Announcements!

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are doing well. All of a sudden it seems like a lot is going on but that's expected when knitting is your game and the high knitting season has arrived.

First, I want you to know that late yesterday we posted the long-awaited Branches & Buds Sweater Kits again on Barrett Wool Co. This is our most popular kit and we can't keep it in stock! They are already going super fast.

The pattern and design is by the incredibly talented Carrie Bostick Hoge of Maddermade and Making Magazine. It has been so much fun offering these kits with Carrie! The size range is really good and the Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarn literally makes the sweater come to life. I have been wearing mine non-stop, pretty much every day.

Click here to find out more or to purchase a Branches & Buds Sweater Kit! 

Here is a quick photo of the Branches & Buds Sweater Kit from Barrett Wool Co. I promise you will love it as much as I do. It's fun to knit and fun to wear.

The next announcement I have is a big and exciting one! I have a new book, both digital and printed, that has just been released through Quince & Co. I have worked on this project for quite a few years and to see it finalized in this fantastic book format is such a treat. The digital download ebook is available now. The printed book is up for pre-order right now over on Quince & Co. I think the printed book will be out on October 5th (which happens to be my birthday, what a gift!).

Quince & Co. is very much so the nicest company on earth. I LOVE working with them, they are smart, kind, knowledgeable, and everyone is incredibly talented and artistic. I can't say enough good things about this company. It is an honor and a privilege to get to work with Quince in any capacity. Thank you, Quince & Co., for bringing my work to life in such a charming and easy to read way. 

Here is a description of the book from Quince & Co.:

Susan B. Anderson’s book, Kindred Knits: Knitting For Little Ones Near And Far is more than just a pattern book—in addition to the sweet variety of cardigans and other accessories for babies, the book includes a thorough primer in the construction of a basic cardigan pattern, fully annotated and illustrated, plus a tutorial on using a child’s tee to measure, calculate and knit a custom cardigan pattern that is guaranteed to fit the recipient. A pattern for tiny sweater ornaments is also included! Every project is worked in worsted-weight wool Lark. This fun book is available in print+pdf and is a treasure to have on the knitter’s bookshelf.

Preorder now and download the ebook immediately! Print expected to ship October 5th.

Click here to find out more, see all of the projects, and to purchase!

Click here to see all of the patterns included and to favorite on Ravelry!

Just one more thing about the Kindred Knits book. The size range of the little sweaters and hat go from newborn to 24-months but the techniques and know-how to make a cardigan in any size using a tee-shirt for measurements is invaluable. You can be across the country from the intended baby or child and if you know the size they wear, you can knit a sweater for them that will fit. There are worksheets and guides that will help you knit an incredible cardigan in any size. And there are fully illustrated step-by-step tutorials included. It's a really good resource of information.

Also, my artwork is sprinkled throughout the book and that is super fun for me! I have a secret dream to be an illustrator so it is a thrill.

So again, click here to check out Kindred Knits: Knitting For Little Ones Near and Far!

Click here for Kindred Knits on Ravelry!

My last announcement is that I am teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in New York City in January 12-14, 2018! The classes have just gone up and I hope if you are able to attend, please consider taking one or all of my classes. I would just love to see any of you in person. This is one of my most favorite events of the year. You can't beat gathering with thousands of knitters in the best city in the world, NYC!

Click here to check out Vogue Knitting Live in NYC! 

Alright, my loves, I will be back soon with more. I love this little blog and I appreciate you checking in with me. Have a wonderful weekend.

xo ~ susan

Lille En

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are all doing well. I am on a teaching trip right now for the Webs Retreat in Massachusetts and it has been so much fun. It ends today and this morning I get the opportunity to hear Franklin Habit speak. I am looking forward to that!

I want to quickly tell you about some new patterns I've released as a set. The set is called Lille En, which means "little one" in Danish. I am so excited about this one. It is incredibly quick and easy to knit and would make a perfect baby gift. 

The Lille En Vest is knit from the bottom up and is done completely in garter stitch, the checkers are really fun to add in, and the buttonholes are knit in as you. The shoulders are seamed with a 3-needle bind off. Easy peasy! The pattern comes in four sizes, newborn to 24 months.

