Knitting Marathon

I was sitting with the children, homeschooling, and knitting the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls when the phone rang about 30 minutes ago. It was my dear friend L.

She was calling with the most wonderful news! They just got a call from social services. There are adopting a little boy. He will be coming home on Friday! He is a 4 1/2 pound premie.

I am so happy for them. There is no greater joy than a new baby. Which also means, that I have until Friday to have something ready for the baby.

The idea is a top dow cardigan, in a worsted weight, washable of course, and ultra soft... This is what I found in my stash. This baby is a little spring baby. The colors remind me of little yellow crocus poking their noses out of the snow... This is a great oppotunity to design a quick knit for premies!

It is 2:11 p.m.. I am starting as soon as this post is done. The knitting marathon has started...

Chevron Love Mittens

ETA: To remove a link - can't seem to find that Schoolhouse Press chart kit anywhere now.

Wow - I finally feel caught up on everything after six months! I've been downloading patterns with a vengeance.

Here are the Chevron Love Mittens. I first saw this pattern on the incredibly talented Pat's blog (and she still has my favorite color combo for the mittens.) You can purchase the pattern HERE or a kit with 8 different colors of yarn HERE. Because the pattern uses 8 colors it is kind of fun to see what other knitters choose on the pattern's Ravelry pages HERE.

I was actually going to do a rainbow color progression but realized I had exactly 8 colors of Elann's now-discontinued Devon yarn. I would normally not pair these colors together but I am happy with how they turned out. I was actually reading and knitting simultaneously when I cast on for the first mitten and didn't realize until later than I somehow reversed the cast on so it is backwards. No problem - I just did the second mitten the same way.

TODAY'S COLOR KNITTING LINKS

Lots of links today so grab a cup of coffee or tea before going through them!

Annemor Sundbo has put photos of individual Norwegian knitted items she found in a ragpile on Flickr. I could scroll through those 191 mittens and glove photos all day.

Janine, traditional Fair Isle knitter and designer extraordinaire (who has a spectacular color sense) teaches Fair Isle workshops, generally in the western US. Also, scroll down to see her amazing sweater based on Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night. Janine also designed a free .PDF pattern for two spectacular pillows with lots of great technique info.

There are two upcoming Norwegian knitting books listed on Amazon - I think I mentioned one of them before. The books are Norwegian Sweater Techniques for Today's Knitter (love that jacket on the cover!) and Norwegian Patterns for Knitting: Classic Sweaters, Hats, Vests, and Mittens.

Nordic Fiber Arts now sells hat kits using Strikkegarn - I love the Torridal hat.

Check out  these knitted landscapes using intarsia. I am in awe of the Walk in the Woods series.

Kathryn Alexander, one of my color knitting idols, now sells yarn kits using her lovely colors. I think it would be fun to buy one and come up with a mitten project.

Elizabeth Lovick also teaches Fair Isle classes - this time in the UK. Check out that gorgeous vest!

Not colorwork but here is a great free pattern and link to a video that teaches knitters how to knit mittens.

Here's a free pattern for stranded socks that would be good to use up all those odds and ends of sock yarn that accumulate - Minestrone Socks.

One of the coolest stranded projects on Ravelry is this Sandnes Viking Ship jacket.

Here's a source for HiyaHiya 4" steel double-pointed needles for all your glove knitting needs.

If you knit and you are in the UK, a Donkey Sanctuary needs your help to knit donkeys to help them raise funds.

The Retro Cardi for Grown Girls

While I am working on the edits to the Retro Cardi for Girls pattern, I have already started work on the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls. By that, I mean girls like you and me!

The yarn is Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and the fabric will be a lovely retro 1950's circle skirt.

For now it's back to knitting, as the skirt and the Retro Cardi for Grown Girls have to be ready before March 30, when Miss SockPixie leaves for France!

Coal Springs Scarf

I've been waiting months to post this free pattern but today I finally grabbed DH to be my model.

COAL SPRINGS SCARF

This thick and warm scarf is simply a tube knit in the round and it is fast to knit on size 8 (US)/5 mm needles. It is a good project for a knitter who is new to knitting with 2 colors per row; the pattern is easy to memorize and if you use the specified yarn there are very few ends to weave in.

I made this scarf 65 inches/165 cm long for my tall 6' 2" DH; blocked flat as seen in the photos it is 5 inches/12 cm wide. Fishermen's Wool is a worsted weight yarn but if you like thinner scarves choose a lighter weight yarn and adjust the needle size accordingly.

 MATERIALS:



1 ball 150-126 Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool Yarn: Nature's Brown (227 grams, 465 yards), Color A
1 ball 150-123 Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool Yarn: Oatmeal (227 grams, 465 yards), Color B
A set of double-pointed knitting needles or one 16" circular needle, Size 8 (US)/5 mm
Tapestry Needle for Weaving in Ends

GAUGE: Not terribly important in this pattern but mine was 6 sts to 1 inch/2.5 cm


With Color A (Nature's Brown), CO 60 sts. Join, being careful not to twist.

P 1 row.

Begin working Scarf Chart below. Stranded color knitting charts in the round are worked from right to left.

Continue knitting until scarf is desired length. (For my 65 inch/165 cm scarf I did 35 repeats of the chart.)

With Color A, K 1 row.


P 1 row. BO.

I just left this scarf open at the ends but if you prefer you can sew the edges together or even add fringe.


FINISHING


Block by immersing scarf in soapy lukewarm water, then rinsing well in the same temperature water. Wring gently to remove excess water then smooth out flat on folded towel to dry. Weave in ends.



Copyright Nanette Blanchard, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Forced Vacation

Due to a shipping delay of base yarn, SockPixie is on forced vacation this weekend. New colorways will be available on Sunday 03/14!

The Retro Cardi for Girls

Little Miss SockPixie and I had a wonderful time together this morning, taking pictures of the Retro Cardi for Girls.



As she was putting the cardi on, I found myself giving her the same kind advice my mother had given me. As I was buttoning the cardi, I told her she should always leave a couple buttons open at the neck to show how beautiful it was , and leave the last button at the bottom edge of the cardi open to emphasize the gracefulness of her waist.



Growing up in France, I learned to love the timeless beauty of simple lines, of an understated lace panel, a shoulder, a perfect button, of simple knits.



The sweater is done, but I still have work. The pattern now needs to be sized and edited before I can offer it as a pdf.

The Retro Cardi for Girls is Finished

The Retro Cardi for Girls, the companion to the Retro Cardi for American Girl Dolls is finished.

I even made a retro 1950's circle skirt to go with it... Everything was ready for some pictures except Little Miss SockPixie... She is sick in bed with the flu...


Until she gets better, here is the Retro Cardi...