Brynna’s Shrug

One of the things I miss most about living in Washington DC (we moved a whopping 8 miles away across the border to northern Virginia) is my friend Mary Beth and her daughters, Brynna and Rory, who lived 2 blocks away and often accompanied us to the playground. Luckily they still come to visit us!

Brynna & Rory

Brynna and Rory are my son’s “unofficial sisters” and watching the three of them interact has been both hilarious and heartwarming. These two boisterous girls that I see running around like maniacs at the playground, jumping from the top of the slide and performing daredevil tricks are so calm and gentle around my 2-year-old. They hug and snuggle with him like he’s a little bird, treating him with the love and care that only an older sister can. He adores both them and the attention they shower on him, the little flirt!

No stranger to handmade clothing, Brynna and Rory’s mom is a talented sewer and a great knitter. With Brynna in mind, I grabbed some of Cascade’s super soft Sateen yarn and casted on a shrug for this little spitfire of a young woman whom my son has a crush on.

The best thing about Sateen is the softness and sheen. Unlike silk or bamboo yarn, I had no issues with splitting and it ran easily though my fingers, making it a pleasure to knit with. It’s machine washable and dryable (a MUST for an active 7-year old), comes in almost 35 colors (a shade for every picky kid out there!) and has hefty yardage at 301 yards a skein! Being a knitting mom on a budget, throw a machine washable yarn with 301 yards a skein my way and I’m a happy lady!

I don’t normally reach for a variegated yarn, but the ones offered in Sateen have quite a few subtle ones, which mean the lace pattern I knit up didn’t get lost in the colors. With so many color options you can knit one for all the girls in your life in their preferred color so they’ll actually wear it!

Knit in a rectangle starting and ending with ribbing, the rectangle is then tipped horizontally and seamed at the ribbing to create sleeves. Not only is this shrug adorable, but it’s simple to knit and easy to size up or down. For a bigger kid, knit a few more lace reps (measure the “wingspan” of her shoulders from end to end, add a couple of inches and that should be your lace portion not including the ribbing). You can also omit a few reps to make it smaller. The finished shrug is stretchy enough that it can be worn for multiple seasons and won’t be outgrown right away.

How cute would this be for grade school graduation or to wear to a summer wedding?

Free pattern available for download here.

Printemps Shawl

I have permanent spring fever.

I love walking down the street, cool breeze in my hair, trees beginning to sprout buds, crocuses already popping up to put small bursts of color on a barren ground, blue sky and the sounds of birds coming back from their vacation to the south. I love that it’s still chilly enough to warrant a lovely lace shawl wrapped around your shoulders, a lightweight hat or some fingerless wristers to cut the chill. I love this in-between stage where you can’t yet pack away the winter gear but it’s not yet time to drag out the tank tops and shorts, bid your knits adieu and break out the beach gear.

Spring. I love it.

So fleeting in an almost “blink and you’ll miss it” time period, spring is the best season, yet gets the least airplay. Here in DC, summer drags on to a punishment similar to Chinese water torture. Drip, drip, drip… The oppressive days drag on from May to late September, the mercury climbing higher still until you feel like you may as well retreat to an air-conditioned cave (with lots of knitting).

I adore a good long winter, snowflakes dancing their way down and exploding into a crescendo of extra snow knitting days, the constant need to wrap yourself in as much knitwear as possible, giant mugs of tea and arguments over what the best fiber is.

Fall comes and goes almost as quickly as spring, making me long for my childhood days of growing up in New England with the fireworks display of reds and golds the trees would put on for us. Sure, there are some signs of fall here, but nothing like a crisp, northern autumn.

Which brings me back to spring, or “printemps” as the French call it. This shawl is the perfect garment to get you through the transition of down jacket to no jacket at all. With the body of the shawl knit first, followed by 2 borders attached with a 3-needle bind off, you can tote it around with you easily. The feminine lace reminds me of rolling hills covered in grass, which is precisely why I chose this beautiful color, dill. I’m particularly excited about the yarn because it has a subtle sparkle. I like a good sparkle yarn as much as the next girl, but a lot of companies tend to overdo the sparkle, making you look more ready for Vegas than everyday life. This new superwash yarn from Cascade called Sunseeker has the PERFECT amount of sparkle, with the metallic thread matching the yarn color. Smart!

A blend of metallic, cotton and acrylic, Sunseeker comes in a generous 237 yard hank at a mere $8. $8 for 237 yards of sparkly yarn in 15 shades? Count me in!

Not only am I giddy that it’s finally spring, I’m excited to have found my new go-to sparkle yarn! Free Printemps Shawl pattern available for download here.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

You know that saying, “cold hands, warm heart?” I come from a family of chronically cold-handed people, which I suppose means we all have warm hearts.

