Adding Patch Pockets to a Finished Cardigan

Hi, Knitters,

Edited to add: I have a guest blog post on the Signature Needle Arts blog with another video tutorial.

Click here to see the post and video!

A couple of weeks ago I washed two cardigans. I soaked them one at a time in the Phil Basin filled with lukewarm water with Soak Wash in the Celebration scent. Each cardigan sat for 20 minutes or so after which I gently squeezed out the excess water and then rolled in a clean towel to get more water out. I gently spread the cardigans out on blocking boards and turned a fan on them to speed the drying. When the cardigans were still damp I placed each separately and at different times in a mesh laundry bag and tossed in the dryer on the delicate cycle. Using the dryer while the garment is still damp helps the superwash wool bounce back into shape. Superwash wool gets very stretchy when wet, frighteningly stretchy, and that's why I use the dryer at the end. You can wash superwash wool in the washing machine (thus the name superwash) but I prefer to wash by hand.

Both of the cardigans are knit in Madelinetosh DK. Here is the information for both cardigans.

The dark blue cardigan:

Yarn: Tosh DK in the Thunderstorm colorway purchased at Nina's in Chicago

Pattern: Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig (great pattern - highly recommend!)

Buttons: Purchased at The Sow's Ear in Verona, WI

The green cardigan:

Yarn: Tosh DK in the Burnished colorway, purchased at Nina's in Chicago

Pattern: Tea Leaves Cardigan by Melissa LaBarre (great pattern - highly recommend!)

Buttons: Purchased at Purl Soho

The funny thing about both of the Tosh DK colorways, Burnished and Thunderstorm, is that they look very different in various lighting and photos. I think that is both interesting and kind of fun.

After the washing and drying of the cardigans I decided it was time to add the pockets to the Calligraphy Cardigan, something I had been planning on doing for a long time. I had plenty of leftover yarn. I couldn't remember the size of the needle I had knit the Calligraphy on but it was probably the recommended US size 6 now that I look back at the pattern. I just guessed and pulled out my US size 7 Signature Needles and thought it seemed close enough. It worked fine but I would recommend using the same size used for the body of the cardigan. (Don't do what I did!)

First things first, figure out where you want your pockets located. I tried on the cardigan to see where my hands would naturally expect a pocket to be on the fronts and kind of eyeballed where that would be in reference to the button bands and bottom ribbing. It's all very scientific and make sure you point to the spot you want your pocket to be placed. It will bring good luck.

I put the pockets 10 rows up from the bottom ribbing and 10 stitches in from the button band ribbing. This seemed to be about the perfect placement. I also decided on the width of the pocket which turned out to be about 5.5 inches.

 

With the circular Signature Needles (you could also use two dpns to work back and forth), I picked up the right leg of each of 30 consecutive stitches. I did this working from the right to the left and then pulled the circular needle back to the other side to begin the work.

I held the yarn at the point of the needle and began with a knit row on the picked up stitches. I left a long enough end to use later for stitching up the side of the pocket. For this basic patch pocket, work back and forth in stockinette stitch (you could slip the first stitch of each row, but I didn't) until the pocket measures about 4 1/4- inches above the pick up row. Then continue in a K2, P2 rib (I worked a K2 on each end) for another inch making the pocket measure 5 1/4-inches in total from the pick up row. Bind off in the rib pattern. Leave a long enough end to place on a yarn needle to whipstitch the side of the pocket to the cardigan front. Stitch up the other side of the pocket in the same manner. Weave in the ends to the inside seam of the pocket and trim.

I love the new pockets! They look super clean and perfectly placed. The new pockets were meant to be.

Here are a few finished pocket photos for you to enjoy!

The process for adding afterthought patch pockets is simple and quick.  I hope this helps a little if you are thinking of doing the same. I am very pleased with the final results and the cardigan is even better if that is possible. Who doesn't love a good pocket or two?

I added this post to the tutorial list on the sidebar of the blog, under Tutorials, if you want to refer to this information later.

Take care, Knitters. I can't believe it is already Wednesday....

best, susie

Three More for the Drawer!

