Flora & Fauna - The Traditional Way

And that’s a wrap for my line of knitted purses. I’ve used the motif of a traditional Indian bird – Annam, which is known for separating good from bad as I wanted to connect this skill back to my traditional designs. The back side of the purse has a simple flower pattern. I wondered a month ago, if I could create a whole new design graph on my own and transfer them to knitting and now here I stand with the finished product that I am so proud of!

Time for a little background about my knitted Purse series. The fascination for knitted purses came from a novel  I read last year – The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I tried my first knitted purse as soon as I finished the book. Now as an addition to that, I designed a full range of knitted purses and learnt a new technique for each one that I made. It was not an easy process, I admit. I spent hours experimenting to get the right pattern and size. Sometimes the stitches wouldn’t come out as I’d anticipated or the size would be different. At the end of this exercise, I’ve learnt to knit slip stitch patterns, read charts, knit stranding patterns and design my own charts for future projects. It’s been such an incredible journey of learning and experimenting for me. And thank you all for cheering me on all the way!

Floral Delight

Flowers are always a happiness booster. I’ve improved from textures and patterns to floral designs on my purse - courtesy to a knitting technique known as stranding. It produces a thick double layered fabric and can create any motif desired. This purse has a different design on both sides. I went to the age old way of learning to understand stranding – reading books! Surprisingly, it was way easier than any video I found online. The books had a wealth of information and clear illustrations to explain the process. I chanced upon this floral chart in one such book and modified it based on my needs. This new technique that I’ve learnt has opened up a lot of opportunities to try various motifs!

Golden Glow

Another cute knitted purse - these vibrant colors are a perfect joy for someone missing the bright sunshine in the cold winter days. I’ve used three colors in this lovely slip stitch pattern which has the green and maroon nesting in the golden yellow. It is a 5 stitches and 24 rows repeat pattern. It has the perfect repeat ratio for me not too boring to do the same over and over, yet has some to help me stay in track. I am amazed at the possibilities of tweaking the stitches a little bit to get endless outcomes. It is indeed a fun hobby to have. Enjoy the golden glow! 

Sapphire Hues

Colour play is fun. I thoroughly enjoyed knitting this purse. It has a stockinette stitch look in the background in a bright blue and has a second layer on top of it with the maroon curves. I learnt a new technique of knitting with the strands of yarn few rows below and I absolutely loved the result. I chose these colours as I have a saree with the same combination that I wore during my wedding. With each purse that I knit a new feather is added to the cap and I am glad it worked out this way. I really can’t wait for the summer to wear all my sarees with their perfect accessories!

Blue Waves

My latest fad is colour knitting – bound to happen for a person who loves colours. I’ve changed colours in earlier projects but this new technique is totally awesome. It lets me create a variety of designs and textures, play with the colour palettes to create vibrant products according to my taste and needs.  The pattern for this purse was done using a slip stitch technique. It is very easy to knit and the finished look is fantastic. It is infact deceiving to the eyes since when worked in stripes, the row knit with a single colour of yarn has the presence of a second colour due to the slip stitch making it a classy pattern. This purse though worked in the horizontal rows has vertical stripes giving it a stranding effect. The illusions that can be created by this technique are many. I am planning to share my full set of knitted purses with you all in the coming weeks. So stay tuned!

Victory Violets!

Color knitting has been on my to-do list for a while now. I’ve worked on simple color changes earlier  like the one in beanie. But I did not know the techniques for complex patterns or for reading knitting charts. After a lot of research I stumbled upon a book from my local library with beautiful patterns. It took me a lot of time and effort to understand the charts and figure out how to actually bring about those designs in knitting. It wasn’t my first time just with color knitting; I also had to figure out the stitching part for the lining and zipper. I managed to do that with the basic hand stitching knowledge that I had. After a lot of trials and errors, here I am finally with a wonderful violet purse completed with a soft and sparkly yarn from Caron which I think would go well with my silk saree also. I just realised that my first ever knitting project was also in a similar shade. Violets bring me victory, probably! Now that I have a scarf, a beanie and a purse in this shade I am planning to make something new with the fluffy balls of yarn that you can see in the picture. Aren’t they cute?

