Flower Fairy Hat

I posted last week about the Belladonna Mitts that are newly out at Knitpicks, I also have taken the opportunity to completely rewrite the Flower Fairy Hat. This version is sized for both adult and child wearers, and has new charts and layouts to make everything nice and clear and easy to follow.
Find this cap pattern at Knitpicks for $1.99

Its a fun little cap, pretty and lacy, but easy to knit and it really flattering on a wide range of ages and face shapes.

Belladonna Fingerless Gloves

I have a new pattern out! This one is a Victorianesque fingerless glove that I designed to work well with some Steampunk style costume I'm working on. Saying that, my mother in law has asked for a pair, so they arent too outrageous for any age.

The gloves are worked in two stages, the cuff is knit flat, then stitches picked up around the edge and the rest worked in the round. All in sock weight yarn so there are loads of potential textures and shades to choose from.
This is also the first pattern I've released through the Knit Picks Independant Designer Programme, so this one is available direct from their site for just $1.99 which makes it an absolute bargain. I do hope it appeals to some of you.

Wonderwool

Well, I think I've recovered from Wonderwool! I was sharing a stall with the very talented Rag Rug artist Jenni Stuart Anderson, and between us we had a steady stream of visitors all weekend coming to chat and have a look at all the goodies.

Its such a nice show to be at, I always find it a real pleasure to see what everyone has been working on over the winter, and of course have a good look at all the wonderful fibre and yarn and equipment. Iwas very good though, I only bought some blankets (it was perishing cold sleeping in the back of the van on the first night) and managed to barter some soap for fibre from Freyalyn, so I came back feeling I'd had a shopping spree even though I didnt part with much money.

I finished at the museum last week as well, so I'm now completely self employed. I have a busy week ahead now, but next week I'm hoping to start overhauling the website and shop, I have all sorts of things to put in the shop that arent currently there, and the website itself needs a complete facelift.

A bit of news

I've been a bit quiet recently, but I have some exciting news. In three weeks time I'll be leaving my current job at the museum where I have been for ten years, and will be entirely freelance. This is of course equally exciting and scary at the same time, but I'm really looking forwards to having more time to work on projects, design new patterns and do a lot more teaching. I have several research projects that have been on the back burner for a couple of years now, and it will be so nice to be able to concentrate on those again.

I'm going to be helping out and teaching at several fibre retreats and textile workshops at Cwmoernant Farm in Carmarthen again this year, do have a look at their list of events, they are marvellous value in lovely surroundings with fabulous food and friendly people, would be wonderful to see a few of you there.
www.cwmoernantfarm.co.uk/courses

New way to see all my patterns

I've made my patterns both free and for sale available through Ravelry for some time now, but previously there wasnt an easy way to show non-Ravelry members the whole list in one easy way. Fortunately a new tweak has just been added to the site which will take you right to the pattern overview, so if you were curious to see all my current designs in one place, you now can.
Hooray!
http://www.ravelry.com/designers/sally-pointer--wicked-woollens

In other news I was delighted to recently sponser a knitting event at the Rijksmuseum at which over a hundred knitters attended a series of talks on the Dutch whaler's caps and had the opportunity to work from the pattern I devised that draws on this eveidence. Anyone still looking for a copy of the pattern, it's the Voyageur cap available from the link above. I've been thrilled to see the different interpretations of the pattern appear as hte knitters finish them.

I'm busy working on several new patterns at the moment, two new Historic ones, a Scots Bonnet and my version of the 'Prince Arthur Tudor' cap, and in modern designs a new fingerless glove with a pretty lacy edge and a complete rework of the Flower Fairy Cap. I'll post here when they are ready for action.

Forester

I'm really excited with this one, my latest pattern has just gone live and is a hat that combines leafy forms and cables. I'm particularly pleased with the way the crown came out. I always love hats where the design follows right through to the last possible stitch, and the floral/star effect at the crown was an extra bonus.

I must also share with you this absolutely gorgeous version in red made by one of my test knitters, I love the contrast to the white version I worked mine up in.
Should you wish to try this pattern out for yourself, it can be downloaded from Ravelry for $4 and requires 3mm needles for the cuff and 3.5mm for the body. The hat is worked in dk or sport weight yarn.

Snow and staying cosy

Happy New Year everyone, seems ages since I last updated the blog. The weather has been very snowy here, which has made getting to work a problem on a couple of occasions, but on the plus side we've had a chance to seriously test drive some of our warmest hats.

The Voyageur pattern (available through Ravelry for $4) has been particularly popular this winter, possibly assisted by the snowy weather! There is no doubt that having two layers of nice thick fulled wool over your ears is a great comfort when its sub zero and windy out. Here's a recent picture of Gareth in one of the Voyageur hats I've made over the last few weeeks.
I've also found some time for some designing, watch out for a new hat coming in the next few days, its been out for pattern testing and I'm really pleased with it.

Today though, once I've finished some work for the day job, I'm going to dye some fibre for the next round of Fibreholics boxes, and then curl up and work on a pair of super warm slipper socks that I'm designing as I knit.