The Lille En Bonnet is knit from the brim to the back. The bonnet starts flat, working back and forth, then the decrease is worked in the round. The decreases are set to make the sweetest little peak at the top. The i-cord ties are picked up and knit on. The bonnet comes in four sizes, newborn to 24 months.

The Lille En Blanket is a FREE pattern on the Barrett Wool Co. Journal! It is a garter stitch blanket worked with two strands of worsted weight held together and it is so squishy and bouncy! It is a fast, fast blanket.

Click here for the free Lille En Blanket pattern on the BWC Journal!

Click here for the Lille En Set information on Barrett Wool Co.!

Click here for the Lille En Set information on Ravelry!

We are having a wonderful Lille En celebration on Barrett Wool Co. you may not want to miss. With the purchase of 4 skeins of any of our yarns (the set is knit in Home Worsted) and the pattern for the Lille En Set, we are offering FREE U.S. SHIPPING with the code: LILLE at checkout! This is starting today, Sept. 17th, and going through the end of the day on Tuesday, Sept. 18th, 2017. 

Click here to see the yarns on Barrett Wool Co.!

The blanket pattern is included in the pdf pattern for convenience. 

Have a wonderful Sunday and I'll be back to share more about my trip to the east coast very soon.

xo ~ susan

The Roger Cardigan!

Hi, Knitters,

I finished a new cardigan and I am so excited about it. The designer is NellKnits or Nell. The cardigan is named Roger after Mr. Rogers, which I love. Did you know that Fred Rogers' mother knit all of his cardigans that he would put on at the beginning of each of his PBS children's episodes? Quite a few years ago I visited the Smithsonian and had the chance to see one of Fred Rogers' cardigans in person (and Julia Child's kitchen!). It was a real highlight. 

The Roger cardigan is comfy and cozy and it makes you feel good which is why the name dedication to Mr. Rogers is really quite perfect. Nell has done a fantastic job with her design. 

Over at Barrett Wool Co. we have worked together with NellKnits to develop the new Roger Cardigan Kits. And they have just become available for purchase if you are interested. The cardigan is knit in our Home Worsted Weight yarn. 

Click here to find out more or to purchase a Roger Cardigan Kit! I also share details about the construction of the cardigan here. 

Click here to see NellKnits on Instagram.

Click here to see NellKnits blog.

Click here to NellKnits other designs on Ravelry.

I always enjoy a couple of in-progress shots. I really love that moment when you can try on a top-down cardigan to see how it is fitting. At this point in the process I was certain that Roger would become a new favorite for me. 

I love how Nell rounded out the top edge of the button bands. This is such a sweet detail. I also love the set-in pockets. Nell has instructions for both a fabric lined pocket and a knitted pocket lining. 

I think this photo shows how cozy and sweet this cardigan is, the wool looks so squishy. The slight A-line shape is created by going up a needle size on the lower part of the body.

We are working to get custom wood buttons made right now. These are not available yet but with the Roger Cardigan Kit we are including a 20% coupon to be used when we get the buttons in stock. The buttons on my cardigan are Yew wood and they are handmade from Wooly Moss Roots. 

I love the longer length of the cardigan and the drape of the textured fabric. The texture pattern is a simple broken rib. One row is knit only, and then the next row is k2, p2. The smooth stockinette stitch on the sleeves is really flattering. 

I made my pocket linings with stripes. The kit includes a few mini-skeins of Home Worsted Weight yarn with plenty to knit your pocket linings if you so choose. 

Photo from NellKnits

Nell knit her Roger cardigan in Home Worsted Weight in the Field colorway. I think this color is spectacular. Her cardigan has fabric lined pockets and she has a tutorial on how to do this right here!

Photo provided by NellKnits

The collar is picked up and and knit on. I love the details Nell included, how she lined up the rib and the short rows to raise the back of the neck. It is elegant and lovely. 

Anyway, I am excited about my new handmade wardrobe addition. I will be wearing Roger day and day out this coming fall and winter. It is my new favorite. I know you will love to knit and to wear the Roger cardigan. Congratulations to Nell for a beautiful design and pattern!

