Eightsome Reel

Name: Eightsome Reel
SKU: 1471
Availability: InStock

Eightsome Reel patterncard kit by Alice Starmore in Hebridean 3 Ply pure British wool hand knitting yarn

Witch Hare & Eightsome Reel patterncard kit designs by Alice & Jade Starmore in Hebridean 2 Ply yarn

Description

Small — Underarm 92cm. Waist 86cm. Length 53cm.
Medium — Underarm 97cm. Waist 92cm. Length 55cm.
Large — Underarm 102.5cm. Waist 97cm. Length 56cm.
XL — Underarm 108cm. Waist 102.5cm. Length 57cm.
XXL — Underarm 113.5cm. Waist 108cm. Length 59cm.
XXXL — Underarm 119cm. Waist 113.5cm. Length 61cm.

This kit includes a colour-printed pattern card with full instructions in all sizes and all the yarn required to make Eightsome Reel in your chosen size.

This design can be ordered in any of our available colours of Hebridean 3 Ply.

Click here for a digital shadecard of all Hebridean 3 Ply colours.

Visit our Video Tutorials section for tutorials on a variety of knitting techniques to help you with your projects.

Story

The Eightsome Reel has a special place in the memory of all fun-loving teens and twenties of the sixties in the Isle of Lewis. A typical weekend programme of entertainment would begin with dressing up in style – girls in miniskirts and Mary Quant make-up, boys in sharp suits and cuban heels – then off to the disco to pose and groove to all the new rock and pop sounds of the day.

Once the disco ended we would pile into cars and head off out of town to the village halls where the dances were altogether more traditional, with live dance bands playing jigs and reels. Though we considered ourselves the acme of sophistication, there is no doubt that the country dances were much more sociable and consequently, a lot more fun. The Eightsome Reel involved four boys and girls getting together, with each one taking a star role in the centre of the group to dance with every other of the oppostite sex. This was interspersed with all eight joining hands and whirling around in a circle, first clockwise, then anticlockwise. This began decorously but quickly became wild and often dangerous, so that hanging on for dear life was all that mattered. Broken limbs were generally avoided only because the floor was well packed with dancers, but it was not unusual to find yourself flying across the hall and crash landing on the wallflowers. The lesson being that it was as well to join in as stay out of the reel.

I designed Eightsome Reel with very happy memories of these times in mind. My first objective was to design a Celtic symbol with with four double elements all linked together, echoing the formation of the dance. I then designed a cabled and ruffled edging which is offset by the simple reverse stocking stitch of the main body. The style is easy and comfortable with a lightly shaped waist. For those familiar with cabling and knitting up stitches along edges, this is a quick design to knit. For beginners who are competent with the basics and are ready to tackle a few new techniques, it is ideal.

Alice

£94.00 – £130.00

Size

Hebridean 3 Ply Colour

Clear

International Delivery Information

International Shipping

Tracked International Shipping Costs

Orders up to £150 to a single address – Total Shipping £10

Orders up to £175 to a single address – Total Shipping £15

Orders up to £250 to a single address – Total Shipping £20

Orders up to £350 to a single address – Total Shipping £30

Orders up to £450 to a single address – Total Shipping £40

Orders over £451 to a single address – Total Shipping £50

Orders over £551 to a single address – Total Shipping £60

Orders over £651 to a single address – Total Shipping £70

Orders over £751 to a single address – Total Shipping £80

Orders over £851 to a single address – Total Shipping £90

Orders over £951 to a single address – Total Shipping £100

This scale reflects the fact that larger orders will go in separate boxes.

Please ensure that you check our DELIVERY INFORMATION page for full details.

UK Delivery Information

UK Shipping Costs

Orders up to £100 to a single address – Total Shipping £4

Orders up to £200 to a single address – Total Shipping £6

Orders up to £300 to a single address – Total Shipping £9

Orders up to £400 to a single address – Total Shipping £12

Orders over £401 to a single address – Total Shipping £16

This scale reflects the fact that larger orders will go in separate boxes.

Please ensure that you check our DELIVERY INFORMATION page for full details.

Purchase Information

Our pattern-inclusive kits are made up in skeins of varying weight, according to the amounts required for each project. Every project on our website has been knitted here at Virtual Yarns, so we know precisely how much yarn is required to make them. Each kit contains that amount plus an extra 8 per-cent more yarn. This is enough yarn to knit a swatch and the project, PROVIDED THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOLLOWED FOR THE SIZE ORDERED. The extra 8 per-cent allows reasonable leeway for knitter error. Kits are made up by hand to order, and each yarn amount is carefully weighed.

For further information, please check our PURCHASE INFORMATION page.

Sizing

The knitted measurements given are of the finished design when it has been knitted with the tension stated in the pattern instructions.

The range of sizes available depends on the individual design. For garments such as pullovers, cardigans, vests and jackets, use the underam measurement to determine the size you require. The underarm measurement is the finished width around the entire garment, measured under the arms. For a garment with a front fastening, such as a cardigan, the finished underarm is given when the front bands are overlapped and the garment is fastened.

To determine which size is required, use the actual chest/bust measurement, which should be measured straight across the back, under the arms and over the fullest part of the chest/bust.

Then add one of the following measurements according to the type of fit you require:

For a close, body-hugging fit add 1 to 3cm to the actual chest/bust measurement.
For a standard fit add 5 to 8cm.
For a loose fit add 9 to 12cm.
For an oversize fit add upwards of 12cm.

The knitted length given for garments is measured from the top of the shoulder to the bottom of the hem.

Washing Instructions

Please note that all of our yarns are supplied washed and therefore do not require to be washed or fulled after knitting, unless you have an accident. Generally speaking, your garments should not require cleaning/washing any more than a coat would.

All of our designs are made with 100% pure new wool yarns and should be washed either by hand with pure soap in hand hot-water, or in a front loading washing machine which has a specific wool programme using a small amount of non-biological detergent. We do not recommend the use of any fabric softeners or any additives that will remain in the fabric after rinsing.

If hand washing, dissolve a small amount of pure soap flakes – or if using a pure soap bar, grate the required amount – into hand-hot water. Ensure that the soap has thoroughly dissolved before immersing the piece. Use a gentle squeezing motion to wash; do not cause any friction by rubbing or scrubbing as this will cause the fibres to felt. Gently squeeze out the excess soapy water and rinse well in warm water. It is important to remove as much excess water as quickly as possible as the longer moisture is left in wool yarn, the more likely it is to shrink or felt.

The best method for removing water is to spin in a washing machine, but if you prefer to remove the water by hand then gently squeeze the piece to remove the main water load and then lay the piece flat on towels and roll up, squeezing out as much water as possible into the towels. You will have to use several towels and repeat the process to remove as much moisture as you can.

Alternatively, spin to remove the excess water. If using a top loading machine it is important to place the piece in a suitable pillowcase (white cotton is best) so that it does not wrap around the spindle and become distorted. For both top-loading machines and front-loading machines, it is vitally important to remove from the spinner as soon as it has stopped: otherwise the piece can become permanently creased.

In all cases, dry flat on towels away from direct heat/sunlight, and smooth gently into shape. You can place small towels – or even better, cut and finish old towelling into the garment shapes, such as sleeves etc – and place inside the garment so that the two layers are separate. This will greatly help speed up drying process.

For straight, dropped-shoulder pullover styles, a woolly board is an excellent method of drying as the garment is placed on the board and dried to size allowing air to circulate inside. The board can also be used for cardigans in this style so long as you tack the front bands closed using a strong cotton thread, which you then carefully remove once the garment has dried. Glove boards can also be used for gloves which will allow them to dry in perfect shape.