pom pom quarterly

Have you heard of Pom Pom Quarterly? It's brand new on the knitting scene, a sassy import from the UK. Printed at a smaller than usual scale on gorgeous matte paper, it is filled with charming hand drawn illustrations and tasteful touches like a list of what current contributors are listening to while they create. The patterns are fresh and adorable, and they have just enough knitterly detail to broadcast your skills to the world without slipping into fiber fashion victim territory. 

I was very happy to contribute an article to their most recent issue, available here. You'll have to get your hands on the issue to see what I have to say about shopping for leather and closures in unusual locales, but I thought I'd share some of the photos I submitted here. I'm particularly enamoured with a swing clasp that I found at my local leather good supply, MacPherson's here in Seattle. I used it to close the Sweet & Tough Ducan Scarf shown above (download the free pattern here). The heavy antiqued brass was the perfect way to offset the frothy Schulana Ducan. 

 

From the top: 1. Bolts of leather on display at MacPhearson's 2. Picking up cabling ideas from leather braiding manuals 3. Dyed fish skins 4. Strips of supple leather lacing 5. Leather lacing used to embellish a men's hat 6. Gilded skin from an ostrich shin 7. Ragga Eirkisdottir using an Icelandic sheepskin to stay warm [photo by Jared Flood] 8. Scrap bin at MacPhearson's, the perfect place to find elbow patches and trims. 

go gobi

Zitron Gobi is enjoying quite a moment. While it may seem basic at first glance, it's clear that knitters are discovering the wholesome joy these dumpling like balls can bring. Slightly heavier than worsted and just a notch under chunky, this Aran weight blend of merino, alpaca and camel knits up quickly and easily. It creates a sturdy but supple fabric, the perfect density for hearty sweaters and substantial accessories. Camel often resists dying, so lighter colors have the added depth of soft brown heathering, a rustic side effect of this unique fiber. It reminds me of the first apple crisp of autumn, a decadent oat-filled treat that still manages to somewhat salubrious.

I asked designer Stephen West for his impressions on Gobi. He designed two pieces in Gobi that will appear in Westknits vol. 5 (there is just a little snippet of one below). He says, "I love the relaxed color palette of Gobi. It reminds me of blankets and colors from family vacations at the lake in the 90s, comfortable and nostalgic colors. The alpaca provides a lovely subtle fuzz and drape to the knitted fabric and the Aran weight gauge means quick knitting."

If you want a little Gobi in your life, check out Elizabeth Elliott's Herringbone Cowl in Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2012. Choose two colors and knit an earthy neckwarmer to guard against winter chills.

(nathan rega of harper point photography)

If you decide you want to spend a little more time with Gobi, cast on for a coat! The growing work in progress will keep you warm at fall football games and you'll be perfect cozy wearing it for the rest of the winter. Stay uptown and on-trend with Erica Patberg's detail-laden Peplum + Pleat Jacket, published in Interweave Knits.

If you'd like a slouchy countryside coat, cast on for Mari Lynn Patrick's Relaxed Coat, published in last winter's Knit Simple.

There are even more Gobi patterns available in the Skacel archives, and I think you'll agree that they have a timeless appeal. I just got word that there are new patterns and colors in the works, so this lovely yarn will be in our hands and our stashes for long time to come.

CR

instahats...

You've probably heard of Instagram, but have you ever heard of InstaHATS? That's what I've started calling the hats I have been cranking out on my addi Express knitting machine! I used the King size to make three hats and a cowl in just under an hour. My coworkers made an awesome video that shows you exactly how to make our Riff Hat Express pattern (click here to download the free PDF).

It's a really simple hat, but it's a winner. It's all about yarn choice here. I recommend using a self-striping yarn for lots of interest (the hats above each used colorful Schoppel Zauberwolle), or switching colors halfway through, as we did with the original sports team inspired hats seen in the PDF. 

The hat is completely reversible, super stretchy and very warm! If you make it on the longer side (26" or so), it will have that slouchy Seven Dwarves look that is so in these days...

We had a German-themed shindig over the summer to celebrate 25 years of Skacel. The addi Express table was completely packed the whole day! It only takes a moment to learn (even after a stein or two of beer), and once you get going, it's really hard to stop. My mind is reeling with the possibilites...

Hope you're all enjoying the final days of summer!

CR

welcome holla knits!

UPDATE: Comments are now closed, congratulations to our winner, MONICA from Sweet Purls! 

