Ambah’s Festive KAL 2024 - Celestial Wrap

Ambah O’Brien has a new pattern coming soon. Here is a link to Ravelry.

Join us for the 2024 Ambah’s Festive KAL
Pattern to be published late November, 2024 ahead of the KAL start date. 
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The Celestial Wrap was designed with a festive 24-colour mini skein set in mind and options galore. Knit the large fade or stripe version, making the most of your mini skein set or knit the small option which is perfect for colour blocking or for using special gradient skeins for a dramatic effect. This will make a fabulous stash diving project too, a fun way to use up those precious leftovers from other projects. Four triangles are knit from the centre out and joined to create a cosy wrap. An eyelet edging in contrasting yarn is the finishing flourish.

We have a few Smalliday Sets from Emma’s still available. The fingering set is what you would use for Ambah’s pattern. 

Large Stripe: The sample was made using 6 mini skeins per triangle, worked in the repeated order given in the pattern to maximise the use of each colour. You may also refer to the exact yardages given for each stripe to work out your preferred arrangement.

 

Small: 200 yd/183 m solid colour or gradient skeins per triangle. The sample was knit in two 400 yd/366 m gradient cakes. One triangle was knit from the outside of the cake in and the second working from the centre pull to the middle of the gradient, Triangles 3 and 4 were worked with a second gradient cake in the same way.

Ambah used 2 Freia Shawl Balls and a skein of black fingering weight for this shawl. We have some Shawl Balls left and they are a great price. 

I quickly took a few pictures of colour combinations. Pixie and Coho

Aswan and Chameleon

Aswan and Harvest. Aswan was calling my name today. This is the combination that I would make.

Aswan and Lichen

There will be one more variation to the shawl but Ambah hasn’t finished it yet.

Large Fade: The sample was knit with the colours fading from MC1 - 6 in the first triangle, MC12 - 7 in the second triangle, MC13 - 18 in the third triangle and MC24 - 19 in the fourth. This worked well with this particular set, you may like to lay out your colours in sets of 6 to determine the best way to work your gradients.

I didn’t have time today (and probably won’t this week) but I will sit down and make a combination or two with Emma’s Practically Perfect Smalls for those who want to know the colours that they are going to work with instead of having the mystery of an Advent kit. Something else I will look at is using two Theme Packs from Emma’s (10 skeins in each) and then adding 4 mini skeins to make the 24 skeins that Ambah is asking for.

Dinner is finished and the kitchen is clean. We have 3 hockey games on and baseballs starts soon. Beth and I laid out my granny squares and I have half of my squares finished. My hook is calling.

Mitten Weather

These are the Sea Glass Mittens. The pattern is by Wool & Pine and it just came out. You can purchase it on Ravelry.

Stashbusters, this one’s for you! Sea Glass Mittens are the ultimate way to use up those treasured bits and bobs from your yarn stash while creating something cozy and practical. These mittens are knit in the round, from the cuff to the fingertips, using a playful 1x1 colorwork pattern that alternates colors every round. The result? A unique and vibrant accessory that’s bursting with personality. 

Sized for everyone from toddlers to adults, Sea Glass Mittens make the perfect gift or family knitting project. And with our easy-to-follow pattern, you can mix and match yarns for an endless variety of color combinations. Whether you use DK scraps, hold fingering weight yarn double, or mix in all your odds and ends, these mittens will help you create something truly special.

A Perfect Fit for Everyone

With five sizes available—Toddler, Kids, Teen/Adult Small, Adult Medium, and Adult Large—Sea Glass Mittens are designed to fit the whole family. The thumb is worked separately in one color for a comfortable, tailored fit, ensuring warmth and flexibility.

I looked at the weather before heading to work this morning and thought it was going to be a nice day. I was wrong. I should have had a sweater on and could have had mittens on when I went to work.

