Technique: CO At End of Row

Today I received an email from a knitter named Susan who was working on Sirdar Pattern 1666 and wasn

Charm Mitts KAL: Arrrgh!

My euphoria at being a few rows away from binding off my second Charm Mitt quickly turned to despair

Charm Mitts KAL: Progress

My first Charm Mitt, from Louisa Harding's Three Graces book, is working up so quickly that I bet if

Technique: CO At End of Row

June 17, 2013 in miscellaneous

Today I received an email from a knitter named Susan who was working on Sirdar Pattern 1666 and wasn’t sure how to cast on stitches at the end of the row.

Sirdar Pattern #1666

Isn’t that a sweet set for a new baby? It’s knit using Sirdar Snuggly 4 Ply, which is a soft, machine washable yarn that’s great for busy parents.

But back to Susan’s question.

Casting on at the end of a row, or even mid-row, is a way to quickly add width to a piece of knitting (as opposed to the gradual process of increasing stitches every few rows.)

This method is handy for T shaped garments or tops worked side-to-side.

Backward E Cast On

A quick and easy way to cast on the extra stitches is the “backward e” method. It’s called that because it looks like a lower case cursive letter e.

1. Grasp the working yarn between your thumb and forefinger with the finger on the bottom.

2. Without letting go of the yarn, turn your hand so the thumb is on top and there is a twist in the yarn forming a loop.

3. Place that loop on your right hand needle. Pull it snug to eliminate slack, but not so tight you can’t knit into it.

Repeat the process until you have the required number of stitches.

Thumb Cast On

Another method which will have the same result is the “thumb cast on”.

1. Place the working yarn around your thumb so the part attached to the yarn ball is at the front and the short end is on your palm.

2. Use your working needle to pick up the strand of yarn in front of your thumb from the front and underneath.

3. Slide the needle up your thumb, making a twist and removing the loop from around your thumb.

Pull the loop snug to eliminate slack, but not so tight you can’t knit into it.

New Stitches!

When you turn your work to knit (or purl) the next row the new stitches will be the first ones you work and the yarn will be in the proper place to start knitting.

While these methods are quick and easy, the stitches they create aren’t very stable. You’ll want to knit them carefully so you don’t end up pulling them out of shape and getting a big, loose loop of yarn between them.

Practice the method on a swatch so you can get the hang of it before you need it in a project.

You can also use the “backward e” cast on when making a two-row button hole.

On the first row you would bind off the required number of stitches.

On the second row, when you reach the bound off stitches, you’ll cast on the same number of stitches. The nice thing is your working yarn stays in the correct position to work the next stitch on your left hand needle.

(I used Louisa Harding Jesse yarn in color #103-Faded for my examples. See all the colors of this 100% Cotton Denim yarn here.)

Tags: tips
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Charm Mitts KAL: Arrrgh!

June 16, 2013 in Louisa Harding, Mitts, Tips

My euphoria at being a few rows away from binding off my second Charm Mitt quickly turned to despair when I realized I’d worked two right hand mitts.

Are two right mitts as bad as two left feet?

The one on the left is folded so you can see what the finished mitt will look like.

Aren’t they beautiful, if they were, you know, a pair?

I had spent most of Saturday working on them in between doing chores. Then when I saw how close I was to being finished I decided to stay up late and push through.

Just as I was supposed to change to Grace Hand Beaded for the trim, I checked the pattern and realized my error.

A tear might have been dabbed away on the pretty Grace Hand Dyed fabric, then I went to bed angry.

See, the left hand mitt is worked the same as the right hand mitt through the top of the cabled cuff. But I never marked that part in the pattern to remind myself to stay alert when it came around again.

This would also been a good argument for working them two at a time on a long cable needle. I would have noticed right away that the lace was in the same position on both.

Lifeline To the Rescue

A lifeline is usually a good idea.

(The blue and green colors in the first picture are more accurate than this purple and green close up. While the rain ever stop?!)

If you are an experienced glove and mitten knitter, you have probably made this same mistake. If you are a beginner knitter, take joy in the fact that some errors transcend experience.

