Exuberance (& Joy)

Have you seen Sundara's Colors With Purpose series? She began with Compassion a lovely green on a squishy, comforting, silk/merino Aran weight base. Sundara designed a richly cabled cowl to pair with her Compassion yarn.  Next up was Imagine, a beautiful indigo/purple on a merino/cashmere fingering weight base. She called on the talents of Joji Locatelli to create the perfect, fanciful shawl inspired by Imagine. Today Sundara released Joy, a sublime orange on 100% silk lace weight base. 

I was delighted a few months ago when Sundara asked me to design a pattern for this elegant yarn. You should have heard the squees of delight when the package of yarn arrived. Sundara's superior skill with color truly shines when paired with this base. Silk takes color like no other fiber I know, and combined with Sundara's complex hues it is (almost) too beautiful to knit.

This is no simple orange. One moment I think it has hints of rose, the next I see a taste of tangerine. The closest thing I can compare this color to is the perfect sunrise on a beautiful summer morning. I cannot think of any color that could express her theme of joy more aptly.

And so I set about designing a shawl to equal this ethereal yarn. The shape had to echo the sunrise that I saw in the colorway, so a top-down, half-pi was chosen. I wanted touches of lace, to showcase the delicate beauty of the base yarn, but not too much to distract from it's color or elegance. Swatching was a delight, since every stitch I knit with this yarn looked beautiful. The hardest thing was paring my selections down to keep the sophisticated simplicity I was looking for.

I named my interpretation of Joy "Exuberance" and the pattern is now available on Ravelry.

Exuberance

Size: One Size

Finished Measurements: Approximately 62” wide across top edge x 25” deep from top edge to hem at deepest point.

Yarn: Sundara Yarn Silk Lace, 100 % Silk, 1000 yds per 100g skein, Color: Joy, 1 skein - the sample shawl used approximately 650 yds.

Needles: US 5 (3.75mm) straight or circular needles or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 19 sts & 30 rows = 4”/10cm in Stockinette Stitch- blocked
18 sts & 32 rows = 4”/10cm in Small Lace, blocked - always take the time to check gauge

Other Materials: stitch markers, tapestry needle, US F (3.75mm) crochet hook

Price: $6.50 US

TTL Mystery Shawl 2013

It's time for the TTL Mystery Shawl 2013
I hope you’ll join us!

KAL Details:
The 4 clues for this KAL will be sent to you by mid-day (probably earlier) on the 1st, 8th, 15th, & 22nd of June.

Please join the Fans of Through the Loops Ravelry group and, share your work in the Spoiler threads, ask questions and participate in the discussion.

There will be separate threads for each week of the KAL. Only post spoiler photos in the appropriate spoiler thread.

When adding your project to Ravelry be courteous to other participants in the KAL and make your first photo a “Spoiler Alert”. You are welcome to use the image above for your top photo.

MORE ABOUT THE PATTERN
This year’s TTL Mystery Shawl is worked in three-colors from the top down. It has a shape similar to a half-pi, but is actually a half-octagon. This shape is created with 4 wedge shaped sections.

Choosing Yarns:
This is a three color shawl. When you purchase the pattern you will receive a pdf with a tutorial on selecting colors.
Solid or semi solid colors are best. This shawl has patterning that will be lost with heavily variegated yarns.

I used a sport weight yarn for my sample, but a fingering weight yarn will also work. Be sure to allow extra yarn for differences in yarn put up and gauge.

This shawl will be worked from the top edge down and out. It starts with a garter tab cast on, which is described in the pattern. There are also many excellent on-line tutorials and You Tube videos for this technique.

Skills Needed:
Working flat, yarn over increases, decreases, picking up sts, binding off, blocking.

Both charts and written instructions will be included.

Other Info
We will start the KAL on June 1st. You will be sent a new clue once a week for the first 4 weeks of June. To join simply purchase the TTL Mystery Shawl 2013. The pattern will be $4.00 from now until June 1st. On June 2nd the pattern price will increase to $6.00.

TTL MYSTERY SHAWL 2013

Size: One Size

Finished Measurements: 60” (152 cm) wide x 24” (61 cm) deep

Yarn: Plucky Knitter Traveler, 65 % merino, 20% silk, 15% yak, 325 yds pe skein,
Color A: Medieval - 1 skein
Color B: Icy Audrey - 1 skein
Color C: Chlorophyll - 1 skein

The sample shawl used approximately:
160 yds of A
180 yds of B
325 yds of C

I recommend that you allow extra yarn to account for slight differences in gauge and yarn put up.- NOTE: For Color C I used almost the entire skein. I recommend having extra yarn on hand just in case.

