Episode 55

Shownotes:

Tot Toppers

My Current Design Progress

Tot Toppers Blog

Tot Toppers on Ravelry

Math For Hats

Hat Sizing Chart

Tot Toppers Etsy Shop

Tot Toppers Kits

Tot Toppers Lip Balm Recipe

Join the Never Not Knitting Ravelry Group

Follow ME on Twitter! 

The winner of Episode 54's Sweet Georgia Yarns Drawing Giveaway is Megan! Congratulations!

*Please check back soon to enter the drawing for Episode 55!

Receive $3 off of the Math For Hats e-book by entering code "NNKmath" in the checkout process.

Get 10% off all individual pattern pdfs by entering code "NNK" in the checkout process.

This offer is valid until August 15th on tottoppers.com and is exclusive to the Never Not Knitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

One of the perks of designing knitwear is receiving shipments of beautiful yarns in the mail!

Lately I've received these two amazing packages of yarn for use in my current design collection.

First up... these lovely skeins from Tactile Fiber Arts.

These soothing naturally dyed colorways were created especially for the collection. I'll be sharing more about that later...but they are lovely and very special and fit into the theme of my project beautifully.

From this yarn, I've created this little knit. Here is a sneak peek for now.

Secondly I was recently sent two sweater's worth of yarns in these amazing colorways.. Bronze Age and Juniper from Pigeonroof Studios!

I can't tell you enough how much I am in love with these colors, and how perfectly they work with the design I have planned. 

But do you know what's even more exciting than that? 

Knitting with this yarn!

Yep! This is my final design for the collection and I'm almost done with it too!

The colors are blending beautifully and this yarn is unbelievably luxurious. I am enjoying every single stitch.

As you can tell.. there is a lot going on behind the scenes here at Never Not Knitting.
There will be a big reveal coming up soon! Stay Tuned!

When I opened the SweetGeorgia Yarns package and saw these skeins, the first thing that popped into my head was.. Wow!

The color is so saturated and so pretty. I want it.

But don't worry.. I wont keep it. This yarn is for you!

The tag-line for this company,"passionate+relentless+unapologetic color" really fits.

 This is one of the most striking yarns I've ever come across. Its just beautiful!

To enter to win these four vibrant skeins of Tough Love Sock in Tourmaline

(provided by Felicia of SweetGeorgia Yarns) as well as the 

adorable Georgia sweater pattern by designer, Jane Richmond, 

please leave a comment under this post. 

Remember to please include your contact information. 

Only one comment per person please.

The winner will be announced here on August 1, so be sure to check back then and see if you've won!

    Drawing now closed! Congratulations to Megan, the winner! 

Episode 54

Shownotes:

SweetGeorgia Yarns

Fun Fur Yarn for the "Bodysuit" :)

My Two Liberated Skeins

Knitpicks Needles

Jane Richmond on Ravelry

Jane's Blog

The Georgia Cardigan Pattern

Tough Love Sock Yarn

Tourmaline Colorway

Join the Never Not Knitting podcast listeners group on Ravelry!

Follow me on Twitter!

The winner of Episode 53's Little Red in the City Drawing Giveaway is *starstofillmydreams*! Congratulations!

*Please check back soon to enter the drawing for Episode 54!

Get 10% off all purchases at sweetgeorgiayarns.com through the end of July by entering code "NNK" in the checkout process.

This offer is exclusive to the Never Not Knitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

I recently met Carrie from Alpenglow Yarn for lunch, and left with some of this fabulous alpaca yarn to use in the upcoming design collection.

This chunky, squishy alpaca is gorgeous in its simplicity. 

It is an undyed 100% alpaca fiber collected from and milled by farms local to where I live in California. 

I love that the name of the alpacas it came from is printed on the label... and...

although it could be considered annoying by some, I love that while I'm knitting this fiber I am finding little bits of vegetation in it. This is the real deal. I am loving the rustic nature of this yarn. 

Another benefit. It's thick!

This latest design worked up in a snap! And I even finally found a use for these amazing buttons that I had in my stash from long ago. I've been waiting for the perfect project for these!

I am one happy knitter right now. :)

Back to work I go!

It was a pleasure getting to interview Ysolda in Episode 53 about her latest book, Little Red in the City!

To enter to win a signed copy of the book, please leave a comment (including your contact information) under this drawing post. Remember, only one comment per person please.

A winner will be chosen and announced here on July 15th, so please check back then to see if you've won!

Learn more about Ysolda and Little Red in the City by listening to my latest podcast episode HERE.

Episode 53

Shownotes:

Ysolda

Pigeonroof Studios Yarn

Baby Sock Patterns

Little Red in the City

Little Red's Sweater Patterns

Ysolda's Blog

Ysolda on Ravelry

Join the Never Not Knitting Ravelry Group!

Follow me on Twitter HERE

.The winner of Episode 52's Pigeonroof Studios Drawing Giveaway is Kristin! Congratulations!

*Please check back soon to enter the drawing for Episode 53!

Get 10% off all of Ysolda's pattern pdfs through July 14th, 2011

by entering code "NNKPODCAST" in the checkout process.