Yarn Used: Caron Simply Soft Party Yarn – Purple

Knitting needle size – US 6

Knit Neckwarmer

I completed this pink cowl neck warmer  last week, but I wanted to wait till I gifted this surprise before sharing it with you all here. It's a perfect gift for any pink lover and I am happy I found those pretty little flower buttons to go with it. This cowl is proof enough to show that my love for the stockinette stitch hasn't decreased one bit. I adore the simplicity and thin texture of this stitch. I used a pretty thin yarn for this making it good for the spring and fall seasons. I've also included the pattern details in this post for those of you who wish to try this out. Its a very easy pattern if you know just to knit and purl. So hectic were the days after I started this work, that I ended up knitting this in my flight on the way home to complete it on time to gift it. 

Knitting Needle Size: US 6
Pattern:
Cast On 30
Work in Garter stitch for the first 4 rows.
5th row: K4, Purl 22, K4
6th row: Knit all stitches
Repeat Rows 5 and 6 till you reach 1 inch short of the desired length.
I used a couple of yarn overs to create a buttonhole.Work the last 4 rows in Garter stitch and cast off.
Attach the buttons and sew in ends. And there is your pretty neck warmer! 

The Loopy Scarf

This scarf has been pending for quite some time now as I wanted to watch the blue skies while knitting this. And that is not a very easy occurrence here in this season. As the winter is nearing the end, I did not want to make a heavy scarf and I think it has turned out to be a light fancy one suitable for the spring. This pattern requires intermediate skill level as there is a shape variation to the scarf that makes use of more stitches other than the basic knits and purls. The loops attracted me to this pattern and now I am eagerly waiting for a slightly less cold weather to try it on. I’ve also got the fragrant Hyacinth blooms to get into spring mode. In the meantime, I let the Teddy enjoy it ;)

This is how the scarf looks when stretched out. Easy to wrap around, isn't it?

Yarn used: Premier Yarns Sweet Roll

Needles: US 10 (Although the pattern recommended US 9, my knitting tension required a size more)

Link to free pattern: https://www.premieryarns.com/products/premier-loopy-fringed-scarf

The Basket Weave Scarf

Originally knitted for a friend, I fell in love with the texture of the scarf and gifted it to myself (Trust me, it is so lovely). When I was looking for scarf models, I chanced upon this repeat stitch pattern and really liked the finished look. As the basket weave stitch kept growing, I noticed the tight knit stiff woven feel of the scarf that really helps in keeping you warm in the windy days. And a bonus for this pattern is though it is not a reversible pattern both sides look equally good. So you can get two different looks with the same scarf. As I was nearing the end of this scarf the temperatures began to drop and we had a couple of heavy snow showers. You all know what that is...'A sign from the Universe' to give me a new scarf !! If you just know to knit and purl, you can knit one for yourself too! If you do not, drop in a comment and I will help you with it :)

Yarn Used : Bernat Burgundy

Knitting needles : US 10

Winter Amethyst Monochrome

This scarf will always be close to my heart because it is my first ever knitting work. The first time I learnt how to hold the needles, cast on and start knitting - It’s still fresh in my memory. The vintage yarn transformed into a beautiful scarf as the knits and purls increased.

I decided to make a beanie to go along with it as it would be a nice combo for my winter collection. I wanted to experiment working on monochromes and found this lovely pattern. I finished it just in time for winter and a visit from Olaf ;) 

Yarn details: Premier Yarns for Beanie 

                     Berroco Vintage for the Scarf

Free Pattern Link: https://www.premieryarns.com/products/premier-gradient-knit-cap

The Green Scarfie

When you do not find any greenery around you, make a green patch yourself. A scarf  to be one with the Oaks – the only trees surrounding me, withstanding the cold, snow- filled winter.

The blend of wool and acrylic gives the scarf a very soft texture and keeps me warm. Alternating knits and purls creates these stitches resembling the yummy waffles. Wish there was a way to include the Maple Syrup and whipped cream to it ;)  

Knitted Coasters

There is a first time to everything. And this first is to the simple pattern I wrote to make these cute knitted coasters using just the Garter and Stockinette stitches. It is a quick win pattern that has a soft and firm centre to hold the mugs with a slightly raised bordering on all sides.  Peaches and Crème had the perfect colored cotton yarn to match my cookware. They are a wonderful option to bring in more colors and improve the decor of your dining area. 

Keep Calm and Cast On!

Knitting has become my latest addiction. With so many colors and varieties of yarn and a lot more patterns and things to make, it has become never ending.  The happiness watching a beautiful yarn turn into a pretty design is priceless. And then it’s time to show off your recent masterpiece :)

Trees hold on to the leaves with the hope that spring will once again give a new life full of vibrant energy. 
Let go, trees. It helps you grow.