Pattern Debut: Penny

It's finally here!

My very first adult garment is hot off the presses! Introducing, the Penny Vest:

Penny is part of the brand new Knit Picks Gloss collection, 6 new designs featuring Knit Picks' Gloss yarn, a lovely soft blend of merino and silk.

Penny, a sleeveless vest that can be worn alone or layered during cooler months, features lace columns and an inset lace panel at the neckline.

Just a hint of cabling decorates the arms:

Shown here worn loosely as a sleeveless top, Penny works equally well worn with less ease and layered over a white button-down for a preppy look. True story: the original inspiration for this vest was Penny's Cheesecake Factory uniform on the Big Bang Theory, which features a tightly fitting vest with a deep V-neckline!

However you decide to wear it, this piece will add a subtle cozy touch and a hint of lacy elegance to any outfit.

You can pick up the entire Gloss DK collection right now for just $8.99, buy the Gloss DK e-book for $9.99, or purchase Penny as a stand alone pattern for $4.99!

I also invite you to preview the collection and check out the Penny pattern page over on Ravelry, because hearts = love!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Nevado: Pattern Giveaway!

 How typical of me, to debut a new pattern and then just disappear. Let me tell you, trying to organize Christmas activities and festivities with a 10 month old isn't the carefree, easygoing time TV might lead you to believe. Although this particular event went fairly well:

 I mean, he's not screaming bloody murder or anything, which is always possible with little ones.

I've also been feeling a bit under the weather, leaving me with just enough energy to sit on the couch and watch Christmas specials at the end of the day, and not much else. I've barely done any knitting, though I am bravely pushing forward with and documenting my sweater surgery.

But, I digress. As you know, Nevado is on sale through Christmas Day for just $2.49 with the code "MERRYXMAS." With only a week to go until Christmas, you can still get this speedy hat finished, so if you're still looking for gifts, it's a good bet. Pick it up in my Ravelry shop!

In addition, I'll be giving away 3 copies of the pattern to 3 lucky blog readers. We all know this is a busy time of year, so this contest will stay open all the way until December 31. Just leave a comment on this post, and you'll be entered to win. Winners announced early in the new year. Hopefully.

In the meantime, we'll be here, waiting for the big man:

Pattern Debut: Nevado

We finally got some decent snow yesterday, so it seemed like the perfect time to photograph and finalize my latest design: Nevado.

Nevado, which means "snow-covered" or "snow-capped," is available in 3 sizes, for everyone on your gift list, and knits up quickly in worsted weight--and if you've mastered cabling without a cable needle (which I highly recommend), it knits up even faster. Crown decreases are done in pattern, for a fun detail at the top.

It combines waffle stitch and a wavy 3 stitch cable for a stretchy hat perfect for boys and girls, men and women, and babies of all shapes and sizes.

My sample is knit in Wandering Wool Heights Worsted, in Cinderella, which is delightfully squishy. And you only need 1 skein, which is always a plus.

 Even though JJ doesn't look particularly thrilled about wearing his hat, I'm sure his head is warm, and that's what counts.

To celebrate its debut, Nevado will be half price--just $2.49--through Christmas Day, December 25. Pick it up in my Ravelry shop and use the code MERRYXMAS to snag it at the reduced price.

And stay tuned for a pattern giveaway!

Details 

 

Sizes: Baby (Child, Adult); finished circumference approximately 16 (18, 20)” / 40 (46, 50) cm. 

Gauge: 20 sts and 32 rows = 4” / 10 cm, in pattern, lightly stretched.

Yarn: 1 skein Wandering Wool Heights Worsted (100% superwash merino wool; 218 yds/100g) in Cinderella; or 100 (150, 200) yards / 90 (140, 180) m worsted weight wool or wool blend yarn. 

Needles: 1 US 7 / 4.5mm 16” / 40cm circular needle and/or set of DPNs, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Wittle Saturday Wednesday Bound Off Sampler . . . Post

The speed at which the days slip away from me is astounding. I intended to come here and post this on Wittle Wednesday, yet here it is Saturday, and I'm just now sitting down at the computer. But, since I have no Saturday Sampler post prepared, I guess I can just go ahead with JJ's sweater.

My little booger angel turned 10 months old on Monday! So incredible to be closing in on a year already.

He's crawling, chasing the cats, pulling to a stand on anything stable (and not-so-stable), cruising, walking with his walker and determined to crack his head open the instant I turn my back.

To celebrate, I made him wear his finished Coolbreeze cardigan--with sleeves of equal length!--and pose with Christmas lights, which he did not appreciate at all.

Oh well. Just the start of a never-ending parade of things to be done to make mommy happy.

For JJ's sweater, I used a brick red for the main color, and started the chevron pattern with the lightest color and worked back to dark brown. I should've also used the lightest color on the sleeve ribbing, but I wasn't sure I would have enough to finish my cardigan, so I opted for brown.

(And since I still have 4 inches of sleeve to add to my cardi, this was probably a wise choice.)

This was a very straightforward pattern, though as I recall, I thought something was a little off on the final yoke decrease round, it didn't quite seem to fit the established pattern, but I figured it out quickly. The colorwork section is easy to memorize, and though there are LOTS of ends to weave in, it's easy to wind them through and around the slipped stitch strands on the wrong side.

Is this safe? I'm calling child services!

I knit the 12 month size, and barring any major growth spurts (knock on wood), it should last through the winter. Now, in the midst of all the Christmas knitting, I must fix my own cardigan so we can get at least ONE measly photo of us in our coordinating sweaters.

Yippie!

Measure Twice, Cut Once

I thought today was the day I was going to show you guys our finished Mommy and Me sweaters.

Only . . .

I noticed something after blocking.

Something . . . suspicious.

Well.

That can't be right.

Yes, somehow I knit one sleeve about 4" longer than the other.

And of course, it's not that the long sleeve is too long.

The short sleeve is far too short.

So I face ripping out that colorful cuff and adding several inches to the arm, or some kind of sweater surgery where I detach the cuff, knit the sleeve and then graft the cuff back on.

Ugh.