Sunday, July 12, 2015

Perfect Retreat Shawl ~ Pattern Release Sale!


Hi, Knitters,
I have a new shawl pattern releasing today and I am offering a $2.00 discount! It is on sale starting today for $4.00 and ending when I get back from SSK on July 19th, 2015. On July 20, 2015, the shawl will be $6.00. There is no code needed, the price has already been lowered for you!


I am super excited about it. Jeanette from Sun Valley Fibers and I are both going to the SSK Retreat this coming week in Nashville, TN. Jeanette is vending and I am teaching (I have developed two brand new workshops debuting at SSK!). Jeanette asked me quite awhile ago if I would design a shawl out of her exclusive SSK colorway called Labyrinth. Jeanette's farm is local to me and she works right in Madison so she just drops yarn off on my doorstep on her way to work. It is a pretty good deal and I love working with another Madison fiberista.

There is a labyrinth at the center where we are staying in Nashville thus the fitting color name. The yarn is SunValley's MCN (merino/cashmere/nylon) fingering weight yarn and it is a delight! I could not get over the mossy green combined with a golden hue. The yarn glows in the most subtle and beautiful way. It is mystifying. I don't know how she did it but the effect is stunning. I don't know if the colorway is available for everyone after the retreat but I'll find out and let you know.  Or you could ask Jeanette directly: Click here to contact Jeanette of Sun Valley Fibers! Updated to add: Jeanette let me know that she does have the color Labyrinth available in her shop and you can get it dyed to order on any of her bases. It is a beautiful color. 

The Perfect Retreat Shawl is big and squishy and just the right size to wrap around your shoulders or neck. 



My son and I headed out to my favorite nearby nature conservancy to take photos of the shawl and it was just a beautiful day in the woods. There was almost a hazy quality to the air, an after rainfall-type feel. The setting reminded me of many of the retreats I have been on where nature and landscape play a major role in the mood of the retreat. 

The shawl is written in two sizes, 1-skein and 2-skein. I am wearing the 2-skein size and it is generous and cozy.


Here is some pattern information you might like to know and the reason for the name of the shawl:

The Perfect Retreat Shawl was designed for the Super Summer Knitogether or SSK Retreat so with the retreat knitting-theme specifically in mind I designed this shawl.
After the simple set-up rows, the body of the shawl is mindless garter stitch with a two-row repeat, one simple increase row and one knit row. After 99 rows of garter stitch you are ready to add some simple lace to the edge.
The shawl is designed to start the 6 set-up rows at home, head off to the retreat. Then you are set to relax and knit garter stitch to your heart’s content. By the time you get home you’ll be ready to add the final lace edging. While working on the lace you can remember the fun and friends from the retreat.
Another fun idea would be to start the Perfect Retreat Shawl with a yarn you have in your stash. Work the body of the shawl at the retreat. Then purchase a coordinating skein of fingering weight yarn at the retreat to use for the lace sections when you get home. You will instantly have created a memory shawl from your retreat!
The Perfect Retreat Shawl is actually just as perfect for non-retreat knitting, relaxing at home, travel, watching your kids’ sports or activities, waiting for appointments or for the water to boil while cooking pasta for dinner, etc. It’s a perfect shawl for your everyday life knitting.
Finished measurements after blocking:
1 skein shawl: 50-inch wingspan, 24-inch depth
2 skein shawl: 63-inch wingspan, 31-inch depth
Yarn: Sun Valley Fibers, 75% Merino, 15% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, 400 yards, fingering weight, 1 or 2 skeins in Labyrinth for selected size
Yarn amount notes:
The 1 Skein size will use most all of 400 yards.
The 2 Skein size finished shawl weighs 199 grams.
The Sun Valley MCN skeins are generous and only go by yardage, not weight. For the 2 Skein shawl I did have 37 grams left over from the second skein.
Needles: US size 6/4mm, 32-inch circular or size to obtain gauge
Gauge: 5.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch before blocking
Materials:
Stitch markers
Yarn needle
Optional: Blocking wires and pins







I hope you enjoy this new shawl pattern! One or two skeins of fingering weight is all you need. The Perfect Retreat Shawl is full of simple, mindless knitting with a simple lace pattern pattern to finish things off. It's an enjoyable knit suitable for beginners.

Thanks for the support, as always. I hope you are able to knit and retreat a little bit this summer even if it is only to your back yard.
xo ~ susan

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Susan, you are one of the sweetest people I've never met! One day, I hope to rectify that and you will be one of the sweetest people I have met. Until then, thank you for brightening the days of so many with your kindness and the beautiful things you share!

mariaeb on Ravelry said...

Susan,
What a beautiful shawl design! The lace looks just like the windows at the Scarritt-Bennett Center where SSK is held! I am so excited to be meeting you at the KP a Retreat in Maine and will knit this shawl just for that event! Have a wonderful time in Nashville! Thanks for this lovely design!

