Moving Onwards

Hi all, 

Just letting you know that I have a new blog and website now at www.bluemtnsknits.com.au. From now on all bluemtnsknits news, releases and blog posts will be posted there. To celebrate I'm also releasing a new free pattern on Thursday the 1st of December. Here's a sneak peak! 

 Please come by and check it out then! 

Hope to see you soon :)

Thanks for reading, 

Adelaide

A Catch Up of Sorts

Hi all, 

It's been a while on my poor dear blog. So what's been happening at Blue Mtns Knits? 

Over the past few months I've started a new local job which has taken up most of my time.
 In the meantime I've been on Facebook and Instagram.

So for a quick snapshot of the past few months:

I had a go at Me Made May
 (Does anyone else find it really hard to take selfies every single day?)

Me in my me made knitted Noro Tunic

I did a market at Grand View Markets Wentworth Falls on the June public holiday weekend. Although it was zero degrees in the morning and there was a heavy frost, it was still awesome! 

 And I've been making stuff. 

Baby Katoomba Slouchy Beanies

Crochet Hexagon from Ruby Hexagon Blanket (Free patt on Ravelry)

Adult's Katoomba Slouchy Beanie

For the future I'm hoping to achieve that mythical work/life balance and be back soon. 

Thanks for reading, 

Adelaide

Me Made May 16 #MMMay16

So a last minute decision was made! I am signing up for Me Made May 16 #MMMay16 

I, Adelaide from www.bluemtnsknits.blogspot.com.au and #bluemtnsknits, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '16. I endeavour to wear at least one handmade item of clothing on my days off - currently Friday, Saturday and Sunday - for the duration of May 2016 :) 

This pledge is a challenge designed by 'So Zo..What do you know?' to encourage people who are crafty to wear and love their handmade garments more. This is the 6th year of Me Made May but my first year of participating so it'll be interesting to see how it goes. I'm hoping the handmade inspiration will rub off on me this month and that I'll discover my wardrobe stables. 

I'm only committing the pledge to my days off because at the moment I have no interest in making black work pants/skirts or plain shirts. If you wish to find out more about the challenge and be a late sign up too then the link is here. 

I'll be documenting it on Instagram and do a round up on the blog to let you know how it goes. 

Also as a more personal pledge I aim to finish knitting a cardigan this month but more on that coming soon. 

Thanks for reading, 

Adelaide 

Leaves have Ripenend to the Fall

I'm so excited about going to Mt Wilson Gardens Autumn Festival today! 

Autumn is definitely here. Isn't the vibrant crimsons, oranges and golds of the maple leaves stunning? Crunching through the leaves surrounded by these swirling colours just warms the soul...even if it is a chilly morning! 

 If you're in the Blue Mountains then pop up to the Mt Wilson Autumn Gardens Festival. It is 9am to 4pm today, Saturday the 16th of April at Mt Wilson. It's $8/garden, $20 for three or $50 for all nine. There's also some lovely Blue Mountains artisan stalls and high tea refreshments available. More info is here. Maybe I'll see you there :) 

And now I'm leaving you with an early morning snap of clear beautiful blue sky 

and some warm autumn colour.

Have an awesome day! 

Thanks for reading, 

Adelaide

smile emoticon

O my Luve is like Red Red

Once the cold chilly Autumn morning's start I find myself drawn to warm colours, especially red! There's something so satisfying, so vibrant and so cheery about it. Just looking at it makes me feel toasty and warm. So I wasn't that surprised when I looked back over my past few weeks knitting I realised a common theme...

Can you guess?!?  

I hope you too find something cosy, warm and red to snuggle up to this winter. 

Watch out for new designs coming to Blue Mtns Knits soon!

Tutorial: Blocking Your Knits!

The most important thing to make your knitting look good (other than the actual knitting process) is to block your knits. You've put all that hard work, spent literal hours knitting and it's only one more tiny step.

 I know, every time I finish a knit I'm super excited that's it's done! And then I think, "Do I have to block it?" I go through this even though I've learnt the hard way that it's not worth skipping that final step. So now I go over this imaginary list running in my head!

Cons:

• It takes time. 
• I have to walk all the way to my ironing board. 
• It takes time. 

Pros: 

• It makes my knitting look fantastic!
• It fixes 99.9% tension issues I've had. 
• It gives my knitting great stitch definition. 
• Checks if the yarn you have bought has a colourfast dye or is it going to leach dye at the first drop of water (which isn't good if you have given a friend a hand knitted hat that they are proudly wearing and it begins to rain...I'll let you imagine the rest) 
• If it's a lace pattern it opens up your pattern, lets it be seen and makes your accessory garment the right size! 
• It can make things bigger if you just want a smidge more room! 
• It doesn't take that much time... 

