I've been knitting...

...and knitting. Quite a lot lately, actually, which is a nice change! I actually finished something- my sweater, that was my train knitting until it got too bulky, which meant the hood took as long as the whole rest of the sweater- but its done now, and so soft and snuggly and warm, and I'm so glad I'll be able to wear it all winter! Gypsy Wools Gaia Bulky (organic supersoft Merino) is sooooo yummy to be covered in!

I've also been making hexipuffs lately on the train, I'm up to 7. Its fun pulling out these little bits of leftovers to revisit in puff form! And as if I'm not addicted enough, I'm working on making mini skein kits and sample puffs for Sheepskate... and of course one of those kits is going to have to come home with me. This is really just enabling my stash acquiring... *sigh*

And finally, I've started a brand new project- knitting my wedding favors! Since Ryan and I are such space nerds, we're going to give out space themed amigurimi to our guests. I'm starting with Yoda, and I've already finished one. He doesn't have eyes yet, but isn't he cute? And the pattern's free, which never hurts!

Loofah, Washcloth, or Potholder- A Perfect Gift!

The full directions for this free pattern are included in this post, but if you prefer you can download a pdf copy. download now

Use any worsted weight cotton or cotton/linen blend to make these quick and easy circular washcloths! Use them flat as potholders as well, or braid some yarn and thread it through the eyelets, cinch it closed around a bar of soap and use as a loofah for a luxurious washing experience.

Mercerized cotton works great for washclothes and loofash, because it is exfoliating to wash with, a softer cotton (like Lily & Cream) works great for potholders because it creates a dense and not slippery texture.

Pair one of these loofahs with a bar of boutique soap, and you have a quick, inexpensive gift that will bring a little touch of luxury to each day for the receiver. Perfect for the holidays, hostess gifts, etc. 

Washcloth/Potholder/Loofah gift knit

Jen Stone-Gerardy – knitolution@gmail.com – www.knitolution.com

Gauge: 20st/4inches on size 8 needles (note- you can use yarn at another gauge, your loofah will just come out larger or smaller than the approx. 8” diameter that this gauge produces.

Cast on 19 sts.

Row 1: Knit one row and turn

Row 2: K3, yo, k15- 1 st remaining on needle.

Row 3: Turn, placing yarn to the back of the work, and knit to the end of the row. Do this for all odd numbered rows.

Row 4: K3, yo, k15- 2 sts remaining on needle.

Row 6: K3, yo, k15- 3 sts remaining on needle.

Row 8: Bind off 3 sts, k2, yo, k12- 4 sts remaining on needle.

Row 10: K3, yo, k12- 5 sts remaining on needle.

Row 12: K3, yo, k12- 6 sts remaining on needle.

Row 14: Bind off 3 sts, k2, yo, k9- 7 sts remaining on needle.

Row 16: K3, yo, k9- 8 sts remaining on needle.

Row 18: K3, yo, k9- 9 sts remaining on needle.

Row 20: Bind off 3 sts, knit to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1-20 7 more times.

Bind off all stitches.

Sew up the seam to make a circular dishcloth, and pull the center hole tight.

Wash and block so that it lays flat.

For loofah- make a braid long enough to go around the whole cloth. Thread it in and out of the centermost set of holes created by your yarn overs, tie the ends of the braid together, put soap in the middle and pull tight around it. Wash with the soap inside for an exfoliating luxurious washing experience!

November Classes!

I've updated my class schedule for the next 2 months! Here are the next 3 classes coming up, you can find the full schedule on my Classes page. Call or email Eileen at Sheepskate to sign up for any of these! 781-320-9276 or email Eileen@sheepskate.com.


Wed 11/9: Dyeing with Koolaid- Dye your own skein of superwash sock or worsted weight yarn in a rainbow of brilliant colors using Koolaid! You'll lean how to dye yarn without harmful chemicals or a big mess- and you'll keep your skein to make something completely unique with! Class is $35 plus yarn to dye.

Wed 11/16: Loofah Holiday Gift- Want a quick gift for everyone on your list this year? Make a circular washcloth with a scalloped edge using cotton yarn. If you prefer a loofah, you can cinch the circle closed around a bar of soap. Pair this with a bar of fancy soap for a quick gift that will give the most luxurious shower experience! Class is $20 plus materials.

Wed 11/30: Hexipuff Madness- Have you seen the Beekeeper's quilt? It's takingravelry by storm, and it's a brilliant way to use up little bits of leftover yarn, have a quick and easy take-along project, and end up with a gorgeous puffy knitted quilt! Learn how to make these fun and addictive 'puffs in this class. Class is $20 plus yarn- bring your own scraps, or buy our $25 kit that includes the pattern and 10 mini skeins.

