Ysolda + Madison = Knitting Love

Hi Knitters,

Last Saturday I snuck into The Knitting Tree in Madison. It was the perfect spot and day to meet Ysolda Teague. She is on a whirlwind tour throughout the United States. She started on the east coast and has woven her way to Madison, now she is in Chicago, then Cleveland and then ending up at TNNA in Columbus. People keep inviting her to visit their shops and stay in their homes so she kind of floats along not knowing exactly where she will end up. I can't imagine having the freedom to do that, it seems really fun.

The photo above is of a reluctant Collector modeling Ishbel, Ysolda's new breakout pattern. She doesn't realize how incredible it is that she gets to try on the actual Ishbel knitted by Ysolda that has travelled across the globe to Madison. Ishbel is so beautiful, I think I have to make one for myself. All of her patterns can be found on her site, check it out here. Other patterns of Ysolda's are found on Knitty and Twist Collective (the new summer issue is up!!!). Her blog is one to watch as well.

Ysolda is graciously signing my copy of her self-published book, Whimsical Little Knits, which I reviewed here. (I was mistaken in that previous post, she lives in Scotland.) She is wearing her own knitted creation. Ysolda is the perfect model for her work, everything looks fantastic on her. It makes you want to knit your own!
Ysolda is a diversified designer which is admirable. Her knitted toys are some of the best I have ever seen. They have a sweet, quiet sensibility which I adore. Aren't they cute sitting all together?
Rose Red is a favorite pattern for many. It is lovely and sophisticated. What a complete treat to get to look at and touch and try on Ysolda's work in person. If she is coming to visit a shop near you be sure to make the effort to see her. You won't be sorry.
I always love a good knitted mouse and this one is no exception. You feel like handing over a morsel of cheese to be sniffed. This pint-sized mousie is straight out of a storybook.
The Knitting Tree sits right on Madison's Monroe Street and it is the friendliest, sweetest little yarn shop. Jackie took over ownership several years ago and she has done an excellent job. The shop is doing gang buster business which is so good to see. It is a top of the line knitting tradition here in town. Jackie is a good host to any gathering. Across the street is a coffee shop and down the street is Trader Joe's where she purchased little sweet treats and goodies to eat. She always has fresh flowers on the big farm table, too. I always notice the little touches like that. Perfection.

This pattern is available on Twist Collective, I think it was in the premiere issue from fall '08. Those are little birds.

This gorgeous sweater is called Snow White and the pattern is in Ysolda's shop. Wow, you can see the structure in the ribbed shaping. Fantastic piece of work.
Here is the lacy version of Ishbel, The Collector was wearing a heavier version, maybe fingering or dk weight? So lovely and airy.

Oh well, I was glad I popped in to see Ysolda, the day almost flew past me. It was well worth the effort and she is a true delight. I left with a sense of admiration of her and of her knitting. She is a brave traveller and knitter and one to be followed. Greater things are still on the way from Ysolda and she has already accomplished so much.

Good Tuesday to you all.

best, susie

p.s. Hey, the winners are up for the Spud & Chloë premiere/Blue Sky Alpacas design contest. Wow, did they get some strong entries. I am glad I didn't have to choose. Good fun and check it out.

Pea Pod Washcloth Pattern

Hi Knitters,

Here is the latest installment in my washcloth series. I am calling it the Pea Pod Washcloth, which will be easier for me to keep track of. I have too many patterns starting with "sweet." It is an adorable, sturdy, playful, squishy design. I am always up for a good pea pattern of any kind.

Here are the stats:

US size 6 needles and dpns

2 contrasting skeins of Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille or any worsted weight cotton like Sugar-n-Cream or Peaches-n-Creme.

Skills:

knit

kfb

ssk

k2tog

working in the round

single crochet for optional edging

Level of difficulty: simple and quick!

The Pea Pod washcloth is the perfect baby gift. Paired with the Sweet Pea hat it is the perfect little gift set.

Click here to purchase the pattern. 

