The Week Before...

Hi, Knitters,

I am wishing you a most wonderful week ahead. I hope you get to spend time with family, friends, loved ones and that you get to spend some time relaxing and knitting, as well. I still have a few last minute gifts to pick up so wish me luck fighting the crowds this weekend. 

It has been a very knitterly season around here this year which has been fun. All of the knitting and the anticipation for our sons to be home for five straight weeks has been exciting. By the way, I don't think I've mentioned this yet but my two sons are coming with me to Vogue Knitting Live in New York City in January 2014. They will be ending their long college winter break and we decided that they should tag along with me and have some fun. I'll be teaching my little heart out while they run around and have fun in the big city! I love that.

By the way, I still have a few openings in some of my afternoon workshops for VK Live in NYC, the morning workshops are full at this point. However, if you make a request to get into a class sometimes I can accommodate one or two more students or space opens up so go ahead and contact Vogue if that's the case. 

Please check it out if you are coming to VKLive NYC! I'd love to see you in class. 

Click here to see the classes available.

The rest of the post is a simple show and tell of cool stuff, finished knits, in-progress knits and spins, and loads of links. So here we go!

In the photo above, I am trying to finish a pair of Christmas socks but it doesn't look like I will get them done at this point. Aren't they sweet looking though? The yarn is the no longer being made Cakewalk Yarns in the Peppermint Bark colorway. It really does look like peppermint bark. That's the first sock and I am on the foot now so it will speed along. They'll get done when they get done.

I am making the socks using my free sock recipe called, How I Make My Socks.

Have you been hearing about this great website with cool items and supplies both knitting related and not? It's called, Fringe Supply Co. Their tag line is perfect, "nice things for makers." The shop has a fun mix of items, some unexpected.

Click here to check out Fringe Supply Co.

Above is the cutest, simplest linen bag I purchased from Fringe Supply Co. 

Basically the bag is two long triangles stitched together and then there is a flat bottom that opens up. The ends are for tying to close the bag. TC loves the striped bag and thinks it should be hanging from a pole slung over your shoulder, hobo-style.

The bags are called, Bento Bags, and they are pretty reasonably priced. Click here to see the sizes and fabrics for the Bento Bags. Anyway, I love my Bento Bags and I think you might, too. Fringe Supply Co. has great customer service.

When your project is in the bag you just turn down the points and it sits open.

The project in the Bento Bag is the Windschief Hat by Stephen West and it is knit in one of my favorite indie yarns, Sunshine Yarns, in a worsted weight. Sunshine Yarns yarn and fiber have a depth that I love. The hat is a gift so I hope to get it done later today.

I finished the sweater for my second son. The pattern I used is the Chesterfield pattern by Julie Hoover published by Brooklyn Tweed in his recent men's collection.

The sweater is knit in my old tweedy standby, Tahki Donegal Tweed. If you are a tweedy woolly wool fan, you should knit with this yarn. I love it. 

The sweater turned out big, much bigger than I expected. It was knit from the bottom up, sleeves knit and joined at the underarm, and then a raglan yoke is finished from there. There are short rows involved at the bottom hem, the back and the neckline, which is good. The sweater is intended to be worn with 4-5 inches of positive ease so I'm hopeful it will still be okay despite the fact that it seems a bit too big. He currently wears an over-sized sweater he got at a thrift shop so I don't think he minds a roomy sweater. 

It's a great pattern, well-written, and simple. I didn't add the turtleneck as in the pattern. I just did a rib crew neck instead.

I will try to get a photo of my son wearing his new handknit sweater. My thought is that he is going to love it and wear it a ton. He has been asking for a handknit sweater for a few years now and I finally got one done for him.

Fingers are crossed on all fronts. I am going to hand-embroider a wool tag to stitch in the back of the neck with my initials and the year. I'll get a photo of that to share, too.

Guys! Guess what? I finished the Snawheid by Kate Davies! It still needs blocking. I added an extra half of a repeat because for me it was too short to cover my ears. It's perfect now in every way. The crown is so cool and winter-y looking. I'm debating the large pom-pom for the top. 

Click here to see Snawheid by Kate Davies! This girl is a colorwork genius.

Click here to order the Jamieson Shetland Wool to make your own Snawheid!

Up next for me? Sheepheid by Kate Davies. I can't wait to dig in. I'm obsessed with these little colorwork hats by Kate. Yum.

I have a bunch of spinning ready to go. I'm hoping over the holidays I will get some time to sit and spin. The little fiber balls above are from Friends in Fiber on Etsy. I am pretty excited about spinning this up. The bowl is holding 2 of the 4 ounces, so much fun!

One last thing before I go, there is a new eBook that I read about on a new to me website. The site is called, Very Shannon but the url is, luvinthemommyhood.com. Click here to check it out! Shannon Cook is a talented writer, knitter, sewer, mother, photographer.... etc.! 

Anyway, Shannon recommended an eBook called Handmade Winter. I purchased it and it is a good one. I am going to make the things and use the recipes for many months to come. I just love Handmade Winter and you might, too. Click here to see Shannon's review (she has a pattern in the book) and click here to purchase. It's a steal for all of the good patterns and recipes and inspiration included and the photography is dreamy.

Anyway, that's it for today. I hope you are well and good. 

Take care, dear Knitters.

best, susie