Fringe Madness!

This week, my pattern Taken by the Wind was released in Holla Knits Warm Weather Accessories, and I rejoiced that my fringey-shawl-baby was in the world. I've been thinking a lot about yarn fringe since I designed this thing, so a post about fringe seemed appropriate for this stop on the Holla Knits Blog Tour!

Remember that time I went pom pom crazy? This was much less strange.

Here we go! Here are some ways to make fringe and tassles that I found on Pinterest. Did I succeed? Did I fail spectacularly? Let's find out!


1. Your basic pull-through yarn fringe
Technique here.

This is essentially the technique I used for my fringed shawl, although they show multiple strands being pulled through each spot, and I only did a single strand in each spot (and the spots are very close together). This gives a nice, even layer of fringe without too much weight or too many gaps.

Ok, looking good! This is the simplest, most straightforward way of applying yarn fringe to something knitted or crocheted. Time to take things to another level...

2. Fancy knotted fringe
Technique here.

This one takes the strands a step further-- we're going to knot the fringe in a way that hopefully looks nice and finished and not like something that got caught in a vacuum cleaner.

Eep I'm tying knots in my precious shawl!

I really like how this turned out! I just worked the knots over the center point of the shawl for the photos. While I am not going to tie the entire shawl (at least today), I really like this technique! It's simple, looks fancy, and is a fun way to kick the fringe up a notch.

4. Fringe-as-you-Garter Stitch
Technique here

It needs a trim when finished, but you get the idea.

This is my favorite technique for fringe when you're just plain knitting-- making a length-wise scarf and leaving some yarn on each end of each row to create fringe. I knot the yarn as I go (the technique mentions just pulling it tight) to make sure things are secure.

Best thing ever for scrap knitting!
--

My fringe exploration is far from over, but that will have to do for now. I really want to try the knotted fringe again, and would recommend it to those playing along at home. It was surprisingly fun and pretty quick.

More Holla Knits blog tour to come! Check out the schedule below for posts and prizes!

May 18: Holla Knits Warm Weather Accessories Issue Launch

May 19: The Sweatshop of Love / Knitted Bliss - pattern giveaway, issue giveaway

May 20: Ruby Submarine - fringe tutorial

May 21: Handmade by Stefanie - pattern and yarn giveaway

May 26: Doog Knits - kit giveaway

May 28: Canary Knits - issue giveaway

May 29: Laura Reinbach - pattern giveaway

June 1: Gynx Yarns Podcast - pattern and yarn giveaway

June 2: Ruby Submarine - issue giveaway

June 4: Rock and Purl - giveaway

June 8: Handmade by Stefanie - Take 5

June 9: Hands Occupied - issue giveaway

Seraphim Cardigan knitting pattern

Heavenly and light, with the softness of angora. Seraphim has three-quarter sleeves, elegant pleated details... it's the perfect layer for spring!

Seraphim is worked top-down with raglan shaping, with stitches picked up around neckline to work large, soft pleated collar. Collar is shaped with short rows and pleated at intervals for a lovely, increasingly rippled texture. Slightly fitted waist, long tunic length, cozy yet refined.

I am absolutely in love with this one. The yarn was pure joy to work with and I am wild about how the design came together!

Seraphim Cardigan knitting pattern PDF

$7

In the works

Got some fun fun fiber creations happening over here... can't wait to share these with you!

Synergy shawlette in Creative Knitting Magazine

I am very pleased to tell you that my shawlette pattern Synergy is in the current issue of Creative Knitting Magazine! Spring 2015 is looking bright and lovely.

This is a variation on my Double Deco wrap, which is huge and long. Synergy is much smaller with different shaping and striping and is perfect for spring. A quick knit with simple details!

If you can knit, pick up stitches, and decrease, you can do this. Pick 4 colors and go for it!

Styling Cape Vertigo

Have you been tempted by all the amazing cape styles out there this season? I know I have. Capes are a warm, stylish, practical way to stay warm when dressing up or down. They are very versatile and it can be a little intimidating to know how to wear them. 