There was nothing to do but rip back and reknit.

Rather than just pull out the needle and leave things to chance, I decided to place a lifeline at the top of the cuff for security.

In this case, I used a piece of scrap yarn and a darning needle to pick up the right hand leg of every stitch on my target row. If you aim for the right hand leg then your stitches will be seated properly when you put them back on the knitting needle.

Instead of scrap yarn, you can also use a knitting needle several sizes smaller than the needles you are using to knit. The advantage of using a smaller needle is it makes it easier to transfer the stitches back to your working needle when the time comes.

However, I went the darning needle route because I wanted to be able to manipulate the fabric to get around the lace stitches.

Coincidentally, WEBS just had a blog post about this process. They’re pictures are of using a knitting needle instead.

Frogged

Avert your eyes if you are sensitive!

With the scrap yarn in place I was able to rip with abandon. In case you’re wondering, this process is called “frogging” because you “rip it, rip it”.

I had to pick out one more row to get to where I needed to be, but at least I didn’t have to fuss with picking up running stitches.

I’m back on track and ready to knit a proper left hand mitt! Luckily the knit along doesn’t end until June 30 so I have plenty of time to finish.

I hope you’re weekend knitting and crocheting has been going more smoothly!

Tags: mitts, WIPs
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Charm Mitts KAL: Progress

June 12, 2013 in Louisa Harding, Mitts

My first Charm Mitt, from Louisa Harding’s Three Graces book, is working up so quickly that I bet if I was focusing on this one project I’d be done by now!

Just a few more repeats before I cast off.

Like most knitters, I’ve been dividing my time between, ahem, two projects. The mitts have been sharing my attention with my Billy Sweater from Louisa Harding’s Mila book.

Just need to seam it!

I just need to seam Billy and I’ll have a new sweater to wear.

But back to the mitts…

Every project starts with a cast on!

For a complicated looking finished project, I’m not finding it difficult to knit at all.

All the pattern stitches involved repeat regularly so it’s easy to both get the rhythm of them and see what they look like as you are knitting.

These colors are not accurate on any planet.

Being able to “read” your knitting is important for this project since it helps you move along faster.

For the cuff you can predict which way the cables will cross after one repeat. For the lace on the hand you can track how the eyelets line up to make sure you are on track.

I’m just about ready to work the cast off on the first mitt. Then on to the thumb and seaming.

Hmm, I have a lot of seaming to get done.

How are your Charm Mitts coming along?

Remember to join the conversation in the Louisa Harding Lovers group on Ravelry. Lots of pretty color combinations are being shared.

Tags: mitts, WIPs
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Shawls!

June 6, 2013 in Araucania, Debbie Bliss, Ella Rae, Elsebeth Lavold, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Louisa Harding, Noro, Queensland Collection, shawl

Do you ever notice that when you are knitting or crocheting a project you start seeing similar projects everywhere?

I start a pair of socks, I notice new sock patterns.

I work on a project with cables, I see great cables all over the place.

Start of my Asparagus shawl

Right now, my Asparagus Shawl is bringing a bevy of beautiful shawls to my attention.

Shawls Rock Because….

There are many reasons to knit and crochet shawls, aside from the fact that they are fun.

They are useful garments. You can easily toss them on and off without having to struggle with sleeves like you do with a cardigan.

Speaking of struggling with sleeves, shawls usually have minimal finishing. Weave in a few ends and it’s ready to wear!

Sizing isn’t an issue either. Sure, you want to check your gauge to ensure your dimensions are correct, but you won’t have to worry about whether it will fit.

Some people worry that wearing a shawl will make them look like an old lady (or man?). Um, what is wrong with looking like someone who is wise enough to be comfortable?

Besides, attitude is a big factor in how you look. Carry yourself with pride in the unique creation draping your shoulders and people will be dazzled!

Inspiration on Parade

Here is a taste of some of the shawls I’ve seen lately at local yarn stores.

You can find more inspiration on our main website.

Photo by Chelsea Yarns
Noro Feather and Fan Scarf

This Noro Feather and Fan Shawl is available as a kit from Chelsea Yarns. They have several colorways available. Every time I see a picture of a finished one I’m impressed!