So after ticking this off I decide yes it's worth blocking. After reading this post and finding out how simple it actually is I hope you will block too :)

But what is blocking?

Blocking is the act of stretching out your knits, wetting or steaming them and leaving them to dry. It relaxes and realigns the fibres which gives your knitting a professional finish. Because it can change the size of your tension slightly I always recommend you block your tension square too. You know the square you always knit to check your gauge before you cast on a garment ;) Well...now back to blocking

Quick Note: I've found it best to only block natural fibres. Wool works best because it can spring back. Cotton is not bad but I always find it always grows in the blocking process so be prepared. And Acrylic I would not block at all. 

The Set-Up:

• An ironing board or a folded towel (something you can stick pins into and it will hold) 
• Pins - Any kind will do as long as they have a pointy end and aren't rusty.  
• A spray bottle filled with water. 
• A piece of knitting or crochet that needs blocking!

The Act:

1. Place your knitting on the ironing board. I'm using a 100% wool lace swatch to show you the full wonder of blocking. At this stage it will look all scrunched up and unappealing like this. 

2. Pin your knit to the towel or ironing board stretching it out to the size you would like.

3. Spray it with water until it is damp to touch. The shiny bits are all the drops of water :)

4. This is the tricky part. Leave to dry. It usually takes two or three hours in summer and a whole night in winter. 

5. Take out the pins and you have amazing knitting! 

Look at that stitch definition, it is so even! 

 And there you have it. This is the method of blocking I use about 95% of the time and it works marvellously! I have another super quick 5 minute method for express blocking that I'll do a post on in future but this is my favourite and gives the best results. 

And just a note about blocking double layered items like winter hats. 

When I block my beanies I lie them flat and pin them as below. I have tried blocking them over plates and foam balls but I always find that they overstretch them. The trick with the beanie is to make sure you spray enough water on to dampen both layers. Then I find it blocks quite well. :) 

Katoomba Slouchy Beanie Merino Newborn Size 

Enjoy your knitting and blocking! :) 

Adelaide

The Leura Beret Hand Knits and Pattern Release!

I'm super excited to announce the release of my latest design, the Leura Beret! :) 

Leura Beret Dark Red New Wool Adult Small

Leura Beret Speckle Merino Wool Adult Small

In the cold chilly morning when you're looking for that head warmer to throw on, keep yourself warm and look on trend all through the haze of an early start, then this is the one that I reach for. So I'm hoping it'll be the one you'll reach for too ;-) 

Leura Beret Speckle Merino Wool Adult Small

This is a stylish and chic beret has a classic rib band and the body is knitted from a stocking stitch with relaxed simple lines that accent the circular design. It's knitted in the round, so it's seamless and very comfortable to wear. 

Back of  Leura Beret Dark Red New Wool Adult Small

Once again this is available as a Made to Order handknit in either lovely soft Australian Merino wool or a rustic traditional Australian New Wool depending on your choice. 

Baby New Wool Fur Beret 

It comes in many sizes all the way from cute little Newborn to comfy Large Adult. If you're ordering a knitted by me hand knit then I've separated the listings in my Etsy shop so Newborn, Baby (6months) and Toddler (1 to 3 years) are together and Child/Teen, Small Adult and Large Adult are together.

Newborn, Baby and Toddler Berets

If you have any queries on sizing then check our my post on sizing for the Katoomba Slouchy Beanie here because it's fitted to the same sizing standard. I also have some Ready to Ship ones available too if you need an immediate beret (as we all do). 

Leura Beret Knitting Pattern

And if you're a knitter the pattern is available here and contains all the sizes from Newborn to Large Adult. This is a quick, easy and satisfying knit which will have you churning out berets for everyone! 

Also if you're looking for a beginner pattern which has some interest then the Leura Beret design is a great one to try. It uses the long tail cast on, is knitted in the round and does have some increasing and decreasing which if you'd like more info on I'll be covering in the blog soon :) 

Materials needed include:

• Newborn - 40g/40m/44yds (Baby - 50g/50m/55yds, Toddler- 60g/60m/66yds, Child/Teen - 70g/70m/77yds, Small Adult -90g/90m/99yds, Large Adult - 100g/100m/111yds) of 14ply or Super Bulky yarn. The beanies pictured are knitted in Australian wool.  
• 6.00mm/US10 circular with 60cm cable or double pointed needles.
• 7.00mm/US11 circular with 60cm cable  or double pointed needles.
• Stitch Marker
• Wool Needle. 

