Shows Of Hands

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My Left Hand

So I’m working on a class curriculum, but I need some more data than I can gather from the people immediately surrounding me.

What I need is pictures of a wide variety of hands. Right or left doesn’t matter. I need to see the top of your wrist, all your fingers, with the fingers mildly spread. Preferrably as upright as possible.

If you post them on Twitter or Instagram, please tag them with #ShowOfHands for me so I can find them. If you are a private account on IG, you can send it to me as a direct message.

Help a knitter out?

Thank you!
M

Monthly Sale: Persephone Scarf

Hey everyone! I’m trying to do more promotion of my back catalog patterns. You’ll see some oldies but goodies pop up in the blog, and every month an older pattern will be on sale. If you’d like to be notified of the sale every month you can sign up for the Knitter’s Newsletter.


For the month of May, the sale pattern is the Persephone Scarf. To get the pattern at 15% off, just purchase it before the end of the month! The discount will be taken off during checkout.

Purchase the pdf file now through Ravelry (you don’t have to be a Ravelry member to purchase)
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persephone5

A perfect scarf for spring and summer. Light and airy, but just warm enough for those breezy spring and summer nights. Works up quickly in a heavy fingering weight yarn. This pattern could easily be worked in a heavier yarn to make a cozier scarf.

Check out the great versions on Ravelry! I especially love ballandskein’s version in handspun!

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Gauge: 47 sts (one chart wide) = 8 inches (20 cm) after blocking
Finished Measurements: 8 inches (20 cm) wide and 50 inches (127 cm) long
Yarn Requirements: 350 yards of fingering weight yarn. Shown in Ball and Skein Arbori in ‘Purple Haze’
Needle Size: 3.5mm (US 4) straight or circular needles for flat knitting.
Pattern Includes: charts and text translations of charts
Stitches Used: knit, purl, k2tog, yo, ssk, sl1 k2tog psso, Centered Double Decrease.
Other Details: This scarf is worked in a single rectangle from one end to the other with a seed stitch border.

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Cowls for Days!

I am a cowl lover. Keeping my neck warm is of primary concern. I wear them out, I wear them under a coat, I wear them around my house and keep the heating bill down. I have lightweight cowls that I wear on cool high-desert summer evenings, I have big thick wooly cowls I wear in the dead of winter. I basically just love cowls all the time.

When I don’t know what to knit, I generally knit a cowl. The round and round and round is a good process for my hands to keep busy with while my brain thinks of other things. And a cowl is a great way to play with a stitch pattern that I want to contemplate. It’s like knitting meditation.

Design Your Own Cowl | Craftsy

That’s why I’m so excited about Laura Nelkin’s new Craftsy class, Design Your Own Cowl. She gives you 12 design options, walks you through the steps, and pays special attention to edgings, and stretchy cast-ons and bind-offs essential for a good cowl. Flat cowls, round cowls, mobius cowls…. they’re all covered in Design Your Own Cowl. Click the link to see the preview video!

M

p.s. Cowls make great road trip knitting!

Knitting Trends | Brioche

If you’re active with other knitters on Instagram, Twitter, etc… you may have noticed that Brioche has been making an appearance more frequently.

Brioche Knitting Made Easy | Craftsy

The lovely Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark has just released a new Craftsy class called Brioche Knitting Made Easy. Brioche presses so many of my happy buttons. Texture: Check! Dynamic Fabric: Check! Colorplay: Check! The last few months every new project has been at risk of becoming a Brioche project. It’s just so pleasantly interesting! The yo, slip repeat is so rhythmic that I just fall effortlessly into it, but watching the fabric appear beneath my needles seems magical. I also love that when doing two-color brioche rib you get a color-faced fabric. It just makes me so endlessly happy!

Brioche Vine Cowl

Do you remember that two-color Brioche Cowl I made a while back? That pattern is the one from Mercedes’ class. While she was developing the class I saw her knitting it during one of our weekly chats and I fell in love with it! In the class Mercedes walks you through the how-tos, tips, and a bunch of great patterns. Learn the basics with a simple hat, start moving your Brioche stitches with some single color fingerless gloves, and then play with colors on the two-color cowl!

If you want to fall in love with Brioche too, or knit your own Brioche Vine Cowl, check out the class! As with all Craftsy classes, you get to keep it forever, watch at your own pace, and interact with the instructor and your fellow students. The platform lets you take video notes of things you think are important, as well as asking the instructor questions that are time stamped so the instructor knows exactly what you’re asking about!

Enjoy!

