Mathematically Patterned

Have been working on a scarf design all day and have been playing with the idea of working it along certain mathematical patterns. Anyone who's ever read the "Da Vinci Code" is probably pretty familiar with the Fibonacci sequence and its also surprising how often I've seen it come up in knitting magazines when discussing colour work. So its probably no surprise that I started playing with it as an idea. If you use a number pattern then you can apparently get away with all sorts of irregular striped patterns without them looking odd. This is especially true of Fibonacci numbers as they are replicated in nature, so our eye is used to them and is designed to find beauty in them.

I got to playing with ideas and my first thought was to knit up a simple striped pattern as follows:

• Row 1 -      colour A -1
• Row2         Colour B -1
• Rows 3 - 4  Colour C -2
• Rows 5-7    colour B -3
• Rows 8 -12 Colour C - 5 and so on up to a block of 21 rows and then reverse the pattern

But I also wanted to work in some cables - and wondered if I could do c2 F for 2 row bands, C3B for 3 row bands etc but the result was scrappy and I was unhappy with the result.
So then I thought about lace and cables - a cable band alternating with a garter st lace band but again it just didn't seem to work out. Maybe I'm too picky but it seemed that combining complex colour banding and complex patterns just made it all too disjointed and busy. So after unripping it again I chose 2 numbers from the sequence and a random number devised a pattern that seems to work:

StSt 9 sts, moss 3, StSt 9, then on 16th row (with K rows as evens)  C9f, moss 3, C9B, work another 16 rows even and C9B, moss 3, C9F. It seems to sit together well but would welcome some thoughts please :-)

I love the way the cables actually give the scarf a sinuous form almost like an hour glass figure too! A great way to show off your curves!

Keeping skills alive

Over the past few days have been teaching some friends to knit.... and its made me think about how mothers are less likely these days to pass these skills on, for a multitude of reasons. Maybe its just easier to go and grab an item of knitwear off the high street, or there's less time with the demands of work and home but there is nothing like having a handknitted or crocheted item in soft yarn to wrap round you and keep out the chilly evenings. We were even taught knitting at school, a parent would come in and we would either opt out of the art lesson or give up some of lunch to sit and knit. In today's schools the national curriculum, shorter breaks etc often puts paid to such activities and we are potentially in danger of losing some of our craft skills.

But knitting and crocheting for the October Folksfest has concentrated my mind onto creating small items that have a bit of interest and skill involved, namely keyrings, corsages and gloves.

Aran Cushion Keyring

Deco Squares Fairisle Mittens

And it got me thinking about how many people might actually be put off knitting and crochet simply because they think its necessary to make a jumper and lets face it, that can seem pretty daunting... so for today's Folksy Friday, I've decided to hunt down little items that a beginner could make themselve or that would start to extend the skills of an intermediate yarn crafter....

1. Striped Pixie hat - Booties by Dannie             2. Crocheted Owl Apple Cosy - Little Seeds
3. Knitted Cherry Brooch - Josie Marie             4. Bubble Gum Pink, Tiny Glove Keyring - Mydunkely Beads
5. Stripey Knitted Hat - Witchy Knits               6. Halloween Children's Crochet Fingerless Gloves - Purple Pebble

October Folkfest

Over on Folksy some of us are aiming to post an item a day during the month of October. My first item is a very pretty and versatile little shoulder cape, ideal for taking off the chill!

And if you're into jewellery have a look at the stunning designs being offered by J Austen Jewellrey Design

Keep looking  as there's more to come....