Well, the short bursts of sunshine, as proclaimed in my last post, were indeed very short-lived. It was a chilly 7 degrees this morning in my part of the world with lots of drizzly rain and cold gusty winds.

While I’m enjoying the extended sweater weather, I’m indulging in all the winter themed publications that recently hit the shop.

With all this inspiration at my finger tips I had to cast-on and get one last woolly fix for the season.

So join me while I explore the wonderfully squishy and colourful Periphery beanie. You’ll find my project notes below.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Periphery

DESIGN

Periphery, a design by Kjerstin Rovetta, was first published in Pom Pom Quarterly Issue 43, November 2022.

SKILLS

• Knit and purl stitches

• Working in the round

• Decreasing

• Intarsia (instructions included in pattern)

• Twisted German cast-on

TOOLS

• 20cm Double-Pointed Needles | 4mm

• Stitch markers

• Tapestry needle

MATERIALS

Bio-Wool x 5 Shades

Kits available HERE.

The Project

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

YARN + NEEDLES

• Bio-wool wool was definitely my first choice for this project. It has a nice palette of solid shades, it’s a super squishy 10 ply weight and the squishy woolly handfeel is next to skin soft.

• The plan was to stick with the established colour themes and play with what I had on hand and in the shop. I picked out five Bio-Wool colours, some were new balls and some were scraps from other projects.

• I used a set of double-pointed needles for this project as they were both useful for working the full circumference of the hat and the crown decreases.

CONSTRUCTION + FINISHING

• I’m seeing a lot of intarsia designs this year with Pom Pom paving the way! I’ve been a little hesitant to dive in but this small scale project seemed approachable.

• The technique of working intarsia in-the-round was detailed clearly in the pattern instructions. I found the process fairly straightforward and didn’t get too tangled 😅

• I found lots of Youtube videos on the twisted German cast-on method. Already familiar with long-tail cast-ons, I found this method similar and fairly easy to pick up. Will definitely use it again!

• I love the colour block elements of this design. The pattern includes an option for a clever invisible colour change, which I did use and I’m very happy with the results.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Periphery was another good skill building project. I learnt the twisted German cast-on method, working intarsia in the round and the invisible colour change!

The design offers lots of room for colour-play, I definitely encourage mixing and matching what you have on hand. You can be quite free-form with the colour placement so you there’s lots of fun to be had.

I feel like I’m ready to tackle another intarsia project, maybe something on a larger scale - stay tuned!

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Add this project to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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The spring air and short bursts of sunshine was just the motivation I needed to write up this studio project.

Featured in amirisu Spring/Summer 2021 Issue 22, Calathea, a design by amirisu, is a neckerchief style scarf worked flat using a curious double-twisted purl stitch pattern repeat to create a faux quilted texture that results in an equally interesting front and reverse side.

This spring/summer style is certainly on trend, and the simple colour play and somewhat contradictory yarn choices added to the appeal.

I had so much fun styling this piece, find all my project notes and styling ideas below.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Calathea

DESIGN

Calathea is a design by amirisu Magazine, first published in June 2021. The pattern is available to purchase as a digital download via Ravelry.

SKILLS

• Knit and purl stitches

• Twisted stitches

• Increasing and decreasing

• Following pattern repeats

• Picking up stitches

• Elastic bind-off (instructions are included in the pattern)

TOOLS

• Knina Swivel 40cm (or longer) | 3.5mm

• Knina Swivel 100cm | 3mm

• Stitch markers

• Tapestry needle

MATERIALS

WAITLIST

Cotton Fine | Putty

The Project

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

YARN

• I took a ‘no fear’ approach when it came to subbing in yarns. I didn’t completely disregard gauge but thought there was some room to play.

• I had Jardim and Cotton Fine on hand that was set aside for a shop sample. The colour combo was bright and happy so I locked it in.

• I used Jardim (Amber), a 50/50 cotton and wool blend, with its soft hand feel and springy texture for the ‘quilted’ side.

• Cotton Fine (Putty) was used for the twisted-purl slipstitch side.

