Pompom Tutorial

I’ve been working on updating the Pippa Toque pattern over the last few days. It was one of my first patterns so it left a bit to be desired, including being worked in a yarn that had been discontinued. I thought it might be a good idea to clean it up a bit, work up a new sample in a current yarn, and put it into my new pattern layout.

I also decided that I didn’t need to include the photo tutorial for the pompom in the pattern. Instead, I’m now going to put the tutorial up here so that it can be accessed by anyone. I can now include a link in my patterns to the tutorial. Easy peasy!

Making a pompom is also easy peasy. Check it out…

starting pompom

Pull a long strand of each colour of yarn from the balls and hold together, laying across your fingers.

winding pompom

Wind around your fingers 15 to 20 times. (If you’re only using one colour you’ll want to do more like 100 wraps).

tying pompom

Cut a 12″ length of yarn. Push one end between your middle two fingers, wrap around the strands at the center and tie very tightly.

uncut pompom

Do not cut off ends of this tie.

cutting pompom

With sharp scissors, cut through the center of the loops on either side of the tie.

untrimmed pompom

The resulting pompom will be a little messy and uneven.

finished pompom

Give it a good fluff and then, using your scissors, give it a trim to make it a nice round ball. Using the long ends of the strand tied around the middle of the pompom, tie the pompom tightly to the top of the hat. Weave in the ends.

Good stuff, eh?

Atticus Pullover

It’s knitting season again! I know, it’s really hot now, but fall is just around the corner. Now is the time to start that new sweater so that it’s ready for when those crisp days set in. With fall comes school, which calls for back to school clothes. So let me ever-so-modestly suggest you knit your little ones an Atticus Pullover to keep them warm at the bus stop this year.

A Mother’s Side Note: I’m so excited that I can finally share these pictures of Atticus. He’s so freakin’ cute in them it kills me!

Hero

My boy likes a lot of colour, and would be quite happy to wear the whole rainbow all the time. This is my toned-down version of his vision, lots of colour but not so much that your eyes cross.
The sweater is very simple but the stripe pattern makes it lots of fun. The piece is designed with generous ease to fit over a shirt and to grow with the child.

Other great front picture

The sample was knit in Cascade 220, a worsted-weight, 100% wool yarn. The pattern is written in 8 sizes, from 2 to 16, and fits with about 4″ of ease.

Close up

Thanks goes out again to Eleanor Dixon for Technical Editing, and to all my wonderful testers! I hope you all enjoy this new pattern as much as I do!

Back

The pattern is $6.00 US, but is on sale for $3.00 until midnight MST on August 17th.

Introducing the Beverly Beach Shirt

Woohoo! The first new pattern in a long time! More exclamation points!!! The process of designing and perfecting a sweater pattern is long. But it’s pretty satisfying in the end.

And here she is, Beverly…

Hero fixed

The Beverly Beach shirt is knit in one piece as a rectangle, starting at the bottom front edge and ending with the bottom back edge. Garter stitch button bands are knit along both sides as you go, with buttonholes along the front and buttons along the back. The buttons join the front to the back, making this a seamless knit.


bent over

Sizes:  XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL), fits bust sizes 28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52)” [71 (81, 91, 102, 112, 122, 132) cm].
This top is meant to be loose fitting and is designed with a generous amount of ease.  Sample shown is size M modeled on a 34”/86 cm bust.  Please refer to the detailed schematic in the pattern to determine your appropriate size.

Back

Laid out

The release of this pattern also marks the debut of my new pattern layout. Check out the front page and tell me what you think!

Front Page

Sneak Peeks

You may have already figured out by my lack of posting much lately, but my knitting and designing mojo all but disappeared in the new year. After such a busy and crazy push leading up to the holidays I decided to take a bit of a break, but then it was really hard to get back into it.

This is not to say I haven’t been puttering here and there. I did finish a new design, which is just now finishing up testing and getting the last look-over from my editor. Look for its release early next week.

Close-up on Beach

I also got some motivation to come up with something new when my kids’ preschool requested some items for a silent auction. I fiddled around with some colourwork and landed upon something I’m kinda excited about. The hat pattern is mostly written but it’s not exactly the right season to release anything wintery so I’m going to hold onto that one until fall.  Until then, here is a sneak peek, working on it in my new favourite place to knit…

Hanalei beach shot

Finally, I’ve just finished writing up a pattern for a striped pullover in kids’ sizes. The Atticus sweater is off to the editor for the first round of revisions and will be in testing soon. Here’s a quick look for now…

Stripe close-up

So, even though it’s been a little slow around here lately, I think I’ve finally got back into the swing of things. I’ll be posting some more in the next few days about some other exciting goings-on around the land of Cowtown Knits.

Introducing Chum’s Pullover

Let’s start the new year off right with a new pattern release! This one has been a really long time coming so I’m over-the-moon thrilled to finally get it out there. Without further ado, let me introduce you to Chum’s Pullover…

Full Frontal

Chum’s Pullover is a stylish yet casual men’s sweater featuring a triangular-shaped placket and chunky buttons. The placket adds a touch of interest and style to the piece that is manly enough for even the toughest of men. It is knit in bulky yarn, making relatively short work of a man-sized garment. The piece would look great with a pair of jeans, battered and old or crisp and sleek. It would also pair well with a pop of colour like red denim, if that’s the way you roll.

Placket Detail

The sweater is worked in the round from the bottom to the underarm, then the left front, right front (including placket) and back are worked individually and joined at the shoulders with Kitchener stitch. The set-in sleeves are worked flat from the cuff up and then seamed and attached to the body of the sweater. The neck flap and high neckline are finished with a crocheted edge to give the piece a nice, clean look.

Open Collar

The sample shown in the picture is worn with zero ease, and that is how the pattern is written. For a little extra room, I recommend knitting the next size up.

From now until midnight MST on January 11th the pattern is available for 25% off.

Under the bridge

PS – Look how hot Chum looks! I’m a lucky lady!