The Fruits of Summer

Hi, Knitters,

The summer is going a little too quickly around here. But one thing I really look forward to is the ripening of our backyard garden. We have a good-sized garden in a sunny spot that is fenced in to keep out the rabbits. We have two raised beds and I think this year we finally have it down. The plants are spread out and supported nicely and this is paying off. Our trouble has always been overplanting. 

This year we have a couple of kinds of peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, a big variety of tomatoes from cherry to Roma to heirloom, and tons of basil. My favorites are the tomatoes. I love tomatoes and once this season hits I can eat a tomato sliced up with salt and pepper for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. It is a highlight of summer. 

The shining stars this summer are the heirloom tomatoes. These are the best we've grown. I love the taste, the look, and the color of these heirlooms. I love the folds and gathers at the top, kind of looks like a knit hat. 

Anyway, I hope you are having success if you garden or maybe if you get to hit a farmers' market or two this summer.

One other fun thing about August is hiking in our neighborhood conservancy. The paths become enveloped in tall grasses, way above my head, and the masses of flowers are beyond belief. No photo can capture what it's really like. The colors and sounds are so beautiful. Hiking in August is something I look forward to every year and with the rainfall this summer, everything is in its prime.

I started a couple of fun projects this past week. One project I am especially excited about is a pattern that's not released yet but it is coming soon. I cast on and started a red cardigan with pockets and a fun textured stitch pattern. I will keep you posted. I think wearing a red cardigan this fall and winter is going to make me really happy. 

Yarn: Home Worsted Weight in the Red Flannel colorway

The other project I started and finished is this gorgeous Erland hat. Tanis Gray is the designer and she wrote the pattern for Barrett Wool Co. I love this kind of hat that is simply casting on and following a chart for the entire hat. Erland is one of my favorite knits ever.

In the photo above, that's Tanis' sample hat and on the right is my version of Erland.

I finished it up in one day and here it is blocking. I modified the original Erland pattern a little bit but not much. I knit the hat on a US size 7 needle at 5 stitches per inch. I added some corrugated ribbing for extra length to cover my ears. And because I was knitting at a bigger gauge I took out one of the repeats, so instead of four repeats I only did three repeats. 

I misjudged the length a tiny bit. After Erland dried I realized that I should have only done one-inch of corrugated ribbing instead of two-inches. So I tucked the cast on edge under and whipstitched it to the inside of the Latvian braid so the brim is doubled, which I love. 

Now the hat is perfect and the fit is fantastic. When you only do three repeats instead of four repeats of the chart the top of the hat becomes slightly pointed. I blocked out the point as much as possible and when the hat is worn there is no visible point. 

Anyway, I love this hat. I feel like it is a tiny piece of art. Thank you to Tanis for such a rewarding design. I haven't had this much fun knitting a hat in awhile. 

Click here for the Erland pattern on Ravelry!

Click here for the Erland Kit on Barrett Wool Co.!

Click here for Home Worsted Weight in the Snowy Pine and Marmalade colors!

I finished writing up all sorts of good tutorials and updates on the Gigi Cardigan. It has been really fun to walk through a typical modification series for a simple top-down cardigan.

Click here if you are interested in seeing tutorials and notes on a Knotted Steek, button placement, sleeve fitting, short rows on necklines and hemlines, adding pockets and more. 

There is a lot of good information for sweater knitters here!

Okay, friends, thank you for the Smooth Operator Socks pattern love. The discount has been extended through the weekend. No code is necessary for the discount on the pattern. 

Click here for the discounted Smooth Operator Socks pattern!

Love to you and yours.

xo ~ susan

Startup Library Knitting on Craftsy & ZK Retreat 2017

Hi, Knitters,

I am so proud and excited to announce my newest Craftsy class today called Startup Library Knitting! Craftsy has started a new class series that are truly for the beginner. There are Startup Library classes in sewing, baking, watercolors, weaving, cake decorating, embroidery, and now knitting. Last May I spent a week at the Craftsy studio filming this new class.

I am offering a 50% off affiliate link to anyone interested in giving the class a try. 

