Pattern: In the Shallows

In the Shallows on Ravelry $7 (no account necessary)

What’s that? You have more sock yarn? You’re in luck! In the Shallows will allow you to use up just about every last yard in a cozy shawl to be tossed casually around your neck like a scarf, worn bandit style, or gently draped across your shoulders for modesty or warmth—the shallowness of the triangle makes long ends that can be tied, if you like. And the fabric choice is yours: Plain (garter) or Fancy (eyelet).

After a long detour through Stockinette, I rediscovered the joy and simple pleasure of Garter Stitch. No offense, Stockinette, but sometimes your smoothness and tendency to curl up brings me down (only a little - I love ya, Stockinette). Garter Stitch, with all its squish factor, marvelous ability to lay flat, and awesome ability to mix and mingle stitches in variegated yarn into a more cohesive whole, is awesome too. In the Shallows puts Garter Stitch to great use, and you get to decide if you want to be plain or fancy. Better yet: make one of each!

What you'll love about knitting In the Shallows:

• 1 needle + 1 skein of yarn (choose one you love!) = yards and meters of pleasurable knitting
• Once you get started, the pattern is a breeze to remember
• A lot more fun to knit than the traditional long scarf
• Notes are included for some tips and tricks you'll use again and again

What you'll love about wearing In the Shallows:

• You get to wear that skein of yarn you love!
• Shape of the shawl means you can wear it as a shoulder-warming shawl, scarf with trailing ends front and back, AND bandit-style to keep your neck cozy and provide a pop of color to any outfit
• It's the simple, elegant piece that won't fight with other parts of your wardrobe

Size/Finished Measurements
Plain Shawl
Width: 64 inches Depth: 14 inches

Fancy Shawl
Width: 75 inches Depth: 13 inches

Materials

• Plain Shawl: Fleece Artist Merino 2/6 [100% superwash merino wool; 382 yards/349 meters per 115g skein]; color: Ocean; 1 skein
• Fancy Shawl: Plymouth Yarn Alpaca Prima [100% alpaca; 363 yards/332 meters per 100g skein]; color: Cream; 1 skein
• US5/3.75mm 24-inch circular needle (ndl)
• Tapestry needle

Gauge
18 sts x 22 ridges = 4 inches square in Garter St.

Thanks!
Technical editing: Joeli Caparco.
Photography: Nicholas Dames

Everything you need to create your own beautiful In the Shallows is provided in the professionally designed (by me!) pattern.

Lovely knitters who purchased this pattern when it was originally released should have received a message from Ravelry that the updated version of the pattern is now in your library. Don't miss the special customer coupon code!



Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Pattern: Hap-py

Hap-py on Ravelry $7 (no account necessary)

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 (provided in both written and charted forms), 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.

I do love projects like this for travel: one "small of size but large of yardage" skein of yarn paired with a circular needle provides hours of knitting entertainment without the danger of losing a needle (or stabbing your seatmate). The central square (really a diamond kept on the square by working in Garter Stitch) is worked like Grandmother's Dishcloth plus the excitement of occasional eyelet rows. Then the edging is picked up all around the flexible sides of said diamond. Working the center from point to point means your shawl is free from the tight edges that can result from casting on and binding off many stitches. I've included my recommended bindoff for producing the perfect, flexible edge for your shawl.

What you'll love about knitting Hap-py:

• 1 skein + 1 needle + 1 pattern = 1 perfect portable project
• With only three stitches to cast on and the lace bindoff, the shawl is free of tight spots and a dream to block
• Center section is made of up Garter Stitch and Eyelet rows - straightforward knitting you can work without constantly referring to the pattern
• Crest of the Wave is a wonderful lace with one "action" round to remember that gives you a beautiful undulating edging

What you'll love about wearing Hap-py:

• Laceweight yarn gives you a lightweight shawl - perfect for style and warmth and easy to tuck into your purse to always have on hand
• Garter stitch and increases every row blend multi-colored hand-dyed yarns into a beautiful whole
• Square shape gives you multiple options for wear - drape it over your shoulders for elegant drama, fold it on the diagonal and cozy it up around your neck for warmth

