I firmly believe in the stress-reducing power of knitting,” declares Evin Bail O’Keeffe. And she should know.
Because while many of us have been able to enjoy a daily walk in lockdown, living with an auto-immune condition since childhood means that Evin and her family have been more or less confined to their apartment in Cork city since COVID-19 restrictions were first introduced in March.
Indeed, in the first 60 days, she only left home on four occasions, to go to the post office, the GP and two trips to the pharmacy, with her husband doing the weekly shop and a kind neighbour dropping essentials like milk in between.
Needless to say, staying home has had its challenges, especially with young children.
Knitwear designer Evin Bail O'Keeffe has just released her latest book, Ultraviolet Knits. \ Niall Twamley
“A lot of things have been coloured on that are not meant to be coloured on,” she says wryly, “and I just take deep breaths because they’re only kids once and if they survive this with minimal stress and issues as a result, I feel as if it’s a win.”
In the meantime, however, Evin has also managed to launch her latest book, Ultraviolet Knits, and will be sharing three exclusive patterns with Irish Country Living over the coming weeks.
Evin – who previously appeared in these pages with her baby knitting series in 2018 – is originally from Maryland in the US, but moved to Cork with her husband in 2008 for an “adventure”.
Twelve years and two sons later, she has established herself as one of Ireland’s top craft bloggers and knitwear designers; though as she explains, she really only began knitting after she joined a group to make new friends and was very much a nervous “beginner”. “It was definitely overwhelming at first when I could just knit in purl and do one cast on and one cast off and I felt a little limited and I felt like I needed to improve and I needed to know it all,” she recalls. “But I also felt that I had to be patient with myself.”
And it’s clear that knitting has been one of the things that has helped Evin through the COVID crisis.
“Our knitting group still meets every week at the same time on Zoom,” she says.
“At the beginning it was very hard and we were very inconsistent, but once we started making sure that time was for us, we started to feel a lot better and that’s made a huge difference. We do the exact same things; except we have to make our own coffee!”
Ultraviolet knits
Evin’s latest book, Ultraviolet Knits, features 12 knitting patterns designed to bring out the best in UV-reflective hand-dyed wool yarn.
As an avid crafter, Evin had noticed that some of the yarns she used would react or “glow” in response to ultraviolet light – like at a concert – and wondered how she could make more of this feature in her designs.
“It’s nice to challenge your comfort zone,” she says, explaining how she soon saw that there was a gap for knitwear designs suitable for summer festivals; and beyond.
“The ‘bralets’ are not really something you can wear the rest of the year,” she laughs. “There wasn’t something that felt approachable and elegant and useful for every day that also would be cool for a festival.”
But while Evin used particular yarns from individual craft dyers – such as Cork-based Eve Chambers – to achieve the UV reaction, she says that knitters can easily substitute wool and leftover yarns they already have in their own stash if they don’t want that effect.
“A lot of people will have those bits left over after a sweater or a pair of socks and they don’t know what to do with it,” she says, “so I tried to design so that you could mix up a load of leftover colours or whatever you had handy and have them shine without the pattern competing.”
Knitting series
For example, the first pattern that Evin will share with Irish Country Living, the Betelgeuse shawl, involves just one ball of wool in a sock or DK weight (light yarn).
“It’s a great beginner shawl,” she says. “It’s very good for anyone who may have conquered the scarf and wants to take the next step.”
The second pattern, Midnight Waffles, doubles as both a cowl and as a headband and will work well with leftover DK or wool, which is often used for baby knitting.
“If you make it at home, you just need two colours of DK and you don’t need a full ball,” she explains.
Finally, while the third pattern, the Cassiopeia shawl, looks very complex due to the amount of different yarns involved, the pattern itself is short.
“It’s just a repeat of seven rows again and again and it’s really handy because you can just use whatever yarns you have left over, join them as you’re knitting, so that you don’t even have to weave in ends if you don’t want to,” she says.
Create a lockdown heirloom
While we often associate knitwear with winter, Evin’s patterns are summer-appropriate, especially if people will be spending more evenings out in their gardens due to social restrictions, or as an extra layer for a family picnic or walk.
She would love to see readers take on one of the projects, which could in time become almost a family heirloom.
“Can you imagine if one of our grandmothers had made something during the 1918 flu? We’d look upon that as being something very special,” she says.
“I think it’s nice to have something that gives people something to do, but also something to enjoy.”
Ultraviolet Knits by Evin Bail O'Keeffe.
Ultraviolet Knits is available to buy online immediately, delivered direct to your email in PDF form, at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/ultraviolet-knits at $22/€20 plus VAT. Alternatively, you can buy a copy of the book on https://anchorandbee.com/ at €22 with shipping from 1 July.