This offer is exclusive to the Never Not Knitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

As a fellow knitter.. you know how it goes. We buy yarn with the best of intentions. Beautiful expensive skeins. But sometimes they are so beautiful we are afraid to use them for fear that they will be wasted on an unworthy project. 

And yes...I'm using the word "we" here when maybe I should be saying "I". I guess I'm hoping that I'm not alone in this.

Frankly, this happens to me more than I care to admit. 

And that is what happened with these two skeins below. 

Remember this? And this?

They were lying in the deep recesses of the stash. One skein dates all the way back to a 2007 purchase!

But guess what? Although I was envisioning each of these gorgeous skeins for their own separate equally gorgeous projects.. I realized as of late that they look awfully good paired together.

So that's what I did! I was able to incorporate both skeins into a design for my upcoming design collection.

And I can't tell you how good that feels to lift these two beauties from the dark, lonely depths of my yarn bins.

In Episode 52, you heard me mention Pigeonroof Studios yarn. Well.. hear it is! 

Aren't these skeins so beautiful? 

These colors remind me of a springtime garden.

To enter to win these five beautiful skeins provided by Krista from Pigeonroof Studios, please leave a comment under this post. Remember to please include your contact information. 

Only one comment per person please.

This prize includes:

1 skein of Cassiopeia fingering singles in Spanish Moss

1 skein of STRONG sock in Blackcurrant

1 skein of SIREN TWO sock in Juniper

2 skeins of Cassiopeia lace singles in Petal

Gorgeous stuff.

The winner will be announced here on July 1, so be sure to check back then and see if you've won!

Drawing Now Closed! Winner is Kristin! Congratulations!

Episode 52

Pigeonroof Studios

Cascade Fixation

The Birds and The Bees headband patterns

Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue headband patterns

Pattern Game Tutorial

List of Pattern Stockists

Saartje's Booties

Bootie Projects On Ravelry

Goodale Sweater

Pigeonroof Studios Etsy Shop

Pigeonroof Studios Colorways On Flickr

Join the Never Not Knitting Ravelry Group!

Follow Me on Twitter!

The winner of Episode 51's 

Spud and Chloe Drawing Giveaway

 is 

Des! Congratulations!

*Please check back soon to enter the drawing for Episode 52!

Get 10% off all purchases at

pigeonroofstudios.etsy.com

 through June 30th, 2011

by entering code “nevernot11” in the checkout process.

This offer is exclusive to the Never Not Knitting podcast listeners and blog readers.

...Swatching tiny oak leaves in delicious green yarn. 

Since I'm a lover of all things green and leafy, I'm finding this part of the design process very exciting. 

On Episode 51, I had the privilege of interviewing Susan B. Anderson about her latest adorable book, Spud & Chloe at the Farm. This book is seriously so cute. If you enjoy knitting toys, you will LOVE this book. And so will your little one!

Leave a comment below to enter to win a copy of your very own along with yarn to make the Spud and Chloe characters and a cute themed measuring tape and project bag. Thank you to Artisan Books and the Spud and Chloe yarn company for providing these fabulous prizes.

Please remember to include your contact information in your comment. 

Also, only one comment per person please.

The winner will be announced on my podcast and blog on June 15th so please check back then to see if you have won!

Episode 51

Shownotes:

Spud and Chloe

Stitches West

Unwind 

Wildfiber

My Pashmina Sweater

Susan's Blog

Spud and Chloe at the Farm

Never Not Knitting Ravelry Group

Follow me on Twitter!

*Please check back soon to enter the drawing for Episode 51!

Now that my first collection design is out of the way.. I decided to pick up this swatch again from a few months back. This will be collection design #2.

Apparently at the time all of these numbers and scribbles made a lot of sense to me. 

I didn't take very good notes because I was absolutely POSITIVE that I would remember what I was doing..

But now.. a few months and one fuzzy pregnancy brain later.. I have simply no idea.

I've been swatching this poor idea to death over the past few days and I hope to make sense of it all soon.

I'm desperately hoping that this gorgeous yarn from Pigeonroof Studios will work for this design. 

I must use it on something.. its just too pretty.

On a side note..  Season 6 of the Never Not Knitting podcast is starting tomorrow! 

Join me then for episode 51!

Remember the pattern collection I eluded to earlier? Well, my first piece is now DONE.

Mostly knit in the throes of early pregnancy morning sickness, this sweater has taken w-a-y-t-o-o-l-o-n-g and I cannot tell you how excited I am to get it off of the needles!

Isn't it strange how sometimes picking the right buttons to finish a garment can be the hardest thing about the project? Choosing buttons is such an important part of the process and it's the part I find very challenging.

I went back and forth between these three options for awhile and finally settled on the middle row of buttons.

They most captured the essence of what this sweater is all about. Sweet and feminine with some vintage charm. I look forward to showing you the entire thing when the time comes.

I know it's annoying when designers show you these kinds of vague and non-revealing photos of their upcoming patterns, but this is how it will have to be for now. Please bear with me while I finish the rest of these designs.

