Spotlight: Juniper Moon Farm Moonshine

May 6, 2013 in Cowls, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Sweaters

It might not be booze, but I bet the Dukes of Hazard would still want to transport the Juniper Moon Farm version of Moonshine!

After all, who could resist a yarn that is a 40% Wool, 40% Alpaca, 20% Silk blend with approximately 197 yards per 100g? Not me, that’s for sure!

Doesn’t it look glossy and mysterious?

It’s available in 16 colors and has a suggested gauge of 4.5-5 sts per inch on a US 7 needle. Tempted yet?

Ravelry users gave in to the temptation and landed Moonshine in the #1 spot on the Popluar New Yarns list for a good part of the month of April.

Moonshine was #1 on Ravelry’s Popular New Yarn list!

It has been used in 58 projects, with hats and shawls leading the pack.

Amalthea Cowl

The Moonshine book features 14 projects that are a mix of sweaters and accessories.

With a trip coming up, I wanted something portable and relatively simple to work on.

Photo by Susan Gibbs
Amalthea Cowl

The Amalthea cowl fit the bill. It’s knit in the round with a repeating pattern that doesn’t require charts and tons of concentration. The book includes a one skein and a two skein version, making this a great option for your gift box.

Doesn’t it look yummy?

It took me about a week to knit the one skein version. You can add this project to your Ravelry queue here.

The cowl is soft and squishy!

Although I knit it in April, I actually got to wear it a few times before the weather really warmed up. I think I’ll get a lot of use out of it next winter!

Just one skein makes it a great gift option.

XS to 3X

An exciting thing about the sweater patterns in the book (aside from how beautiful they are) is that they all range from XS (about a 30″ bust) to 3X (about a 54″ bust)!

In addition to the wide range of sizes, a variety of styles is includes to cover a wide range of tastes.

Photo by Susan Gibbs.
Calista Top

One of the eye catching ones, and a great option for the warm weather, is the Calista Top. Add it to your Ravelry queue.

Worked in the round from the bottom up, this pretty tank top will be a quick knit. Without seams to sew you’ll be able to weave in the ends and wear it right away.

For something with a little more coverage (hehe), consider the Dione Top.

Photo by Susan Gibbs
Dione Top

Add Dione to your Ravelry queue. I like the textured yoke and clean lines of this raglan sweater.

It is worked top-down in the round and includes some waist shaping for a flattering fit. Once again, minimum finishing means a short amount time between it coming off your needles and going onto your body!

The last sweater I’m going to highlight (and I could keep going!) is the Carme Sweater. Add Carme to your Ravelry queue.

Photo by Susan Gibbs
Carme Sweater

It’s easy to understand why this pretty sweater has 103 favorites on Ravelry. In addition to be attractive, Carme would be a fun knit.

The upper body is knit sideways and then the lower body is picked up and knit down in the round. Once again, no seams to sew!

Now the three sweaters I’ve highlighted are knit in the round, but don’t be shocked when you get the book and some of the sweaters are worked flat and seamed.

In any case, Moonshine is so soft and lovely to work with that you won’t mind spending the extra time with it that seaming will require.

You can read more about Moonshine and the book designer on the Juniper Moon Farm blog. You can preview the other patterns in the book here.

You can locate local and online stores that carry the Moonshine yarn and book (and other Juniper Moon Farm yarns!) by using the “find a store” feature on our main website. Search by zip code and filter by brand to narrow down the results.

Which pattern from the book is your favorite?

Tags: alpaca, cowls, silk, womens, XL
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Off the Needles: Asta Neckwarmer

May 3, 2013 in Cowls, Elsebeth Lavold, Inspiration

Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Wool is one of my favorite yarns.

This 45%Wool, 35%Silk, 20%Nylon blend has a suggested gauge of 5.5 sts per inch, so you can finish projects in a timely manner, but not be weighed down by a bulky yarn.

