Rosebud Trellis Cardigan in The Knitter, Issue 84

My Rosebud Trellis Cardigan is in this month's The Knitter Magazine, Issue 84. I absolutely love the gorgeous photos that The Knitter Magazine have used! The cardigan looks very elegant with the beautiful dress that the model is wearing.

Rosebud Trellis Cardigan by Emma Vining
Photo from the Knitter Magazine, Issue 84

The design was inspired by some beautiful art nouveau ironwork that I spotted in a doorway in Epernay, France. The trellis pattern is made with twisted stitches and cables, with textured bobbles forming the little rosebuds. Combining different twists and cables makes the stems bend and move within the trellis.

Rosebud Trellis Cardigan by Emma Vining
Photo from the Knitter Magazine, Issue 84

The sleeves and sides of the cardigan are knitted in reverse stocking stitch, with a little rosebud motif at the cuffs. The button bands are worked as part of the fronts and the shoulders are shaped using short row shaping. The lightweight, sunny yellow yarn is Cascade Yarns Heritage (4ply weight) in Lemon, Shade 5644.

Rosebud Trellis Cardigan sleeve detail by Emma Vining
Photo from the Knitter Magazine, Issue 84

I found the beautiful Cath Kidston fabric covered buttons at John Lewis.

Rosebud Trellis Cardigan by Emma Vining

There are many beautiful designs in this month's magazine. In particular, I love Sarah Hatton's Merryn cardigan, knitted in Rowan Mohair Haze and Jennie Atkinson's elegant Agate waterfall jacket, which is knitted in an alpaca silk lace yarn from Rooster. You can preview the designs on The Knitter Magazine blog.

The Knitting & Crochet Guild Trunk Show

The London Branch of the Knitting & Crochet Guild hosted a joint meeting with the Knitting History Forum on 21st February 2015. Barbara Smith, Publications Curator and Angharad Thomas, Textile Archivist brought the K&C Guild Collection Trunk Show to our London meeting and showed us some of the knit and crochet samples held by the Guild. During the meeting, we were able to discuss and closely examine these wonderful items.

Detail from Kaffe Fassett Waistcoat
K&C Guild Collection

Angharad gave us some background detail about the Guild Collection. The basis of the Collection was brought together for the Bradford Textlile Festival 1990 Exhibition. Following this exhibition, the collection was added to by donations from members and their families and some specific items were bought through textile fairs or agents. The Guild collection is unique, in that it is a record of what people were actually making.

Within the Collection, there are also approximately 2000 books and magazines, 50,000 pattern leaflets and 10,500 leaflets from the Patons archive donated by Coats to the Guild. Guild members have access to these patterns through groupspaces on the Guild website. Other ways to access the Collection are through Open Days at Lee Mills (the 'home' of the Collection) and Trunk Shows at local Branch meetings. There are also several in-depth blogs written by members. My favourites are:
barbaraknitsagain, onehundredyearsago and knittinggloves.

Barbara gave an excellent presentation about the items that she and Angharad had brought along. I'm going to review just a few of these fascinating pieces here and I thoroughly recommend going to one of the Trunk Shows to hear about all of them!

Shetland Shawl, Sylvia Ratcliffe, 1996
It was great to view this beautiful shawl up close again. When I was a volunteer at the Guild's stand at last year's Knitting and Stitching Show, this amazing piece of knitting by Sylvia Ratciffe formed the backdrop of the stand. We had some lovely comments and discussions with visitors to the stand about the stitch patterns and awesome knitting skills involved in making the Shawl.

Shetland Shawl
K&C Guild Collection

Irish Crochet Bag and Jacket

On the K&S Show stand, we also had stunning pictures of the Guild's Irish crochet items that featured in Rowan Magazine 55. Barbara and Angharad had brought the actual bag and jacket with them. The detail is so amazing. The delicate crochet motifs are made first, then laid out in a design and lastly joined by a beautiful crochet mesh to make a truly beautiful piece of work.

Irish Crochet Bag
K&C Guild Collection

Irish Crochet Jacket detail
K&C Guild Collection

Art Silk T-Shape Jumper
I had not heard of Art Silk before this Trunk Show. This T-shaped jumper had been knitted in one piece to show off the drape of this artificial silk rayon yarn. An example of the jumper can be seen in a 1920 Fancy Needlework Illustrated leaflet, also in the Guild Collection.

