Let the Knit Along Begin!

The day has finally come ... Autumn in New York is now available, and I'm looking forward to seeing the yarns and colors you choose.  I fell in love with Duck Duck Wool's Teal Tuesday and think it's a gorgeous color for so many skin tones and hair colors. 

So, let the knit along begin! Here are the details: 

Between today and December 20, knit an Autumn in New York hat for your favorite charity. A thread for works-in-progress photos will be open on the Project: Stash Ravelry Group so we can chat as we knit along.  

To be eligible for one of our fantastic prizes, you need to be a Project: Stash Ravelry Group member, post photos of your finished hats in the FO thread, and let us know which charity your hat (or hats) will be going to. It's that simple!

To get you excited all over again, the prizes are:  a pattern by Allyson Dykhuizen, a pattern by Melanie Berg, a $15 gift certificate for patterns by Jane Richmond, and a $25 gift certificate for yarn hand-dyed by Sandra of Duck Duck Wool.  Pretty cool, huh?

I'm really excited to be knitting along with all of you ... so get your needles and yarn and let's get started!

Autumn In New York

I'm bubbling with excitement over my new hat pattern, Autumn in New York, and just wanted to give you a sneak peek of my recent photo shoot with Miranda.

I am so happy with how this new design turned out and knitting it in Duck Duck Wool's merino DK was a complete joy and pleasure.

I'm getting ready to release the pattern tomorrow (for free) and hope that many of you will knitalong with the Project: Stash Ravelry Group for your favorite charity.  While we have fantastic prize incentives, knitting for charity is reward enough, I know!

A Tease to Please #4

I'm excited to say that my new hat pattern is almost ready to be released.  I spent a good part of last weekend working on the final touches ~ the pattern is now written and the hat has been photographed, but I want to read through the instructions a few more times before I share it.  I'm always amazed at how long it takes to design a pattern from sketch to final release ~ hats off (no pun intended) to all you incredible designers.  I just don't know how you do it, week after week!

One such designer is also one of my all-time favorites:  Jane Richmond.  There are some designers whose aesthetic you can see from a mile away.  If you've been following Jane for the past few years, I think you'll agree that she has a classic look that's pretty irresistable.  Whenever I get the chance, I jump to test knit for her and one of her recent designs was truly a joy to knit ~ the Beacon Hill Cardigan. 

Jane is one of those all-around designers:  hats, cowls, mitts, cardigans, pullovers, ... you get the picture. Jane has generously offered to donate a $15 gift certificate towards her patterns as a prize for our charity hat knitalong, and I couldn't be more thrilled. 


arbutus



Grace

So, there you have it, friends ~ no more teasing.  We've got three amazing designers and one incredible indie dyer (Allyson, Melanie, Jane, and Sandra) encouraging some charity hat knitting.  I can't wait to get started with all of you! 

A Tease to Please #3

There are some designers whose work catches your eye again and again.  There's just something about their aesthetic that fits right into your own style. You may remember when I posted about my summer test knit called Otherside ~ I've worn this classic top numerous times since finishing it and get the nicest compliments.

When I first came upon Melanie's designs, I was so impressed: she's one of those knitters who appreciates the simplicity of what yarn and needles can do.  I was so excited when Melanie said that she would donate a pattern prize for our upcoming charity hat knitalong so if you haven't knit one of Mairlynd's beautiful accessories, you're in for a real treat.  Here's a parade of some of my favorites ... just imagine the yarns and colors you can knit these with, and I bet some of them are in your stash!

nangou

chimaira

jinlys

A Tease to Please #2

So, the other day I posted the first teaser about the soon-to-be announced charity knit along that will be hosted over on the Project: Stash Ravelry group.  I'm loving the gorgeous yarn from Duck Duck Wool that I'm working with and cannot wait for the big reveal of my new hat pattern.  But, for now, as we approach the cast-on date (which, by the way, will be early next week), I wanted to entice you further by saying that this prize-filled KAL will have pattern giveaways by not one, not two, but three amazing designers.  To give you a little nudge to join in, here's a glimpse of one of these incredible talents.

I doubt very much that this post will introduce you to Allyson of the Sweatshop of Love blog, and I imagine that many of you have knit some of her inspired designs already. Allyson also runs Holla Knits and is the brain behind the ever popular Work + Shelter sweater....

... the beautiful Caitin's Cardi .... 

 
... and her most recent design, the Bristlecone Pullover, published in Knitscene Winter 2013. 

One lucky KAL winner will pick from Allyson's terrific patterns ~ thanks again, Allyson, for your generosity.  Okay, knitters, stay tuned for teaser #3!

Did Someone Say Knitalong?

I've missed knitting along with my Project: Stash Ravelry group so while I've been busy with my other works-in-progress, I've also been designing a new hat for a charity KAL that I'll be announcing ... very, very soon.

What I can tell you today is that I'm working with the most scrumptious yarn in the most soothing colorway.  This is Duck Duck Wool's Teal Tuesday colorway in the DK weight base, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Sandra's work.  She's such a talent:  she's smart, funny, generous, and knows her way around a dye pot!  Last spring, Sandra sent this skein along to me as a surprise and I haven't stopped thinking about it ever since.

My new hat design was completely influenced by the texture and color of this yarn, and I'm really excited to share it with you in a few days.  For now, consider joining our group of fun and supportive knitters and get ready for a fun and prize-filled charity hat KAL.  Duck Duck Wool will be one of the sponsors offering a nice incentive to join in and I'll reveal that information in the coming days, too.