The fiber blend and relatively light weight make it a good yarn for wearing in most of the seasons.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s available in a wide range of colors, too.

A great option if you don’t want to fuss with a big scarf.

The Asta Neckwarmer is from The Small Things Matter Collection.

In the book it is a set along with wrist warmers, a cell phone pouch, and an eyeglass case. I made only the neck warmer, but might double back to the wrist warmers later on.

I like the little sawtooth edging.

You can make the entire set with one skein of Silky Wool! Or you can make multiples of one of the items and get a jump on your gift knitting.

The neckwarmer is considered an intermediate project because of the shaping involved. Oh, sure it looks like mild manner cowl in my pictures, but it actually hugs the top of your shoulders.

The shaping helps give it a nice fit.

Isn’t that clever?

As you can see, it’s mostly garter stitch, which made this a good travel project. I just had to stay alert for the saw tooth edging and by the time I had to work the button holes I was done.

It doesn’t look like much when it’s first finished.

In fact, because of the small size, this was a pretty quick project to knit. However it took me forever to sew on the buttons. When I finally did settle down to do the buttons it only took me half an hour. I can’t decide whether or not that was a long time. Either way I realized I shouldn’t have dragged my feet so long.

Asparagus Shawl

Having finished the Asta Neckwarmer I jumped right in to knitting the Asparagus Shawl from The Garden Delight Collection.

Asparagus shawl from The Garden Delight Collection.

There is a three skein version and a five skein version. I’m working on the smaller one.

Asparagus is a triangular shawl that has some shaping around the neck and shoulders. I’m looking forward to seeing the pattern develop.

Local Yarn Store Projects

I’m not the only one who loves Silky Wool. I’ve recently seen many pretty projects float by on Facebook.

Here’s a little round up for you to enjoy and be inspired by!

A great poncho at Port Hadlock Yarns, a local yarn store in Washington state.

A customer at Port Hadlock Yarns made this great “Easy Folded Poncho”. Contact the store for more details. Find the pattern on Ravelry.

A poncho at Apple Yarns, a local yarn store in Washington state.

Apple Yarns did a wonderful striped version of the same poncho. Contact the store for more details about the colors. Stripes are a great option if you can select just one color to use!

Autumn Walking Scarf at The Colonial Yarn Shop, a local yarn store in Pennsylvania.

Speaking of a great use of color, this Autumn Walking Scarf by a Colonial Yarn Shop customer is just stunning! Contact the store for more details. Find the pattern on Ravelry.

They’ve been doing a class for this pattern so there are many pretty version on their Facebook page.

Zuzu’s Petals at The Ball & Skein, a local yarn store in Pennsylvania.

Zuzu’s Petals has been in my Ravelry favorites for a while. This lovely version from The Ball & Skein just makes me like it more. From what I understand, this is actually a cowl with a pointed edge. It looks like you’re wearing an artfully wrapped shawl, but you don’t have to fuss with it!

A great beaded cardigan at Needlework Unlimited, a local yarn store in Minnesota.

If neckwear isn’t your style, check out this great beaded cardigan from Needlework Unlimited. The beads are a nice way to highlight the simple lace pattern. Contact the store for more details.

What have you made with this beautiful yarn?

Tags: cowls, finished objects
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Crossing Colors in Intarsia

March 26, 2013 in Cowls, Free, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Tips

Intarsia is sometimes referred to as “picture knitting” because it is used to work motifs into your project.

Compared to Fair Isle or stranded knitting, when working intarsia you are created isolated blocks of color.

Public side of the Argyle Cowl.

Perhaps the most recognizable intarsia pattern is the diamond motif of the Argyle pattern. But you can also use this method for creating polka dots, squares, stars, and even animals.

You use a separate ball of yarn for each section of color. So in the Chadwick Argyle Cowl pattern seen above you would have four balls of red, two balls of white, and one ball of black. As you arrive at each section of the motif you drop the current color and pick up the new color.

