Make some towels that are so beautiful you’ll never want to use them! That’s ok, some things you use until they’re shredded, and some you keep out to please the eye. Both have their roles in our lives. The pattern is a FREEBIE, and makes for some simple, elegant summer knitting.
Quince & Co Sparrowis my favourite yarn for this project, I love how this linen looks, the silky feels after being washed, and also how resilient it is (it gets better going through the wash) . My second personal choice would be
Kelbourne Mojave – their colours make me so happy, and the I love the the subtle texture of the fibre.
Berroco Remix Light is the budget friendly, earth friendly, use-friendly option – it has so much yardage, two skeins of the main colour will make 3 towels, and 3 skeins will make 5. Plus it’s recycled, has a neat texture, is easy to knit with and wash.
Cascade Ultra Pima is the last on the list, but not the least. This silky smooth pima cotton is a staple, and is always a joy to knit with and wear. If you like a plain, flat aesthetic, this is your yarn of choice.
Hi guys! I’m sorry I’ve been away so long, I am very well, just busy in the store …. you’ve been very graciously keeping me on my toes! I’ve been arranging orders for pick-up and shipping, over the phone, email, our online store and even through Facebook messenger! I’m very proud to report that many blankets have been conceived in the last week, many colours have been combined, consulted, and recombined. Much yarn has been wound.
I have a few minutes before the phone rings and my email is quiet, so I thought I’d show you my very small project. I saw the Baker’s Twine Pot Holder on Ravelry and it kind of appealed … plus it’s a small, easy project not requiring too much bandwidth.
I’m test-driving a new yarn, Borgo de’ Pazzi Amore Cotton. It’s a very affordable bulky weight, recycled cotton that’s made in Italy. It comes in marled colours and I thought it would make a good craft yarn for dish cloths and such. I think one skein is going to be enough for my square pot-holder, it’s 10″ wide and I’m knitting it tight on small needles. Unfortunately, I haven’t has the time to photograph all the colours, but they’re pretty straightforward (pink & white is what you’d imagine … pink & white).
The little aqua ring is made with Kelbourne Woolens Mojave … I love their bright colours and the lovely texture. Mojave is a blend of cotton and linen and it’s just a lovely combo. The ring was actually kind of interesting, it’s constructed in the round first and then you knit the fabric around it.
Hacks
Use slippery metal needles. The tight tension made things harder on wood needles.
I book-ended my slip-stitch sections with stitch markers. The dual-colour system you see in the picture isn’t actually necessary, I think I had a bit of ‘pandemic brain-fog’ when I started and I was getting disoriented. Now that I’m better seated in this transitional period I look at the markers and I’m like “What? Why did you think that was a complicated concept?” Still, while it was ultimately unnecessary, I’m impressed with my little system.
If you want a smaller piece you can omit one pattern repeat (12 sts) and it should come out around 7.75″ to 8″ wide.
Just a quick Haley update … I’m here in the store and I’m well. I’ve been paying a lot of attention to caring for myself, both physically and mentally. I’ve been making a point of exercising and eating properly to buttress my immune system. Mentally, I’ve made a point to slow down and let myself adjust to the experience. I’ve also expanded my meditation practice. As for mindfulness, I’m trying to lean into the experience, let myself really go into it, absorb and process all I can get from it.
Not that that’s an easygoing thing. Life has been “Go!Go!Go!STOP”, which is both exhilarating and a bit taxing. Adapting to this pandemic has been like going through the stages of grief – I think I’m mostly in acceptance (or I could be completely in denial, but I don’t think so).
Several people have suggested I host events on Zoom or host online classes, but I am being pulled inwards now more than ever. My need to connect with myself and ground myself is strong. I know a lot of people are struggling with feeling disconnected and are looking to connect with others through digital media. For what it’s worth, that isn’t my calling. I can’t connect with others if I’m not connected with myself, I can’t love others if I don’t love myself. I view this as a period of transition, and I’m letting the currents make their changes and transform me. We all get the experiences we need to grow.
Anyway, I’m still here for you, and those of you who need me are definitely reaching out. But I’m letting the way I’m here evolve and recalibrate naturally.
Make some towels that are so beautiful you’ll never want to use them! That’s ok, some things you use until they’re shredded, and some you keep out to please the eye. Both have their roles in our lives.
The Celtic Knot Pillow is a very clever little project that is so super simple it’s perfect for the cottage or travel. It’s basically a long tube which is then stuffed, twisted up into a knot, and joined. If your skills are minimal you can seam it and place the seam on the underside. If you’re feeling a bit more knitterly you can use a provisional cast-on and graft your pillow using kitchener stitch.
Yarn Options
You can use any of the following yarns for your project …
Not everyone is a garment knitter, especially in warm weather, but never fear, inspiration still abounds! Summer is a great time to slow down and fluff up your nest. Great cushions are hard to find, but are easy to make. I love cables, they’re classic, never dated, and go with EVERYTHING.
Pillow covers also offer a great opportunity to play around with cables without committing to a large garment. The project is just enough knitting, finishing is minimal, fit isn’t an issue, and you can use any number of different yarns. The classic kettle dyed Malabrigo Merino Worsted would be scrumptious, as would it’s machine washable cousin Malabrigo Rios. If you want machine washability Berroco Vintage is a cost effective choice, or for a cotton try Cascade Avalon. For something more textured and interesting consider Mineville Wool Angora (hold 2 strands together), Noro Silk Garden Solo (it’s on Clearance), or tweedy Queensland Kathmandu Aran. Whatever you choose I don’t think you can go wrong.
This pillow cover is designed with knitterly pleasure in mind – there are no seams and there is no sewing involved. All of the techniques used (which aren’t all that special) are listed below and have links to good explanations/tutorials, some of which are pictorial, and some have videos.
This summer we’ve been doing a lot of posting of project ideas via Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, including lots of cottage friendly projects. One of our favourite cottage projects are wash/face cloths; they’re small, fast, portable, simple, affordable, and make great little gifts (wrap a soap up in one and tie with a ribbon). Plus, there are crates and crates of Free patterns for cloths (and some great paid patts too)!
NEW Lionbrand Zpagetti T-Shirt Yarn Zpagetti is a T-Shirt yarn or ‘tarn’, made from remnants from garment manufacturing. It’s strong and comfortable, great for homey stuff. Because the material is repurposed each colourway is limited.
I love the idea of knitted housewears, and I love this knitted basket! I think you can use any yarn with lots of body and needles that will give it a tight tension, and you`re off to the races!
Many of the links posted here are from Ravelry.com, a free website for knitters and crocheters. If you don’t have your own account you can use ours: login: knitomatic2, password: knitomatic.
