Sneak Peek: Wonderberry Shawl

A few months ago, when I was browsing yarns in the Periwinkle Sheep Etsy shop (just for fun, as we knitters do!), I fell in love with a delicate pale rose/peach yarn — the Rose Quartz colorway of Watercolors II. A lightbulb went on and I couldn't ignore it. The fingering weight merino was exquisite, just perfect for a new sample of my Wonderberry Shawl, which I'd designed in 2013. The yarn I'd originally used had been discontinued and I'd often thought I really should knit a new sample and update the pattern with a currently available yarn.

I told myself I didn't have time to revisit an older pattern, but I just couldn't get the Rose Quartz yarn out of my mind! So I ended up casting on a new sample of Wonderberry, working on it here and there between other projects. Along the way, I began to envision a new garter stitch and eyelets edging as well. It came out rather well I think — looking nice both before blocking (above) and even nicer after (below).

I'm getting ready to release the expanded pattern with instructions for three sizes and two edging options. There's just some photo editing and a few other odds and ends left to do. Plus, there will also be an Instagram giveaway! Karin of Periwinkle Sheep has generously donated the two skeins of this lovely Rose Quartz colorway. So keep an eye on my Instagram feed — that's where the giveaway will happen. It won't be long now!

Wonderberry Shawl: new garter and eyelets edging and original beaded edging

Pattern Release: Next in Line Afghan

At long last, the Next in Line pattern is here! It's available on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop.

This log cabin afghan is worked from the center outward using four colors of worsted weight wool. The pattern includes instructions for two sizes, a smaller throw or a larger afghan. Finished (blocked) measurements are 43 inches/110 cm by 56 inches/143 cm for the throw, and 52 inches/133 cm by 60 inches/153 cm for the afghan.

There are no seams in this design — from the very first log to the last, it's one continuous piece of knitting. After you finish a log, you simply turn it to the left and pick up stitches for the next log along the top edge. Each log has just two colors, a main color and a contrast color (used in a stripe pattern). The design is named Next in Line because the contrast color of each log is the main color of the next log.

You'll need four colors of worsted weight wool for this design — see either my Ravelry pattern page or Etsy listing for details on yardage, needles, and other specs. It's worked in garter stitch throughout, but I've kept things interesting by varying the main color and contrast colors in each log, as well as the placement of the stripe pattern. In all, there are five different color and stripe combinations, which begin to repeat after a while, lending the design a visual coherence as it grows.

Two of the five different color combinations in my sample use silver grey as the main color, which gives it a calm, quiet look. That's something to think about when you choose colors. There will be more of Color 1 (in my case, silver grey) than Colors 2, 3, and 4 in the blanket. What do you want the overall effect to be? Bold and dramatic? Soft and soothing? Bright and cheery? Give yourself the freedom to express your own, unique inner spirit through color!

The four yarns used for the Next in Line Afghan are Cascade 220 #8401 Silver Grey, Cascade 220 #4010 Straw, Cascade 220 #8012 Doeskin Heather, and Valley Yarns Northampton #42 Lake Heather.

It was quite a journey, designing this afghan. When I cast on January 1, for the Fringe and Friends Logalong, I wasn't sure how far I'd get, as I'd never knit a log cabin project before and didn't consider myself overly fond of garter stitch. I chose a few colors in my stash that went well together (left over from my Journeyer and Grainline pullovers) and got started more as a lark than anything else, to see if maybe I could come up with something that would be a nice wedding present for friends who got married last January.

Before long, knitters on Instagram began asking for a pattern. My design plans for 2018 hadn't included a large, cozy blanket, but I felt like I could not let you all down. So finally, here it is!

I really loved this project from start to finish, and I hope you do, too. I look forward to seeing Next in Line afghans in all sorts of beautiful colors! If you post your progress on Instagram, tag your photos #bluepeninsula and #nextinlineblanket so I'll be sure to see them.

