Cambridge

Tanis Lavallee has a new pattern. Everyone can use a vest in their wardrobe. You can purchase the pattern for Cambridge on Ravelry.

I didn’t realize just how much I needed a vest in my wardrobe until this beauty entered my life. Now I don’t know where I’d be without it! Layered over button up shirts, t-shirts or turlenecks. Paired with jeans, corduroys or trousers. It goes with everything! It’s quickly become the most versatile knit in my wardrobe and I have become a firm believer that vests, are indeed, the best. 

This vest is knit seamlessly from the top down. Stitches are cast on and the back is knit flat with some short row shaping for a better fit through the shoulders. Stitches are then picked up for one shoulder at a time and the fronts are knit flat with shaping for the neck. After the front is complete the front and back are joined and the body is knit in the round to the hem.

Tanis used one strand of fingering weight yarn with a strand of mohair/silk. You can also knit the vest with one strand of worsted weight yarn. 

This is Jennifer Steingass’ Newleaf which is one of our most popular sweaters. I put together some new colour combinations. Okay, I cheated a bit. I used some of the combinations that I put together for Autumn Alpine. The sweaters are knit with the same yarns.

Norwood is another great pattern from Jennifer and I updated the kits for this as well.

Happy Saturday evening. I’ve been knitting and almost forgot to finish my post.

New Patterns and New Products

Boscoe and Fred were complaining that I haven’t showed their picture lately. Beth took this yesterday afternoon at work. This is how we were all feeling after work yesterday. Our real estate agent held an agent open house yesterday morning. We were up early vacuuming, washing the floors and making the house sparkle. And it sparkled.

Ambah has a new pattern coming at the end of the month. This is perfect for an Advent kit or mini skeins of your choosing. Here is a link to Ravelry.

Knit yourself a gorgeous floral lace throw to treasure over the years to come. Create one for yourself or as a gift for that very special someone. Each square is designed to use a mini-skein of yarn, perfect for a 24-colour set. Or use up those lovely leftovers you’ve been saving and create a patchwork memory blanket of all your favourites. Alternately you could make a monochromatic version with your favourite colour; the options for you to express your creativity are endless. Designed for 24 colours, the Cosmos Blossom Throw could easily be made larger or smaller to suit you. 

The pattern includes both written and charted instructions for the lace. A pinhole cast on is recommended, with a video tutorial linked.

Jennifer Steingass has a new sweater pattern. You can purchase the pattern for the Harvester sweater on Ravelry.

With its motifs that swirl around the yoke, The Harvester sweater creates a sense of movement around the wearer. On one shoulder leaves are wrapping around, on the other they are flying off, like leaves whirling around in the autumn wind. While the pattern calls for only 2 colors, lots of test knitters had fun coming up with unique and inspiring color combinations, creating fades with various yarns or by using a gradient yarn. This sweater is worked from the top down, is seamless, and knits up quickly in the round with DK or worsted weight yarn.

You can use DK or worsted weight for the sweater. Some yarn ideas are

• Malabrigo Rios
• Blue Sky Woolstock Worsted
• Cascade 220 Superwash Merino
• Biches & Buches Le Lambswool
• Spincycle Dream State

I highly suggest that you swatch with whatever you choose. You might need to adjust your needles depending on the yarn you choose.

Take a look at this version. It is amazing. I want to get out my fingering weight leftovers and try this. The fade is amazing and you know I love the colours.

Here is another awesome version. She used Felted Tweed for the body and then used a fingering weight held with mohair/silk for the contrast.

Soak has a new sample box which is perfect for gift giving. The Soakbox Sampler is available online and in the store.

Six Soak fragrances in one great gift set! All our gentle scents (excluding Scentless) in cute 3oz travel-size bottles – it’s the perfect introduction to Soak.  

Try out all the scents, keep their clothes clean on the go – and gift them to other lovers of Soakworthy things.  

Each SoakBox Sampler contains a back card with hand- and machine-washing instructions – and a handy list of all the things you can wash with Soak.  

Celebration, Fig, Lacey, Pineapple Grove, Wild Mint and Yuzu.

We received 5 brand new colours of Cascade 220 Heathers yesterday. These are online and in the store.