Hi, Knitters,

Oh, how I love the sock knitting. Over the last couple of weeks I have finished up several new pairs of socks. I finished the first sock for the pair in the photo above months and months ago. I don't remember why I set it aside. I love the yarn. I love the pattern. I will use both again.

Yarn: Kristin Nicholas' Regia Garden Effects in the Holiday colorway (The colors are gorgeous!)

Pattern: Monkey Socks by Cookie A (free pattern)

Needles: Knit Picks 6-inch nickel plated dpns, US size 1 (I use these needles a lot and really enjoy them. I have a lot of sets of these. Only $6.99 for a set of 5! Can't be beat.)

The pattern is easy and fun. I used the free version from Knitty.com. I did 6 lace repeats for the leg and 6 lace repeats for the foot. I used my regular old heel flap and gusset which I think was different than the one used in the pattern. 

I did keep the twisted rib on the cuff, which I like. The yarn is so colorful and fun and just perfect for this twisty-turn-y pattern. Kristin is a color genius!

They fit like a glove..... or like a sock should! They are snug and squishy.

Next up I finished the Simple Skyp Socks in the Cakewalk Yarns. The colors are lovely and fresh and springtime perfect. As I have been traveling lately, I have worked on these socks quite a bit. I had a bunch of people mention that the socks looked so skinny as I worked on them, so skinny that they didn't think they wouldn't fit my leg and foot. The fit is excellent. When you are working in rib on socks, that's how it is. I would stretch out the sock to show how it would actually fit. I used to do a ton of 3 by 1 ribbed socks so I was used the skinny appearance as you knit. 

Yarn: Cakewalk Yarns on Etsy in the Hero Squad colorway. Hero Squad and Cherry Blossom are my favorite Cakewalk Yarns colorways so far. 

Pattern: Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku (free pattern)

Needles: Knit Picks nickel plated 6-inch dpns

The way this clever and simple pattern works is instantly memorized as you work the two row repeat. It was perfect for the speckled yarn and for travel. I highly recommend both!

I now have a shawl and two pairs of socks in Cakewalk Yarns and I have several skeins still on my shelf. I can't get enough.

The sock blockers with the carved out sheep are from The Loopy Ewe. I've had them for years and love them. I also have the red plastic sock blockers from The Loopy Ewe, as well.

I finally finished up the Opal Vincent Van Gogh socks. These are wonderful socks with loads of color and pattern. Opal sock yarn is always so good. I am looking over my stash and trying to decide which to knit next. It's a hard choice (not really as they are all good). I am staying committed to always having a pair of Opal socks on my needles. I have many balls to knit through so this shouldn't be too hard.

Yarn: Opal Vincent Van Gogh in the Red Vineyard colorway 

Pattern: How I make my socks by me! (free pattern)

Needles: Knit Picks 6-inch nickel plated US size 1 dpns

That's three more pairs of socks to add to the pull out sock drawers. I am pretty excited about that. 

I am finishing up today with a list of links to knitterly things I love just for the fun of it.

2 Knit Lit Chicks audio podcast (Love the mother daughter banter and humor and books and knitting!)

Snappy Stitches video podcast (She is a great knitter and sticks to topic in short episodes.)

Little Skein in the Big Wool (Much more on this shop later!)

Twinset audio podcast (I love the sisterly humor and banter so much! This is turning into an easy favorite with the smart knit talk, farm talk, and they both spin to boot.)

Betz White's Egg to Turtle!

Oh, I just remembered I was going to talk about adding pockets to a sweater or cardigan after it is finished. I have to do that next. If I don't and you are interested please remind me. My house is full of four kids and very, very busy once again so ideas may get lost in the shuffle. 

Have a great start to your week. I am going to try to knit and spin outside a bit yet today. It's so beautiful out there.

best, susie

Yarrrrrrn and a few rrrramblings....

Hi, Knitters,

First things first, the winner of a copy of Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook is boilerup (rav id)! Congratulations. Thanks for entering. I wasn't sure what kind of interest there would be for a pottery book on this knitting-based blog but it was surprisingly good. I'll have another giveaway very soon.

