Bespoke
March 31, 2014
Whenever I get my hands on a new knitting book, I go through several stages. First, drop everything and leaf through. Next, sit down with a cup of coffee and give it a closer look. Lastly, I put it by my bed and take an evening or two to read through the patterns, my favorite bedtime reading. I have three lovely new books to share with you in the next week or so. First up is the clever Bespoke from the girls at the popular knit store baa ram ewe in Yorkshire. The book is a collection of patterns for the whole family, and even a few for your bike! Bespoke celebrates the Tour de France that will start near their shop in Yorkshire this July. So lets begin our own tour of this sweet little book!
Woodrup by Ann Kingstone is the cover girl for the book. I think this is going to be the sweater that we will be seeing a lot of this spring and summer simply because it's adorable. It's knit top down in Rowan Fine Tweed, a yarn that is spun in Ann's hometown of Huddersfield in Yorkshire. In fact, all the yarns used in this book are either sourced or spun in Yorkshire and all are manufactured by Rowan Yarns. My daughter and her family are cyclists, so I will show this to her, and if she likes it, I will make it. It will be my first foray into colorwork which is on my to do list this year. A little note about the pattern, it's knit top down and in the round; I kept scratching my head until I read that it was steeked at the end. As in, cutting open your knitting straight down the center with SCISSORS! Well, let's not worry. I have friends who do this all the time and say it's a snap, and only hurts the first time! The lime green bit is an applied i-cord that seems pretty simple to do. It uses both short rows at the back neck and waist shaping which will make it a very flattering fitting sweater.
 |
Well,
well, well. Now isn't this just PRETTY! You can knit Picycle by Karie
Westermann
in either a full circle or half circle, the pattern includes
both. It's knit in Kidsilk Haze,
that is a plus as it would be
lightweight yet warm and of course beautiful.
KSH, a blend of silk and
kid mohair, comes in dozens of colors (4 dozen to be exact)
and I am
thinking it needs to be made by me in that beautiful grayed out lilac,
Majestic.
I've always wanted to make a pi shawl, so now maybe it's
time! Pi shawls are knit from the center, out.
|
 |
Just one of the ways you can trick out your cruiser! Chop Chop by Verity Britton.
|
 |
| Hercules
is designed by Sarah Hatton. Sarah was inspired by the tracks and
patterns
left by tires in the mud which translated into these beautiful
elongated cables.
Looking at the pattern, I think it's possible to use
the
"knitting without a cable needle" method, if you like that sort of
thing and I do!
A lovely pattern that produces beautiful cables without a lot of bulk. |
Knit and felt a messenger bag and crochet a helmet!
 |
| Maillot Jaune pullover by Alison Moreton is knit in machine washable
Rowan Pure Wool Worsted. The sweater is knit top down
and comes in a whole family of sizes,
from child size 6-9 month to a men's XXL! Love that!
|
 |
| I'm kinda swooning over this grannied bike seat. Peachy by Ruby McGrath is knit in Rowan All Seasons Cotton. |
 |
| Frame Mitts by Rachel Coopey was inspired by the geometric shapes of bicycle frames. |
 |
| I like this very fun crocheted bike bag designed by Julie Graze.
Wickerton uses only one stitch, the double crochet
and would be a good
beginner project.
Julie cleverly uses a wire coat hanger to shape it then adds a pretty rose!
|
 | |
22,000 miniature jerseys have been knitted by members of the public to
be strung together
as bunting ready for the Tour de France when it hits
Yorkshire this summer. |
The Links!
Read how Harrogate is knitting mini jerseys to celebrate the Tour de France!
5 Comments
That bike sweater is adorable! I agree - I bet we'll be seeing a lot of those popping up on Ravelry!
ReplyDeleteThe Malliot Jaune sweater is beautiful, but the Chop Chop, Grannied bike seat, and frame mitts are not anything I would like.
ReplyDeleteI pre-ordered this book earlier this year. Greg and I bike (this year, we're riding PanOhio for the American Cancer Society) and I'm hoping to make at least one of these. Maybe a knitalong would be in order.
ReplyDeletethe bike cardigan is marvelous, isn't it? I wish the other designs in the book were at the same level, although the Malliot sweater is sweet. Good luck with your first venture into color work! There is always the option of not steeking, too, when you knit fair isle if you choose a flat Rowan pattern. :-)
ReplyDeleteOooohhhhh....I LOVE that Picycle!!! What a beauty!!! That color is gorgeous, too! Speaking of gorgeous, that male model in the Hercules sweater is....well....gorgeous!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun things to knit! That bike bag is really cute! Man....knowing how to knit can open up a whole new world!
You make my day when you make a comment!