I’m not sharing all the Black Friday details yet but we have started a page on the website showing some items that will be marked down starting at 5pm on Wednesday.

Perennial

Lisa K. Ross (Paper Daisy Creations) has a new shawl pattern called Perennial It is stunning! You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Perennial plants, when cultivated, can be everlasting. They come back year after year, no matter what happens in between. Handknits, when carefully tended, are the same. This scarf is effortlessly knit on the bias, highlights your palette, drapes beautifully when worn, and will return year after year to keep you warm and stylish. It’s the perfect canvas to play with beautiful yarns, transitioning colors through a combination of garter, stockinette, and easy-to-knit wildflowers.

Lisa knit the shawl with a Theme Pack from Emma’s. Check out all the Theme Packs that we have in stock. You can knit the shawl with the Practically Perfect Small Theme Pack or the Super Silky Small Theme Pack. 

Emma has rephotographed all her Theme Packs. I starting updating the website but didn’t get it finished. Maybe tomorrow.

The shawl could be Diana or Deidre’s next project.

My knitting

I finished a cowl last night. When I start writing today’s post I realized that I used the last ball of one of the yarns I used in the cowl. As my dad would say ‘not very bright!’ I will show the cowl in colour when the yarn arrives.

This is the Beginner’s Brioche Cowl (pattern purchased on Ravelry) knit with one ball of Rowan Big Wool and one skein of Spincycle Plump. I used 8mm needles. My cowl isn’t as long as the pattern says but it is more than long enough. Beth thinks it is too tall and should be shorter. I THINK you might be able to get 2 cowls with 2 balls of Big Wool and one skein of Plump. If I could find my knitting scale I could be more certain but it’s in a box somewhere.

I’ve been busy making up kits while waiting for Mr. UPS and Mr. Canpar to pick up boxes.

New colourways are on the website for Autumn Alpine. I started retaking the pictures of kits that were previously made but I ran out of time to do them all.

There are new colourways for the Traveler Shawl.

Levitate

The Family Jewels

Standard Blues

Inkling

Now I’m going to cast on the cowl again in colours that are in stock. 😀

Step Into Christmas

Lisa K Ross (Paper Daisy Designs) has a new MKAL starting on December 1st. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

“Step into Christmas, let’s join together! We can watch the snow fall forever and ever..”

Introducing my first ever MYSTERY SOCKS! Christmas can be such a magical time of year, and these socks were created to capture the joy and spirit of the holiday season! This mystery knitalong (MKAL) starts right now, though the first clue will not be released until December 1. When you pre-order this design, you’ll receive a Getting Ready Guide with everything you need to get started! Choose your colors, figure out your size, make sure your gauge is on point, then join the chats… let’s Step into Christmas together!

WHAT TO EXPECT
This design is a top-down pair of stranded colorwork socks with a single color used for the cuff, heel, and toe (C1). It is an intermediate pattern and experience with stranded knitting is highly recommended. 

The construction is not a mystery, and you can take a look at my Everlasting and World’s End patterns to get an idea of the construction. The mystery aspect of this design is the colorwork, along with some fun surprises along the way. Each clue will guide you through the basics of the top-down construction and will include new colorwork charts to create a perfect pair of Christmas-themed socks. Any specialty techniques will be guided with instructions and/or video tutorials.

Because sizing on socks is important, there will be some options on including more/fewer colorwork patterns to ensure the right fit on the foot. There will also be an option to create a mirrored second sock.

While I’ve put together a Christmas-y palette, the Getting Ready Guide gives advice on curating your own, or even making a totally scrappy pair! It’s a Christmas mystery you won’t want to miss!

IMPORTANT DATES
Dec. 1 - 1st clue released 
Dec. 4 - 2nd clue released 
Dec. 8 - 3rd clue released 
Dec. 11 - 4th clue released 
Dec. 20 - No more secrets! Feel free to share pictures without spoiler warnings! 
Dec. 31 - final day of MKAL; post finished object photos in the Ravelry group 

Kits for the MKAL should be arriving later this week. They are available to preorder on the website.

There will be a new colour of Dyed in the Wool next week. Meet Rabbit Hole.

This is Fine Line. We already have it in Dyed in the Wool and Dream State will be coming next week.

Dinner is finished and now it’s time to knit.