Size/Finished Measurements

Shawl: 32 inches square
Doll Shawl/Swatch: 13 inches square

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

Gauge

18 sts x 18 ridges (36 rows) = 4 inches square in Garter Stitch after blocking

Skills Needed

• casting on
• binding off
• knitting
• purling
• increasing
• decreasing
• following written or charted instructions for Crest of the Wave edging pattern (both included)

Thanks!
Technical Editing: Ruth Garcia-Alcantud
Photography: Nicholas Dames

Everything you need to create your own beautiful Hap-py is provided in the professionally designed (by me!) pattern. Both written and charted versions of the Crest of the Wave stitch pattern are included.

Lovely knitters who purchased this pattern when it was originally released should have received a message from Ravelry that the updated version of the pattern is now in your library. Don't miss the special customer coupon code!



Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Pattern: Upon the Spanish Main

Upon the Spanish Main on Ravelry $7 (no account necessary)

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 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!

I am excessively fond of the wide triangle shawl. The wider shape places more fabric around your shoulders and upper back, while the shorter depth prevents that "arrow pointing directly at your bum" thing that sometimes happens with standard triangles. Plus, I find that no matter how gorgeous a shawl, eventually I stop wearing it occasionally as a decorative piece and start wearing it all the time wrapped around my neck for warmth and gorgeousness-close-to-my-face.

This shape does make lace patterns more complicated to present, since we increase twice as often at the outer edges as we do in the middle of the shawl. But don't worry! My job is to make your knitting easier, and I have done that here with multiple yet tidy charts and cleverly color-coded written instructions for Spanish Lace.

What you'll love about knitting Upon the Spanish Main:

• This lace pattern only looks complicated - there are just two sides and four pattern rows, but they flip back and forth between the sculptural flowers and delicate faggotting that make this pattern so spectacular
• Spanish Lace is provided in both charted and written formats for every row (I have to be honest here: it was a LOT of work to get this right, and my test knitters were particularly awesome in working with me to make sure this pattern was clear and precise)
• You will be incredibly chuffed that you can work lace on both sides

What you'll love about wearing Upon the Spanish Main:

• Spanish Lace! What else is there to say? It is one of the most gorgeous lace patterns out there
• Wide-triangle shape is perfect for style or warmth: wear it any time of year as a shawl as I've shown here or bandit-style filling in the neckline of your coat all Winter long
• If you've chosen a yarn as decadent as Jill Draper Makes Stuff Splendor Sock (Merino/Cashmere/Nylon), you will want to snuggle up in this shawl all. the. time.

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 square in Stockinette St.

Skills Needed

• casting on
• binding off
• knitting
• purling
• increasing
• decreasing
• following written or charted instructions for Spanish Lace pattern (both are included)

Thanks!
Technical Editing: Karen Clark
Test Knitting: galzanne, jennieeilerts, KnitterlyGoodness, luise-k, arzucarolina, chau7, mattnmay, ninjacassy, bluemodesty, bills25, and ludivine77
Photography: Nicholas Dames

Everything you need to create your own beautiful Upon the Spanish Main is provided in the professionally designed (by me!) pattern. Both written and charted versions of the Spanish Lace stitch pattern are included.

Lovely knitters who purchased this pattern when it was originally released should have received a message from Ravelry that the updated version of the pattern is now in your library. Don't miss the special customer coupon code!



Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Shawl Week

All this week I will be releasing upgraded versions of these five lovely shawls. Stay tuned!

quick + purly: 5 fingering cardigans

With cooler nights coming (or already here for some of you), layering and lightweight cardigans are on my radar. Here are five that I would love to have in my cedar chest for Fall (and Spring and all year 'round, really).

