Woolercoaster's Wonderful World of Wool March 3-9

As we near the end of winter, here are a few knitting related news items that might help you fight those winter blahs:

1.  The patterns nominated in the Mason Dixon March Mayhem 2108 were announced this week. The categories this year are: Neck and Shoulders, Sweaters, Yokes, and Mini Skeins.  Under each category are 16 patterns with links provided. Everyone is welcome to vote on their favourites starting March 15th.  By the end of the month there is a final Champion pattern.  If you did not join in on the fun last year, you should definitely check it out.  It's a great way to discover  patterns that you might have missed in 2017.  I can guarantee that you will add some of these patterns to your queue.

2.  Stephanie Earp, a consultant at the yarn store Espace Tricot, has published a gorgeous new sweater called Galore. This sweater is knit top down and colours are changed every two rows. Isn't it stunning?  I also love the fact that it is knit in DK weight and is a great stashbuster.  The colours Stephanie chose are gorgeous, but this sweater would look wonderful in many different colour combinations.  You can get 30% off Galore until March 23rd with coupon code MADTOSH.  I am looking forward to seeing what Stephanie designs next.

©Stephanie Earp

Galore

3. Another beautiful new pattern that caught my attention is Hamble by Isabell Kraemer knit up in Rosy Green Wool Cheeky Merino Joy, a sport weight yarn.  I picked up three skeins of this yarn when I visited Haus of Yarn in Nashville. It is incredibly soft, and I regret not buying a few more skeins to make a sweater. This would have been a lovely one to knit with this yarn.  Isabell's patterns are always easy to follow and look great on.

4.  Have you seen the new Party of Five Mini Skein Sets by Sweet Georgia Yarns including Candy Shop, Salt Water Taffy and Fairytale.  So pretty.

Candy Shop Party of Five Mini Skein Set©Sweet Georgia 

5.  Newsletter subscribers received the sad news that Knit Purl in Portland is closing.  This yarn store was high on my list of yarn stores I wanted to visit.  The good news for knitters is that they have a sale for 25% off everything.  Don't miss out.

6.  Hannah Fettig's first Mystery KAL  for a worsted weight, set-in sleeve cardigan has just begun.  There's still plenty of time to join the fun, and if mysteries are not your thing, the full pattern will be released to all at the end of the month.

7.  The last thing I wanted to mention was Karen Templer's Log Cabin Log-along has finished.  She announced the winners on her Fringe Association Blog here and if you haven't checked out her Instagram feed for the Logalong, it's definitely worth a look.  #fringeandfriendslogalong 

It's great to be back sharing what has caught my attention in the knitting world.  Please visit my blog at the end of each week to check out what's new.

Happy knitting everyone!

F.O. Log Cabin Tea Cozy by Woolercoaster!

Karen Templer''s Fringe and Friends Log Cabin Make-along introduced me to the log cabin technique of knitting.  Karen took this technique and created her own design called Log Cabin Mitts.  This inspired me to create something that I have wanted to knit for a long time.

One of the simple pleasures I enjoy is drinking a pot of tea and knitting.  I slowly drink my way through the pot, however, I find my tea gets cold too quickly.  I have been looking for a tea cozy pattern to fit my teapot, and keep my tea warm longer.  When I learned how to knit a log cabin square I thought it would be the perfect technique to create my own tea cozy.

After playing around with different yarn, needle sizes, and combinations I came up with my own version.  Let me introduce you to my Log Cabin Tea Cozy:

I have never created my own pattern before, and I have to admit that I am very happy with the way it turned out.

Here is my first attempt on 5.0mm needles:  

First Attempt

I knew that I wanted to use a 100% wool to keep the heat in.  I chose two colourways of Cestari Traditional Yarn (colourways:  Natural White and Light Gray/Medium Gray Tweed) and Quince & Co. Osprey yarn (colourway:  Shell).  Both yarns are aran weight and create a nice thick fabric.  I used three colours for each square.  However, the tea cozy was too big as it was knit on too loose a gauge.  To keep the heat in a much tighter gauge was essential.

When creating my second version I played around with different needle sizes and colour combinations, until I came up with a much tighter knit fabric.  Here are the details:


Pattern:  Log Cabin Tea Pot Cozy

Designer:  Me! Plus I used Karen Templer's directions on how to make a Log Cabin square found in her Log Cabin Mitts pattern.

Yarn:  Cestari Traditional Collection (100 % wool)
Colourway: Light Gray/Medium Gray Tweed & Natural Medium Gray (for the top)

Cestari Traditional Yarn

Yarn:  Quince & Co. Osprey (100% wool)  
Colourway:  Pomegranate

Quince & Co. Osprey

Needles: 4.0mm

Ravelry: see my notes

Added Notes:

1.  In my second attempt I tried to achieve a more modern look by keeping the center square as the pop of colour.  Then I used the same tweedy colour for the remaining portions of the log cabin square.  The choice of a tweedy yarn was helpful as it hid any imperfections when I seamed the squares together.  I used Very Pink knits tutorial on Learn How to Knit a Log Cabin Blanket to learn how to seam the squares together neatly. Go to 28:07 for the part of the video on seaming. 

