Fat Robin - New on Petite Purls

Hi Knitters,

I have a brand new free toy pattern up this morning on Petite Purls. I have a long enduring love of robins in the springtime in Wisconsin. The first sighting of a robin in our yard is a yearly event we look forward to.

Here is my story behind this fun new design:

Every spring I anxiously wait for the robins to appear. I feel like it is a true sign that spring is coming and we desperately need spring in our cold Wisconsin climate.

One day I was out for a run when I came across a neighborhood park. Sitting in the grass was the largest group of robins I have ever seen, maybe 20 or so just sitting there. I stopped in my tracks and soaked it in for a while. This really inspired me to get going on designing a robin which was something I have always wanted to do. The other aspect of robins which I love are their gorgeous tiny blue eggs. I had to include a few of these in the design as well.

Fat Robin got its name because my kids and I always comment when we see a fat robin with "That's a fat Robin!" The fatter the better for us. When my daughter picked up the Fat Robin she said, "Awwww." Then she turned it over, saw the eggs tucked under the wings and exclaimed, "Ohhhhhhhhhh!!" That pretty much sums it up. Of course, every robin needs a place to sit so I whipped up an accompanying nest.

The sweet blue eggs are the best part. They get tucked under the wing/tail overlay for safe keeping and easy storage.

The entire toy is knit in Spud & Chloë Sweater.
The robin is knit in one piece in the round from the bottom to the top of the head.
The wing/tail piece is knit in one piece from the top down.
With a few quick and easy stitches to attach the wing/tail piece to the body you are done. There is little finishing and only two parts to the robin. It's a very simple toy design.
This is my favorite part. Tucking the eggs under the wings is the best.
The nest is also knit in one piece. I made up this fringe stitch which is worked in as you go.
The simplicity, the interactive element and my love of robins in general make this toy a special one.

Click here for the free pattern for Fat Robin on Petite Purls!

Click here for the Ravelry project page for Fat Robin!

Click here to read my interview on Petite Purls!

Click here for the Petite Purls summer toy issue for more fantastic knit and crochet toys!

best, susie

Things I am thinking about (a lot)

Hi Knitters,
I pre-ordered a copy of Knit One Knit All, Elizabeth Zimmermann's Garter Stitch Designs, the day after Meg Swansen came to speak at the Madison Knitters Guild. I could not wait to get my hands on this book. I received my book a couple of weeks ago. I got to see many of the projects from Knit One Knit All at the guild meeting. It was all fun and inspiring but when Meg tried on the Hand to Hand Cardigan in a gorgeous shade of purple I knew right away I had to make that same cardigan. It is more like a jacket with a beautiful cable going up the sleeves.

I am going to post more about this exciting new book at a later date to share more details on the innovative projects and constructions inside. I have been carrying it around with me to sneak a quick read or glance at the projects. I am savoring the pages of projects, the little hand written pattern notes, the photographs and the watercolors all from Elizabeth.

Click here to find out more and/or to order your own copy of Knit One Knit All.

I promise you will love it.
(Photo by sundayknitter - rav id)
I am thinking about this gorgeous shawl, To Eyre... by Carol Sunday, that I saw Dianne knitting at the Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival. I bought a huge hank (560 yards in one hank) of Yowza from Miss Babs to make this garter stitch shawl. Yes, I am thinking about this one a lot.

I am thinking about how many people asked me about my new pink sandals from a couple of posts ago. What kind of sandals are they? Click here to find out.

I am thinking about our new garden project and TC's fairy garden. I am cooking up something fun for her fairy garden for her upcoming birthday. Something along these lines... click here. A friendly fairy loving knitter sent me this link.

I think about Stefanie and her uplifting spirit and her beautiful knitting. She interviewed me for her lovely blog. It is a short and sweet little interview. If you are interested click here.
I'm not really thinking about this project any longer except that it just was released for the new Spud & Chloë pattern line. That makes me think about it again I guess.
I recently worked up this fun scarf and hat set out of Fine. This is one project that I really wanted to keep for myself. I had so much fun knitting both the scarf and hat and the end product turned out so good. It works up surprisingly fast. The colors are fresh and clean and the hat and scarf are lightweight but yet substantial. If I had this set to keep it would be my favorite that I have knit and designed. Really.
The pattern is in print form only at this time. I was surprised at the name, Susie's Hat Set. That's very sweet of them to name the set after me. It can be purchased at any local or online shops that carry Spud & Chloë.

