Rauschberg and McIntire

It's pattern season over here in the New England Knitting Studio (aka my living room). Last month, not only did the Hoxey Cowl debut in Interweave Knits, I also self published two patterns: Rauschberg and McIntire.

Rauschberg

This beanie is named after Rauschberg, a mountain in the Bavarian Alps. During my stay in Germany last winter, I spent an afternoon atop this majestic mountain celebrating the holiday season by listening to Alphorns, drinking glüwein, and looking at the breathtaking views of the snow-covered villages below. This traditional design is inspired by that warm and cozy feeling that comes with the holiday season, despite winter’s chill.

Rauschberg is knit in the round from the brim to the crown. Two versions of the colorwork pattern are provided in chart form. The beginner/intermediate version uses two colors, while the advanced version uses four. The advanced version requires one to work with up to four strands of yarn per round, which may be challenging for those who are not comfortable with stranded knitting.

Four-color and Two-color Rauschberg Beanies

I am currently making several more of the two-color hats, which may or may not be holiday gifts ;)These hats are so addicting -- plus all you need is two 50g balls of worsted weight yarn per hat! I also may or may not have bought a bunch of Wool of the Andes Tweed during the recent Knit Picks sale ;) ;)

Captured Michael sporting a Rauschberg in the streets of Salem.

McIntire

While Rauschberg is a quick knit, McIntire is more of a labor of love. It may not knit up as quickly as other headbands, it's time well spent because McIntire is like two FOs in one! McIntire is a reversible headband with honeycomb cables on one side and rows of small cables on the other. The many intricate cables make this a perfect project for the detail-oriented knitter. The headband is knit in the round to create a long tube that wraps around the head. The ends of the tube are then grafted together, creating an invisible seam.

Side 1 of McIntire... any guesses where this picture was taken???

Side 2 of McIntire

What's To Come!

Looking ahead to December, my knitting time will most likely be dedicated to knitting Rauschbergs, but I do have some exciting projects, designs, and even a new blog series on the horizon. So stay tuned! In the mean time, I have to keep telling myself "Finish your holiday knitting first!!"

Micalet beanie is now available!

If you follow me on any other form of social media, then you know by now that my newest (and first) pattern, Micalet, is now available on ravelry. Now I can officially divulge all the details!

Micalet is a slightly slouchy beanie that has integrated cables and eyelets designed for fall weather. It is warm, yet breathable to ease the transition into cooler weather. The hat is made with Toil and Trouble Cadence, a worsted weight yarn that is 100% Merino wool, plied, machine washable, AND beautifully hand-dyed by Ana Campos (who also took these amazing pictures). The colorway used in the pictures is her newest color Slate.

As promised, I'm offering a 20% discount on the pattern for all of my blog readers! Just use coupon code "blog20" at check out on ravelry or click here to go directly to check out from now until September 13, 2015!

P. S. I' like to pose this question to all of you --- what are you supposed to do with your hands in pictures?! Besides knitting of course lol.

Tis the season for hats!

With fall hopefully just around the corner, I've found myself knitting A LOT of hats these days. I really like knitting hats because not only are they are quick, but they allow for endless creativity. It's fun to play around with different colors and textures to come up with new designs. Here are some recently finished hats and a sneak peek of a hat design coming out soon.

FO - Bray Cap

Back when I was in Germany, I knit this gorgeous Bray Cap by Jared Flood using Cascade 220 in Doeskin Heather and Citron. I've been seeing this brown and lime green color combo a lot on instagram lately, so I'm glad to see that this hat will be in trend this fall! I followed the pattern completely as is, except I added a little color contrast for the tubular cast on, crown shaping, and pom pom. While Brooklyn Tweed patterns are a little pricey ($7 for this pattern), they are well worth the price. The patterns are very professional and they explain every technique. For instance, in the Bray Cap pattern, the tubular cast on for 2x2 ribbing is explained with great detail.

Hat season continues! Finally finished this bray cap by @brooklyntweed in @cascadeyarns. #knit #knitting #strikk #strikking #instaknit #handknit #knittersofig #knitstagram #knitting_inspiration #i_loveknitting #makesomething #handmade #diy #crafts #salemma #newenglandknitting #tricot #ravelry

A photo posted by Meghan Huber (@newenglandknitting) on Aug 23, 2015 at 7:40am PDT

Pattern WIP - Micalet

These two cabled hats were made as I was swatching/testing my new hat design, Micalet. I thought about waiting until the pattern was out before introducing this pattern on the blog, but I'm too impatient. Plus I've shared a bunch of pictures on instagram and facebook already. I'm the worst secret/surprise keeper there is, but what can I say, I love the instant gratification... that's why I knit a lot of hats!