You can always click on my pattern shop on the top of the sidebar to get to the shop at anytime.  The pattern cost is $3.50 and I will email you the pdf file. I personally email out the orders so please be patient, I try to get them out as quickly as possible.

Yarn Giveaway!! If you purchase the pattern from today through June 6th I will automatically enter your name in a giveaway for 2 skeins of Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille. It is such a beautiful yarn, you will love it for these little washcloth projects. For this one you get to choose what 2 colors you would like between the greens or the recommended Sweet Pea Hat colors. Good luck.

Thanks and have fun with your pea pods!

best, susie

Fruits & Peas

Hi Knitters,

I have been sewing away here and there over the last couple of weeks. You know me, I always like the little things. I made a pear pincushion on my machine. The pattern is here and I bought it over a year ago, it is by Heather Bailey. Her shop is so beautiful and vibrant. If you click on the pattern shop be sure to check out her ring stacker toy. It's fantastic. I have always wanted to knit one of those...
I felt pretty cool about this because it involved interfacing and all. Don't laugh. I used some wool felt from here to make the stem and leaf.
Next, I made Heather's strawberry pincushion from a kit I had bought from her shop. Now I didn't see the kits when I just looked. I bought one for my sister and one for me. My kit included the pink velvet and my sister's is red wool felt. There was a bit of embroidery for the seeds and the leaf topper. I hand stitched this project, no machine here.
Fresh fruit for my pins and needles. Yum!
Okay, this has pattern release has been delayed since I have been swamped as of late. Here is my latest washcloth pattern, the Sweet Pea Washcloth. I plan on having the pattern available sometime this weekend. Hold me to it.
I made this version in the Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille but any worsted weight cotton will work just fine.
I think a sweet pea washcloth with a sweet pea hat would make a fantastic gift for a baby. That's a lot of peas for the taking.
I was thinking it would be so cute to do matching hat and washcloth colors. Make pink or blue peas on the washcloth and use a lighter green for the pod. I haven't had time to knit one up like this but it would be a good combo.
These are the yarns in my head that would make a great boy or girl sweet pea washcloth to go with the hats. Anyhoo, if you are interested check back soon for the pattern. I will list the yarn I used and the colors in the photo above and the tools and skills needed to make it up. I am making myself get on the ball with writing up the pattern by posting about it again. It should work: )

I want to get this one done and available because my next washcloth pattern is going to be the best one yet. It's very summer-y!

Okay, Knitters, off we go into another weekend. Can you believe it?

best, susie

Handmade Goods

Hi Knitters,

I've got the goods to share today. Above is my newly finished embroidered pillow fresh off my sewing machine. I bought the kit from someone you know. Her shop is up top on the sidebar of her blog. If you look at the pillow you can most likely guess who designed it. It looks like something she would have on the couch in her farmhouse. This was a quick, fun and simple project. BTW, I got the last one of this particular kit but there are others.
Here are some more fresh goods to share. This is my swap hat that came in the mail last week. I love the subdued, heathery colors, the sweet embroidery and the swirly, curly squiggles on top. Speattle (ravelry name) is the maker of my gorgeous gift. She organized the entire swap and did a wonderful job.
Speattle also knitted me this potholder. I love it. No one ever knits for me so when I get a rare knitted gift I get pretty excited. I appreciate all of the effort. Thank you.
Last but certainly not least, my nephew celebrated his 6th birthday and we hosted a family party for him. He's so much fun and he keeps me entertained plus he's pretty cute. He's our youngest cousin and he's getting old. That really stinks. What can you do?

Oh no, that wasn't the last, last thing. I have to tell you that I adore this blog so much and I have never really expressed this adoration. This woman is wonderful and talented. I don't hop on her blog often but every time I do visit I stay for a long time. When my time is done I always leave feeling better for it. I don't have her book and she has a new book coming soon but I will be getting both. She has definitely got the goods.

