Last weekend the wonderful ladies of Kelbourne Woolens, authors of Vintage Modern Knits, were in town for a color work workshop. Having totally failed to complete any of the plaid projects that I had planned to complete before this workshop, I spent Saturday morning tearing apart my sweater stash looking for something appropriate to wear. I came up with several hats designed by either Kate or Courtney and several sweaters knitted in their yarns, but I couldn’t quite put my hands on the sweater that I thought I owned. I had vague memories of having knitted something from their book in Terra but couldn’t figure out what it was and was thoroughly confused about it not existing in my closet. After about 40 minutes of putting on various outfits and not really finding what I was wanting, I realized that the sweater that I was thinking of was the Brigid Jacket that we hosted as a knitalong back in February. I found it in one piece in my yarn stash, the sleeves set in and one of the two side seams seamed up…but no button bands. I gathered the silly thing up and went to work and set out to finish it before the ladies arrived. I did have to sew on the buttons while we were standing in line for lunch, but it is done!

Several rather dedicated folks did finish and wear plaid things that day and brought them all upstairs to show off to Kate and Courtney. The hats that Trudy, Lesley and Jane are wearing is the Bismark hat by Kelbourne Woolens – available at the shop. It uses two skeins of Road to China (yum!) and is worked in the round. The sweater that Jennifer is wearing is a completed Emerson (also available at the shop).  She is the only person who actually finished this sweater. It is most definitely not worked in the round. Flat fair isle is not for the weak at heart. I appear to be weak..mine is in hibernation until further notice.

photo - Interweave Press

The leaves are changing, pumpkin spice lattes are back, and it’s finally crisp & cold enough to wear sweaters! It’s the perfect time of year to curl up with a pot of tea or hot apple cider and break out the serious knitting. Just in time, Knitscene has released their first-ever winter issue with 22 patterns to keep us busy all season long.

This issue starts out with “A Brief History of Angora,” with fun facts on the fuzzy bunnies that give us fluffy yarn – did you know that the German name for Angora rabbits, Menschenheilkaninchen, means “human healing rabbit”? Or that Marie Antoinette kept them as pets?

The Beatriz Dress has a dramatic deep yoke and a hint of leaf lace at the hem –  knit this up in a lofty worsted weight like Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool and be a hit at all your holiday parties.

More leafy lace appears on the Francisca Hat  – luxurious Mirasol Miski (100% baby llama) will keep you warm all winter long.

Vera Cardigan - photo Interweave Press

The Designer Collection in this issue features Alexis Winslow, who sums up her style aesthetic by saying “There’s something about knitting stripes that makes you want to do just one more!” You’ll agree when you see her four delightful designs!

The Vera Cardigan‘s clean lines and strong graphics combine with knitterly details like welted rib cuffs and contrasting button loops. Add a touch of tweed with Brooklyn Tweed’s SHELTER and you’ll be snuggly warm & stylish too.

Nora Dress - photo Interweave Press

The 1920′s inspired Zelda Cloche might have you rouging your knees, rolling your (hand-knit) stockings down, and all that jazz – or maybe just grabbing your needles! Pick two colors of Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk and a great button (check out our selection of handcrafted buttons from Annie Adams, Moving Mud, and Perl Grey, or visit our neighbors BW Antiques for a one-of-a-kind vintage find!)

Try your hand at a little colorwork with the Canyon Mitts - I’m already thinking of which three colors of St-Denis Nordique to use for these! Make a few pairs for holiday gifting (and one for yourself!)

The Nora Dress uses super-smart striping to flatter your figure – and works up fast in Cascade Eco Wool. It’s knit from the top down so it will be easy to get the perfect fit. Super cute!

The next story, “Born to Wander,” gives us a bit of Bohemian style, starting with the striking Jenica Pullover. Hold a drapy DK weight yarn together with a laceweight mohair & silk blend for this – Louisa Harding Grace Silk & Wool and Cascade Kid Seta Noir will make a stunning holiday sweater.

Jenica Pullover - photo Interweave Press

The Ileana Pullover (shown on the cover) will be light yet warm when you knit it in Berroco Voyage, a soft & lofty alpaca blend. Wrap up in an Oana Shawl on cold winter days – make a luxe version with hand-dyed Madelinetosh Tosh Chunky or go rustic & woolly with Imperial Yarns Columbia 2-ply.

Work up the Madalina Mittens in machine-washable Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in colorful combinations from subtle to bold. The Tereza Pullover has a pretty lace yoke & knits up super fast in Sublime Chunky Merino Tweed – light, lofty, and warm.

