Moss Rock Sock Pattern Now Available!
Just a quick note that the Moss Rock Sock pattern is now available for purchase! The sock was originally designed for the Sock Sniper fundraiser, and I wanted to make the pattern generally available. The sample sock is knit up in Sunshine Yarns Classic, which shows off the little cable pattern perfectly. (The colorway here is Olive You. You can’t go wrong with any of Dani’s colors, though!)
Rocaille Mitts
Well, hello! I really need to get back into the blogging habit, don’t I? Lots of secret projects going on here, which will get unveiled in due time throughout the year. (Seriously. It is a lot.) In the meantime, I am slowly working my way through writing up the patterns for all the fun little small projects currently residing on my desk. (There are a lot of those, too. 8 or 9 new accessories at last count.) The first one has been checked off the to do list! It is the Rocaille Mitts. I love these mitts. This pair was gifted to my sister, so I have to find the time to make myself a pair. Because these turned out so very pretty.
I worked these up in Madelinetosh Pashmina Worsted — a lovely, soft, squishy yarn available in a multitude of colors. The semisolid yarn doesn’t take away from the lacy pattern running up the back of the hand from the cuff. The lace pattern looks complex, but it really isn’t bad once you get going.
The palm of the hand and thumb are a nice, dense stockinette stitch, for warmth and practicality. The cuffs have a touch of ribbing to give a close fit.
A new sweater design!
Hey guys! I hope there are still folks out there. That was quite the unintended absence. I find blogging a little like exercise — if I stay with it, it is easy and happens on a regular basis. If I take a break for any reason, it is really hard to get going again. So, let’s end the year with getting back on track. How about that?
Well, have you seen the newest issue of Knit Simple magazine? The Winter 2012 issue? It is a really nice issue, and I am not saying that just because I have a design in it! It really is worth checking out.
Back to my design…
This scoop neck pullover is highlighted by a braided cable. It is the perfect first cable project, but also a fun knit for the more experienced knitter. It is knit flat and then seamed. Don’t be intimidated by this! It makes a great finish. And the yarn? Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted. If you haven’t used this before, go buy some now. Lovely stuff — good yardage, soft as can be, washable, and great colors!
Next time… We will start going through the pile of new small project designs sitting here on my desk waiting for unveiling.
Photo courtesy of Knit Simple Winter 2012, photo by Jack Deutsch.
Maybelle Shawlette
Looking for a fun little shawl for this fall? I may have just the thing! Something eked out between the piles of secret knitting…
Meet Maybelle. This shawlette uses two colors of fingering weight yarn. (You could do it all in one color, but where would be the fun in that?) I used Miss Babs Yummy for the main color and Miss Babs Yummy Toes for the contrast color. This was my first time using yarn from Miss Babs, but I can promise you that it will not be the last! I mean, who could resist?
I am a little addicted to these small shawls that use up a skein or two of fingering weight yarn. I particularly like this notion of simple garter stitch bordered with something fancy. It lets me use up those variegated yarns that can be so tricky.
This pattern is worked side to side, with the edging knit on at the end. It is written up in 2 sizes, the sample shown being the smaller size.
The nice thing is that this project is accessible to the more beginning knitter, but is still fun for the more advanced knitter. And, I promise, there is no sewing involved!
And a special thanks to one of my super cute nieces for modeling!
A Sock Sniper Pattern
I meant to post this on September 1, but, as tends to happen to me, time flew by. However, it is still relevant!
A little while ago, I talked about doing a pattern for the Tour-de-Sock. Sarah runs a second sock knitting competition called Sock Sniper that also raises money for Doctors Without Borders. You know what that means, don’t you? It means I did another pattern to donate to the competition of course!
These are the Moss Rock Socks. Both the fancy cuff and the honeycomb-style cable pattern down the side are worked without a cable needle and surprisingly easy to memorize. Don’t you just love stitch patterns like that? The yarn is Sunshine Yarns Classic (have you checked out Dani’s new site?) in Olive You. As always, you can’t go wrong with Sunshine Yarns.
