Inspiration for lace and cables, bobbles and edging.

There's inspiration in the oddest places. 

A while ago the family visited the SS. Great Britain, Brunel's huge ship in dry dock in Bristol.  Just outside was the ironwork for a Victorian urinal.  Odd place for it to be and there seemed to be no particular reason for it being there.  I had to photograph it for the wonderful patterns.

The Construction of the Glove

I'm studying the construction of the glove.  Mary Thomas has a lot to say about it in 'Mary Thomas's Knitting Book' first published in 1938 and most of the text below is based on hers with other bits of research thrown in.  If you can follow the principles (and I'm struggling), it starts to give you some idea about the construction of the Straight Thumb style of glove where thumb and fingers all lie flat.  The style is very much of the time with a close fitting, snug wristed glove.  These days I think we tend towards a slightly looser fit.

I drew round my hand to get the diagram below.  It was only then that I really understood what was going on.  I've still to get to the bottom of the style where the thumb gusset is worked from the palm - The Palm Thumb.

Measure your hand across the knuckles at (A) and do a tension swatch in your chosen yarn/stitch

Cast on and rib the number of stitches that you need for that measurement to create cuff. 

The wrist should be about 1" straight knitting in your chosen stitch between the ribbing and the beginning of the thumb shaping.

The base of the thumb is knitted with the palm until the thumb separation is reached.  The increase for the thumb (C) - (B) will be calculated on the difference between the measurement across the hand at (A) and the measurement across the hand at (B).

When the thumb increases are complete the thumb separation can start.  There may be 3 rows knitted before starting depending on best fit. 

The thumb is knitted before you start the palm.  The measurement (B) - (D) and (B) - (C) should be about the same.

The area between the mid palm (B) and the base of the fingers is knitted without shaping until the base of the fingers is reached. 

Each finger is worked separately in order.  The measurement (F) - (A) will be roughly the same as (A) - (C).

So, there you have it.

Primroses and Dog Violets

When I eventually retire I shall regularly serve tea with home made cakes.  I shall use this teaset and a table cloth embroidered by my own hand.  Simple things.

And - the Primroses and Dog Violets are out.  How much better does it get?

Garter Stitch hat

I have to admit here and now that I don't have a load of experience of babies, but I do have this idea for a simple garter stitch hat.  This doll's head is 14 and a half inches (37cm) round just above the ears.  According to various size charts I have seen this equates to about 6 months (or quite a sizable baby doll). 

Garter stitch is very stretchy and when I place a ruler across the front of the hat as it lies on the desk it measures only about 15 cm wide (about 30cm unworn, unstretched circumference).

If you are are a beginner and thinking of having a go, read this post right through and then you'll understand what you are aiming for.

Cast on  35 stitches in DK on  3.75mm  needles
Knit 4 rows
Change to a different colour and 4mm needles.  This means that the first few rows are slightly tighter and hold the hat in place. 

Knit garter stitch straight until the whole thing measures 11cm.  This is the front.

Change to a lighter colour yarn as the back of the hat is a different colour and knit down the back.
As it gets longer try folding it widthways at the point of the colour change so you can see how far to go before you reach the colour change at the bottom of the front. 
When you get to the colour change you need to change back to 3.75 needles and knit 4 rows so that when it is folded in half widthways back and front are the same length.

Cast off, fold it in half widthways (at the colour change) and sew it up the sides.
Wrap some spare yarn very tightly round the corners to make 'ears'.

Really important thing to remember is that if you decide to decorate the hat, make sure that everything is sewn on really firmly so baby can't pull it off and swallow it and make sure the yarn is really soft and not at all scratchy.

This idea could be adapted to any size doll by reducing the number of stitches cast on and the length.  In another post I'll have a go at adjusting the size for a different doll and let you know how I did it.

Remembering that garter stitch is very stretchy and that babies move about a lot I shall experiment casting on with 3.25mm needles to see if a tighter fit at the bottom is better.  I've still got to locate a baby to test it on.

Vintage Buttons

Vintage Buttons - another of my favourite things.  When things are getting me down I just need to look at a few old buttons (or a few old knitting patterns). 

Loads of inspiration in buttons for pattern, shapes and colours.