Friday pattern roundup

Today I’m inaugurating what I hope will be a weekly feature here on the blog – a roundup of the best new patterns I see each week. Just a few, because I don’t want to overwhelm you!


Let’s start with a free pattern, Mary Rourke’s Lusekofte-sque Mitts. These would be great as a first stranded colorwork project. Sportweight alpaca in two colors, nicely flared cuffs, traditional Norwegian colorwork. Separate charts for the two mitts, so the patterning is symmetrical. Available on Ravelry (free download). This pair was knitted by Liz.

How about a baby sweater? Nikki Van de Car’s free Maile cardigan is simple and incredibly cute. It’s a button-front raglan worked in one piece from the bottom up. Very springy in bright green, with eyelet flowers around the hem and leafy lace along the raglan lines. Tidy garter-stitch edges are just right.  Needs just one 100-gram skein of sock weight yarn. Written in one size, 3 months, but wouldn’t be difficult to size up.

We have to have at least one lace shawl. I love Luiza, new from Jane Araujo. Top-down triangular shawl with unusual, very pretty border at bottom. Requires 450-500 yards of fingering or laceweight yarn; $5.00, available as a Ravelry download.
Now, two patterns from new books. First, whimsical stranded colorwork mittens – with kangaroos on them!  Wonderful. The roos are full of energy - not one chart repeated three times, but three different poses. Appropriately enough, these were designed by Barbara Giguere for a new book by Gail Callahan aka the Kangaroo Dyer: Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece. Go to the Ravelry pattern page for a peek at the palms. And from Nancy Marchant’s new book on brioche stitch, Knitting Brioche, the Haarlem jacket, an elegant striped cardigan in neutral colors that would look good on almost anyone – or on the runway, for that matter. The subtle color play and asymmetrical collar are very chic.
And to finish up, there’s a great new collection from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas in Washington called Churchmouse Classics. Eleven patterns in the group; my favorites are the simple stockinette infinity scarf in Rowan’s Kidsilk Haze, knitted on the bias (Mohair Bias Loop) and a cashmere beret, but all these patterns by Kit Hutchin are winners – there’s a beaded beret in one skein of Koigu, a Koigu linen stitch scarf, and more.  Available either as printed patterns or PDF downloads. You can order directly from Churchmouse.


So there’s some inspiration for the coming week. If you come across something new that you think I should mention, drop me a line – I’ll be glad to hear from you.

I’ll be spending quality time with Bohus sweaters at Stitches West on Sunday – I’m taking Susanna Hansson’s all-day class on them. I’ll report next week – expect beautiful Bohus photos!

Shawl number one

The first of “10 shawls in 2010” is done: Ysolda Teague’s wildly popular Damson (I think I’m the 759th person to post a finished one on Ravelry). Mine is knitted in Malabrigo Sock in Cordovan.

Lovely design – the two double increase lines on the back give it a horseshoe shape that stays on; the small size is very nice, and the contrast between garter-stitch and stockinette sections is really elegant, especially in a yarn with some sheen.

My next shawl wasn’t on my original list: it’s Rosemary Hill’s Brandywine. This is a Haiti relief pattern – $5 from every sale (more than 75%) goes straight to Doctors without Borders. More than 700 patterns have already sold – that’s $3500 donated so far. Can you help Rosemary get to her goal of 10,000 patterns sold?

I’m using Habu Tsumugi silk – a laceweight raw silk tweed.  I was hoping to finish it in time to wear it to Stitches West next weekend, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen. Here's an in-progress shot:

Review: The Haapsalu Shawl

The Haapsalu Shawl, by Siiri Reimann and Aime Edasi (translated into English by Maret Tamjärv)
Saara Publishing House, 2009 (184 pages)
ISBN 978-9985-9925-9-3
$60.00 – $65.00  US; 19 €  in Europe

If  Nancy Bush’s Knitted Lace of Estonia made you fall in love with Estonian shawls, nupps and all, you’ll want this book for your coffee table. Like hers, this book celebrates the history and traditions of the ethereal shawls from the Estonian resort town of Haapsalu on the Baltic. It was published in Estonia with the direct input of master Haapsalu knitters working today and financial support from the Estonian government and various cultural groups. The financial support shows – it is a positively lavish, well-printed book with many color photographs. 

