Category: knitting

The Pippa Toque

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I’ve decided to start hosting the Pippa Toque pattern on my website. The pattern is still the same, it’s just downloadable from here now. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the download link.

Pippa Hero cropped

The Pippa Toque is a cute little hat to keep heads and ears toasty and warm on cold winter days. The close stitches and stranded colour work make this a nice thick fabric for great insulation.

You can find a photo tutorial for making pompoms here in the Tutorials section of the website.

Suggested Yarn
Jil Eaton Minnow Merino; 100% Extra Fine Superwash Merino; 77 yds 70 m / 1.76 oz 50 g.
MC: 2 skeins of Mango (4751).
CC’s: Less than 20 yds each of Elderberry (4727), Snow White (4701), Pinque (4789), Light Blue (4747), and Peacock (4709).

Needles
US #8 5 mm 16” (40 cm) circular and DPNs, long circular for magic loop or two circulars—or size needed to obtain gauge as listed.
US #6 4 mm 16” (40 cm) circular—or 2 sizes smaller than that needed to obtain gauge.

Notions
Stitch marker, tapestry needle.

Gauge
23 stitches and 26 rows / 4 inches 10 cm in Chart 2, blocked.

Sizes
Finished measurement: 13.5 (15.75, 18, 20.25, 22.5)” / 34.5 (40, 45.5, 51.5, 57) cm circumference. Intended to be worn with 1” 2.5 cm of negative ease.
Note: Sample is shown in 18” 45.5 cm.

Skill Level
Intermediate: requires ability to work in the round, stranded colourwork, various increases and decreases.

Click the link below to download the pdf. I hope you enjoy the pattern and the hat!

Pippa Toque V3.1

Or maybe this hero

My Favourite Colourwork of the Giftalong

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I am a sucker for colourwork. I pretty much love anything that has more than one colour, and the process of stranded knitting makes me happy. I’ve rounded up some of my favourite colourful patterns of the giftalong for your perusing pleasure. It’s a long list because, as I said, I’m a huge fan. Here we go! (Also, I’m trying out this photo collage thingy on WordPress, we’ll see how it goes…)

First up: Socks! On the left we have Pumpkin Butter by Kristen Jancuk (photo copyright Kristen Jancuk/MediaPeruana), there’s just something about that orange and cream that’s drawing me in. On the right is Jagged Edge by Jo Torr (photo copyright Brian Torr), which are complex and interesting and likely very warm and cosy.

Next we have mittens. All three of these patterns are so incredibly beautiful, I have serious designer envy. Left to right are First Snow Mittens by Aet Terasmaa (photo copyright Aet Terasmaa), Kilim Mittens Kilim Mittens by Carol Sunday (photo copyright Sunday Knits), and Bunty Mitts by Ella Austin (photo copyright Ella Austin).

And of course I love colourwork hats (having designed a few myself). These are from left to right: Electric Gumdrops by Kimberly Golynskiy (photo copyright 80skeins), Turtle Soup by Joeli’s Kitchen (photo copyright Desire2Inspire Photography), and Fall is a Color by Casapinka (photo copyright Casapinka).

More hats because I couldn’t keep it to just three. These ones are truly stunners. Left to right: Denim and Brocade Toque by Jenise Hope (photo copyright Jenise Reid), Midnight Fog by Rebekah Evelyn (photo copyright Rebekah Evelyn), and Sirona by Emmy Petersson (photo copyright Emmy Petersson).

 

Both of these cowls are interesting because they’ve got different patterns inside and out. And both sides of both cowls are gorgeous! On the left is Byzantine Cowl by Stephannie Tallent (photo copyright Stephannie Tallent) and on the right is Alameda by Clare Lakewood (photo copyright Clare Lakewood).

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Finally, some patterns of extra interest. First is Alpine Flower by Amanda Scheuzger (photo copyright Amanda Scheuzger). Amanda does absolutely amazing things with yarn, and this hat is no different. I love the colourwork and unusual construction here. Next up is Wilkins by Varian Brandon (photo copyright Varian Brandon). Maybe when I grow up I will knit a fully stranded fingering weight jumper. Until then, I will admire Varian’s work from afar with awe. Please check out her blog for fabulous resources on stranded knitting. Finally, there is the Cluaran Tea Cosy by K. M. Bedigan (photo copyright K. M. Bedigan), which is just perfection in every way. Someday I will make one of these!

