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Sockhead Slouch Hat No4

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One of the great things about the Sockhead Slouch Hat is that it is a unisex hat. I decided to test this out and knit one for Neil. Sockhead Slouch Hat No4 is the fourth outing for this great free pattern that is ideal for beginners as a first project.

Sockhead Hat 3 7

Unisex is a tricky thing. I’ve come across other patterns over the years that were unisex some were more successful in this than others. What I’ve found is that the important thing is the colour that is chosen. Many men really don’t want to wear very bright or neon colours in their hats although I think this is gradually changing.[Read More]

Basic Sock Pattern to Fit Shoe Sizes – UK 2 to 6, EU 35 to 39 and US 4 to 8

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I regularly receive questions regarding the size of my sock patterns and how you will know if they will fit you or not. This is an important question because you don’t want to put hours into knitting a pair of socks to find they don’t fit you. To help with this, I have written two posts giving a basic top down sock pattern in 6 sizes. This is the first part of the basic top down sock pattern to fit Shoe Sizes – UK 2 to 6, EU 35 to 39 and US 4 to 8. I’m working on a second post which will cover Shoe Sizes UK 7 to 12, EU 40 to 46 and US 9 to 13.

Basic-Socks-XS-M-Sizes-1

One of the main problems when you’re reading a pattern is whether the pattern is written for UK, European or US shoe sizes. I’ve shown a comparison of all of the shoe sizes for knitting your socks in the chart below which covers Foot Circumference, UK Shoe Size, EU Shoe Size, US Shoe Size, Ladies Foot Size (XS, S, M) and Finished Sock Length from Heel to Toe.[Read More]

How to Knit a Mitred Square Blanket

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There are lots of different ways to knit a mitred square. This is how I knit my Mitred Square Blanket. I chose to use an analogous colour scheme of green, turquoise, teal, blue, purple, cerise as much as possible. Most of the yarns are either hand dyed: semi-solid, tonal, variegated, or commercial self patterning. A few other colours did creep in as part of a multi coloured variegated yarn or commercial sock yarn. These just add an extra sparkle to the finished blanket. I loved the tiny touches of orange, red, brown and zingy green.

Mitred Squares Blanket Pt3 5

This is a long post as I’ve taken lots of photos. I know that for many people I may go into too much detail, but I like to do the tutorial posts so that they will enable a beginner knitter to be able to do the project. This is actually a great project for a beginner as the mitred squares are easy to do.[Read More]

Spun by Sorcery

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Imagine losing your home, your shop and your friends! Chloe Hobbs’s hometown has disappeared and in desperation she travels to Salem for answers, in Spun by Sorcery by Barbara Bretton.

Spun by Sorcery
The third in the Sugar Maple series follows immediately on from Laced with Magic. Chloe has finally managed to banish the Fae queen, Isadora. Unfortunately Chloe also seems to have expelled the whole town of Sugar Maple and all of its occupants as well![Read More]

Sweet & Spicy Peach Socks

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These cute socks were knit using Peach 6751 from the original Opal Sweet & Spicy. I really love the colour combination of the peachy orange with the graduating tones of grey.

Sweet and Spicy Socks 8

The socks knit up very quickly because of the slip stitch pattern. You very quickly get into a  rhythm, slipping every 4th stitch. [Read More]

Join the Knitting Squirrel Ravelry Group

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For a long while now, as I pack an order, I often wonder what the yarn will become. Will it turn into cosy socks, a warm slouchy hat, fingerless mitts, a shawl or join other beautiful yarns in someone’s stash until the perfect project comes along.

Knitting Squirrel Ravelry Group

Starting the Knitting Squirrel Ravelry group seems like the perfect way for you to share what you are knitting and what you are looking forward to starting next. Let’s get to know each other, chat about ideas, where we find inspiration and everything from WIPs to FOs and not forgetting the frogged ones!

Please, come and join the Knitting Squirrel Ravelry Group and share all those gorgeous knitting projects that you are working on!

Tara’s Chadwick Shawl

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At the end of February I asked what my nieces would like for their birthdays that are two days apart in the third week of March. After some thought, Tara asked if I would knit her a shawl.

Tara wearing her Chadwick Shawl

My sister Pip kindly photographed Tara wearing her Chadwick Shawl!

She remembered trying on the Chadwick Shawl that I knit for my mum a couple of years ago. She was hoping for a shawl that she could drape over her shoulders when she is sitting working at her desk in her bedroom and pin in place with a shawl pin![Read More]