Handknit With Love

Remember this hat?

It's for my Grandson-to-be, Oliver, due in September and I posted about making the hat here.

This last weekend I finished up making a jumper to go with the hat.  

 

 It's from this book by Debbie Bliss - design it, knit it babies

Spoilt for choice I decided to make this simple square necked jumper.

I've used Adriafil Knitcol trends, superwash merino wool, colourway 57 - Botticelli Fancy again for the main - you might remember I bought this at Atelier Yarns on my last visit to San Francisco (you can read my post here) and the contrast is a leftover wool from my stash, Patons UK Double Knitting in light cream (no longer available). 

I'm still super in love with how the Adriafil Knitcol works up in a project - the Fair Isle/Jacquard style patterning created by the colour changes in the wool are fab and it's such fun to see how they work into the piece as you're creating the pattern.  I admit to starting both sleeves at the same point in the wool so the patterning is practically the same on each.

I've also given the jumper a go in the washing machine - yep that Merino wool is machine washable at 40 degrees and it came out looking and feeling just perfect, in fact all the pics in this post are taken post washing :D

Here's some pics of the details:

Side seam and my small label.

The back and that small label again.  I like the small details on this knit - the garter rib left unseamed is a great touch.

The square neckline is very easy to work and, as always, Debbie Bliss gives great instructions in a written pattern (I've always worked from written patterns not from charts as seems to be the trend these days).

Square neckline detail, with my large label and monkey buttons (also purchased on my last trip to San Fran at Britex Fabrics, you can read that post here).

I didn't think my pics were doing the jumper justice so, in the absence of yet-to-be Oliver I had to find another model.   Tatty and Watson are exactly the right size and, as you can see below, well up for the task but I thought better of it 

and went in search of another of my nest flown daughter, Flicky's, teddy bears.  

Having used Bedwyn Bear in two previous photo shoots,

here 

and here, 

I needed a much smaller bear this time around.

Step forward ... oh dear, I have to admit to not having a clue what this bear's called, but he performed admirably and I'm sure Flicky will be proud.

I think he looks pretty cute in his oversized jumper!

Some time in the Spring I'll be able to update this post with a pic of Oliver sporting his very own jumper and hat, and the thought of that makes me very happy.

These are for you Oliver, handknit with love by Grandma xxx


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It's So Long Since I Expect You've Forgotten!

   

Several weeks ago I took my first trip out to San Francisco.  When I got back I posted about my visit to the Britex fabric store and left you with a promise of more to follow, then life got super busy, the way life does, and I'm only now getting around to my follow up post.

My visit to Britex was wonderful but I had another day to kill while Simon was working so I decided to explore on my own and use the time to visit a wool shop - I was getting around on foot so I set off on a 40 minute walk from Union Square to Atelier Yarns at 1945 Divisadero Street.

Welcome to Atelier Yarns, an independent, family-owned store specialising in luxurious, natural and hand-dyed fibres.  I'm not going to list the vast number of brands and yarns stocked, they are all here for you to see on their website and they do classes too, listed here.  I felt at home immediately and the staff made me incredibly welcome, even getting me a chair and setting me up in front of all the pattern books so I could enjoy looking through them all.

That's my chair and there's even a fountain running outside the back door.

Once I'd found some patterns I liked the staff helped me choose appropriate yarns.

I want to make this little jacket for my grandson-to-be

and this hat too

I'll make them to match and here's the yarn I bought - Adriafil Knitcol trends, superwash merino wool, colourway 57 - Botticelli Fancy.

After chatting with other customers I had a wander around the rest of the store

let's do a close up on this section - I spotted this fantastic rabbit fur that I just couldn't resist

I had a dilemma over what colour to buy and finally opted for the mink brown to make a cowl that matches the brown rabbit fur ear muffs I wear throughout each winter.

It's not cheap and you knit it alongside this Debbie Bliss yarn - it's $86.95 for the kit which includes the two yarns and pattern but I'm very excited to make it and wear it next winter.

When I finally left the store I'd been there over two hours and the time had flown by.

I continued walking on to Mrs Doubtfire's house

and then set off on my return journey walking down Fillmore Street, a young shopping district, where I enjoyed checking out the shops and eating an unbelievably large lunch at La Boulange that I just couldn't finish 

and later a scrummy frozen yoghurt from fraiche.

And just a few more pics from the trip to whet your appetite

I was pleased to discover the guys on Alcatraz were taught crochet as one of their activities.

Sailing past Alcatraz on the way out to Sausalito.

Walking from Sausalito to the Golden Gate Bridge

 Walking the Golden Gate Bridge 

'The crookedest street in the world' - Lombard Street

I also want to give a mention to Virgin America as they exceeded my every expectation in flying out to San Fran.  You may recall from my post about my last trip to Seville that being gluten free I don't particularly enjoy airplane food/snacks and breakfast in particular - rice cakes are most airlines' gluten free food of choice.

This was not the case on Virgin America so while I was still up in the air, I just had to Instagram and tweet this pic of the gluten free crackers they served me with a cheese selection and red wine.  Absolutely delish.

And look what Virgin America tweeted back to me straight away

What a fab flight, wine, scrummy food, watching trashy TV, catching up on my emails, tweeting, Instagramming

and, of course, knitting

I loved San Francisco and I'm looking forward to going back and exploring more, especially all the fabric stores and fab foodie places my new quilty friend, Christopher @The Tattooed Quilter has told me about.

 My next trip is planned for August with Flicky and I just can't wait :D

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my sidebar :D

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.