Well it Monday, which means back to work and less knitting... But I'm satisfied with all of the hats I've managed to finally finish (and start) this weekend. #ravelry #knit #knitting #knitters #knittersofig #knitstagram #handknit #instaknit #instaknitting #tricot #strikk #strikking #yarn #wool #hats #fall #handmade #diy #makers #i_loveknitting #knitting_inspiration #salemma #newenglandknitting

A photo posted by Meghan Huber (@newenglandknitting) on Aug 24, 2015 at 4:52am PDT

Trying on my new hat design for the first time! Just finished the decreases, and I'm so happy that I finally got them to work out and look good! Time to sew this bad boy up, finish the pattern, and knit it again! More pictures to come soon... And if you're interested in test knitting, message me on ravelry at mehuber!! Oh and thanks to my photographer @mikekeebler lol. #knitstagram #strikke #strikking #handknit #handmade #testknitting #ravelry #diy #crafts #yarn #malabrigo

A photo posted by Meghan Huber (@newenglandknitting) on Aug 5, 2015 at 5:32am PDT

I won't say too much about these hats now because I don't want to spoil all of the fun, but here's one last spoiling detail to hold you over.... the pattern is made for this amazing yarn from Toil and Trouble, which is hand-dyed in Salem, MA by Ana Campos. Ana also owns Circle of Stitches in Salem, MA, which has become my go-to LYS since I've moved to the north shore. Her yarns are absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait to see (and feel) this finished project!

Talking to @newenglandknitting about color today. #secretproject #knitting #toilandtroubleyarn

A photo posted by Ana Campos (@toiltrouble) on Aug 22, 2015 at 7:32am PDT

Now that my fantasy draft is complete, I can cast on a new hat with this gorgeous @toiltrouble yarn from @circlestitches. #knitting #knit #strikk #strikking #tricot #yarnporn #yarn #knitstagram #knittersofig #handknit #instaknit #handmade #diy #design #crafts #makesomething #makers #salemma

A photo posted by Meghan Huber (@newenglandknitting) on Aug 23, 2015 at 4:11pm PDT

I casted on last night, so the pattern will be out before Labor Day. If you check back on the blog the day the pattern is released, not only will I divulge all of the details, but I'll add a coupon code to use on release day... so keep your eyes peeled!

Samples for Lady Dye Yarns (and Overcoming My Fear of Variegated Yarn)

First, let me apologize for abandoning my blog while I was in Europe. I wish I could say that I was too busy exploring German countryside, hiking the Swiss Alps, knitting with the finest of Wollemeise and drinking wine, but alas, that was not true. Instead, I was hard at work and putting in a lot of hours at the lab. While that might sound lame, the truth is, I really enjoy working in the lab in Germany. It was really great to see some old friends again and make some new ones too!I did manage to do some knitting while I was abroad, but I'm going to fast forward for now -- I promise I'll come back to Europe in later posts.

These past few weeks I've doing a lot of knitting and I'm excited to show off some of my recent FO's!
A few weeks ago now, I saw on Facebook that Diane Ivey of Lady Dye Yarns was looking for knitters to make samples using her yarn to display at Stitches Midwest. And for payment, a few skeins of her yarn! Let's be honest, who wouldn't knit for more yarn?

Lady Dye Yarns

When I picked up the yarn from Diane, I asked what she wanted me to knit, assuming she had a pattern in mind. But then the deal got even sweeter..... she said it would be great if I could make a hat, but it was up to me to decide what to make. How awesome is that?? Not only did I get the fun of knitting with something with free funky yarn, but also I got an excuse to browse ravelry for a few hours with an actual purpose.

So here's a picture of the yarn she gave me for knitting the sample -- two skeins of her Worsted Superwash Merino. Now, I'll be honest, I rarely knit with variegated yarn. Initially, I didn't know what would be the best type of pattern for this yarn... simple, textured, lacy, cabled? Not to mention that "blue-orange" is a bold color combo. Luckily Diane did give me a little direction saying that something cabled would look better than something lacy.

Superwash Merino Worsted Yarn from Lady Dye Yarns

FO - Neon Ski Hat

With that in mind, I searched ravelry with terms like "cable", "hat",  and "variegated" and eventually spotted the pattern for the Neon Ski Hat. I remembered this pattern was used in a reddit KAL, and I just loved the projects that came out of it. Specifically, I liked that the hat was not a regular, old hat. It has a unique shape and a ton of texture, giving off a fun and jovial vibe to match that of the yarn. In the end, the hat actually turned out even better than I imagined!

Neon Ski Hat

So a few notes... You might have noticed that one skein was a bit lighter than the other. The simple solution to that was to alternate the skeins every round and every two rows when knitting flat. Also, the "body" of the hat is initially knit flat and then joined in the round, but the stitch pattern didn't line up when I went to join in the round. Fortunately, I found notes from MooBooBaby's project which described exactly how to avoid this problem for a large size hat.

Me modeling the Neon Ski Hat and Maine Morning Mitts.

FO - Maine Morning Mitts

I had some yarn leftover, so I also made some mittens to match! I wasn't sure exactly how much yarn I had left, so I opted for making some fingerless mitts. The Maine Morning Mitts pattern I used was quick and easy. I managed to finish them in one afternoon. No significant mods here, except that I made them a bit shorter than original pattern called for. 

