Happy July! 20% off all accessory patterns

To celebrate July and summer and all things hot in the Northern Hemisphere, you get 20% off all accessory patterns in my Ravelry store - no coupon necessary!

While I may have a pile of wool in my lap, you should definitely choose something smaller :)

Maybe get a head start on holiday gifts? My JOY garland is a great stash buster, as are the Matryoshkas, and I bet there is someone who could use a lovingly handknit tie - Dennis, anyone?

I'm off to Germany on Saturday to visit my dear sister, so there will be a shawl in my future. They really are the perfect travel knitting: one skein laceweight or fingering yarn + one needle (maybe a set of DPNs) + one pattern = one souvenir FO. Hap-py was a vacation knit that has enough going on to keep your interest, but not so much that you need to lock yourself away.

• Aphros
• Castaway Shawlette
• Dennis
• Hap-py
• In the Shallows
• Infinite
• JOY garland
• Matryoshka Japonais
• Mermaid's Mitts
• Night Watch Cap
• On the High Seas
• Upon the Spanish Main
• Walk the Plank

To be the first to hear about such sales, join my newsletter mailing list here. I promise never to sell your information (ew) or pester you too often (it's been once every couple of months, but things are picking up, and I plan to share something with you once or twice a month).

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!

xoxo, Kathleen

A Vest for Charles + Benwick now available from Interweave as individual downloads

A Vest for Charles and Benwick are now available from Interweave as individual downloads, and it looks like they are on sale at the moment.

A Vest for Charles - download from Interweave

Benwick - download from Interweave

For those of you who are kind enough to worry, please know that I do receive a royalty on all patterns sold by Interweave. However, I will sell my own versions of these patterns once the exclusivity term is up, which will be late Fall 2014, at which point I will make them available on Craftsy, Etsy, and, of course, Ravelry.

Bloc Party: note on handspun

Just a quick note to give you some more information on approximately how much handspun you will need for the yoke of Bloc Party, since the original pattern information provided skein quantities (and everyone's handspun skein is different):

Approximate CC quantities: 208, 252, 300, 352, 408, 468, 532yds fingering weight yarn or 2.3, 2.8, 3.4, 3.9, 4.6, 5.3, 5.9oz. fiber

Those are, of course, calculated amounts based upon my gauge using Wooly Wonka's lovely handspun, so YMMV.

And in case I forgot to mention it in my last post, in addition to roving + yarn kits (see link above), Anne is also offering all yarn kits for those of us who are not yet spinners. (If I didn't already have two of these cardigans, I would be sorely tempted to pair two more of Anne's amazing colorways and knit another!)

I'll leave you with a shot from the first photo shoot - I was obsessed with doing a jump shot and nearly re-broke my big toe bouncing up and down in those shoes :)

The crazy awesome glitter platform heels!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen

Pattern: Bloc Party cardigan, Knitty, First Fall 2014

Today is a frabjuous day, calloo callay: I have a new pattern to share with you in the First Fall 2014 issue of Knitty (or, more accurately, KnittySpin)! Bloc Party cardigan is a fingering-weight button-up with a sideways yoke knit in the most divine handspun (courtesy of my talented friend Anne of Wooly Wonka).

There's some clever short-row action in the yoke to shape it up over the shoulders, but don't worry if you've never done short rows: in this garter stitch yoke you don't even have to wrap the stitches! The body is knit simply (no shaping, but you could add your own; however, the Wooly Wonka Artio Sock with its gleaming silk content drapes so beautifully that you don't really need it), and the sleeves, as written, are 3/4 to add a little femininity (again, you could make the sleeves longer - up to you).

So, you start with the sleeves and body at the lower hems and knit your way up to join them. There's an integrated button band.

Then the yoke is worked sideways, nipping off a body stitch every other row. Your finishing work consists of sleeve seams (if I'm working a cardigan flat, I work the sleeves flat, too, to make sure my gauge is consistent), weaving underarm stitches, and putting on some fabulous buttons.

Can you believe those buttons?! They are a perfect, sparkly, purple match for this sweater. I found them on one of my button hunts early this spring at M&J Trimming. The purple sparklers don't seem to be available online, but lots of other options are (and check out my vintage and handmade button treasuries on Etsy. If you want to go on a button hunt with me sometime, let me know. I'd be happy to put together a little tour of my favorites (check in later this week for my newest discovery).