In honor of the Holla Knits Selfish Knitting pattern sale, let's take a look at three different ways of wearing my Cape Vertigo pattern, shall we?

The first thing you should know is that Boots are a Cape's best friend. Got some boots? You're more than halfway there to creating an awesome #capelyfe look.

   

Look 1 - Like a Boss: Cape + Jeans, Jacket, Boots

Can't touch this.

  

Wear your bad-assest boots, leather jacket and snug jeans. Wrap the cape loosely around your neck starting with one end and fling the other end over your shoulder.

...Or center the cape on your neck, gathering the length into some cozy ripples. Let it hang.

Look 2 - Sweet n Cozy: Cape + Dress or Skirt, Boots, Legwarmers or Tights

Wear a sweet skirt or dress, legwarmers or tights, and your favorite boots. Wrap the cape flat and tight around your neck, keeping the rolled collar exposed, for a smooth shoulder warmer.

  

Look 3 - 70s Office Glam (just go with me here): Cape + Dress Pants, Blouse, Gold Belt, Gold Bracelet, Gold hoop earrings, Attitude

Just drape it on top, casual-like. Yeeaaah girl. Now swagger.

Let's continue to pretend I've photoshopped the remote shutter out of my hand.

Look 4 - On Your Lap: Cape + Sitting Down

The coziest lap blanket of all time.

Get in there.

Cape Vertigo is on sale for $4 this week! Head over to the Holla Knits site to get the pattern at a discount this week only.

Hat patterns on sale!

Hey fiber friends, don't miss my 30% off pattern sale on all the hats in my Ravelry shop!

Use coupon code HATSHATSHATS at checkout to apply the discount, or click here to start shopping.

Get your holiday gifts done with these sweet, quick hat and headband patterns. Pictured L to R, top to bottom: Stegosaurus Cap (baby version), Melt Slouch, Gitana, Quick Fancy Headbands, Urchin Shell, and Pincushion.

Finishing up the KAL

My Knit Along with Ewe Ewe (and you?) is wrapping up! Today is the final official day of the Double Deco KAL and I posted about it over here.

I am in love with my new Double Deco wrap!

I knit really loose and it is HUGE.

It's officially cold in Chicago, so I have been using it constantly. Stay warm, fiber friends!

Testing pom pom techniques - Holla Knits Blog Tour

It's that time again... new pattern time! Meet Pom-A-Rama, the slippers with pom-tastic toes. I loved making these babies, and they inspired me to learn some new techniques to make these joyful embellishments.

For this stop on the Holla Knits Accessories 2014 Blog Tour, we're talking all things Pom pom.

Essentially, pom poms are tight bunches of yarn tied at the center and trimmed so they have a circular appearance. They can also be snipped into other shapes, such as these amazing fruit poms by mrprintables (there's a tutorial in the link!):

These pretty much blew my mind, and I've yet to try to make them. If you attempt some fruit pom poms, let me know how it goes!

A cool thing about pom poms is that you can make them all sorts of ways-- with or without a store-bought pom pom maker. I'm going to test out a few ways to make them, after poking around on Pinterest for ideas. In my previous pom-making attempts, I've used both the "cardboard donut" method and the plastic store-bought gizmo method. These are both good ways to do it, and have their little quirks and drawbacks like anything slightly fussy. As with anything yarn-related, yarn choice is very important to the outcome, as is keeping tension consistent when you're wrapping.

Let's try some other pom-making techniques!

1. Tiny Poms with a Fork

Technique here.

Why do I suddenly want noodles?

This was surprisingly simple. It felt easy to wind the yarn around a fork, and the tines provide a nice even place to slip the tying yarn through the middle. I had a little trouble cutting the yarn while it was on the fork, but then I looked at the directions again and she did NOT cut it on the fork... so. There you go.

Wee pom!