1. Almwegerl by schneckenstrick €5.50 EUR 

   

   Love the open neckline and stitch patterns on the fronts

2. Audrey by Jane Richmond $6.95 USD 

   

   WANT the garter stitch squishiness and puff at the cuffs

3. MarieMarie Cross-over cardigan by Anne B Hanssen €4.70 EUR 

   

   Open or closed the wrap front is lovely, and the surprise of the lace back is charming

4. Lorem Ipsum by Jennifer Dassau $6.50 USD 

   

   One of those classic yet special patterns that you'll wonder how you lived without

5. Left Bank by Linda Wilgus $6.50 USD 

   

   Yay for v-necks and patterns that look good on the well-endowed

All images from patterns' Ravelry pages. No copyright infringement intended. I just want to share the love!

In case you need just one more...

• Pomegranate Cardi by Kathleen Dames $7 USD 

  

  Pomegranate cables and Seed Stitch work together

There were so many fantastic patterns to choose from! Here is the full search, if none of my selections is quite what you're looking for. Then let me know your favorite(s) in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!

xoxo,

NYC Yarn Crawl is coming up! 25-27 September 2015

Ooh, it's getting to be that time of year. The time when it's not in the 80s, when you want to grab a sweater before you head out, when thoughts turn to yarn and knitting. The most wonderful time of year!

Kicking things off this Fall for me is the NYC Yarn Crawl from 25-27 September. This year there are 11 shops participating in Manhattan and Brooklyn. I will, of course, visit Knitty City (my knitting home away from home) and may venture to some other shops. Purl Soho and Downtown Yarns are always fun to visit, and you never know what sort of direct-from-Milan treasure you might find at School Products Yarn, so we shall see if I can make time to visit those shops. I've never been to Seaport Yarn or any of the Brooklyn shops, so perhaps it's time to leave my borough!

If you're going to be crawling, let me know! I'd love to meet up and squish skeins of yarn together. And if you visit Knitty City, be sure to say "Hello!" to Caught in the Rigging - she's hanging out in the Knitty City window until the end of the month.

The 2015 #NYCYarnCrawl map is ready! Check out the website to download a copy and get store hours, prize info and more. See you there! www.yarncrawlnyc.com #followtheyarn #yarncrawlnyc #yarncrawl

A photo posted by NYC Yarn Crawl (@nycyarncrawl) on Sep 12, 2015 at 2:16pm PDT

#kdknitphotohop winner!

And the winner is the talented @remembrancespottery! Yahoo! Be sure to check out her Etsy shop (link in her profile over on Instagram) - lovely pottery including buttons (!).

And the winner is @remembrancespottery ! Coming your way is enough yarn to knit up a Caught in the Rigging cowl. Thank you so much for participating in #kdknitphotohop 😘💕🙋🏻

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 16, 2015 at 9:08am PDT

The photo hop was LOTS of fun, and I'd love to keep doing something like it. However, posting to a prompt daily and keeping up with everyone else was a lot of work, so I'm thinking of something like a weekly prompt (every Monday?) and favorites/roundups posted the following week. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

#kdknitphotohop recap

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the #kdknitphotohop over the past week. It was lots of fun! I got to meet new-to-me Instagrammers and give away some patterns. Here's where we started:

My birthday is coming up on the 13th. How about a week-long Knit Photo Hop leading up to it? 💕KNIT PHOTO HOP💕 9/7 sparkle 9/8 begins with K 9/9 joy 9/10 knitting 9/11 Jane Austen 9/12 💕💕💕 9/13 birthday To play along: 1. follow @kathleendames 2. repost this photo 3. tag your photos #kdknitphotohop I'll give away a pattern a day of your choice, and one of you lucky Instagrammers will win enough @missbabsyarns Yowza in Oyster to knit a Caught in the Rigging cowl to swatch your new favorite pattern 😉

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 3, 2015 at 7:39am PDT

SPARKLE winner

SPARKLE winner for the #kdknitphotohop thanks to the numerical randomness of random.org. Thanks for sharing your beautifully sparkly bowl and shadow!DM'ing you in a second. #repost @remembrancespottery with @repostapp. ・・・ Sparkle. Today's #kdknitphotohop with @kathleendames. My current project in a sparkly bowl with a sparkly shadow.

