Susan B. Anderson

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Woodland Animal Patterns ~ Available now & on sale!

Hi, Knitters,

Today I have three new fall toy patterns for you. All three patterns are priced at an introductory sale price for one week starting today. The patterns will normally be set at $6.00 per pattern but I am offering each at $4.50 until September 15th, 2015. No code is necessary to get the discount.

Click here for the Squirrel and Acorns pattern information!

Click here for the Hedgie pattern information!

Click here for the Woodland Fox pattern information!

I am super proud of all three of these delightful patterns which are all worked seamlessly from the bottom up with the exception of stitching on the fox and squirrel's heads to the bodies. Everything else is picked up or worked in one piece. The hedgehog is completely seamless.

There are new and unusual construction techniques for each toy which are pretty innovative if I do say so myself. I hope you enjoy these three as much as I do.

Here is some information for Hedgie that you might like to know:

Hedgie

by Susan B. Anderson

Published in

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Squirrel and Acorns

by Susan B. Anderson

Published in

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Knitting

Woodland Fox

by Susan B. Anderson

Published in

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Knitting

Monday, August 31, 2015

The Possibilities of Fall

Hi, Knitters,

I have randomly selected a winner of the Berry Colorful Yarnings skein of choice and it is....

bigdg on Ravelry!

Congratulations to bigdg. All parties have been contacted. I hope you enjoy your new yarn. Thank you to everyone for entering and I'll host another giveaway very soon.

The acorns are a part of a series of new patterns I have coming out next week. It is a Woodland Friends trio of patterns that you may have seen if you follow me on Instagram. Fall is upon us and it is always good to have a few new woodsy animals to knit. I'll fill you in on all of the details next week when the patterns are released. The patterns will be available in print form with a scratch off Ravelry code through Alana Dakos Never Not Knitting Press which sells to local yarn shops and it will be available for download through my Ravelry Pattern Shop.

I'm super excited about and proud of these new designs and I am honored to be a part of NNK Press. It's good company over there with Quince & Co., Carrie Bostick Hoge of Maddermade, and Alana Dakos to name a few of the other printed pattern lines available to yarn shops through NNK Press.

Another fall-ish project I am making progress on is a pair of socks. I finished the first of the pair for my handspun socks last week. What a fun knit. The sock fits perfectly and I am loving the red toe and heel. The fiber is called, Mulled Cider and it is BFL. The yarn, even though it is not perfectly even by a long shot, knit up to a wonderful even fabric. That's the thing about handspun even though it is often a bit of thick and thin, when knit many of the imperfections somehow become difficult to detect. I think this is particularly true when knitting a tighter, denser fabric like in sock knitting.

Bowl: aaharrison on Etsy

Red yarn: Opal Solid Series

Mulled Cider BFL roving 4 oz.: Friends in Fiber

Sock Blocker: theloopyewe.com

Pattern: How I Make My Socks free pattern

I cast on 60 stitches on US size 1/2.5mm dpns from KnitPicks.com.

When I was at the SSK Retreat this past July I saw a beautiful knit textured mug being offered as a prize drawing. I really loved this clever mug and even thought about it later. Then I somehow ran across this Etsy shop a couple of weeks ago and I took it as a sign that I should order a mug for myself. So I did.

It is my new favorite. The kind artist, Charan, included a little matching dish as a gift after we coresponded a bit. He had recognized my name. The dish can be used as a tea bag holder or as a notions dish. It is the sweetest knitterly set, very impressive. This would make the best gift for a knitter who already has a lot of yarn.

Charan Sachar's Etsy shop is called Creative with Clay. Be sure to check it out.

I never really gave a full run-down on the blog about the Maude cardigan I finished a couple of weeks ago. I kind of like to record my completed projects on here so I thought I might fill in the blanks a bit with some specifics.

Pattern: Maude by Carrie Bostick-Hoge ~ worked from the bottom-up with a raglan decrease yoke

Size: 40-inch bust (I usually wear size 36-inch bust but the pattern is supposed to have about 6-inches of positive ease.)

Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in the Button Jar colorway, 9 skeins

Needles: US size 7/4.5mm

Buttons: 5 Black Walnut buttons from Wooly Moss Roots on Etsy

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate due to several AT THE SAME TIMES going on throughout most all of the garment, lots of keeping track! An expertly written and clear pattern but I would not recommend this for a beginner or first-time sweater knitter.

Modifications:

~ I knit the sleeves in the round on dpns. I could not understand the reason for knitting the sleeves flat and then seaming them as directed in the pattern. I love to figure out the intentions of the designer as far as construction choices but I couldn't see any advantage to working the sleeves flat here.

~ I picked up the bottom edge of the pockets and knit them directly onto the fronts using the ends to stitch down the sides. The pattern suggests knitting the patch pockets in separate pieces and then stitching to the fronts.

~ I shortened the sleeves a couple of inches. I think the pattern suggested a 20-inch sleeve length and I knit mine to 18-inches.

That's it! No other modifications were made.

Did you notice anything about the pockets?

The left pocket is placed slightly higher than the right pocket! This is so funny to me.

This may have something to do with the fact that I picked up and knit the pockets while the large-sized cardigan was rumpled up on my lap in the car ride on the way to our Door County vacation. Laying the garment out flat on a table would have been a better idea on my part. Yes. I haven't decided yet if I will fix this or leave it. You can see the pocket unevenness in the photo but when I'm wearing the cardigan it isn't really noticeable. It is only a couple of rows off. We'll see how I feel when I really start wearing the cardigan a lot in the cooler weather.

The possibilities of fall knitting are endless and motivating. Fall is the season where knitting energy runs high for most all of us. I have so many projects and ideas and plans for my fall knitting and I'm sure you do, too!

Until next time.

xo ~ susan

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Berry Colorful Yarnings Giveaway & More

Hi, Knitters,

I have selected a winner for the skein of the Julianna's Fibre Repeating Gradient sock yarn and the winner is..... Celticcaston on Ravelry! Congratulations Kelly, my New Brunswick buddy. I have contacted Kelly and Julianna. Thanks to everyone for entering.

Today I have another fun sock yarn giveaway for you. The owner of Berry Colorful Yarnings, Michelle Berry (how cute is that?), has sent me some of her beautiful self-striping yarn to try and I love it. The colors are so saturated and unusual and well-done.

Starting on the left in the photo above, the colors are Hulk, Bright Beginnings and Berry Punch. The yarn is 25% Nylon and 75% Superwash Merino, 463 yards/100 grams, fingering weight.

Click here to see the Berry Colorful Yarnings Etsy Shop!

Thanks to Michelle's generosity I get to give away a skein of choice from the shop to one lucky winner! Please leave one comment on this blog post to enter to win. Please only click on Publish one time when you leave your comment, there is a delay before your comment will appear on the blog. Please include your email or Ravelry username so you can be contacted if you win.

Good luck!

I have a teaching event coming up right here in Madison on October 10th, 2015. KnitCircus is hosting a retreat at their new dye studio and retail shop. It is so close to my house and that makes me very excited. Amy Detjen, Jaala Spiro and I will be teaching all weekend. I am teaching my Sock Yarn Bunny Workshop and my new Shawl Shapes Design Workshop. I can't wait.

Read all about it and sign up by click right here: KnitCircus Fall Retreat 2015!

I hope to see you there. It is coming up quick.

On another Madison note I finished the first of the Madison Memories socks by Quaere Fibres. This is a custom colorway Janel dyed for the Itty-Bitty Knits Retreat group this past June. I am anxious to get the second sock finished so I can wear them this fall. I don't think she is making the Madison Memories colorway for her shop but she has lots of other fun yarns to choose from.

Click here for Quaere Fibres on Etsy!

