Hi, Knitters,
I hope you are having a great long weekend here in America. We had a family cookout last night which was really fun. I love having all of my kids and their significant others around. There is always a lot of laughter and storytelling. And there is always a lot of good food! The hot weather continues with a projected high of 93 degrees today. It is tough to do much at the height of that heat. I'll get outside on the early side today.
I recorded a new podcast episode. If interested, please be sure to enter to win the yarn over on YouTube by simply leaving a comment that includes your Ravelry username.
We have kits right now for the Cabled Gigi Pullover on Barrett Wool Co. The kit includes the pattern and yarn and also a custom made Diamond Willow button that is truly beautiful.
Have a wonderful week ahead. I'm traveling to Vermont to teach at the Wing and a Prayer Farm this weekend. I can't wait for this small intimate retreat in a scenic setting. I have never been to Vermont so I am really looking forward to it!
xo ~ susan
I hope you are all doing well. I have been traveling and teaching again, spring has finally hit big-time in Madison and we have restocked sweater kits over on Barrett Wool Co.! There's a lot going on.
First, our very popular Branches & Buds Sweater Kits were just restocked last night and they are selling quickly. However, we have a large number of kits so don't worry if you'd like to get one for yourself. There are plenty! The sweater is designed by Carrie Bostick Hoge and it is an iconic sweater in my opinion, both gorgeous and instantly recognizable.
The Branches & Buds Sweater Kit includes our Barrett Wool Co. Wisconsin Woolen Spun Sport Weight yarn. This yarn is local, light and airy and frankly, one of the most beautiful yarns I have ever used. I simply love everything about this sweater kit.
The pattern is well-written and simple enough for first-time colorwork but also perfect for experienced knitters. There is a wide size range and the sweater looks great on all sizes. I've seen it knit and worn in the smallest to the largest size and it is flattering and comfortable.
I want to share some quick photos from my latest traveling adventure. I went to the Galiano Island Retreat which is hosted by Knit Social. Galiano Island is one of the Gulf Islands off of Vancouver. This is one of the most beautiful locations I've ever seen. And I had a complete ball with the knitters and hosts. This was sincerely one of the best retreats I've ever attended.
The photo above from left to right: Jodi of Grocery Girls Podcast, Amanda of Knit Social, Fiona of Knit Social, me, and Tracie of the Grocery Girls Podcast.
We stayed at the Galiano Inn, where the food was so delicious and the rooms were beautiful. All of the rooms had an ocean view. The retreat took over the entire Inn but it is small. I think there were 26 attendees.
I went on hikes and runs every day. The views were scenic and peaceful. Just out the door was a cute bakery and coffee shop and bookstore. There were restaurants and shops just minutes away by foot. It was charming and it made you never want to leave.
These two are some of my favorite knitters, honestly. I have met them several times before but this was the first time I got to spend quality time with them. They are simply wonderful and fun and talented. True gems of the knitting world.
I am holding my baby sweater yarn from Gauge Dyeworks! I will be knitting a couple baby sweaters in the future with this genius yarn. Click here for Gauge Dyeworks! Much more to come on this!
I cast on a new sock for the plane rides home. I am still glowing with the memory of this fantastic knitting adventure. I taught two Smooth Operator Sock workshops and the students were so fun and game to learn. The other instructor was the smart and endearing Andrea Rangel of AlterKnit fame.
Well, it's been a busy, busy stretch around here. I've been traveling, teaching and designing up a storm. It has all been a lot of fun but I am ready to have a month off from travel and just be home for a bit. One thing I quickly want to mention is that I'll be teaching in my beloved Door County, Wisconsin this coming fall and I think there are still some spots available. It is an Ann Budd Knit for Fun Retreat and Olga Beraya-Kefelian and Laura Nelkin are teaching along with me and Ann Budd will be there, too, of course. The dates are September 20-23, 2018.
On Friday I released a new pattern called D is for Duckling. These are adorable palm-sized ducklings that are knit from the bottom-up and seamlessly. The pattern is on special discount through Tuesday, March 27th for $3.50 (no code needed) and will be $5.00 starting on March 28th, 2018.