Click here for the Ravelry project page for Susie's Hat Set.

(image from the Daily Mail)
I am thinking about... rather, I am obsessed with this shawl being worn by Kate Middleton. I love this shawl and I really can't get enough of it. I finally had to take some action after listening to The Knitting Pipeline podcast about this shawl. I couldn't believe my good fortune to turn on my ipod while out running and have Paula spend time with me talking about all sorts of different patterns people are making to copy Kate's shawl.

(Side Note: By the way, Kate Middleton resembles my former publicist, Jaime Caldwell. I have been thinking about Jaime a lot lately and I know some of you knitters have met her before. Don't you agree about the resemblance?

Click here to see Jaime (scroll down a bit for a photo of her) and definitely read about her exciting baby news and baby cake. I love Jaime's food-centered blog and her take on things in general.)
(image from the Daily Mail)
Anyway, right when I got home from my run I quickly jumped online to check out The Knitting Pipeline site to check out all of the links for Kate's shawl. I love how Paula did all of the work for me and put it in one spot. Thanks, Paula, you read my mind and many others' minds, too.

Click here to go to Paula's site for The Knitting Pipeline.

I joined the Kate's Shawl and All group on Ravelry, too.
(photo by wovenhand - rav id)
This is the shawl I have decided to start with. It is called, CopyKat Shawl by Rose Beck. I love Rose Beck's designs and I bought her shawl pattern book recently called the Be Mine Collection of Shawlettes.

Click here to see more about the CopyKat Shawl pattern.
(photo by wovenhand - rav id)
Yes, this is the one for me. I love everything about this shawl. I am making it in Madelinetosh Pashmina. Click here to see where I ordered my Pashmina in the Forestry colorway. I am itching to cast on but I won't be able to until after tnna this weekend.
(photo by Carol Sunday)
Here is another shawl I may make in another yarn and color at some point. This one is by Carol Sunday and it called, Cambridge.

Click here to read more information about the Cambridge shawl pattern and available kit.

(photo by madelinetosh)
And then when I couldn't think about Kate's shawl any longer, Madelinetosh came out with another version for me to think about called, Catherine's Shawl. I love this one, too.

Click here to find out more about Catherine's Shawl.

You really can't go wrong with any of these. Let me know if you are knitting some version or other of Kate Middleton's shawl. I'd love to hear about it.
(photo by Carol Sunday)
While looking at Cambridge I ran across another shawl I had to stop and think about. This one is called, Whose Shawl Do You Think This Is? I don't know about the name of this shawl but I am sure it is a good story. I think I might order a kit for this one at some point soon.

Click here to see more information about the pattern and kits available for this shawl.

I am thinking about the Wynonna colorway. Isn't it gorgeous?
Awhile ago I got a skein of Wollmeise. I have been thinking about and hearing about the wonders of this yarn for years and have never tried it before. I finally pursued getting a skein and found a great colorway called, Petite Poison in Twin. I got a pretty fair price on Ebay, although it was still a little pricey. I am thinking about starting the Lintilla shawl by Martina Behm very soon. Again with the ruffles. Martina has some great video tutorials for techiques and her other shawl patterns are gorgeous.

Click here to see more about the Lintilla Shawl.

Okay, I'm out of here. I will be in Columbus for Tnna this coming weekend. If you are attending, please stop by and see me at the Unicorn booth #121-129/220-228 on Saturday, June 11 at 1:30 to 2:15 for a book signing. Also stop by on Sunday, June 12th at the R&M West Coast Enterprises booth #155/157 from 10:30 to 11:00am. I'd love to see and meet any of you in person.

On top of the two signings I will be in and out of the Spud & Chloë/Blue Sky Alpacas booth. I am bringing the entire trunk show for Spud & Chloë at the Farm, too. It is a good set to see in person.