And as Mr. Rogers always sang, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. 

Click here to find out more about the Roger Cardigan Kit! There are lots of colors available. I think I'd like one in Bear next!

Have a super Sunday, friends. I hope you are all off to a good start in this fall season.

xo ~ susan

September Story

Hi, Knitters,

It has been such a full and busy summer and I know like everyone else I can't believe it is already September. I thought I would start today by sharing a quick family photo of our crew at my nephew's wedding a couple of weeks ago. This photo was taken right after the outdoor wedding ceremony in the same park. It was lovely and we had such a good trip. We made a week long vacation out of it and we loved the San Diego area so much. It is so beautiful and the landscape is interesting and varied. We enjoyed a few different beaches and the ocean and the hiking (we went to a state park but I can't remember the name of it). We stayed at a house in La Jolla. The neighborhood had winding hilly streets and houses that were unbelievable. It was all good!

I hope your August was a good one, too.  

A fun development has come about. Kelmscott Designs is a Canadian company that makes fun and little scissors. The owner, Paula, has designed and created a new pair of snips in my honor. She asked my permission and sent me design samples along the way. And just a few days ago we were sent a sampling of the finished version. 

The new scissors are called Susan Scissors and I just love them. I was already a big fan of the Kelmscott tiny scissors. I have a pair in pretty much every project bag I own and I love traveling with them because they are TSA approved. 

We are making a small preview selection of the Susan Scissors available in the Barrett Wool Co. Mercantile right now. They won't be available anywhere else for a couple of weeks!

Thank you to Kelmscott Designs for the Susan Scissors. What an honor.

Click here to find out more or to purchase a pair of Susan Scissors for your project bag!

Next up we have the Elida hat by Tanis Gray! This is the third hat in a small collection by Tanis for Barrett Wool Co. The Elida uses all four of the colors that were used in both the Vidar hat and the Erland hat. If you have one skein each of Barrett Wool Co. Home Worsted Weight in Marmalade, Snowy Pine, Field and Peppercorn, you have enough to make all three of these fantastic colorwork hats by Tanis Gray. 

So we decided to do a fun bundle deal over on Barrett Wool Co. 

If you purchase four skeins of Home Worsted Weight in any colors and add the three hat patterns (Vidar, Erland and Elida) to your cart you will get the three patterns for free by entering the code TANIS at checkout!

How fun is that? 

Click here for the Elida hat information on Barrett Wool Co.!

Click here for the Elida hat page on Ravelry!

Click here for Home Worsted Weight yarn!

Elida is so beautiful. The brim starts with a 1 by 1 corrugated rib that switches colors. Then the hat moves into a pretty motif repeat that changes background colors as you work up toward the top. 

The tops of Tanis' hats are always so beautiful and fun to knit! 

Now, I came out with a new toy kit for the Egg to Owl pattern. I didn't get a chance to mention it here and there are still some kits available in the shop. 

If you aren't familiar with this reversible toy pattern you start with an egg and you end up with an adorable owl. The photos below show you how it works. I'll meet you at the other end!

Click here to find out more about or to purchase the Egg to Owl Kits!

This is the perfect fall knitting project. They are cute and fun and nearly seamless.

Click here to see the Egg to Owl pattern on Ravelry!

I am excited to say that we have added a few new colors to our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarn line and I am pretty excited about them. Pebble, Laurel and Fable are the names. Here is a little description:

Pebble is a dark and stormy charcoal gray, deep and rich.

Laurel is a glorious medium mossy green, lush and hopeful.
Fable is a happy and full shade of purple, strong and lovely.

These new colors are available in the BWC Mercantile right now until we get them added to the regular Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarn page on the website.

Click here to see the new colors and to find out more!

And I am working on a new red cardigan! I am almost done with the first sleeve. Details to come.

Have a good long weekend, Knitters.  

xo ~ susan

The Fruits of Summer

Hi, Knitters,

The summer is going a little too quickly around here. But one thing I really look forward to is the ripening of our backyard garden. We have a good-sized garden in a sunny spot that is fenced in to keep out the rabbits. We have two raised beds and I think this year we finally have it down. The plants are spread out and supported nicely and this is paying off. Our trouble has always been overplanting. 

