Handspun Katriel

What a lovely surprise it was for me this week, upon logging on to Ravelry, to discover that one of the front page projects featured in Sarah's Community Eye Candy post was a version of my Katriel shawl design. 

Ravelry member Muriel's Handpsun Katriel was beautifully knit in gorgeous yarn spun with the colors of autumn. Just perfect for the beginning of meteorological fall. Great job Muriel!




photo: Muriel

Inspired By - Sand & Surf

A sunny beach with warm sand and sparkling surf seem so quintessentially summer that when I saw this knitter's beautiful Sand & Surf Sothia on Ravelry, I thought it was great inspiration for a post as we hold on to these last warm days near summer's end.  

Although our climate is temperate we do get a few weeks of summer heat, mostly during July and August. Even during hot weather though, I often reach for a knitted item to warm exposed skin in air conditioned settings, and I especially love a light shawl to cozy up with on cooler evenings.

I love this summer-y version of Sothia, knit in sand and aqua colors by Ravelry member tannastanley. 

 

The daughter of Tanna's friend was recently married in a gorgeous country wedding and Tanna's post on her blog The Brick Street Bungalow showcases many photos of the event, including several of her wearing her beautiful shawl.
 

I wish everyone a wonderful week and I offer many thanks for the inspiration Tanna!












Beach photos are linked from my Breeze Pinterest board.

New Knitting Pattern - Amethiste

Today I am happy to introduce you to Amethiste, a simply pretty shawl with an unfussy character (or at least I think so!).

Amethiste is a fun project to knit as well as being a versatile shawl to wear, with the wide triangle shape easily draping over the shoulders or around the neck in a variety of stylish ways. This versatility is exactly why I love a wide triangle shawl shape. 

Knit from the top down in a choice of two sizes, this design is excellent for  knitters with a little lace experience but who are looking to move on to something more than a scarf. The shape, size and open edgings use very little yardage, showcasing just one or two skeins of special fingering weight yarn - perfect for that cashmere you've been hoarding.

I knit several prototypes in different yarns, but the main pattern projects were knit in Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering (small shawlette in purple), and Fiber Optic Footnotes (larger shawl in gray), both wonderful options.

The little bit of cashmere added to the Primo lends an incredible softness and extra drape that I love. This little shawlette used just under 385 yards, or almost the entire skein.

The Footnotes is wonderful to knit with and has such a beautifully subtle variety of color with hints of purple peeking out here and there from what looks at first glance like pewter gray. This larger shawl size used less than two skeins.

I've also knit several other versions (a couple of which are still being blocked and photographed), with the shawlette shown below knit in Madelinetosh Tosh Sock.

If you've read my most recent post, you know that this design was inspired by my appreciation for the beauty of natural gems and crystals, including the purple amethyst like this geode specimen.

Beyond the wide triangle shape already mentioned, the basic parameters for the pattern were a solid stitch base bordered by one or more lace edgings (I settled on two). Also, it had to be relatively easy and fast to knit but not boring.

The various shapes, planes and facets of the gems prompted my selection of many, many possibilities of stitch combinations, requiring weeks of swatching, and eventually leading me to these choices.

The pattern begins with a simple stockinette section followed by easy lace patterns that flow smoothly from one into the other. 

Both written & charted instructions and plentiful photos are included to make the knitting a breeze.

And... I can finally share my newest secret fun project! This was somewhat of a juggling act between art and technique as I wanted to have a little fun and bring in some artistic sensibility without losing too much in the way of information. You may be surprised by this little movie as it is quite a departure from any knitting video I've seen.

I enlisted the technical aid of my husband and I believe we managed to strike a balance in the middle of information and atmosphere. We certainly learned a lot and had fun creating this together which is an important thing too.

So without further ado, I wish to introduce the 'world premiere' (said completely tongue-in-cheek of course, lol) of...

 

A Robin Ulrich Studio 
Demonstration Film 

 featuring 

  

the
 Garter Tab Foundation Cast On Method 
for 

AMETHISTE

 

And by the way, Youtube doesn't allow you to choose just any cover shot for the video and the 3 options they selected were pretty boring. If anyone has any suggestions or experience with overriding to choose a good cover shot for a video, I'd love to have your input! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today everyone, I hope you enjoy our little film and wish you much peace, blessing and happy knitting!