Needles: US 6 (4mm) 24 or 30” circular needles or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 18 sts & 22 rows = 4”/10cm in Stockinette St- blocked, always take the time to check gauge

Other Materials: stitch markers, tapestry needle

Price: $4.00 US (until June 1st after that the price will be $6.00)

A huge thank you to my test knitters Nadia, Denise, Meri, Chauntel, & Rosalina! And to the wonderful Karen for tech editing.

Happy Mother's Day!!

My mom & I with my kids in the summer of 1997.

Wishing all of the moms out there a very happy Mother's Day!!

I spent Mother's Day morning watching Anne Hanson's very comprehensive Craftsy Workshop on grafting. This free Craftsy knitting class covers the basics of grafting stockinette stitch all the way up through the ins and outs of grafting cable and lace projects. I think it's a class that knitters will turn to again, and again. Grafting is a useful technique for more than just the toes of socks. I grafted the center back of my Lonicera pattern so that the front edges were mirrored:

 

And I use grafts all the time on the underarms of seamless sweaters like Springtime in Virginia, Beach Street Park, Washington Square, and Andokides Jacket .

Head on over to Craftsy and check it out.

Knit to Flatter

Have you seen the wonderful new book, Knit to Flatter, from my good friend Amy Herzog?

Not only does Knit to Flatter have a wealth of wonderful sweater designs, it's also chock full of useful information on finding the perfect style for your body type and making adjustments so that your project fits you beautifully. This book is a wonderful addition to any knitter's library.

While most of the patterns in the book are sweaters, Amy asked me to create a skirt design for the chapter on top heavy shapes. This body type rocks the knit skirt. (I am more than a little jealous, I might add.) While my own body type does not fit into this category, Sofie's and IJK's do. Their broad shoulders and narrow hips qualify them as top heavy, even though they do not have large chests. And as their mom, I think I've come to understand this body type pretty well.

Sofie is modeling the Oceanic Skirt in these photos and I think it looks great on her. Since this skirt is the book sample it's a touch big on her. If I were to make it specifically for her (and I hope to find the time soon), I would choose one size smaller, and probably shorten it a touch. At 19, Sofie prefers her skirts to be above the knee.

In designing the Oceanic Skirt I wanted to create something to balance the lower body. I gave the skirt a simple A line, and added ribbing that narrows toward the top. These features combine to give the illusion of a smaller waist and balance the lower body. A lace border with a pattern of gentle waves is knit onto the live stitches at the end, drawing attention to one of the top heavy body type's best features, her legs.

Head over to Ravelry to see all of the patterns in the book. When you get there, show Amy some love and add them to your queue, favorite them, or leave a comment. To buy the book, you can go to Amazon or your LYS. Amy also has a busy schedule of book signings and classes, maybe you'll be lucky enough that she'll come to a store near you. If not, you can always take Amy's well loved Craftsy class.

Springtime In Virginia

This time of year I love to have simple cardigans on hand to toss over a breezy spring skirt or a pair of jeans and a t shirt. So when this lovely Plucky Sweater yarn arrived in the mail, I couldn't wait to cast on a sweet feminine cardi. Springtime In Virginia has a touch of lace along the front edges, while a broad panel of the same lace adorns the back.

Three buttons join the fronts with crochet button loops. I've included a crochet button loop tutorial as a second pdf along with the pattern just in case you've never made this type of closure.

Springtime In Virginia is worked from the bottom up, all in once piece, sleeves are knit separately, and joined to the body at the yoke.

Three-quarter sleeves, with seed stitch cuffs, provide just the right amount of coverage for late spring days, or cool summer evenings.

Springtime In Virginia

Finished Measurments: 32 [34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54]” at bust.

Yarn: Plucky Knitter Plucky Sweater, 90% Merino / 10% Nylon, 270 yds per skein, Color: Oatmeal, 4 [4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7] skeins
Approx: 950 [1000, 1100, 1150, 1250, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1550, 1600, 1700, 1750] yds.

Needles: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needles or size to obtain gauge
One set US 6 (4mm) dpns or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 20 sts & 28 rows = 4”/10cm stockinette stitch

Other Materials: 6 “A” stitch markers, 4 “B” stitch markers, tapestry needle, scrap yarn, three 1/2” buttons, 4mm crochet hook

Price: $6.50 US

Carthamus

April has been a month for publishing patterns here at Through the Loops. We started with a large square shawl called  Water Music, next up was a bottom-up yoked sweater named Beach Street Park, and then last week we introduced a cowl using Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend Fingering, called Rivington. Today I have one final pattern for you for the month  - Carthamus.

