New pattern release: Austra

Here it is, here it is! 

I'm so happy to finally be sharing Austra (aka Mustache) with you all!

This was such a FUN piece to work on! A lot of stockinette, some lovely two-colors linen stitches, minimal shaping, and FRINGES!

It is so cosy!

Knit out of Lang Yak Tweed, which is a worsted weight yarn, Austra is a really fast knit. I know that this yarn might not be accessible in your area (especially if you are in the US), but some of my test knitters have used amazing yarns for substitution that might be easier for you to get your hands on:  Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, and Harrisville Watershed. Two very wooly and lofty yarns that work wonderfully well for this pattern.

Construction-wise, the sweater is knit bottom-up, starting with a provisional cast on, because first of all, I hate to start a new project with the ribbing part, and also because the jumper has a split hem. So I didn't see myself casting on TWICE :D

Then it's stockinette in the round for a few inches before starting the two-colors linen stitch that is featured in the front. This is the part that I have enjoyed the most in this sweater (apart from attaching the fringes!). It goes really quickly in a thicker yarn, and it's so pleasing to see how the pattern takes shape in the two colors.

The jumper has minimal shaping: only the front neckline has decreases (without short rows). The back is knit flat in stockinette in the main color.

That’s it!

---

Finished dimensions 
41 (43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53)” / 104 (109, 114.5, 119.5, 124.5, 129.5, 134.5) cm finished bust circumference to be worn with 7” (18 cm) of positive ease

Yarn 
6 (7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) balls of Lang YAK Tweed (50% yak, 50% wool – 115 yds (105 m) / 50 g) in 96 (main color) or about 690 (805/805/805/ 920/920/1035/1035) yds / 630 (735/735/840/840/945/945) m of worsted weight yarn 
AND 
2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) balls of Lang YAK Tweed (50% yak, 50% wool – 115 yds (105 m) / 50 g) in 70 (contrasting color) or about 230 (345/ 345/345/345/460/460) yds / 210 (315/315/315/315/420/420) m of worsted weight yarn.

Needles 
two sets of US 7 (4.5 mm) and US 6 (4.0 mm)

Gauge 
17.6 sts x 26 rows = 4” x 4” (10 x 10 cm) in stockinette in the round after blocking, with larger needles 
20 sts x 38 rows = 4” x 4” (10 x 10 cm) in linen stitch flat after blocking, with larger needles

New pattern release: Little Twigs

Oh joy!

I can't even tell you how happy I am to release this little sweater. I purchased the yarn about two years ago when I had just started designing, with the aim to create a sweater with it someday. Well today's the day :D I couldn't be more happy with how it turned out.

I had first envisioned this sweater a while ago when I was still working on my lucky charm shawl. This year I really wanted to explore slipped stitches a little bit more, and I have really fell down a rabbit hole because I'm obsessed. They are so versatile and lovely to work on (both on the RS and the WS of the fabric). I love them.

Little twigs in a yoke sweater worked from the bottom up. You start off by knitting the sleeves (though that's totally optional, I meant not to not knit the sleeves, but to start off with the sleeves!), and then cast on for the body. You simply knit in the round until you reach the underarm section. There's a couple of short rows there to elevate the back a little bit and make the yoke portion sit better on the shoulders. Then you attach the sleeves to the body by simply knitting a round. A few more short rows, and then the fun part begins. Just remember to loosen yup your tension, or go up a needle size if you're a really tight knitter otherwise the slipped stitches will be all crunched up.

I have used once again one of my all time favourite yarn: De Rerum Natura Gilliat, which is a 100% woollen spun merino yarn. It is such a round and cosy yarn that blooms beautifully after blocking. It kind of reminds me of Brooklyn Tweed a little bit (I actually get the same gauge when I knit with Shelter, which could be a wonderful substitute if you cannot get your hands on that one) though it's much softer I would say.

Little twigs is available in 5 different sizes ranging from  35.2 / 39.2 / 43.2 / 47.2 / 52.8 bust size, and it is intended to be worn with 2 to 4 inches of positive ease.

I have choosen the caramel colorway which had just came out when I purchased it! Since then they are released so many more wonderful colorways (my favourite one is the white pepper). Here's some lovely ones.

Yarn

4(4/5/6/6) balls of De Rerum Natura Gilliat 250m/100g OR approx. 1000/ 1000/ 1250/1500/ 1500m of worsted weight yarn

Needle

US 5 (3.75mm) / US7 (4.5mm)

Gauge

20sts and 30 rows = 10cm/4” in stockinette after blocking with the larger needle

Sizes

35.2 / 39.2 / 43.2 / 47.2 / 52.8 bust size (between +2 and +4” positive ease)

The pattern is now available on Ravelry! Don't forget to use the code LITTLETWIGS15 to receive  15% during checkout (valid though November 4th 2017 midnight Riga time)

New pattern release: Skógur

I am so happy to introduce you to Skógur. Please don’t ask me how to pronounce it. I’ve googled it, and my brain doesn’t even know what to do to reproduce the way it sounds! But what I know for sure is that it means Forest in Faroese. 

