New Freebie: Janice Market Bag

Janice Market Bag

Skills
Cast on, Knit, Purl, pick up stitches, cast off.

Materials
° Berroco Origami (50g/90m): 3 skeins (or Berroco Linsey, Captiva, or Seduce)
° 4mm-16” or 24” circular needles
° 4.5mm-16” or 24” circular needles
° 4mm crochet hook (optional, for picking up sts)
° Small stitch holder or scrap yarn ° Scrap yarn for provisional cast
° Darning needle (straight is easier) ° 4 Buttons: 3/4” wide
° Sewing needle & thread (in colours matching yarn and buttons)

Gauge
19 stitches & 25 rows = 4”/10xm in stocking stitch on larger needles 

Download Free Pattern Here

Cottage Project: Leafy Face Cloth

I like the idea of quick & easy little projects in the summer, like face cloths and towels. You can make them for yourself or give them away later as little gifts (for a cutie, wrap a nice soap in the cloth and tie it up with a ribbon).  We've been posting a project idea every day our Facebook Page. 

Above is a fun one I wanted to try, a free patern for a Leaf Cloth. It was easy, clearly written, and fee. It uses short-rows, but because it is knit in garter stitch you don't have to pick up the wraps afterwards (if you aren't familiar with the short row technique this sentence will likely sound like gibberish to you, but it roughly translates as "makes life easier").  The project isn't for absolute beginners, but if you are an intermediate or advanced beginner, or want to learn a few new skills, it's great. 

Anyway, it was fun and I love the idea of making a few of them in a different shades of green.  I used Berroco Weekend, a nice, affordable, and machine washable cotton/synthetic blend. You can make at least 2 leafy cloths from 1 skein, possibly 3 (I'll have to weigh the cloth and see how much yarn it used, I'll get back to you via an update to this post). 

Definitely a great cottage project!

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Finished Project: Twister Summer Pullover

Above is our Twister store sample. We used 8 skeins of Berroco Linsey, and it worked out great! The pattern says one size fita all, and it does, it is very roomy and confortable. The sweater is a light pullover with a twist in the front, and it was a very straightforward knit, great for summer & cottage knitting. 

The bag it is shown with is the Janice Market Bag, one of our freebies. 

You can find us at knitomatic.com!

Galinhos Spring Cowl

Last month Liane completed a really nice spring cowl, Galinhos, with Berroco Origami. It turned out beautifully, and the yarn crocheted as well as it knits (we knitted Kiama with it a couple years ago). The pattern is super easy peasy, great mindless crocheting and beginner-friendly. The yarn is unfortunately discontinued, so pick it up while supplies last. 

Galinhos in Origami
Modifications: none
Pattern: Berroco Booklet 305 Origami
Yarn: Berroco Origami, 3 skeins, colour 4356
Hook: 5mm

You can find us at Knitomatic.com

Liesl in Berroco Karma

Finally, a finished project for you!  It's a quick little spring/summer cardie worked up on big needles. The yarn, Berroco Karma, has a lot of drape and worked extremely effectively with the lace stitch. 

The pattern was easy, and easy to follow. I went of the pattern and made mine a bit smaller than the pattern because i wasn't certain how it would work with this yarn and larger needles,. I think the smllest size in the pattern with this yarn on 8mm needles would fit a size medium (size 8 to 10). 

Liesl in Karma

Modifications: see my Ravelry Notes

Pattern: Liesl by Ysolda Teague (about $8)

Yarn: Berroco Karma colour 3415 Sap Green

Needles: 8mm-29" circular (for body) & 8mm-16" circular (for arms)

You can always find us at Knitomatic.com!

Boboli Mobius Cowl

While I was sick last week I was stuck at home inhabiting the sofa, and I dug into my UFO box and pulled out something simple - a Mobius Cowl I'd started last winter using a yarn we no longer carry, Berroco Boboli. 

I originally made it for myself, but I think it was always destined for an old friend in Chicago who buys me german loose fruit teas on her forays to the alps. 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

A Quick Summer Cardie!

