Tuesday, July 26, 2016

New Pattern: Amelia Hat in Knitscene Fall

Two Knitscene issues in a row for me!! Terribly exciting. I love working with Knitscene- they're so easy, really professional, and always do everything on time. Unfortunately that's not always the case in the knitting world. 


My contribution to the Fall 2016 issue is the Amelia Hat. How cute is this picture?


It's part of the Singles story- a bunch of patterns knitted with single-ply yarn. This hat knits up super quickly in Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky, a super bulky alpaca/wool combo. And now that I mention it, I think the company changed from Blue Sky Alpacas to Blue Sky Fibers since I knitted this sample. Hard to keep track of everything going on in the world. 

The Amelia Hat features a super simple mock-cable twist stitch pattern, with a garter stitch brim and a great big pompom. By now you surely know about my love of pompoms. I personally look goofy in hats that don't have pompoms, so I tend to design with that in mind. 

You can get the single pattern here or download the whole (adorable) issue here. Christmas gifts anyone? This hat knits up super quick! (I say like I've got any sort of plan for Christmas, or even for the next week. I do not have Christmas gifts planned. I am not that organized.)


Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Review: Knittin' Little Summer 2016

I'm lucky enough to get to review the Summer 2016 Knittin' Little collection, and as usual, it's adorable. This collection features five garments and two accessories. All seven patterns in this collection are just lovely, but here are my three favorites (all photos courtesy of Knittin' Little):


A bunch of my friends have had baby girls lately, so I really like the Little Joy Dress by the ubiquitous Kristen TenDyke. That woman is a publishing machine. It's great that this dress comes in sizes from 6 months up to 12 years- that's a huge range. I might make this one for one of my friends' new babies.

Again with all the new babies- the Summer Showers Romper by Andrea Sanchez herself is great for my current, baby-full, situation. This pattern is really great because all three sizes use only one skein of sock yarn. Everybody has that in her stash.


After all this time you surely know about my love of all things nautical, so of course I love the Coastal Local hat by Rachel Borello Carroll. I'm not familiar with this designer, so I looked her up and she designed this absolutely adorable manatee that I saw on Ravelry the other day. Love.

All of these patterns are eligible for the Knittin' Little Summer KAL that's going on in the KL group on Ravelry. There are prizes up for grabs if you participate and/or finish something. I'm making Growing Up Twisted from the Spring collection for this KAL for, you guessed it, one of my friends who just had a baby girl. It's everywhere, I tell you.

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Giveaway Winner!



Oopsie, a day behind. The winner of the Shoreline giveaway is CeltChic! Contact me on Ravelry (EmilyRingelman) with your address and I'll get the book out to you!

In other news, I started a Ravelry group for my designs. If you like my work, which I really hope you do because you're reading this, please join so I don't feel like a doofus?

Friday, July 1, 2016

New Pattern: Gillywater

Every once in a while (or like every year... or 6 months) I decide that it's time for a re-read of Harry Potter. Sometimes it's just the sixth book (my favorite), sometimes it's 4-5-6-7, sometimes it's the whole series. This time it's the whole series, and I'm halfway through book 4. Harry Potter is possibly my most favorite thing in the whole world.

I had this pattern completely done and ready to publish, except for a name. This happens every. single. time. I am the worst at naming my patterns. I was racking my brain for a name, looking at maps of Louisiana for cool town names, translating random words into Gaelic, no luck on anything, when my brain said "hey wait! You're reading Harry Potter! What about Harry Potter stuff! How about Gillywater?" And I was like YES. Perfect. So Gillywater it is, and my obsession with Harry Potter only gets stronger.

Here it is: Gillywater.

This pullover is constructed with my favorite method: it's both bottom-up and top-down. The body is worked bottom up in the round to the armholes, then split and worked back and forth. The shoulders are shaped with a couple of short rows, then they're seamed together. Stitches are picked up around the armholes for seamless top-down set-in sleeves. The sleeve caps are worked with short rows, then it's just stockinette down to the cuffs.

I made my sample with 3/4 length sleeves because I was running out of yarn. After I had the whole thing done, blocked, ends woven in, and photographed, I found another ball of that yarn. What. I don't know how I lost one when I only had five to start with, but whatever, it's done. Instructions are given in the pattern for both 3/4 and full length sleeves because I'm a moron.

This pattern is a little more advanced than my usual; you need to work decreases within the lace pattern, which has patterning on BOTH even and odd rows, while maintaining the lace as much as possible. For that reason, I recommend this pattern for more experienced knitters.

From now until July 10th, get this pattern on Ravelry for just $4 with coupon code POTTER. After that it will be the usual price of $6.50.

Details!

Skills needed: Long tail cast on, increases and decreases, familiarity with lace, decreasing within lace, seaming, picking up stitches, short row wrap and turn.

Sizes: Ladies’ XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)
Finished Measurements: High bust: 29.5 (34, 38, 42.5, 46.5, 51, 55) inches

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy with Cashmere; [70% Merino, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 200yd/183m per 113 g skein]; Color: Leprechaun Ballet; 4 (5, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8) skeins for ¾ sleeve version, 5 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9) skeins for full length sleeve version

Needles: US 8 (5 mm) 32” circular needles for body US 8 (5 mm) 16” circular needles for sleeve caps US 8 (5 mm) needles for your preferred method of working in the round: DPNs, one long circular, or two short circulars

Gauge: 20 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette stitch in the round 17 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches in Lace pattern in the round