Nadolig

Yesterday was a mixed sort of day.  Yes, I did finish off the second mitt I've been working on, but I did also set off the fire alarm in the process (long story, but what I will say is that when the fire alarm klaxon starts a-hooting, it's best not to vacate the building still with knitting in hand...).

Anyway, once the alarms were turned off, I was free to set about taking photos of the finished pair from every possible angle.  I love taking photos of FOs (I'm resisting being very sad and writing FOtos)- aside from being able to finally wear them, it's perhaps my favourite part of the process!

I'm going attempt to put the pattern in for testing today (if you'd like to test knit this pattern, keep your eye on the Free Pattern Testers group on Rav), and then hopefully it should be ready to publish by early December - just in time for a Christmassy knit ("Nadolig" is Welsh for Christmas, it's almost like I planned it! :P)

Have any of you read this book by Alice Starmore?  It arrived in the post yesterday and I've been dipping in and out inbetween knitting.  So far I'm VERY impressed.  The introduction alone could be its own book - a history of the Shetlands (Fair Isle in particular) and theories about how Fair Isle knitting first came about - it's all very much speaking to my inner geek ;)

 

It's a bit freaky how much I'm getting into all this - I'm seeing inspiration for Fair Isle everywhere!!  Next time, I plan to share with you some of the things I'm using as inspiration for colourwork designs.  I just need to remember to bring the camera out with me!!


Kim x

Eggbirdy Updates

Looklooklook!!  The first of a pair of stranded mitts!  I'm so so happy with how they've turned out so far.  There are a few little bits that are niggling, but they should be fairly easy to work out when I re-knit the pattern.  I'm about a third of a way through the second mitt, and by the end of this week they should be ready for testing!

It's fair to say that I've been bitten quite severely by the Fair Isle bug.  Already I've charted out ideas for 3 more patterns!!  So many ideas, so little time!  Hehe

It's been quite the little hive of production recently - I finished the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret last weekend - it's an AMAZING pattern.  Super-dooper quick (always a good thing!) and so simple to work.

I decided to treat myself with the suggested Malabrigo which is unbelievable!  It was a real pleasure to work with.  I've decided to treat myself to wool more often :D

Also on the needles pottering away is my stripey blanket

It's really quite exciting seeing all the colours mesh together.  Using odds and ends is a really good way of finding new colour combos which you might not have thought of otherwise.  Plus, it's made entirely using knit stitches, which is so soothing after a long day

And there we have it!  A little update of all things craft :)

Much love,
Kim x

Drumroll, please!

It's time to announce the winner of the Honeycomb pattern giveaway!  Here's my lovely assistant Miriam picking names from the project bag...

And here are the names she picked!

Step forward Tickety-Boo, omlair and Roaming Knitter!!  You are now the proud owners of the Honeycomb pattern!  :)  I'll send those through to you via the contact details you left later today.  I can't wait to see your take on the mitts - enjoy!!

Thank you to everyone who took part, I look forward to hosting another giveaway soon :)

But for now - you may have spied a new knit on the needles lurking behind those winners' names...  well I'm exceedingly (awesome word) excited about them.  So excited in fact, that this morning I woke up at 5 because I couldn't stop dreaming about getting the chart just right.  Absolutely bonkers, really, but oooooh it's gonna be worth it!!  ;)

Until next time,

Toodle-pip!!

New Pattern [A Giveaway]

Deep breath: today I released my very first knitting pattern on Ravelry!  It's very VERY  V-E-R-Y exciting (and also for some reason a little nervewracking... hmm, perhaps that's just all the extra excitement particles getting a bit confused?).  Well anyway, nerves aside, I figure that this is cause for celebration, and I'd like to invite you all to join in with the celebrating by taking part in eggbirddesigns very first giveaway!

I'll be giving away copies of the Honeycomb Mitts pattern to the first three names to be pulled out of a hat - and all you need to do to enter is leave a comment below: simple!!  :D

Please make sure that your comment includes a way that I can get in touch with you (email/Ravelry name).  The giveaway will end on Wednesday 9th November, and on Thursday it'll be names-in-hat-picking and winner-announcing!