Footie Socks

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10 spi Footie Socks

Footie Socks, 10 spi, in Anzula Cloud


The only formula you will ever need to make footie socks for the entire family. Great with clogs, chucks, or for sitting around the house.

Footie Socks, 7, 9, & 6 spi

Footie Socks at 7, 9, and 6 spi in Quince & Co. Tern, Malabrigo Sock, and Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport respectively.

Yarn: Yarns ranging from fine fingering/heavy lace to DK may be used. You should swatch to obtain one of the specified gauges (6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 stitches per inch). The pattern assumes that your yarn has some bounce and memory, so wool and wool blends are appropriate. If you want to use a different fiber, the pattern may require some trial and error. Samples are shown in Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport in Farwell, Quince & Co Tern in Kelp, Knitted Wit Superwash Merino Fingering in Silver Lining, Malabrigo Sock in Alcaucil, and Anzula Cloud in Mariana. Please see note for yardage info.

Needles: Any needle size to give you one of the specified gauges (see note).

Notions: 1 split ring stitch marker to mark BOR, 2 regular stitch markers, tapestry needle to weave in ends, crochet hook & waste yarn for provisional cast on.

Sizes: This pattern/formula covers foot circumferences from 6 – 11” (15.25 – 28 cm). You will need to know the wearer’s foot circumference and foot length. A table of foot length for shoe sizes can be found here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_size)

Footie Socks, 8 spi

Footie Socks at 8 spi in Knitted Wit Superwash Merino Fingering.

Preparation: Swatch to get one of the recommended gauges. Select your foot circumference & your preference for 5% or 10% negative ease. If you are in between sizes you can knit the larger size with 10% negative ease to get a not-too-snug sock. If you want a snugger sock, knit the smaller size with 5% negative ease. Use the Footie Sock Reference Sheet to keep all your important info & measurements for each pair in one place. Download the file here (link opens a .pdf)

Chart 1 is your Target stitch count. Chart 2 is your Cast On Number and will be used when you’re working the heel to make the heel apex. Chart 3 will be used when you have finished the round part of the foot and are ready to start the flat portion as well as the short row rise at the back of the heel.

Yardage Requirements: Yardage will vary depending on yarn many factors, for my 10% negative ease 8” circ and a target length of 9.75” I used 110 yds (6 spi), 165 yds (7 spi), 198 yds (8 spi), 170 yds (9 spi), , 178 yds (10 spi). Your circumference and length measurements as well as your negative ease choice will change your yardage requirements. If you are concerned that you don’t have enough yardage, you can do alternate colored toes and/or heels, or go for a classic look and use a different color of yarn for the ribbing. 35-50 grams of yarn should cover a pair pretty well.

Foot Measurements & Target Foot Length: Foot circumference should be measured around the foot, just below the ball. To get your target foot length and enough negative ease to hold the sock on you need to take your Actual foot length and subtract 1-1.5” (2.5-3.75cm). If you like a very snug footie sock, subtract 1.5” instead of 1”.

Needle Choices: The pattern is written with the stitches divided into two sections: First Half & Second Half. If you are using two circular needles or magic loop, the pattern will not require any interpretation. If you are using 5 dpns, then Needles 1 & 2 = First Half, Needles 3 & 4 = Second Half.

Short Rows: You can use any Short Row Method you want so I have abbreviated WSR for Work Short Row. For instance, if you are using the Wrap & Turn method, WSR is the stitch you would wrap. If you are using the Shadow Wrap method, WSR would be your doubled stitch. Just remember that on following rows you will need to treat your SRS (Short Row Stitch) according to your chosen short row method. For instance, with wrap & turn you would knit your wrap and your wrapped stitch together. For a full discussion on Short Row methods, please visit techknitting or Socktopus.co.uk for Shadow Wraps.

Techniques Used: knit, purl, m1L, m1R, short rows, Stockinette flat & stockinette in the round, ribbing, markers, picking up and knitting stitches from a selvage edge.

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New Shop for Physical Goods!

Hey all!

Shop Front Page

Click to visit the shop!

I’ve finally set up a spot for all my physical goods. If you want to buy a kit or project bags, or jam or whatever I have to sell, it will be there. Right now there are kits for Rill, Flutter, and Chromaticity.

Enjoy!

Monthly Sale: Mountain Peaks & Lightweight Mountain Peaks

Hey everyone! I’m trying to do more promotion of my back catalog patterns. You’ll see some oldies but goodies pop up in the blog, and every month an older pattern will be on sale. If you’d like to be notified of the sale every month you can sign up for the Knitter’s Newsletter.


