Friday, October 2, 2020, Issue 168: It is sweater weather...what's on your needles?

These are a few cozy ideas to start you thinking about Christmas gift knitting too!

Harvest Socks by This Handmade Life are squishy and cozy! It is on sale for 20% off until October 4, 2020 with no code required.

Garter stripes and slipped stitches make for a fun pair of socks to knit. Easy to memorize pattern. The garter stripes are made with 2 different color ways. You can have lots of fun with this, go crazy with the colors you choose or stick to a more subtle stripe like in the sample I knit. The texture of this sock is very squishy and very cozy. The slipped stitches definitely add interest to a simple sock.

The pattern is written instructions. This pattern is written for the magic loop method. Traditional heel flap and a rounded to finish the socks. No grafting required. Just pick two colors and cast on!

I love stranded knit sweaters and this one shown in rich autumn colours is no exception! The Porty Pullover by Gudrun Johnston comes in a women’s and a unisex version but you will get both downloads with the purchase of either pattern. 20% off until October 7, 2020 with the code porty20.

This sweater is worked in one piece from the top down with a circular yoke construction. Sleeves and body are separated at the underarm. Short rows are used to raise the back neck. Colorwork is charted for the yoke and cuffs.

This sweater was inspired by a woven camel bag that I inherited from a dear friend of my parents. He lived in Portobello, Edinburgh (locally known as Porty) and so I decided to call this sweater the Porty Pullover.

The women’s version includes waist shaping and the yoke depth is shallower than for the unisex version. The body and sleeve lengths and upper arm dimensions are also different. Shown in size 40¼in / 102.5cm with approx. 3in / 7.5cm of positive ease. Suggested ease is between 2-4 in / 5-10cm of positive ease.

The gauge is 27 sts and 32 rnds = 4” / 10cm in Fair Isle Yoke Pattern on US 4 / 3.5mm needle and 27 sts and 36 rnds = 4” / 10cm in St St in the round on US 3 / 3.25mm needle.

Knit it using Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight, Baa Ram Ewe Titus or Garnstudio Drops Flora.

The Classic by Espace Tricot is the newest of several recent patterns from them! It is a perfect wear-with-anything sweater available as a free Ravelry download!

The Classic is a variation on our Paloma design which incorporates additional short rows to raise the back neck, omits the ribbing down the outside of the sleeves, and features a slightly longer body and split hem. Like Paloma, this is a straightforward raglan-style sweater with a boxy silhouette. Whether you opt for classic black or something more punchy, the modern yet timeless shape of this sweater will have you reaching for it year after year.

It is designed to be knit holding a strand fingering weight yarn and a strand of mohair held double. If you you are planning to knit it using a single strand of DK weight yarn, you will only need half the yardage.

Also, while the body and sleeve lengths of this sweater are easily customizable, be aware that adding length may affect yardage requirements.

The gauge is 21 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette after blocking with main gauge needles. The recommended needles are 4.0 mm (US 6) and 4.5 mm (US 7) or as required to get gauge.

Suggested yarns are Kelbourne Woolens Perennial, Urth Yarns Harvest Fingering or any fingering weight yarn held double with Garnstudio Drops Kid Silk or Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock and Marsh Mohair. I think this style of sweater would look equally good knit using a DK weight tweed such as Rowan Felted Tweed or The Fibre Company Arranmore Light on their own too.

The En Route One-Skein Hat & Mittens by ForestCityKG is designed to use that special skein of fingering weight yarn in your stash! Use code enroute for 50% off until October 15, 2020. All sales of the En Route, One-Skein Hat and Mitten pattern will be donated to Salvation Army Centre of Hope - 50% and Indigenous Women’s Fund of Canada- 50%.

Although any fingering weight yarn can be used, variegated yarn is highlighted particularily well with the slipped stitch ribbing and tiny bobbles pattern. Knit with 1 skein of fingering weight yarn with the recommended amount of yards/meters of 420 - 450 yards (384 - 411 m). If you want to use a skein of yarn that has less than the recommended yards/meters, consider a contrasting colour yarn for the ribbing and/or thumbs. Two sizes are included in the pattern - Youth & Adult.

The gauge is 28 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches in stockinette.

WIP's and FO's

I am still on sleeve island on my Susurrus by Joji Locatelli!

One sleeve is finished...

Half of a sleeve to go...I can't wait to finish this one! I love everything about it even though I am not a girly girl. I do like knitting lace and since trying mohair in a few projects, have discovered that I love it!

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The current Knit-Alongs are the Any Sweater / Shawl KAL and the Knit Your Project: the everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit ran from July 1 to September 30, 2020. I haven't a chance to draw the winner yet so I will post the winner in the next newsletter / blog post.

Debbie finished this beautiful brioche shawl! The pattern is Rebel by Lesley Anne Robinson.

Jocelyne (jocblais) finished her Staple Linen Top by Joji Locatelli for the #jojifallkal2020. Yarn is Schoppel Wolle El Linio.

Dianne (DianneJL) finished Moonlight Socks by Joji Locatelli for the #jojifallkal2020! She says they are so beautiful and soft and can’t wait to wear them!

Mirna finished Harriet by Kim Hargreaves from Quirky:Thrown Together Again. Knit in Rowan Felted Tweed DK.

Debbie (debsnubs) has finished another blanket!

Diane wove these pretty tea towels on her Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom!

Nancy (freshfleece) knit this cute vest for an upcoming shower. Pattern is b33-22 Baby Pockets by Drops Design using Garnstudio Drops Flora.

Valerie (blaksheepknits) has been knitting and crocheting a patch of pumpkins! I am not sure which patterns Val uses but my favourite pattern for knit pumpkins is a modified version of Pumpkin - Jack Be Little by Elizabeth Murphy.

Shop Update

Reminder to anyone who was / is making blocks for the Covid-10 Memorial Bllanket - If you want me to ship them for you with the blocks that I will be shipping, please drop them off before October 14th,

Are you making hats and want a pompom? These snap-on pompoms are in stock in eight colours!

Most but not all of the Timber Yarns Twin Socks in stock! Two single skeins of hand dyed striped sock yarn! Monster Cookie, Proud, Over the Rainbow (left to right)

Wicked Stockings - Purple, Hocus Pocus, Wicked Stockings - White (top left to right), Spiced Pumpkin (bottom)

Oh Christmas Tree, Christmas Jewels, Silver Bells (left to right)

Holly Berry, St. Nick's Candy Cane, Ho Ho Ho (top left to right), North Pole Candy Cane (bottom)

VIRTUAL SOCIAL KNITTING

Virtual social knitting using the Zoom app! It has been a great way to knit together through social distancing! Join in with us either Tuesday afternoon from 2 - 4 pm or Thursday nights from 7 - 9 pm. We are continuing to hold our Zoom meetings each week until we can meet again in person. Clicking on the link will take you to our Zoom meeting.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 407820804

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