Pattern: How I Make My Socks ~ free pattern

Needles: Signature Needle Arts dpns, 6-inch length, US size 1/2.25mm

Sock Blocker: theloopyewe.com

I am also working on another sock knit out of my handspun yarn. I spun 370 yards from 4 oz. of BFL roving in the Mulled Cider colorway from Friends in Fiber. I decided to add a red heel and toe on the Mulled Cider socks in some Opal Solid Series that I have on hand. I am using Knit Picks dpns in size 2.5mm because the handspun varies in thickness and tends to be a little heavier in spots. The sock fabric is turning out great. I cast on 60 stitches instead of my usual 64 stitches.

I have a new goal to always have a handspun sock on the needles starting this fall. I favor my handpun socks and I'd love to have more of them in my sock drawer to choose from. I need to get going on spinning up yarn for my next pair soon.

The cardinal yarn bowl is one of my favorite knitting accessories. It is made by the ceramic artist aaharrison and I feel like it is one of the most special pieces I own.

Click here to visit the aaharrison website!

Click here to visit the aaharrison shop on Etsy!

For the gifting season ahead you might want to keep this one in mind for any beloved knitter on your list. There are other styles and birds to choose from and you really can't go wrong it is all so lovely.

I have finished the funnel neck and yoke and have just separated for the sleeves on the Antrorse sweater by Shannon Cook. It is a simple, fun and fast knit. I love the funnel neck. The yarn is Quince & Co. Osprey in the Peacoat color.

You can see the chevron pattern is starting to appear on the front of the sweater. The body should go really fast as it is just a straight down knit with only the simple chevron panel to be concerned about. Plus the yarn is heavier and I am using US size 10 needles which always makes for a fast knit.

Well, there you have a small snippet of what's going on at my house right now. August goes by quicker every year. I always feel like I'm hanging on to these last summer days by a thread. What's going on at your house this August? I'd love to hear.

I hope you are all well. Please remember to leave a comment to win a beautiful skein of striping sock yarn of choice from BCYarnings.

xo ~ susan

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Julianna's Fibre Giveaway & More!

Hi, Knitters,

The lovely Julianna from JuliannasFibre on Etsy has contacted me to see if I would share a skein of her beautiful sock yarn with one of you. Of course I said yes! She sent me the same skein of sock yarn that one of you will receive and it is gorgeous. It is an unusual because it is a repeating gradient called Continuum Hand-Dyed Gradient Sock Yarn which I haven't seen before. I really like it. The yarn is squishy, dyed to perfection and just the most warm, water-y shades of blue. You will love this yarn, too.

Julianna works and lives in Ottawa, Ontario and she is sending the winning skein directly to the lucky winner. Thank you to JuliannasFibre for this wonderful opportunity for one of you.

Here are the details from the JuliannasFibre Etsy Shop for the Past Lives Continuum Gradient:

Julianna's Lucid Dream Sock Yarn

Superwash Merino/nylon sock yarn
80% Superwash Merino/ 20% nylon
420 yds/380 m
4 oz/113 g
Fingering weight yarn
7-9 st.s = 1" on 2 - 2.75 mm

Machine wash and dry on gentle settings.
Handmade in a smoke-free pet-free studio.

(photo from Julianna's Fibre on Etsy)

Julianna has a swatch worked up in the photo above and it is really pretty. The colorway in the photos is called Past Lives and it is available for pre-order now. She has the Continuum Gradient available in purple and gray shades, too. JuliannasFibre also has beautiful tonals, self-striping and sparkle sock yarn in the shop. It's all well-done and the customer service has a very good reputation. Check it out if you are interested.

I see Julianna has a podcast, too. I'll have to watch this one. Click here for Julianna's podcast!

I already follow Julianna on Instagram. Click here for her Instagram feed!

Leave one comment on this blog post if you are interested in winning a skein of Continuum Gradient in the Past Lives colorway! We will be sock twins if you get a skein or if you win. In the comment please include your Ravelry username or an email where Julianna can contact you to gather your mailing information. Please only click on Publish one time and be patient for your comment to appear as there is a delay.