And that’s my roundup of Favourite Colourwork Patterns of the GAL. Stay tuned tomorrow for Favourite Crochet Patterns (aka, things I would make if I could actually crochet).

It’s Gift-A-Long Time Again

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For those of us involved in the inner workings of the Indie Design GiftALong, the excitement has been building for months. There’s a lot of work that goes into putting on the big show so for us it’s been a slow but steady buildup.

But, for the participants, now is the time to start getting excited! It’s time! Starting tonight, specifically at 8:00 pm EST November 19th, the sale begins and the crafting gets underway. The knitty-gritty of it is thus:

Infographic
Infographic created by Kimberly Golynskiy

 

There are 335 participating Independent Designers, who offer knit and crochet patterns. They have selected 5-20 of their self-published patterns to offer at 25% with the coupon code giftalong2015. This sale will run from November 19th at 8pm EST until November 27th at 11:59pm EST. To find out which designers are participating and which of their patterns are on sale, check out this Ravelry thread. Clicking on the designer’s name in their post will take you to their Ravelry store, and further clicking on their GiftALong bundle will take you to their collection of sale items.

The next part of the fun is the actual GiftALong. Join the Indie Design Giftalong Group and join in the chat and crafting in any of the categories with any pattern from a participating designer. There will be lots of games and prizes given out, and anyone working on a not-free pattern from one of the participating designers will be eligible to win. This part of the GAL will run until December 31st at 11:59 pm.

So, if this sounds fun and interesting, as it should, head on over to the group on Ravelry and read the more comprehensive explanation and rules and join the fun! I will be posting more about the GAL and some of the talented participating designers over the next weeks, so stay tuned for more!

Introducing the Mount Rundle Mittens

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Hello! Long time, no see! And boy, has life been happening since I last posted. Most of the radio silence of late was a result of a move to a new continent. My husband’s office in Calgary was closed down, and he was lucky to get an offer to transfer to the office in London. Three months later, here we are.

In order to focus on the logistics of moving a whole family across an ocean, I put designing aside until we got here. I gotta tell ya, that was not easy! Ideas were festering in my brain and I so itched to get at my yarn and spreadsheets. But there was so much else going on, I knew it had to wait.

Luckily, I had a pattern that had been completed back in June that was waiting for the right season for publishing. As the days have started getting shorter and colder here, I’m feeling confident that now is the time. So, I present the Mount Rundle Mittens.

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These mittens were originally designed for an event at The Loop, my local yarn store in Calgary. They had a Craft Cruise coming through and wanted some patterns and yarns from local artists and I was fortunate that they asked me. These mittens are my homage to the tall mountains and sunny skies of Alberta.

Hero Square

The original sample was knit in my own hand-dyed yarn. I loved how it looked in the navy blue and silver. But, when moving, I decided that the yarn-dyeing operation was best left on hold. Then I was left not wanting to have a pattern only suggesting a yarn that wasn’t commercially available. So, I picked up some incredible Mrs. Crosby Trunk Case from The Salty Sheep while on vacation in Swansboro, NC. The new sample is knit up in Hollywood Cerise and African Grey – both stunning colours with such depth and subtle variation.

IMG_1953

The pattern is now available for purchase on Ravelry and Love Knitting. I hope you like it, happy knitting!

Introducing the Fundy Tides Collection

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Along with the release of Ribbon Weed, I’ve also published the first installment of the Fundy Tides Collection.

Cover Photo

This collection features cable patterns that remind me of the shapes of the sea weeds and you’ll find variations of them on each of the pieces. The Ribbon Weed throw has large cables knit in super-bulky yarn for a dramatic effect. The cables on the Sea Oak pillow are more understated, while the Dulse pillow is a celebration of cables.

Throw hero

All of these patterns will be available individually or together as part of an e-book. The patterns will be priced at $5 USD each.

The e-book will ultimately be priced at $10.50 USD, a savings of $4.50 over buying the patterns individually.

But the book will be available at a lower price while it is not yet full. Each time a pattern is added, the price will go up. The introductory price, available when it only contains the throw pattern, will be $6. Once the 2nd pattern is added, the price will go up to $8. When the final pattern is added the price will be the full $10.50.

Each time a new pattern is released, the e-book will be updated with the new pattern. Customers who have already purchased the book will receive an email notifying them that the book has been updated.

So, my advice is to get it while it’s hot! Click the Buy Now button below while the book is available for the lowest price.