Thanks very much for reading — and happy log cabin knitting.

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts 
Ravelry pattern page
Etsy listing
Next in Line blog posts 

Next in Line Afghan: Yardage

I'm getting very close to having the pattern for Next in Line ready for release — just a bit more photo editing and few other odds and ends. At this point, the pattern's back from the tech editor, so I can now share yardage with you.

The pattern provides instructions for two sizes of this four-color design — a throw measuring 43 inches/110 cm by 56 inches/143 cm and an afghan measuring 52 inches/133 cm by 60 inches/153 cm.

For my sample, I used three colors of Cascade 220 (Silver Grey, Straw, and Doeskin Heather) and one color of Valley Yarns Northampton (Lake Heather). If you want to use exactly these yarns and colors, you'll need:

• Color 1: Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100 gr skein], #8401 Silver Grey, 5 skeins (throw), 7 skeins (afghan)
• Color 2: Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100 gr skein], #4010 Straw, 2 skeins (throw), 3 skeins (afghan)
• Color 3: Cascade 220 [100% wool; 220yd/201m per 100 gr skein], #8012 Doeskin Heather, 2 skeins (throw), 3 skeins (afghan)
• Color 4: Valley Yarns Northampton [100% wool; 247yd/226m per 100 gr skein], #42 Lake Heather, 2 skeins (throw), 3 skeins (afghan)

If you'd like to substitute other yarns, here are the approximate amounts of worsted weight wool you'll need:

• Color 1: 1,000yd/915m (throw), 1,450yd/1,325m (afghan)
• Color 2: 440yd/400m (throw), 660yd/600m (afghan)
• Color 3: 440yd/400m (throw), 660yd/600m (afghan)
• Color 4: 490yd/445m (throw), 675 yd/615m (afghan)

If you decide to use a hand-dyed yarn with limited dye lots, or a closeout yarn that you won't be able to get more of, you may want to buy a little extra of each color as insurance against running out. For my sample, I was able to get more of each color as the afghan grew, because they were all readily available.

If you want to start swatching, the pattern gauge is 18 stitches and 36 rows = 4”/10 cm after blocking. The needle size is US #7/4.5mm (or, as always, the size needed to obtain gauge). We all knit at different stitch and row gauges, so even though this design is "just garter stitch," I do recommend knitting a substantial swatch to determine the right needle size for you (at least 8 inches wide — and be sure to block it the same way you will block the finished project). For a large project like this, you want to be certain you're close to gauge and happy with the fabric before you cast on. 

I'll get back to work editing photos now — look for the pattern soon!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Next in Line Afghan: Heat Wave Blocking Party

Cast on January 1, bound off July 4: my Next in Line Afghan is now complete!

It took me awhile to carefully bind off the 263 stitches of the 19th and final log. I sat directly in front of a big fan the whole time. It was the only way I could possibly stand to knit, because we've been having quite the heat and humidity fest this week.

As soon as I finished binding off and wove in the ends, I did something really crazy, considering how hot the evening was. I just had to run to the couch and drape it over me, to be absolutely sure of the size. Was it big enough? Cozy enough?

Yes, and yes! Absolutely perfect for chilly winter evenings. 

The finished measurements (before blocking) were 52 inches x 60 inches. There's no way I was going to attempt wet blocking something so big, so I chose to steam block it lightly — just enough to even out the stitches and allow the wool relax a bit.

Early in the morning (the only minimally comfortable time of day when it's in the 90s and humid), I hung the afghan over the shower rod in my bathroom and steamed the right side, then flipped it over and repeated the process on the wrong side. Then I laid it out on a sheet to dry (it was only slightly damp), carefully smoothing the fabric with my hands, working from the center outward toward the edges.

I haven't yet measured it again, but I expect that blocking might have increased its size just a little — we'll see. I know many of you are eagerly awaiting the pattern, and I'm excited that we are now so much closer to that moment. But there's still lots to do: calculate yardage requirements for each color, take photos and edit them, write the pattern, have it tech edited, finalize layout, etc.