The resulting pom was a little oblong and required lots of trimming, but it's cute and worked pretty dang well.

2. Giant Pom with a Whole Ball of Yarn

Technique here.

I should have known this was going to be a disaster. Yarn choice is EVERYTHING when knitting and crocheting... and yet, I picked mohair to make this pom pom. Mohair. 

Let's learn from my mistakes, shall we?

Only halfway there, and that's enough

This technique requires you to sort of finger-comb the yarn out from the center and trim it until you have all the strands roughly even. My Mohair Monstrosity was so sticky and fuzzy that I could barely get my fingers through it. What followed was about 45 minutes of frantic pulling and frustrated laughing while I chopped at the fuzz.

I gave up after it became evident that the most I could hope for was a demented Tribble-esque creature. I got halfway through and decided it needed a face to reflect this hilarious epic fail. You're welcome, world!

I'm as surprised as you are, dude.

It should be said that this pom-tastrophe was 100% my fault, and does not reflect a problem with the technique. I want to try this again with a more appropriate yarn, but don't currently have a ball on hand that is this shape and not already spoken for.

3. Hand-Poms

Technique here.

My first thought was "this seems like a great way to cut off your circulation," but fortunately no fingers were severed in the making of this pom pom.

While at times it felt like I might need another hand to pull this off (PUN INTENDED), the pom came out pretty sweet. Getting the wrapped yarn off my fingers was a little tricky, as was tying the yarn evenly around it, but overall this is a pretty solid in-a-pinch method.

post-haircut -- not too shabby!

That's a wrap, folks. I hope you enjoyed this foray into the fuzzy world of pom pom making!

Pardon me while I go vacuum bits of mohair out of my everything.

--

Check out the Holla Knits Accessories 2014  collection, and the blog tour including some awesome giveaways!

Holla Knits Accessories 2014 Blog Tour Schedule:

Nov 4: The Sweatshop of Love

Nov 5: Ruby Submarine

Nov 6: Knits in Class - Pattern giveaway

Nov 7: Karen Whooley

Nov 10: WeaverKnits - Interview with Karida Collins of Neighborhood Fiber Company

Nov 11: Under the Red Umbrella - Cedar Glen Mitts kit giveaway

Nov 12: Patty Nance at the HK Blog - SEG: 2 Foliage Cowl WofA Bulky Blackberry Kits

Nov 13: Manos del Uruguay - Giveaway: Embrace Your Inner Pixie Kit

Nov 14: Neighborhood Fiber Company - Interview with Ann Weaver

Nov 17: KnittingKirigami - SEG: Embrace Your Inner Pixie KP Stroll Fingering Kit

Nov 18: Angry Knits - SEG: Wooly Mammoth Knit Picks Kit

Nov 19: Baah Yarn

Nov 20: Willow Yarns at the HK Blog - SEG: 2 Cedar Glen Mitts Daily kits

Nov 21: Lion Brand at the HK Blog - SEG: Foliage Cowl LB Kit

Dolman Tunic Pullover

Somehow, last year in the midst of finishing up my Married to the Sea ebook, I never posted about this sweater. Which I love and wear all the time. It's comfy, sassy, and versatile (all my favorite things), and deserves its day in the sun!

Two versions in the pattern: The "sailor" Breton-inspired version and the three-color ombre version.

 

It's quick, simple, knit with worsted yarn on size 10 (6mm) needles. One piece, very little sewing. Great for a first time sweater knitter!

Dolman Tunic Pullover knitting pattern PDF

$7

new pattern - Rita Hayworth cropped sweater

Named after the incredible Margarita Carmen Cansino (Rita Hayworth was her Hollywood-friendly name), dancer, actress, bombshell. A 1940s-inspired fitted sweater with some updates-- wide boatneck, deep V in back, cropped length, half sleeves, pure sass.

The ribbed waist ensures a snug and flattering fit, whether you wear it over a flowy blouse, or all by itself, you daring minx you.

