Simply Wool Yarn

Get felting with knitshop.co.uk Simply Wool Yarn

Simply Wool is a lovely double knit weight yarn made from nothing but 100 percent sheep’s wool. It knits up on 3.75mm to 4.5mm needles and is ideal for whipping up cosy tops and outerwear really quickly. Just 21 stitches over 24 rows makes a 10cm tension square. Once you start knitting, your projects will grow really fast.

Simply Wool Yarn in Yellow, Purple and Ocean Blue

Each 100g ball of Simply Wool has a meterage of approx 200m, so you only need a couple of balls to mak a scarf or a jacket for a toddler. At £5.90 per ball, this means it’s pretty good value too.

The lovely yarn is used as the basis of some of knitshop.co.uk customers’ favourite patterns, including the snug Fairisle Wrist Warmer. Another great example is the Simply Stripes Kids’ Waistcoat, which uses just two skeins of Simply Wool. (or three if you’d like to use two different colours of stripe as well as the main body colour).

Kids Simply Waistcoat and Hat Pattern Set

Of course, Simply Wool lends itself to crochet too – you could make some stunning cushions with it. But where it really comes into its own is as a yarn for felting. 

Felted Bag using Simply Wool in Deep Pink and Turquoise

The process of knitting and felting is also called fulling. This simply means that the woolen fabric is shrunk and matted to a thick and solid piece. A knitted piece of woolen fabric is placed into the washing machine and the felting happens due to the friction and agitation of the wool. You can make many different items using this felting technique. Amongst those most popular are bags, slippers and hats. All you need is a 100% wool yarn or a wool blended yarn with another animal fibre that shrinks.

Knit-Felted Rabbit made from Simply Wool Yarn

knitshop.co.uk's Simply Wool Yarn is perfect for fulling. 25 amazing shades are available for you to choose from, including vibrant Orange, Tomato Red, zingy Purple, Raspberry Red and Ocean Blue. Subtler shades include Cream, pure White, light Lilac and medium Grey-Aquamarine. Visit knitshop.co.uk now to view the full colour range.

Simply Wool Yarn various colours

Links to this blog:

Simply Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/126-simply-wool-yarn

Fairisle Wrist Warmer pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2732-fair-isle.html

Simply Stripes Kids’ Waistcoat pattern: http://webmail.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2757-simply-waistcoat.html

3.75mm needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1709-bamboo-knitting-needles-375mm.html

4mm needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1708-4mm-sp-bamboo.html

4mm crochet hook: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/bamboo-crochet/1636-4mm-metal-hook.html

Simply Waistcoat and Hat

Kids Simply Waistcoat and Hat Pattern a between-seasons cover-up

The cold weather shows no signs of departing, so we thought we’d introduce you to one of our favourite and brand new pattern for kids. The Kids Simply Waistcoat and Hat set is knitted in knitshop.co.uk Simply Wool Yarn and is a great cover up for active youngsters who can’t bear to be cooped up at home. Pop on one of these cosy tops and your kids will be kept snug but they won’t feel as though they’re bundled up in lots of layers. 

Simply Waistcoat and Hat Pattern
using Simply Wool Yarn in Dark Turquoise, Robin Egg Blue and Yellow

The Simply Stripes Kids’ Waistcoat pattern is suitable for beginner knitters as it uses just knit and purl stitches. The back doesn’t require any shaping, while the V-necked front is an easy-to-work decrease. The main body is knitted in double moss stitch, which is what gives this cosy waistcoat its interesting texture. We’ve used garter stitch for the cuff at the bottom, which provides a smart contrast to the patterned body.

The size shown here is 18-24 months.

The striped sections in our design are quite deep. If you prefer, you can use narrower stripes instead and alternate colours more frequently. Just ensure you knit the right number of rows in total. Full row-by-row instructions and images are included in the PDF pattern, so you should have no problem following along or making your own modifications. We also include suggestions of how to customise the jacket with a wooden buttons, crochet edging and an optional 3 needle cast off.

