A Pause in the Blog

Dear Graywood Knits blog readers,

I want to let you know, in a few words, that I have been away from the Graywood Designs website and Graywood Knits blog for almost two months now, due to the death of my father, Stanley C. F. Hayes, in early May. Dad died on May 6th, a Monday, and the funeral was the following Saturday.

I am one of seven children and we all made it home to Wisconsin to be at Dad's side in those last few days. Dad had just turned 92 and was living alone, but with daily assistance for personal care and meals. We are fortunate to have had him through all of these years.

Some of you know that I write a daily blog that has been focused on my Dad. Since January of 2010, Dad received a daily email with the blog post. I would write a bit about something that I thought he might enjoy reading about, and I always included a photo. It was my way of staying in touch with him, even though I am in Michigan and he lived in Wisconsin.

You can find those posts at the blog, "From Under The Willow." In these days after Dad's death, I am still writing the Willow Blog. I am not sure where it will take me, but the daily discipline of putting words together with photography is an enriching experience.

I can testify, too, to the comfort of knitting in the midst of sorrow. I knit several baby hats during my weeks in Wisconsin and kept a summer scarf design on my needles. There have been several weeks in June now when I laid knitting aside in favor of gardening and art journaling. But the knitting always beckons and soothes.

Just the other night I took another hat off of the needles and worked in the ends. It's good to get done with a knitting project and move on to something new. I'm waiting for that "moving on" time as I grieve for my father. Knitting, I can finish. This weight of emotion moves more slowly.

So, I am back at the blog. There is a new Knit Along coming up on July 4th. That's what the next post will be about.

Again, thanks for following my knitting endeavors. I hope you will look at the website and, gee, maybe even place and order now and then.

Regards,

Wanda

A Lace Edging: First Week of KAL

Ridgely Shawlette -- A Knit Along -- 3 repeats done

The first few repeats of the lace edging on the Ridgely shawlette proved to be an exercise in lace edging. I have done a lot of lace knitting before but have not attempted a garter stitch edging.

I'm tickled with the results of my knitting so far. I'm using the CoBaSi yarn on a US#6 needle. My colors are gold and camel, since I'm planning to wear the scarf in the fall. Michelle Hunter's pattern uses one ball of main color for the lace edging, while another ball of main color and the contrasting color are working into a garter stripe shawl.

You can see the three balls of yarn in the top photo, as well as the slight increasing that is already building in the shawl part of the knitting. This is fascinating knitting. You'll have to concentrate and mark off rows. The Knit Along makes for a great way to learn something new and add to your "bag 'o' knitting tricks."

Nine repeats finished

Here's the shawlette after seven repeats are complete. The knitted fabric has wonderful drape and I am looking forward to wrapping up in my lace knitting very soon.

Happy Knitting!

Wanda

The Forever Scarf

I started a ribbon lace scarf using a design from Knitty several years ago. I would work on it and put it away; get it out again; put it away. You know the story of unfinished knitting projects, I'm sure.

The scarf is finished! I took the knitting along on a trip to Disney last month and got really, really motivated. Here I am, knitting on the scarf at our Disney hotel. Yes, that is my Element wrap that I am wearing around my shoulders as I knit in the cool outdoor Disney setting.

And here I am, wearing the scarf with a jeans jacket, linen pants and my usual black travel v-neck for an outdoor barbecue event at the convention we attended. I have probably pulled this scarf around my neck fifteen times since finishing it. I absolutely love this piece of knitting and am so glad that I took the time to make it.

I have a skein and a half of Sterling Silk and Silver yarn in this scarf. I used a set of vintage Boye metal needles, needles that I have had since high school days. The pattern is Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery from the Spring 2008 issue of Knitty.

Great pattern, compelling knitting, lovely scarf.

Free lace ribbon scarf pattern is HERE

Sterling Silk and Silver yarn is on SALE HERE.

