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| Thank you Canberra, Melbourne & Sydney.... |
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| I love being part of events supporting Australian designers and makers and, just as importantly, buying brilliant, well-priced gifts made with love. My early 2025 craft shows in Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra started with a bang: a positive sign that we're slowly emerging from the social restrictions of Covid. |
| So, where to next in May & June? |
 Fibre Frolic - Sunday 4th May Edmund Rice Conference Centre, 1315 Mulgoa Rd 10am to 3pm
Canberra's Wool Week at The Old Bus Depot Market Kingston Sat 17th & Sun 18th May.
Wool Week is a favourite with many ACT and interstate artists, plus of course local felters, weavers, spinners & knitters.
Hunters Hill Town Hall
Vintage Bespoke & Homewares Fair
May 23 - 25 Fri noon - 4pm. S/S 10am - 4pm
Sydney's Coal Loader Artisan Markets
Sunday June 22nd, 2 Balls Head Rd, Waverton
All Australian made, never disappoints.
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| Come and Meet the Maker |
Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair ICI Darling Harbour
Thurs 26th to Sun 29th June
Newcastle Machine & Handknitters
Sunday 13th July - Day lecture on Fit & Style,
and Design with lunch included.
Venue: Edgeworth Sports & Recreation Club.
I love these days. The focus is Fit & Style, & how I have created designs over the years with certain body shapes in mind. You'll see the simple techniques I created that can be added to commercial knitting patterns. Bookings contact
Leonie newcastlemachineknitters@gmail.com
Kate zimmermanka@yahoo.com.au
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Swing, Swagger, Drape -
Knit the Colors of Australia |
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 Shown above is the stunning Metro A line Coat from my book. Below is the Jacket version of the Metro Coat, the Bee Bee Jacket. Of course the colourways, as always, are endless.
The image left shows a close-up of the back neck on the Shawl collar style which is worked on the Bee Bee Jacket below. There's also a Vee Shawl collar style option that has been added to the Metro A-line Coat above. |
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| Harvest Cardigan is now available on Signatur's Shopify website |
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 The Harvest Cardigan has 8 chest sizes and two length options, shown left in the shorter length.
The small Pear Tree (below) is on sleeves, front and back, while centre back has the large Apple Tree.
I have written the pattern with row by row knitting instructions, giving you the choice to either knit from pattern or from graphs.
Achieving the 'half trees' on the front presented a challenge, but that is part of the fun of creating & designing. You can also see the knitted-on front bands, worked over 9sts of Basket Stitch. |
 To step from the band to the collar I like to work a Purl/Garter ridge as this also covers any unevenly picked up stitches.
I had great fun creating this design, I first developed the Apple Tree for centre back. To get the angle of the branches I alternated C2R - C2L moving 2 knit stitches over 1 purl stitch to the right and left.
The next 2sts are taken over 2 purl stitches, creating this alternating movement of stitches was the key to making this Pear Tree work. On the left you can see how I created branches from the cable twists. Though the cables alternate, I call this a snake cable. |
Blocks Cardigan and Jacket
a Signatur Handknits Classic |
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| Endless colourways abound in the Blocks Cardigan & Blocks Jacket. Blocks embraces a combination of 6 colours in Australian Wool & NZ Mohair &, occassionally a little Alpaca wanders in between the sprinkle of Italian Mohair! |
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| The original Blocks Cardigan had the classis round neck style. Then, a few years back, I introduced the Blocks Jacket, (above) with a wider buttonband & collar alongside pockets and a button back detail. This is one of my knitters favourite pieces to knit. |
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 The original late 1980's design comprised all wool, with a solid base colour plus 4 contrast colours.
Next came a combination of 5 colours with two wools and three Mohairs. Then, as more hand-dyed and variegated yarn hit the market I added two highlight colours creating the third variation. The highlights are broken into quarter size blocks and a 4 row stripe, both evident in the garments above.
The collar is only recent and my favorite, as it can be worn turned down as a collar or rolled up on chilly days. The collar on the Jumper version (right) is a slight Cowl and sits away from the neck. |
| Frida Intarsia challenge well-embraced |
 I am still stunned at how many lovers of Intarsia (picture knitting) have really embraced my Frida Jacket design, which is fantastic as this was originally started as an indulgence for me to knit myself.
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| Hats & Accessories maintain the rage |
 As popular as ever are my knitting kits for hats and accessories, like the Muffin Top Hat (left) in 12ply Verve or below knitted in Stone Fleck and Dark Denim Fleck.
The Wicked Hat (below) knitted in Mustard Fleck.
Both Hats have 3 sizes in 8ply S/M/L or knitted (same number of stitches) in 12ply 3 sizes M/L/XL |
 The base of both hats helps build the height and is Corrugated Garter (CG). This is simply st-st 2 rows/ Reverse st-st 2 rows.
Muffin Top Hat has an increase row: like a hybrid Beret!
The Wicked Hat has no increases and continues as below in Reverse st-st - this technique gives the floppy sides.
The top of both hats is knitted in 4 row repeat ladder stitch, that's 3 rows st-st & 1 row purl to create the ridge pattern.
I write all hat patterns with the option of working circular or on straight needles. The plait gives a great finish. |
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Fan & Cable Cardigan
Shona Jacket |
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Fan & Cable Cardigan offers 6 chest sizes and two length options left in Light Denim Fleck with mother of Pearl buttons using the raw side of the buttons (not the polished side)
In Mustard Fleck (above) the Shona Jacket shows the Shawl Collar detail at the back neck and the Celtic Cross stitch pattern. I created the Celtic Cross Stitch pattern with garter stitch as this makes knitting the wrongside rows easier - no matching knits and purls! The Hat is the Muffin Top Hat. |
| Santa Fe Jacket |
  
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| Great fun to knit and wear |
Sydney Studio - Open between events
Call Jane: 0427 064 834
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| Swing, Swagger, Drape is now on a USB stick |
  
Out of print as a book, but
now on a USB stick!
Simply slide into your computer, see every page of the book, print out just the pattern you need!
Perfectly packaged $25 |
| Wrapped in an Aussie Wave |
 The Wave Wrap an all time favourite, I do sell these as ready made, which this lovely lady purchased in Mellbourne, graciously letting me use this image. Both the Wicked Hat and Wave Wrap are knitted in Mustard Fleck Pure New Wool.
I also knit this in single colour 12ply, 10ply & 8ply - using the same pattern. As a rule when knitting wraps and scarves I look at the ball band recomended needle sizes and go up al least 2 needle sizes.
12ply 6.5mm ndle I take to 7.5mm or 8mm
10ply on 5mm up to 6mm or 6.6mm
8ply from 4mm to 5mm or 5.5mm
The larger the needle the more yarn you will need and the larger the wrap will be. |
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It's all about colour!
Buy a kit to knit yourself or as a gift for your sister, mum or BF! |
| Hope to see you soon! |
| If you'd like to discuss anything at all, please email Jane. Thanks for your support - Laura, Annette, Helen, Petra, Philippa, Cathryn, Margaret, Jacinta and I look forward to seeing you in the knitting circle! |
