Last minute gifts - Quick Little legs warmers

So this year I had a request for more leg warmers, short on time I luckily have some chunky wool but couldn't find a free ready-made pattern on Ravelry. So I have written my own to share with you. I know a lot of little girls who like to wear tutus and still be princesses even when the weather is not suitable so these little leg warmers will keep them warm while they are dancing and running around

Size: 0-2 years and 3-6 years
Materials:  50-100 grams of super chunky yarn (I used Sirdar Kiko which I had left over from another project, you can just double up thinner yarn to get the right gauge)
Gauge : 9 sts and 12 rows to 10cm square
Needles: uk 7mm double pointed needles
Extras: Cable needle
Project time : 1-2 hours (make these while watching a Christmas movie or on your lunch breaks)
(you can work these leg warmers flat just reverse the knits and purls on the alternate rows, however this will mean you get a chunky seam which may not be as comfortable on little legs)

Instructions:

Cast on 17 (23) sts
Row 1: (K2 P1) 2x (3x) K4 (P1 K2) 2x (3x)
repeat row 1 three more times
Row 5: (K2 P1) 2x (3x) C4F (slip next 2 sts onto cable needle hold at front of work knit next 2 sts then knit 2 from cable needle)

Repeat rows 1-5: 3(5) times
Work rows 1-4 once more then cast off loosely





I hope you enjoyed this pattern I also have a selection of my own knitting Patterns available in my fibre arts supply shop wildforestwool 

Washing your woolies

"Washing instructions are quite as important as knitting instructions" (Patons and Balwins 15th edition Woolcraft)

 Recently I have started to learn the tips I was taught as a child and take for granted are not common knowledge! I recently took on a few hours at my local pub and my comments have been met with suprise. I had thought it common knowledge if something was slow to ripen to put it in a fruit bowl with some ripe bananas, or to check if an egg is okay to eat pop it in a glass of water, if it sinks its good.

Practical knitting (1940s copy)

 I was in my garden preparing a raw sheep fleece for spinning and chatting to the neighbor over the garden fence, he had a lot of questions about washing wool. Wool washing does need to be done carefully as you can ruin a hand knit very quickly with improper care. This also applies to acrylic yarns as well as real wool! 

 Acrylic; Acrylic fibers can be machine washed (although I do recommend a gentle wool cycle) and can be tumble dried, but if you want them to last and keep their shape you should avoid the tumble drier and dry them flat, the stitches can become elongated when hung on the line and the fibers can get stretched. Some yarns especially soft and fuzzy acrylics can shed fibers quite heavily making them become brittle and stringy. You need to use a mild laundry detergent as some chemicals such as nail polish remover (acetone) will dissolve acrylic fibers (this is also a great way to test if a ball of wool is real wool or not!)

 Woolens; some woolens can be machine washed but they should never be tumble dried! Pure wool or 100% wool and wool blends are best hand washed to avoid shrinking and felting.

 How to wash your woolens step by step

Step 1: Fill an empty washing up bowl with warm water not too hot it needs to be comfortable on your hands.

Step 2: Add some laundry powder suitable for hand washing (wear gloves to protect your hands) and mix it up into a thick lather, if you're on a budget you can use just a small amount and really whisk it up. Always use a bleach free laundry powder for wool!

Step 3: Add in your woolens (wash dark colors separately) immerse them in the water and lather and gently squish the lather into the woolens. NEVER RUB the woolens friction causes felting. you can leave them to soak for 5- 10 minutes if you wish

Step 4: Remove the clothes and rinse the bowl fill with clean warm water the same as before and immerse woolens again removing the soap, repeat this step a few times more till the water runs clear

Step 5: Gently squish excess water from the woolens, you can lay them on a towel, roll it up and squish to remove more water. Then lay flat to dry in its original shape on a rack or a flat topped clothes horse in the garden. 

From Vogue knitting 23rd edition (produced in the 1940s)

Some extra wooly facts!

