Archives for July 2014

It’s true — I might be just a little obsessed with gradients right now. I just finished another fast project knit from Freia Handpaints, this:

This is a cowl knit in a broken rib pattern, using Freia Handpaints Ombre Worsted in the “Blue Velvet” colorway on a 5mm (U.S. 8) needle. I really, really love this colorway.

In the photo above, the cowl is doubled.

It’s about 55″ around and 8.5″ deep. It’s a simple knit, can hardly be called a pattern, but I wrote it up anyway, in hopes that it might be of use to someone l0oking for a fast and easy cowl to make. You can download it free from Ravelry.

Barbara asked a good question in the comments about the yarn I used for the scarf in my last post:

Wendy, how did you shuffle around your 2 colorways to begin/end with the same color?  Did you use half of the purple, then reattach towards the end?  I read through the pattern, trying to determine how far to knit with one or the other.

One of the things I love about Freia Handpaints: when you order more than one skein of a colorway, you get skeins that work together. In the case of the scarf, I bought two skeins, and where the first skein ends in the color repeat, the second one begins. The same is true of the yarn for this cowl: I bought three skeins and after scrutinizing the yarn to put the skeins in order, I was able to work from skein, to skein, to skein without any gap in the color sequence.

What next? I can’t start working on my Camp Loopy III project until after midnight tomorrow, so I’ll do some swatches of future ideas between now and then.

Loki

This Saturday, August 2, is the one year anniversary of my adopting Loki. It’s hard to believe that he has lived with me a whole year! It’s funny to remember how timid and unsure of himself he was when I first brought him home. That did not last long. 😉 Now he acts like he runs the place. And I suppose in a way he does.

Loki is going to be featured as the “Ragdoll of the Week” over at Floppycats.com on Monday, so be sure to check him out there. And I’ll of course post a direct link to his article after it goes live next week. 🙂

First off, the winner of a free copy of 60 Quick Luxury Knits is Carin Glick. Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!

Second, I finished my easy diagonal scarf.

I knit to use up all the yarn, saving a bit to add some fringe at the bottom.

I taught a colleague how to knit last week, and designed this pattern to be her first project. Since I was writing it up for her, I thought I’d make it available for download on Ravelry as a freebie. So here it is!

Third, it looks like Basil found a little friend!

And fourth, Loki is waiting to “help” me with chores, so off I go!

I have yet another book to review for you!

This is the latest in the “60 Quick Knits” collection from Sixth & Spring: 60 Quick Luxury Knits. All of the patterns (60 of them) in this book are knit from Cascade Yarn’s Venezia yarn, a 70/30 merino/silk blend that comes in both worsted and sport weights. While I have no personal experience with the Venezia yarn, I can see that it gets very good reviews on Ravelry. It comes in a wide variety of colors and is quite reasonably priced compared to other merino/silk blends.

You can view all the projests on Ravelry, here. There’s quite a nice range of items, including hats, collars, cowls, scarves, shawls, mitts, and more. There are patterns for colorwork, texture, cables, and lace. Definitely something for everyone.

A few of my favorite projects . . .

This adorable clutch:

A lovely fair isle beret:

And a cute cabled headband:

This book is a great source of patterns for gifts that will be quick to knit but will not fail to impress the recipient.

The publisher has kindly offered a second copy of the book for my giveaway. Who’d like it?

To be entered in the drawing for a copy of  60 Quick Luxury Knits, please leave a comment on this blog post by 11:00am Eastern Time on Sunday, July 27, 2014. The winner will be chosen at random then.

Speaking of choosing winners at random, the winner of  A Knitter’s Gallery of Mitered Squares – 45 Unique Designs in Color, Texture and Lace is Sue H., who has been emailed. Thanks to everyone who left a comment!

Meanwhile

I needed a short-term project because I am still in-between Camp Loopy projects. So I am working on this:

This is a diagonal garter stitch scarf being knit from Freia Fine Handpaints Sport Ombre in the “Grapevine” colorway, on a U.S. size 6 needle.

I love this yarn. I am using two skeins of it, and where one skein ends, the second skein picks up in exactly the same spot so there is no break in the gradient.

I will likely make this pattern available as a freebie once I am done. While I am knitting mine in sportweight wool, you could use pretty much any weight, and make it as wide as you like as well.

Loki

This is what Loki is usually doing after I get home from work in the afternoon.

I have to wonder what he is up to all day while I am gone to get so tired?

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about squares.

I’ve amassed an embarrassingly large amount of single skeins of a couple of different yarns for the express purpose of knitting squares, to be put together into a blanket, most likely.