Betelgeuse shawl by Evin Bail O'Keeffe. \ Niall Twamley
This single-skein bottom-up triangle shawl is knit flat, making a fun shawl for an advanced beginner who is ready to move on from scarves. The nature of the construction also means it is flexible regarding yarn quantity and sizing. Use the needle size recommended on your skein of wool if you substitute a different type or weight. If you want a larger shawl or have more yarn to use, just keep knitting, the bottom-up nature of the shawl makes it possible to adjust the size to your specific needs.
Named for one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye, Betelgeuse is the ninth-brightest star in the night sky and second-brightest in the constellation of Orion. The star itself is a distinct orange-red, much like this yarn (see below) when viewed under black light.
Betelgeuse shawl by Evin Bail O'Keeffe. \ Niall Twamley
Weight of yarn: 1 Super Fine
Skill level: Intermediate
Finished Measurements: H 70cm,
W 129cm
Materials:
I used Qing Fibre SINGLES (400yds/366m, 3.53oz/100g, 100% Superwash Merino Wool): 1 skein Firaja. This can be sourced at www.qingfibre.com However, feel free to substitute from your own wool stash. Size US6 (4mm) 24in (60cm) circular needles or size needed to obtain gaugeStitch markerTapestry needleGauge: In pattern stitch between eyelets, 20 sts and 32 rows = 4 in/10cm.
CO 3 sts.
Set up Row: Purl.
Row 1 (RS): K1, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1.
Row 2 (WS): K1, purl to last st, k1.
Repeat these two rows for the duration of the pattern, except for...
Rows 39-54, 63-78, 87-102, 111-126, 135-150, 159-174, 183-198, 207-222, 231-246, 255-270, 279-294, 303-318, 327-342, 351-366, 375-390, and 399-419. Work these rows as follows:
Rows 39, 43, 63, 67, 87, 91, 111, 115, 135, 139, 159, 163, 183, 187, 207, 211, 231, 235, 255, 259, 279, 283, 303, 307, 327, 331, 351, 355, 375, 379, 399, 403, 423, 427, 447, and 451 (RS):
K1, yo, k1, (k2, k2tog, yo, k8) three, five, or seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Even-numbered rows 40-54, 64-78, and 88-102 (WS):
K1, purl to last st, k1.
Rows 41, 65, 89, 113, 137, 161, 185, 209, 233, 257, 281, 305, 329, 353, 377, 401, 425, and 449 (RS):
K1, yo, k1, (k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k7) three, five, seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Rows 45, 53, 69, 77, 93, 101, 117, 125, 141, 149, 165, 173, 189, 197, 213, 221, 237, 245, 261, 269, 285, 293, 309, 317, 333, 341, 357, 365, 381, 389, 405, 413, 429, 437, 453, and 461 (RS):
K1, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1.
Rows 47, 51, 71, 75, 95, 99, 119, 123, 143, 147, 167, 171, 191, 195, 215, 219, 239, 243, 263, 267, 287, 291, 311, 315, 335, 339, 359, 363, 383, 387, 407, 411, 431, 435, 455, and 459 (RS): K1, yo, k1, (k8, k2tog, yo, k2) three, five, seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Row 49, 73, 97, 121, 145, 169, 193, 217, 241, 265, 289, 313, 337, 361, 385, 409, 433, and 457 (RS): K1, yo, k1, (k7, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1) three, five, seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Stop when you are running short of yarn and then finish with nine rows in stockinette stitch, followed by six rows in garter stitch.
Bind off loosely using a stretchy bind-off technique. Block in a triangle shape. Weave in ends.
Terms and abbreviations used in Betelgeuse Shawl
Block: After a knitted garment or item is complete, sometimes the stitches may be uneven or edges may roll. To train the stitches to lay flat or take on a shape, such as a tea cosy, use steam or moisture followed by drying time in a set position. This should not be done on ribbing or other stitches requiring a retention of stretch. Lace knitting is especially transformed when blocked because it goes from compressed and wrinkled to smooth and spread out.Gauge: Number of stitches and rows in a 4-by-4-inch section of knitted material is needed to create the project in the desired size and stitch density.K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together at this part of the pattern. This is used as a manner of decreasing stitches, to balance added stitches for a consistent stitch count, or for a design feature.RS: Right side. The outside of the fabric or item. What will show to the world when you wear/use it. WS: Wrong side. The inside of the fabric or item. What will not show when you wear/use it.YO: Yarn over. Simply wrap the working yarn around the right needle to create a new stitch.NOTE: While each pattern has been technically tested, if errata (corrections) are required, they will be posted at http://anchorandbee.com Read more
New knitting series with designer Evin Bail O'Keeffe
Knit this Barra marled hat designed by Evin Bail O'Keeffe
I firmly believe in the stress-reducing power of knitting,” declares Evin Bail O’Keeffe. And she should know.
