Lesley

The Lesley sweater is part of Hannah Fettig's newest book, Home and Away, which is available for preorder now (preorder of the hard copy includes a digital copy too!).

Back before Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to knit another sample for designer Hannah Fettig. I started sample knitting for her over 4 years ago in 2010 (how has it been that long?). She had sent the yarn for this pattern during the summer but the pattern didn't come until much later. And I think it was perfect timing. In August I started working on my own all-consuming design project and didn't have much brain (or knitting) space. But in November, we had a family crisis. My father-in-law went in for a routine procedure and suffered a stroke 3 days later. Three days after that he suffered a second stroke, never regained consciousness, and passed away a few days later. 

During that time, I was so overwhelmed with work, trying to keep our home afloat, and still be supportive to my husband who was the one suffering the most. I wanted to knit. I needed to knit. But I was completely incapable of thinking. Then this pattern showed up and the aran weight Osprey and seamless construction of this lovely stockinette sweater saved my sanity. I needed to loose myself in something, to not have to think. And what resulted was this simple and beautiful pullover. 

I remember when Hannah posted photos of the photoshoot day. It was a freezing day in January and I'm pretty sure I was home for a snow day. What an amazing model to stand in those frigid temps and not look at all cold! 

When people tell me what a faster knitter I am, I say that I used to be. It's hard to find a lot of knitting time with a 2-year-old running around. But this sweater really did fly off the needles. I knit the entire thing in 10 days! I'd credit it to Osprey and and a seamless stockinette design. I love the gentle scoop of the neck.

I'm already planning my own (I seriously have said this about every design of Hannah's I've ever knit!) and since the smallest size uses less than 4 skeins of Osprey, this will be a fantastically economical knit. 

As much as I love Lesley, this is just one in an amazing collection of patterns from Hannah. My favorite might be Georgetown. What also makes this collection really unique is that each pattern is written for seamless or seamed construction. I love this since for some shapes I have a preference to what I think fits well and maintains shape. 

You can preorder the collection on Knitbot, or you can queue and view the entire collection on Ravelry. Have you seen this collection yet? Which is your favorite?

Simple Hats

Last month I had the opportunity to work up a few quick samples for Hannah Fettig of Knitbot. I knit three Simple Hats.

I had been wanting to give this pattern a try since it came out but hadn't really found the time. So now I had to make the time. I used three different weights of yarn from Quince and Co.

The first hat was knit in Osprey in the color Clay. That was by far the fastest hat working up in just a day! Osprey is listed as an Aran weight but is a very versatile yarn. For this pattern it was used for the bulky weight version in a gauge of 14 sts over 4".

The second hat was knit in Lark in a heathered gray color (I can't find the tag). While knitting this hat I ran very close to using over 1 skein of yarn (the pattern actually calls for 2 skeins of Lark). When you are sample knitting, you must follow the pattern exactly and there's no trying to scrimp on yarn. So I did what any knitter would do and just knit faster (totally obvious, right?). Apparently it worked. After knitting to the recommended length, working the decreases and finishing off the crown I literally had 6" of yarn left. It was magic. 

The final hat was knit in  Chickadee in the color Iceland. While being the dk (and lightest) weight version of the three, this hat still only took two days to do. Part of it may have had something to do with the fact that I will still on break before returning to school after the holiday.  

This hat pattern is quick and easy to follow and comes in 5 sizes in 3 different weights of yarn! So many options to make that you will easily be able to find an appropriate yarn to use in your stash. I know just the skein I'll be using for my next Simple Hat. Do you have any favorite simple hat patterns?

Ravelry Link to Hat 1

Ravelry Link to Hat 2 

Ravelry Link to Hat 3

Began: December 22, 2014 (I think)

Completed: January 3, 2015

Cradle Cardigan

I know I said yesterday I don't gift things very often, but in reflection, I did a fair amount of gifting in June. 

This little cutie is the Cradle Cardigan by Hannah Fettig. I did some sample knitting for her Mabel's Closet collection a few summers ago. The pieces are very simple and clean, in true Hannah style, for a classic baby look. I also knit the Autumn Frock last Christmas for my niece. Anyone who does any knitting for babies could benefit from owning this collection.

Anyway, I knit this piece out of Quince & Co. Chickadee in Frost. I bought a few skeins to reknit a Pacific Grove vest and used less than two skeins on this sweater. It was a gift for my knitting group friend Amy who is expecting her first baby.