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 8, 2015 at 6:05am PDT

BEGINS WITH K winner

Winner for Begins with K is @waterpixie ! Hope the migraine went away. I'll DM you in a sec 😀 The rest of you darling #knittersofinstagram , it's not too late to join in the #kdknitphotohop fun! We're posting our pics daily - see my feed for all the deets . #Repost @waterpixie with @repostapp. ・・・ Day 2: Starts with "K" = knitting and the Knit Girllls! Pardon the low lighting, I need to keep the lights down today because my head thought it was Starts with "M" and gave me a migraine 👎 #kdknitphotohop

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 9, 2015 at 6:37am PDT

JOY winner

JOY winner @taraswiger ! If you don't yet know Tara, she is an amazing and insightful craft business advisor/guru. Check her out at taraswiger.com and all the usual social media outlets, especially Periscope. #Repost @taraswiger with @repostapp. ・・・ Today's #kdknitphotohop prompt is JOY. The newest source of joy in my life totally took me by surprise: Periscope! I love catching up with you guys and sharing mini-lessons as I learn them. This is a clip from this morning's; I was answering a question about what I normally scope about. A good summary of just about everything I do! #Periscope #creativebiz #swigerlive

A video posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 10, 2015 at 7:15am PDT

KNITTING winner

Winner for yesterday's #knitting prompt: @storiedyarns and her beautiful pile of orange WIPs! I'll DM you in a second to find out which pattern you'd like. There's still time to join the #kdknitphotohop - deets in my feed 😀 #Repost @storiedyarns with @repostapp. ・・・ Today's #kdknitphotohop prompt is Knitting. This is the pile of projects I'm currently working on. It's one more than I usually like to have in progress at one time so I'm working to finish at least one soon. I like to have at least one mindless knit and one that requires more focus, so this is a good combination for me. #yearofmaking

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 11, 2015 at 7:43am PDT

JANE AUSTEN winner

Almost forgot to post yesterday's winner. Hope the cable knitting has improved il since yesterday 😉 #Repost @asimplehomestd with @repostapp. ・・・ Tinking cables is the pits 😕 #kdknitphotohop

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:30pm PDT

HEARTS/LOVE winner

The 💕💕💕 winner from Saturday: @kimmmiesueee ! I'll DM you in a sec 😀 #Repost @kimmmiesueee with @repostapp. ・・・ I 💜💗💜 dressing up my cat! #poorfreya #kdknitphotohop

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 14, 2015 at 8:01am PDT

and BIRTHDAY winner

Many thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! The #kdknitphotohop birthday prompt winner is @waterpixie ! Love those balloons 😀 #Repost @waterpixie with @repostapp. ・・・ Day 7: Happy Birthday to @kathleendames ! A favorite birthday tradition I started with my boys is getting them a special birthday balloon. These are the ones they picked this year. #kdknitphotohop

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 15, 2015 at 7:52am PDT

Thanks, again, to everyone who played along! It was so fun that I'm thinking of doing a weekly prompt (seven days in. a. row. was kind of a lot for me, though that could be because it was also the first week of school, the week leading up to my and my husband's birthdays, as well as preparing for Penelope's belated birthday party - summer birthdays can be tough on a kid).

Tomorrow I will announce the yarn giveaway winner for enough Miss Babs Yowza in Oyster to knit the Caught in the Rigging cowl.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Pattern: Captain Austen's Scarf

Captain Austen's Scarf on Ravelry $7 (no account necessary)

A cozy scarf is a must for walking the deck of your ship, and what better way to dress it up than with a little of Frank Austen’s fringe? He worked the very same fringe (on some curtains) while on shore leave with his sister Jane. Luscious, bulky Malabrigo Twist makes for a quick knit, and the reversible Seaweed stitch pattern will keep your interest until it’s time to tie that fringe and board your ship.

This pattern is designed so that you can use every yard/meter of two lovely skeins of Malabrigo Twist or 300 yds/274 m of your favorite Aran weight yarn. The Seaweed stitch pattern is lovely to work in knits and purls, plus it is easy to remember after one time through the pattern. And like all the best scarf patterns, it's reversible! Seaweed looks different but equally attractive on the reverse side.

