New Designs in Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2013

 

Hi, Knitters,

Last fall of 2012, I got a design request from Knit Simple Magazine. I can rarely say no to this magazine and the lovely people who work there because all of it is so good. I love Knit Simple Magazine for its accessibility and for the doable, clean, simple designs offered season after season. This magazine is one that is loved by yarn shops because it flies off the shelf as soon as it gets to the door. At least that's what I've heard from yarn shop owners on my travels.

So when asked by Knit Simple, I say yes. They usually have something specific in mind for me. This time it was a girl's top of some sort, a child's bunny hat and some girl-size leg warmers. That sounded like a fun challenge. All three were due in mid-December if I remember correctly. 

Here is what happens from there. I send sketches to the good editors at Soho Publishing and wait to hear back. After the sketches are approved the yarn editor tells you what yarn company and specific yarn you need to choose from for the designs. After I select the colors and they are approved I get a big box of yarn in the mail and it is time to get to work. This all goes pretty quickly.

Below are the photos of the sketches I sent off to the editors. I love what I get to design. It's pure fun for me.

With everything in order, I first got busy designing a girl-size top. I had looked up standard measurements for a 4-6 year old girl thinking that if it was a little big on the 4 year-old it could be worn more as a tunic and then more as a top as the child gets older. I love how this sweet little top turned out.  The small details make it. 

Here is the finished Tank Top on my child-size dress form. I made it for a young girl maybe around 5 years-old. It can be worn with or without a t-shirt underneath. I think it turned out great. 

You start from the bottom and knit in one-piece until you get to the armhole, separate for the front and the back working one side at a time and then finish with a 3-needle bind off at the shoulders. It's so simple and fun to knit. I added a smattering of sweet lazy-daisy flowers on the bottom front. 

The tank top is to be loose-fitting at the bottom and sort of an empire line with the garter stitch dividing the bottom from the top.

I love how the garter detail adds to the design.

(Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2013, photo by Jack Deutsch)

The model is adorable as is the skirt but I do think the top is too small for this girl. As I look at the sizes for the Tank Top in the magazine it looks like they added more sizes which is great! I knit it in a size 4-5T and this girl, gorgeous and cute, looks a bit older than that. I think they removed the flower embroidery, too.

All is good and I think it is a really cute, sweet photo. I just want you to know the details if you decide to knit this cute, simple Tank Top for a little girl in your life. It is a very fun and fast knit.

Here is the pattern information:

#23 Tank Top

Designer: Susan B. Anderson

For sizes: Child 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

Yarn Information: Schachenmayr Select/Westminster Fibers Violena

Amounts: 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) balls in #01605 lilac

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the #23 Tank Top!

Now I have designed a few bunny hats in my day and doing one more is all good by me! A simple, fun bunny hat is never a miss in my book. Kids like animal hats and they always look cute in them, adults like to look at kids in bunny hats, photographs are made better when wearing bunny hats.... you can't go wrong.

This hat is knit in cotton but would work great in wool or a wool blend as well.  The ears are knit separately in pieces, thus the pink inner ear, and are then stitched onto the hat. I made the ears extra-long and floppy this time just for fun. 

I added a simple embroidered face which really adds to the cuteness factor.

The hat is 20-inches in circumference but could easily be made smaller to fit a baby. 

(Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2013, photo by Jack Deutsch)

Here is the pattern information from the magazine:

#22 Bunny Hat

Designer: Susan B. Anderson

For sizes: Toddler, Child

Yarn Information: Coats & Clark Creme de la Creme

Amounts: 1 skein each in #105 Ivory and #710 Pale Pink, small amount in #12 Black

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the #22 Bunny Hat!

Cute photo, cute girl (love her hair) and a cute stuffed bunny to boot! I love how this project turned out.

Next up, I made a simple pair of ribbed leg warmers in a child-size. These could fit a young child, around 3 or 4 all the way up to an older child. The rib really makes them stretchy and flexible as far as sizing goes.

I love the simplicity of this design and stripes are always a good thing.

(Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2013, photo by Jack Deutsch)

I think they look great as styled in the photo and would also be cute over tights and under boots or worn to dance class. They could be knit up in school or team colors, too, and would be a great gift knit!

Here is the pattern information from the magazine:
 #25 Leg Warmers

Designer: Susan B. Anderson

For Sizes: Child

Yarn Information: Berroco Comfort

Amounts: 1 skein each in #9780 Dried Plum, #9730 Teaberry, #9702 Pearl, #9729 Smokestack

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the #25 Leg Warmers!

Click here to see all of the projects in Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2013!

Click here for more information about Knit Simple Magazine!

After I finished these projects, I got a request to knit up a toy for the Noro Magazine published by the same Soho Publishing team. I jumped at the chance and will share that project as soon as I get word from them that it is out. 

Click here for the Noro Magazine website to find out more! Warning: you will want to get this magazine after looking at the website. It is beautiful and who doesn't love Noro? It says the new magazine with my toy will be out June 5th, 2013, something to look forward to.

I think it is wonderful that Soho Publishing offers such a wide variety of knitting magazines. We, as knitters, should continue to support and love our knitting magazines because they offer so much in the form of patterns, reviews, introducing new products and yarns, designer features, and even for hosting events like Vogue Knitting Live. This is all the same company and it all goes hand in hand.

I'll be back with my own new book debut! I apologize for the delay on this, I've been a little busy.... it's coming. Thank you, ahead of time, for the support of my new book. I am getting the nicest comments and emails and messages from people all over the world about it. That's so encouraging.

One last reminder, I'll be in Colorado on Wednesday, April 17th, to teach an evening workshop at The Loopy Ewe in Ft. Collins, Thursday April 18th I'll be at The Loopy Ewe all morning for a book signing and meet and greet, and then on to teaching at the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling retreat.

