The bulky yarn is Merino Slipper, hand dyed by Fleece Artist in a custom colorway that resembles the stark contrast between bare trees and snow-covered fields. Named “Silver Lining,” the colorway is a reminder that there’s beauty in even the harshest of landscapes.
The simple texture pattern repeats over just four stitches and two rounds, and is easily memorized. At a gauge of just 2.75 stitches/inch, it’s possible to complete the cowl in a single evening.
The Silver Lining cowl is now available on Ravelry. Get 20% off the $6 purchase price by using the code SILVER LINING before midnight November 25.
Just in time for the holidays I stumbled upon the ultimate gift for a knitter — knitted jewelry by Spiritus Designs.
Artist Susan Baile, who lives right here in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado, creates one-of-a-kind knitted wire designs accented by semi-precious gemstones, fused silver, and mixed metals. She uses standard knitting needles to form multiple strands of metal wire into an assortment of necklaces, collars, cuffs, and earrings. The pieces are astonishingly lightweight and comfortable to wear.
I couldn’t resist a simple but stunning piece for myself. Upon seeing it, my dear husband remarked, “That’s beautiful! Take it off and let me give it to you for Christmas!” I gave him her card with a link to her website.
Last January I was the Knit Doctor at the first-ever Loops retreat in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The other teachers were Romi Hill, who taught lace techniques and surgery, Andrea Mowry, who taught brioche and shawls, and Carson Demers, who taught knitting ergonomics.
As a special treat, owner Shelley Brander asked Ross of Yarn To Dye For to create a colorway for each of the four teachers (well, the three “real” teachers and me, the Knit Doctor). On the left is a photo of “my” skein in the colorway Loops Loves Ann.
I love the colorway and asked Ross if he’d dye a semi-solid to pair with it. After a bit of back and forth, we settled on a rich teal color that I’ve named Ann Loves Loops.
I’m now in the process of combining the two color in a crescent shawl. If I do the yarn justice, a pattern will be forthcoming! I plan to name it LoveFest!
Savannah Trees Cowl was designed as a tribute to the historic Savannah location of my Spring 2018 Knit For Fun Retreat. The yarn is Jones Street Sport from Savannah’s own The Copper Corgi Fiber Studio, dyed in a custom Moss and Leaves colorway. The stitch pattern includes mirrored cables to reflect gnarled tree trunks and dropped stitches to reflect the lacy effect of moss hanging off limbs.
The stitch pattern, which repeats over 25 stitches and 6 rows, is based on a simple k4, p1 rib so, other than the cable-crossing rows, the knitting is quite straightforward. The lacy vertical columns are created on the bind-off row by dropping the purl stitches each side of the center plain knit-4 column. So easy!
Get 20% off the $6.00 price by using the code TREES by midnight Friday, May 18.
I’ve uploaded another new cowl pattern on Ravelry. I’m in the habit of designing a special cowl for each of my Knit For Fun Retreats, and sourcing a special yarn colorway to go with it. Ice Ripples Cowlwas designed as the free pattern for my Knit For Fun Retreat in Edmonton, Alberta (November, 2017). There are two versions–one short and one long–of this cozy cowl to protect against the long, dark frozen days of Northern winters.
The long version is suitable for double wrapping; the other version is short and wide. Both options use a lofty tuck stitch pattern that reminds me of ice ripples, hence the name.
The tucks are formed by working the purl bump fine rounds below together with the stitch on the needle. Each tuck is made up of 6 stitches; the placement of the tucks shifts brick fashion. The cast-on and bind-off edges are hemmed to echo the tucks throughout the cowl.
This easily memorized pattern makes a great showcase for River City Yarns Eden (81% merino, 10% polyamide, 9% cashmere) in a semi-solid icy colorway, called Snowdrift, that was dyed specifically for the retreat.
Use the code IceRipples20% to get 20% off the $6.00 purchase price until midnight Friday, November 24.
