New Knitting Pattern - Philodendra

Our extended winter was still in full swing, and I was in the midst of chemotherapy treatments, when I first began experimenting with stitches and swatches for the Philodendra scarf. 

 

I longed for spring, vitality, and something bright and cheerful to knit and wear. Thus, a travel-friendly project combining an airy stitch pattern, lightweight silk-wool blend yarn, and bright colorway was an easy choice.

I love the way a pretty scarf can elevate simple jeans and a white shirt to 'outfit' status so I set out to make something light and delicate enough to wear as a warm-weather fashion accessory (however, since the pattern requires only a single skein of yarn, I also plan to knit it in a special, wintry cashmere yarn I've been hoarding!).
 

The Philodendra stitch pattern includes multiple decreases and yarn overs on right side rows, creating almost as much air as fabric (wrong side rows are purled). I didn't want the pattern to be too challenging for most knitters, so I opted for a one-piece construction eliminating the need for grafting or a provisional cast-on. 

The twin panels of meandering vines are defined by columns of eyelets and cascade the entire length of the scarf, just as a natural vine would do. 

And speaking of vines, this leafy stitch reminds me of a favorite plant, philodendron cordatum, one of which (similar to this one from Design Sponge) grows in my living room window.
 

Hardy and undemanding, my philodendron produces lovely pendulous leaves, offset along the vine, that add a little greenery and life to the room.

I've knit several versions of this scarf, starting with a lavender prototype in Fiber Optics Foot Notes yarn, and have just finished the latest version (in another yarn), not yet photographed, which I'll eventually post to Ravelry. 

For the main pattern version I knew I wanted to start with a bright, fresh, green yarn in a lightweight wool or wool blend, but I had a really hard time finding the exact color I wanted until I finally came across Cascade's Heritage Silk in the Citron colorway. 

The color was just what I had in mind, and the addition of silk to the wool in the yarn lightens the scarf and adds sheen and drape to the fabric.

I must give a giant thank you to my awesome test knit team for their help on this pattern - Cheryl, Connie, Laurie and Josefina. As usual, they came through with flying colors on this project. You ladies are terrific!

Once the knitting was complete, I had a lot of fun photographing the scarves and got much too carried away with that part (what else is new? Lol), experimenting with different ideas.

I promise, one of these days I will start using proper lighting and manual camera settings, hahaha...

Thanks for stopping by my virtual studio today, I wish you peace, blessings and happy knitting!

Scarf Styling Tutorial - Part II, The French Loop

For part two of this scarf tying series (see part one here), I've chosen a technique that is known by several names I'm aware of including the 'Euro Loop', which sounds like currency to me. Since I became enamored of this style while in Paris, I've settled on the name "French Loop." 

This style is chic, very easy to learn and speedy to execute, and it requires a long, narrow scarf like the one I used for this tutorial (a version of my Frostlight scarf pattern, knit in Fiber Optic's Superwash Merino Worsted yarn).

Step 1: Fold the scarf in half and drape it around the neck.

Step 2: Pull both free ends of the scarf through the looped end and adjust the loop to your desired length.

The French Loop can be worn centered or off to one side as shown in the photo at the top of this post. That's all there is to it - easy peasy!

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I wish you much fun with scarf styling!

New Knitting Pattern - Frostlight Scarf

Our winter has been unusually warm and free of snow, not that I'm complaining! Even without snow though, there is a delightful chill in the air that makes me want to relax with a cup of hot tea and knit by a warm fire. I love how winter's cold makes me want to snuggle up in cozy knits, including scarves.

Recently one morning I took photos of a spectacular sunrise, the rays of the breaking dawn sparkling through exquisite frost crystals along a wooden railing. 

Crystallization on the railing created strong lines

and ribs along the natural grooves in the wood.

Nature's stunning display inspired my latest design, the Frostlight scarf.

Definition in the lines of frost, highlighted along the railing, influenced my selection of a strongly-vertical, rib and eyelet stitch to reflect the motif of grooves and ridges. I also wanted the stitch to be super-simple and easy to knit on the go, but not terribly boring.

