One of the most popular knits of 2021 was undoubtedly the Westknits Mystery-Knit-Along Shawlography shawl.

Having followed along with the MKAL Ravelry chatter over the last couple of years, and in the midst of a huge shop build 😅, I couldn’t resist casting on.

With lots of colour inspiration shared by Westknits devotees over on the Ravelry threads, I had fun playing around with colour palettes and texture.

I settled on a somewhat conservative palette using West Yorkshire Spinner’s Exquisite 4 Ply, a luxurious blend of Falkland Merino and silk.

Always a statement and unmistakably Stephen West, the MKAL was colourful and adventurous, incorporating many different techniques.

I’d highly recommend any of the Westknits MKAL shawls for all the curious knitters looking for an engaging and skill building knit.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Shawlography

DESIGN

Shawlography is a shawl design by Stephen West, first published as a Westknits Mystery-Knit-Along in 2021. The pattern is available to purchase as a digital download via Ravelry.

SKILLS

• Knit and purl stitches

• Increasing and decreasing

• Short-rows

• Yarn-overs

• Two-colour brioche

TOOLS

• 3.5mm (US 7) circular needles

• Stitch markers

• Tapestry needle

MATERIALS

• 1 x Exquisite 4 Ply, Tuscany 369

• 1 x Exquisite 4 Ply, Chantilly 010

• 1 x Exquisite 4 Ply, Dusk 403

• 1 x Exquisite 4 Ply, Baroque 177

• 1 x Exquisite 4 Ply, Bayswater 318

Find the yarn kit HERE

*I also snuck in a little bit of Navy Kid Seta on the i-cord and brioche rows 😄

The Project

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These fun pieces came to the shop care of Australian Yarn Co. as part of their traveling trunk show for the delightful Sierra 8 ply.

Showcasing these mesmerising yarns, the crescent shawl and beret set are great projects for the intermediate knitter when colour play is your inspiration.

With a range of joyful and exuberant colours, Sierra 8 Ply is an enchanting yarn that can produce a multitude of exciting colour effects.

Enjoy the project photos below. For more inspiration and projects in Sierra 8 Ply you can shop the available publications HERE.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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Sierra 8 Ply Crescent Shawl + Treasure Beret

DESIGN

Both patterns feature in the Australian Yarn Co. publication Sierra Serenity Book 8032, available to purchase HERE.

SKILLS

• Knit and purl stitches

• Increasing and decreasing

• Yarn-overs

TOOLS

Shawl

• 4.5mm (US 7) 100cm Circular Needles

Beret

• 3.25mm (US 3) and 4mm (US 6) 40cm Circular Needles

• 4mm (US 6) Double-Pointed Needles

• Pom Pom Maker

MATERIALS

Shawl

• 2 balls Sierra 8 Ply

Beret

• 1 ball Sierra 8 Ply

The Projects

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Socks.
They serve many purposes.

They can be a quick and mindless (or is that mindful) knit.

A skill builder.

A distraction.

A distraction from other projects, other responsibilities and sometimes a hectic life.

For me it’s usually some combination of all three.

So this month, when I needed a win and a distraction from life I reached for the Reverie sock pattern from Pom Pom’s inspiring Dreamscape issue.

Jam packed with lots of skills - colour work, bobbles and twisted stitches, they provided an interesting project, super quick and satisfying to knit.

Find the project notes below.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Reverie Socks

INTENTION

Knit the Reverie sock pattern and explore:

• Working with Meia and Meia Print

• Knitting small circumference colourwork

• Extending skills with short rows, twisted stitches and bobbles

DESIGN

The Reverie sock pattern was designed by Allison Lutes and first published in Pom Pom Quarterly Issue 40, February 2022. Issue 40 is available HERE or as a digital download on Ravelry.

The pattern is available in 4 sizes. I knit size 2.

SKILLS

• Small circumference knitting

• Two-colour colourwork

• Twisted stitches

• Knitting bobbles

• Short-row shaping

TOOLS

• 2.25 mm (US 1) Tulip 6" Double-Pointed Bamboo Knitting Needles

MATERIALS

• 1 x MEIA PRINT | MULTICOLOUR 107

• 1 x MEIA | BEIGE 06

PROCESS

YARN SELECTION

• Inspired by Pom Pom’s knitted samples I wanted a speckled main colour and a contrasting solid in a hardwearing fingering weight yarn.

• The Meia sock yarn range was a perfect match with its extensive palette of speckles and solids.

• The handy 50g balls also meant I wouldn’t have copious leftovers.

CONSTRUCTION

• I followed the pattern as written except for the bobbles where I added some extra rows to make them pop. I didn’t add any extra length to the leg.

FINISHING

• After sewing in the ends I soaked and blocked the socks.

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

YARN

• Meia sock yarn is woolly and soft. A nice tight ply suggests that it will be hardwearing enough for socks.

• Meia knit up to gauge using the pattern’s suggested needle size.

CONSTRUCTION + FINISHING

• The pattern worked up quickly, the various elements keeping me entertained.

• The short-row garter stitch heel is becoming a favourite of mine.

• The Meia Print didn’t seem to pool too much in the small circumference.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I was certainly happy with the result.

The socks knit up quickly and I really liked the design elements.

Meia is a soft and comfortable sock yarn. I’ll be working with it again for sure.

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Knitting the socks in Meia?