Before I get into the yarn-talk, I want to tell you that Leslie of the Knit Girllls podcast recommended a show on their last episode. The show is called The Great British Sewing Bee (click here to see it) and it is shown on YouTube. There are only four episodes. I watched it this week as I worked on my knitting. It is one of the best shows ever. The show is cute, clean, well-done, moves at an enjoyable pace, fun in topic and personalities, all-around entertaining and clever. The contestants are likable, pleasant and well-mannered (which most reality shows are greatly lacking) and there isn't a bleeping noise or a curse word in it. It's so refreshing! I really do get tired of the poor behavior and constant and unnecessary profanity in movies and television and books. This show is a competition for home sewers and it is simply wonderful. I wish there were more shows like this one available. Plus, I actually learned some things about sewing along the way. I love The Great British Sewing Bee and you might, too. I literally stopped watching television about seven months ago because there is such garbage on all of the time. This is exactly the type of programming I wish we would see more of in the future. 

One more announcement-type thing, I won't be at Yarnology in Winona, Minnesota on May 30th as planned. I have had a family situation come up that I can't miss so I will be rescheduling with Yarnology. The date is being worked out and I will keep you posted on this. My apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.

Now onto the yarn. We, as knitters, are all such yarn lovers. Even if we don't ever get to knitting with our collection of varied yarns, it is fun to admire and enjoy it as is. Today I am sharing a few different yarns, some handspun and some that I am getting ready to knit.

Above, is a lovely skein of Madelinetosh Merino Light in the Manor colorway (purchased here). This is a lovely light fingering weight single-ply yarn. 

Here is the unwound hank of Madelinetosh Merino Light. I am going to be starting a new shawl design in Manor. 

As an aside, I know I have said this a few times before but I am gathering a pretty enormous stockpile of patterns that I need to release in one form or another. These include baby hats, adult hats, shawls, toys, baby sweaters/cardigans, blankets. My hope is that this summer I can find the time to get this all whipped into shape and start releasing them in some form on my own (single patterns and ebooks) and with a few companies as already planned as the months ahead progress. I have just found myself with a lack of time over the past year. My sketchbooks are bursting right now. It is kind of a good feeling.

About 18-months ago I said I was going to slow down.... whatever happened to that plan I don't know. Although I do know that when fun knitting opportunities present themselves it is difficult to pass them up and I am forever grateful.

While at the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling I picked up a gigantic hank of the elusive Wollmeise Lace-Garn (purchased here) to make Nuvem. Sheri, the owner of The Loopy Ewe, was knitting on a Nuvem and I fell in love with it. You start with a large number of cast-on stitches onto two circular needles and using Judy's Magic Cast-On. I used this tutorial to get me through this task. I really do not enjoy working in the round on two circular needles so as soon as I was able I put all of the stitches on a single pair of Signature Needle Arts US size 5s.  

Nuvem will be a long-term project without a doubt. I have been leaving it in different spots in my house and I pick it up and work a round or two at a time. The yarn and pattern are both a lot of fun.

I am finishing the second Monkey Sock (the first sock has been finished for months now), in Kristin Nicholas' Regia Garden Effects in the Holiday colorway (click here to see all of the colorways). This is the perfect pairing of yarn and pattern. I would love to make all of the Garden Effects colorways in this sock pattern. For the Monkey Sock pattern, I used the free Knitty.com version. I am just using my standard heel flap and gusset and toe instead of the one in the pattern. It is a fun and fast pattern.

 My friend, Jaala Spiro, sent me another Sparkle Yarn Club package in the mail the other day. It came with this adorable skein of sparkling fingering weight yarn and a lace mitts pattern. It is the sweetest colorway I have ever seen. Click here to see more of Jaala's KnitCircus Yarns. 

I finished up spinning this beautiful merino/bamboo blend roving from Dyeabolical Yarns. I just love it so much. I Navajo-plied it to keep the gradient colors in line.

 Here I have the yarn strung on my Schact Niddy Noddy. In the end I got 256 yards of a heavy-fingering weight yarn. It is really lovely.

I don't know what I will make with this skein yet. I think it would make a lovely cowl or small shawlette of some sort. The colorway goes from mint green to gold to heather gray. It is a wonderful combination of colors. Rachel of Dyeabolical Yarns is amazingly talented. Please go check out her website, DyeabolicalYarns.com.