Angharad showing the Art Silk sweater
K&C Guild Collection

An important feature within the Guild collection are items with a known history. The stories behind the items reveal what was actually going on in the world of knitting and crochet at the time they were made. 

Yellow Waistcoat, Margaret Clarke, c1950
A lovely example is a fine yellow waistcoat knitted by Margaret Clarke for her fiancé around 1950. The fronts are knitted in linen stitch with 47sts to 10cm. The back is knitted in single rib. At first glance, yellow appears to be an unusual choice of colour at this time, but this is where the story of the waistcoat tells us more. Margaret's fiancé always wore colourful clothing to work as he worked for the International Colour Authority!

Yellow Waistcoat Detail
K&C Guild Collection

Waistcoat, Kaffe Fassett
Kaffe Fassett is a Patron of the Guild and has donated several pieces of his knitting to the Guild Collection. This absolutely stunning waistcoat was both designed and knitted by Kaffe Fassett. It is knitted in Rowan yarns that were unfortunately discontinued before the patten was released. I'm sure that an update would be extremely popular!

Kaffe Fassett Waistcoat
K&C Guild Collection

K&C Guild Collection

Cherry Brandy Sweater, 1980s

Picture knits form an important sub-section within the Collection. We were treated to a close up look of this 1980s Cherry Brandy sweater, knitted from a Wendy pattern. The accompanying YouTube clip is brilliant!

Angharad showing the De Kuyper Cherry Brandy Sweater
K&C Guild Collection

The Coats Archive
In 2014, Coats donated it's Paton's archive to the Guild. There is very little accompanying documentation, but there are lots of wonderful items waiting to be researched. Many of the items were collected by or designed by James Norbury, Chief Designer for Patons and Baldwins 1946 to 1969. For example, these tams from Shetland inspired at least 2 pattern leaflets in the 1950s and 1960s.

K&C Guild Collection

K&C Guild Collection

These are just a few of my highlights from an entertaining and informative afternoon. I really recommend attending a Guild Trunk Show to descover more about the fascinating collection. Barbara and Angharad are absolutely brilliant at bringing the items to life and the resulting discussions reveal many new insights. Non members are also always welcome to attend and I hope that the Trunk Show will encourage even more knitters and crocheters to join the Guild.

Betty's Fuchsia Challenge!

I met Knitting & Crochet Guild member Betty Wood when we volunteered at the K&C Guild Stand at Alexandra Palace in October 2014. We were so busy talking to visitors that it was only just before Betty was leaving that she mentioned her long held interest in fuchsias. She told me that she had been searching for a knitted fuchsia motif to include in a sweater or cardigan, but she couldn't find a suitable motif anywhere. I love a knitting challenge and after we looked at some images of fuchsias together, I agreed to give it a go and "Betty's Fuchsia Motif" is the result!

Betty's Fuchsia Motif by Emma Vining

The motif is knitted in DK yarns and requires small amounts of 4 shades for the flower on an additional background shade. The fuchsia flower is made up of light pink, fuchsia pink, dark purple and green. Worked in DK yarn on 4mm needles, it measures 7.5cm by 14.5cm.

A black and white photo of Betty's Fuchsia motif is on the front cover of this month's Slipknot (March 2015) and Guild members can find the chart and instructions on page 22. For more information about the Knitting & Crochet Guild, please take a look at the Guild's website.

Bubbled

My first pattern for the Knitting & Crochet Guild has just been added to Ravelry! My hat design is called "Bubbled" and the pattern is being sold to raise funds for the the Guild.

Bubbled by Emma Vining
for the Knitting & Crochet Guild

The bubbles are made by increasing and decreasing with a rib pattern, which ensures that the hat will fit a range of head sizes.

Bubbled by Emma Vining
for the Knitting & Crochet Guild

I first used Cascade Superwash 220 yarn for my "Into the Woods" Cowl and Wristwarmers design, recently published in Knit Today Magazine. This lovely yarn comes in a huge range of colours and I ordered my "Smoke Heather", shade 860 for Bubbled from Deramores. You need one 100g ball to make the hat and pom pom.

