Birkin Sweater ~ my new love!

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are all doing well and that your knitting is being good to you. I am in love with this sweater. It is called Birkin and it is designed by Caitlin Hunter. She is an amazing designer. 

Click here to see more about Caitlin Hunter!

The original Birkin sweater has 3/4 length sleeve but I wanted mine to have long sleeves. This is the only modification I made. It is perfection. 

I love that Caitlin included short row shaping for the neckline and that she added texture to the colorwork yoke. There are strategically placed mini-bobbles throughout. The leafy vine along with the flowers really come together.

The woolen spun fingering yarn makes the sweater as light as air but yet more and cozy.

I am thrilled to announce that with Caitlin's permission, Barrett Wool Co. is now offering kits for the Birkin Sweater!

The Birkin Kits include our Wisconsin Woolen Spun Fingering Weight in a beautiful Oatmeal for the main color and four gorgeous contrast colors for the colorwork yoke, Wild Plum, Penny, Hazelnut and Laurel. 

Click here to find out more about the Birkin Kits!

Go fast to check out the kits if interested. The kits are literally flying out of the shop. 

Here is a little photo story about my Birkin knitting:

The pattern originally appeared in Laine magazine No. 2. Our Birkin Kits include a Ravelry download code for the pattern if you don't have it already. It is an option. 

Yoke compete! Now on to the body.

The body is done here. The slight A-line shaping is all done through going up in needle size. The back is slightly longer than the front. I love this design feature. 

Finally, one sleeve done and the second is started. It didn't take long from here before my sweater was finished. I have worn my Birkin non-stop during this very chilly winter. 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by today! I hope you love your Birkin as much as I do if you partake.

On a quick side note, these sheep scissors are in hot demand! We just got another shipment and they are going fast again. We can't keep them in the shop.

Click here for more information about the Sheep Scissors!

Have a great weekend, Knitters.

I'll be back soon with more...

xo ~ susan

Stitches West & Loopy Sweet Sheep Kits

Hi, Knitters,

I have a few fun things to share with you. First, I am going to be teaching four workshops at Fibre Space in Alexandria, Virginia, on Feb. 9-10, 2018. Click here to find out more!

And Barrett Wool Co. is hitting the road! We are heading out to Santa Clara, California, to vend at Stitches West on February 22-25, 2018. Not only will this be our first large event for vending but we are thrilled to be combining forces and sharing a booth with the one and only Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. We are really looking forward to this upcoming event and we hope to see as many of there as possible. Please stop by our booth, #1336 and 1338, to say hello and to see our Barrett Wool Co. yarns in person.

Hope to see you there!

Click here to find out more about Stitches West! 

I launched a new kit yesterday over on Barrett Wool Co. Here is some information about the kit:

Click here for the Loopy Sweet Sheep Kit!

I've updated an "oldie but goodie" pattern called Sweet Sheep and added an adorable double-loop stitch to the body. I think the Loopy Sweet Sheep looks like it is sitting in a cloud of wooly loops! It's so much fun. The original Sweet Sheep version is just as cute in plain stockinette stitch if that's what you prefer. Using the Wisconsin Woolen Spun Worsted Weight is beyond perfect for this project. The finished Loopy Sweet Sheep is so squishy and adorable. Trust me, it so good you can't stop squeezing it! 

The Kit Includes:

• Enough yarn in our Wisconsin Woolen Spun worsted weight to make one Sweet Sheep. We have three colors for you to choose from: Birch, Quaker Gray and Stone.
• An additional printed page of instructions from Susan to go along with the original pdf pattern on how to add the double-loop stitch to your Sweet Sheep. 
• An optional printed Ravelry download code for the Sweet Sheep pattern, since some might already own the pattern.
• You will also be given access to an exclusive tutorial video by Susan on the Double-Loop Stitch used in the Loopy Sweet Sheep. The exclusive video link will be sent to kit purchasers in a separate email.
• A tin of 20 assorted color stitch markers.
• Black embroidery thread for the face.
• The kit comes packaged in a hand stamped cotton bag.

