Friday, January 20, 2023, Issue 280: Happy Friday!!

A big, cozy shawl to throw over your shoulders is a must! Stephen West's Boneyard Shawl is a free Ravelry download and is his first Westknits design published in 2009 named after the Boneyard Arts Festival in Urbana, Illinois. It was the shawl that started it all! Once you knit the Boneyard Shawl, you can experiment with stripes and textures as you venture into the woolly world of Westknits shawl knitting.

Beverley finished her stunning Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West using Hikoo Concentric!

This simple triangular shawl begins at the top center and increases toward the border. You can knit this shawl with any yarn weight and continue the shape to make it as large as you wish. The updated English PDF features options for M1L/M1R increases or Yarn Over increases along with 2 bind off options!

Knit this pattern with his free Boneyard Shawl YouTube tutorial! He shows you how to cast on, work the M1L/M1R increases, and how to bind off.

Finished Measurements: 70″ / 178cm wingspan length, 30″ / 76cm from CO to BO edge measured along center spine. Measurements taken after blocking.

The Finished Measurements are similar for a fingering weight version or the thicker DK weight version. You can customize the shawl to any size by starting the border after any pattern repeat.

Yardage: Fingering Weight Version
750yds / 689m

DK Weight Version
600yds / 549m

Needles: US 4 (7) / 3.5 (4.5)mm circular in 40″ / 100cm length or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge: 22 (18) sts & 32 (28) rows = 4″ / 10cm in stockinette stitch after blocking

The Cocoknits annual KAL kicks off February 3. Knit whatever Cocoknits Method Pattern you want, whenever you want, however you want for the Cocoknits Method Everlasting Knit-a-Long.

• Free to join!
• 8 weeks total: February 3 – March 31
• Free resources on their website

Mabel by Cocoknits was released last November using the Cocoknits Method.

Mabel is similar to the Emma pattern from the Cocoknits Sweater Workshop book but with a rounded neckline. Over the years we have had many requests for an Emma design with a rounded neckline. But it took the Mabel character in Only Murders In The Building to finally inspire me to get one knit up! Whether you’re solving murders or want a quick and simple project to knit while watching someone else solve them, Mabel is a loose-fitting, comfortable pullover that fits the bill. She is also infinitely adaptable … try knitting the neck ribbing into a cowl or extra long fold-over turtleneck. Add cables, split the hem, knit it knee length, add stripes … the sky’s the limit. It is written in 10 sizes from 36 to 72” bust, so you have options for fit, as well! 

______________________________________________
BEFORE PURCHASING THIS PATTERN
This sweater is worked using the Cocoknits Method, a commonsense system for knitting seamless, tailored sweaters from the top down. The Cocoknits Method is explained in detail in Cocoknits Sweater Workshop by Julie Weisenberger.

All of the page numbers in this pattern refer to the pages in Cocoknits Sweater Workshop, where the techniques are explained in detail.

______________________________________________

Sizes
Small (Medium, Large, 1X)(2X, 3X, 4X)(5X, 6X, 7X)

Finished Measurements

Finished Bust: 36 (40, 44, 48)(52, 56, 60)(64, 68, 72)”/ 91.5 (104.5, 112, 122) (132, 142, 152.5)(162.5, 172.5, 183) cm
Finished Length: 15.5 (17.5, 19, 20)(21, 21.5, 22.5)(23.25, 24, 25)”/ 39.5 (44.5, 48.5, 51)(53.5, 54.5, 57.5)(59, 61, 63.5) cm

Materials
Yarn
540 (600, 660, 760)(820, 890, 950)(1050, 1120, 1200) yards / 495 (550, 605, 695) (750, 815, 870)(960, 1025, 1100) meters of chunky weight yarn that gets gauge

Gauge
12 sts and 18 rows / rnds = 4” / 10 cm square in St st on largest needles

Yarn Suggestion - Garnstudio Drops Air or Berroco Mochi held double with Garnstudio Drops Kid Silk

If you are a fan of Cocoknits Method and cables, Quinn is the pattern for you to knit for the Cocoknits Everlasting KAL! Quinn, has over-the-top cables and a relaxed, easy shape. The cables keep things moving along and, once established, are pretty easy to memorize, making Quinn a fun knit with just the right amount of adventure. The shoulders are sloped to avoid a too-boxy fit, and there is no shaping in the body, streamlining both the knitting and the wearing. The resulting cardigan looks impressive but gives up nothing in comfort!

The Cocoknits Prizes: 

In addition to their promotion, they will bee giving away prizes throughout the year for the KAL. Every 3 months (in the beginning of February, April, July, and October) they will give away a $100 gift card to their website. Enter to win a prize by....

• Sharing your project on Instagram, Facebook, or our Ravelry Forum. 
• Every post counts as a separate entry (both work-in-progress and final pictures are considered).
• For Facebook and Instagram, make sure to tag us and use #TheEverlastingKAL to be considered for prizes.  
• We encourage you to share progress pictures once you complete each section of the pattern - it doesn't have to be a Finished Object to win!

