Giftalong 2020 has just begun!

 

What is Giftalong 2020?

Now in its eighth year, the Indie Designer Giftalong is a celebration of independent knit and crochet designers combined with a massive make-along to encourage knitters and crocheters to have fun together while they get their holiday gift crafting done. The event mainly happens on Ravelry, but this year more will be happening on Instagram to support those who cannot use Ravelry safely.

Here is a link to the Indie Design Giftalong Group on Ravelry where you can find details on the kick-off pattern sale, view the tremendous list of participating designers, and learn how to join in on the make-alongs. Fun games, friendly chatter, and prizes galore to encourage you through your 2020 gift making right through the end of the year!

Here is the link to the Instagram Giftalong Account where you can find details on how to participate if you are not on Ravelry.

I have been a participating designer in the Giftalong for eight years in a row. This year I am offering 18 patterns which I sell on Ravelry with a 25% discount using the code giftalong2020 through November 30, 11:59 EST.

Please know that there are hundreds of designers offering thousands of patterns with the same discount code, and that you can participate in the make-alongs after the sale (through the end of the year) using any of the participating designers (not for free) patterns.

Happy Giftalong2020!!!

Contorta

Hello there!

2020 has been the worst. 

I am still here (in my own quiet way) just being me.

I do hope that you have been spared the worst and you are also able to just be you.

I did not yet post to my blog about Contorta...

I love this top over (over the top) photo.

Beautiful depth.

This was my "pine tree story" which was one of 11 "modern, minimalist" patterns featured in Issue 2 of Making Stories Magazine. The magazine was released in October 2019. I now have the rights to the design.  

 

This pattern will be one of 18 that will be offered in my Ravelry store at a 25% discount from Nov 24 to Nov 30 2020.

Thank you for reading and sorry it has been a while......... 

 

New Design: SIDEREAL CHECK COWL

I have released my new stranded colorwork design, SIDEREAL CHECK COWL as promised. It is a companion piece to my recently released SIDEREAL CHECK HAT.  The pattern is available on Ravelry with a 25% introductory discount through midnight (EST) December 16.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was very fortunate to have my designs selected for yarn support by The Fibre Co as part of Autumn/Winter Yarn Support Programme. Their gorgeous, Arranmore Light is a new favorite of mine. It blends cashmere and silk with merino wool to create an autentic tweed yarn of the highest quality.

The reversible cowl, with one side in stranded colorwork and the other in a two-row stripe, has picot edgings. It begins with a provisional cast on and ends with three-needle bind off.

Finished Measurements 
33” 84 cm circumference and 9½” 24 cm height

Yarn
DK weight yarn 
348 yd 318 m Main Color (MC)
180 yd 165 m Contrast Color (CC)

Note: If making both hat & cowl with Arranmore Light, two skeins of the main color and one of the contrast color will be more than enough.

Thanks for reading!

xoxox

New Design: SIDEREAL CHECK HAT

I am happy to finally introduce my new stranded colorwork hat pattern in two sizes, SIDEREAL CHECK HAT. This pattern is available on Ravelry with a 25% introductory discount through midnight (EST) December 2.

Earlier this year, I was thrilled to learn that I had been selected for The Fibre Co’s Yarn Support Programme AW 18/19. Their Arranmore Light blends cashmere and silk with a fine merino wool to create an authentic tweed yarn of the finest quality. I have always loved colorwork with tweed yarns.

I actually received yarn support for both the hat and a coordinating cowl that will be released two weeks from today, on December 13. These colorwork projects were inspired by high fashion garments featuring graphic variations of houndstooth check. I enjoyed charting some of these checks for stranded knitting.

The check pattern I use here was one of my favorites. I love how the background color appears as a series of four-pointed stars. ‘Sidereal’ means of or relating to distant stars or constellations.

The hat, with optional pompom, may be made in one of two sizes to fit most women (men).