And then there's the fringe! While, in general, I'm not fringe-y, I love working this fringe and can see how Frank Austen could work up fringe for the drawing room quite happily (even if he had a bad cough). You could leave off the fringe (I worked up a plain version of the scarf for my fringe-averse husband), but I think it really adds a special touch to this scarf

What you'll love about knitting Captain Austen's Scarf:

• Seaweed stitch is a straightforward knit-purl pattern - easy to work, provided in both written and charted versions
• Designed to use up just about all of two skeins of Twist - no awkward amounts of leftovers
• Fringe edging is fun to create - you'll start looking at everything around you to see what else might need fringe

What you'll love about wearing Captain Austen's Scarf:

• There is no wrong side to this scarf - sometimes you fall for a scarf that has to be worn "just so" to be seen to advantage; this scarf looks great front- and reverse-facing
• Worked in a lusciously soft yarn like Malabrigo Twist, you will love having this around your neck all winter long
• You will entertain yourself with that fringe
• Makes an excellent gift for any man or woman - just choose a favorite color and knit away!

Size/Finished Measurements
70" long x 6" wide, including fringe

Materials
Malabrigo Twist [100% merino wool; 150 yards/137 meters per 100g skein]; color: Ravelry Red; 2 skeins
US8/5.0mm needle(s)
US H-8/5.0mm crochet hook (optional)
Tapestry needle

Gauge
20 sts x 22 rows = 4" square in Seaweed stitch pattern

Skills Needed

• casting on
• binding off
• knitting
• purling
• following written or charted instructions for Seaweed stitch pattern (both included)
• working fringe (written instructions included)

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Recipe: Kathleen's Granola

After posting a picture on Instagram/Facebook of a tray of granola ready to go into the oven last week, I received a lot of notes asking about my recipe.

My overall principle after lots of tweaking and eating is one Tablespoon each oil and sweetener for every cup of stuff, then baking for about six minutes for each cup of said stuff. So, feel free to go nuts (or seeds or whatever makes you want to get up in the morning and have a delicious breakfast)!

I've substituted maple syrup for the honey and might substitute coconut oil for canola just to see. If I run out of one kind of nut, I've doubled the other, but I do prefer the combination. And I like to think that the flax seeds give my coat a glossy sheen, but that could just be me being silly. Don't skip the salt! In all my time in the kitchen (cooking was my hobby before I became a knitter), the most important lesson I've learned is that salt brings out sweetness in baked goods.

This is IMO delicious atop your favorite yogurt with some fruit mixed in (you can skip the cranberries in that case), but I love to eat it as cold cereal with dried cranberries and soy milk (more calcium for my bones). When I run out of granola and have to eat something else for breakfast, I am not a happy camper, so this stuff gets made often.

Caveat: I am not a nutritionist. Nor am I a professional chef. This is how I like it. YMMV.

Kathleen's Granola

approx. 1 quart

4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup sweetened coconut, loosely packed

1/4 cup flax seeds, ground

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

6 Tablespoons canola oil

6 Tablespoons honey

1 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line large baking sheet with parchment. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil and honey to bowl, then mix thoroughly to coat dry ingredients. Pour onto lined baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake for approx. 35 minutes until fragrant and toasted brown. Cool thoroughly on rack. Store in covered container. Add cranberries before serving.

Notes

• I use a rimmed half sheet pan, sometimes known as a jelly roll pan. It is approx. 18x13".
• To cut down on the number of utensils I dirty, I fill my Tablespoon half-way with salt. Then I use the Tablespoon for the oil and honey as follows: Fill with oil, pour in bowl; fill with honey, pour in bowl; repeat six times. The oil prevents the honey from sticking to the spoon.
• I used to add the cranberries before storing the granola but have discovered that, thanks to osmosis, the moisture in the berries tends to leave said berries and permeate the granola. Not enough to make the granola soggy or anything, just enough to make the cranberries hard. Me no likey. 
• This recipe has been doubled and halved using 9x13" and two half sheet pans, respectively. Bake for 20-25 minutes and 45-55 minutes.