The socks are knit from the cuff down. The heel flap has a slight variation on the traditional heel stitch pattern, and the cable pattern continues into the foot. The pattern is written up in 4 sizes, with gauge suggestions to get even more size options!
Currently, the pattern is exclusive to Sock Sniper participants. I will make it widely available later this fall. Hope you love it!
Dots!
Have you seen the preview for the new Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2012? These holiday issues are always jam-packed with fun stuff! I have a blanket design included in the issue — written up in four sizes from baby blanket to bed blanket. It’s the Dots Blanket.
It is a super fun knit made up of garter stitch mitered squares. While there are quite a few ends to weave in at the end (I recommend weaving as you go!), there is no sewing at all. Everything is picked up and knit. The sample is shown in 3 colors of Cascade 220 Superwash, but imagine all the fun you could have with this pattern and playing with color.
Photo copyright Interweave Knits.
While we are on the topic of using Sunshine Yarns…
You all probably have figured out by now that I love Sunshine Yarns. Amazing colors, great yarn bases, and, of course, Dani is one of my very best friends. How could I go wrong? The Saint-Michel socks turned out great! Well, it turns out the Aibreann socks turned out great, too. The Aibreann socks, you ask? Why, those are another design done up in Sunshine Yarns Classic, this time in the Glendalough colorway.
I am a little in love with the spiraling lace combined with the stair-stepping texture pattern. And the color? Well, I am definitely in love with it.
The socks are knit from the top down. The pattern is easy to memorize since it is so linear. You can pretty much intuit where it is going next.
Happy sock knitting!
Saint-Michel Socks
For the past couple of years, my friend SarahBess over on Ravelry has sponsored a sock knitting competition called the Tour de Sock. The goal of this competition is to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Of course, she needs designers to contribute sock patterns for the competitors to knit, so once I again, I was more than happy to donate my efforts.
This year, I created a new sock design using Sunshine Yarns Classic in Ice Castle. I love, love, love this colorway — kind of a gray with pinkish tones, perfect for the lace motif I wanted to use. That lace motif? Well, it reminded me of fancy fountains, say in a French garden. Combine the stonework-like color, and the fountain motif, and I was thinking of castles, palaces, chateaus… So, the new socks? They became the Saint-Michel Socks.
The socks are knit from the top down, starting with a twisted rib and moving into a lace pattern with twisted stitches.
You can see that the lace pattern flows into the heel flap and down the toe.
Originally, this pattern was available only to Tour participants. I have just made it available for everyone. Hope you enjoy it!
Cover Shot!
Yay me! My first magazine cover shot! Check out the cover of the Fall 2012 issue of Knit Simple magazine. My Grid Stitch Cowl is featured on the cover. I am pretty excited!
The Grid Stitch Cowl is a great beginner project or quick knit for the more experienced knitter. It is shown in Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe, which is a lovely dk/light worsted weight merino. The cowl is knit in the round, so it is just cast on, knit a bunch, bind off, and weave in ends! No finishing involved! The pattern stitch is easy to memorize and fun to knit.
I hope you enjoy this cozy fall project.
Photos by Paul Amato (LVARepresents.com) from Knit Simple Fall 2012
I’m back!
I know it has been awhile. Some times life gets unavoidably in the way, and things fall off the plate, but I am back! I have just drafted up 5-6 posts, so, yes, there is plenty to fill you in on. First, though, I will just make a quick public service announcement. I added some sock patterns to my Ravelry pattern store today. I know there have been questions about when some of these would be available.
And one last note… I may have missed responding to some comments. For that I apologize. I will spend some time reviewing them and getting in touch with appropriate people soon.
And the new sock patterns are:
Eimear
All in a Row
Chutes and Ladders
Riding the Rails