Photo by River Boutique and Yarn
Windward Wrap in Noro yarn

This great shawl is the Windward Wrap at River Boutique and Yarn. I love how the design shows off the long color changes of the Noro yarn. It’s part of a class, but I bet they’d be happy to ship you a kit.

Photo by The Yarn Club
Adirondack Shawl knit in Noro Ayatori

This pastel beauty is the Adirondack Shawl from Ravelry. The Yarn Club used a beautiful shade of Noro Ayatori for their version.

Ayatori is a delicious 60% Wool, 40% Silk blend with approximately 156 yards per ball. The eight new colors bring vibrant primaries to balance the original pastel colors. You can see them all on our website so you know what to ask for when you call the store.

Photo by Crazy for Ewe
Flamenco Kitty shawl using Noro Silk Garden and Debbie Bliss Angel

The “Flamenco Kitty Shawl” is available as a kit from Crazy for Ewe. The long, soft ruffle is enchanting!

They used a combination of Noro Silk Garden (a 45% Silk, 45% Mohair, 10% Lambswool blend) and Debbie Bliss Angel (a 76% Super Kid Mohair, 24% Silk blend) to achieve the interesting textures.

If you don’t like the colors shown, check out other options on their Facebook page. They’d probably be happy to work with you over the phone to put together other colors.

Photo by Bliss Yarns
Espiral shawl knit in Debbie Bliss Luxury Silk DK

Speaking of Debbie Bliss yarn…Bliss Yarns, a local yarn store in Tennessee, sent us this pretty picture of their Esprial shawl (Ravelry link).

They used the beautiful new Debbie Bliss Luxury Silk DK in Blush for their charming version.

Wouldn’t that look great with a sun dress?

Photo by Tangle
Easy Summer shawl in Araucania Lontue

Araucania Lontue is a 50% Cotton 50% Linen blend that is great for warm weather garments.

This “Easy Summer Shawl” is a house pattern at Tangle and takes just two hanks of Lontue. Tangle is an online store, so it’s a simple matter to order the yarn and the pattern all at once!

Photo by Needleworks Unlimited Shawl using Araucania Lontue yarn

Photo by Needlework Unlimited
Shawl using Araucania Lontue yarn

This is a great version of our free Macrame Scarf pattern at Needlework Unlimited. This is a quick and easy knit that has great results.

Photo by Green Planet Yarn Eyelete Ponchini by StevenB in Elsebeth Lavold LinSilk

Photo by Green Planet Yarn
Eyelet Ponchini by StevenB in Elsebeth Lavold LinSilk

Sticking with the linen blend theme, is this great Eyelet Ponchini at Green Planet Yarn.

They used Elsebeth Lavold LinSilk yarn. This soft yarn has both shine and texture from the 50% Linen 30% Viscose 20% Silk blend and is available in 12 colors.

Photo by Apple Yarns
Dream Stripes shawl in Hempathy

This Dream Stripes shawl from Apple Yarns is another great shawl knit using an Elsebeth Lavold yarn. Hempathy is a 41% Cotton, 34% Hemp, 25% Modal blend with six new colors this season.

Photo by Woolworks LTD Yarn Shop.
Dream Stripes in Painted Desert and a solid sock yarn.

Here’s another great version of the Dream Stripes Shawl. This one is from the Connecticut shop, Woolworks Ltd. They used our Knitting Fever brand Painted Desert yarn. This fingering weight, 100% Superwash Wool yarn comes in 10 self-striping colorways.

They mixed it with a coordinating, solid color yarn such as Ella Rae Lace Merino.

Photo by Orchardside Yarn Shop.
Ruffled shawl in Juniper Moon Farm Findley and KFI Painted Desert.

Another wonderful shawl using Painted Desert as a base is this one from Orchardside Yarn Shop, located in Virginia. They have kits made up that include the pattern and yarn.

I love the ruffled edge and textured body on this shawl.

They mixed in Juniper Moon Farm Findley. This beautiful 50% Merino, 50% Silk yarn is available in 22 solid colors and 16 dappled colors.

