Here is a quick look at what I finished in the last month and what I’m working on in February.
FINISHED
I’ve finished relatively few projects this month.
I’ve finished the baby size sample hat of a new worsted weight cabled hat design that I’ll be testing and releasing later this year. This hat uses the same cables as my Cafe Blend Cowl and will be written in 6 sizes from Baby to Adult L. I’m making the sample hats in three different shades of earthy browns that really play well together. This Baby Size sample is worked in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in the color Mink Heather and it was a ton of fun to knit.
I’m in the process of updating all of my patterns to make sure that every pattern I sell is the best pattern that I can write and that means going back over older releases to bring them up to my current standards. Last year I updated my sweater, cowl and scarf patterns. Right now I’m concentrating on hat patterns. I’ve long ago gifted my original Maggie sample hat out of Berroco Vintage Worsted in the color Petunia. So, I knit myself a new sample hat out of Berroco Flicker from deep, deep stash as part of the pattern update process. Also, because a hat with a little sparkle sounds like an excellent idea as we slog through the rest of winter.
The Malachite Shawl pattern is almost all the way through photography, edits and tech editing! I should be ready to call for testers on this pattern by the end of February.
And I finished a sample, sample cowl in Malabrigo Mechita in the color 049 Jupiter for an upcoming design in Interweave Knits Gifts. Photo just of the yarn to keep the design fresh for the publication.
ON THE NEEDLES
On the other hand, I have lots and lots of projects on the needles right now!
Now that I’ve finished the sample, sample cowl above, I’m ready to cast on the actual sample cowl to be completed and mailed to Interweave out of this beautiful Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in the color Arctic. Photo just of the yarn to keep the design fresh for the publication.
I’m also working away on a prairie-inspired collaboration with Elevate Fibers in a new prairie-inspired colorway for an upcoming spring design. This one will be ready for test knitting in March and released near the end of May. I’m super excited to be collaborating with an indie dyer like this and really loving working with the beautiful, beautiful yarn! Especially since they donate 1.5% of all revenue to the National Forest Foundation and every dollar they donate will plant a tree in a National Forest that needs it most. Their mission to help preserve our nation’s natural spaces really resonates with me and I truly believe that if we all spent more time outdoors with feet on the trail the world would be a better place.
And I’m finally about done with my mitten jag. I almost always knit my mittens out of Lamb’s Pride Worsted on US Size 6 needles following my basic recipe. I hate making the thumbs and save those for last. Now that I’ve got a stack of finished mittens, I’ve actually started on the thumbs. So far 3 thumbs are completed.
The Salt River Sweater test knit is moving right along with a finish date of April 1st. I’ve got 8 great testers working on this one and I very much appreciate their time and work!! My sample sweater is knit out of Valley Yarns Northfield in the color chestnut (I’m calling this one a deep rust or burnt orange in my head). And we finally had some sun plus available camera-person to snap a few pics of me in my sample. I really love this one!
The Lavinia Shawlette test knit is running now too with a finish date of March 15th. The Lavinia Shawlette is a simple crescent shawl worked in fingering weight yarn with a simple lacy Roman Stripe at the bottom. Lots of simple stockinette stitch makes this a great project to take on the go. And a nice way to use up a ball of fingering weight yarn from the stash! My sample shawlettes are made out of Malabrigo Mechita in the color 227 Volcan finished with a random DK weight from my stash and Arauncania Yarns Huasco Sock. I really love the contrast of a complementary solid color at the bottom edge and the weight of the heavier weight yarn to give the shawl a little extra drape in the Mechita sample.
I’ve had to make another adjustment to my top down layering tunic design. This is my third time restarting the design and I believe I’ve finally found the perfect match. I’m changing the gauge slightly to a DK weight from Treasure Goddess in the beautiful color Ruby Daggers. I really think the third time will be the charm on this one and I can’t wait to clear some time to cast on!!!
I need to get another of the sample hats on the needles out of these three shades of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes. I really enjoyed the baby sample that I finished and I’m already wondering about knitting myself a final sample that I turn into a messy-bun hat after I’ve finished the 6 sizes for this upcoming design. Once a hat is on the needles, it is perfect to grab as on-the-go knitting. The trick is to get the cast-on completed before I’m rushing out the door.
And finally, I have made some real headway on my replacement Sherri Pullover out of Valley Yarns Amherst in the color Harvest Gold! I’d forgotten what a joy this yarn is to knit with and I really love this color. I’m starting to think that this replacement will not actually be doing many trail miles with me and instead will get a prime spot on my daily-wear winter wardrobe.
Hopefully a few of these in progress bits will make it to the Finished section for next month’s post.
