Autumnal Knitting

I think autumn is upon us. One tree in the Arboretum is already turning red and orange and today we went bramble-picking. We're a few weeks ahead of schedule on this and I'm now eagerly looking out for ripe elderberries (nothing says autumn like elderberry soup served hot with crushed tvebakker, dried white buns). It should only be another week or so. Can you tell autumn is my favourite season? My knitting projects are also reflecting the changing season. I work on Pine now and then but I've turned my attention to warmer things.

I have begun an Icelandic top in Lett Lópi which is working up wonderfully cosy. I started out thinking the wool was awfully scratchy but unlike other wools, New Lanark and Kauni spring to mind, Lett Lopi has not ripped up the skin on my lefthand fingers* and the fabric is squishy if in a very hairy way. Every time I put down my knitting I look as though I have been embraced by a giant English Sheepdog. There are worse looks to be had.

(* I am a Continental knitter)

The top itself is pretty straightforward. It's a bottom-up yokey thing with colourwork. Of course I had to complicate things slightly because a) I wanted a slightly different fit and b) I wanted sleeves as sleeved tops are more suited to the Scottish climate. Still, the knitting bit zips along and while the top is not very photogenic at this stage (it's a big white hairy lump), I know the finished top will be beautiful.

Future warm projects? I want a fingerless gloves and woolly hat set, and while I already know which yarns I'm likely to use (because I'm feeling unusually benevolent towards orange all of a sudden), I'm still looking at patterns. I've also managed to land myself a bag of Sirdar Peru in a rather fetching chilli red hue. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of woolblends but I have worked with the yarn before and thought it was lovely. I'm contemplating Francis Revisited (have you seen SmashingPuffin's reinterpretation? Cor!) as it'd work with the yarn, but I haven't quite settled on that. I seem to have a very specific idea of what I want so I might just sit down and work out my own thing. Wouldn't be the first time..

Finally, I can't remember if I've mentioned the latest Twist Collective? It's my favourite issue so far and I waiting for a busty gal to take on Ysolda's Vine Yoke Cardigan so I can decide whether to knit it or not. And I have stash yarn just perfect for Audrey in Unst! I'm just slightly concerned about the stash yarn being grey (and thus more Unst than Audrey).

But first I need to finish my top and I have a bramble/apple crumble just out from the oven..

Knit A Poem

Knitting and poetry are more similar than they might first appear, she added, with poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy partial to an occasional knit, and the Society's president Jo Shapcott, Seamus Heaney and Emily Dickinson all authors of poems featuring knitting. "With poetry and with knitting, you work line by line, and if something goes wrong you have to unravel it," Palmer said.

In order to celebrate the Poetry Society's centenary, people around the world are knitting individual letters which will be made into one giant poem. Yes, I am one of them. I have been assigned the letter G and I'm working on my letter in-between other projects as I'm not a huge fan of the intarsia technique. But I love poetry and I celebrate that something as wonderful as The Poetry Society exists in this day and age.

Keep up-to-date with the ongoing project at Knit A Poem - The Poetry Society.

And the Award For Best Knitwear Goes To..

First of all, it is time to announce the winners of my little blog giveaway. Thank you so much to everybody who left me a comment. I really enjoyed looking at everyone's favourites - some very familiar and some very unfamiliar projects among all your suggestions! The skein of Old Maiden Aunt DK yarn has been won by .. Birgitte.

The Ishbel shawl in Kid Silk Haze has been won by .. Meg.

The three crocheted flower brooches have been won by .. Katherine, Laila and xtiand.

The vintage button earrings will adorn Anne.

And the vintage button selection has been won by Anna.

Congratulations to all the winners - I will be in contact with you by either Rav message (if I know you on Ravelry) or by email

Secondly, the illustration and the photo come from  one of my secret vices: vintage knitting patterns. Most of my  local second-hand shops stock  patterns from the late 1970s until the late 1990s, which can be vaguely interesting on occasion, but I much prefer patterns circa 1930 to 1950. The patterns flatter the female figure, are elegant in a timeless manner, and have clever little details you don't get with much later patterns.

Last I visited Denmark I found a pattern book from around 1941 filled with knitting patterns. As it is a wartime publication, you only get a handful of photos but a healthy helping of beautiful illustrations.

Interestingly, the patterns draw inspiration from Scandinavian folklore - reindeer, stars (familiar to many from Selbuvotter), merry dancers and Faroese geometric patterns - and many of the patterns are knitted in very patriotic colours. A little girl is even styled to resemble the little princess Margrethe ( born just five days after Denmark was invaded in 1940). Wartime patriotism, ah.

