My version is worked in Dream in Color Everlasting Sock. The colorway is Tidal, and is a rich combination of blues and greens. The yarn was not my favorite to work with, as it had a tendency to split, however, the finished product has beautiful drape and is very light and comfy to wear.
I really enjoyed this knit. The pattern is well written, with the perfect amount of simplicity and challenge.
Fresh for Summer, our new girl's design, Kismet, is now available!
This design was inspired by the way these two fabulous colors of Plucky found each other. The pink/purple, Lollipop Guild, was the first yarn I received through my subscription to Plucky Classics. The Flannel I picked up at a trunk show locally when the Plucky Knitter came into town the same week. Since I had never worked with their yarn before, I took it as a sign that something fun and fateful had to be born. And to be totally honest, when I opened the Lollipop Guild, I knew immediately that it was destined to become something for my girl. This colorway had her name all over it from the start.
I loved working the first one up so much that I decided to make her a second version, in a single colorway that I had been holding onto for some time. It knit up beautifully, and the color with her blue eyes is dreamy. I had a little fun with the embellishments at the hem too.
Kismet, in Ella Rae Lace Merino
As usual, I was fortunate to have some super adorable versions knit up by some generous and ambitious test knitters. How lucky was my girl to receive a 3rd version in her team's colors!?! Here is Grammy Joan's version, also in Plucky.
Go, Pack, Go!!!
Be sure to check out these other adorable versions on ravelry:
LauraPNW's Spring Flowers and Kismet (See, I wasn't the only one that could't stop at one!!!)
Knitwisepurlwise's Kiss, Kiss
Grammyjoan's Ready to Run
MikiaB's Kismet, which she is working up in 3 colors!
I am so very thankful for everyone who tested this design, I had so much fun with it. The biggest compliment to me is that all of these great ladies either worked up a second version or are planning one in the near future. Thanks for all of your hard work and beautiful images.
The Paper Lanterns Knit-a-long has wrapped up and the winners have been chosen! First of all, I just have to say how much fun it was to see everyone's projects unfold and watch the finished objects appear! Some truly beautiful cowls and mitts were finished as part of this KAL, and we had a great time sharing them.
The winner of the grand prize, random drawing was Judy, or socks4judy on ravelry. She managed to make not only one, but TWO beautiful cowls. She won a skein of Orion from Luna Grey in the Blush colorway and a mini project bag! Check out her finished cowls here and here.
I also promised a prize for the "designer's choice" finished project, which was not an easy choice to make! There were many contenders, like this lovely version by Jaime in Rasta...so pretty! And I absolutely LOVE this pair of mitts by 9crafty11, inspired by Lady Edith from Downton Abbey, so clever! It was a hard choice, but the prize went to Melissa, happyknitter14, for her beautiful mitts, which she photographed so creatively. They make me hungry for jelly beans every time I look at them! She won a project bag with some knitting goodies and some honey hand cream from the Savannah Bee Company, one of my faves! They sell honey coffee too...double yum!
Be sure to check out all of the finished projects. The cowls and the mitts all turned out great, thanks so much to everyone who played along. We had a blast and hope to do another KAL in the Fall.
While that was all going on, I managed to round out the Paper Lanterns Collection, with a tam style hat. The whole collection is now available as an e-book on ravelry, as well as individual downloads.
Here are a few pics of the samples I worked up, both in lovely Malabrigo Worsted, in soft Springy colorways, Pearl and Water Green. Since Spring has been so slow to actually grace us with her presence this year, I have gotten some good use out of these little berets, and am not ready to put them away for the season yet!
I was looking for a distraction from some other obligations, like completing my continuing education credits for my OT license. Eeek! I decided that this project would do nicely.
Also looking for some color in my life, other than the white, white snow that I feel I have been looking at for months on end. Seriously, its the first day of Spring and it was only 6 degrees this morning, with a wind chill of 6 below zero.