The Haapsalu Shawl expands on the same territory covered in Knitted Lace of Estonia (Nancy Bush served as consultant and editor for this English translation) with more historical information and more stitch patterns. Wonderful period photos are scattered through the opening chapter on the history of these shawls, knitted for the tourist trade. One page pairs a photo of today’s master knitters seated in a row with their knitting, decked out in lace hats and aprons; below them, a photo of tomorrow’s masters – half a dozen young women from Haapsalu High School with their knitting – bodes well for the future.

Unlike the Nancy Bush book, which has 14 patterns with start-to-finish instructions, The Haapsalu Shawl has no actual shawl patterns in it. Instead, a short but detailed illustrated overview of traditional construction methods gives you all the information you’ll need to knit a scarf or shawl with the stitch patterns you choose from the stitch dictionary. Briefly, the traditional designs consist of a square or rectangular center section in stockinette-stitch lace with a garter-stitch frame, and a separately knitted edging which is sewn onto the finished center section. Square shawls may have a wide lacy border between center section and edging as well.

The edging technique is interesting. Unlike the sideways-knitted lace edgings of the more familiar Shetland shawls, Haapsalu shawl edgings are cast on along what becomes the outer, scalloped edge, and knitted toward the center. This 90-degree difference in the knitting direction creates a whole different look. Traditionally, the cast-on uses two strands of yarn, which makes a bold outline for the outer edge.  Edgings are worked in two halves and joined at two of the four corners (because the tradition predates circular needles, they were not originally worked in the round). There is no mitering of corners; instead, enough stitches are cast on to ease the edging around the corners. Edgings are usually garter-stitch lace, contrasting prettily with the stockinette ground of the center section. Nancy Bush's book suggests alternative, modern ways to knit and attach these edgings.

The technique section of the book is well-written – it tells you how to calculate stitch counts for center section and edging (adding the right number of stitches for corner ease), and specifies the right cast-ons and bind-offs to use, with illustrations. Very detailed instructions are included for sewing the edging to the body of the shawl. There’s also essential information on blocking and on the traditional yarns used. An explanation of the chart symbols used and an illustrated stitch guide round out the technique chapter.

Now for the fun part. Most of the book is devoted to stitch patterns. There are 120 of them; each gets a full page to itself, with a generous, high-quality swatch photo (white wool on medium gray background) and a nice big chart. No written instructions are included. Patterns are grouped into families, interesting because it’s easy to see how small stitch variations alter the look of the swatch. Many of them are nupp-free (nupps apparently are prized as proof that a shawl is hand-knit - knitting machines can't do nupps). There aren’t too many edging patterns – only 9, arranged three to a page to finish the book.

Sprinkled throughout are 22 finished shawls, artfully photographed in full color in varied settings, many in scenic outdoor locations that make me pine for a summer holiday in Haapsalu. Some are modeled by Estonian women of all ages – the acknowledgments charmingly thank “the fair ladies who model the shawls in this book.” The knitter is always credited, welcome evidence of the respect given their work, and thanks to the book’s thoughtful layout, the stitch pattern used always appears on the facing page.

Any lace knitter who’s completed a shawl or two will be able to use this beautiful book to knit a wide variety of square shawls or rectangular stoles, no specific pattern necessary. With a bit of experience, it wouldn’t be too difficult to adapt the techniques to triangular shawls.

The Haapsalu Shawl is available in the U.S. from Schoolhouse Press and Halcyon Yarn, and in Canada from Elann and Needle Arts Book Shop, among others. You can also order it directly from Hobipunkt in Estonia; shipping doubles the cost for a single copy, but it may be worth it if you’re buying more than one. They also sell traditional yarns used by the Haapsalu knitters.

Knitting techniques online - where to start?

Need to learn a new cast-on method, find tips on inserting a zipper in your cardigan, or cut your first steek? Trying to alter a sweater pattern or fix a cable mistake? Or maybe you're just learning to knit, and need videos of the basics.