Shirley

Oh, what a month! You've already seen the launch of 2 new yarn lines, Chubby Bunny and Worsted Wooly, and now finally, here's #3- Shirley. I've been wanting to do this line for awhile now, because Shirley is an homage to one of the greatest artists I've ever known- my grandmother.

She was a spectacular quilter, and her use of color is really mind blowing. I learned so much from her, and now, as I look at photos of her quilts to pick out my colorways for Shirley, I'm paying attention to her work in more detail than ever before, and I'm learning even more. 6 colorways in the shop and counting, each named for the quilt that inspired it, and with a photo of that quilt on the lable.

And the knitters at Knot Hysteria with Stephanie Pearl-McFee will be the very first people to get their hands on it! I just shipping a big box full of Shirley and alpaca fiber for their retreat!

Shirley is a moderately soft yarn, but it has sheen and loft, and makes a wonderful texture in knitting. It also makes excellent hexipuffs- I know, because I knit my very first hexipuff this week as a swatch for Shirley! 

October Winners!

My October contest has ended- and we have some winners to announce! All winners may choose the pattern they would like from my patterns page, or from ravelry if they prefer. Congratulations!

Via Twitter- @HeatheryDoune is the winner! Thanks for retweeting and for following @Knitolution!

Via Facebook- Kitty Crab is the winner! Thanks for being a fan of my page!

Congrats to the winners, and we'll do another contest soon!

Project Update

One new project started, one almost done, and one chugging along slowly but surely-

I cast on my new train knitting last week, a new pair of socks, this one knit from my Mir Sock Yarn in Aurora. I'm using my standard sock pattern, and I may or may not throw in some pattern stitches when I get past the toes. So far I love the way this is knitting up!

My sweater is almost done! After the heartbreak of having to rip the sleeves out completely, I've recovered and now have sleeves, yoke, and part of the hood finished. Just another foot of hood and then some kitchener stitch, and I'll have a warm fuzzy AWESOME sweater in time for winter!

I'm still making progress on knitting my veil, trying to do a row a day as much as possible. Its grown a fair bit since the last time I took a photo, and its onto one circular now which makes it a lot less of a pain than it was with 2! Also, the lighting on my kitchen table when I took the photos today was just spectacular, and it really brings out the texture of the lace in the most satisfying way.

Meet Worsted Wooly!

Another new yarn line!

Worsted Wooly is a luscious, squishy singles that's on the heavy side of worsted weight. It knits up quickly and is moderately soft. Because the yarn is not plied, it lends stand out texture to cables and other textured stitches. Its perfect for hats, scarves, mittens, and slippers!

So far, the only color available is October in Maine, but I'm dying up a storm- so expect more colors in the next week.

October in Maine is full of rich jewel tones that mimic the changing colors of a New England fall. It reminds me of jumping in piles of leaves as a child!

Introducing Chubby Bunny!

I'd like to introduce my newest yarn line, Chubby Bunny!

Chubby Bunny is a quick-knitting bulky wool yarn. It is 4 ply and evenly spun. It is not a super soft yarn, but its a perfect outerwear or cabling yarn if you have sensitive skin, and it felts beautifully! When felted it makes a dense, soft, fuzzy fabric perfect for bags, placemats, and rugs. The colors in Chubby Bunny are inspired by beautiful places in the world.

Approximately 4oz and 62yd per Ball.

Recommended needle size U.S. 10-11
Recommended gauge 10 st over 4 inches.

Fibers: 100% Wool
Care: Hand Wash, lay flat to dry

To begin with, Chubby Bunny is available in 2 colors, Midnight in Napa and Waves of Tahiti, but I'm dying more as quick as I can! I will have 2 more yarn lines coming out this month as well. 

October Contest!

I want to do a big giveaway this month! You can enter up to 5 times, once by each method outlined below. There will be a winner from each, and each winner will win their choice of any of my patterns! You can view all of my patterns on the patterns tab on my website. Enter by midnight EST on October 19th, all winners will be chosen randomly.

Enter up to 5 times, once by each of these methods!
Blog- Follow my blog- near the top on the right hand sidebar, you'll see a button that says "Join this site with google friend connect"- click this, and join my blog! Then leave a comment on this blog post to be entered.
Ravelry Group- Join my ravelry group, then comment in the thread about this contest!
Twitter- Follow me on twitter, @Knitolution, and re-tweet any of my tweets about the contest.
Facebook- 'Like' my facebook page, and comment on my wall about the contest, or comment on any contest post on my page to enter.
Email List- Join my email list, then send an email to knitolution@gmail.com to enter.

Its that simple! Enter once or 5 times, and good luck!

Shop Update!

New stuff in the shop- gorgeous alpaca and alpaca/merino batts for spinning and felting (sooo soft and fluffy), and new handspun yarns in a variety of colors and textures!