Kids start back to school tomorrow-ish (classroom visits). Once they're back in their school-year routine, I'll get back into mine. In the meantime I'm enjoying the last of summer as best I can (it's HOT out - ugh). Hope you're having a good time, too.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!

xoxo,

P.S. There's still time to join in the Instagram #kdknitphotohop! See my profile for details.

#kdknitphotohop

As I mentioned Wednesday (and made official in yesterday's newsletter - subscribe already! - and on Instagram), I've decided to try a photo hop on Instagram. I have friends who did the #sewphotohop, and it looked like lots of fun, but I don't sew. Maybe I haven't been looking in the right places, but I haven't found any knitting-focused hops, pads, or pods other than my Geeky Girls Knit #ggkcraftypad, and I'm not quite ready for a whole month yet. A week seems doable right now (the kids start back to school next Wednesday). Could you handle a week? It seems like a fun way to get to know other Instagrammers and make the run up to my birthday super fun.

Care to join me? I plan to give away a pattern a day of your choice, plus one of you lucky Instagrammers will win enough MissBabs Yowza to knit your own Caught in the Rigging cowl.

All you need to do is

1. follow me on Instagram
2. repost the photo below (I use the Repost app)
3. tag your photos with the hashtag #kdknitphotohop

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Sep 3, 2015 at 7:39am PDT

So, what's the deal with that hashtag?

• kd - that would be me, Kathleen Dames
• knit - we all love knitting, right? Right!
• photo - fun photos on Instagram
• hop - we'll have a hopping good time

Put it all together, and you've got #kdknitphotohop!

And here's the prompt list in case you can't read my handwriting:

 9/7 sparkle
 9/8 begins with K
 9/9 JOY
9/10 knitting
9/11 Jane Austen
9/12 hearts
9/13 Birthday!

Hop on over to Instagram and follow me, so I can follow you back, and let's have some fun!

I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!

xoxo,

Happy birthday from me!

OK, we have almost two weeks to go until the big day (I'll be 44 on 13 September - yay/sob), but I've decided to start giving presents to you dear ones early:

• Caught in the Rigging is now available for free on Knitty - perfect for that special pile of wool you've been hoarding or adding to your Fall Fiber Festival shopping list.  I'm going to Rhinebeck - will I see you there?
  
• Birthday sale on Ravelry: Buy two patterns, get one free - no coupon necessary. Place any three of my patterns in your cart, and you will only be charged for two. If you want, buy two, and let me know to whom you would like me to gift the third one. Share the love!
  
• So, I'm kind of intrigued by these Photo-a-day things on Instagram, but I haven't found a knit-ish one that I want to join yet. Have you done one? Would you like to try doing one with me? I'm thinking one week long to get our feet wet (if it's awesome, we can do more), leading up to my birthday, maybe some prizes at the end (patterns, enough yarn to knit a Caught in the Rigging cowl, I'm open to suggestions). Let me know in the comments or via email (kathleen at kathleendames dot com) what you think.

That's it for presents and excitement today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring :)

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!

xoxo,

Pattern: Caught in the Rigging

Caught in the Rigging (photo: Nicholas Dames)

Caught in the Rigging on Knitty (FREE!)

I love cables and sweaters - the more the better! But sometimes I want something a little different: a focus on a single, intriguing cable (Tangled Ropes) and a shape that isn’t complex but is more than just a tube. Caught in the Rigging cape + cowl are the perfect combination of pattern and shape. The cowl, while keeping your neck warm, also serves as your swatch. The cape sits nicely on your shoulders thanks to its raglan shaping. Separated increases and decreases in the body portion cause the fabric flanking the cables to bias, adding textural interest. Worked from the top, down, you are free to make this cape as long as you like. Just don’t get caught in the rigging!