The potential problem with all this dropping and switching is the potential for little holes at the color change. However, they are easily avoided by crossing the yarns so they twist together. The tension created by the twist pulls the holes closed.

Crossed colors working a red knit stitch. Yarn thrown, stitch not completed.

To work the color cross you pick up the new yarn from the right and underneath the current yarn. Stated another way, when you get to the stitch where the color change happens pull the current yarn to the left, then grab the new yarn and pull it to the left and over the top of the old yarn.

In the picture above I’m about to work a red stitch after working a white stitch. I took the picture after I threw the red yarn around the needle but before I finished the stitch. You can see the red yarn hugging the white yarn.

Since all this might be a little hard to understand in text, I made a little video demonstrating the method. I filmed it while I was working the purl side since it seemed easier to see what is going on.

It probably looks a little awkward, but remember I was working around a camera and trying to use exaggerated gestures so you could see what is happening. LOL!

Inside of the Argyle Cowl. You want those little half-moons.

After all that crossing, the inside of your project should look like this. The little half-moons are your goal and the colors should be consistent on either the top or the bottom in each section.

If it still doesn’t make sense you can probably get a private lesson at your local yarn store where you can see the technique demonstrated in person. You’ll also get to ask questions as you try it out.

Intarsia is my favorite style of color work. I think it’s fun to be able to add pops of color here and here in projects. And argyle socks are fun to knit and wear.

Challenging ourselves with new knitting techniques helps keep our craft interesting and our minds sharp. What new technique will you try out?

If you’re ready to try out intarsia you can download the free pattern for the Chadwick Argyle Cowl on our website. You can add it to your Ravelry queue here.

Tags: argyle, cowls, intarsia, tips
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Chadwick Argyle Cowl

March 5, 2013 in Cowls, Free, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns

Over the holidays Hubby and I went to the Stars on Ice show with his parents.

It’s so exciting to see those world-class athletes gliding so effortlessly across the ice. Of course, I live to see the jumps!

The costumes for the opening sequence were graphic black and white designs with a splash of red here and there–one skater had red hat, another red gloves. As mesmerized as I was by the routine, another part of my brain was trying to figure out how to reinterpret those costumes in knitting.

Stripes seemed too easy (although some of the costumes were striped!).

Then I realized argyle was the way to go. I could use black and white for the main colors and red as the accent diagonal color.

You can wear it standing up if it’s cold out.

The next decision was the yarn, and what better option than the beautiful Juniper Moon Farm Chadwick? As a 60% Merino Wool, 40% Baby Alpaca it both soft and warm.

Susan Gibbs selected colors that would stand alone or be good for mixing and matching in color work projects, so there are a multitude of combinations you can try.

While the costumes during Stars on Ice were crisp and bold black, white, and scarlet, I decided to tone my colors down for what, to my mind, is a more sophisticated look. I used Black Magic, Dawn, and Syrah.

It’s soft enough to scrunch down, too.

I knit my cowl with 5 diamonds, for a finished circumference of 25″. It took just under half of each ball of yarn. I’m fairly certain a second cowl, especially one of just 4 diamonds, would be possible from the remaining yarn.

Or you could make a striped hat. Get creative.

Yeah, argyle!

You can download the pattern for the Chadwick Argyle Cowl here.

You can add the pattern to your Ravelry queue here.

Stay tuned later this week for future posts with tips on knitting intarsia.

Tags: argyle, cowls, free pattern
1 Comment »

Off the Needles: Loreto Cowl

February 26, 2013 in Cowls, Mirasol

I finished knitting the cabled Loreto Cowl from Mirasol book #23!

I used the Kutama yarn called for in the pattern. Kutama is a Quechua name meaning “woollen blanket.” That is appropriate for a yarn that is 50% Alpaca, 50% Highland Wool.

This yarn is warm and springy, making it lovely to knit with and wear.

