What goes together better than Zara and Pink – nothing so I knitted a pink Zara Sweater, the pattern I used had bows on the sleeves using the same color as the main sweater but to change it up a bit I used some grey Zara for the bows, I think the effect is great.

Zara is a double knit and is pure Merino, it is machine washable and from my experience and the feed  back from others it is the most resilient hard wearing yarn we have knitted with.  Two years ago I knitted a Red Zara sweater for my husband and he gives it a good beating in the garden and doing DIY in it and the only thing wrong with it is the big spodge of white paint he has managed to get on the arm.  It has not pilled or rubbed and I take no care washing it now either and it keeps it’s shape beautifully, if that is not a true test of yarn then I don’t know what is.

My sweater only took 7 balls to knit so it was also very cost effective (as it is a simple pattern it didn’t take long to knit either), Zara comes in over 30 colors so what ever your preference you are sure to find it.  The leaflet pattern of my sweater is Z05.

I hope you will all go out and look for Zara and get yourself a pattern and try it, you won’t be sorry that you did, ask your retailer to show you the huge color range, there are also some wonderful new children’s patterns available now using Zara so if you don’t want to do something for yourself then you could make someone else’s life warmer by knitting something for them.

Patty

From our friend Debra at DD Gold – 63 Commerce St, Kaitaia 09 4083965

“Have you tried the Addi knitting machines?  We were a bit sceptical, as we hand knitters can be a bit snobby about looms, but the Addi knitting machine is fun!  I find looms a bit tiresome when I can hand knit but boy – I am going to convince my mum, who can no longer knit to invest in one.

I used the small loom to make some tubes and squares, and in 2 hours had a (homely) little cardigan for a baby!  The larger size loom does beanies and bigger squares.  Huge fun.  Not cheap though, but quality never is.  Check out the site for more info  and a YouTube video of how it works.  The smaller one, shown here is around $200 and the larger one is under $400.  Ouch, but quality and will go on for years and years and give someone an enormous amount of fun.  But beware – this knitting is addictive!”

DD Gold – 63 Commerce St, Kaitaia 09 4083965 – is loving the new Loyal Tweed!

Debra says “This pattern (K652) is amazing – and it used the new Loyal Tweed.  There is only one downside – everyone wants one, oh and there is a bit of sewing up the pieces.  But boy what a wonderful feeling to see this little beauty knitted up.  The new Loyal Tweed is nice to knit up it is soft and comes in 8 gorgeous colours.  You have to try it!”

KNITTED DRESS IN BEAUTIFUL MISTI ALPACA

I love knitted dresses but always think good grief all that knitting I would never get it finished so never be able to wear it, but recently I was given a very old pattern from the 1920′s and thought that would look fantastic in the Misti Alpaca 4ply hand paint range so decided to bite the bullet so to speak.  I told one of my shop ladies that I was thinking of taking on this mammoth task and her reply was, just get the yarn on the needles and go for it, a bit here and there and you will have it completed before you know it.

So I did and here is a picture of the end result.

I am a bit smaller than the smallest size so I have put a ribbon around the centre which brings it in, but a belt would work equally well.

Loved knitting the Misti Alpaca, it didn’t take as long as I thought, I started it over the Christmas break and finished it last week, I don’t knit all day long just in the evenings but a few rows here and there, or deciding to do one block of the pattern which was 12 rows, then before I knew it all done.

Knitting the Misti was also a pleasure so it made me want to do more, as all knitter’s know some yarns don’t inspire a project to be finished but some yarns are just so gorgeous to knit and handle we don’t want to stop and I have to say that Misti Alpaca fall’s into that category.

To do this dress it took 5 and a half hanks.  Hopefully after reading this you will all go and have a look at the Misti Alpaca range in your store, it really is delicious, I have also made a large blanket out of the Chunky from the Misti range and that was beautiful also.  This has become one of my most favourite yarns and this season coming onto the shelves are some new shades in the existing yarns and also 2 brand new yarns.  I can’t wait I can feel that I will need another project to do in this same yarn, I think I might head off now and look for another dress pattern to get on with.  Although I have started knitting my husband a new winter sweater in Filatura Di Crosa Zara so I better get that finished first or I won’t be popular.

Happy Knitting

From Patty

Many, many of you will remember Ian Boyle and his long association with Naturally and if you wondered how he was doing then see the attached photo .  I’m sure you will join us in congratulating Ian on his outstanding success in such a short time.  Well done mate!

Patten Knits sells hand knit baby and childrens clothing – shipping is available worldwide.

Their latest creation is the set below, knitted using Freedom Gorgeous from Twilleys.

We are sending out a free pattern for these great cable and rib socks – designed and knitted with Waikiwi from Naturally Yarns – on Wednesday the 23rd of January around noon NZT. If you’re not signed up to receive our free patterns, click here to do so!

You can visit Koyal Kapilla’s web site by clicking here!