Etta Re-release

Etta

Re-released December 2013.

Originally published in Knit Now magazine, Issue 18, February 2013

As always, India is my model!  This tunic is a size medium, which fits India comfortably, even with layering.

Etta is worked seamlessly, in the round, from the neck down.  There is no seaming!  I used Artesano Aran which is wonderfully soft and knit up very quickly.

Sizing is from XS-XXL; Finished Chest measurements of 32"-56".  The tunic is meant to be worn with 2-4" of positive ease (better to layer with!)

Raglan shaping is worked from the neck down.  The cables and lace are on the reverse side as well as the front. but the back can be worked entirely in stotckinette stitch, if desired.

Etta is great to wear over a long skirt, jeans, or leggings!

 *** Enjoy $1 off Etta Pattern from December 8-11, 2013.  Discount applied at checkout! Happy knitting :)  ***

Etta Tunic Pattern PDF  $6 

Seamus Pullovers at Petite Purls

Seamus

@ Petite Purls, Summer 2012

Description:
 My little ones love to collect rocks, dip their toes into the bay, roam and explore and are always in need of a cool pullover that can withstand their adventures.  Seamus is the quintessential summer pullover with two  nautically inspired stripe patterns & semaless construction making it quick and easy to knit during the warmer months.  While the little ones are busy collecting & investigating, the sleeves can be rolled up and buttoned in place so as not to interfere with their activities.  This classic unisex pullover can be passed down to younger siblings and will continue to look loved the more it is worn.

Sizes: 3 months (6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 4T, 6T, 8T, 10T)

Rating: Easy to Intermediate

Techniques & Stitches Used:  Knitting in the round, basic increase & decreases, carrying yarn up for color changes.

Yarn Requirements:  Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Worsted Cotton
                                    400 - 700 yards - see pattern for details

The sleeves roll up!

Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Worsted Cotton is SO soft.  I am not usually fond of knitting with cotton, but this was an exception :)  It has resulted in extremely soft and wearable pullovers which Levi and Scarlett love...

Available for free at Petite Purls Website.

Lord Loxley Pattern Re-release!

Lord Loxley Pattern Re-release 

Originally published in Knit Magazine No. 40, September 2011,  Lord Loxley is now available here, Craftsy, Ravlery and soon through Knit Picks where you can choose yarn and purchase the pattern at the same time!

Sample in Size 10 years, on an 11yr old.

Preview - Lord Loxley Pullover

This pattern is now available for purchase!  

Lord Loxley Pullover featured in Knit Issue 40.  Something fun that I worked on over the winter :) The issue isn't released until sometime this week, I believe, but it was exciting to see the preview! 

What a cute little model! I wonder how hard it was to take his photo while he was moving? I bet he moved alot!

Yes, front cover :)  That made me smile :D

Lord Loxley is knit up in Rowan Pure Wool DK; very nice soft yarn to work with.  It is knit seamlessly, in the round, from the bottom up, raglan sleeves, v-neck & hood.  The cable runs up the front, up the back and over the hood.

A fun element to this pullover is that the sleeves are detachable.  Much more versatile, especially for children who need something warm in the cooler months.

Sleeves have snap tape and they snap to the inside of the sleeve cuffs.

Lord Loxley is named after my little guy, Loxley; always on the move and such a great source of inspiration :D

Corona

For India :) She saw this pattern early in the year and requested it. It is called Corona by Canary Knits . I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK in Soft Golden Yellow. This is one of my favorite yarns! It is incredibly soft and can be warm next to the skin.

I started back in February, I think, but when I picked it up again this past June, something in my gut told me that it would be too small. It starts with the bottom ribbing, so it naturally looks a lot smaller making it even harder to tell. Well, I ripped out about 5" of ribbing and started all over, one size up. Also, the yarn I used is a smaller gauge than the one in the pattern, which I had thought I had covered. I am so glad that I did this! The fit is perfect , with a touch of growing room or layering room and I know she will wear it alot. When I am not so large in the belly, I will make one for myself :)

Great pattern, well written, fun to knit! I could not figure out the cable pattern, so I did my own thing. In my defense, I am used to knitting in French and their charts and cable diagrams are very detailed. Also, the names are a little different and I think this may be where I have gotten mixed up....Next time, I will ask for help. Raveled Here!

I have been knitting for the baby too, but I will save those posts until the outfits are complete :) They are so much fun!

Seamless Viney Leaf

The first time I saw this pattern, I knew that I would knit it. But, I waited many months before starting as tons of reverse stocking stitch and then stitching in those sleeves would not be fun. So, I thought alot about what I wanted to do. I started about a month and a half ago and finished a week ago. I love it! I knit the whole thing in the round, then the sleeves and attached at the armpits. I knit both sleeves and body together, decreasing where needed to give the illusion of a set-in sleeve. It worked! No seaming!!! Yay! The pattern is from Phildar #460 and the yarn is Elann's Superwash Bamboo in Claret. The yarn was discounted as the dyes weren't even so it has a hand dyed look to it, which I like. I do wear a tnk top underneath and it is mildly itchy to my arms, but not bad. I do have a fairly high tolerance for wool though. I did lengthen the hem to 5cm instead of 1.5cm. I think I could have gone a bit longer there. All in all, an easy knit, nice viney leaf to add some interest and break up all that purling and a great fit. I am wearing it today as a matter of fact!

