Morning, everyone. Hope you are all very well and looking after each other. The whole team here is fine, and we feel extremely grateful for our internet connections and well-established methods of remote working. Sam is at the warehouse, in happy solitude, and will continue shipping anything you order, both locally and internationally, as long as Royal Mail is able to maintain its service.
Have you been following Claudia’s patterns from her Colour Moves collection? She’s revealed 7 designs so far, with another 10 to follow over coming days. I thought I’d say some more about Colour Moves tomorrow, but today I’m releasing a garment pattern after what’s been (for me) quite a long hiatus: Land o’ Cakes
It was perhaps inevitable that my new weaving obsession would inspire my knitting, and I’ve found myself thinking a lot about the different relationships — both aesthetic and structural — between the two crafts. Plain weave patterns worked on an inkle loom have a very pleasing striped and notched appearance that reminds me strongly of corrugated rib. . .
. . . and I found myself wanting to combine the two, by making a co-ordinating plain-weave belt and corrugated yoke cardigan, to accompany one of my favourite pairs of super-comfortable wide-legged trousers.
In recent months I’ve been doing a lot of what I refer to as ‘winging it’ knitting, which you might also think of as designing-on-the-hoof: I cast on and know the basic parameters of what I intend to do, then make it up as I go along. With this design, I’d planned out a group of complementary colours and knew how they’d work across the rib and body (which I wanted to knit in the wonderful, soft oatmealy hare shade of Milarrochy Tweed). I also had a plan to knit the yoke entirely in different combinations of 2×2 corrugated rib, and, having made countless yokes at this gauge, already had a good sense of a workable round-to-decrease ratio. So when I got to the yoke, I just made it up as I went along without a chart, trying not to second guess myself, and keeping a record of each shade change as I went.
The yoke was an immensely relaxing and rhythmic knit and I’m very happy with the result. The pattern includes a fully charted yoke, of course, but that’s not to say that you can’t have a go at my approach: picking a group of shades that work together, knitting in 2×2 corrugated rib throughout, decreasing where indicated, and combining colours when they please you. A most enjoyable experiment.
This is a steeked cardigan, and I want to say a brief word about this particular steek, which was reinforced and cut by Mel (following the basic method I outline here). In all respects, both personal and knitterly, Mel is a neater person than I am, and our collaborative approach means that we often share different parts of a project. I’d actually woven and prepared a narrow ribbon especially to cover the steek edges of this cardigan but, after Mel reinforced and cut the front opening (assisted by the miraculous magnifying device henceforth forever known as the steek specs ) I decided this steek edge was too good to hide.
Here’s the secret to Mel’s super-neat steek: the crocheted reinforcement is worked on each side of the central 3 stitches of the 9 stitch steek (allowing you to simply cut away all the yarn ends and shade changes – bingo!) and the crocheted reinforcement is worked with Malabrigo laceweight and a 2mm hook. The button bands are finished with small i-cord buttonholes, which I’m happy to say worked really well here as a satsifying change to the sew-on-snaps I’ve previously used on corrugated bands (into which conventional buttonholes can be tricky to insert).
And, if you are wondering whether this pattern includes a weaving draft for my co-ordinating belt . . .
. . . yes indeed it does. It’s a really good beginner project if you’ve just acquired an inkle loom. You just need four shades of 3/2 weaving yarn and a belt clasp. There are lots of suppliers of belt hardware on Ebay, or you could also leave the belt ends fringed, if you prefer.
I’m afraid this is only the start of my matchy-matchy knitting / weaving roll, as I now have several more patterns in the pipeline in which the two crafts are combined (some involving our new top-secret shades of Milarrochy Tweed, which I’m most excited about) – so watch this space.
Finally, a word about the pattern name – Land o Cakes. As a child, I first came across this phrase as the name of a Manchester pub (which had originated in the 1790s) and was delighted to later find out the phrase was in fact a colloquial name for Scotland, appearing in the work of one of my favourite eighteenth-century poets, Robert Fergusson, as well as our national bard, Robert Burns. The cakes in question are oatcakes of course – the hearty Scottish staple, much derided by Samuel Johnson, whose gout-inducing diet might well have benefited from a few simple oatcakes. I love oatcakes (and all things oaty, in fact) and the soft shades of this cardigan (particularly the main shade, hare) make it feel particularly oaty to me.
Want to make your own Land o Cakes? The pattern is now available on Ravelry and there are kits in the shop
Happy knitting.
It looks beautiful😊💕
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It’s a very lovely knit indeed.
Would it be possible for you to have a picture of the neat steek with a closer look. I just made the basic steek according to your blog advice and pictures and it all went beautifully. The i-cord buttonholes are my new favourite.