Lastly, I need something to do with all the leftovers of Mal Worsted I have accumulated.
On second thought, maybe I should have called this project “Addiction” instead of “Distraction” since I am now thoroughly hooked on watching the colors unfold. So. Much. Fun. Check out my project page, "Distraction," on ravelry for details, colorways, and progress. The pattern is Simple Sprinkle, by Veera Välimäki.
I'd also like to share something a little off-topic for a knitting blog - a recipe I have recently fallen in love with. I have adapted it quite a bit from the original blog post, here: http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/quinoa-granola/
I've been on a bit of a mission to get to the bottom of the cause of my migraines. I've had them for years and years, but more recently, they started to get more regular and interfere with daily life a lot more. After lots of tracking, a couple different meds, and a general quest for improved health, I decided to try cutting wheat out of my diet. Low and behold (knock on wood), I have been migraine free since taking the plunge. It's honestly been easier than I had anticipated and I have discovered some really amazing recipes in the process. Recipes that the whole family enjoys!
keenwah chocolate sea salt clusters
my version
Quinoa Granola Bars with Chocolate and Sea Salt
- 1 cup whole rolled oats (gluten free)
- 1 cup buckwheat (uncooked hot cereal mix)
- 1/3 cup quinoa (red or regular or a combo of both)
- 2 T chia seeds
- 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped, toasted if desired
- 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, toasted if desired
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted if desired
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (can also use honey)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 t. of vanilla extract
- sea salt, a pinch for sprinkling
- dark or milk chocolate for drizzling over bars (not sure exactly how much I used, but a small handfull of chips or pieces is fine)
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Melt coconut oil until clear.
liquid ingredients
Combine liquid ingredients and add to dry mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.
Texture should be grainy, like sand. If it seems too dry, add a little syrup. If it seems to wet, add some oats or other dry ingredients.
Press mixture into a lightly greased or parchment lined baking pan. Bake at 225 for 45-55 minutes, or until lightly browned and toasted around the edges. Immediately sprinkle with sea salt. Cool in pan.
Melt chocolate with a small amount of additional coconut oil (about 1/2 a tsp) and drizzle over cooled bars. Pop them into the fridge for about 10 minutes, until chocolate is set, then cut or break into pieces and enjoy....with coffee, for breakfast, as a snack in the afternoon, crumbled into yogurt, any way you like.
As our first KAL "on the porch" begins in the Addiesma Designs ravelry group, I am sitting watching it snow.....again (or still???). It sure feels like this winter has dragged on and on. The news last night said that the last 4 St. Patrick's days here in WI have reached at least 60 degrees F. That will NOT be the case this year, as it will be closer to 30. At least we have our yarn to keep us warm, right?
Here are some quick pics of a simple hat I finished up a week or two ago. The Rikke pattern is free on ravelry and a nice simple design. I love the fit and simplicity of it.
This fun snow fort was built by the kids and me, well, who are we kidding, mostly me (and then knocked down in 36 hours by them!). We had a nice little thaw last week that allowed the snow to be packed nicely into our little igloo block makers.
Rikke Hat in Madelinetosh DK "caligraphy"
The mighty fort
Me and my little destroyers
It's not too late to join us for the Paper Lantern Knit-a-long, check out our ravelry group for details! If you are joining us, happy casting on!!!!
And, Good Lord, let Spring find us here in the Midwest very soon!
When the Crossroads Hat pattern, by Elena Nodel was released, I knew immediately that I wanted to make one (or a few). I just fell in love with the simple lines and colorwork. What a great way to use up those little leftover balls of yarn!
I whipped up one for each of my kiddos last week, in opposite colors, and I think they look adorable in them, if I must say so myself! I did not join in for the photo shoot, so I only have myself to blame that my photographer did not actually manage to capture a head-on shot of the colorwork. Ah well, the kids love them, and that's what matters.
A peaceful snuggle captured forever!
