This Week So Far

Hi Knitters,
This week has been a productive one. I finished editing book proofs yesterday which took hours on the phone with my trusty editor. With that off of my plate for a couple of weeks (the book pages will return to me again one more time for further work) I worked on a few projects needing to get finished.

Many months have passed since I started my first shawl design. I set it aside to work on more pressing projects. Last weekend I picked it up again to work on in the car as we drove to Chicago for a day of fun. I am calling this shawl the Quaker Ridge Shawlette due to the stitch pattern inspired by Barbara Walker's Quaker Ridging stitch pattern in a Treasury of Stitch Patterns.

This is honestly a super easy shawl and is perfect for first-timers or someone wanting a simple, generous shawl to work on. I absolutely am in love with this semi-circular shawl. The shawl is clean-lined and the perfect way to show off some gorgeous yarn in a clear and easy way.

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the Quaker Ridge Shawlette!

When we got home all I had left to do was add a ruffle and complete a beaded bind off which was no small feat. The ruffle and beaded bind off are completely optional. You could just do a few rows of garter stitch and bind off. This would look great, too.

It took many hours of ruffle knitting and bead placing, but I finally finished binding off and I even blocked the shawl yesterday. Voila! The finished Quaker Ridge Shawlette has now been wrapped around my shoulders early this morning.

Here you can see the beaded bind off close up. I used a flosser to place the beads. Click here for a great tutorial on how to place beads with a flosser.

Anyway, I am in love with my new shawl. It is so beautiful and drapey. The beads add so much. The pattern is coming soon. Plus, I am going to have a knitalong for the Quaker Ridge Shawlette early this fall. More details will be coming up!

The pattern calls for a sport weight yarn. I used 2 hanks of Madelinetosh Pashmina, which is 720 yards. I had 47 grams leftover at the end. The colorway is Forestry which is rich and gorgeous. I knit on US size 7 needles, 32-inch circular, at 5 stitches per inch in stockinette before blocking. The blocked shawl is about 70 inches across the top edge and about 22 inches deep including the ruffle. It is a semi-circle shape.

Let me know if you are interested in the pattern and/or the Quaker Ridge Shawlette knitalong!

Click here to see Pashmina!

This cardigan is my Ravellenic project so I am glad I finished it in time. It is a sample for my Vogue Knitting Live class coming up in Chicago on Oct. 28th. I just checked in with Vogue and my toy class is sold out and this baby cardigan class is almost sold out! Click here to find out more about signing up for the class and other classes.

I've already cast on another baby cardigan for the class in a heathered gray color that will have a hood, plus a different edging and closure. I have some yellow buttons that I may use for this gray hoodie.

I am using Quince & Co. Lark, which is a wool worsted weight, for all of these cardigans. I am in love with this yarn and company. Click here for Quince & Co. All of these patterns I am working on will be available to everyone in the future, not just students in the VK Live class.

I dug through my buttons to see if anything would work on the tiny striped cardigan but I am not seeing anything that clicks. I need 6 tiny buttons for this one. I may have to search for some new buttons somewhere.

I have just a few spinning photos to finish out the day. I have this hank of 270 yards of a bulky weight merino in the photo above. This is a very playful hank that I finished awhile ago. I can't remember  where the fiber is from. I started a scarf with it but then ripped it out. It wasn't quite right and now I am not sure what this will become.

I am also working on spinning up singles to make a 3-ply out of 8oz. of Sunshine Yarns superwash merino roving in the Desert Cactus colorway. It is very pretty with lots of shades of gray and purple and even splashes of rust and green here and there. It's really interesting because it looks so different in the braid compared to the singles on the bobbin. That makes it fun to spin. I have the roving divided into thirds and I am on the second bobbin now. I am trying to spin very thin since it will be a 3-ply in the end. We'll see what happens.

I'll leave you with a photo of TC and me in Chicago. We had lunch at an outdoor cafe, shopped and walked around the city. It was a fun-filled, and hot sunny day in the windy city.

Well, those are some of my happenings this week. Have you gotten any knitting or spinning done this week?
best, susie

Handspun Yarn Story

Hi Knitters,
The winner of the copy of Wearwithall is Carmen (cnuland - rav id). Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who entered. I have a really fun giveaway coming up that includes some gorgeous yarn. Look for that in the near future.

Today I want to share a handspun yarn story through photos. The process of spinning yarn has become a real passion of mine. I love every step along the way. The roving in the photo above is from Cloudlover (click here for the site) in the Green River colorway.

