Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Purl-Twist Knot Cowl - Free Pattern


 


Materials:US 9 circular needle, 24" 
1 skein of DK weight yarn, 230 yds (3.5 0z)
a stitch marker
tapestry needle
wool wash (optional)

Gauge: not critical

Finished Size: Appx. 6" tall, 48" circumference

Purl-Twist Knot Stitch:


Multiple of 4

Rounds 1 and 3: knit
Round 2: *k2, p2tog and leave on needle, p first st again, then drop from needle
Round 4: *p2tog and leave on needle, p first st again, then drop from needle, k2


Pattern:

Cast on 152 sts, join to knit in the round and place marker


Work 4 rounds k2 p2 rib


Work 10 repeats of Purl-Twist Knot Stitch


Work 4 rounds k2 p2 rib

Bind off, block, weave in ends. 


I made this fairly narrow with a large circumference so I could wear it wrapped twice.  

You can make the circumference smaller by casting on fewer stitches, making sure that you subtract by 4 (the stitch multiple).  Depending on how much smaller you go, you may need to use a 16" circular.

The cowl can be made taller by working additional repeats of the Purl-Twist Knot stitch. 

If you want a cowl even larger in circumference, cast on more stitches, being sure that you still have a multiple of four.

Keep in mind any size adjustments may require more yarn.

Feel free to sell finished items made using this pattern.  

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Bijou - Free Shawlette Pattern!




SORRY - PATTERN NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Hi everyone!  Finally, at long last, the pattern for my Bijou Shawlette is available!

You can get this through my shop, or as a free Ravelry download, or from Craftsy.  
Here is more info:

This is a triangle shawl knit from the top down.
It uses only one skein of my Springy Sport, or you may substitute any similar yarn you like.
Materials:
1 skein 3 ply sport weight yarn - 328 yds/299 m - 3.5 oz/100 gr
US size 10 circular needle at least 32”
Cable or DPN
8 locking stitch markers
194 Japanese glass seed beads, size 6/0
Yarn needle for weaving in ends
Blocking pins, mats, wires or whatever you use to block your projects and wool wash such as SOAK are useful but not required.
Depending on your preferred method of stringing beads, you may need a piece of scrap yarn, crochet hook, etc.
Skills:
You should know how to knit, purl, make yarn overs, k2tog, p2tog, and ssk, and feel comfortable with cables. You should also feel comfortable working with beads.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Yarn Giveaway!




Not so long ago, (October 2013 to be exact) I set up shop on Storenvy to sell my hand dyed yarn.  I hoped and prayed people would like my yarn, but I never dreamed I would get the response I have had.  So many of you have purchased my yarn, and you keep coming back!  I can't tell you how happy it makes me to be able to share my passion for not only dyeing yarn, but knitting as well.    I love "talking" with you all on Facebook, and I love to see pictures of the projects you have completed using my yarn!

So, to say THANK YOU, I am giving away a lovely Vera Bradley bag, some beautiful glass beads, a cute flower highlighter, a few mini packets of SOAK, and of course - yarn!  There is some fingering/sock weight, DK, worsted, and chunky weight yarn.

This is open to those in the US only, 18+ please, and will run through midnight August 31, 2014 EST.

Just use Rafflecopter below to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Knots in Yarn

Knots in yarn are inevitable. It happens with both expensive and cheap yarns.  It happens with both commercially spun and hand spun yarns.  I am not talking about a tangled wad of yarn barf.  I am talking about the place in a skein of yarn where two ends are tied together.

When I first started knitting, I got very frustrated when I found a knot (or two, or three) in my yarn.  First I thought it was just because I was using cheap acrylic yarn.  As I got into more expensive and natural fiber yarns, I continued to find knots!  I thought, how can there be knots in this $25 silk yarn?  It was maddening to find these knots and I didn't understand why.

I spend a good deal of time on knitting forums, and have seen many people ranting and raving and swearing to never purchase yarn from this or that particular brand ever again because of knots.  I've also read blogs or seen videos where people say you should not ever find knots in your yarn, and yarn with knots is poor quality.  It is nice to have knot free skeins, but to expect to have one long perfect strand of yarn each and every time I think is a little unreasonable.

I've realized over the years that just because yarn is expensive, it doesn't mean that at some point, the manufacturer didn't have to join a new strand of yarn to complete the skein of yarn.  Or perhaps, as the fiber is zipping through the machines, it breaks.  Enter the KNOT.  Often the two ends are just tied together; some yarn that I have knit with has had the two ends joined with the little bits trimmed off so the joins aren't so noticeable.

Knots happen, and it isn't worth getting so upset over.  When I come across a knot, I simply untie it if possible, and then continue on with my knitting.  If I can't untie the knot, I just cut it out.  The joins that have been neatly trimmed by the manufacturer I don't bother to do anything at all with, I just knit right past them.  I no longer get frustrated or angry and accuse my yarn of being cheap garbage - to a point.

