Jen Arnall-Culliford Knitwear

And the winner is...

Many thanks for all the entries into the Knitting Masterclass book giveaway! I really enjoyed reading all of your recommendations. I appear to have made a little birthday wishlist based on your suggestions (although I was surprised by how many of the books I already owned!).

Congratulations to commenter number 43 - Lindaran on Ravelry, who said this:

Knitting in America by Melanie Falick. I love the background and the history of the designers in the book.

I've sent you an email Lindaran, so keep an eye out for it!

I'm still knitting away on my Thorn shawl, which doesn't look much different from when I last photographed it. But I'm now on step C4, and it only goes up to C6 and then border, so I must be nearly getting there...

Are you Steady?

Jim's next Ready, Steady, Go! pattern is now available! You can read the full details over on his blog here: New Pattern: Steady Hat

All pattern proceeds after fees are going to support the brilliant work of Refuge with women and children experiencing domestic violence.

The Steady Hat is £2.50 here: 

And the whole Ready, Steady, Go! eBook is available for £5.00 here (the final pattern will be added automatically when it's released in March): 

Please do tweet, favourite, queue and generally spread the word about this collection as Jim has worked super-hard on it! Or why not gift a copy to a friend too? You can purchase as a gift through the Ravelry page for the eBook here: Ready, Steady, Go! eBook

Many, many thanks for all your support!

Knitting Masterclass Giveaway!

I heard back in January that my Golden Wheat Shawl design had been chosen as the cover project for a new knitting book, and I was absolutely chuffed to bits! I now have a copy of the book in question in my hands, and what's more, the kind folks at Collins & Brown have given me a copy of Knitting Masterclass to giveaway to one of you!

Knitting Masterclass is a beautiful book. It's a sturdy hardcover, and contains a selection of the best Masterclass articles from The Knitter magazine. Topics are covered in lots of detail by some of the best names in the industry - there's an article on grafting by Woolly Wormhead, correcting mistakes in lace by Judy Furlong, adding waist shaping to garments by Belinda Boaden, Judy's magic cast on by Judy Becker herself, heaps of tips from Jane Crowfoot, and Annie Modesitt on combination knitting, among many, many more!

Alongside the informative articles (many of which feature pictures of my hands, as they are from my days as Technical Editor on The Knitter), there are a series of patterns chosen to illustrate the techniques in the articles. My Golden Wheat Shawl is obviously included, as are my Scooter socks - using both jogless and helical stripes.

There are so many lovely patterns that I really can't list them all, but I think there's something for everyone - socks by Jon Dunn-Ballam (Nexus and Climbing Mistletoe), a gorgeous short-sleeved cabled caridgan by Amanda Crawford and a men's tank top by Todd Gocken, among many!

Of all my designs, Golden Wheat will always have a special place in my heart, and I'm forever grateful to Lilith at Old Maiden Aunt for her amazing dyeing, and to Kim Hobley for incredible knitting skills, for helping me to realise the shawl that was trying to break out of my head!

The Knitter Knitting Masterclass with over 20 technical workshops and 15 beautiful patterns, edited by Juliet Bernard
Published by Collins & Brown
ISBN: 978-1908449023
RRP: £20.00 

So here are the giveaway details: One entry per person please. Leave a comment on this blog post, telling me which is your favourite knitting book, and why (patterns, techniques, history, anything!). Comments will remain open for exactly 2 weeks from the time I post this. Entries are open worldwide and the prize is one copy of The Knitter Knitting Masterclass with over 20 technical workshops and 15 beautiful patterns, edited by Juliet Bernard. One winner will be chosen at random & I will announce the lucky person shortly after the contest closes.

Good luck!

Knit, knit, knit...

That's all I seem able to do at the moment. Simple knitting, and plenty of it!

I finished off Chapeau! with some lovely pompoms, and I've been meaning to get some pictures of me wearing it. Life has been hectic though, and I decided you'd rather see something than nothing at all! The pattern was lovely to follow (as I knew it would be coming from Belinda!), and the Donegal Aran was a treat to knit with as well. I've made the 3 colour version and there aren't too many leftovers, having made the pompoms - I'm actually wondering whether to make a third pompom with the leftover beige - what do you think?

Having cast the hat off sometime last week, I set to the next thing I fancied... I am liberated to knit whatever the heck I like. The less sensible the better at the moment! Well, that isn't entirely true. I do need my knitting projects to be simple enough that I don't have to engage much brain power. My brain is rather full just now, and simple is how everything has to be.

So I went to the next thing I was thinking about - Thorn by Bristol Ivy. Bristol is part of the staff at the wonderful Brooklyn Tweed, and this shawl entirely fulfills my need to simple, satisfying, knitting. I'm going to ask her how she came up with the design as it is really speaking to me, and yet I wonder how you conceive of something like this...

I'm using Fyberspates Scrumptious 4ply in Jen's Green (obviously!), and so far it's looking ace. I've been eyeballing the design for a while, and it was Ann's version over on Mason-Dixon knitting that really sent me over the edge. The increases are slow and steady, but the pattern is emerging bit by bit and it's just the thing I need at the moment.

Many thanks for the continued support for Jim's Ready, Steady, Go! eBook for Refuge. The Fyberspates MCN Sport in Ready Red for Refuge is selling well, so snap a skein up quickly if you would like one. £10.80 from each skein goes to help the work of Refuge - what more of an excuse do you need to treat yourself?

And the winner is...

I had such a great time reading through all of the comments on the Colours of Shetland giveaway post. So many practical ideas for knitting on a desert island! And plenty of things to make me giggle too - perfect!

 
The first winner is Anette Raith with comment number 29:

I love the Puffin sweater so much. I have been on Staffa twice (West coast of Scotland) and both times seen puffins. I was there during the birds breeding season, therefore I could see them on land and get very close to the birds. They are so beautiful. Anette / Denmark

And the second winner is Sheila with comment number 117:

I'd take lace weight silk yarn to knit a shawl with. And tear out and reknit if rescue is slow in coming. A large silk shawl is practical too - it can provide shade during the day and keep me warm at night.

Well done to both winners! I've emailed you, so please check your inboxes.

I've finished my Chapeau! And seem to have cast on Thorn... Pictures will be forthcoming...