Tag: colourwork

  • Mel’s knitting

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    I’ve had cause to celebrate Mel’s knitting on more than one occasion here. . . Some of you may recognise Mel as a model from Yokes: Mel has many strings to her supremely talented bow, and I’m lucky enough that she works with me on projects such as Yokes as a sample knitter, design consultant,…

  • jazz hands!

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    We have had quite a bit of weather here recently – mittens are definitely required! So I whipped up a pair. You may recall, in the comments on this post, Trish suggested that a pair of mittens in the Epistrophy pattern would suit the name Jazz Hands. Well, Trish, your wish is my command. Here…

  • Jökull

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    When I began thinking about putting together this collection, I felt it was important to include a design that might serve as an introduction to circular yoke knitting: something that was speedy and straightforward to knit, with some interesting details and a characteristic construction. That design is Jökull. Jökull is a yoked mantle. Though the…

  • Epistrophy

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Well, it is time to introduce you to the first yoke from my new collection. Meet Epistrophy. Epistrophy is the title of a Be Bop “standard” composed and popularised by Thelonius Monk in 1942. The tune is characterised by its repetition and modification of a single, imitative phrase (or epistrophe). If you’d like to hear…

  • The Fine Art of Fair Isle Knitting

    The Fine Art of Fair Isle Knitting

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    You will have heard me mention distinguished Shetland designer, Hazel Tindall, many times on this blog. I first met Hazel three years ago, when I was lucky enough to take a workshop with her during Shetland Wool Week. Over the course of the class, Hazel shared her knitterly tips and techniques, talked us through some…

  • Machrihanish

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    I was very excited to have the opportunity to design the Machrihanish vest  and always enjoy knitting for Tom, who is its recipient and model. Tom often bemoans the general lack of shaping, and poor fit of men’s garments, so I like to knit him things that are well-fitting. Men’s knitted vest patterns rarely include…

  • Ecclefechan Mitts!

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Over the past couple of days, quite a few of you have contacted me to ask about the black and white mitts that appeared in the header image at the top of this page. Well, this is my new design — the Ecclefechan Mitts! I was so happy with the photograph that I just couldn’t…

  • Ursulas

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    I always find it exciting when different iterations of my patterns are posted on Ravelry. This is particularly the case when knitters’ colour choices and personal modifications really transform the look of a design. Some amazing Ursulas have begun to appear which, because they have a completely different feel to my original, and also because…

  • Tír Chonaill

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Woolfest is just a fortnight away! I am pleased to say I am mostly prepared (hoping to hear about the whereabouts of the last of my stock today, fingers crossed). I’ve produced two new designs to launch as kits at the event (with yarn and project bags), and sent the patterns off to my printers…

  • Bláithín (junior)

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    So, here is Bláithín (junior)! This is the kind of cute child’s garment that makes me want to intone “almost too wee” in the manner of Whisky and Brandy Bolland examining Prince’s wardrobe (about a minute into the clip). (Ahem). Bláithín (junior) comes in sizes from 12 months to 9 years, and has many of…

  • steeks 3: the sandwich

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    In this post, I’m going to show you how to further reinforce (and cover) the cut edges of your steek using a techique that I’ve called “the steek sandwich.” There are many other methods of binding / covering steek edges – but this one works well, I think, for a steeked cardigan. The front edges…

  • hazelhurst

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    So, I am imagining that some of you won’t have heard of Ronnie Hazelhurst – the meister of British light entertainment who has given his name to my new design? Tom and I are both children of the 1970s, and, for better or worse, the tunes of Ronnie Hazelhurst have featured largely in our lives.…

  • rams and yowes

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Hmmm . . . do I spy . . . some sheep? . . . . many sheep? . . . and many rams? 120 yowes and 48 rams?!! Yes! It’s the rams and yowes lap blanket! In case you were wondering, yowe means ewe in Shetland dialect and, just like the sheepheid design from…

  • wrong side

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Quite a few of you have been asking to see close-ups of the Boreal colourwork from the wrong side, so here we are: While the front of the sweater does not really give an indication of the effect of the colourwork on the thickness of the fabric, I think you can really get a sense…

  • boreal tropical

    boreal tropical

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Here, as promised, is Mel’s Boreal – which we photographed in the palm houses at the Botanical Gardens. Mel used two shades of teal for her sweater (Artesano aran shades c740, and 8316) , and reversed the light-on-dark, dark-on-light order of the colourwork. The effect is more subtle than the high-contrast, highly-festive look I’m sporting…

  • B o r e a l

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    We had a lovely day out in the Highlands today. Bruce loves a good walk up there – though, as you can see, he is not a fan of sitting still and posing for a photo. Would you like to see what I’ve got on underneath that jacket? Boreal — my new design! Two years…