Scottish Wool Archives - The Scottish Yarn Festival

Forming a carefully curated library of timeless patterns is as essential as building up your own yarn collection. The patterns that make up my own tend to be those that first come to mind when I’m thinking about gift knitting, and more often than not, they are also the perfect solution to that age old question, “what can I make with this single hand dyed skein that I couldn’t do without?”

I went in search of a classic fingering weight ribbed hat to cast on ahead of my long journey on the Megabus to Yarningham last July and found ‘Ribbed Toque #120’ by Michelle Porter (Fondle Designs.) Then I had a good rummage in my yarn collection before picking out a skein of ‘You Can’t Seee Meee’ by Lime & Violet. Completed long after I made it home, and following my turn to catch The Virus, it’s snug and ready for the chilly Scottish winter ahead:

Since that time I’ve made one for My Favourite Person, who needs functional garments as he works in all weathers all year round. His was made from a cone of JC Rennie Shetland Bluestone which I found in a local charity shop for the princely sum of 50p!

But I didn’t stop there. My third – and maybe not – final version of the year is this one in ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ by BuzzinYarns, which will be given to a friend as a winter gift alongside a pre-loved book next month.

For more about the pattern

Ribbed Toque #120 by Michelle Porter is available free* from LoveCrafts here: ribbed-toque

For more about buzzinyarns

BuzzinYarns is Karen, a Scottish yarn dyer, and recipient of the Spirit of the Festival Award at the 2022 Perth Festival of Yarn. You can find her current collections here: buzzinyarns

One of my favourite things about being a Festival Director is following our Community when they are deciding what to make to wear to our events, and then seeing those finished items in person. I am always inspired by what I see and love hearing the stories behind your pattern and yarn choices when we come together.

Each year I focus on making myself a new shawl to wear at Perth. I do so much running around that a shawl is a practical choice, and I love spending my down time at home snuggled up with my cats and a book while swaddled in knitted fabric. This year I couldn’t choose between two designs, so what else is a girl to do but to make both!

Having had my first squish of Aister ‘oo’ at our Scottish Wool Producers Showcase in April, I came home with enough yarn to make my own Khyber Pass by Simone Kereit – also known online as OwlCat Designs. It’s unusual that I want similar colours to the original design, but I couldn’t think of a more perfect colour pairing than that Simone had chosen, so I picked up Bessaquoy, Nort Blue Geo, and Blinnd Moorie.

Here I am on Saturday at the Festival. Our amazing photographer, Lightpress Design, captured the back of my shaw while I said hello to the Knitting Patternista and Mad Madam Mel at the Podcaster Meet-Up, then got me to pose with my best exhausted but proud face.

Here are the not so glamourous “just off the needles” and “blocking in progress shots to show the fabulous stitch definition that Aister ‘oo’ gives.

for more details about the pattern

Visit the OwlCat Designs website here http://owlcatdesigns.com/2016/02/khyber-pass/

Khyber Pass is only available to purchase on Ravelry. If that is not accessible to you we would recommend using the contact form on their website to ask for an alternative.

for more about aister ‘oo’

Aister ‘oo’ will be making their return to the Scottish Wool Producers Showcase on 25 March 2023. If you can’t wait that long then you can find out more about their story and see their current colour range here https://www.mackenziesfarmshop.co.uk/pages/aister-oo

Tag: Scottish Wool

The Makes We Make Again And Again

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For more about buzzinyarns

What I Wore At Perth 2022

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for more about aister ‘oo’