It will all be good fun! What are you all thinking about these days?
best, susie
p.s. Tracey McCarthy is knitting baby hats in honor of her friend's baby who passed away after 95 days of life. Tracey is looking for sock yarn leftovers and for preemie hats to donate to the NICU that helped her friend's family. If you can help her knit 95 preemie hats or donate yarn, please contact Tracey directly to find out more at: traceymccarthy@gmail.com

One of a Kind

Hi Knitters,
A quick note, I am interviewed on the Never Not Knitting podcast episode #51 that was just released today. Alana Dakos is one of my knitting favorites. She is talented, cute and funny. I love her designs and I love her podcast. She is one of a kind and a good one to watch.

Click here to listen or download the episode!

Alana will be hosting a Spud & Chloë giveaway, too. Check out her blog for more information on that.

I finished a little spinning this week. Isn't it fun? I love the colors, deep and light blues, purple, green, rusty red. It is the darkest fiber I have spun. The fiber is from Dyeabolical Yarns. Click here to see her yarns and fibers - you won't be disappointed.
This is a super wash wool. I got 334 yards of a two-ply fingering weight yarn. This is pretty good considering on my first bobbin the yarn broke and I couldn't find the end. It became a bit of a mess while I was trying to unsuccessfully find the end. Anyway, a bit of it got wasted so I was pleased with the yardage.
I wanted to make a new pair of socks so that is what I am doing. I think the cuff will have to be about 5 inches to make sure I have enough. The handspun is working up like a dream. I'll keep you posted on my one of a kind yarn and socks.
My one of a kind, funny, sweet nephew turned 8 years old last weekend. I love his Star Wars swim suit and I don't want him to ever outgrow it. We had a big and boisterous family gathering to celebrate this occasion at my sister's house. She lives on a lake so the kids were out boating and tubing after dinner and before presents and cake. They came in from the lake all wet and happy.

My sister gave my nephew a Nerf Gun that blasts 20 darts in one blast! (My sister and I think it is funny to give gifts like this to our siblings' children for birthdays.) I gave my nephew the Hex Bugs with a track and a battle station. It had lots of parts. My sister and I had a good laugh at my brother's expense. It's all done with sincere love.
My sister made a one of a kind and beautiful and yummy lemon layer cake with butter cream frosting topped with juicy red raspberries. She is a talent in the kitchen like you wouldn't believe.

Summer is here, my friends!
best, susie

Holiday at Home

Hi Knitters,

We have been anxiously and cautiously watching this tiny miracle take place in our yard.
There were at least five eggs, maybe more in the nest that would fit in the palm of my hand.
Their eyes are not open yet.....
...but their mouths sure are. They have one busy mama bird who flutters in and out and sits on her babies and tidy little nest for hours on end.
This active little world is all taking place in our miniature evergreen tree. You wouldn't know by looking at it.
TC has been entertaining the baby birds with her bird whistles which I find funny. She stands next to the tree and plays her whistles.
To another springtime topic we go, I have new sandals! I love them and they are quickly becoming not so new. I am hard on things.
The flurry of activity is going on in the inside of the house, too. I am at the toe of my watermelon stripes sock.
I am almost done with my 4 oz. bump of Dyeabolical. I am hoping to get a pair of handspun socks out of this one. We'll have to see what I end up with.
TC and I have committed to cooking our way through this fantastic down-home cookbook. I have already made several recipes and they have all been a hit. I'll talk more about this book later but let's just say that TC has dog-eared about every other page to mark the recipes she wants to make. She has been baking up a storm lately along with Peachy, who is our resident brownie maker.
I started a Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn sock in Kentucky and haven't worked on it too much since. I really love this colorway.
I pulled out my Citron in Malabrigo Lace from last summer and have knitted quite a bit further on it. A cute woman in my class in Kentucky had her Citron on and I just love her version which made me think of my unfinished version. We'll see how far I get this summer.
Garden plans and ice skates adorn my kitchen bench.
We are so excited to have a vegetable garden in our yard this summer. You know that a couple of summers ago we had around four humungous trees removed from our yard. We have only begun to have serious sunshine in our yard. Above is TC's sketch of what to plant where. She is sooooo excited about this garden project.
Here is TC's list of plants and things to get to plant.
Here are some of our choices.
We have been working so incredibly hard to get our garden spot cleared with stepping stones and a rabbit fence and the boards for borders.
Toes and gardening tools are at the ready!
TC is a gardening maniac. She dreams about her gardens and she has worked to get things ready.
Rabbits are a big problem for us so we are going to be prepared this summer.
The Fairy Garden is in full swing, too. This year it is going to be bigger and better than ever. TC will have more sunshine, a bigger corner to plant in and she wants to make some mosaic decorative stepping stones for better access to her plants. It is going to be a fun project.
The earth is good and being home is good.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend, Knitters. What did you do weekend?

