Friday, June 24, 2022, Issue 253: Happy Friday

• Posted on 24 June 2022
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in June 2022, KAL, knit-along, summer knitting
• 0

Summer is officially here! Summer makes using cottons, cotton blends and linens or fingering weight yarns more enjoyable to work with for our summer knits and to of course, to wear!

Knotty But Nice by Rachel Illsley is a lightweight, drop-shoulder summer cardigan featuring all-over open textures created with dropped stitches and Knot Stitch pattern. The design can be worn as an open, loose cardigan, or with optional, detachable I-Cords to create a wrap-around, ballet-style cardigan.

The Knotty But Nice cardigan is worked top-down. The body is worked flat, then the sleeves are worked in the round. The pattern includes directions to create two detachable I-Cord ties that allow the garment to be styled in a number of ways.

This garment is graded into sizes XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL). Recommended positive ease is a minimum of 5” / 12.5cm at the Cross Back and a minimum of 3” / 7.5cm at the Upper Sleeve Circumference.

Finished Garment Chest and Waist Circumferences (same for both):
34.5 (37.25, 42, 44.25, 48.25) (53.25, 56.75, 60.25, 63)“
86 (93, 105, 110.5, 121) (133, 141.5, 150.5, 157.5)cm

GAUGE
The repeating textured stitch pattern is worked over 20 rows and is used throughout the majority of the garment. Use R1-20 of the Body (p.12) for your gauge swatch; recommended CO for gauge swatch is 28 sts (without I-Cord edges) or 34 sts (with I-Cord edges).
Using 4mm / US size 6 needles, or needle size required to meet gauge, 23 stitches over 21 rows in the textured stitch pattern, blocked, creates a 4x4”/10x10cm square.

YARDAGE (includes ~10% excess)
749 (815, 880, 908, 992) (1051, 1097, 1154, 1184) metres /
820 (891, 962, 993, 1085) (1150, 1200, 1262, 1296) yards /
176 (192, 207, 214, 233) (247, 258, 272, 279) grams.

NEEDLES
4mm / US size 6 circular needles (varying cable lengths would be helpful)
4mm / U size 6 double pointed needles (for optional I-Cord ties only)
Or as required to get gauge

SUGGESTED YARN
Malabrigo Sock or Schoppel Wolle Wool Finest

The Shaved Ice summer top by Casapinka is made with 4 different colors of fingering weight yarn. You can color block or fade - or even make it in a single color. You begin at the bottom and knit in the round until you reach the underarms, where you then knit back and forth. There are video links for the techniques you need for this top so please don’t be intimidated.

YARDAGE 
2 (2, 3, 3, 3)3, 4, 4, 4, 5 skeins of fingering weight yarn; shown in 100% superwash merino 400 yds/366 m per 100 g); divided accordingly. For largest size, 2 skeins of Color D - (the top) to match the sizes above.

SIZES AVAILABLE

1 (2, 3, 4, 5)[6, 7, 8 9, 10] 36.25 (40, 43.5, 47.25, 51)[54.5, 58, 61.75, 65.5, 69]” / 92 (101.5, 110.5, 120, 129.5)[138.5, 147.5, 157, 166.5, 175.5] cm

 

SUGGESTED YARN

Cascade Heritage Silk or Cascade Heritage Silk Peruvian Tones

 

 

 

 

The Twofer Tank by Heidi Kirrmaier is listed at 25% off until the end of the day Monday, June 27, 2022!

This tank top is designed to be reversible; wear either the V-neck or shallow square neck to the front!

It is knit seamlessly from the top down. You can start with a provisional cast on, or a regular cast on for the shoulder straps - both options are provided in the pattern. The edges are finished as you go, so there is no finishing work other than weaving in your ends!

The intended ease is approximately 2-4 inches (5-10 cm). The sample shown here has about 3.5 inches. The body measures approximately 12 inches (30 cm) from the underarm, but the length is easily modified. If you wish to lengthen it, you may need more yarn than given below.

The instructions include notes for making small adjustments to the armhole depth, in case that is something you’d like to do.