Malabrigo Merino Worsted was chosen for the main pattern yarn although I knit several of these scarves in other yarns that I liked as well.

The Frostlight scarf shown below was knit in a luscious orange-red yarn from Fiber Optic. I'll have better pics and more details on this and other versions in an upcoming post.

Knit in an appropriate color, this design might make a nice project for a man or woman. Stylish, optional fringes at each end provide graceful movement and are an easy way to add variety to the simple design.

As usual, this pattern has been test knit extensively by some wonderful knitters including Laurie, Tam and Gail - thank you!!

My tech editor for this design was none other than Greentrianglegirl on Ravelry, aka A Playful Day podcaster. This talented podcaster and blogger writes feature pieces for both online and print publications and has considerable experience in copy editing and social media development, as well as being a terrific knitter, foodie and multi-crafter. She made valuable contributions to the pattern, including proofreading for style and errors and suggesting wording and placement of text, helping make the instructions easy to follow and hopefully, one of my best patterns yet.

Another exciting new venture for me is the release of tutorial videos featuring techniques that I hope will be helpful in knitting this and other patterns.

The first video demonstrates a method for working a reverse yarn over, a trick which helps equalize the size of your yarn overs when they follow a purl and precede a knit stitch, or as in the case of Frostlight, a slip, slip, knit. 

The second video offers instructions for making and adding fringe to your knitted projects.

I'm a very quiet person, so the decision to 'appear' (even though only my hands show, lol) on video and speak on camera was a big one and kind of nerve-wracking for me! However, I am a teacher at heart and I wanted to utilize video potential as a teaching tool.

We have only a still camera with short video capability, and the camera was sitting as close to my shoulder as possible, so I'd still like to find a way to angle the camera directly overhead.

My wonderful husband was a patient director and camera operator, helping me edit take after take for brevity and clarity, and I believe I only 'umm'ed once, so perhaps it's not too bad of a start. 

Frostlight is available for download here on the blog or through Ravelry.com, and is currently being offered for free.

If you choose to knit a Frostlight scarf, I'd love to see your photos! I hope you enjoy the pattern, and thanks for visiting my online studio today, I appreciate every reader. Peace, blessings and happy knitting to you!
 

Contest Winners & another FO

I hope everyone is enjoying a nice President's Day weekend! I was determined to finish up some important things by the end of the weekend, including blocking a few FO's, posting the winners of the giveaway contest, and completing tutorials for a new pattern in progress (only 50% complete, but I still have a few more hours). Let's get to the winners first since I know that's what everyone has been waiting for! 

THANK YOU to all who left comments to the contest post, for leaving so many detailed and insightful responses to my question "What makes a knitting (or crochet) project fun for you?" 

I loved reading your responses and found they contained a great deal of variety, but also a common theme - many people like to have a project that does not greatly exceed their current technical ability but that gives them a small challenge or opportunity to learn something new. I have to agree with that one.

If you posted a comment and did not win this time, I thank you very much for contributing and encourage you to try again next time because I will be holding many more giveaways in coming months!

I used the True Random Number Generator at Random.Org to choose the winners from among followers of my blog who posted their answers to the contest question. The winner of the individual Bosc Scarf pattern 

goes to... 

Smitiha 

who responded to the contest question with 

"I love to play with yarns, love to knit with different types (not like in instructions) and to see how it will come out. So I love instructions which give me this pleasure. I love charts, it's easier for me to visualize knitting patterns. And I love to have a lot of "little things" for knitting for they makes the process not just convenient but also very feminine and beautiful!"

Thank you very much Smitiha, for sharing your answer, and congratulations on your win. I will add your pattern to your Ravelry library right away.

And the main prize winner of the Bosc Scarf pattern, yarn 

and Baggu bag 

is...

Taylor 

who almost wasn't able to post at all when Blogger gave her difficulty and she contacted me for assistance (I'm so glad she did!). When her post finally appeared, she had responded to the question with 

"I love having a mix of different types of projects to match my moods. Something intricate and challenging, and something soothing and relaxing.