Because while many of us have been able to enjoy a daily walk in lockdown, living with an auto-immune condition since childhood means that Evin and her family have been more or less confined to their apartment in Cork city since COVID-19 restrictions were first introduced in March.
Indeed, in the first 60 days, she only left home on four occasions, to go to the post office, the GP and two trips to the pharmacy, with her husband doing the weekly shop and a kind neighbour dropping essentials like milk in between.
Needless to say, staying home has had its challenges, especially with young children.
Knitwear designer Evin Bail O'Keeffe has just released her latest book, Ultraviolet Knits. \ Niall Twamley
“A lot of things have been coloured on that are not meant to be coloured on,” she says wryly, “and I just take deep breaths because they’re only kids once and if they survive this with minimal stress and issues as a result, I feel as if it’s a win.”
In the meantime, however, Evin has also managed to launch her latest book, Ultraviolet Knits, and will be sharing three exclusive patterns with Irish Country Living over the coming weeks.
Evin – who previously appeared in these pages with her baby knitting series in 2018 – is originally from Maryland in the US, but moved to Cork with her husband in 2008 for an “adventure”.
Twelve years and two sons later, she has established herself as one of Ireland’s top craft bloggers and knitwear designers; though as she explains, she really only began knitting after she joined a group to make new friends and was very much a nervous “beginner”. “It was definitely overwhelming at first when I could just knit in purl and do one cast on and one cast off and I felt a little limited and I felt like I needed to improve and I needed to know it all,” she recalls. “But I also felt that I had to be patient with myself.”
And it’s clear that knitting has been one of the things that has helped Evin through the COVID crisis.
“Our knitting group still meets every week at the same time on Zoom,” she says.
“At the beginning it was very hard and we were very inconsistent, but once we started making sure that time was for us, we started to feel a lot better and that’s made a huge difference. We do the exact same things; except we have to make our own coffee!”
Ultraviolet knits
Evin’s latest book, Ultraviolet Knits, features 12 knitting patterns designed to bring out the best in UV-reflective hand-dyed wool yarn.
As an avid crafter, Evin had noticed that some of the yarns she used would react or “glow” in response to ultraviolet light – like at a concert – and wondered how she could make more of this feature in her designs.
“It’s nice to challenge your comfort zone,” she says, explaining how she soon saw that there was a gap for knitwear designs suitable for summer festivals; and beyond.
“The ‘bralets’ are not really something you can wear the rest of the year,” she laughs. “There wasn’t something that felt approachable and elegant and useful for every day that also would be cool for a festival.”
But while Evin used particular yarns from individual craft dyers – such as Cork-based Eve Chambers – to achieve the UV reaction, she says that knitters can easily substitute wool and leftover yarns they already have in their own stash if they don’t want that effect.
“A lot of people will have those bits left over after a sweater or a pair of socks and they don’t know what to do with it,” she says, “so I tried to design so that you could mix up a load of leftover colours or whatever you had handy and have them shine without the pattern competing.”
Knitting series
For example, the first pattern that Evin will share with Irish Country Living, the Betelgeuse shawl, involves just one ball of wool in a sock or DK weight (light yarn).
“It’s a great beginner shawl,” she says. “It’s very good for anyone who may have conquered the scarf and wants to take the next step.”
The second pattern, Midnight Waffles, doubles as both a cowl and as a headband and will work well with leftover DK or wool, which is often used for baby knitting.
“If you make it at home, you just need two colours of DK and you don’t need a full ball,” she explains.
Finally, while the third pattern, the Cassiopeia shawl, looks very complex due to the amount of different yarns involved, the pattern itself is short.
“It’s just a repeat of seven rows again and again and it’s really handy because you can just use whatever yarns you have left over, join them as you’re knitting, so that you don’t even have to weave in ends if you don’t want to,” she says.
Create a lockdown heirloom
While we often associate knitwear with winter, Evin’s patterns are summer-appropriate, especially if people will be spending more evenings out in their gardens due to social restrictions, or as an extra layer for a family picnic or walk.
She would love to see readers take on one of the projects, which could in time become almost a family heirloom.
“Can you imagine if one of our grandmothers had made something during the 1918 flu? We’d look upon that as being something very special,” she says.
“I think it’s nice to have something that gives people something to do, but also something to enjoy.”
Ultraviolet Knits by Evin Bail O'Keeffe.
Ultraviolet Knits is available to buy online immediately, delivered direct to your email in PDF form, at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/ultraviolet-knits at $22/€20 plus VAT. Alternatively, you can buy a copy of the book on https://anchorandbee.com/ at €22 with shipping from 1 July.