CONSTRUCTION + FINISHING

• I note the skill rating on this pattern is rated as high. I think for anyone familiar with knit/purl stitches and comfortable with increasing/decreasing, it would certainly doable.

• The stitch pattern was new to me, after working through a few rows I was able to memorise the pattern.

• The pattern has some really nice details to make the finished piece appear seamless and the design reversible. So do take care when the pattern instructs you to slip or pick up stitches .

• The elastic bind-off was a great knew skill to learn, it produced a uniform and appealing cast-off edge.

• I knit to the length suggested in the pattern. My final stitch gauge was 36 stitches over 10cm - so wasn’t too far out!

STYLING IDEAS

FINAL THOUGHTS

This piece was such a good skill builder. The quilted texture is really unique and the neckerchief size kept things manageable.

Even though I used a 5 ply (Jardim) and a 4 Ply (Cotton Fine), my gauge wasn’t too far off the pattern recommendation. I think you’ll get great results with many different yarns that are on this lighter end of the spectrum.

With less than a ball of each yarn required, you can definitely stash dive for this one or experiment with a few new ones on a modest budget!

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Add this project to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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Three New Bio Shetland Shades!

Bio Shetland by BC Garn is a 100% wool, Shetland style yarn with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification.

The woollen spun 2 ply construction yields a light smooth fabric with unexpectedly insulating results when knit or woven.

A number of shades are infused with a melange of colour made possible by ‘dyeing in the wool’, a process where the wool fibres are dyed prior to spinning.

With its GOTS certification, this yarn meets strict ecological and social criteria to ensure the entire supply chain meets the leading worldwide standard for organic textile production.

You’ll find Bio Shetland ideal for a range of woven and knit pieces, with particularly stunning results when working colourwork and lace details in the knitted fabric.

Now in three new shades - Pale Pink (66), Light Grey (41) and Medium Grey (42).

WAITLIST

Bio Shetland GOTS | Pale Pink (66)

$11.90

WAITLIST

Bio Shetland GOTS | Light Grey (41)

$11.90

WAITLIST

Bio Shetland GOTS | Medium Grey (42)

$11.90

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More About Bio Shetland

THE YARN

FIBRE CONTENT: 100% Pure Wool
NET WEIGHT: 50g (1.75oz) per skein
YARN WEIGHT EQUIVALENT: Light Fingering / 3 ply
APPROX. YARDAGE: 280m (306yd)
CONSTRUCTION: Woollen spun, 2 plies, light twist
ORIGIN: Dyed and milled in Turkey
CARE: Cold hand wash (see notes below)

Colourways Available

GAUGE

KNITTING

24-32 stitches over 10cm, using 2.5-4mm needles (6-8 stitches per inch, US size 2-6 needles)

CROCHET

2.25-3.5mm hook (US size B-1 - E-4 hook)

WEAVING FOR YARDAGE

12 epi (50 ends / 10cm)

TAPESTRY WEAVING (WEFT FACED WEAVES)

4 epi (16 ends / 10cm) – 6-8 strands
6 epi (24 ends / 10cm) – 4-6 strands
8 epi (32 ends / 10cm) – 2-4 Strands

FELTING

Work the piece 10% to 20% larger than the intended size. It’s highly recommended that a test swatch be made applying your intended finishing technique to assess the variables of the fabric.

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

Bio Shetland GOTS is suitable for a range of knit and crochet pieces. For project inspiration check out our pattern favourites on RAVELRY.

ABOUT GOTS CERTIFICATION

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. The aim is to define and maintain an internationally recognized requirement to ensure the organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials through to environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, in order to provide credible assurance to the end consumer. To learn more about the standard and certification process please visit www.global-standard.org.

ABOUT BC GARN

BC Garn is a family run business based in Germany. They are known for their selection of natural fibres and extensive colour palettes. They produce a collection of GOTS certified yarns.

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We Now Have 30 Shades!

Bio Shetland by BC Garn is a 100% wool, Shetland style yarn with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification.

The woollen spun 2 ply construction yields a light smooth fabric with unexpectedly insulating results when knit or woven.