Why Faroese? Because the yarn that I have used for it is a blend of Faroe Island and Falkland Island wool. It is HEAVEN. If you like rustic/soft yarns (that might sound very contradictory, but it’s nonetheless true!), you have to try out this yarn if you haven’t yet. I told Mom that I want a sweater quantity of that for Christmas already (that’s also true!). So Santa, I'm expeting more of that yarn under the tree this year!

I had heard about this yarn for so long, but for some reason, never got around to purchase it myself. It’s been listed on my “yarns to try asap” bucket list for the longest time, so when Laine des Iles approached me to ask if I wanted to create a piece in this yarn, I immediately said yes a big YES!

The design itself is very easy. You start off with a LOT of garter stitch. That’s just to get familiar with the yarn, and enjoy your favourite show (it's a Netflix friendly knit). And also it’s very squishy around the neck. Then the texture is slowly introduced in the next section. It might look intricate, but it’s very simple, intuitive and meditative. There’s also a video to show you how to execute the stitch. So nothing fancy here, just some texture goodness.

The shawl itself is quite long (it’s almost as long as my Hollows if you’ve ever knit that one), which makes it perfect to wrap around the neck, and drape nicely on the sides. I have started wearing it already as the weather has started cooling down quite drastically these past few weeks, and I absolutely adore it.

Yarn
3 skeins of Snaeldan 2ply, 100% Faroese Wool undyed, 394 yards (360 meters)/100g
OR
6 skeins of Snaeldan 2ply, 100% Faroese Wool dyed, 196 yards ( 180 meters)/50g
OR
approx. 1182 yards (1080 meters) of fingering weight yarn

Needles
A set of US5 (3.75mm) needles

Gauge
24 sts x 50 rows in garter stitch after blocking

Dimensions
19.2” (49cm) deep x 84.6” (215cm) long

New pattern release: Iris

I am beyond excited to share this new design with you today! I've been on a crazy sweater kick these past few months, as I have been dreaming of more wooly goodness to wear. So what a better way to embrace the beginning of Fall than having a new lightweight shrug to layer on top of dresses and tees?

Iris is a sweet little shrug knit in the stunning Samite from Blacker Yarns aka my most recent yarn crush.
As soon as I received the skeins, I knew that I wanted to make a lightwear sweater that would be a perfect piece for the Fall and Spring.
Light as a feather yet so warm and cosy. Wear it on top of a simple tee with a pair of skinny jeans, or on top of a dress, maybe with ascarf or a cowl if the air is a bit chilly, and you’re ready for a new season!

Construction-wise I wanted to revisit the technique that I have used on the Myst shawl: Iris is knit flat, starting with a provionnal cast on. It is knit sideways then a three needle bind off is used to create the opening for the sleeves and a few rows are knit in the round for the cuffs.
Stitches are then picked up to create the hem. And voilà! Easy peasy.

The whole thing might look a bit intimidating, but honestly it is so easy! Even that lace! It's just a matter of increasing and decreasing stitches here and there!

Yarn
2 (2, 3) skeins of Blacker Yarns Samite, 503 yards (460m) OR approx. 1006 yards (920m) / 1006 yards (920m) / 1509 yards (1380m) of fingering weight yarn. 

Needles
A set of US5)3.75mmneedles A crochet hook of the same size

Gauge
19 sts x 36 rows = 4” (10cm) in lace stitch after blocking. The lace pattern is worked over 22 sts and 12 rows

Notions
stitch markers waste yarn

Sizes
33" (37", 41") [83.8 (93.9, 104.1)cm] long and 22.4" (57cm) deep / long
to fit bust circumference 30-36" (38"-44" / 46”-52").

Now let's talk about this stunning yarn shall we?
First of all I've included below all the colorways available in this base. There's a lot. And they are ALL stunning. The Blacker Team had sent me a sample of each of the colorways, and let me tell you that I've had the hardest time deciding on which one to pick. Gosh they are so pretty. The second yellow one is wayyyy out of my comfort zone and my usual color palette, but I still could really see myself in a sweater of that color, especially this winter when everything will be so dark and gloomy.
Anyway, I'm rambling!