I will share the yardage requirements when the pattern is released or shortly before, so hang tight. It won't be long now!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Next in Line Afghan: Almost There!

I'm on the next-to-last log of my Next in Line log cabin blanket — it's exciting to be so close to finishing! Today I thought I'd talk a bit about the colors I've used and offer ideas for choosing your own. 

There are 19 logs in all and currently I'm knitting Log No. 18. The main color of this log is Doeskin Heather and the contrast color is Silver Grey. 

These two colors are very close in value, which means there's not a lot of contrast between them. So this particular log has a soft, quiet feel. 

The four colors I've used are: Cascade 220 Silver Grey, Doeskin Heather, and Straw; and Valley Yarns Northampton Lake Heather. 

If you're planning to knit this afghan and want to start thinking about colors, I'd suggest taking photos of potential color combinations, then editing the photos to make them black and white, so you can see the values (their lightness/darkness).

Here are my four colors in black and white, arranged from lightest (Silver Grey) to the darkest (Lake Heather):

My afghan's overall "look" is quiet and subtle. That's due in part to the values of my colors. As you can see from the black-and-white photo, there's actually not a big contrast between the lightest color (Silver Grey) and the darkest color (Lake Heather). In fact, none of these colors are extremely dark.

If you want a blanket with a similar feel, choose colors that are similar to these in value. If you'd rather make a blanket with a lot more "pop" or contrast, you'll probably want to choose four colors that vary more widely in value — maybe one very light color, one slightly darker, one medium, and one very dark.

Knitters on Instagram have been asking me for yardage, but I'm not ready to announce it yet. I want to wait until the whole blanket is done and I'm sure of how much Silver Grey I've used. There are five different log "schemes" in the afghan, and for two of them Silver Grey is the main color. So I've used twice as much Silver Grey as any of the other colors. 

The knitting has been going slowly lately, because I've been working on other designs that are due soon. But Next in Line gets some attention most days. It won't be too long now!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Art Announcement: Upcoming Show

Today I'm taking off my knitwear designer hat for a moment and putting on my artist hat. I wanted to let you know about a show opening tomorrow that I've got an artwork in.

The piece you see here will be shown along with work by 36 other artists in the 5th Annual Juried Show at Gallery A3 in Amherst, Massachusetts, June 7-30. There's an opening reception on Thursday, June 7, 5-8 pm. On Saturday, June 9, juror Emma Chubb, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Smith College Museum of Art, will give an informal talk starting at 3 pm, followed by a reception with the artists until 6 pm.

Gallery A3 is located at 28 Amity Street in downtown Amherst. Look for either Amherst Cinema or Amherst Coffee - it's right between them. Here's a link to the Facebook event page.

"Presence/Absence: Broken Bark" is part of an ongoing project in which I make both detailed drawings and negative space embroideries of found objects. The drawing is a record of the object and where I found it (the "presence" part of the piece). The embroidery begins with a literal tracing of the object on linen (the "absence"), which then serves as a springboard for improvised, additive stitching.

Other subjects in this series have been a rusty washer that I picked up from the gravel at the farm where my mother grew up, broken stitch markers found in the parking lot outside Atkins Country Market in Amherst, a Paris Metro ticket found on the floor at the Thirsty Mind coffeeshop in South Hadley, poetry magnets scattered on the pavement near the Dumpster at my condo, and a bright pink baby's teething ring found at the Goodnough Dike at the Quabbin Reservoir in Ware.

Each drawing is done the same way, in pencil, with stenciled notes about where and when I found the object. Every embroidery, on the other hand, is different, with the colors and stitches chosen depending on the object's particular qualities, associations it brings to mind, or its use in its "previous life."