Fits with a bit of negative ease. Shown is size M (to fit 36" but I'm more like a 38").  The strap makes sure it stays where it is supposed to, along with looking pretty neat. Knit with Ewe So Sporty, my go-to washable merino yarn.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

36" size on a 36" mannequin

Rita Hayworth cropped sweater pattern PDF

$7.99

Steeking Cape Vertigo and Holla Knits Giveaway!

Steeking! It scares the *&!$ out of most knitters. The mere thought of cutting a knitting project sends shivers down the spines of even the boldest, bad-assiest crafters among us.

Cape Vertigo is my first pattern to utilize steeking, and I was a bit nervous about this (understatement of the year), having only ever steeked a tiny sample before this. "Why," you might ask, "would you want to incorporate such a nerve-wracking process into your pattern?" 

Well, that's a great question. 

Firstly, it allows the piece to be worked in the round, which makes stranded colorwork practically a breeze. When you can bring both colors along for the ride on the inside of the fabric, it makes for a much simpler and cleaner process AND finished product. 

Secondly, steeking is... not that bad! Really! It's all in the preparation, and if you've prepped your steek properly and securely, it works out beautifully.

Finally, it's EXCITING. It's like the knitting equivalent of skydiving. You just have to take the plunge! 

WORTH IT.

Because I knit my cape in the luscious Berroco Flicker,  a gorgeous baby alpaca blend with a bit of sparkle, I wanted to make sure its unique, smooth chain-ply texture didn't try to break free and unravel. Steeking is most often done with 100% wool, the fuzzier the better, to bind to itself and hold the steek in place. Wool like this is sometimes referred to as "sticky"... and Flicker is very smooth. Because of this, the pattern walks you through a double-reinforced process to make sure everything stays where it is supposed to.

The gray crochet chain adds stability for the sewn reinforcement

A crochet chain is the first step, looping through each stitch of each row all the way up the steek line. Then, with a sharp needle and strong thread, we sew a careful running stitch and back-stitch along the line, making sure to pierce EACH stitch and strand of each row. 

Then... we pick up some sharp scissors, take a deep breath (and/or swig of liquid courage), and cut, carefully carefully, so as not to snip our reinforced edges.

EEEEEP

It works! It's secure and strong and ready for the next step of the process.

The end... for now

Knit Picks is giving away some of their excellent Wool of the Andes Tweed (seen below in Allyson's gorgeous dark brown and blue Cape Vertigo). To enter this Subscriber Exclusive Giveaway, subscribe if you haven't already and head over to the HK blog for details!

The Holla Knits blog tour continues! Check out all these amazing designers, yarn companies, and crafters extraordinaire:

Sept 8: Launch

Sept 9: The Sweatshop of Love - pattern giveaway, SEG: 6 skeins KP WotA Tweed in Brass Heather

Sept 10: Klever Knits - pattern and skein of Rowan Kid Classic giveaway, SEG: 6 skeins KP City Tweed Aran in Jacquard

Sept 11: Berroco - review and pattern giveaway

Sept 12: Canary Knits - pattern giveaway, SEG: 1 500 yard skein of Mountain Colors 4/8’s Wool in Harmony Ice

Sept 15: Mountain Colors Facebook Page - SEG: Mountain Colors Perspectives Twizzle in Blue/Turq

Sept 16: Life on Laffer - review and pattern giveaway

Sept 17: Knits in Class - SEG: 1 skein of Knit in Class

Sept 18: Makewise Designs - review and pattern giveaway

Sept 19: Anzula - SEG all the Anzula yarn needed for the vest

Sept 22: Ruby Submarine - SEG: 3 skeins KP WofA Tweed in Thirst Heather

Sept 23: BoKnits - SEG: 8 skeins KP Swish DK in Indigo Heather

Sept 24: Under the Red Umbrella - review and pattern giveaway

Sept 25: DoogKnits - review and pattern giveaway

Sept 26: Cosmos and Cashmere - review and pattern giveaway