Bare Naked Knitspot 2013

Note: All photos in this post are from Anne Hanson's Bare Naked Knitspot 2012

Hi, Knitters,
Last week I received an email asking me to review a yarn club. At first I was hesitant because honestly I am not a yarn club joiner. I have never been involved in a single yarn or pattern club of any sort but as I read on through the information I realized that this was something completely unique.

The first thing that caught my eye was the designer, Anne Hanson. I have never met Anne nor have I knit one of her designs but, and it is a big but, I am a huge admirer of her work, a fan from afar. She has an easy elegance in her thoughtful and purposeful designs that is truly a rarity. I am very familiar with her work and I have been for a long time now. I believe that you simply can't go wrong when knitting one of her many projects. Anne is very respected in the industry.

After reviewing the many links and reading the information about this club, Bare Naked Knitspot, I came to a conclusion. If I were to invest in a single yarn or pattern club of any sort, Bare Naked Knitspot 2013 would be the one for me. I would drink in the natural yarn, soak up the chapters packed with lovely photography and information about the yarn, and then I would sit and knit the beyond beautiful designs that have been carefully constructed and written by the extreme talent of Anne Hanson. It all really sounds like heaven. Simply thinking about the experience of it all makes me feel quietly excited. I feel like the intent of the club is to change the way you think as a knitter of natural yarns.

With that being said, I would like to share with you the nuts and bolts of Bare Naked Knitspot 2013. See what you think and if you end up joining, you may have just received the knitter's gift of a lifetime.

One note, the photos are from last year's Bare Naked Knitspot 2012 because the monthly club is a surprise. I am sharing so you can get a feel for the club experience from last year.

The photo above is a project and yarn from last year's club called Sky Ladder. Read all about this project and the club experience by clicking right here. Warning.... this post is beautiful and you may want to join the club immediately after reading it!

To understand what the club entails here is what you need to know directly from Anne:

signups are open until the club sells out and it starts shipping in february 2013.

the club is a six month membership of fibers in their natural, undyed state where members learn about and appreciate the unique characteristics of each. yarns will be a surprise each month but will include a range of animal and/or vegetable fibers (sheep, goat, camelids, yak, silk, and cotton are some possibilities) in shades from cream to khaki to gray to chocolate—”sheepy” yarns if you will. some will be soft, some will be lustrous, some will have stout, sturdy character that softens over time with long use (like vintage blue jeans). yarn weights will vary; projects will focus on accessories, scarves, and shawls (possibly including a sock or baby item) that feature lace and openwork stitch patterns. plus, a few goodies find their way into some of the monthly packages. knitting patterns, designer notes, and beautiful photography will continue to be delivered monthly in chapter format, each one spotlighting the producer of the month with a lesson about the type of yarn and fiber included, along with the project pattern. the full set plus cover file may be compiled into a full book at the end.

Bare Naked Knitspot was a huge success in 2012, its premier year. it was evident from the membership emails and the feedback we received in our swingin' ravelry clubhouse that the club needed to be continued. though many members rejoin the clubs, so many knitters are not aware of knitspot's unique offering.

Click here for Anne's blog. I love and read her blog all of the time, it is a good one to follow.
Click here for Anne's designer page on Ravelry.
Click here to see all of the BNK 2012 projects. I would love to knit them all.
Click here for the Bare Naked Knitspot forum group on Ravelry.

The main thing about BNK 2013 is that it is a completely unique club, rich with information. It is a full-on learning experience. This seems so different than other clubs. I honestly haven't seen anything like it offered anywhere else.

I think this shawl is incredible. Click here to see more about it.

All of the information to sign up and prices and options are found by clicking right here. There are many options to choose from that could fit your budget. Joining the BNK 2013 really would be a wonderful gift for any knitter in your life, including yourself.

The patterns in the club focus on accessories which is always a good thing. The patterns seem doable, clean-lined and practical but yet interesting and truly lovely. The designs are made to show off the natural beauty of the natural yarns in the club. These are the exact things I want to knit day in and day out!

The yarn selection is again, thoughtful and purposeful. With Anne you know you are getting a well-thought out collection that you can depend on. Each original design is made specifically for the selected yarn. This entire club is a huge undertaking for Anne. It must be an extraordinary amount of work. I admire that so much.