For the month of April, there are actually two sale patterns. They’re the Mountain Peaks Shawl & the Lightweight Version of the Mountain Peaks Shawl. To get the pattern at 15% off, just purchase either one before the end of the month! The discount will be taken off during checkout.

Regular Version:
Purchase the pdf file now through Ravelry (you don’t have to be a Ravelry member to purchase)
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Lightweight Version:
Purchase the pdf file now through Ravelry (you don’t have to be a Ravelry member to purchase)
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Mountain Peaks 2

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This shawl is designed to evoke the feeling of my beloved Wasatch and Rocky Mountain Ranges. This shawl echoes my deep and abiding love for the mountains that surround my high desert home. From the many foothills to the craggy peaks all throughout the year. From rocky ridges to sleeping snow-capped titans.

Check out all the great versions of both on Ravelry! I absolutely LOVE this pure white version from BrineyDeep! It reminds me of the winter months when my mountains are covered in snow 🙂

Mountain Peaks1

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Gauge: 20 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette after blocking.
Finished Measurements: 68 inches (173 cm) across the top, and 34 inches (86.5 cm) from neck to bottom point.
Yarn Requirements: 600 yards of lace weight yarn. Shown in Knit Picks Shadow in ‘Sunset Heather’
Needle Size: 3.75mm (US 5) 24 inch circular or size needed to obtain gauge.
Pattern Includes: charts and text translations of charts
Stitches Used: knit, purl, knit through the back loop, purl through the back loop, k2tog, p2tog, p2tog through the back loop, k2tog through the back loop, k3tog, p3tog, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, yo2, ssk, wrap & turn short rows.
Other Details: The body of this shawl is worked from the neck down, using yarn overs on each end of each right side row to shape the “wings” and paired yarn overs in the center of each right side row (separated by a center stitch) to shape the point down the spine. These 4 increased stitches are added every right side row, making each row successively longer than the last, so that what started with 5 stitches cast on, ends with hundreds. Once Chart 3 is completed, you will cast on the specified number of stitches that will then be the stitches for the ‘Border Body Chart’. The border will be attached to the live stitches of the rest of the shawl with a k2tog at the end of each wrong side border row, making the border rows lie perpendicular to the previously worked rows. In this way you bind off each of the live stitches by knitting it into the border. This gives the shawl a very elastic edge. To round the bottom corner of the shawl, you will follow the Border Corner Chart, which utilizes wrap and turn short rows to work the entire point while only binding off one stitch (the center stitch) from the body.

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Review: The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet I & II by Hunter Hammersen

Knitters find inspiration is myriad places, but I’ve never seen a collection quite so vividly inspired as Hunter Hammersen‘s Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet Series.

Pinus Sylvestris Illustration

Pinus Sylvestris Illustration

These books (The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet, published in 2012 and The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet, Volume II, published in 2013) are inspired by vintage illustrations. The first volume is all botanical prints (flowers and trees) and Volume II is inspired by butterfly illustrations. The thing that struck me about these illustrations though, is that they’re a really interesting melange of science and art. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re meticulous in their detail. One illustration (the Pinus Silvestris on page 47 of Volume 1), has not only a drawing of the tree branch, but all the different stages of the pine cone development as well as a cross section of the inside! These prints really are quite amazing.

And in keeping with the dual nature of these vintage illustrations, each one has inspired more than one pattern! For each print, there is a sock pattern and a second accessory pattern, ranging from fingerless mitts, to cowls, to hats. Each pattern takes its inspiration from a different aspect of the botanical (or butterfly) print. So each of the patterns simultaneously fits and stands out. It’s truly an astounding collection of patterns. You can see all the patterns (and the prints for which they are named) on Ravelry for Volume I & Volume II.

Delias Eucharis Sock

Delias Eucharis Sock

Chrysanthemum Frutescens Sock

Chrysanthemum Frutescens Sock

Crocus Vernus Sock

Crocus Vernus Sock

But the thing I love most about these books is the socks. So often sock patterns are a single stitch pattern slapped into a sock template, but Hunter’s socks are intricate and interesting. They all have unique heel and toe details that you can tell were chosen to organically compliment the stitch pattern but not compromise heel structure. I love them so! Everything is beautifully photographed and you can tell the socks actually FIT well too. They aren’t just staged for photography.

You can purchase either (or both!) books in digital only or print & digital versions on Hunter’s site, or if you prefer Amazon you can find Volume I & Volume II there.