I used to get up before dawn and go skiing with my dad and brother. We’d pile into the car while the sky was still a deep navy, ski equipment rattling around in the back, eyes heavy, the air so cold that even with the heater on full blast we could still see our breath. By the time we’d get to the slopes, the sun was just slipping over the mountains, making it go from bone-chillingly cold to just plain old freezing.

We’d strap on our skis and head up on the chair lift, always starting the first run together then meeting up later for lunch. Often my dad would stay with me through the morning and those insanely cold starts made it worth it, just to get that time with him on the chair lift. We’d sometimes see my brother flying down the mountain from the lift, yelling and waving wildly to get his attention, but it was usually just my dad and I huddled together for warmth and talking. No matter what I did, my hands were always ice blocks, no matter how many layers I’d wear inside my mittens. My dad had the same problem.

As you read last month, my son is a notorious mitten-loser. He loses mittens faster than I can wrangle them on his tiny hands and therefore runs around the playground with freezing cold digits.

My husband likes to bike to the Metro, and while I think it’s great exercise and it cuts his commuting time down, he’ll often come home at night with hands so cold he can’t feel them. After some demands suggestions from me to wear something on his hands, he’s finally become amenable to the idea.

In honor of all the men in my life that are important to me, I’ve designed a FREE pair of fingerless mitts or “wristers” as I like to call them, for these gentlemen. Designed after much conversation with my husband about what he looks for in hand wear, we noticed that most of the wrister patterns for men are boring and don’t fit properly in the thumb area. These wristers have a comfortable thumb gusset, a bit of color and ribbing making them stretchy enough to fit everyone nicely and cut out the chill.

“How about alpaca?” I asked him, as he sat sipping his cappuccino. Shrugging his shoulders, I took a hank of Cascade’s Eco Highland Duo and rubbed it on his neck. The neck test is key when knitting for someone. Does it itch? What’s their reaction? Do they flinch or grab it from you and start talking excitedly?

Cascade’s Eco Highland Duo is one of the most buttery undyed baby alpaca and undyed baby merino wool blends out there. Beyond soft, you have to feel it to believe it. I want to just untwist a hank and wrap it around my neck to wear all day it’s so soft, or find a huge pile of it and take a nap. Coming in 7 beautiful natural colors (and 20 dyed colors if you want brighter options), everything about this yarn screams “Natural! Soft! Luxurious! Knit with me now!” I was only too happy to oblige.

After an enthusiastic yes from the husband regarding the yarn, the Men’s Cappuccino Wristers were born. Just shy of 200 yards a hank, there was definitely enough yardage left to get another pair out, making them the perfect gift for all the men in your life (with or without cold hands).

Since we’re beginning the transition into spring, why not knit a pair for everyone?

Download the free Men’s Cappuccino Wristers pattern here.

 

A Few New Patterns…

I don’t always write about new patterns here on the blog… To be honest, I work on so many things and by the time they roll around to being published, sometimes I forget I even knit them or I’m just too swamped to do anything about it. This is when I’d really appreciate it if someone would make cloning oneself affordable and not creepy. Recently, I met The Fiberists. They came up and introduced themselves at the Shenandoah Fiber Festival in the fall when I was doing a book signing. Comprised of Spencer and Reggie, I had seen their yarns at my LYS, Fibre Space and really liked them. The color ways are named for natural elements and I loved the softness, ply and both Spencer and Reggie. A few emails and meetings later, and we had hatched a plan for me to do three patterns for them for their trunk show at Fibre Space. If you’re in the Alexandria, VA area, swing by this weekend on February 16th and 17th started at 10am-6pm both days to meet The Fiberists, manhandle some of their gorgeous yarns, check out their lovely trunk show and see my three new designs for them.

Kinderhook Blanket

I love knitting baby blankets that don’t assume the knitter can’t handle something fun. I’m so tired of boring baby blankets in boring colors that are well, boring to knit. Babies need color and texture! Blankets shouldn’t be a chore to knit for a new baby, they should be fun, with love and anticipation for the arrival in every stitch. Kinderhook Blanket pattern available here.

Booker Cowl

It’s no secret I love cabling. Cabling in two colors? Even better! This thick cowl ensures no wind will get through and the unisex design means you can make a few for the coat closet and anyone can grab one and go!

Book Cowl pattern available here.

Rimrock Reversible Cowl

I think Fair Isle knitting will always be my favorite technique. I teach it so often for both classes and workshops and truly enjoy it. What I hear a lot from my students is they hate how the wrong side looks when they knit something in Fair Isle. This got me thinking… Wouldn’t a reversible cowl be a great idea? Not only would it be extra thick, but it’s be an inverted design, so you never have to worry about the wrong side facing out. Kitchenering ensures no seaming. Oh, I love this cowl!

Rimrock Reversible Cowl pattern available here.

Hope to see you this weekend at the trunk show!