Loopy Sweet Sheep Kit in Birch

Loopy Sweet Sheep Kit in Quaker Gray

Loopy Sweet Sheep Kit in Stone

Also, there are still some of the Little Hearts Minis Kits available. I made this kit to go along with the free pattern Little Hearts (click here!).

Click here to find out more about the Little Hearts Minis Kits!

This kit is so much fun and perfect for Valentine's Day decorating and/or gifting. 

I've been doing lots of behind the scenes knitting on a couple of projects for publications that will be out in the near future. I can't wait to share more.

I hope to see you at one of my upcoming workshops or at Stitches West! Have a great Sunday, Knitters. I'll be back soon with much more....

xo ~ susan

NYC & Baa Kits

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are all doing well. I am in New York City right before on my last day of teaching for Vogue Knitting Live. This event is like nothing else. It is huge and lively and well-run. I have taught four classes so far and the students have been nothing short of wonderful. Shortly, I will be teaching my last two classes and I am really looking forward to it. If you ever get a chance to go to a Vogue Knitting Live event, do it!

I want to let you know that we have a new toy kit up in the shop over on Barrett Wool Co. for a sweet little lamb with some simple colorwork on the body. The pattern is called Baa. I have created 5 exclusive instructional video tutorials to go along with this pattern. The exclusive links to the videos are on the last page of the pattern! 

The Baa pattern is currently on discount at $3.50, no code necessary. On January 19, 2018, it will go back to the regular price of $5.00. 

The Baa Kit comes in three amazing color choices in Home Fingering Weight, all hand-selected by me. Just for fun we also added a mystery element to the kit and you can add this as an option with purchase. It is a tool and it is 100% adorable and very useful. 

Click here to see the Baa Kits on Barrett Wool Co.!

Click here to see the discounted pattern on Ravelry!

Baa measures in at 5.5-inches tall when seated. It is an adorably sweet little knit! Almost completely seamless. The limbs and ears are all picked up and knit on. The only seam is to attach the head to the body and I go over all of it in the 5 exclusive video tutorials included with the pattern. 

I'll leave you today with our photo from dinner last night in NYC. I am so fortunate to have a lot of family with me on this teaching trip. They are having the best time. My two sons and their significant others came along and my husband is there at the end of the table. I now have a niece and a nephew living in NYC and so we had a mini-family reunion. It was so much fun. We went to the restaurant Kubeh and I highly recommend it. The food was delicious. 

After dinner we went to a tiny and fantastic ice cream spot called Van Leuven's. This is a place not to miss! Salted caramel, honey comb, cookies and cream, black sesame... the flavors were so good. 

My favorite part of Van Leuven's was a little gratitude book left out to sign. My son, The Baker, scratched out what he was thankful for, "Friends, family, good food and visiting NYC." We all signed underneath in agreement. 

I'll be back soon with more! I hope you love your Baa Kits if you get one. Let me know.

xo ~ susan

Emmen

Hi, Knitters,

Meet my new hat pattern, Emmen! I knit a quick hat for my son right before Christmas and he absolutely loved the way it fit and looked. And I loved knitting it. I quickly knit up another one and this is the one in the photos here. 

So I thought the pattern might be something you'd be interested in, as well.

I have the pattern priced at an introductory special of $3.50, no code is necessary. This price will go through Jan. 12, 2018, and then the price will be set at $5.00.

The other thing is that the hat uses one skein of Barrett Wool Co. Home Worsted Weight. If you purchase any of our worsted weight yarn and write KIT in the order notes, we will throw in a FREE Emmen pattern Ravelry Download Code with your order! This offer goes through Jan. 12th, as well.

Click here for Barrett Wool Co.!

Click here for the Emmen pattern and more information on Ravelry!

Click here for Home Worsted Weight!

The model is a family friend, Mark, who is visiting from Emmen. Emmen is a city an hour or two outside of Amsterdam, thus the pattern name. A few days ago he had to go back to school in Emmen and we miss him around here already. Mark generously modeled for us and the hat looked so great on him and he really liked it so I ended up giving it to him in appreciation. He wore it non-stop for the rest of his visit which I took as a good sign. 