And surprise, surprise, I even sewed a bib! This is the first time I've used my sewing machine since like, 2008, and I was very pleased with my skills so I knit another for D and am going to make a third for my niece who we refer to as little D (d). Apparently though, two bibs in six years was too much for my machine. It was given to me by my father-in-law and is probably at least as old as I am. It stopped feeding the fabric and now it's spending some time getting a little tune up.

Pattern: Cradle Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

Yarn: Quince & Co. Chickadee in Frost

Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm)

Began: May 12

Completed: June 8

Ravelry Page

Finished Samples: Knitbot Essentials

I'm sure by now you think I've given up knitting completely. I've been knitting like a maniac the entire month of March and into this month, honest! The knits, however, are all unreleased samples so I can't share them with you quite yet. 

In the meantime, I can share with you some sample knits I completed right around the end of December/early January. If you're a fan or follower of Hannah Fettig over at Knitbot then I'm sure you've already seen her newest publications, Knitbot Essentials. This book is a joint effort between Hannah and the lovely people and yarns over at Quince and Co. 

First in my line up is the always essential Featherweight Cardigan. I knit this out of Tern (fingering weight, 75/25 wool/silk) in a colorway called Boothbay Blue. I know that a cardigan in fingering weight seems daunting, but this sweater worked up in about two weeks. I attribute my speed to the design. It's easy to get going on this and blaze a trail forward without looking back too much (if you get my knitting metaphor). As I write this I'm still asking myself why I haven't knit one of my own...

Here are the 70 Yard Mitts. These were knit in Lark (worsted weight, 100% wool) in the colorway Honey. A super fast knit if you're in need of a little gift of your hands are cold. Like, you could wake up in the morning and say, "My hands are cold" and then whip these up by mid-afternoon.

This is the Tricolor Cowl, also knit in Tern in the colors Oyster, Back Bay, and Buoy. I knit this up on my way home from California after Christmas. Perfect knitting for a long flight. 

Finally, I knit up the Day Beret out of Chickadee (sport weight, 100% wool) in Pomegranate. If you've been following my blog for an extended period of time, then you're probably aware that I tend not to knit hats for myself. It has more to do with me having a ton of thick hair and an above average-sized head. But this hat is awesome! Just enough slouch, not too much that it gets stretched out. It's definitely on my "Must Knit Again" list.

If you're a fan of Hannah's, this collection of patterns is definitely a must have. In addition to these four, there's also the Effortless Cardigan ( a fan favorite), Breezy Cardigan (one of my favorites), the Lightweight Pullover, Trail Jacket, and Wispy Cardi. You can view them all on Ravelry. And considering you're getting six sweater patterns in addition to the three accessories, the price is an awesome deal! 

Bayside Pullover

If you've been wondering what I've been doing all November, here it is. Another Coastal Knits sample knit has been completed and sent away. This one is the Bayside Pullover, designed by Hannah Fettig.

This particular sample was knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in a chocolaty brown color. While it is a really simple pullover, I love how the cables add some visual interest. 

Hopefully I'll be able to knit myself one in the coming year (because I'm sure it won't happen this year!).

Pattern: Bayside Pullover by Hannah Fettig

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (about 2.5 skeins) color #1279

Needles: #5

Began: November 12

Completed: December1

Ravelry Page

Coastal Knits Blog Tour

Those of you who have been following my blog for any period of time are probably aware that I'm a sample knitter. I LOVE sample knitting. What better way to spend my time than by knitting some awesome designs by knitwear designers I admire?  I've been knitting for Alana of Never Not Knitting since July of 2010 but had already been an admirer of her patterns. A few months later I was contacted by Hannah of Knitbot asking me to sample knit for her as well. Knitting for these ladies has been such a pleasure. They both have very distinct styles, but there is always something so wearable and current with their designs. So imagine my delight when Hannah mentioned in an email way back in January that she and Alana were planning a book (could you imagine knowing since January and having to wait all year? Painful, I tell you). 

When I received my copy in the mail I was in awe of just how professional and lovely it was.  Since so many other people have raved about it already, I'll just say that you definitely should own a copy of this book. You'll want to knit everything! 

Since I've already knit quite a few projects from this, I thought I would review them a bit and share with you my experiences. 