Click here for the 50% off link to Startup Library Knitting!

I know that many of you already know how to knit or you probably wouldn't be reading this blog. But many of you, I'm sure, get asked to teach or teach others how to knit. If you are looking for a resource to recommend to new knitters or you want to get ideas for teaching new knitters this class will be a great resource. I really start from scratch and it is divided up so you can click on specific techniques for a quick view or refresher. 

Click on play to see the preview trailer for the Startup Library Knitting class!

It's like a dictionary for new knitters. You can quickly and easily look up any technique at a glance. I also have included three easy starter projects and patterns in the class, a pair of fingerless mitts, a textured cowl and a stripey hat. All of these are packed with important techniques for a new knitter to learn. 

After taking this class the new knitter will truly be ready to move on to other and more advanced projects. After viewing the class yesterday I can truly say that it is really well done and well organized. 

Again, click here for 50% off or just to check it out if interested! This is an affiliate link.

For another topic today, last weekend Barrett Wool Co. traveled to Rochester, Minnesota to vend for the first time. Megan and Amy, of the Stockinette Zombies podcast, were hosting their 5th annual Zombie Knitpocalypse Retreat. There were 200 attendees. It's a well-run and fun retreat that I can highly recommend. I started the weekend on Friday night as the guest speaker which was really fun.  

Then early Saturday morning we set up our Barrett Wool Co. booth for the first time. We had such a good time and we learned so much from this experience. It was a great place to start because the market was open for two hours in the morning just for retreat attendees and then there was a closed lunch break and then the market re-opened and included free admission for the public for two hours in the afternoon. 

It was fast and furious! Our booth was absolutely swamped the entire time. People were incredibly enthusiastic about Barrett Wool Co. yarns and seeing them in person for the first time. We had all 16 colors of our Home Collection yarns and a lot of our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarns. It all flew off the shelves. 

My business partner and son, Evan, and his wife, Molly (formerly known as Miss Molly) were there checking people out and packaging up purchases in our signature printed bags. They did a great job and were so happy with the event. It was fun to have them with me. It was really a whirlwind of the best kind!

We brought along some Branches & Buds sweater kits in our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarns and a few of them didn't sell so they are back up and available in the shop. These go really quickly so if you are interested hop on over and snag one for yourself. 

Click here for the Branches & Buds Sweater Kit information or to purchase!

Here Molly is modeling the gorgeous Branches & Buds sweater! It is a winner, both fun to knit and even better to wear.

I'll be back soon with more, Knitters. I hope you are all doing well.

xo, susan

Susan B. Anderson's Kids' Knitting Workshop ~ Giveaway!

Cover photo provided by Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Hi, Knitters,

Be sure to read to the end to find out about a huge giveaway opportunity! Also, early registration for Yarnover 2016 in Minneapolis starts Jan. 9th at 8am! It's on April 23rd and it sells out quick. 

Here is the LINK for Yarnover.

A couple of weeks ago my latest book was published, Susan B. Anderson's Kids' Knitting Workshop. Today I am very excited to share a little bit about it with you. I have been teaching kids to knit for many years now. I have taught kids in small groups, individually, and through my daughters' Girl Scout Troops and in a lot of different settings. Do any of you remember these photos from TC's Girl Scout Troop's knitting lessons at my house in 2009?

If you want to see and read more about how I taught the Girl Scouts to knit Click Right Here!

First of all, this book was a labor of love on two topics that are near and dear to my heart, kids and knitting. The book is geared to reach 8-12 year olds but it is a good book for any age person, including adults, wanting to learn how to knit. The book takes you step-by-step through the basics of knitting in the round as the ideal place to start, and lesson-by-lesson techniques are added through tutorials and projects. If the beginning knitter works through the book she/he will come away with a great base of knowledge about knitting,  and could tackle any number of projects out there in the world of patterns. It's exciting to think about.

Click here to see the Kids' Knitting Workshop on Amazon! (I am not an affiliate, by the way.)

Included in the book are 17 do-able, snappy projects that are fun and appealing for a wide age-range but will also hold young attention spans. Most of the projects are fairly quick and are knit on needles ranging from a US size 7 to a US size 13 or so.  There are a couple of slightly bigger projects including a tube scarf and a pillow. 

