Introducing the 2016 Knit North Yarn Crawl Shawl, Maritana!

It was back in the fall while I was knitting in the extra comfy chair at Circle of Stitches when the store owner (and friend) Ana Campos asked if I'd be interested in designing the official shawl for the 2016 Knit North Yarn Crawl. I remember it so vividly because I was so excited and honored to be trusted with such a big responsibility! With that, I introduce you to Maritana!

Photo by Ana Campos

While I was eager to jump right in and starting the sample already, I must say that it took me a while to flesh out the exact design of this shawl. The design went through many different iterations of shapes, from an asymmetrical triangle to a biased rectangle, but there were a few details I was steadfast on from the beginning. I knew the shawl would be striped, and I knew the yarn colors I would use.

My idea board

Actually, let me back up here. Ana initially suggested to design the shawl in a dk/sport weight yarn, and then she steered me towards The Fibre Co. Road to China Light. Not only was I beguiled its softness, but I was mesmerized with the gorgeous color choices as well. What impressed me most was how well the different colorways go with each other. Even though I knew exactly what four colors I wanted to use for the sample right away, there were so many color combinations I liked just as much. So now we're caught back up to when I had four yarn colors to play with. Like I said before, I also knew I wanted to have a ton of multi-sized stripes. This led to hours of finagling in Illustrator to find the right arrangement and proportions of stripes. Then came deciding on the shape.

Ironically I'm not a huge fan of triangular shawls, rather I should say "wasn't". In the past, I found them awkward to wear and hard to keep around my neck/shoulders. My first instinct was to knit a rectangular wrap, but then again I didn't want it to take too long  and require too much yarn for the yarn crawlers trying to finish the shawl by the end of March. Then I thought about doing an asymmetrical triangular shawl, but this was right when Melanie Berg's Drachenfels design debuted. Given that almost everyone I know was knitting this shawl (myself included), I figured I'd want to make something different. It was then in talking with one of the employee's at Circle of Stitches, Carolyn, when I decided once and for all to make a symmetrical triangular shawl. It was her advice that "the bigger the shawl, the easier it is to wear" is what sold me on my final decision.

And let me say, I'm so happy that I did! This shawl has been my go-to knitwear accessory for the past two months now, because its soooooo comfortable and extremely versatile. I can through it on over a tshirt and jeans while running errands or wear it with a formal outfit at work. However my favorite part about this shawl is just how creative it lets each individual knitter be with their color choices. Check out some of the projects people have already started and even finished already!

Ana Campos, the owner of Circle of Stitches in Salem, is also making her shawl out of Road to China Light

Carrie McGowan of Oh She Dabbles, is making her shawl out of Anzula Cricket.

Laurie Hunt, the owner of Hooked in Essex, MA, made her shawl with Tenzing by Juniper Moon Farm

From now until the end of the crawl (March 20th), the pattern will sold at a discounted price on ravelry. You can also support your LYS by purchasing the pattern in store. You still get the discounted price. I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Hoxey Cowl

Interweave Knits Winter 2016 is now out, and I am extremely excited because it features my Hoxey Cowl!

I designed this cowl specifically with Plymouth Yarn's Baby Alpaca Grande in mind. For starters, I wanted something warm and cozy. In my opinion, you can't get warmer or cozier (or cuter) than baby alpaca. Secondly, Plymouth yarn offers a hand-dyed version of this yarn, which is just gorgeous. In each hand dyed skein, there is an array of colors that change rather quickly. In order to let each color speak, I alternated stitches with the natural color. I also added a little texture to make the hand dyed yarn really pop out. This bulky cowl is designed to be long enough that also can be extended beyond the neck to cover parts of the face and ears when its bitter cold outside. It's fair to say that last winter definitely played a big role in the design.

For experienced knitters, this bulky cowl is fast and easy for holiday knitting. For those new to color work, this is a great starting pattern for getting the hang of stranded knitting with bit of a twist. 