We have put together a fantastic little kit using Home Fingering Weight yarn. You get everything you need to knit the three ducklings in the photos, the stuffing, and thread. The pattern can be included with your kit and you get a set of stitch markers and a hand-stamped project bag to boot. And it is easy on your pocketbook. Amazing all-around!
These little guys are so much fun to knit and there are lots of photos to help included in the pattern.
There is a lot of our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarn available in the shop right now. Since this yarn is milled at a small local mill it is difficult to keep it in stock as the demand is great. We are getting more next week, as well, so be sure to check back to see what's in stock then.
I have a few fun things to share with you. First, I am going to be teaching four workshops at Fibre Space in Alexandria, Virginia, on Feb. 9-10, 2018. Click here to find out more!
And Barrett Wool Co. is hitting the road! We are heading out to Santa Clara, California, to vend at Stitches West on February 22-25, 2018. Not only will this be our first large event for vending but we are thrilled to be combining forces and sharing a booth with the one and only Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. We are really looking forward to this upcoming event and we hope to see as many of there as possible. Please stop by our booth, #1336 and 1338, to say hello and to see our Barrett Wool Co. yarns in person.
I've updated an "oldie but goodie" pattern called Sweet Sheep and added an adorable double-loop stitch to the body. I think the Loopy Sweet Sheep looks like it is sitting in a cloud of wooly loops! It's so much fun. The original Sweet Sheep version is just as cute in plain stockinette stitch if that's what you prefer. Using the Wisconsin Woolen Spun Worsted Weight is beyond perfect for this project. The finished Loopy Sweet Sheep is so squishy and adorable. Trust me, it so good you can't stop squeezing it!
The Kit Includes:
Enough yarn in our Wisconsin Woolen Spun worsted weight to make one Sweet Sheep. We have three colors for you to choose from: Birch, Quaker Gray and Stone.
An additional printed page of instructions from Susan to go along with the original pdf pattern on how to add the double-loop stitch to your Sweet Sheep.
An optional printed Ravelry download code for the Sweet Sheep pattern, since some might already own the pattern.
You will also be given access to an exclusive tutorial video by Susan on the Double-Loop Stitch used in the Loopy Sweet Sheep. The exclusive video link will be sent to kit purchasers in a separate email.
A tin of 20 assorted color stitch markers.
Black embroidery thread for the face.
The kit comes packaged in a hand stamped cotton bag.
This kit is so much fun and perfect for Valentine's Day decorating and/or gifting.
I've been doing lots of behind the scenes knitting on a couple of projects for publications that will be out in the near future. I can't wait to share more.
I hope to see you at one of my upcoming workshops or at Stitches West! Have a great Sunday, Knitters. I'll be back soon with much more....
I hope you are all doing well. I am in New York City right before on my last day of teaching for Vogue Knitting Live. This event is like nothing else. It is huge and lively and well-run. I have taught four classes so far and the students have been nothing short of wonderful. Shortly, I will be teaching my last two classes and I am really looking forward to it. If you ever get a chance to go to a Vogue Knitting Live event, do it!
I want to let you know that we have a new toy kit up in the shop over on Barrett Wool Co. for a sweet little lamb with some simple colorwork on the body. The pattern is called Baa. I have created 5 exclusive instructional video tutorials to go along with this pattern. The exclusive links to the videos are on the last page of the pattern!
The Baa pattern is currently on discount at $3.50, no code necessary. On January 19, 2018, it will go back to the regular price of $5.00.
The Baa Kit comes in three amazing color choices in Home Fingering Weight, all hand-selected by me. Just for fun we also added a mystery element to the kit and you can add this as an option with purchase. It is a tool and it is 100% adorable and very useful.
Baa measures in at 5.5-inches tall when seated. It is an adorably sweet little knit! Almost completely seamless. The limbs and ears are all picked up and knit on. The only seam is to attach the head to the body and I go over all of it in the 5 exclusive video tutorials included with the pattern.
I'll leave you today with our photo from dinner last night in NYC. I am so fortunate to have a lot of family with me on this teaching trip. They are having the best time. My two sons and their significant others came along and my husband is there at the end of the table. I now have a niece and a nephew living in NYC and so we had a mini-family reunion. It was so much fun. We went to the restaurant Kubeh and I highly recommend it. The food was delicious.