Photo by Yarn Folk.
Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled.

Speaking of Findley Dappled, I’m in awe of this shawl a Yarn Folk customer knit. This store is located in Washington. The pattern is Miralda’s Triangular Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia by Nancy Bush.

Since I’m not much of a lace knitter, I think this simple shawl from Altman’s Needle & Fiber Arts is more my speed.

Photo by Altman’s Needle & Fiber Arts.
Araucania Calbuco yarn.

The pattern is the 3S Shawl by Amy Meade and is available on Ravelry. Altman’s knit theirs using Araucania Calbuco yarn, a wonderful 84% Cotton, 16% Polyamide blend available in eight colorways.

This shawl has been so popular Altman’s sold out of this color so you should get it while you can.

Photo by Juniper Place Yarn Bistitchual shawl in Queensland Collection Sugar Rush Jaquard

Photo by Juniper Place Yarn
Bistitchual shawl in Queensland Collection Sugar Rush Jacquard

Another shawl that looks like it would be easy to make, but have a lot of “wow” factor is the Bi-stitchual Shawl from Juniper Place Yarn, located in Pennsylvania.

It is knit using Queensland Collection Sugar Rush Jacquard, a soft 100% Sugar Viscose yarn that has both shine and drape. It is available in 13 jacquard colors or 24 solid colors.

Photo by Papanana
Shawl using Queensland Collection Uluru

I will conclude my shawl gallery with this pretty crocheted shawl from Papanana in North Carolina.

It took just one ball of the very popular Queensland Collection Uluru yarn. This 55% Cotton, 26% Acrylic, 19% Polyester has a halo like mohair, but without including animal fiber.

It’s a great way to get that soft look if you are allergic! Uluru is available in 10 colors and has 410 yards per ball. Understandably, it’s been flying off store shelves.

You can see more projects using Uluru in this blog post.

Share Your Shawls

I hope you’ve enjoyed this shawl gallery and found some inspiration for your next project.

Share your thoughts on shawls in the comments!

Do you wear them or just knit and crochet them as gifts?

What type of shawls do you like to make?

Tags: shawl
1 Comment »

There’s an App for Us!

June 4, 2013 in Debbie Bliss, Ella Rae, Louisa Harding, miscellaneous, Noro

Knitting Fever has gone digital!

The front screen as the app is loading.

We’re excited to announce our apps for iPhone and iPad are now available. (Sorry Android users, no app for you. It’s much more difficult to build an app for the Android platform.)

The app itself is free. The content is a mix of free and paid patterns.

There is a mix of free and to purchase patterns available.

Through the app you can have access to many of the free patterns on our main website. You can download the pattern right into the app and not have to worry about emailing it or otherwise fussing to get it loaded on your device.

You can bookmark the pattern page you are on.

When you’re working with a pattern you can zoom in the text. For longer patterns you can add a bookmark (the star) to keep your page. You can even email, tweet, or Facebook the first page for easy sharing with friends.

Magazines!

But the really exciting thing is the digital versions of the magazines and books you can buy.

This navigation page shows you the variety of content available.

Do you see that? Debbie Bliss and Noro Magazines!

My app opens on the Debbie Bliss magazine section.

All 10 issue of Debbie Bliss are available through purchase in the app. Even the ones that are no longer available in print. Pretty cool, eh?

And, if you look at the navigation bar at the bottom of that last picture, you’ll notice a “subscriptions” option. That’s right, you can subscribe to the digital version of both magazines and not have to worry about missing a copy. Hooray!

Noro patterns, books, and magazine can be accessed.

Individual patterns from Noro, Debbie Bliss, and Ella Rae can also be purchased and stored on your device. Some of the individual patterns are from books and magazines, so they are a great option if you don’t want the entire issue. Louisa Harding’s beautiful book Cardigans is also available.

The landing page for purchase patterns includes a material list, size and knitting measurements, and gauge information to help you decide whether you want to buy it.

We’re planning to add more content on a regular basis.

