Annabel Cardigan Story

Hi, Knitters,

Well, I have a new cardigan. Finishing a handknit garment is fun and satisfying every time. I always think about how you start a knitting project with simple sticks and string and you end up with something amazing. That's what knitting really is, amazing. I am in love with this sweet little garter stitch cardigan. You might like to knit one, too.

Here is the information on my wonderful new cardigan:

Pattern: Annabel by Carrie Bostick Hoge  

This is a wonderfully written pattern, very clear and easy instructions.

Level of difficulty: First time sweater perfection! Millionth time sweater perfection! Fun, simple and fast for everyone.

Yarn: Malabrigo Twist in the Indiecita #416 colorway (bought several years ago from Webs) I think this is the softest and squishiest cardigan I have ever made. I don't always go for the softest yarns but this time I did. If softness is something you seek out Twist would be perfect for you.

Needles: US 10.5, 32-inch circs and dpns

Buttons: Sheppardhandmade on Etsy (I'd like to buy everything in this shop. Adorable and sweet buttons, packaging divine, origami crane included, an extra tiny button, too, and letter stamped tape like from when I was a child. Love, love, love everything about this shop.)

Modifications: None except added a little length in the body and arms. I followed the pattern exactly for the second size. Also, I substituted the yarn. The pattern is written for Quince & Co.'s Osprey. I would love to make another in Osprey. 

What I learned: 

I learned that I really don't love alternating skeins but it is imperative when knitting with a variegated yarn. I already knew this but my dislike of alternating skeins every 2 rows was confirmed. It just slowed me down a lot. However, the finished fabric and coloration throughout the sweater is absolutely beautiful, even and perfect. It was worth all of the trouble.

I also learned that I really don't love garter stitch in large quantities. Again, I already knew this. Remember my Hitchhiker shawl? It's still not done. I just find garter stitch um.... a little boring (my least favorite word) but I love the finished garter stitch items so I will continue to knit every row when it's needed.

Here's the rest of the story in pictures:

A cardigan love story.

A sweet, simple one.

Have a good weekend and I hope you are knitting a love story, too.

best, susie

More Socks

Hi, Knitters,

I'm trying to get those unfinished socks off the needles this week. I'm having some success. I've started the second sock for the Rainbows and Clouds socks. The cheerful yarn is by the wonderful Abbi Grasso and her shop is right here. It feels good to get going on the second as the first sock has been finished for a long time now.

I hand washed another batch of handknit socks. I thought I might as well as long as I was washing and blocking the finished Annabel Cardigan (more on that later). Try and match them up! None of the pairs are next to each other.

This delicious stack of socks includes some pairs that were knit 6 or 7 years ago. I do think that hand washing really helps to keep the socks going longer.  

All of these socks are knit from my free pattern which can be found by clicking right here.                                                      

The freshly washed socks look so bouncy, warm and inviting. 

The socks from the top down are the Patchworks, Noro Silk Garden Lite, Cakewalk Yarns Cherry Blossom, Noro Kureyon Sock, Trekking XXL, and more Noro Kureyon Sock.

It has been cold in Madison over the last few days. I have been layering my woolens just to keep warm. I keep thinking about how I want to knit an Elizabeth Zimmermann Rib Warmer to wear over my handknit sweaters when the temps dip below zero. That's a must in the near future. 

Back to socks, while washing and blocking my socks and new cardigan I wore my first pair of socks knit from my own handspun. This yarn was from the Knitgirllls spinalong/knitalong a couple of years ago. I love these socks.

I finally finished the second sock from my beloved Freshisle Fibers watermelon striping yarn. These are definitely my favorites for the moment. I still need to wash and block them. 

Click here for Freshisle Fibers.

I have wanted to knit the watermelon striping socks since I saw Stephanie Pearl-McPhee knit them years ago. Finally my dream has come true. The yarn is a rustic hearty single-ply which I adore. I loved every second of knitting these socks. I will wear these with great adoration for years to come. 

I can't wait to wear the watermelon socks with my watermelon mittens out on the pond skating rink in my neighborhood, possibly by the end of the week. The below zero temperatures right now won't permit the skating but soon it will happen.

I'll be back with all of the details on my fresh new cardigan and the sweetest ceramic buttons from etsy I stitched on yesterday. 