The sun helps kill bacteria but can bleach and fade colors (to keep 

whites white dry them outside!). Wool does not need washing as regularly as other clothing, you can just air them in the garden between wearing, trust me they wont smell. You are less likely to sweat in wool and it is thermo regulating, it will keep you warm or cool. Camel wool is the warmest and coolest of all wools keeping camels warm in freezing temperatures at night and cool in baking temperatures during the day, sheeps wool is also pretty good at this. Wool has amazing wicking properties and the natural lanolin helps keep it clean and bacteria free (its the bacteria that make sweat smell), wearing wool socks can help prevent some foot proplems caused by sweaty feet or for those that have smelly feet you need to change the type of sock you are wearing, if cottons not working for you try wool especially merino!

Practical knitting illustrated

Don't be afraid of the care involved with woolens its not as labour intensive as some people believe! I often see vintage lifestyle programs, you know the type, where families are sent to live in 'the past'. Inevitably the women spend hours washing clothing and complaining about the labour intensive process of all the washing they have to do. The problem is no one told them that 1940s women did not spend their entire days washing, many had jobs and families to take care of along with other social responsibilities. Woolens require less washing they would be washed once a week if needed, and these women took their looks seriously trust me they wouldn't leave the house stinky. If they spent their time washing in their free time they would not have had the time to craft those elaborate hairstyles and do all that knitting!

From Practical knitting illustrated

Shopping for clothes the old fashioned way

Like most women I love shopping for clothes, there's just something so rewarding about finding a new outfit that fits just right or has the right style. Shopping is now considered a national past time for women in the uk, Barnardo's recently released research suggesting we wear clothes an average of 6 times before discarding them or loosing interest. I admit I have clothes in my wardrobe which I have only worn a handful of times, and the same few outfits which I choose to wear regularly perhaps just changed up a little! Films such as 'the true cost' have started highlighting the effects of our shopping habits on the third world and the environment and its pretty clear that mass production and disposal in this way is just not sustainable. We still need to wear clothes and we still love shopping so there must be a compromise somewhere right?

 Well it seems the answer could be to spend more, yes I know that sounds pretty counter-intuitive, but if you increase the amount you would consider paying for a sweater from say £20.00 to £80.00 you are more likely to choose that sweater very carefully, even dare I say spend more time shopping for it, choosing higher quality materials will help ensure the sweater lasts longer, doesn't go bobbly, develop holes and loose its shape, the key here is to pay for the higher quality materials not the label. Spend time thinking about how the sweater goes with the other items in your wardrobe, having a capsule wardrobe is also another key in this, carefully choosing items that can be worn together and are easily accessorised and most importantly that you feel comfortable wearing. 1940s war time women are well known for their sense of style and love of fashion, many saw it as their national duty to look good and keep spirits up! However with rationing on clothing and waste reduction campaigns, women had to choose their clothing very carefully or risk using up all their rations on a poorly chosen outfit that they would have no choice but to wear.

   So perhaps by being careful about our clothing choices and spending more and buying less our shopping experiences can be just as rewarding and our wardrobes lighter but more beautiful for it.











I would love to hear your hints and tips for creating a beautiful and sustainable wardrobe, please feel free share them in the comments!











Some great shops to check out for quality British made clothing - if you have any others you feel should be added to the list please let me know!

The 30 year sweatshirt (guaranteed for 30 years!)
Hotsquash British ladies clothing with advanced thermo regulating fabrics
Libby london Style and substance hardworking british ladies wear
Paper London Modernized classics

Come in and have a cuppa

Welcome to Aunty Emma's Tea break!

 As this is my first post I'll start by introducing myself. I've been called Aunty Emma since I was little, I come from a big family in a small town and the name kinda stuck. I chose the Title 'a modern land girl' as I feel this best explains who I am, I love vintage fashion, knitting, home crafting and growing my own food but I live in the modern world. My partner, myself and our daughter live in a modern 2 bed house, with a patio garden and a shed. I plant my fruit and veg in containers made by the Mr out of old pallets and we do the best with what we have. I decided to create this blog to connect with people like you (since you are still reading hopefully you are in the right place!), so sit down have a cuppa and take a break. I'll talk about my craft projects, my garden, my successes and failures and my little Etsy shop (you may have already spotted the link at the side). I would love to hear back from you, and hope to you see you again soon when I post my first real blog post.