Click here to find out more and to see all of the projects in Kids' Knitting Workshop on Ravelry!

The photography, by New York City-based photographer Lauren Volo, is fun and bright, and the models are adorable. One aspect of the book that I am especially impressed by is the illustrated tutorials by Alison Kolesar. Alison is a remarkable artist. I would provide a photo of my hands doing a certain technique and then Alison would create the illustrations to show exactly what I intended. It was a really fun and successful aspect of the book. Both of these creative women were wonderful and added so much to the pages of the book.

There have been some generous reviews if you'd like to read or hear more about the book from some other industry people. Here are a few to start:

The Knitting Pipeline

Knitty.com Cool Stuff Reviews

The Knitmore Girls

The Knitgirllls

I have made a couple of supplementary book tutorial videos on my YouTube. One video is on how to do magic loop and the other is on how to use double-pointed needles.

Click here to visit my YouTube Channel, SusanBAnderson.

Okay, here are a few of my favorite projects from the book.....

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on the Stripy Legwarmers on Ravelry!

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on the Snowman on Ravelry!

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on the Cowl on Ravelry!

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on Hat with a Rib on Ravelry!

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on the Fox Pillow on Ravelry!

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on the Owl & Kitten Toys on Ravelry!

Copyright 2015 Artisan Books/Photographed by Lauren Volo

Click here for more information on Mason Jar Cozies!

I am so excited to be able to offer you all a gigantic giveaway today to celebrate! 

I am offering 10 winners each a prize package. Each winner will receive a signed copy of my book along with 3 skeins of Schachenmayr Leana yarn! Along with the book you will get one skein each of three different colorways (rainbow, blues, pinks and purple all mixed with gray), perfect for many of the projects in the book. Thank you to Artisan Books and to Schachenmayr for the prize packages.

Please leave one comment on this blog post to enter to win. The comment must include either your Ravelry username or your email address so we can get in touch if you win. Tell me about who you might teach to knit or your favorite project if you'd like. I'd love to hear about it.

Please click on the "Publish" button only one time when you are leaving a comment. There is a delay before your comment will appear. 

The Mason-Dixon Knitting blog/website is reviewing Kids' Knitting Workshop soon along with a giveaway so be sure to check them out, too!

And don't forget that StevenBe's has Kids' Knitting Workshop kits (including a bag, yarn, needles, the book and a furry pom-pom) all set to go if you want a gift set for a new knitter.

I'll be back soon with the 10 winners!

Let the comments begin.

xo ~ susan 

Badge of Love: Darning

Hi, Knitters,

First, the winner of the Fab Funky Fibres Autumn Rainbow self-striping yarn is.....

Cori or irocknits on Ravelry!! By the way check out Cori's photo in Instagram of the 9 sweaters she finished for Christmas gifts this year. It is pretty incredible. Click here to see!

Congratulations to Cori! Thank you to Elaine of Fab Funky Fibres for the skein of gorgeous yarn to give to one of you. Thank you for the enormous response to the giveaway. I will have another one very soon. 

One more quick news-type thing, in February I am teaching at the Madison Knitting Guild event called Knit In! Click here to see the class options and to get more information. It is open to everyone! I'll talk more about this soon with more details but register early if you want to get in. My classes were huge and filled quickly last time I taught at this fun event. 

Today I have a video tutorial on darning for you. I am no expert but I have occasionally darned holes in socks and I get asked about repairing worn holes in socks so I thought I'd share.

My future daughter-in-law, Miss Molly, knit these adorable socks a couple of year ago. Last week she sadly told me that both socks suddenly had holes on the bottom of the heels. It's kind of funny how they wore out exactly at the same time and in the same spot but they did! I told her to bring them to me and I would try to darn the holes for her.

A few quick things about the video. Warp and weft were the weaving terms I couldn't remember. Also, the yarn has become slightly felted from washing and wearing so you can see the I struggle a bit to get the needle through the stitches. Be patient if your sock is slightly felted and use a sharper or finer needle to make it easier.