Stay warm and layer those woolens.

best, susie 

p.s. If you are interested please join me on instagram for quick and more up to the minute updates on my knitting and other activities. It's a lot of fun over there! Click here for my instagram photo collection.

Wash Day

Hi, Knitters,

There is nothing much better than a stack of freshly washed handknit socks. They feel bouncy and fresh and new again. I wash all of my handknit socks by hand using Soak Wash. It is fast, easy and gives me ease of mind that my socks won't felt or distort when being washed. I fill a tub with room temperature water, squeeze in some Soak, drop the socks in, let them sit for 15 minutes or so, gently roll out the excess water in a towel and...

.... lay them out flat to dry.

This winter some of my socks have taken a beating with my constant wearing and washing. This pair popped through at the toe which I haven't ever had happen before. Who knows maybe I knit the sock a smidgen too short? This hole I grafted closed. It's pretty much as good as new. 

This is Kristin Nicholas' Best Foot Forward sock yarn that is no longer available. Good thing I still have a few balls in my stash. I love this yarn and Kristin's colors. Her Regia Garden Effects sock yarn is still available and that's just as pretty.

The other day I discovered a hole on the bottom of the heel in these handspun socks I made last year. This hole isn't so easily repaired. The yarn I spun and used to knit these was only a 2-ply so I didn't expect them to last forever. I did get a lot of good wear from them and they are beautiful so all has not been lost. 

I have taken to wearing mix-and-match handknit socks around the house so I will just throw the sock without the hole back in my drawer to match up with another single sock. I actually really like wearing the unmatched socks. The older I get the stranger I get. I'll also wear single socks of different yarns together while I finish the second matching sock. I shouldn't do this because then when I finish the second sock the first sock is already worn compared to the brand-new sock. I know better, it's just kind of fun. I don't ask for much.

If I had to place a bet on the next pair of socks that will wear a hole I'd say it's a pretty sure bet that it will be my Door County Cherry socks (shown above). These are knit in a single-ply yarn (not the best idea but still fun and pretty). It is Madelinetosh Merino Light and it really isn't meant for making hearty-wearing socks. They still look really great and are beautiful and soft but the bottoms are wearing thin and even the color has worn off. It's just a matter of time. 

I still love these socks as the yarn was purchased at Spin yarn shop on a family vacation to Door County. Fond memories included. 

Those are Swedish Troentorp clogs the same brand and style I wore in the 70s. I have a couple pairs of Troentorp clogs and I love them as they bring me right back.

In order from left to right are the Door County Cherry Socks, the Patchwork Socks (seen in my blog banner - those are my feet in the clogs by the way, not a little girl's feet as many think), the Kristin Nicholas Best Foot Forward socks, Vesper Candy Corn socks, and my handspun Dyeabolical socks. 

All of these socks were knit using my free sock pattern/recipe called How I Make My Socks. I can knit these socks in my sleep. They are all cuff-down, heel flap with gusset. I love how they wear and how they fit. The heel is the best part.

Surprisingly enough the Patchwork Socks which are from the How I Make My Socks pattern (and use leftover sock yarn knit in 10 round increments) are wearing like steel so far. I have worn and washed these a lot this season. I think the Patchworks are my favorite socks. They are just fun. I should do some more Patchwork socks. It wouldn't matter much if they were just single socks knit one at a time because they don't match anyway. That may be the way to go. Things to do!

Oh, and I get lots of questions about care and washing of woolens. I handwash superwash wool and regular wool socks the same. I don't know if that's what is recommended but it seems to work well for my sock longevity. Some handknit socks I have had and worn for years and years with no holes or problems.

That's my sock story for the day. I have five unfinished pairs on my needles right now. That seems to be a lot. I think I'll finish those all up soon. That's the plan.

Happy Sunday to you. 

best, susie

Ruche Panel Tuque for Our Back 40

Edited to add Jan. 18th: The Our Back 40 kit shop is just opening today or at the latest on Monday, Jan. 21st. There will be more colors offered for the hat kit at that time. Please check back to order your kit if interested!

Hi, Knitters,

I briefly shared this new hat design called the Ruche Panel Tuque I did for Our Back 40 last week when I was showing off the finished Belfast Hoodie. I want to give you a little more detail on this wonderful alpaca yarn company and some of the other patterns in their new kit collection that is premiering at Vogue Knitting Live this weekend in New York City.

