Things have been a little quiet around here for the last couple of weeks.   You might assume that means that little knitting has been taking place, with the heat, vacations, and all the rest, but the truth is actually the opposite.   I have been finishing up a couple of projects, including a hat and sweater for my son’s first year of school, and wanted to wait to blog them until they were finished.

Over the past year, I have been admiring designs from Kate Oates.   You might be familiar with either of her design lines:  Tot Toppers and When I Grow Up.   She started out with some really fun hats for the younger kids, and her designs for boys really appealed to me.   Since then, she has started to design garments for children and women that somehow strike a balance between whimsy, simplicity and elegance.   My choice for Ethan’s sweater was her Gramps Cardigan (child or adult).   This cabled cardigan is available in sizes 6 months to children’s size 8, and then from the When I Grow Up line from a 30 inch bust to a 52 inch bust.   This means that pretty much everyone in the family could have a matching sweater!

I knit my version in Berroco’s Blackstone Tweed.   I’d never used a woolen tweed yarn before, and I can honestly say that this will be a “go-to” yarn for me.   For an easier care sweater, I’d recommend either Cascade 220 Superwash (we have tons of colors right now) or Berocco Vintage.

Since I haven’t posted in a few weeks, I’ll also share the hat pattern, which was knit with one and half left over balls of Blackstone Tweed.   I chose the Sweet and Sour Apple Hat, also from Tot Toppers.   As with the Gramps Cardigan, the pattern is written with sizes from infant to adult.

(Because my sweater is knit in navy blue yarn, my pictures don’t do the design justice, but here is a link to my Ravelry Project page in case you are curious:  Meridith’s Gramps Cardigan.) Read the rest of this entry »

I’m making “sweaters” for my classmates as Christmas presents.  They are all in the Harvard colors of crimson and white.  I need to have 19 made by November 11!  So far, I’ve completed 7.  I thought you would all like to see them, so I’ve taken them up to the shop.  DeeAnne has made a super little display by the front door.  I’ll be adding to it as I complete them.

The pattern is free and can be found here:

I would love to see others add their own ornaments to the tree (maybe in your college colors) to keep us all inspired to finish presents for Christmas.  Put your name on the inside so we know to whom it needs to be returned in time for the holiday.

What a wonderful surprise to see 16 beautiful bears walk in the door.  The bears are for the Mother Bear Project.  The bears are sent to children in Africa who have been orphaned by the AIDS epidemic there.  This family is from McPherson, Kansas.  All the girls help make the bears.  They have little garage sales to get the money to buy yarn.  Today we sent them home with 2 boxes of yarn that Studio Customers have donated for charity use.  These girls will put it to good use.

I raved about the Girasole Throw by Jared Flood in my e-mail today.  The link doesn’t seem to be working.  This one should work.

I’m thinking about doing something like it.  Do you have any suggestions?

It’s Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it was formerly known.  I’m the daughter of a veteran, and on this day I remember not only my father’s service during the Korean War, but that of my uncles, including Uncle Bill, who died in France in WWII.

We have troops serving now, even without a mandatory draft.  Whether or not you agree with the politics behind the various wars, our men and women are still serving us, still defending us.

Our soldiers serve in a variety of climates.  Here’s a pattern for “Soldier’s Glomitts,” a free pattern for fingerless mittens with a mitten cap.  It uses worsted weight wool (350 yards), and size 5US needles.  Cascade 220 Superwash in a dark or sand color would work well. It’s just the right kind of wool knitting to remember our troops and our veterans this Memorial Day.

Looking for a fast springy sweater pattern?  Check out Noa from Berroco.  If you look at the facings and sleeve hems, you’ll see a feminine ruffled touch.  Personally I’d make those almost cap sleeves a little longer, because I don’t have the toned upper arms featured on the model.  This pattern uses Berroco’s Weekend, now in stock in LOTS of colors at the Studio!  I took a photo of the display, just to give you some inspiration.