A number of shades are infused with a melange of colour made possible by ‘dyeing in the wool’, a process where the wool fibres are dyed prior to spinning.

With its GOTS certification, this yarn meets strict ecological and social criteria to ensure the entire supply chain meets the leading worldwide standard for organic textile production.

You’ll find Bio Shetland ideal for a range of woven and knit pieces, with particularly stunning results when working colourwork and lace details in the knitted fabric.

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THE YARN

FIBRE CONTENT: 100% Pure Wool
NET WEIGHT: 50g (1.75oz) per skein
YARN WEIGHT EQUIVALENT: Light Fingering / 3 ply
APPROX. YARDAGE: 280m (306yd)
CONSTRUCTION: Woollen spun, 2 plies, light twist
ORIGIN: Dyed and milled in Turkey
CARE: Cold hand wash (see notes below)

Colourways Available

WORKING THE YARN

Bio Shetland is suitable for most fibre crafts, including knitting, crochet, tapestry and weaving for yardage. You’ll find gauge suggestions for various crafts below. You may also like to check out our project suggestions on RAVELRY.

GAUGE SUGGESTIONS

The gauge information below can be used as guidance when planning your projects. We always recommend that you swatch to determine a configuration that results in the ideal fabric and hand feel for your project.

KNITTING

24-32 stitches over 10cm, using 2.5-4mm needles (6-8 stitches per inch, US size 2-6 needles)

CROCHET

2.25-3.5mm hook (US size B-1 - E-4 hook)

WEAVING FOR YARDAGE

12 epi (50 ends / 10cm)

TAPESTRY WEAVING (WEFT FACED WEAVES)

4 epi (16 ends / 10cm) – 6-8 strands
6 epi (24 ends / 10cm) – 4-6 strands
8 epi (32 ends / 10cm) – 2-4 Strands

FELTING

Work the piece 10% to 20% larger than the intended size. It’s highly recommended that a test swatch be made applying your intended finishing technique to assess the variables of the fabric.

ABOUT GOTS CERTIFICATION

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. The aim is to define and maintain an internationally recognized requirement to ensure the organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials through to environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, in order to provide credible assurance to the end consumer. To learn more about the standard and certification process please visit www.global-standard.org.

ABOUT BC GARN

BC Garn is a family run business based in Germany. They are known for their selection of natural fibres and extensive colour palettes. They produce a collection of GOTS certified yarns.

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LET’S GET STARTED…

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The Sugar Candies Collection by DHG is a sumptuous wool top blend of extra-fine merino and lustrous tussah silk.

Through milling, coordinating shades of silk and merino are combed together to give each hue a subtle melange of colour.

While the extra-fine merino provides warmth, loft and structure, the addition of tussah silk imparts an unmistakable lustre and sheen for a seriously luxurious fibre blend.

With its classic heathered palette, the Sugar Candies Collection will add a sweet new depth to your hand spinning, felting and textile projects.

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THE FIBRE

FIBRE: 70% Extra fine merino wool tops (19 microns), 30% tussah silk
CONSTRUCTION: Combed sliver
ORIGIN: Merino sourced in Australia and South America, tussah silk from China
PRODUCTION: Dyed and milled in Italy
NET WEIGHT: Approx. 23g/m
YARDAGE: Approx. 4m/100gColourways Available

Colourways Available

ABOUT WOOL AND TUSSAH SILK TOP

This merino and tussah silk blend top is commercially prepared, the wool and silk fibres undergoing a mechanical combing process to straighten and align the fibres for a silky smooth preperation.

The extra-fine merino is sourced from both Australia and South America from strictly mulesing-free lots, carefully selected to ensure consistent quality between batches.

Supporting sustainability, DHG ensures the dye process complies with Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and the dye house complies with GOTS 5.0 and GRS certifications.

Use this blend for hand-spinning, weaving, needle and wet felting, giant knitting and a myriad of textile art projects.

ABOUT DHG

Dyeing House Gallery have been in the business of dyeing textile fibres and yarns since 1952. Their mission, to make their long-standing expertise available to all artists, artisans, designers and crafters.

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