I can't believe I totally forgot to Blog this little number!  We whipped up a quick little Cotton Summer Cardie with our Instant Gratification Cardie Jacket pattern.  We used 6.5mm needles and Berroco Weekend Chunky, but I think you can also use 7mm for a slightly more relaxed weave. 

We tried making a larger size since the yarn was slightly smaller, but that didn't actually work out, our sweater was way bigger than expected (the first experiment is not always the successful one).  If I did it again (and I probably will) I'll make the normal size, use 7mm needles, and keep an eye on my row gauge - just in case I need to throw in an extra row in the yoke. The pattern is written top-down, so it's easy enough to try it on as you go. 

The yarn is lovely (I love this colour!) and we only used 4 skeins - pretty economical, it's only $6.97 per skein. 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

New Free Pattern - Frolic Shawl

New Pattern - Frolic Shawl

We introduced this pattern at the DKC Knitter's Frolic last weekend and now we are making it available for everyone! It's a quick & satisfying little spring knit, and only uses  2 skeins of yarn: 1 Noro Taiyo and 1 Berroco Remix. 

To see the projects go to the Ravelry Page, or download it directly from our website.

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

Finished: Arshile Remix Hoodie

Liane finished the Arshile baby/child pullover with Berroco Remix and I think it looks awesome. It's a pattern written specifically for the yarn (from Berroco #303) so I expected it would make good use of the yarn's inherent properties. I was surprised how tweedy it came out, the yarn doesn't have any wool, but it came out looking pretty close to a real tweed which is .... awesome - I like that aesthetic.  I've confirmed it to myself, it's a soft all season yarn that has some texture and interest, and it's machine washable = kid friendly!  :-)

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

Project Round-Up!

I finished my Ombre Cowl! Love it, it's light, airy, and pretty. I'm soooooo into both ombres (colour gradations) and kid mohair (mohair but thin and not particularly itchy) right now. 

Over the weekend I started another prismy wrap. I'm going to keep at it until I get it right! I don't think I'll have to die trying, this one is looking great. I'm using Noro Silk Garden and Debbie Bliss Angel (holding the mohair double). This type of project makes especially good use of the more muted (dowdy) Noro colourways.

BTW, the Prism wrap is the greatest mindless knitting. Simple and effective. And it certainly moves along much faster when you use worsted weight yarn!

I finished the last prismy wrap, but am unsatisfied with my colour choices. The yarn choice worked well, the Berroco Remix can play either a lead or supporting role. 

Finally, we're working on a new project for the store, a little hoodie pattern called Arshile knit with Berroco Remix.  We've decreased our needle size, but it doesn't have anything to do with the pattern, Liane's tension on straight metal needles (they are her very favourite) is a bit looser than the suggested tension.  So far so good, I think it'll make a really cute year-round kid sweater.  

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Prism in Progress

This one is a store project. It is a Prism Wrap (it's really a shawl, free pattern on Ravelry) made with worsted weight yarns: Noro Taiyo and Berroco Remix as a contrast colour. When i chose the colours I was sure the teal blue would make a great contrast with this interesting shade of Noro, but now I don't know. I think the cream or even the oatmeal colour might have worked better. Otherwise, it is working up really nice, and I think 2 skeins of each yarn will make it a really nice sized shawl. 

Everyone poo-poos this colourway of the Noro, but I think it has potential, I just have to figure out how to bring it out. Perhaps the purple needs to be omitted? 

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!

New FREE Boboli Cowl Patterns

Brand spankin' new from us, 2 patterns for simple, easy, elegant cowls using Berroco Boboli, a new yarn for Fall 2011. The yarn is beautiful, prismatic, and does most of the work for you. The rest of the pattern is in the beginner skill spectrum. It's also a non-thinker, a great project for those times when brain no work good. And of course, both patterns are Free!

This sweet little thing is the Boboli Cowl Worsted Version. It's a beautiful weight for fall, moving into  winter, and early spring. It's a straightforward knit and made with 2 skeins of Boboli and 4.5mm circular needles. The yarn knits quickly, and you'll be done before you know it! I made this version second and had no idea I would love it's delicate drape so much!

