Sweet Bee and Flower + Making No. 5 / Colors

photo credit: carrie bostick hoge

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Spring has finally sprung here in Wisconsin. It is supposed to be 60 degrees today. It seems hard to believe and it will be hard to not feel like grabbing my winter coat when I'm heading out the door. I am looking forward to some warmer temperatures as I'm sure many of you are, too. 

I have a new pattern out this weekend. It is called Sweet Bee and Flower and I'm really excited about it. It is in the new issue of Making Magazine No. 5 / Colors which is an incredible magazine filled with projects and inspiration. We have some fun things going on to celebrate the little bees and flowers over on Barrett Wool Co. 

The Sweet Bee and Flower kit is our first pre-order kit!  The kits will be sent out in about 4-6 weeks as we are waiting for our new shipment of yarn. If you order the Making Magazine No. 5 / Colors along with your kit, we will ship you the magazine right away and the kits will be shipped separately and for free as soon as they are ready.

Click here for the Sweet Bee and Flower Kit!

We will keep you updated on the kit pre-order status as we anxiously await our new batch of yarn! Thank you for your patience and we know it will be worth the wait.

Click here to find the Sweet Bee and Flower on Ravelry!

Also, you can order Making No. 5 / Colors by itself and we have Making Magazine Numbers 1-4 available in the Mercantile! These magazines are collector's items that you won't want to miss.

Click here for the Mercantile for the Making Magazines!

photo credit: carrie bostick hoge

Here you can see the full Sweet Bee and Flower project. There is a flower cozy to hold a little sweet bee. These are knit in Home Fingering Weight yarn on US size 2 and 3 needles. There is no seaming as everything is picked up and knit on which makes it a slick and fun project. 

I had to share the beautiful cover of the Making Magazine No. 5 / Colors. It's so spring-y and fresh!

One last thing, there is a discount going on for all of the scissors over on Barrett Wool Co. If you enter SCISSORS at checkout you get $1.00 of every pair of scissors purchased. The style in the photo is our newest pair called Vintage. I think these are my new favorites. 

Click here for the BWC Mercantile and all of our scissor selections!

Have a great week ahead, Knitters! Next week I am off to teach at Galiano Island for a knitting retreat. I can't wait for this one. It is run through Knit Social and they always do an excellent job.

I'll be back soon with more...

xo ~ susan 

Hen of the Woods Mittens

Hi, Knitters,

How are you doing today? We have a fresh covering of snow and we're supposed to get several more inches of snow today. Not great for mid-April but I think it will melt away quickly. Spring will come, it is inevitable. With the snowy, cold weather here to stay for a little longer, I have released a new mitten pattern and kit. But actually, mitten-knitting is a great project year round. 

The new design is called Hen of the Woods mittens and the pair is made out of some beautiful worsted weight gray 100% American Wool we received on cones. It is limited-edition wool. I think you will love it. We have created lovely mitten kits over on Barrett Wool Co. if you are interested. These have been selling quickly already.

Click here for the Hen of the Woods Kits on Barrett Wool Co.!

The Hen mittens use the Waiting for Winter mitten pattern along with my new blog post instructions on Barrett Wool Co. Journal.

Click here for the Barrett Wool Co. Journal instructions and How-to Bobble video!

Hen of the Woods is actually a textured grayish mushroom that grows at the base of oak trees. I fell in love with the name of these mushrooms and thought it perfect for the name of the mittens. 

Click here for the Hen of the Woods pattern on Ravelry!

Click here for the Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts on Ravelry!

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

xo ~ susan

Episode 30 :: Little Twigs

Hi, Knitters,

I have a new podcast up on YouTube today! Episode 30 :: Little Twigs where I talk about sweaters, socks, books, yarn and more!

I am hosting a giveaway for Pam Allen's new book Plain & Simple. You can enter on YouTube and I'll be posting on Instagram later today where you can also enter.

The shownotes are found over on the BWC Journal. Click here to find all of the information and links for the show!

I'll be back soon with more. I hope you'll join me.

xo ~ susan

New Patterns!

photo credit :: evan anderson

Hi, Knitters,

Happy weekend to you all. I hope you are doing well. I have a new pattern release and a pattern that's coming up soon, plus a couple of kits! 

The pattern that is currently released is called Cozy Mouse and it is found in Taproot Magazine, Issue 26 :: Heal. Barrett Wool Co. has the magazines and adorable kits available right now. 

Click here to find out more or to shop Cozy Mouse Kits!

Click here to find out more about the Cozy Mouse Pattern on Ravelry!