Take care, Knitters. Wednesday has come and almost gone. Let's make the rest of this short week filled with your own handmade goods.

best, susie

p.s. Okay, I have one more thing I keep forgetting to share. Look at the second version of this hat, it's even cuter than the first which I shared awhile ago. Triple love it. Talk about a winner!

Aftermath

Hi Knitters,

Today I am swirling around in the aftermath of a busy, busy friend and family-filled weekend. The laundry is out of control, the kitchen is beyond repair, the house is in disarray from lots of family and friends passing through all weekend. This is all a minor precursor to what the summers are like around here. With the kids getting older there is just more of everything, in and out, friends, cars, bikes on the lawn, wet towels from swimming, work schedules, eating, eating and more eating... 

Even with the craziness, it just gets better and better every year with these kids. They are funnier, more independent, busier and more interesting as time goes by. It is more work now than when they were babies for sure. You think when your kids are babies that things will get easier but let me warn you, there is no reprieve. It is simply different and often more worry-filled. Things aren't so simple any longer. I am on my toes!

On to knitting business, all 3 of the winners of the Spud and Chloe yarn and Sweet Pea Hat pattern have contacted me. The yarn and patterns will go out in the mail this week. Congratulations again and thanks to everyone who participated.
I finished up my hat for the first Hat Swap in the Itty-Bitty Knits group on Ravelry. This one has already been sent off to Canada where my swap partner lives.
I threw in the rest of the yarn and a little ornament string of candy in the package. All of the yarn was brand-new and wound just for this project so she could get a couple more striped hats out of the lot. I hope she enjoys it. I received my hat from Washington late last week. It is a wonderful version of the Rainbow Marley hat, quite different looking. I love it and will take a photo to share when I get a chance. My swap partner also sent me a knitted potholder to boot. It's so sweet. What a fun experience this has been.

I have already signed up to participate in the next hat swap. The group is using the Ribbons hat from Itty-Bitty Hats as the next pattern (the pattern for the Rainbow Marley hat is in this book, too). I can't wait to see the variety of hats people come up with. Please join in if you are interested, it's easy and fun. Here is the link!
I have to share one of The Collector's recent art pieces that she made at school in art class. This is so cool. She took a brown paper grocery sack and wrinkled it up until the paper became soft. Next she ironed the paper flat. She used crayons to color the picture and pressed really hard with the crayons while coloring. The color is so vibrant. She outlined her drawing with a black marker. I love the leathery looking background against the bright red cardinal and leaves. This one's a keeper.
The Collector also had a square of fleece and had used part of it to sew a little purse. She kept asking if we could make a bunting out of the leftovers for one of her baby dolls. In fact, for a couple of days she kept holding up her baby to me while she whispered, "Bunting. Bunting. Bunting." It was pretty funny and she was relentless. Eventually, I found a minute to help her cause.

I have learned to use my sewing machine over the last couple of weeks thanks to my sister. I will share my sewing accomplishments so far later in the week. I pulled out my pins and scissors and used the baby to measure the fabric. I whipped up the easiest baby bunting ever within a matter of minutes.
The results? Baby in a Bunting. That's what we're calling this design.

Have a wonderful Tuesday. I have to get this week going right now. It has to happen but I am dragging.

best, susie

Spud & Chloe Winners!

Hi Knitters,

Phew. That was unbelievable. I could hardly keep up these past couple of days. I am going to be short and sweet because I have a tennis potluck to run off to in a couple of minutes. However, I do have some very exciting news. The founder of Blue Sky Alpacas and Spud and Chloe was so touched by your outpouring of excitement that she raised the roof just for you. I am so excited about this.

Instead of 1 winner, I got to select 3 winners!!! I used a random number generator I found on this site to come up with the three numbers for the winners. I also included the 31 email entries I received in the drawing (not everyone is able to leave a comment for various reasons:). The first winner will get the 3 skeins of Spud and Chloe yarn and the printed out Sweet Pea Pattern. The second and third selected winners will each get the same 3 skeins of yarn and an emailed pdf of the Sweet Pea pattern. This is because the printed out pattern is my last copy so I don't have any more to send. The pdf patterns will have to do instead.