My first sample from this book was Alana's Wildflower Cardigan. My version was knit for the second trunk show (these ladies are popular!) out of Madelinetosh Pashmina in a color called Isadora. The knitting of this pattern went smoothly as Alana's patterns are very clear and descriptive. Getting started was only a slight challenge. The pattern calls for a gauge of 28 stitches to 4" on a size 5 needle. Apparently I'm a terribly tight knitter and ended up having to go down to a size 2 needle! Getting started knitting a sweater on a size 2 needle can be very scary but I was actually able to zoom along with this project and finish in about three weeks. Who doesn't love a sweet little cardigan with pockets? And these pockets have flowers on them! My favorite part of this design is the lovely scalloped edges. It's such a delicate and feminine detail that, for me, makes the cardigan. I could rave about this cardigan for days and am already planning the yarn to make my own.

My second knit was the Panoramic Stole by Hannah.  If you are looking for a simple and versatile wrap, this is it. My version was knit out of The Fibre Company's Canopy Fingering. This yarn is warm and lush something you'll want to knit a fall/winter item out of. This is such a simple and pretty wrap that is easy enough for new knitters and would also make a great take along project since the pattern is easy to memorize. 

My final sample piece was the Branching Out Mitts, also by Hannah. These may have been my favorite sample knit from the book. I've never done Intarsia until these mitts but these were a wonderful project. When knitting for these designers (whether samples or for personal use) I tend to really trust their yarn choices and this is no different. The mitts are done in Blue Sky Alpaca's Melange, a sport weight yarn. The fuzz and heathered color of the Melange is very forgiving to Intarsia. It also blocks out very nicely, allowing you to get more even stitches and a smoother fabric. The pattern used less than a ball of each so I'm thinking this should be on many a knitter's holiday gift list. 

In addition to these three samples, I helped with Hannah's Bayside Pullover surgery (mentioned in Episode 60 of Never Not Knitting), and have even knit two of the patterns for myself (see my Rocky Coast Cardigan). If you'd like to see any of these knits in person check out the Coastal Knits trunk show as they might be coming to a city near you. And if you can't wait, then go order the book already! You definitely won't regret it. 

Now, if you've seen my Cambrian Cowl recently and thought 'my, that looks cozy', well it is, and here's your chance to win it. That's right! Just leave a comment below and I'll choose a winner on Friday, October 28th. In case you're concerned about allergies, the cowl is 100% alpaca and comes from a smoke-free, dog-friendly home. 

Thank you to both Alana and Hannah for including me on this wonderful project! I look forward to many more inspiring designs coming from these two. And don't forget to check out the rest of their Coastal Knits blog tour!

Rocky Coast Cardigan

I had high hopes of getting some good pictures of me wearing my new cardigan but the lighting was weird today and just turned out too dark. However, we're getting some family photos done in a couple weeks and I plan on wearing this in some of the pictures so you'll get to see it on me then. 

In the meantime, it's finished! If this wasn't the fastest sweater to knit, I don't know what is.

So would you like some details? My gauge was initially just a bit over what was called for so I decided to knit the 40" instead of the 36" (I'm a 32"). After blocking, my finished cardigan measured at about the 36" size. I used a total of 9 skeins of Organik with only a small bit leftover. For the sleeves, I did only one decrease after the first complete round and one more set of decreases before starting the ribbing. I had originally knit the first sleeve as called for and it was way too tight on my arm. The skein I used for that first sleeve was also a bit darker than the yoke of the cardigan (which of course annoyed me to no end) so I was going to rip and reknit that anyway. I used a 7mm needle to bind off the ribbing which achieved the perfect amount of ease. I also used the 7mm needles to do the sleeves since I'm well aware of my tension issues from knitting flat versus in the round. And don't forget, I did all the cables without a cable needle!

I could rave on and on about the how lovely the drape of this sweater is and how Organik is a wonderful yarn choice but you really should try it for yourself. And this color? Doesn't it just scream fall? When I first got this yarn I wasn't sure how the color would turn out as a knitted piece but now, I feel like the color helps to make this the perfect autumn cardigan. Can I also point out that this is my first Hannah Fettig design that I've knit for myself? I know! I can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to making one. I love how simple and essential her pieces are. They can fit into any wardrobe.  I'll be looking forward to getting a lot of use out of this one in the upcoming months.

Pattern: Rocky Coast Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

Yarn: The Fibre Company Organik in Magma (9 skeins)

Needles: US10.5 for body, US9 for ribbing, US10.75 (7mm) for sleeves and bind off

Began: October 8

Completed: October 16

Ravelry Link

This is a Celebrate Color project!

Organik

My initial plans yesterday consisted of frogging my Audrey and reskeining the yarn. However, those plans were thwarted by this:

Notice something missing?

Oh yeah, that would be the handle.