Navigation Tips

Of course, half the fun of a new app is poking around exploring, but let me give you some quick navigation tips.

When my app first opens it lands on the Debbie Bliss Magazine section.

My app opens on the Debbie Bliss magazine section.

If you click the “Debbie…agazine” button in the top left corner it will bring you out to the “Categories” screen I showed a few pictures up.

From there it is a simple matter of selecting the category you want.

Tags: iphone, technology
1 Comment »

On The Needles: Charm KAL Start!

June 3, 2013 in Louisa Harding, Mitts

The Charm Mitt Knit Along started Saturday!

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Charm from Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

The pattern is in Louisa Harding’s Three Graces book. They are knit using Grace Hand Beaded with Grace Wool & Silk or Grace Hand Dyed yarn.

You might think that I should have blogged about it on Saturday, but that would mean you forgot that I’m like any other knitter and have several WIPs (works in progress) that were standing between me and the KAL.

Not to mention a basket of clean laundry blocking access to my swift and ball winder.

My Grace Hand Dyed and Grace Hand Beaded.
Don’t you love the shine?

And I couldn’t find cords or the size needle tips I needed for my interchangable needles.

It’s chaos over here, I tell you.

Saturday night I finally pushed all other considerations aside and started swatching. It wasn’t going so well, so I went to bed and tried again on Sunday.

After much fussing and counting, gauge was achieved on US6 needles. I’m always surprised when I get gauge on the recommended needle size. Every knitter is different so it’s not surprising you might have to use a different size needle than the designer.

The pretty edging was easy to work and came together faster than I expected.

Every project begins with a cast on!

Since I can find the combination of US6 tips and cords I need, I resorted to knitting on a pair of double pointed needles!

I’m at the point where I’m ready to start the cable section.

Would you like to guess why I stopped?

Right, I’m not sure where my thin cable needle is.

I either need to rummage through my project bags or finally learn to cable without a cable needle.

Which do you prefer, the security of a cable needle or the (reported) speed of going without?

Charts!

The pattern is all text. Knowing that some people prefer charts, I set out to make a set.

In order to respect Louisa’s copyright, I kept them small and didn’t include stitch counts. You need to be able to refer to the written pattern to understand them.

I put out a request in the Louisa Harding Group on Ravelry for someone to proofread them for me. LottieKnits was up to the challenge and had several good suggestions and a lot of patience!

She ended up taking my initial charts and making them very pretty.

So, after all that, if you’re participating in the KAL and would like the chart, post a picture of your yarn in either the Ravlery discussion or the event on Facebook and let me know. I’ll email them to you.

Share Your Progress

The fun part about knit alongs (KALs) is getting to admire everyone’s projects. KALs are also great for asking questions if you get stuck.

Join the conversation by sharing pictures of your progress on Ravelry or Facebook!

The KAL is running until June 30 so there is plenty of time to join in.

Use the “find a store” feature to locate local and online stores that stock the Louisa Harding line and join the fun!

Tags: arm warmers, KAL, WIPs
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OTN: Billy Sweater, Joining

May 30, 2013 in Louisa Harding, Sweaters, Tips

My Billy sweater is moving along!

Don’t you love that point in a project when you can suddenly see the progress you’ve made?

Ready to put in order.

Much of my progress is a result of taking the train to visit my mom over the Memorial Day weekend. During those eight hours of practically uninterrupted knitting time I was able to knit almost the entire front!

Now I’m at the point where I need to join the sleeves to the front and the back so I can start working the yoke and raglan shaping in the round.

You can see the sleeves there in the middle of the picture, on the book. I worked them two-at-a-time on a long circular needle so I could make sure they match. (I’m a little paranoid because I’m pretty sure the garter section on the front is two rows shorter than the back despite multiple attempts to knit it correctly!)

Tricks with Interchangable Needles

The book instructs you to knit each piece to a certain point and then leave it on a holder as you knit the next piece.

As you know from previous posts, I use a set of Denise Interchangable needles. Instead of transferring stitches to a holder, I just popped the tips off and got a new cable. (I’m starting to run out of cables.) Before I put the piece aside, I closed the cable by using a connector to link the two ends together. (That will make more sense if you have a set.)