Here's the Boboli Cowl Bulky Version.  It's made on larger, 7mm needles, holding 2 strands together. Besides creating  a faster knit, it's also a thicker fabric, perfect for when the weather starts getting chill and carrying you into real winter.  It also has more body than the worsted version, and the colour takes on a tweedy quality that transcends the yarn's inherent variegation.


By the way, don't forget to follow the instructions and block your cowl in a bath of white vinegar and Eucalan - it softens up beautifully!

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!  

Finito! Moderne Log Cabin Baby Blanket

We FINALLY finished our summer project!  It is the Moderne Log Cabin Baby Blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting. We used Cascade 220 Superwash and it is definitely an heirloom. The colours worked out great, and I think that you could use heathered charcoal grey (colour 900) as a substitute for the dark mossy green (860). 

The blanket came out nice and big, 34" x 48", and used up a good amount of yarn (garter stitch will do that). If you want to make it a for a bit less money I think it would also look nice using Berroco Vintage:

• 3 skeins of 5101 mochi (cream)
• 3 skeins of 5107 cracked pepper (grey)
• 2 skeins of 51190 cerulean (blue)
• 2 skeins of 5175 fennel (green)

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Berroco's Kiama Cardie - Done!

Our Kiama cardie is Done! And it looks AMAZING!  And I really like how it feels when I'm wearing it!  It's kinda cool to the touch, perfect for summer. YAAAAAYYYY!  :-)  The drape is faboulous, the colour is fabulous, and the texture is interesting. We used 9 skeins of Berroco Origami in 4362 Whale Watch, and the pattern is from Berroco Booklet 294 (available in store).

Here is the sweater upside-down. It's one of those flexi things, you can wear it either way. Cool, huh? Fitted in one direction, deconstructed in the other. Reminds me of that scene in Six Degrees of Separation, where they're talking about the two sided Kandinsky painting: one side is chaos, the other control. Just flip it to express how you're feeling. 

Sorry about the sad pic, you would not believe how hard it is to take a decent picture of yourself on a timer. But it's hard to see what a garment will look like when it's on a hard, petite mannequin. Now, keep in mind I'm 5'9" and do not have big shoulders. If I did it again, I'd make the arms longer, just a couple inches on each side. The size is a small/medium. 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Ruminating on Kid Things

I'm thinking about making something for my niece, who is 3 months old this week. The only thing is that she's a grower and I'm not really sure what size she's going to take from week to week, and what size she'll be in any given season. Moreover, she's gigantic (in the 95th percentile for weight and height), and I don't know if she's going to take after my father and I and be tall, or if she'll slow down after a year and fit regular kid sizes. Maybe I should just make whatever project I choose in a 2 year old size?  

Simo

My sister-in-law put in a request for a felted jumper, which isn't going to happen in knitting - poor kid would cook. But I do love this little dress from Berroco's Remix Booklet #303.   The sizes range from 2 to 12 years, so the sizing issue could work out.

Berroco Remix #3956

I would use colour 3956, dungaree (light blue). I think it's a safe colour for a pale kid, and she seems to look great in blue. It only takes 3 skeins to make a size 2 (also 4 and 6), and the price is right at $11 each, so it's not the end of the world if she mucks it up. And the yarns is completely washable, so this one is a definite maybe.

Knitting Pure and Simple Baby Tunic

I've also been thinking about making a little hoodie for her. I love this version by KimDillard, and I have some Koigu Kersti kicking around, but I don't think it's a good colour for my niece. It is rose with highlights of royal blue, pumpkin and black. It sounds bad, but it's not, it's just too dark and too pink. 

Dream in Color Classy in Some Summer Sky

Another option is Dream in Color Classy in "Some Summer Sky". It should be a great colour on her, and when we go to the park it'll be really easy to keep track of her. 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

I'm thinking about making something for my niece, who is 3 months old this week. The only thing is that she's a grower and I'm not really sure what size she's going to take from week to week, and what size she'll be in any given season. Moreover, she's gigantic (in the 95th percentile for weight and height), and I don't know if she's going to take after my father and I and be tall, or if she'll slow down after a year and fit regular kid sizes. Maybe I should just make whatever project I choose in a 2 year old size?  