Finished Measurements
18¼ (19¾)” 46.5 (50) cm un-stretched brim circumference and 10¾ (11¾)” 27.5 (30) cm un-cuffed height, will stretch to fit heads up to approximately 22 (24)” 56, (61) cm

Yarn
DK weight yarn
For hat:
152 (178) yd 139 (163) m Main Color (MC)
38 (44) yd 35 (40) m Contrast Color (CC)
For optional 3⅜” (8.5 cm) pompom:
additional 43 yd 39 m CC

Note: If making both hat & cowl with Arranmore Light, two skeins of the main color and one of the contrast color will be more than enough. (Arranmore Light has an amazing 328 yds per skein.)

Thanks for reading!
xoxox

I hope you are out there somewhere!

For many weeks, I have worked on design samples and pattern-writing for my upcoming designs... A hat design will be released in two weeks and a cowl two weeks later.

My original swatch in The Fibre Co's Arranmore Light is where it all began. The Fibre Co. selected my proposal for their Yarn Support Programme AW 18/19. They provided yarn (in a very different color scheme) for both projects.

I am in need of a couple more test knitters for these designs (especially the cowl). Please consider test knitting one of these for me, if you have some experience knitting stranded colorwork from a chart.

For a lot more information on the hat test knit see this post on Ravelry.

For a lot more information on the cowl test knit see this post on Ravelry.

I have made the deadlines for these projects quite flexible. I only ask that you would have a Ravelry project page with flattering WIP photos ready to link to my pattern page on its release date.

Sidereal Check Hat coming November 29!
Sidereal Check Cowl coming December 13!

I look forward to hearing from you!!!
xoxox

(didn't know I was) Playing Yarn Chicken

One of my knitwear design highlights in 2017 was my No-Wrong-Side Hat which I created for The Fibre Co’s Fall 2017 Yarn Support Programme.

No-Wrong-Side Hat (for Mr K) Dec 2017 (with just one skein of Tundra)

Please see my design release post from November to read about the reversibilty of this hat (two hats in one).

The pattern has three sizes: 15½ (18¼, 20¾)” [39.5 (46.5, 52.5) cm] circumference. The two smaller sizes can easily be made with one skein of lovely, silky and lofty Tundra. The largest size will take a bit more...

Or so I calculated.

I did NOT make the largest size No-Wrong-Side Hat in Tundra before I published the pattern. (My test knitters did but with other yarns.) Shortly after publication I made one for Mr K, and...

It only took one skein!

With only one yard to spare!!! (as shown in photo)

I have been adding 5% to my yardage calculations for a long time now. This was originally suggested to me by the tech editor for my Socks That Rock Design, Sandy Rosner, and it only makes sense...

Using my swatches and design samples, I do my best to calculate yardage requirements, and then I add 5%. I strive to guarantee that others have success knitting my designs -- which means not having to play the game of yarn chicken (i.e., will I, or won't I, run out of yarn?).  

In the case of the largest No-Wrong-Side hat in Tundra, a 5% buffer means that you will need a second skein to be certain that you will not run out of yarn. But, of course, you may not need it...

Perhaps you can ask about the return policy where you purchase your yarn... Perhaps you can make a second hat... Perhaps you can wait a bit for the release of my next mitt design...

A pair of mitts will take far less than one skein of Tundra.
I will keep you posted. 😉
❤❤❤ 

New Design: NO-WRONG-SIDE Hat

NO-WRONG-SIDE Hat
(right side when knitting)

I am very happy to introduce my bulky weight, reversible (2-hats-in-1), design in three sizes, NO-WRONG-SIDE Hat.

Earlier this year, I was thrilled to learn that I had been selected for The Fibre Co’s Fall 2017 Yarn Support Programme! The Fibre Co's Tundra is the the perfect blend of baby alpaca, merino and silk, worked into a 2-ply that gives it a pleasing, well-rounded appearance for great stitch definition. Though a bulky yarn, it is very light in weight, lofty and extremely warm. It is perfect for the deep texture / cable stitch pattern of the No-Wrong-Side Hat.

This design was originally sparked by the photo of the “Sunburst Check” stitch pattern on page 202 of A 2ND TREASURY OF KNITTING PATTERNS by Barbara G Walker. I was fascinated by the depth of texture in the photo. The poofs of stockinette push strongly forward leaving little pockets of reverse stockinette like pools beneath them. 