 

I started a new sweater for The Man and it is coming along, but a little slow as I haven't had much knitting time lately. It is a really soft wool from Needful Yarns, London Tweed in the Cherry colorway. I told him this was my last try to knit him such a sweater and if it
was still too itchy then that is it! lol!

I have also knit two more Thorpe hats for my friend Tara's two boys, but will save the pics until she has them :D

Finally, the Sweater!

Here is the sweater that I made for The Man. Unfortunately, it is too itchy for him as he is ultra sensitive to wool. As I was finishing it up, I wondered if that would be the case, so I put my dad's wool aside and decided that if it was too itchy, my dad would score this sweater and I would knit another for The Man out of the softer wool. So, that is what ended up happening. The sweater is a Phildar pattern from a few years ago in one of their Irlandais Issues, knit up in 100% wool Elle Merino Tweed from Little Knits. I chose the natural oatmeal color as I thought it would suit The Man, but it actually looks better on my dad. My dad loves this sweater and wore it all weekend while he was here. It will keep him nice and toasty :D Oh, I should mention a few neat things about this sweater; I knit this entirely in the round and seamlessly. I did weave some stitches together under the arms where the sleeves joined the body, but that was it! It was a great challenge and I really learned alot. The saddle shoulders were fun too!

Willows matching mittens!

A sweater for Sage :)

My goal is to knit each of my children a sweater for this winter. So far, Willow and Scarlett have a few each, Levi and Sage are taken care of too! Just the three older girls and one for The Man left....This is a Phildar pattern that Sage chose and he loves dark colors, so I had some Katia Scotch Tweed in my stash that worked perfectly! It is 65%silk, 25%wool and the rest is some type of man made fibre that I can't recall off the top of my head. It is so nice and soft and he will be able to wear it next to his sensitive skin :) He is such a little model, we told him he should model underwear!

Another project that I completed about a day before I started this blog, was a felted bag for India. It is a pattern called "Two Measures of Joy"...appropriate since it contains the first two bars of "Ode to Joy" ....always one of my favorites! I also lined the bag with fabric chosen by India and the whole thing came together beautifully! She loves it and uses it all the time :)

I have a few other projects on the go that I will finish up and share....these are my knitting projects, but I have completed quite a few sewing projects lately as my goal is o have my sewing desk cleared up before the New Year :)

Destinees First Sweater

Back in March, I got my two older girls started on a knitting project each. Destinee chose a striped garter stitch wool sweater for Scarlett for this Fall. She gt the front and back done as well as a third of a sleeve and then put it away to work on other things. So, we dug it out and finished it this past weekend. Scarlett wore it today and it is so squishy and cozy! She has room to grow in it and it keeps her warm too :)

Otherwise, not much new to share. Oh, I finished my first sock today which I had put away as it was so fiddly and I wasn't enjoying it. But, it is too big for my little feet! It does fit India, so they will be hers :) I will try another pattern and maybe go down a needle size and shorten the sole on the next pattern. However, I just don't think knitting socks are my thing...

...another day....another sweater...

Ok, I seriously do not knit a sweater a day, but I am finishing up a few projects, including things around the house and my goal has been to completely finish a project per day. So far, I am doing it!

Today, I finished a sweater that I designed for children, but the cable design is not my own. I will, however, add my own design once all my numbers add up correctly and start doing my test knits. This one is for Levi :) He loves it and looks forward to the matching hat and mitts...maybe tomorrow?

I used 6.7skeins of Elanns Peruvian Donegal 100% wool on 4mm needles. It is surprisingly soft!

Cable-Down Raglan

When I first joined Ravelry back in April (I think), one of the first patterns that caught my eye was Stefanie Japel's Cable-Down Raglan. I put it in my queue and waited until I found the right yarn for the job. During the summer, I ordered some Debbie Bliss cashmerino dk and this was it! I completed blocking my sweater today and I love it! I am so happy :)

I have also been writing another pattern, for little boys in sizes 2-10. I am done with the preliminary pattern and first test sweater, but I need to change to cable chart and use my own. I used one from a magazine I have so that I could focus more on the sizing, increases and decreases and all that other good stuff. It should be ready for sale in a couple of months as I need to test knit a few other sizes...
In more pattern designing news, I have a couple of free saoker patterns that I am in the process of writing as well as a bell bottomed longie pattern for girls :) All these smaller patterns will be available on Ravelry and possibly through here once I figure out how to do that :)