Inspiration - Amethyst

The structure and formation of crystals has always fascinated me so I think it was only natural that I should eventually decide to create a project based on this inspiration. That project became my latest shawl pattern, soon to be released.

All colorful, faceted gemstone planes and surfaces are amazingly beautiful, but one of my favorites is the lovely, lowly purple amethyst.

 

The long, spear-like crystal formations are referred to as 'points' and it was this shape that inspired my selection of the first lace stitch portion of the shawl.

The bottom edging was inspired by this beautiful amethyst geode I've had for years, with it's matrix of interconnecting facets and jagged borders. 

This new shawl design, knit in fingering weight yarn (only one or two skeins required) in two sizes, is super simple and fast to knit, but pleasingly interesting too. I've knit 5 of these already and wouldn't mind knitting a few more! Except, of course, that I've already begun to move on to my next projects...

Check here on my blog or on my Ravelry designer page within the next day or so to see when the design goes live. 

To coincide with the release of this shawl, I've been hard at work on a special new project and my blog readers will get the first peek here! 

Thanks for checking in and have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Amethyst Photo 1 link

Amethyst Photo 2 link 

New Knitting Pattern - Sweetgrass Triangle Shawl

This project has been under wraps, so to speak, for a long time and I'm thrilled that I can finally reveal it! I'm happy to introduce the Sweetgrass Triangle shawl pattern, published in the Summer 2012 issue of Knitscene magazine. 

This classic triangle shawl's simple stitch pattern is repeated from the center top down and out to the bottom edges for the bind off. A graceful, retro-macrame style knotted fringe edging adds soft movement, reminiscent of beach grasses swaying in the wind.

Knit in aran-weight, hemp/ cotton blend yarn in an open stitch pattern, Sweetgrass knits up fast but remains airy, adding a light extra layer for cool summer evenings.

Sweetgrass is a fun, simple project with a little something 'extra' in the fringe detail. I'm thrilled to have this pattern included in this edition along with the many other cute designs therein, and I'll have more details about the development of this pattern in a future post.

Knitscene Summer 2012 is currently available for download and will soon be available for purchase at your LYS or bookstore.  Photos Knittingdaily.com

New Knitting Pattern - KATRIEL Shawl

Hi everyone, I'm very happy to announce the release of my newest knitting pattern - the Katriel shawl!

This pattern is part of a shawl duo I designed last spring (including my Sothia shawl pattern) and features some similar characteristics including Sothia's wide, shallow triangle shape, graphic garter-stitch stripes and neat eyelet border.   

Katriel, offers knitters who are pressed for time (or short on yarn!) the option of a quick-knit project with the same classic look of Sothia, but with a fast, easy picot bind off edging rather than Sothia's ruffle.  And adding to the easy-breezy nature of the Katriel pattern are lots of photos, tips and detailed instructions to help along the way.

This pattern has been extensively test knit by some super knitters - I want to give a giant THANK YOU to Jessica, Laurie, and Gerald. 

The new pattern calls for just two skeins of fingering-weight, madeleinetosh Tosh Merino Light yarn, but most fingering-weight yarns will work well for this design, making it a terrific stash-buster for all those gorgeous sock yarns you've been hoarding ('fess up now!).  And like Sothia, Katriel is a perfect showcase for those fantastic solid and semi-solid hand-dyed sock yarns for those not interested in stripes.

Both of these shawls used less than a full ball of every color - about 80 grams of each.

The light, fingering-weight yarn lends itself well to four-season wear, perfect for a cozy, extra layer during cold months, as well as for wearing over sleeveless tops and dresses during cool summer evenings or in air-conditioned settings. 

A wide triangle shape is truly versatile, giving the shawl a long, scarf-like proportion great for tucking into a coat, draping around the neck,

or simply throwing over the shoulders for a little extra warmth or as a colorful accent accessory.

Last April's verdant moss along a gravel trail inspired the gray and yellow-green (grellow?) version. 