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I’ll see if we can get a shot for you in a post over coming weeks, Rita
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This is a stunning cardigan! It’ll have to go in my queue. I love the combination of colours and the play of the stripe. Is hi good you all the best from locked-down New Zealand.
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nice style ..
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Gorgeous! I love the cardigan and the belt! Yes please, will you do kits?
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yes! – https://www.shopkdd.com/land-of-cakes-kit
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Fabulous and thank you 💖
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This is beautiful. Definitely oatey, in the best way. The trimmed steek does look nice, as do the button loops. I recently tried your steek sandwich on a cardigan. Your tutorial is excellent. Thanks for providing it.
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Love the idea of coordinating the knitting with the weaving!! Just got an inkle loom so am keen to try it out. Knowing the thickness of yarn you are using for the weaving is extremely helpful for a newbie.
The belt looks so good with the great cardigan. Also you have such nice buckles. I must find some.
The frequent posts are great for us self isolators too.
Keep well!!
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The cardigan looks great and belt❤ I’m making both when I can get my hands on my stash.
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Kate, it’s me again!!!! just read the other comments, yes, you look radiant & gorgeous.. your hair is so shiny.. wow…. and since you cut your own hair, might you share those tips with us?…. had a haircut two weeks ago… and it could be a very long time until the next with the stay at home orders in my state and others here in the USA… and yes, i am half serious and only half or less than half kidding… no kidding….
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Ha ha – well, Susan, I just use Tom’s clippers, set on a number 5 at the back and a number 6 on top, and then trim the front and sides a little myself with a pair of short scissors. Definitely a haircut for a lockdown!
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If you ever feel like doing a demo… sign me up!!! for $$$$… live alone so don’t have a guy’s clippers nor know what they look like… can you please give more description of tom’s clippers?????… so sweet of you to reply! thank you! honest, your hair looks stupendous….
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Kate, you have knocked it out of the ballpark… once again….. I love love love this new design… many thanks, Susan
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I love the new pattern, both for color and for texture. It reminds me a little of Bohus designs I’ve wanted to try out for a long time. Seeing this post inspires me to dig into the stash and “doodle” in yarn as I meditatively make my way through *Wheesht”! Thanks for all the nourishing resources in this time of isolation, Kate.
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“doodling in yarn” is spot on, Oona – that’s exactly what it is
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I love the pattern and belt combo! I’ve been hoping to embark on some Inkle Loom-ing, but I’m not there yet. This gives me hope!
But as for those oatcakes–are they the same as FARLS? My son loves farls! I’d love a genuine Scottish oatcake recipe to compare, though. . . any suggestions?
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ha ha – we have recipes for both – maybe time to share here!
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Fabulous cardi and belt! Love the colors together!
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OMG, I just love this! Absolutely brilliant!
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Now that’s just brilliant! Coordinating woven belt and cardigan! I really like the idea of the i-cord buttonholes. Hmm – I wonder if I could go back and do that with my Coinneach and/or Braid Hills cardis?
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I don’t see why not! . . . I am really pleased with it as a solution to the sometimes frustrating snaps – it’s just a 2 st icord and sits neatly over the rib
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I love it, I think I might add it to my (long) list of future makes.
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You look lovely!
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aw thanks!
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Kate – since I also have those Toast trews, then I must have the cardi too. Will have to bump my planned order for a new carbeth.
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ha ha – I think we are in sync, Mhairi!
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This is wonderful – and you look amazing with your beautiful grey hair. I have been dyeing mine for years; maybe these difficult times will be what’s needed to make me stop!
I am a Lancashire lass and my husband remembers the ‘Land o Cakes’ pub very well, but never knew what it meant.
Thank you for all your amazing work and inspiring posts. Best wishes to you all.
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thanks, Julia! I’m enjoying my hair and find it really easy to manage.
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Gorgeous pattern and colours. I’m a bit scared of steeking 🤤
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love the pattern! i have very little experience with inkleloom, but i wonder, did you thought about making a ribbon to sew on the inside of the steek? can we simple handcrafters make a much lighter ribbon than the belt?
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hi, yes, I wove a narrow ribbon with 10/2 thread – but decided (as I mentioned it the post) to leave the steek as it was
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Go Kate Go!
Self isolating and inspired in Argyle Forest Park.
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Hi Kate, glad to hear you are all keeping well! Thanks for these posts and the beautiful photos, they definitely raise the spirits.
This is gorgeous but as a relatively new knitter it looks quite complicated…. can you recommend a ‘my first yoke’ pattern – or would you just tell me to get on and try this?
best wishes to you and Tom and the team
Mandy & Steve
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I love your inkle weaving journey, l have always felt that there must be more creative uses of inkle bands and combining knitting and inkling is amazing. Brilliant images to start the day x
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Totally gorgeous pattern – love it love it – I am a random knitter and ‘design’ things as I go – so I am with you, there !
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