The main thing that attracts me is structure. A great example of this is the elegant simplicity of your Sothia. Each part on its own is simple, yet they combine to make a beautifully structured shape and fabric."

Thank you Taylor for your response and for the kind comment on my pattern (not necessary to win, lol). Taylor, you have seven days to contact me via Ravelry or email with your postal address so I can get your prize mailed out to you. 

I recommend you check out Taylor's blog as she has knit THREE stunning Sothia shawls so far (wow!) and posted them on her blog and Ravelry page.

In other news, I'm still chugging away on my gray hoodie, now finishing the second front panel. I've also finished and blocked two of four scarves I knit during development of my next pattern release, one of which is shown in the photo at the top of the post. This version is knit with two skeins of Malabrigo Merino Worsted yarn. It's a very simple and fast knit and I'll have many more details and photos when the pattern is ready to be published, probably a few days at most. 

Guess I'd better get back to work, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks again for reading and commenting here on my blog. Happy knitting!

Scarf Styling Tutorial - Part I, The Plait

Last year I suddenly realized that although I had a lot of shawls and cowls, I was in need of a few scarves and set off to knit some. One of those projects ended up being the recently-released Bosc Scarf pattern (a prototype of which is shown in this post).

I've been a huge fan of scarves and shawls for many years, often preferring them to other accessories like jewelry. It always amazes me how a scarf thrown on casually with a simple tee and jeans can elicit as many, or more, compliments than an outfit that was carefully chosen for a special occasion. 

So it was fun when the editor of a popular knitting magazine, in which a pattern of mine will soon be released, contacted some designers from the issue to ask for feedback on why we like to knit certain accessories and how we style our knits. This got me to thinking about different ways I like to do that and today I've prepared a quick tutorial for one popular method I call the 'plait'.  

I suggest you try this technique by tying your scarf or stole around a post, for practice, before trying to reverse it on yourself in a mirror.

Step 1: Fold scarf in half and drape it around the neck.

Step 2: Pull one free end of the scarf through the looped end.

Step 3: Pull the remaining free end over the top half of the scarf, then down into the looped end and under the bottom half.

Step 4: Pull snug to secure

And there you have it! This method also works by using the free ends in reverse order, so experiment with the look you like. The photo at the top of this post features the same method worn at a slightly different angle. 

I plan to share more scarf and shawl styling ideas in future posts, and I'd love to see your photos if you want to send me pics of yourself in your specially-tied scarves and shawls! 

Still in scarf-knitting mode, I've just finished a very simple design, featuring an easy-peasy, traditional and familiar stitch pattern, with lovely, soft fringes. The version shown here was knit in Malabrigo Merino Worsted. It's squishy and cozy and I can't wait to get to work on another.

And don't forget to enter my Valentine's Day free knitting pattern, yarn and bag giveaway; find details here.

Happy knitting everyone!

New Bosc Scarf Knitting Pattern & Recipe

I've long been intrigued with the idea of trying to capture the delicate beauty and intricacy of Japanese-style knitting stitches in a simple, approachable way. A way that would be fun for experienced and newer knitters alike, especially those who love the look of these types of stitches but are perhaps a little unsure of trying something that may appear rather scary.

With this technical concept in mind, the idea for the design of my newest knitting pattern was begun, aesthetically inspired by the beauty of ripe pears, the most elegant of which, in my opinion, are the Bosc variety.

I love their gold, green and russet hues, graceful curving shapes, and sweet but subtle flavor. 

When I found Quince and Co. Lark worsted weight yarn and saw the rich "honey" colorway I knew I had a match for my project.

 

The 100% wool yarn is soft enough for a scarf, with excellent drape for a yarn of this sort, but the twist still has a nice amount of body to give structure to the stitch pattern and to the scarf itself as it drapes around the neck - all details that were important to me as I selected yarn for this design, the Bosc Scarf, available here on my blog or on my designer page at Ravelry.com.

The scarf's texture is created with very basic stitches. Simple increases and decreases as well as easy cables shape the lines into a semblance of a pear shape and leaves (although you might very well see tulips and that is OK too!), separated by vertical lines of rippling eyelets.