The Ramona Cowl will take a bit longer but is definitely worth the effort – the combination of self-striping and solid yarns in a paisley colorwork pattern creates an amazing effect. Try Crystal Palace Mini Mochi or Sausalito with Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine – or go for your favorite hand dyed fingering weight yarns!

Miercoles Tam - photo Interweave Press

Been avoiding patterns with bobbles because you weren’t sure how to do them?  ”5 Ways to Work a Bobble” will get you bobbling along so you can knit a cute Miercoles Tam (Dragonfly Fibers Blue Face Worsted will make those stitches really pop) or Geraldine Cardigan (Miss Babs Northumbria DK is another BFL yarn with great stitch definition.)

Mix your bobbles with cushy garter stitch for a Petra Shawl in locally-dyed Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted, or make a pretty Pomes Beret in Canopy Fingering from The Fibre Company.

Next up, designer Stefanie Japel discusses “Gauge, Drape & Yarn Weight,” and demonstrates how to use them to best effect in the Bermondsey Cardigan (try naturally dyed Swans Island Certified Organic Chunky) and the delicate Nevis Cardigan (grab some Viola Merino Lace before it’s gone!)

Uxbridge Cardigan - photo Interweave Press

A few more cardigans are in store for you – knit a pretty little Stanmore Cardigan in Road to China Light for lovely drape and warmth. Add your own style to the blazer-inspired Wragby Cardigan with your choice of yarn – this pattern will show off a snuggly tweed like Berroco Tara Tweed or a rich semi-solid hand dye like Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted equally well.

Play up the simplicity of the Netherleigh Cardigan with a textured yarn like The Fibre Company Acadia, a beautifully drapey blend of Merino, silk, and alpaca. Finally, finish off your fall fibre fashion with the swingy Uxbridge Cardigan – this dolman sleeved style requires a lot of yardage, but Berroco Vintage DK will keep it an affordable knit.

With all of these great patterns, you’re sure to be warm and well-dressed this winter!

Erica Patberg's Shaped Capelet will bring out your chic side.

The knit.wear Premiere issue is flying off the shelves at fibre space, and we’re here to help you plan some projects out of it. Boasting “simple handknits for the thoughtful knitter,” this new magazine has garments for everyone – just browse through its pages, and you’ll be inspired.

First, the obvious. The cover project, the Shaped Capelet with Braided Cables by Erica Patberg, is amazing. Not only has the designer given you a chance to show off your cabling skills, but she’s added shaping to the garment so that it shows off your figure, too. All too often, capes and ponchos make the wearer look, well, a little slouchy. Not this one – you can wear it with your little black dress to a holiday party, or even use it to dress up a pair of blue jeans.

Knit this one in Berroco Peruvia Quick or Sublime Chunky Merino Tweed. Plus, knit in a thick gauge, it’s a speedy and rewarding knit. After you knit one, you might want to knit another – but we encourage you only to give it to a really important gift recipient, like your best friend or your mother. It’s too pretty to go to just anyone.

The Mistake Stitch Moebius features a fun and easy stitch pattern that will earn you second glances from one and all.

If you’re looking for something to keep you warm a bit earlier in the season, the Mistake Stitch Moebius is a fun and easy opportunity. Again, it’s knit in a thick gauge, and we suggest you try Berroco Sundae for this pattern. The different strands of color in the yarn will really pop in the mistake stitch pattern.

Another great option, for those who like solid colors, is Spud & Chloe Outer – available in so many colors! This cowl would be a great gift, as well – quick to knit and impressive-looking. We bet that you could make one in Sundae and one in Outer and they’d look different enough to be given to more than one person on your list. Hey, it’s worth a shot, right?

The Osprey Hooded Cardigan will keep you warm and happy - both when you're wearing it and when you're knitting it!

If you’re more of a traditionalist, you’ll want to make the classic Osprey Hooded Cardigan by Pam Allen. The pebble rib that Pam uses in this cardigan gives the fabric a squishy texture, while the clean lines of the design keep the finished product sleek. This could easily become your go-to garment as the weather gets colder and you want something with which to layer.

The pattern will look amazing in the new Swan’s Island yarn we just got in, or in Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes, which offer a rainbow of colors to choose from. Or, if you want a machine washable option, try Ella Rae Classic Chunky Superwash – another yarn that comes in a host of colors. Consider choosing a shade that matches your eyes to make them stand out, or a darker shade of your favorite color for easy outfit prep.

Stefanie Japel's Off-Rib Cardigan is simple, flattering, and gorgeous.