Weekend is a blend of 75% acrylic, 25% cotton, is a worsted weight and washable.  Weekend would also be great for summer baby items – especially with its washability.  If the Weekend blend isn’t for you, then try making Noa in one of the many cotton or cotton blend yarns at the Studio, from Classic Elite’s Premiere to Cascade’s Ultra Pima or Berroco’s Pure Pima!

Berroco Weekend at the Studio

Did anyone notice I got Lace and Sweater weeks mixed up?

Ooops.

So today’s featured pattern is a sweater.  A cute sweater for a little one.  The pattern is so new it’s not yet listed on Ravelry, it’s Candy Cables by Jill Eaton. Click on the photo for it to see a larger photo.  Isn’t it cute with the check pattern and cables?  Not too many cables for newbies, but enough to keep your interest.  The pattern calls for Jill Eaton’s Cottontail yarn, and I bought 7 skeins to make the 4 year old size for my darling niece.  You’ll see other cute patterns on that same page — and I bought the Pinafore Dress pattern and yarn to make a dress for the same darling niece.

The Jill Eaton Cottontail yarn is a braided type of yarn, so I think it’ll hold up well to a 3-4 year old’s play and should wash well.

True confession:  the pattern I REALLY wanted to recommend is SO new that it’s not on Ravelry and it’s not on the yarn company’s web site! But… if you’re curious, check out the Nashua Linen Collection pattern book on display in the store — and the Nashua Creative Focus Linen is right underneath it.  The pattern is called “Eyelet Cardigan” and it features a lacy top, empire waist and a flowing “skirt.”  It looks like it would work for most figures.  This booklet also has come cute home accessory patterns — lacy curtains, window topper, and table runner/dresser scarf.

Does this make up for switching Lace and Sweater weeks?

Hope you survived your first day of Daylight Savings Time.  The true story is tomorrow.  5:30am will come very early!

The weather has cooperated this week, and I think spring is on its way.  I can see green shoots of daffodils and tulips in the flower bed, and it won’t be long before I see bits of other colors too!  This week’s featured pattern is a Lace Shawl/Wrap pattern by Alice Halbeisen.  The original was knitted with 800 yards of Classic Elite Premiere, but Berroco Pure Pima and Cascade Ultra Pima (new to the Studio!) are good substitutes.  This wrap is just the thing to wear on your shoulders for a spring evening walk.  Pick a lovely color reminding you of your favorite tulip, hyacinth, or other spring flowers, and it’ll brighten up even rainy spring days!

Are you dreaming of warmer weather?  I am.  I’m sitting here with tissues at hand, cough drops in my pocket, and the teapot is on for another round of hot tea.  I’ve had bronchitis too much this winter and now have a cold on top of that.  So, I’m REALLY thinking of spring and summer, and a time when my feet will be warm.

The Spring/Summer 2010 Vogue Knitting just arrived at the Studio, and inspired the featured pattern for this week, a Sun Dress/Lace Cotton Tank Dress with a lacy bodice using a version of feather and fan.

Okay, I’ll admit, I will not knitting this as a dress.  I’d modify it to be a shell/camisole type of top for me– I’d resize it for my ample bod anyway.  But look at the bodice — not too low, not too high.  Straps wide enough to hide the bra straps.

While the pattern calls for Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, other options include Takhi Cotton Classic (a mercerized cotton), Classic Elite Provence, Berroco Pure Pima, Nashua Creative Focus Cotton DK.

Take a look and see if this doesn’t spark your inner summer self!

In honor of the Winter Olympics, the pattern of the week is the Olympic Reindeer Hat by Helena Bristow.  The pattern is FREE on Ravelry, and the Studio has the red, white, and blue Cascade 220 in stock.  This can be your own Olympic challenge, since it uses colorwork — both Fair Isle and Intarsia for the reindeer.

Helena has the chart on her blog, if you’d like a sneak peek!