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Available here!
A big thank you to Ivana, Kathy, Sophie and Helen for their superb test-knitting!

A new hat pattern from Lily – Kirkstone features an angular cable and has a slouchy look. It is knit in DK weight merino.

We’re looking for a few test-knitters if anyone would like a crack at it, but please only volunteer if you’re sure you’ll be able to complete it.  Approxiamately 220m of yarn is required.

Named Kirkstone after the cosy inn we like to visit in Cumbria. It is here that the mountain rescue teams gather on Thursday evenings after they’ve completed their practice rescues and dog-training. Both Lily and Joel love to cuddle up to those dogs!

Lily’s take on Wham Bam, this was knit at a different gauge and has an i-cord border. The yarn is Stylecraft Signature and took nearly 3 skeins. A very cosy gift for her friends birthday next week.

Happy New Year to all visitors to Joli House! Hope you’ve had a cosy start to the year!

Aside from a few tiny patches of white we are fully thawed in Lancashire now. I’m quite sad really – it was so pretty over Christmas. We’re trying to get caught up with things here at the moment. Me with a ton of housework and ironing, Lily writing up her patterns and Joel has vital Xbox stuff to do. Dave has gone back to work for a few days so things feel a little more ‘normal’. I am fighting the urge to take down the tree and decorations.

See my cute hot water bottle cover up there. That was Lily’s secret knitting in the lead up to Christmas. How she managed to design/knit this without me knowing I’ll never know but I’m glad she did. I snuggled it all Christmas day!

I’m really hoping that I’ll have at least one FO before going back to work next week. Even if it’s just the pair of socks that have been on the needles for….oh too too long! I’ve still got a Langdale on the go which has got to be finished before Lily can move on with the pattern. I need to get a move on don’t I. Someone give me a push!

Pattern: Candy bear by Susan Hickson at Mary Jane’s Tearoom

Yarn:  Brigantia 100% wool DK, Adriafil Carezza Angora, Artesano 100% Alpaca DK, Posh Yarn Emily 4-ply,  Rowan Tweed 4-ply.

Needles: 2.75mm and 3.25mm.

Such a cute knit.  Candy is a Christmas gift for my niece (fairly sure she doesn’t read the blog!)  The pattern is beautifully written and is one of several gorgeous soft toys over at Mary Jane’s Tearoom.  I really enjoyed selecting a colour scheme and would love to knit more of Susan’s designs.  Check out her bunnies – may try one of those next.

Today was the last day of school so I can finally get properly organized for Christmas.  That’s if the expected snowfall doesn’t leave us housebound this weekend!  I know that must sound so wimpish to you guys over the pond but seriously – we just don’t deal with snow very well over here.  A few inches brings this country to a standstill!  At least it will mean plenty of knitting time I suppose.   I’m going to spend the evening warapping presents and may even have a mulled wine or 2.  Hope you’re all feeling Christmassy too.

Pattern:  Autumn Vines by Alana Dakos at Never Not Knitting.

Yarn:  Classic Elite Fresco. 1 skein.

Needles: 3.5 necessary to get gauge.

Modifications:  None – this was a test knit.  Lily has quite a big head  so AV isn’t as slouchy on her as on others though.

Only one shot I’m afraid, as what with the fading light and drizzling rain I had less than 5 minutes to get this photographed.  Lily test-knit this sample for Alana’s trunk show and we both love it!  I’ll be knitting one too I should think. 

Congratulations on another fab design Alana!

Thank you all so much for your comments and messages to my own young designer too!  Lily is still very excited and your messages are certainly keeping the buzz going!  :)

That news?

As a result of a totally by chance meeting in the summer, Lily’s Wray design has featured in the latest issue of The Knitter.

Back in August we attended a Herdy knitalong day at Grasmere in the Lake District. Lily was wearing her Wray cardigan and lots of knitters were stopping to compliment her on it – one of them turned out to be Juliet Bernard, who just happens to be the editor of The Knitter magazine.  Just imagine how excited Lily was when Juliet asked her if she could feature the pattern.  It was like having a child with an intra-venous E-number line that weekend.

From then on, things moved pretty quickly.   The original idea was for the pattern to be featured in the Feb 2011 issue but before we knew it,  the Wray design was to be given it’s own special supplement in the Christmas Collection which hit the shelves on Monday.  Seriously,  Monday evening was pretty exciting.  Dave had managed to get hold of a copy in Cheshire earlier in the day so we both pounced on him as he opened the door!

I would like to say a huge thank you to the team at The Knitter for making this process so enjoyable for Lily and the rest of our family. I’m sure that dealing with someone so young can seem like a minefield at times but they have been absolutely marvellous throughout. I warned Juliet and Jen very early on that Lily would be ever so slightly possessive over this pattern and they totally respected that and involved her every step of the way. Juliet has even managed to knit her own Wray too!

Whilst we’re talking about about Wray knitters, we really need to thank our fantastic Tech Editor and test-knitters – Joeli, Polly, Daniela, Kelly, Wendy, Erin, Sue, Denise, Edie, and Glenda. I’m absolutely sure that this turned into a much bigger job than everyone had anticipated but I’m so glad they stuck with us. Sorry about those 400+ st rows girls!

Hopefully the next few weeks will see more examples of Wray popping up on Ravelry. Lily is now working on a few more designs and can’t wait to work with The Knitter again. Kelly kindly set up a Ravelry group for fans of LK designs and I should think Lily will be setting up a KAL for Wray pretty soon so pop over and join us!

Pattern: Austin by Connie Chang Chinchio

Yarn: Araucania Ranco

Needles: 4mm

Modifications: None.

Well didn’t this little number loiter for a while!  No excuses – just kept putting off that last sleeve.  I love the end product and I’m very happy with the fit but oh my word – I  do not like knitting fine yarn at a loose gauge.  Alternating the skeins was pretty tedious too.  

With my less than perfect ‘picking up’ skills I’m not sure this method of knitting sleeves is ever going to be perfect for me, and if I were to knit this again I’d probably knit the sleeves flat as this was definitely the least enjoyable part of the knitting.  The loose gauge meant my DPNs kept falling out and it was driving me to distraction having the weight of the whole garment hanging of the needles at the end.

Knitting issues aside, this is probably the most wearable item I’ve knitted to date.  It’s a great pattern and is perfect if you’re averse to seaming.  If I could just persuade Lily to knit me one in palest pink now!

btw…going to keep you waiting just a few more days for our news but stay tuned.  At least I’ve got internet access now so regular posting should resume!