This year we have a couple of kinds of peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, a big variety of tomatoes from cherry to Roma to heirloom, and tons of basil. My favorites are the tomatoes. I love tomatoes and once this season hits I can eat a tomato sliced up with salt and pepper for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. It is a highlight of summer. 

The shining stars this summer are the heirloom tomatoes. These are the best we've grown. I love the taste, the look, and the color of these heirlooms. I love the folds and gathers at the top, kind of looks like a knit hat. 

Anyway, I hope you are having success if you garden or maybe if you get to hit a farmers' market or two this summer.

One other fun thing about August is hiking in our neighborhood conservancy. The paths become enveloped in tall grasses, way above my head, and the masses of flowers are beyond belief. No photo can capture what it's really like. The colors and sounds are so beautiful. Hiking in August is something I look forward to every year and with the rainfall this summer, everything is in its prime.

I started a couple of fun projects this past week. One project I am especially excited about is a pattern that's not released yet but it is coming soon. I cast on and started a red cardigan with pockets and a fun textured stitch pattern. I will keep you posted. I think wearing a red cardigan this fall and winter is going to make me really happy. 

Yarn: Home Worsted Weight in the Red Flannel colorway

The other project I started and finished is this gorgeous Erland hat. Tanis Gray is the designer and she wrote the pattern for Barrett Wool Co. I love this kind of hat that is simply casting on and following a chart for the entire hat. Erland is one of my favorite knits ever.

In the photo above, that's Tanis' sample hat and on the right is my version of Erland.

I finished it up in one day and here it is blocking. I modified the original Erland pattern a little bit but not much. I knit the hat on a US size 7 needle at 5 stitches per inch. I added some corrugated ribbing for extra length to cover my ears. And because I was knitting at a bigger gauge I took out one of the repeats, so instead of four repeats I only did three repeats. 

I misjudged the length a tiny bit. After Erland dried I realized that I should have only done one-inch of corrugated ribbing instead of two-inches. So I tucked the cast on edge under and whipstitched it to the inside of the Latvian braid so the brim is doubled, which I love. 

Now the hat is perfect and the fit is fantastic. When you only do three repeats instead of four repeats of the chart the top of the hat becomes slightly pointed. I blocked out the point as much as possible and when the hat is worn there is no visible point. 

Anyway, I love this hat. I feel like it is a tiny piece of art. Thank you to Tanis for such a rewarding design. I haven't had this much fun knitting a hat in awhile. 

Click here for the Erland pattern on Ravelry!

Click here for the Erland Kit on Barrett Wool Co.!

Click here for Home Worsted Weight in the Snowy Pine and Marmalade colors!

I finished writing up all sorts of good tutorials and updates on the Gigi Cardigan. It has been really fun to walk through a typical modification series for a simple top-down cardigan.

Click here if you are interested in seeing tutorials and notes on a Knotted Steek, button placement, sleeve fitting, short rows on necklines and hemlines, adding pockets and more. 

There is a lot of good information for sweater knitters here!

Okay, friends, thank you for the Smooth Operator Socks pattern love. The discount has been extended through the weekend. No code is necessary for the discount on the pattern. 

Click here for the discounted Smooth Operator Socks pattern!

Love to you and yours.

xo ~ susan

Meet Gigi!

Photo provided by designer Devin Ventre

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. We went to the Madison Farmers' Market yesterday morning and it was fantastic as always. For dinner last night we used the produce we purchased to make tofu spring rolls. We have done this a couple of times now and although it's a lot of work we kind of have it down now where everyone has a certain job to make it go faster. I also made a rhubarb crisp for dessert and I just love that tart taste. Anyway, it was all so delicious that I'm still thinking about it as you can tell.

Yesterday we released a new cardigan kit over on Barrett Wool Co called the Gigi Cardigan Kit. You can read all about the background of this cardigan and kit on the BWC Journal by clicking right here. We are so excited about this charming short-sleeved cardigan which is knit up in our Wisconsin Woolen Spun Worsted yarn. The pattern and design are by new designer Devin Ventre. Devin has been so much fun to work with on this collaboration.

