Wednesday, July 9, 2014

hazel






this is shwook. still in need of a soak and a block, it's a free fair isle hat pattern from hazel tindall. 'hazel, who has twice held the world's fastest knitter title, will be patron of 2014 shetland wool week. hazel grew up in shetland and learned to knit before she can even remember. her knitting has been the subject of many articles and book chapters, and her own patterns are eagerly sought by knitters all around the world. hazel has a real passion for knitting, patterns and shetland wool and having delivered a number of classes in past years, is an ideal patron for wool week 2014. she will design a special wool week pattern which will be made available prior to the event.'  this is the one.


although i won't be attending wool week in october, our group going to shetland will be lucky enough to meet hazel on our grand adventure this month. this pattern she's designed and shared was really fun to knit, and so easy to personalize. it requires five colors, and you have a choice using of three dark, two light or two dark, three light. i have read that when choosing colors for fair isle it helps to view them in black and white, easier to see the contrast, and to tell if they'll work. i love how this pattern is written, so easy to follow. a really really lovely design. i can't wait to visit jamieson & smith in shetland, to choose more colors for more shwooks! raverly notes here

i'm reading all about puffins in the book above, it's all i can concentrate on at the moment (two weeks to go!)

joining with ginny (again, finally! hi ginny!) and all the lovely yarn alongers.
xxx lori



50 comments:

  1. what a lovely hat! Enjoy your trip to Shetland. I just heard an interesting article about the area on NPR the other day. It is the setting for Ann Cleeves novels. The islands sound breath-taking. Can't wait to hear all about it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you kathleen! i have been reading ann cleeves novels, really fun! there has also been a made for television series based on the books, filmed in shetland. i'm so enjoying learning about this magical place!

      Delete
  2. I love your hat. I can't believe you are going in two weeks!!!! I can't wait to hear all about it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow Lori- beautiful pattern and color way. You look so lovely in it. Shetland...that is my neck of the woods- I hope you have a wonderful time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you very much camilla. i've read that shetland is closer to norway than the uk. it's very far north, 60 degrees... :)

      Delete
  4. such a sweet hat filled with colors! Two weeks will go like a snap!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Replies
    1. aw thank you! i hope you get the chance to cast on for one!

      Delete
  6. Beautiful hat and Beautiful knitting!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, beautiful pattern and choice of colours. Love the hat!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I never would have thought to pair these colours, they're absolutely gorgeous together! Such a sweet hat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i agree, i wanted to use what i had though, and hoped it would work! thank you so much for the kind words!

      Delete
  9. squeeeeeee!!! Just two weeks! So very excited for you....and what fabulous knits you have ready to go with you! Love the hat! :) Hope you will have a chance to pop into Jamieson as well as Jamieson and Smith.....so many colors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks steph! we will be going to both! can't wait, more wool for more shwooks!

      Delete
  10. Great hat - thanks for sharing the black and white tip - I would never have though of viewing color work in b & w first!
    Looks fab on you, as does the flower wreath in your previous post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. aw thank you emma! i learned from maryjane mucklestone that super saturated colors can still play tricks on you when viewed in b&w, so best just to use your best judgement. it's always tricky for me, but fun to try!

      Delete
  11. I really love the choice of colours in your knitting! They work so well together and the hat looks lovely on you. :)
    Jess x

    ReplyDelete
  12. stunning hat, love those colors! i'm really excited about trying fair isle, it always looks magical!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh great! i think you'll love it, knitting fair isle is fun! thank you so much lea!

      Delete
  13. What I love most about your knitting is that I always see "you" shine through, in this case in your choice of pretty colours. This hat looks so happy, cheerful and optimistic. I look forward to seeing many more shwooks fly off your needles. I'm a little worried, though, that you might never make it out of the wool shops... too much woolly wonderfulness to bear! So excited for you :)) xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just watched the video (to be honest, I tend to avoid these about Shetland Wool Week...too tempting! silly, I know) How marvellous! I always love to see children knitting and to see people who love wool so much that they have devoted their lives to it. Thank you for sharing and for prompting me to get past my silliness :)

      Delete
    2. haha, thank you leigh, but good thing is i'll be part of a group and where they go i will too, won't get lost in there! ;) we may have to pull each other out though ;)

      Delete
  14. Shwook on! You have enough Shetland gear now to blend in like a native I reckon. It is like camo for knitters. I have thoroughly enjoyed your anticipatory knitting projects, anticipation is such a precious part of travel...thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ahh Lori, isn't shwook a wonderful word! Hazel's pattern is such a classic example of fair isle, and I imagine it would look totally different in varying colorways. The colors you chose work beautifully, with just enough "surprise" element to give the hat its spark. It does look fantastic on your own fair head.