Pictures ©SkeinsSisters

I talked about having a yarn crush for this base. And that's not only because I think that color-wise this is the best base that Blacker Yarn has produced, but mostly because I have spent HOURS in company of this yarn, and as soon as I had it put down that I wanted to work with it again.
I'm not really a "lace" weight type of girl (if that even means anything), but what I mean is that I don't often knit with anything lighter than a fingering weight, because I always think that it'll take me a billion years to complete anything, furthermore a whole sweater.
So to be honest, I thought that Samite was a fingering weight. I don't think that I would have imagined creating this type of design if I would have known that the yarn wasn't a fingering yet.
Oh foolish of me. That prejudice wasn't justified at all. I would have missed so much by not knitting with this blend, because I had a blast.
It flew off my needles. I think that the stitch pattern that I have used might have played a role in that, but I also think that the woolen spun silk had way more "grip" than a traditional worsted one, which made the stitches fly on my metal needles.
The fabric after blocking is so strong, yet rustically soft and as light as a feather.

You can gets your hands on this blend at Blacker Yarns in you are in Europe, throught The Woolly Thistle in the US and at Skeins Sisters if you're in Australia

The pattern is now available for download on Ravelry! You can use the coupon code IRISSAMITE15 to receive 15% during checkout (valid until Friday 8th September 2017 Riga middnight)

New pattern release: Honey Plum shawl

I am beyond excited to share this new design with you today. Honey Plum is a simple crescent shaped shawl that features four of my favourite things: garter stitch, some simple lace, Estonian braids, and this absolutely stunning yarn from Gregoria Fibers.

The construction of the shawl is very simple, and the rows of garter stitch make it such a meditative knit. I have absolutely adored seeing all the different speckles knit up. Not a single stitch it different from the next! Then I have incorporated some very simple Shetland lace (I have used this exact same stitch in my Selkie pattern), and one of my all time favorourite stitch, the Estonian braid. I really don't know why but I find this stitch pattern so addictive to make, and I find it so aestically pleasing!

As for the yarn, I have used three skeins of Gregoria Fibers BFL DK which is without a doubt one of the most stunning hand-dyed yarn that I had the chance to stumble accross. Can you believe that this yarn was naturally dyed with plants? Anna's work truly amazes me.

To celebrate the pattern launch, Anna dyed three different colorways and they are available on two bases: her Polwarth and her Merino DK.

1.Polwarth DK

This wonderful wool is worsted spun from long staple fibres.  It’s a smooth, strong and lustrous yarn

100% SW Polwarth / DK weight / 100 g - 233 meters.

2. Merino DK

This 2ply merino is spun in Portugal. It’s a super-soft, fresh and comfortable yarn. The resulting fabric is incredibly squishy.

 100% SW Fine Merino / DK  weight / 100 g - 250meters.

She's scheduled a shop update for tomorrow evening 7PM Spanish time!
Let me know if you got anything from hers! I'm always so excited to see other knitters being so pleased with her yarns.
Here's the link to her shop: http://www.gregoriafibers.com/

New pattern release: Ginkgo

I am beyond excited for this month's pattern release! This piece has been a one year work in progress. Well sort of! I had conceptualized this design around this time of the year last year, and created a little paper template for it. But since it was already June, I knew that it was too late in the year to design the piece and release it that same year. So I kept it preciously in my design journal until a few months ago, once I got the yarn in hands, and my needles ready to cast on!

I created this design around the concept of origami thus the little template that I made. I really wanted to create a piece that would be as seamless as possible, starting from the bottom up (hem to neck then neck to hem). So in the end, the only seamed part would be the sides, which is quite minimal for a sweater.

Both front and back necks are shaped with decreases to create this elegant v-neck in the front, and this very deep open back that I adore. It is slightly cropped but you can definitely add some lenght if you'd prefer and very dramatic sleeves that are inspired (once again) by Japanese kimono. If the long and large sleeves are not for you, cast on less stitches and you'll end up with smaller/ shorter ones. What I love about this pattern, is that it's very easy to customize, and change element that fit you figure. The sweater is available in 8 different sizes, starting for & 32" bust. It is intended to be worn with something like 3 to 4" of positive ease for a very comfy and breathy fit.

From left to right: Onyx, Tournaline, Amethyst, Dark Beryl, Serpentine (credit pictures to Yarnandknitting.com)

As for the yarn, I have used the beautiful blend of 50% linen & 50% Falklands Wool from Blacker Yarns. Now how could I describe this beautiful blend? Once again I was not disappointed by Blackers. I mean I think that I've tried maybe six or seven of their bases, and the experience has been so enjoyable every single time. Their blends are wonderful and their colors are absolutely stunning. I think that there's a bit of everything for everyone.

But back to Lyonesse. It is extremely soft, like almost buttery soft. It has a beautiful sheen from the linen, and as you would expect from a plant-based yarn, the dyed didn't take evenly on the skein which resulted in the most perfect heathery shades.

Some very lovely versions have already been completed. And one of my favourite's in Patricia's. You can check it out here