Table of contents for 220 in The Knitter

Sandra Nesbitt Yorkshire-based designer Sandra loves to explore the possibilities of lace, cables, colourwork and brioche to create her designs. We have three patterns from Sandra this month: a brioche scarf on p29, a lacy jumper on p36, and a colourwork cushion on p81. Outi Kater Outi is a Finnish designer who has lived for many years in Shetland and in Ireland, and likes to draw inspiration from Nordic and Baltic crafts. Outi’s latest design for us is a pair of colourful Fair Isle mitts and a matching hat, on p9. Sarah Hatton Sarah honed her skills as part of Rowan’s in-house design team, and she is now an independent designer who creates patterns for yarn brands and knitting magazines. Turn to p67 to find her ‘Castlerigg’ dickie, which is…

COPENHAGEN FIBERS Merino Light Shade pictured 17 Ball weight/length 50g/235m Needle size 3.5mm (UK 10-9/US 4) Tension 28 sts and 37 rows to 10cm Fibre content 100% wool Care Hand wash RRP TBC Contact www.hobbii.co.uk Copenhagen Fibers is a brand-new yarn range with a focus on high-quality natural fibres and a modern Nordic aesthetic. Merino Light is a lovely light DK-weight, spun from mulesing-free Merino wool and offering an excellent handle, an elegant drape and crisply defined stitches. It comes in a palette of 30 lightly heathered shades. The range launches on 1 October. LUCA-S Alpaca Dream Shade pictured Dusty Pink (06) Ball weight/length 50g/100m Needle size 4.5mm (UK 7/US 7) Tension 19-21 sts and 27-29 rows to 10cm Fibre content 100% baby alpaca Care Hand wash RRP £8.99 Contact…

IDEAL FOR autumn layering, this short-sleeved jumper is knitted in a blend of British alpaca and wool. The raglan design from Sandra Nesbitt is knitted top-down, and has a yoke decorated with a leaf-like lace pattern, while the main fabric is in reverse stocking stitch. UK Alpaca’s Superfine Alpaca DK yarn comes in a choice of 20 warm colours, along with speckled and hand-dyed options. CHART PATTERNS PATT A Rnd 1: K1, yo, P1, (P4, K3, P5) to 1 st before mrk, yo, K1. 2 sts inc’d. Rnd 2: K2, P1, (P4, K3, P5) to 2 sts before mrk, K2. Rnd 3: K1, yo, P2, (P3, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, SSK, P4) to 2 sts before mrk, P1, yo, K1. 2 sts inc’d. Rnd 4: K2, P2, (P3, K5, P4)…

JENNIE ATKINSON has constructed this scarf and matching hat from a series of different-sized squares, all knitted in the round from the outside in. This modular approach is complemented by the use of three variegated colourways of Malabrigo Arroyo, a sportweight Merino yarn. The top of the hat is cinched together with two i-cord ties attached to the top corners. PATTERN NOTES The scarf is comprised of blocks of squares of various sizes, all knitted in the round from the outside edge to the centre. After the initial square has been completed, subsequent squares start with stitches picked up from one edge, and then additional stitches cast on for the outside edge of the new square. The scarf is divided into five blocks with squares in different configurations, shown in…

FOR HER poncho design, Anniken Allis has chosen a yak-wool blend which ensures the knitted fabric feels sumptuously soft and comfortable. Her design is knitted sideways in one piece, then folded and seamed, leaving a hole for the head. It features an all-over pattern of lace diamonds, edged with garter stitch. Anniken has provided a range of length and width options for the project. King Cole’s Luxury Yak DK comes in 12 contemporary colours. PATTERN NOTES The poncho is worked sideways, so the depth reflects the number of stitches cast on. To choose which size to knit, decide the depth you would like and how long you would like the poncho to be. The poncho will be folded in half lengthwise and seamed leaving a hole for the head. You…

THIS STRANDED colourwork cushion cover has a hexagonal shape, and a large flower motif on the front. The front piece is knitted in the round, starting with a circular cast-on; the two back pieces are worked flat in plain stocking stitch, with button bands for closing the cushion once the pad is inserted. Sandra Nesbitt’s design uses Rowan’s Softyak DK, a gorgeous blend of cotton and yak which comes in 27 muted shades and jewel tones. This yarn is machine-washable on a cool setting. PATTERN NOTES The cushion is worked in three pieces: one for the front, and two for the back. The front piece is worked from the centre outwards, starting with Emily Ocker’s circular cast-on method, and incorporates strategically placed increases within the stranded knit pattern which is…

“THIS HAT and matching fingerless mittens are knitted in the round using Jamieson & Smith’s 2ply Jumper Weight Shetland wool,” explains Outi Kater. “The brim of the hat and the cuffs of the mittens are worked in corrugated ribbing in two shades of grey with low contrast. The background of the stranded colourwork is worked by alternating these two shades of grey, which gives the background a lively marled appearance. The decreases in the crown have been worked with K2tog and SSK, which results in a very neat and flat crown.” HAT Using 3mm DPNs and yarn A, and the long-tail method, cast on 132 sts. Pm and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts. Work rounds 1-13 of Chart A, working the 4-st repeat…