And then you'll be ready to party!

Anne has created kits if you want to spin and knit your own. She's even been kind enough to offer a kit with commercially spun yarn for the yoke, if you're not a handspinner (and aren't lucky enough to convince your bud to spin some for you :)

Backstory
I showed a version of Bloc Party to Anne back when it was in commercial yarn (Jaggerspun Maine Line in Pewter and Madeline Tosh Sock in the Rhubarb colorway, which was the impetus for this design - how could I best show off this beautiful and highly variegated yarn?!). As a talented dyer and spinner, her mind immediately jumped to how great this design would work with handspun. I'd submitted it to Knitty in it's colorful iteration, but Amy thought it might have more appeal in a more moderate version. So, Anne, Amy, KnittySpin editor extraordinaire Jillian, and I put our heads together and came up with this. I love my original, but there is something so special about this version with it's beautiful color and luscious silk - party shoes are definitely required!

Button Hunt

Yesterday I went on a button hunt!

If you follow me on Instagram, Twitter (I post most Instagram pictures to Twitter, too, in case you're not interested in joining Instagram), or Facebook (all tweets get posted to FB, if that's more your social media speed), you already saw my adventures, but I thought I'd share some pictures (and a little video) of how the button hunt went. I had grand plans to visit both M&J Trimming and Mood Fabrics but ended up finding some beauties at M&J first. Don't worry, Mood, I'll always need more buttons and come visit you soon. (And there are even more little shops with buttons and other findings in the area that I had "in my pocket" just in case.)

Beautiful Springtime in New York

 

M&J Trimming's fabulous window display

 

Choices, choices!

 

A little something I picked up for myself at Kinokuniya NYC, which is up the street from M&J and across from Bryant Park. I've been to five of the Old Time places on the list, so I have a fair bit of work to do!


Since I was so button-obsessed yesterday, I also did some hunting on Etsy, creating two treasuries in the process: Handmade and Vintage. Though I have yet to shop with the vendors in the treasuries, many of them have thousands of sales and five-star reviews, and even the new vendors seem highly regarded by their customers. I may start designing sweaters just to go with some of those handmade buttons!!!

I hope Spring is treating you well (even if you got some snow like we did here in NYC) and that all your projects are clicking along. I'm working on magazine sample #3 (of 4, if you're keeping track) so am keeping very busy.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen

Pattern: Upon the Spanish Main

Whew! This one has been in the works for a long time. But a beautiful Spring day seems like the perfect time to release a lovely, lacy shawl, don't you think?

Upon the Spanish Main
Wrap yourself in a luscious shawl dripping with Spanish Lace before heading out onto the deck of your galleon.  A little stockinette over your shoulders, and then the written and charted Spanish Lace flows down your back. This worked-on-both-sides lace is so spectacular, it doesn’t need a separate edging, though it will require your concentration. You will have pride of place on the treasure fleet in this extra-wide triangle shawl!

Knit with one skein of Jill Draper Makes Stuff Splendor sock yarn (or any luscious fingering weight yarn). Two-sided lace pattern provided in both charted and written formats.

Size/Finished Measurements
Width: 64 inches Depth: 19 inches

Materials
Jill Draper Makes Stuff Splendor Sock Yarn [80% Merino, 10% Nylon, 10% Cashmere; 435 yards/398 meters per 100 gram skein]; color: Glacier; 1 skein
US6/4.0mm 29-inch circular needle
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Gauge
20 stitches x 30 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch

Skills Needed
Casting on
Binding off
Knitting
Purling
Increasing
Decreasing
Reading charts(written instructions also provided)
Lace

testing testing

In anticipation of some projects in the pipeline, I've just created an email list for pattern testers. You can join the list here.

What's a pattern tester?
Someone who knits up a project with their own yarn from my unpublished pattern. Generally, you will help me make sure the instructions are clear and that your finished project closely approximates mine (unless we've agreed to any modifications). You keep your finished project and post a pattern page on Ravelry with basic information (yarn brand and amount, needles used, finished size) and photos, which I may included on the pattern page. Bonus points if you blog about your project, post on the social media of your choice, or gush about it on a Ravelry forum :)

Generally, testing takes place after I have created the pattern, knitted my own sample, and crunched all the numbers for various sizes. Depending upon how things are going I may or may not have photographed the beauty shots and given the pattern to the tech editor, but the pattern should be pretty tight (I don't want to waste anyone's time!).