Linked up!

After you have all the pieces knit, the book tells you the order in which to knit them to get them all linked up properly.

Rather than knitting them right off the bat, I rearranged them on my cords. I popped apart the cables the sleeves were on and connected them in order to the cables the front and back are on.

The tricky part was making sure all the public sides were facing out, and all the pieces were facing the same direction so I can access the working yarn.

Since I’m supposed to be working in the round now, I’ll probably have to scrunch everything down and remove one of the shorter cables. There are few things as irritating as working in the round on a too long cable!

The yoke will be orange

This is preview of what the sweater will look like in the end to help you understand how the pieces go together.

The yoke is going to be orange. I’m really pleased with how the colors are working together.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go untangle my yarn and get to knitting!

What tips do you have for joining to work in the round?

The pattern for the Billy Sweater is in Louisa Harding’s Mila book. Preview it here. Add Billy to your Ravelry queue. See all the colors of Mila yarn.

Tags: cotton, sweater, tips, WIPs
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Three Graces Giveway–Winners!

May 22, 2013 in Louisa Harding

The random number generator has spoken and five lucky fans were selected to each receive a copy of the Louisa Harding book Three Graces.

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Tonal Beret from The Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

I was able to email all the winners, so please check your email for directions to claim your prize.

Phyllis T-G

Samantha C

Phosphor

Marizan

Catherine M. S

If you didn’t win a copy of the book, you can find local and online stores that stock Louisa Harding products by using the “find a store” feature on our main website.

Charm Knit Along Update!

I’m excited to announce there will be a prize for knit along participants in the USA and UK!

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Charm from Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

Everyone who completes their gloves and posts a picture in the Louisa Harding Lovers group on Ravelry by June 30 will be entered in the drawing. You must use a Louisa Harding yarn to be eligible for the drawing.

We are providing the prize for people in the USA and our friends at Designer Yarns (Louisa’s UK distributor) will be providing the prize to residents of the UK.

I’m slow on the uptake this week, so we only just asked her Canadian distributor if they want to join the fun.

The drawing is void where prohibited, etc., etc.

Remember to join the Charm KAL even on Facebook to keep informed of updates and join the discussion on Ravelry.

The Knit along is running from June 1 to June 30.

This means you should cast on June 1 or later (NOT before) and be finished by June 30. I’m expecting the mitts to take about 2 weeks to knit.

You can swatch before June 1, but you can’t start the project.

Have you selected your colors yet?

Tags: KAL, mitts, silk
2 Comments »

Spotlight: The Garden Delight Collection

May 20, 2013 in Elsebeth Lavold

Have I told you about my Asparagus Shawl? I think I’ve only mentioned it in passing.

Start of my Asparagus shawl

I started it in April and have found it to be good TV and travel knitting since it is mainly garter stitch.

The pattern is in the Elsebeth Lavold book “The Garden Delight Collection” and I’m using the Silky Wool yarn called for in the pattern.

The book includes two different sizes, one using 3 skeins and the other using 5 skeins.

Photo by Anders Rydell
Asparagus shawl, 3 skein version

I’m making this smaller version.

Photo by Anders Rydell
Asparagus shawl, 5 skein version

Doesn’t the larger version look cozy?

What you can’t really tell from the pictures is that this is a shaped shawl. It starts from the bottom like your average triangular shawl, but there is neck shaping with the two side continuing in a decreasing fashion.

I think this will make it very easy to wear since the shaping will help it stay put!

The motifs are meant to resemble Asparagus tips.

The name comes from the motif that runs up the sides and is meant to resemble asparagus tips.

Elsbeth says she designed the shawl when trying to add interest to a plain garter stitch shawl:

I discovered that the edging, my own invention, was both fun and satisfying to knit, and that’s really the essence of any craft, isn’t it—to arrive at an attractive and useable end result and at the same time get a lot of joy from the process itself.

In my opinion, she hit the nail on the head with this pattern. I can cruise along and just glance down for the motif.