Make sure not to pull any of the strands too tight while darning. Pulling too tight will distort the natural shape of the sock. The darning egg comes in handy for keeping the fabric as it would be while wearing the sock but it isn't necessary. You could use a small ball, a tomato pincushion, or something else rounded. Remember those EOS lip balms I recently talked about.... two purposes in one!

If you can't see the video for email subscribers click here to view the video on YouTube!

Click here to see my YouTube Channel with dozens and dozens of tutorials and knitting videos.

The sock yarn used for the socks in the video is Vesper by Knitterly Things (one of my favorites) in the Shamrockin' colorway. The pattern used for the socks is How I Make My Socks found both on Ravelry and my blog.

A couple of more quick thoughts or options on darning for you:
1.  If you notice that the yarn is getting very worn and thin in a certain spot on your sock but it hasn't broken through to create a hole yet you can darn over the top of the threadbare spot using this same technique before it breaks open. This is called surface darning.
2. For this same kind of wearing thin of the fiber but not a hole quite yet you can duplicate stitch over the threadbare stitches to reinforce them before the worn spot becomes a hole.
3. If the darned spot is on the bottom of the foot do not use any knots and try to weave in the ends so as not to create any unwanted ridges in the fabric.

My final thoughts on darning are to just do it! You can see that my darning isn't perfect but it works just fine to extend the life of the beloved handknit socks. The darned spot will wear in so that it will feel undetectable to the foot after awhile in my experience.

I've shown you in the video how I have darned my own socks through the years and this technique works really well for me. There are lots of other ways to darn socks. I remembered reading an article by Kate Gilbert of Twist Collective awhile back and when I searched it popped right up. Kate created a great tutorial showing several different darning techniques. It is extremely helpful and clear.

Click here to read Kate Gilbert's tutorial post called Darn It All!

I love a darned spot on any sort of knitwear. It is a badge of LOVE. A darned spot is something to be cherished. There is a charm to a darned sock, mitten, or even sweater elbows. I prefer to darn my socks in different colored yarn to remind me how much I have worn and loved them.

Back in 2013 I did a blog post sharing the darning of a pair of handspun socks. Click here to revisit the post and to see the darned socks!

And if interested, click here to see another sock I darned where the darned spot turned out like a heart! It's very cute.

Please let me know if you have any darning tips or techniques that you've used to repair your knit items. I'd love to hear about it.

Have a great Sunday and start to your week, dear Knitters.

xo ~ susan

Another Flower Headband Fleece Lining Tutorial

Hi, Knitters,

First a couple of housekeeping things to share:

Thank you for the kind response to Episode 11 of my podcast and for entering to win Kristin Nicholas' new book Colorful Stitchery and Kristin's new Regia sock yarn. The winner of the book and sock yarn is.....

jjurney ~ rav id !

Congratulations Jodi! I have already contacted Jodi to let her know the good news. Thanks to everyone for entering and I have another great giveaway already lined up for after Thanksgiving. You won't want to miss this one, it's huge.

Also, this week I am the featured designer on The Loopy Ewe Blog. Click here to read the interview!

The Loopy Ewe Feature also includes a coupon code for 20% off one of any of my downloadable patterns! This also includes the eBook for Mary, Millie & Morgan for the discount which makes it a great deal. 

Enter the following code at checkout:

Coupon Code: THELOOPYEWE

Click here for my Ravelry Pattern Store! The code is good through November 28th, 2014. Thank you to Sheri and The Loopy Ewe for the fun blog feature.

Oh hey! My Hayward Shawl was just released back to me to add to my Ravelry Pattern Shop as a downloadable pattern!! The pattern is for sale now for $5.50 but you can use the 20% off coupon code: THELOOPYEWE, for a good deal on the new pattern.

Click here for the Hayward Shawl pattern information or to purchase!

Hayward is the shawl I talked about and wore in Episode 11 of my podcast.

I whipped up an Another Flower Headband a couple of weeks ago for TC's swim buddy. I lined it with white polar fleece which makes the headband extra warm and cozy. I've been asked how I line the headbands with polar fleece so I thought I would photograph the process and share it with you today.

