung up on measurements and accuracy, so this is my calculated version of the scone recipe. The key things to remember for perfect scones are: be light of touch, do not knead, do not roll with a rolling pin, keep the mixture slack (wet), cook at a high temperature. I don't put any sugar in mine, but sometimes add a couple of handfuls of sultanas or raisins.

Scones

Pre-heat your oven to 220^o Celsius (425^o F, Gas 7).

In a large mixing bowl combine: 1 lb plain flour-1 tsp bicarbonate of soda- 2 tsps cream of tartar - pinch of salt - up to 4oz unsalted butter, cut into pieces.

Rub these ingredients lightly together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add one beaten egg and a carton of buttermilk (or half a pint of milk) to the flour mixture. Mix with one hand or a round bladed knife until you have a soft dough that just comes together.

Turn on to a lightly floured work top and pat out into a flat round about an inch thick. Stamp out rounds of about 3 inches in diameter (depending how big you like your scones). You should get about 20.

Put on greased baking shelf (I use one of those non-stick mats) and bake on top shelf for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly on rack and eat fresh and warm.

 

There has also been progress on the knitting front, just in case you think I am spending my days
cooking (and eating) 'bakery goods'. The Tea Leaf cardigan is coming along - it's easy knitting and I am enjoying working with the lovely Dream in Color. Hatty (16) has even put in a request for a cardy. What she was describing sounded very like the Minimalist Cardigan from Interweave Knits magazine, so I showed her some of the pics of it on Ravelry and that is to be my next project.

Tea Leaves Cardigan - work in progress

 

 

 

 

 

Hunter Jacket...is finished!

As promised, here are the pictures of the now finished Hunter Jacket, designed by Laura Grutzeck. I think it is one of the nicest things I have made, and I highly recommend the pattern, so  long as you are not averse to quite a bit of sewing up at the end. The cuffs, collar and front edges are all folded over to create hems, most of which need sewing down. And the rest is knit traditionally on two needles and in separate pieces that need to be, well, 'pieced together'. The result though, I think you'll agree, is a very tailored jacket/cardigan. I ordered the recommended yarn from the US (St-Denis 'Nordique') and I think this should take some of the credit for why the jacket has turned out so well. It is a sport weight, pure wool yarn that keeps its shape. The stitch definition is amazing. Anyway, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Further details on Ravelry and in previous posts.

 
 

   

Self-indulgence

Daffodils on our mantelpiece...

...and in the garden

The first stirrings of spring are happening at last. Our daffodils and japonica are out and I caught the chickens sun-bathing on the back lawn yesterday - their wings spread out and eyes half closed in blissful doziness. I, too, am looking forward to two weeks of self-indulgence now that school has broken up. Well, as much as is possible with three teenagers also home for the holidays. I managed virtually a whole day of work on the Hunter Jacket. I have knit all the pieces but the finishing (sewing together, knitting on button borders and collar) is taking a lot of slow careful attention. The borders are all folded-over hems, the collar with short-row shaping - so it is a highly 'finished' garment. The result is looking fabulous and fits beautifully, so hopefully I will have pictures to post tomorrow.

As a break from all the sewing up, I decided to start on my next project which is the Tea Leaves Cardigan by Melissa LaBarre. This is the antithesis of the Hunter Jacket in terms of construction - knit top-down, on a circular needle, with knitted-on sleeves and no sewing up at the end! The yarn I am using is Dream in Color Classy (Purple Rain): absolutely gorgeous, rich colour and a high squidge factor.

Put the kettle on...

 

 

 

Benbecula and other challenges

I have spent the weekend in the beautiful Elan Valley in mid-Wales. The main purpose of this weekend away was to run the 20-mile Round the Lakes Mountain Road Race (which I did on Saturday and got a very satisfying 'personal best'). The weather, which had been wet all Friday, cleared in time for the run, which meant that the 800 feet climb up to the 6 mile mark was rewarded with stunning views. The race follows part of the old Aberystwyth Mountain road, and the medieval 'monks trod', before undulating along the edge of the reservoirs built in Victorian times to provide the growing population of Birmingham with water.