Close up of the Maine Morning Mitts

Lesson Learned

From this experience I've learned that I need to be less hesitant my yarn choices. Me of the past would steer clear of variegated yarn, because I didn't know how to use it. Fortunately now I have a bit more confidence with choosing good patterns for variegated yarn, which is perfect since I have two more skeins of Lady Dye Yarns to play with!

Yarn from Lady Dye Yarns for more fun variegated projects!

Thanks again Diane for the awesome yarn and for changing my mind about variegated yarn! Have fun at Stitches Midwest this weekend!!

Lady Dye Yarns Team at Stitches Midwest

New England Knitting -> German Knitting

As I mentioned in the last post, I am headed for Europe! When? Oh, tomorrow. Have I packed? No way... I haven't even finished unpacking yet. First stop will be Tübingen, Germany for about 3 weeks to work in the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems on a human behavioral/robotics project. Just before I started this blog, I was there from July through December, so it will be nice to go back for a little bit and see all of my German friends again. Plus, after being away from Michael for 6 months, 3 weeks will be a breeze!

Sheep in Tübingen

My neighborhood in Tübingen

Lemberg in Autumn

Me at Rhine Falls in Switzerland

Neues Rathaus in Munich

My dad and the view from Schloss Lichtenstein

Michael and I on FaceTime and just so happened to be wearing matching shirts

One of the best parts about staying in Germany is that I have so much extra time.  Where I stay, I don't have to cook meals or clean... basically no responsibilities besides work and knitting. During my last visit, was when I really started playing around with designs, including the two hats I freestyled.

This project was dubbed the "German Ski Hat" because of the colors.
This pattern requires using 3 strands at once... so I'm thinking of publishing an easy
 and advanced version of the pattern with different numbers of colors.

Thanks Apollo for modeling!

This one is the "Swiss Hat" because I made it for a Swiss guy. How original....

This time around, I want to write these patterns up! Plus come up with a few more :) After Germany I'll be off to Valencia, Spain for one week of conference and then one week of vacation, which Michael will join me for. I'm sooo excited for this! I just happened to find this blog post listing all of the yarn stores (tiendas de lanas) in Valencia. But besides perusing yarn, Michael and I plan to enjoy some relaxation time biking along the coast and drinking wine.

Right now, the most important thing I need to think about in terms of packing is what to bring on the transatlantic flight... that's some good quality knitting time. Currently, I'm working on the Caramel cardigan I'm working on, which I need to get some progress pictures of. I also thought I would bring along some yarn to play around with designs. And by some yarn, I mean almost all the yarn I bought last week. Maybe that's too ambitious, but I think it's better to be over prepared than to be stuck on a plane with no knitting.

I'll have one more post tomorrow, Favorites Friday, in New England. I better be packed by then!!

Seriously... this snow is never-ending!

Remember when I said I was in no way sick of snow? Well, I changed my mind. Now I'm kind of sick of snow. New England is bracing itself for yet ANOTHER blizzard. Neptune I think it is? And on a sidenote, since when have we been naming blizzards? I thought it was just hurricanes... Anyway, Michael and I had plans to venture to Salem tomorrow and spend the day drinking tea, strolling in and out of little shops, and make a visit to a new LYS called Circle of Stitches for their soft opening. Unfortunately, public transportation, which we refer to here as "the T", is officially shutting down  from tonight through tomorrow night, making us postpone our day trip.

When the T shuts down, there is not much going or doing around Boston. Yes you can walk, but there is already a ton of snow on the ground plus another foot to come, making it quite difficult to walk around unless you have cross country skis or snowshoes -- which people, including my roommate and friends, have actually been doing. I am not a big skier, as in the first and last time I went skiing, I ended the day by faking an injury because I was too scared to go down the mountain and wanted to be sledded down. That means I'll be snowed in at home yet again. Fortunately, I get to be snowed in with Michael, and we will indulge in a day filled with tea drinking, knitting, reading, and foodmaking (my vote is for pizza and tacos) while wearing our flannel pajamas. I guess snow days aren't THAT bad.

WIP - Gloucester Baby Blanket

So I felt very productive with my knitting this week, and I'm hoping to keep that up tomorrow. I'm still test knitting my own pattern for the Gloucester Baby Blanket. This blanket is knit sideways so that "stripes" are horizontal. I am a third of the way done now, and I'm hoping to make some serious progress on this tomorrow. I'm eager to finish so I can finally share the pattern!

FO - Slouchy Fisherwoman's Hat

Besides working on the blanket, I started and finished this Slouchy Fisherwoman's Hat last night. This hat is basically twisted ribbed throughout (K1TBL, P1 repeated), and you can find this very easy pattern here. It was such a quick knit, especially since I used this bulky alpaca yarn I brought back from Germany. I originally made this for the etsy store that my mom and I have called Huber Stitch Originals, but I love it so much that I might keep it for myself and make a few more later on.

Well I'm off to catch the T home before this blizzard starts yet again. On a much a lighter note, happy Valentine's day to everyone! Charles Schulz said it best that "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." He did forget to mention wine though :) Hope your day is full of love, chocolate, wine, and yarn!