The striped Simply Waistcoat and Hat pattern comes in four sizes: 12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2-3 years and 3-4 years. We’ve used Dark Turquoise, Robin Egg Blue and Yellow Simply Wool Yarn for the boys’ version of the tank top. For a more feminine colour combination you might like to try Deep Pink, Purple and Aquamarine. The yarn comes in a choice of 26 shades, so you should have no trouble finding a trio you like. 

knitshop.co.uk Simply Wool Yarn is made from nothing but sheep’s wool (knitshop.co.uk prides itself on selling only natural fibre yarns) and knits to a 18 stitches by 32 rows to 10cm tension on 4.5mm needles over double moss stitch pattern. Simply Wool Yarn comes in 100g skeins of 200m. If you’re following our example, you will need one ball of each of the three colours you’ve chosen. However, you could simply choose a single shade, in which case you’ll need only two skeins in total. Watch our for the next blog with more about felting, fulling and Simply Wool.

Once you’ve finished knitting your kids’ new Simply Waistcoat and Hat, you’ll have plenty of the two contrast colour yarns left over. Want an idea of how to put it to good use? Our pretty Fair Isle Wrist Warmer pattern just happens to use two contrasting shades of Simply Wool yarn. The only other thing you’ll need is a set of 4mm double-pointed needles. So you could make some cosy gloves for yourself and a practical cover-up for your child for less than £20. What a nice reward for your knitting efforts. 

"Mum I had enough!"

Links to this blog:

Simply Waistcoat and Hat Pattern: http://webmail.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2757-simply-waistcoat.html

Simply Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/126-simply-wool-yarn

Fair Isle Wrist Warmer pattern: http://knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2732-fair-isle.html

4mm bamboo knitting needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1696-bamboo-knitting-needles-4mm.html

4mm double-pointed needles: http://knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1714-4mm-dp-20cm.html

Coquette Vintage Cotton

knitshop.co.uk introduces brand-new Coquette vintage cotton yarn

knitshop.co.uk has some fantastic news for lovers of all things vintage. We’ve developed our own vintage cotton yarn range in collaberation with well-known knitwear designer and historian Susan Crawford.

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn is a 4ply cotton of the highest quality. It comes in 12 magnificent shades that accurately mimic those from the 1930s to 1950s. The colour range consists of Wine, Oyster, Canary, Flame, Highland, Pumpkin, Carnation, Old Lace, Aquamarine, Snow, Spearmint and Sapphire.

Garments knitted in Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn have wonderful drape. Patterns within each design are beautifully distinct due to the crisp and even qualities of the cotton. This means that Coquette really rewards you for tackling more complex patterns with plenty of detail. It’s perfect for lacy crochet projects too. 

"I love Susan's work, she is an inspiration and it's an honor to work with her. To bring Coquette to life means a lot to me, it's a huge value to knitshop yarns and it's a dream come true after many years of hard work. I hope we can work many more projects like Coquette." Julieta Brandao, owner and founder of knitshop.co.uk and knitshop yarns. If you want to read Susan's blog about Coquette, click here

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn costs £4.95 per 50g ball of approximately 125m. It knits to a 4ply tension of 26 stitches and 36 rows on 3mm or 3.5mm needles.

A number of specially written patterns are available for Coquette. These include Susan Crawford’s pear and trellis pattern Tropicana, which uses six skeins of Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. It looks especially good in Canary yellow with a contrasting bright blue ribbon. 

Tropicana - beautiful tanktop for the sunny days ahead!

Another wonderful vintage knit for Coquette is the textured short-sleeved Dinah’s Lacy Jumper. This uses a twisted stitch over a four-row repeat to create a loose-fitting open-weave top that is ideal for warm sunny days. 

Dinah's Lacy Jumper from A Stitch In Time Vol 2
suggested yarn: Coquette in Aquamarine

Coquette patterns will be available as individual PDFs, while the complete collection can be found in Susan’s A Stitch In Time vintage pattern books.

As well as the specially written Coquette patterns, you can use Coquette for any pattern that knits to a standard 4ply tension. If you’d like some advice about whether a pattern is suitable for knitting with Coquette and how many skeins you need, we will be very happy to help.

What’s more, we are offering our gorgeous new Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn at a special introductory price of £4.45 per skein. What more incentive do you need to make a start on this year’s summery knits?

Fashions from the first half of the 20^th century are incredibly popular right now thanks to the success of Downton Abbey and Mad Men. This summer’s hotly anticipated remake of The Great Gatsby is sure to fan the flames even more. 