I also took advantage of the beautiful surroundings to get some photos of my latest FO. You may remember that this is 'Benbecula' designed by Marie Wallin (pattern in Rowan Knitting and Crochet Magazine, number 46). It has taken me nearly a month to complete but the effort was well worth it. I love the finished item and it was the perfect thing to wrap up in for the weekend. The extensive cabling combined with the Rowan Felted Tweed Aran yarn mean that the fabric is dense and warm. The fact that it is sleeveless and wraparound extends its usefulness and wear-ability.

 
  
  

Cornish holiday

It is becoming a bit of a tradition for us to spend the February half term holiday in Cornwall. We always go back to the same village on the Lizard peninsula and, for the last few visits, the same thatched cottage on the sea front. There is something really comforting and reassuring about returning to the familiar. I love being by the sea 'off-season' - the wild blowy walks along the beach and cliff paths, exploring the cold clear rock-pools, warming up with blazing log fires at night (not, too, blazing because of the thatch!).

  

Walks at this time of year and in this part of the world tend to be very muddy. The kids were wise to wear wellies - I had chosen walking boots and so, much to their amusement, had to engage in commando style tactics to negotiate some of the hazards. This particular gateway was on our way back from Trellegast Barton Farm, otherwise known as Roskilly's. They do great food and cream teas in the 'Croust House' ('croust', from 'crust', is Cornish for a snack).

  
 Of course, there was knitting to be done - in particular the project I have undertaken for the Ravelympics. So far, I have managed to keep up to schedule and have finished half of Benbecula(see previous posts and Ravelry for details). It is turning out to be quite a challenge: lots of cables in every right side row, and the tunic length more than makes up for the fact that there are no sleeves. However, I am enjoying making it and I have enjoyed watching some of the Winter Olympics, particularly the snowboard cross and the skiing. We even, briefly, became curling enthusiasts, although this has waned since we got home!

My cosy fireside knitting corner in the cottage with Benbecula 'wip'

 So now we are back home and back to work and school. I have a couple of big 20 mile races coming up in preparation for 'London' in April. It's snowing again and not easy to force myself out the door to put in some miles. Perhaps I'll have a cup of coffee and do a few rows of knitting before I go...
 
  

Ravelympics

Today is the start of the Ravelympics. It's another caper started on Ravelry, to coincide with the Winter Olympics in Canada. Participants can join different teams (I'm in Team GB) and enter knitting projects in appropriate events. The idea is to knit while watching the sports and complete your projects during the two weeks of the Olympic Games. The project has to have sufficient challenge, so I have chosen to cast on for Benbecula by Marie Wallin from Rowan Magazine (number 47). It has lots of cabling and moss stitch so I have entered it for the Sweaterboard Cross and Cable Cross-Country events! I found the very patriotic zip up bag in Accessorize and it is perfect for holding circular needles, tape measure, scissors etc.

Benbecula by Marie Wallin (Rowan Felted Tweed Aran 726)

In fact, I shall be doing the first half of my Ravelympics in Cornwall, as we are spending half term in a thatched cottage by the sea. It has thick stone walls to keep us snug should it turn stormy and a huge fireplace. I am going prepared for plenty of lazing by the fire at the end of the day with the new Designer Knitting and Marie Claire Idées to read, plus a Henning Mankell thriller. A lady who lives a few cottages along the row, makes the most fantastic pasties to order and Roskilly's Farm is not far away for supplies of clotted cream for our scones! Just as well I am also packing walking boots and running kit, too...

Gypsy caravan on Roskilly's Farm, St. Keverne, Cornwall

Hunter Jacket

My garter stitch jacket (see previous post) is a great success. I have worn it twice at work this week - once for a normal day at school where I was flattered to get complimentary comments from the art department; and again, with jeans and a casual shirt, when I was out of school on a course. So I have started with enthusiasm on my next project, which is called Hunter Jacket and the pattern is in the Classic Elite Yarns' St. Denis Magazine (only available in the USA). The stitch pattern is twisted moss stitch repeated over 8 rows, so it is interesting but not difficult to knit. The yarn is a pure wool, 5-ply sport weight called Nordique, which really allows the stitch texture to resonate. The designer, Laura Grutzeck has included some nice design features which will make the finished cardigan very neat and finished: a turned hem on the back, using a provisional cast-on, and mitred, ribbed edges on the fronts.