Woodland Walk Hot Water Bottle Cover

I've been working on this pattern for some weeks, but first got in a bit of a muddle with the sizing, and then somehow as usual life has got in the way. My other Hot Water Bottle Cover pattern - The Cottage Garden, is possibly a bit summery, so I thought I would try to design one with more of an autumnal feel. 

I love going on an woodland walk in autumn - golden, yellow and red leaves on the trees and ground, hunting for and trying to identify the many toadstools, and perhaps catching a glimpse of a fox or rabbit. So I have incorporated all these motifs into my cover.

Like my other bottle cover I hope this is a good introduction to fair isle knitting. Only the fox has three colours, but with all the other motifs you are working with just two strands of wool. It is also a nice small project, possibly a bit easier than embarking on a garment if you are new to the technique. You could alter the colours of wool used, or the order of the motifs. If you do this, or even if you don't, I would love to see your finished project.

There is some embroidery on each motif, and I particularly enjoyed this part of the project. Suddenly the whole cover seemed to come to life. Embroidering with wool on wool is quite forgiving, and I have some tutorials in Embroidery Corner on this blog, if you need help with any of the stitches. 

The pattern uses 4mm needles, and DK wool. I knitted the back in plain stripes, but you could knit the back with the same motifs as the front. This would only take a little more wool.

I enjoyed this design so much that I thinking of some ideas for a wintery cover design.  

The pattern will be available on Ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting as soon as I have uploaded it. 

 

 

A Change of Scene

I have been dithering about this post. This blog gives some insights into my life, perhaps a slightly edited version. But as I know I have some people who have followed me for quite a few years, I thought I would just let you know that I have moved house. You may have noticed that I have been posting much less recently, mainly because moving house is such hard work. 

If you have followed my gardening posts you will definitely notice a difference next year. The new house has a lovely garden, but I am going to be much less vegetable-based. There are some lovely shrubs and flowers, so I am going to have to learn about this sort of gardening. There is a small raised bed, but I may have to plant some of my vegetables in pots or between the flowers in the borders.

We are now in a hamlet on the edge of Dartmoor. I think it will suit us well, and I have already been welcomed with a glass of wine by my new neighbour. When I say the edge of Dartmoor, I really mean the edge of Dartmoor. I have to frequently weave my way between sheep or ponies. The photo above was taken through the front window, where the ponies like to gather, no zoom lens needed. 

Our dog is enjoying some different walks, and we are looking forward to exploring Dartmoor and the surrounding countryside, which I expect you will see reflected here.