Yarn Stories Botanics Collection

Yarn Stories recently launched the new Botanics Collection full of beautiful designs for Spring and Summer. I am delighted that three of my designs are included in this lovely Collection.

Davallia by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Davallia is a v-neck cabled cardigan, knitted in Yarn Stories Fine Merino DK. The elegant pale grey shade is called Dove. Before fully unfurling, the new growth fronds of a woodland fern are tight little curls on long stems. These curled fern fronds are the inspiration for my fern cable and twisted stitch design. Cable stems and twisted stitch fronds curl from flattering long lines.

Davallia by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Davallia by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Hyssop is a summer top inspired by the spiky leaves and flowers of the Hyssop plant. The twisted stitch pattern is set on a reverse stocking stitch background. The design has long leaves beginning at the cast on edge and shorter leaves towards the neckline. The beautiful blue shade of Fine Merino DK is called Bluebell.

Hyssop by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Hyssop by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Katsura is a kimono style cardigan with short sleeves. My twisted stitch design is inspired by citrus trees full of oranges, lemons and limes. Each fruit motif hangs from a twisted stitch branch and has a tiny leaf. The Fine Merino DK shade of fennel is perfect for this summer design.

Katsura by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Katsura by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

Katsura by Emma Vining for Yarn Stories

You can see all of the Botanics Collection designs along with the gorgeous yarns on the Yarn Stories website and on Ravelry too.

Tile Art in Glasgow City Centre

There is so much to see in Glasgow! I love visiting the Galleries and Exhibitions and on this trip I also discovered some amazing art and design in unexpected places. In particular, I found some fabulous tile designs.

Beautiful Glasgow Tiles

Usually in search of buttons, I have visited the Remnant Kings Shop on Argyll Street many times. The shop is on the first floor and to enter the building, you pass through an amazing doorway held in place by two huge statues.

Entrance to the Remnant Kings Shop

Inside the building is a dramatic stairwell lined with beautiful tiles. New patterns are formed where different stair levels meet and the huge circular windows are a stunning feature. 

Tiles in Building on Argyll Street, Glasgow

Tiles in Building on Argyll Street, Glasgow

The nearby Argyll Arcade was built in 1827 and is one of Europe's oldest covered shopping arcades. It is also a lovely short cut (or long cut!) between Buchanan Street and Argyll Street. There are plenty of window shopping opportunities as this arcade is well known as Glasgow's Jewellery Quarter. At the Argyll Street end of the Arcade, I spotted some lovely tiles in a doorway and a sign dated 1904, that I had never noticed before, despite having sheltered from the rain on many occasions!

Inside the Argyll Arcade

Tiles in the Argyll Arcade

Advice for people sheltering from the weather!
(Dated 1904)

The former Bank of India building at 71 Renfield Street is currently a tea room called Cup by day and a bar, Gin 71, by night. The ceiling and walls are covered with beautiful Victorian tiles dating from around 1890. The rooms had been boarded up for many years and the tiles were only discovered after some electrical work was carried out. A mosaic floor was also recently uncovered and I wonder what other treasures are still hidden in this lovely building!

71 Renfield Street, Glasgow

Interior of 71 Renfield Street, Glasgow

Interior of 71 Renfield Street, Glasgow

Ceiling tiles in 71 Renfield Street, Glasgow

Hello My Name is Paul Smith at the Lighthouse, Glasgow

The Lighthouse, Glasgow is a centre for Design and Architecture, located in the former Glasgow Herald Building. The Building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and there is an excellent Mackintosh Discovery Centre on the Third Floor. This amazing glass stair is in the Mackintosh Tower and I love this view straight up the centre! 

The Mackintosh Tower in The Lighthouse, Glasgow

I have seen some great exhibitions in The Lighthouse and always enjoy a look around the Mackintosh Centre. I had been hoping to make a trip to Glasgow while the Paul Smith Exhibition was still on and I made it just before it ended! I visited this Exhibition at the Design Museum in London a couple of years ago and enjoyed it so much that I really wanted to see it again.