I share the process of creating each piece in my Patreon feed. Patrons get to see these and other artworks develop, for as little as $1 per month. There are higher levels of support with rewards such as embroidery postcards and original artworks. I post to my Patreon page 3-4 times a week, about works in progress, techniques, influences, inspirations — basically, it's an inside, "behind the scenes" look at my life as an artist and how my artwork comes into being.

Here are a few images that I posted to Patreon as I was creating "Presence/Absence: Broken Bark."

If you're in western Massachusetts, I hope you can make it to the show or one of the receptions. I'll be at both events, probably more toward the beginning than the end. Hope to see you!

LINKS
Gallery A3
My Patreon Page

Log Cabin Update: Next in Line Afghan

Just three more rows, friends — two rows of knitting, plus binding off — and Log No. 16 of my Next in Line afghan will be finished! 

The afghan now measures about 43 x 56 inches (110 x 142 cm). That's a respectable size for a throw, and I could stop now. But I want more than a throw. I want this to be a big, cozy blanket — the perfect size for snuggling under on a winter evening with your toes well covered and toasty. 

Also, it's a gift, one that I hope the recipients will use for many years to come. So I don't want to skimp. I don't want them wishing for the next 30, 40, 50 years that it was just a little bit bigger. 

Log No. 16 is just like the very first log I knit, with two sections of grey accented with straw stripes. I chose to work two sections rather than one for Log No. 16 not only because I thought it would look good, but also to add extra length on one side, making the afghan more of a rectangle than a square. After the addition of the remaining three logs, the piece will retain an overall rectangular shape.

When will the project be finished and the pattern ready? Well, I had hoped it might be this month — but that's clearly not going to happen. I had a couple of design submissions accepted recently, and since both of them have firm deadlines, they take priority. But I do knit on Next in Line most days, even if only a few rows, so it's always moving steadily forward. It's just that, at this point, the rows are so very  L  O  N  G!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend (and a very happy Memorial Day, if you're in the U.S.). Thanks for reading!

LINKS
Next in Line Instagram posts (hashtag: #nextinlineblanket)
My Ravelry project page
Next in Line blog posts 

Avoiding Second Sock Syndrome

Whenever you need to knit two of something — a sock, a mitten — there's a risk that the project will stall. It can be boring to do all the same stuff over again, which leads to procrastination. Isn't it curious how all kinds of temptations suddenly appear? You notice a whole bunch of new patterns on Ravelry you really must cast on. Or some gorgeous yarn you've always wanted to try goes on sale, so of course you have to get it on your needles ASAP.

Or maybe the second item isn't boring to knit, in fact you know you'll enjoy it, but because the first one took so long (life gets in the way!), you're now in the wrong season. It's hard to feel motivated in June to finish a pair of mittens you began back when it was actually mitten weather.

And how about sweater sleeves? Raise your hand if you've got a sweater three-quarters finished, but you're not sure when you'll ever actually wear it because you just can't bring yourself to slog through the second sleeve.

Sock knitting at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts

My solution is to work these kinds of projects in stages, rather than finish one completely and then start the second one. For socks, I work the leg on the first one, then set it aside and cast on for the leg of the second sock. When both socks are done to the heel, I work the heel and gusset on each, then the foot on each, and last of all the toes.

An advantage to this method is that since the heels and gussets are done close to each other in time, I'm more likely to remember any special adjustments or modifications I made and do the same on both socks. Ditto for the toe shaping.

Here's my current sock project, a "plain vanilla" sock knit over 64-stitches, with 2x2 ribbing followed by stockinette stitch. The first sock is finished as far as the heel, so I've transferred the stitches to dpns and set it aside for now (this frees up my 9-inch ChiaoGoo circular for the second sock).

Sock knitting on the Norwottuck Rail Trail in Amherst, Massachusetts

For these socks, I'm using Platinum Sock from End of the Row Yarns in the Peacock colorway. I'm really smitten with these saturated colors — they're so evocative of spring and summer and all the color that's bursting into view this time of year. I'm mostly working on this pair while walking — I keep them in my shoulder bag, so whenever the urge or opportunity to walk arises, I can pull out the sock and get in a few rounds while also getting some exercise.