The top of the hat is so pretty. It continues on with strategically placed decreases in pattern. I love the simplicity, look and fit of the hat. It fits men nicely but it also fits me perfectly. I think I am going to knit one up for myself.

The Home Worsted Weight comes in lots of beautiful colors but the color in the photos is Scout, which is a rich shade of teal. 

Also, I just filmed and posted two tutorial videos for the Sven and Solveig dolls. I show how I did Sven's beard and Solveig's hair over on the Barrett Wool Co. Journal.

The pattern booklet for Carol Anderson's Sven & Solveig is available right here! The pattern is only available in this booklet. It is not available for download. 

Click here to see the videos and to find out more about my modifications to Carol Anderson's wonderful pattern Sven & Solveig!

I love these dolls so much. We have more kits on order for the dolls. I'm not exactly sure when they will be available but hopefully soon. If you would like to get an instant automatic email notice when they are listed all you have to enter your email on the product page. Then you be the first to know!

Click here for the product page for the Sven and Solveig Kit! 

Have a wonderful Sunday. We have a fresh dusting of snow on the ground and the temperature is supposed to be a little friendlier today. My fingers are crossed.

xo ~ susan

Pine Star Hat Kits by Mary Jane Mucklestone

All photos of the Pine Star Hat on the model are by Carrie Bostick Hoge

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are doing well. We've had a couple of celebration dinners this week, well, three to be exact, for my husband's birthday. That's a lot of birthday celebrating I'd say but it's been really fun and we've been having some delicious meals. Last night we had a family cookie exchange and that was wonderful. I made some old standards using my mom's recipes but the kids made some new cookie recipes. Anyway, I've eaten way too many cookies! 

Well, I just wanted to touch base today to let you know we have some fantastic new hat kits in the shop over on Barrett Wool Co. and this one is designed by one of my favorite knitters in the world, Mary Jane Mucklestone. She is the queen of colorwork and this new hat is knit in our beautiful, squishy Wisconsin Woolen Spun Worsted. 

Click here to see more about the Pine Star Kit! These kits are easy on the pocketbook, too!

The kits were released on Friday night and they have been flying out of the shop at a very fast pace. We had a lot of kits in stock but it looks like they may not last too long. 

I love how dainty the colorwork is in this design. There is a lot of white space and it looks so fresh. I also love the name Pine Star. It is all kind of perfect but that's Mary Jane for you. She is kind of perfect in every way just like her designs. 

We have two different colorways of the kit. The first two photos are hats worked up in the Oats and Hawthorn colors and there is a deeper contrast. The hat above is worked in the colors of Rain Shower and Coal. These colors have a softer more heathered look to them.

I cast on a Pine Star for myself and I am making the one above with the Rain Shower and Coal colors. I love the heathered yarn. Both kit colorways are beautiful.

Click here to see more information about the Pine Star Hat Kits!

I am crazy about the tiny pom-pom Mary Jane put on the top. It is so cute. 

This is the Oats and Hawthorn Pine Star kit version.

A Ravelry download code for the pattern is included in the kit.

This is the Rain Shower and Coal Pine Star kit version.

A Ravelry download code for the pattern is included in the kit.

Happy New Year to you all! I can't believe it's going to be 2018 tomorrow. Time is flying by at a faster pace than I ever imagined possible. I hope you are doing well and that your knitting is keeping you company and also keeping you warm during this bitter cold winter stretch.

I appreciate your support and friendship here on the blog, as always, and I am sending it right back to you. I'll see you next year right here on the blog.

xo ~ susan 

Sleepy Kitten Set Kits + Sleeping Bags

Hi, Knitters,

How is everyone holding up? I hope your knitting has been successful and if you are knitting any seasonal gifts, I hope they are finished in time. I have one hat and one last mitten to finish up in the next day or so. Wish me luck.