It's never been easier to get knitting help from the Internet. From the earliest days of blogging, knit bloggers posted great tips and photo tutorials. Now that Internet video is accessible to most people, there's a how-to video for any knitting technique you can think of.

It can be a little bewildering to sort through these resources. They are scattered all over the Web; sites with lots of tutorials tend to be poorly organized (if they are organized at all), and some of the videos in particular are not very good. On the Knitfinder how-to page I've collected the very best of these links and organized them for you by topic, all on one page. It's easy to find exactly what you're looking for--just click on a keyword in the alphabetical list on the left, or use Ctrl F to search the page.

Here are a few more good collections of general knitting help for all levels, from beginner to geek-expert. These not only offer good content, but are reasonably organized so you can find what you need.

KnittingHelp.com
Launched in 2004, Amy and Sheldon Finlay's site is a collection of short, clear technique videos, all free. A great place to start if you're learning to knit. Advanced techniques such as magic loop, Kitchener stitch, stranded knitting and double knitting are here too. Videos are also collected on a CD available for purchase, and there's a glossary of knitting abbreviations and an online discussion forum.

Knit Picks tutorial collection 

Good basic collection covering most techniques beginning to intermediate knitters will need. Includes videos and a glossary of abbreviations. Fairly well arranged; there's an A-Z index of techniques, so it's pretty easy to find what you need. Knit Picks also has a YouTube channel with more than 100 videos.

TECHKnitting
Since 2006, this site has published dozens of in-depth, clear, illustrated explanations of knitting techniques and problems. Everything from basic cast-ons to very detailed analysis of short-row uses and techniques. Invaluable and a bit geeky. Lots of unusual problems and issues are covered. Index of posts by topic is here.

Knitty articles

Knitty has published lots of good technique articles over the years. Archived articles are listed here by topic. Theresa Stenersen's column "Techniques with Theresa" has covered most of the basics; here is a list of subjects. For other Knitty articles on specific techniques, see the Knitfinder how-to page.

Drops Design YouTube channel

90+ technique videos without audio, supplemented with written instructions. If you want to see a technique demonstrated without being distracted by talking, these are for you.

and...great knitting teachers on YouTube

Many knitting luminaries are on YouTube, often in Knitting Daily TV segments. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to find them. Try searching for a favorite teacher's name. Two with channels of their own:

Lucy Neatby has eight great videos on provisional cast-ons, double knitting, bobbles, and "navajo" knitting, among other things. 

Cat Bordhi has 24 videos on sock knitting, moebius knitting, and other techniques. Some real gems among her tips.

Check out the Knitfinder how-tos, and drop me a line if there's a technique you can't find, or you've got a favorite tutorial or video you'd like to see added to the list. I tuck in new links whenever I come across a good one. New today - the "bar none" increase popularized by Meg Swansen, and new color knitting videos from Berroco.

Coming soon: new content for the Knitfinder resource section--look for pages on color knitting and online pattern sources in the next couple of weeks. Also, stay tuned for a new weekly blog feature - the best new patterns available online, from all over the world.

Happy knitting!

A cautionary tale

I'm not very good about swatching (understatement of the year). My last shawl of 2009 was Aestlight from Shetland Trader. Stated pattern gauge is 24 stitches/42 rows to 4" on a 4mm needle - but, and I quote, exact gauge is not crucial. The next time you see that phrase in a pattern, pause and reflect. Did I swatch? No. No fitting issues, why swatch?

I knit Aestlight in Sanguine Gryphon Little Traveller. I had one 560-yard skein, bought at Sock Summit last summer, in a beautiful green that reminds me of oxidized copper. No color name or number on the label. Aestlight is written for two sizes, and the larger requires 550 yards of yarn. You can see where this is going, right?

I cast on for the larger size with a 4mm needle and knitted merrily. About the time I began the sideways lace edging, I began to worry a bit about running out of yarn. At the halfway point of the edging, I realized I might be a gram or two short (thanks to my trusty gram scale). But I hoped for the best, and kept knitting anyway. What else was I going to do? Because of the way the shawl is constructed, I would have had to rip 50% of my work in order to switch back to a smaller size.

