Game Day Knits - Sneak Peek 1

Was never that great at keeping secrets, so I have decided to post sneak peak photos of the projects that will be included in the book I am working on - the tentative title is Game Day Knits.  My plan is to give birth to this baby by August of this year so it is available for the new school year and football season here in the states.  The current plan is to include 20 patterns.  By posting about the book regularly, I'm hoping to keep myself on that schedule - it's a bit aggressive, but nothing like a deadline to provide motivation.

Here are the first two designs:

Game Day Backpack - worked up in my beloved maize and blue

The backpack is a great size and a really fast easy knit - thinking about including some extra charts for the body to give knitters some options.  And the Brown Sheep Nature Spun felts like a dream.

Stripe It Rich Scarf - a quick slip stitch pattern with built in i-cord edging.

The scarf is a easy to memorize slip stitch pattern that creates textured vertical stripes on one side and horizontal stripes in the shape of little round cables on the other side - a really cool effect.  A built in I-cord edging creates a professional finish but is so easy to work.   Fans of Minnesota, or USC should appreciate this version, but it will work up well in any color combination.

The patterns planned for the book are mostly accessories, and maybe a children's garment or two.  If you have an idea for an accessory to include don't hesitate to let me know.  Same thing with color combinations - I will happily include requested combinations.

Getting ready to play - book style

My In-laws use this expression "getting ready to play" to describe how their grandchildren approach their activities.  Most of the time is spent planning and gathering the materials needed, and by the time they have everything ready, they have lost interest in the actual thing they were going to do in the first place. 

I often experience the same thing in knitting design.  I love the idea and planning stage most of all.  Sketching (too be more accurate: putting lines and words in my notebook), picking yarns and colors, swatching, and developing spreadsheets for sizing, yarn amounts, etc provide hours of entertainment.  By the end of this stage, the item is already designed and knit up  - in my head - and I'm itching to move onto another idea. 

But alas, there is no getting around the production phase - picking up the needles, casting on, and working up the test samples.  And honestly, I really enjoy this stage too, it's just that sometimes it takes longer than I would like for it too.

So I'm at that stage with a book concept I've been working on for over a year.  The idea grew out of the Super Scarves effort - engaging our community to hand make over 8,000 blue and white scarves for the volunteers who worked Super Bowl 46 here in Indianapolis this past February.   While teaching hundreds the basics of knitting, I was struck by the lack of pattern collections for two colors, ala team colors, that were within the skill sets of most average knitters and yet still sophisticated.  In other words, not just a color blocked garter stitch scarf.  I came up with a few designs (see complimentary designs on the right side of the blog) but wanted to branch out into other accessories besides scarfs.  

Couple that with the problem that arises with trademarked and licensed team logos.  No longer can one publish a pattern incorporating Michigan's Block M, for example, as that would require special licensing from the University and NCAA.  I've explored that, and while not impossible to obtain, is definitely out of my reach if I wanted to secure licenses for numerous teams.  As much as I love Michigan, I realize that a book centered around Maize and Blue designs would have a limited market - and might just be enough to stop a Buckeye from ever working one of my designs again. 

So the book will contain a collection of accessory patterns specifically designed to use two or three team colors.   My planed launch date is August 2012 - so I better get moving on the production phase.   I'll be blogging more about the process.  For now, I've received my first installment of the yarn - I've selected Brown Sheep Company's Nature Spun in worsted weight.   This yarn is a great work horse yarn, available in the necessary colors, and produced right here in the Midwest.  More sneak peaks of the designs to come. 

Spring - Time To Get Outside

Like much of the US, spring has arrived into the midwest disquised as summer.  Here in Indy, we've had high temperatures in the 80s for almost a week now.  The flowering trees and spring bulbs have erupted into bloom.  Birds are delirious and the air smells divine. 

What better time than to try out a new camera.  I've known for a while that I needed to upgrade my photographs.  After a fair amount of research, and finding a great deal at Costco, we opted for a Nikon D5100 with a couple of different lenses.  I'm on quite the learning curve, but very happy with performance so far. 

As far as knitting, I've been working on design submittals for next winters publications.  It's surreal to be working on winter designs when the weather is this beautiful, but that's how this business works.   And here's a sneak peak of the next brioche/mosaic cowl design - I think I'm going to call this one Archetype.

Refining the Cause and Effect Scarf

Indulged in a little big ten basketball tournament knitting action last night and this Cause and Effect scarf  (see this post and the complimentary pattern section over on the right side of the blog) was started and finished in one night in front of the TV - I told you it was a quick knit.   I decided to try a modification to refine the look of the scarf, tapered ends:  

This version is worked up in Noro Silk Garden.  This fantastic yarn is a blend of silk, mohair, and lamb's wool with the most beautiful long runs of color blends. I love this yarn in this pattern, and the colors are devine.  The silk gives this scarf some lovely body.  This version is made using only one skein - the blocked dimensions are about 4" wide and 48" long.