I’m getting close to dividing for the two sides. I’m thinking I might have to knit them at the same time so when I’m finished I can start wearing my shawl right away!

The Garden Delight Collection

The Asparagus shawl is just one of 14 projects in this book. You can preview the rest of the book here. You can find the book on Ravelry here.

The theme of the book is “A collection of designs inspired by plant life and gardening, an activity that, just like knitting, gains pleasure from both the process and the end result.”

The designs use Silky Wool, Hempathy, and LinSilk yarns.

Photo by Anders Rydell,
Carota was the inspiration for the collection.

The first pattern designed for the book is Carota, which was inspired by purple carrots! I don’t think I’ve seen a purple carrot in person, but there is a picture of some in the book and the sweater design does indeed echo the vegetable.

Of course, if the purple and orange combination are a little too brave for you, Silky Wool is available in plenty of other colors for you to select a pleasing combination.

LinSilk

LinSilk is a new 50% Linen 30% Viscose 20% Silk blend with approximately 220 yards per 100g hank. The suggested gauge is 4.5 sts to 5 sts per inch. It is available in 12 colors.

Elsbeth says she quickly fell in love with the LinSilk samples when she was considering adding it to the Designer Choice line. She says it is great for garments in temperate zones and soft enough for garments for babies.

Add to the softness, sheen and a lovely drape the fact that is has an elasticity that makes it very agreeable to knit with, and you have the basic components behind my choice of this new favorite.

Photo by Anders Rydell
Calamint set, infant size

The Calamint pattern has a sweater, bonnet, and slipper set for babies ranging from 0 to 24 months old.

Photo by Anders Rydell
Calamint, child size

The sweater also has sizes for children 4 to 10 years old. That’s a lot of flexibility! If you have sisters who still think it’s fun to match you’ll be all set.

Photo By Anders Rydell
That’s Elsebeth Lavold herself!

For the big girls, consider the Woodruff sweater.

I like the wide neckline and the pretty lace collar on this one. The all over “flower” stitch will make this an interesting knit. Basic crochet skills are needed to work the edging.

Photo by Anders Rydell
Fava includes suggestions for adapting it for a woman.

There is one project for the man in your life in this collection. Fava (like the bean) is sized from S (43 1/4″ chest) to XL (50 3/4″ chest).

Ribbing combines with an interesting cable to create the texture on this attractive pullover. A modified drop shoulder reduces bulk under the arms.

If you don’t knit men sweaters, there are suggestions in the book for modifying the sleeves to fit a woman.

Hempathy

Hempathy is a popular 41% Cotton, 34% Hemp, 25% Modal blend with approximately 154 yards per 50g ball. There are six new colors this season.

Photo By Anders Rydell
Patch is sized from XS to XXL

Patch is a pretty T-Shirt style top knit using Hempathy. It is sized from XS (32 1/4″) to XXL (49 3/4″).

This top looks cool and breezy for when the summer weather arrives in earnest. For a daring look you can wear a contrasting color camisole underneath or be more subtle with a coordinating color. With 35 colors available, it should be easy to match your wardrobe.

Photo by Anders Rydell
Allium is knit using Hempathy

I’ve already added Allium to my Raverly queue. I like the combination of the lace at the shoulders and the peplum skirt.

This looks like a top that will be fun and challenging to knit as well as fun to wear. People will know you didn’t get this great top in a store!

Allium (which is the Latin name for Garlic) is sized from XS (28 1/4″) to L (34″) chest and is meant to be worn with 2 to 4 inches of negative ease.

These are just a few of the great patterns in The Garden Delight Collection. You can see the others here.

Hempathy in Magazines

Because I’m easily distracted, I thought I’d also point out that Hempathy recently appeared in two magazines!

Photo by Joe Hancock
Pattern from Interweave Knits Summer 2013

The Ladder Tank by Nancy Eiseman is in the Summer 2013 issue of Interweave Knits magazine.

Photo by Joe Hancock
Pattern from Interweave Knits Summer 2013

It takes 4 to 7 skeins of Hempathy, depending on which size you make. It is knit in one piece to the arm holes, which will save on finishing time.

