Sundry KAL.

Over the weekend, I started a thread on Ravelry announcing our next KAL (here). And I did get a one "love" response…but nothing else. I can only hope that means y'all are so busy watching the weather forecasts you aren't thinking about knitting?! Of course I don't know about the rest of you, but if I'm facing a forced day or two at home, the only thing I'm thinking about is "what am I going to knit?" (once I've made sure I have ample milk, coffee, popcorn and wine in the house!)

So let's just forget about the winter weather advisory for a bit and start thinking about Sundry. Click here to ooh and ahh over the project gallery . The pattern is available for in-store purchase (or on Ravelry).

Jennifer Dassau, the designer, describes it like this:

An elongated, asymmetrical wrap that combines the warmth and style of a shawl with the wearability of a scarf; Sundry means various or diverse, and this wrap features two colors, two stitch patterns and endless styling options. Cast on at the long, pointed end, Sundry has shaping at each end of rows that grow ever wider. Two colors contrast yet harmonize in solid garter stitch and houndstooth slipstitch sections; the slipstitch is easily worked using just one color per row. A simple picot bind off finishes the long straight end.

She suggests a sport-weight yarn, about 380 yards each of two colors, on a size 7 needle. The finished piece measures approximately 24" deep and 112" wide (measured along the longest edge of the triangle).

The nice thing about a shawl is that you really can knit it out of anything; your finished piece and yarn/needle requirements will just…be different.

Here is Kathy modeling her Sundry. It's big and cozy, knit at a DK-ish gauge. The brown she used is the Lotus Mimi…100% mink!…doubled. And she really does love it… even though I failed to capture her smiling! (sorry, Kathy!)

I mean the details…what's not to love?

Here it is blocking to give you a better idea on the size and the shape (I think that's a queen-sized bed).

This piece is all about COLOR! We really love contrasting solids: black (or navy) and white with a pop of red or yellow; charcoal or lavendar and cream. This one, by stormyk9 is a gorgeous example (and she's written detailed notes about how she did it on her Ravelry project page). Shibui Staccato, Fibre Company Canopy Fingering, Spud & Chloe Fine and Marion Foale are all great choices for solid colors in a fingering weight. Mirasol Nuna and Shibui Cima doubled would be lovely in a sport weight. Contrasting tonals work, too. I've chosen Malabrigo Sock in Eggplant and Turner for mine (that combination has been a favorite since Stephen West's Lakedale Shawl way back in Malabrigo Book 3).

If you want to use a variegated colorway (Claudia Handpaints fingering or Sweet Georgia Tough Love) - and those yarns make the houndstooth section look like a mosaic - just be sure to choose a contrasting solid or semi-solid for the second color. The key is contrast. You want the two colors to really pop in that houndstooth section; don't choose yarns that share colors - you'll get mud in the middle.

Adjust your needle size up or down depending on your yarn's weight - and your personal preferences. I know I like Malabrigo Sock knitted on a size 6, so I'm going to start there. If I don't like the way it looks after a few inches, I can always rip it out and start over! (in other words, I'm considering the first couple of inches my "swatch"  :-)

For yardage, we don't suggest less than about 350 yards of a fingering or sport weight (unless you want a much smaller piece). The designer has included notes that describe how to get the most out of the yarn you have. We do have a lot of experience with this shawl, so if you have any questions, just ask!

The official cast-on is this Friday afternoon (January 31, 2014). We hope you'll join us in person or virtually. If you do join virtually, please share your project with our Ravelry group…and post photos. We can't wait to see!

...and now the snow is falling…I'm off to another pot of coffee and some knitting. stay warm, y'all!

Beaubourg | Begun.

I shared with y'all last week that I was going to swatch and cast-on for Beaubourg. Yes, that happened!

going for 4 stitches and 6-1/2 rows to the inch

First, the swatch. I've used Heichi several times before at the pattern suggested gauge, most recently in May, 2012 when I knit Element. on size 8's. I'm glad I knit a new swatch; my gauge has loosened up a bit! With the 8's, my stitch gauge was about 1/4 stitch per inch too big (maybe workable?), but the row gauge was about one row per inch too big. Row gauge matters for Beaubourg because the sleeves and shoulders are shaped with short rows. If I followed the pattern with my too-big row gauge, the 32 rows of shoulder shaping would be 6" long instead of nearly 5". On a piece that's already oversized, I didn't want to go there. So I swatched again on size 7's. My stitch gauge is a smidge tight, but I got the row gauge closer. Now I'm only 1/2 row per inch too big (six rows to the inch). I can live with that. I cast on with size 7's.