Newborn Merino Wool Light Grey Beret

This beret has been inspired by Leura Village which is the place to be in the Blue Mountains. It has a very stylish mix of shops (including the most amazing chocolate shop!), eclectic galleries, stunning gardens and yummy tearooms as well as some beautiful scenery. I'll be having a spotlight on Leura to visit on the blog soon :) 

Leura Village in Spring Sourced from Weekend Notes. 

I hope you enjoy your Leura Beret! 

Me wearing the Leura Beret at Sublime Lookout Leura

Thanks for joining me on this journey :)

Adelaide

Katoomba Slouchy Beanie Pattern and Inspiration

For our first knitting design I'm excited to present the Katoomba Slouch Beanie Knitting Design! 

Katoomba Slouchy Beanie Charcoal New Wool Adult Small

Katoomba Slouchy Beanie Light Grey New Wool Newborn Size

 The Pattern 

If you're looking for the perfect modern slouchy beanie knitting pattern to hand knit for you or loved one then this is the one for you! With its unisex slouch, simple lines and comfortable fit the Katoomba slouchy beanie design is stylish on everyone from baby to adult. The beanie's classic rib band combined with its relaxed body of stocking stitch give it timeless elegance. Its simple lines make it the perfect unisex present with its masculine rustic texture for boys or classic timeless boyfriend style for girls.

Katoomba Slouchy Beanie Charcoal New Wool Adult Small

This digital pattern download is a quick knit, comes with clear instructions and is rated at a beginner level. It is knitted in the round so magically there are no seams to sew up! Once hand knitted this chic slouchy hat is a lovely cold weather treat for yourself or with its many sizes is a wonderful gift for all your family and friends! :)

Sizes

With a unisex slouch suited to baby, girl, boy, women or man, this knitting design comes in Newborn (14"/36cm circumference) , Baby - 6 months (16"/41cm circumference), Toddler (18"/46cm circumference) Child/Teenager (20"/51cm Circumference), Small Adult (22"/ 56cm Circumference), and Large Adult (24"/61cm Circumference). 

In the picture I am wearing the Small Adult (22" Circumference). This beanie has been designed with moderate slouch but if you would like it super slouchy then please pick a one size larger. If you'd like more info on choosing the correct size then check out the blog here.

Katoomba Slouchy Beanie Charcoal New Wool Adult Small

Materials

• Newborn 30g/30m/33yds, (Baby 40g/40m/44yds, Toddler 50g/50m/55yds, Child/Teen 60g/60m/66yds,Small Adult 80g/80m/88yds, Large Adult 90g/90m/99yds) of 14ply or Super Bulky yarn. The beanies pictured are knitted in Australian wool and are also available to order here. 

• 6.00mm/US10 circular with 60cm cable or double pointed needles.

• 7.00mm/US11 circular with 60cm cable or double pointed needles.

• Stitch Marker.

• Wool Needle.

This is now available as a knitting pattern in my Etsy and Craftsy stores. If you are interested I have can make a beanie for you in a colour and size of your choosing in either Australian New Wool or Superfine Merino. Also I have some beanies ‘ready to ship’ immediately if you need a quick beanie :)

The Inspiration 

This beanie’s namesake, Katoomba, is the biggest town in the Blue Mountains. Being over 1000 metres above sea level, this is a place where you can be wearing your beanies all year round!

Katoomba Town Surrounded by Mountains

From having visited Katoomba nearly every school holidays as a Sydneysider child, to really getting to know it as a local town centre since I moved up the Blue Mountains over two years ago, it’s always been an important place to me. I knew it would be the inspiration behind a few of designs including this beanie, the Katoomba Track Scarf, and one more that's yet to be revealed (mysterious I know).

Three Sisters, Katoomba, from Blue Mountains Australia

Katoomba Shops from Blue Mountains Australia

Katoomba itself is a patchwork of heritage listed buildings mixed with the relaxed vibe of locals and holidaymakers all mingling in shared coops, antique shops and cafes. Whether visiting for a bushwalk to see the world heritage Blue Mountains National Park or just strolling along the main street this modern slouchy beanie will keep you looking good, on trend and most importantly warm and cosy :)

Echo Point Lookout, From Blue Mountains Australia 

I hope you enjoy the Katoomba Slouch Beanie. 