This delicate shawl comes in two sizes. The blue and brown version is a shawlette, perfect for draping over the shoulders.

The green and ivory version is an extra long scarf, good for looping around and around, or just one quick loop with long ends left hanging.

Carthamus begins with the lace border which is worked in one long strip. Then the work is turned 90 degrees and the garter stitch stripe is knit onto the live stitches along the top edge of the lace.

Both versions use two colors of Anzula Sebastian yarn. With Anzula's beautiful range of colors choosing which two to use will be the hardest part.

Carthamus

Size: Shawl (shown in blue & brown) [Long Scarf (shown in green & ivory)]

Finished Measurements: approx 64 [90]” wide x 13 [9.5]” deep

Yarn: Anzula Sebastian, 70% Merino / 30% Seacell, 395 yds (361 m) per skein
Color A: Shiitake [Au Natural] 1 skein Color B: Seabreeze [Key Lime] 1 skein

Needles: US 6 (4 mm) 32” circular needles or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 18 sts & 31 rows = 4”/10cm in garter st - blocked, always take the time to check gauge

Other Materials: stitch markers, tapestry needle

Price: $6.00 US

Thank you to my test knitters - Richelle, Kelly, Denise, Meri, Nadia, Jenn & Rosalina. And as always thank you to my good friend and tech editor Karen!

Rivington Cowl

A few months ago the good people at Knitspot offered to send me some of their Bare Naked Wools yarn to try. Since I am a huge admirer of  Anne Hanson's work and know that everything she does is done with class and integrity, I didn't hesitate to say yes. The yarn just had to be wonderful. When it arrived it was even better than I'd expected. The Breakfast Blend Fingering that they sent is a lovely blend of merino & alpaca with just a touch of nylon for strength.

Rivington uses two colors - in this case Oatmeal and Earl Grey - and comes in three sizes. The sample that I've shown here is the medium size. The Medium fits around Sofie's broad shoulders, worn caplet style, nicely.

Or it can be double wrapped around the neck, for extra snuggly warmth.

The body of Rivington is worked in the round, in a two color stripe, while the solid colored edging is knit onto the lower edge at the end.

Rivington Cowl

Sizes: S [M, L] Shown is size M

Finished Measurements: 22.5 [45, 59.25]” circumference x 10 [10, 10]” deep

Yarn: Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend Fingering, 50% Merino / 40% Alpaca / 10% Nylon, 425 yards / 389m per 4 oz / 115g skein,

Color A: Oatmeal, 1 [1, 2] skeins - approx 170 [360, 445] yds ,

Color B: Earl Grey, 1 [1, 1] skeins - approx 60 [125, 160] yds

Needles: US 6 (4 mm) 16[32, 32]” circular needles
An additional set of US 6 (4mm) 32” or shorter circulars or 1 dpn or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 17 sts & 40 rows = 4”/10cm in Striped Lace Stitch- blocked, always take the time to check gauge

Other Materials: stitch markers, tapestry needle, 4 mm crochet hook, scrap yarn

Price: $5.50 US

Huge thanks to my test knitters - Richelle, Mari, Pat, & Jessica and to Karen for tech editing.

Beach Street Park

For two (or was it three?) years I had three skeins of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Woobu taunting me from my stash. I picked this yarn up at the first VK Live in NYC because I'd worked with Woobu when I created Swing Time for Knitting it Old School and I'd loved the yarn. I wanted to create a sweater that  would take advantage of Woobu's lovely drape. My idea was to make a sweater that was as comfortable and easy to wear as a sweatshirt, but more elegant and refined. Something that I would want to wear over and over again.

So in December I finally grabbed one of those skeins off the shelf and cast on. The original incarnation of Beach Street Park was made for me, and I have worn it constantly since. But when I'd finished, there were a few quirks with it that worked in my size, but wouldn't stand up to grading it into a broad range of sizes. Luckily I still had close to 1.5 skeins of yarn left (this stuff comes in ENORMOUS hanks, and yes I did get two sweaters out of three skeins). So I cast on a second Beach Street Park in S & I's size. This time I made adjustments that would work for a large range of sizes. The hardest part was preventing Sofie from taking the second version off to college with her before I could photograph it. (She has it now, and wears it regularly.)

I recommend wearing this sweater with 0-2" of ease in the bust. Sofie is rocking it with 0" of ease in these photos - I wear mine with closer to 2". (Sorry, no photos of mine - it's different enough from the pattern that I don't want to confuse anyone.)