I enjoyed knitting with Tosh Merino Light (see a full TML review here), and after a summer of use, all of my shawls look great, albeit slightly fuzzed, but in a nice way. For such a soft-touch singles yarn, TML has a good resistance to pilling so far.

However, those things said, TML relaxed and grew in gauge in varying degrees, with wet blocking, depending on color.  Some skeins from the same dye-lot seemed to have a lot more twist than the others, so blocking your swatch is an absolute must!

I knit a second version (or perhaps I should say first as it was the prototype) in lavender, rose and green Noro Taiyo Sock striped with soft heather gray Dale of Norway Baby Ull yarns. 

This version took it's cue from the spring cranesbill geranium and grape hyacinths growing near a rock in my garden.

A caveat about Taiyo Sock yarn - although it's very pretty, it was annoying to work with.  The fiber has a terrible tendency to stick to itself and become tangled in knots as the ball is pulled from the center. I much prefer Noro's lovely Silk Garden Sock for this sort of look and would choose that, rather than Taiyo, if knitting this shawl again.  

Both Katriel and Sothia are available as individual, stand-alone patterns, or as a value set of two patterns, at a special price, through the Ravelry shopping cart. To receive the discount, just add both patterns to your shopping cart first, then enter the coupon code Sothiaknitter at checkout.

I want to especially thank YOU, my blog-friends, for all the kind comments and enthusiasm for my design both here and on Ravelry, I really appreciate it!

FO - Shawlette Part Two

Some readers may remember when, earlier this summer, I mentioned I had four FO's but ended up posting only two shawl projects (a solid and a striped version of the Sothia shawlette) and wondered where the heck the other two were.

I originally had two ideas for this shawlette in garter stitch stripes.  The question at the time was, which design should I use?  Answer - both! I decided I would publish Sothia first, and save the second version for later, to publish after wrapping up some other things this summer.  

The yarn used for the pattern design is the same as for Sothia - Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light fingering weight yarn.  

The wide, shallow triangle shape remains, but the light, delicate knitted-on picot edging gives a substantially different look and feel to the piece from the deeply draping ruffle of Sothia. 

I love these little shawlettes and have worn them a lot since I made them.  They are easy to throw on with any top, and add a nice splash of color near the face.  Sorry for the crummy photos, but it was getting late when I shot them, I'll have better ones in the pattern release post soon.  Pattern is currently being test knit!

FO - Beach Glass Shawl

My most recent finished object is a shawl knit from the Tulips pattern designed by the talented Diana Rozenshteyn, aka Deenulya on Ravelry.  

Diana has designed several lovely knitting patterns, but this is the first I've had the opportunity to test knit and I really enjoyed it.

Although the name of the pattern is Tulips I was inspired to call it my Beach Glass shawl because the soft aqua color reminds me so much of the beautiful beach glass I've collected for years.

I love this large, bold, graphic stitch pattern.

A delicate edging provides a lovely finish and a very slight picot effect adds texture.  I blocked mine in a slightly different way just to try something different, but I may go back and do it with Diana's method the next time I block it.

Although it looks elaborate, the multiple is made up of k2tog, ssk, and yo stitches, and would make a perfect project for anyone wishing to make a beautiful shawl with just basic knowledge of these knitting stitches.  

As long as you can keep track of rows, you can knit this gorgeous, heirloom-quality shawl.  And this is truly a piece you will be proud of when you are finished.

Tulips is a clearly-written pattern with wonderful charts and directions that make it easy to modify size.  In my case, after the initial set-up portion, I made 5 full repeats of the stitch pattern before adding the edging.  

I used about 65 gr. (just over 800 yards) of a Russian, two-ply lace-weight, 'mystery' close-out wool/ angora blend I purchased from a vendor at a fiber show.  It was really nice to work with - slightly soft but not too fuzzy from the angora - and I likely will never find it again.  If anyone out there has a recommendation for a similar yarn, I'd love to know!

It blocked up on the 'crunchy' side, but softened as soon as I started to play around with it.  

Diana is a superb knitter - she did an amazing job on my Sothia shawl test knit - and I jumped at the chance to knit her new pattern.  Thank you Diana for letting me test knit this lovely design for you!  

I highly recommend this beautiful Tulips shawl pattern by Diana.