It may be best to be comfortable with the stitch pattern as written in the Cause and Effect pattern, before trying this modification.  At least work a swatch if you haven't already started a project.

I use a knit front and back (kfb) to make the increases.  Decreases are made by knit 2 together (k2tog).  See the pattern for other abbreviations.  Note these instructions have not be test knit by anyone other than me, and have not been tech edited yet.  Don't hesitate to let me know if you find a problem or have a question.

To taper the ends of the Cause and Effect Scarf: 

Cast on 3 stitches (these will be the center sts of the scarf).
row 1 - k1, yfsl1yo, k1
row 2 - kfb, yfsl1+yo, kfb (5 sts)
row 3 - p1, k1, yfsl1++yo, k1, p1
row 4 - kfb, k1, p1, sl1+++yof, p1, k1, kfb (7 sts)
row 5 - p2, k1, yfsl1++++yo, k1, p2
row 6 - kfb, k2, p1, brp+++++1, p1, k2, kfb (9 sts)
row 7 - p1, sl1yof, p1, k3, p1, sl1yof, p1
row 8 - kfb, yfsl1+yo, k1, p3, k1, yfsl1+yo, kfb (11 sts)
row 9 - p1, sl1++yof, p1, k3, p1, sl1++yof, p1
row 10 - kfb, sl1+++yof, k1, p3, k1, sl1+++yof, k1 (13 sts)
row 11 - p1, sl1++++yof, p1, k3, p1, sl1++++yof, p1
row 12 - kfb, brk+++++1, k1, p3, k1, brk+++++1, k1

Continue working rows 1-12 of pattern stitch (see pattern).  When scarf is about 2" (5cm) short of the desired length and having just worked row 6 of the pattern stitch, begin tapering the ends by k2tog each end of every odd numbered row while continuing in pattern until 3 stitches remain.  Work the last brp+++++1 row and then knit one more row.  Cut yarn and thread tail through remaining 3 live stitches, pull tight and secure by weaving in the tail. 

I really think this gives a refined look to the scarf.  If you give it a try, be sure to let me know how it works out. 

New Complimentary Pattern - Limited Time Only

Just released a new complimentary cowl or scarf pattern Esprit de Corps- perfect for working up in team colors to show your team spirit!  It's a quick project too in bulky or super bulky yarns. 

The stitch pattern is a variation of stockinette brioche stitch -  I call it double stockinette brioche, and there is a video showing how it's done on the brioche tutorials page. 

This stitch is great for these cowls because the resulting striped fabric is textured, reversible and flat - that's right, it looks like stockinette stitch on one side, but it stays flat.  How cool is that.

This pattern is available for free here - but only during the March Madness KAL over on the Verdigris Knits Group Forum on Ravelry - so grab the pattenr while you can, and whip up one or two to show your Team Spirit.

March Madness Knit A Long (KAL) - check out the prizes

Here in Indiana, March means lots of basketball. Whether it be high school or college, it’s tournament time, and that means lots of knitting time. And if you aren’t a basketball fan, maybe its a good time to finish up some WIPs or just celebrate the changing seasons through knitting. So I’m launching my first Knit A Long (KAL) - with prizes!

Just pick any Verdigris Knits design and post a pic of the finished object in your projects on Ravelry before April 3, 2012.  You can work the pattern as written, mix and match pieces, or just use a part as inspiration.

Please spread the word.  There are some great prizes, including 3 skeins (1200 m total) of some heavenly Fyberspates 100% lace weight yarn in colorway Leprechaun.

This yarn is so beautiful I just like to hang it around the house like jewelry for the doors!

The colorway is especially appropriate for March, no?

 

Other prizes include:

A new copy of the book Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi by Anna Hrachovec - some of the cutest little projects eva (and I ordered 2 copies by mistake)

A copy of my soon to be released e-book - Magic Cowls and scarfs.

A bag of soap nuts (all natural laundry detergent that is great for felting too)

And I'll throw in some of my other patterns if we get more than 25 participants.

Here's how to play along:

Any Verdigris Knits Design is eligible, even the complimentary ones. Projects need to be finished by April 3, 2012. One chance per project.  WIPs already in progress are eligible.

To be sure to have your project counted, post your project on your Ravelry notebook and link it to the appropriate Verdigris Knits Designs Pattern.  Tag your project marchmadnessKAL.

Of course, please consider joining in the discussion in the Verdigris Knits Group KAL thread and post photos there as well,  that’s fun for all.

Update - Cause and Effect Scarf

Curses - despite test knititng and tech editing, a mistake slipped through the original version of the Cause and Effect Scarf. 

Row 6 should be:
 

Row 6: sl1 wyif, [brp+++++1, p1, k3, p1] x2, brp+++++1, p1.

A corrected version (rev date 2/28/2012) has been posted. 

