I can now reveal one of my patterns from the Fresh Designs: Shawls book! (the other one is a toy - which is one of the last books in the series). I designed this Furzeleigh Lane Shawlet with bluefaced Leicester sock yarn from Babylonglegs - but it's truly a one skein project. Thanks to Shannon Okey - aka knitgrrl - for this preview~ doesn't the model look fab? - I love her hair. Check out the 'kickstart' project page for more information.

Above and Below the Waves

Alison Murray is an amazingly imaginative, talented knitter with oodles of energy and ideas and she just happens to live in my home county of Devon, and it's been a privilege to meet her (and her mother Ann Murray who is also a great knit). Alison's day job has been working as a chaperone for young people, children and sometimes even babies in the music, arts and media world for the past 15 years. This involves residential work all over the country and abroad working with TV, film and theatre companies.

When she's not doing that, she works as a a textile designer and has knitted items on commission including a full English Breakfast. Alison also make installations for theme parks in the South-west, ranging from life-size polar bears for a Christmas grotto to Elvis Presley aliens and a cloning machine for a science-fiction ride (none of these were knitted).
Over the last few years she has been the driving force and brain behind two enormous community projects, encouraging and inspiring everyone to take part. This includes her family, with mum Ann, brother John Murray and uncle John Garrod all lending a hand. A 60feet high Christmas tree and a giant gingerbread house have raised over £20,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Alison loves to paint and read and relax at her home here in Devon when not rushing around the country. Her favourite colour is green, and she loves chocolate eclairs and all things ginger.

"I want to show people that knitting is not something that granny does," she said.

If you'd like to join in her latest project then read on...

"Dear Nautical Nutty Knitters,
Thank you for your interest and support in our latest adventure in all things watery. The theme is “Above and Below the Waves” and it will be our most ambitious project so far.
We are hoping to construct a tunnel that will make it possible to walk under the sea, while above there will be rocks, a lighthouse, boats, beach etc. As this is more complex project we are still working on the technical details and because of this the completion will be in 2010.
However, we can start knitting and crocheting now, and the following patterns are a rough guide to what we may need. As before there are simple patterns for rectangles and SQUARES, fish and coral, but feel free to improvise and make shells, starfish, seaweed etc.
Because of the theme we are aiming to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The project is already booked for a national tour in 2010-2011 and we will keep you posted.
We are also aiming to produce another book, as we did with the Knitted Gingerbread House. This will be called ‘Fishy Tales’ so we would love to receive any of your recipes or stories connected with the sea.

The following patterns are just a guide to get you started. Feel free to make whatever you feel inspired to do: Starfish, jellyfish, Seaweed, Crabs, Shells etc.
Please send all knitted items (or contributions to the fishy book) to
Alison Murray, “High Rising”, Northdown Road, Bideford, N Devon EX39 3LP

Patterns, September 2008

Rectangles

8” wide x 20” long,All shades of blue, white, grey, black, turquoise, sand or brown.

Fish

Make 2 pieces the same:
Knitting needles – 1 pair 3.25mm (UK10, USA3)

using A (main colour), cast on 13 stitches.

1st row (Right side): knit

2nd row: P1, *K1, P1 rpt from * to end

These two rows form pattern.

Keeping pattern correct dec 1 st at each end of next and following 2 alt. rows. 7 st remain.

Work 1 row.

Keeping pattern correct, and working in stripes of 2 rows in B (contrast colour) and 2 rows of A, inc 1 st at each end of next and every alt row until there are 17 st.

Work 5 rows straight, thus ending with 2 rows in B.

Keeping stripes correct dec 1 st at each end of next and following alt row. 13 st remain.

Work 1 row. Break off B and using A only continue to dec. 1 st at each end of next and every alt row until 5 st remain. Cast off.

To make up:
Using black, embroider an eye on each piece. Sew the two pieces together leaving a small opening. Stuff firmly and close opening.

The fish can be plain as well as striped. Size can be altered by using larger needles and thicker yarn.

Crochet Coral

Foundation ring: using double knitting wool and a 4.00mm crochet hook make 5 ch.ss into last chain to form a ring.
Round 1: 3 ch (counts as first tr) 14 trs into ring.

Round 2:3 ch (counts as first tr) 2 trs into next st, (3 tr into next stitch to end) ss into top of 3rd chain.

Round 3: as round 2. Fasten off.

To make a larger size repeat round 2 as many times as required.

(I'm not a crocheter so I'm hoping I transcribed that last pattern correctly).

Jacob Beanie Free Pattern

Materials: 50mg main colour (MC) DK (Actually used about 40g)

50mg contrast colour (CC) DK (used about 30g)

To fit head circumference 23" Gauge 12st x 14 rows = 2" over pattern

3mm round needle/set of dpns (for magic loop, or 2 circs, or small circ and set of dpns – whatever takes your fancy!)

3¾ mm round needle/set of dpns

1 stitch marker 1 large blunt darning needle

Destructions:-

With 3mm needle cast on 120st with MC.

Round one: being careful not to twist, join ends and *K1MC, K1CC, rpt from * to end of round.

Place stitch marker.

Round 2: Bring both yarns to front of work, P1MC, put yarn just worked down to the left of work and bring CC over, P1CC, continue thus to end of round.

Round 3: Keep both yarns at front of work, P1MC, put yarn just worked to the right and bring CC under it, P1CC. continue to P1MC and P 1CC to end of round as set.

Round 4: replacing yarn at back of work, K all stitches in MC.

Rounds 5 – 9 inclusive: *K1CC, P1MC, rpt from * to end.

Round 10, K 1 round in CC.

Round 11: change to 3¾ needle and work from line 11 of chart, setting pattern as follows:

*K2CC, K4MC, (K1CC, K1MC)x4, K1CC, K4MC, K3CC, K4MC, (K1CC, K1MC)x4, K1CC, K4MC, K1CC.

Rpt from * twice more to end of round.

Continue working from chart as set until 41 rows completed. Start decreasing.

First decrease, round 42:

*K1CC, SSK MC, K3MC, K3CC, K1MC, K1CC, K1MC, K3CC, K3MC, K2tog; Rpt from * x5 more to end of round.

Round 43 – no decreasing, work as per chart.

Rounds 44-49: decrease every round as per chart.

Round 50 no decreasing: *K1CC, K5MC Rpt from * 5 more times to end of round.

Round 51, decrease again. Round 51, *K1CC, Slip 1, K2tog, PSSO rpt from * to end of round

Knit 1 more round on remaining 12 stitches without shaping.

Now thread large blunt darning needle with end of yarn and pass through all remaining stitches twice to cast off. Sew in ends on wrong side and block to finish.

Phew, that wasn't easy - especially fiddling around with cheapie picture editing software to make the chart. Would anyone like to test knit this for me? I'm off now to walk the dogs - but I'm going to try and make it into a PDF later. Pics are of Jacob mark 3 with the pattern in the negative, solid main colour and handpainted contrast colour (dyed by the Old Piggery) - modelled by Seth's friend James (thanks James!).

Well - tiz done, for better or worse - I've managed to make the PDF AND get it in my sidebar. I know this is probably easy peasy to some (looks at Pixie's website with envy) but it took some learning for this technophobe - thanks for all the advice.