These are the Stamps of Our Lives said...

Absolutely breath-taking... lovely photos!
~Shelley~

LaLa said...

Gorgeous! I can't wait to pick up my kit!

Holly said...

What a beautiful setting, for a photo shoot, of your newest creation. You make a lovely model.

Lindy said...

What a gorgeous shawl. Actually, I love all of your patterns - I can't knit fast enough. :D I just skimmed through the directions for this beautiful shawl and there is one instruction I'm a little unsure of. "RS: Slip on (sic) stitch as if to knit, slip another stitch as if yo knit. Insert left-hand needle into front of these 2 stitches and knit them together.

It's the "Slip another stitch as if yo knit." that has me confused. ?????I'm not sure what you mean by this. (I do understand yo). Also wondering - do I knit into the front or into the back of these stitches? I'm assuming I knit into the back since the left needle is going into the front of the stitches.

Do you think you will ever come to MI for a workshop, retreat, fiber festival?

Lindy

Alina said...

What a lovely sweet design!

Susan B. Anderson said...

Hey Lindy,
I don't have any plans to come to Michigan to teach but I would love to sometime.

I'm sorry about that chart error. It is an SSK decrease and it is defined in the abbreviations section of the pattern correctly. I had the chart reworked and it looks like there are a couple of typos. I apologize and will get that cleaned up and resent out as an update.

SSK should read: Slip 2 stitches separately and as if to knit, knit the slipped stitches together through the back loops.

Thanks for letting me know.
Susan

Unknown said...

MAbsolutely stunning on you ! I got the pattern the minute it can out ! I had been waiting , lol
Can you please tell me if 750 yards will be enough for the large one ?! Thank you
:)
Emilia( emilcarv1963 )

Susan B. Anderson said...

Emilia, Hi! I copied the answer I gave you on Ravelry.

re: Yarn amount question for new shawl
Sent at 7:25 PM Today
Well, the Sun Valley MCN said 400 yards per skein. Theoretically you would have enough with 750 - 800 yards. I had 37 grams leftover from the second skein. Sun Valley doesn’t mention grams per skein though and I didn’t weigh the skein before starting the shawl because I assumed she had weighed them and it was on the label. My 2 skein shawl weighed 199 grams at the end. Which tells me that the Sun Valley skeins were over 100 grams apiece.

I think if you get gauge, yes, you may be able to make the large with 750 yards. If it gets close you could leave off the picot bind off or a couple of garter rows or even the little lace pattern before the final edging.

Longwinded! Sorry about that…
Good luck!
susan

Barbara said...

Thank you for another gorgeous shawl pattern. I ordered by kit today from SVF, can't wait to receive.

rphilbeck said...

Beautiful shawl and the pictures were great. Tell your son he did a fabulous job taking pictures!! I will be getting that one as well. I just finished your yowza shawl #3.

Thanks,

Rowena

Lisa Wright said...

Hi Susan, I'm really trying to order the pattern from Ravelry. I have been having difficulties with the checking out process all day. I have notified Ravelry of the problem. If there is another way to purchase this pattern other than the Ravelry site please let me know. The shawl is beautiful! Can't wait to cast on.

Susan B. Anderson said...

Hi Lisa,
That's so strange, hmmm.... The pattern is only available through Ravelry and I have been receiving orders for the new shawl pattern all day today so it doesn't appear that there is any problem on the Ravelry end of things.

Maybe try again later is all I can think of to suggest. Hopefully the people at Ravelry can get back to you to figure out the problem.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Keep me posted after you try again later. We'll definitely figure something out!
susan

gale (she shoots sheep shots) said...

Beautiful shawl and beautiful designer wearing it. I love that last photo of you laughing. Have fun at SSK! (I am sure it'll be lovely but not as fun as last time, I'd like to think)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful shawl pattern!!! I'm going to buy one as soon as I'm done typing this. Would you also mind sharing the name of your yarn swift and winder? I need to purchase one but don't know which one to buy or what is good brand? Appreciate your help. Thank you.

Debby

Al said...

Susan, this is beautiful!! Thank you so much!
Btw, you look so pretty <3

Life and Knits said...

Love this shawl pattern. Really great pattern for gift giving, simple and elegant.

Susie

Sharon said...

I have a beautiful skein of sock yarn that I would like to use to make this shawl. Do you think it would work if I went up a couple needle sizes? It's such a beautiful shawl! Thanks Susan!

Susan B. Anderson said...

Hi Sharon,
The pattern is based on a 400 yard skein of sock yarn or fingering weight yarn. The sizes in the pattern are for 1 or 2 skeins of sock weight yarn. So yes! I think your sock yarn would work fine for the shawl. I would check the gauge in the pattern and try to match that for the needle size you would use.
Susan

Wendy S said...

What a small world. I went to college with a Michele Berry. Probably not the same one though. Lol love your blog and the opportunities to sample new yarns! Sealight on Ravelry