I've been following the Rocky Coast Cardigan knit-a-long in the Coastal Knits Group on Ravelry and finally decided to wind some yarn and swatch. Mid-yarn winding, snap, and the handle was off. I had a "what the?!" type of moment and called Knit Picks customer service. My new winder will be on its way tomorrow morning. Crisis averted. This of course means that I haven't frogged Audrey yet because I don't care to do that without the winder. 

In the meantime, I swatched for a couple projects and eventually cast on for the Rocky Coast Cardigan. This is going to be an open front, cabled cardigan knit out of The Fibre Company's Organik yarn in Magma.

At this point, I've knit through two skeins the Organik (pattern calls for nine) and it is working up beautifully. Once this project is done I don't know if I'll be able to sing the praises of the Organik enough! Not only is it soft, it has a really lovely sheen that kind of makes the whole thing glow. Over on the KAL forum, a lot of knitters were concerned that because this is a single spun yarn there would be a fair amount of pilling (oh, the dreaded pilling!). The designer, Hannah Fettig, recently posted on her blog information about the yarn and why this luxury yarn is also a workhorse. I was definitely sold but in case you haven't had the chance to see this yarn in real life (I know my LYS doesn't carry this) I thought I would offer you a quick comparison between the Organik and some Malabrigo Worsted.

I think it's easy to immediately see that these too are not as alike as one might initially think. Although the Organik is very light and full, you can tell that it holds together better than the Malabrigo.  I also gave both yarns a few twists in the opposite direction and the Mal unspun pretty quickly while the Organik sprung back into place.

Don't get me wrong, I love Malabrigo with the best of them but if you're considering the Organik for your sweater, it will be well worth it and I bet it will last for quite some time.

I've already divided the sleeves for my sweater and am working my way down the back. This is a cable heavy pattern (although an easy cable) and being able to cable without the cable needle makes things go much more quickly. I'm sure I'm not the only person doing this but I thought, for those out there who are interested and unsure how to go about it, tomorrow I'll post a little tutorial on how I cable without the needle.

Just Stuff

Just thought I'd give you a quick update on what's going on around here. This past week has been super busy with work stuff and I still have my sample knit on the needles, so there isn't anything finished quite yet. I am almost done, however, and I can guarantee you this is going to be another fabulous and comfy knit from Hannah.

 

This was also a great week for mail because I won a great new crochet book by Linda Permann on Robyn Chachula's blog, Crochet by Faye. When I got my package I found that Robyn had included a skein of Spud & Chloe Outer in the color Sandbox! I love Spud & Chloe so I'll have to brainstorm something fun for this skein.

 

I also received a wonderful birthday package from my online friend and blogger, Zina at His Glory Hand Knits. In it was a great skein of fingering weight yarn she had hand dyed herself as well as a little project notebook and some really darling stitch markers. I felt very spoiled!

 

To top it all off, guess what I found this morning?

Breezy Cardigan

I know a lot of you have been fawning over this picture of Hannah Fettig's lattest design, Breezy Cardigan. Well, it's available now and you know what that means...

I can finally share my sample knit with you! 

The Breezy Cardigan has to be my favorite design of hers yet. The length is great for both the sleeves and body. I knit this on 3.5mm (#4) needles to get gauge and was suprised by how quickly the body came together. I think it's because of the stockinette that you can just knit away and then all of a sudden look down and have four inches complete. 

The hardest part for me was the sleeves. I know I get a different gauge in the round than flat so I always change needle size but I was still having a problem getting the correct gauge. I finally got gauge but then started having trouble with ladders! I had to restart the first sleeve several times but eventually got going with magic loop. I think I knit one sleeve on the way to California in March, and the other on the return flight to Ohio. After fighting with and finishing the sleeves, the ribbing was no sweat.   

Assuming that I find time to knit something else for myself this summer it's definitely going to be a second Breezy Cardigan.  I have already picked out the yarn, too. I may have mentioned that I start tossing the phrase "it's my birthday!" around when it gets within a week of the actual day. So in order to celebrate last week, I bought myself a skein of Wool Candy Souffle, a 70/20/10 alpaca, silk, cashmere blend. The sheen on this is unbelievable. 

Hello, gorgeous.

Match + 1Up

2KCBWDAY2

 For this post, we're supposed to reflect on how we've grown as knitters/crocheters over the past year. I did a series of posts this year on where I came from and how much I'd achieved in a year so I'm not really going to bore you with the details of that (you can go back and read them if you'd like). In the past year, I've learned to knit sweaters, I've done cables, I've made socks, have become a sample knitter and even published my own crochet design. I'm hoping that the following year will prove as eventful. I do feel as though I've grown as a knitter. I want to keep challenging myself with new things and try to keep from getting stagnant.