If you’re looking for a sweater that will really turn heads, try Stefanie Japel’s gorgeous Off-Rib Cardigan. Stefanie has taught several design workshops here in space, and we know first-hand that she makes designing look simple. Her patterns are easy to follow and fun to wear. The photo of this one alone is making us drool – and that’s before you add, say, Neighborhood Fiber Co. Worsted or Dragonfly Fibers Blue Faced Worsted.

Come on down to space and choose some yarn to make these babies your own! We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

I don’t usually recommend that a bride knit items for her wedding. I was talked out of this very activity a couple of years ago when I had the grand idea of knitting my flower centerpieces. (well, mostly by my stepmother who insisted that a wedding wasn’t a wedding without real flowers). I imagine though that the knitting world would probably have tried to convince me that it was a bad idea as well. The last thing we need when planning a wedding is a high pressure knitting job too. So when Sarah told me that she was going to make shrugs for her brides, I probably gave her a big speech about it being a terrible idea. But she just sent me the photos from the wedding…and I must admit that I was wrong.

No matter how much stress or work or whatever this may have (or may not have) caused her, it was absolutely worth it. These photos are stunning. She created an amazing one of a kind gift for these ladies and added a unique and stunning element to her wedding. And the COLORS! I love the colors, I love the vintage vibe of her dress which matches the bolero so nicely. I love everything about it…makes me wish I had actually had a wedding with bridesmaids.

Sarah used the ruffled bolero pattern available from Ravelry. The flowers were the peony from 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet. The yarn is Snuggly Baby Bamboo DK by Sirdar which is a wonderful blend of merino and bamboo that is machine washable and has a nice shine to it, like a silk blend.

It is rare that a book comes along that contains more than two or three garments that I want to knit. Today we got a delivery of the brand new Hannah Fettig (Knitbot) and Alana Dakos (Never Knot Knitting) book, Coastal Knits. It is just stunning. Hannah and Alana decided to pair up to produce a book that combined both of their creativity. They settled on a “coast to coast” theme, given that Hannah is an East coast native and Alana is a West coast native. Each pattern is inspired by one of their favorite locations, and the book includes stunning photography of the site and inspiration for the garment.

Coastal Knits contains five sweater patterns and five accessory patterns. They are all classic and gorgeous. Let’s start with this one, the Rocky Coast Cardigan which is made in the Fibre Company Organik. It uses 800-1800 yards. The cable pattern is straightforward and can be memorized after a bit…don’t let those cables scare you! This garment is amazing.

Photo from Coastal Knits

The Bayside Cardigan is also on my “highly recommend” list for one big reason: it uses fingering weight yarn. Who doesn’t have a pile of this gauge sitting around the house? It uses 950 – 2175 yards. I love the cable details on the yoke and the sides. Try this one with a machine dyed yarn like Spud and Chloe Fine or Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine. The solid dye will really allow the cables to shine.

Bayside Pullover - photo by Coastal Knits

I have two favorites from the accessories collection: Sand and Sea Shawlette and the Cambrian Cowl. The shawlette uses two types of yarn, combining a shiny silk with a wool to create the “sand” and “sea” affect. I would suggest a merino or merino blend laceweight for the main color: Miss Babs Yet or Manos del Uruguay Lace and then use the Neighborhood Fiber Co penthouse silk for the edging. (or perhaps Dream in Color Starry for a glitzy edging!) I also think that this shawlette would be very cool in the Louisa Harding Grace Silk and Wool with the Beaded Grace for the edging. These last yarns are DK weight, so the shawl would be larger but rather stunning…just a thought.

Sand and Sea Shawlette. Photo courtesy of Coastal Knits.

The Cambrian Cowl is a quick knit, which we all need at this time of year. My favorite part about this project is that it could potentially show off a couple of very cool buttons! For yarns, I recommend Sublime Chunky Tweed or even Blue Sky Alpacas Techno for a snuggly soft option.

Cambrian Cowl. Photo courtesy of Coastal Knits.

Did I mention that these savvy ladies sent along a fab shopping guide with each copy of the book to help you pick out yarn?

Every year I swear that I won’t be knitting gifts again and then somehow I manage to do it. Since time is of the essence (you have just two months!!), I thought I would share some of my favorite quick knits for the dudes in our life.

Hats

Striped Hat pattern available online or at the shop

Hats are a fast knit. Although they generally require two or three sets of needles, they can be done in just a day or two. My hubby loves a simple beanie hat. The striped hat in Hand Dyed Worsted from Blue Sky Alpacas does just the trick. AND you can easily use the new Swan’s Island organic merino for this pattern or even mix and match the two yarns. Play with the color combos a bit but remember that most dudes will request “black, grey, and navy” if you ask them for color direction.

