New Bosc Hat Knitting Pattern

I love a set of knitted items that are pretty enough to stand alone, but also have companion pieces. With that in mind, I designed the Bosc Hat as a coordinate to my most recent pattern release, the Bosc Scarf, mentioned in this post.

The entire set was inspired by multiple muses - the graceful curves and rich color of ripe pears, 

as well as an interest in designing pieces that capture the intricate beauty of Japanese-style stitch patterns in an easy, approachable way. 

The Bosc pattern’s lush texture is provided by easy stitches in a quick-knit worsted-weight yarn. Basic cable and lace patterns transition smoothly from a simple ribbed edging 

 

to the crown of the hat.

 

I ripped and re-knit the crown a dozen or more times, until I was satisfied with the amount of slouch combined with the shaping of the design. Shaping is built into the pattern, so blocking the hat flat produces a nicely-slouched beanie and blocking it over a plate, as those shown here, produces a soft, face-framing hat with even more slouch.

The pattern offers more options to knitters with both charted and written instructions, as well as a choice of two sizes.

This pattern has been extensively tested and I want to thank my lovely test knitters: Becky, Simone, Josefina, Laurie, Lisa, Jodie, Alyson, Jessica and Tina. You ladies are superb!

In other news, it's been an extremely hectic, but also exciting, month. Our basement flooded late one rainy evening, requiring a midnight scramble to replace a broken sump pump and mop up an inch of water, followed by a week of cleaning and ripping out sodden, ruined carpet. That alone set my work and blog posting back substantially.

But I did finally manage to get my last two patterns of the year posted (hurray!), was invited to do two designer interviews within one week (I'm working up the nerve), received this beautiful cardigan made just for me by my wonderful, super sweet Ravelry friend Loren (Twisted1 on Ravelry - thank you so much Loren, I love it!!)

and was awarded the Versatile Blogger award (thank you very much to Anna and Johanna!!).

I've had a a frenzy of large Christmas events to host and attend, and multiple major tasks to complete. Whew! And the month is not over yet!

I am now able to relax a teensy bit and enjoy the coming Christmas and New Year holidays. Although still hard at work finishing up a couple of patterns for publications next year, hopefully things will settle down soon and I will return to more regular knitting and other updates and fun stuff, including a new prize giveaway! Uff da.

Autumn Inspiration on the Needles & Hook

This time of year it seems the calendar starts to fly by.  Wasn't it just hot as blazes?  Now the air is cool and crisp with curls of woodsmoke rising from chimneys, mornings are frosty and I'm in the mood for warm, woolie things to wear.  I've winnowed down my works-in-progress (WIP's), but still have a lot going on.

This morning I went to one of my favorite nearby parks and took this photo.

The silvery-frosted leaves and berries against the backdrop of golds, greens and oranges made me want to get stitching!  I went home and dug through my stash to find several candidates but the winner was, hands down, a skein of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn in colorway S242.  

It seems Eisaku Noro must have a penchant for these same shades of Autumn as I have.

I've used the Kureyon Sock to start a crocheted shawlette called Elise Shawl  by designer Evan Plevinski.  This photo shows his shawl, mine is shown in the photos above and at the top of the post.

After the set-up rows, the pattern is a simple two-row repeat worked from the neck down, using only basic crochet stitches like double and triple crochet.  I'm working it with a US size I hook. Fast and fun so far!

Also on my needles are a gazillion prototypes for a hat to match my Lavande neckwarmer pattern, 

a cardigan, from another designer, left over from my vacation (more details when I have photos to share) and a couple of versions of this pattern project.

I'm also playing around with yarns for a variation on the Greyhaven cowl.  And I am excited to announce...

...that Greyhaven was voted as the November knitalong free pattern project for the Ravelry Cowls group!  Thanks to everyone who voted for this pattern.  By the way, I uploaded a new version of the pattern on November 1st, 2010, so if you downloaded one before that date, go ahead and grab a new one. 

This cowl KAL will be going on all month, so it's not too late to join if you still want to.  Some members have already completed multiple versions and are still casting on for more, many looking ahead to making holiday gifts. 

As for KAL's, the Ravelry Anthropologie group Brandywine Falls KAL will continue for quite awhile, so there's plenty of time to join in on that one too.  

This week when I stopped at the post office to pick up my mail, I had a surprise package waiting from my very talented, Chicago-based Ravelry buddy Loren (Twisted1 on Ravelry).  It contained some awesome birthday goodies including cute project gift tags, a Vogue stitch pattern calendar, and most especially this gorgeous scarf she knit for me!

Loren has been working a lot lately with Jane Thornley's amazing tutorials using color and texture in multiple yarns, and designed this scarf herself and titled it Ephemera.  Thank you so much Loren, I love it!  You're so thoughtful! 

Happy stitching everyone!

Happy Birthday-versary

 

This weekend I celebrated my birthday with wonderful things - lots of cake and ice cream, knitting, and time with family and friends.  

I use my birthday as a way to look back on the events and growth I've experienced in the course of the past year, and to make plans, set goals and look forward to what the next year will bring.  For me, a 'birthday-versary' is like a personal new year's day, a celebration of the unique individual each person is and the special place only they can fill on this earth.

None of us is guaranteed another moment so making the most of each one is important to me.  This includes spending time with those I love and, of course, yarn!  

My birthday yarn treat was some Alchemy Haiku mohair silk blend, and a skein of Koigu KPPM, both in Autumn tones of greens, browns, golds and rust. 

For the knitting part of my birthday weekend, I finally blocked a project I started and finished during my trip to New Mexico, my Ishbel shawl by designer Ysolda Teague.  