In the end I got 298 yards of about a dk weight yarn. I am thinking about making a version of this shawl with it even though I am short on the yardage. I will just make it a little smaller to compensate.

best, susie

Wearwithall Giveaway!

Hi Knitters,
The authors of this fine book asked if I would like a review copy and I jumped at the chance. I had read Kristin Nicholas' review and interview with Theresa Gaffey, one of the authors, and thought the book looked like something I would sincerely love to own.

Please go read Kristin's excellent interview with Theresa by clicking right here!

The book is authored by the combined talents of five designers from Minnesota, Mary Lou Egan, Theresa Gaffey, Scott Rohr, Shelly Sheehan, and Sarah K. Walker. All have vast experience in the fiber world and have strong connections to the Yarnery in St. Paul. I was at this yarn shop on a book tour stop in 2007 for Itty-Bitty Nursery and it is fantastic. The book is also printed in Minnesota. I love the local feel of the book.

Whenever I get a book I am always anxious to open up the cover and read the introduction. I want to find out the intentions of the author for the book. Wearwithall is for all levels of knitters from beginner to experienced. There are beautiful basic patterns that can be knit several ways, which the designer walks you through. There are a variety of projects including scarves, wraps, mittens, blankets, baby-wear, a couple of truly wearable men's items, hats, and a woman's cardigan. The main goal on these pages is to be able to use this one book to create a collection of knits to suit just about anyone you can think of. It will be a book that you will come back to again and again altering the knits to suit your needs and style.

Please click here to see all 13 patterns in one place!

Please click here to go to the Wearwithall site where you can buy the book and all of the yarn for the projects!

The photographs are by one of my favorites in the fiber world, Gale Zucker. I absolutely have loved her work for years and years. She is such a talent.

Here are a few of the projects:

(photo by Gale Zucker from Wearwithall)

I love this sweater/tunic project but I especially love baby legs in stripey tights. What a great photo.

(photo by Gale Zucker from Wearwithall)

I think this stole is the most popular project in the book according to Ravelry. I love this and would knit it in a heartbeat because I would wear and use it all of the time. Remember that you can get all of the yarn from the Yarnery for the projects in the book.

(photo by Gale Zucker from Wearwithall)

This is such a cute garter stitch cardigan. What a perfect, simple project. I can never get enough of a baby in garter stitch with stripes.

(photo by Gale Zucker from Wearwithall)

A woman's cardigan in Rowan Kidsilk Haze is another perfect option. There are also other yarn options for this project and for all of the projects in the book which is always helpful.

(photo by Gale Zucker from Wearwithall)

These socks are perhaps my favorite project in the book. They are made out of Cascade 220 which would make them a very fast knit, but also the colors are gorgeous. I think I will have to knit these at some point soon. The book also shows a photo with the socks knit in the dark gray with the light gray accents.

(photo by Gale Zucker from Wearwithall)

And of course, being from Minnesota you always need a pair of mittens or two. These wonderful colorwork mittens are also shown in a solid version and with different cuff details. Modifications for all of the patterns are explored in detail.

I guess my summary of this book is that it is a very thoughtfully compiled group of patterns that any knitter would benefit from owning. The book is carefully thought out and stylish and beautiful. I want to knit up several of the projects right away and there are many gift items that would be perfect as well. Every single pattern is a winner. I know that you will all love Wearwithall.  You can feel the experience of the authors exuding from the pages. I like that.

If you would like to win a copy of Wearwithall, Knits for Your Life, please leave one comment on this blog post. Please leave your email or rav id so I can get in touch with you to get your mailing address if you win.

I'll be back in a couple of days to randomly select a winner. Good luck and let the comments begin!
best, susie

Progress Inside and Out

Hi Knitters,

Progress is being made on the second baby cardigan for the Vogue Knitting Live Class I am teaching on October 28th in Chicago. I am using these tiny cardigans as my class samples and also for my project for the Itty-Bitty Knits Ravellenic Team for my Ravelry Group. The green stripes are fresh and fun. This little version is going to have short sleeves  and maybe a hood or a matching hat. This class is all about options and making the cardigan you want.

Click here to see the classes at VK Live in Chicago! 

Click here for the Itty-Bitty Knits Ravelry group!

We are loving our garden this summer. Everyday we are bringing in fresh vegetables that quickly vanish. Cucumbers are winning the production rate so far this summer. I can't believe how fast cucumbers grow. When we bring them inside, they get sliced up and thrown in salads or dipped in Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing (click here for the link to this dressing) for a speedy snack. This dressing is delicious and by far my favorite. I like it on everything.