For the more hipster guys in your life, I love a good slouchy ribbed hat. Check out my quick pattern from this post last year.

Scarves

Brooklyn Tweed Cinder - available online or at the shop

Micah will tell you that the general rule with a scarf is to knit it as long as the person is tall. For a dude’s scarf, this can be a lot of work. Given the timeframe that you are working with, I would recommend knitting in an aran, chunky or superchunky weight to get it done faster. This aran weight scarf pattern by Gina Waters has you cast on for the length. I like this because it allows me to easily create vertical stripes on the scarf.  It looks cool but doesn’t require a lot of work.

If cables go quickly for you, I would recommend the Cinder pattern. It is done in bulky weight yarn, is reversible and works up fast! The Sublime Chunky Tweed is tweedy (guys seem to like this) and is super soft.

Socks

Photo courtesy of Purl Soho

Not that I recommend this, but you can actually make a pair of thick socks in 24 hours. I did it once. They were sport weight. If you jump to DK or Worsted, you are probably cutting that time down to 18-20 hours of knitting. Since guys have no need for lace on their socks, do it simple. Pick a nice luxury yarn and knit in ribbing! Let the yarn do the work for you. Need a basic pattern? Purl Soho to the rescue! They have a pattern called “Men’s Socks for Giving Away.” Sounds like what you need, right? To top it off, it is worked in DK weight. yay! Try the Miss Babs Northumbria DK for a hand dyed option or Shepherd’s Wool DK for a soft merino option. If this guy is going to destroy these socks, I recommend Berroco Vintage DK but definitely include the two colors to fancy them up a bit.

Don’t have time for DK weight? Check out the book Knits Men Want for this basic sock pattern by Jared Flood done in worsted weight. Grab a hank of Neighborhood Fiber Co (just in!) for a luxury hand dyed pair or a ball of Ella Rae Superwash for a pair he can abuse. Dragonfly Fibers BFL would also be super durable! By the way, if you knit for guys a lot, this is hands down the best book out there for reliable simple patterns that they will actually wear.

Photo by Jared Flood

Sweaters

Now if you haven’t listened to anything that I said about timelines and deadlines and shortness of time and such, then you might still be thinking about knitting a sweater.  Can I convince you to do one without sleeves? An argyle vest perhaps? No? Still want to knit a sweater? Well at least shoot for bulky yarn! Check out the Devon pattern in the Norah Gaughan Men bookle

t by Berroco. It calls for Peruvia Quick and US10 and 11 needles. If you are going to get this done, you have to be on atleast a #10!

Photo courtesy of Berroco. Pattern found in NG Men and available at the shop

Swans Island Yarns has developed a stunning palette of colors.

We’ve just received Swans Island Certified Organic Chunky in the shop, and it’s just what a yarn with the word “swan” in its name should be: light and soft, yet strong. What’s more, the yarn comes in colors that will make any stitcher drool.

Swans Island began as a company selling woven wool blankets made using traditional techniques (their blankets won the Smithsonian Blue Ribbon for Craft in 1996!). The company started making yarns about a year ago, after blanket customers started clamoring for a yarn line. They asked Michele Orne for help developing a yarn line, and soon Michele had joined the company as Design Director.

Michele Orne's goals for Swans Island's design line is to create classic, wearable garments and readable patterns.

Best known before as the author of Inspired to Knit: Creating Exquisite Handknits, Michele got involved with the company more than a year ago, when Swans Island was beginning to explore the possibility of selling the yarns they made for their woven blankets to hand knitters. “It was a serendipitous coincidence that I happen to live just 15 minutes down the road from the ‘factory,’” says Michele, who has more than 25 years of experience designing handknits. “I’d been thinking about developing my own line of yarns and patterns for many many years, and here the opportunity came knocking on my door. When opportunity knocks, one should listen!”

Knitters near and far are fortunate that Michele did listen, because since she joined the company Swans Island has developed three new yarns – Bulky, Worsted, and Fingering – and a gorgeous array of colors. The yarn line is growing so fast that Maine’s sheep can’t keep up – so the fleece for the yarns comes from South America. It’s spun in a mill in Maine that is one of four in the United States that are certified organic yarn producers. “What that means is that the mill is inspected by a Global Organic Textiles Standard and must meet certain criteria,” Michele explains. “Only certain kinds of oils may be used in spinning and our yarns don’t receive the same harsh chemical processing as most commercially produced yarns.” What does this mean for knitters? The yarns that come out of organic mills are softer than most, and Swans Island is one of the softest we’ve felt.