 

 

Here’s Jenny (OJenny)’s Twofer worn with the square neck in front!

 

Any dk weight yarn that gives a medium dense fabric will work for this design. Heidi like plant based fibres for summer garments, but wool or various blends work too. Note that pure linen, hemp or similar 100% plant based yarns may drape more than those containing wool.

 

GAUGE

21 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in st st in the round

 

NEEDLE SIZE

US 5 - 3.75 mm

 

YARDAGE

440 - 1060 yards (402 - 969 m)

 

SIZES AVAILABLE

Finished Chest Circumference (inches): XXS (30½); XS (33½); S (36½); M1 (39½); M2 (42½); L (45½); XL (49¼); 2X (53); 3X (56¾); 4X (60½); 5X (64¼); 6X (68)

 

SUGGESTED YARN

Rowan Cotton Cashmere, Garnstudio Drops Belle or Sandnes Garn Line

 

 

WIPs and FOs

 

I don't have any new finished projects this week, only my works in progress...

 

On Saturday, I could finally see progress on my Pink is for Power by Melanie Berg!

By yesterday afternoon, it was looking good! The front and the back are now joined and I am knitting the body in the round.

Doesn’t it look gorgeous? I love how the Ancient Arts Yarn Socknado in Cindy Lou Who looks held double with the Malabrigo Silkpaca in 857 Light of Love! My fingers are crossed that I will have enough of both to finish what I plan to be a sleeveless version of the pattern.

I have separated the body and sleeves on my newest Ranunculus by Midori Hirose that I am knitting for our Sue2Knits Ranunculus KAL!

This is how I will eventually be wearing mine…over a black dress! What do you think? I love the Schoppel Wolle El Linio that I am knitting mine with. This is a beautiful 100% linen yarn with a chainette construction. I debated knitting with it held double for a less transparent look but in the end decided that holding it single would be fine for the look I was after.

My Meridian Top by Claudia Q for EweKnit Toronto is a FO from last year but is a wonderful summer top to make if you are looking for pattern inspiration! I used Shibui Echo in the Deep Water colourway.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

Jocelyne (jocblais) finished her wonderfully textured Sommerknus by Elsebeth Judith knit using Garnstudio Drops Belle.

Donna (Donna775) finished her Sommerknus by Elsebeth Judith using Hikoo Cobasi. She, Diane and Patti had their own knit-along and I can’t wait to see the three of them wearing theirs together!

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) played yarn chicken while finishing her Climb by Lisa Richardson for Rowan. Yarn is Rowan Cotton Cashmere.

Diane (ladi-di) finished this Celtish by Pat Menchini! Wow!

Christina (@thebusyknitter) finished this baby blanket for the Mystery KAL by Tina van den Berg.

Angela (KnittinGrapeVines) finished her Galantine’s Day cast on in March. Pattern is Encadré by Julie Hoover. Yarn is Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine and Malabrigo Yarn Lace.

Carol (knittoatea) finished her Cardamom Coffee by Caitlin Hunter in March. Yarn is Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Whiskey Barrel and Mythical Beasts and Viola Sock, all leftovers from other projects!

Beverley has finished another two pairs of socks! This pair of socks has a broken rib pattern.....the cuff is a twisted rib pattern and knit using ZYG Superfine Fingering in Wrought Iron.

The second pair Beverley finished are knit in a Roman rib and knit using ZYG Superfine Fingering in Peacock.

SHOP UPDATE

A small shipment of new to the shop Madelinetosh landed in the shop! You already love Tosh Merino Light so  Tosh Merino Light + Glitter and TML + Tweedwill be welcome additions to the line!

We had a beautiful night for our first weekly spinning night, hosted on Monday by Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave). We will be meeting Monday nights from 7-9pm. Locations will vary. Please let me know if you are interested in joining us.

The first meeting for The Essex County Library Knitters/Crocheters Group will be June 27th (1-4pm). In July, the room is unavailable on the 11th or 25th so the meetings will be July 4th and 18th. Starting in August, the meetings will move back to the 2nd and 4th weeks.

Hope to see you there!!

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!