My friend in knitting, Tanis Gray, who I first met in 2007 when she was an editor for Vogue Knitting, contacted me to see if I would be able to design something for a small alpaca yarn company debuting at VK Live. I submitted this hat idea and then waited anxiously for the yarn to arrive. I requested a worsted weight. When the yarn arrived in a tiny box I had no idea what to expect, not even the color. 

Oh, I was excited to see this gorgeous shade of green when I opened the box. The yarn is incredibly soft and luxurious. The company's tag-line is, Cashmere Quality, All-American Alpaca. It is a luxury yarn that makes you want to sink in and stay awhile. The Ne Plus Ultra Worsted-Weight Alpaca knits up like a dream and shows stitch definition wonderfully. I think the Ruche Panel Tuque would be a very warm everyday kind of hat. I can't wait to knit another one up for myself. It would be my go-to hat during these cold winter months without a doubt.

To find out more about the Ruche Panel Tuque click here for the Ravelry project page!

Here is the description of the worsted weight yarn I received for the hat from Our Back 40 and it's all true!

Ne Plus Ultra Worsted-Weight Alpaca

Made from alpaca fleece with microns of less than 18.0, this yarn will re-define your very idea of alpaca. You’ll find that the cabled-style spin creates a yarn that becomes softer and softer with work and wear, without losing its integrity over time. In other words, it’s perfect for the treasures you will create with it. This yarn will demonstrate more memory than traditional alpaca yarns made with coarser fiber, though less than that of wool. 

There are many designs available for the Our Back 40 kits you can purchase at VK Live in NYC this weekend and then online through the website. These kits include the yarn and pattern and they are really something special, like a little treasure or true luxury item. The hat I designed would be the perfect gift for a beloved woman in in your life (or for yourself, of course).  

Other designers included in the pattern collection for Our Back 40 are Tanis Gray, Mary Jane Mucklestone, Elspeth Kursh, Jessica Dekker, Ann Weaver, and Angela Hahn. 

Click here to see all of the designs. 

Here is the description of the mission of Our Back 40 from their website, just reading this makes me excited to be a teeny-tiny part of their development: 

Our Back 40 develops, produces and sells yarns which bring together the finest alpaca fiber produced in the U.S. with discerning consumers who value its quality and provenance.

We achieve this by cultivating direct, fair trade relationships with small American farms to access their finest grade alpaca, and working closely with an artisanal mill in this country to produce yarns of distinct beauty and authenticity. When you purchase our yarns, you join a community and complete a vital circle of American trade.

Our goal is to inspire great projects with yarn that exceeds your expectations, made from fiber so fine it redefines alpaca. 

It's me again. You can see a list of the small farms along with links to them right here! I love reading the names of all of these farms. It is quite a list.

If you are attending Vogue Knitting Live this weekend in New York please stop by the String Yarn booths where you will find all of the Our Back 40 knit samples for the new kits at the booth. You will also be able to see and touch their yarns in person. You won't be disappointed and please tell Lynn I say hi! The booth numbers are 807, 809, 811, and 813.   

Now, a little bit about the hat called the Ruche Panel Tuque. Tuque means hat or beanie in case you weren't sure. I think it is such a cute name for a hat. The RPT is designed to fit an average woman's head from 19-22-inches in circumference. (My head measures 22-inches if you are interested in the fit.) If you are knitting this hat for a head on the smaller size you could always go down a couple of needle sizes for the brim. This will make a tighter fit. The hat knit as written is very comfortable on my head.

I made up a cast-on technique to get that adorable little ruffle in the panel section of the hat. I was really pleased with how it turned out. The frill is just enough detail, a perfect touch if I do say so myself. The hat is knit on US size 7 needles at 5 stitches per inch. The yarn is a generous worsted weight. 

I really wanted to keep this hat for myself but I'll just have to order a kit to make one to keep. 

And because I know I'll be asked this question, the pattern will eventually be available in my Ravelry Pattern Shop but not for quite a long while. I'll keep you posted when it becomes available. Click here for the project page for the RPT. Eventually I would love to do a quick knitalong for this hat as I really want one to keep at my house.

I'll leave you with a couple of beautiful photos I received from Lynn Edens of Our Back 40. These are the photos you will find in the actual pattern and on their website. 