It’s the start of the World Series tonight. I’m going to move to my knitting crochet chair for the game. I can’t stop making granny squares. I’m enjoying crocheting again. The squares are mindless.

Diamond Shaped Shawl

Joji has a new one skein shawl pattern called Hallgrimskirkja Shawl. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

In August 2024, I took a trip to one of my favorite places in the world: Iceland. It wasn’t just the destination that made it special; I was traveling with my best friend, who is also a knitter. 

Our plan was to spend a day in Reykjavik before embarking on a four-day backpacking adventure in the highlands. Naturally, at the last minute, I realized I didn’t have a knitting project for the trail. 

While on the bus to the trailhead, inspiration struck: I was captivated by Reykjavik’s iconic Hallgrímskirkja church and decided to design a one-skein shawl, drawing from the beautiful shapes of this remarkable building.

This is a diamond shaped shawl, worked from tip to tip. The instructions and progress of the work are written in sections, which makes for a lengthy pattern. However, you’ll soon see this is a really simple and easy to follow design. 

We have new Rasta colours coming next week. I am so excited - the pictures look amazing and I bet they are even better in real life.

The Madre Tierra Collection is online for preorder.

There will be 6 semi solid shades as well. These will go online in the next few days.

Rose sent a picture of her Flight & Delight hat that she knit for her daughter. Isabelle loves her new hat. The pattern is free on Ravelry and is knit with a Woolstok Bundle from Blue Sky Fibers.

Now I need to do some website updating. We received a huge order of Cascade 220 Superwash Merino. The new yarn Cantata arrived today as well.

Hair Cut Day

Zanete Knits has a new pattern and it is gorgeous. You can purchase the pattern for the Sweet Violet Sweater on Ravelry.

Meet the Sweet Violet Sweater, a seamless top-down yoke design inspired by the lovely violet flower. Just like these little blooms that thrive in the wild, this sweater comes alive with intricate details and a graceful display of stranded colourwork that dances across the yoke and beyond 

Made using fingering weight yarn, the Sweet Violet Sweater promises knitters a joyous journey where the thrill of colourwork continues even after the sleeves are separated. Whether you opt for a light or dark background, the pattern provides charts for both, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable knitting experience. 

This pattern recommends using the Ladderback Jacquard method to catch long floats, ensuring a smooth, polished look. The pattern describes all the techniques and includes links to video demos.

Alex is making mittens for Christmas gifts. The pattern is the Copehagen Mittens from Wool & Pine (pattern purchased on Ravelry). She is knitting the medium size and used about 40grams of Tosh DK for the mitten so one skein will be more than enough for a pair of mittens.

The Copenhagen Mittens capture the essence of Scandinavian design—functional, beautiful, and straightforward. Crafted from cozy DK yarn, these mittens are a tribute to the traditional yet always contemporary Nordic style, featuring a flowing cable pattern that is both a pleasure to knit and to wear. 

Copenhagen Mittens are an enjoyable journey in knitting, beginning with a comfortable ribbed cuff that transitions into a landscape of textured stitches and cables, reminiscent of Copenhagen’s peaceful waterways. The construction is straightforward: knitted in the round from cuff to fingertips, with a thoughtful thumb gusset that adds to the mittens’ comfort and fit. The journey culminates with a neat kitchener stitch to close the fingers, ensuring a smooth and professional finish. They offer full coverage, making them ideal for those colder months when warmth is as much a necessity as style. 

With these mittens, you’re not just knitting a pair of warmers; you’re creating a timeless accessory. The combination of rich textures and the comforting embrace of the softest yarns make these mittens a winter wardrobe essential. Whether you’re a seasoned knitter or just starting, Copenhagen Mittens offer a rewarding experience and a chic, practical addition to your collection.

Frances came in to show off her Snowflower. This is the original colourway and it looks amazing!

Fred got a hair cut today.

I was supposed to have my hair cut yesterday but had to move it until this morning. Fred and I are both happy to have visited the salon.