I just wanted to let you know that we have re-released the Sleepy Kitten Set Kits over on Barrett Wool Co. We are pretty excited about it!

Click here to find out more information or to purchase the Sleepy Kitten Set Kit!

We are also offering Ready-Made Sleeping Bags in the same fabric as in the photos which is really fun and exciting. These little sleeping bags can be used for any small knit toys, not just the kittens.

Click here to find out more or to purchase the Sleeping Bags! 

Click here to see the Sleepy Kitten Set on Ravelry!

In the kit we've included enough yarn to make both of the kittens as seen in the photos and the separate nightie. The yarn is our Wisconsin Woolen Spun which is a real favorite around here. 

You can include the Making Magazine No. 4 / Lines with your kit or not if you already have it. The magazine can also be purchased separately in our Mercantile. For now, this is the only place the kitten pattern is available. In six months it will become available in my Ravelry pattern shop for individual purchase. 

Click here to see Making Magazine No. 4 / Lines!

Have a wonderful weekend ahead, Knitters. Thank you for the amazing fun and support, as always. I'm sending love and good wishes to you all. 

xo ~ susan

Isthmus Itty Bitty Article & Little Giraffe!

photo by Sharon Vanorny

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are doing well. December is going by quickly and there is still no snow in Madison. The temperatures have been pretty mild for the most part. I always love it when there is snow on the ground for Christmas so hopefully this week we will get some. Fingers crossed.

I am fortunate enough to be featured on the cover (photo above) and inside the Madison weekly newspaper called the Isthmus this week. That has been a fun experience. And about that photo, I was actually sitting on that porch swing in a Madison neighborhood so that part is true. The little animals were also sitting on that porch swing with me, most of them are about 6-10 inches in height at best. So when I saw the photoshopped knit toys that were made huge it was a little startling. The photo has grown on me though, I love the playfulness and creativity the it evokes. It does catch your eye for sure and that is good for a cover photo.

Click here to read the article and see more photos online from the Isthmus newspaper! 

The article is well-written by Linda Falkenstein and it includes interviews with Evan Anderson, Jaala Spiro of Knit Circus, and Paula Emons-Fuessle of the Knitting Pipeline. 

I met with Linda to for the interview in person and she had a lot of good and different questions for me. She is about my age and is also a lifelong Madisonian so I think in some way that added to the interview in a good way. It was fun going down memory lane and also talking about all of the recent developments in my knitting life. 

photo by Sharon Vanorny

I love it that Evan was part of the article, too, and that they featured Barrett Wool Co. We are actually sitting at my sister's table here. 

Anyway, check out the Isthmus if you are interested. It is a true Madison staple. 

photo by Carrie Bostick Hoge for Making Magazine

Now for some knitting news. The Little Giraffe pattern is now available for individual download on Ravelry. The pattern was originally in Making Magazine No. 3 / Dots. 

To celebrate the pattern, I have set the price at a discounted $4.00, no code is needed, until December 22, 2017. Then the regular price will be $5.50. 

Click here to see the pattern for Little Giraffe on Ravelry! 

But even better, we brought the Little Giraffe Kits back to Barrett Wool Co. in some fantastic new color choices. The kits include everything you need to make the Little Giraffe except the stuffing. You get the yarn, pattern (if needed), safety eyes and black yarn to stitch the nose.  

The Little Giraffe Kit is so sweet. Click here to see more about the Kit on Barrett Wool Co.!

The kit above is in the Strawflower pink and Folkstone gray colors in Home Worsted Weight yarn.

photo by Carrie Bostick Hoge

The Little Giraffe measures in at about 10-inches in height. The toy is knit almost completely seamlessly. The feet, arms, and ears are knit first and then as you knit the body and head the appendages are knit right in as you go. There is no guesswork at all. The only seam is to stitch the head to the body. 

photo by Carrie Bostick Hoge

Anyway, it is an awfully cute toy and I love the size on this one (even though it isn't as life-size as in the first photo), it is kind of perfect for kids to snuggle and hold.