Pattern: Another Flower Headband by me ~ pattern sells for $2.50 on Ravelry! (Hint: use the coupon code mentioned above for 20% off!)

The pattern comes in 3 sizes: small child, large child and teen/adult. The flower has lots of options as far as size and number of layers or it could be left off completely. 

Click here to find out more about the Another Flower Headband pattern!

Yarn used: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky, one skein in the Cermak colorway. Click here to find out more about the yarn! This is just beautiful bulky weight yarn. It is so soft and squishy. 

Materials needed to line the headband:

A piece of polar fleece to fit

Sewing needle and matching thread

Pins

Scissors (sharp fabric scissors are best for cutting the fleece)

Your finished Another Flower Headband!

Note: I'm sure there are lots of ways to line a headband like this. I am sharing how I like to line hats/headbands. I have lined all sorts of hats and headbands for my kids through the years and the following process has worked very well. 

Step 1: Make sure the fleece is going to stretch in the right direction before cutting. You want the fleece to stretch in the same direction that the headband will stretch. Cut a strip of fleece that is a little wider (about an inch) and a couple of inches longer on each end. Fold the strip in half with the right side of the fabric facing you.

Step 2: Turn the headband inside out and place it in the folded fleece strip. The front of the headband should be at the fold and the back of the headband is at the open end. There will be a seam at the back of the headband.

Step 3: Pin the fleece in place. 

Step 4: Turn the headband right side out. With your fabric scissors carefully trim the excess fleece so that the edges are just a little bit in from the headband edges. 

Here is the trimmed and pinned fleece inside the headband.

Step 5:  Turn the headband back to inside out again for the sewing in of the fleece lining. For the ends of the fleece strip, overlap one end about an inch under the other end and pin in place. Trim any excess fabric if necessary. 

Step 6: With the sewing needle and matching thread begin to use a whipstitch to attach the fleece to the headband. Catch a purl bump on the headband and the edge of the fleece on each stitch. Make these stitches about a 1/4-inch apart going all the way around the headband on both edges.

***MOST IMPORTANT TIP: As you are stitching the fleece to the headband stop every few  stitches to stretch the headband as you go! The headband will stretch when worn and so you need to make sure the stitches are loose enough so there is some give. If you don't stretch the headband as you stitch the thread will break when the headband is worn.

Every once in awhile the thread will break after months and months of wear, even after years of wear and I have to re-stitch it back in place. This has only happened after heavy use and it is very easy to mend.

Step 7: Whipstitch the seam to join the ends. One end overlaps about 1 inch under the other end. Tie off the thread and trim the end.

Here it is!! It's warm and cozy and ready to wear.

Here is the view from the right side with the fleece lining inside. It's so squishy!

The Another Flower Headband is knit on US size 10 needles and bulky weight yarn. This project can be whipped up in a matter of a couple of hours. It is the perfect gift! The high school and college age girls in my family all wear these headbands all of the time and just love them. They are quite stylish.

I hope this helps with the lining of your headbands. It only takes a small amount of time to make the headband even better than before. The added warmth and stability is worth the extra effort.

With that I bid you adieu.

xo ~ susan

Calligraphy: Favorite Sweater #4 ~ #projectsweaterchest

Hi, Knitters,

I'm back today to continue on with my Top 10 Favorite Sweaters. I am on #4 on the list. I am blogging about the top 10 sweaters in no particular order. 

To see me wearing all of my Top 10 Favorites I made a 5 minute video. Click here to view!

Today's featured cardigan is called Calligraphy by Hannah Fettig. I started knitting this several years ago and it languished for awhile. I think the longer length and all of the stockinette started to get to me so I put it down. Then toward the end of 2012 I decided to pick it back up again only with a new game plan. 

I had made it down to just beneath the armholes and I just couldn't stand the thought of all of that back and forth stockinette stitch. I decided to knit the body in the round and add steek stitches to the front. This worked like a dream. I finished my Calligraphy up in no time at all from that point on. The steek worked beautifully and it made the knitting much more enjoyable for me.