Hunter has also generously offered to gift digital copies of both books to one my readers. So if you would like to be entered into the drawing, post a comment answering the question:

“What is your favorite accessory to knit?”

p.s. Please be aware that to keep spam down, comments are moderated unless you’ve been approved in the past. If you have never commented here before, your comment won’t show up immediately, so please don’t comment again thinking it didn’t go through. I will be sure to approve all comments to this post that aren’t spammy 🙂 Thanks!

ETA: I’ll be closing the drawing on Friday at 5 pm, and I’ll pick a winner then.

Monthly Sale: Eleanora Socks

Hey everyone! I’m trying to do more promotion of my back catalog patterns. You’ll see some oldies but goodies pop up in the blog, and every month an older pattern will be on sale. If you’d like to be notified of the sale every month you can sign up for the Knitter’s Newsletter.


For the month of March, the sale pattern is the Eleanora Socks. To get the pattern at 15% off, just purchase it before the end of the month! The discount will be taken off during checkout.

Purchase the pdf file now through Ravelry (you don’t have to be a Ravelry member to purchase)
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esock4

These socks are inspired by the socks found in the tomb of Eleanoro de Toledo, the wife of Cosimo I de’Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. She was buried in 1562 after dying of the plague and her crimson silk socks are amazingly well preserved. They were knee-high with turned down cuffs. The lozenge patterned cuffs on this adaptation are NOT turned down and the motifs have been reduced in number of stitches due to gauge differences. See the notes at the end of this pattern for more historical information.

Check out these great versions on Ravelry! I still think that Margene’s crimson Eleanora’s are my favorite. 🙂

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Gauge: 17 sts and 25 rounds per 2 inches (5 cm) square in stockinette on 2.25 mm needle and 19 sts per 2 inches (5 cm) square on 2.0 mm
Finished Measurements: 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) from cuff to top of heel flap, 12 inches (30.5 cm) around upper cuff, 9 inches (23 cm) around foot, 9 (23 cm) from heel to toe.
Yarn Requirements: 400 yards of fingering weight yarn. Sample shown in Opal Sock Yarn in color 1997-13.
Needle Size: Set of 5 double points in 2.25 mm (US 1) and 2.0 mm (US 0) or size needed to obtain gauge.
Pattern Includes: charts and text translations of charts
Stitches Used: knit, purl, k2tog, k2tog twisted, ktbl, k2tog tbl, yo, p2tog, ssk, Centered Double Decrease.
Other Details: These socks are worked from the cuff down with a small facing at the top knitted on US Size 0’s. The rest of the sock is worked on US Size 1’s. The pattern includes a reinforced heel stitch flap, and decreases on the top of the toe built in to the patterning.

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Monthly Sale: Dimorphous Mitts w/ Alternate Inner Mitt Versions

Hey everyone! I’m trying to do more promotion of my back catalog patterns. You’ll see some oldies but goodies pop up in the blog, and every month an older pattern will be on sale. If you’d like to be notified of the sale every month you can sign up for the Knitter’s Newsletter.


For the month of February, the sale pattern is the Dimorphous Mitts. To get the pattern at 15% off, just purchase it before the end of the month! The discount will be taken off during checkout.

Purchase the pdf file now through Ravelry (you don’t have to be a Ravelry member to purchase)
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dimorphous1

These versatile mittens will give you the option of warmth from the first leaf of fall to the last snow and everything in between. The simple Inner Mitten is worked in the round with a thumb gusset and a slim-fitting hand in sock weight yarn, while the Outer Mitten is worked in a drapey, luscious, DK weight yarn. I have added another pdf to the download for this pattern, giving instructions for also making gloves, fingerless gloves, and fingerless mitts to replace the Inner Mitten. All of these options are worked using the same cuff instructions from the original pattern, as well as the same gauge and yarn specifications. The add-on pdf is meant to be used in conjunction with the original pdf.

Check out all the great versions on Ravelry! I especially love this version from handepande with embroidery on the outter mitt!

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Gauge: For Inner Mitten: 32 sts and 44 rows per 4 inches (10 cm) square in stockinette. For Outer Mitten: 22 sts and 32 rows per 4 inches (10 cm) square in stockinette.
Finished Measurements: to fit a 7.5 inches (19 cm) circumference with .5 inch (1.3 cm)of negative ease
Yarn Requirements: For Inner Mitten: 60 grams of fingering weight yarn. For Outer Mitten: 50 grams of DK weight yarn.
Needle Size: For Inner Mittens: 2.5 mm (US 1.5) double pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge. For Outer Mittens: 3.75 mm (US 5) double pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge.
Pattern Includes: Glove, fingerless glove and fingerless mitt options for the inner mitten
Stitches Used: knit, purl, slipping with yarn in front, k2tog, ssk, m1

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