(photo provided from Our Back 40)

(photo provided from Our Back 40)

Have fun at Vogue Knitting Live in New York this weekend. I can't wait for Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle as I will be teaching there (registration for classes just opened!). I've already heard from quite a few who are going to be in my classes. I love that. Please let me know if you are coming so I can keep my eye out for you.

Thank you for all of the Opal Sock Yarn Bunny and Hat Set love! The patterns are flying out of my pattern shop. That is so much fun. I really appreciate the support and I can't wait to see all of that sock yarn knit up into adorable little bunnies.

I'll be back soon with more. Get ready for another super fun review and giveaway next week.
best, susie

Opal Sock Bunny and Bunny Hat Set Now Available!

Hi, Knitters,
The Opal Sock Bunny and Bunny Hat Set are now available in my Ravelry Pattern Store. I designed the bunny and bunny hat early last summer for Unicorn Books and Crafts to premiere at TNNA in Columbus. Unicorn is the distributor for Opal yarns and they asked me to come up with a couple of non-sock designs for their beloved Opal sock yarn line. Opal really is one of my favorite sock yarns but you could knit either the bunny and/or the hat with any sock or fingering weight yarn you have in your stash. You could even combine leftovers to make a patchwork bunny. That would be so cute.

These are two great little stash busting projects for all of that sock yarn sitting on your shelves.

The Opal bunny is adorable and kind of old-fashioned looking. The best part is that the bunny is knit entirely in one-piece from the top-down. Once you are done knitting that last bunny toe you are done with the entire thing except for making a pom-pom for the tail if you like.

I pretty much love this bunny as it reminds me of an old and well-loved handcrafted toy from years gone by.

The exact yarn for both the bunny and hat is one ball of Opal Pullover & Sockenwolle Vincent van Gogh #5437. The bunny is knit on size US 1 double-pointed needles and the  hat is knit on size US 2 sixteen inch circular needles and double-pointed needles.

He is just as cute from the back view. The bunny would be cute in a solid or tonal sock yarn as well.  I used safety eyes but you could embroider eyes just as easily if you prefer.

The hat along with the bunny or on its own makes for an adorable baby gift. The hat sizes are from 0-6 months to 6-12 months. The hat and the bunny can be made out of less than 400 yards of sock yarn.

The ears are knit right in as you work the hat from the bottom up. It's a fun and fast little knit!

So I have the patterns each listed separately or you can purchase as a set for a discounted price.

The Opal Sock Yarn Bunny pattern available for $5.00. 



The Opal Sock Yarn Bunny Hat pattern is available for $5.00.



The Opal Sock Yarn Bunny and Bunny Hat Set patterns are available together for $7.00! 


Please note that the format for the pdfs were designed by Unicorn Books so they are a little different than my usual pattern format.

Enjoy the bunny knits! It's perfect timing with spring coming right around the corner.

One last thing and I'll write more about this later, my classes are up and available for registration for Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle this coming April 5-7th! I'm so excited to go to Seattle for the first time. I'm offering some new classes, too, including a class on this same Opal Sock Bunny project! I am thinking about including and coming up with a tinier sock yarn bunny version to get more done in the 3 hour class time. It should be really fun.

Click here to see more about Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle April 5-7th!

I'll be back soon with more.

best, susie

Waiting for Winter Mitt-along Prizes and Winners

(Please note that all of the photos in this post have been provided by the generous people who have donated the prizes. All of the links to the products/shops are provided in the blog post.)

Hi, Knitters,

I am here with the Waiting for Winter Mitt-along prize winners! I have asked a few of my favorites if they would donate a prize or two for our knitalong participants who finished a pair of mittens during the month of December basically. I got a great response and I can't wait to share these fantastic prizes with you. Thank you to everyone for contributing.

I want to thank everyone for participating during this busy time of year. We had 200 pairs of mittens and fingerless mitts knit from the Waiting for Winter Mitten pattern! This successful amount of knitting is tremendous and somewhat surprising because the knitalong ran from December 5th to January 5th. This is perhaps the busiest time of year for most with the holidays, family demands and travel. Regardless, you all came through and each of you whipped up a pair of mittens or two, or three or even four pairs. What a fantastic and impressive feat. 