Here is a group photo of some of my handspun yarn. You know I am toying with the idea of selling some of my hanks of handspun. I love spinning and making the yarn but with my work knitting schedule, I don't have the time to knit with it too much. I love making and crafting and I don't have many strong sentimental feelings about my finished products. I think this is mainly because I am used to sending off much of my finished work to publishers and companies. It doesn't bother me to let things go.

Let me know if any of you would be interested in me selling some of my handspun yarns. Either email me or leave a comment if you are interested. My email is at the top of the sidebar on my blog if you'd like to just send me a note (click here for my blog if you are reading this on email subscription). If I end up selling, I would let you know the price of the roving so you could get an idea of my initial cost for the fiber, an additional cost for my spinning work, and I would include the shipping cost in the price. I have a smoke, perfume and pet free home so allergies are not a concern.

It's just a thought at this point. Let me know what you think!

I love this photo of the handspun hanks in my arms. 

Now on the wheel is a Loop Bullseye Bump. It is shades of green with the lightest bit of sparkle. What a pleasure this is to spin. I am making the singles thick and will Navajo-ply in the end. We'll see what happens. I can't tell you how much I love these bumps of fiber. Click here for the Etsy shop.

Here we are again with more Dyeabolical Yarns. I purchased 4 skeins of this worsted weight yarn in the Thistle Gristle colorway at the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Festival a couple of years ago. 

 

It is the most luscious black and gray and purple mix of colors. I fall more in love with it every time I look. I am making this little sweater with it.  I think it will be a cute one. I will be trying German short rows for the first time. It seems pretty easy. I looked it up on YouTube.

I wound it up into yarn cakes. I am using the label around the yarn cake held with a rubberband technique I saw at The Loopy Ewe. At least I think this is where I saw this being done. You can see the label around the Madtosh yarn in the back, too. I like this way of neatly keeping the label with the yarn after it is wound. That is some pretty yarn!

I was out and about with TC the other day and we popped into Barnes & Noble and I thought I would walk by the knitting book section to see if Topsy-Turvy Inside-Out was on the shelf yet. As I walked toward the knitting book section I was pleasantly surprised to see that my book was front and center on the display shelf. I promise that I didn't set my book out in front like this, it really happened this way. That was a fun experience.

Topsy-Turvy already has 31 finished projects posted in Ravelry. That's the advantage of small projects. Click here to see all of the projects in the book on Ravelry!

I'll be back soon with more on fixing a split stitch and adding pockets to a finished sweater. Take care you fun knitters.
best, susie

For the Love of Pottery

(cover photo provided by Stewart Tabori & Chang)

Hi, Knitters,

I am taking a turn off the knitting path today to share another handcraft with you. I don't know about you but I am a huge fan of hand-thrown pottery. In fact, I will admit to being slightly obsessed with it and collecting pottery as much as I am able. I have dreamed of taking pottery classes to learn how to use a wheel for forever and I think soon I will be doing that. Part of my renewed urge to sign up for a pottery course is this new book I received from STC, Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook. This beautifully-crafted spiral bound hardcover book is completely inspiring. The book has some of the most gorgeous photography I've seen and this is partly due to knitter/designer/yarn creator Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed fame. The other photographer and author is Bruce Dehnert.

The book comes with two DVDs that share videos from Simon Leach's 895 YouTube pottery videos. I can't wait to dig into these DVDs. This is the perfect topic to include DVDs because these are not techniques you see in the everyday world.

Click here for Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook on Amazon!

Click here for Simon Leach's YouTube Channel!

Click here for Simon Leach's website!

(photos provided by Stewart Tabori & Chang)

The handbook was created as a companion piece to Simon's fantastic and expansive YouTube Channel. The book and the DVDs make for a comprehensive guide for new and seasoned ceramic artists alike. The book alone is a wonderful exploration of pottery how-to. I just love everything about it. The book includes: set-up, tools, clay tips, techniques like throwing, trimming, adding pieces, decorating and glazing and even how to set up and build your own kiln (can you imagine how cool that would be?).

