Treat Yourself KAL Ideas: Hands and Feet

January 9, 2019 Bonnie Sennott

The Treat Yourself KAL is meant to be relaxing — but sometimes working on a deadline feels stressful, and we don’t want that! So if you’d like to join the knitalong but aren’t sure you’ll have time to finish a large project like a sweater or shawl, consider choosing something smaller. Mitts, mittens, and socks are not major time commitments, and they’re also portable, easy to bring with you wherever you go.

You can make any of my designs for this KAL, which starts Monday, January 14. Here are just a few ideas for hands and feet - see more in my socks, mitts, and hats Ravelry bundle (hats are quick small projects, too, and I’ll talk about them in another post).

Treat Yourself Knitalong Ideas: Hands and Feet

Pattern: Indikon
Yarn: Sportweight

I have a soft spot for the squishy texture of these mitts. They’re incredibly warm! I’ve worn them so much they’re beginning to wear thin in places, so I might cast on a new pair for the Treat Yourself KAL. The pattern provides instructions for two sizes; you’ll need 190-225 yards/174-206 m.

On the Other Hand Mitts, by Bonnie Sennott

Pattern: On the Other Hand
Yarn: Skeinny Dipping Merino Single (fingering weight)

This pattern gives you two design options for the cuffs - make one of each, or make both mitts the same. They’re nice and long, great for keeping cold air out of your coat sleeves while leaving your fingers free.

Leaf in the Wind Mittens, by Bonnie Sennott

Pattern: Leaf in the Wind
Yarn: Cascade 220 Fingering

For winter’s coldest days, you’ll want your fingers well covered — and that calls for mittens. Inspired by the art of Agnes Martin (and named after one of her paintings), the Leaf in the Wind mittens pair striped garter stitch cuffs with geometric stranded-color patterning.

Pattern: Couplet
Yarn: Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors

I love when I hit on a design idea that gives knitters options. Like the On the Other Hand mitts, Couplet gives you two options for the cuffs — one with lace (shown here) and one without. Choose whichever strikes your fancy!

Pattern: Rowhouse Socks
Yarn: Fingering weight - three colors

Here’s a project for those odds and ends of sock yarns in your stash. The colorwork is not complicated, and once you’re past it, the solid-color part of the sock is really perfect for knitting while on the bus or in line or at meetings (or hanging out at home with your knitting inspector/kitty).

I hope some of these patterns appeal to you for the Treat Yourself KAL! If you’re joining in, what will you make?

Coming up next time: garment ideas.

LINKS

Treat Yourself KAL

Bonnie Sennott: Ravelry Designer Page

Bonnie’s Socks, Mitts, and Hats Bundle

Countdown to the Treat Yourself Knitalong

January 7, 2019 Bonnie Sennott

Get your needles, yarns, and patterns ready! The Treat Yourself KAL in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group starts a week from today. There’s just one objective: make something special for yourself, in yarns and colors that make your heart sing.

The Treat Yourself KAL starts Monday, January 14 and ends Monday, February 25. That’s six full weeks of knitting and camaraderie with fellow Ravelers. What better way to get through the cold winter months?

You can make any of my patterns for this KAL — anything that makes you happy. You could treat yourself to learning a new technique, like working cables or reading a lace chart. Or indulge in a luxurious yarn like cashmere for a really special one-skein scarf. Or knit up a colorful hat or pair of socks to help yourself get through the winter!

All week, I’ll be sharing pattern ideas here on the blog and in my Instagram Stories. if you’re inspired to cast on, hop over to Ravelry and let us know what you’re going to make!

Treat Yourself Knitalong Ideas: Scarves and Shawls

Pattern: Ischnura
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Quarry, 3 skeins

When you’re wrapped up in Ischnura, you’re experiencing the ultimate in hygge. The knitting goes quickly because this shawl is knit from the bottom up in bulky weight yarn. It’s got cables, lace, garter stitch, and lots of cozy warmth.

Pattern: Hop Brook
Yarn: Elsa Wool Cormo Woolen Spun Fingering, 1 skein

Worked from one end to the other, Hop Brook offers a pleasing combination of garter stitch and lace. It’s a great choice for that special skein of fingering you’ve been saving for just the right project.

Pattern: About Town Shawl
Yarn: Three colors of fingering weight yarn (see pattern page for specific amounts)

Let your creativity shine as you choose your colors for an About Town shawl. It’s a great stash buster, and a lovely late winter/early spring accessory.

Pattern: Skipperling
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns Luxury Sock, 1 skein

Spring and Skipperling go together! With its pretty scalloped ends and lace like butterflies, this scarf is one of my personal favorites. I wear it with everything — and my neck is so, so happy to be wrapped in ultra soft merino and cashmere.