Swans Island achieves depth of color through multiple dips in natural dyes.

For their gorgeous colors, Swans Island uses only natural dyes – plant-based dyes that have been used traditionally for centuries – yet their shades have a depth of color difficult to achieve using natural dyes. Michele sees using natural dyes as a challenge rather than a limitation. “I quickly realized that in natural dying, you don’t choose the colors – the colors choose you! In trying to achieve certain colors, we were spending a lot of time in development and coming out still not matching the goal…but in the process, lots of other beautiful colors were being produced. So we’ve switched the thinking here, putting colors that we can successfully make on the line rather than matching to a specific target color.” She compares the process to painting: “Many of our colors are created through a process of multiple dips into different dye baths, creating a richness and depth of color much like a painter would build up layers of color on a painting.”

The Twenty Ten Cardigan will layer wonderfully this fall.

Of course, another aspect of Michele’s job is creating patterns for Swans Island’s fibres, and she’s done a wonderful job. The Clara Cowl, the Sasha Cowl, and the Snow Bowl Hat will be in Space next week, and we can’t wait to show them to you. In the meantime, or if you’re in the mood for a sweater, consider Veera Välimäki’s Twenty Ten Cardigan – a fantastic transitional garment that will look stunning this fall.

Nemo doesn't seem to like the monkey on his back

Yesterday Nemo and I walked up King street to the bank with my friend Aimee. We stopped into the Dog Park, my favorite doggy food and toy supply store. I was hoping that she would have most of her winter coats in already since it is starting to get cold at night and Nemo hasn’t spent a winter with us yet and therefore, has no coat.  They had some of their coats in already but nothing that worked for Nemo. Then I spotted a table of hand knit sweaters.

Now generally speaking, I ignore hand knit things in retail stores. I always end up finding things wrong with them that would bother me. And as a knitter, everyone would ask if I made the sweater, and then I would have to admit that I didn’t. But this particular sweater..well it is Intarsia. And since I happen to think that Intarsia is the devil, I don’t feel bad purchasing something that has it, because I am officially done knitting Intarsia. Lucky for Nemo, the sweater came in his size. Unlucky for mom, the bind off is too tight and needs to be pulled out and redone and the tails aren’t woven in on any of the Intarsia. I suspect this is because the wool is a great sticky wonderful Peruvian wool that will just felt down a bit as it is worn and the tails will be fine, but the knitter in me is bothered by this and will have to fix it immediately.

Just like the last time a sweater was put on Nemo, he expressed his general discontent by smooshing his entire body up under his front legs. Eventually, he jumped into his window seat and tried to deal with the shame of wearing a sock monkey sweater. I am certain he will get over it. Later that day, we discovered that the hood falls down over his eyes when he goes down the stairs and renders him blind. Because he is an Iggy, he keeps trying to go down the stairs despite the lack of sight. (They have tiny brains. Very tiny brains.) As you can imagine, this didn’t turn out well. So I guess he can’t wear his sweater indoors.  Other than this particular problem, the tails and bind off, the sweater is worth every bit of the $38 dollars that I paid for it. There is no way that I would knit this sweater for a mere $38. Absolutely no way. So in the end, it was worth everything that I paid for it.

Nemo didn't bother to take the price tags off of his sweater.

There is an amazing new locally run site called DIY Del Ray that features do-it-yourself home projects as well as good finds, small space tips, etc. I know about it because a certain crafty customer happens to run the site. Well today our new house is the featured home and the post has some great shots of knitted and crocheted items too! Oh yeah, and this is her photo of my new yarn and shoe closet. Yes, before you ask, this is my ENTIRE stash. That is it. That is all I have. I will admit that a full two tubs are filled with sock yarn… And there is one tub not pictured here. so that is four total tubs and a three drawer white tupperware thingy. I might have a yarn purging problem. It doesn’t stick around long in my house.

Knitwear made a big splash on the fashion scene last week with the release of the Missoni for Target collection – and if you weren’t lined up outside a Target store at 6 AM on Tuesday last, you had little chance of getting any of it for yourself. Fights broke out, police were called, and items started appearing on eBay at 3 times their retail price within hours.

Missoni for Target

Why all the fuss?