Thanks for joining me on this journey,

Adelaide

Katoomba Track Scarf Knitting Design

THE SCARF 

The Katoomba Track Scarf began when I made my husband a Slouchy Beanie and Mittens. And of course he wanted a handmade warm and comfortable scarf with simple lines to match! 

So I tried a few different swatches and everything was too fussy, too busy and just not right. Eventually he said he wanted a scarf out of plain stocking stitch, guys love plain he kept telling me. And I kept telling him that people didn't make scarves out of stocking stitch because the edges roll and they never sit right.  But he was insistent...

So I was stuck until one night when I was lying awake at 3am (as you do) and it hit me. Do a rib border! It would match and be plain. So I tried it and loved it! It doesn't roll like stocking stitch and looks like a railway or bush track. 

Since it was created to match the Katoomba Slouchy Beanie, it became the Katoomba Track Scarf. And one I'll definitely be knitting again. It's a great unisex scarf and really shows off the yarn you choose to use. 

THE MEASUREMENTS

The Katoomba Track Scarf measures 63"/160cm long and 7"/18cm wide. 

THE GAUGE

14sts and 20 rows to 4”/10cm by 4”/10cm square over stocking stitch using 7.00mm needles.

THE MATERIALS 

• 4 x 50g/50m/55yds balls of 14ply/super bulky. (I use 100% Australian Wool) 
• 7.00mm/US11 knitting needles. 
• Wool Needle. 

THE ABBREVIATIONS

K - Knit

P- Purl

Rep - Repeat

St/s- Stitch/es

THE PATTERN

Cast on 28 sts.

Rib Section 

Row 1: K3, *P2, K2, rep from * to last 3 sts, K3. (28sts)

Row 2: P3, *K2, P2, rep from * to last 3 sts, K3.

Rep rows 1 and 2, 3 more times (8 rows in total).

Main Section

Row 1: K3, P2, K2, P2, K10, P2, K2, P2, K3. (28sts)

Row 2: P3, K2, P2, K2, P10, K2, P2, K2, P3.

Rep rows 1 and 2 until scarf is 62"/157.5cm or desired length making sure that there is at least 10g/10m of yarn left.

Rib Section

Row 1: K3, *P2, K2, rep from * to last 3 sts, K3. (28sts)

Row 2: P3, *K2, P2, rep from * to last 3 sts, K3.

Rep rows 1 and 2, 3 more times (8 rows in total).

Bind off loosely in rib.

Sew in ends using wool needle. For best results always block your knitting.
For a tutorial on Blocking your Knits check out my blog post here.

I hope you enjoy your Katoomba Track Scarf! 

If you would like me to make the scarf for you in an amazing array of colours from 100% Australian Wool then check out my Etsy shop here :) 

If you'd like the pattern for the matching beanie then that's available in my Etsy shop here. 

Beanies and Berets: Choosing your Size

Today's post is on sizing and which size you should choose to get a perfectly fitting winter hat! Both the Katoomba Slouch Beanie and the Leura Beret come in a wide range of sizes, all the way from seriously cute 'newborn' to super comfy 'large adult'.

The first thing you should do to find your size is get a tape measure.

 Then measure the circumference of the head of the beanie wearer (or your own head if it's for your lucky self ;)). The circumference is the measurement around the outside of the head at the level of the middle of your forehead. Take this measurement and match it to the closest measurement given for our sizes just below.  If it's between sizes then always go to the larger size.

Sizes to fit a head circumference of:
Newborn 14"/36cm
Baby (6 months) 16"/41cm
Toddler 18"/46cm
Child/Teenager 20"/51cm
Small Adult 22"/56cm
Large Adult 24"/61cm


Also if you wish to change the style of the beanie and have a tight fitted non-slouchy beanie, then order or knit a size down. In the pictures below, my standard size is a 'Small Adult' but if I want a non slouchy fitted beanie then I'd wear a 'Child' size. 

Katoomba Not So Slouchy Beanie in Australian New Wool. Colour: Dark Red. Size: Child.

Katoomba Not So Slouchy Beanie in Australian New Wool. Colour: Dark Red. Size: Child.

But, if you would like a super slouchy beanie then order or knit a size up. Below I'm wearing the 'Adult Large'. 

Katoomba Super Slouchy Beanie in Australian New Wool. Colour: Light Beige Size: Adult Large.

And there we go. With three styles possible that's my guide to choosing your size for one of my winter hats. All beanies and berets are available in my Blue Mtns Knits Etsy store as Made to Order in a size and colour of your choosing and as knitting patterns.   

If you have any questions please feel free to ask below :)