Tribal Tote pattern now available

This design was originally published in issue 95 of Knitting magazine so I have to admit to being more than a little lax in adding it to the website. In fact I didn’t realise it was missing until I got a message from  a lovely member on Ravelry asking where she could get a hold of the pattern. (Thanks kubakat, I owe you). So, having done a bit of wizadry I’ve now formatted the pattern which is finally available to download in pdf form from both the website and my Ravelry Pattern Store.

It’s a boldy coloured design worked in the round on double pointed needles which is created using the modular knitting method. For those who don’t know that means after knitting the initial square, each subsequent square is added by using a combination of casting on and picking up stitches into the base of previously cast on edges. It also means that once all 21 squares have been knitted the amount of final making up is kept to a minimum ~ good news for those of you who hate all that sewing up. That said, the colourful stripe effect is achieved by using Anchor’s Wash & Filz It Multicolour yarn with odd stripes of solid contrast yarns thrown in to create flashes of interest. Whilst this does give a great effect all this chopping and changing of yarns does however mean that there are lots of ends to sew in as you can see below.

Once all the ends have been dealt with and the bag sewn together the pointed top edge of the bag is completed to create a straight edge then it’s off to the washing machine for felting…actually strictly speaking that should be fulling but I’ve called it felting for so long that using any other word seems odd.

Whatever your preferred word the process of shrinking makes the bag more rigid and blurs the striped squares taking it from this….

to this

A simple wooden handle sourced from Kleins (London) attached with leather thonging completes the tribal look. Since designing the bag the handle has actually been discontinued but a similar style can be found at www.sewinspiring.co.uk.

The pattern, which includes full instructions and detailed schematics for constructing the bag, is available as a pdf download from my JeanetteSloanDesign website http://www.jeanettesloandesign.com/ourshop/prod_2642784-Tribal-Tote.html or from my Pattern Store on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tribal-tote

Happy knitting

J x

New shades for Summer 2013

I have to admit that I put the central heating on last night and this morning…in MAY! Here I was foolishly looking forward to the days being longer and more importantly WARMER and yet on TV this morning there were reports of snow further up the country. Never mind. Toss that ever-British trait of complaining about the weather aside! Why? Because there are 4 new additions to my yarn range!!

When I first selected the colours for each of my yarns it was easy to see that they were based on what I like to wear. I’m lucky to have the kind of skin tone that can wear pretty much anything but not everyone has so, having reflected on the ranges and decided there were a couple of ‘holes’ I’m hoping the new shades will fill them beautifully.

In the Baby Alpaca DK range Bitter Choc, Chartreuse, Fuchsia, Menthe and Chestnut are now joined by

 

 

a refreshingly juicy and intense green called Kiwi…..

 

and classic like black but not as hard on the eyes to knit, here’s Charcoal.

In the Baby Alpaca/Silk 4ply range Icing, Lippy, Caramel, Olive and Spice are joined by

 

a gentle blue/grey which may betray my weather obsessed mind, here’s Mist.

 

 

And lastly a shade that reminds me of scorching holidays in the Barbados sun, here’s Calypso

The new shades have been added to the website so if you’re buying a knitting kit the choice is even wider (you’ll find them all here). There are now 7 shades in each of the above qualities and having had them nestled together on my desk for a while to inspire me you can expect some new patterns in the next couple of months. 

Until then happy knitting, I’m off to check the forecast for tomorrow

J x