Good luck if you enter to win!

For a couple of other random knitting achievements both big and small, I finished knitting up the first size addition to the Waiting for Winter Mitten pattern. Last fall I started gathering measurements to add on both smaller and larger sizes to my favorite mitten pattern. That's as far as I got.

I am determined to get the additional mitten sizes done this coming fall. My fingers are crossed! I have a good start with the first smaller-sized child's pair of mittens. They are really sweet and adorable, I'm very pleased.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. For the mittens in the photo I used up leftovers of Noro Kureyon and alternated two balls every two rounds to get the colorful stripes.

Click here to see more about my favorite mitten pattern called, Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts!

I haven't talked about socks for awhile. Back in the fall of 2013 I spun up a traditional 3-ply sock yarn out of 4 ounces of Polwarth roving from Into the Whirled in the Chromatic Composition colorway. I loved spinning the Polwarth so much.

I cast on for this pair of socks quite a few months ago and quickly finished the first sock. The single sock sat and sat for months with no explanation. I kind of forgot about it.

Then the other day I saw the yarn and needles and one finished handspun sock sitting in my studio and I randomly picked it up and cast on. A few days later.....

I am wearing my new handspun handknit socks. And it just cooled down significantly outside, perfect timing.

I cast on 60 stitches instead of 64 because the yarn is a little thicker than commercial sock yarn. I used 2.5mm double-pointed needles instead of my usual 2.25mm dpns. I used my free pattern, How I Make My Socks.

I had 376 yards to start. The finished socks weigh in at exactly 3 ounces. The leftover ball weighs in at 1 ounce. They fit perfectly and the cuff is my favorite length which is 6-inches. I'm very happy with my new socks. There really is something fun about knitting up your handspun yarn. It is gratifying.

Click here for Into the Whirled!

Click here for the How I Make My Socks Pattern!

One last thing has come to fruition. I finished knitting the character Loopy, from The Loopy Ewe! TheLoopyEwe.com, which is one of my favorite online and in person yarn shops, is celebrating their 9th anniversary this August. Sheri, the owner, asked if I would create a knit version of their beloved Loopy from their logo. Since Loopy just happens to be an adorable sheep wearing bright red patterned socks I had to say an enthusiastic yes!

The pattern and kits have now been released from The Loopy Ewe. Click here for more information on the website!

The pdf pattern is currently exclusively available through The Loopy Ewe. I will be releasing the same pattern on Ravelry under a different name (and with different socks) in 6 months, so in February 2016. I will announce it everywhere when the pattern is available in my Ravelry pattern shop!

Here is the information from The Loopy Ewe for the Loopy pattern and kit information page:

Susan B Anderson has designed a knit Loopy and now you can knit up your favorite sheep in socks! Loopy is knit almost completely seamlessly. The body and head are knit separately in the round and then whip stitched together. There is a simple popcorn stitch section on both the body and the back of the head. The ears and limbs are picked up and knit directly onto the toy. The signature red socks are knit in with one of the socks worked in stripes. The face and sock details are embroidered after the knitting is complete.

Finished measurement: 7 3/4 inches (19.5 cm) tall when sitting

Materials Needed:

The Loopy Ewe Solid Series
- 2 skeins 01-39 White
- 1 skein 7-35 Tan
- 1 skein 91 Cardinal or 63-2 Tomato Red

Note, we are currently sold out of White and Tan. If you'd like to reserve these skeins, please email us (support@theloopyewe.com) if you’d like us to save you a kit of all four skeins to make Loopy. ($48 for just the yarn, or $53 for yarn plus pattern.)

US 5 (3.75mm) DPN or size needed to obtain gauge
US 5 (3.75) 16" (40 mm) circular or size needed to obtain gauge
Fiberfill
Poly pellets (optional - considered a choking hazard for infants and young children)
Yarn needle
Black fingering-weight yarn or embroidery floss for face
Detachable stitch markers

Please note, this is a digital pattern and it will be emailed to you when we process your order.