This sweater is knit in pieces; the back and front are knit separately and then seamed together. That means the back and front need to be the exact same length. When I'm knitting pieces that need to match exactly, I like to count rows instead of measuring. I converted the measurements to rows by multiplying the number of inches by 6 (my row gauge). For example, I needed to knit 13" before I started the underarm shaping. 13" is 78 rows. Easy!

The underarm shaping started on row 79. The pattern says to cast on stitches at the beginning of the next 6 rows. I used the knitted cast-on and then worked the new stitches as part of the row. I'm now more than halfway (I've worked 33 of the required 54 rows) to the back shoulder shaping.

Love that i-cord along the sleeve edge!

and now that pile of yarn looks like this.

on skein #4 (of 12)

A Tale of Two Projects.

I know it's been ages since I've shared anything here and I apologize. Hoping you'll forgive me when you see what I have to share today!

First up, perhaps the cutest quickest baby project ever.

This is the Winter-baby kit with hat and mittens (a free pattern on Ravelry),

you can see my project and even more details on Ravelry, here

specifically the newborn size, knit with one skein of the Swans Island Washable DK (not even the whole skein) in the Pewter color way, a set of size 4 dpn's and about six hours this past weekend. The pattern is very clear and I followed it as written with just a few exceptions (all detailed on my project page).  I was especially impressed with the earflaps - they're quite clever in that you end up with no seaming, no picking up stitches and an earflap that starts underneath the ribbing to keep baby's ears super-toasty -

and the brioche stitch on the mitts. Of course newborn mitts are likely to be cute no matter what, but still, these are special!

I've got a few babies on the horizon this year and I'm delighted to have a pattern that knits up so well (so fast). Note that this set is for a baby due in February, so I'm anticipating he'll be able to wear it this winter. I also have a few summer/early fall babies and I plan to knit the 3-6 month size for them.

….and now, the pile of yarn I bought yesterday.

This is 12 skeins of Shibui's Heichi in the Sidewalk color way, destined to become Beaubourg.

© Fairmount Fibers/Julie Hoover

I have had my eye on this pattern since it was released (a year and a half ago!) and am excited to finally knit it. I chose the Heichi for two main reasons: first, I love it at the pattern-suggested gauge of 4 stitches to the inch; and second, because silk is a year-round fiber for our climate and I think this design could be worn year-round (or at least for ten months of the year).

I'm planning to swatch - yes, even though I've knit this yarn at the correct gauge three times before, it's been a while and I want to double-check - and cast-on later this week. Based on what I've heard around the shop, I think a few of y'all are interested in the pattern as well, so I'm going to share my progress here on the blog. Stay tuned and please - if you have any questions - ask them in the comments. And definitely, if you'd like to join me and knit-along, I'd welcome the company!

100 Diamonds | Getting Started.

my project, Chart A and the first repeat of Chart B completed

We had a great turnout for yesterday's cast-on, but sorry, no group shot - it was almost too busy to think about photos! In case you're knitting along virtually (or maybe you haven't quite decided if you want to join in), I wanted to share a few hints for getting started.

First, do you need to swatch. Not necessarily - this is a shawl, so "fit" isn't that important, but a swatch can tell you if you like the fabric...and if you'll have enough yarn to complete the project. If your fabric is looser than the gauge listed in the pattern you'll use more yarn than the pattern requires. I'm using Findlay Dappled which gives me about 25% more yards than the pattern suggests; no worries there! I swatched to see if I could use a bigger needle. The pattern suggests a laceweight yarn on size 3 needles and based on my swatches, I think that's great advice. If you're a loose knitter, consider a size 2 (and conversely size 4 for tight knitters). And if you are close to the suggested 630 yards, you should definitely swatch and check your gauge. If you're loose, you'll need more yarn.