Click here for a blog post from Mr. Knitspot talking about the club from his perspective.

Anyway, since many of you may not have known about this unique and fascinating club I thought it would be valuable to share today. If you end up joining in, please let me know. I would love to hear about it.

I hope you are all doing well. We finally got some snow around here. That feels good and right for December.

I'll be back very soon with lots more! Have a wonderful start to the week.
best, susie

Agnes Revisited

Hi, Knitters,
Back to some regular old posts now.....

Way last winter I quickly knit up Agnes by Melissa LaBarre in Quince & Co. Puffin in the Bark colorway. I love this roomy pullover with the side pockets and I wore it quite a bit last winter. The pocket linings are knit in Quince & Co. Osprey in the Bird's Egg colorway which is the perfect counter to Bark in my opinion. It is a fun and fast sweater pattern and it is a perfect top-down beginner skill level project to boot.

Anyway, as the temperature is dropping this winter season I looked to my Agnes again for warmth and comfort but my feelings had changed slightly about it. I was not feeling the pullover sweater as much this year. The handknit garments I will wear day after day are always cardigans. To remedy the Ages situation I dug through my stash and saw that I had an extra skein of the Puffin in the same Bark colorway. So I immediately pulled out my handy crochet hook and went to town crocheting a steek down the center line of the sweater. (There are lots of great tutorials about how to do this on youtube.)

It only took one short evening for me to crochet the steek, cut down the center of the sweater, add button bands and sew on the most beautiful cut branch buttons that I happened to have sitting in a bowl in my studio. Click here for this great shop for reasonably priced cut branch buttons.

Miraculously my Agnes cardigan looks fantastic now! I have been wearing my new version ever since.

Here is the story of my new cardigan version of Agnes in photos......

Aren't those buttons the best? I had so much fun figuring out the buttonhole band and the button band. It gave me great pleasure to see how well it turned out even though it was an afterthought. I love this squishy, woolly cardigan to no end. You should make one for yourself.

My love for 100% wool, not the superwash sort, is growing and growing by leaps and bounds lately. I have such respect and love for pure wool.

On another quick note, I noticed that a secret is now out. Click here to find out where I'll be in April 2013! I'm really excited about this one and I hope you'll join me. Spaces are limited I hear.
best, susie

Wee Sheep - pattern now available!

Hi, Knitters,
I am back again today with the last of my new holiday patterns. I want to quickly mention that the Waiting for Winter Mitt-along starts today (click here for the knitalong). Sign ups are open through the ending date of January 5th so you can join in anytime. The Tiny Tree pattern jumped all the way up to #11 on the Top 20 Hot Patterns on Ravelry yesterday. That was exciting to watch. Thank you, once again, for all of the support and fun this past week. I appreciate it so much as it makes my job so much fun.

Now onto the new ornament/toy pattern called, Wee Sheep. The Wee Sheep was originally designed for a couple of toy-making workshops I was teaching and it has sat in my files ever since. I finally got around to having it test knit and ready to be published. This is a fun and tiny knit that uses very little worsted weight yarn. I am estimating that the body uses less than 75 yards and the head and feet much less. Leftovers are perfect for the Wee Sheep. Fun holiday colors or variegated yarns will work great, as well. I have knit these sheep in natural, gray, black and brown so far. I am thinking a green and red one for my tree for this season.

The Wee Sheep measures in at a little over 3 inches tall. I knit mine at 5.5 sts per inch using US size 6 double-pointed needles. The Twisted Loop stitch is used to make the woolly coat. The instructions for this stitch are clearly written out, step-by-step, in the pattern but I also have a video tutorial if you want to see it being done. Click here to see the video tutorial for the Twisted Loop stitch!

The feet and tail are simple bobbles stitched on to the bottom and backside. The ears and hair are picked up and knit right onto the head. This really is a sweet little sheep that you can whip up in no time at all. I think it is the perfect desk companion for your knitter friends to take to the office as well as a toy for any age baby, child or adult! The Wee Sheep is perfect for a hanging ornament or as a toy, either way.

Click here to see more about the pattern or to purchase on Ravelry! You don't need to be a member of Ravelry to purchase patterns on the site.