I’ve just uploaded a pattern on Ravelry. In-A-Pinch Fingerless Mitts are about the simplest pattern possible. They use a single ball of Lion Brand Merino Yak Alpaca yarn (yum!) and are knitted on size U.S. 5 (3.75 mm) needles. You can easily knit a pair in a weekend.
The yarn is superbly soft and squishy, and it feels fabulous in your hands. The simple slip-stitch rib pattern adds a bit of texture and knitting enjoyment to the ottherwise plain mitts. For an even easier knit, omit the slip-stitch pattern and work the mitts in k3, p1 rib instead.
For now through September 15, you can get the pattern at 25% off by entering the code LUXURY MITTS.
I’m delighted to finally be a little back on track following my father’s death. Last month I held my Knit For Fun Retreat in Freeport, Maine, at the beautiful Harraseeket Inn. My co-teachers were Norah Gaughan and Bristol Ivy. Attendees got to take classes from all three of us and enjoy a lot of fun and surprises in between.
One of the highlights of the Knit For Fun Retreats swag (something we all get) bag is a cowl pattern and a skein of a colorway dyed especially for the retreat. For this retreat, my cowl design Blue Lobstah’ Cowl pays homage to Maine and lobsters.
The corssover-stitch openwork pattern between garter-stitch bands reminds me of the lattice on lobster traps. The yarn is Tern (75 % American wool, 25% silk) from Quince and Co in a “Blue Lobster” colorway specially died by Forage Color of Searsmont, Maine. Although this colorway is no longer available, the cowl will look terrific in most any solid or semi solid fingering weight yarn.
I’ve just added the pattern to my Ravelry store and would like to raffle off a copy of the pattern and one of few leftover skeins of this remarkable colorway. Respond to this post by telling me why you like to knit cowls and I’ll enter your name in a drawing that will take place Sunday, May 14 (Happy Mother’s Day!)
While I’ve been busy doing other things (such as immobilize my right thumb due to arthritis and tendonitis), a few new patterns have been uploaded on Ravelry. All three are designed to keep you (or yours) warm and cozy during the upcoming winter months. Might I add that they’d make excellent holiday gifts?
The first is called Shinny Mitts, which are lined mittens designed for River City Yarns in Edmonton, Canada. The outer mitten is knitted with their signature RCY Hat Trick yarn (a blend of superwash merino and nylon) in the “Colorado” colorway (inspired by the Colorado Avalanche hockey team) and Rowan Kidsilk haze (a blend of mohair and silk) for a muted stripe pattern. The inner mitten (lining) is knitted with Rowan Finest, a luxurious blend of extra-fine merino, cashmere, and royal alpaca. The outer mitten is worked first, then stitches for the inner mitten are picked up along the cast-on edge and worked in the opposite direction.
The knitting couldn’t be simpler–both the mitten and lining are knitted in good old stockinette!
The second is called Heavenly Mittens, which I also designed for River City Yarns. These mittens are similar to the Shinny Mitts shown above, but on luxury steroids, so to speak. The outer mitten is knitted in a lace pattern with one strand each of RCY Eden (a blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon) and Rowan Kisdilk Haze (a blend of mohair and silk). The inner mitten is knitted with Rowan Finest (a blend of extra-fine merino, cashmere, and royal alpaca).
Bright specks of the inner mitten peep through the eyelets in the lace pattern on the outer mitt.
The third pattern is the Alpine Rings Cowl, which I designed for the most recent Knit For Fun Retreat in Estes Park, Colorado last September. The cowl features alternating stockinette- and reverse stockinette-stitch welts created by knitting every round. To form purl stitches on each side, the work is turned every 12th round so that the “inside” alternates with the “outside” to form an accordion look. The short-row “wrap-and-turn” technique is used to help hide the small holes that form when the knitting changes direction.
I used Vice Yarn Shameless (fingering/sock weight) in a colorway designed exclusively for the retreat, but the simple pattern will look great in any yarn!
The second is called 