White + Rose

I've had my eye on Quince & Co for a while. I like their simple aesthetic and their ethos -- slow fashion, not fast fashion. They offer patterns that are timeless. I selected the Dejeuner bag by Pam Allen and followed the pattern to a T -- even using their Swallow yarn in Sans (undyed). I wanted something practical that I can gift. The pattern is not complicated to follow and the trickiest part is stitching up the bag. It was my first time using interchangeable needles -- the pattern did not call for it but I chose to use interchangeable ones. I wasn't keen on the needles unscrewing themselves but I liked the advantages -- that you can lock them in on the cable and have multiple projects going on at the same time. Work in progress Over a couple of months, I've been knitting on-and-off and finally the end result: If there's one thing I'd go back and fix up, it'd be the handles. It is quite thin, and I messed up a bit. Nevertheless, I'm...

For a little while, I had been working on a moss stitch blanket as a gift. With all the leftover yarn from my bag of FibraNatura Lima, I decided it was enough to make a small blanket to cover the lap of an adult, or used a baby blanket. The project I used this yarn previously for was a knitted turban headband that you can read about here . All there was left to do was to get started. The moss stitch is very basic and all I had to do was cast on enough stitches for it to be wide enough and go. At first, I was worried about whether I'd have enough yarn to finish it off but as I progressed, it seemed pretty clear that I would be able to finish it with the dimensions I had in mind.  It is designed to be a very quick knit but I took my time.  I debated whether I wanted to line the blanket with fleece or not. It was heavy enough as it was with the wool. In the end, I decided against it.  Moss Stitch Blanket What you need: Bulky Yarn, 12ply (I used F...

I love Ruth Cross' designs. The use of lambswool in muted colours and stag/ox horn buttons give the pieces a lovely rustic effect. There are individual patterns sold on the web shop, along with ready-made and made-to-order garments and accessories. I decided upon the hot water bottle cover. The only patterns available as of currently are for home. If you'd like to knit one for yourself, you can purchase the pattern at  http://www.ruthcross.com/ I planned to make this during my mid-year break, so I had something to look forward to after my exams. It has been a while since I've knitted anything - my last project was the chunky scarf. I picked up the same yarn used in their sample (Rowan Big Wool in Concrete 061) because I love the colour. I find it distinctive in that I see a hint of beige within the grey. Actually, I just went along with the whole colour way and chose a similar coloured ribbon too. This was not the easiest pattern to knit with - especially with...

Debbie Bliss released this pattern a while ago and I thought I'd pick it up. It can be found  here.  Although it is called a turban, it's definitely not one - it's a bandeau. It's a fairly simple pattern to knit and you can easily decorate it with a brooch or a decorative button. Bandeaus aren't my kind of accessory but I thought this was a beautiful pattern - simple and easy. Yarn and needles  Fibra Natura Inca in Ecru (43034) - 100% wool This pattern is suitable for a beginner. The knitting is very basic, consisting only of the moss stitch and stockinette. It's a nice alternative for beginners - if you don't want to knit a scarf, you could have a go at this. Knitting in progress - moss stitch My yarn isn't the correct weight for this project but I thought I'd increase the size of the needles and weight of the yarn and reduce the number of stitches. So instead of the 4.5mm needles suggested in this pattern, I used a 6mm needle (la...

I've been inspired by the whole Natural Kei/ Mori Girl aesthetic so I decided to knit a scarf and keep the colour natural. Originally, I was hoping to knit a chunky scarf inspired by the one that I wore during my travels before... back in 2011-2012. An example of Natural Kei - it has a whimsical quality to it. It was this scarf I was referring to, in its basketweave glory.  As for the yarn I had chosen, I decided to work with a pure and undyed alpaca yarn. I love my wool but I was hoping for a little bit of a change. Wool can be quite itchy and I've never been fond of woollen jumpers or scarves. Alpaca is lovely to knit with and definitely a great alternative for those who are allergic to wool. I particularly like it because it's softer than pure wool and lighter in weight. The only thing I'm put off about pure alpaca yarn is the amount of shedding. I had alpaca fibres all over me while knitting. Three skeins of alpaca yarn As for the design, it ...