Thursday, November 17, 2016

Skating Hat & Barrett Wool Co.wl and more!


Hi, Knitters,
I have so much to share with you all today. 

Thank you for the huge response to my new yarn and pattern line over at Barrett Wool Co. We have had so much fun this week packing orders and hearing from knitters some I've known for many, many years and I've heard from many new friends, too. I really appreciate the support. We feel very excited. And when I say we I mean my oldest son and me. Evan Anderson is my business partner and co-founder of Barrett Wool Co. Some of you may remember Evan from Corcoa a couple of years ago. It was the coaster project to end all coaster projects. Ha! You were all so much fun. It still makes me smile.

If you want to find out more about our new family owned company click here! We have so much planned in the coming months. One thing I want to emphasize on the new website and new blog is that everyone is welcome, all knitting levels, shopping or no shopping, and it is a welcoming place for learning and exploring knitting. 

I have four new patterns which were published this week through my new company, Barrett Wool Co. I am going to spend a little time on here introducing each pattern to you. Today I am starting with the Skating Hat and the Barrett Wool Co.wl.  

First, let me quickly share some links. Please join me and subscribe on these new venues if you are so inclined! I'm going to share tons of tutorials and blog posts and knitting information in general. I'd love to see you there.







Let me introduce you to two my new patterns today. The first pattern is called, Skating hat. This is a fun to knit and versatile hat. The pattern offers instructions for both a fingering weight and a worsted weight version. The hat is sized to fit a head from 20 to 23-inches in circumference. This will fit an older child through an adult sized head. 



The photo above is of Mrs. Molly and she is wearing the worsted weight version. 




The top of the hat is fully-fashioned and carries on with the broken line motif that is in the body of the hat. I love the way it looks. The colorwork is very simple and charted. The motif is an 8 stitch repeat which works out well for hat numbers. 


TC is wearing the fingering weight version of the Skating Hat. It is the exact same colorwork motif as in the worsted weight version only I added in stripes for the background colors. It gives the fabric a different dimension that I love. You could work the entire hat in two colors like the worsted weight version.


You can see that on both hats I added some French Knots in three lines of the motif. I have a new French knot tutorial coming up on our YouTube Channel. Once I mastered how to do a proper French knot I wanted to put them everywhere. You might feel the same way.



Here are the hats side by side, fingering weight on the left, worsted on the right. It is a fun, sweet and quick hat pattern and it's a great place to work on your simple colorwork skills. You are only using two colors at a time on each round. 

And by the way, don't you love those poms? I have a color block pom-pom video tutorial coming soon if you are interested.


And quickly, so you don't miss out the Barrett Wool Co.wl is being offered as a free pattern for signing up to my new newsletter. When you sign up you get an email that includes a download link for the new pattern and a Ravelry free download code so you have the pattern stored in your pattern library. 

I've already posted a new video tutorial for the Fisherman's Rib stitch that is used in this pattern. 



Click here to watch the new video tutorial on YouTube! I have many more of these little tutorials in the works.


Click here to see the Barrett Wool Co.wl on Ravelry!


The cowl is squishy and stretchy and can be worn multiple ways as you can see. Plus, the size is easily adjusted. It is a fast and fun project that is a great introduction to the new yarn and the fisherman's rib stitch. You need two skeins in contrasting colors of the Home Worsted Weight yarn.


If you are looking for color combination suggestions here are a few. There are many more that you choose from but these are some of my personal favorites. This project makes the perfect gift for the upcoming holidays.



Also, I am adding a new technique option to the Smooth Operator Socks pattern later today. I have figured out a new way to close the gap that occurs on both sides of the heel when you remove the waste yarn to work the afterthought heel. You don't have to pick up ANY stitches to close the gap with this technique! There is no guessing at all and no stitching up after you are done.

Click here for more information or to purchase the Smooth Operator Socks pattern!

I'm calling it the No Pick Up Gap Closer. The new option will be added to the addendum of the pattern. I will be sending out a pattern update for all past pattern purchasers and it will be included for all new pattern purchasers.

The sock in the photo is worked in Barrett Wool Co. Home Fingering Weight yarn in the Humble Gold and Bluff colorways. The needles are from Signature Needle Arts, US size 1/2.25mm, 6-inch length double-pointed needles. The sock blocker is from The Loopy Ewe.

The pattern in the photo is the Smooth Operator Socks with a stitch pattern twist. I am working on a little collection for ways to spice up your socks. This will include some stitch motif, lace, and cable options and more color work fun. This collection won't be out for awhile as this is only my second pair for the collection.

Well, that's a lot of information for today. I will be back with details on the other new patterns but in the meantime if you'd like to check the other two patterns out now....

Click here to see the Baa pattern!

Click here to see the Snowy Pine Shawl!

Both of these pattern use fingering weight yarn and I'll share more details in the days ahead.

I'll be back soon with more. Much love to you all. I heard a rumor that it's supposed to start getting colder around here. I have blooming buds on my geranium plant from last summer that's sitting in the yard, in mid-November! So strange.
xo ~ susan