I strive to write clear, user-friendly patterns, but if you've never knit a ____ (sweater/lace triangle shawl/you name it) before, a test may not be the best way to begin. You may want to try one of my published patterns first in said category. I love newer knitters and want to support you, but tests are for making sure a pattern is clear, and I wouldn't want you to start your ____-knitting adventures with something not quite perfect.

What's in it for me?

• First crack at new designs
• A chance to get to know other testers, as I usually run tests kind of like KALs in my group on Ravelry
• Credit in the finished pattern and on the Ravelry pattern page
• A copy of the finished pattern in your Ravelry library upon publication
• One pattern of your choice from my Ravelry store (recently published magazine patterns not included until one year after publication)
• My eternal gratitude

What do I have to do?

1. Sign up!
2. Respond to a call for testers. I will include size options and yarn information, so will need to know which size you want to test and what yarn you would like to use. I will also give a somewhat-flexible deadline.
3. Post your progress in the testing thread in my group, as well as any questions and concerns you may have.
4. Once the pattern is published (you'll know because you will receive a copy of the finished pattern as a gift in your Ravelry library), link up your project to the pattern page. Be sure to include project information, like yarn and needle used, and a great photo, so I can feature your project on the pattern page.
5. Revel in the fact that you were one of the first to knit a hot new pattern :)

Hope you're having a good day out there. It's unseasonably cold here in NYC, so I'm happy to be knitting away on a new pattern for the next Jane Austen Knits (and nearing the end of my kids' eternal Spring Break -- don't forget that if you sign up for my regular mailing list, there's a Spring Break BOGO coupon in it for you until the end of March!). 

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!

xoxo, Kathleen

Pinterest: KNIT yourself a cardigan (women's)

I love Pinterest! As a visual person (I'm also quite tactile, hence the fiber arts), Pinterest is one of my favorite social media sites. It's great for collecting images for inspiration. The best part for me is seeing what like-minded (and not-so-like-minded) pinners are pinning. It can take you off in a whole different direction or just make you feel warm and fuzzy.

A couple of weeks ago I started some new boards focused on creating *good* pins for knitting patterns in different categories. And by good I mean pins that link directly to patterns and have some basic information to help other pinners decide if they are interested. This includes

• pattern name
• designer
• category
• yarn weight
• yarn content

I decided not to include price information since it can change, nor did I include suggested yarn since these pins are about the possibilities inherent in the patterns. These boards will probably never have thousands of pins, since they are what *I* like.  I've added a page with my latest pins, as well as links to the KNIT boards, but feel free to check out all my boards -- you'll see some of the inspiration for all sorts of things I'm interested in.

Going forward I'll let you know about other boards as they get robust enough (six pins isn't sufficient, to my mind, but it takes me some time to create those good pins -- feel free to check them out).

Follow Kathleen Dames's board KNIT yourself a cardigan (women's) on Pinterest.

I'd love to see what you're pinning, so let me know your username (mine is kathleendames) or send me a pin.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting/pinnning!
xoxo, Kathleen

Jane Austen Knits 2013

Just when the birthday let-down was kicking in, along comes the new Jane Austen Knits in which I have two patterns for you! The 2013 issue is now available for preorder, and printed copies will arrive in November.

A Vest for Charles

A Vest for Charles, Jane Austen Knits 2013, photo © Christa Tippmann

Inspired by the knit-purl patterns on the vest (a henley-style pullover, really) worn by King Charles I, this button-front vest is worked all in one piece from hem to neck. Finished off with short row shaping and three-needle bindoffs at the shoulders, this one is truly seamless. I loved working with Brooklyn Tweed's Shelter again and am looking forward to making one for myself. Care to join me in a KAL?

A Vest for Charles, Jane Austen Knits 2013, photo © Christa Tippmann

Isn't the model a handsome example of an Austen man? As always the JAK staff have done a lovely job of bringing this issue together.

A Vest for Charles, Jane Austen Knits 2013, photo © Christa Tippmann

King Charles Brocade pattern above the welting, diamonds and crosses below, with seed stitch edging everywhere. I found the lovely leather buttons at Mood and got to give Swatch a scratch behind the ears.