Sock knitting at the Quabbin Reservoir in Ware, Massachusetts

Have you tried knitting two-at-a-time socks on circulars? That also seems like a really great way to avoid Second Sock Syndrome. I haven't gone there, because I'd need to purchase even more needles, and I feel like I already have enough. I'm also not sure how well the long circulars would work for walking and knitting. 

Do you suffer from Second Sock Syndrome? What are your favorite tricks for finishing projects that require knitting two of anything?

Bluet Flash Sale

Over the weekend, bluets suddenly appeared everywhere. They're one of my favorite spring flowers. So simple and sweet! Up close, I love studying their pale violet and yellow colors. From a distance, they seem to magically hover above the grass like a low-lying cloud.

My Bluet Cowl is named after them, and to celebrate their return I'm having a flash sale in my Ravelry pattern store. Save 50% on Bluet through midnight EST this Wednesday, May 9. No coupon code is needed — the discount will be applied automatically when you check out.

Bluet is a seamless design, knit in the round on a circular needle. It's lightweight — perfect for spring — featuring a pretty mix of ribbing and lace. You can knit it in either sportweight or DK weight yarns. For stitches that pop, choose a crisp wool like Louet Gems (above). Or, knit it up in a blend of wool and silk, such as Stitch Sprouts Yellowstone (below), for extra softness and drape.

Have you seen any bluets yet where you live? I'm not sure if they're early or late, though in general everything seems to be happening a little later than usual here in western Massachusetts this spring.

Wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying many beautiful spring flowers. I'm posting a different flower every day throughout the month of May on my Instagram account. You're welcome to join me: the hashtag is #floweradayinmay.

Happy spring — and happy knitting!

Update: Next in Line Afghan

While I'm not at the finish line yet on my Next in Line afghan, I'm inching closer and closer. Quite a few knitters have let me know they are eager for the release of this pattern, and I'm doing my best to keep knitting away on it (while also juggling other projects and work). I'm not a sadist and don't want to make anyone wait forever — really, truly I don't! So while you're waiting, how about a quick progress report?

The temperatures climbed into the upper 80s yesterday, so I combined my desire to get outdoors and walk with the need for some new photos. When I began this blanket a few months ago for the Fringe and Friends Logalong, it was really pleasant to have it on my lap as I knit on chilly winter evenings. Now, now so much!

The blanket is going to consist of 19 "logs" in all. I'm currently knitting Log. No. 15 and expect to finish it in the next day or two. That leaves just four more!  When I finished Log No. 14, the piece measured 39 x 45 inches. The projected measurements of the full afghan are 52 x 60 inches.

I'm using worsted weight yarns — three colors of Cascade 220 (Silver Grey, Straw, and Doeskin Heather) and one color of Valley Yarns Northampton (Lake Heather). It's called Next in Line because each log contains a few rows or "lines" of the main color of the next log. There are five different color/line combinations that appear throughout. For some, the contrast rows are in the center of the log, and for others they come at the end. The depth of each log varies as well, leading (I hope) to an overall design that's both lively and a little unpredictable.

It's too soon to give final yardage — the last four logs will eat up more and more yarn, as they get longer and longer. But at this point I can share that I've used all or part of ten skeins (or 2,200 yards, more or less). I've used more of the silver grey than any other color, because it's the main color in two of the five color sequences.

If you want to keep abreast of this project, the best place to see frequent updates is my Instagram account — follow the hashtag #nextinlineblanket. (I've posted a few technique videos there, along with lots of still photos.) I also add photos or notes now and then to my Ravelry project page. Or, follow the project from its beginnings by reading all of my blog posts about it.

I guess I should log off now and get back to knitting. Garter stitch, here I come!