When I swatched this stitch pattern, I was quite surprised to find that the reverse side of the fabric was a stitch pattern in itself – a very fluid rib-cable. It did not look like the “wrong side” of a piece of knitting. I worked out a double brim that compliments both sides of the hat. I also created a decreasing crown that flows from the stitch pattern on both sides of the hat.

NO-WRONG-SIDE Hat
(reverse side when knitting)

The brim of the hat is folded on a purl ridge and knit together creating a double layer brim. This requires a provisional cast-on and a later “knitting two layers together round” (much like three-needle-bind-off, but with both knit and purl stitches). Next there is an increase round with specific purl increases. For the remainder of the hat, both charted and written directions are provided.

Hat swatch showing purl ridge and double layer brim,
(knit with Tundra in the Boreal colorway).

PATTERN DETAILS

Finished Measurements
15½ (18¼, 20¾)” [39.5 (46.5, 52.5) cm] circumference and 8¼” [21 cm] high,
will stretch to fit heads up to approximately 19 (22, 24)” [48.5 (56, 61) cm].

Yarn
Bulky weight yarn,
approximately 96 (112, 128) yd [88 (103, 117) m] for hat.

Shown in:
The Fibre Co. Tundra (60% alpaca, 30% wool, 10% silk; 120 yd [110 m], 100 g)
 Tiaga colorway, 1 (1, 2) skein(s).

Needles
- Size US 9 [5.5 mm] needles: 16” [40 cm] circular (cir).
- Size US 10.5 [6.5 mm] needles: 16” [40 cm] circular and set of double-pointed (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
- Spare US 9 [5.5 mm] or smaller 16” [40 cm] cir needle to hold hem stitches.

My No-Wrong-Side Hat pattern has been carefully written and tech-edited.

Three of my local knitting friends kindly and helpfully agreed to test the pattern in the Fibre Co Tundra. After which, I ran a successful second test knit on Ravelry. (I love all of my test knitters!)

This pattern is now available on Ravelry at an introductory reduced price of $3.75 until the end of the day (11:59 EST) December 4. After that, the pattern will be available at its regular price of $5.00.

My No-Wrong-Side Hat is a fun and quick-to-knit project... perfect for gift knitting. Because I am a participating designer in the Ravelry Indie Gift-A-Long, this hat is an eligible pattern for participation in the GAL2017 HATS & OTHER HEAD THINGS KAL/CAL, where you will find all the love and support you could wish for... as you finish your own gift knitting goals... along with fun games and many prizes.

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for your support of indie designers!!!
xoxox 

The 5th annual Gift-A-Long

The 5th annual Ravelry Indie Design Gift-A-Long is almost here! I am super excited to announce this multi-designer promotion to help you kick your holiday gift-making into high gear!

The Indie Design Gift-A-Long is a 6 week long KAL/CAL of holiday gift projects made with patterns designed by an extensive list of (would you believe 312 in 2017?) independent designers. And, it all begins with an enormous pattern sale!!!

The Gift-A-Long:

From November 21, 2017 at 8:00 pm US EST to December 31, 2017 at midnight US EST there will be fun games, contests, tons of prizes, and 8 KAL/CALs that will help you get your holiday knitting and crocheting done with companionship and fun! This party will be happening in the Ravelry Indie Design Gift-A-Long Group.

The Sale:

From November 21, 2017 at 8:00 pm US EST to November 28th at 11:59pm US EST (312, including me) indie designers will be discounting between 10 to 20 of their patterns 25% for this event. Use coupon code: giftalong2017.

Most of my Ravelry patterns are included in the sale.

Once you’ve got your Gift-A-Long patterns, I encourage you to join a relevant KAL/CAL! (For instance, if it is a cowl, please join the Cowls, Scarves, & Other Neck Things KAL/CAL.) To join, simply write a post in the KAL/CAL thread you want to join, including the pattern name you will be knitting and a link to your project page. KAL/CAL participants are eligible for lots of lovely prizes but you’ve got to post to win Please Note: all prize winners must be (indie design gift-a-long) group members! 