This is what I get for being cocky:

My finished shawl measures 68" wide instead of 52", and it's also 2" longer than the pattern dimension. My gauge was 16 stitches/4" instead of 24. I ran out of yarn with 11 edging rows to go. No hope of getting more, with no color name or number - so I headed for the yarn cupboard and pulled out half a dozen bits of green yarn in the right weight. Believe it or not, what you see above was the least jarring alternative.

I do love the finished product. Perfect size, nice drape at this gauge, and the color is gorgeous. No one has remarked on that funny-looking tail yet. I figure I'll just wear the shawl to Stitches West in February and wander around trying to find a better match.

10 Shawls in 2010?

I'm not one for knitting goals or resolutions (or resolutions in general, for that matter), but when I came across the 10 Shawls in 2010 group on Ravelry, I joined right away. Why not? I love shawls. I knit them anyway. One cannot own too many of them, in my opinion. There are already more than 150 shawl patterns in my Ravelry favorites. Last but not least, I wouldn't have to buy a single ball of yarn.

OK, so which 10 shall it be? Usually I decide what to knit on a whim, no long-term planning involved. So thinking about projects I'd like to knit as a group instead of one at a time is interesting. Why not try some different kinds of shawls, and avoid getting stuck in a rut? Minimum two that are all about color, not lace. One stranded colorwork shawl, and one that features texture. I notice I'm not as interested in fancy lacework as I used to be. Minimum one Estonian-style, one Faroese, and one Icelandic-style. A hap shawl would be nice too. I want to knit at least one from my own handspun, and one that's my own design. Oh, and one in hemp or linen.

Then it occurred to me to count up how many projects I actually knitted in 2009. Let's see: 2.9 shawls; 1 sweater; 1 mini-shawl; 1.9 pairs of socks; 1 cowl. Hmmm. Time to revise expectations - the ten shawls are more like a five-year plan.

Oh well, here's my preliminary pattern list anyway. Because lists are fun - imagiknitting galore! (Most of these links take you to Ravelry.) Click away!

Colorful shawls
Stephen West's Daybreak. Stripes, and a great semi-circular shape.


A stranded colorwork shawl like Pinnneguri's steeked Thistle, but with a different chart. Something like Christel Seyfarth's Bird shawl, or Kaffe Fassett poppies? In Shetland wool.

Ulmus from Through the Loops. Slip-stitch stripes plus a lacy border - color, texture, and lace all in one shawl.



Lacy shawls
Two by Ann Hanson: Artichaut from Twist Collective (this would be beautiful in the white hemp I have in stash) and Trevi
  

Miralda's Triangular shawl from Nancy Bush's Knitted Lace of Estonia.


Cobweb stole by Michele Rose Orne. Really like the unusual lace patterning in this one.


Myrtle leaf stole and Handsome Triangle from Victorian Lace Today. Myrtle leaf would be nice in hemp or linen; Handsome Triangle in silk.
  

Clothilde, by Kristen Hanley Cardozo


Echo Flower by Jenny Johnson Johnen, in pretty Estonian motifs


Litla Hyrna Huldu Simple Icelandic shawl with a pretty border. I've got a lot of unspun Icelandic in stash.


That's a lot of laciness after all.

Simple shawls
Ysolda Teague's Damson


Mara and Hannah Breetz's Storm Cloud Shawlette would both be great for my inexpert handspun.
  

Like hundreds of other knitters, I love Citron from Knitty, by Hilary Smith Callis.


Theory shawlette by Jennifer Lang - nice pattern for DK-weight yarn.



Shawls with texture
Gossamer Square from Elise Duvekot's Knit One Below. Unusual technique, two colors of Kidsilk Haze - interesting texture plus subtle colorplay.


Lily Chin's Reversible cabled rib shawl



That's eighteen right there, and there isn't a hap shawl, a Faroese, or one of my own design on the list. And I can't even cast on for  number one yet - first I have to knit an overdue Ice Queen, and I really should finish my Girasole. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.

Fun with Meg and Elizabeth

When people hear about my pattern indexes on Knitfinder, they often ask "isn't that an awful lot of work? and isn't it boring indexing all those patterns?" The short answer is, yes and no. Yes, it's an awful lot of work. Boring? Well, you see, I choose which publications and designers I want to index. And I don't choose the publications and designers whose patterns make me gag - because I don't want to spend that much time with those patterns.