After dinner we went to a tiny and fantastic ice cream spot called Van Leuven's. This is a place not to miss! Salted caramel, honey comb, cookies and cream, black sesame... the flavors were so good.
My favorite part of Van Leuven's was a little gratitude book left out to sign. My son, The Baker, scratched out what he was thankful for, "Friends, family, good food and visiting NYC." We all signed underneath in agreement.
I'll be back soon with more! I hope you love your Baa Kits if you get one. Let me know.
I hope you are doing well. It has finally turned chilly around here and I am full-time wearing wool sweaters and handknit socks to stay warm. It seemed to take a long time this year. It has been a really good fall season so far and I hope it's been the same for all of you.
I was teaching at the Signature Needle Arts retreat a couple of weeks ago and I had such a nice time. Tomorrow I leave for Edmonton, Alberta to teach at an Ann Budd Knit for Fun retreat. Those are always such a great time. I'm really looking forward to teaching with Ann and Joji Locatelli. I haven't met Joji before so I am really looking foward to it.
Today I want to let you know that I have a new pattern out called Sampleri and it is a simple colorwork hat sized from newborn up to adult xl (fits a man size head). Sampleri means sampler in Finnish.
The pattern is on discount right now for $3.50, no code needed, through Nov. 6th, 2017. Then it will be priced at $5.00.
What could be better than a cozy handknit hat made with squishy worsted weight wool? Well, better yet is all of the above plus some simple colorwork charts thrown in for fun! Sampleri, meaning sampler in Finnish, is a quick adventure in stranded colorwork using four or five (depending on the hat size) simple charts along the way. The crown is worked in the main color only and ends with four tiny and charming I-cord loops featuring the four colors used in the hat. It’s the perfect finishing touch for a perfectly festive hat!
Finished measurements: 12 (13, 14.5, 16, 17.5, 19, 20) –inches in circumference (the measurements have been rounded slightly).
Sizing Note: The larger sample is knit in the adult extra-large size and comfortably fits my son, Evan, with a little room to spare. Evan has a 22.5-inch head circumference. I would make the adult medium size to fit me, I have a 22-inch head circumference. The yarn does soften and bloom quite a bit with washing and blocking.
Sample 1 (made in the Adult Extra-Large size): MC: Oats CC1: Penny CC2: Harbor CC3: Jam
Sample 2 (made in the Newborn size): MC: Rain Shower CC1: Penny CC2: Hawthorn CC3: Jam
Yarn Note: The MC for the Adult Extra-Large size used less than 50 grams and the Contrast Colors used under 20 grams each.
The top of the Sampleri hat is finished with four charming looped I-cords and I think it is my favorite topper ever.
The Wisconsin Woolen Spun lends itself to colorwork so beautifully. This is really one of my favorite types of projects. The hat whips up in no time, it looks more complicated than it really is and the finished hat is lovely and fun to wear. All of that adds up to a great knitting experience!
The Sampleri Kits include enough yarn to make the adult xl size. If you make the baby size you will be able to get more than one hat out of the yarn provided.
There are two choices for the Main Color yarn, Rain Shower or Oats. And there are two Contrast Color choices, one includes Harbor (navy blue) and the other includes Hawthorn (brown). All are beautiful options.
Well, have a super week. Thanks for all of the support. I'm off to the great north. I hear it is really cold and wintery in Edmonton right now so I am packing warm wooly clothes and pulling out my winter coat.
Sounds kind of perfect for a knitting retreat, doesn't it?
I hope you are all doing well. The weather around here hasn't seemed very fall-like. It has been unseasonably warm but hopefully, it will start cooling down a bit coming up in the days. I love the fall just as so many others do. Plus, the fall season makes me fall more in love with my knitting every year for some reason. I keep saying it but it really is high knitting season right now. So much is happening that I am having a hard time keeping up.
Yesterday I released a "new" pattern. Let me explain. The original pattern for the bear in a bunny suit was published over a year ago in a book called Drop Dead Easy Knits. The copyright has now reverted to me and so I took it upon myself to update and modify the original pattern so it is even simpler in many respects and even cuter in all respects. I rewrote the pattern and moved and changed some things in the design so I renamed the pattern slightly. It is now called A Bear and A Bunny Suit. Doesn't that sound like a storybook title?