best, susie

Sheep(ish)!

Hi Knitters,

There's a new sheep in town. The wonderful Vickie Howell asked me to be a part of her blog tour and I happily agreed because anything she puts her name on has to be something good. Vickie has teamed up with Caron Yarns to create a wonderful new line of yarn called Sheep(ish). The colors are sharp and saturated and a bit retro with a modern twist. I am always smitten with color names and Vickie has a way with being clever so Sheep(ish) does not disappoint.
There are 21 color names including Magenta(ish), Espresso(ish) and Chartreuse(ish). I love the (ish) added to the end of the names.
The colors range from natural shades of white, gray and browns to saturated colors that really pop. Sheep(ish) is a blend of 70% acrylic and 30% wool and it is machine washable. One interesting note is that it is a roving-type yarn which means it is a single ply with a gentle twist. It has a sheen to it as well.
The publicity pack shows the commitment of Caron to produce something new and catchy and just plain fun! The kit came with a little project bag that includes a removable sheep charm. The embroidery hoop with the color samples is clever and cute.
Also included is a copy of the publicity video and a button and a skein of the Sheep(ish) yarn. I think this team is off to a great start. The yarn is soft and lofty. Best of all it is affordable and can be easily found at craft stores everywhere.

Here are a couple of fun links to check out to find out more:

Find out more about Caron and Vickie here.

Click here for Vickie's fantastic blog.

Vickie has started posting a bunch of fun free patterns to use with Sheep(ish). Click here to check out the patterns!

Check out Vickie's promotional video below:

Also, there is a gigantic blog tour going on for Sheep(ish) with some excellent blogs involved. I love blog tours because usually there are one or two blogs I am not familiar with that I get to learn about. Check out the schedule below.

I wish Vickie warm wishes and the best of luck with her newest venture. She is always so positive and it shines through in her crafty endeavors. This is one busy woman and mother so let's make sure we all support her as she continues to spread her love of craft to the rest of the world!

best, susie

Blog tour schedule:

May 25th: BlogHer.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo)

May 26th: LindaMade.com (Linda Permann)

May 27th: Kitschy Digitals (Danielle Thompson)

May 28th: DOUBLE POST DAY:

CraftyChica.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo) + JustCastingOn.net (Deb Steenhagen)

May 29th: Susan B. Anderson

May 30th: CrochetbyFaye.com (Robyn Chachula)

May 31st: CathieFilian.com (Yarn Wreath Project by Cathie)

June 1st: Craftzine.com (Review by Sister Diane)

June 2nd: Knitgrrl.com (1 Skein Project by Shannon Okey)

June 3rd: CraftyisCool.com (Allison Hoffman)

June 4th: Coquette Blog (Natalie Zee-Drieu)

June 5th About.com (Sarah White)

June 6th: Manhattan Craft Room (Brett Bara)

June 7th: BetzWhite.com

June 8th: TheCrochetDude.com (Drew Emborsky)

June 9th: Naughtysecretaryclub.com & Ilovetocreate.com(Dual post on the same day. Yarn-wrapped mobil by Jennifer Perkins)

June 10th: Craftzine.com (Ladybug Outfit Pattern by Vickie)

June 11th: StephanieJapel.com