This meant that I never really designed any flat-knitting-style pattern with single / odd numbered stripes. BUT things are now changing!!!!!

I have discovered the way to knit a single / odd numbered stripe patterns without cutting the yarn and rejoining the new colours using circular needles and today I will show you how this can be done.

Following is the basic rule to this technique:

• 1) It only applies to flat knitting (and not circular).
• 2) You need a circular needle to make this happen.
• 3) When the colour of the yarn you want to knit on the next row is NOT at the beginning of the next row (i.e. still at the beginning of the previous row), pull the needle to the left all the way to the other end of the circular needle. This means that you may knit the Right or  Wrong side row more than once – so keep an eye on the row count.

Here is how to do it.

Step 1: Knit 1 row with colour 1 (in this case, pink) (pic below).

Step 2: The next colour I want to knit is green. But this green yarn is not at the beginning of the next row (i.e. still at the beginning of the previous row (on the right). So I pull the needle to the left. Hold the fabric and move all the way to the other end of the needle facing the right (pic below).

Pic below shows where all the stitches have moved to the other end of the needle, which is facing the right.

You can now knit with the green yarn without having to cut and re-joining (pic below).

Notice that when you work the green yarn, you have knitted the RS row again (pic below).

Step 3: The next row I want to knit is pink. This time, the pink yarn is already at the beginning of the next row, which means that you can work the next row straight away without pulling the needle (pic below).

Step 4: After working one row (or an odd number of the row) with pink, I now want to knit the next colour with green. But the green yarn is not at the beginning of the next row (i.e.still at the beginning of the previous row). So I pull the needle all the way to the other end.

Work the WS row again but without cutting the yarn (pic below).

That’s it.

Using this technique, you can do various combinations of rows in stripe patterns as well as colours. I experimented with single garter pattern using this technique and I really like how the pattern looks – it’s retro!

Below is the video tutorial on this technique Happy stripe knitting!

The book is a collection of really great patterns designed by Judy Furlong, Belinda Boaden, Mélanie Edgar and myself. Superb editing by Jen Arnal-Culliford. I am just so honoured to be apart of an amazing knitting team!!!!!!

Two patterns I have contributed are Temari Kimono Jacket and Kaelyn Cardigan and Hat:

Temari Kimono Jacket

Temari is a traditional Japanese playing balls. I wanted to portray these magical and playful feel to the baby garment.The pattern is made of 3 stitch cables but you can actually work without using the cable needles (like when you work the 2-stitch cables) if you wish. The top part is worked first and is knitted horizontally. Stitches around the chest is then picked and knitted to work top-down. The outer flap is fixed with a button (make sure you use the nicest and cutest ever button for this! – I used a lovely green vintage button for the yellow version). Inside flap is fixed with a chain-stitch string.

What’s more amazing is that this Temari pattern has been one of the most popular patterns on Ravelry when it came out. So I was gobsmacked and super chuffed! Check it out!

Kaelyn Cardigan and Hat

Kaelyn cardigan and a matching hat is inspired by flowers and woods like in Alice in Wonderland. The garment is knitted bottom-up starting with a mini-scallop edges. The bobbles you can see in the photo is actually a flower head (you can see it clearly on the lighter version below, knitted by Kim – Thank you so much, it’s beautiful!) and you would work the leaves by drawing the stitches from rows below. The main body is worked with yarn-over polka dot patterns.

All the designs uses Fyberspates Scrumptious yarn (4 ply Sport & Lace). It’s a really lovely an “kind” and soft yarn to knit with – I am not just saying it because I contributed to the book. I really think it’s a wonderful yarn. You can hand-wash it with no problem The yarn is available from various stockist around the world. The US distributor is Lantern Moon.

For discussions, updates an all sorts of news, do join Fyberspates Ravelry group

Happy baby knitting!

I get really frustrated when I am ill because I know I could be doing lots of designing, patterning and knitting! In 2012 I can tell you, there will be loads of great things regarding knitting not just within the world of Cotton & Cloud but also within the whole knitting globe.

For example, Jamieson’s of Shetland have introduced brand new colours for their Heather range (above). From what I know, they hadn’t introduced new colours for Heather for 5 years or so until last year. So It is a very exciting news! Cotton & Cloud, of course, will be stocking some in the coming months.

I, as a knitting pattern designer, will also be creating many more new patterns both here on my site as well as on various publications. You will see a pretty pattern from this Gomitoli angora yarn in few months time as well as a really lovely top from Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend in Spring.