I started this year with the ambition to knit a pair of socks every month - I managed to make two pairs by the end of February, but then I ran out of steam a bit… So when I saw that designer Ailbíona McLochlainn was launching a ‘Simply Stranded Summer Sock Club’, I decided to sign up for some sock knitting inspiration and motivation! The club began in April with the publication of ‘Flowerstone Socks’, which are sprinkled with tiny blossoms and are ideal for a bit of stashbusting. I knitted mine in a sky blue shade of Yarnsmiths Merino Sock, with the flowers and afterthought heels and toes in a fondant pink. Club members receive a new pattern every month, and so far we’ve been treated to cute colourwork…

THESE SWEET socks have a stylised floral pattern knitted in a bright red shade on a cream background, bordered by narrow chequerboard bands; the cuffs, heels and toes are also knitted in red. Bronagh Miskelly’s top-down design is worked in two shades of West Yorkshire Spinners’ much-loved Signature 4ply. This sock yarn comes in a wide choice of colours, including cheerful brights and classic neutrals. PATTERN NOTE If you are working with DPNs, rearrange the number of stitches on each needle by one or two every few rows, to avoid developing ladders of looser stitches. RIGHT SOCK Using 2.75mm needles and yarn A, cast on 60 (72:84) sts. Pm and join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts. Rnd 1: *K1, P1; rep from * to…

OUR FAMILY business is based around a breeding herd of about one hundred alpacas, and the manufacture of British alpaca yarns for knitting, crochet and weaving. Classical MileEnd Alpacas is the animal side of our business, while UK Alpaca is this country’s largest producer of farm to yarn alpaca in DK, 4ply and chunky weights. There’s just the two of us based on our farm in mid Devon – myself and Chas - unless you count our rodent-catching cat Disco. We produce the yarns on the biggest scale we can, buying in several tonnes of alpaca fleece from other British breeders so that we can process in minimum lots of 1,000 kilograms of one colour and grade. This is crucial, as we sell in both the wholesale and retail markets.…

BRONAGH MISKELLY’S autumnal design has a beautifully textured fabric, with leaf-like motifs that incorporate cables and nupps. For tips on how to work nupps using a crochet hook, see our Masterclass on page 60. PATTERN NOTE When working shaping sections, only slip a stitch in the pattern if you definitely have enough stitches to work the cable on the next RS row. TREE NUPP PATTERN Row 1: *K3, Sl 1 wyib, K1, Sl 1 wyib, K12; rep from * to last 9 sts, K3, Sl 1 wyib, K1, Sl 1 wyib, K3. Row 2: *P3, Sl 1 wyif, P1, Sl 1 wyif, P12; rep from * to last 9 sts, P3, Sl 1 wyif, P1, Sl 1 wyif, P3. Row 3: *C4B, K1, C4F, K9; rep from * to last…

THIS STYLE of mini poncho is often called a ‘dickie’, and it’s a useful piece to wear under a winter coat to keep out the chills. Sarah Hatton’s design has a rolled ribbed collar, and is buttoned at the sides. The fabric features an array of beautiful cable patterns. It’s knitted in a soft and fluffy aran-weight blend of wool, alpaca and mohair from West Yorkshire Spinners, called Fable. This comes in 12 delicate, earthy shades. CHART PATTERNS CHART A Row 1 (RS): (RS) P1, C4B, C4F, P1, K1, P1, T2F, P1, T2B, P1, K1. 19 sts. Row 2 (WS): (P1, K2, P1, K1) twice, P8, K1. Row 3: P1, K8, P1, K1, P2, T3F, P2, K1. Row 4: As row 2. Row 5: P1, C4B, C4F, P1, K1, P1,…

THE INTRICATELY patterned yoke on this gansey-inspired sweater by Pat Menchini is separated from the main broken rib fabric by a panel of textured diamond motifs. The plain sleeves have decorative textured cuffs, and the same stitch pattern is used for the hems. The project uses a superwash Merino wool from Yarnsmiths, which comes in a huge choice of solid and heathered shades. CHART PATTERNS DIAMOND BORDER CHART (worked over 8 sts) Row 1 (WS): P4, K1, P3. Row 2 (RS): K2, P3, K3. Row 3: P2, K5, P1. Row 4: P7, K1. Row 5: K8. Row 6: As Row 4. Row 7: As Row 3. Row 8: As Row 2. Row 9: As Row 1. YOKE PANEL CHART (worked over 35 sts) Row 1 (RS): P7, (T2B, P1) 3…