I want to do it all! Projects included in the book are cylinders (tankard, tea bowl, pitcher and bottle), dishes and bowls, a teapot, and a variety of lids.

Simon Leach lives in Williamsburg, PA and teaches workshops throughout the country. Bruce Dehnert, co-author, lives in New Jersey and is the head of ceramics at Peters Valley Craft Center.

I am excited to be able to offer you a chance to win a copy of Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook! If you'd like to win a copy of this gorgeous and inspiring book, please leave one comment on this blog post. Please include your email or rav id so I can get in touch if you win! 

Now for a little show and tell of some of my favorite pottery pieces: 

This Little Bird Yarn Bowl by Aaron A. Harrison is one of my most favorite pieces. It was a gift from Deb (lovetocraft rav id) for one of our Itty-Bitty Knits swaps. 

Click here for aaharrison.com!

This beautiful matching Little Bird Mug comes from the same artist, Aaron A. Harrison. It's so beautiful I haven't used it yet but have left it sitting in my studio to admire. I'm going to start using it for tomorrow morning's coffee.

Here are a few more pottery items in my collection.

Click here for Jennie the Potter (the sheep mug and bicycle buttons)!

Click here for the White Barn Farm polka dot mug (I have their t-shirt, too)!

Click here for Julie Knowles Pottery (flower yarn bowl)!

I have a small collection of a local artist's pottery. Her name is Beth Rasmussen and she is such a talent. I have been collectting her bowls, platters, cups and even ceramic snowmen for over 20 years now. She is clever, subtle and so aware of the smallest details. She doesn't have a website but her information is on the Madison Potters Guild website. Click here to read more about her!

Look what's inside this cup!

I love this whimsical ceramic caterpillar found inside the cup above! Beth is so cute. The other thing I love about Beth Rasmussen is that her equally talented son teaches ceramics at our high school. My son took his classes and fell in love with the pottery wheel and the art. He learned so much from his high school ceramics teacher who became his favorite teacher of all time. 

I have my son's pottery pieces all over my house now and I keep many of his bowls in my studio to set my working yarn in as I knit. I would just love to make my own bowls, platters, buttons and mugs.... a girl can dream.

I will keep you posted if I find a good studio to take some workshops. I have some in mind. I will definitely be using Simon Leach's book and videos to guide me as I go!

Remember to leave a comment if you are interested in winning a copy of Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook. Good luck if you enter to win! I'll be back in a couple short days to choose a winner via random number generator.

Have a great start to your week.
best, susie

Happy Mother's Day

Hi, Knitters,
Happy Mother's Day to all of you. I hope you are able to enjoy your families and friends today as we celebrate all of the mothers who have made a difference in our lives.

I thought I would share (with permission, of course) this beautiful photo sent to me by Jami Brynildson, the owner of yarn shop The Knitting Bee in Portland, Oregon. Aren't these the cutest cupcake-y triplets you've ever seen? Here is Jami's note:

"I made these hats for my daughter Elizabeth's friend's babies. Info: Cupcake Hats (pattern in Itty-Bitty Nursery). Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. This really is the cutest thing ever. The positions of their tiny fingers get me ... and of course the hats!!!"

Thank you for sharing, Jami, and what wonderful babies and cupcake hats. I am sure they will be able to wear the hats for a long time and will get many compliments along the way. 

Great knitting!

Have a wonderful Sunday.

best, susie

Ebb Cowl & Quince & Co. Scarves 2013 KAL Prize Winners!

(photo from Quince & Co.)

Hi, Knitters,

Well, the end of the double knitalongs have come to an end. One of the knitalongs was for my Ebb Cowl, published in the Quince & Co. Scarves 2013 eBook, and the second knitalong was for completing any of the scarves in the Quince & Co. Scarves 2013 eBook. Both knitalong threads in the Itty-Bitty Knits group were thriving, successful and fun.

Thank you to everyone who participated and posted their beautiful finished objects in the threads. Click here to see the finished Ebb Cowls from the KAL. I also need to thank the generous donations for the prizes for drawings for both knitalong threads. Thank you to all who have donated. I appreciate you so much.

