Stitches South

This past weekend was Stitches South.  I worked at In the Making on Friday & Saturday.  

The booth was beautiful, featuring some of my favorites : all of the Habu; 

Quince & Co's Tern, Chickadee, Sparrow and the Owls.  

So many beautiful and tempting color palettes!  

I was also introduced to Big Bag Wool Weepaca, a creation of the shop owner.  

It's a fantastic blend of Merino & Baby Alpaca, spun into a light worsted and perfect for little ones as it is also washable.  

Although I walked around several times, I did not manage to get into every booth.  It was wonderful to run into so many friends and acquaintances - and to make new ones.

My new love is Kismet Fiber Works.  Run by two lovely young women and beautiful colors in wonderful bases, it was hard to choose just one something to sample.  

Until I saw this.  

It's called Larc's Song, the most wonderful semisolid grellow ever.  
The base is Abundant, 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere & 10% Nylon.

No in-the-skein glamour shot as it was immediately wound into a ball while onsite - and then swatched.  I adore the color depth and the hand.  This would be my favorite sweater.  Brilliantly, the label is attached to the yarn by a knotted elastic hair tie dyed in  the same batch.  Functional & Fantastic.  

That alone might sway a few more skeins to fall into your basket, right?

I always love sweet Kate at Dragonfly Fibers.  I picked up a sweaters worth of her gorgeous Dance Rustic Silk.  My goal is to deliver that sweater to SAFF, the next fiber event that I'm planning to attend.

Accumulator.

I have collected colorful plastic straight needles for years.  

In fact, several sets belonged to my mother & to her mother and 

were well used by me before they became

Vintage.

Many now belong to my youngest daughter, 

who carries on the knitting tradition.

There have been love affairs with so many types of needle.  

The oh-so spendy in ebony & rosewood, several sets of interchangeable, and non-interchangeables in every tip, shaft & cable.

I'm pairing down to 3 'sets'. May they ever remain my favorites.

What's New on Those Needles?

I'm working on reviving a favorite old pattern in many more sizes, with much more 

explicit direction. 

It's in test knit phase now.

Another Ricochet is in Haley's hands. 

This one in Kid Silk Haze and 

MadTosh Merino Light.  

It is a thing of ethereal beauty.

And always the Habu Tsumugi.  

I'm nearly done with figuring out how to end this piece.  Thoughts are focussed on the neckline, and avoiding too many ends in sticky-but-not-too-easy-to-weave-in-silk.  

The body is perfect.  I'm ready.  I hope to share it soon.

Leftovers, Mostly.

There were several half skeins of Chickadee left from a few Shimmy's, and also a few full skeins because who can resist that yarn?

Here is Ricochet in Twig with Snap Pea, Parsley, Belize and then Bark & Bird's Egg to finish it up.

I alternated the stitch patterns and overlapped a few of the stripes, 
which did leave several pesky ends to weave in.

I usually choose a duplicate stitch on the reverse side to tuck in the yarn ends, 

and I do it before the soak & block.  Here you see how the wrap has been laid out to dry, 

nearly fitting within the confines of my handy board.

After the wool has been stretched out and seems settled to it's new shape, 

I remove most of the pins.  That avoids ziggier edges - and keeps it from getting snagged if a certain cat decides to jump up and rearrange while it finishes drying.

Look for this new pattern soon.  It's the best little cupcake hat ever.

It's made with wonderful EweEwe washable Merino in a Worsted weight,

which is a dream to knit with.

Spring is here.

The Dogwood are just glorious.

  

Isle of You

 Love, love, love.

A quick intro to Fair Isle knitting, 

Isle of You.  

Shown in Shepherds Wool Worsted,

(using up some of those little leftovers that I can never bear to toss)

Speaking of Love.

During the first 4 days of the Winter Olympics, 100% of the proceeds from Isle of You, 

and 50% of the proceeds from my other patterns will 

 be donated to the Human Rights Campaign.

Hats off to Bristol Ivy for organizing this.

Remember Peeko, that super squishy baby blanket?

Here are a few variations on the pattern:

In Rowan Denim, Ecru color. 

(The yarn is, sadly, discontinued - substitute any worsted cotton.) 

The best little washcloth ever.

Half of the blanket, made with 2 balls of Freia Fibers Worsted

becomes a cosy triangle for your shoulders.  Thanks, Tina Jacobson!  

Ricochet.

In my last post I mentioned my love for colorshiftyarn.  It is beyond beautiful in life and delightful on your needles.  And it makes things like this.  

(Haley's sweater is Beatnik, by Norah Gaughan.)

I also tested out Dragonfly Fibers new Damsel, 

which was the inspiration for the Eyelet Ridge version of the pattern.  

Haley made a Ricochet for me, with leftover sock bits.

And another for herself, with assorted Noro Kureyon leftovers & 

one skein of White Shepherds Wool Worsted.

Link your projects on Ravelry, and join in on the discussion.

Happy Knitting.

All Happiness.

I am in love.  

Late last year I discovered Colorshiftyarn.

Erica dyes the most amazing bridges of color, shown above in Olive to Tea Rose, 100%merino.

Shown here, in Leaf to Taupe, Ricochet in progress.

 As I was arranging the colors for yet another Ricochet, I remembered seeing double color balls and thought it might be a good way to avoid some of the tangles while alternating colors.  I think it's a great solution.  Here, I'm working from the center color, so the ball is set with that end up.  When I go back to the outer color, I flip it over so that the center thread is down.  The second set of colors is wound and ready to go.

Ricochet will be published soon.  There are several test knitters working in a huge variety of weights and colors.  I am so excited about this versatile and fun little wrap.  I wear Haley's version made with leftover sock yarn almost all the time.

Brancusi

When Quince & Co. released their new color ways, 

I knew that Fjord was made just for me.

With deadline knitting etc, I knew that a small project was all I could squeeze in, so I bought just 2 skeins in Lark and revisited an old idea with great result.  

These have been worn quite a bit during the Polar Vortex.

There has also been some updating and reviving some old work.  

If you bought a paper copy of the worsted weight Saki Slippers, please email me for the updated layout.  The pattern is unchanged, but the new layout is smoother. 

If you bought the PDF, you should have received the update at the end of December.

Here are my Over the River Mitts, a years old pattern.

I will be knitting quite a few more of these with 

partial skeins of worsted that I seem to have so very many of.  

Please use the code 

all happiness  

for a complimentary copy of this pattern, as a thank you for following me along.

Do add them to your favorites, and post your projects on Ravelry, if you would. 

May 2014 be a year of wonderful things.  

From me, to you.

One Week 'til Solstice.

Mid-Winter approaches.  

Today is cold, wet and a bit dreary.  

I'm procrastinating pattern writing at the tricky part where it's just all those numbers. 

Evergreens lights, and fir cones are up, as much as that rascally new kitten allows.

We have been Baking.

Concocting little gifts. 
Sriracha Salt, Spoon Butter, 

and those little pecan tarts that are so hard not to eat before they are shipped away.

Wrapping tokens of love, and mailing parcels with our fingers crossed that they arrive.  

In Knitting News:

Sablier, part of Twist Collectives Winter 2013 Collection.
A very cozy worsted weight knit, with slash pockets, undulating cables and 

a terrific fit.  
This was taken on a swelteringly hot day at the 11th hour, thank you again, dear Haley.

Wishing you all Comfort & Joy

Time for some very cozy knitting, hanging out with these guys:

(After I tackle the math)

                                     Sweet & ever Patient Daisy                                   

 That Rascal, Oliver.