New Pattern: Bay Road Cowl

Knitters of cowls, lovers of cables and lace: I’ve got a new design that’s just for you!

The Bay Road Cowl has just been released on Ravelry, where it’s on sale for 20% off. Use the coupon code COWL20 to get the discount.

Named after a winding road with views of apple orchards in my hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, the Bay Road Cowl features gently curving cables and pretty wrapped cluster lace stitches, all framed by crisp seed stitch.

The cowl is knit flat, end to end, in fingering weight yarn, beginning with a provisional crochet cast-on. Finishing is simple: after the piece is blocked, the two ends are joined with a three-needle bind-off. The pattern includes instructions for both the cast-on and bind-off, in case either of those techniques are new to you.

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With a circumference of 51.5 inches/131 cm, the Bay Road Cowl can be worn either in a single loop or — on those coldest days — doubled up for extra warmth. In yesterday’s freezing temperatures, it kept my neck toasty warm all day.

For this design, I used a special skein of yarn that I purchased from White Barn Farm Sheep and Wool at Rhinebeck last fall. I fell in love with both the lovely color and the soft Cormo wool. This is a new, 2-ply fingering weight version of their DK NEST yarn. It’s not in the Ravelry database yet; according to the label there are 365yd/334m in the 100g skein. The cowl used nearly all of the skein.

The 20% off sale ends this Sunday, February 3. Happy knitting — and if you’re dealing with record-breaking cold, I hope you are warm and safe!

Treat Yourself KAL: What We're Making

The Treat Yourself KAL is off to a great start! Patterns cast on (or announced) so far include the Downy Hat, Tailwind Shawl, Indikon Mitts, Couplet Socks, the Catbird Shawl, Tortoise Shells Socks, Purlish Mitts, and the Biscuit Cowl. Such a nice variety!

If you’d like to join us, head to the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group. This KAL continues through February 25, so there’s plenty of time to cast on and finish.

Tailwind Shawl (photo courtesy Interweave/Harper Point Photography)

Tailwind Shawl (photo courtesy Interweave/Harper Point Photography)

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I’ve joined the KAL with a pair of Indikon Mitts in handspun Cormo. Ever since I spun this yarn and dyed it with hickory nuts a few years ago, I’ve been wanting to cast on these mitts. I’m so happy to be treating myself to them at last.

If you’re feeling like you could use a new handknit — maybe something lacy for your spring wardrobe? — hop over to Ravelry and join us. Any of my designs can be knit for this KAL. We’d love to have you!

LINKS
Treat Yourself Knitalong
Bonnie Sennott: Ravelry Designer Page

Treat Yourself KAL Ideas: Garments

The Treat Yourself KAL lasts six weeks, starting Monday, January 14, and ending Monday, February 25. If you’re making a larger project like a sweater, feel free to get started swatching this weekend. That way you can hit the ground running next week.

Here are some garment ideas, if you’re thinking you might like to dive in and cast on a sweater or vest.

Treat Yourself Knitalong Ideas: Garments

Pattern: Meadow Road
Yarn: Stitch Sprouts Yellowstone

Easygoing A-line shape, gathered sleeves, seamless construction — there’s lots to like about Meadow Road (named after the rural road where we shot the photos). The pattern provides instructions for six sizes: 32.25 (35.5, 39.25, 43.25, 47.75, 51.75) inches/82 (90, 100, 110, 121, 131) cm .

Pattern: Pom2
Yarn: Bartlettyarns Sport

Like Meadow Road, Pom2 is a seamless design, worked in the round from the bottom up. There are six sizes, with finished bust circumferences of 36.5 (39.5, 44.25, 47.75, 52.25, 55.5) inches/93 (100, 112, 121, 133, 141) cm. Want to make the knitting go faster? You could work the lace panel on the front only and knit stockinette on the back!

Drafter’s Cardigan, by Bonnie Sennottphoto: Interweave/Harper Point Photography

Drafter’s Cardigan, by Bonnie Sennott

photo: Interweave/Harper Point Photography

Pattern: Drafter’s Cardigan
Yarn: Plucky Knitter Traveler Sport

It may be coldest January now, but spring will come eventually, and wouldn’t a lace cardigan be a nice addition to your spring wardrobe? The Drafter’s Cardigan, from the spring 2017 issue of Knitscene, is worked in one piece to the armholes; after finishing front and back and joining the shoulders, you work the set-in sleeves top-down in the round. Bust sizes range from 33 to 53 inches/84-135 cm.

Pattern: Wichita
Yarn: Woolen Rabbit Emma

If the time commitment of a sweater doesn’t work for you, maybe a vest would be a good project instead. Knit in one piece from the bottom up, this double-breasted, cabled vest lets you get creative with buttons (I used mismatched vintage buttons purchased at a thrift shop).

Mathews Street Vest, by Bonnie Sennottphoto: Interweave/Harper Point Photography

Mathews Street Vest, by Bonnie Sennott

photo: Interweave/Harper Point Photography

Pattern: Mathews Street
Yarn: Green Mountain Spinnery Sylvan Spirit

Here’s another garment idea that’s definitely doable during the KAL — the textured Mathews Street Vest, originally published in knit.wear, fall 2016. Like Wichita, it’s worked in one piece to the armholes. It features an attractive knit-and-purl pattern; garter stitch details at the hem, armholes, front bands, and neck pull it all together.

If you’re joining the Treat Yourself KAL, pop over to Ravelry this weekend and let us know what you’re making. You don’t have to wait until Monday. Photos of yarn are always appreciated!

LINKS

Treat Yourself KAL

Bonnie Sennott: Ravelry Designer Page

Bonnie’s Garments Bundle

Treat Yourself KAL Ideas: Hands and Feet

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.

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.

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

New Pattern: Tutti Wrap

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 Wrap by Bonnie Sennott

Tutti Wrap by Bonnie Sennott

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.

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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.

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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!

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