Click here to find out more about the Gigi Cardigan Kit!

We have five colorways from which to choose and custom artisan Black Walnut buttons to add if you like. These buttons are really special and are made by my favorite button maker, Jeff Wilson of Wooly Moss Roots. 

Read all about the buttons right here! It has been quite a process to get these buttons and they are exquisite. 

photo provided by Devin Ventre

Devin knit her Gigi in the Rain Shower colorway. I love the little details like the reverse stockinette on the shoulder and sleeve. 

Photo provided by Devin Ventre

The pocket is reverse stockinette stitch, too. 

Devin knit her Gigi in size 34 and my Gigi (below) is knit in size 38. Positive ease is written into the pattern so make sure you check out the finished measurements when determining your size.

Here is my Gigi worked up in the Sherwood colorway! I love it so much. I am already wearing it this summer. It is the perfect layering garment for all seasons. I am planning on wearing my Gigi with jeans and t-shirts both long and short sleeve, skirts, and over dresses. It can be dressed up and casual. This is one versatile garment. 

I made quite a few fun modifications and I am going to be blogging about those all week, including tutorials, over on the Barrett Wool Co. Journal if you'd like to follow along. 

I love sewing on buttons. It means things are almost finished. The buttons for the kit are simply amazing. They are handmade in Mapleton, Oregon, and honestly, they are the perfect finishing touch. 

This is the Sherwood colorway and it is an interesting color. It is teal but it is dyed over a darker wool so there is a heathered look to it that is hard to capture in photos. The Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarn is incredible to knit with on so many levels. The finished sweater is as light as air. 

Gigi is the perfect sweater for beginning sweater knitters or experienced knitters wanting to relax. The pattern is clear and concise. I worked my sweater on a US size 8 for the body and a US size 7 for the edgings. It goes really fast!

The Black Walnut buttons might be my favorite part of the kit. 

I have been wearing my Gigi everyday since it's been finished. Devin Ventre did such a wonderful job with this design and pattern. Congratulations, Devin!

Photo provided by Devin Ventre

I think this is my favorite photo from Devin. She knit a Gigi for her mother and it looks so cute. She used the Penny colorway and the cardigan is worked up in a size 42. It's a wonderful color for her.

Anyway, enjoy the Gigi Cardigan Kit if you get one. I'll have lots of tips and tricks for you along the way while you're knitting. As always, let me know if you have any questions or if we can be of any help over on Barrett Wool Co.

Much love to you all and happy Sunday!

xo ~ susan

My Kermis Cardigan and the Kit Giveaway!

Hi, Knitters,

Be sure to read to the end to find out how you could win a Kermis cardigan kit!

How are you holding up with the holiday bustle this year? I hope well. It has been a fun stretch around here. My new book, Kids' Knitting Workshop, was officially released a couple of days ago. I hope you'll give it a look. It is really good for kids, adults and anyone in between who is interested in learning to knit.

Click here for Susan B. Anderson's Kids' Knitting Workshop on Amazon!

I filmed two short tutorials to go along with the book. Click here for the Magic Loop video and click here for the double-pointed needle video!

Thank you to Knitty.com for the kind review, click here to read it!

Thank you to Paula of Knitting Pipeline for a good, in-depth review on her last podcast and blog for Episode 232! Click here to read and/or listen!

I have a great yarn and Kids' Knitting Workshop giveaway coming up very soon. I am getting it organized right now. Stay tuned for that.

Now onto to some knitting that's been happening around here. The lovely Cate Carter of Infinite Twist sent me a kit for the Kermis cardigan (in the photo above) a short while back. There are several different kit colorways but for some reason the Carousel kit caught my eye the most. I think it was the coral-red edgings. 

But let me tell you how I even ran across this cardigan first. Do you remember the Solja sweater I knitted last spring?

I love this sweater and I loved knitting this sweater. The lace on body and sleeves was fun and fast and the colorwork yoke was even better. I loved selecting the colors and the whole thing was a good experience. 

Click here for the pattern and information for Solja!