Or click on the button below!


Enjoy!
best, susie

Tiny Tree - Pattern now available!

Hi, Knitters,

First I quickly want to thank you for the huge and fun response for the Tiny Top-Down Pullover Sweater and Cardigan pattern and the Waiting for Winter Mittens and Fingerless Mitts pattern last week. I am amazed and I appreciate it. The Waiting for Winter Mitt-Along starts this Wed., Dec. 5th and goes through Jan. 5th. You can join in anytime, there is no cut-off other than the ending date. Come and join us for this perfect winter knitalong.

I am excited to be back today with my second ornament pattern of the season called Tiny Tree. This quick, one-piece seamless project is worked from the top-down in the round. The red ornaments are French Knots done with one length of yarn placed on a yarn needle. 

The fabulous Kristin Nicholas has a great video tutorial on how to make French Knots if you need some help, click right here to see it!

The Tiny Tree is about 3 inches tall in length (the top of the tree is 2-inches and the trunk is 1-inch). It only takes a tiny amount of worsted weight yarn. The gauge is 5.5 sts per inch in stockinette stitch. I used US size 6 dpns to make mine.

I am thinking a stripey tree is up next on my needles..... a scrap buster!

This is the perfect little gift that you could easily work up in an hour or so! The price for the pattern is also tiny at $2.50.

Click here for more information or to purchase the pattern from my Ravelry pattern shop!

Or click right here:



Enjoy!
best, susie

Tiny Top-Down Pullover Sweater and Cardigan Pattern!

Hi, Knitters,
Back in October I taught a class at Vogue Knitting Live on knitting a top-down baby cardigan. To go along with a life-size baby cardigan I offered the option of knitting a tiny top-down pullover sweater or cardigan during the class. You can learn all of the concepts of knitting a top-down raglan sweater or cardigan in this tiny version. I now have had this pattern test knit by several knitters and people from the class and I have incorporated their feedback into the pattern so it is ready to go live!

The pattern for the Tiny Top-Down Pullover Sweater and Cardigan includes the directions to make either the sweater version or the cardigan version. Each version is written out completely. The sweaters are about 3-inches in length and make the perfect ornaments and gifts for this holiday season.

The samples are knit in a small amount of worsted weight yarn (less than 50 yards is needed) on US size 7 needles. The sweater is knit on double-pointed needles, a set of 5 is needed. The cardigan is knit on circular needles for the body and double-points for the sleeves. The gauge is 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch although gauge for this project isn't a do or die situation. You could be slightly off either way. Regardless, dig around for any tiny amounts of leftover worsted weight yarn and you will be ready to go.

You could easily knit these sweaters in different weights of yarn including fingering weight or sock weight. The lengths of the sleeves and body may need to be shortened slightly if you do this. I want to try a couple of these with some leftover sock yarn.

In the past I have knit these tiny sweater ornaments and put a gift card inside the body (it fits perfectly!) to give as holiday gifts. It adds a nice homemade touch to the gift I think.

The pattern is now available in my Ravelry pattern shop for $3.50.

Click here to find out more or to purchase the pattern for the Tiny Top-Down Pullover Sweater and Cardigan on Ravelry! You don't need to be a member of Ravelry to purchase patterns.

I have two more ornament patterns coming up quickly so stay tuned if interested.

By the way, the response to the Waiting for Winter Mittens and Fingerless Mitts pattern has been astounding. It was so fun to watch as the pattern climbed all the way up to the #2 pattern on the Top 20 Hot Patterns on Ravelry. The pattern is still selling like hotcakes and the knitalong already has well over 100 people signed up. The sign up is open throughout the knitalong which runs from Dec. 5th to Jan. 5th. I already have a couple of fantastic prizes lined up. Thank you for all of the support and for your willingness to jump in during this busy time of year.

Click here for the Waiting for Winter pattern!

Click here for the Waiting for Winter knitalong!

Enjoy!
best, susie

Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts Pattern!

Hi, Knitters,

I am so excited to finally be able to offer you my latest pattern, Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts. This is a simple pattern for a basic worsted weight mitten that fits great and has the perfect shape. The increases and thumb gusset are incredibly simple and the pattern comes in three sizes: small (6 inch hand circumference), medium (7 inch hand circumference) and large (8 inch hand circumference). You measure the hand across the knuckles. The medium fits an average woman's hand. The length for the mitten and thumb are easy to customize and the pattern points out the spots to add or subtract length. 

