Archives for September 2011

For the past several years I have spent the end of September preparing the TTL Mystery Sock for the release of it's first clue. This year is different. I am madly packing boxes and preparing to move out of the home we have lived in for the past 12 years. I've loved this house with it's beautiful view and acid green front door, but it is time for change. And I've always been one who likes change.

Add to all of the crazy moving nonsense double college applications, essays, teacher recommendations and the usual senior year stress.

Since all of this packing and applying doesn't leave much time for sock design or provide anything in the way of willing foot models, I've had to postpone the Mystery Sock until January. January is always my favorite time of year to snuggle up on the couch wiht a good woolly knit. S&I's college apps will be done and we'll be spending the month celebrating a double 18th birthday. It will be a generally happy, carefree time for the Kapurs.

Since it goes against my nature to leave Socktober unrecognized I've decided to offer a 20% discount on my sock patterns for the month of October. There are also several people in the Through the Loops group on Ravelry who will be having their own TTL Sock KAL. They'd love it if you'd join them. I'll check in on the KAL as much as I can to answer questions and offer encouragement.

Shown below are from top left: Ilsa's Socks, Althea, Jagged and Atlantis.

 

Today is the final day of the TTL Summer Shawl KAL over on Ravelry. If you've been knitting along with us, today is the last day to get photos of those finished shawls posted if you want to be included in the prize drawing! I'll keep the thread open until I get up tomorrow morning. That will give our friends on the West Coast a bit of extra time.

Since I hate to write a post without a photo I'll leave you with a few shots of our reaction to our order from Missoni for Target arriving in the mail.

When Larissa Brown's first book came out I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. The book was beautiful and there were quite a few patterns in it that I wanted to knit. So naturally, I was thrilled when Larissa contacted me to be a part of her second book, . I was even more excited when she told me her concept; she was writing a book filled with family stories about crafting and knitting. And she wanted to interview me. About my family. And have me contribute a design. Oh, yes please!

The family I was lucky enough to be raised in had such and enormous impact on my creative life that this book is a treasure to me. When I first got my hands on a copy I savored it. Reading a few chapters each night.

My grandmother Anna and great aunts, Dorothy, Mary & Teresa.

There are stories from all of our favorite designers. Among them are Teva Durham, Meg Swanson, Pam Allen, Kay Gardiner, Anne Hanson, Norah Gaughan, Ysolda Teague, Jared Flood – I am humbled to even be included in this book.

Each designer also contributed a pattern to the book. Larissa asked me to create an easy pattern that a brand new knitter could take on. As anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows, I love to work with color, so I suggested a simple two color cowl – The Crayon Cowls.

I created two variations on the pattern – one very simple stockinette broken up by a purl ridge, and one for a more adventurous beginner with eyelets thrown in. Both have buttons for added interest. The simple stitch patterns lend themselves very well to experimentation with yarns, so even the more experienced knitter will enjoy knitting these patterns.
 
When I got my copy of the book, it occured to me how well this pattern would work for some of my precious hand-spun yarn stash. I pulled out two skeins of hand-spun, each with a healthy cashmere content, that I'd been hoarding for a special project – and set to work. The knitting on this cowl is very, very quick. It is easily adapted to a longer cowl if you want something you can loop around several times.

My Aunt Dorothy knitting.

The book contains much more challenging projects too. Among them are a gorgeous cabled pillow from Chrissy Gardiner, the spectacular colorwork sweater seen on the cover by Kristin Spurkland (oh how I wish I could drop everything and knit that sweater) and a pair of Cookie A's intricately patterned socks.

If you want to see all of the gorgeous patterns in this book and find out more about the individual patterns, check out the pattern pages on Ravelry. Then go out and buy yourself a copy of the book, brew a cup of tea, and imerse yourself in the stories of inspiring, creative families.

*All of the photos in this post are my own, or my old family photos. To see the photos in the book follow the link above to the pattern pages on Ravelry.

If you're looking for a stash busting project, an easy pattern to try cables for the first time, a little something for that luxurious yarn that you only have one or two skeins of, a lovely gift for a friend or just a quick fun knit, my new eBook, A Trio of Cowls has something for you. 

 
This eBook includes three cabled cowls, each with it's own personality. Looking for a name for each of the cowls, I asked my daughters for names of things that come in groups of three. Science-minded Izzy immediately offered the three bones of the ear; Incus, Stapes & Malleus.

  The largest of the three, Incus uses a soft yarn and open cable pattern for a very slouchy effect. 

Finished Measurements: 30” circumference x 12” high

Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK, 57% Extra Fine Merino/33% Acrylic Microfibre/10%, 142 yds/ 130 m per 50 g skein, Color: Lime #509 3 skeins

Needles: US 8 (5mm) 24” circular needle or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 26.5 sts & 33 rows=4”/10 cm in Incus Cable Pattern (page 2)

Other Materials: Place Marker (PM), cable needle, tapestry needle

Luxurious Malleus, worked in broad cables and cashmere yarn, knits up quickly on large needles.

Finished Measurements: 27” circumference x 8.5” high

Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Scozia Cashmere, 100% Cashmere, 88 yds/80 m per 50 g skein, color: #302265, 2 skeins

Needles: US 8 (5mm) 24” circular needle and US 10.5 (6.5mm) 24” circular needle  or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 13 sts & 26 rows=4”/10cm in Malleus Cable Pattern (page 2) on larger needles

Other Materials: Place Marker (PM), cable needle, tapestry needle

On Stapes, panels of garter stitch separate braids of cables and showcases a single skein of hand dyed yarn beautifully.

Finished Measurements: 23” circumference x 9” high

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino, 100% Superwash Merino Wool, 210 yds/192 m per 110g skein, color: Betty Draper’s Blue, 1 skein

Needles: US 6 (5mm) 24” circular needle and US 8 (5mm) 24” circular needle or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 21 sts & 35 rows=4”/10cm in Stapes Cable Pattern (page 3) on larger needles

Other Materials: Place Marker (PM), cable needle, tapestry needle

The three patterns are not sold separately, but are available together in the Trio of Cowls eBook and are priced as if they were one pattern at only $6.00 US.

Thank you to my dear friend, the ever generous Karen of Choo Choo Knits for tech editing!