Such a neglectful blogger

And suddenly it's nearly the end of January, and so much knitting completed but undocumented. Not that you have to document knitting. In fact, it'd probably be a sign of some personality disorder if you did. Like alphabetising your CD collection. Altho' there are days that doesn't seem such a bad idea.

I've wandered off the point, so here's a little cardigan, inspired by Arlene's garter stitch scarves, made from Wendy Roam. It's a messed-about-with pattern from an old magazine but you could use almost any simple 4ply pattern and still get a fabulous effect with this lovely wool. Takes just one ball, so costs £7.50, plus a button from your mum's button box. Most of us have one of those, right?

My next job is to wash this to see how it feels afterwards. Some people think the Roam not quite soft enough for delicate baby skin, so I'm going to do a little research...

New Year; New Knitting

How's your knitting mojo? Up and running? Slumped in a post-Christmas depression? I've completed a couple of small projects since the holiday: a roll brim hat for my sister in the West Yorkshire Spinners BFL Print double knitting, and also the cowl below, which is a newer version, knitted in the round, of the simple cowl pattern I posted recently. Knitted in two different vaiegated colourways of Adriafil Mistero, it's very snuggly. It was meant to be a shop sample but I fear it might end up being worn to Leeds for shopping on Sunday. Am even toying with the idea of bravely putting it (and a few other simple things) on ravelry as a free pattern, especially now I've realised that creating a pattern pdf, involves no more than clicking on 'Save as PDF'. Who knew it was that simple?

Happy Christmas

Just a very quick note to say that over the Christmas/New Year period Three Bags Full be open on 30th and 31st Dec for all your knittery needs. Hope you all have a lovely time. See you in 2015!

Furry hat!

So, this is the furry-edged hat pattern I promised a while ago. We've got the fun fur yarn (Abakan from Bergere) in a couple of shades - the natural; brown and a pretty blue colour. And both hats I've made so far have been in brown Abakan coupled with brown aran, but I'm thinking maybe the brown and a nice cream or something like that next...

Size: fits average woman's head (by which I mean, it fits me)

Materials: 50g Abakan, 100g aran (if you want a longer furry turnback, you'll need 100g Abakan)
5.5mm x 40cm circular needles, 5.5dpns

Method:
Cast on 60 stitches loosely, using the circular needle and the Abakan. Join into a circle and mark the start of the round.

Knit and knit and knit until your ball of Abakan is all used up. If you're using two balls for a longer brim then knit till your two balls are all gone or the brim's as long as you want it to be.
Break off the Abakan and join in the aran wool.

Work a knit row followed by a purl row for a total of 6 rows.

Work in k2, p2 rib, starting with k2, until hat measures 10" (or length required) from cast on edge.

Start decreasing as follows, transferring stitches to dpns when necessary:
Round 1: *k2, p2, k2, p2tog, rpt from * to last 4 stitches, k2, p2
Round 2: work stitches as presented
Round 3: k2, p2tog, *k2, p1, k2, p2tog, rpt from * to end
Round 4: work stitches as presented
Round 5: *k2tog, p1, k2, p1, rpt to last 3 stitches, k2tog, p1
Round 6: k1, p1, k2tog, *p1, k1, p1, k2tog, rpt from * to last 3 stitches, p1, k1, p1
Round 7: k2tog all the way round.

Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight. Sew in ends. Turn back fur brim.

Advice needed!

Okay, it's Saturday morning, it's cold - and everyone craves a new woolly jumper when it's cold, don't they? - and it's Christmas present buying time. But in four hours we've had just one customer and our takings won't even cover the morning's rent. So, I'm looking for pointers as to what's stopping people buying from us...

I know some of you will be thinking: What is she talking about - I'm forever in that shop?! And that's great - we do have a core of regular knitters and crocheters, and I'm definitely not trying to encourage anyone to buy more than they do currently or more than they can comfortably afford or use; what I need to do is re-build the customer base we used to have and which seems to have been very depleted since we left the Piece Hall.

So...is there a reason you used to buy from us, but don't anymore? Maybe one of the following?

You prefer to buy from a local bricks and mortar competitor?
You prefer to buy from an online competitor?
We don't sell the yarns you want anymore?
You've stopped knitting or crocheting?
You've moved away from wools onto less expensive acrylics and mixes?
Wool just isn't a priority when times are hard?
You've never managed to find our shop since we moved?
You're fed up of the parking problems in the town centre?
Or something else entirely?

If you don't want to answer on a public blog please email me on threebagsfullwoolshop@googlemail.com (I know! longest email address ever!)
Thanks. And very many thanks to those of you who shop with us, whether regularly, now and then, or once a year - it's very much appreciated.

Free pattern - chunky cowl

What do you think of this?

It's a very simple, very cosy cowl for the cooler months. So much more twenty-first century than a scarf, y'know? Or maybe not, but there are definitely times when it'd be an advantage not to long, loose, trailing, woolly ends getting in the way. And, throwing principles and normal preferences to the wind, I've knitted this prototype in acrylic - well, mostly acrylic: Cygnet Grousemoor Chunky. Feel free to use Debbie Bliss Riva or Adriafil Mistero or some other more luxurious mix. I shall be doing at some point.
Anyway this is what you do:
Using chunky yarn of your choice, cast 97 stitches onto 5.5mm needles, and work 6 rows of k1, p1 rib in main colour.
Then work 2-colour pattern as follows, where a = main colour and b = contrast
Pattern row 1: k2a, k1b, *k3a, k1b, rpt from* to last 2 sts, k2a
Pattern row 2: k1a, * p3b, p1a, rpt to last 4 sts, p3b, k1a
Repeat these two rows until 28 have been worked. Break off colour b.
Work 5 rows of k1, p1 rib in main colour.
Cast off loosely in rib.
With right sides together sew side seam using a simple overstitch.
Sew in ends.

I heart hearts

In between the lacy scarf and the vintage jumper and the baby blanket and any number of other projects, I've mostly been making these lately. I fear they're becoming addictive - any small amount of leftover yarn becomes half a heart; any even tinier scrap becomes lettering. I'm thinking maybe loveheart bunting?