 

I don't often have time to knit other people's designs these days, so I like to use vacation time to enjoy the benefits of some other designer's patterns.  This little shawlette is a nice scarf size and the pattern was easy to use.  I'll post more when I have FO photos to share. 

In addition to a little knitting on a cardigan (not of my design), and some current patterns-in-progress, I also began work on a hat to match my Lavande neckwarmer design. 

More birthday swag included flowers from both my mom and my husband, and some  favorite super dark chocolate!

And oh yeah, the treats. This little pumpkin patch cheesecake from Whole Foods was so cute and yummy too.  

And no birthday of mine would be complete without one of my favorite treats, an ice cream sundae!  

Those of you who come to Columbus for TNNA or Knitter's Connection might be familiar with Jeni's Ice Cream and their unusual, incredibly delicious flavors.  

We had a terrible time choosing, but settled on Brown Butter Almond Brittle ice cream with hot fudge, whipped cream and a chocolate-covered cherry (we shared).  Swoon...

So, another year has come and gone and although there are some regrets, as usual, I am also very thankful for the good times, the blessings, the love of people and animals in my life, and the ability to do the things I enjoy most, like knitting!  

Knitting in Santa Fe

Knitting while in New Mexico was a very natural thing, given that there are oodles of fiber shopping opportunities, not to mention loads of inspiration.  

 

Santa Fe, the oldest capitol in the US, has long been reknowned as an artist's mecca.  The gorgeous scenery and natural beauty inspire at every turn in the road, and the well-maintained historic buildings ooze rustic beauty.  

 We got up VERY early one morning in order to get some photos without the crowds. 

Constructed in the early 1600's, the Palace of the Governors is the oldest continually inhabited public building in the United States.  Native American artists, many of them Navajo, set out their blankets on the ground to sell their beautiful silver jewelry.

We enjoyed our stay in this city!  The galleries, shops and museums are rich with inspiration and history.  But as quaint as the main square area in town is, it was extremely refreshing to check out some of the lesser-known parts of town to stop in at several fantastic yarn shops doing business off the beaten path.  

One shop we visited was Oodles Yarn & Bead Gallery on Water St. 

The tiny shop boasted beautifully hand-dyed yarns by local artists (see the photo at the top of this post) as well as some more common labels, and a nice selection of gemstone and glass beads.  

 

The log-beamed ceilings, woven rug hangings, wrought iron chandelier and kiva ladder displays gave off that characteristic southwest charm. 

Another wonderful discovery (right next door to our bed and breakfast accommodations, The Inn on the Paseo), was the Santa Fe School of Weaving and Miriam's Well yarn shop.  

From the unassuming upper level street view, you might not expect much, but enter the gateway to the left of the photo, walk down a flight of stone steps beneath a shaded arbor 

 and turn the corner through a lush, flowering courtyard and you are transported to a place of beauty and creativity.  

 Owner Miriam Leth-Espensen is a transplanted Dane, by way of Vermont, who has developed this location as a school for weaving, knitting and all manner of fiber arts.  She is a prolific designer, offering her patterns for use with purchase of yarn from her shop, along with interesting anecdotes about her designs and their history.  

I came away with this cranberry-hued skein of Obi from The Great Adirondack Yarn Co.  

The hundreds of garments on display (all made by Miriam) are a riotous jumble of gorgeous color and texture. 

Miriam was a delightful lady, and I enjoyed meeting her and discovering a kindred creative free spirit. 

While on this part of the trip I managed to crank out several hats, including this simple little slouch hat modeled by my sister.

The stitch is a super easy one - I don't like to think too hard while I'm on vacation, LOL!  The yarn I used is Knitpick's Cadena, a blend of wool and alpaca, in colorway Seraphim.  

 

I really loved using this yarn for it's springy twist, nice drape and cushiony feel, but it is very heavy.  It was nice for a slouchy hat and I can't wait to try it for another garment, but probably not a heavy coat or jacket.

That's it for Santa Fe, coming soon... Taos and The Wool Festival at Taos! 

And around here it's pure splendor.  The trees, they are a-turnin'...

 

Enjoy Autumn's glories!

The Land of Enchantment

Well, we've finally arrived home from a trip to The Land of Enchantment.  Yes, that is one of the mottos of New Mexico.

I loved watching the dawn breaking over Sandia Peak.  In the middle ground can be seen a couple of tiny dots - those are hot air balloons lifting off for a morning flight.

My husband and I had such a wonderful visit and explored some of the major sights around Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque.  I have lots to show and tell about the Wool Festival at Taos, 

reviews of several awesome area knitting and spinning shops, new yarn and spinning fiber I discovered, and other adventures, in coming posts. 

First some knitting updates.  Of course, I packed way too much yarn for traveling.  I started 5 projects, and completed 4, so that's pretty good, but I hauled along enough yarn for ten!

I like to use vacation time to knit other people's patterns for a break from making up my own stuff and several were quite successful, one was less so, and another is still in the works, but looking good so far. 

The trip out went smoothly, but the trip home was delayed in Atlanta, and we did not roll into our own bed until after 2 AM.  

One project I worked on was a simple beret in a moss texture pattern, knit from some Nashua Creative Focus Worsted yarn I had in my stash.

Since I substituted yarns, I swatched and decided on US 5 needles for a firm ribbing, and US 8's for the body in seed stitch.  I mostly followed the pattern, but in my chosen yarn the hat was coming out a bit short, so I frogged back to the decrease section and began adding an additional plain, 2-round pattern repeat in between every decrease round repeat.  This modification made a nicely super-slouchy hat, but might not be to everyone's liking. 
 

I'll show photos of all my current FO's as soon as time permits, and notes on the projects, and my next pattern should be  posted here ASAP, hopefully in the next few days!