Missoni started out in the 1950′s as a little family-owned company in Italy, making wool track suits. They released their first fashion collection in 1958 and quickly became known for their knitwear designs featuring colorful stripes, geometric motifs, and abstract florals. By the 1970′s they had become celebrated fashion icons for their imaginative use of color and their unconventional ways of reworking traditional knitwear construction.

“It was about ten years ago that the Missonis raised the simple householder’s work of knitting to something similar to art. Their dresses are collected by ladies all over the world who live for fashion and by those who could not care less for fashion but love beautiful things.” – Bernardine Morris, New York Times, 1977.

Over 50 years later, Missoni is still a family-run company and their iconic chevron pattern is recognized around the world. Missoni clothing and housewares go for top dollar – so people leapt at the chance to get a piece from these fashion giants at an affordable price.

Didn’t get any for yourself? (Yeah, me neither.) Well, we knitters have an advantage. We can make it ourselves!

Classic Missoni. That's a lot of look.

Now,  a 1960′s chevron romper may not fit into your fall fashion plans (c’mon, who doesn’t need a chevron romper?) but you can get some Missoni style into your fall knitting plans! A quick browse through Ravelry provides plenty of inspiration.

Missoni Inspired Chevron Blanket - Tangled Yarns

First up, Kelly Kingston’s Missoni Inspired Chevron Blanket. This stunning piece uses 12 colors of DK weight yarn – I can see knitting this up in Berroco Vintage DK for yourself or a lucky (and stylish) baby. Check out the Ravelry projects for this – there are some gorgeous variations done in worsted and fingering weight too.

Wibbly Wobbly Cowl - Rachel Henry

Want something on a smaller scale? Rachel Henry’s Wibbly Wobbly Cowl uses self-striping sock yarn (or use up your sock leftovers and make your own stripes!) and will appeal to fashion and Doctor Who fans alike.

Chevron Love Mittens - Knitterly Things

I love the Chevron Love Mittens by Julia Vesper! I’m already thinking of color combinations to knit up in the St. Denis Nordique that we just got in. There’s even a matching Chevron Love Hat! Love it!

Ida's Kitchen - Kirsten Kapur

Kirsten Kapur’s Ida’s Kitchen is another great project to inspire your color creativity – this one uses 7 colors of sport or DK weight. Not sure what colors to put together? You can always check the Pantone Fashion Color Report for ideas! (Or, y’know, I could write a post about color selection, if you want.)

La Parisenne Beret - Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer

For something a bit simpler, try the La Parisenne Beret by Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer – you’ll need just 2 colors of fingering weight yarn for this one. Go subtle and tonal or bold and contrasty – tres chic!

Favorite Scarf Ever - Lisa Bruce

Will Lisa Bruce’s Favorite Scarf Ever be your most favorite scarf ever? Take a look at the Ravelry projects on this and you’ll be inspired to knit lots of these!

 

Creekbed Scarf - Stephen West

Stephen West’s Creekbed Scarf takes chevrons in a different direction – this is another great project to play with color in as it really changes the feel of the finished piece.

Mathematix - Susan Luni

Last but not least, the new Deep Fall issue of Knitty brings us the Mathematix Shawl by Susan Luni – a clever combination of lace and chevron patterning. Pretty!

Fair Isle floats when you are lazy.

I may have convinced a few folks to knit the Emerson sweater with me. I got very ambitious and started with the left front section, instead of something easy like the back or a sleeve. The fair isle on this sweater is only on the left and right fronts, making nearly two thirds of the sweater rather fast and straightforward but also making the fronts just not fun, as they are fair isle worked FLAT. This means changing between colors while purling. If you hate to purl, try doing it with one color on each hand. It requires patience and concentration. I don’t have either.

After looking at the chart, I thought that floating the yarn across the 5 or 6 sts that it would need to float wouldn’t be all that bad and besides, it was just one less thing that I had to worry about on those fun purl rows. (I am a lazy colorwork

Back of Emerson sweater about half way finished.

knitter) So i rocked about half the left front without wrapping the two colors or catching the float with the other color. Then I realized what a mess that was making. So I started to grab the floats for the remainder of the left front. (See this tutorial on how to catch the floats.) The fabric so so much better now. It will probably be noticeably better even after I block it, so that portion of the sweater may end up with a big ol pocket on it…pockets are great for hiding things. I got the back of the sweater cast on and after a grueling 4″ of 1×1 rib, we were off to the races. Sadly, I had to put the project aside for a bit to focus on more pressing matters:

So remember my debate on what to knit while in Seattle, and the battle that occurred in flight when my husband wouldn’t let me block my swatch for the Shadow sweater? Well the class that I am teaching on this very sweater is now frightening close, and I have to knock out a bit of it before class starts Thursday night. yikes! So I put away my Emerson for a bit and got about half of the sleeve done last night. Fortunately, the cables are actually super easy to memorize and I haven’t needed the chart for awhile.