Cream section of my Loreto cowl

The cowl in the pattern book is shown in blue. I know some people have trouble visualizing a project in a different color once the see the sample in the book, so I made mine using three colors to give you an idea of how it will look.

Light grey section of my Loreto cowl (Can you see the mistake under my nose?)

This was a fun knit. Despite the complicated looking cables, it moves along quickly once you get going. After you work the eight row repeat once it is easy to see the pattern developing because it is so regular.

Dark Grey section of my Loreto cowl

With a little focus you could probably finish this cowl in a week or so. Plenty of time to wear it before spring!

There are a lot of great patterns in the book.

The Tacna pullover uses the same cable as the Loreto pullover.

If you adore the lattice cable used in the Loreto Cowl then you’ll probably love the Tacna pullover. Isn’t it beautiful? You can make the Loreto Cowl to become familiar with the pattern before starting the sweater.

If you aren’t ready to tackle a sweater, there is a lovely pair of fingerless mitts in the book as well.

Fingerless mitts are a fast and fun project.

Don’t Fear Cables

Many knitters are scared to work cables because they look so complicated and mysterious.

However, there is no reason to worry. Cables are just stitches worked out of order.

Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? You have to pull out a few rows and try again. We’ve all done that and we know yarn can be very forgiving.

Since you are working stitches out of order you need a way to get around the stitches you are temporarily skipping.

That is where a cable needle comes in.

Use the cable needle to move the stitches out of your way.

When you are ready to work a cable you slip the assigned stitches to the cable needle purlwise without working them. (By “purlwise” I, of course, mean to go into the stitch as though you were going to purl it. This helps prevent it from getting twisted.)

Then you push them to either the front or back, as the pattern directs. Work the required number of stitches on the left hand needle, then work the stitches on the cable needle.

See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?

In the picture I’m about to work a back cable, which in the pattern is written C4B. That means to work a back twist cable over the next 4 sts.

When you see a cable notation in a pattern the number will indicate the total number of stitches involved in the cable, but you’ll cut it in half. So a C4B is over 4 sts, but you’ll deal with them 2 at a time. Move 2 to the cable needle, work 2 off the left needle, work the two on the cable needle.

This holds true for however big or small that number is. A C10B would be managed 5 sts at a time. See the pattern?

The Loreto cowl also involves twists. In this pattern the difference between a cable and a twist is that the twist involves purl stitch as well as knit stitches. But they are worked just the same as a cable. You move stitches out of the way and work them later. You might just be purling two of them instead of knitting all four.

The abbreviation key in the book explains how to work the various cables and twists used.

Many people prefer not to use a cable needle, but I’m not that brave. They say it is faster because you aren’t fiddling with a third needle. You should try it for yourself and see which method you prefer. If you do an internet search on “knitting cable without cable needle” you’ll find many videos and blog posts about this alternate method.

But it might be easier to get a lesson at your local yarn store since you’ll have someone available to answer questions.

Tags: cables, cowls
5 Comments »

Startitis

February 17, 2013 in Cowls, Elsebeth Lavold, Hats, Juniper Moon Farm Yarns, Mirasol, miscellaneous, shawl

I had a small case of “startitis” over the weekend.

You’ve had the feeling even if you haven’t heard the name before. It’s that overwhelming urge to cast on or start as many projects as you can.

I was busy swatching over the weekend.

It can be caused by a desire to start a new project without know what you want to make. Trips to a local yarn store or fiber festival can also trigger from the sight of all the pretty yarn.

Finishing (or getting close to the end of) a long term or complicated project can be a cause. And cabin fever (Knitting Fever? hahaha) brought on by cold winters days can contribute.

As you can see, startitis is a wide ranging ailment.

I find it’s often best to give into it, especially the cause is not being sure what project to start. If you do a bunch of swatching one project is bound to rise to the top.

Something Small?

My bout of startitis was brought on by finishing a complicated cowl and needing a new project.