Here is some basic information for you about the Waiting for Winter Mitt-along:

Click here to see the finished mittens! The variety and amount of mittens is amazing.

Click here for the Waiting for Winter Mitten and Fingerless Mitts pattern!

Click here for my Ravelry group, Itty-Bitty Knits! Come and join us. Everyone is welcome here. There is so much fun stuff going on all of the time, swaps, knitalongs, charity knitting, constant chatter and friendship, help, and general camaraderie. It is a fun group of generous knitters.

I have randomly selected prize winners from the finished mitten thread on the Itty-Bitty Knits group. I have eight fantastic prizes to share. All of the winners need to private message me on Ravelry at susanbanderson with their mailing address to pass on to the donators. All of the generous prize donators are sending out the goodies directly to the winners.

Let's get on with the prizes and winners.

First up, my Itty-Bitty Knits friend, Heather or mommytofive on Ravelry, has just opened a brand new Etsy shop, called Luv Bug Bags (click right here to check out her shop). I instantly fell in love with this Big Box mitten motif bag she donated. It's such a perfect prize for our knitalong. I wish I had one for myself but alas, it is going to one of you..... 

The winner of the Luv Bug Bags mitten motif bag is ptrosper (rav id)! Congratulations and ptrosper please pm me on rav with your mailing address and include which prize you won.

One of my favorite Wisconsin yarn creators is always Jeanette of Sun Valley Fibers (click here for the Sun Valley website).  Jeanette is always so fun and willing to jump in and participate. I love that. Her yarn is simply gorgeous and luxurious. 

Jeanette donated a skein of her Merino Cashmere Worsted in the Topiary colorway, 220 yards. I bet this is one squishy skein of yarn to hold and the greens that Jeanette dyes up are always the best. 

And the winner is of the Sun Valley Fibers yarn is....

Linnetknits (rav id)!! Congratulations Linnetknits and please pm me on rav with your mailing address and include which prize you won. 

Now I saw that there were many mittens knit up in another of my favorites, Cakewalk Yarns. These mittens are beautiful and fun to look at. Cakewalk Yarns has wonderful sock yarn but also squishy fun worsted weight yarns. The speckled yarns offered by Cakewalk Yarns are some of the prettiest and most unique yarns out there.

Click here for the Cakewalk Yarns etsy shop!  She is on a short break but will be back very soon.

Rose, the talented force behind Cakewalk Yarns, has donated a skein of her 100% Superwash Merino worsted in one of the best colorways ever invented called Chalkboard. You get a generous 100 gram/215 yard skein. 

And the winner is.....

monkeybuttbabies (rav id)! Congratulations monkeybuttbabies and please pm me on rav and give me your mailing address and include the prize you won.

I've known Kate of Knits in Class Fiber Studio for quite awhile now. She is a talented knitter and indie dyer from Minnesota. 

Click here for the Knits in Class Fiber Studio shop!

I contacted Kate to see if she would donate a skein of yarn from her gorgeous etsy shop filled with fiber and yarns and here is what she donated in her words:

I'd like to offer up one of my new spring colors (in the photos above), Greener Pastures, in BFL DK, which is a bright and fresh springtime green. The skein is 8 ounces, 500 yards, of 100% BFL wool yarn. I recommend anywhere from a US needle 4-7, for a gauge of 5-6 stitches per inch. This DK is heavy enough to substitute for a light worsted yarn in many patterns. The yarn is kettle dyed using Greener Shades dyes.

And the winner of the glorious Greener Pastures skein is....

boxermama (rav id)! Congratulations boxermama and please pm me on rav with your mailing address and include the prize you won in the message.

Next up, we have a crazy good prize from my buddy Jaala (pronounced Joll-a) Spiro of Knitcircus magazine and now Knitcircus Yarns fame. Jaala has a clever and beautiful offering specifically for you mitten knitters, her self-striping Malabrigo base worsted weight Twin Skeins. You knit a mitten with each skein and you have matching striped mittens! I want some of this soooo bad! I'm super excited about this unique prize and I can't wait to see someone knit up some mittens with this clever yarn. If you don't win you can still get some for yourself. Click here to see a different colorway Jaala created in the Knitcircus Yarns shop.

And coming soon from Knitcircus Yarns are Twin Skeins of self-striping sock yarn done in two separate skeins. Yes to that.