Shadow in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter

Shadow - Wool People / Brooklyn Tweed

Class details:

Cabled Pullover – Thursdays, September 22, 29 and Oct 6th (second session starting in October!)

Experience required – previous experience knitting a sweater. Ability to work in the round, increase and decrease. Cabling experience is also helpful but not necessary.

Teva answers questions after explaining the basics of the lace improvisation technique.

The divine Teva Durham visited fibre space on Sunday to sign her new book, Loop-d-Loop Lace, and teach a unique workshop: lace improvisation.

Ten lucky participants learned how to take elements from vintage lace patterns and use them as the basis for a lace bag pattern. The group worked together to develop a pattern for one such bag, and students left with the tools to create their own pattern based on vintage designs for doilies, shawls, or other garments worked in a circle.

Teva brought several of her own lace bags for the class to use as inspiration.

Those who have followed Teva’s designs know that her mind works in wondrous ways, and those in the workshop got to see that mind close-up, as Teva drew the chart for the bag on a white board and explained how different options for each row would change the shape and look of the bag. Participants knit from the chart as it was being developed, learning how lace designers create a new pattern from concept through to execution.

Of course, there was lots of chatter during the class, as knitters commiserated about losing one’s place in lace knitting, shared tips for keeping that from happening, debated the pros and cons of bobbles (for the record, Teva is in the “pro” camp), and – most importantly – compared the results coming off of their needles. The different yarns, from Malabrigo Rasta to Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky, showed off the lace in different (but gorgeous) ways.

Teva chats with a class member about the way the bag is knitting up.

It was particularly exciting to watch how the improvised pattern knit up in several different yarns, as Teva compared the results from different class members’ yarn selections. Teva also talked about other kinds of knitting improvisation, including Ilisha Helfman’s new book, Jazz Knitting.

Best of all, the workshop is already yielding results. We know that at least one class participant has started a bag of her own, based on an element she found in a pattern from Victorian Lace Today. We can’t wait to see all the bags that this amazing workshop produces!

Tweed Baby Blanket pattern by Jared Flood in Cascade Eco Wool. Pattern and yarn available at the shop.

yet I can’t seem to product sweaters. I have half of the left front done on the plaid fair isle thingy that I managed to convince several of you to knit with me. Are you doing any better on it? In the meantime, I finished the top secret blanket project for my uncle and his new wife. The natural wool colors and blanket itself were picked out by a good friend of theirs who has seen their condo and knows their taste better than I do. I am pretty happy with the finished results, although picking up the one million stitches around the outside for the feather and fan border was not my cup of tea. And it was only two months late…

Wool Leaves by Jared Flood in Berroco Remix. Pattern and yarn available at the shop.

I also knocked out the Wool Leaves pattern in Remix for my friend in England who is due…well, right this moment. I think she is now overdue. (a good thing since it has to fly the whole way to England…) I used two strands of Remix held together and dropped the needle down to a US #10.5. While it worked out really nicely, holding two strands of a cotton blend yarn together wasn’t super fun. It doesn’t have a lot of give. The second time around on this one, I think I would probably switch to lace pointed needles so that the PSSO and K2tog weren’t as annoying. The yarn is wonderful though and will be machine washable and super soft for baby. It will blend nicely with Katie’s sheep themed nursery. I did soak it for quite awhile and dried it flat but the leaves still wouldn’t lay flat. So I brought it into the shop and steam ironed it on one of those handy Block and Roll mats. That seemed to do the trick! So it went out in a nice little box to Katie and her new little one. I also sent along two fabulous sheep from the Spud and Chloe on the Farm book!

Spud and Little Brown Sheep in Spud and Chloe Sweater.

I love to start new projects. I start them all the time. Finishing, not so much. Once I’ve figured out a pattern, I quickly become bored and want to move on to the next new thing. (Working at a yarn store full time is not a good way to cure this, in case you were wondering.)

Every now and then though I get on a finishing kick. For a while it was hats, but now it seems to be shawls. Maybe it’s the weather starting to get colder, or the days getting shorter, but I suddenly find myself picking up my unfinished shawl projects and getting them done. (Sorry, sweaters – maybe you’ll be next?)