So it was sort of serendipitous that I received this eBook the other day:

This is A Knitter’s Gallery of Mitered Squares – 45 Unique Designs in Color, Texture and Lace by Jill Bigelow-Suttell & Jane Bigelow. It is available in both electronic and hard copy here.

As the title suggests, this is a collection of patterns for 45 mitered squares. You can see most of the patterns on the books’ Ravelry page here.

The book contains more than just the patterns for the squares, though. There is a brief description of how a mitered square is created, some explanation on how to read charts, and very useful information on joining squares together: how to pick up and knit a new square onto an existing square in different ways to achieve different shapes. And there are instructions for creating left and right-leaning triangles, as well a top triangle. Finally, some information on stacking squares, moving in different directions to achieve different results.

The patterns for the squares are organized by type: color, texture, and lace. There is a large, clear full-page photo of each square:

This is followed by a full page chart for the knitting of that square. (All of the patterns are charted, not written out.) Each square has notes explaining how to adapt it — for example, if it can be worked over any odd number of stitches, or if it needs to be worked in multiples of 4, etc.

After the patterns for the squares themselves there are a few patterns for items that can be made from mitered squares.

Frosty Sunrise is a wrap made from a couple of the lace squares in alternating colors.

Harvest Celebration is a table runner (that could easily be converted into placemats) that combines squares with a border.

Misty Valley is a simple vest design that demonstrates how stunning mitered squares can be incorporated into a garment.

Aurora Night is an all-square vest: clever placement creates armhole and neck shaping.

Once again, I’ve been authorized to host a give-away for a copy of this e-book. Who’d like it?

To be entered in the drawing to win a copy of  A Knitter’s Gallery of Mitered Squares – 45 Unique Designs in Color, Texture and Lace, please leave a comment on this blog post by noon Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments posted.

Speaking of winners, the winner of last week’s giveaway of Big Foot Knits by Andi Smith is Robin, who has been emailed. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Meanwhile at home, I finished my Mighty Mini Scarf last Friday.

And Loki is doing what he does best:

I have in my possession a review copy of the e-book Big Foot Knits by Andi Smith. It is available in both e-book and hard copy — the link up there is to the book on Ravelry. You can also order either version from the publisher, Cooperative Press.

The book contains twelve sock patterns for larger feet, but it is so much more for the knitter who has larger than “average” feet. It is a mathematical masterpiece of how to properly measure your feet and legs, figure out the toe and heel shapes that fit you the best, and then adapt patterns to fit your individual feet.

The book starts with a “plain vanilla” sock pattern in both top-down and toe-up versions.

Next, you are taught how to measure your feet. There are many different points where you should take a measurement, and these are all shown with illustrations.

There is a very cool chart that show different shaped feet and legs so you can choose the configuration that best matches each of your feet.

Then you are presented with a “personal measurements chart” that you can print out or photocopy depending on whether your book is electronic or hardcopy. Enter all your measurements and variables on this chart.

There is a chapter on gauge and why it is important for socks. More charts here — “cheat sheets” on negative ease and a chart where you can enter your gauge after knitting a swatch as directed.

The next chapter is about shaping your sock and includes details on many different increases and decreases, with a lot of excellent information on the rate of increase and decrease you need to use, along with detailed charts.

There’s a chapter on cuffs, one on heels, and one on toes. The toe chapter is particularly interesting as it explains how to create sock toes to fit a variety of toe-shapes.

The next chapter contains a complete, detailed worksheet for you to create your own custom sock pattern. And there is a chapter on incorporating different stitch patterns into your sock.

Then come the original patterns. As I said, twelve of them. You can take a look at the pattern photos on Ravelry — they are all lovely, and they are beautifully photographed with really cool shoes!

Each pattern is written in three different sizes (generally around 10, 11.5, and 13″ circumference but there are some variations), and if that weren’t enough, each one has charts and worksheets to help you further customize the fit. The sample socks are all made from popular easy-to-find sock yarns.

All in all, a very impressive treatise on the sock for the larger foot!

I have been authorized to give away a copy of the e-book. Who’d like it?

To be entered in the drawing to win a copy of this fantastic book, leave a comment on this blog post by 11:00am eastern time on Sunday, July 20, 2014. A winner will be chosen at random at that time.

Meanwhile . . .

I am working along on my Mighty Mini scarf. At this point I am on the 18th repeat. The pattern directs you to knit a total of 21 repeats, but it looks like I’ll still have some yarn left over. I’m betting I can get a few more repeats out of it.

The yarn (Blue Moon Fiber Arts Worthy fingering weight) is just gorgeous. While it is listed as fingering weight, but I think it is at the finer end of fingering. In fact, at first I wondered how well it would look knitted up in this pattern, but the more I knit, the more I liked it.

Loki sez:

“All that loud knitting is keeping me awake!”