 

Sea-Waves and Sunny Days Ahead!
Suggested yarn: Coquette in Pumpkin and Old Lace

Coquette can be used for the following patterns: 

A Stitch In Time Vol 1

The Call of the Sea - colours: Sapphire and Snow

Sea Waves and Sunny Days Ahead - colours: Pumpkin and Old Lace

And here are the latest accessories - colour: Old Lace

A Dashing little swim suit - colour: Aquamarine

Knitters Delight - colour: Oyster

Light and Lovely - colours: Spearmint and Sapphire

A Stitch In Time Vol 2

This Attractive Affair - colours: Oyster and Wine

Striped Sun Top - colours: Snow, Spearmint and Carnation

Jumper with Collar & Flowers - colours: Carnation, Snow and Canary

Summery - And a new Pattern - colour: Flame

Dinah's Lacy Jumper - colour: Aquamarine

Ribbon Threaded Jumper - colour: Pumpkin
 

Summery - And a new Pattern
Suggested yarn: Coquette in Flame

Tropicana by Susan Crawford  - colour: Canary

Lost in Music by Susan Crawford - colour: Highland

Lily Jacket by Meg Crowther - colours: Wine, Oyster and Carnation Katy Tee Cotton Top by Meg Crowther  - colour: Wine

Katy Tee Cotton Top
Coquette in Wine

Links to this blog:

Knitshop.co.uk Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

Tropicana lacy vest pattern: http://webmail.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2778-tropicana.html

Dinah’s Lacy Jumper pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dinahs-lacy-jumper

A Stitch In Time Vol 1 by Susan Crawford: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/patterns-magazines-books/2141-a-stitch-in-time-2.html

Susan Crawford website: http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Home.html

Susan's blog about Coquette: http://www.justcallmeruby.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/coquette-4-ply-cotton-launch.html

3mm needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1604-bamboo-knitting-needles-3mm.html

3.5mm needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1694-bamboo-knitting-needles-35mm.html

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn

knitshop.co.uk Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn is made of beautifully soft fibres and is ideal for garments such as vests and close-fitting tops that will be worn next to the skin. If you’re knitting for someone with delicate skin, Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn is a great choice. The fibres are naturally hypoallergenic too. 
 

This silky-soft 4ply yarn is great for springtime knits as it’s not as bulky as wool but still offers plenty of protection from the elements. Our short-sleeved fitted top, Sugar And Spice Ginger, was designed to be knitted in Mulberry Silk Twist yarn. The cap sleeves and the gently fitting drape of the yarn are a flattering combination. It even featured on the front cover of Let’s Knit magazine issue 7. Here is the previous blog about Sugar And Spice Ginger.

Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn, colours from left to wright: Bright Green, Deep Pink, Bright Red,
Kahki-Gold, Gold Yellow, Orange, Pastel Lilac, Antique Gold and Yellow

The Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn is our sumptuous choice for exquisite and glamorous eventing knits, it has a clear stitch definition and a beautiful sheen. It knits up very evenly, the ideal yarn for delicate summer knits, lace work or vintage knitwear, it drapes beautifully due to its silky nature. The yarn is ideal for vintage knits and has been used for both A Stitch In Time Vol 1 and 2 by knitwear designer Susan Crawford. 

Our selection of 15 shades includes Teal, Ice Blue, Navy Blue, Gold-Yellow, Pale Pink, Silver-White and Black. Silver-White and Black have been featured in the pattern Cryscelle, front cover picture of A Stitch In Time Vol 2. 

Cryscelle - front cover image of A Stitch In Time Vol 2
using Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn in Silver-White and Black

And another great example is the striking Cocktail Jumper from A Stitch In Time Vol 2, knitted in Pastel Pink and Black, it uses between six and nine hanks and knits up on 3.25mm needles. 

Cocktail Jumper, pattern in A Stitch In Time Vol 2
by Susan Crawford and Jane Waller.