Which brings me to our newest index. Just published - ta daah! The (almost) complete list of patterns by Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen. I've been working on this for months; it isn't a huge number of designs (around 300 in all), but it presented several technical problems that had to be solved before I found a workable way to display the index on the site. Many of the patterns have appeared multiple times in different places; also, many are known by more than one name. You'll also find a resource list, including complete information on Schoolhouse Press yarns past and present.

Anyway. This index was pure pleasure to work on. It was a blast to reread every issue of Wool Gathering and every book by Elizabeth and Meg. In order to write the detailed pattern notes, I have to read every pattern carefully so I understand the design and construction details, and then summarize them for you all. Sometimes this wasn't easy, with these designers! Try explaining the Surprise Jacket or Round-the-Bend Jacket to someone else, especially if you haven't knit it (I must be the last EZ fan on earth who has not made a baby surprise jacket yet).

Much has been said about EZ's writing style. I can only add that her droll way with words cracked me up many times as I worked. Her written patterns express endless curiosity, intrepidity, and joie de vivre - qualities I admire greatly. Happily, Meg's writing style and approach to knitting are not so different and equally charming. I'm glad to have spent a few months living with their words, and pleased to make the index available to you.

In honor of its publication, try a free demo of the full subscriber version. Just log in with the username demo and password knit on for access to detailed pattern notes, Ravelry links, and the search by tag feature. The demo is good through January 4, 2010.

Quick gift patterns: final miscellany

To wrap up our quick gifts series, here are eleven more patterns for you that I couldn't resist, but don't seem to fit anywhere else. Putting this series together has reminded me how much fun it is to knit small projects - playing with different yarns and techniques, and finishing something in a day or two, is just the thing for a short attention span, or a break from a big shawl or sweater project. So, off I go in search of oddballs, beads and other bits and pieces to cast on for one or two of these.

Read the intro to this series here, and don't miss the other lists (links at bottom of this page).

1. Pence jug from Knitty (free pattern). Franklin Habit's re-creation of Miss Lambert's Victorian design: a tiny pitcher in sock yarn remnants, designed to hold coins. So pretty, I'd just drop a few pennies in it and leave it where I could see it every day.
   
   
   
2. Exploring Stripes beaded bag by Holly Webb (free pattern). Available on Ravelry; originally published in Interweave Knits Winter 2001/02. Round-bottomed beaded drawstring bag uses one skein of Koigu or other fingering-weight yarn (175 yards). I knitted a green version of this bag with copper beads years ago--it's lovely.
   
   
   
3. Mrs. Beeton wristwarmers by Brenda Dayne, from Knitty (free pattern). Luxe, feminine wristwarmers in scraps of DK merino/cashmere and Kidsilk Spray or Kidsilk Haze. Simple ribbing with frills and a few beads.
   
   
   
4.  Thrummed fleece muff from Lionhairs (free pattern, available on Ravelry). Live where it's cold? This simple stockinette muff with i-cord strap is just the thing. Uses 120 yards of bulky wool yarn plus an ounce of roving. Here's a beautiful colorful version knitted in two and a half hours.
   
   
   
5. Dumpling bag by Sharon Dreifuss, from Interweave Knits. One-day knit: round felted bag embellished with needlefelting. Uses 272 yards Aran-weight wool, but worked with the yarn doubled. This would be a great bag to hang by your wheel for spinning accessories. Take a look at this bag trio.
   
   
   
6. Sea lace necklace by Sarah Punderson (available on Ravelry). Unique, delicate necklace knitted in Habu silk/stainless steel or Lion Brand wool/stainless. Uses 20-30 yards of yarn and a few beads.
   
   
   
7. Oddment hedghog from Little Cotton Rabbits. The cutest stuffed toy ever. Pattern available on Etsy or Ravelry. Uses 15 yards DK yarn for the body, and scraps for the rest.
   
   
   
8. Tricornu pincushion by Jody Pirrello from Knotions (free pattern). Pretty stuffed pincushion with a knitted counterpane square for the top and a fabric bottom. Tutorial for the sewn part is here. Uses 50 yards of kitchen cotton.
   