Generally, I don't mind finding four or so knots in my yarn.  More than that, I do get a little annoyed at having to stop knitting to deal with it, but I try to not let it get to me too much.  Sometimes I do think when there is a particularly bad skein with knots every few yards, those should be discounted.  I don't know what happens, but on occasion the whole shebang comes out screwy.  I pity the poor person who buys a large quantity from that batch; I suspect those are the folks doing much of the ranting and raving.

I've said before that it would be nice to know beforehand if a particular skein has knots, but I guess we, as crafters, are supposed to be aware that such things can happen.  OK, I am aware that knots happen - I'd still like to know beforehand. Selling my own hand dyed yarns, I do try to catch these things and make note so people know what to expect.  I think that is only fair.

If you purchase yarn that comes in hanks, you know that you must wind them before using them; this is when you will find any knots in the yarn so you won't be surprised.  If you typically purchase yarn that is ready to knit from, you won't discover the knots until you come to them, or you can rewind the yarn to check for knots.  That may seem like a hassle, but if you don't want to be surprised, it is time well spent to rewind.

Above I mentioned how I deal with knots when knitting.  If you crochet, here is a post with some helpful info.

What do you do about knots in your yarn?  Leave me a comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Annaliese Shawl - FREE Knitting Pattern




I wanted to share this shawl pattern with you.  This is knit with my wonderful Silk Camel yarn!  So soft, and the drape is amazing.


This is a crescent shaped shawl for the intermediate knitter.

The lace edging is knit first, then stitches are picked up and knit along the edge to work the main body of the shawl.

You will need just 1 hank of my Silk Camel fingering weight yarn, or you may substitute any similar weight yarn.  You will also need a US size 10.5 needle; the edging can be knit on a straight needle, but a 32" circular needle is recommended to accommodate the stitches for the body of the shawl.

The shawl measures appx. 46" x 19" after blocking.

The skills required to knit the shawl are:
Short row shaping
Pick up and knit
I-cord bind off
Knit/K2tog/K2tog tbl/K3tog
Purl/P2tog
SSK
Yarn overs – single/double/beginning of row
Slip and pass stitches over

There are several ways to get the pattern:

From my Storenvy shop, add the pattern to your cart and checkout.  An email will be sent with the download link.   CLICK HERE

To download from Ravelry CLICK HERE

From Craftsy, place the pattern in your cart and checkout to download the pattern.  CLICK HERE



Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Celeste Cowl - New Knitting Pattern!



This is an easy lace pattern that takes only one hank of my Triple Luxury DK yarn, or you may substitute 3.5 oz / 252 yds of a similar yarn.  Sample was knit with the color Forest Dusk.


The finished size after blocking is appx. 30"x12".  Notes are given for making the cowl larger.

You will need to be comfortable working in the round on circular needles, know how to knit, purl, yo, slip/pass slipped stitches over.

You will need a 24" US size 8 circular needle, a stitch marker, yarn needle for weaving in loose ends, and wool wash or gentle soap (optional).

Pattern is written with a chart for the main stitch used.

Click HERE to purchase the pattern and yarn.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary Review




You may know that I love stitch dictionaries!  This one is no exception.  I pre-ordered back in December without hesitation, and it finally arrived a few weeks ago.

I loooove this book!  So very nice to have the thinking done for you to convert stitches from flat to circular knitting. But wait, there's more :0)  Maybe you want to work the pattern top down, or in the opposite direction.  You can do that with this book!

 This is a great for top down shawl knitting - you know how stitches appear upside down when you knit a shawl that way.  No more with this book!

Not every stitch has instructions for top down/circular, as I had thought.  Some of the swatches are in a yarn that does not best display the stitch, but I don't mind so much.  The book is also spiral bound so it lays flat - a real bonus.
It is well written, and I am sure I will put it to good use!

This is an excellent addition to your knitting library. If you do not want to purchase it, check your local library.

The book is broken up into Knits and Purls, Ribs, Textured, Slipped and Fancy Stitches, Yarn Overs and Eyelets, Cables, Lace, Colorwork, and Hems and Edgings.

There are even some patterns too, such as a cowl, a watch cap, bed socks, a bolero, a vest, pull over, mitts, a scarf, a stole, a slouch cap, and mittens.

If you like to design your own projects, this stitch dictionary is a wonderful resource and I encourage you to add it to your knitting book collection.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Color changing yarn!

Ever since I started messing around with dyeing my own yarn years ago, I've wanted to do those wonderful, slooooowww color changing yarns.  I think I have tried every single method out there, read just about every book, blog and article I could find on dyeing this type of yarn.  I even bought a fancy schmancy machine to make my own blanks, but that didn't work out too well.  I've just not been able to find a quick way to do this type of dyeing. 

