Patterns available on Ravelry
Accessories available on Etsy

Blue-Eyed Elephants Cowl
The design for this medium-diameter cowl was inspired by Thailand, from the elephants to the temple roofs incorporated in the pattern.

I chose a luxury fingering-weight yarn from Woosheeps, an indie Scottish dyer, for this accessory. The yarn is a blend of 80% superwash merino and 20% bamboo in a color called fruitcake. So appropriate for the holidays!

The design incorporates 17 faceted Czech glass beads, in an aqua blue with copper ends (8x6mm oval).

This medium-sized cowl measures 35 inches (89cm) in circumference x 12 inches (30.5cm) in height

What a perfect Christmas gift!

The pattern is my Thai Elephants and Beads Lace Knit Cowl design on Ravelry.

The actual Blue-Eyed Elephants Cowl is available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Happy Knitting and Happy Holidays!
MikeH

Patterns available on Ravelry
Accessories available on Etsy

Wrap yourself in luxury and style with Woodland Lace, an asymmetrical shawl that combines a pattern of narrow stripes with leaf lace patterns.

I chose the colors specifically to evoke an autumn woodland color scheme, and the yarn because I like the lightweight substance and the stitch definition it provides.

You’ll find lace elements in the 3 panel insets, and along all 3 edges – the final edge being a knit-on lacework edging.

You’ll need some lace-knitting experience to knit this shawl, although I wouldn’t describe the pattern as difficult.

The amount of yarn required is approximately 1 full 100g skein of Araucania Botany Lace color 2118 (solid) and approximately 4/5 of 1 100g skein of color 1652 (ombre).

Overall dimensions of this generously sized wrap:: 60x42x46 inches (152.5×106.5×117.75cm)

If you don’t have the time to knit this shawl, treat yourself or someone special to the hand-knit accessory, available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Happy Knitting – and Happy Holidays!
MikeH

My Etsy shop:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ScarvesShawlsandMore?ref=hdr_shop_menu

I have a couple of unique accessories for sale in time for the holidays. They’re both designs of mine that I hand knit with premium quality yarns.

Memories of Thailand: A representation of images from a country I’ve called home since 1998, this scarf was knit in a hand-dyed blend of fingering weight merino and silk.
Measures: 8 x 55 inches (20 x 140cm)
Price reduced to USD 35.00 plus reasonable standard air shipping.
Click on “Ask a question” on the item’s listing page and let me know you’re interested at this price, and I’ll take it from there!

Forest Fantasy: A dream-like take on a jungly-forest, the gradient of colors is equally dream-like, from ecru to red currant. The asymmetrical shawl was knit in an oh-so-soft blend of light fingering-weight lambswool and cotton.
Measures: 60x54x37 inches (152.5x137x94 cm)
Price reduced to USD 75.00 plus reasonable standard air shipping.
Click on “Ask a question” on the item’s listing page and let me know you’re interested at this price, and I’ll take it from there!

If you see any other accessory you like feel free to click on “Ask a question” and make me an offer – and I’ll ship it off to you in time for the holidays!

Happy Knitting!
MikeH

This easy-to-knit top down design was knit with Noro Silk Garden Lite, a DK-weight yarn that produces a self-striping pattern. I used 2 50-gram balls of color 2040 for this bandana.

In addition to being reversible, the design features 3 rows of elongated eyelets (created by double YOs) and a row of double eyelets with beads.

To finish it off I used a Russian bindoff that’s both stretchy and attractive – and just happened to coincide with a color change in the yarn that matched the faux turquoise beads.

You’ll find this pattern on Ravelry at:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/silk-garden-bandana

The bandana is available for purchase on Etsy at:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/253964695/colorful-silk-garden-hand-knit?ref=shop_home_feat_4

Happy Knitting!
MikeH

Patterns available on Ravelry
Accessories available on Etsy

My new lace knit Deco Panel Wrap design is now finished and the pattern is available on Ravelry.

It’s taken a while to create this pattern, as it incorporates 3 different lace stitches plus a central lace medallion. Each of the stitch patterns is knit over a different number of rows, and in this case that meant that the basic pattern repeat was 48 rows!

The wrap was knit in a lace-weight hand-dyed yarn with tonal variations throughout.

There is a central scroll stitch panel surrounded by English mesh lace panels, and the edges are traveling vines of knit lace. The central panel, along with the edging stitch patterns, was a repeat of 60 rows!