Most of all I am intrigued by the way instructions are given. A pair of very intricate gloves with embroidery are described thusly: "Start knitting the cuff in the usual manner; 7 centimeters long; divide for hand and start thumb gusset; knit hand until it measures 7 centimeters; divide for fingers; finish each finger; reverse for other hand." The embroidery is described in less succinct terms, thankfully, but there is little doubt that Danish ladies of the early 1940s knew a thing or two about knitting. A little chapter is devoted how to darn socks too. I still remember my great-grandmother darning socks.

I picked up another vintage knitting pattern the other day, an old Patons pattern, which includes instructions on how to knit helmet liners for brave RAF pilots fighting in World War II. The cover features a Hawker Typhoon and one of those brave pilots looking very dashing.

Knitting is social history and I love it.

FO: Dragonfly

I adore this cardigan and it has already a great deal of use after I finished it last week. It is soft, warm and fits really well. The colours make me happy and it is really easy to co-ordinate it with the rest of my wardrobe. I have worn it for jury duty, worn it whilst cavorting around Glasgow museums with overseas guests, and I even wore it outside as a light jacket whilst knitting under an overcast sky. Basic factsheet: I used just over ten balls of Patons Jet, a discontinued wool/alpaca blend, in shade nine. It sheds a lot whilst you knit with it, but I am yet to discover any post-completion shedding. I'd happily use this yarn again (and will since I have sweater amounts in charteuse in my stash). I knitted it up to a slightly tight gauge (as I don't trust my gauge around alpaca) on 5.5mm/US 9 needles. I replaced the FLS gull lace with an Andalusian stitch pattern and used negative ease as shaping device (it works with my body type). Finally, I found three vintage buttons in the old button stash.

But I think it is time I move on from my top-down, garter-yoke/raglan cardigans with top-only buttons. Dragonfly is my third cardigan to be loosely based upon the FLS idea and I think it will be my last. It is time to explore other ways of constructing cardigans although the FLS construction fits my body type very well and lets me have fun with stitch patterns and textures.

Blog Giveaway

Remember this cardigan? My green alpaca cardigan with its handspun yoke? Well, today it just got "favourited" for the 300th time on Ravelry. And so I'm throwing a tiny blog giveaway just to celebrate.

Just comment on this post - it'll require an email address, your name and you telling me what your current favourite object on Ravelry (or a craft blog) happens to be right now.

Most likely I'll need to approve your comment (my spam filter blocks everything with a link or anyone who hasn't commented before) but do not fret. All comments will enter into the giveaway. Winners are chosen randomly.

Prizes? As I said, it's a tiny giveaway but there are prizes. And they're straight from the stash.

• 1 skein of handdyed DK weight merino yarn in "Bramble" dyed by Old Maiden Aunt. It is an exclusive and not available to purchase on her site.
• A pair of vintage button ear rings (silver studs) handcrafted by yours truly.  I've made several pairs for myself and they're supercute.
• A crocheted flower brooch (yes, handmade and perfect for your favourite coat) - I have three of these to give away
• My Ishbel shawl/scarf in KidSilk Haze.
• And, finally, a selection of vintage buttons from my vast collection of vintage buttons.

And have fun and feel free to link. Winners will be announced next week.

ETA: Some people report they're unable to comment due to proxy problems. This problem should now be solved.  If you continue to have this problem, just drop me a line at distantsunATgmailDOTcom, rav message me, let me know on Facebook/Twitter etc. I'll put in a placeholder comment for you.

The Knitting Basket of Doom

Hello FLS, my old friend,I've come to knit you again, Because pretty yarn came softly creeping, And I can knit you while sleeping, And the shawl that was frogged yesterday Still remains Within the knitting basket of doom.

In restless dreams I walked alone Wondered if I should knit Cobblestone, 'neath the halo of a second-hand lamp, I turned my eyes to the weather cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of bright light That split the night And touched the knitting basket of doom.

And in the naked light I saw Ten thousand possible projects, maybe more. Projects without assigned yarns, Projects with double-sided lace charts, Projects that look fabulous - but not on me And not one made me Disturb the knitting basket of doom.

Head said you do know Your yarn stash like a cancer grows. Find some sweater amount for Hey Teach, Take these patterns and an FO this month you may reach. But my hands like idle raindrops fell, And rested By the knitting basket of doom.

And so to the great knitting goddess I prayed I looked at items I had previously made. And the signs were flashing, By the sweater amounts I had been stashing. And the signs said, top-down it shall be It'll be easy garter-stitch and fancy-free And suit that lovely wool-alpaca yarn you have kept in the knitting basket of doom..

(apologies to Simon and Garfunkel)