Asta set from Elsebeth Lavold The Small Things Matter Collection

Originally I thought maybe I wanted a small and quick project for some instant gratification after my big project.

The lovely magenta yarn at the 6 or 7 o’clock position in the first picture is a cake of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool.

You just need one hank to make all three pieces of the Asta set from The Small Things Matter Collection.

But I just finished a cowl, did I want to make another one?

Hats!

The cowl abandoned (although the cuffs were still in play), I decided to focus on my need for a new hat.

As a knitter, I obviously can’t just go to the store to buy one. Instead I spent time thumbing through my pattern books and poking around on Ravelry looking for ideas. (Both those activities can also trigger startitis.)

Monika set from Elsebeth Lavold The Small Things Matter Collection

Right there an another page of The Small Things Matter Collection is the Monika hat and bag.

Look at those stripes! I won’t even have to settle on one color.

The pattern calls for holding Silky Wool doubled, but I had a sneaky suspicion that Silky Wool XL might be the correct gauge by itself.

Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool XL for the Monika hat.

It took a couple tries, but I achieved gauge on US 6 needles. Victory is mine! I started by using the suggested needle size for the pattern (US7) and swatched with regular Silky Wool held doubled as the pattern required and a single strand of Silky Wool XL side by side.

That allowed me to see that the fabric with the XL would be the same (or very similar) to the fabric at the same gauge as the regular Silky Wool. We’ll see what happens since I’ve been too clever for my own good in the past.

Maybe a shawl?

Of course, I couldn’t stop there. Having finished one big project maybe another large project was the way to go.

Gable Wrap Pattern is free on our website.

That purple ball of Juniper Moon Farm Findley (#4 – Renaissance) in the middle of the picture has been taunting me for a while now. That ball and it’s twin want to be the Gable Wrap, which is a free pattern on our website.

I still need to swatch for this one. It is knit using the “Indian Cross-Stitch,” which I’ve never knit before. Swatching will allow me to both check my gauge and become familiar with the stitch before starting the shawl.

The only problem is the suggested needle is US5 and I’m not sure where mine is (we will ignore the implications of one or two active projects that these missing needles imply). I might not end up using US 5 needles to knit this shawl, but I always like to start with the suggested needles when I start swatching. One day I’ll get lucky!

WIPs to fall back on

Fortunately, when I got tired of all the swatching and actually wanted to knit something I had a, ahem, few works in progress to fall back on.

Progress on my Loreto Cowl from Mirasol book #23.

Lately I’ve been trying to pay attention to my Loreto Cowl from Mirasol Book #23.

I love the cables on this cowl. It looks complicated, but once you get the rhythm of the cables it’s pretty straight forward.

I’m using three shades of Kutama, a 50% Alpaca, 50% Highland Wool blend, hoping to achieve a shaded look.

This is a great pattern that is fun to knit, but sometimes I need a break from all those cables!

Blown Away

I took a break from all my swatching and planning to take my yarn outside for pictures. I thought the natural light would show the colors better, but it was late in the afternoon and getting a bit dark.

And then a gust of wind started blowing my yarn off the table and down the hill!

Good thing Samson was there to catch them.

Which seemed like a sign that it was time to collect my toys and go back inside.

I hope your weekend knitting and crocheting was a little more productive.

Tags: WIPs
2 Comments »

Yarn Spotlight: Mirasol Ushya

October 25, 2012 in Cowls, Mirasol, shawl, Sweaters

There a six new colors of Ushya from Mirasol for the fall. This 98% Merino Wool, 2% Nylon blend yarn has a chainette construction, which gives it bulk and loft while remaining light and fluffy. The air pockets created by the unique construction will help keep you warm.

With a suggested gauge of 2 to 2.5 sts per inch on a US 15 needle you’ll be able to finish projects quickly.

You might remember that over the summer knit the Tatu Cowl from the Ushya & Sulka Book #27 is just a few days.