    Two weeks? Are your feet still on the ground at all?

    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. frances, thank you. i love all the different variations of shwook on ravelry. i'm sure as time goes by and wool week approaches there will be a plethora of them, all beautiful. i will admit i am having a difficult time concentrating... i've never taken a trip with so much build up (emails, raverly thread, instagram...with the lovely girls going) it's been such a wonderful experience.

      Delete
  16. I'm in awe with that hat! I couldn't resist, and had to get some yarn to make my own too!
    I watched the video too. How fantastic it would be to participate to such an event! I also started to watch the BBC show "Shetland"! And there's so many beautiful knits in the show! I even spotted a Kate Davies design!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i love that you are making the hat melody! and you watched the show! i did see her knits too. :)
      can't wait to see your shwook!

      Delete
  17. You are a very talented knitter Lori! I love this hat and the colours you have chosen - it's a beauty. This makes me want to pick up my very dusty knitting needles ;-D Thanks for sharing this link, could I pin your picture onto my knitting Pinterest Board please (you're fair isle scarf is already on there). I've never been to The Shetland Isles but I have travelled around Scotland and visited the Isle of Skye, it’s so beautiful - you're in for a treat!
    Amanda X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you amanda, thats very sweet of you. i'm flattered you would like to pin this hat, yes of course you may :) i hope you do pick up your needles again, you will be in some of the best company in the world, knitters are an amazing bunch. how lovely you''ve been to scotland, i bet you have some wonderful memories!

      Delete
  18. Beautiful colors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you, jamieson & smith are truly genius! so much to choose from!

      Delete
  19. You will be the best-dressed ltp that's for sure!!! Love.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh, Lori that hat is beautiful! And I love your top too. The whole ensemble is perfect!!! I haven't done any fair isle but I really want to give it a try. Any suggestions for a pattern for first-timers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you, that is so sweet! my top is an embroidered one i bought years ago, it was old then! it's still holding up.

      i think you might like making the favorite things scarf. it's really a good way to learn and get lots of practice. you knit in the round, so no purling, only 72 stitches. you can choose from hundreds of simple patterns. i will put notes up on mine soon (keep meaning to get to that!) but there are many on ravelry.

      Delete
  21. I absolutely can't wait to see your photos from your trip. This hat is beautiful, but then, everything you do is! XOXO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you dear susan! i hopefully will get lots to share! XOXO

      Delete
  22. I love your hat.. so much that I want to make at least one. It's beautiful.
    I just found your blog recently, and I'm so glad I did! We lived for many years in Ventura County, and spent many weekends in Carpinteria, El Capitan and longer trips to Big Sur. Our camping days are far behind us and we now live near Lake Michigan. Very content here, but seeing your pictures of sea otters and tide pools made me think of other things we loved while living there..the farmer's market in Santa Barbara on Saturdays. I'm reading through your archives each evening..such a treat. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Gaile

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello gaile, thank you so much! i'm so glad to hear you want to make the hat, it is such a nice pattern. it sounds like you are in a beautiful place now, we were in wisconsin last summer (a bit of minnesota too) and i fell in love with it there. i'm glad you are enjoying reading (thank you again), i've thought about separating this blog, making 2, one into travel and one knitting, so people who have no interest in one or the other don't have to be bothered. but it means being clever on the computer, which is not me! :)

      Delete
  23. Your hat is so beautiful, I love the colours and the pattern and how lovely you look wearing it too! Looking forward to hearing about your trip, I think you will have a wonderful experience!
    Happy week, Lori!
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete
  24. Great hat- I love the colors you chose for it. It works!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I have just found your blog through your IG page, love it! Your knitting is wonderful!

    ReplyDelete

xoxo lori