Beach Street Park

Size: to fit bust 32 [34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52]” with 2” ease.

Finished Bust: 34 [36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54]”

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Woobu, 60% Merino / 40% Bambu, 620 yds / 566m per 8 oz / 226g skein, color: Ravenscroft 2 [2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] skeins
Approx 830 [900, 965, 1025, 1125, 1200, 1260, 1315, 1430, 1515, 1585] yds

Needles:
One set US 7 (4.5mm) 32” circular needles
One set US 7 (4.5mm) double pointed needles  or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 16 sts & 30 rows = 4”/10cm in Stockinette Stitch- blocked, always take the time to check gauge

Other Materials: stitch markers, tapestry needle, scrap yarn

Price: $6.50 US

I had an amazing group of test knitters on this pattern. Show them some love by heading over to Ravelry and checking out their projects - Mari, Denise, Sara (and Sara's blog), Lori, Patty, Beth, Yiling, & Nadia.  And thank you as always to my friend and tech editor Karen.

Water Music

Water Music takes it’s name from Handel’s orchestral suite originally composed to be played on King George’s royal barge during a boating party on the Thames in July of 1717. Since spring is slow in coming to NYC this year, it's nice to imagine a leasurely summer night floating on barge on the Thames. (Although I'm not sure I'd want it to be with King George.)

I created this design using two skeins of Dragonfly Fibers Dance Rustic Silk. This 100% silk yarn was lovely to work with, resulting in a shawl with just the right combination of body and drape. This is not a slippery silk, but more of a raw silk with a dry hand. The yarn is available in a beautiful range of colors. Follow the link above to check them out.

This delicate lace pattern is worked in the round from the center outward, creating a large square. Worked in fingering weight yarn this pattern makes a lovely square shawl. Worked in DK or worsted weight it will make a beautiful heirloom blanket. I'm hoping to find the time to knit one up in a neutral shade of Berroco Ultra Alpaca, or Stonehedge Fiber Mill's Shepherd's Worsted, to toss on the back of the couch.

Both charts and written instructions are included for the lace patterns.

Water Music

Size: One Size

Finished Measurements: 40” x 40” square

Yarn: Dragonfly Fibers Dance Rustic Silk, 100% Silk, 450 yds / 411 m per 4oz / 113 g skein, color Red Bud, 2 skeins

Needles: 1 set of 5 US 7 (4.5mm) DPN’s,
1 pair of US 7 (5mm) 32” circular needles  or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 13 sts & 32 rows = 4”/10cm in Garter Stitch - blocked, always take the time to check gauge

Other Materials: 4 stitch markers, tapestry needle

Price: $6.50

Thank you so much to my test knitters - Florence, Katherine, & Beth!

Botanical Knits - Blog Tour

As part of the Botanical Knits blog tour I've got a book review and giveaway for you today.

But, before I start I want to tell you about a few classes I'll be teaching in April.

First up on Saturday April 7th I'll be teaching Abby's Blanket at The Wooly Monmouth in Red Bank, NJ. Abby's blanket works equally well in a single color or as a stash buster using 10+ colors! Head over to The Wooly Monmouth website to learn more and to sign up.

April 20 & 21st I'm heading to Pittsburgh to teach 3 classes at Natural Stitches - Triangular Shawl Design, Mitten Design, and Stranded Colorwork. If you live in the Pittsburgh area I hope you'll join me for one or more classes.

Now on to Botanical Knits, if you are the kind of knitter who adores botanically inspired knitting patterns this is the book for you. Alana embellishes the 12 lovely designs in her new book with leaves of every type. As the daughter of a pair of passionate gardeners (and hybridizers), I have a weakness for this sort of thing.

A pair of mitts with spring foliage growing up the thumbs? Yes, please.

(Spring Foliage)

A pretty cardigan with neat little leaves, standing at attention along the yoke? Don't mind if I do.

(Twigs and Willows)

A vintage inspired cloche with an oak leaf jazzing up one side? Absolutely!

(Oak Trail)

With 4 sweaters and 6 accessories, all beautifully photographed, this book offers something for everyone. The only difficulty will be choosing which pattern to cast on first.

Alana has been kind enough to offer one lucky winner a copy of the digital version of Botanical Knits. To enter simply leave a comment on this post by midnight on April 2nd and I will use a random number generator to select the winner. One entry per person please.

But there's no reason to wait for the drawing. Alana is offering incentives for preordering the printed version of the book - which will be available in May (the digital version is available for immediate download). Head on over to the Botanical Knits website for more information.

Photos © 2013 Alana Dakos, NNK Press and Never Not Knitting. Used with permission.