Category Archives: Knitting

August 21, 2014 · 9:32 pm

Cheviot Spring Festival 2014

I have been busy knitting items plus hand dyeing wool to sell at a stall at this event. My Mum has also got in on the act as well and has some items knitted as well.

If you live nearby, come on up, over & to Cheviot! September 12th & 13th are the dates to lock in.

Friday 12th & Saturday 13th September 2014

Check out the Cheviot website for information or their facebook page.

Some of the yarn available to buy – 8ply & 10ply.

I wish I had more time to knit but I will have a selection of hats, shrugs, little girl tunics and baby vests. Mum & I also have some other Spring themed items that may tickle your fancy. The stalls will be next to The Paddock Café at the South end of Cheviot, so grab a coffee and come & say HI!

Kate 🙂

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Filed under ChevGirl Designs, Cheviot Spring Festival, Custom Knitting, Knitting, Wool dying

July 9, 2014 · 5:24 pm

AMH – A Mother’s Heart

Oh I am slack! Last month I released my third pattern called AMH – A Mother’s Heart.

This is a fab one size cowl that can be worn a few ways. Buttoned or unbuttoned like a scarf. It can be as one long loop or doubled for Mum or tripled for your daughter or son. The stitch pattern is just a combination of knit & purl stitches & is reversible.

I have named this after my daughter’s and the reasons I love being a Mum and their Mum! AMH is A Mother’s Heart or their initials – Ariana, Makayla & Holly.

AMH is worked flat and has a button closure as a feature. I often wrap mine around twice and then button it up once I have it sitting well. Ariana happily sneaks off with it and wears it which is quite sweet. The wool I used in my prototype is so soft and snuggly. There is a little story behind this wool too. When Holly was itti bitti new born I was gifted a beautiful baby set made from this wool. Another lady had made this set for her new baby daughter which you can see at this link. The wool is Evoke “Melody” which is alpaca, bamboo and merino! This beautiful wool has been used for two gorgeous babies and now as a cowl for myself (and Ariana!).

Holly at a few weeks old in her romper suit ♥

Here is Ariana wearing my AMH:

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Filed under AMH Cowl, ChevGirl Designs, Family, Knitting, My children

April 17, 2014 · 3:56 pm

Test Knitting 2014 so far….

I have done a few test knit’s for other designer’s so far this year with most of them being hats!

My first test knit was a top called Velma designed by Casey White. This is a sweet short sleeved top in a loose gauge so it grows fast on your needles. I made this for Ariana and she adores it.

Rav project: http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/vt

My next test knit was a beautiful smooshy hat called “Aspiring” designed by Paula Henley from Koru Designs Aotearoa. It has a great stitch pattern in the body of the hat and a simple yet effective twist in the brim. I made this test kinit for Ariana and she loves it! Gosh I am lucky my 8 year old still tolerates her Mum’s knitting!

Rav project: http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/at

Next onto the needles was a hat called “Pollinator” which is my friend Jo’s first foray into designing. Jo also hand dyes wool for sale as well as some other crafty items. Her business is called Meraki Studio NZ. This is a stunning cute design and Makayla was the lucky one to get this hat. The yarn I used was some I was gifted from Casey (who designed Velma above ^ ) and it suited the bee theme in colour and would suit Makayla.

Rav project: http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/but

The next test knit was for a new designer as well. Briony from Gradient has not one but TWO hat patterns in testing at the moment. I tested one of them called Fisherman’s Beach. It is a stunning hat that holds special significance to her in memory of her father. ♥ I love patterns that have a story or special meaning. This hat features a simple cable running up the length that is like the beach of waves and their are smaller wee waves with a clever stitch going around the body of the hat.

Rav project: http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/fbtk

I gifted this hat to my cousin who raised a lot of money for Cancer Research by cutting her much loved dreads off. I hope her head is nice & warm now! The yarn I used for this project is hand dyed by Jo from Meraki Studio NZ who designed the Pollinator hat! We all tie in together nicely don’t we?!!!

** I have completed another test knit but I can’t share that one yet as it is top secret! I adore the pattern & my gradient hand dyeing I did for it but alas you all have to wait!

