Pattern Release – Mountains Beanie

I’m happy to announce my 2nd pattern of 2016! The Mountains Beanie is another tribute to my favorite places. This pattern features six mountains in three sizes (and only two charts!). The mountains grow out of a ribbed edging and into a stockinette skyline on the crown of the hat.

The yarn is Kona Sport from a local, Boulder-based yarn shop called Gypsy Wools and it’s fabulous. I love the depth that the colorway has and the stitch definition is just perfect.

Being in the mountains is meditative for me and so was knitting this hat. The ribbing is a great starting point then the mountains start growing and there’s a little bit of excitement watching each peak take shape. Understated but special, rhythmic but not boring – my type of knit!

The Mountains Beanie can be found on Ravelry, LoveKnitting, Craftsy and Etsy!

Pattern Release: Maple Slouch

I’m proud to announce that this Wednesday instead of listening to me talk, yet again, about unfinished projects, you’re going to get to listen to me talk about a new pattern!

I knit the first version of the Maple Slouch in September and now that my testers have all finished theirs, I’ve released the pattern into the wild. It’s a super quick knit and there are 2 versions to choose from. 

One of them (the one I originally knit) has lace and garter stripes all over the hat and the second one has a single lace panel surrounded by a body of garter stitch. Instructions for both versions and their crown shaping are charted.

Using just a bit of dk or worsted weight yarn (the sample was made out of Madelinetosh Tosh DK), this is a great stashbusting hat and did I mention how quick it is? Because it’s quick. You know what else is quick? How soon the holidays will be on us and the cold and snow (in the northern hemisphere at least).

This hat can be found on Ravelry, Craftsy and Etsy for only $5!

WIP Wednesday: Adding a Little Color

Within the past two weeks I’ve started two new projects and crunched numbers for a new sweater design. I wanted more color in my knits and the Boboli Lace from my FibreShare package jumped out at me from the beginning so, naturally, I picked it up and got to knitting!

This is a new cowl design and I’m loving the way the colors are working up in this yarn. I’ll be needing some test knitters for the pattern soon too, so keep your ears open for that call!

I’m also working on a white Lacy Slouch to be followed up with a black version and sent off to a new owner.

What are you working on this week?

New Pattern(s!): Leaves Hat and Mitts Set

Here is the second installment of the collaboration that Kirsten Singer and I have embarked on!  This time around we focused on colorwork and slipped stitch details.

A slouchy beret-ish style hat and fingerless mitts featuring stranded colorwork leaves and a linen stitch border.  These patterns are sold as a set – one price for both!  The hat is written for one size that should fit most adult heads.  The linen stitch keeps the brim from getting stretched out and the larger-gauge stranded colorwork in the body of the hat adds so much warmth!

The mitts are written for two sizes and, again, the linen stitch cuffs are snug and hold their shape perfectly.

When working linen stitch, you’ll notice that the fabric is *much* tighter than normal stockinette or rib.  It may seem tight during the knitting but once you block, the Malabrigo Twist softens slightly and everything seems to let out a sigh – as if it too wanted to loosen up a bit.

This set can be found on Ravelry, Craftsy and Etsy 🙂 Kirsten published her next pattern set today as well so don’t forget to check out her interpretation!

FO: Grandma’s Hat

I finished this hat a week or so ago and hadn’t been able to get photos until just now!  With temperatures being so high lately, I’ve been lucky enough to walk to and from work and these hats have been great companions on those walks.

I shipped both this and the hat for my Grandpa this week and I really hope they fit and are well-loved 🙂  Isn’t that all knitters really hope for when they send off things? We just wanna show our love and yarn is the best way for some of us to do it.  

Aaaaannnndddd for the outtake:

Miss Lisa decided that she wanted to be a part of the fun happening on the couch.  Can you say ‘Princess’?

What have you finished lately?

WIP Wednesday: And Now a Hat for my Grandma

Another new project to share this week! Two weeks in a row with new stuff to show you? I can’t believe it either after the last few months of the same project(s) week after week.

I recently started a hat for my Grandma that has become my purse knitting.  I’m using three different yarns held together and a US 10 needle.  One of the yarns is KnitPicks Swish and the other two are leftovers from the purple minion stick shift cover I finished a while back.

What are you working on this week?  New projects or old ones?

FO: Grandpa’s Hat

The hat I mentioned last Wednesday has been finished – yay for super quick projects!

I used just about a skein of Berkshire Bulky by Valley Yarns. It’s a thick spun single that doesn’t break easily and will hopefully stand up to use without pilling.

(Obviously not modeled on the intended recipient here but hopefully I’ll get those shots soon!) I made the hat long enough so that he could fold it up and keep his ears extra warm – when you’re hair isn’t quite as present as it used to be, you need all the help you can get!

And here is an outtake – it makes me laugh and hopefully you chuckle too 😉

Have you finished anything lately?

WIP Wednesday: Something New

I have something new to share today!  It’s small, just begun, but it’s new and I’m so happy about that.

This little guy is going to be a hat for my Grandpa.  This hat is currently my purse-knitting and the knitting that I work on while walking to and from my shifts at the cafe.  Easy peasy ribbing in the round on size US 10 needles.

What are you working on this week?

FO Friday: Bound for Snow

When I was finally able to actually focus on this hat, it moved along rather quickly and became an FO almost overnight!  I really love the way the tonal yarn picks up and plays with the texture of the body of that.

The pattern was great, charted and written instructions to appeal to both groups of knitters (I’m a chart reader, myself) and it gave me ample opportunity to practice cabling without a cable needle.  “Practice” being loosely defined, I very rarely use cable needles these days.

I think this will be a very welcome addition to my knits basket this winter – Colorado winters give plenty of reason to just keep on knittin’.

Pattern: Snowbound by Justyna Lorkowska

Yarn: Madeline Tosh DK (we believe, there was no label)

What are you working on this week?  Have you finished anything fun lately?

FO Friday: Fisherman’s Rib Beanie

It feels like I finished this hat ages ago! In the past few weeks I’ve finished a thing or two and wanting to share them separately means that they get posted a little late from time to time and I apologize.

The Fisherman’s Rib beanie was my “desk” project at work for a while and now that’s done, I know it’s going to be a favorite cozy, soft beanie this winter (and even this summer, I wore it during our hike last weekend). I’d never made anything with the Fisherman Rib pattern before but I do love the squooshy resulting fabric!

I knit this out of some Hikoo Simplinatural in a charcoal grey with a little poppy stripe of some super pretty turquoise dk yarn held double (not sure what it was, the label has mysterious disappeared!).

What have you been knitting lately?  Have you ever tried Fisherman’s Rib?