How to say no nicely

Something of a theme for me recently is saying no. And to get better at saying it without succumbing to a massive guilt attack.

I wrote last week about how I was using No-vember to practice my No muscles and I thought I would continue the theme this week as we head into the Christmas knitting season.

Now, this applies at any time of year of course but especially now, the average knitter often sees a ramping up in requests for “Oh, could you just knit me this”. Such requests often come at a time when you are snowed under with things you are knitting to a deadline or frankly, you just have a lot on your plate and are knitting to retain some element of sanity in the busiest of seasons.

Non knitters frequently underestimate the time and resources needed to make a finished piece. They mean well (usually) but they can catch you unawares so it’s helpful to have a few tried and tested phrases up your sleeve, should you find yourself ambushed by a surprise request.

• Oh heck, I think my needles might go on strike if I add any more projects to the mix.

• I’d love to but I have projects on my needles older than my first born.

• Well, if I start now it might be ready for 2030.

• I really like to keep my knitting just for personal projects right now as I find it helps me to reduce stress.

• I’d rather keep knitting as a downtime thing than turn it into a job - but thanks for asking.

• I’m sorry but I don’t have the capacity for that right now.

• I like to knit to relax - if I started taking on commissions I’d need to find another hobby to relax from knitting.

• Honestly I just knit to relax - if I had deadlines it would lose all the fun.

It’s easy to forget that we have the capacity and the power to say no, especially when in saying yes to someone else - we are saying no to ourselves.

What’s your favourite way to say no?

Welcoming Patchy - a cute new Kindle cosy

Patchy - a super cute Kindle case

What all the best dressed Kindles are wearing this season - Patchy - the stashbusting Kindle cosy with a bit of a difference.

Patchy is a doubled layered cosy - for maximal protection for your Kindle - one side is made up of tiny mitered squares, the other is cosy stripes.

Using sockweight yarn from your leftovers Patchy is the ideal way to have fun with colour and also create something cute and functional.

Yes, of course you can buy a commercial Kindle case from any number of big corporations but there is something very stasifying about creating one yourself - even more so when you are making it from yarn leftover from other projects.

The case knits up very quickly - once you have done the mitered square side, the stripy liner is knit in the round so it’s ideal for travel or purse knitting.

Perfect for yourself or for gifting - ideal for the reader in your life who likes something a little bit different.

Patchy

£6.50

5 reasons to knit a cowl

I know that shawls get a lot of attention and I am a complete sucker for a cute asymmetric shawl at the best times but bear with me here.

Often overlooked but super practical, the humble cowl has a few significant advantages over it’s larger, flouncier cousins.

It is easier to style (at least in my opinion): There is no need for advanced scarf drapery or tutorials on how to wear it. Also no loose dangly ends to dip in your coffee or catch on passing doorhandles. In my imagination I am serene, elegant and free of such obstacles, in real life - not so much.

Knit either way: One of the main advantages for me is that for most designs they can either be knit sideways (flat and then seamed, or with a provisional cast on) or they can be knit in the round. Both have their pros and cons but I enjoy their adaptability in this regard. Knitting flat and then seaming gives you the advantage that you can knit until you are happy with the length - perfect if you only have 1 skein of an aran weight yarn for example.

It is far easier to wear a single loop (slightly snug) cowl than it is to knit it in the round, miscalculate the number of stitches needed and end up with a thin, narrow tube around your neck 😂

Easily adjustable: shawls require a certain commitment in terms of the amount of yarn needed if you are to avoid trying to style an impossibly small triangle. Cowls offer a lot more flexibility and it is easier to calculate your yarn requirements in advance as your stitch count will remain the same throughout the project.

Working on a smaller scale: I love that cowls provide a smaller canvas for a pattern. It can be a really useful opportunity to assess how a given design drapes or works. The same is true of hats too but it is easier to wear a ‘slightly too drapey’ cowl. No one really wants to wear a baggy hat.

Less bulk: As someone who often wears a winter coat but strongly dislikes the feeling of too much bulk I really appreciate a snug, single-loop cowl on cold days. Whereas shawls can end up bunched under my chin, a cosy cowl knit in butter soft yarn is nothing but comforting (and warm).

How about you - do you prefer a cowl or a shawl?

I’ve added my favourite patterns below, but if you want to try out any of them for yourself all my cowl patterns currently have a 20% discount on my website - or use code COWL25 on Ravelry.

Coffee Break Cowl

£6.50

Colour Block Cowl

£6.50

Equinox Cowl

£6.50

Take the easy option

Don’t get me wrong, we all love a challenge from time to time. But there’s nothing wrong with going for the easier option every now and again.

If you have always admired the look of colourwork but felt slightly intimidated by it I know exactly how you feel. The thought of having to hold two strands of yarn at the same time, not to mention following a complex chart can be enough to make the bravest of souls think twice.

But this cunning, slip stitch pattern avoids the need for all that and creates a lovely intricate texture whilst only holding 1 strand of yarn per round.

Ideal for stashbusting too

The yarn I used for this sample is the beautiful West Yorkshire Spinners Fable Brushed Aran - a beautiful, slightly fuzzy blend of wool, alpaca and mohair.

But the entire, single-loop cowl only takes 80g aran weight yarn - making it perfect for using up those leftovers in your stash

Cappuccino Cowl

£6.50

Why summer is the perfect time to start a blanket

Hear me out - I know that traditionally the summer months (here in the northern hemisphere) are generally warm and not conducive to heavier knits. But have you ever thought that actually the summer is the perfect time to start a knitted blanket project.

You have plenty of time to plan and peruse your colour scheme. And then, when you start work on it, it’s pretty small and lap-sized at first. Then, when the colder months roll around it is getting to be the perfect size to snuggle underneath while you work on it - you already have a head start on your cosy winter knitting project.

Clever eh?

I remember thinking this back in 2020 when I knit my enormous Temperature Blanket. I was working a corner to corner rectangle so for the first few months (Jan-Mar) it was tiny and the rows super short. It was only once I got to the full width (Apr-Sep) that I realised that all of the full width rows would have to be done while the weather was at it’s hottest.

Not my smartest move and if I’m honest I fell behind quite a lot. Luckily I was able to catch up and did finish the project by Dec 31st - but next time around I would definitely do it differently.

If you want to plan your very own Temperature Blanket there is no rule that says you have to start in January. You could always start right now - or you could do some forward planning ready for the New Year.

Temperature Blanket eBook

£7.50

This is where my e-book comes in. This 19 page e-book contains tips, suggestions and resources such as:

• Working out a temperature scale

• Yarn choice

• Estimation of yardage

• Size and gauge

• Choosing colours

• Ideas for construction

It is essentially the guide I wish I had, before I started knitting 😂

Because Kindles like to be cosy too

Well, why not.

Sometimes we just want a project that is simple, straightforward and fun - and I think this cute little Kindle Sock manages to be all 3.

Knit using leftover sock yarn (fingering weight), it’s ideal for playing with colour or stripes or any kind of pattern you care to think of.

Essentially it is knit as a long tube, closed at both ends, you then fold it in half to create a simple, reversible pouch. The double layer of fabric giving some handy extra protection against accidental knocks whilst in your handbag.

And even better, the fact that the tube is closed means that you don’t even have to bother sewing in your yarn ends - they will safely be tucked away inside, free from prying eyes.

Kindle Sock

£3.00