Caught in the Rigging (photo: Nicholas Dames)

What you'll love about knitting Caught in the Rigging:

• working the cowl first will give you a chance to get to know your yarn/needle combination, as well as the cable pattern
• top-down in-the-round means you can make it as long as you wish
• carefully-placed increases and decreases keep your interest along with that fabulous cable

What you'll love about wearing Caught in the Rigging:

• cape and cowl are separate pieces - two knits for the "price" of one
• raglan shaping in the shoulders make for a great fit up top where it matters most
• increases and decreases add a bias effect for additional textural interest

Caught in the Rigging (photo: Nicholas Dames)

Size
Cowl: One size
Cape: Women’s XS [S, M, L, 1X, 2X, 3X] (shown in size L)

Finished Measurements

COWL
Height: 6.25 inches
Circumference: 18 inches

CAPE
Chest: 28 [32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52] inches {eds., the garment circumference after increases is 36.5 [41.5, 48.5, 52, 57.25, 62.5, 67.5] inches, sized to fit the aforementioned chest sizes - not sure how you would like to handle.}
Length: 19 [19.5, 20, 20.5, 21, 21.5, 22] inches

This garment is sleeveless. To determine fit, measure around the fullest part of your bust and your upper arms (you’ll need a friend to help). This is likely about 1/3 bigger than your bust circumference. Choose a size with 2-3 inches of positive ease compared to that full circumference measurement.

Caught in the Rigging (photo: Nicholas Dames)

Materials
MissBabs Yowza - Whatta Skein! [100% Superwash Merino; 560 yds/512 m per 226g skein]; color: Oyster; 2 [2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3] skeins

Cowl requires approx. 48 g/120 yds for cowl
Cap requires approx. 220 [260, 310, 340, 380, 425, 470] g/550 [640, 765, 835, 940, 1050, 1165] yds

16-inch US #6/4mm
32-40 inch US #6/4mm circular needles

Notions
cable needle
stitch markers – of a few different colors or styles

Gauge
20 sts/30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Skills Needed
Casting on
Binding off
Knitting
Purling
Increasing
Decreasing
Working stitches out of order (cables)
Working from a chart

Today's photo shoot brought to you by: fog and rain and Hunter Boots and the Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge. This is a good one, folks. #seekritknitting #littleredlighthouse #hunterboots

A photo posted by Kathleen Dames (@kathleendames) on Jun 1, 2015 at 6:34am PDT

How lucky was I for my photo shoot day? June 1st was a chilly, misty day, so no heat stroke for me wrapped in quite a bit of cozy wool. Plus, shooting at the Little Red Lighthouse is something I've always wanted to do (how many times have I read The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge to my kids?!). Combining the lighthouse and my Hunters gave the perfect pops of color to my beautiful grey cape (which otherwise might have been a little, well, grey).

Caught in the Rigging (photo: Nicholas Dames)

Visit Caught in the Rigging on Knitty

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Something's coming, something good...

Could it be? Yes, it could.
Something's coming, something good,
If I can wait!
Something's coming, I don't know what it is,
But it is
Gonna be great!

I do love a good West Side Story lyric.

And something good is coming: a new issue of Knitty hits the interwebs tomorrow! They say the server has been beefed up to handle first-day traffic, but let's see what we can do about that :)

You will find something of mine in it. Something with a cable. Something with an interesting structure. Something that you'll need to get yarn for at your favorite fiber festival (or maybe you already have but haven't been sure to do with that lovely pile of wool).

I think I owe you a proper #weddingsweater wrap-up post, but apparently jetlag got the best of me last week, and I haven't been able to dig up any new photos of the sweater. I do know that my sister has worn it since the big day, so that's good. Since that sweater lives in Germany, I may need to knit one up for myself. For modeling purposes, you know.

There are a few patterns in need of photographs, and the list of samples I want/need to knit keeps growing (see above), but I'm back to work, my dears, and plan to have more lovely things for you soon. Or as soon as the weather turns more hospitable (ugh, NYC heat wave right now).

Tomorrow I will tell you all about the Knitty thing and about my birthday month. Until then...

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