Good luck everyone! :)

Kim x

Eggbird Tweets! (And gets excited about colourful stuff)

Yip!  Eggbird is spreading her wings technology-wise.  You can now follow @EggbirdDesigns on twitter.  So far the vast majority of tweetings have been cake/yarn based, and I don't think you can go much wrong with cake and/or yarn!!  If you're on twitter too, pop by and say hello!  I'd love to hear from you :)

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So anyway, back to this blogging business ;)

I've been at a bit of a loss for things to post recently...  So many things on the needles - so many ideas on the brain! - but nothing quite there enough to share.  But then I was sorting through my photos and had a flash of inspiration!  There was just so much colour - it was oozing out of every picture - colours enough to grab hold and give you a jolly good talking to!!  This, coupled with recently finishing Through The Language Glass by Guy Deutscher (a book which focusses on linguistic colour theories), prompted me to put together a sort of "greatest hits" of colours.  I plan to use these collages as a sort of aid to yarn-buying, since I sometimes struggle to visualise how one colour might look against another... You can click on any collage to make it larger

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I really recommend the language book btw, even if you have only a passing interest in language or linguistics.  It's a fascinating read and unlike a lot of the non-specialist books in this field it actually gives an accurate account of current linguistic thought.

Patterns Patterns Patterns

Oh blimey I'm excited.  Very VERY excited in fact.  I've been promising it for a while, and leaving you teensy tiny clues here and there.  But today my newest pattern is FINALLY ready for testing!

Check it out:

Honeycomb fingerless mitts!  I'm actually quite shocked at how well they worked out.  This is my first glove design using anything more complicated than stockinette stitch.

The pattern will be released soon (look forward to another bout of giddiness when that happens!), but for now I've just put the pattern up for testing on Ravelry's Free Testers group.  If you'd like to test knit these, you can do so by following the link!

That's all for now - I already have a few ideas buzzing around for my next project which are shouting out to be noted down before they're forgotten!

Kim x

It's A Stash Thing

Great British Yarns are AMAZING!  Not only are they the only UK-based company to stock a massive range of Knit Picks yarns (that I know of anyway), their service is absolutely astounding.  I ordered 2 balls of Palette yesterday, and this morning, there was a happy looking envelope waiting on the windowsill (ALSO - IT'S SUNNY ENOUGH TODAY FOR ENVELOPES TO BE LEFT ON WINDOWSILLS!  :D).  Super-fast delivery is my kind of delivery!

As you can see, I managed to find my mustard colour.  I've been pottering away designing some autumnal gloves, and I think this yellow-y orange is the perfect colour for autumn.  It compliments the turning of the leaves rather well I think :)

Here is a little sneaky preview of the pattern:

I absolutely cannot wait until it's time to share the finished thing with you all!  It's taking a lot of determination not to just type out all the details now!  I think part of my problem is that I struggle ever-so-slightly with the mathematics involved in designing knitted patterns.  In order to try and convince myself that I'm a professional (HA!!), I did my first ever test swatch to try and work out the number of stitches to cast on.  Oh dear, oh dear!  What a disaster THAT was!  It would have been like knitting gloves for an elephant!

Still, I'm enjoying the challenge of all this maths and logic.  And as a treat for sticking with it, I also added another colour to my online yarn basket yesterday, then promptly forgot which extra colour I'd ordered.  Imagine my delight when I opened the envelope this morning to discover this little beauty!

Lucy over at Attic24 recently blogged about colour, and talked about "soul colours" - those ones we are instinctively drawn to.  This is definitely mine; a deep stormy grey.  Grey gets a lot of stick for being dull or boring, but I really don't see it that way at all (and to my relief, I've also discovered that there are plenty of other grey souls out there!).

That said, I'm also a fan of brightness and less moody colours...  My little stash-busting blanket is coming along well, and I'm actually quite surprised at how well the colours are holding together...

I'm not following any particular pattern as far as the striping is concerned, but just trying to balance out the light and dark.  My plan is to edge it in a creamy colour - probably in crochet rather than knit - so hopefully that will help the whole thing look more "together".

Anyway, the needles are calling (they miss me when I'm not there you know...).  But if you do have any idea what you're meant to do with a test swatch once you've made one, then do leave a comment and let me know!  I'd love to feel a tad more profesh!  ;)

Until next time!

Kim x