I have to say the owner, Sheri Berger, is one amazing organizer. She takes care of everything and I mean everything. I am so impressed. Sheri is on the ball like nobody's business. It's no wonder she is so successful and that there is a waiting list for her annual retreat. It makes you feel good to work for someone like that. Thank you, Sheri, for your hard work on behalf of the knitting community.

Here is the contact info for the shop:

Click here for The Loopy Ewe website! I've shopped here for years and years. The customer service and selection is incredible.

Email: support@theloopyewe.com 

The Loopy Ewe

2720 Council Tree Ave, Ste 255
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525

Toll-free – (888) 527-9181
Local – (970) 568-5290

I hope to see some of you there. I'll share it all when I get back.

Happy Sunday, Knitters!

best, susie

Sockless in Seattle & The Loopy Ewe Yarn Shop Events!

Hi, Knitters,

I just had to with the title of the post. While in Seattle everyone kept asking me to show them which handknit socks I was wearing and most of the time I wasn't wearing socks so I was Sockless in Seattle. However, I did knit socks in Seattle and while traveling to and from Seattle.

I finished another sock (above) in the Opal Vincent Van Gogh series. This one is called, In Variation nach. The thing I love most about the Opal patterned sock yarn is that I don't know how it will look while I am knitting it up. There is a photo on the label of a finished sock but I try not to even look at it before I start knitting so I have that element of surprise. I do look a lot at the Van Gogh painting on the label to see how the colors were incorporated into the sock yarn. It really is quite genius. 

Click here to purchase Opal Van Gogh sock yarn online at Websters!

Then while I am knitting the Opal Sock Yarn and I get into the rhythm of the pattern I always pick a favorite stripe to work toward and it pushes me to keep knitting on. In the In Variation nach colorway, my favorite stripe is that small shot of pink. 

I love this one!

I finished the Cakewalk Yarn first sock. The pattern is the Simple Skyp free pattern on Ravelry. Skyp refers to slip, knit, yarn over, pass the slipped stitch over. It is quite a simple and fun pattern. I think the yarn colorway is called Hero Squad and I have had it for a long time now. It is really beautiful with the flecks of color. Rose, the dyer, is a real talent. Paula of the Knitting Pipeline suggested combining this pattern and the Cakewalk Yarn and she is right. It's the perfect match.

Click here for the yarn shop! At the time I am writing this she does have 4 skeins of the Cherry Blossom sock yarn.....

Click here for the free Skyp socks pattern!

I turned the heel on my handspun sock! It's really pretty.

I got my next package from the Knitcircus Sparkle Yarn Club and it included yarn, a shawl pattern and a beautiful wire yarn ball necklace made by Amy Detjen. I wore it all day. Thank you Amy and Jaala!

Apparently Amy Detjen does make and sell these necklaces if you are interested. You can contact her on Facebook or Twitter!

I have the second socks started for both the Opal and the Cakewalk Yarn socks. I have a lot of work knitting coming up so they may have to wait a bit. On the other hand, socks are my favorite travel project and I have a lot of that coming up as well.

Next week I am off to beautiful Colorado. On Wednesday evening, April 17th I am teaching my Fair Isle Hat class at the lovely Loopy Ewe. Click here for the address and phone number for the Loopy Ewe.  I have no idea if the class is full or not. 

On Thursday, April 18th, I will be at the Loopy Ewe shop all morning for a book signing and meet and greet that is open to the public/stoppers-by/anyone in the area. My new book, Topsy-Turvy Inside-Out Knit Toys, will be available for purchase at the shop and I will be signing new and old books alike. I will have the trunk show of toys from the new book with me as well. 

Then starting April 18-20 I will be teaching four more workshops including the Fair Isle Hat class and my new Build-a-Toy class, at the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling retreat. I believe this event is full at this time. 

I hope to see many of you there if you are able! I'll try to remember to wear my handknit socks so I don't disappoint.
best, susie
p.s.
I put this link on my Facebook, too, but it is so funny and worth mentioning here. Check out the tumbler page entitled, Reasons My Son is Crying (click here). Anyone who has ever taken care of young children will have a laugh and will easily relate.

Seattle in Photos

Hi, Knitters,

Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle was simply wonderful. What a great and interesting city full of talented and fun knitters.  This is one of the best events I have ever attended, I loved it. My classes were well-attended (some huge!) and Vogue, as always, does a top-notch job. 

Here is my trip in photos.

Enjoy!

And yes, that is chewed gum... and yes, you can smell the gum, too. Creepy and fascinating both.

Lunch at Farestart in Seattle - delicious. Pasta & Co. in Bellevue was another favorite lunch spot for sandwiches and soup.

My son came with me!

I love this tall tree-lined archway.

Now for some knitting and event photos!

When the people walking by the book signing table found out the toys could reverse they went crazy! They literally stopped in their tracks. It was really fun to see the reactions. 

Delores' (one of my students) beautiful daughter at my book signing. She loves the toys!

Dinner at the Crab Pot with some Itty-Bitty Knitters  (my ravelry group) and a former editor of mine. From left to right - Suzanne, Kriste, Veronika, Becky, Melissa and me.

My new book and toys!

Becky and Veronika from the Yarn on the House blog (me in the middle) in one of my classes!

Becky and Veronika proudly wearing their Ebb Cowls in my Fair-Isle Hat Workshop.

 Allegra from Petite Purls is working hard in class!

Thank you to the Seattle Knitters Guild for having me at their meeting and giving me rides, Vogue Knitting Live, Adirondack Yarns for hosting my book signing in the market - it was a great success, Veronika for the rides to and from the airport, and mostly to the spectacular, fun and vivacious knitters in attendance at the events. My classes were an absolute blast!

I hope I get invited back soon.

best, susie