There’s something really satisfying about a good shawl or wrap. You can knock out a respectably sized one in around 400 yards of just about any weight of yarn. You can go for a simple pattern or something impressively lacy. And when you’re done, you have pretty much the ultimate accessory. A shawl can double as a scarf or a hat. It looks good with jeans or dresses. It can go out on the town of an evening, or dress up a t-shirt during the day. And blocking a finished shawl is like getting to do magic – you can turn a shapeless lump of knitting into something amazing!

My Springtime Bandit. Yep, that's two different dye lots.

This week I finished my second Springtime Bandit (I keep knitting these in August despite the name) and have been wearing it pretty much constantly since – I knit this one in Dragonfly Fibers Blue Face Worsted and am really pleased with how it turned out. Bluefaced Leicester is not as soft a wool as Merino, but this yarn worked up to be wonderfully drapy and has great stitch definition. (My Merino version, on the other hand, is more of a fuzzy blob.)

I had a lot of fun knitting this since I got to teach a class on it at the same time – it’s so rewarding to watch someone realize that they can make something that looks really complex with just some simple increases and decreases. This is a great first lace shawl pattern and teaches you a lot about shawl construction – some of my students even decided to sign up for the advanced lace shawl class (I’m so proud of you all!)

Schieffelin Point Shawl photo - Kelbourne Woolens

Now I’m finishing up a Schieffelin Point Shawl that I started back in June – I’m knitting it in Fibre Company Acadia, a DK weight mix of Merino, alpaca, and silk. This is going to be soft and snuggly, perfect for the rainy weather we’re having.

This is a good easy knit – the whole body of the shawl is done in garter stitch and there are just a few increase rows to pay attention to, then you cast on a few extra stitches, knit the edging on to the rest of the shawl, and have less than 20 stitches to bind off!

Next I’ll finish the Bias I’m knitting for a friend’s birthday in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Penthouse Silk Fingering – this will be shimmery and elegant, just what I wanted! (The pattern is written as a scarf size but I cast on extra stitches to make it a nice-sized wrap.) This is one of those simple stitch patterns that would look good in any weight of yarn – I’m sure I’ll knit more of these.

And then… well, I really like shawl patterns. I have more shawls favorited on Ravelry than almost any other type of project (and that’s not even counting the ones in my queue.) Some shawls I’m excited about right now are Bois, with its beautiful border, and Pembroke Wrap, which would be fluffy, warm, and fun to knit in Imperial Stock Ranch pencil roving. I should probably make one of those Boneyard Shawls that Daphne’s got everyone doing, and I’ve really been wanting to knit Hawthorne, especially now that there’s a matching hat and mitts.

Oh wait, Springtime Bandit has a matching hat too…  uh oh. I think I’m in trouble.

I developed this belief when I first started knitting. A few projects in, I had to wonder why I was making so many hats. After some consideration, I decided that as a knitter it was only reasonable to have a hat in every color under the sun, and in every style and fibre imaginable. A couple hundred projects later, and this belief has been extended to everything I knit.

Photo by Cecilia Flori

This inspiring little design, a thousand splendid suns (free Ravelry download), is the perfect thing to drape around your neck when the leaves start to turn and you need a little sunshine. There is plenty of heat left in the season, but when knitted in Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend, this lovely loop will illuminate your wardrobe through the night chill of late summer. Or try new textures when combining The Fibre Company Road to China Light (the softest blend of fibres with a whisper of a halo) and Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy (smooth plant fibres)—the juxtaposition is striking, and you may never want to wear another cowl.

I'll take ten, please.

My latest WIP, one that I can see myself making several times, is Wayfarer by Jared Flood (pattern available at the shop). This is an amazingly fast knit at only 400 yards of worsted weight yarn, in a pattern that is created by slipping stitches. This is one of my favorite knitting techniques because it looks very difficult and complicated, but you are basically knitting back and forth every row! I am using Dragonfly Fibers Blue Face Worsted, a 100% BFL wool yarn in rare, rich colors. The stitches are beautifully defined, and I love seeing the way the colors unfold into the pattern. I also recommend knitting this pattern in SHELTER to show off your handiwork—the yarn really grabs the texture of the stitches.

Photo by Ann Lundblad

Because I always have to be knitting a shawl, I can’t wait to cast on for Fagus by Ann Lundblad (Ravelry download). Draping leaves on a background of garter stitch, this darling little shawl can be customized according to the yardage you have available. Knitted in fingering weight, I imagine it velvety in Skein Merino/Cashmere Fingering—this is 80% Merino/20% Cashmere softness in brilliant colors. I would also love to make this in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Penthouse Silk Fingering—bright jewel tones in 100% silk with a glamorous drape.