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Filed under Knitting, Test knits, Wool dying

April 17, 2014 · 3:09 pm

Above – my second knitting pattern

In February I found a beautiful cable pattern of angel wings and felt so connected to it I had to make it into something. Designing a hat seemed very logical so I set to and designed a hat using the angel wings pattern. I had to do a bit of editing of it – from being in knitted in the round and not flat plus I changed one of the increases because I didn’t like the look it created.

I have had a busy team of wonderful test knitters who helped me iron out any problems in the pattern like with the layout, numbers and readability. Thank you team!

♥ Angels have a real infinity & special place with me. On my journey to being a mother to three gorgeous daughters, I had three close consecutive miscarriage’s which really threw me upside down emotionally. Losing a pregnancy was surprisingly hard to go through however as time marches on, you realise you learn a lot about yourself and have empathy for others before & after you that also lose a pregnancy. The “Above” hat is symbolic of the three angels I have up above, that look over my three awesome girls with all sizes having three (or four) angel wings around the hat. The hat also is available in six sizes from toddler to large adult and in three yarn weights. On Monday the 14th of April I released the “Above” hat pattern and this week it has a introductory special price of $3USD (Usually $6USD) .

Some of the beautiful hats made in testing.

Above is a unisex slouch hat knit from the brim up. The pattern keeps the knit interesting with only one round of cable being used in the body of the hat and a simple twist cable in the brim. The hat is available in six sizes from toddler to large adult and in three yarn weights – fingering (4ply), DK (8ply) & worsted weight (10ply). This pattern would work best with plain, semi solid or gradient dyed wool to show the angel wings cable pattern off best. Skills Required: Knitting in the round with small circumference. Use small fixed circulars or magic loop. Beginner cable work. Gauge information : 4ply/Fingering Weight – 28 sts/10cm on 3.25mm needles 8ply/DK Weight – 22 sts/10cm on 4.5mm needles 10ply/Worsted Weight -18sts/10cm on 5mm needles

Sized from toddler – large adult and in three yarn weights. A beautiful comfortable hat for yourself or as a gift.

If you are on Ravlery, I would love to see your finished project and photos. I am “Chevgirl” on Ravlery and I am happy to help with any pattern support Thank you Kate 🙂

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Filed under Above, ChevGirl Designs, Knitting, Sale!

December 19, 2013 · 8:10 pm

Kauri Hat

While I was having my pattern test knitted, I also test knitted a friend’s hat pattern called Kauri. It is a great man hat but equally perfect for us ladies too! Kauri is designed by my friend Gabriella Henry who has designed some very cool, versatile patterns. I have at least two of her patterns in my knitting queue waiting to get knitted!

“Kauri is a fun and satisfying knit for the special man (or woman) in your life.

Featuring an interesting cable/twist panel reminiscent of tree branches, this cozy unisex beanie works up quickly, ideal for last minute gifting.”

I knitted one to fit my husband’s head (medium) in some hand dyed wool and all up it used 50g exactly!

I am about to cast on another in a brown for a quick Christmas gift……photos later after Christmas!

ETA: Here is the hat I made for my youngest brother for Christmas modelled by my handsome husband again.

Rav Project: http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/k22

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Filed under Kauri Hat, Knitting, Test knits, Wool dying

December 18, 2013 · 8:38 am

Annie Gray

Annie Gray, my first pattern, was released on Monday!

A delicate top for a girl that loves comfort. The rib bodice will expand with your child as she grows and allow free movement when playing in the warmer months. The top can be dress length for a younger child & as she grows it will become a tunic top. The lace is simple yet effective & with the addition of a ribbon tie it will dress up well for a party or special occasion. Your Annie Gray can have fixed straps or buttons for the straps to customise fit, ribbon or no ribbon and a singlet top or a babydoll tunic dress.

My Nana was a talented and prolific knitter who knitted for many a tourist and local as they visited her at the small craft market in my hometown. This pattern is named in her honour – Annabel Hewett nee Gray. Nana passed on tips & tricks to my Mum (her daughter in law) and in turn passed this information on to me. There was one jersey that all three of us worked on so Nana and her knitting skills are to be thanked!

