July KAL (Knit Along): Summer Mittens!

Who in their right mind would be thinking about mittens in the middle of the summer? Knitters! That's who!

We are delighted to offer "Unleashed," a convertible mitten pattern as the next Knit Along (KAL) from designer Michelle Hunter and the fine folks at Skacel. Michelle calls this project a gem with a handy flip top. This mitten will be perfect for texting, walking the dog, or even knitting outdoors.

Yarn for the mittens:  Simpiworsted by HiKoo, a 55% merino superwash, 28% acrylic, 17% nylon blend that comes in 140 yard hanks (100 grams). Gauge: approximately 4 stitches per inch on US #10 needles.

Needles for the mittens: US #6 and US #8 double pointed.

So-o-o, here's what we are offering for this project -- NEW needles and NEW yarn.

We have added FlipStix to our needle lineup. FlipStix are double pointed needles manufactured from high grade aluminum. They feature dual tips -- one end is an Addi Turbo tip and the other end is an Addi Lace tip. When you need to have that more pointy tip, you just flip the needle!

Addi FlipStix in 6" length

Simpliworsted comes in six colors of marl and four colors of multi colors. The yarn has generous yardage, crisp stitch definition, and unparalleled softness. Check out all these colors on our website, choose yours today, and place an order.

Simpliworsted Marl

Simpliworsted Marls, Simpliworsted Multis -- 140 yard hanks.

Knit Along website -- be sure to check it out before July 2nd!

Graywood Knits KAL FAQ blog post -- general information about our Knit Alongs

It's summer! We're knitting mittens! We're crazy! So what!

Happy knitting,

Wanda 

PS  Just so you know. Michelle is suggesting a solid color for this project, so I'm out on the limb offering the marls and multis here. If you'd like to follow her lead and use a solid color, consider using another of our excellent worsted weight yarns. I would suggest a superwash yarn like Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Superwash. Try a red, like Shane's Red. You canot go wrong with a washable, durable quality yarn. 

PPS As always, you don't HAVE to use double pointed needles for mittens! You can knit this project using the magic loop method and a long circular needle, 32" length recommended.

Hat Knit Along Starts July 3

Be ready for the next KAL from Michelle Hunter of KnitPurlHunter. The next project will be a two-color hat design. Michelle says this project (remember, it is always a surprise) is "brimming" with new techniques and that it is the perfect portable project for summer travels. 

Hmm, that sounds great! We are featuring 20 colors. You will find neutrals, some saturated colors, and HOT colors for summer on our website's choices of the yarn for this project, HiKoo Simplicity, a butter soft machine washable yarn. The photo shows 6 of the 20 colors that we carry. Just look at that purple! Red Hat Purple! Cool!

Here are the specifics:

Yarn: HiKoo Simplicity
Content: 55% Merino Superwash, 28% Acrylic, 17% Nylon
Skein size: 50 grams, 107 meters 
Label needle size: US #4-6, 5 stitches per inch

Hat size: The pattern is sized for baby (child, and adult). It uses two colors of HiKoo Simplicity.

Materials for KAL project:
+ HiKoo Simplicity - 1 (2, 2) hanks Main Color, 1 (1, 1) hank Contrasting Color
+ US #4 (3.5mm) needle – straight or circular
+ US #8 (5mm) 16" circular
+ US #8 (5mm) dpns or 32" circulars for Magic Loop method (for crown decreases)
+ Cable needle
+ One 3/4" button

If you want to guess at what Michelle's hat project might look at, HERE are some of her other designs.

And, if you just want to knit a hat this summer, try the Softie Hat, knit using one skein of sock yarn, that I designed. It is a free download on Ravelry and HERE is the link to my pattern. 

And, (whew, one more link!) HERE is the link to sock yarns on the Graywood Designs website.

Happy knitting,

Wanda

PS I couldn't wait to knit with this yarn so I started a scarf using Color 10 Deep Turquoise. The yarn is super soft, holds to the needles well, and flows through my fingers evenly. It is a delight to knit.

April KAL Shawl -- Week One

The April Knit Along (KAL), a shawl knit in HiKoo's Rylie yarn, started with a garter stitch tab that quickly expands through several yarn over increase rows into a semi circle shape.

I'm using the pale pink, Color #093 "Abalone," and am loving the way that the pattern work (star stitch) shows up. The first week's directions take you through Row 60 of the pattern. After I got that far, I slipped the stitches on to a holding thread and soaked the knitting. Then I folded it in a damp towel and stretched it out on a tile top table. The photo shows the results.

Week Two of this KAL will be posted on this Thursday morning at 9 am EDT. Michelle Hunter is the designer and moderator of the KAL.

Our studio knitting group has at least four of us knitting this project, plus we have shipped packages of this yarn to customers. What fun!