This past weekend, I was lucky enough to attend the Plucky Knitter trunk show at Cream City Yarn in Brookfield with my Mama. We had a great time taking in all the fabulous colors and squishy textures in person! My very first skein of Plucky yarn arrived in my mailbox last week when I received my first "classics" subscription. The color, "Lollipop Guild," is like nothing I have ever seen before, and screamed to be made into something for my girl immediately. Not to mention that she was drawn to it like a moth to a flame! So, one of my goals at the trunk show was to find something to pair with this super vibrant skein for a garment for my girl. I found this "flannel" grey, which will be perfect.
Plucky Primo Fingering in "Lollipop Guild" and "Flannel"
I could have easily gone crazy and bought up a whole collection of favorites to stash for a rainy (or snowy) day, but I refrained. I had only one other project in mind that needed another color....my Paper Lantern Mitts for the "On the Porch" KAL starting in two days! I choose a simple but beautiful skein of Plucky Primo Sport in "Wintry Mix." This will be paired with the lovely "Cranberry" Luna Grey Orion that Jackie dyed up for me! Here are the two together, all wound and ready to cast on on the 15th! It's not too late to join the fun.....there are prizes to be had and fun friends to meet on the porch, come check it out! Details in our ravelry group here.
Plucky Primo Sport "Wintry Mix" and Luna Grey Orion "Cranberry"
I have a bunch of little tidbits to post about today.
First, I released the Paper Lantern Mitts, to match the Paper Lanterns Cowl.
My lovely sister was the recipient of the first pair, knit up in the super soft Quince & Co Chickadee, in the Chantarelle and Peacoat colorways. The double layer of Chickadee on these make them so soft and squishy!
The second, super feminine pair was knit for my great friend and neighbor who is expecting her third baby any day now. She is the sweetest friend who shares my knitting addiction, so I knew she would appreciate these sweet little hand huggers.
This pair was knit using Chickadee, again, for the inner mitt, and Malabrigo Finito, in Archangel, for the lace. This was my first time working with Finito, and like all of Malabrigo's other bases, it did not disappoint. It's so very soft and the colors are amazing, as always. And they were a lovely excuse to pull out a cup and saucer from my Grandma's beautiful wedding set. Don't you just love the classic simplicity of this set?!?
These gloves are a fun way to use up small amounts of yarn and play around a little with color, and the result is actually three pairs of gloves! They can be worn together for extra warmth also allowing creative color combos, or on their own. The palm increases of the inner mitt feature a soft, feminine curve that hugs the hand. The lace mitts are knit flat and seamed up the side, leaving a space to create the thumb opening.
Another little tidbit of news, I updated the Etsy shop today with some freshly dyed yarns from Front Porch Fibers. Here are a few peeks at what was listed....
"Thunderhead" 100% Merino, worsted
"Stormy" 100% superwash Merino, sock/fingering weight
"Berry Patch" 100% superwash Merino sock/fingering weight
"Fresh" 100% Merino, worsted weight
And my final bit of news is to announce the Knit-A-Long I will be hosting in my ravelry group, "On the Porch (with Addiesma)" beginning March 15th! More details are in the KAL thread in the group and I will be sure to post about it again as we get closer to that date. It is a "Paper Lanterns KAL" so both the cowl and new mitts patterns qualify. There will be prizes, both from Addiesma and my friend, Jackie at Luna Grey Fiber Arts! I hope you will join us for our first knit-a-long on The Porch! Now, if only my porch weren't covered in snow, sigh.....
Here's a parting shot of my cowl knit up in the lovely Luna Grey Orion. Thanks for stopping by!
We are very much still entrenched in winter her in the Midwest, with another 5-7 inches of snow headed for us tomorrow. I'm over it, really, really over it. At least I have my sticks and string to keep me from climbing the walls!
Here is what has come off my needles this month.....
