Summer Travels Inspiration Part Four - Thieves' Road Shawl

So as ever, it's been a long time since the last release in this series. I definitely have major issues with saying "no" when people offer me extra work to do which keeps my schedule full to bursting, my resolution for 2018 will definitely be to do less work and spend more time knitting!


Better late than never though, here's the story behind my latest pattern.


The Thieves' Road is a path near Aviemore, which was used in the dim and distant past by raiders who would loot and pillage in the villages nearby. We biked up the trail to Inshriach Bothy where we stayed the night, you can see route details on the Heritage Paths website. It's a strangely beautiful place - the Scot's pine and juniper bushes are twisted into pretty weird shapes around a clearing.

 I must admit I find bothies a bit creepy too - I would much rather sleep in my tent. In a very modern spooky moment at about midnight my phone went crazy - after about three days with no phone signal or internet it came to life with all my notifications, all of a sudden and in the absolute middle of nowhere. Should have brought the tent!

Trees growing very strangely here!

So the shawl was inspired a bit by the history of the place - I think the slightly faded looking red and blue paired up with the heirloom lace gives a bit of a pirate/smuggler kind of feel to them in keeping with the history of the trail, and the handdyed Malabrigo yarn works beautifully with zigzag stripes. The wider, shallower triangle makes it perfect for wrapping up in - ideal for sitting around a campfire - since it's cold enough to need a thick shawl when you're camping in Scotland, even when the fire's going and even in July! It's dk weight too, which makes it a cosier shawl, and a quicker knit, than most shawls in a lighter yarn. 

Bothy entertainment - cards and single malt

Here's the details:

The pattern for Thieves' Road Shawl is available to purchase on:

Ravelry

Craftsy

Loveknitting

Etsy

Pattern Specifications:

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Rastita DK
MC No me Olvides, CC - Jupiter (100% Merino Wool, 283 m/310 yds per 100 g)
One 100 g skein in each colourway = 566 m/620 yds.

Dimensions: Makes a triangle 162 cm/64” across and 50 cm/20” high after blocking.

Needles: 4.5 mm/US 7 40”/100 cm circular needle (for working flat) 6.5 mm/US 10.5 needles for bind off only.

Gauge: 19 sts and 28 rows = 10 cm/4” after blocking

Extras: Tapestry needle for weaving in loose ends, mat and t-pins for blocking.

Summer Travels Part 1 - Abriachan

Our Summer holiday plan is almost always the same - pack up the car for biking, hiking, camping (and of course knitting!) and go where the wind takes us! 

This year was no different - but it inspired a series of five knitting patterns that I'll hopefully be releasing between now and Christmas. The first is a cowl inspired by the colours of the Scottish hillsides:

This cowl is named for Abriachan - a tiny village up in the hills beside Loch Ness. It's always busy by the side of the loch, as it's such an iconic part of Scotland. But once you're up in the hills by its banks, there's a much more remote feel. Abriachan is also home to some lovely (if challenging!) mountain biking trails. I'm fairly sure they aren't well used, the forest and moor seem to be reclaiming them, which adds to the remote feel. There are lots overgrown patches and fallen trees to manoeuvre over, but the scenery is delightful. The colours of the open country are spectacular, with gorgeous patches of delicate red grass - the pictures really don't do it justice. And then there's the deep greens of the forest, really quite dark in places, with red and white mushrooms almost glowing - as well as soft heathery pinks and purples everywhere you look on the hillside. And the teals in the pattern do remind me a little of the shade of my beloved mountain bike...

The cowl pattern uses an absolutely gorgeous yarn – Malabrigo Rastita. The delicate “watercolour” variegated colourway totally reflects the natural beauty of the north of Scotland with jewel tone greens, subtle greys and heathery purples and pinks.

When designing this, I was aware that variegated yarns look lovely in the skein, but don't always look great knitted up. This cowl has slipped stitches, and gathered strands of yarn running across it to really showcase the different colours. A perfect knitting pattern for colourful, variegated yarns!

Available now on 

Ravelry 

Etsy 

Craftsy

20% discount on Ravelry with coupon code SUMMERTRAVELS1 until end of December 2017

Here's the details:

Yarn: Malabrigo Rastita
Colourway “Lotus” (100% Merino Wool, 283m (309yds) per 100g)
One 100g skein = 283m/309yds


Dimensions: 20cm/8” deep, 92cm/36” around.


Needles: 4.5mm/US 7 circular needle either 40”/100cm for magic loop or 30”/80cm or shorter circular needle if you do not wish to use magic loop.

Gauge: 20 sts x 32 rows = 4" in 2x1 twisted slip stitch rib (repeat rounds 1 & 2 of pattern) after blocking.


Extras: Tapestry needle for weaving in loose ends, stitch marker for end of round.

St Andrews Visit

Just spent a lovely weekend in St Andrews for my Mum's 60th (Happy Birthday, Mum!)

Lots of scenic forest walks, good food and of course a bit of knitting!

Here's a few pictures from Kemback wood and Dunino Den. Both absolutely carpeted with bluebells and anemones, something a bit magical about the woods in Scotland at this time of year. Lots of wild garlic about too, had a delicious late dinner of wild garlic hummus and homemade pitta bread after the drive back to Glasgow last night.

And we stumbled on Scotland's best kept secret...

Clearly the Sheep Olympics training grounds!

The secret's out!

And of course, my Mum's birthday present was handknitted. Here's a few pictures of what will be the Castle Sands Shawl (hope to have the pattern released in the next month or so)

And if you can't wait that long, I should hopefully be releasing the pattern for Loch Katrine Shawl on Wednesday!