Patterns With Potential
Realising how much goes into making our knitting plans a reality
Knitting is a great exercise in seeing potential. Even if we follow a pattern to the letter, it still requires us to envision the final product and cling on to that vision until the real article catches up with it. We routinely push through hours of planning and making just to see that potential fulfilled. We imagine the finished object bringing our future selves so much joy that we’re running off its fumes before we’ve even cast on.
Children are absolute experts at this kind of thinking. Whenever I feel myself becoming a bit of a self-serious old sod, I can usually rely on my two young lads to drag me out of the house and touch some grass. Over the weekend, what I thought were bolts in a bench were clearly eyes in search of a leaf-litter face.
It takes more imagination than you may give yourself credit for to look at yarn and see what it might become. Sculptors are rightly revered for freeing a form from the marble where most of us would just see a great big lump of rock, but to liberate a jumper from a length of wool takes vision of its own!
Perhaps you can see some potential in this week’s patterns?
Isolda Top by Svartsvanur
A top-down pattern that can be knit either striped or in a single colour. Some really lovely modern detailing with the rolled edges and curved hem. Wouldn’t look out of place in the current season at TOAST (is writing it in capitals obligatory or am I just shouting at you all?)
Comes in 10 sizes, with finished bust circumferences ranging from 31.5”/79cm to 67.5”/169cm.
To knit in Whistlebare Cheviot Marsh DK or Yeavering Bell DK, you’ll need:
Striped Version: 2 (2, 2, 2, 2) (3, 3, 3, 3, 3) 100g skeins per colour
Solid Colour Version: 3 (3, 4, 4, 4) (5, 5, 5, 6, 6) 100g skeins
Lauro Sweater by Minima Knit Design
I think this lace-detail raglan has the potential to be as dressy or dressed down as you fancy. The rest of your styling will dictate most of the mood on this one, though I’d lean towards Yeavering Bell if you’d like to replicate the more floaty, delicate look of the sample.
It has a seamless, top down construction and comes in 10 sizes, with finished bust circumferences ranging from 36.25”/92cm to 70.75”/180cm.
To knit in Yeavering Bell DK or Cheviot Marsh DK, you’ll need: 3 (3, 4, 4, 4) {5, 5, 6, 6, 7} 100g skeins.
Waffle Tee by The Knit Purl Girl
This top-down yoke tee gives the option of two different depths for its lace motif: either resting on the shoulders like a collar (beige sample) or extended down to hug the tops of them (blue sample).
It’s worked in the round with icord finishing and comes in 12 sizes. Finished bust circumferences range from 34”/86.5cm to 61.75”/157cm.
I think the drape of Yeavering Bell would pair beautifully with this one, though Cheviot Marsh would give some fantastic dimension and definition to the lace if you wanted to make a statement!
To knit in Yeavering Bell 4 Ply or Cheviot Marsh 4 Ply, you’ll need: 2 (2) 3 (3), 3 (3) 3 (3), 3 (3) 4 (4) 100g skeins
Feeling proud of a project you’ve made with our yarn or fabric? The Creators’ Gallery on the wall of our shop is crying out for your lovely photos! If you’d like to be a part of things, please drop us an email at studio@whistlebare.com with your project photo and accompanying info (your first name, details of yarn/fabric and pattern).
As a little thank you, once a month, we will be choosing one of the pictures at random and sending the lucky creator a 10% discount off anything bought from our website or from Whistlebare Fold!
We’d love to see you at our Wednesday Open Stitch Book Club and Knit and Natter Nights, 7pm-9pm, £7.50 including hot drink and cake!
We’ve also got some fantastic Sewing Workshops coming up, as well as two utterly heavenly Yoga & Knitting Day Retreats in July and September.
A warm welcome awaits at Whistlebare Fold from 8.45am - 5pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am - 5pm on Sundays. Online orders remain open as ever.
If you’d like to visit, you can find us at: 17A Bridge St, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1ES
As always, thank you for your company this week. And, of course - if you’ve been inspired, we’d love to see your wonderful creations!
Wishing you all the happiest of knitting,
Claire