Gosh, I'm such a tease!

Charming

I'm lucky in that I get to knit at work.  Okay, not while doing my work but in meetings when I know it won't bother other people. While knitting my Mothed pullover the other day, a friend commented on the charms that were dotted throughout the piece. She wondered if they were like jewelry meant to adorn the sweater.


"No," I said, "they're stitch markers," which led to a puzzled face (yes, she is not a knitter) so I explained what stitch markers are used for. It got me thinking about how so many of us knitters use tools in our work that are really quite beautiful. 

As it so happens, yesterday the winner of my giveaway was Lisa, and over the last couple of weeks, Lisa and I had been in touch via Ravelry because I read on her blog that she's participating in Relay for Life, an event and fundraiser that raises awareness about cancer research. Part of her efforts involve selling her hand-made Hope Markers, and I jumped at the chance to help Lisa reach her goals.

I'm keeping these!

I got my three sets of stitch markers on my birthday (two large and one small), and I think they are absolutely beautiful. I already know one friend who I'll be gifting a set to, but I'm going to have to keep the other two sets for myself. These pretties will definitely charm my next project ... which I hope to cast on this weekend!

Potholder (Frenzy) #2

Do you know the expression about one's eyes being larger than one's stomach?  We use that saying a lot around my house especially when we see the kids pile huge portions of food on their plates at meal time, sure that they won't be able to finish it all.  Well, when I blogged about knitting potholders for a charity vendor fair, I thought I would have the time (and energy) to knit several in at least three different styles.  Oh boy, were my eyes larger than my stomach hands and time would allow.

Sheep O' Wool in Aquamarine

Still, I managed to knit one and felt one and send them off to Larissa in time for her fair.

Sadly a crease developed in the felting process

You may recall that I've only felted one time before and while I find it a magical process, I'm not experienced enough to fall madly in love with the process.  Felting this potholder was easy peasy, but somehow, I find it too plain and maybe even boring. (It's okay, you can say so, too).

Ah well, I didn't have time to knit more than these two, but I was glad to have contributed even in this very small way.  If you want to see how spectacular the other donated potholders are, head over to Larissa's Stitch Marker group on Ravelry.  You'll be in awe!

Potholder (Frenzy) #1

I'm pleased to say that I finished the first pot holder for the charity vendor fair that Larissa is participating in this coming weekend.  It's a very simple pattern that knits up quickly.  I highly recommend using double strands of 100% cotton which is what I did.

Cotton Ease in Violet

Large Basket Weave Stitch

If you're looking for a simple but pretty potholder pattern for your holiday gift list, try this one.  I knit this up in one afternoon.

Potholder Frenzy

Hmmm, okay, maybe not frenzy but I will be spending a nice chunk of this weekend knitting up as many potholders as I can.  Why you ask? No, it's not for holiday gifts (although that's a thought....).  I'm going to be knitting potholders as part of a charity effort that's being led by Larissa Brown over on her blog, an effort that I couldn't resist getting involved in.  Larissa will be participating in a local vendor fair that will be part art installation/part fundraiser and she's planning to sell donated potholders with proceeds going to one of her favorite charities called Raising A Reader, an early literacy program for at-risk children in her community.  Literacy is close to my heart, too, and the combination of knitting and helping to raise money for such an important program was irresistable.

I spent the last few days scouring different potholder patterns and settled on these three.  Don't you think they're terrific?  I hope to post the FOs next week (you'll all hold me to this deadline, won't you?).

First up is Chra's simple and cheerful potholder pattern.  I think I'll knit one up in an equally bright color.

From Chra's Rav page

Next is VerenaF's felted potholder pattern.  I'll try to make a few so that I can felt them all at once.

From VF's Rav page

And finally, I'm excited to knit up DROPS' felted Christmas hotpad pattern because I love the texture of this design.  Seriously, aren't these bumps the best?!

I'll be going through my stash tonight and hope I have what I need. And since these need to be knitted in 100% wool (definitely for the felted ones), I'll also be keeping to my Wovember challenge. If I don't have the wool in my stash (hard to believe), I'll have to make a little trip to my LYS tomorrow.  I know, what a hardship!

A small difference

First of all, I want to thank everyone who has been visiting and commenting on Project: Stash. You have made blogtoberfest such a joy to participate in, and I love reading all your thoughtful and encouraging words.

Giving thanks is something my Canadian blogger friends have done recently as they celebrated their Thanksgiving holiday earlier this week.  They have shared posts about socks, sweater love, and simply feeling thankful, to name just a few. It got me thinking about another side of my knitting that reminds me how thankful I am for what I have and for the people in my life. While I love knitting for the pleasure of creating something warm with my hands and using the creative side of my brain, I also love knitting because it allows me to make something useful for those who need a little help.

Hipster Hat

Over this past year, there have been so many natural disasters that more folks are finding themselves with greater needs this winter.  For me, knitting hats is comfort knitting.  I know some of you don't like knitting in the round, but I really enjoy it and find that a hat can be finished in just a couple of sittings.  I've been knitting hats in anticipation of the cooler weather coming, knowing that I'd like to make a small difference in someone's life by sending them a wooly hat when perhaps their beloved knits are no longer with them. These are just a few that will be going off to various calls for knitted goodies. If you're interested in helping, please visit Central Ohio Binky Patrol or Global Knit on Ravelry.

My own design with cables

My own design -- the yarn does the work

Say hello to Aurora!