The yarn I used to knit the sheepy sample is sock yarn or fingering weight yarn held doubled throughout the project. You could also use one strand of worsted weight yarn to get the same gauge.

Have fun if you knit up a Loopy. I'd love to hear about it.

Leave a comment if you'd like to be entered to win a skein of JuliannasFibre Continuum Gradient sock yarn. I'll select a winner in a few days.

Good luck and let the comments begin!

I hope you are all well. I'll be back soon with more.
xo ~ susan

Sunday, August 09, 2015

Episode 17: Door County and an SSK Recap!

Hi, Knitters,
I have a new podcast episode up on YouTube.

Click here to watch directly on my YouTube Channel!

I haven't put it up on iTunes yet or written show notes but I wanted to at the very least post the video for you. I have my manuscript pages arriving at my house early tomorrow morning and I have a hectic few days of book editing ahead of me.

I will update the post with show notes and get the episode up on iTunes as soon as I get a chance.

I hope you are all doing well and that you are having a great August. August really flies!

I hope you enjoy Episode 17 and the slide shows of SSK and Door County at the end.
xo ~ susan

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Ellison Bay

Hi Knitters,

I finished a beautiful shawl this past weekend. It was one of the loveliest knits I can remember. As soon as I cast on the Ellison Bay shawl I was hooked. The shawl is designed and written by Paula Emons-Fuessle of the Knitting Pipeline podcast and retreats. She is one of my favorite shawl designers and her patterns have such a way with intuition, logic and simple beauty. I am working my way through all of her shawl patterns. I have knit 5 of Paula's shawl designs so far. Up next will be Gill's Rock, Wild Goose, Cave Point and Balsam Hollow to name a few. I have my work set out for me (happily) but I really do enjoy Paula's designs, pattern writing style and aesthetic as a designer. Plus I end up wearing her shawl designs all of the time when they are finished.

Click here for the Knitting Pipeline website and podcast information!

Click here for Paula Emons-Fuessle's Ravelry pattern shop!

Click here for the Ellison Bay pattern information or to purchase on Ravelry!

So I love to do a little in-progress montage when I finish a project. It reminds me of all of the travels and times I worked on a project. In the first photo I was at the airport. I had just started Ellison Bay before I set out for Nashville and the SSK retreat.

I worked on the shawl at the retreat a little bit but I ended up ripping back a lot of what I accomplished. Even though this shawl is incredibly simple I made a few errors due to being tired and chatting while knitting, basically not paying attention. I didn't mind a bit about ripping back a few rows here and there, it was fun knitting and it was easy to fix. Really, the pattern could not be any easier and clearer and the problem was my exhaustion after teaching all day and then knitting on the shawl. Being tired + knitting = mistakes and ripping back. Every time.

The yarn is Quince & Co. Chickadee in the Bird's Egg colorway. I did use all three skeins and I maybe had about half of the third skein left at the end. I did Paula's exact size and directions in the pattern. I love this yarn and color so much. I used US size 6, 32-inch circular needles to knit the shawl. I used the Rosewood needles from Knitter's Pride and they were lovely. Click here to see the interchangeable needle set called Symfonie Rose!

Click here for Quince & Co. Chickadee!

That's my skirt in the photo above from Craft South in Nashville. It's called the Rising Sun Patched Skirt (I know I'll be asked about it). Craft South was selling the finished skirt to order on the website but the page was taken down soon after I posted about it last week. I don't know anything more about it and I don't think there is a pattern for the skirt. Sorry about that.

The border on Ellison Bay is a really fun mock-cable rib. This stitch pattern is so simple and pretty. After working the border which is a four row repeat, I feel like making socks and a hat with this same stitch pattern repeat. It's very clever and pretty.

