Sale Pack Drops Alpaca with Grandpa cardigan pattern
​In my post yesterday I mentioned that the yarn quantities were incorrect.  We've now corrected them so the packs are now £28.50.  Check out our page to see.

The last instalment of my Funky Grandpa knit.
Having had to take a sleeve down because I had knitted it on the wrong needle, I've sped on and finished the cardigan.  It was a really relaxing knits with just a few things done differently to the pattern.  Because the bottom welt is done with the yarn doubled, i also did the wrist welts and button bands with doubled yarn too.  The pattern says to use single yarn but I prefer symmetry.   Interestingly the three ribs are all different -- the bottom rib is 1x1, the wrists 4x1 and the button bands 3x1.  I went with this even though it offends my sensibilities that they are different and it does look quite nice.   I really like the i-cord edge on the cuffs and button bands, it's time-consuming but gives a really neat finish.

The new technique for this jumper for me was afterthought buttonholes.  They are done this way so that you can place them perfectly -- all too often knitted button holes aren't quite where you thought they were and it can spoil the look of a garment.  Essentially, when you've finished the buttonbands you work out where the buttonholes should be placed and then cut them ... ulp!   Anyone who has steeked a jumper will feel relatively comfortable with this idea -- possibly....  As the button bands are not part of the main garment but knit on separately I thought I would give this idea a go.  If the holes were a disaster I could always re-knit the bands. 
I've put photos below of how to cut the button-holes.  Fortunately, I re-read the instructions before I cut the loops (plural) as I noticed it said cut loop (singular) and unravel back so I saved avoided disaster.  As we have said before, measure twice, cut once!  Elizabeth Zimmerman's 'Knitting without Tears' describes this technique really well here 
https://blog.loveknitting.com/elizabeth-zimmermans-afterthought-buttonhole/
​I sorted out some buttons from my button box -- these came from an old blouse but I thought they suited the cardigan really well.  
Finally, the yarn quantities are way out.  We worked the amount out based on yarn weight and meterage but I have  four balls left.  The yarn packs will be amended and re-priced to take account of this -- if you've already bought one, let us know and we'll sort out the discrepancy.
​

What a wet and windy day!   I've been sitting here in the shop today, knitting my Grandpa cardi and listening to Gaelle teaching the cabled wristwarmer workshop and watching the wind blow people past the window (and customers in).  It's definitely a day to stay in and knit or crochet -- nice cup of tea nearby, a bar of chocolate at hand and a good film on television -- ideal!  
The windy weather got me to thinking about wind-proof knitting.   Obviously woollen clothes don't always keep the wind out although the honourable exception there is the knitted gansey.  I was more thinking about hats that don't blow off.   With this in mind I've been searching the internet in general and Ravelry specifically for some ideas.
The little yellow child's hat has got ear flaps and ties so it won't get lost easily.  It's called 'I Heart Cables' and is designed by Justyna Lorkowska.   Cloche hats are quite hard to blow off too -- I used to wear one for rides in our open top MG, speeding  up the M1 without ever losing it!  The cloche pictured is 'Elven Cloche' by Romi Hill.  Finally I found an updated balaclava. 'Lady Knight Balaclava' is a crocheted hat designed by Annie Modesitt.  It might not be quite right for the school run, but  it definitely won't blow off!  If you want to learn more about making hats, check out our workshops page 

Did any of you see Grand Designs this week with the house based on the shape of an ammonite?

It seems we are not the only ones in love with this prehistoric mollusc.  The architect and clients for this groundbreaking build based their entire house around a fibonacci series or golden curve inspired by an ammonite found on their land.  A numerical fibonacci series is where each number is the total of the previous two, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 etc and this sequence is seen in growth patterns throughout the natural world, from ferns to pine cones to shells to our favourite fossil, the ammonite. 

Grand Designs followed what turned out to be challenging technical build.  Designing the house around the golden curve meant that every roof beam was a different size, the outer walls were curved and there were no straight lines from foundations to roof trusses.  Even the roof covering (my least favourite bit) was all hand cut.  The ammonite inspiration was for me visible until they roof cladding was added at which point the house began to look like a snake coiled up in the landscape which I really didn't like but the inside is wonderful.  The programme is available on catch-up https://www.granddesigns.tv/blackdown-hills/ and is well worth a look.

Our Winter Workshops are in full flow so here's a quick reminder of what's on:

Saturday 21 October -- we have two workshops scheduled -- knitted cabled hats or crocheted cabled wristwarmers.  Bit of a cable theme going there which we'd love to say was intentional but is in fact, happy chance!

Saturday 28 October -- Felted Christmas Robins
We are also repeating our popular Sew Up Saturday event

Saturday 4 November -- All About Doubles -- Beginner Crochet

Saturday 11 November -- Again two workshops scheduled -- All About Trebles -- Next Step Crochet or Knitted FairIsle/Christmas Hats

Saturday 18 November -- Crocheted Socks

Saturday 2 December -- Crocheted Snowflakes or Knitted Flamboyant Hats

Saturday 9 December -- our last scheduled event of the year will be a Sew Up Saturday so you can all finish off your Christmas gifts.

You can book on any of our workshops with a small deposit either by coming into the shop, phoning us on 01443 520200 or on our webpage www.ammoniteyarns.co.uk 
Workshops

And I was doing so well!
The first picture shows the almost finished sleeve with the stripes in place.  The second picture, as the eagle eyed amongst you will spot, doesn't have any sleeves.  That is because I knitted the entire sleeve on the wrong size needles.  I thought it seemed slightly different to the body.  As Greg had ruefully advised last week after cutting a length of plasterboard for the shop kitchen -- measure twice, cut once.  Next time, check needles twice, knit once!

Sale Pack Drops Alpaca with Grandpa cardigan pattern
​In many ways, I picked the wrong garment to blog about.  This sounds a bit odd but this garment is quite straight forward (so far) so there isn't an enormous amount to comment on  On the other hand, I did think I would have finished this by now as it the back and fronts knitted up really quickly.  I wasn't taking account of my dislike of knitting sleeves though.  Prevarication took over -- I even tidied up the kitchen!  I'm back on track now and about half-way down the first sleeve.  The sleeves are picked up and knitted down from the armhole.  The pattern uses short rows to shape the top of the sleeve so essentially you pick up all of the stitches around the armhole and knit around to the centre shoulder.  The beginning of the round is then moved to the centre of the shoulder.  Knit the first few stitches along the top of the front of the sleeve, turn and knit back across adding a the same number of stitches on the top back of the sleeve,  turn and knit across adding one stitch, turn and repeat until all the stitches of the armhole are in play.  It gives a lovely fitted set in sleeve.   The sleeve is then shaped.  I'm about to start the stripes on the bottom.  I'd probably find it easier if I used dpns instead of magic loop for knitting the sleeve in the round but the circular needle was handy.    My next blog will include 'afterthought' button holes if I'm brave enough -- there may be some weeping and gnashing of teeth if I get them wrong (as well unwanted holes in the button-hole band).
Don't forget that if you fancy knitting a Funky Grandpa we have some packs on our website on special offer.  

Eastern Jewels Yarn Pack, pattern and conversion chart


​Any of you who are keen crocheters will have seen this blanket on social media over the last few weeks.  It is a re-colouring of Jane Crowfoot's Persian Tiles crochet blanket by Stylecraft Blogstar Lucia Dunn.   Ruth and I visited Spectrum Yarns, the home of Stylecraft back in July and here we are with Lucia and her lovely blanket.  Well, with a very large picture of her anyway!    At the moment the new colourway is only available as a kit with the pattern and conversion chart and retails price of £35.00