KAL/CALs will run from November 21, 2017 at 8:00 pm US EST to December 31, 2017 at midnight US EST, plenty of time to knock out all your holiday knitting and crocheting. We have tons of prizes, games, and great conversation, plus a lot of other fun, so pull up a chair and join us!

On your mark…get set…. GIFT!!!

A Long and Winding Road

I now have a couple more new designs to share with you.

If you have been following along, you might remember that my latest (3rd party) magazine pattern is my Walnut Cowl,

© knitscene/Harper Point

which currently is featured in Interweave Knits Fall 2017, now on newsstands and in knitting stores everywhere.

On Ravelry, my newest pattern, Godiva Mitts, is slowly becoming one of my most popular indie designs.

Then just before July came to an end, I learned that a book with two of my designs had been published.

© Daniel Shanken/Stackpole Books

© Daniel Shanken/Stackpole Books

What a long and Winding Road it has been!!!

My Winding Road Mitts and the companion Winding Road Convertible Cowl were designed in the Summer of 2014. They were selected to be published in a book tentatively titled 60-Minute Knits to be published by Stackpole Books in Spring 2016.

The book was put on a hold after the company was sold in December 2015. It was not put back into production until October 2016.

It seems a very long time ago for me in my design career. But finally, in July 2017, the book has been published with the title KNITS IN A DAY.

© Daniel Shanken/Stackpole Books

As editor Candi Derr wrote, “Sometimes when you realize you need a new hat or mittens--It’s going to be freezing tomorrow and I’m going hiking! It’s my best friend’s birthday and I don’t have a gift!--you need it NOW! This is the book you can turn to again and again for just the right pattern, knowing that every project in it can be completed in a matter of minutes or hours.”

© Daniel Shanken/Stackpole Books

BTW: This Winding Road Convertible Cowl took me about 2 hours to knit.

And these Winding Road Mitts took a little more than one hour each.

Thanks for reading!

❤❤❤

  

New Design: GODIVA MITTS

Godiva Mitts

I am very happy to have just released my latest indie design, GODIVA MITTS. Like most of my designs, it has been a long time coming...

The spark began last spring when I focused on the diamond shape of a single ‘aran’ fishermen’s style cable... I was looking at one beautiful cable, and I thought of fitting it onto the back of a hand to make a mitt -- allowing its gently tapering width to enhance the shaping of the mitt.

I had the image of a small, dainty, fitted mitt and I knew that I wanted it to be sweet and feminine. I decided to fill the cable with some lacy open-work.

Swatch on Hand

I charted and then swatched the cable panel using a skein of yarn in my stash, Knit Picks Capretta in the Cream colorway. Then, somewhere in between August and September I made the first pair of Godiva Mitts. 

First Godiva's in Knit Picks Caprette

My friends at Gosh Yarn It! loved them when I brought them in on a regular Thursday "knit night" in October.

After other design obligations were met, I made the second pair of Godiva's using a single skein of Mango Moon Mulberry Meadow in the Rain Cloud colorway. These have a longer cuff -- a simple change, but one that gives the mitts a different look.

Longer cuffed mitts in Mango Moon Mulberry Meadow

Details

Finished Measurements

7½” [19 cm] un-stretched circumference (measured at widest point).
The cream-colored mitts are 7” [18 cm] long, with a  2½” [6.5 cm] cuff.
The gray mitts are 8½” [21.5 cm] long, with a 4" [10 cm] cuff.

Yarn
140 yd [128 m] of fingering weight yarn for shorter cuff

175 yd [160 m] of fingering weight yarn for longer cuff

Needles
Size US 2 [2.75 mm] needles (two circular or set of double-pointed)

 Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

My Godiva Mitts pattern has been carefully written and tech-edited, after which I ran an extremely successful test knit on Ravelry. I love my test knitters!

This pattern is available on Ravelry at an introductory reduced price of $3.75 until midnight (GMT) July 21. After that the pattern will be available at its regular price of $5.00.

Thanks for reading!
xoxox