Now you're ready to cast-on. Read through the pattern first. Note that the first two rows aren't charted; you work those rows from the pattern instructions and then start Chart A. The pattern also says that the first and last stitches on each row aren't charted. Don't forget to work them! If you're counting stitches, your count should always be two more than the number of boxes on the chart (because those two stitches aren't on the charts).

Use a regular long-tail cast on, starting with a slip knot.

The stitch abbreviations are included in a separate document, linked from the pattern. The group had questions about the SKP (slip the first stitch, knit the 2nd stitch and then pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch). This is a left-slanting decrease similar to an SSK (and feel free to substitute that stitch - it's your piece!). I'm working the SKP because I find it easier to work after a yarn over. And I'm passing the stitch knit-wise so it lays flat once it's passed over.

If you have other questions, please ask in the comments or on the thread in our Ravelry forum.

and please, share your projects and photos!

Our Next KAL | 100 Diamonds.

If you follow me on Instagram, I hope you weren't too unhappy with me when I posted this teaser photo yesterday afternoon.

In my defense, I figured a pile of pretty yarn would brighten anyone's day! I had a wonderful time pulling the yarns and posing the skeins just so. (and of course that whole effort resulted in a few balls disappearing from my pile - and the shelves - the Findley is really popular!) I understand; it's the yarn I've chosen myself to knit 100 Diamonds. Don't miss this - yes, our next KAL is 100 Diamonds and we're going to cast on November 1 (which sounds like it should be months away, but is really just two weeks from tomorrow - yikes!)

This pattern came across my radar a few months back when the designer posted photos of a slightly modified version of the shawl.

photo copyright knittimo on Ravelry

I loved that it could be modified...and that the resulting pieces could look so different from the original...and that every one of them is gorgeous! But I hadn't thought about it for a knit-along until Saturday, when I awoke to a text from Becca suggesting it. Really, it's perfect for a KAL - the pattern isn't all that complicated for anyone who's worked a lace chart, it's customizable (I love "knit your own adventure" patterns for knit-alongs), and it's a fair amount of knitting which always goes better with company, right?! And for those of us who have knit innumerable a few lace shawls, this one uses a different construction - it starts at the bottom point and knits up.

The designer hosted a KAL on Ravelry last month so we have a few dozen FOs (and a good bit of experience) to help us . Based on the projects/photos I've seen, I am loving the design in the pattern-suggested laceweight and (despite my personal yarn choice - driven by two past frogged KALs - which I am only admitting to y'all) a winter neutral. With Theresa's help, we've gathered eight yarn suggestions*.

Please note that the pattern suggests 630 yards of a laceweight yarn at a blocked gauge of 18 st/4 inches to create a finished shawl 68" wide by 34" deep.

Shibui Silk Cloud (pattern suggestion) :: 60% mohair/40% silk; 330 yds/25 g; suggest 2 skeins

Shibui Cima :: 70% alpaca/30% silk; 328 yds/50 g; suggest 2 skeins

Shibui Pebble :: 48% recycled silk/36% merino/16% cashmere; 224 yds/25 g; suggest 3 skeins

Juniper Moon Farm Findley :: 50% silk/50% merino; 798 yds/100 gr; suggest 1 skein

Fibre Co Meadow :: 40% merino/25% baby llama/20% silk/15% linen; 545 yds/100 g; suggest 1 skein (and modifying to make slightly smaller - like the designer modifications I linked above)
Swans Island Laceweight :: 50% merino/50% tussah silk; 530 yds/50 g; suggest 1-2 skeins (1 skein would mean modifications; 2 skeins would allow you to follow the pattern as written)

Habu Tsumugi Silk :: 100% silk; 450 yd/48g; suggest 2 cones

Malabrigo Silkpaca :: 70% alpaca/30% silk; 420 yds/50 g; suggest 2 skeins

*of course we have more laceweight yarns in the shop; we also have plenty of other lovely yarns that would make gorgeous shawls - these are just the eight we pulled to highlight here.

The pattern also suggests beads, but I'm not planning to use them. Although if I were knitting this with the suggested Silk Cloud...I would definitely consider it, if only to add a bit of weight to keep the shawl in place. We do have beads at the shop and they are not hard to incorporate.