Cotton & Cloud will also start a new project which is called Knit & Sell Scheme. You can now sell anything made from Cotton & Cloud patterns when you join this scheme. It’s so exciting because the aim of this is to empower knitters around the world to sell more hand-knitted items and allow people around the world to enjoy wearing them. At the moment, the scheme is still under review, but hopefully I will be able to introduce it officially in the coming weeks.

Above is the apricot seeds I want to grow. I then realised how metaphoric it is to my work. I hope more people will enjoy Cotton & Cloud in the coming future!

My life in 2011 was categorised into 3 main aspects; knitting; well-being; personal life.

I think this pic describes my 2011 very well .

Knitting: This year has been absolutely fantastic for Cotton & Cloud knitting patterns. I am so grateful for those who has helped me to have my patterns published in various magazines in both UK and the US. Also, thank you so much for many of you who sent me kind and supportive comments both here, on ravelry, on facebook, on twitter – you name it! I have worked really hard but at the same time I know for sure that I could not have done this without them. In 2012, I will continue to do more and you will see more Cotton & Cloud original knitting patterns.

Well-being: One of my main achievement in year 2011 was to run a half marathon. Again, thank you so much for those who has sponsored me on the run. This year I also started spinning bikes, which was a great complimentary training for my running. In 2012, I will continue with my trainings and aim to run two half marathons. Also, I will start yoga so as to focus my mind more.

Personal life: It was a good year for me. My cats are both well (Wata had a major dental operation during autumn and it was successful). I rescued 4 kittens and found new owners for all of them! In 2012 I would like to organise my calender a little more so that I can meet up with my friends more often. My husband is busier than I am so we both talked that we will try to make sure to have quality time with each other in 2012. I am so looking forward to the coming year now!

So this is it… good bye 2011 and welcome 2012!

Thank you so much for all your help, support and kindness. I hope the year 2012 will be a fantastic year for you all. Happy New Year everyone!

So here are some facts I found on merino:

Regulates body temperature without over heating.
Merino fibres has lots of tiny pores on their fiber which traps air. This acts like a layers between your body temperature and the outside environment keeping you warm when the weather is cold, and vice versa.
Apparently Merino has high warmth to weight ratio. which means lots of warmth with less amount of fibre.

Merino wool wick moisture away so that your body feels nice and dry.
Merino is a hydrophillic (mening loves water!) fibre and can wick up to 1/3 of its weight.

Merino wool is naturally anti-bacteiral.
This means that the fabric is resistant to smell (unlike the sysnthetic counterpart).
The reason for this is that bacteria prefers to grow on an even surface with moisture but merino wool fibre has uneven surface and it draws water keeping the surface dry.

So I thought I would knit something for myself a nice little project using merino wool…

Free glove pattern Rayna by Artesano. Haven't knitted selbuvotter for ages!

Pattern: Rayna by Rita Taylor, a free knitting pattern by Artesano.

Yarn: Artesano Superwash Merino (100% machine washable wool; 112m / 50 g ball). I used Purple (3158) and Baby Peach (8413).

I LOVE knitting selbuvotter of all kinds. This was perfect because it is knitted with DK weight yarn so it’s nearly finished!

So warm and so cute!

If you are a merino geek, you might have heard of some controversial issues about museling on merino sheep. I don’t know much about this issue but the fact that people talk about it, it must be an important aspect of wool production. I think some of you would be happy to know that Artesano Superwash Merino wool comes from Peru and I have read that the practice of museling does NOT happen in Peru – it’s good to know these facts.

Front view of the glove.

Also I recently found out that Artesano is giving out free knitting pattern by Nick Atkinson when you complete a quick questionnaire. And out of those who has completed a questionnaire, 5 people will win the Superwash Merino DK in their colour choice to knit the garment!!!! The deadline is 17th Feb 2012.

I have done it already    I think the pattern is beautiful (see below). Isn’t it nice? It’s so clever that the diagonal eyelets are worked on the yoke. It continues even across the buttonband! I so want to knit with a red (colour: 8083) or teal (colour: 6701). I also think grey (colour SFN41) would look gorgeous.

This is going to be a beautiful cardi that you can knit up quick!

So much fun in winter. Happy knitting!

There is something about knitting shawls. A smaller shawlette is so fun to knit with less amount of yarn, but still very pretty and practical.

For a long time, I wanted to update on my original Raindrop Shawl which was a large rectangular shape. So I recently updated it, but I updated it so much that it actually became a completely different pattern!! LOL. BUT, I love the result!

So let me introduce you to my new half-circular Raindrop Shawlette pattern

Raindrop Shawlette knitting pattern now available from my shop.

I used 1 skein of Fyberspates Scrumptious 4 ply Sport; water. It is definitely a shawlette-kind of yarn with 45% silk and 55% superwash merino (354m / 100g skein). I loved every stitches I knitted with this yarn!