Some of the beautiful Annie Gray’s created through the testing phase.

The pattern is available to buy as a PDF file on Ravelry. See the link on the left hand side to go to the pattern on Ravelry.

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Filed under Annie Gray, Knitting, Uncategorized

Tagged as Annie Gray

November 22, 2013 · 10:38 am

Annie Gray – my first pattern

A few months ago I had a knitting design pop into my head while on school holidays. I saw a little girls hip wee top and thought that would be cool to replicate into a knitting pattern. Well, that idea sat bouncing around in my head while I rushed other test knits and projects. I sat down eventually and nutted things out and then another idea worked it’s way out onto paper. Annie Gray is the babydoll/singlet top that is now a reality and is in the process of being test knitted by a group of knitter’s to iron out kinks and make it an easy to read pattern with a great result. It is a nerve wracking time!

Here is a sneak peak of Annie Gray:

Right, off I go to knit another sample for Makayla. Be back later.

Kate

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Filed under Annie Gray, Cotton knits, Knitting, Lace

Tagged as knitting pattern

November 18, 2013 · 6:58 pm

Recent Test Knitting

I have been busy test knitting a few patterns and some more than once!

In September, I test knitted a new pattern by Julia from Just One W.I.P. called Marji.

A cute modern cropped cardigan, featuring a textured garter stitch pattern.

* Perfect for layering all year long.
* Easy enough for a beginner knitter.
* Uses small amounts of yarn.
* Quick enough to knit for a last minute gift.

Go on and get yourself a copy of the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/marjie

Marji on Makayla

I really love this photo of Makayla. Happy and showing her fun personality.

Another test I have done recently is a new pattern just released yesterday and the first installment in a series of pattern’s based on the Von Trapp sisters from The Sound of Music. The pattern is called “Gretl” after the youngest of the family and sisters. It is a sweet shrug with a smocking stitch detail at the back and bell ruffle. I made one for Ariana first and then thought Holly would love one as she has grown out of her other shrugs. So then HAD to make another for middle sister Makayla! I love Makayla’s one especially as the smocking stitch looks fab in sparkle yarn.

Ariana’s Gretl took 101g http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/gt2

Holly’s Gretl used 53g of hand dyed yarn http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/gfh

Then I made Makayla one in sparkle yarn – 83g http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/gfmt

And then I cast on another! This one will be a Christmas Gift to a certain 3 yo niece. http://ravel.me/ChevGirl/gfjt

It is a quick item to knit as it is knit in a loose gauge. These one’s were on a 6mm & 4.5mm needle using DK/8ply.

Go and check both of these patterns out!

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Filed under Family, Gifts, Gretl Shrug, Knitting, Marji, My children, Test knits, Uncategorized, Wool dying

October 15, 2013 · 7:12 pm

Buttons!

Recently I entered a competition on Buttons by Benji blog and I WON! Yippee!

I won the chance to design my own buttons and then have them. I designed them around a test knit I have just finished knitting called La Petite. Dusky pink and grey stripes in uneven stripes like the jersey.

My Vintage Haze buttons on the La Petite knit top.

Here are some more photo’s of the La Petite which is yet to be released.

Ariana in her new top.

I also won $20 credit to spend on more buttons. I chose these wee beauties.

Check out more new buttons on Buttons by Benji.

Kate XXX

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Filed under buttons, Knitting, My children, Test knits, Wool dying

Tagged as La Petite

June 7, 2013 · 10:31 pm

Knitting, knitting and knitting

Time for a quick catch up of things I have knitted….

Poppy Hat & Elizabeth Tunic for a custom order – the pinks I had hand dyed.

Pirate Milo for a custom order.

Reid Hat for a custom order. Deep dark navy.

Test knit of the Sideline Hat
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sideline

The seven hats I made for the Hats for Ethan auction weekend. From bottom left: Potae Hat. Magere Bridge Beanie, Reid x3, Sideline Hat and a long Reid Hat.

The seven hats I made for the Hats for Ethan auction weekend.
From bottom left: Potae Hat. Mangere Bridge Beanie, Reid x3, Sideline Hat and a long Reid Hat.