Friday, November 8, 2019, Issue 122: Just over 6 weeks until Christmas!

• Posted on 7 November 2019
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in Fall Knitting, Favourite Patterns, Gift Knitting, November 2019
• 0

Tuesday was the last of our Strange Brew colourwork class! Judy modeled her finished but unblocked sweater for us! This was her very first sweater so she chose one of the simpler charts - fits her beautifully!

Jen did not complete her sweater yet...she has several WIPs on her needles including a test knit with a deadline!

Jen has her sleeves to go on her Moraine sweater for the Strange Brew class. Almost done but not quite! She is knitting hers with Malabrigo Rios...so cozy and squishy!

I don't have photos of Carol's sweater or Angela's. I will post them when I get a chance to photograph them!

The stranded colourwork and steeking was set to start tomorrow afternoon. In order to run, we need at least four people - we have three! Any one interested in taking this class! Even if you are not a tea drinker, this is a cool project that would make a great gift but also includes a lot of techniques in a small enough project! Sign up HERE. There are three sessions (6 hours) of instruction. Otherwise, we will have to wait...

PATTERNS

This Free Christmas tree ornament pattern Balls Up ! by General Hogbuffer is simple sphere pattern with notes on how to personalise. These are knit using fingering weight yarn using 2.5 mm (US 1.5) needles for a gauge of 32 stitches and 42 rows = 4 inches in stocking stitch.

Holiday Stars and Balls Ornaments Designed by Laura Bain for Red Heart is another free ornament pattern! Red and white ornaments will add a wonderful pop of color to your tree! Knit them and use them year after year, for if they fall, they will not break! This pattern is written for aran weight yarn with a gauge of 20 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches. Different needle sizes are used for the different ornaments.4.0 mm (US 6) and 5.0 mm (US 8) double pointed needles are used for the balls and 5.5 mm (US 9) needles are used for the stars.

Fitful Head by Aileen Ryder is a free stranded lightweight but toasty little hat! It is knit in the round using a stranded two-colors per row technique, in the Fair Isle style using seven colours of fingering weight yarn such as Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight yarn and 3.0 mm (US 2.5) circular 16" needles and matching double point needles for the crown decreases. The gauge is 32 stitches and 35 rows = 4 inches
in stranded stockinette.

If you are looking for a cardigan to knit yourself, what about Snoqualmie by Michele Wang? It is a great cabled shawl-collar cardigan with a classic and cozy look! Elaborate cable motifs and its grid of densely twining stitches looks complex but is intuitive to work and easy to memorize. Whether you wear it as a barn coat or dress it up with tall boots and a skirt, this is knitwear that will make you look forward to cold weather.

You will need an aran/chunky weight yarn with a gauge of 19¾ stitches & 23 rows = 4” in pattern from Chart A, B, or C with Size A needle(s), after blocking. One 16-stitch and 32-row repeat from the chart measures 3¼“ wide and 5½” tall with Size A needle(s), after blocking. The suggested needles are 6.0 mm (US 10) for the ribbing and 6.5 mm (US 10.5) needles for the main needles.

Tutorials for all special techniques listed below are included in the pattern:
Garter Stitch Selvedge
2x2 Tubular Cast On (Flat knitting; multiple of 4 stitches)
Sloped Bind Off
Binding Off Over Cabled Fabrics
Short Rows: Wrap & Turn Method
One-Row Buttonhole

WIP's and FO's

This week, I didn't work on my socks at all! I decided to work on my little Boy Deer instead! To knit the Boy  Deer by Julie Williams of Little Cotton Rabbits (paid pattern) , you need to use her Boy Fox pattern and the Deer Supplement (free). The Girl version is also available.

My adorable Boy Deer is off my needles! Check out the bellybutton and ‘heart’ I added.

Now he is all decked out in his star spangled sweater and shorts!

I cast on the Jólaskjól by Védís Jónsdóttir as soon as the Alafosslopi I ordered for kits arrived!! It starts with casting on 481 stitches! There are 4 Jólaskjól by Védís Jónsdóttir Kit available - 2 Red and 2 Green. The tree skirt is worked in the round with the round beginning and ending with steek stitches. The opening is cut open after securing the steek.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The current Knit-Alongs are the Knit Your Any Sweater KAL and the Knit Any Shawl KAL and the Knit Your Project: the everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit will run from September 1 until December 31st.

There is a Butterfly / Papillon Knit-Along starting in January!

Last week there were so many finished objects this week to show off that I saved some for this week along with new finished projects!

Rosemary finished her Sunshine Coast by Heidi Kirrmaier and is wearing her ZickZack Scarf but you can only see a tiny bit of it!!

Socks knit by Rosemary using Lang Jawoll Superwash Sock...

Sock Monkey Socks and Fingerless Mitts also knit by Rosemary! Knit using Navia Faroese Sock.

Barb’s Favorite Scarf Ever by Lisa Bruce knit using ZenYarnGarden Serenity 20

Light, airy scarf knit by Celine!

Bev finished her Weekender by Andrea Mowry using Berroco Brielle

Christina knit this Knubblechen by pezi888 for her nephew

Cozy sweater with a wonderful collar knit by Lise for her granddaughter! Pattern is Moon Walk by Dani Sunshine

Another Dani Sunshine pattern - this one is Making Tracks knit by Lise (Mattedcat)

Jocelyne (jocblais) finished her Newleaf by Jennifer Steingass knit using Berroco Remix Light. Love it!

Rita finished (except for sewing on buttons) this jacket for herself knit using squishy Malabrigo Mecha!

Fun Hudson Bay coloured socks knit by Connie (knitnut246)

Marilyn’s friend knit these gorgeous tweedy Yanagi socks by Maiko Hikosaka using Zitron Trekking XXL Tweed

Farzana’s knit this Boy Bunny by Little Cotton Rabbits and sleep sack that she gifted her grandson

Sandi’s Christmas Colour Cables Hat by Natalia Forrest test knit is so cute!

Cool slippers knit by Sandi using Garnstudio Drops Eskimo.

Nicole loves the Nightshift by Andrea Mowry that she knit using Zauberball Starke 6 and Berroco Ultra Wool

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!