WORKSHOPS 12 OCTOBER London Stranded Colourwork www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk 020 8985 5231 12 OCTOBER Renishaw, Derbyshire Yarn Spa with Peak District Yarns www.nibblesneedlesandhooks.co.uk 17-20 OCTOBER Compton Martin, Somerset Wool School www.fernhillfibre.co.uk 18 OCTOBER Lewes Fair Isle Hat Workshop www.idashouse.co.uk 01883 345220 19 OCTOBER London Intarsia from the Beginning www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk 020 8985 5231 25 OCTOBER Betchworth, Surrey Learn to Spin www.gilliangladrag.co.uk 01306 898144 25 OCTOBER Faversham Continental Knitting for Colour-work with Bronagh Miskelly www.theyarndispensary.co.uk 01795 533812 29 OCTOBER London Learn to Darn – Beautifully! www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk 020 8985 5231 1 NOVEMBER Lewes Intarsia www.idashouse.co.uk 01883 345220 1 NOVEMBER Culcheth, Warrington Pick n Mix Cable Knitting with Sarah Hatton www.blacksheepwools.com 01925 764231 2 NOVEMBER London Introduction to Drop Spindling www.knitwithattitude.com 020 3971 7861 11 NOVEMBER Bovey Tracey Professional Finishing with Anniken Allis www.spinayarndevon.co.uk 01626 836203…

“THIS SOFT and squishy reversible statement scarf is worked in two-colour brioche stitch,” says designer Sandra Nesbitt. “The meandering zigzag central panel is created by working two strategically placed increase and decrease stitches along the row.” She has used a bouncy blend of wools from Baa Ram Ewe, called Woodnote DK. This comes in 12 elegant shades inspired by British woodlands. CHART NOTES The chart rows are numbered 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B etc. and are worked right to left. Each row is worked twice (by sliding the work to the other end of the needle so it can be worked again), once in yarn A (the A row) and then in yarn B (the B row). The even-numbered WS rows (i.e. 2A & 2B) are not charted and are always…

BRITISH ONLINE yarn store Wool Warehouse took the knitting and crochet world by storm when it launched its very own yarn brand, Yarnsmiths, back in 2022. Offering great-value acrylic and cotton ranges such as Create, Pebble Haze, Lagoon and Cotton DK, in a wide choice of cheerful modern shades, Yarnsmiths quickly became a popular choice for family knits and colourful crochet blankets. Then, in 2024, Yarnsmiths added Merino Sock to its range, which is a 4ply blend of wool and nylon developed with sock knitting in mind, followed by the Merino DK Superwash and Kid Mohair Silk ranges. These natural fibre ranges are not only lovely to knit with, but give knitters a fantastic palette to play with – there are an incredible 120 shades of Merino DK, 50 in…

PAT MENCHINI has played with zigzag cables and twisted stitches to create a modern interpretation of classic Aran styles for her cardigan design. The bold textured patterns are worked all over the back, fronts and sleeves. The V-neck garment has a drop-shoulder shape, and is finished with ribbed bands. It’s knitted in &Make Aran, a blend of Peruvian Highland wool and alpaca from The Fibre Co. This is available in 20 contemporary colours. CHART PATTERNS RIGHT ZIG-ZAG PANEL (worked over 16 sts) Row 1 (RS): P6, T3B, P3, T3B, P1. Row 2: K2, P2, K4, P2, K6. Row 3: P5, T3B, P3, T3B, P2. Row 4 and every foll alt row: Work across 16 sts knitting all K sts and purling all P sts as they present, thus row 4…

THIS CHARMING set for the whole family comprises a yoked sweater and mittens for children, and socks sized for men and women, all featuring toadstool motifs worked in stranded colourwork. The children’s projects and men’s socks are knitted in DROPS pure wool Karisma, while the women’s socks use DROPS Nord, a 4ply blend of alpaca, wool and polyamide. CHILD’S JUMPER PATTERN NOTES INCREASE TIP (EVENLY SPACED) To work out how to increase evenly, count the total number of stitches on the needle (e.g. 120 sts), and divide by the number of increases to be made (e.g. 20) = 6. In this example, increase by making 1 yarn over after each 6th stitch. On the next round, work the yarnovers twisted to avoid holes. Work the new stitches in stocking stitch.…

Abbreviations alt alternate approx approximately beg beginning ch chain cn cable needle cont continue dc double crochet (US single crochet) dec decrease (work two stitches together) DK double knitting DPN double-pointed needle dtr double treble (US treble crochet) est established foll following inc increase K knit KFB knit into front and back of stitch K2tog knit the next two stitches together kwise knitwise meas measures M1 make one (see M1L) M1pw make 1 st purlwise: with LH needle lift the strand between next and last st from front to back and purl through the back loop M1L left leaning increase: with left needle tip, lift strand between needles from front to back. Knit lifted loop through back of loop M1R right leaning increase: with left needle tip, lift strand between…

“TILED DIAMOND and hexagon shapes are tessellated across my crew-neck tank top design,” says Emma Vining. “The knit and purl textures create an embossed appearance on the knitting. The lower edge of the vest is knitted in a wide rib pattern which flows into the upper body tile pattern, and a textured rib pattern is used for the armhole borders and neckband.” CHART PATTERN PATT A (worked over 16 sts and 28 rows) Row 1 (RS): K7, P1, K1, P7. Row 2 (WS): K6, P2, K2, P6. Row 3: K5, P3, K3, P5. Row 4: (K4, P4) twice. Row 5: K3, P5, K5, P3. Row 6: K2, P6, K6, P2. Row 7: K1, P7, K7, P1. Row 8: P8, K8. Row 9: K8, P8. Row 10: P1, K7, P7, K1.…