Archives for September 2013

Photo copyright Chris Vaccaro used with permission

Welcome to the final stop on the Fair Isle Style blog tour. If you haven't been lucky enough to see this gorgeous book by Mary Jane Mucklestone  you really should get your hands on a copy. It is filled with gorgeous photos and must-knit designs from many favorite designers and of course a few from ultra-talented Mary Jane herself. I personally want to make one of everything within its pages. I am currently in search of babies to knit a pair of Carrie Bostick Hoge's  Peerie Weerie Booties for, or a young child who would might enjoy Lucinda Guy's Babsie Bird.

Photos copyright Chris Vaccaro used with permission

After showing my sisters my copy of the book they are both angling for a pair of Spilly Jane's Mushroom Kelliemuffs. A Christmas pair for each perhaps?

Photo copyright Chris Vaccaro used with permission

I am very excited, and honored to have had the chance to make a contribution to Fair Isle Style. My design is the Hap-Lapghan, a very cozy lap blanket made using two colors of Cascade Eco Cloud.

Photo copyright Chris Vaccaro used with permission

When Mary Jane said she was looking for designs that used traditional Fair Isle techniques, but with an updated look I immediately envisioned a bold, graphic, modern afghan. Something that might look as good on the ornately carved antique chairs that I inherited from my grandmother as it does on the clean lines of a sleek leather couch.

starts in the center with very few stitches and builds outward in broad stripes which graduate in size. A chevron border using traditional Fair Isle techniques finishes the piece and contrasts with the boldly striped center.

to one lucky reader. To enter just make a comment on this post by midnight next Friday, October 4th. I will select the winner using a random number generator.

To read more about the book visit the other blogs on the tour by following the links below.

Thursday, September 19: Mary Jane Mucklestone – Valenzi Cardigan and Morrowless Socks

Friday, September 20: Carrie Hoge – Peerie Weerie Booties

Monday, September 23: Norah Gaughan – Mareel Shrug

Tuesday, September 24: Courtney Kelly – Fara Raglan & Kate Osborne – Scandi Sukkalegs

Wednesday, September 25: Gudrun Johnston – Bressay Dress

Thursday, September 26: Kat Coyle – Keltin Skirt

It has been almost a year since Susan Gibbs of Juniper Moon Farm first contacted me about designing for an exciting new project that she was working on. She told me about how the idea had been born during a late night conversation between she and good friend Emily. They share a fondness for classic sweaters knit in hard-wearing yarns – the sort that you love and wear for years and years. As they sat and chatted that night they both agreed that the knitting world did not have enough sturdy yarns to make sweaters that hold up to years of wear, and that it was time for Susan, the Shepherd and Emily, the Shearer to do something about it. And so The Shepherd and The Shearer was born. Susan explained that she wanted the very talented Kate Davies and me to each create a design for this fabulous new yarn. Naturally we both quickly agreed.

Emily set to work shearing the sheep in March and worked through May. Shearing fleeces from from over 30 different breeds of sheep.

Next the fleeces were sent to MacAusland’s mill on Price Edward Island, Canada to be spun. MacAusland's has been in business since the 1800's and still uses the original equipment.

Meanwhile, Katie and I were sent yarn to work with. In order to have enough time to create the designs, we couldn't wait for samples from the mill. Instead we were sent yarn that was a good match to Susan's & Emily's vision for their yarn – New Lanark Aran. We both set to work on our sweaters. We agreed that Kate would design a cardigan – The Shepherd, and I would create a pullover – The Shearer.

I wanted my design to have the elements of a timeless classic, so I designed it with rich cables, and a modified drop shoulder. Side slits help it to fall easily over the hips. The slightly over-sized fit makes it the sort of sweater you want to pull on on a chilly fall weekend.

All of the photos above are property of Juniper Moon Farms. Used with permission.

I took a few quick photos of Sofie modeling The Shearer on a hot July day before I sent it off to Susan. Given the heat of NYC in July, I ask you to forgive her for modeling an Aran weight sweater with a pair of cutoffs.

about The Shepherd and The Shearer, or to purchase the patterns, ebook, or kits, visit the Juniper Moon Farm website. To read Kate's post about The Shepherd visit her blog.

If you live anywhere near Searsport, Maine I highly recommend spending the day, or the whole weekend at Fiber College. There are a lot of wonderful classes that have room for last minute sign ups, a market filled with gorgeous yarn and spinning fiber, free demonstrations, book signings, and fun people all in a spectacular setting.

with 3-5″ of positive ease. The model’s bust measurement is 35” and she is wearing the 40” size. When selecting color placement, consider your body proportions. The model has broad shoulders and narrow hips. For her, placing the brighter color on the bottom and the darker color on the top helps to balance her proportions. For narrow shoulders, and broader hips, consider reversing the color positions.

and Ravelry.

Now available from Penguin Random House.