I've been asked by several people about slow color changing yarn lately.   The other day, I remembered a method I had thought I would like to try, but up to now had not.  I thought I would give it a whirl.  Below are the results of my experimenting.  What do you think?  These, along with some other colors, will soon be available in my shop!    


Thursday, May 8, 2014

Calypso Shawl - Free Pattern!



MY YARN SHOP HAS CLOSED.  THIS YARN AND PATTERN ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Here is a free shawl pattern for you!  This is super easy and pretty quick to knit up. I wanted a shawl that wasn't just another triangle, or shaped in the usual way.  I had fun with shaping on this, and absolutely love how it turned out.

I used some of my Shimmer yarn, but you can use any fingering weight yarn you like.   (The color I used has sold out, but I do have a few other colors available in this yarn if you would like to use the same yarn!)  This is knit in garter stitch, so even a beginner can do this.

I used yarn overs as my increases, but you can use any increase you like.  The yarn overs at the beginning of the rows are for increasing, and you won't even see them once the shawl has been blocked.  If you will be using another increase, I would knit the first stitch, then work the increase - kfb just as an example.

I wanted to use up as much yarn as possible, without ending up having too little to finish my bind off, so my last increase section is significantly smaller than the others. You can stop and bind off before the last increase section, or you can even continue on if you want the shawl to be bigger.





Monday, April 28, 2014

Yarn! Yarn! Yarn!


I totally love dyeing yarn!  Above is Orchid Nectar - doesn't it look positively yummy? Imagine a lace shawl in this color, or maybe just a light, wispy summer scarf.

There is just a handful of this color.  It is available in two bases:

Merino Silk - Fingering/Sock weight

Superwash Merino - Lace weight


I've got lots of other colors and bases available.  If you haven't yet, stop by my Storenvy shop and take a look around!

I recently got a shipment of all brand new bases, and I am so excited to experiment with them!  I hope to have those ready to list some time in May.

Happy Crafting - go have yourself a super day!

Monday, March 3, 2014

Holding two strands of yarn together for a thicker yarn

Some good-to-know info incase you can't seem to find the weight of yarn you need:


The following are approximate equivalents; however, as with all substitutions, you should check to make sure you're obtaining gauge. 

2 strands fingering = one strand sportweight 
2 strands sport = one strand worsted weight 
2 strands worsted = one strand chunky to super bulky weight*

*2 strands of a lighter worsted yarn held together may approximate the thickness of a chunky yarn, while 2 strands of a heavier worsted weight yarn held together may approximate the thickness of a super bulky yarn. Because of this range, again, it is recommended you should make a gauge swatch to test.

(From the Lion Brand Website)

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

New yarn!

I wanted to share a few pictures of some of the new yarns I have.  Check out my shop for more!

I've got a 100% Merino Wool worsted weight.  This is a NON superwash, so it will felt.  Perfect if you want to make a felted bag!  There will be three colors available: Red Velvet Cake, Neon Butterfly, and Blue Yonder.  Blue Yonder is available now, Red Velvet Cake and Neon Butterfly will be available soon!

I don't have a picture yet of Red Velvet Cake, but here is Blue Yonder and Neon Butterfly.




I've also got a Superwash Aran weight base - this yarn is so soft and fluffy and smooshy!  There will be two colors available - one is dyed and drying and the other is almost done with the dyeing process.  Keep an eye on my Facebook page, I post updates on the yarn regularly!  I haven't decided on any names yet, but here is a picture of the Aran yarn that is almost ready.





I've also added some Fingering weight yarn that I call Shimmer because it has silver stellina in it.  Two colors available now, Gold Dust and Mardi Gras!  Gorgeous!



Thursday, January 9, 2014

YARN SALE!

Yay, it's a yarn sale!   Through the end of January, you can use code 5KDISC at checkout to get 40% off any purchase in the shop!

http://sapphiresnpurls.storenvy.com/


Lots of yummy yarn!

The discount is good on everything in the shop.

Below are just a few pictures of some of the yarn available.










Monday, January 6, 2014

Cocoon Cowl - FREE PATTERN


Cocoon Cowl



Here is a new free pattern for you all.  This uses Patons Roving yarn and US 11 needles, so it is a super quick knit.

You will need to know how to knit, knit through the back loop, slip stitches, and slip stitches purlwise through the back loop.  This is knit in the round, so you should also be comfortable using circular needles.  That said, it is a fairly simple pattern.

I did a video on this stitch pattern back in August of 2012, and have wanted to make something with it ever since.  It took a while to get around to it :-)


You can download the pattern for free from my Craftsy store by clicking on the picture below.

I hope you like the cowl!  If you make it, feel free to stop by my facebook page and share a picture!