I worked on the shawl while editing the third pass of my latest book manuscript called Kids' Knitting Workshop. There has been a completely new cover design since I last mentioned the book (I love it!). It is going to be a good solid book with loads of instruction for brand new knitters with the focus being on learning to knit in the round as a starting point. The book is up for pre-order now and is set to be released on December 1st, 2015, just in time for the holidays.

Click here to see more about my new book and the new cover! I'm really proud of this new book. I'm almost done after two years of hard work. That's a good feeling.

I also sewed on my machine and embroidered some quick wool felt penguins for TC's little swim buddies. I had the wool felt on hand so that was good. Each older swimmer on the swim team is assigned a couple of little buddies on the team. TC has two little girls, Mona age 10, and Sydney age 5. I cut out and stuffed and sewed the wool felt penguins with loops at the top to place on key-rings so they can hang the penguins on their swim bags. I embroidered the eyes and their names as a finishing touch.

They turned out super cute! The final meet of the summer is this weekend so TC will gift the penguins to the girls along with a little candy as an end of season gift. I hope they like them. Oh, and I just made up and sketched the pattern on a piece of paper to cut out. It was so easy and a nice diversion.

Last weekend I went to Devil's Lake twice to do some hiking. After we hiked the bluffs we swam in the lake and I got to sit and knit on Ellison Bay for a bit. You can see my husband and daughter standing in the lake in the photo.

I am excited because we are going to Door County coming up soon in August and the Ellison Bay shawl and many of Paula's shawls are named for locations in Door County, Wisconsin. Door County is one of my favorite places on earth so it is extra-good that Paula loves it, too, and names her shawls for Door County spots.

I am going to film a podcast from Door County and I'll talk about SSK and other knitterly things while we are there. That should be fun.

I tried the new Wool Soap from Twig & Horn for washing and blocking Ellison Bay. Have you heard of Twig & Horn yet? It is the new sister company from Quince & Co. I can't wait to see this new site unfold. So far I have purchased the Lemongrass Wool Soap and the Wool Project Tote in blue. The products are American-made and beautiful. I have been using the wool project tote non-stop. I love it so much. I am thinking about doing some embroidery on it... I think that would be really cute.

The Wool Soap with Lanolin was simple to use. The directions are on the bottle and Twig & Horn has also published a How to Wash Your Wool Garments with their soap tutorial on the site. It is a great tutorial.

Click here for the wool washing tutorial from Twig & Horn!

The main difference is that you have to give your garment a rinse after soaking which is easy. My shawl smells and feels so good after using the Wool Soap. It is so soft and conditioned. I just love it. I want to get a bottle of every scent..... Yes to that!

I love the squished up look of a shawl before you block. You can see the unique construction clearly in the photo above. There are 6 yarn over increase points and the body of the shawl is worked in garter stitch before the mock-rib border. You can see that the increases stop when you start the border, you just work that section straight.

I blocked the shawl using only 2 pins on my blocking boards. It was so simple and easy to block this shawl. I use Julie Weisenberger's Knitter's Block blocking boards and I highly recommend them. I have the larger set in the blue carrying case.

I pulled the ends as far as they could reach to get a little extra length and then I just smoothed out the rest of the shawl to lay nice and flat and to open up the yarn overs a little bit. I love how wool will do what you ask of it as far as shape. I really wanted the top edge to be a smooth line even though it wasn't knit that way and it stretched right out and stayed. It's a miracle every time.

I've already worn my Ellison Bay shawl. I couldn't wait to throw it on. It is the perfect topper over your summer dresses and I can't wait until the fall to throw this over my shoulders and around my neck as the weather cools off. Also, I hear it's supposed to be chilly in Door County in August. You can bet Ellison Bay is coming along in my suitcase.

Shawl success is always a good feeling. Have you knit any shawls this summer? I'd love to hear about it.

The ceramic necklace I'm wearing was a gift from my friend Kriste last fall. I love this sweet little necklace. It is handmade in the UK by jolucksted on Etsy. Click here for the Etsy shop!

I'll be back soon with more summer knitting to share. I hope you are all doing well.

xo ~ susan