CoBaSi Yarn at 20% Off

Mmm, here are bags of CoBaSi, the non-wool sock yarn that we have added to our website! This yarn is the first 2013 Featured Yarn and is available at a 20% off discount.

The first KAL (Knit Along) of 2013 uses CoBaSi for a toe-up sock pattern that is a delight to knit.  The socks take two skeins of yarn. You'll have a pair of non-wool handknit socks for less than twenty dollars. That's a good deal for knitters.

We carry twenty lovely colors of this fine yarn.  There is a great range of colors. Some of our favorites are pumpkin (069), moss green (008) and yellow gold (057). There are four different blues ranging from soft blue to a medium navy.

Order some today and enjoy using CoBaSi.

The Heel Is Done -- KAL Week 3

The KAL (Knit Along) for Crimple, a toe-up sock design, is finished through Week 3. Michelle Hunter, designer from KnitPurlHunter will publish Week 4 today and I will be ready to finish my sock. I've been using a long circular needle (2.5 mm or US#1) and doing the magic loop method of sock knitting.

Here's the sock with Week 1 (cast on and knit the toe), Week 2 (knit the foot), and Week 3 (knit the heel) completed in the CoBaSi yarn that we are carrying at Graywood Designs.

Now is a great time to begin this project since you can see all four steps of sock knitting and will know just where your knitting is headed. The CoBaSi is a non-wool yarn that flows through your fingers softly and evenly. It is a joy to knit..

Buy the yarn HERE -- Graywood Designs. We carry 20 colors! If you live in the Pigeon area, you can stop by our shipping office at 40 South Main on Mondays to purchase this yarn. Anything we carry on the website (yarn, needles, patterns, books, GW publications) can be purchased in Pigeon. The office is open 10 am to 4 pm. It is a good idea to call ahead -- 453-2311 locally or 888-453-4554 Toll Free.

CoBaSi is a 2013 Featured Yarn and, as such, is 20% off.

Follow the KAL HERE -- KnitPurlHunter.

Read more about the Knit Along HERE -- Graywood Knits blog

Happy sock knitting!

Wanda

Toe-up Sock KAL (Knit Along)

Join the Knit Along (KAL) from our friends at KnitPurlHunter and learn how to knit a toe-up sock! We are carrying the yarn used in this project, CoBaSi, a non-wool sock weight yarn, on the Graywood Designs website. You will need three things: 1) Internet access and some time to knit; 2) 2 skeins of CoBaSi yarn; 3) 2.75mm needles. That's it!

A Knit Along is a delightful change of pace from the hurry scurry of the holiday months. You will learn new knitting techniques and be making a practical pair of socks. What fun!

Here are some of the specifics about participating in a Knit Along:

• There are four lessons, each posted on the four Thursdays in January.
• The pattern includes photos and online video instructions.
• There is no fee to participate. The KAL is FREE.
• Designer Michelle Hunter will reveal a photo of the project in the last step. Until then, you can watch your knitting progress and anticipate what it will look it when finished.
• You can enter a contest to win cool prizes from Skacel, the distributor of the yarn. Find out about the prizes by reading the Contest Overview on the Skacel website. 
• You  need two skeins of CoBaSi. We offer a 20% discount on this yarn!
• You need 2.75 mm size needle(s). You can use double pointed needles, two circulars, or the magic loop technique (long circular needle).
• We suggest Clover bamboo double point needles OR Addi Turbo circular needles.
• The KAL started Jan. 3. A second post appeared on Jan. 10. Order your yarn NOW and enjoy the KAL!.

CoBaSi Colors

We are carrying 20 colors of CoBaSi on our website. Here are some of them.

We know that we are a bit late at doing the Knit Along, but we are not letting that stop us from knitting. 

We are expecting our full shipment of CoBaSi on Monday, Jan. 14th and are taking orders right now for this new yarn Check out the rest of the colors at Graywood Designs and then join us as we knit along with KnitPurlHunter and make toe-up socks!

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