I wanted to highlight some of the beautiful patterns, both old and new, using this yarn.

Mirasol Book #30 by Claudia Wersing

Isn't this fair isle coat beautiful?

This stunning color work coat is called “Oriental Dream.”

I like the details of the corrugated rib and the generous fold over collar.

Love the cables on the Cayenne vest

For something a little simpler consider the “Cayenne Vest.”

This project highlights that despite the fluffy nature of Ushya yarn it has good stitch definition for cables or pattern stitches.

You can find both these patterns in the new Book #30 by Claudia Wersing (Miski, Sulka, Ushya) by Mirasol.

Book #19 by Jane Ellison

This was the first Ushya book to come out.

It features sweaters, scarves and even pillows!

All you need is a cup of hot coco!

I like the Jacob sweater.

It looks warm, cozy and comfortable, but the all over pattern stitch keeps it sophisticated. I think it would be good for either curled up on the couch knitting and drinking coco or going out to lunch with friends on the weekend.

You can see all the patterns from this book here.

Independent Designs

I was wandering around Ravelry the other day and noticed there are many patterns listed for Ushya. The first few rows are Jane Ellison’s patterns from the official books (which makes them easy to review), the bottom of the page and onto a second page and patterns by independent designers.

There are hats, scarves, and cowls that all take advantage of the warm and chunky properties of this yarn.

Two patterns caught my eye.

Springy Sproingy Cowl by Shannon Squire. Photo by Vivian Aubrey

The Springy Sproingy Cowl is by Shannon Squire at Twisted Yarn Shop, a local yarn store in Portland, Ore. You can see the other lovely pictures Vivian Aubrey took of the cowl on the Ravelry project page.

I like the combination of open and closed panels used on this cowl, which calls for just one skein of Ushya. Best of all the pattern only cost $1!

I think between this cowl and the Tatu Cowl you could cross a bunch of gift knits off your list in a weekend.

tree by leaf by Courtney Buckalew-Kramer

This is the tree by leaf by Courtney Buckalew-Kramer at Mosaic Yarn Studio, a local yarn store in Des Plaines, Ill.

Isn’t it stunning?

I like the grand scale of the leaf motifs. This wrap is very eye catching and unique. It’s sure to be a conversation starter when you wear it.

It looks like the pattern requires 2 skeins of Ushya (might be best to buy 3 and either return the extra or use it to make a hat). The pattern costs $5, which is standard for an independent designer and worth the money since you can get right to the fun of knitting.

Free Patterns

Speaking of knitting a hat, don’t forget that we have a free pattern for a one skein Ushya hat on our website.

Free pattern on our website

Worked in the round on US13 needles you’ll be finished knitting in practically no time at all.

Free pattern on our website

If more than your head is cold you might want to also download the free Ushya sweater pattern while you’re there.

This modified drop shoulder pullover will be suitable for an advanced beginner looking for their first sweater project, or an experienced knitter looking for an easy project.

It’s worked in garter stitch and the only shaping is around the arms.

The next time you’re visiting your local yarn store give Ushya a squeeze. I’m sure you’ll be enchanted.

Tags: free pattern, gifts, Jane Ellison, Ravelry, sweater
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Tatu Cowl

July 27, 2012 in Cowls, Mirasol

On Monday I asked you to help me decide between two projects to make as a thank you gift for my friend.

While many people liked the Tiri Scarf, the Tatu Cowl was clearly in the lead.

(But let’s be honest, I’ll probably end up making that cute lace scarf as well!)

And we're off!

I didn’t waste any time casting on Tuesday morning.

The yarn label says Ushya is a Quechua word meaning “soft” and I can believe it!

The yarn is lovely and squishy and for a moment I considered keeping the cowl for myself and just sending my friend a nice card. haha. In addition to being really soft, Ushya has a chainette construction so it is bulky without being heavy.

