Diode Slouchy Hat

UPDATE 11/23/15: Congratulations to Debbie who won a free copy of the Diode Hat with the correct answer of "Indian Ocean." Debbie, please check your email! :) -----------------

I was honored to be asked to design for Shalimar Yarns' Indulge Me Club! I enjoy knitting with local fibers and always drop in and say hello to Kristi when we find ourselves at the same fiber festival. They have marvelous colors, fibers and many of my favorite personal hand knits are knit up in their yarns.

A week from now the hubbub of American Thanksgiving will be past, our tummies will be stretched to their breaking point and the real panic of "OMG Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanza is almost here" begins. Crafters have it tougher than most - we MAKE our gifts. Not that buying people something they asked for or need is any less special, we just require more planning and more time. We visit our LYS, have the hank we chose that will be perfect for whomever we're knitting for wound up, find our needles, grab our pattern and get to work. I'm always impressed by people who make something for everyone on their list. I have a student who knits 15 pairs of socks each Christmas for her family, imagine!

I have a handful of small projects to introduce over the next few weeks (most ideal for last-minute gift knitting) and today I'd like to introduce the Diode Slouchy Hat.

Originally designed for the Shalimar Yarns Indulge Me Club, this hat is available to all, is unisex and uses just 1 hank of yarn. There's something really cool about slip stitch patterns - they provide another layer of dimension to our knitting, are easy to execute and this particular pattern is just a 4 round repeat using only knits and purls, making it easy to knit along to your favorite show or whatever you're binge-watching these days. Knit on US 5 and 7s with 200 yards of the amazing Paulie Worsted, a merino, camel, silk and cashmere blend, I know I'll be knitting a few of these for last-minute gifts.

Let's give a copy of the pattern away, shall we? Answer the below trivia question in the comments section (open to readers worldwide) correctly and be automatically entered for a chance to win a free copy of the pattern.

Which ocean is Christmas Island in?

A winner will be chosen at random on Monday, November 23.

Download the Diode Slouchy Hat pattern here.

Knit Nails

This is the time of year we tend to see a lot of odd knit things. I found some cool cable knit candles at Ikea recently, the ever popular knit stitch vase or mug is always popular, but I came across this article recently about something I hadn't seen before, knit nails! Perhaps give it a try for your upcoming holiday party? Original article found here.

Cozy Knit Nail Trend Matches Perfectly With Your Winter Sweater

The latest nail style trend to hit Instagram is a creative way to celebrate the season. Users are uploading images of nails painted to look like the knit sweaters that are perfect for this time of the year.

There are many ways to create knit nails that look like a cozy sweater, but one of the coolest (and probably most difficult) ways is by using thick-drying “3D gels.” These can be used under your final color to create a knit cable sweater pattern. Read on for inspiration and instructions!

The Gansey Girl

An article ran recently in the Bridlington Free Press about a new statue called "The Gansey Girl" (a Gansey is a type of pullover with textured designs) installed in the harbor on the North Pier. A town with deep roots in both the fishing and knitting industries, this coastal English city situated on the North Sea is known for its shellfish and summer destination spots. It's wonderful to call attention to their rich knitting history and what better way than having a woman knitting on their main pier! Original article found here.

Knitting a piece of fishing heritage

A bronze sculpture which pays tribute to Bridlington’s fishing history now sits on the harbour’s North Pier as a reminder of the town’s maritime past.

Designed by artist Steve Carvill, it also marks the 10th anniversary of the Bridlington Maritime Trail and was officially unveiled last Friday by Chris Wright, chairman of the Harbour Commissioners and Peter Turner, chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Named The Gansey Girl, it also carries the names of several local fishing families. The figure of a young woman sits on a plinth knitting a Gansey, a traditional jumper that contains a rich pattern of symbolism passed down through generations of fishing families.

She faces the harbour mouth in order to bid farewell to fishermen leaving the harbour, as well as welcome them back home. Made in Bridlington, names of some of those who have fished off the coast or have been involved with the harbour, are inscribed on sculpted fish on the plinth.

The Maritime Trail highlights points of interest in and around the harbour and seafront taking in the harbour estate, Garrison Square and the sea front area, and has street information boards, a new web site, stone trail markers and trail leaflets.

It has been developed by a local steering group including volunteers, local historians, the Harbour Commissioners and representatives from the fishing industry and is supported by University of Hull Maritime Studies and East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Artist Steve Carvill, said: “The stories and lives of the fishermen and their families have been inspiring and I really hope that this piece is enjoyed by local people and visitors alike.”

East Riding councillor Jane Evison, portfolio holder for economy, investment and inequalities, said: “It is very important to show the local community that their heritage and history is being preserved, as well as including a wider tourism circuit to the town.”

Dr Robb Robinson, historian at the University of Hull, said: “The Maritime trail allows us to explore Bridlington’s wonderful maritime heritage and brings it to the attention of tourists and local public alike.

“It has been a wonderful example of the local authority, harbour commissioners, fishing industry and the community working together.”

Squam Double Dip

The workshops for Squam Fall 2016 were announced earlier this week here and I'm downright ecstatic to have been asked back. I'll be teaching a veritable smorgasbord of techniques in a Squam-inspired headband with bobbles, cables, shaping, applied i-cord, lace and chart reading (I got tired just writing that!). As soon as I packed my bags and left Squam in September I knew I wanted to return back. I'll be looking forward to September 2016 with anticipation! Registration starts November 16th, so get on their email newsletter list to get info firsthand.

Since I've had Squam on the brain this week, I'd like to share two patterns with you today. The first, Lovley Aphrodite, are lace fingerless mitts that I designed and taught specifically for Squam 2015. My students ROCKED this pattern and while it's a bit tricky at first, they knit up more quickly than you'd think, are great fun to knit and scream "I am a knitting master, hear me roar!" For this pattern release I've tried something new and added a photo tutorial for the oyster stitch. Since I can't be there lurking over your shoulder like I was for my Squammies, this is the next best thing!

Knit with 1 hank of the glorious Hazel Knits Lively DK, the oyster stitch is super stretchy and the pattern is truly one size fits all. I love Hazel Knits because her colors absolutely sing and every time I wear something knit in her yarn I get asked "What yarn is that?" Knitting up on US 6's, almost all my students finished 1 mitt in our class time together and knit the other while still on our retreat. I'm happy to now make this pattern available to all.

The second pattern is a hat I was working on while teaching at Squam. I worked on it mostly on the docks of Squam Lake, my feet in the water, chatting about life and making things with my fellow teachers and students. I was inspired by our surroundings - the lake, the trees, the people and the colors. There was never a doubt in my mind that this hat is 100% Squam, hence the Squam Lake Hat.

I love this hat. Fair Isle, corrugated ribbing and colors that pop are classic TanisKnits. Knit up in Alchemy: Yarns of Transformation's Temple, a simply beautiful superwash hand dyed, this hat holds such fond memories, wonderful conversations and time spent with amazing people who are friends for life. Alchemy is in a league of their own color-wise and the 4 autumnal colors knit up on US 5's make me think "Squam."

Love how this hat comes together at the crown!

I hope you enjoy these Squam-inspired patterns and I do hope I'll see you next September on the Lake. Until then, I'll keep my memories from the retreat close to my heart and dream of when I'll be back.

Download the Lovely Aphrodite pattern here and the Squam Lake Hat here.