There are also instructions for a fingerless mitt version. I had over 10 knitters test knit this pattern and give me feedback that I've incorporated into the pattern. Every size was test knit in both the mittens and the fingerless mitts.

My hope is that this will become your go-to mitten pattern every year. I know that I use this pattern over and over and everyone loves the shape and fit of these mittens. That's why I finally wrote it up in three sizes and with a fingerless mitt option so you could have this pattern to fall back on, too. After a few pairs are completed you will have this pattern easily memorized.

All you need is 100 yards of worsted weight yarn for the small, 150 yards for the medium, and 200 yards for the large for the mittens. One of my test knitters reported that she made the large fingerless mitts with only 110 yards.

This is a great project for gift knitting and for using up that never-ending worsted weight stash. The yarn in the photo above is Noro Kureyon, and I needed 2 skeins for the medium size mittens.

This yarn is my own handspun from Dyeabolical roving. I just love this pair!

The thumb gusset uses a simple backward loop increase and Paula of the Knitting Pipeline has an excellent video tutorial for this technique right here.

You won't believe how fast these knit up, you'll have a pair before you know it. I used US size 7 dpns to get 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch.

The yarn for the watermelon stripey mittens is from Freshisle Fibers in the Suffolk Wool. 

The pattern is now for sale in my Ravelry pattern shop for $4.00. I will be hosting a Waiting for Winter Mitt-along starting December 5th and ending on January 5th on the Itty-Bitty Knits group. 

Click here to see the Mitt-along thread and to sign up.

Click here to purchase the pattern or to see more information on Ravelry (you don't need to be a Ravelry member to buy patterns on Ravelry)!

I'll be back soon with a couple more fun ornament patterns.

'Tis the season....

best, susie

C'est fini!

Hi, Knitters,
My Calligraphy Cardigan is finally done. I am in love. I'm pretty sure it is one of the best things I've knit. The fit is perfection and it only took me a quick year and a half to finish. Ha.

Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Thunderstorm

I've cast on for another cardigan this morning. I'll be back in a couple of years wearing it proudly.

Happy weekend to you all.
best, susie

Sleeves-giving

Hi, Knitters,

I'm just jumping in today to give you a cardigan update. That's right, I am to the 4-inch ribbed cuff on the second sleeve of my wonderful Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig.

The end is in sight! 

Knowing me I will be wearing this before I wash and block it. It is too hard to resist. I have a feeling the dark blue dye will run like crazy when I soak it because at times while knitting I would have blue-tinged fingers. I believe that is the nature of the color. We'll have to see what happens.

I'll be back soon to share the finished cardigan creation.

One last and quick thing I don't want you to miss out on is that Craftsy is having a giganatic Black Friday sale on all of their online classes. If you are interested in my two knitting classes or ANY of the classes be sure to check it out. Craftsy is constantly adding new knitting classes from top-notch designers and teachers so if you haven't looked for awhile you may be surprised at the large selection.

Click on the logo below to see what's happening on Craftsy!

Have a good and healthy weekend ahead. Next week I'll be back with two new patterns for you! I'm super excited about that.
best, susie

Thankful

Hi, Knitters,
I want to take a moment in light of Thanksgiving to thank you all for joining me on this little blog I enjoy so much. I am forever thankful to each and every one of you for sharing your time and thoughts on here.

I hope you all have a great week and long weekend filled with family, friends, food and knitting.

Time has been sparse due to teacher conferences, no school for the kids and a busy weekend, but I have somehow managed to complete the gigantic ribbed button bands on my Calligraphy Cardigan.  There is always something new to learn with every project and this time around I learned a new buttonhole technique which I adore and will use again. I made my buttonholes smaller because my buttons are 3/4 inch instead of the 1 inch buttons suggested in the pattern.

Once those button bands are finished (I also gave it a bit of a steam because I steeked the front) I can't wait to sew on the buttons and get the body finished and tidy with the ends woven in. It always seems like such an achievement. Now all I have left are those sleeves and I can blaze through those like nobody's business.