I also wanted to use my bouncy beautiful Home Worsted Weight wool from Barrett Wool Co. which wasn't released yet when the book came out. If you haven't tried our Home line of yarns you really should. It is a joy with which to knit. It feels so good running through your fingers and onto your needles.
So the pattern is now called A Bear and a Bunny Suit and it is on sale right now through Wednesday, Oct. 11th, 2017. No code is needed. The pattern is priced at $3.50. On Oct. 12th the pattern will be priced at $5.00. The pattern is available on Ravelry and Barrett Wool Co.
We have kits over on Barrett Wool Co. for A Bear in A Bunny Suit but they are going so fast. We will definitely add more after we get the first batch done and out the door. Remember to sign up on the product page for an automatic email reminder when the item is back in stock. You'll literally be the first to know as soon as something is restocked.
New Release Pattern Discount! The pattern is on sale for $3.50 starting today, October, 7th, 2017 through Wednesday, Oct. 11th, 2017. No code is needed. After Oct. 11th the pattern will be priced at $5.00. Enjoy!
This new A Bear and A Bunny Suit pattern is a modified version of the original pattern that first appeared in the book Drop Dead Easy Knits in 2016. I’ve changed quite a few things in the written pattern and design for this new version so I decided to release it with a slightly modified name, too.
A Bear and A Bunny Suit is a charming pint-size toy with a knit-in bunny suit including an attached hood that pulls off and on. You will fall in love with this little bear. The design and pattern feature an almost completely seamless construction and lots of specific guidance throughout to make sure your Bear turns out just right.
Finished measurement Approximately 5 ½ inches (14 cm) tall when sitting
Yarn Barrett Wool Co. Home Worsted Weight, 100% American Wool, 100 grams, 230 yards (210 meters)
Home Worsted Weight colors and amounts for samples: Bear: 25 grams in the Bear colorway Bunny Suit: 50 grams in either the Priscilla or Wishing Well colorways
Needles Body, Head and Hood: US size 5 (3.75mm) double-pointed needles, set of four Arms, Legs and Bunny Ears: US size 6 (4mm) double-pointed needles, set of four Or size needed to obtain gauge
Gauge Smaller needles: 6 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch Larger needles: 5.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
Materials Locking stitch markers Yarn needle Scrap yarn Fiberfill Small amount of black worsted weight yarn for the face embroidery Optional: Two 6mm safety eyes (safety eyes are considered a choking hazard for infants and young children) Note: If the toy is for an infant or young child use the black worsted weight yarn to embroider the eyes instead of the safety eyes.
Construction Notes The body is worked from the bottom up and in the round. The hood is then picked up at the neck using set-aside stitches and is worked flat. The hood stitches are placed on scrap yarn. The head is worked separately in the round and is then stitched to the top of the body (this is the only seam in the entire toy). The hood is then finished off. The bear ears, bunny ears, arms and legs are picked up and knit directly onto the toy.
The little brown bear could not be any sweeter. I love it when the hood is pulled down.
We are offering the Bear kit in three different colors, Priscilla (pink), Wishing Well (blue) and Grassland (green). It would be cute in so many colors of Barrett Wool Co. Home Worsted.
Even sweeter from the back....
I always get a kick out of knitting a foot or a toe while the finished toy is hanging upside-down. It just looks so funny. The good thing with A Bear and A Bunny Suit is that when you are done knitting that last stitch on the foot, the bear is completely finished! It is a fantastic feeling.
And now for one more exciting development.
Back in July I flew down to Austin, Texas for about 24 hours. There I filmed a segment for The Knit Show with Vickie Howell. I've put the The Handmade Holiday Episode in the post here for you to watch. I come in at about the 4 minute mark.
But, the entire first season has been released on YouTube. All ten episodes are now up and ready for your free viewing. The show is incredibly well done and I am proud to be a tiny part of the show.
So I had a birthday last week and on that day my new book with Quince & Co. called Kindred Knits was officially released, and The Knit Show was released as well. It was quite a day to remember.
Phew! What a week. Have a super Sunday, friends. I'll be back soon with more.
I am so proud and excited to announce my newest Craftsy class today called Startup Library Knitting! Craftsy has started a new class series that are truly for the beginner. There are Startup Library classes in sewing, baking, watercolors, weaving, cake decorating, embroidery, and now knitting. Last May I spent a week at the Craftsy studio filming this new class.