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh DK in the Thunderstorm colorway

Buttons: From The Sow's Ear

Needles: US size 6 Signature Needle Arts, 32-inch circulars

Size: I can't remember if I made it in the first or second size. The sizing offered in the pattern is so generous: 34 to 60-inch chest measurement. Wow!

Here are some links for the materials I used for this cardigan:

Click here for the Calligraphy pattern information!

Click here for Hannah Fettig's website! She's the designer.

Click here for Nina's in Chicago (The shop from where I purchased the yarn.)

Click here for The Sow's Ear in Verona, Wisconsin (The shop from where I purchased the buttons.)

Click here for the Madelinetosh website!

When I first finished Calligraphy and began wearing it I really felt like it was too long for me. The length bothered me. I actually put it away for a bit and didn't wear it. Then I don't know what changed my mind but I pulled it out and started wearing it a lot. Suddenly the length didn't bother me at all and I started to enjoy the longer style of the cardigan. I began to take it with me to wear on my teaching venues. It became my travel sweater. Now I see the length as an asset and I wouldn't change a thing.

Here's a little proof:

Spring Fling 2012! Teacher photo from The Loopy Ewe blog. Left to right: Ann Budd, JC Briar, me in my Calligraphy!, Wendy Johnson

Paula's Knitting Pipeline Retreat 2012. Photo taken by Paula's husband.

Click here for the Knitting Pipeline website!

Notice our cardigans in the above photo. Paula is wearing the Acer cardigan by Amy Christoffers.

While at the retreat Paula and I switched cardigans. I loved this. Now I want to knit the Acer Cardigan for myself, I actually own the pattern and have yarn that would work. And I think I heard Paula say she is going to knit a Calligraphy for herself. It was fun to try on the finished Acer because rarely do you get the chance to do that before knitting something. Plus, Paula and I are exactly the same size so I could really tell that I would love the Acer cardigan. 

Now, after I got home from the Knitting Pipeline Retreat that spring, I decided that the Calligraphy needed only one more thing to make it perfect. Pockets! I had extra yarn leftover and I kept thinking about pockets every time I wore it.

I actually made a tutorial on how I added the patch pockets to my Calligraphy so if you are interested:

Click here for my Adding Patch Pockets to a Finished Cardigan tutorial!

The pockets are a good and generous size for the cardigan and I have enjoyed them so much. The Calligraphy is a good one to wear buttoned up or open. It is so comfortable. The Tosh DK is a delight to knit with and to wash. I have washed the Calligraphy a bunch of times and it always comes out perfectly. It is super wash wool. I have washed it by hand and then dried it laying flat. When it is still a little bit damp (almost dry) I throw it in the dryer and it pops right back into shape and it becomes so soft and comfy.

Calligraphy is knit seamlessly from the top-down and it is incredibly simple. It is the quintessential Hannah Fettig sweater, simple/stylish/wearable/practical/casual! She nails it every single time.

You start at the long ribbed collar. Knit the raglan yoke, increase for the sleeves, put the sleeves on holders, knit the body, pick up the sleeves and knit on down, pick up and knit the wide button bands. This would be an excellent beginner level cardigan for sure. Only be aware that it is a lot of knitting and ribbing, but I like both of these things.

Well, tomorrow I am off to Kennebunk, Maine to teach at the Knitting Pipeline Maine Retreat! I can't wait. I have never been to Maine before and it should be fantastic. I will take lots of photos to share when I return.

By the way, Paula of the Knitting Pipeline has a new shawl design, Balsam Hollow, being released through Little Skein as a kit. I am super excited about it as the kit is inspired by Anne of Green Gables. More to come on this later but CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE to read about the new design by Paula for Little Skein. There is going to be an #annealong which sounds like it will be loads of fun.

Take care, Knitters. I'll see you back here soon!

xo ~ susan

Video Tutorials - Blocking a Shawl with Wires and Pins

(Part One)

Hi, Knitters,
Vogue Knitting Live in Chicago, November 1rst -3rd, 2013, now has classes up for registration. I am on the schedule for Sunday only!!! Click here to check out the classes for VK Live in Chicago!