Here’s what you’ll need for sizes 1-4

Yarn A: 100 (120, 140, 155m)
Yarn B: 115 (145, 185, 225m)

If you would you like to save this project for later add it to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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Every now and then I dip my toe into the world of crochet.

It’s never been my strongest skill, but every time I go back I try and learn something new. Slowly I inch forward to mastery 😉

It might sound strange but only just last year I learned how to read a crochet pattern, and now there’s a whole new exciting world of modern crochet for me to explore. I’m not looking back!

Up for the challenge - this time to get through a pattern and figure out how to increase/decrease, I combed the Ravelry archives and the L+S store for project inspiration.

The result was the sleek and modern Minna Top by Susanne Müller, worked up in DHG’s mercerised cotton yarn, Lincoln.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Minna Top

INTENTION

Crochet the Minnna Top pattern and explore:

• Working with Lincoln

• Reading written crochet instructions

• Working double-crochet decreases

DESIGN

Minna Top was published in May 2019 by Susanne Müller, a knitwear designer from Coburg, Germany. The pattern is available as a digital download on Ravelry and Etsy.

The pattern is available in 3 sizes with finished bust circumferences of 88cm, 95cm, and 104 cm.

I knit size 3.

SKILLS

• Double-crochet worked flat

• Double-crochet decreases

• Working button holes

TOOLS

• 3.5 mm (US E) Brittany Crochet Hook

MATERIALS

• 4 x Lincoln | Moss

PROCESS

YARN SELECTION

• I was drawn to the dense yet silky hand feel of Lincoln. I chose the colourway Moss as it’s a very wearable colour for me.

CONSTRUCTION

• I followed the pattern as written. I didn’t add any extra length to the body.

• I blocked the piece prior to working the button bands.

FINISHING

• Once all the crochet had been worked I blocked the piece again.

• The only finishing touches were to sew on the buttons.

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

YARN

• The loosely plied Lincoln does make it a little splitty. You do need to keep an eye on your stitches if you’re prone to missing a thread or two.

• The yarn was a breeze to work at this crochet gauge.

CONSTRUCTION + FINISHING

• The pattern was very straight forward. I didn’t have any issues keeping track of my rows.

• The classic top design was easy to work up. I didn’t find any elements to fiddly.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’d recommend this pattern to anyone wanting to explore crochet garments.

It’s a great first piece, simple and modern.

Lincoln is a stunning yarn, the extensive palette has something for everyone.

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Knitting the Minna Top in Lincoln?

Here’s what you’ll need for sizes 1-3: 3 ( 3 , 4 ) skeins

If you would you like to save this project for later add it to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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I’m rounding out this year’s Socktober festivities with one last sock project.

This one was a bit of a challenge for me, not because the pattern was overly complicated, but because I chose an unlikely yarn for the experiment.

Knit up in Mirasol’s Ch’ichi, an alpaca/linen/bamboo blend, it wasn’t the easiest on the hands particularly while knitting in a small circumference.

But the results were worth the persistence!

Find my project notes below for the Laid Edges socks.

Enjoy!

Andrea | Loom + Spindle

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STUDIO PROJECT | Laid Edges

INTENTION

Knit the Laid Edges sock pattern and explore:

• Working with Ch’ichi

• Working cable details on small circumference knitting

DESIGN

Laid Edges was published in May 2020 by Kellie Macpherson, a London horticulturist and budding knitwear designer. The pattern is available as a free digital download at Ravelry.com.

The pattern is available in 3 adult sizes with adjustable foot and leg lengths.

SKILLS

• Knitting in the round

• Simple cabling

TOOLS

• 2.5 mm (no US equivelent) sock needles

MATERIALS

1 x Ch’ichi | Elderflower 03

PROCESS

YARN SELECTION

• I was drawn to dense and weighty hand feel of Ch’ichi. It had a nice firm ply structure that I thought would be hardwearing enough for socks.

CONSTRUCTION

• I followed the pattern as written. I didn’t add any extra length to the leg as I new yardage would be tight.

• For the cuff cast-on I used the alternating cast-on method. To close the toe I used the Kitchener stitch as suggested in the pattern.

FINISHING

• After weaving in the ends I gave the socks a short soak, after pressing out the water I used sock blockers to hang and dry.

• The finished gauge was 28 stitches over 10cm (7st per inch).

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

YARN

• Ch’ichi is such a curious yarn, it has some softness, some drape and a durable hand-feel that all together is quite unique.

• Without a lot of natural spring in the yarn (when compared to say a 100% wool yarn), it was tricky to work at such a small gauge. But, not impossible.

CONSTRUCTION + FINISHING

• The charming cable detail is certainly what drew me to the pattern. Worked over just a few rows it was simple to remember and worked up fairly quickly with a bit of focused effort.

• The twisted rib cuff was a nice detail that I think adds a clean modern look.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It was certainly fun knitting socks in Ch’ichi, but definitely not an experience for the faint hearted knitter.

Having got this experiement out of my system, I think I’ll stick to the recommended gauge for any future projects.

The resulting socks are comfy and warm.

Who dares me to rock them with sandals this summer?

…have to show off those toe to cuff cables some how, right!

Knitting Laid Edges in Ch’ichi?

Here’s what you’ll need for sizes 1-3: 1 ( 1 , 2) skeins

If you would you like to save this project for later add it to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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