I am offering a 50% off affiliate link to anyone interested in giving the class a try.
I know that many of you already know how to knit or you probably wouldn't be reading this blog. But many of you, I'm sure, get asked to teach or teach others how to knit. If you are looking for a resource to recommend to new knitters or you want to get ideas for teaching new knitters this class will be a great resource. I really start from scratch and it is divided up so you can click on specific techniques for a quick view or refresher.
Click on play to see the preview trailer for the Startup Library Knitting class!
It's like a dictionary for new knitters. You can quickly and easily look up any technique at a glance. I also have included three easy starter projects and patterns in the class, a pair of fingerless mitts, a textured cowl and a stripey hat. All of these are packed with important techniques for a new knitter to learn.
After taking this class the new knitter will truly be ready to move on to other and more advanced projects. After viewing the class yesterday I can truly say that it is really well done and well organized.
For another topic today, last weekend Barrett Wool Co. traveled to Rochester, Minnesota to vend for the first time. Megan and Amy, of the Stockinette Zombies podcast, were hosting their 5th annual Zombie Knitpocalypse Retreat. There were 200 attendees. It's a well-run and fun retreat that I can highly recommend. I started the weekend on Friday night as the guest speaker which was really fun.
Then early Saturday morning we set up our Barrett Wool Co. booth for the first time. We had such a good time and we learned so much from this experience. It was a great place to start because the market was open for two hours in the morning just for retreat attendees and then there was a closed lunch break and then the market re-opened and included free admission for the public for two hours in the afternoon.
It was fast and furious! Our booth was absolutely swamped the entire time. People were incredibly enthusiastic about Barrett Wool Co. yarns and seeing them in person for the first time. We had all 16 colors of our Home Collection yarns and a lot of our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarns. It all flew off the shelves.
My business partner and son, Evan, and his wife, Molly (formerly known as Miss Molly) were there checking people out and packaging up purchases in our signature printed bags. They did a great job and were so happy with the event. It was fun to have them with me. It was really a whirlwind of the best kind!
We brought along some Branches & Buds sweater kits in our Wisconsin Woolen Spun yarns and a few of them didn't sell so they are back up and available in the shop. These go really quickly so if you are interested hop on over and snag one for yourself.
I selected a winner for the skein of Wollmeise yarn! The winner is.....
Laurie Taylor or pgngrl (rav name)!
Congratulations! I've contacted Laurie and I will get her skein right out in the mail. I will have another giveaway soon so check back. Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter to win.
Now, today Vogue Knitting Magazine Early Fall 2017 is being sent out to subscribers today. The magazine will be available in retail stores on July 11, 2017. I am so excited that I have a design, Strata Hat, and an interview in this issue. The photography of my hat design is so beautiful. It is such a thrill for me to be included in this issue. I have read and loved this magazine for decades now. I remember way back when some of my first sweaters were knit from the Very Easy, Very Vogue magazine patterns.
The Strata Hat is knit in one skein of Barrett Wool Co. Home Fingering Weight in the Wishing Well colorway. The yarn provides crisp stitch definition to play up all of the textured stitch patterns on the two side panels of the hat. The hat is worked from the bottom-up with a 1 by 1 twisted rib brim. The two textured stitch panels are separated by stockinette stitch sections.
The mitered earflaps are optional as they are picked up and added on after the hat is complete. I love the earflaps as they add so much texture and interest to the look of the hat. The entire hat is a fun and simple knit using only the knit and purl stitch.
There are so many great designs and designers in Vogue Knitting Early Fall 2017 including Kaffe Fassett, Norah Gaughan, Yoko Hatta, Kristen Tendyke, Sarah Hatton, Louisa Harding and many more. It's quite an impressive collection.
Anyway, have a fantastic week ahead. I am teaching at KnitCircus on this coming Saturday, June 17. I think there are still a few spots left so if you are in the area come join in the fun. Then we move on to Father's Day, right after that it is my daughter's birthday, then I am speaking and vending at the Stockinette Zombie's retreat in Rochester, Minnesota! The busy-ness continues.
There is so much to look forward to for the rest of June. I know you are all busy, too, but let's remember to find the time to knit!