Cottage Garden Hot Water Bottle Pattern (and Kit)

I have been busy designing a hot water bottle pattern, using the lovely soft Samite Silk Blend wool from Blacker Yarns, where I work. You can buy the pattern later today in my shops on Etsy, Ravelry and LoveKnitting when I have uploaded them. 

The pattern is designed for DK wool, and there are instructions for two sizes, and information on how to fairly easily adapt it for other sizes of hot water bottle. It also has charts for two flower designs - tulips or poppies.

If you want to buy the pattern and wool as a project kit this is available on the Blacker Yarns website. I think it would make a lovely gift for any knitter who wants to dip their toe into fair isle knitting. It is a fairly easy introduction, as you are only ever working with two yarns at once.

My husband has just told me it is not the time for hot water bottles, but I have pointed out to him that we are only one little bit of the world. I am sure there are places where it is cold. In an effort to save on the heating bill I have frequently sat hugging a hot water bottle this winter.

You can see in the background of the photos below The Lost Flock by Jane Cooper. This is a really interesting read about the history of Boreray sheep, as well as her own personal story of a move from the northeast of England to the Orkney Islands, where she became a sheep farmer with her own flock of this rare breed.

Samite Silk Blend - Morte d'Arthur

I almost forgot that I have one more series of photos to show you that I took to illustrate Blacker Yarns new Samite silk blend. This book was my father-in-law's school prize, Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory. Volume 2 - so I wonder if he also won Volume 1?

 

I decided to use some of the new range of Samite yarn to make some patches with an Arthurian theme, and sewed them together to make a bookmark.

The beautiful plates in the book were part of the inspiration for the patterns used on the wool bands and colourcard.

 

Samite Silk Blend - St. Nectan's Glen

I had said I would post a few of the other photos that I took for Blacker Yarns new birthday range, Samite Silk Blend. After a lovely time swimming at Bossiney Bay, my daughter and I walked up to St. Nectan's Glen. This is a really magical place, with associations with Arthurian legend.

The site gets its name from a sixth century saint who is said to have lived in a hermitage cell here. It is also said that this holy site was where the Knights of the Round Table were blessed before setting out on the Quest for the Holy Grail.

The waterfall is very tall, and shoots through this hole in the rocks. I have also changed the photo in my banner heading, which is prayer ribbons tied in the trees around the valley.

Although at first I thought that the valley was going to be a bit dark for photos, but just as I needed it there was a golden evening glow.

Samite Silk Blend

I have been absolutely itching to post this video, which I made to advertise Blacker Yarn's new limited edition birthday yarn, which is launched today. The advert has been put near the top of the Blacker Yarns website. This yarn called Samite Silk Blend is made from 15% recycled silk 85% wool, and feels lovely and soft, and comes in a range of rich colours, named after characters from the Legend of King Arthur.

The filming took place on Dartmoor at sunset, and also at dawn in our field. It has taken a lot of planning and thought. On the Dartmoor shoot me and my husband spent quite a while avoiding groups of walkers. When we got home we realised that we had completely forgotten it was our wedding anniversary, which was fine because we had both forgotten. But making the film was such fun this is probably going to be more memorable than other years.

I have quite a few still photos that I have taken at other locations, and will post a few in a separate post.