My pregnancy put me way behind schedule, but I still hope to be able to reveal the entire collection to you at the end of the year. This is a very special and personal collection of knits and I hope that it will be worth the wait!

I will keep you all up to date with my progress. And just so you don't get too bored, I will be releasing some other designs that will be part of my regular pattern line in the next few months. 

With my new pregnancy, this collection of knits, and my podcast season starting up again, this blog will be one busy place! Stay tuned!

Recently Veronika from the Yarn on the House blog was kind enough to knit up some samples of my latest headband patterns (Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue) for me to send out with the trunk shows. She also sent me these gorgeous pictures of her daughter, Jasmine, wearing them.

Isn't she beautiful?

I really enjoyed seeing the headband designs on an older girl. I think that this proves that these headband patterns work wonderfully for a girl of any age.

Last year Jasmine was kind enough to model my Spring Garden Tee design as well. Click here to see those photos.

Thank you again to Veronika and Jasmine!

I randomly chose a winner for the book Knit, Swirl! from all of the comments left and I'm happy to announce that the winner is Veronica! Congratulations!

Veronica, please email me at nevernotknitting@gmail.com to claim your prize.

Thank you!

Can't decide between a bird or a violet?

Or a rose or a bee headband?

Now you can purchase all of the headband patterns at once and save.

This pattern bundle includes both The Birds and The Bees headband pdfs along with the new Roses Are Red and Violets Are Blue patterns.

Purchasing the pattern bundle instead of the individual patterns results in a savings of $2.

Have fun making cute stretchy headbands this summer!

I just received in my shipment of Roses are Red, Violets are Blue printed headband patterns!

I love the way they turned out.

As you know, I offer the pattern pdfs as individual downloads HERE on my blog, but

in this printed version (found in yarn stores), both patterns are included in one. 

The above picture shows two copies of the same pattern. (One is just flipped over.)

This concept is often confusing, so I thought I'd show you what I mean.

Below you will see the pattern open on both sides.

No matter how you flip this brochure, one pattern will always be right side up.

You should have heard me trying to explain this style of printing over the phone to some of my family members. It was very frustrating for everyone involved. I guess its something you just have to see to understand. :)

I think these patterns turned out lovely and the way its printed up is fun and unusual.

The most special thing about both of my headband patterns (this one and the Birds and Bees headbands) are the games included  for children. I included these games as a way for knitters to get their children involved in the process.

My five year old daughter helped me put together a "game playing demonstration" for you to see how they work! 

If you recall, a few months ago I had a little headband pattern published in 

Knitcircus Magazine's 2011 Spring Issue.

Now I am happy to tell you that I am adding my Roses Are Red pattern to my own pattern line. It is now available as an individual download in my pattern store and will be hitting the shops soon!

But.. it brought along a friend as well...

The Violets Are Blue headband pattern! (Named after the children's rhyme of course.)

Both patterns are so fun and quick to knit up and only take just the smallest amounts of fingering weight yarn.

During the warmer months, knitters don't often like to have big woolly projects on the needles and in their laps. These headbands can offer you a quick portable summertime knitting project. 

This pattern is ideal for little girls of all ages, but I definitely think it could be worn by a grown up as well. This pattern can be easily adjusted to fit any size head by simply extending the Garter stitch band.

Here is the pattern information for those of you interested:

SIZE

Baby (Toddler, Child)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Headband: 12 (14, 16)” / 30.5 (35.5, 40.5) cm long, 1.25” / 3 cm wide.

Stretches to fit 15.5 (17.5, 19.5)” / 39.5 (44.5, 49.5) head circumference.

MATERIALS FOR ROSES ARE RED

[MC]: Louet Gems fingering [100% Merino Wool; 185 yd / 169 m per 1.76 oz / 50 g skein]; color: 

Fern Green #39; 1 skein or approx 35 (40, 45) yd / 32 (37, 42) m of a fingering weight wool or wool blend.

[CC1] color: Crabapple #26; 1 skein or 10 yd / 10 m.

[CC2] color: Dusty Rose #64; 1 skein or 5 yd / 5 m.

[CC3] color: Willow #55; 1 skein or 5 yd / 5 m.

MATERIALS FOR VIOLETS ARE BLUE

[MC]: Louet Gems fingering [100% Merino Wool; 185 yd / 169 m per 1.76 oz / 50 g skein]; color: Willow #55; 1 skein or approx 35 (40, 45) yds / 32 (37, 42) m of a fingering weight wool or wool blend.

[CC1] color: Violet #45; 1 skein or 40 yd / 37 m.

[CC2] color: Mustard #1352; 1 skein or 5 yd / 5 m.

[CC3] color: Fern Green #39; 1 skein or 15 yd / 14 m.

Alternate Yarns: Malabrigo Sock, Spud and Chloe Fine

2 US1 / 2.25 mm double pointed needles

Tapestry needle

GAUGE

40 sts / 72 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Garter stitch on US1 / 2.25 mm needles or size needed for accurate gauge.

I really hope you enjoy knitting these up! 

If you liked these patterns, click HERE for more fun headbands.

Oh yes.. and I forgot to mention.. there is another fun 'hidden picture game' included for kids in both of these patterns! :)