Isn't this a beautiful cover? I love it. Click here to see more about Taproot Magazine!

photo credit :: carrie bostick hoge

The other pattern I have coming out is called Sweet Bee & Flower. This adorable knit toy is coming out in Making No. 5 / Color in a few short weeks. Barrett Wool Co. will have kits and the magazine available for purchase and I'll keep you posted when it all becomes available. 

Click here to find out more about Sweet Bee & Flower on Ravelry!

photo credit :: carrie bostick hoge

The Sweet Bee & Flower project is knit in Barrett Wool Co.'s Home Fingering Weight. 

photo credit :: carrie bostick hoge

So sweet and fun! This is a perfect companion toy for the Butterfly & Cocoon toy. 

photo credit :: evan anderson

Lastly, there are some Loopy Sweet Sheep Kits in Birch (white) available in the shop, too!

Click here to find out more or shop Loopy Sweet Sheep Kits!

Have a beautiful Sunday! I'll be back soon with more.

xo ~ susan

D is for Duckling & Door County!

Hi, Knitters,

Well, it's been a busy, busy stretch around here. I've been traveling, teaching and designing up a storm. It has all been a lot of fun but I am ready to have a month off from travel and just be home for a bit. One thing I quickly want to mention is that I'll be teaching in my beloved Door County, Wisconsin this coming fall and I think there are still some spots available. It is an Ann Budd Knit for Fun Retreat and Olga Beraya-Kefelian and Laura Nelkin are teaching along with me and Ann Budd will be there, too, of course. The dates are September 20-23, 2018.

For all of the details for the Door County Ann Budd Retreat click right here! I hope to see you there.

On Friday I released a new pattern called D is for Duckling. These are adorable palm-sized ducklings that are knit from the bottom-up and seamlessly. The pattern is on special discount through Tuesday, March 27th for $3.50 (no code needed) and will be $5.00 starting on March 28th, 2018.

Click here to find out more or to purchase the pattern for D is for Duckling on Ravelry!

We have put together a fantastic little kit using Home Fingering Weight yarn. You get everything you need to knit the three ducklings in the photos, the stuffing, and thread. The pattern can be included with your kit and you get a set of stitch markers and a hand-stamped project bag to boot. And it is easy on your pocketbook. Amazing all-around!

Click here to see the D is for Duckling Kit on Barrett Wool Co.!

Here is a photo of the D is for Duckling Kit!



These little guys are so much fun to knit and there are lots of photos to help included in the pattern.

There is a lot of our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarn available in the shop right now. Since this yarn is milled at a small local mill it is difficult to keep it in stock as the demand is great. We are getting more next week, as well, so be sure to check back to see what's in stock then. 

Click here to see more or to purchase the Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarns! You will love this yarn for any of your projects. There is nothing else like it. 

Have a great Sunday and week ahead, Knitters. I'll be back soon with more.

xo ~ susan

Going West & Stitches

Hi, Knitters,

On my travels to Stitches West I knitted a new pair of socks. I brought along seven different colors of mini skeins in Home Fingering Weight yarn. I am calling this pair Going West Socks. If you haven't knit 100% wool socks I highly suggest you give these a try. The finished socks are so squishy, cozy and warm. They honestly feel so much better than superwash/nylon yarn. I don't want to take them off.

The socks use my Smooth Operator Socks pattern and I've written out the instructions for the stripes and a couple of other tips along the way. The stripes and colors make the socks incredibly addicting, you simply can't put them down. 

The Going West Socks are now a kit over on Barrett Wool Co.!

By the way, the clogs in the photo are from Dansko if interested.

Here's what you'll find in the Going West Socks Minis Kit:

The Kit Includes:

• Enough yarn to make one pair of Going West Socks (about 150 grams) in the following colors of our Home Fingering Weight: Huron, Tattersall, Bluff, Strawflower, Ellie Grey, Big Woods and Folkstone.
• An optional Ravelry download code for the Smooth Operator Socks pattern. This will be included on a paper card inside the kit.
• A printed page with specific Going West Socks instructions to be used along with the Smooth Operator Socks pattern.
• The kit will come packaged in a hand-stamped project bag.

Click here to find out more or to purchase the kit!

And we have Sheep Scissors restocked in the Barrett Wool Co. Mercantile!

Click here to find out more or to purchase.

Here we are before the big Stitches West event in Santa Clara, California began! We are poised and ready for the onslaught of attendees. I had so much fun the entire time and I met so many lovely knitters. It was really a positive experience in all. Our booth was packed full for the majority of the time and we were so busy. Miss Molly on the left and Evan is on the right. 

We shared our booth with Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. That's her on the left. It worked out so smoothly. Thanks to Alana for a fantastic weekend!

I hope you are well, everyone. I'll be back soon with more.

xo ~ susan

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