As most of you have probably noticed, the world of patterns has completely changed in the past few years. I still hold my tangible, collectible books and magazines dear, but the trend towards online publishing is exciting for many reasons. With a bit of computer savvy and great organizational moxie, a knitter can put herself at the helm of a mini-indie-media empire (say that three times fast). That is just what Allyson Dyhuizen has done, and Holla Knits is her latest project. 

Allyson has been teaching, blogging and designing for quite a while now, and I have long admired her fun and innovative approach. Even the simplest patterns contain cheeky details, like the Two Boyfriends Cardigan, where she updates the ever popular boyfriend cardigan silhouette with intentionally mismatched fronts. Does the world need another online knitting magazine? When the editor is as fun and motivated as Allyson, YES! 

So what is Holla Knits all about? It is more than a static collection of patterns. Allyson runs a fantastic blog that offers a peek into the design process, from picking yarns to sewing on that last button. By the time I met the sweaters in the first issue, I felt like I really understood the work and thought that had gone into each one. The layout is clean and easy to follow, and she has sprinkled tons of totally fun images throughout. 

The coolest feature is that each garment is knit in two yarns: one low-priced and easily obtainable option and one slightly more luxurious option. Sizes and design features are also swapped out in some cases. It takes one of the best features of Ravelry--seeing variations on different bodies--and plugs it right into the magazine! Genius! 

I was thrilled to work with Allyson providing the yarn support for Lilith Ubbelohde's adorable Romp Around the Clock design. I honestly had no doubts that a risky garment like a one-piece adult romper would not go awry under the editorial direction of Allyson. Would you believe this is Lilith's FIRST design?! She hit it out of the park. 

HiKoo Simplicity works beautifully here. It is next to skin soft, machine washable and bouncy enough to hold up summer after summer. The DK weight merino blend comes in a HUGE array of colors, and I love the romper in Seattle Skies, a charcoal gray that will go with everything. The stitch definition is perfect for showcasing the textured details Lilith worked into this adorable piece. 

We are especially excited to be able to offer a PRIZE kit for this pattern! The winner will receive a pattern, the yarn and the addi Needles to knit this romper! Start now and wear it to a Fourth of July BBQ! Comment here to enter--let me know how you would style this versatile piece. If you're already a Holla Knits subscriber, head to their blog to enter their subscriber exclusive giveaway. I will pick a winner on May 5th. Good luck either way! 

yarn postcards

I am VERY excited to announce the first installment of Yarn Postcards, featuring Alex Tinsley (scroll down to learn how to enter to win a set of addi Lace Clicks). Before I introduce Alex, here is a bit more info about the postcard program...

The typical life cycle of a yarn starts at a mill, or even further back, at a farm. Getting a yarn to market means hours of discussion, research, and engineering. It’s a fantastically interesting process that I’ve been lucky to be a part of, but it is just the beginning. When a yarn arrives, promotion begins. Shade cards are assembled and sales representatives hit the road to visit yarn shops across the country. Yarns and shade cards are sent to designers and many months later, a design might emerge. The design process is labor intensive and publication schedules are protracted, especially true for books.

As a designer, I know that yarns have lots of adventures prior to publication. Even the yarns that don’t end up in a finished design can be instructive or interesting in some way. Yarns will travel with us, or keep us company at home. Suddenly I had to know what these yarns were doing out in the world, free from grading restrictions, column limitations, strict washing instructions. What if the yarn could send me a postcard? I’ve asked some of my favorite designers to do just that, sending them a hand-picked assortment of yarns and asking them to document what happens, however large or small.

My very first postcards are from Alex Tinsley, an independent designer who is best known for her wearable hats that are fresh without veering too far into tragically hip territory. Her designs are functional and straightforward, but there is always a smidgen of cleverness to keep knitters entertained.

It is clear that Alex is a fiber lover. Never one to over-complicate, her designs keep the focus on yarn, and her color sense is simultaneously soothing and intriguing. I sent her yarns that I thought she would like, but I was especially curious to see what she'd think of the addi Lace Click set. Since the tips are shorter, you can make small circumference circulars using this set, ideal for hat knitters who like to have a lot of size options. 

Alex is currently working on a mind-blowingly cool project with Cooperative Press (read more about it on Ravelry here). I had tons of fun perusing her post-apocalyptic mood boards and sending her yarns that would fit that creepy-cool theme. 

 Head over to Alex's site Dull Roar to enter her contest for a set of addi Lace Clicks! Since they're so very portable, she's asking where you'd like to take your Clicks on the road. I'm taking mine to Georgia for Stitches South, then to San Franscisco for vacation! More about those trips soon...

CR

*all photos used with permission from alex tinsley*