new pattern

New Pattern Release and FO Friday: Sweet Gemma

Whew, it’s been really dang busy around here (hence the lack of posts recently!). I’m hoping to get back on a regular blogging schedule soon, but in the meantime… I released a new pattern yesterday, woohoo!

Sweet Gemma should look familiar to regular readers of this blog—it’s only been about 6 months coming, haha:

Here are the specs:

Pattern: Sweet Gemma, available here on Ravelry for $5

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in Aguas, 6 skeins. I was worried while designing/knitting the blanket that I would need 7, but it ended up being perfect with more than enough left over to crochet the blocks together.

To minimize color weirdness with the hand-dyed yarn, I knit one square with one skein, another square with a second skein, and then a third square alternating the leftovers of both of the previous skeins. I think it worked out really well!

Notes: The finished blanket is what I’d consider the perfect crib size, about 3ft square. And although it took me a while to finish, it was actually a very portable project. Each square is worked from the middle out, so it was easy to throw my current square into my purse or knitting bag.

I’m so delighted this pattern is out in the world—I hope you like it as much as I do!

Friday Roundup: New Pattern and a Birthday!

What I’m Knitting

More pattern writing than knitting this week, but with a payoff—my Tierney Hat pattern is now released!

It’s knit in beautiful Madelinetosh DK yarn and can be purchased from Ravelry for $5 here.

Now I’m back to work on the blanket squares! #7 is done and #8 is started… the finish line is in sight!

What I’m Cooking

A couple of surprisingly cold days last week gave me a hankering for chili, so I made a huge pot and happily ate leftovers for several days. Perfect with some (lactose-free) cheese and homemade cornbread muffins:

For my son’s second birthday last week, I decided to make him a cake. But since he’s dairy-free and mostly sugar-free (and so were many of the friends/family who came to his little party), I challenged myself to make a vegan, refined-sugar free cake. The cake part was made with coconut sugar, and the icing was mostly pureed dates with cocoa and some flavorings. I was surprised (and so was everyone else, ha!) at how good it was!

Here’s the birthday boy blowing out his candle (with an assist from Daddy):

What I’m Reading

I’m almost done with The Morrigan’s Curse—what a great book!

Friday Roundup: Sleight of Hand

What I’m Knitting

A week spent hard at work on deadline projects leaves me nothing to show off… so I’m going to take a page out of magicians’ handbooks and distract you with a shiny new pattern release!

Remember this nautical baby sweater? I actually released the pattern last month, but I never got around to posting it here on the blog. After discovering that the secret to getting my son to stop for a second so I could take pics was putting sticks in his hands, I got some pretty good photos!

He is just ridiculously photogenic, isn’t he?

Here are the specs on the pattern:

Name: Hoist the Sails, available for purchase here on Ravelry or here on Knitpicks.com

Sizes:
3-6 mo (6-12 mo, 1-2 yrs, 2-4 yrs, 4-6 yrs, 6-8 yrs)

Yarn:
Knit Picks Mighty Stitch (80% acrylic/20% superwash wool ; 208yds/190m per 100g skein); 2 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3) skeins in Celestial for MC, 1 skein in White for CC (all sizes).

One thing I love about this sweater is how economical it is to knit. Three skeins of the recommended yarn (which is all you need for all but the largest size) will cost you less than $12!

A few more pics, because I can’t resist this cutie:

Sigh… that last picture makes me nostalgic for fall!

What I’m Cooking

I was feeling a little under the weather this week, so I didn’t end up cooking anything for the first time in a long time! I have to admit, though, it was nice to have a break. :-)

What I’m Reading

Still plugging away on Confessions of a Murder Suspect… which is actually a bit odd for me, since this is a fairly quick read and I have had time to read before bed. I have to admit that I’m not really into this book. I read a lot of young adult fiction, and this one seems like an adult author jumping on the bandwagon who hadn’t really read much of the category beforehand. But I’ll persevere and get it done this week!

New Pattern Release: Glenwood

I have another new pattern release this week! This is Glenwood, part of the SweetGeorgia Yarns Fall 2015 collection:

I’m so excited that this one is finally out in the world! I’ve always wanted a snuggly, cushy, long cardigan—the kind you never want to take off. The shawl collar can be folded if desired, but I also like it the way they’ve styled it in these photos.

I usually like a seamless construction, but for a garment like this, seams are essential to give the sweater structure and prevent sagging. Seaming is SO EASY on this one, though! The waffle stitch pattern makes it incredibly simple to line up the pieces and keep track of where you are.
Here are the pattern specs:

Name: Glenwood, available to purchase here on Ravelry or on the SweetGeorgia Yarns website here. The price is $7 CAD (a steal for US buyers with the current exchange rate!).