Simo

My sister-in-law put in a request for a felted jumper, which isn't going to happen in knitting - poor kid would cook. But I do love this little dress from Berroco's Remix Booklet #303.   The sizes range from 2 to 12 years, so the sizing issue could work out.

Berroco Remix #3956

I would use colour 3956, dungaree (light blue). I think it's a safe colour for a pale kid, and she seems to look great in blue. It only takes 3 skeins to make a size 2 (also 4 and 6), and the price is right at $11 each, so it's not the end of the world if she mucks it up. And the yarns is completely washable, so this one is a definite maybe.

Knitting Pure and Simple Baby Tunic

I've also been thinking about making a little hoodie for her. I love this version by KimDillard, and I have some Koigu Kersti kicking around, but I don't think it's a good colour for my niece. It is rose with highlights of royal blue, pumpkin and black. It sounds bad, but it's not, it's just too dark and too pink. 

Dream in Color Classy in Some Summer Sky

Another option is Dream in Color Classy in "Some Summer Sky". It should be a great colour on her, and when we go to the park it'll be really easy to keep track of her. 

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Ta-Da! Hourglass DONE!

Ta-Da!  

My sweater-along sweater is done!  The Berroco Ultra Alpaca knitted up beautifully. It is stretchy, and I only needed 4 skeins for the sweater.  It was a great way to get myself back into sweater knitting, I'm revved to make another now, possbily something that requires seaming ... we'll see. I've been milling around ideas for my next project, I'll post the parade soon. I'm thinking cadigan for spring. 

As always, you can find us at www.knitomatic.com!

More Sweater-Along Deliberations

OK, I have a few more things for my sweater-along cooking.  In general, I'm looking to make a boat-neck made in the round from the top down, ideally with set-in sleeves.  Not that that exists, it might have to be slapped together from a few models. 

Option 3

Wulfenite, from Norah Gaughan Vol. 7, in  Berroco Ultra Alpaca and Ultra Alpaca Light (colour Oceanic Mix)

I really like this sweater, but I don't know if I'm feeling collared right now. Also, I'll have to order the yarn (although, currently it's leaning towards that anyway). 

Oceanic Mix 6285 & 4285

Option 4

Coney Sweater, from Modern Top-Down Knitting, in  Berroco Ultra Alpaca  (colour Oceanic).

I'm not in the mood for a v-neck, but otherwise this pattern is great. It's a top-down knit knit the round, and has really cool sleeves that puff at the bottom.  Maybe I'll use it as a skeleton and adjust the neckline. Although, if the neckline goes, the cuffs will need to be adjusted too.

Inspiration

Delphine, from  Verena Fall 2010, in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (colour Oceanic)

I just really like the collar on this one, but I think the middle will be too bulky on me. 

Under Consideration ....

Elemental Pullover, from Knitting 24/7, in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light (colour Peat Mix)

I can also use a turtle neck to go with jeans for the long, cold winter. This one is knitted in the round, but from the bottom up. To make sure my sweaters are long enough, I use a provisional cast on, so I can go back at the end and lengthen it if needed. 

 

Peat Mix 4277

For Later ....

Ephemera Cardigan, FREE from Berroco.com, in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine

This is more of a spring sweater for me, I'm considering making it in either pea soup or turquoise. 

 

Pea Soup Mix 1275 and Turquoise Mix 1294

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com.

Blackstone Tweed Toque

Brim Down

Brim Up

Finally, I have a finished object to offer you, although not a big one. I made this toque in blackstone tweed for dear boyfriend's birthday, but he didn't take to it.  Actually, he absconded with it before his birthday, and then he rejected it.  So it has bee re-appropriated for his father's x-mas gift, who will hopefully be a bit more open minded.  

A wash in Eucalan significantly softened up the fabric, it is so soft now!

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com!