This is an easy pattern that I think would be good for an advanced beginner looking to move on from garter stitch. If you’ve learned the purl stitch this project will be good practice switching between knit and purl since it is made in moss stitch.

I didn't bother with blocking.

Actually, that was an interesting discussion on Facebook. Someone asked what stitch it was and another fan replied with Seed Stitch.

In the book the stitch is referred to as Moss Stitch.

I checked my “A Treasury of Knitting Patterns,” by Barbara Walker and she says the two are often confused. Walker says Seed Stitch has a two row repeat while Moss Stitch has a four row repeat.

In the case of the Tatu Cowl I think it’s a difference between American knitters calling it one thing and British/European knitters calling it another.

In either case, it’s a lovely stitch and if you follow the directions in the book you’ll end up with a finished project that looks like the pictures.

Twist before seaming to create the mobius.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the book has directions for a garter stitch version as well. In that case you don’t have to worry about what the stitch is called or how to purl!

I was going to do the garter stitch version, but thought the moss stitch version would have a little more pizzazz for something that would end up being a gift.

This is a mobius cowl, so after you finish knitting it you have to give it a twist before sewing the cast off edge to the cast on edge.

I suppose there is no reason you can’t sew them together without the twist. Since my friend knits it won’t be a problem for her to pick out the seam and redo it if she doesn’t like the mobius style.

It's a good size for wearing with a coat.

The cowl took one hank of Ushya yarn and size US 15 needles.

Ushya is a 98% Merino Wool, 2% Nylon blend with approximately 114 yards per 100g. I used color #1712-Pure White, but there are 24 colors from which you can select.

The pattern is in Mirasol Book #27-Ushya and Sulka.

It took me only two days to knit the cowl. But it took me three days to corner my husband to take pictures for me!

One skein makes a generous size.

The cowl is a good size for wearing alone, but not so big you can’t tuck it into a coat. Since my friend lives in New Hampshire I think she’ll be able to get a lot of use out of it when winter arrives.

You can find local yarn stores that carry the Mirasol line by using the “find a store” feature on our website. Filter based on your zip code and “Mirasol.” Keep in mind that a portion of every purchase from the Mirasol line is dedicated directly to the funding of a school in the remote area of Munani in the region of Puno for the children of shepherds in the Peruvian Highlands.

The Ravellenic Games have started. I have to go cast on my project!

Tags: one skein
10 Comments »

Help Me Decide

July 23, 2012 in Cowls, Mirasol, Scarves

I need to send a thank you gift to a friend.

As a fellow knitter & crocheter I know she would appreciate something hand-made. In fact, my “thank you” is because she sewed a wonderful fleece lining into a ski hat I knit for my husband last year. I can barely sew on a button. If left to my own devices that hat would have never gotten lined! Presenting her with something hand-made in turn seems appropriate.

The problem is I’m torn between two lovely projects with two lovely yarns and can’t decide which to make.

Can you help me decide?

Pink is Sulka. White is Ushya

Both projects are from Mirasol Book #27–Ushya & Sulka, but you’ll see they are rather different.

My first choice is the Tatu Cowl.

A squishy, garter stitch cowl.

This cozy cowl takes just one hank of Ushya, a 98% Merino Wool, 2% Nylon blend with approximately 114 yards per 100g. I have a hank of Ushya is Color #1712-Pure White.

As a bulky yarn the suggested gauge is 2.5 sts/inch on a US 15 needle. I’d finish this cowl in no time!

The book has directions for either a moss stitch cowl or a garter stitch cowl. I think I’d make the garter stitch version.

My second choice is the Tiri Scarf.

A fun, skinny scarf

This scarf is a simple lace pattern worked on US10 needles. The book has a single skein short version or a longer two skein version. I’d be working the shorter version. Again, this would be a quick pattern.

Tiri is knit using Sulka, a 60% Merino Wool, 20% Alpaca, 20% Silk blend with approximately 55 yards per 50g. I have color #224-Bonbon Pink.