I emailed Theresa on Tuesday that the only bad news I'd encountered about the project was size 3 needles. I knew the pattern suggested them, but I was hoping, especially after Boxy, we'd have a project on at least size 6s or 7s, alas no. I think the pattern suggested size 3 needle works best. I tried 4s and 3s and really like the fabric better on the 3s:

Of course if you use a thinner/thicker yarn or you're a looser/tighter knitter, you might need to go down (!!) or up. The best way to tell is to swatch! really!! these two swatches took me about an hour - and I'm pretty sure the finished shawl is going to be worth that little investment up front. (please note I did not wet-block these swatches - I merely pinned them like I plan to pin my wet-blocked finished piece)

The pattern is available online only. The instructions are clear and easy-to-follow. I am planning to knit my piece as written, without beads. If I had less yarn OR if I were using a heavier weight, I would work fewer repeats of chart B (and maybe of chart D) to make fewer diamonds. The cool thing about the construction is that we can easily get an idea how big the finished piece will be while it's still on the needles. That can all come later - for now, all you need to think about is your yarn choice, your needle (work a swatch with chart A - it's quick and easy!) and the cast-on date: November 1.

If you have any questions/comments/etc, please leave a comment here or in our Ravelry forum.

ready to go! (my yarn is Findley Dappled in the Woodland colorway and those are size 3 needles :-)

I do hope you'll join us!

A Peek at Pebble.

If you spend anytime on-line - or (better yet!) if you've visited the shop in the past few weeks, you probably already know about Pebble. It's  is the newest yarn from Shibui and I've been waiting to tell y'all about it until I had time to really work with it myself.

**drumroll**

it's awesome! (and oh my, I've just spent a few minutes hours! looking at Ravelry to grab more inspiration ideas...and I'm even more in love with it now).

Pebble is a blend of recycled silk, extra fine merino and cashmere (48%/36%/16% if you're keeping score), Shibui lists it as a "heavy laceweight" at 224 yards/25 grams and a suggested gauge of 26 st/4 inches on size 3 needles. To me, that gauge says "light sport/heavy fingering". I swatched it on US 4s and got 23 st/31 rows to 4 inches. 

my swatch in the trail colorway

And that made me very happy because that's the listed gauge for Relax (which I've had in my favorites since I saw it knit in Shibui Cima). When I first knit and blocked the swatch I thought the gauge was too open; but my daughter - who's the planned recipient of the sweater  - said no. The wide neckline means she'll wear a camisole (at least) under it anyway and it's oversized...so lightweight is good. I'm halfway up the front (yes, this sweater is knit in pieces and no, I don't have issues with that!) and yes, I think she's right! stay tuned!

Of course an oversized sweater on size 4 needles might be more ... knitting/yarn/work... than you want. 

How about a colorwork hat (the pattern is free)? This is Cliff...yes it's a lot of yarn (5 colors = 5 skeins) but it's knit double stranded. I promise it won't seem like laceweight yarn! I love the colors in fiddlehead's version.

photo copyright Shibui

Or a very cool textured/shaped hat...with a matching asymmetrical scarf?  This is Peak. It looks fabulous knit double stranded in a single color, but I love the marled effect of mixing two colors.

photos copyright Shibui

I hope you'll give it try - and if you do, please share your project...on Ravelry, Facebook or Twitter.

Happy Knitting!

sorry, couldn't resist one more photo!

FO Friday | Boxy!

That's right everyone, we have seen a finished Boxy...and we have the photos to prove it!

This was knit by Pat (pattblue on Ravelry) for Marci. It's Swan's Island Fingering, which is one of Pat's favorite sweater yarns because it feels good to knit (you have to love 100% merino!) and it blocks and drapes so beautifully. Marci chose the color (of course!) and we have to agree - that green is going to look great with so many things. A real winner all around!

yes, it really is a box, with tiny sleeves!

LOVE the subtle texture at the neckline

We'd love to hear about and see your Boxy progress. Please share photos in our Ravelry group. There's a special thread for the Boxy KAL. Or you can come to the shop on Friday afternoons to join us in person; I always have a camera handy!

...and me? I must confess: I haven't even started. Yep, I got side-tracked by Olgajazzy's latest linen tee a few weeks back. It's also a lot of stockinette on size 4 needles and I decided there was no way I could knit two of those projects at once. No FO to share yet, but I am making progress.

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!