A Vest for Charles details

Finished Size: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, and 52)" chest circumference, buttoned. Vest shown measures 36".

Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed, Shelter (100% Wool; 140 yds/50g skein): #08 truffle hunt, 4 (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) skeins.

Needles: Size 6 (4.0 mm): 29" circular. A second needle of the same size is helpful for three-needle bindoff.

Notions: Markers; stitch holders or waste yarn; tapestry needle; 10 (11, 11, 12, 13, 14) buttons.

Find A Vest for Charles on Ravelry!

Benwick

Who doesn't have a soft spot for the sad, romantic Captain Benwick in Persuasion? I reimagined what a naval captain's coat might look like when worn by Louisa Musgrove: braided edging and epaulets, seamless saddle-shoulder construction, and a heart on one sleeve.

Benwick, Jane Austen Knits 2013, photo © Christa Tippmann

This time I got to use String Theory's lovely Merino DK yarn. So soft yet nicely plied - a real pleasure to work with. Sometimes I love the crazy variegated colorways you find in hand-dyed yarn, but this time it was the subtle gradations that created little highlights in the cables that made me so very happy. The Cobalt colorway captures that Regency Navy and looks beautiful doing it. String Theory is extra-special for me, as they are in Blue Hill, Maine.

Benwick, Jane Austen Knits 2013, photo © Christa Tippmann

 I think I'm going to need one of these for myself, too, so let me know if you are interested in a KAL for this, too.

Benwick, Jane Austen Knits 2013,  photo © Christa Tippmann

Benwick details

Finished Size: 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44)" bust circumference, closed. Cardigan shown measures 32".

Yarn: String Theory, Merino DK (100% Superwash Wool; 240 yds/4 oz skein): cobalt, 4 (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7) skeins.

Needles: Size 6 (4.0 mm): 29" circular. 

Notions: Markers; coil-less safety pins or removable stitch markers; stitch holders or waste yarn; tapestry needle; 7 hook-and-eyes, sewing thread to match yarn, and sewing needle.

Find Benwick on Ravelry!

Jane Austen Knits 2013 will arrive at your LYS in November (or in your mailbox if you preorder), but you can get the digital edition now in the Interweave shop. Having had a brief chance to flip through the digital edition, I have to say my queue is about to get a bit longer! And don't get me started on the article on Dorset buttons. I showed it to Nick and he said "Well, that's right up your alley."

Happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen

Jane Austen Knits patterns now on Ravelry!

I've been a busy bee since the kids went back to school, and now all three of my Jane Austen Knits patterns are available as individual downloads from Ravelry*, Etsy**, and Craftsy!

An Aran for Anne by Kathleen Dames

An Aran for Frederick by Kathleen Dames

Sotherton by Kathleen Dames

*20% off birthday sale on all patterns is still going on until the end of September 2013. Discount automatically applied on Ravelry.
**Use the code BIRTHDAY2013 to get 20% off on Etsy.

Video Tuesday: Sotherton

E.T.A. Sotherton is currently on sale for 30% off at Interweave's site, along with An Aran for Anne, An Aran for Frederick, and Bixby.

It's been a little emotional over here of late, and I haven't felt like posting. Plus, I'm working hard on two deadline projects. But today may be the last chilly day in New York, so I'm celebrating by wearing (and talking about) Sotherton in my latest video, which I have also uploaded to YouTube - we'll see if I can make this work.

I misspoke there about using tosh dk - the sample I'm wearing was worked in tosh vintage.

If you follow the link in the first paragraph, you will be able to browse all the Sothertons on Ravelry. It is a sweater that flatters many figures. If you haven't made one yet, why not? :) That link will also link you to the Interweave store where you can get your own copy of the pattern.

Out of curiosity, would people be interested in my self-publishing the pattern (and any other Jane Austen Knits patterns)? It would mean the patterns would be available from Ravelry/Etsy/Craftsy. I know some knitters like to keep all their patterns together in their Ravelry libraries. Comment or drop me an email at kathleendames at gmail dot com. Since this would take some extra work on my part, I only want to do it if it would be of some worth to people.

Thanks for watching/reading, and happy knitting!