The kids started snacking like crazy on peppers last spring and haven't quit. They love them. I was even slicing them up and putting them in baggies to bring to school for a snack. We have been buying large numbers of red, green and yellow peppers. We'll see if that continues this school year. I love them, too, they are so crunchy.

One of my favorite things in the summer is to slice up a garden tomato and sprinkle it with a little bit of sea salt and ground pepper. That's it. It's the best snack around. Our tomato plants are bursting with tomatoes this summer. I am so excited for them to all start turning red. I check a couple times a day and usually come in with a handful or two.

I have had two huge zucchinis a couple of weeks ago but the plants haven't produced any more yet. In case I get asked, the chicken platter was a gift from my sister a few years back and it is in constant use. I just leave it out on the kitchen counter and something always ends up on it.

Yesterday I cooked up some corn on the cob. I cut the corn off and made this yummy salad, Corn and Blueberry Salad, click here for the recipe link. It seems like a strange combination but it is fantastic. I think the texture of the blueberries and the corn together really works well. And throw in that lime juice? It's incredibly fresh tasting. I used a cucumber from our garden in here, too. It was so delicious. This is a summery salad and the kids loved it. I am going to make it again very soon.

How are your gardens growing this summer and what are your favorite summer recipes? I'd love to hear.

I'll be back soon with a giveaway and review!
best, susie

A Monkey, Clouds and Cake

Hi Knitters,
As the days speed by and blur by in some cases, I still manage to get some personal knitting and spinning done although it seems less lately. I finished up two single socks this past weekend. On the right is my first Monkey Sock by Cookie A, a free pattern from Knitty.com. I love it and can't wait to cast on for my second sock. On the right is the handspun Dyeabolical yarn. It is so well suited for socks.

For the Monkey Socks, I knit on US size 1 dpns and the yarn is Kristin Nicholas' (click here for her blog) Garden Effects by Regia in the Holiday #3306 colorway (click here for the yarn).

I used my regular old heel flap and gusset, not the one in the pattern. I did do the twisted rib stitch suggested in the pattern. It is a k1, p1 rib where you do the knit stitch through the back loop. I think I like a regular rib, like a k2, p2, better. You never know unless you try.

Great pattern, fun and easy lace chart, and perfect yarn for the Monkey Socks.

For my Dyeabolical handspun (click here for the site), I worked on US size 1 dpns and I used my free sock pattern, How I make my socks (click here for the pattern).  I love the new handspun sock dearly, can't wait to start the second. This will be my third pair of handspun socks since I started spinning almost a couple of years ago. That's pretty good.

I can't believe the amount of yarn I still have left. I have already knit a shawl and a sock from this hank of handspun. I will still have a ton left when the second sock is done.

I am using my Signature Needle Arts dpns with the stiletto points in US size 1 (click here for the site).

The cake of yarn is sitting on a Yarn Buddy by Sun Valley Fibers (click here for the site). I love having this yarn buddy.

I started a mitten with the Themyscira handspun. It's funny because when I say the weight of the yarn I spin I am totally and completely guessing. I actually have no idea and I don't take any steps to measure and figure out the actual weight. I thought this skein was a bulky weight, measured through my studious eyes. However, when I started knitting I quickly realized it is a worsted weight and I had to rip out the cuff I had started. Then I moved down to a US size 7 needle. I had to rip out the cuff again because the gauge was still too loose.

Now I have found the perfect fit. I am using my Signature dpns, US size 6, to get a nice bouncy fabric that will keep my mitts warm this winter. These are going to be really cute mittens and I am writing up a brand new pattern from scratch for them. I will share the pattern at some point with you when I am done. I am using a measuring tape and using that good ol' calculator and pencil and paper to get it just right. The good thing is that they will be written for a worsted weight yarn and not necessarily for a handspun. You could use any worsted weight wool in your stash for these.

I don't mind at all not knowing the exact weight or gauge of my handspun. It's all part of the fun trying to figure it out. The spinning is a side note to my knitting that I don't have to take seriously at all and I want to keep it that way. It's just free and easy!

This is the next up roving now on my Ladybug wheel. It is lovely. The color is Green River, perfection, and it is 4 oz. of Polwarth from Cloudlover Yarn and Fiber (click here for the site). This site has some irresistible yarn and fiber if you are interested. I have used roving from this shop before and it is wonderful.

The first 2 oz. is done and I think it is really beautiful so far. This one I am doing pretty thin and it will be a 2-ply when I am done.