Knitwear at the Paul Smith Exhibition

The videos of the catwalk shows were fascinating and I really enjoyed the interview with Paul Smith. He comes across as very friendly and most of all, he always looks like he is enjoying himself. In fact, this shines through the whole exhibition. 

"Inside Paul's Head" combines a thoughtful narrative with moving images in a spectacular arrangement of screens and mirrors. Paul Smith's view of the world is full of colour and shape and you can see more of his images if you follow him on Instagram (#takenbypaul).

Inside Paul's Head

The button wall is so impressive! I am having a bit of a button moment just now so perhaps my recent purchases should be added to my wall like this?

Paul Smith Button Wall

Paul Smith Button Wall

When I last saw the exhibition I was still working on my City & Guilds Diploma and it was particularly inspiring to see the workshop desk covered in design material from swatches and yarn wraps to artwork and graphics. I had just been working on a colour project that was full of yarn wraps, so it was great to see the Paul Smith yarn wraps displayed as part of the overall design development.

Paul Smith Workshop

Paul Smith Workshop

I do wonder how the Paul Smith mini made it to the first floor landing! 

Paul Smith Mini

The colour theme is carried on in the Long Gallery at the Lighthouse in the interesting display of Colour Strategies in Architecture, looking at the way colour is used in buildings. 

Colour Strategies in Architecture 

No visit to the Lighthouse would be complete without a trip to the top and a look at this fantastic view of Glasgow.

View from the top of the Lighthouse

"Blissful Twists" in Knit Today Magazine

I am absolutely delighted with the amazing photos of my asymmetric cable sweater in this month's Knit Today Magazine, Issue 123. This cable sweater is easy to knit and the self striping yarn gives an interesting twist to the cables.

Cable sweater by Emma Vining in Knit Today Magazine
Photo from Knit Today Magazine

The big cable braid is made by knitting extra rows on each cable section before completing the row. These extra rows 'pool' the colour in the cables. The big cable flows from the cast on edge all the way to the wide neck cast off. There are also single cables at the sleeve cast on edges. I love the way this makes big knitted folds at all the edges!

Cable Sweater by Emma Vining in Knit Today Magazine

Photo from Knit Today Magazine

The sweater is knitted in Sirdar Sylvan Chunky, Shade Burley (204). This self striping yarn is also a 'thick and thin' yarn. This makes the cable vary in width depending on which part of the yarn you are at when knitting the extra rows. I like the variation of the thickness of the yarn combined with the structured cable and the stripes.

You can see a preview of this month's Knit Today Magazine here.

Knit Today Magazine Issue 123

Look out for another of my cable knits in the next Issue of Knit Today!

Cable Sweater by Emma Vining in next month's Knit Today Magazine

Photo from Knit Today Magazine

Errata for Blissful Twists (added 22/11/16).
After completing the first sleeve as given in the pattern, the correct instructions for the second sleeve should read:
“Repeat for second sleeve, working cable on Row 7 as follows:
Row 7: K9 (9, 9, 11, 11), C15B, k to end of the row.

Little Paisley on the cover of the Knitter Magazine!

My Little Paisley Cardigan is in the cover of the Knitter Issue 95! Knitted in Cascade 220 Aran weight yarn (100% Peruvian Highland Wool), this lovely pale yellow shade is caller Pear (8412).

Little Paisley Cardigan by Emma Vining in The Knitter Magazine

The little Paisley motif is made using cables, twisted stitches and moss st for texture. Bobble diamonds are knitted between the motifs.

Little Paisley Cardigan by Emma Vining in The Knitter Magazine

The vertical Paisley sections are separated by twisted stitch "ropes". There is also a single little Paisley motif at the cuff of each sleeve. 

Little Paisley Cardigan by Emma Vining in The Knitter Magazine

The cardigan is open at the front with the neck held closed by a large hook and eye clip. The front band rolled edging is knitted at the same time as the fronts.

Little Paisley Cardigan by Emma Vining on the cover of The Knitter Magazine

This issue of the Knitter also has an article about the Yarn Stories Minerality Collection. My Feldspar sweater is one of the featured garments! You can see all of the Yarn Stories Minerality collection here. 

Yarn Stories Minerality Collection
with Feldspar by Emma Vining The Knitter Magazine