Virtual Yarns - Home of Alice Starmore Yarns and Designs

Dear Knitter,

The recent storms have blown almost all the autumn leaves off the trees in Scotland and so we have an appropriately wintry new outfit to show you this month. Emma is wearing the new Scarborough patterncard kit made up in our pale and lovely Solan Goose 3 Ply. This gansey design is based on the idea of the basic working fisher gansies that were produced in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. These gansies featured small, simple patterns that could be more quickly knitted in a wide variety of sizes, which was important as they were mainly made for sale. There is charm and versatility in the simplicity of both silhouette and patterning, so this is a garment which will look stylish and comfortable on any figure, worn either casually or dressed-up. We have styled this one with a pale Briodag Hat Set, Dùn Cuffs and a matching woven wrap from my Beginner's Weaving Class. But if you prefer your winter outfits in darker colours then this lovely design will look beautiful in any of our 3 Ply shades. You can find the Scarborough patterncard kit here.

The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply

For a more nautical styling of the Scarborough, you can see Rebecca wearing it here with dark denim, a Hirta Hat Set in pales and blues and a Sky Oiseabhal Wrap. 

The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply
The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply
The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply
The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply

You can also see a subtle gold styling on Emma Lindsey styled with a gold Hirta Hat Set and Granite Oiseabhal Wrap.

The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply
The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply
The Scarborough pullover, Hirta Hat Set and Oiseabhal Wrap patterncard kit designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 & 3 Ply
Mara waistcoat patterncard kit and Kittiwake Hat from the book Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply

This month we have been out on another shoot on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. We took advantage of a beautiful day to shoot a Kittiwake Hat which I had just finished in our Shearwater 2 Ply. This design, from my Aran Knitting book, knits up perfectly in the Hebridean 2 Ply, and you can see Rebecca wearing it here with a Mara Waistcoat and Marina Gloves. The Kittiwake Hat is now available as a yarn pack in Hebridean 2 Ply for working in conjunction with Aran Knitting; you can find out more here.

Mara waistcoat patterncard kit and Kittiwake Hat from the book Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
Mara waistcoat patterncard kit and Kittiwake Hat from the book Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
Mara waistcoat patterncard kit and Kittiwake Hat from the book Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
Mara waistcoat patterncard kit and Kittiwake Hat from the book Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
Mara waistcoat patterncard kit and Kittiwake Hat from the book Aran Knitting by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
Mara patterncard kit by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
The Ruabhal Hat Set, Eagle Collar and Woven Wrap hand knitwear and weaving designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply

For all of our customers outside the UK, I would like to remind you (as reluctant as I am to mention Xmas this early in the year) that we do recommend you place orders by the end of November for any items you wish to have for Xmas. The postal services become intensely busy towards the end of the year and delivery times are always longer than usual throughout December. We will also be taking our winter holiday over Xmas and New Year so we will be closed to orders between the 18th of December and 5th of January.

The Ruabhal Hat Set, Eagle Collar and Woven Wrap hand knitwear and weaving designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
The Ruabhal Hat Set, Eagle Collar and Woven Wrap hand knitwear and weaving designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply
The Ruabhal Hat Set, Eagle Collar and Woven Wrap hand knitwear and weaving designs by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply

Both myself and Jade have been busy knitting different colourways of a new design, which we have just started to photograph. We will be back in November with this new stranded design and more images from our recent shoot,

Happy Knitting,

Alice