Bubbled by Emma Vining
for the Knitting & Crochet Guild

Bubbled is available exclusively through the Knitting & Crochet Guild. Sale proceeds will support the Guild in it's continuing work of education, innovation and preservation. Look out for other exclusive patterns on Ravelry and on sale at Shows and events. The first KCG exclusive pattern was the gorgeous Yan Tan Tether cushion cover by Ann Kingston, followed by Horwood, a lovely hat design by Sarah Alderson. For more information about the Guild, please visit the website, www.kcguild.org.uk.

Into the Woods Cowl and Wristwarmers Set

I am delighted to have a design in the lovely spring issue of Knit Today Magazine! My "Into the Woods" cowl and wrist warmers, created in woodland green shades, are the perfect accessories to cosy up a casual weekend outfit.

Into the Woods Cowl and Wristwarmer Set
by Emma Vining
Image from Knit Today Magazine

The set is knitted in three shades of Cascade 220 Superwash yarn (2 x 100g balls of the main shade, Spring Night and 1 x 100g each of the second and third shades, Lichen and Celery). This yarn is machine washable, meaning these accessories will last for many seasons to come.

Into the Woods Wristwarmers
by Emma Vining
Image from Knit Today Magazine

The cowl measures 33 x 22cm (13 x 8 3/4inches). It is knitted in one piece and seamed at the side. The wrist warmers are folded in half, seamed at the side with a gap left for the thumb. Each wrist warmer measures 10 x 22cm (4 x 8 3/4inches).

Into the Woods Cowl and Wristwarmer Set
by Emma Vining
Image from Knit Today Magazine

Knit Today Magazine, Issue 109

Blue and White: British Printed Ceramics at the V&A Museum

A fascinating ceramics display has recently opened in a lovely little gallery on the 6th floor of the V&A Museum. Blue and White: British Printed Ceramics looks at one of the most familiar aspects of ceramics.

Detail from "Border" designed by Robert Dawson
Made by Josiah Wedgwood & Sons, 2005

Originating in Iran and perfected in China, blue and white ceramics have been made for over 800 years. In Britain, the technique of printing into ceramics was pioneered in the 1750s and brought to the wider market by 1800. Improved quality and technical accuracy allowed contemporary culture and ideas to be incorporated into the distinctive cobalt blue and white designs.

"Blue and White" at the V&A Museum

The display looks at a range of themes including Human Landscapes, Flora and Fauna and Life and Times. Objects on show include examples from 1750 right through to recent designs demonstrating  the continued relevance of "Blue and White". 

Ceramics showing Flora and Fauna in "Blue and White" at the V&A Museum

 I love this ceramic representation the river Thames. 

"River" by Richard Rogers, RA and Stuart Blower

Optical effects are explored by Martin Smith in "2 Corners Doubled".

"2 Corners Doubled" by Martin Smith

Detail of "2 Corners Doubled" by Martin Smith

Blue and White can be viewed from now until the 3rd of January 2016 in Room 146 of the Ceramics Gallery.

Lanscape Cabinet at the "Blue and White" Display

Gladioli Sweater in the Knitter Magazine Issue 81

My Gladioli sweater design is on the front cover of the Knitter Magazine! The design was inspired by the beautiful Gladioli that I watched slowly emerge from tiny buds to gorgeous flowers. I love having these flowers in my kitchen and watching them slowly change over several days.

Gladioli Sweater by Emma Vining
Photo by the Knitter Magazine

The sweater has a centre panel of three gladioli ‘stalks’ with different coloured buds. The buds are made using cables and the colour is added after knitting and blocking using a decorative weave darning technique. The base of each bud is then closed by loosely wrapping the cable stitches to pull them together. 

Gladioli Sweater by Emma Vining
Photo by the Knitter Magazine

You need three shades of Rennie Handknits Chunky Lambswool Aran to make this sweater: The main shade is Stonehenge (207) and the two shades used for the decorative darning are Marzipan (992) and Cream (412). There is also a Masterclass on the decorative darning technique in Issue 81, with step by step photos showing how I added the colour to one of the buds.

Gladioli Sweater by Emma Vining
Photo by the Knitter Magazine