Click here for the blog post about my version of Solja ~ the yarn and the mods I made! 

Anna Maltz is the designer of Solja and since I enjoyed it so much I wanted to check out her other designs. This is where I ran across the Kermis cardigan. Anna has a keen eye for playful designs that are both wearable and whimsical.

Click here for the pattern and information for Kermis!

When I saw Infinite Twist had kits for Kermis I contacted Cate Carter to see if we could coordinate a giveaway for a kit for the cardigan. Cate was in! I received my kit and was blown away by the colors of the yarn, the pattern and the sweet pink buttons all included in the kit. I think needles might be included, too, but I told Cate I didn't need them. 

I couldn't wait to dive in.

I did a few things differently than in the pattern. I wanted to knit the entire thing in the round so I added a steek to the front starting at the cast on edge. The pattern has you knit back and forth up to the colorwork section of the yoke, which is only 12 rounds or so. 

I'll talk about this a little more but first here is some general information:

Size: Medium ~ 38.5 inch bust (The sizes range from xs to xl.)

Needles: US size 5

I usually knit sweaters in around a 36 inch bust size give or take depending on the sweater. The description of Kermis says it is supposed to be a fitted but as I've said many times, I don't love a tightly fitted cardigan or sweater. If I had wanted the cardigan to be fitted I could have made the small size at 35.25 inches for the bust. Anyway, I set out to make the cardigan in a more relaxed fit from the start and that's exactly what I got!

Modifications:

~ I added a steek for the entire bottom-up garment so I could knit it up faster in the round (the pattern has you knit back and forth for the body). I added in 5 extra stitches to be worked in stockinette stitch on each side of the 5 added steek stitches because of the eyelet rounds. When the steek is turned under on the wrong side I didn't want it showing through the eyelets.

~ I shortened the rib on the body significantly. My bottom rib section is about 2.5 inches and the pattern calls for 6.5 inches. 

~ I lengthened the body by a couple of inches before reaching the underarms.

~ I shortened the rib on the sleeves. My ribbed cuff is about 5 inches and the pattern calls for 7.25 inches.

~ I lengthened the sleeves to be full-length.

~ I used the crochet method for steeking the sweater. Click here to see a tutorial!

The pattern calls for a unique steek technique called a knotted steek where you knot the cut ends together for a tidy finish. This method looks like it takes a lot of time and would work well for a 12 round steek like the pattern calls for but it's maybe not my first choice for steeking an entire sweater.

~ I changed the numbers on the button bands for the number to pick up (I think I picked up 20 fewer stitches than called for in the pattern). 

~ I changed the number to cast off and cast on for the buttonholes from 4 to 3. Four bound-off stitches would have been too large of a hole for the buttons. I changed the numbers for the buttonhole row completely to accommodate the different buttonholes and picked up stitches.

~ I used 9 buttons instead of 8 buttons as in the pattern. 

All in all, it's adorable! My version of Kermis has a relaxed comfy fit. The fabric is light, airy and bouncy. It isn't too hot and heavy at all. I just love it. The pattern is well-written and designer Anna Maltz did a super job. Congratulations, Anna on another great garment design.

Click here to visit Anna Maltz' website!

The kit I used is called Carousel. The other kit colorways are called Sparrow (browns and creams) and Toffee Apple (pinks and purples) and the new Kay's Choice (that's Kay of Mason-Dixon Knitting, of course). All of the kits are gorgeous!

Check out the kits here on Infinite Twist!

Thanks to the generosity of Cate Carter of Infinite Twist I am able to offer one Kermis kit in the color of choice to a lucky winner today! The kit is valued starting at $110. Cate will work with you on the color and size selections if you win.

To enter to win a Kermis kit, please leave one comment on the blog that includes your email address or your Ravelry username so we can get in touch if you win. In your comment you can let me know what colorway you would choose for your kit if you'd like, I'd love to hear about it. When leaving your comment please click on the submit button only one time. There is a delay before your comment will appear on the blog. 

Happy holiday season to all. I hope you are all knitting away the days in happy anticipation.

Good luck if you enter and let the comments begin!
xo ~ susan