I finished the Cakewalk Yarns socks in Cherry Blossom (click here for Rose's Etsy Shop). The pattern again is from my free sock pattern (click right here).

I love the speckled yarn and the sweet color so much. Cherry Blossom is a hit all around.

The yarn is a light fingering weight and the socks feel like air. I can't wait to put them to use this fall and winter. Now I will be casting on my next pair of Cakewalk socks..... what to choose, Sudden Valley or Hero Squad?

I'll be back soon with more.
best, susie
p.s. I think I might have to get these clogs. What do you think?

Down by the Old Pool Yard

Hi Knitters,
Well, that was one long swim meet today clocking in at almost 6 hours. That's long for an outdoor summer meet against only one team. The other team is gigantic with hundreds of swimmers and relays up to H and I in the alphabet. Our team has A,B and sometimes C relays.

Luckily I packed my handspun sock project in my bag before we left. We found a shady spot tucked in by an enormous pine tree to put our chairs. There I sat in between events and knit away the hours. I am almost done with the toe now. It's so pretty.

I cast on my Ravellenics project very early this morning. I was too tired last night after a late dive meet and then dinner when we got home. My goal for the Ravellenics is to knit up all of the sample baby cardigans for my October 28th class at Vogue Knitting Live in Chicago. My toy class is sold out already but there are still spots in my design your own baby cardigan class on that Sunday afternoon.

I'll share the different versions of the cardigan I will be bringing to class on here as I finish them up. I already have one basic cardigan finished and it is adorable, a real staple kind of item to have in your knitting bag of tricks. There will be lots of options to choose from when the students create their own cardigan.

I am really excited about this new class. It is fun to change things up for sure. I hope to see you there if you can make it. I have had a few people ask if they can bring books for me to sign and the answer is, yes, of course. That is always fun and we'll have time to sign during the class as people are knitting away I am sure.

Click here for Vogue Knitting Live in Chicago this October

Have a good and peaceful weekend. I think I'll do another giveaway next week at some point so look for that if you are interested.
best, susie

Double Marl Thursday

Hi Knitters,
I hope you are all doing well this week. We have finally gotten a couple days of rain around here and things are looking a little bit greener. That is a happy thing. The brown grass and dying greenery everywhere you turn has been a little depressing this summer. Hopefully the rain will continue off and on for awhile.

I am sharing some details about a hank of handspun yarn I recently finished. I was reading the Knitty.com blog quite a long time ago where Jillian Moreno wrote about a spinning technique called Double Marl. You can read about it by clicking right here. I immediately wanted to try this technique with some of the more colorful roving I had because it distributes the color so nicely.

I also like it because it is incredibly fast and a good way to whip up a bulkier weight yarn. I don't want to only spin fingering weight yarn. I want a good mix of colors, yarn weights, fibers, gradients, striping, etc. Why else would you spin? It's all about variety, creation, trying new techniques, learning more about wool and various fibers, experimenting and mostly having fun!

Here is the unbraided roving I picked up in.... Kentucky! You saw that coming. It is Falkland wool, 4oz.  It is from Dyeabolical Yarns and is in the ever-popular Themyscira colorway. This roving is so beautiful and vibrant.

Basically, you separate the roving into thin pinky size strips. You can kind of see I started pulling the skinny strands apart above. I didn't do any pre-drafting at all. Then you take two of the thin strips of roving and spin them together to get your singles.

I kind of think of it almost as a sort of 4-ply in the end because you are taking two strands to make the singles and then plying the two singles together to get the finished yarn. I know that isn't exactly true because you don't have 4 singles you are plying together but the way the colors mix together you are getting that from the four pieces of roving spun together.

Isn't it gorgeous? The colors just pop out at you.

In the end I got 150 yards of a bulky weight yarn. I am definitely going to make Molly's Mittens with this skein of Themiscyra. Click here to see the pattern for Molly's Mittens. This is the perfect yarn to make a super cute pair of mittens for the winter ahead. When we go skating outside in the bitter cold Wisconsin winter season I'll have on my watermelon socks and my Themyscira mittens and....

My Thorpe hat for which I spun the yarn using the same double marl technique last winter. The color mix and distribution in the knit fabric is so effective. And look how great those tassels turned out with the double marl yarn. They are barber pole goodness.

I'll share my finished Molly's Mittens when they are done. This mitten pattern is so fast and simple. I can't even count the number of times I've used this pattern, over and over again.

I best get back to work now. I'll return soon with much more on the knitting front.
best, susie