"This pure silk yarn has a exquisite handle and is a pleasure to knit with. Once a garment has been knitted using this yarn, it falls and drapes beautifully. I have used this yarn many times over the years and have never been disappointed with the finished results." Susan Crawford

Frilly Sleeves from A Stitch In Time Vol 1,
using Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn in Antique Gold

For sunnier days, you might also like to knit Tropicana, a lovely pear-and-trellis lace-patterned vest top with a contrasting ribbon tie under the bust. The bottom has pretty scalloped edges. This pattern requires three or four skeins of Mulberry Silk Twist yarn. 

Tropicana using Mulberry Silk Twist Yarn in Yellow

Mulberry Silk Twist yarn comes in 100g skeins of 250m. Recommended needle sizes are between 2.5mm and 3.5mm. The yarn knits to a tension of between 25 and 30 stitches over 10cm depending on needle size 

Mulberry Silk Twist costs £14.95 per 100g skein. This 100 percent natural mulberry silk yarn is suitable for many 4ply patterns. Feel free to email us for advice on converting a pattern to any of our yarns.

Links to this blog:

Mulberry Silk Twist yarn http://www.knitshop.co.uk/31-mulberry-silk-twist

Sugar And Spice Ginger Top http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2725-sugar-spice-ginger.html

Susan Crawford's website http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Home.html
Susan Crawford Cocktail Jumper pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cocktail-jumper

Susan Crawford A Stitch In Time Volume 2 http://www.knitshop.co.uk/patterns-magazines-books/2141-a-stitch-in-time-2.html

Tropicana vest pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tropicana-2

Let’s Knit http://www.letsknit.co.uk

3.5mm bamboo needles http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1694-bamboo-knitting-needles-35mm.html

May knitting and crochet workshops

knitshop.co.uk has a full workshop programme in May, with a particular emphasis on colourwork and crochet. First up on Friday 3^rd May is an Introduction to Intarsia Knitting. This technique involves changing colour partway through a row of knitting rather than simply at the end of a row. Intarsia is ideal for adding motifs into knitted designs. Before attempting intarsia knitting you will need to master knit and purl stitches.

Attendees at this workshop will be given full instructions on how to follow patterns that include elements of intarsia colourwork as well as learning how to change yarn colours so the transition looks seamless. 

Crochet fans will also have a chance to learn colour skills as we have a Crochet in Colour workshop on Saturday 11 May. At least a basic knowledge of crochet will be needed in order to get the most from our Colour Crochet workshop.

  

Crochet Chocolates using Coquette.
Crochet with Colours, learn how to change colour
and how to work the ends into your crochet.

If you haven’t yet learned how to crochet, or need a bit of help creating double and treble crochets, our Beginners’ Crochet class on 24 May is just for you. As with all our classes, full instructions and materials are provided and we are happy to offer advice on projects you undertake using the techniques you learn in our classes.

With the May half-term coming up at the end of the month, you might want to consider our Swing The Needles kids’ knitting class on Saturday 25 May. A Beginners’ Crochet class aimed at kids is being held on May 31. Adults are also welcome to attend either of these classes. 

Halloween Kids Knitting Workshop,
October half term.

Knitters looking for a new challenge may also be interested in our two-part Toe-Up SockKnitting class. Taking place on consecutive Fridays, this fun class shows you how to create your first pair of socks. Part I covers casting on and working increases while knitting in the round. Part II shows you how to shape the heel. You may find it easier to master sock knitting if you’ve already tried knitting in the round, but really only need to know how to knit and purl.

We’ve got eight shades of sock yarn for you to choose from. Once you started knitting socks, many people find they can’t stop. The great news is we also sell Cotton Plied Wool yarn, which knits to a similar tension and comes in a range of plain and variegated colours. So there’s no excuse if sock knitting turns out to be ‘your thing’. 

Bonneterie Socks, Pattern by Sarah Wilson
using Mustard Gold Socks Yarn

All knitshop.co.uk classes take place between 11am and 1pm at our outlet boutique at 326 Lee High Road, London SE13 5PJ. Classes cost £15 each per adult and £10 per child under 16.

Links to this blog:

May workshop schedule: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/245-may

Intarsia Knitting workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2743-intarsia-knitting.html

Kids’ Knitting classes: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/319--kids

knitshop,co.uk Sock Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/165-socks-yarn

knitshop.co.uk Cotton Plied Wool yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/167-cotton-wool-yarn