P.S. My friend Mike thinks that I should start calling my knitting video blogs "klogs". Am I a klogger? ;)

Video Friday: Mermaid's Cardigan

So, I made another video today and hope you will be able to see it (I'm still figuring this stuff out and have yet to actually edit any video, so apologies if you find me a little ramble-y, or if the file is huge - still not sure what is normal/acceptable).

I am wearing Mermaid's Cardigan here and talked a little bit about it's structure and the perils of hand-dyed yarn. By it's very nature hand-dyed yarn is imperfect, and that's one of the things I love about it. Just be sure to alternate skeins as you work, even if you are sure you have chosen the matchiest skeins in your LYS.

Since I got so chatty about the sweater, I didn't have a chance to talk about the class I'm teaching, which I believe I've mentioned before. Isobel, Stephen, and four of their friends from Isobel's grade come over after school every Thursday to learn how to knit. We have mastered knitting, binding off, casting on, and now purling! Many people find purling difficult, and I think that comes from spending too much time learning to knit and building up that muscle memory until it becomes so ingrained that purling doesn't make sense. We got to purling yesterday at just the right time. Everyone was moderately comfortable with their yarn and needles, so purling just became a new move.

Stephen even claimed that he found purling easier, which I loved to hear. Perhaps because I am a thrower I find that I am not purl-averse. Or perhaps it's because my friend Emily, after our wrassling with casting on for so long, taught me to purl soon after I mastered the knit stitch. It really is beneficial to learn them close together and master both to avoid self-imposed limitations on what you'll knit. You don't want to knit garter-stitch rectangles and stockinette tubes all your days, do you?

Pattern: Sailor's Valentine

Sailor's Valentine by Kathleen Dames

Whew! This one has been in the works for a long time. Happily, it's finally ready to meet the world, thanks to liberal doses of mathematics and common sense from the test knitters and tech editor.

Similar in yoke structure to An Aran for Frederick and An Aran for Anne, with a seamless hybrid yoke thanks to the originating genius of Elizabeth Zimmermann, Sailor's Valentine went "cardigan". The seafaring motifs of Reef Knots, Triple Gull Stitch, Sailor's Rib, and Twin Waves are romanticized with the Heart Strings motif running up the center back all the way to the hoods conclusion. And that hood concludes at the front, thanks to it's short-row-heel-style construction.

I hope you like that hood because the amount of re-knitting necessary to make that happen could have produced another sweater! But that's what happens when I get an idea in my head. Sometimes it clicks right away and other times I have to work it until it makes sense. Happily, it worked out.

Sailor's Valentine by Kathleen Dames

Like my other arans, this one jumps into the cables right away. I'm not a big fan of ribbing at the bottom of sweaters - it's not a look for me. However, Knitter's Choice, so if you need to start with some ribbing, go for it. Also, Knitter's Choice is the ribbing at the sides, which I used to add a little shapeliness to this sweater without having to do actual waist-shaping. If your Valentine prefers things a little looser, try Seed or Double Moss Stitch instead, which would make things a little more jacket-like.

Sailor's Valentine by Kathleen Dames

The original Sailor’s Valentines were shell-encrusted boxes brought back from Barbados for sailors’ sweethearts. Today, keep the love alive with Reef Knots, Heart Strings, Twin Waves, and Triple Gull stitch (cables provided in chart form). All those cables combine to make a seafaring sweater of love, perfect for any Valentine (replace the side ribbing with seed stitch for a less-fitted, more unisex sweater). Cardigan is worked flat in one piece, with sleeves incorporated into a seamless hybrid yoke topped off with a turned-heel hood that allows the Heart Strings to continue all the way up and over the hood.

SizesChest: 30 [34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54] inches

Materials 

Bartlettyarns Fisherman 2-ply 100% Wool 210 yards/192 meters per 113 gram/4 oz. skein; color: Cranberry #378; 5 [5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9 ] skeinsOne US6/4.0mm 29-inch circular needle Set of four (or five) US6/4.0mm DPNs Stitch markers Coil-less safety pins or other removable stitch markers Waste yarn or stitch holders Tapestry needle 23” (or desired length) zipper in color to match yarn Knit-picker tool, or desired tool(s) for zipper installation

Gauge 

16 sts x 20 rows = 4” in Stockinette Stitch

Skills Needed 

Cast on 

Bind off 

Knit 

Purl 

Increase 

Decrease 

Work stitches out of order (cabling)

Sailor's Valentine by Kathleen Dames

Okay, I don't usually toot my follicular horn, but I really like the way my hair looked during this photo shoot. I wish I wouldn't wrinkle my forehead so much, though ;)

Sailor's Valentine is available for $6 on Ravelry, Craftsy, and Etsy, or by using the button below.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

With a name like "Kathleen", I must be Irish, right? Well, only a little, but enough to count (1/8). And what better way to celebrate being Irish than designing Aran sweaters? Better than drinking green beer in my book.