I have just completed another sample for my next shawl design. I am working with a very unique yarn company called Infinite Twist and the shawl is going to initially be available in kit form only from Infinite Twist for a few months and then the shawl pattern will be released on my Ravelry Pattern Shop for download. I'll keep you posted as we get closer to the release date. And yes, Infinite Twist yarns are all handspun in case you are wondering. This yarn is 100% wool, worsted weight, in the Iris Garden colorway. What a treat.

In the meantime, I created four new video tutorials on how I block my shawl using straight blocking wires, flexible blocking wires and blocking pins. I block my shawls on blocking boards that are spread out on the living room floor. I have a big table I could use but I also have a big family that is always using this table. It is easier for me to just block on the floor and leave it put until the item is dry.

The shawl is such a beauty in the handspun yarn and what fun to knit. I'll tell you more details very soon.

I use Knitter's Block blocking boards and Inspiknitty flexible blocking wires.

The videos are filmed in four parts. Click here to watch the videos on my YouTube Channel!

Enjoy the rest of the videos below!

best, susie

(Part Two)

(Part Three)

(Part 4)

(p.s. I don't know why I said loose AND tight. I meant tight only. The ruffle is loose so that may be why I said loose. We'll never know.)

(p.p.s. I also don't know how I got that gigantic bruise on my left forearm. It looks terrible.)

Opal Little Dragon Preview Video!

Hi, Knitters,

I have completed the Opal Little Dragon design! I wanted to share the little guy with you from all angles so I filmed a short video to show him off. The pattern is debuting at TNNA at the Unicorn Books booth where I am also doing a book signing for Topsy-Turvy Inside-Out Knit Toys on Saturday, June 22nd. Please stop by for both the pattern and the signing or simply to say hello. I would love to see you!

If you can't see the video (email subscribers), please click right here to view it on YouTube.

Little Dragon is worked from the bottom-up in one piece, seamlessly! It's a very slick and simple pattern. The dragon is knit using a fingering or sock weight yarn held doubled throughout on US size 5 dpns. It used up about 40 grams of a sock yarn. There are new construction techniques included here and it is a fun and fast toy knit. I think you are going to love knitting up your own Little Dragon. 

Little Dragon will be available, at first, only through Unicorn Books (a craft book and supplies distributor) for yarn shops to purchase for their customers. I believe it will be in a printed pattern version only but they may be offering a downloadable version as well, I'm not sure. Please ask your yarn shops to order through Unicorn Books if you are interested in the pattern. 

Eventually the pattern rights will revert back to me and I will have the pattern available in my Ravelry Pattern Shop. This will happen at the first of the new year so don't worry if you can't get the pattern right away when it is released. 

This is the same thing I did with the Opal Sock Yarn Bunny and Hat. Unicorn Books released a printed pattern version for yarn shop owners to provide to their customers and then later the bunny became a downloadable pattern on Ravelry. I love to support local yarn shops and this is one way we can all help a little so please go through your local yarn shop if at all possible.

Little Dragon really is an expressive little toy, standing at 6 1/4 inches tall, with the movable head construction (a new technique I recently came up with). 

I'll post a Ravelry project page soon! Here is one more cute little photo below, I can't resist this little friend. I think this is one of the best toy designs I have ever done. There is a sweet personality that shines through with Little Dragon. I have started compiling a book list of children's literature and young adult literature with little and big dragon characters that could go along with this dragon for children. The possibilities seem quite endless.

If you have any dragon literature ideas for me, please post a comment and I will compile a list and share! Thank you.

On another subject, below is one more instructional video. I did this video for a Signature Needles guest blog post a few weeks ago.  I am showing how I cast on a small number of stitches onto 3 dpns, a technique I constantly use for my toy patterns.

Click here to see it on YouTube.

Have a great weekend! I'll be back soon with more....
best, susie
p.s. Malia (rhymeswithmaria on rav), has started a new vid-cast, Yarn Raising, that is mainly about spinning but has lots of knitting content as well, and I love it. Malia and I sat at the same table at the Knitting Pipeline Retreat and I so enjoyed her and her spinning that weekend. Please click here to watch her video podcast! 