Yarn: 7 (8, 9, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12) skeins SweetGeorgia Yarns Superwash Worsted in Magpie (200 yd / 183 m per 4.06 oz / 115 g skein; 100% Merino)

Side note: Ohmygoodness, this yarn. I used SweetGeorgia Superwash Worsted for this sweater, in what is possibly the most beautiful shade EVAR, Magpie. It’s a greeny-blacky-bluey color that looks completely different under different lights and one that I find absolutely irresistible. It’s aptly named, trust me.

Needles: Size 6 US / 4.0 mm straight or circular needle; Size 7 US / 4.5 mm straight or circular needle; Size 6 US / 4.0 mm circular needle, 32” / 81.5 cm or longer (longer needle recommended for larger sizes)

Gauge:
20 sts and 28 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Waffle Stitch using larger needles
20 sts and 32 rows = 4” / 10 cm in garter stitch using smaller needles, stretched lightly
21 sts and 28 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Stockinette stitch using larger needles
(Note: Stockinette stitch is not used in this cardigan.)

Finished measurements:
Chest circumference: 30 ¼ (35 ½, 39 ¼, 42 ¼, 45 ½, 48 ½, 51 ½, 55 ¼)” / 77 (90, 99.5, 107.5, 115.5, 123, 131, 140.5) cm
Length: 22” / 56 cm from underarm to hem (all sizes)
Sample shown is size 35 ½” / 90 cm
Intended to be worn with 1-3” / 2.5-7.5 cm positive ease

Pattern includes a 6-page PDF (both written directions and charts)

Notes: I was actually astonished at how quick it was to make this sample. The fact that it’s constructed in pieces means it’s easy to bring around with you, and the waffle pattern is so simple that it’s memorized in a flash.

And this made me very happy… check out Glenwood in the top 5 patterns on Ravelry’s Hot Right Now list last week, yay!

New Pattern Release: Transposition Hat

I have a new pattern out this week! This is the Transposition Hat:

If it seems familiar, it’s probably because it’s the adult version of the baby/child hat from my Babe in the Woods collection, released last winter. Here it is, modeled by my son (he looks so tiny to me!):

The adult version required some fancy footwork with the decreases, since the ones I did on the baby hat didn’t work well over a larger vertical space. I ended up going with a single spot of the contrasting color on the top, rather than the concentric circles of the baby version. But I like the way it turned out. Here’s a pic of the top of the adult hat, with the baby hat for comparison:

Here are the pattern specs:

Name: Transposition Hat (the baby hat’s called Transposed Hat. See what I did there?)

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios, about half a skein in Natural and a little less than that in Pocion for the contrasting color. I picked out the most crazy variegated skein I could find at my LYS, since the whole point of this hat is to break up pooling and give you something neat to do with variegated skeins.

Rios is kind of on the thin side for worsted-weight yarn, so for substituting, I’d recommend a light worsted or even a DK. If fit is vital, make sure to check your gauge in the colorwork pattern! It pulls in a LOT.

Sizes: Small (Medium, Large). Shown in Medium.

Actual finished circumference: 19.5 (21.25, 23)” or 49.5 [54, 58.5] cm
Length from CO edge to top: 8 (8.25, 8.75)” or 20 [21, 22] cm

Recommended needles (make sure to check gauge and change sizes if needed):
US #5 [3.75 mm] circular needle, 16” long
US #6 [4.0 mm] circular needle, 16” long
US #6 [4.0 mm] double-pointed needles, set of 4 or 5

Notions:
Stitch marker, yarn needle

Gauge: 27 sts/ 30 rows = 4 in/10 cm in Colorwork Chevron stranded pattern on larger needles

You can purchase the pattern for $4.00 on Ravelry, right here!

New Pattern Release: Ronan Cardigan!

Now that my baby model has arrived, I’m working my way through pattern releases!

You may remember seeing the Ronan Cardigan sample a few months ago. Doesn’t it look better with my handsome model?

The pattern is available to purchase on Ravelry here.

Here are the specs:

SIZES
0-3 mo (6-12 mo, 1-2 yrs, 2-4 yrs, 4-6 yrs, 6-8 yrs)

Actual Finished Measurements:
Chest: 16.75 (18.25, 21, 22.5, 24.75, 26.25)”, or 42.5 (46.5, 53.5, 57, 63, 66.5) cm

Length from bottom hem to top of neckband: 9.75 (10.25, 12.75, 15.25, 17.75, 20.25)”, or 25 (26, 32.5, 38.5, 45, 51.5) cm

Shown in 0-3 month size.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Yarn:
Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted (100% merino; 210yds/192m per 100g skein); color Emerald; 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4) skeins

Recommended needles:
US #7 / 4.5 mm circular needle, 16-32” long (depending on size being worked)
US #7 / 4.5 mm double-pointed needles, set of 4 or 5
US #8 / 5.0 mm circular needle, 16-32” long (depending on size being worked)
US #8 / 5.0 mm double-pointed needles, set of 4 or 5

Notions:
4 stitch markers; cable needle; smooth waste yarn; yarn needle; 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6) buttons, 3/4”/20 mm in diameter

GAUGE
19 sts/28 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in reverse stockinette stitch on larger needles.