If you follow our social media you will have noticed in early April our newest feature, What’s on Your Needles. We asked people to send in pictures of what they’re working on during this time of social distancing and the response was tremendous. We had so much fun seeing all your gorgeous projects in so many different yarns. Fast forward six weeks and now we want to know how many of you have finished these projects or others using any of our yarns. We would love it if you would send your completed projects to onmyneedlesnow@estelledesigns.ca so that we can show off your masterpieces on our social media.
I’ll be the first to start with my Norrland Hat, designed by Sara Huntington Burch and available for purchase on Ravelry. While I didn’t knit this during isolation, it would certainly be a great project if you’re looking for something to take your mind off what’s going on outside. As a self-professed cable lover, the moment I saw Norrland I knew it was something I had to try. Not only does the pattern use cables to mimic tree branches, the cables are done in stranded colourwork! Cables – no problem! Stranded colourwork – yikes, not my forte. Sure, I’ve done it before, but I’ve never had the confidence that I have in other aspects of knitting and so I would usually just skim past those patterns believing they were out of my league. The combination of design elements in Norrland was just what I needed to give me the boost to try my hand again at stranded colourwork.
After doing some reading about stranded knitting I learned about colour dominance and the importance of keeping the position of each colour consistent throughout, as well as regularly spreading out the stitches on the right hand needle that have just been worked, and these two tips made all the difference for me. My work was even and tidy and I was ready to complete my hat with confidence.
Norrland was the perfect opportunity for me to work with my all-time favourite fingering weight yarn, Estelle Alpaca Merino Fine. A sublime blend of 55% merino, 25% nylon and 20% alpaca, Alpaca Merino Fine has been keeping my feet warm for years so I was excited to try it out for a hat. The tight twist is ideal for cables and the stitch definition is second to none. I chose colours Q64411-Forest and Q64416-Barn for my hat and am so pleased with how well they compliment each other. In fact, all twenty-seven shades in the full range are beautifully complimentary, you’d be hard pressed to find any two that don’t go together well.
Taking the plunge into stranded colourwork has opened infinite doors for me both as a knitter and as a designer, and now I wonder why I waited so long. Are you the type of knitter who prefers to stay in their comfort zone or more of the daring type who has no fear of the unknown? While I tend to be more of a comfort knitter, I am always delighted by the new skills I learn every time I challenge myself with a new pattern. So be not afraid, dear knitters, when it comes to trying new techniques. Start small with a hat or mitts and knit on with confidence. You’ve got this!