   
   
9. Emerald beaded bracelet  by Heather Murray (free pattern). One ball of no. 8 pearl cotton and 15 grams of seed beads make a lovely vintage-looking bracelet you can knit in an evening or two.
   
   
   
10. Fairy star chair mat from Tiny Owl Knits (free pattern). What a good idea - uses 100 yards of super-bulky wool (written for Debbie Bliss Como). Knitted like a pair of circular dishcloths, crocheted together for a double-thickness pad.
    
    
    
11. And one more for good measure - Lacyflakes snowflakes from Heartstrings Fiber Arts. Inventive and truly beautiful - a storm of these silk snowflakes would be fantastic hung in a window or on a tree.
    
    
 

Monday: patterns with color
Tuesday: lacy patterns
Wednesday: patterns with texture
Thursday: plain & simple patterns

Quick gift patterns - plain & simple

Today: ten eleven fabulous plain and simple patterns. Check back tomorrow for a few final ideas. Read the intro to the series here.

All these patterns use less than 300 yarns of yarn; most of them much less. That means you should be able to get them knitted in a week without too much trouble. All are easily available, either instantly online or in magazines currently on the newsstands. Many are free; others cost a few dollars. Some are widely known, others are unsung gems or rediscovered from past years. Enjoy!

1. Quincy hat by Jared Flood. This jaunty hat is garter-stitch with a twist - literally. You knit a flat strip of garter stitch, give it a twist and join the ends, then pick up crown stitches and knit them in the round.  174 yards bulky-weight yarn.
   
   
   
2. Storm Cloud shawlette by Hanna Breetz (free pattern).  Simple but lovely semicircular garter-stitch shoulder shawl with optional ruffle. Worked at an open gauge for sheerness. 150-210 yards fingering weight yarn, but can be worked in any weight. (This would be a great pattern to show off handspun.)
   
   
   
3. 75-yard Malabrigo fingerless mitts for men, from Life in Cleveland (free pattern). Completely plain mitts with ribbed edges - but in a luxurious yarn, what could be better? 75 yards worsted-weight wool.
   
   
   
4. Tea Mitten by Elizabeth Kleven (free pattern). Ribbed tea cozy fits your pot like - well, a glove. Uses less than 100 yards DK wool (and another great use for handspun.
   
   
   
5. Magic slippers for babies from SockPixie (free pattern). Cute garter-stitch slippers use a walnut-sized ball of sock yarn leftovers for a newborn size; can easily be made bigger. I like this version, with pompoms.
   
   
   
6. Robin's Egg Blue hat by Rachel Iufer (free pattern). Chic close-fitting stockinette hat with wide seed-stitch brim and buttoned tab. Less than 120 yards chunky-weight wool.
   
   
   
7. Snug baby hoodie by Hinke (free pattern, available on Ravelry). Almost-seamless sideways garter-stitch hoodie jacket for newborns - 6 months, in Cascade Ecological Wool. Uses 219-273 yards.
   
   
   
8. Susie's Reading Mitts from Dancing Ewe Yarns (free pattern). Fingerless mitts for women in stockinette with eyelet and purl-ridge accents, picot edges. 200 yards worsted-weight yarn.
   
   
   
9. Urchin beret by Ysolda Teague from Knitty (free pattern). Garter-stitch beret worked sideways on two needles with short-row shaping. 77-110 yards bulky wool. This version added a few stitches to make a nice slouchy hat.
   
   
   
10. Huckleberry Ascot by Kat Coyle, from Interweave Knits. Short garter-stitch scarf worked sideways. Short rows widen the ruffled ends. 220 yards DK yarn (written for alpaca).
    
    
    
11. And one more for good measure: Ribby Slipper Socks from Interweave Knits (free pattern). Ribbed alpaca slippers with folded cuffs - feet in bulky weight, cuffs in worsted weight. 145-190 yards, sizes for children and adults. Knit them in a day!
    
    

Monday: patterns with color 
Tuesday: lacy patterns
Wednesday: patterns with texture
Friday: miscellaneous gems