I knit all of the cables without a cable needle; many excellent videos and tutorials for this technique can be found on Youtube or in this video from Knittinghelp.com or on the Grumperina.com or  Knitting Daily websites.

Lace ends grow organically into and out of Bosc's main stitch pattern, so the project is knit straight through from cast on to bind off with no grafting or provisional cast on necessary. The ends can be blocked either straight across or into a scalloped shape as I have done in the example here. 

A sleek corded edge is built into the knitting by slipping stitches as you go. This small detail keeps an elaborate stitch combination modern and un-cluttered (I love lace and cables but wanted to avoid a fussy look).  

Large charts as well as written instructions are included, and tips for adapting the length are given, offering multiple options for knitters.

The entire project began late last summer just as the pears were coming into season and I began experimenting with recipes for this fruit. Bosc pears are excellent for cooking as they retain much of their shape and flavor when baked or poached, although many other varieties cook nicely as well. 

One of my favorite pear dishes poaches the fruit in champagne with vanilla, and I hope you will give them a try and see just how lovely they can be.

Champagne Poached Vanilla Pears

Ingredients 

1 bottle champagne (any sparkling wine will suffice, or non-alcoholic version if you prefer) 
1 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)

1/4 tsp. lemon zest 

1  4" vanilla bean - split lengthwise

2 firm Bosc pears - peeled but with stems intact (slightly underripe is ideal)
Optional garnishes - dark chocolate, star anise, bay leaves

Directions

In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears and liquid, combine first four ingredients. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce to a simmer. Gently lower pears into the simmering liquid until fully submerged.

Cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes, baste with liquid occasionally, avoid stirring. Finished pears should be tender and easily pierced with a fork; very firm pears may need up to an additional 5-15 minutes of cooking time. Allow to cool in liquid for at least 20-30 minutes before serving.

Pears may be served immediately, or wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. To serve, place a single pear upright on a small plate, spoon a small amount of liquid over pear. I love to garnish these pears with small squares of extra dark chocolate, or for a festive look try adding a star anise and a single bay leaf, if desired.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe, it is a light, but delicious, dish to keep in mind with Christmas and New Year's celebrations approaching. If you decide to make either the scarf or the pears, I'd love to know! Bon appétit and happy knitting!

Goodbye Autumn & Knitting Pattern Sneak Peek

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the seasons change, with today being the first day of meteorological winter already. I suppose I must say goodbye to beloved autumn, but not before I get a chance to share a couple of things from that season.

We enjoyed the fall leaf season with a visit to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee after our October weekend trip to Rhinebeck for the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival (see this post). 

While there, we found a cute little shop in Gatlinburg, The Smoky Mountain Spinnery. 

 

Although small in size, owner Nancy has packed it full of fiber and yarn for spinning, knitting and weaving.

We enjoyed browsing drop spindles, 

a selection from yarn companies like Louet,

and Brown Sheep

as well as all sorts of fiber including some terrific Icelandic wool.

The tiny shop is also loaded with fiber-related antiques from the mountain area, like those above and shown in the photo at the top of this post, and offers spinning, weaving and knitting supplies and classes.

While we did visit this one shop, most of our time was spent hiking and running through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We enjoyed the lovely rivers

and did a lot of running on mountain trails.

I don't recommend falling on this trail or you might end up with seriously bruised ribs and torn up knees like I did.

We loved the natural beauty of the area, and even saw a little black bear, but she was frightened by the tourists and ran into the woods before we could get a photo.

Another activity I engaged in during the trip was to knit a few experimental samples for my upcoming pattern releases, like this scarf in a sculptural cable and lace combination (sorry for the terrible photo, this was taken quickly on the floor of our cabin).

This version is a very rough prototype, but it gives you an idea of the final design. The scarf shown was knit in Berroco's Ultra Alpaca yarn. 

The final, refined pattern version is currently being test knit and will be released soon; I'll have better photos and more information in an upcoming post.

I hope to have much more to share about all my current projects soon. Until then, peace, blessings and happy knitting to you!