Patterning this shawlette was truly fun. It features double-eyelets that radiates outward. The pattern then develops into an all-over diamond lace pattern with the size of the diamonds gradually increases as you knit along. The edge has a nice scallop lace motif finished by triple eyelets.

The pattern is definitely suitable for all levels of knitters. I was so amazed how easily and fast I could knit this.

Do also please have fun blocking it…

I didn't have any water spray to do the spray block. So I soaked the shawl in warm water. The yarn is a blend of superwash - so it should be OK!...

and it was perfect: the shawlette soaked up water within 10 min without any problems. After blocking, the remained as beautiful as before.

Children’s foam play mats are so useful to block the shawl. I bought 4 interlocking parts for about £13 on Amazon. To stretch out the shawl as even as possible, I used 72 pins! As you can imagine, my cats would want to walk over it, so I made sure their favourite toys are far away and they are not interested in what I was doing!

Blocking shawlette on a playmat

I put the whole thing against the wall overnight.

So how would you wear a shawlette? Anyways you can with anything!

You can wrap it around yourself like a small shawl or around the neck like a scarf.

You can also tie it. I do like this look.

The pattern is available both from my shop directly or via Ravelry.

Hope you like it and happy knitty week!

I was recently introduced to these gorgeous yarns from Italy called Gomitoli. They are seriously amazing stuff. There is a high likelihood that these yarns would be one of those favourite yarns. But I will force myself to knit with them because I think I can create really nice patterns with them!!!

If you visit their site, you will find free patterns. It’s called Gomitoli’s Christmas Ideas. Do please check them out!

They are so nice so I put them on my favourite cake stand I bought from Italy.

Here is a quick background of the yarn – Gomitoli yarn is a new yarn brand from Filati Biagioli, an Italian spinner who has been producing luxury yarns including cashmere, camel and angola for 100 years!:

Taking all their technical expertise, handed down from generation to generation, their passion for craftsmanship and their commitment to sustainable innovation, Filati Biagioli decided in 2011 to launch their own brand of hand knit yarns – Gomitoli’s.

Here are the yarns I got from them

This one is a camel yarn 2ply. It has a certification for: 1) no added dyes, 2) absence of toxic and dangerious textile auxilliaries and 3) the yarn is produced in Italy.

This 2 ply camel yarn has a certification for: 1) no added dyes, 2) absence of toxic and dangerious textile auxilliaries and 3) the yarn is produced in Italy. Isn’t that so great? I think it would make a gorgeous shawl yarn.

Tweed yarn (70% lamb's wool, 30% cashmere; 175m / 50g ball)

The tweed yarn is Sport weight yarn. The colour I got is 10046. It’s bright, rustic and SOFT!

This one is called Camello Bottonato (100% camel hair; 175m / 50g ball).

Camello Bottonato is a rustic tweedy yarn (Sport – DK: suggested needles 3.5-4mm). It’s just gorgeous. I don’t know what to do with it. I think it would make a beautiful small knitted accessories. I must swatch!

Angora yarn.

May be it’s just me that I haven’t really come across many angora yarns in the UK. So it was so fresh to see and feel the angora yarn. It’s dreamy and magical and also is a cute 2-ply.

Gomitoli Big Cashmere. This one is definitely cute. It's 100% cashmere but is a nice good solid yarn. (80m / 50 g ball).

What surprised me with this Big Cashmere yarn is that the fibre is such high quality and spun so well that I know that it won’t fray so easily even it is a 100% cashmere. So lux, so bouncy. I am so in love!

Oh what to do, what to do!!! See?  I am pondering too much, I am not even knitting with them LOL! Happy knitty week

Red Willow, combination of traditional Fair Isle on a modern garment.

The knitting pattern is called Red Willow, and is a combination of traditional Fair Isle on a modern shape of a garment. The yarn used for this is Blue Sky Alpaca sport weight. ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS YARN. If you haven’t knitted with this yarn, it is your duty to do so! (LOL)!!! You will fall in love with it just by looking at them.

What is special about this issue is that talented Emma King has written an amazing masterclass article about re-colouring Fair Isle designs based on this pattern. Really amazing and helpful article and you can see many different colour combinations of the Fair Motif.

There are also many great patterns including gorgeous tops, socks to wear with your boots, and a very fascinating article about Guernsey jumper. I love this issue so much. As usual, the magazine is so superbly compiled. I don’t know how hard The Knitter team work! I think this is the one to keep (you can subscribe the mag from here).

You don't have to do much styling with this top as the piece will catch everyone's eyes.