Adding Patch Pockets to a Finished Cardigan

Hi, Knitters,

Edited to add: I have a guest blog post on the Signature Needle Arts blog with another video tutorial.

Click here to see the post and video!

A couple of weeks ago I washed two cardigans. I soaked them one at a time in the Phil Basin filled with lukewarm water with Soak Wash in the Celebration scent. Each cardigan sat for 20 minutes or so after which I gently squeezed out the excess water and then rolled in a clean towel to get more water out. I gently spread the cardigans out on blocking boards and turned a fan on them to speed the drying. When the cardigans were still damp I placed each separately and at different times in a mesh laundry bag and tossed in the dryer on the delicate cycle. Using the dryer while the garment is still damp helps the superwash wool bounce back into shape. Superwash wool gets very stretchy when wet, frighteningly stretchy, and that's why I use the dryer at the end. You can wash superwash wool in the washing machine (thus the name superwash) but I prefer to wash by hand.

Both of the cardigans are knit in Madelinetosh DK. Here is the information for both cardigans.

The dark blue cardigan:

Yarn: Tosh DK in the Thunderstorm colorway purchased at Nina's in Chicago

Pattern: Calligraphy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig (great pattern - highly recommend!)

Buttons: Purchased at The Sow's Ear in Verona, WI

The green cardigan:

Yarn: Tosh DK in the Burnished colorway, purchased at Nina's in Chicago

Pattern: Tea Leaves Cardigan by Melissa LaBarre (great pattern - highly recommend!)

Buttons: Purchased at Purl Soho

The funny thing about both of the Tosh DK colorways, Burnished and Thunderstorm, is that they look very different in various lighting and photos. I think that is both interesting and kind of fun.

After the washing and drying of the cardigans I decided it was time to add the pockets to the Calligraphy Cardigan, something I had been planning on doing for a long time. I had plenty of leftover yarn. I couldn't remember the size of the needle I had knit the Calligraphy on but it was probably the recommended US size 6 now that I look back at the pattern. I just guessed and pulled out my US size 7 Signature Needles and thought it seemed close enough. It worked fine but I would recommend using the same size used for the body of the cardigan. (Don't do what I did!)

First things first, figure out where you want your pockets located. I tried on the cardigan to see where my hands would naturally expect a pocket to be on the fronts and kind of eyeballed where that would be in reference to the button bands and bottom ribbing. It's all very scientific and make sure you point to the spot you want your pocket to be placed. It will bring good luck.

I put the pockets 10 rows up from the bottom ribbing and 10 stitches in from the button band ribbing. This seemed to be about the perfect placement. I also decided on the width of the pocket which turned out to be about 5.5 inches.

 

With the circular Signature Needles (you could also use two dpns to work back and forth), I picked up the right leg of each of 30 consecutive stitches. I did this working from the right to the left and then pulled the circular needle back to the other side to begin the work.

I held the yarn at the point of the needle and began with a knit row on the picked up stitches. I left a long enough end to use later for stitching up the side of the pocket. For this basic patch pocket, work back and forth in stockinette stitch (you could slip the first stitch of each row, but I didn't) until the pocket measures about 4 1/4- inches above the pick up row. Then continue in a K2, P2 rib (I worked a K2 on each end) for another inch making the pocket measure 5 1/4-inches in total from the pick up row. Bind off in the rib pattern. Leave a long enough end to place on a yarn needle to whipstitch the side of the pocket to the cardigan front. Stitch up the other side of the pocket in the same manner. Weave in the ends to the inside seam of the pocket and trim.

I love the new pockets! They look super clean and perfectly placed. The new pockets were meant to be.

Here are a few finished pocket photos for you to enjoy!

The process for adding afterthought patch pockets is simple and quick.  I hope this helps a little if you are thinking of doing the same. I am very pleased with the final results and the cardigan is even better if that is possible. Who doesn't love a good pocket or two?

I added this post to the tutorial list on the sidebar of the blog, under Tutorials, if you want to refer to this information later.

Take care, Knitters. I can't believe it is already Wednesday....

best, susie