Welcome to Graywood Knits

Welcome to a new venture for Graywood Designs, this blog that will feature my knitting designs, as well as posts about the art and craft of knitting.

I've been keeping a knitting journal for a number of years and hope to write about how I journal, and about why a knitting journal might be a good idea for you.

I've joined the Ravelry knitting bunch. You will hear about that. I'm knitting for grandkids. I have ventured into lace weight knitting. You will read about those projects, too.

And I've gotten bogged down in knitting and quilting. You'll hear about my struggle to finish things and about taking a vacation from some of the things that I love so much. Sometimes, it's a good idea to get away from it all.

I have some favorite knitting places on the web. There are designers whose work I admire. All of these, and more, will be topics of blog posts in the months to come.

The Graywood Designs website will continue to bring you knitting yarns and supplies, as well as the quilting designs that Graywood has been known for throughout the last fifteen years. You will be able to order some of the yarns that I will feature in the blog posts through the website.

Our website also carries an eclectic mix of needles and books and patterns for knitting. If you like the blog, you will probably find something on the website. We will be shipping one day a week only, though. I'm of the conviction that most knitters are reasonably patient people and will appreciate the blog, the kind of knitting yarn and supplies that we offer, and the links to Graywood Designs's shopping experience.

In addition to the website, you will find Graywood Designs on Ravelry where you can download PDF versions of my knitting designs. If you are new to Ravelry, you will be pleasantly surprised by this all encompassing social media website for knitters.

So, join me as I blog about knitting. You are hereby cordially invited to join me as Graywood Knits!

Happy Knitting,

Wanda Hayes Eichler

Jared Flood's Turn A Square Hat

Turn A Square Hat by Jared Flood

Here's Jared Flood's design, Turn A Square Hat. The pattern is a free download on Ravelry and is a great design that will teach you how to change colors for stripes without a jog. The garter stitch round that you can see in the photo above is my addition to Jared's design. I always like to add a personal touch to anything that I knit.

I used Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted for the three hats that I have knit so far. The wool is so warm. On a cool morning or in a nasty wind, the Turn A Square hat covers ears and warms the whole head.

The decreasing at the top of Turn A Square Hat forms a square.

The heathered colors of Superwash Worsted combine well with other yarns. I used dark green sock yarn, doubled, for the second stripe in the hat photographed here. Both Lichen and Gray Heather went well with the dark green. Notice that you will use less of the second color since it is not used for the ribbing and there are two rounds of this color versus three rounds of the main color.

Closeup of stripe design. Notice that the main color is 3 rounds; second color is 2 rounds.

I used US#5 and US#7 needles for the hat. The smaller needles tighten the ribbing so it hugs the head around the ears. When I finished knitting these hats, I tossed them into the washing machine right along with a load of jeans.

The wool comes out soft and smooth. I also put superwash hats into the dryer for a few minutes. Brown Sheep's label says to dry flat, but I like the plumped up stitches and soft feel that machine drying adds to the hat.

Superwash Worsted Wool

I've been knitting with worsted weight wool lately. I've made three Turn A Square hats from Jared Flood's free Ravelry pattern. Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Superwash worsted weight wool is wonderful for this hat.

The Superwash Worsted flows through needles with a smoothness that every knitting from novice to experienced will love. The wool is warm. On a cool morning or in a damp wind, a sweater or hat made from Superwash Worsted is like a soothing hug.

Sweaters, vests, hats -- whatever you knit from Superwash Worsted is machine washable. Toss the garment into the washing machine. The wool comes out soft and smooth. The stitches even out and the garment will be just fine.

The label for these yarns says to dry the knitting flat. I have tossed hats knit from this yarn into the dryer and like the fluffiness and resilience that comes from the drying process.

Here are some colors that I have used in worsted projects. All of these colors are considered heathered. Heathering means that more than one color is carded into the yarn. Often gray or black fiber is added to the yarn recipe. Gray and black deepen the colors, making them richer and less flat looking.

Cactus -- dulled grass green, more toward gold.
Lichen -- soft grayed green, kind of teal, kind of gray.

Grey Heather -- medium gray with a touch of blue, toward denim.

Shane's Red -- not tomatoey, not rose, not burgundy, not bright.

My favorite project (so far) made from Superwash Worsted is a vest that I knit for my Dad. I used the color "Shane's Red" and know that he gets lots of compliments on his vest. He is so handsome in his warm red vest and wears it often.

The yardage on this yarn is great -- 200 yards per 100 gram (3.5 oz) pull skein. Lamb's Pride Superwash worsted is a 2012 Featured Yarn on the Graywood Designs website.