Add the Ladder Tank to your Ravelry queue.

Photo courtesy of Creative Knitting Magazine
Pattern in Easy, Everyday Openwork & Lace

This very pretty twin set is in “Easy, Everyday Openwork & Lace” from Creative Knitting Magazine.

The Sapphira Cardigan and Tank Top was designed by Meghan Jones and is sized from S to 2X. You can see more pictures if you follow those links to the Ravelry pages.

I think this set is pretty and sophisticated. Together they’d be great for the office, while the tank alone will be a fun addition to the summer wardrobe.

What do you think? Would you add more veggies to your life by knitting from The Garden Delight Collection?

Tags: Hempathy, silk, silky wool, WIPs
1 Comment »

Charm Knit Along & Book Giveaway

May 17, 2013 in Louisa Harding, Mitts

The other day I was emailing with my blogger friend Lisette and she mentioned she was planning to knit the Charm pattern from Louisa Harding’s Three Graces book as one of her next projects.

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Charm from Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

I said I had also been planning to knit Charm! Lisette was thinking of using shades of pink or blue. I had already selected a rich, blue colorway for mine.

My Grace Hand Dyed and Grace Hand Beaded.
Don’t you love the shine?

Then I thought, “Well if two’s company then three is a knit along,” and I thought I’d see if anyone else had this set of pretty fingerless mitts on their to-knit list.

If you’ve been putting it off, now is the time to bump them up the list! Add Charm to your Ravelry queue.

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Charm from Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

The Charm pattern will be good for an experienced knitter or someone ready to challenge themselves. There are cables and lace, but they are knit flat so you don’t have to worry about knitting in the round.

Charm by Midwest Yarn, a local yarn store in Wisconsin.

This version is at Midwest Yarn, a local yarn store in Wisconsin.

The pattern uses 2 hanks of Grace Hand Dyed for the multicolored version OR 2 hanks of Grace Wool and Silk for the solid color version. Both versions also take 1 hank of Grace Hand Beaded in a coordinating color for the trim.

Such rich colors!

Locate stores near you that carry Louisa Harding’s yarns and pattern by using the “find a store” feature on our main website and filtering by zip code and brand.

You have time to get your supplies. I have a few works in progress (WIPs) to finish up before I can start mine.

I’m planning to cast on June 1!

Charm will be a great project to work on as the weather warms up because they are small and portable. They’ll probably work up quickly, too!

This Ravelry user has a nice review of the pattern and yarn in her project notes.

They will come in handy (haha) when the air conditioning fires up later in the summer. I love wearing fingerless mitts while I type because they keep my hands warm but leave my fingers free.

Yes! They keep my fingers warm as well. I think it has something to do with your hands being warm so warm blood is circulating.

Three Graces Book Giveaway!

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Three Graces cover

To kick things off, I get to give away 5 copies of the Three Graces book! (US Residents only. Void where prohibited.)

Lisette is planning to knit her Charm for a gift. I’m planning to knit them for myself (I live in a cold area!).

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post between now and midnight on Tuesday, May 21. Five winners will be selected randomly.

Tell me if you would knit them for yourself or someone else. Or why you like the pattern.

The Three Graces is full of pretty sweaters and accessories featuring the three Grace yarns: Wool & Silk, Hand Dyed, and Hand Beaded.

Photo by Stephen Jessup
Sweetness Cardi from Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

The Sweetness Cardi is another of my favorites from the book.

Photo by Stephen Jessup.
Grace bag from Three Graces book by Louisa Harding

The Grace bag is also adorable. It takes just one skein of Grace Hand Beaded. Wouldn’t it make a lovely gift or lavender sachet for your lingerie drawer?

Leave a comment to enter the giveaway! Winners will be selected and notified on Wednesday, May 22. When the comment system asked you to sign in make sure you use a real email address that you check regularly so I can contact you if you win.

To leave a comment, scroll down a little further and look for the box that says “leave a message”. It should be under the blue links and above the other comments people have already left. If you can see more than one blog post, look for the little blue “comment” link just a little bit down and to the right.

Tags: silk
406 Comments »

Yarnologue

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