Betelgeuse shawl by Evin Bail O'Keeffe. \ Niall Twamley
This single-skein bottom-up triangle shawl is knit flat, making a fun shawl for an advanced beginner who is ready to move on from scarves. The nature of the construction also means it is flexible regarding yarn quantity and sizing. Use the needle size recommended on your skein of wool if you substitute a different type or weight. If you want a larger shawl or have more yarn to use, just keep knitting, the bottom-up nature of the shawl makes it possible to adjust the size to your specific needs.
Named for one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye, Betelgeuse is the ninth-brightest star in the night sky and second-brightest in the constellation of Orion. The star itself is a distinct orange-red, much like this yarn (see below) when viewed under black light.
Betelgeuse shawl by Evin Bail O'Keeffe. \ Niall Twamley
Weight of yarn: 1 Super Fine
Skill level: Intermediate
Finished Measurements: H 70cm,
W 129cm
Materials:
I used Qing Fibre SINGLES (400yds/366m, 3.53oz/100g, 100% Superwash Merino Wool): 1 skein Firaja. This can be sourced at www.qingfibre.com However, feel free to substitute from your own wool stash. Size US6 (4mm) 24in (60cm) circular needles or size needed to obtain gaugeStitch markerTapestry needleGauge: In pattern stitch between eyelets, 20 sts and 32 rows = 4 in/10cm.
CO 3 sts.
Set up Row: Purl.
Row 1 (RS): K1, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1.
Row 2 (WS): K1, purl to last st, k1.
Repeat these two rows for the duration of the pattern, except for...
Rows 39-54, 63-78, 87-102, 111-126, 135-150, 159-174, 183-198, 207-222, 231-246, 255-270, 279-294, 303-318, 327-342, 351-366, 375-390, and 399-419. Work these rows as follows:
Rows 39, 43, 63, 67, 87, 91, 111, 115, 135, 139, 159, 163, 183, 187, 207, 211, 231, 235, 255, 259, 279, 283, 303, 307, 327, 331, 351, 355, 375, 379, 399, 403, 423, 427, 447, and 451 (RS):
K1, yo, k1, (k2, k2tog, yo, k8) three, five, or seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Even-numbered rows 40-54, 64-78, and 88-102 (WS):
K1, purl to last st, k1.
Rows 41, 65, 89, 113, 137, 161, 185, 209, 233, 257, 281, 305, 329, 353, 377, 401, 425, and 449 (RS):
K1, yo, k1, (k1, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k7) three, five, seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Rows 45, 53, 69, 77, 93, 101, 117, 125, 141, 149, 165, 173, 189, 197, 213, 221, 237, 245, 261, 269, 285, 293, 309, 317, 333, 341, 357, 365, 381, 389, 405, 413, 429, 437, 453, and 461 (RS):
K1, yo, knit to last st, yo, k1.
Rows 47, 51, 71, 75, 95, 99, 119, 123, 143, 147, 167, 171, 191, 195, 215, 219, 239, 243, 263, 267, 287, 291, 311, 315, 335, 339, 359, 363, 383, 387, 407, 411, 431, 435, 455, and 459 (RS): K1, yo, k1, (k8, k2tog, yo, k2) three, five, seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Row 49, 73, 97, 121, 145, 169, 193, 217, 241, 265, 289, 313, 337, 361, 385, 409, 433, and 457 (RS): K1, yo, k1, (k7, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k1) three, five, seven times as required; knit to last st, yo, k1.
Stop when you are running short of yarn and then finish with nine rows in stockinette stitch, followed by six rows in garter stitch.
Bind off loosely using a stretchy bind-off technique. Block in a triangle shape. Weave in ends.
Terms and abbreviations used in Betelgeuse Shawl
Block: After a knitted garment or item is complete, sometimes the stitches may be uneven or edges may roll. To train the stitches to lay flat or take on a shape, such as a tea cosy, use steam or moisture followed by drying time in a set position. This should not be done on ribbing or other stitches requiring a retention of stretch. Lace knitting is especially transformed when blocked because it goes from compressed and wrinkled to smooth and spread out.Gauge: Number of stitches and rows in a 4-by-4-inch section of knitted material is needed to create the project in the desired size and stitch density.K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together at this part of the pattern. This is used as a manner of decreasing stitches, to balance added stitches for a consistent stitch count, or for a design feature.RS: Right side. The outside of the fabric or item. What will show to the world when you wear/use it. WS: Wrong side. The inside of the fabric or item. What will not show when you wear/use it.YO: Yarn over. Simply wrap the working yarn around the right needle to create a new stitch.NOTE: While each pattern has been technically tested, if errata (corrections) are required, they will be posted at http://anchorandbee.com Read more
New knitting series with designer Evin Bail O'Keeffe
Knit this Barra marled hat designed by Evin Bail O'Keeffe
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