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

First and Last Weekend in Salem for Awhile

Boy did this weekend fly by! Probably because it was action-packed with all of my favorite activities: knitting, exploring, brunching, and buying yarn.... plus unpacking, which is definitely not a favorite activity of mine. My adventures started out on Thursday night after work when I ventured over to Sip 'N Stitch night at Circle of Stitches, an adorable new yarn store on the water in Salem. I met two lovely ladies who gave me great advice on where to eat and places to visit throughout town. I also bought two skeins of Malabrigo Rios in Purple Mistery and Sand Bank to start testing a new hat design I've hat swirling around in my head for some time now.

Malabrigo Rios in Sand Bank and Purple Mistery from Circle of Stitches

Friday night after work I went to the Common Cod Fiber Guild meeting, where Anna Dalvi gave a talk about her inspirations for designing lace. Not only were her lace designs absolutely gorgeous, but they all had really interesting tales behind them. She told us several of the mythological and fairy tales behind her shawls, and to be clear, these were not the cute kind of fairy tales... we're talking about gory, chopping-up-bodies kinds of fairy tales. It was such a good talk! One day I will get around to making her Eyjafjallajökull Shawl, probably when I learn how to pronounce it.

Anna Dalvi giving a talk on the inspiration behind her lace designs.

On Saturday, Michael and I did some unpacking, but I will skip that to get to the good stuff. We had an amazing breakfast at The Ugly Mug Diner, a shared plate of pancakes, chipotle hash, eggs, bacon, and parfait. Did I say it was amazing???

We forgot to take a before shot, but here's the after shot of our amazing breakfast!

Surprisingly I didn't fall asleep directly after eating. Instead we hit up yarn store #1. Unfortunately Seed Stitch Fine Yarns, another LYS in Salem is closing at the end of the month, so I took the opportunity to pick up two skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash in Citron and Doeskin Heather, and two skeins of Quince and Co. Puffin in Glacier and Fjord while I still could. (Plus everything was 30% off!) The Cascade will also be for hats, and the Quince and Co. will be for projects using a pattern coming out this winter... sorry for being so vague, but you'll see!!

Cascade 220 Superwash in Citron

Cascade 220 Superwash in Doeskin Heather

Quince and Co Puffin in Glacier

Quince and Co Puffin in Fjord

After Seed Stitch, we headed to BACK to Circle of Stitches so I could have my Malabrigo wound. Again, there was a lovely group of ladies knitting, and we had some great knitting and academic conversations. I was telling the ladies about Michael's love for baby alpaca, because it is indeed, the softest yarn in the world in his opinion, so Ana, the store owner and the dyer of Toil & Trouble yarns, introduced him to some Blue Sky Alpaca Sport. So we picked out a skein of Avocado and Navy Blue for slippers. I've been promising Michael a pair of slippers for the longest time, and now that I have such nice yarn to work with I have no excuse. Plus he was a really good sport about yarn shopping :)

Blue Sky Alpacas Sport in Avocado. I forgot to get a picture of
Navy Blue, but I'm sure you can picture the color.

Sunday was less fun as it mostly consisted of grocery shopping and working, although we again had an amazing breakfast, this time at Bagel World. Although, we did pick up and hang an oil painting that we bought while roaming through some of the other in town on Saturday... I guess I forgot to mention that there are non-yarn stores in Salem. The painting is of Marblehead, MA at sunset by the late Rockport artist Charles Stepule. When we sit on our couch, we just can't stop looking at this painting.

Oil painting next to our built-in shelves. Note the lack of furniture...

Sorry for my crooked picture! It's the picture not the painting, I swear!

I hope your weekend was just as knit-filled!  As the title suggests, this is actually my first and last weekend in Salem for awhile. On Friday, I am leaving to work in Germany for a few weeks and then I'm off to Spain for a conference and a little vacation. Rest assured, there will be plenty of knitting and blogging, just not in New England. I'll share more about where I'm going and what I'll be knitting next time.