Banding Together – FREE Pattern Alert!

I wonder if there’s a place in the universe where all the missing socks go. Its twin planet would no doubt be where all the missing mittens go. They probably get together and have a giant party, laughing at all the people wandering around with mismatched socks and one cold hand. Seriously, where do all those missing socks and mittens go?

My son and I go to the playground almost daily. It’s a ritual he’s come to expect and love and I enjoy spending time together there with him, watching as he gets bolder with the curly q slides or the swings. We went from hanging out on the fringe while he got the lay of the land to running full force from one enjoyment to another.  It’s been a joy watching him join in and build confidence.

The place is crawling with kids of all ages, shapes and sizes, colorful blurs running here and there with pink cheeks, icy cold hands and bare heads. I’d like to say (as both a knitter and a mom) that my kid would never be one of those cold children running around mittenless or without a hat on his head. I’d like to say that, but it’s just not true.

My son will wear a hat without complaint, but he hates mittens. I noticed his innate ability to quickly lose a mitten in less than 20 seconds flat, even with mitten clips. I’d watch him like a hawk and he’d still pull a Houdini and we’d walk home, one mitten less. “Leave no mitten behind!” I’d proclaim in my head, but it’s a battle I lost almost every time. Eventually I gave up, letting him play with cold hands and feeling like a terrible mother.

I’d discuss this phenomenon with other moms, dads and caregivers at the playground. We’d all accepted it as our fate to have cold children, shuffle around a bit, shake our heads and move on. Until one day, when I decided I was tired of buying and losing mittens and I’d use the power of the knitted icord to win this battle once and for all.

Whomever invented superwash yarn should be declared a saint. My favorite superwash is Cascade’s 128 Superwash, a 100% superwash merino wool with 128 yards per hank. I love it’s gentle ply, it’s soft squishiness and how quickly it knits up and how in no time, you’ll have something cute made up that can be thrown in the washing machine. They have almost 70 colors with endless combinations and it was difficult choosing just two. It was with two hanks of 128 Superwash in hand that I began my battle against the missing mitten.

Feeling smug (as if I’d won the battle already), I knit my son a pair of adorable striped mittens in Sesame Street colors with a corrugated ribbed cuff, measured his wingspan from wrist to wrist and attached an icord. It’d be next to impossible for him to lose a mitten, since they are attached with a nice, springy icord. I was surprised at how far two hanks were going and decided to make a matching hat. I was shocked when I STILL had yarn left and put a pom pom on top of the hat. Talk about great yardage! And I even had some left! I doubt I’ll ever make him another hat and mitten set in any other yarn (though the colors will probably go from his favorite TV show to school or sports team colors over time). I am smitten with 128 Superwash.

We walked to the playground yesterday. He ran and ran around until he was tuckered out and guess what? We walked home victorious, with warm hands and with both mittens.

Download the free Banding Together pattern here.

amazing.

This made me SO HAPPY when I watched it. I sat there giggling. A must watch about ponies, sweaters, knitting and tourism.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c4#/video/offbeat/2013/01/25/tsr-dnt-moos-ponies-in-sweaters.cnn

Being Sick = Free Pattern for You!

I haven’t been sick in a good long while, dear readers, but this hit me hard. The kid and I have been knocked on our butts by Norovirus (no, not Noro the yarn) courtesy of attending a child’s winter birthday party. I know this is what happens when you have a kid in your life and your kid hangs out with other kids, who have been hanging out with other kids, etc… I wish I hadn’t seen Contagion last year on DVD.

Norovirus. Trust me, you don’t want this.

While this is terribly inconvenient for me to be stuck home alone for a week trying to drag myself around and take care of the kid while the husband travels for work, this means a free pattern for you! I finally have some time to write it up since we’re on lockdown.

I’d like to introduce you to the Plaited Necklace, a non-knitting pattern that is perfect for Be Sweet T-Shirt yarn. All you need is a doorknob or staircase rail to anchor your 4-stranded braid onto, good light, a kitchen scale to divvy up your hanks and off you go. I made it while bingeing on bad TV as it doesn’t require a chart or knitting needles.

Head on over to Ravelry to download the free pattern here.

Also, congratulations to Emily W from Pennsylvania for winning the hank of Cascade Magnum Handpaints!

Stay healthy, readers.

Free Pattern + Giveaway!

There’s something so promising about crossing the threshold of a new year. Each of us has the same thoughts running through our minds… This is the year I’m going to do _____! This is the year I’ll give _____ up. This is the year I’ll start _____. This is the year I’ll work on myself, take up a new hobby, be kinder to a certain person or let a fragile friendship finally break.  I always look at a new year as a sort of spring-cleaning for the soul. Take a good look around, clean things up, dust it off, start fresh and with purpose. It’s the universe’s way of giving us a do-over every year.