You all have until Tuesday, May 26th (extended due to the holiday weekend) to email me your mailing address. If I don't hear from you by Tuesday by noon central time, I will select a new winner in your place. My email is always on the sidebar.

So here it goes!

Winner #1 is Linda in Maine!!! 

Winner #2 is Nancy in Carmel!!! 

Winner #3 is Heather L. at BlackBerryRambles!!!

Congratulations!!!

Now, if you are really disappointed that you didn't win let me point you to another Spud & Chloe yarn giveaway that is going on through the weekend. Take a look here and enter away!! You never know what may happen. Good luck.

Here's a behind the scenes peek at some of my antics earlier today for my new blog. I won't show my feet on the new blog that's just for home. Be sure to sign up to subscribe.

Oy, I need a nap after all of that. It was fun, fun, fun under the sun. It was real, it was cool, it was real cool. I hope and know that you will love your new yarn. You are the most awesome crowd I could ever hope to hang with. Thank you, dear Knitters, you made my week. Totally.

Have a super-duper weekend filled with family and love. I'm out like a light.

best, susie

Meet Spud & Chloe in Person

Hi Knitters,

I mentioned last week or so that I have a new job. I am now working for Blue Sky Alpacas, specifically for their new yarn and pattern line called, Spud and Chloe. My new job is just perfect for me. I have been hired to write and create the Spud and Chloe blog! Plus, I have been hired to design and write free patterns for the blog, new and fresh free patterns every month! Basically, the new blog for the Spud and Chloe website is my new baby. I have so much fun stuff planned I can hardly contain myself. Please hop over to the site and sign up for the newsletter (which will be my blog posts packed with fun stuff and free patterns and shop spotlights and then even more fun stuff) if you are interested, of course. The site is here.

The owner of Blue Sky named the line after her friend's sheep after they were introduced to her as Spud and Chloe. Those names stuck with her and in turn she has created Spud and Chloe, the most spectacular, comprehensive yarn line and support line I have ever seen. The key is that it is simple, 3 different weights of yarn, the best colorways ever and beautiful, fun pattern support. Blue Sky been a longtime favorite of mine but Spud and Chloe has shown such a fresh and original take on yarn and knitting that I am blown away. I hope you will join me in this new adventure, it's going to be a good one. 

Spud and Chloe is striving to be inclusive of all types of knitters, young, old, in between, new, experienced and intermediate. Everyone! Kids, too! The yarn is exquisitely made from all natural materials (superwash wool and organic cotton) and it has that wow factor that is indescribable. You have to witness the yarn in person. You just have to squish, smell, smoosh in your fingers, rub on your cheek, well, you get the picture.

With that being said, I am so proud to give you a sneak peek and a chance to win some Spud and Chloe Sweater yarn, 3 skeins. The Sweater yarn is worsted weight, washable 55% wool, 45% organic cotton. It is the squishiest, softest, most fantastic yarn and you are going to love it.
I selected these colors for you because I am also throwing in a special printed version of my pattern, the Sweet Pea Hat. This is my top selling pattern. The pink, blue and green are perfect for this hat. Each skein has 160 yards, that's generous. You don't have to knit the hat, there is plenty of yardage for other things, too.
The tags are so cute that you'll want to hang on to them (or maybe that's just me). To enter the contest just leave a comment and only one comment. Please leave some sort of identifying something in your comment (name, location, blog name, etc.). I will randomly select a winner on Friday, May 22nd. This contest is going to go on for only a few days so enter right away. I will post the winner on the blog this Friday and then the winner will have two days (through Sunday) to contact me with a mailing address. Easy-peasy, right?

It is exciting because this yarn is not even being launched until June 12th at TNNA. You will be getting a jump on your Spud & Chloe knitting before the shops even get the yarn.