An Aran for Frederick by Kathleen Dames

An Aran for Frederick was my first design in a print publication, the inaugural Jane Austen Knits. I still love it and am so happy that it's been cold enough in New York City this winter to wear it (last winter did not count as winter for sweater makers IMO).

An Aran for Frederick by Kathleen Dames

Recognize the skirt? When we were doing the photo shoot for Mermaid's Cardigan, I asked Nick to snap a few of An Aran for Frederick styled in a feminine, romantic way. I feel sort of "Rowan" in these.

An Aran for Frederick by Kathleen Dames

Want to knit your own or one for your very own Frederick? Individual downloads are available from Interweave here. [I am considering releasing the pattern in my own line, which would be available on Ravelry. What do you think? It would mean more work for me in producing the pattern and a change in the contract for this pattern, but you would be able to have it in your Ravelry library. Things to think about...]

Pattern: Mermaid's Cardigan

Mermaid's Cardigan by Kathleen Dames

It's been a long time coming with this one, but the timing is perfect now, as Spring gets ready to ... spring. The lace sleeves lighten things up and allow for a hint of skin (or contrasting shirt layered underneath), while the princess-seam style waist shaping flatters your figure.

An elegant cardigan just right for a mermaid. Gentle waist shaping follows your curves, and Fishtail Lace sleeves pique the knitter’s interest. By eliminating sleeve increases, the lace is not too difficult and the sleeves blouse out from an i-cord cast-on. To keep the lines clean and the hems from rolling, the entire cardigan is edged in i-cord. Lace instructions are provided in written and chart form.

Chest: 30 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54 inches; shown in M/38” with 0” ease

Mermaid's Cardigan by Kathleen Dames

Materials Madeline Tosh tosh dk 100% Superwash Merino Wool 225 yards/206 meters per 50 gram skein; color: Baltic; 4 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8
One US6/4.0mm 29-inch circular needle
Set of five US6/4.0mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
Coil-less safety pins or other removable stitch markers
Waste yarn or stitch holders
Tapestry needle
Eight 5/8” buttons

Gauge

17 sts x 24 rows = 4 inches in Fishtail Lace pattern
20 sts x 28 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette stitch

Mermaid's Cardigan by Kathleen Dames

Skills Needed
Cast on
Bind off
Knit
Purl
Increase
Decrease

Tech editing by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud

Test knitting by 3catos and elizek (on Ravelry)

Pattern available for $6 on Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy, or by using the button below.

Sotherton download available

You can now purchase Sotherton as an individual download from the Interweave store! The individual pattern is $6, or you can purchase the entire issue of Jane Austen Knits, Summer 2012 for $8.99 (on sale - normally $14.99).

Sotherton by Kathleen Dames

Sotherton
Jane Austen Knits, Summer 2012

I'll let you know when An Aran for Anne will be released as soon as I know.

Apologies for not doing any Falala posts this week - I've been working at Penelope's school a few days a week while one of the teachers is out, so my limited "focus" time has been even more limited. I'll try to catch up this weekend.

Deckhand: Annie's Alternative Version

Almost forgot to show you Annie's version! She wanted to do red and white, an we agreed that it would be good to have a version where the hems and collar are in the MC. You have choices!

Annie's Deckhand

Pattern: Deckhand - Women's

Deckhand - Women's by Kathleen Dames

Now that your little scallywags have their own Deckhand sweaters, it’s time to get yours. But how about a bit of shaping for a woman’s curves, ¾ sleeves, and a raglan yoke with button detail? This one is also just right for cool summer evenings on deck. And working it up in Cascade’s Ultra Pima makes it a bit more refined. Let those little scallywags climb the rigging—you’re going to loll on the deck!

