Socks 101

This October I am teaching the Monday Night Sock Club's Socks 101 class. I'm so excited to teach this class again - it's one of my favorites. For the last few classes I have been handing out many handouts that I have written about knitting socks and I've decided to just put it all together in a perfectly easy Socks 101 Pattern. It's using worsted weight yarn - quicker to knit for a class sample as there is less homework between classes. My sample was knit in Berroco Vintage. I love Berroco Vintage. It's perfect for socks as it is a blend of wool, acrylic and nylon.

The great part about knitting socks in thicker yarn for the first pair is that you learn all of the necessary skills but you can progress quickly and feel like you are accomplishing something! The pattern will be available at the end of the class - I'll post when it's up!

Beginner Crochet - Part 2

I've been preparing for the second class of my Beginner Crochet class and I wanted to do something fun. They were very quick at catching on so I thought I would up the ante by designing a slouchy hat for them to make. It will be available as a pattern pretty quickly but I thought I would give you a preview! The pattern is worked from the crown to the brim. I quite like the detail on the brim - you could leave it plain or put a nice ribbon through it! Within the next few weeks I will be finalizing this pattern and will release it for purchase on Ravelry and here. Well off to teach my beginners! What fun :)

Freiburg Fingerless Mittens

Yay! Another new pattern all finished up. I introduce to you: Freiburg - Fingerless Mittens which is  available HERE and through stockists of Done Roving Yarns. They were knit with Done Roving's Fancy Footwork - a luscious blend of 80% SW Merino, 10% Cashmere and 10% Nylon. So soft and yummy! The color is Purple Magic.

I love the detail of the lacey pattern. It's created using a fairly simple form of ribbing with a few yarn overs added! They were inspired by the openwork spires in the Freiburg Minster.

This cathedral is in Freiburg, Germany. I love the architecture of openwork spires and totally make me think of lace! David and I went to a Ukrainian Church to take the photos and there was a million little lady bugs than were swarming the church! The green version of the mittens was knit from Diamond Luxury Collection Footloose. I always do an extra sample just to test my work a bit more thoughly. I think this pair is going to be my car mittens.

David was having fun creating "arty" shots!

There was even an audience to our little photo shoot! He was pretty interested at first, but once he realized we weren't going to eat him, he fell asleep.

Miss Maggie - A Slouchy Hat

I wanted to introduce my latest design - Miss Maggie. It is available for purchase HERE. I have been meaning to design a cabley slouchy hat. I was so inspired by a secret design that I have been working on. It is worked flat for the cable band, then joined in the round and the stitches are picked up!

I love the buttons! They were from a elderly friend that left me her very special button collection that I used to play with as a wee child.

It has 2 levels of slouchy-ness. - there is "A Little Bit of Slouch Miss Maggie" and "The Most Slouchy Miss Maggie. I am wearing "The Most Slouchy Miss Maggie." I have modeled the hat in a 22" size.

David and I took the photos at the Ukrainian Church up in Bridgeland. I love the architecture of this place! Especially during the sunset when the sun's light reflects off of the copper roof. So pretty.

Fall knitting already?

The newest of my patterns is coming out this week. I've been working on so many different projects lately - it's almost confusing! Today I have decided to let go of my latest design - which really isn't all that new. I designed it in spring of 2010 for a beginner crochet class I was teaching. I wanted the student to learn how to do shells and to follow a harder pattern then the previous ones in the class. I'm always able to come up with a neat idea, write it out and make the sample but as soon as it gets to actually putting the pattern out for sale, I seem to stall. It's always that I could change something etc but I have to stop trying to tweek things until they become new patterns. So today I present to you - The Potentilla Cowl. It is available for purchase here.

An upclose shot of the stitches!

I've been working on quite a few designs lately and while I absolutely love it - sometimes it's pretty crazy to wake up with ideas in my mind that I just HAVE to make NOW! Today I wanted to show you a quick preview of a pattern that I have been finalizing for quite some time.

The Potentilla Cowl:

It's a quick, warm cowl that is crochet within a few days. The sample above is crochet from Berroco Ultra Alpaca. This pattern should be available in the next week or so!

New Pattern - Ooh La La Headband and Ear Warmer

Ooh La La Headband and Ear Warmer

by Sarah Grieve

Materials:

Silver Version: (two strands held together) Shown at the bottom.

1 Ball Schoppel Wolle Cashmere Queen - 35% Cashmere - 45% Merino Wool - 20% Silk, 153yards / 139 meters per 50 gram/ 1.75oz ball. (Shown in Color # 5723 Azure)

1 Ball Schulana Kid Seta - 70% Kid Mohair - 30% Silk, 231 yards / 211 Meters  per 25 gram / .88oz  ball. (Shown in Color #1 Silver)

Grey Version: (single strand) Shown in the picture at the top.

1 Ball Berroco Peruvia - 100% Peruvian Highland Wool, 174 yds / 160 m per 100 gram/3.5oz ball (Shown in Color # 7106 Granito)

OR:

40 grams of Aran Weight Yarn.

5mm / 8US Needles

3 Buttons - approx. .5"/1.3cm
Darning Needle

Sizes:

Length:

     Child                Teen             Adult - Small      Adult - Large
16"/ 41cm         18"/46cm             20"/51cm           22" / 56cm

*When deciding on the size to make, measure around circumference of your head. Use this measurement to customize the length of the headband making sure a perfect fit!

Width: 2.5" / 6cm

Gauge:

 22 sts = 4" on 5mm/8US Needles in pattern.

Instructions:

Cast on 14 sts using two strands held together. (Using only one strand of yarn, if using aran weight yarn.)

Row 1: K4, P2, K2, P2, K4.

Row 2: K2, *P2, K2 Repeat from * to end of row.

Row 3: K2, *K1, YO, K1, P2. Repeat from * 1 more times. K1, YO, K1, K2.

Row 4: K2, *P3, K2. Repeat from * 2 more times.

Row 5: K2, *K3, P2. Repeat from * 1 more time. K5.

Row 6: Repeat row 4.

Row 7: K2, *K3, pass the first st of these knit sts over the last 2 sts. (decreases 1 st), p2, rep from * 1 more time. K3, pass the first st of these knit sts. over the last 2 sts. K2.

Row 8: K2, P2 to last 2 sts. K2

Repeat rows 3-8 until work measures 18( 20, 22") / 46 (51, 56) cm or until desired length ending with a Row 8.

Repeat rows 1-2.

Cast off.

Finishing:

Sew in all ends with a darning needle. Block headband to show off cables. Sew buttons onto cast off edge. Enjoy!

Abbreviations:

K - Knit
P - Purl
Sts - Stitches
YO - Yarn Over

Notes:

*The Silver version is knit holding two strands together - a light weight mohair and a supersoft cashmere.

*The Grey version is knit using a single strand of 100% aran weight wool.

*There are no button holes as the slip stitch pattern creates holes at the beginning of the work. Sew the buttons opposite of the pre-made holes.