As we look back on 2012, it was a rollercoaster year, as many tend to be. Whenever the morning news does those year-end retrospectives, I always end up with tears running down my cheeks, both from laughter and sadness. Am I a sap? Perhaps. Or maybe I’m just human and it’s amazing how both long and short a year can seem once we take a good look back on it. If you need a reminder how fast time flies, look at the children in your life. Remember they were so tiny you could hold their entire body with one hand?

I always make a list of resolutions around this time. Over the years I’ve scaled it back and tried to be both optimistic and reasonable. A lot can happen in a year! A friend said to me this morning that she had heard something on the radio about making a small personal change each day of 2013. Imagine all the changes that could happen over an entire year! That’s 365 days worth of self-improvement! I’m being a little more realistic and trying each week to do something better for myself. 52 vs. 365 seems more achievable.

I’ve also made a resolution to knit more things for friends for no particular reason. You don’t only need to knit for birthdays, holidays or special occasions. What about knitting a cabled cowl for a friend just because?

I offer up Daphne’s Cabled Cowl, named after a talented and kind knitting friend. The cowl is knit up in Cascade’s STUNNING Magnum Handpaints. The variegated color ways are to die for and with one hank equal to one cowl, you can knit one up for all your friends in a different color way! I was always a big fan of Magnum – it’s lofty, super soft, strong and now they have even more colors in both solids and variegated (almost 75!). There’s something very satisfying about knitting with super bulky on size 15 knitting needles. The thick cables almost look like entrelac (without the fuss of entrelac) and no wind will pass through this yummy 100% Peruvian highland wool yarn. I am in love with this comfortable wool and with their colors and this unisex cowl, you could get started knitting your “just because” gift pile.

To help you start knitting for people for no other reason other than brightening their day, Cascade has generously given me a hank of Magnum Handpaints in the same color as Daphne’s Cabled Cowl to give to one lucky reader. Leave a comment with your new year’s resolutions and a winner will be chosen at random! Thanks, Cascade!

Each year I pledge to try and take more in stride. I’ve learned to let people go, let more people in, be thankful for what I have and not worry so much about what I don’t. At the end of the day I have a loving husband, a wonderful son, a crazy pug, a roof over my head and an impressive yarn stash. I’m overly blessed and I’m thankful.

What are your resolutions, dear readers? Welcome, 2013. Let’s make it a good one.

Free pattern available for download here.

Being Merry & Bright

This time of year is truly magical. Lights adorning trees, ornaments handed down through generations, mailboxes overflowing with holiday wishes and pictures of family friends one year older, steaming mugs of tea (and perhaps a cookie or two), hugs from old and new friends, knitting needles furiously finishing off last-minute gifts… It’s all magic.

How do we celebrate the holidays around here? With an exceptionally curious toddler, we elevate, downsize and get crafty.

Orange pomanders. YUM. Take some fresh oranges and make designs in them with cloves. What do they smell like? Christmas. My mom and I used to make them after we went on vacation years ago to Williamsburg, where you see them everywhere. They last for weeks and continue to give off an amazing scent.

I always had a bowl of ornaments on the table, but since Callum came along, I’ve had to revise my plan… Take a domed cake stand, hold it upside down and fill with bulbs. Hold the base to the bottom and gently flip it over, encasing them inside. Plastic ornaments are ideal since they won’t break if you overfill a bit. Toddler-proof and a fantastic table centerpiece!

Beautiful!

Gone (for now) are the days of a large tree in the living room. My son and dog cannot resist the temptation. Instead we got a small, real tabletop tree and strung it with lights. We get the scent of pine and the joy of an out-of-reach tree, just toddler-sized.

A wreath leaves pine needle debris everywhere and since this is the main door we come in and out of, a felted snowflake makes a great door decoration. No matter how many times I run into it with handfuls of grocery bags, a squirmy kid or the mailman bangs it shut, it stays perky and debris-free.

Super fun to make, I got a large, scalloped-edge paper punch, some fancy paper from the paper store and yarn from my stash. I took my tapestry needle and ran it through the paper and strung it up in our archway. They dance a bit in the breeze and the sparkly ones catch the light. Simple and quick!

I bought a very inexpensive box of star ornaments from Target, used some yarn from my stash to string them up and have an instant over-the-table garland. It distracts my son when he’s eating and brings cheer to our meals.

In our new place we have a yard. A YARD!!! That means lights strung everywhere and every time I catch a glance of them outside it makes me smile.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

No Words

I grew up not very far from Connecticut in Massachusetts. My oldest friend in the world whom I’ve known since I was three years old lives two towns over from where the tragedy happened this morning. She is a teacher. She is the mother of two young children. I got down on my knees today and thanked God for letting her and her family be safe and cried tears of grief for those who are not.

There are simply no words.

Hug your loved ones tightly.

My heart goes out.