Click here for the Knitcircus Yarns shop on Etsy!

Here is the prize description from Jaala:

I have something special for your knitters; my new skeins made just for mittens, Knitcircus Malabrigo Twin Skeins in the color Ruby. Each one is 105 yards, with colors moving from hot pink to deep red to mulberry.

I love this prize. And the winner is....

Melissa-Jane (rav id)! Congratulations Melissa-Jane and please pm me on rav with your mailing address and include the prize you won.

When I think of Luna Grey yarns, I think of the prettiest, most soothing colors around. Jackie, the talented dyer and owner of Luna Grey Fiber Arts, makes wonderful and interesting colors come to life through her yarns. 

Click here for the Luna Grey Fiber Arts shop!

Jackie jumped on board for our Mitt-along and donated the following skein of her Spectra Bulky Peruvian Highland Wool described for you in her own words:

Shades of pale aqua and soft green hand-dyed onto my "Spectra" base yarn.  A soft, lofty 100% Peruvian Highland wool.  Knits up quickly and wears beautifully.  All yarn is hand-dyed in small batches in my smoke-free studio.

100g (3.5 oz)

Approx. 110 yds

Bulky Weight - 3 ply

Gauge: 3-3.5 stitches/inch on U.S. #10-11 needles

Handwash in cool water.  Lay flat to dry.

As with all hand dyed yarn, expect subtle color variations between skeins.  

Dyes are colorfast and should not run or fade. 

It's so pretty! And the winner is....

JaneBG1923! Congratulations JaneBG1923 and please pm me on rav with your mailing address and include the prize you won.

Now I have a spectacular prize and offer from another one of my favorite people and yarn companies, Infinite Twist.

Click here for the Infinite Twist shop and website!  Please take time to read about this unusual company and be sure to check out that beautiful handcrafted spinning wheel I am longing to own one day. I am excited to be working on a super fun project with Infinite Twist in the near future. I'll keep you posted.

Cate Carter of Infinite Twist is offering the most wonderful and unique prize for you. Here is the unbelievable prize described by Cate:

I'd like to offer a prize that can be offered in either fiber or yarn

depending on the winner's preference. I've just released spinning kits

with 5 oz hand-dyed fiber plus a skein of silky rayon (descriptions

and pics on my site here:

http://infinitetwist.com/product-category/fiber/). (From me: Be sure to check out these lovely choices.)

I can ship a spinning kit immediately, but would need about four weeks

to spin up and ship the fiber if the winner wants yarn.

So you can either have the fiber in the colorway of your choice sent to you immediately or if you prefer, Cate will spin up the yarn for you! That's so cool. I can't believe this generous offer. If you choose to have the yarn spun up for you, it will take at least 4 weeks to receive your prize. It will be worth the wait.

And the winner is......

Debbie4 (rav id)! Congratulations (I can't wait to see what you pick out) Debbie4 and please pm me on rav with your mailing address and include the prize you won.

Last but not least, the one and only Marian of the incredibly hard to get and popular Freshisle Fibers yarns contacted me after she saw my own Waiting for Winter Mittens knit in her Suffolk Wool self-striping watermelon yarn. She has donated a skein of her fun and whimsical watermelon striping yarn, including the seeds, to one of you! I can't tell you how lucky the winner is to score a skein of this elusive yarn. You have to be on your internet toes to get your hands on Marian's watermelon sock or worsted weight yarn. This is a true treat. I would not have even thought of asking Marian for her yarn so I was incredibly happy that she offered.

Click here for the Freshisle Fibers website! Check out all of their offerings and read about the interesting company. 

Here is the information about the donated prize skein: 

100% Suffolk wool yarn - hand dyed - self striping watermelon

Approximately 120 grams, 4+ ounces, 200+ yards, 2 ply worsted weight.

And the winner is.....

KnittingBlitz (rav id)! Congratulations to KnittingBlitz and please pm me on rav to give me your mailing address and include the prize you won.

Phew! That was a long post but all good fun. Congratulations to the winners and a huge gigantic hug and thank you to the prize donators. You make these knitalongs so much more exciting. I appreciate all of the effort by everyone.

Up next, the Opal Sock Yarn Bunny and Bunny Hat patterns will become available in my Ravelry Pattern Shop!

Take care.

best, susie