Pattern: Tailwind Shawl
Yarn: Berroco Remix Light, 2 skeins

Wide enough to function as either a shawl or a scarf, Tailwind is a brand-new design just published in the spring 2019 issue of Knitscene. Easy lace stitches worked in DK weight yarn make the knitting go quickly and smoothly. And — it’s got fringe!

Coming up next: socks and mitts ideas for the Treat Yourself KAL.

LINKS

Treat Yourself KAL

Bonnie Sennott: Ravelry Designer Page

Bonnie’s Scarves and Shawls Ravelry Bundle

Downy Sale Extended (and Other Good Things)

January 3, 2019 Bonnie Sennott

Good news! The sale on my new Downy Hat pattern has been extended so that knitters who want to make it for the upcoming Treat Yourself Knitalong can take advantage of the discount. Through Sunday, January 6, you can save 20% on Downy with the coupon code DOWNY20.

Our most popular knitalong in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group starts soon. The Treat Yourself KAL begins Monday, January 14 and ends Monday, February 25. For this KAL, you can make any of my patterns, so long as you’re making it for yourself. For six weeks, we’ll knit at a relaxed pace, chat about our projects, and share tips for practicing good self-care. After the busy holiday season, the Treat Yourself Knitalong is a chance to cast on a special project in a special yarn, and immerse yourself in easygoing knitting. We’ll also have some lovely prizes — more about those will be announced in the KAL thread very soon!

Tailwind Shawl, by Bonnie Sennottphoto credit: Interweave/Harper Point Photography — Tailwind Shawl, by Bonnie Sennott
*photo credit: Interweave/Harper Point Photography*

I know it’s dead of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, but in the knitting magazine world, spring is already in the air. The spring issue of Knitscene is already available online, and the print edition will be in bookstores and yarn shops soon. In it, you’ll find my first new pattern for 2019, the Tailwind Shawl. It’s got fringe! Fringe! And can be worn lots of ways. More about Tailwind in my next post.

In the meantime, don’t forget to pop over to Ravelry and get Downy for 20% off — it would be a fun “treat yourself” project for the KAL, not to mention a good first stranded-color project if you’re looking to expand your knitting skills this year.

New Pattern: Downy Hat

December 28, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

The Downy Hat has winged its way into my Ravelry pattern store, where it’s 20% off with the coupon code DOWNY20 through January 2.

This stranded-color toque was inspired by the colors and markings of one of my favorite winter birds, the downy woodpecker. It comes in four sizes, with circumferences of 16 (18, 20, 22) inches/41 (46, 51, 56) cm, which means you can make a Downy for everybody in your family.

Topped off with a fun pom-pom, the Downy Hat is knit with four colors of DK weight wool. For the sample, I used a beautiful yarn called Buachaille, by Kate Davies Designs, in Highland Coo, Haar, Squall, and Ptarmigan.

You can find Downy in my Etsy shop as well, where it’s also on sale for 20% off through January 2.

If you plan to make a Downy Hat for yourself, consider joining the Treat Yourself KAL in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group. This lively annual knitalong is all about making a project that makes you happy, a garment or accessory just for you, in yarns and colors you love. It starts on Monday, January 14. As always there will be lovely prizes of yarns and other self-care goodies. Find the Treat Yourself KAL here.

Thank you very much for reading!

New Pattern: Tutti Wrap

December 4, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the coldest months of the year are just ahead, and that means it's time to wrap yourself in warm, woolly knits. I've got a new design that will help you do just that: the Tutti Wrap.

Tutti is a big rectangular wrap that epitomizes hygge — the Danish quality of comfort and coziness. It's on sale for 20% off in my Ravelry pattern store with the coupon code TUTTI20.

Tutti is one of six designs in a new Stitch Sprouts collection featuring their Crater Lake yarn, a soft bulky weight merino with great stitch definition. The collection also includes a shawlette by Barbara Benson, a cowl by Mindy Wilkes, a hat and mitts by Heather Zoppetti, and a pullover by Jennifer Dassau.

When the call for submissions went out early this year, I was struck by the architectural details in the photos of barns in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: metal bands encircling a silo, diamond-shaped hinges on barn doors, weathered windows. I pulled out my graph paper and began playing around with geometric motifs and knit-purl textures. I landed on a sequence that brought all of these elements into play, and the result was Tutti.

The Ravelry Tutti sale continues through December 31. The pattern is also available in my Etsy shop and from Loveknitting.

Thanks very much for reading!

New Pattern: Pom2 Pullover

November 26, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

Just released: the pattern for my 2018 Rhinebeck sweater, Pom2. It’s now available in my Ravelry pattern store, where you can save 25% with the coupon code POM25 through December 2.

Since I designed Pomegranate back in 2011, I’ve changed a lot and so has my style. These days, I’m happiest in simple, comfortable sweaters. So I decided, why not rework Pomegranate into a pullover I’d love to wear now? With an easygoing, relaxed fit, Pom2 is definitely a sweater I’ll live in.