Like how the model is wearing, you can combine this top with a long T-shirt. Or you could mix it with a nice cotton shirt with jeans. There are so many options because many colours are used.

Show off your knitting skills to people! Make a statement to the world!

For those who are confident knitters, do you do Fair Isle with one or two hands? I do it with two hands.

For those who is not so confident with Fair Isle, have no fear – it’s so fun! I usually knit Continental method and many years back, I just so wanted to knit a serious Fair Isle so I practiced English knitting method really hard. I am so glad that I did it.

Just for fun, I have made video tutorials to help knitting Fair Isle. Although, I think practice makes perfect but hopefully these video tutorials would give you some tips and help for you to enjoy your knit-life even more

How to knit Continental method

How to knit English method

Fair Isle knitting using two hands

Tips for a tidy Fair Isle in purl (but also applies to knit row)

Today I would like to talk about the December issue of Simply Knitting magazine because there is a new Cotton & Cloud pattern in it!

Simply Knitting December Issue 87

But before I talk about the pattern, I would like to mention two lovely patterns that are also in the magazine. The first is the pretty shawl from Melanie from Lilysunshine. The second is the Sweet & Simple mittens by Jen from Jen Arnall-Culliford Knitwear (you can see wonderful knit creations in her blog). I love how cozy the gloves look. It would be perfect if you have odd balls of variegated yarn.

Front view.

The new knitting pattern featured in the magazine is a cable aran cardigan knitted with British superwash yarn Jarol. When I was a beginner knitter, my aim was to knit a cable aran sweater. So when I was asked by Debbie, the Editor of Simply Knitting magazine to pattern a cable cardigan using the aran yarn, this was it, a “must-do” project!

Back view.

The garment is as nice in real-life as in the picture worn by the model. If I have time, I would really want to knit the same garment with a different shade of Jarol.

Pocket and button band view.

The garment also features nice leather buttons. I used vintage buttons I had in my button-stash.

Talking about buttons, I recently devised a new method of knitting a tidy and strong buttonholes. It is one over one-row using crochet cast on method and is very useful. So I thought why not create a vide tutorial about it (I think I am getting used to hearing my own recorded voice now, LOL!).

Happi knitting everyone!

Recently one of my new patterns called Hollyberry Bonnet & Cape have been published in Interweave Holiday Gift 2011 (super hurray!). This pattern is a typical example of wrap & turn technique.The horizontally shaping of the cape and the bonnet brim shaping are all worked using short-row technique.

I was thrilled to read in the magazine that the design is expertly shaped and designed. Seeing such a wonderfully edited and stylised publication of my knitting pattern, it made me think even more that I want to make sure that my patterns are logically constructed, knitable and achievable with 100% satisfaction!

So today I would like to write a detailed knitting tutorial about “wrap & turn”.

WRAP & TURN is one of the methods in short-row knitting. Short-row knitting allows you to change the direction of knitting, creating darts, mitred corners, vertical gathers and curves. It’s used for toe-up sock (the toe bits), horizontal yoke garments and lots of other 3D knitting!

In a nutshell: wrap & turn is worked as taking the yarn to opposite side of work (so if you are on the knit stitch, bring yarn front, if you are on the purl stitch, bring yarn back), slip next stitch from left to right needle, return yarn to working side, then slip st back from right to left needle. This will wrap the base of the stitch. The remaining stitches are unworked. Turn and continue working.

If you want to master all knitting techniques including various short-row knitting methods, I highly recommend Knitter’s Handbook by M. Stanley.

————–

The process of short-row knitting (i.e. wrap & turn) is divided by two stages: 1) The first stage is to do the actual wrap & turn, 2) The second stage is to “erase” the wraps by working together the wrap with the stitch.

————–

STAGE 1: WRAP AND TURN

RIGHT-SIDE of the work

When you reach to the stitch where you need to wrap & turn;

You will see that the stitch has a wrap at the base.

WRONG-SIDE of the work

When you reach to the stitch where you need to wrap & turn;

You will see that the stitch has a wrap at the base.

————–

STAGE 2: ERASING THE WRAPS

This is done so as to prevent a hole being made between the rows. You can ignore this process if you like the wraps to remain for a decorative purpose.

The most important thing is to pick up the wrap from the right-side of the work. This way, all the wraps would be tucked behind the wrong side of the work after the stitches are knitted together.

You can pick up the wrap either with right or the left needles. I will show you how you can do both methods.

RIGHT-SIDE of the work

METHOD 1) Using right needle (very similar to slip, slip, knit (ssk)):

METHOD 2) Using the left needle:

WRONG-SIDE of the work

METHOD 1) Using right needle:

METHOD 2) Using the left needle:

Here is the video tutorial.

Happy knitting!