Since we're all into reflecting in this post, I thought I'd share with you a new piece I recently knit for Hannah Fettig. Now that Hannah has previewed the photos of her new cardigan, the Spring Ribbed Cardigan (which should be available for sale by the end of the week), I can finally share with you my finished project!  

This is a great, lightweight cardigan for spring. It is knit in The Fibre Company's Savannah DK in Pink Grapefruit, a blend of 50% merino, 20% cotton, 15% soy, and 15% linen. Despite the makeup of this yarn, it turned out to be surprisingly delightful to work with. The yarn was not splitty, although I would not suggest using it with the Knit Picks Zephyr needles. I started the cardigan on those needles and it was all I could do to keep going. The drag caused by the yarn on the needles was dreadful. I switched to my Knit Picks Harmony needles and all was well again. 

I knit this sample in the 36" bust size (which I am not even close to) but I would knit it again in this size if I were planning to wear it over layered tees and long sleeves. Since there's no closures, I don't think the bust size needs to be spot on to fit nicely. 

I also really like the collar/banding on this cardigan. It just seems that the wide band makes the overall effect very flattering yet casual at the same time. 

The hardest part of sample knitting is sending away the finished piece (especially when you want to wear it the rest of the weekend). A knitted garment is always labor intensive, no matter how delightful during the process. Then it's all grown up and headed to Hannah's house!

Pattern: Spring Ribbed Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

Yarn: Fibre Company Savannah DK, 7 skeins 

Needles: #4

Began: February 

Completed: February 27th

Ravelry Link

Contented Cardi

No, I don't have another finished Christmas gift to share (although I did finish the scarf for my sister-in-law Saturday night). I've kind of come to terms with the fact that I won't finish everything by Christmas (I've also gone ahead and made the recipients aware of this fact as well). 

 

The Contented Cardi is a brand new pattern from designer Hannah Fettig. 

 

I worked on this during October and November and while the start and finish dates span about a month, it was a actually a very quick knit. Overall, I probably worked on it for about a total of two weeks. The design is simple and so wearable. This is a top down cardigan with increases worked consistently down the length of the cardigan creating the open, flared sides. A single row of cables provide a bit of interest on the back. Add elbow length sleeves all done up in Classic Elite's Inca Alpaca yarn and you have a completely cozy cardigan. 

 

I think my favorite thing about this cardigan is it's wearability. I can see this being worn with a variety of outfits. After completing the knitting, I had a very hard time packaging it up and sending it to Hannah. This has definitely made my list of must-knit items to be added to my wardrobe.

 

I really liked the Inca Alpaca. As far as alpacas go, it was not very sheddy but did have a tendency to split some while knitting. I also should mention that I while knitting, my gauge flat and my gauge in the round can be quite a bit different and this project was no exception. To remedy this, I knit the body with #5 needles and the sleeves (in the round) with #6 double points.

 

Pattern: Contented Cardi by Hanna Fettig (you can purchase here or here)

Yarn: Classic Elite Inca Alpaca in Partridge #1114 (9 skeins for smallest size)

Needles: #5 for flat, #6 for round

Began: October 20

Completed: November19

Ravelry Link

Sample Knitting: Hannah Fettig

Another project that I have on the needles right now is a sample knit that I'm doing for Hannah Fettig. It is a laceweight version of her new Effortless Cardigan. 

When I receieved the email from Hannah asking if I would be interested in sample knitting for her, I let out a little shriek. Holy Moses (as one of my students likes to say)! Could she really mean me? My name had been referenced by another designer that I had knit for. I couldn't believe my name was, like, getting around (and in the good sense). Of course I jumped at the chance to knit for her. I have many of Hannah's patterns purchased and queued, but haven't had the time to knit one, except for my kissing hand hearts.

She sent me a few skeins of my favorite lace yarn, Malabrigo Lace, and I hit the needles running. However, purling 300+ stitches of laceweight yarn is a bit slow going so I didn't progress as quickly as I would have liked. I've finally gotten the waist shaping started so I'm hoping the body will go a bit more quickly than the yoke.

I'm loving the fabric this is creating and am going to be thoroughly sorry to send it back to her. I'm already sure that I will love the finished cardigan.  The only thing I must point out when working with Malabrigo Lace: manicure. I had to do some serious exfoliation, moisturizing, and nail filing since my little dragon claws were snagging the yarn!