Good luck to you all. I know you are going to love Spud & Chloe as much as I do. I hope you join me, I'll miss you if you don't. By the way, I will continue on here, at Susan B. Anderson, just the same as same can be. I have things to say and tell you here and I can't leave this spot. 

Okay, enter away!

best, susie

My Kind of Knitting Circle

Hi Knitters,

Last Friday I had some of the Girl Scouts over after school for a bit of knitting time together. They had me laughing the entire time. What a group. We were sitting just like you see above and all of a sudden one of the girls said, "Are we having a knitting circle?" The girls looked around, made a few adjustments and we became a literal knitting circle. They made everyone touching in the circle somehow. See my foot on the table is touching the girl's yarn on the bench? And be sure to note the last girl on the couch, her toe is touching the girl's toe on the love seat. They were so happy about the fact that we actually were a knitting circle. It really made me laugh. My son got home from school as we were completing our circle and I made him take a picture to commemorate. 

Too good for words. I loved it. I don't know if they knew that you don't have to be in an actual circle or not, it just happened. Believe me, I will never tell them the truth. It was so much fun.
Then The Collector starting playing some Jack Johnson music (her favorite) and the girls just loved it. The Collector threw down a blanket and yelled out, "Blanket knitting!" They all jumped up from our circle and squeezed onto a tiny blanket with their knitting. Dancing was included. They continued knitting the entire time.

See the little blonde, she's my "smart cookie" from last time. She got up and along with dramatic movements quoted, "If at first you don't fricassee, fry, fry a hen." It was so funny. She told me it was from Caddie Woodlawn. She also told me it was a direct take on, "If you don't succeed, try, try again." Loved that. I love that saying, it's all true.

Too good for words, again.
Even with all of the silliness we got one more hat completed for donation and a lot of knitting done by the others. The finished hat is another beauty. This little sweetheart finished her hat right up and donated it to charity. Doesn't she look proud? That's hat number seven for the group. I am sending off three hats this week for charity from our troop.

This has all been so incredibly cool and fun. I hope to keep them going. I think I enjoy it more than the girls. Aren't they cute?

What a week I have scheduled ahead. Why does May get so crazy every year? When I look at my calendar there is so much stuff written in that it makes my head spin. There isn't a blank day in the month. Yes, I keep an old-fashioned calendar in my kitchen where we actually hand write things in. I am not a good calendar person at all. I write things down and then I forget to look. I'm afraid it will never change for me.

Oh well, off into Monday I go. Hope you are all in for a good and busy week, too.

best, susie

p.s. Hey, I'm going to Tnna! I just found out last week. I'll tell you more about what I am doing there soon. I am so excited to go and I hope to see some of you in O-hi-o.

How to Weave in Ends Tutorial

Hi Knitters,

I had my son video me as I wove in the ends on a Rainbow Marley hat from Itty-Bitty Hats. You will see how quickly and easily this can be done!

best, susie

The Collector & Me

Hi Knitters,

This isn't a knitterly post but rather a springtime post. The Collector and I ventured out earlier this week with the camera in tow to the nature conservation park only a few blocks from our house. We love it there. 

Actually, last summer they added three large ponds to the park and I have a feeling that we will end up spending a lot of time by these ponds this summer. The Collector wanted to make a beeline for the ponds the minute we walked into the park. I hope you're up for lots of photos because that's what I have for you today.
Rambling open paths...
footprints under the water that tell a story....
secret entryways...
reflections of fluffy clouds painted on a pure blue sky...
never take the easy path...
tiny black tadpoles swimming under the water...
big trees bursting with buds...
dandelion heaven...
bumpy old bark...
twisty little vines waiting to be untwisted...
a smattering of violets, white and purple...
rules to be read...
a hidden ancient park...
with the best old rusty teeter-totter (complete with a car tire bumper)...
dried out wheat grass blowing in the wind...
and a fairy ballroom waiting to come to life.

The Collector in her glory.

Happy spring!

best, susie