How cute are these? Herding Cats Socks by Stone Knits are as much fun to knit as they are to knit! There is a 15% intro discount until end of 22nd January with coupon code Kitty. Whether you want to make these socks dedicated to every cat you have ever met (like my pair!) or to honour just one special feline friend, these socks are so much fun to knit and wear. And totally purrrfect for using up any little scrap sock yarn leftovers.

They are knit from the top down with a ribbed cuff, these socks have a no wrap short row heel and a stranded colourwork pattern throughout the leg and foot.

FOs and WIPs

I finished my Pressed Flowers Cardigan by Amy Christoffers!

Despite the setbacks I ran into while knitting this one, this was a fun pattern to knit for a squishy, cozy cardigan. The Pressed Flower Cardigan is an easy to wear relaxed v-neck cardigan with an allover mosaic pattern. The body is worked in one piece to the underarm. Fronts and back are divided and worked separately to the shoulders. Shoulders are bound off and sewn but you could opt to work short rows and join with a three needle bind off if you prefer. The sleeves are picked up and worked down in the round.

Here is my finished cardigan before I blocked it! The before and after blockkiing measurements did not change to much. I thought the mosaic pattern would flatten more like my swatch did but it didn't flattern by much.

This was my Solid Stitch Lines Socks by La Maison de Saba back in October…I can’t believe how long I had these on my needles when I wasn’t happy with the gauge!

I decided to frog and cast them on again using my usual 2.0 mm needles instead of the 2.25 mm that I used the first time. I am using Koigu KPPPM in Liife in Speckles and Maie from the Collectors Club.

Something new is on my needles! I cast on the Drawing Sweater by Tomomi Yoshimoto. I used the tubular cast on method which utilizes Judy’s Magic Cast On and Magic Loop that Purlificknitter says is her favourite tubular cast on. I totally agree now that I have used it!

This is the palette I thought I would use for my Drawing Sweater...

This is what I finallly decided on using! What do you think? I like the idea of the carpet of white flowers on the shads of green grass.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

Jan (mrsjanknits) knit her beautiful Flax by tincanknits using the Berroco Sesame that she was gifted by her late best friend Ann’s husband.

Kay (83robbins) looks fabulous in her Stillness Shawl by Helen Stewart (@curioushandmade).

Debbie (debsnubs) finished this gorgeous Candy Stripe Shawl by Christina Werge.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) finished her Quiet Thicket Cowl by Stephanie Lotven (@tellybeanknits) using her own hand spun! Psst! This is the pattern my Saturday afternoon class is making!

Leslie (lcritch) finished this lovely Orbit by Janina Kallio. Yarn is Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Favourite Pair.

Brandi (@thegreenbuttonjar) knit this big and cozy black Sophie Shawl by PetiteKnit. She over-dyed it to make the black blacker.

Karen wove this Brooks Bouquet Scarf by Emma Rhodes of Gist Yarn on her 4-shaft loom. She wove it using Sandnes Garn Tynn Line.

Claudia (@cgriffs01) knit this baby blanket using 7 balls of Garnstudio Drops Baby Merino and no pattern.

This week, Paulette (@psknitting50) finished 2 hats from her Milarrochy Heids by Kate Davies book.

Sonia (Soniabknits) finished a pair of Homebody Socks by This Handmade Life.

Jean (jean091) knit herself Yellow Brick Rodeo by Mary Annarella using Garnstudio Drops Baby Merino and Hedgehog Fibres Sock.

This is Jean (jean091)’s The JazzaGal by Mary Annarella.

Tammy (iw8iknit) finished this pair of Gingerbread Girl Mittens by Briana Thompson using Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight.

CLASSES - WINTER 2023

Take another look at out Classes! I made a few changes to dates.

I still haven’t put away my Christmas tablecloth but here I have warped the Ashford Sampleit looms that we use for classes with the beautiful boucle we will use for the upcoming class. Sign up to make your own beautiful scarf shown below!

In our introductory Weaving Workshop, you will weave your own scarf!! No experience is necessary and we supply the loom for you to use and the warp and weft yarn.

Our Colourwork and Steeking Class where we knit Kate Davies Sheep Carousel has been changed to Wednesdays, March 8, 22 and 29 – 1 to 3 pm and includes extra knitting time between classes. Our Heart Warmer Cowl Knit Sampler Class also starts February 11th.

Make some bunnies for Easter like the one Julie Williams of Little Cotton Rabbits knit above. The Girl or Boy Bunny Class has been put into the Saturday morning slot starting February 11th. 

By request, a Gramps by tincanknits First Cardigan Class has been added starting Saturday, April 1 from 10 to noon.

Want to learn how to do mosaic knitting starting with Amy Christoffers Pressed Flowers Shawl? This class is now set for Wednesday nights for 3 sessions starting April 5th. Sign up with a friend(s) so it doesn't get cancelled!

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting! Keep calm and keep on knitting and making!