A Driftwood pullover in three super fresh and fun colors from Quince & Co in their Lark yarn. I am having a little love affair with Quince & Co right now. I love everything about their yarns, especially the fact that they are 100% made in North America, as well as very reasonable priced. This project was a total joy to knit, and is even more enjoyable to wear. I am already planning another! Here's my project page on ravelry.
Another super quick and fun project I just finished up are these Borough Mitts in Malabrigo Rios. Love the convertible tops and snug little fit. There are a few notes about minor modifications on my project page.
Lastly, here is a sneak preview at my new design, due out later this week. The Paper Lantern Mitts, designed to match the Paper Lanters Cowl. Stay tuned for more details upon release, including a knit-a-long in the "On the Porch (with Addiesma)" group on ravelry.
On New Year's Eve this year, I walked past our little octagon window over our staircase and something caught my eye out it the cold, crisp darkness. There was an object glowing and a few figures gathered around it in the quiet street. I stood and watched as they lit and released a large paper lantern into the still night air. It struck me in its beauty and simplicity, and from that moment, every time I picked up the lace cowl I had been working on, that scene came to mind.
The Paper Lanterns Cowl was inspired by the tradition of making a wish on a floating lantern and sending it downstream or off into the atmosphere. This stitch pattern resembles tiny, candle lit lanterns, carrying your wish off into the universe.
A lace cowl that can be knit with almost any yarn weight.
Simply choose your yarn, choose a length, check your gauge and cast on. The possible combinations are endless and dramatic.
I love the dramatic effects it has in the super bulky Malabrigo Rasta, shown above in red.
It's hard to believe the same stitch pattern and design can yield such different results, but here are two more examples of Paper Lanterns in two other yarn weights.
The amazing blue cowl, in Aran weight and the short loop style, is knit with Madelintosh Tosh Chunky, in their Worn Denim colorway. I know it looks so very vibrant in the photo, but honestly, it is really that gorgeous in real life. It was my first time knitting with the Tosh Chunky, and it really is a lovely yarn. Very soft to wear around your neck.
And finally, the elegant "Mushroom" colored long cowl is knit with another yarn that was new to me. It's from an independent dyer, Luna Grey Fiber Arts, who has a lovely shop on Etsy. This base is called Orion, and it's 100% superwash merino. It's very light, lovely to wear, and lovely to knit with. I will definitely be trying out more of Luna Grey's yarns. Her colors are all so soothing and beautiful. Be sure to take a peek at her shop and keep an eye out for a knit-a-long featuring this cowl pattern and Luna Grey yarn sometime soon....if there is enough interest in it, that is.
Here's one last overview of the cowl and the many ways it can be knit up and worn:
And, just for fun....here is a shot from the end of the shoot! To give credit where credit is really due, I need to give my husband an enormous amount of credit for his photography skills and heaps and heaps of patience. I am NOT a natural in front of the camera, and therefore extremely picky about how I look in photos. He is always so patient with me in my attempt to get the "perfect" shot where I don't hate how I look and the knits are just right. In one sitting, we managed to get all three cowls and re-shoot the Sugar Snow vest that I wasn't completely happy with. Again, he's so patient. Thank you, honey!
Here's that parting shot for you, enjoy, and be sure to check out the cowl, it's a really fun knit. It MUST be, I made three of them!
I am so pleased to finally be able to publish the Sugar Snow vest, which is the adult version of my Dulce design.
I can honestly say I have worn this one SO MUCH this winter already. It's perfect to take the chill off and wrap up in.
It can also be worn with a shawl pin or belted.
To hear more about the inspiration for this vest, check out the ravelry pattern page here: Sugar Snow.
I was lucky to have so many lovely knitters interested in testing this design, so thank you so much to all of them! Also, many thanks to Eleanor, who, as always, did an amazing job tech editing.
Stay close by for a new cowl design that I am VERY excited about. I hope to make it available on February 1st!