I need a new handknit cardigan in the worst way and this one is turning out wonderfully. I am thankful that I am nearing the end.

See? It even fits like a glove. I am going to wear this thing out. Now for those sleeves.... ready, aim, fire! Hopefully I can share the finished cardigan very soon.

Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig (such an easy, easy pattern!) in the second size, a 38.25 inch bust size - it is roomy which is perfect.
Madelinetosh Tosh DK yarn in the Thunderstorm colorway
Signature Needles in US size 6 (sweater knit on 24 inch circs and sleeves on dpns)
Buttons from the Sow's Ear

I'll see you right back here after the holiday. What are you all thankful for this year? I'd love to hear about it.
best, susie

More Good Books and a Few Knits

Hi, Knitters,
I have some more books to chat about briefly today and then at the end I have a couple of knits to update you on.... so here we go!

I started reading Coop by Michael Perry a long time ago, I believe it was on one of our trips to Door County at the end of the summer. I loved reading this book but got sidelined by work so I never quite finished it. Well, now I have finished it and I think it is touching, funny, and at times poignant. Clearly Michael Perry is a masterful writer and story teller. I recommend this book if you like to read about real life adventures from childhood to adulthood told through a wonderful use of language. It is a compelling read. A bonus for me, Michael Perry grew up and lives in Wisconsin (he is my same age, too) which makes things all the more familiar.

Click here to find out more about Coop.

Here is the description from Amazon:
Living in a ramshackle Wisconsin farmhouse—faced with thirty-seven acres of fallen fences and overgrown fields, and informed by his pregnant wife that she intends to deliver their baby at home—Michael Perry plumbs his unorthodox childhood for clues to how to proceed as a farmer, a husband, and a father. Whether he's remembering his younger days—when his city-bred parents took in sixty or so foster children while running a sheep and dairy farm—or describing what it's like to be bitten in the butt while wrestling a pig, Perry flourishes in his trademark humor. But he also writes from the quieter corners of his heart, chronicling experiences as joyful as the birth of his child and as devastating as the death of a dear friend.

I received a review copy of Sock Yarn Studio not too long ago. If you are looking for top-notch ways to knit with your sock yarn stash or you really enjoy working with fingering weight yarn, this book is just the thing for you. The author, Carol J. Sulcoski, designs many of the projects along with other many famous knitters making this a collection to keep and use over and over again. Really, this is a great book that I will use for years to come.

Click here for more information on Sock Yarn Studio.

Click here to see the projects on Ravelry. You'll be impressed!

Here is the description from amazon:
Knitting socks and knitting with hand-painted yarns are two hot trends. But what are knitters to do with leftover sock yarn? Or when they burn out on knitting socks? Sock Yarn Studio comes to the rescue with a delightful mix of projects--from one-skein hats, mittens, and scarves to multi-skein wraps, sweaters, and more--created with fingering or sport-weight sock yarns. And there's plenty of helpful advice for selecting yarns and knitting smart with tricky hand-paints and self-patterning yarns.

This is another fantastic book I recently received for review and I couldn't be more enthusiastic about recommending it to you. I am a longtime admirer of Kaffe Fassett and I know I've written about this many times in the past. Honestly, after reading about half of this new book, Dreaming in Color, An Autobiography, I can't tell you what a fascinating life Kaffe Fassett has had so far. I had no idea of his rich and varied history. Kaffe Fassett has paved the way for knitters, designers, artists and especially knitting books as we know them today. He is an incredibly important figure in our knitting history. As knitters we owe him so much recognition.

This book is a gorgeous coffee table treasure but it so much more than the vibrant photos, it is a moving and interesting autobiography and I am so glad it has been published. What a treat to read, hold, soak in and enjoy.

Click here to find out more about Dreaming in Color.

TC was thrilled when this huge coffee table book filled with a feast of puppies showed up a couple of weeks ago. It was sent to us by Stewart, Tabori & Chang publishing company. TC could not stop looking through the pages with non-stop sighs of awwws and oooohs in tow. It was fun to see her reaction. She took it over to show her little neighbor friend and she told me her friend was crazy over the book, too. They spent a long time looking and talking about each and every page. This is a treat of a book for any and all puppy lovers.

