New Knitting Stitch Pattern

I'm diving in face first to this personal project thing and found a sweater I want to knit already. I don't know where it is from but I found it on one sheepish girl's blog. The thing that excites me about it is the possibility of the different colour ways that could be used with it. Better get punching!

First Knitting Project

Okay so the title isn't true, this isn't my first knitting project but it is the first project I have done for myself. Which is strange really, all of the crazy complex knitting I have done on my machine I have never completed anything for myself. But now I feel like I have gotten over the whole "knitting is work" thing, I do love knitting but after such a stressful course I had this weird mentality that connected knitting to working! So anyway after I bought the new Kid silk yarn I wanted to give it a test run without wasting any of my new stuff! So i took my Rowan ball that I had left and got it machine ready.

 Now I know why they don't selly them like this! Looks like a fluffy legoman head.

 So the mohair was hard work but I got used to it eventually!

 I marled the mohair in with a light grey acrylic, a wool and nylon  yarn and a dark grey aran yarn.

 I joined the cast on to the last row of knitting I did and cast off to make an infinity scarf. This is the finished article! I love of it feels and how it looks when worn.

I'm definitely going to start knitting things for myself, especially with all this yarn I've acquired! 

New Yarns!

So i got a chance to scout out some new yarn suppliers at the knitting and stitching show in London. I had always been an obsessive about the kid silk haze from Rowan, which is weird because it's not exactly a machine knitting yarn. But I just love the feel and handle of it, I bought a ball of it last year from Liberty's yarn shop and I still have it. Its quite weird I just keep it and stroke it... Anyway! I hate the £8 price tag and refuse to pay that for a 25g ball of wool! Thats the great thing about these exhibitions is that they have loads of different companies that aren't so prominent as Rowan etc. I came across a stand called Nest http://www.handmadenest.co.uk that had yarns called Drops Kid-Silk and a range of gorgeous muted colours. To be fair their range isn't as big as Rowan's but thats to be expected really. And it cost only £4.60, thats nearly half the price of Rowans yarn and it's the same fibre content! Total bargain! Take a look.

 I bought 4 balls but will probably need more, I want to make either a jumper or a lace cardigan with it. I just need to finalise a pattern and design for it.

I also got a few skeins of crewel embroidery yarn because they were such gorgeous tonal colours, and about the only fine weight I could find in the exhibition! Hopefully I'll be able to put them to good use I'm not sure how yet!

More Knitwear Editorial

More pics from the Submission Magazine photoshoot "Rainbow Warrior" featuring my knitwear.

Knitted Textile Awards @ Knitting and Stitching Show London

I haven't blogged much lately because i have been so busy, recently i went to the knitting and stitching show in London for the UHKA Knitted Textile awards. It was great fun and I loved showing my work to everyone and meeting loads of graduates that are in exactly the same position as I am haha! So I took some pictures of the work I liked to post.

 This was my stand, I was so overwhelmed by the lovely compliments and cannot wait to go to the Harrogate show!

 This is Liz Scott's work she did a degree at DMU in Fashion Fabrics and Accessories. 

Her work was a "happy accident" changing a knitted swatch into a garment. 

 Hannah Evans

 Vita Ivicic

www.ivicicvita.com

 This is the work of Judith Watson who is also the Gold Prize winner of the knitted textile awards.

www.judeworks.com

 Sandra MG has created this submission for the open category, the belts are amazing and hand crocheted with the tiniest crochet hook and thousands of little pearl beads!

 This is one of Emma Vining's amazing designs also for the Open Category you can follow her on EMMAVININGHANDKNITTING.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK or look for PURLEMMA on twitter, ravelry and pinterest.

This is the gold award winning entry to the open compeition by Sally Spinks that included knitted bug sweaters and comical knit embellished photographs, find more of her work at www.sallyspinks.co.uk.

 These are the entries that won the silver award in the open category by Nicky Barfoot. They are hand knit designs knitted from a life drawing class that Nicky took.

http://shop.nickybarfoot.co.uk

 This is Eleanor Scott's work a mish mash of different machine knit colours and textures you can find her on www.tumblr.com/blog/eleanorscottknit

 Hannah Payne

 Jenny Chau

 Louisa Crompton

www.louisacrompton.co.uk

 Kate Morris- Silver Award Winner

www.bedroomfactoryknits.co.uk

 Scott Bramley

 Olivia Hunter-Silver Award Winner

Leah Short of Kniteriors

www.leahshort.wix.com/leahslovelies

www.leahs-lovelies.blogspot.co.uk

 This is the awesome work of Alexandra Pengelly, who is an amazing technical knitwear designer!

www.alexpengellyknit.co.uk

Tanya Leskinen

My Knitwear Featured in Submission Magazine

Right after I had finished my degree I was contacted by a stylist called Lisa Fifer, I sent her a few of my outfits and this week got back the first set of pictures from a lovely magazine shoot she styled used my knitted leotard available here . Another set of images she used with my clothing is currently submitted to another magazine so should be able to get my hands on those in due time.

My Collection Catwalk Feature

Two outfits from my collection were featured in the Autumn Fair International Jewellery show at the Birmingham NEC. I loved the different way they were styled and the awesome accessories that went with them. Take a look:

Shoe DIY Ideas

I'm loving the strappy high heeled sandal trend on the London Fashion Week catwalks right now and they have got me in the mood for a DIY! Here are my inspirations, let me know which ones you would want.

Markus Lupfer DIY Ideas

I love Markus Lupfer's designs, i think they are cute and fun. But I just can't afford to shell out £200-£300 on a jumper! Here's a few DIY inspirations I'm having right now!

Which one would you want a DIY tutorial on? Personally my favourite is the plastic girl logo with sequins in. 

P.S How cute are the kittens!