Your Chance to Own a Barabara Walker Original

I meant to post about this the last round but I completely forgot about it, but Schoolhouse Press has been running a series of online auctions (the one happening now is the second of three) in which they are auctioning off original knits designed and hand-knit by Barbara Walker (of the Treasuries of Knitting Patterns fame, among other excellent books).

Most of the garments were made for her book Knitting from the Top and use motifs from the treasuries. They’re beautiful just to look at, but it would also be amazing to own one of these bits of knitting history.

They were knit by Barbara for herself, so most of the sweaters range from 30 to 40 chest circumference and the skirts are about 25 inches as the waist. But even if you couldn’t wear the garment, it would be great for a collector!

I hope even if you don’t want to bid on them (starting bids are $50; the most spectacular pieces were already up to $200 plus with five days to go last time I checked) it’s certainly worth giving the look book (PDF) a look!

[Photo via Schoolhouse Press.]

Next Pattern:

As I write this, it’s probably time to start thinking about winter knitting if you haven’t already. And it’s definitely time to think about gift knitting if you have any of that you plan to do for the holidays.

The Dreamy Waves Scarf from Knit Picks, designed by Stacey Winklepleck, would be a great project to go in either category.

It uses two different multicolored yarns and a simple repeating wave pattern to make a project that looks a lot more complicated and dramatic than it is. The gradient look happens naturally just by switching which yarn you’re knitting with.

This pattern uses worsted weight yarn so it’s a pretty quick project even though a scarf is large and this one is pretty wide. It measures 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) wide and 63 inches or 120 cm long. Of course you can make it longer or shorter as you like. As written it takes one ball of each color so it’s a pretty economical project, too.

It’s rated for intermediate knitters but if you know how to do various increases and decreases you’ll be all set. The pattern uses knit 2 together, make 1 left and right, centered double decrease and slip slip knit. All of the stitches are explained in a glossary in the pattern so even if you haven’t done all of them it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.

The pattern also includes tons of options for different colorways in yarn that Knit Picks sells, so you can see how different combinations knit up before you buy the yarn. That’s such a great idea!

Of course if you already have two multicolored yarns with long color runs on hand, you can absolutely use them, too. It might also be fun, but would give you a totally different look, to use a solid color and a bunch of scraps or one multicolored yarn to see how the different colors play together. So many options!

You can grab this free pattern and check out all the color options at Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

Summer Shawl and Scarf Knitting Patterns

Take It Easy with the Bessie Scarf

Sweater Scarf Knitting Patterns

Comments

Dawn Deering says
November 7, 2013 at 1:59 pm
Love this skirt
Mae Conatser says
November 9, 2013 at 9:18 am
I would love to have this skirt. It would be simply smashing with a coordinated blouse and jacket. I would be pleased and honored to add this lovely garment to my wardrobe. Thanx for the chance to win this collector’s item.

Next Pattern:

Comments

Have you read?

Leave a Reply