The book is just what it says in the title, Puppyhood, Life Size Portraits of Puppies at 6 Weeks Old. The photography is amazing and the subject couldn't be any sweeter.

Click here to see more about Puppyhood by J. Nichole Smith.

Here is the description from amazon:
Puppyhood showcases adorable puppies in life-size photographs taken at six weeks old. The book itself is oversize at 13 by 11 inches, allowing enough space to bring each of these little ones to life. Twenty-five breeds are captured in engaging photographs, showing all the details that make puppies so irresistible, from their pink bellies to their tiny teeth, soft ears, and oversize paws. The book features the most popular breeds, including the French bulldog, Labrador, golden retriever, and Parson Russell Terrier. Puppyhood is a unique gift book for dog lovers everywhere.

Now for some brief knitting updates, I have about 10 people test knitting my Waiting for Winter mitten pattern. I've already gotten some feedback and am waiting for more. It isn't the most exciting pattern (a mitten and fingerless mitts pattern for a worsted weight yarn in three sizes, small, medium and large) but who doesn't need a clearly written basic worsted mitten pattern? I sure do and that's why I wrote it.

It's nothing fancy but it's going to be a good one.

This pattern will be available after Thanksgiving so you'll have plenty of time to whip up some Waiting for Winter mittens for the holidays ahead.

I am also having several knitters test knit my pattern for the Tiny Pullover Sweater and Cardigan. I have gotten some great feedback on this already and so this pattern will be available after Thanksgiving as well.

Stay tuned if interested.

For those of you who don't celebrate Thanksgiving, it is at the end of next week.

For my own personal knitting, after I steeked the Calligraphy Cardigan I have made some progress on the button band. This cardigan is no small feat with tons of stockinette stitch and ribbing, two of my favorite things to wear. I think it is going to become a favorite for sure.

Oh, and on this chilly fall morning I pulled on my handknit sock and lo and behold..... 

best, susie

Gathering of Knitters

Hi, Knitters,
Last Sunday I had a rare chance to meet up with a small gathering of knitters from our Ravelry group, Itty-Bitty Knits. There were five of us in total and we met at the Verona yarn and coffee shop, The Sow's Ear. We had such a great time, chatting, sharing our knitting, having coffee and quiche.... the time flew by.

Three of the knitters are from Illinois, which doesn't make them any less special, but one of the knitters, Mel, came all of the way from Australia to meet up with Itty-Bitty Knitters all over the country and Canada. That's right, Mel is a wonderful moderator for my Ravelry group and she has spent the last month, starting with Rhinebeck, traveling around and being hosted by members of the group. This group of hosts have been incredibly generous as they opened their homes to Mel along the way.

I felt so lucky to have this group make the effort to come all the way to Madison so I could meet them in person. It was a huge treat and the time spent together is something I'll never forget. Thank you!

Mel was so sweet, she knit me the cabled hat I am holding in the photo above. I love it.

The group from left to right consisted of Jo Ann (NrsMoo - rav id), Mel (womaninashoe - rav id), me, Kathy (Kally - rav id) and in the back row is Pat (plynn - rav id). I have been lucky enough to meet Pat a few times in person now at various places and I really enjoy her. She has a good sense of humor.

What a lovely bunch and the Sow's Ear is really the best place to be. We got our own room to hang out in which made it even better. The food and the coffee is wonderful there as well.

A few days before this Itty-Bitty meet up, I had the chance to meet up with another visiting friend from Maryland at the Sow's Ear for coffee and a chat. You may know her.

What a week!

Now with a brief bit of knitting news, I have the pattern finished for my Waiting for Winter Mittens. I am having a bunch of people test knit them before I release the pattern. It will be published very soon.

The mittens use from 100 to 200 yards of worsted weight yarn depending on the size. There are three sizes available small, medium and large and there are fingerless mitt instructions included as well.

I knit the mittens in the size medium and they fit my average size hand perfectly. The lengths are easily adjusted for a custom fit and the pattern points out the places that are good for modifying.

Easy-peasy would be the best way to describe this pattern! The fastest knit in the west would be another way.

I'll keep you posted and in the meantime, have a good end to your week.
best, susie