Pom2 and Pomegranate share the same lace stitch but otherwise are completely different designs. The new Pom2 has no waist shaping, modified drop shoulders, and simple 1x1 ribbing. It’s worked in the round from the bottom up, and the construction is entirely seamless.

Reverse side, Pom2 Pullover by Bonnie Sennott

For the sample, I used a cone of Bartlettyarns Sport that I purchased at Rhinebeck in 2017. The heathery terra cotta appealed to my love for warm, rich colors and I was delighted by how well the yarn worked for the lace panel. It has a soft, rustic effect and feels good both while on the needles and in the fabric of the finished garment. It comes in both cones and skeins, and in the pattern I’ve calculated how many skeins are needed for each of the six sizes. I’ve also included full yardage for each size, should you wish to use another yarn.

If your personal style leans toward the more fitted original Pomegranate, which has waist shaping, set-in sleeves, and a pretty twisted rib folded neckband, don’t worry — it’s still available, and it’s also on sale. The coupon code POM25 can be used in my Ravelry store for both patterns, through Sunday, December 2.

If you prefer shopping for patterns at Etsy, I have some nice news: all patterns for garments (sweaters, tops, and vests) are 25% off in my Etsy shop through December 25. (No coupon code required!)

I feel like Rhinebeck is not really over until my Rhinebeck sweater pattern is published. Now, it’s time to start daydreaming about next year’s Rhinebeck sweater!

Indie Design Gift-a-Long 2018

November 23, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

It’s that time of year! Time for the Indie Design Gift-a-Long, an annual KAL/CAL where knitters and crocheters join together on Ravelry to make their holiday gifts. It’s a big virtual party with lots of good cheer, games, and great prizes (yarns, patterns, stitch markers, project bags, and more).

There’s also an amazing sale on patterns by more than 300 independent knit and crochet designers. Thousands of patterns are discounted 25% with the coupon code giftalong2018. You can use this same coupon code for each participating designer’s sale patterns, and you use it as many times as you wish now through midnight EST, November 29.

This year, I’ve got 20 patterns in the sale, including quick gift ideas, like the Fee-bee Mitts or Erste Cowl, as well as larger projects you might want to make for yourself after the GAL ends, like the Mount Pollux Pullover or the Notch Shawl.

Whether you’re participating for the first time, or returning for your sixth year, the Indie Design Gift-a-Long is a fun way to get inspired to cast on and finish your holiday gift making (and maybe try a tasty recipe or two!). Here are links to help you jump right in:

Indie Design Gift-a-Long

Bonnie Sennott: GAL Sale Patterns

GAL 2018 Participating Designers

Asteroid B 612 Scarf

November 9, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

I don’t have a science background, so when I first saw Interweave Knits editor Meghan Babin’s call for design submissions for a science-themed issue, I thought I might have to skip it. But for days the quote she shared from Carl Sagan’s Cosmos—“We are made of star-stuff”—kept knocking around in my head. It made me think of the final illustration in Saint-Exupery’s classic book The Little Prince—a desert landscape with a star in the sky, drawn with just a few simple lines.

I pulled the small, tattered paperback down from my bookshelf and opened it. There were all the watercolors I’ve loved for so many years: the boa constructor digesting an elephant, the box containing a sheep, the impressive baobabs, the Little Prince’s rose. There was the fox’s beautiful secret: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” I re-read the part where, before taking leave of Earth, the Little Prince gives the gift of his laughter to the narrator—a pilot stranded in the desert, trying desperately to fix his plane:

“All men have the stars,” he answered, “but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems. For my businessman they were wealth. But all these stars are silent. You—you alone—will have the stars as no one else has them . . . In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as though all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night . . . you—only you—will have stars that can laugh!”

Suddenly I realized that I did have something to contribute to a science-themed knitting magazine. I would create a golden muffler, like the one the Little Prince wears in so many of the book’s illustrations. And in honor of this wise book, which has meant so much to me since I first read it at age 12, I would call the scarf Asteroid B 612—the name of the Little Prince’s tiny planet.

Off I went to the nearest yarn store to look at yarns in appropriate colors. I chose a new-to-me yarn, Brown Sheep’s Prairie Spun DK, in the Swallowtail Butterfly colorway. I started swatching a stitch pattern that had a kind of “outer space” look—it reminded me of flying saucers. The design came together pretty quickly, and then I moved on to making a sketch to show Meghan what the finished scarf would be like.

For design submissions, I usually do a quick sketch, first lightly with pencil, then with ink—nothing too fancy or time consuming (because I’m always working in a hurry to meet the deadline!). But for this submission, I decided on watercolors. I don’t use watercolors very often, but I tried to put all my love for the book and its illustrations into my little painting and make it as close in style to Saint-Exupery’s pictures as I could.