Have a great day, Knitters, and I'll be back soon with more.

xo ~ susan

Merry, Merry Pattern Sale!

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are all keeping warm. It has finally gotten cold around here in Wisconsin. We did our usual tree cutting and now wreath making outing right after Thanksgiving so I feel like the tree has been up for a while already which is nice. The season is going quickly and I have to kick up my gift knitting and my gift purchasing here soon or I'll be in trouble. I have ideas but not much in-hand yet.

I have a couple of fun things going on that I don't want you to miss out on if you are interested. The pattern above is called the Holiday Charm Set and it is available at a discounted price of $3.50 (no code needed) right now through Dec. 24th, 2017. The pattern includes the tiny Tree, the wee sweater, the mini-mittens and the little sock ornaments all in one. None of these are new patterns but they have been revamped to all be worked in fingering weight yarn and some of the patterns have been slightly modified from the original patterns. The patterns all have new photos and layout, too.

Click here for more information or to purchase on the Holiday Charm Set pattern collection on Ravelry!

The other quick thing is that I am having a 40% off pattern sale on EVERY pattern and ebook in my Ravelry pattern shop right now through Wed., December 13th, 2017! 

Use the code: HOLIDAY2017 at checkout for the discount. 

Click here for the Susan B. Anderson Ravelry Pattern Shop!

The Smooth Operator Socks pattern continues to be my number one selling pattern which is kind of fun for me since my sincere love of sock knitting continues on. This pattern is included in the pattern sale. 

Click here for the Smooth Operator Socks pattern! 

One other pattern that continues to be so popular is the Split Back Snowflake Hat and I just love this photo of my niece wearing the hat. This is a worsted weight hat and the pattern includes an option for a regular ribbed brim as well. This pattern is included in the pattern sale, too. 

Click here for the Split Back Snowflake Hat pattern on Ravelry! 

Okay, friends, I'm off to enjoy a cup of coffee and some sweater knitting. Have a wonderful Sunday and I'll be back soon with more.

xo ~ susan

Anniversary Specials, New Colors & Sven!

Hi, Knitters,

Did you have a nice Thanksgiving for those who celebrate? We hosted at my house this year and it was a wonderful relaxing time with our loved ones. I really love the Thanksgiving holiday so much. I hope you're all having a nice weekend. It is unseasonably warm, too, very strange. I think it was 60 degrees yesterday in Madison. It doesn't seem quite right but we did enjoy it.

I can't believe a year has passed so quickly since we opened our family company. I don't know if I've ever worked harder or loved any job path more than the making of Barrett Wool Co. It has been wonderful and exhilarating, to say the least. So I want to thank you for participating, following, supporting or just watching the development of our little wool company. It has been a grand adventure and we appreciate you being a part of it. 

Some new things have arrived in our shop. We have just released 10 NEW colors in our Home line of yarns. The 10 colors range from soft neutrals to deeply saturated shades. I love them all and I think they round out our color range of 25 incredibly well. We have several new shades of gray, plus camel, teal and navy, the lightest shades of peach and pink, and my most favorite green ever! We have come up with fabulous color names, too.

Check out all of our new colors in Home Fingering and Worsted Weight by clicking here!

So in the spirit of appreciation and excitement we want to celebrate a bit by offering some fun deals for you over on Barrett Wool Co. I'm going to list them right here to keep it simple. The codes/specials are available now through Monday, November 27th, 2017. 

Click here for Barrett Wool Co.

1. For International sales of $54 or more we have a $3.00 discount shipping code to enter at checkout: INTERNATIONAL

2. For U.S. sales we have FREE shipping on all sales of $54 or more with this code at checkout: 

HAPPYANNIVERSARY

3. All Ravelry Barrett Wool Co. patterns are now 50% off with this code at checkout: 

HAPPYANNIVERSARY    Click here to check out the BWC Ravelry Pattern Shop!