Cause and Effect - a New Reversible Complimentary Scarf Pattern

I love perusing the pattern and technical help forums over on the main boards on Ravelry.  My favorite posts are the ones that start "can anyone identify this stitch?"  There is usually a photo of some amazing finished object with a great, textured stitch pattern.  And 9 times out of 10, I swear the stitch is some form of brioche stitch.   I think I figured out that this is because most knitting machines do variations of  brioche stitches very easily. 

So this week, I clicked on one of those threads, and low and behold the stitch pattern was a variation on a 6-row cascade stitch - much like the Lake Effect Scarf (see complimentary patterns to the right).  So I pointed the original poster to the pattern and didn't think much about it.  But the posted came back with some questions, pointing out that Lake Effect was garter based and this pattern was stockinette based.  So I took another look, and found out there was a lot more to this little stitch pattern.  I grabbed some needles and after a few rows, I was jumping up and down after the results (both dog and husband no longer react to these outbursts).

Cause and Effect scarf pattern - side 2

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern:

This photo does not do this piece justice.  Here are some of the great features of this pattern:

The pattern is reversible  - why?  because the underlying structure is 3x3 ribbing.

The cascade "medallions" are staggered, which creates a great texture and creates a self made picot-like edges along the sides.

No gauge is required - just work with needles that are at least 2 sizes larger than you would normally use. 

Here I used US size 13 (9.0mm) needles with a bulky/worsted lace yarn (thick and thin) Berroco Memoirs (now discontinued). 

Cause and Effect Scarf pattern - side 1

The pattern for this scarf is called  Cause and Effect, and can be found over on the right side of the blog in the Complimentary patterns section.

I hope you try this -  I'm happy to answer any questions.

Please join the Verdigris Knits group over in Ravelry.  Its a great place for discussion on these patterns, make suggestions, ask questions, find out about future designs and plans, or just chat.  I'm running a March Madness KAL with some great prizes.

Hope to see you there.

UPDATE  - this post has information on a modificaction to this scarf pattern to taper the ends.

On Valentines - A Marriage of Brioche and Mosaics

My latest design, Topograph, combines two techniques that I have really come to love - brioche and mosaics.

Just take a gander through my designs and you'll see a overwhelming bias towards these types of patterns. 

This cowl design started out as a typical mosaic pattern, but I had been working on a lot of brioche projects, so when slipping stitches, instead of keeping the working yarn stranded across the back, I did the yarn forward, slip1, yarn over motion common in brioche knit rows.  Didn't even realize it til I got to the next round.  I just kept at it and on the next round, I slipped the original stitch, the previous yarn over, and made a new yarn over.  On the next round, I barked together the slipped stitch and the two yarn overs - and realized that just about any mosaic pattern could be worked this way!

This technique has lots of advantages over regular mosaics:

1. the resulting fabric looks like stockinette on one side, but does not roll -  it stays flat!
2. what would typically be the right side in a regular mosaic pattern has a bit of a skew to it that creates really interesting diagonal dimensions - the plain knit stitches are narrower than the brioche type stitches - this leads to some very interesting visual effects for various patterns
3. it's reversible - the reverse side is as interesting as the typical right side.  The brioche stitches form diamonds.  The photos don't do this side justice.

Like regular mosaics, you only have to work with one color at a time.  And because the cowl is worked in the round, no purling!
I hope you give this technique a try - the pattern is available for $3

Or you can favorite or add it to your queue or wish list over here on ravelry.

Hearts A Bustin for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

I knit with a great group of women once a month.  They like learning new stitches, so last month we worked on a fairly straight forward brioche stitch found in Barbara G Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns - Fluffy Brioche.  I picked it mainly because of the name, but also because it's only worked over 2 rows in one color.   Before long the group was churning out swatches of Fluffy Brioche.   The stitch has a great texture, and quite a bit of horizontal stretch. Fun sure, but the question around the table was "what's it good for?" 

Well, hats for one thing.  I worked up this hat in 2 colors of a super bulky yarn (Sensation's Sumptuous), modifying the original Fluffy Brioche to be worked in 2 colors and in the round.  The result of working the red as the Main Color was surprising - little puffy hearts spiraling around the hat.  I've posted a complimentary pattern for this hat over on the right hand side of the blog -  Hearts A Bustin Hat.

It is a quick knit in super bulky and would work really well in Malabrigo Rasta.  You only need about 40-45 yds of each color.  I made 2 hats out of 2, 86-yd skeins (red and cream). The hat has just enough slouch to be comfy but not too heavy.  Sized to fit 20-22" heads.  But it's an easy pattern to change sizes, just cast on more or less stitches in multiples of 4. 

I hope you give this hat a try - it's a quick knit and makes for a fun hat.  If you make it up, please post photos on Ravelry.  Can't wait to see how it works up in other colors.










Incidentally, Nancy Marchant has designed a very cute top using a derivation of this stitch pattern  zomertijd.  In her version, she uses 2 differnt needle sizes to create even more texture.