Barter hat

Knitted this this morning whilst on teh computer - it's for a barter I did for a weaving book and a book of WW2 ration cooking, and will be off to Kent soon :)  The wool is Creative Poems aran, 100% pure wool, and beautiful to knit with, lovely colours and shading.I think she'll like it...............

Fair Isle cap donated to museum

Love this story!

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2011/10/25/bought-on-ebay-for-7-39-fair-isle-cap-now-has-pride-of-place-in-museum

I'd have been happy to pay a lot more than that for it too!

So far Sanquhar.............

Just arrived today in the post :)

A rather lovely looking booklet on Sanquhar knitting, complete with wool and needles - a wee treat for myself :) (end of resolutions, then lol). I picked this up on e-bay last week, £26.95, which I thought wasn't bad- the needles are even in authentic paper wrap, which I love. I've been a fan of Sanquhar for many years now,a nd started a group on Ravelry last year which is proving quite popular, and has diversified into various other traditional glove knitting detours- great stuff! Just about to cast these on whilst waiting for the sprouts to cook:

A quick trawl around the net resulted in the discovery of Traditional Scottish Knitting Masterclasses being held this year, so am waiting to hear back on details of thsoe - very excited; I might even be bale to go!!! Will keep you posted :)

Peerie beanie

 - as it turns out, not a tam after all lol

 Peerie patterns are small geometric patterns in Fair Isle knitting, used on borders, or filling in between larger motifs on bigger garments. Patterns taken from the invaluable 'A Shetland Pattern Book' by Mary Smith and Maggie Twatt. This one is done in Shetland and lambswool, loved knitting it and am quite pleased with it :)

Peerie tam

I love all knitting, not a thing I can think of that I'm not keen on, but this is what I love most - designing on the needles as I go, intricate and small patterns, choosing colours as it knits up. Peerie means small, and I'm choosing peerie patterns from the wonderful book  'A Shetland Pattern Book' by  Mary Smith and Maggie Twatt. This is a tam in lovely Shetland and lambswool, a mixed bag bought from e-bay just before Christmas; knitting up nice and quickly - but maybe that's because  I can't put it down.................

Project Bear completed

Here's the final thing at last! Handspun from Alaskan Malamut hair from Kent; blended and spun with Dorset Portland bought in Glastonbury; dyed with acid dyes bought from e-bay, using citric acid to fix it bought in Stirling;  knitted in Dorset, and now on its way to its recipient in Cumbria.
I loved this wool to knit with, very much my type  of woolly spinning, and the colour is wonderful, a nice shade of woodland green. Very pleased with it.