Seaming the squares together

2.  After joining the squares I picked up stitches and created a top for the tea cozy by knitting in the round.  I finished off with an i-cord.  The result is a tea cozy that slips on my tea pot easily.

Knitting in the round

Decreasing stitches

Finished with an i-cord

Next Steps:  I would like to reknit this tea cozy again playing with the colours in the squares.  There are so many fun variations that could be created.

So thank you Karen Templer for introducing me to the Log Cabin technique and inspiring me to create my first design.

I am off to make a pot of tea and get out my knitting.  Hope you're having a good weekend.

p.s. I have a large La Creuset teapot 

F.O. Log Cabin Mitts by Karen Templer

When Karen Templer of Fringe Association announced that she, together with Mason-Dixon Knitting, were jointly hosting a knitalong based on the Log Cabin method of knitting, it caught my attention.  She challenged the participants to create anything they wanted using this knitting method.  I have never knit a log cabin construction before, and I was intrigued to see what people would create with such an open-ended challenge. Many gorgeous projects have been created since the Logalong began on January 1st.  My absolute favourite project is here (by The Perwinkle Sheep).

However, I was content to stand by and watch my Instagram feed until Karen Templer finished designing her Log Cabin Mitts and generously shared the pattern for free!   As soon as I saw her mitts, I knew I had to join in the fun, and knit my own pair.

Ta-dah!

Pattern:   Log Cabin Mitts

Designer:  Karen Templer

Left to Right:  Hektos, Shelter, WATERshed

Yarn:  Brooklyn Tweed Shelter 100% Targhee Columbia
Colourway:  Plume

Yarn:  Harrisville Designs WATERshed  (100% wool)
Colourway:  Slate

Yarn:  Julie Asselin Hektos (75% merino, 15% cashmere, 10% silk)
Colourway:  Plume

Needles: 4.0mm

Ravelry:  my notes

Added Notes:  
I can't express to you how much I enjoyed knitting these mitts.  From choosing my yarn, to gaining a clear understanding of how a log cabin construction is knit,  I was thoroughly entertained.  Karen's pattern was very easy to follow, and pictures were provided in case of any confusion.  I was also impressed with the unique way in which Karen turned the square into a well fitting mitt.  Here are a few photos to help illustrate the steps.

First Seven Patches

Nine Patches (before blocking)

After blocking all the ends are sewn in

With right sides facing the wrist stitches are joined

The thumb gusset is knit

This is the perfect pattern to use up worsted weight scraps and the colour combinations are endless.  Since this was my first time knitting a Log Cabin pattern I followed the colour order suggested by Karen.  The only difference with my mitts was that my square blocked out to 7.5 inches, instead of the suggested 7 inches.  However, I am very happy with the fit. 

Front view

Rear View 

After completing my mitts I fully confess that I am hooked on knitting log cabins.  The number of possibilities are endless, and these mitts are a good way of showcasing that. 

If you would like to check out what people are creating you can follow along on Instagram with the hashtag #fringeandfriendslogalong  

You still have time to join in, as the Logalong doesn't end until the end of February.  I think I am going to challenge myself to create my own pattern using the log cabin...I will report back soon! 

F.O. Goode by Julie Hoover

Let me share with you the facts about a sweater I knit over several months that I have a terrible feeling I am going to rip out.

Pattern:  Goode

Designer:  Julie Hoover

Yarn: Purl Soho Linen Quill (50% wool, 35% alpaca, 15% linen)  4 skeins

Purl Soho Linen Quill

Colourway: Oatmeal Gray

Goode

Needles:   3.25 mm

Ravelry:  Link

Added Notes:

1. The Yarn:  One of the things I absolutely love about knitting is trying new yarn, especially with a combination of fibers that I have never knit with before. I first heard about Purl Soho's Linen Quill through Karen Templer's Fringe Association blog. She knit a gorgeous cardigan using two strands of this yarn. See it here. Her rave review of this yarn interested me enough to pick up a few skeins on a visit to New York. The fabric this yarn creates is lovely. Light and wooly with a slight halo, I would highly recommend it.  It is listed as a fingering weight yarn but I thought it was more of a light fingering.  

2.  The Pattern:  Julie Hoover's pattern, Goode, was well written and easy to follow.  Front and back were knitted separately, bottom up, and then the two pieces were seamed together.  The last step was to knit the ribbing around the sleeves. That's it. Simple. 

3.  The Problem: The modelled sweater has an ease of 7" and I chose the same ease when picking my size.  I don't know if I picked the incorrect size, the wrong style of sweater for my shape, or my swatch lied to me, but this sweater is huge on me, even the sleeves fall below my elbows.  Maybe if I was six feet tall this sweater could work.  But I am not that tall!   Right now it is sitting in my time out bag, awaiting it's fate.  You would think that after years of knitting I would have figured out that this sweater wasn't going to work for me a little earlier on.  At times like these I think that top down sweaters might be the way to go...you can try them on as you knit.  Sadly, I think I will be frogging it.  The yarn is way too nice to waste.

If this was my first sweater I had ever knit I would be devastated at the thought of frogging it.  However, I have made enough sweaters over the years that it does not bother me as much.  What's a knitter to do?  Pick some other yarn and cast on a new sweater of course!

Happy knitting.