Uh-oh! Life just got more complicated.

I just discovered this cute hat has been added to the free pattern section of our main website.

This hat is a free pattern on our website.

This hat is knit in the round and takes just one hank of Ushya. You can download the pattern here.

So, what do you think? Which would make the best thank you gift? Share your thoughts in a comment or vote in the poll up there on the right.

Tags: gifts
19 Comments »

Lace Collars

June 15, 2012 in Cowls, Debbie Bliss, Mirasol, Noro

We don’t like to put away our knitting needles and crochet hooks just because warmer weather has arrived.

Sure, we might spend time outside gardening or pursuing other activities that can’t be combined with stitching, but at some point during the day it will be time to sit down and relax with our yarn.

When that time comes, we tend to want to work on small projects. Who wants to spread a big afghan across their lap in 80 or 90 degree weather?

While socks, mitts, and hats are all good options, it’s nice to mix things up a little.

Several of the spring/summer pattern books have little lace collars that will be great projects for this time of year. They are small, portable, and often take just one skein of the required yarn.

These collars are knit or crocheted jewelry. They can be worn as accents to dress up a plain blouse or to give an outfit a different look.

Debbie Bliss

Knit Lace Collar by Debbie Bliss

Debbie Bliss has three collars featuring her new Rialto Lace yarn.

This yummy new yarn is 100% Extrafine Merino Wool with approximately 429 yards per 50g that knits to 8 sts per inch on a US 2 needle. It is available in 20 colors.

Just because the suggested needle is a US 2 doesn’t mean that is the size you have to use. For instance, this knit Lace Collar from the “Rialto Lace” book is worked on a US4 needle.

The Rialto Lace book features eight patterns ranging from the Lace Collar to cardigans and shawls.

Debbie has also designed two crocheted lace collars using Rialto Lace yarn.

Daisy Crocheted Collar by Debbie Bliss

The Daisy collar echoes the design in the knit lace collar. The airy, square motifs with a scalloped edge is sure to crochet up quickly.

Chantal Crocheted Collar by Debbie Bliss

The Chantal collar is more dramatic. I love the pleats on this one. It will definitely dress up a plain shell!

Both crocheted collars are in the “Simply Crochet” book, which includes a range of patterns from sweaters and skirts to a bag.

Noro

Jane Ellison designed two version of the Joyce collar for the Noro Vintage book.

Joyce by Jane Ellison

The first, large version is dramatic! It lays nice and flat on your shoulders. This size will be good for a little extra warmth when you don’t feel like dealing with a big shawl or shrug.

It is knit using one hank of Karuta, a 40% Silk, 30% Cotton, 30% Wool blend with approximately 165 yards per 100g. There are eight tonal colorways from which to select.

Joyce (small) by Jane Ellison

The smaller version also takes one hank of Karuta. This is more of a choker or cowl style. The snug fit makes the small one more all-weather since you’ll be able to wear it under winter coats as well.

For both version you’ll have fun finding a fabulous button to finish it off.

Mirasol

The last pattern I want to highlight is more of a cowl than a collar and it’s not actually lace, but I think the construction is so interesting that I have to include it.

I also think it falls into the “knitting as jewelry” category, which qualifies it for this blog post.

Raya Cowl by Jane Ellison

The Raya Cowl, which is a free pattern on our website, is cabled AND braided.

How neat is that?

You start by casting on all the stitches, then work the three strands separately. Don’t worry, the pattern is very clear so it won’t be terribly complicated to knit.

This pattern is knit using one hank of Hap’i yarn, a 100% Pima Cotton with approximately 132 yards per 100g. It is available in 24 colors.

I think any of these patterns would be a good place to start if you want to get a jump on your gift knitting.

You can find the pattern books and yarns at your local yarn store.

What types of projects do you like to work on in the spring and summer?

Tags: crochet, lace, summer, womens
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