The wrap was knit on US size 2 (2.75mm ) needles with Malabrigo Lace yarn, which is 100 per cent baby merino wool, in a hand-dyed colorway called Water Green (83). It took most of 2 50-gram skeins or around 900 yards/825 meters to complete.

After blocking the accessory measures approximately 11 x 68 inches (28 x 173 cm).

Note
The instructions for this pattern are written out, row by row. An intermediate level of lace knitting experience would be helpful.

If you decide to try it out, I’ll be happy to help if you have any questions.

Happy Knitting!
MikeH

Although I still haven’t finished my Deco Lace Panel Wrap (the subject of last week’s blog), I’m nearly there – and I had an idea for something new, so I got the yarn and needles out to see what might happen.

As you can tell from the photo I’m working with two colors – a solid and a gradient – that combine to create a woodland effect.

This will be a sideways knit shawl with a couple of decorative lace panels in some sort of foliage pattern to add to the impression of being in the woods. I’m sure there’ll be a lace edging as well, although I’m not yet sure what that will look like!

Sideways-knit or asymmetrical shawls are interesting to work on, growing from just a few cast-on stitches to a final edge that I like to embellish with an elaborate lace edging.

Here are a couple of my designs for this type of shawl if you’d like to see some finished work:

Sea Foam
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sea-foam-6

Asian Landscape
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/asian-landscape

Happy Knitting!
MikeH

Here’s an updated photo of my newest design for a lace knit Deco Panel Wrap. If you remember the last photo, it’s now progressed past the midpoint, where you’ll see a central scroll medallion (originally attributed to Dorothy Reade).

This is knit with Malabrigo Lace (color: water green) on US 2 (2.75mm) needles. I’ll be sure to post a link to the pattern when I can finally show you the finished accessory!

The main reason this is taking so long is another project that I’ve been working on – a custom order for my Tribal Traces African Sampler Shawl/Wrap. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

Happy Knitting!
MikeH

Start your holidays off right and knit yourself a luxurious scarf in a blend of merino, cashmere, and silk.

The yarn I used for this festive scarf is from Biscotte and Cie, and it’s a 1-ply fingering in this wonderfully soft blend (Vintage Fingering: Red).

My Christmas Trees and Snowflakes lace knit scarf pattern requires less than 1 full skein of this yarn. The dimensions of the finished accessory are 8 x 64 inches / 20.25 x 162.5cm.  (You’ll note another yarn option on the Ravelry page for this pattern, resulting in slightly different dimensions.)

Christmas trees and snowflakes are featured in the lace design, which is enhanced by a single jadeite bead topping each of the six trees.

If you’d like one to give as a gift – for yourself or someone on your Christmas list – the finished item is available in my Etsy shop.

Happy Knitting!
MikeH

Patterns available on Ravelry
Accessories available on Etsy

My newest design for a lace knit wrap is still a work in progress, as you can see from the photo.

I’m knitting this on US size 2 (2.75mm ) needles with Malabrigo Lace yarn, which is 100 per cent baby merino wool, in a color called Water Green that has subtle tonal changes.

The finished wrap will measures around 13 x 60 inches or 33 x 152.5 cm.

The central scroll stitch panel is surrounded by English mesh lace panels and the edges are traveling vines of knit lace.

Come back for a visit for the pattern and to see the finished accessory – although I’ve got a Christmas scarf and a custom order in the works before this one will be ready to go.

Happy knitting!
MikeH

December in Thailand is one of the only times that the temperatures cool and the humidity drops. The stars can be seen clearly at night and the sea takes on its special once-in-a-year appearance as well. We come to appreciate this very brief respite from the heat – that’s gone all too soon.

I designed and hand knit this shawl with this well-loved season in mind. The basic stitches are an Estonian asynchronous lace stitch for the starry background and a dainty eyelet chevron for the sea’s waves.

The generously sized shawl measures 71 inches (180cm) across top; 62 inches (157.5cm) wide at widest point; 28 inches (72cm) from top to bottom point. It was knit with a hand-dyed alpaca and wool blend yarn. The colors range from light blue through the blue spectrum.

Enjoy this wrap any cool evening – whether you live in the tropics or in a more temperate climate.

If you’d like to purchase the shawl, it’s available in my Etsy shop.

If you’d like to knit one yourself, the pattern is available on Ravelry, and there are notes about adding beads to the original pattern.

Happy Knitting!
MikeH