Jogless stripes allow you to work this sweater in the round without your stripes spiraling out of control. A double-knitting trick keeps your placket happening all at once. Just sew on your buttons and weave your underarms, and you’ll be ready to set sail.

Sizes 
Women’s XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] sample shown in size M) 
Chest: 31 [34, 38, 41, 45, 48, 51] inches

Materials 
Traditional version 
Natural (MC) 3 [4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7] skeins; 
Indigo Blue (CC) 1 [1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3] skeins

Annie’s alternative version 
Wine (MC) 3 [4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8] skeins; 
Natural (CC) 1 [1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2] skeins

US6/4.0mm 29-inch circular needle and set of five DPNs (or longer circular needle if using Magic Loop for sleeves) Cable needle or spare DPN 
Stitch holders or waste yarn 
Stitch markers 
Coil-less safety pins 
Three 1-inch Buttons 
Matching thread, if yarn will not fit through buttonholes

Skills Needed 
Casting on 
Binding off 
Knitting 
Purling 
Increasing 
Decreasing 
Working flat 
Working in the round

Technical editing by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud. 
Sample knitting by Annie Rota.

Pattern available on Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy, or by using the button below.

Pattern: Hap-py

Hap-py shawl by Kathleen Dames

A new-world homage to the Shetland Hap shawls of old. Worked all in one piece with one needle and one skein of yarn, this makes a perfect travel project, whether you’re waiting on a park bench, soaring above the clouds, or sailing the high seas. Plus, the Crest of the Wave pattern (written out and charted), an interesting variant on the traditional Feather and Fan, is easy to master with spectacular results. What are you waiting for? It’s time to get Hap-py!

Instructions are given for a swatch, which will make a perfect little shawl for an 18” doll, plus the full-size shawl, which measures 32” square. Swatch and shawl do use all of the skein of Madeline Tosh Prairie, so be aware that not achieving gauge may lead to your needing more yarn.

Hap-py shawl by Kathleen Dames

Materials 

Madeline Tosh Prairie 100% Superwash Merino; 840 yards/768 meters per 114 gram skein; color: Plaid Blanket; 1 skein 
Note: With swatch, entire skein was used. 
One US6/4.0mm 40-inch circular needle 
Stitch markers, including one different to mark end-of-round 
Tapestry needle

Skills Needed 
Casting on 
Binding off 
Knitting 
Purling 
Increasing 
Decreasing 
Picking up stitches 
Working in the round

Technical editing by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud.

Pattern available on Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy, or by using the button below.

Maine: The Way Life Should Be

So, we've been here in Bath for about ten days, and aside from some marathon cleaning sessions (the caretaker wasn't the cleanest person, but you get what you pay for), it has been heaven. Moderate days, cool nights, beach time, knitting time, concerts on the green, lobster at the dock. Seriously, I should keep this place a secret, but it's too wonderful. Bath is particularly lovely IMO, since it's not overrun by tourists and t-shirt shops. There is a farmer's market here every Saturday, a farmstand just up the road, and they finally opened an ice cream parlor downtown (I've been saying they should for the past five years - next on my list is an old-fashioned penny candy store).

And there are yarn stores! Halcyon in Bath (I can walk there), Purl Diva in Brunswick (my friend Ellen stocks a great shop - she's even carrying Quince & Co. now), The Cashmere Goat in Camden (new and airy, right near the harbor), and all the way up to Heavenly Socks Yarns in Belfast, where I ended up modeling a shawl for their latest newsletter and "revealing" my Ravelry designer status.

Being a moderately shy person, I often feel weird just randomly introducing myself in a yarn store, but when talk turns to Ravelry and designs, I feel I have something to say. And it is fun talking to people about what I do (and since I didn't get that job I was interviewing for, knitwear design is what I will continue to focus on). I think my next task is to start teaching classes.

Anyway, I'm enjoying my time here and feel lucky to be able to come up for a month. I'm finishing up a submission for the Winter Knitty (keep your fingers crossed that it comes out the way I want it to, and that Amy & Co. like it), then there are some other knits that need final tweaks and photo shoots. I'm scouting locations and pondering outfits, so there will be a handful or so of new designs for Fall.

And I may have already acquired some yarn...

More to come next time we visit the library (free wi-fi)!