Asteroid B 612 submission sketch and swatch detail

A year ago, Megan’s acceptance of the Asteroid B 612 scarf landed in my email inbox. I was so pleased that she chose the very same yarn that I’d swatched with, because I felt the Prairie Spun DK was perfect for this design. And I was moved when she thanked me for bringing “tears of joy” to her eyes and confessed that she, too, had read The Little Prince “innumerable times over.”

Asteroid B 612 may mean more to me than anything else I’ve designed. It came from the heart, and knitting the sample was a joy (even on days last winter when I worried whether I would manage to finish by the magazine’s due date!). I loved creating this golden scarf, and I hope knitters who have a special place in their hearts for Saint-Exupery’s beloved book will enjoy making it.

As I said, I don’t have a science background, but even so I am drawn to many of the designs in this issue, especially the Saturn’s Rings pullover by Adrienne Larsen (on the cover), the Solidago Hat and Cowl by illitilli (inspired by goldenrod stem galls), the Periodic Pullover by Annie Lupton (a chic interpretation of the periodic table of elements), and a classic cabled sweater for men, the DNA Pullover by Andrea Cull. It’s a stunning issue that I feel honored to be part of.

The print and digital editions of Interweave Knits Winter 2019 are available now at Interweave. Watch for the print edition in bookstores or your LYS soon! You can also browse all 19 “classic and quarky” patterns on Ravelry.

New Pattern: Catbird Shawl

October 16, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

Catbird — a new crescent shawl pattern — has winged its way into my Ravelry pattern store. I designed it especially for the Rhinebeck 2018 colorway of Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors sock yarn. (Isn’t the color gorgeous? I was thrilled when I opened the package of yarn last summer.) The yarn and the shawl will be at Rhinebeck this weekend — find them in Building A, in The Spinning Room booth. To celebrate, Catbird is on sale through October 24. Use the coupon code CATBIRD25 to save 25%.

I was honored when Karin of Periwinkle Sheep asked me to design something with her beautiful yarn. As always, her Rhinebeck colorway is exclusive to the festival, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. So get there early in the weekend, if you don’t want to miss out.

Catbird is worked from the bottom up, with short rows in the garter stitch section creating the gentle crescent shape. It’s the kind of shawl that spans seasons — carrying you from fall through winter and into spring with ease. It’s also a quick knit, making it a great gift idea. The lace is engaging but not complicated, and it’s provided in both a chart and written form. So if you’re not a fan of charts, you’ll be fine.

Here’s hoping for great weather this weekend. If — like me — you’re still knitting your sweater — good luck!

Rhinebeck Preview in Black and White

October 5, 2018 Bonnie Sennott

With only a couple of weeks left until Rhinebeck, my mind is occupied with almost nothing else. Today it’s sunny and in the 60s — really perfect weather for a day wandering around the beautiful Dutchess County fairgrounds. I hope we have exactly the same weather for Rhinebeck. Last year, it was far too hot for wearing wool sweaters, so fingers crossed we don’t have a repeat of that.

This year Rhinebeck is even more exciting because I’ve created a new design just for the fair. It’s knit in the exclusive Rhinebeck 2018 colorway dyed by an indie dyer who will be there. Since I don’t want to spoil the surprise of the color, my photos are all black and white for now. But trust me, it’s lovely — really, really lovely — a soothing and calming color that goes with just about everything.

The yarn will be revealed and the pattern released during the days leading up to Rhinebeck. For now, I can share that it’s a garter stitch and lace crescent shawl, in two sizes. After working the lace, you transition to easy garter stitch short rows (very easy — you don’t even have to pick up the wraps, because they are hidden within the garter stitch). After the lace — which does require being attentive to a chart or the row-by-row written instructions — the project is refreshingly simple, perfect for taking along to a cafe or knit night.

The dyer and I both wanted this design to be a one-skein project. After knitting lots of swatches and trying out different lace ideas, I made my best calculations about yardage and cast on. And at the end, when I cast off, there were only a few yards remaining. Not ideal! So I wrote up the pattern for two sizes, one 60 inches long and the other about 66 inches. The smaller size definitely requires just one skein (or about 425 yards of fingering weight); the larger one calls for two skeins (475 yards). I did manage to squeeze the larger size out of just one skein, but it was a very close call and it’s possible the skein had a little extra yardage in it. I don’t want anyone to lose at “yarn chicken” when they’re nearly finished, so I’m recommending two skeins for the larger/longer size.

Will you be at Rhinebeck (or another fiber festival) this year? I’m getting more and more excited every day about seeing so much beautiful and inspiring knitwear all in one place, plus petting sheep, and goats, and alpacas, and bunnies. I can’t wait!