Materials:
Pair 6.5mm knitting needles
3 x Cushendale Mohair Wool Boucle of different colours

Directions:
Using Colour A, cast on 60 stitches.
Knit every row for 30cm.
Switch to Colour B and knit every row for 30cm, then switch to Colour C for 30cm.
Repeat until you have a beautiful, snuggly wrap!

“Zita’s Handmade Home” is a new series here on the blog, and one we’ve really been looking forward to kicking off. Zita is our resident houseproud interior design lover (she can regularly be spotted attempting to feng shui our chaotic shop floor!)

Zita uses her home as a showpiece for her love of knitting and handmaking, and we’ll be sharing projects from her crafty home on a regular basis.

Our first peak into Zita’s home shows her fabulously fun and quirky sofa cushion, knit using spectacular new sparkly King Cole Galaxy. The “Galactic Skyline” cushion used 2 balls of cream King Cole Galaxy and 2 balls of black Rowan Pure Wool DK. Zita adapted the New York skyline pattern from an original Marc Jacobs design. If you fancy recreating this ritzy cushion, Zita’s pattern is available free in-store with King Cole Galaxy purchases (or just leave a comment at checkout when shopping online).

King Cole Galaxy Double Knit has already established itself as this season’s biggest knitting hit. We utterly adore this unique, sequinned yarn and have been enjoying using it for a variety of projects.

It’s an absolute pleasure to knit with – you don’t even notice the little sequins as you knit, but there’s no missing the exquisite sparkle in the finished garment. Perhaps one of the most sensational things about this pretty yarn is its tiny pricetag – one 50g ball is just €3.95.

Galaxy is available in 5 different shades – grey, cream, black, black/grey and black/white, with three more launching soon (gorgeous seasonal shades of red, purple and fuchsia).

We’ll be sharing more of our intergalactically lovely Galaxy knits tomorrow, but today is all about Patsy’s beautiful sweater using shade #680 – the cost to knit this elegant top was just €23.70.

While the pattern Patsy used has recently gone out of print, you can view a range of King Cole Galaxy (and other equally suitable double knit patterns) here.

And best of all – the glossy, full-colour Springwools Club Members’ magazine four times a year!.

Our new issue (pictured) is being despatched this week, and if you’d like to receive it and the next three issues, plus other goodies, you can sign up to the Springwools Membership Club online. You can also subscribe by phoning (01) 4509134.

We’re very excited about the super cute new knitting goodies from Irish company, Purlette. Having just received our first delivery of this delightful range of stitch markers, point protectors and knitting charms, we’ve already had to order lots more – these lovely handmade items are flying out of the shop. Yay!

You can view or buy the full range of pretty Purlette accessories in our online shop. Purlette tell us that they hope to expand the range to include even more adorable knitting and crochet accessories soon.

Before we do that though, we figured we’d give you a peek at a couple of our favourite new additions that have already made it to the online shop, and which are selling like hot cakes.

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Lang Merino Lace 400
Lang Merino Lace is a luxurious 100% merino laceweight yarn in a lush range of 10 colours at a lovely, affordable price (just €2.95 for a 400m ball!) We adore this scrumptiously soft yarn and its gorgeous, on-trend colour palette.

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Cushendale Mohair Boucle
Cushendale Woollen Mills is one of Irelands few authentic woollen mills. For generations, Cushendale have produced natural fibre textiles in unique colour, design and craftsmanship in Kilkenny. This 70% Mohair 30% Wool Bouclé yarn is a high quality, beautifully soft handknitting yarn in a glorious array of rich shades. Springwools are proud to offer this wonderful Irish yarn at the special, reduced price of €6.95 a 100g ball.

Patsy was recently chatting about how as a teenager she knit arans for all of her family (so that’s how you become such a talented knitter!) when her darling sister Norrie teased that this was not so. Norrie informed Patsy that alas, she had been left out, and hadn’t received a handknit aran. Whoops.

Patsy promptly got to work addressing this 40-year oversight, and secretly knit Norrie this beautiful aran jacket, using new season Sirdar pattern #9467. Norrie was surprised and delighted when she received this gorgeous garment, and has assured Patsy that it more than makes up for not getting an old-fashioned aran as a kid!

The Knit-a-thon is a Volunteer Ireland initiative to get people knitting and crocheting in aid of charity. We hope that you’ll drop by Springwools at any time on Friday (we’re open 9am-5.30pm) for advice and materials for your charity project, or to pull up a seat and do some work on your project, while chatting with other knitters and crocheters. We’ll have lots of great special offers in-store, so that doing your bit won’t be costly.

* You may leave any completed items with us to forward in your name to the charity of your choice.

* We always accept donations of any unwanted yarn, which we supply to approved charity knitters throughout the year, so why not take the opportunity to clear some of your stash and leave it in our donations basket.

Below is a list of charities that are accepting knit and crochet donations:

Feileacain (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association of Ireland)Knit or crochet a white baby blanket for memory boxes supplied to maternity hospitals for new parents who have suffered a loss. It is a comfort to parents to know that the blankets that their baby will be wrapped in has been handmade so lovingly by someone. Please visit the Feileacain website for more information.

The Friends of the Rotunda Hospital
The Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin is seeking donations of knit and crocheted hats for preemie and newborn babies.

Age Action Ireland
Knit miniature hats for Innocent Smoothie bottles, and Innocent will donate 25c to Age Action Ireland for every bottle sold with a hat. Innocent Smoothies mini hat patterns are available here in store.

The Irish Heart Foundation
The ICA are seeking knitters to make sets of hats, scarves and mittens (as per their own designs on the ICA website) using King Cole Big Value Chunky (available in Springwools). These sets will be sold in Kilkenny Design Shops in aid of The Irish Heart Foundation. Check the ICA website for further info.

ARC Cancer Support
ARC is looking for good quality handmade items that can be raffled off or sold in their charity shops.

And since seeing Patsy’s finished masterpiece, those design details have now become something we’re all on the lookout for in our next knitting projects! This top is absolutely lush, isn’t it? You’ve got to love that gorgeus, rich purple – Patsy used Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran.

View/buy Rowan Cotton Classics book in our online shop (€12.95)