I have yarn from some of my old favorites, a new dyer to me, and Diane, of the Knitabulls Podcast (another favorite), has generously donated an eBook on Ravelry as a prize for the Quince & Co. Scarves thread! Thank you, Diane! 

The winner of the eBook donated by Diane is..... KiwiKnitter63 (rav id)!! Congratulations to you!

Click here for the Knitabulls Podcast website!  

Diane is also hosting a Susan B. Anderson Toy Knitalong in her Ravelry group for the month of May. You can join in this knitalong at any time and you can make any of my toy patterns from books or downloads. Diane is making the Seamless Petticoat Dolls in Quince & Co. Lark from Topsy-Turvy Inside Out Knit Toys as her project. I have been popping into the KAL thread on her group of the same name. Thanks for hosting, Diane, and I can't wait to see the newly knit toys popping up over there!

I have already drawn the winners of the prizes using a random number generator and the entries on the finished object threads. The winners have all been sent a private message through Ravelry at this point. 

Below are the other items people have won! Please hop over to the various sites and check out all these generous folks have to offer.

(photo from Blueberry Pie Studio)

I am happy to offer two fun skeins of sock yarn called, Box of Crayons, from a new-to-me dyer, Cat, of Blueberry Pie Studio out of Toronto, Canada. Cat sent me a skein of Box of Crayons to review and it is truly lovely! Thank you, and I can't wait to knit it up into some fun socks.

Click here for the Blueberry Pie Studio Etsy shop!

Here is the prize description of the prize skein from the shop:

Self-striping! This is a self-striping, hand-dyed yarn. Stripes change colour through strawberry, tangerine, mango, lime, cotton candy blue, and blackberry purple. When knitting socks, each stripe is approximately 5 rows wide.

This yarn is dyed to order. Please allow 1 - 3 weeks for me to dye the yarn for you.

80% superwash merino wool
20% nylon
420 yards/115 grams
sock weight

The first winner of this colorful skein of yarn is...... 9Grands4Grma (rav id)!! Congratulations to you!

The second winner of this colorful skein of yarn is...... veronika (rav id)! Congratulations to you! Veronika is of Yarn on the House fame!

(photo from Cakewalk Yarns)

Cakewalk Yarns is one of my all-time favorites!!! Click here for the Etsy Shop!

Here is the description of this gorgeous hank of sock yarn directly from Rose of Cakewalk Yarns: 

Fingering weight (75% SW Merino/25% Nylon - 460 yds/100g) in the colorway Brooklyn. The yarn is kettle dyed a tonal khaki & then I painted on flecks of colors that remind me of Etsy - orange (of course) turquoise, forest green & grape.

The winner is..... lexikate81 (rav id)!!!!! Congratulations!

(photo from Knitcircus)

Jaala Spiro of Knitcircus has become just a beautifully talented independent dyer and designer. It has been fun to see her find her passion with such gusto. I love everything Jaala does and I especially love the sock set gradient yarn she has donated as a prize.

Click here for the Knitcircus Etsy shop!

Jaala's description is below:

This is a Knitcircus yarns Matching Socks Set, in the color Turquoise Pool. It’s two small skeins dyed to match so that every stitch of the socks will be the same. They knit up into gradient socks like the yellow sock in the picture, and can be worked from the inside or outside of the ball, knitter’s choice. 

The winner is of the Matching Sock Set yarn is...... EllenLBishop (rav id)!! Congratulations!

(photo from Sun Valley Fibers)

Jeanette is a local favorite of mine with her Sun Valley Fibers. I stopped by her booth at the Madison Knit In a couple of months ago and was blown away by her walls of colorful and squishy yarns. It was a sight to behold.

Click here to see the Sun Valley Yarns and Fibers!

Here is the description of the Sun Valley Fibers fingering weight prize skein straight from Jeanette:

Colorway: Forest

Merino/Cashmere/Silk -- 75/15/10

Fingering weight and is a 400 yard skein.

The winner is...... woundtight (rav id)!!! Congratulations!

Thanks for everything everybody!

I'll be back soon with more and I hope you are all having a great week.

best, susie