The Real Sea Urchin Beret Pattern

This knitting pattern has bitter-sweet memories for me. I worked up this pattern last year as I spent some time at my parents' house as Dad was dying with cancer. Was that last year? It seems so much longer ago.

I remember sitting in one armchair looking at Dad in the other; my aunty winding him up about how much pension he was entitled to, and him asking me 'if it's not too much bother when you've finished that' to get him all his papers and documents. Of course I got him his papers straight away; didn't he know I would've brought him the world if I could have? I kept knitting this pattern up as he tried to work out how much money the taxman was taking him for, not quite sure if it was the only thing keeping me sane, and wondering if it would work out as I imagined it in my mind's eye, or even fit.

When it was done I was so pleased. I actually really love this beret. I love the yarn I worked it in. I love the fact that it really does look like a sea urchin (and who wouldn't want one of those on their heads, right? exactly). It is a truly satisfying knit.

These images were taken the Monday morning after I returned home. Images to sell the pattern is all. But whenever I look at them all I remember is the kids having their lunch, and me walking in to hearing the phone ringing and then listening to my brother telling me that 'Dad could go any time, come as soon as you can'. So whenever I see these pictures I wince. I don't see the pattern; I see the last few hours that my Dad was alive. They take me right back.



Like I said, bitter-sweet memories.

But, I do so love this pattern and am wondering if I should re-shoot the images for the store? In some ways I like the connection it has to my Dad, and on the other, well, it comes with a miserable story... *shrugs*

But I've meaning to do this for a while - just as a little memory-marker for my Dad - I'm reducing the pattern price for two weeks by a 1/5th - yep. This pattern is on sale for a limited time at the Vintagalia Big Cartel store. Grab it while it lasts!

A lovely pattern with a crappy back-story...

The Real Sea Urchin Beret Knitting Pattern

Continuing the seaside theme today is a pattern I've been working on for a couple of weeks now - a Sea Urchin Beret.

I don't know what the attraction is for these weird and wonderful creatures, but they do seem to creep up in craftland quite a lot. For me, I actually have a soft spot for the symmetry and other-wordliness of these amazing creatures. Some of the most amazing patterns and forms can be found nowhere outside a person's imagination except in the sea.

Inspired then by these intriguing of all pattern-makers, and chivvied along by my son's interest in everything animal, pushed to the edge with this jaw-dropping book, Art Forms in Nature, and my inexhaustable need to knit I developed this pattern so that we land critters can capture and enjoy some of these wonderful designs too.

I love this pattern, even if I do say so myself - the bamboo yarn hangs nicely, giving a soft sheen, and the bobbles and lace effect give an interesting and unique look to the whole beret.

The pattern can be found for sale over on etsy, or at my bigcartel store (The bigcartel store will be cheaper reflecting on the lack of insertion fee), or keep reading for another knitting pattern - free!

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A Farmer's Spring Sweater ::

Before this amazing (and much appreciated masha'allah) heatwave we're having in our neck of the woods descended, I knit myself a simple (keyword) sweater for the spring months - months in which I spend a vast amount of time preparing our allotment for the growing season.

The sweater had to have two basic requirements :: it had to have short sleeves to save me rolling any up, and it had to be simple and warm.



I came up with this, and it does what it says on the tin :: simple, straightforward, easy to adapt, and warm.



In many ways this is the perfect Farmer's Sweater - keeping the allotmenteer cosy whilst sleeves are well and truly rolled up ready for work. And the best part about it is this pattern is FREE!

The Pattern can be found HERE, and I will be also putting a link up on the Tutorials page. Feel free to link and share, with usual restrictions of full credit to moi, and no selling (be nice!).

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So there you have it. Two new patterns for you today. Go and enjoy! I'll be putting both sets of details on Ravelry soon insha'allah.

xxx





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