Softie Hat -- A FREE Pattern

It's exciting to introduce a new knitting pattern to the Graywood Designs knitting line. And, for the first time, one of our patterns is being offered as a FREE download on Ravelry.

Softie Hat is a a lightweight, fine gauge hat for women in one size. It is knit out of sock weight yarn, also called fingering yarn and uses almost all of a 100 gram skein of yarn.

The fit is snug around the ears, but loose in the body of the hat, so this is a design that won't destroy a hairstyle or flatten your bangs.

Softie Hat pulls down over the forehead for those really windy cold times. Or wear it casually tucked back for a stylish look.

The yarn that you choose will dictate whether the hat is sort of tight or a snug fit around the ears.

The Softie Hat design uses a small needle gauge for the ribbing. For the body of the hat, there are increases and a change to a larger needle to get the looser, softer fit.

Multicolored sock yarns (there are scads of these lovely yarns on the market now) knit up beautifully in this design and, for once, the yarn shows, for, instead of knitting two socks for your feet, you'll be knitting a special hat for your head!

Here's the LINK to the free Softie Hat download.

And here is a LINK to all of the sock yarns on our website, any of which will make a lovely Softie Hat for you.

Happy knitting,

Wanda

Two Fall Knitting Projects

Dear Knitters,

 

Do you need a few ideas for fall knitting? Here are a two projects that don't take a lot of time but are pleasurable knitting with great results. 

Finny's new hat is the Turn A Square hat by Jared Flood. The pattern is available as a free download on Ravelry.

I used Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Superwash worsted weight in two colors for this hat. The main color is  a bronze and Cactus is the second stripe. This yarn is a 2012 Featured Yarn in our studio. Read more about it on our website where you will find 14 colors and a discount on this yarn.

My Ravelry projects page will tell you more about Turn A Square hats that I have knit. Read about how I have knit this pattern for both guys and boys, just by changing the needle size of the body of the hat. You can purchase this yarn at  the Graywood Designs online site.

This is the Tudora neck warmer, sort of a cowl, sort of a scarf. It uses less than a full skein of worsted yarn and can be knit in one or two sittings.

The pattern is available on Knitty, an online knitting magazine, and includes some cabling as well as a clever bind off technique.

I used Brown Sheep Lambs Pride Superwash worsted (again) but would knit this a second time with Brown Sheep Lanaloft Handpaint worsted. Look at the color "Precious Stones" for a luscious blended handpaint look.

Both yarns are available at our online shop, Graywooddesigns.com where I have hand picked a selection of colors from the Brown Sheep charts. The choices run toward rich shades and heathers. Take a look and see if you can find something to knit with at Graywood.

Happy fall knitting!

Wanda

Update: Boneyard Shawl

Boneyard Shawl on the lawn -- wrist watch in upper right corner

In progress, with maybe 30 grams of yarn yet to be knit from the formerly 100 gram ball, my Boneyard Shawl project is coming along. Elizabeth Zimmermann is so right about a  laceweight yarn project being the perfect take-a-long knitting task. I'm not looking at a chart or counting as I knit, so I can keep up a conversation and still knit.

I moved the stitches onto two long needles this week and spread the shawl out on grass. The longest side is almost 40 inches already and, as you can see, I have some knitting to do yet.

This scarf/shawl has given me pleasurable knitting hours in Great Britain, Wisconsin and Michigan. Whether on a bus, sitting by the lake or riding in a car, this is my 2012 summer knitting project that relaxes.

The specifics:

• Yarn: Lace Ball, 100 gram ball
• Needles: US#5 circular -- 40"
• Free pattern: Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West, found on Ravelry.com
• First blog post about my Boneyard Shawl

Coming Soon: Topknot Hat Pattern

My Topknot Hat pattern is almost ready for prime time. Several knitting friends (and sisters!) are currently knitting from the written pattern. Their experiences help me know what adjustments can be made to make the pattern easy to use. Two proofreading gurus are also working their wonders, God bless them.

I have knit four of these little gems myself and have two more in progress. I like to knit from the patterns that I write before I release the design. That way, I will know if I can follow my own directions. Believe me, there are times when I write pretty crazy stuff for knitting.

So, stay tuned. Topknot is almost ready. You will find it on my Ravelry pattern site which is right HERE.

This pattern uses either worsted weight or sport weight yarn. The design is knit using a 16 inch circular needle, US#4 or 5 or 6, depending on the weight of yarn. As usual, you can adjust needle size for your own knitting. The body of the hat is textured and the top is finished with a knot that's knit with I-cord. Funky and fun.

 I'm finishing the hat on the upper right in the photo now. That hat uses Brown Sheep Lanaloft Handpaint Sport yarn, a luscious yarn that will appear on our website this fall. The color pictured is Razzamatazz, a purple/gray/burgundy multicolor that will be in the Graywood Designs online store soon.

So, just a peek! Enjoy!