4. We now have Carol Anderson's autographed Sven Scandinavian Pattern Booklets available for purchase in the pattern section of BWC! Click here to check out the booklets.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends. I hope you find lots of time for your knitting. Are any of you getting your Christmas tree this weekend? We are heading out to the tree farm at some point to cut down our tree. It will be a long season of holiday cheer and decoration due to the early Thanksgiving holiday which is welcome around here.  

I'll be back soon with more.... 

xo ~ susan

Episode 29: Fall Review 2017

Hi, Knitters,
I have a new video podcast episode up on my YouTube Channel if you are interested. I talk about a lot of my fall adventures in travel and teaching, new projects and some old projects, books, socks, embroidery, yarn, project bags and so much more.

Click here to visit my YouTube Channel, SusanBAnderson!

Have a great day! I'll be back with more soon.
xo ~ susan

Edmonton & Arve

Hi, Knitters,

It's been fun and knitterly few weeks around here and I hope the same has been true for you. I want to share a little about my trip to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada last weekend but first a want to share a new project. 

Yesterday we released a new pattern and kit for Barrett Wool Co. called Arve. Arve is a beautiful colorwork hat designed by the one and only Tanis Gray. Click here for Tanis' website. 

This is the fourth colorwork hat design Tanis has done for Barrett Wool Co. and to celebrate we have all four of these patterns on discount this week through November 18th, 2017. Arve is on sale for $3.50, no code is needed for any of the hat patterns. Regular price is $5.00 for all of these hat patterns.

Click here for the Arve pattern on Ravelry!

Click here for the Arve Kit on Barrett Wool Co.! These are selling really fast so jump in if interested. 

Click on each hat name to see the pattern information for or to purchase Arve, Elida, Erland, and Vidar! 

These hats use our Home Worsted Weight in four contrasting colors. I knit up Arve using the colors Red Flannel, Field, and Morning Sky. If you have four skeins of Home Worsted Weight you can make all four of these Tanis Gray hats! 

Arve fits like a dream! It is my new favorite hat and I will be wearing this one all winter. 

I used US size 5 and US size 6 needles to make the hat.

There is an overall chart from start to finish and it is one of the simplest colorwork hats you can find. The finished look of the hat is very impressive and it's super fun to knit. 

Click here for more information on the Arve hat kit!

The Arve Kit even includes a handmade pom-pom by me just like the one in the photo. 

Now, on to the Knit for Fun Edmonton Retreat hosted by Ann Budd. That's Ann on the right and Joji Locatelli in the middle. I've known Ann for years now and I'm a huge fan of hers but this is the first time I've met Joji and she was just wonderful, a real breath of fresh air. We really hit it off.

Click here to see Joji Locatelli's designs on Ravelry!

Click here for Ann Budd's website! Be sure to check out the information for her other Knit for Fun Retreats.  

We had great classes, fun and talented students, a panel discussion hosted by the Grocery Girls and so much more. 

The Grocery Girls, Jodi and Tracie, even took us out for dinner after the retreat was over. It was such a treat to have some quiet time. Thank you, ladies!

Click here for the Grocery Girls Podcast on YouTube! 

Jodi and Tracie took my Egg to Owl class and Tracie even made her owl to match my outfit! 

Just kidding. But it does match and it turned out so cute. Tracie has knit toys before so this was a fun twist on a project for her being that it is a reversible toy. 

Click here to find out more about the Egg to Owl reversible toy pattern on Ravelry!

Jodi's Egg to Owl is equally cute. I love the fantastic owl-y eyes, too. 

I know this photo is a little dark but I did get to meet Devin Ventre, the designer of the Gigi Cardigan featured on Barrett Wool Co. Here we are both wearing our Gigi Cardigans together. What a treat to get to meet Devin in person. I know we will be hearing lots more from Devin. 

Click here for Devin's website and podcast!

We will be bringing back the Gigi Cardigan Kits soon. Be sure to sign up on the Gigi Kit page to get an automatic email notification for when they are back in stock if interested. 

Okay, friends, it's time to catch my breath for a minute. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and week ahead. Thanks for joining me today.

xo ~ susan