My Field of Flowers Tote was Chosen as Craftys Award Finalist!!

I guess I should be a little more subtle or humble about sharing this, but I'm just too excited :)  The Craftys Awards are an online contest for the best craft submissions.  This was the first year of the contest and submissions were accepted in a variety of categories:  knitting & crochet, sewing & quilting, jewelry-making, home decor, and a number of other categories.

I submitted a few of my craft tutorials, and my Field of Flowers Knitted Tote was chosen as one of the ten finalists in the knitting & crochet category.  And I'm just thrilled!

Unfortunately, my tote was not chosen as the winner, but that's okay.  I'm still happy just to be chosen as a finalist.  The winner was a knit wedding dress that is truly amazing.  Congratulations to Stephanie Klose for her beautiful dress - and congratulations to all the 2014 Craftys Award winners!!

Choosing Colors for Your Mosaic Afghan or Baby Blanket

Thanks so much to everyone who has shown interest in my Mosaic Afghan and Baby Blanket knitting pattern (available for FREE on my Hubpage!).  I really appreciate it!

I've had a number of people ask about how I chose my colors for the samples I created.  The mosaic pattern in these blankets are made up of three different colors.  While I think this pattern would look great in any color combination, I used a little color theory to create a soft semi-Impressionist look to my mosaic pattern.

Color Theory is the study of how colors appear when placed against or next to one another.  The color wheel below shows the three primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) and their complementary colors (green, orange and purple).  And there are, of course, a variety of shades of each of these colors that fall somewhere on this wheel.  For instance, peach would fall between orange and yellow, turquoise would be between green and blue, etc.

image from www.jic.org

For my adult-sized afghan, I used two shades of yellow (a pale yellow and a medium warm brown/caramel color) and then a light shade of purple as the complementary color.  Because these two colors (yellow and purple) are across from each other on the color wheel, I knew they would work well together in my pattern.

I did something similar with my baby blanket.  I had some pale yellow and lavender left over from the larger afghan, so I used a darker purple to complete my color combination.  Again, my two purples (lavender and a darker plum color) are across the color wheel from my pale yellow color.

There are an endless number of color combinations to that will work together in the mosaic design using the color wheel.  Here are a few ideas:

two shades of green and a pretty color of coral red
two light to medium shades of blue and a brighter color of orange
two shades of pink and a teal-green color

Another option would be to use two shades of any color, and then use a neutral as your third color.  Neutral colors would include white, off-white, shades of gray, beige, black, and even brown.

I hope this has given you some ideas about colors to consider for all of your knitting patterns.  I look forward to seeing the colors that people use in their mosaic blankets!

Knitting, But Not Getting Anywhere

Ever feel like this - you knit, and knit, and knit, and yet you still seem to be at the same spot?  Well, I'm still working on my Drops sweater, but nothing's really happening.  I won't even bother posting a photo, because there's nothing to see.  I'm still working on the body and haven't even hit the armholes yet :(  Granted, this is a long term project for me and I'm working on a few other things at the same time.

Here's a sneak peek at something else I've been knitting: a new pattern!

© 2014 by Donna Herron

It will still be a while until I have it ready to share, but I'm excited about it ;)

Friday Favorites: AMAZING Knit Wallpaper

from Spoonflower blog

I totally want this - knit wallpaper devised and installed at the Brooklyn Craft Company!  Just amazing.  More photos and details here.

Drops Yoked Sweater: Update 1 & An Unveiling

I'm hard a work on a couple of knitting projects, but wanted to post an update on my Drops cardigan with the textured yoke.

I'm almost up to the armpits and will be starting the sleeves soon(ish).  I changed the bottom hem of the sweater from seed stitch to k2, p2 ribbing by following the directions for a different Drops sweater.  

To do this, I cast on 204 sts for the second size (The rib pattern calls for casting on 210 sts, but that's with a 7 stitch button band on each side - I'm knitting a 5 st band.  So I subtracted 4 sts to delete the extra sts from the button band, then subtracted another 2 sts so I could begin and end my k2, p2 ribbing with knit stitches).

I knit my ribbing to the length I wanted (about 2 1/2 inches), then decreases 31 sts across to get me to the stitch count I needed for the first yoked sweater (173 stitches).  From there I plan to follow the pattern as written.  But I am going to make the sleeves full length (again by following the ribbed Drops pattern).  I'll post more info on that when I get to the sleeves.

In the meantime, I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the BEAUTIFUL variegated yarn I plan to use for the yoke.  I bought this yarn at SAFF this past fall.  I had no plans for it, but fell in love with the gorgeous colors.  I hope the textured stitches in this cardigan's yoke will make the most of showing off all the various colors :)

Knitting for Men (Who Don't Like Knits)

As Valentine's Day approaches, some of us may be considering knitting something for the men in our lives.  But be wary - some men just don't like knits (my husband and father among them).

I'm not sure what their aversion is - my husband says he often gets too hot in knitted items, and I think he doesn't want the responsibility of handling and caring for a handmade item.  These are somewhat understandable reasons for not wanting handknit goods.  But most knitters *enjoy* knitting things for the people we love.  And so we persist.

So, if you are considering knitting something for your man, here are a few suggestions for some small accessories that are guy-approved.  And you still have time to make them before Valentine's Day!

First up - Scarves:

Karin's Gansey Scarf  (free pattern) by Tina Hees - I made this scarf for my dad, and...he's never worn it :(  However, I do love this design and think it's very guy-appropriate.  I think a lot of men would like (and wear) this scarf.  It has just enough design to be interesting, but can be worn in both dressy and casual settings.  You could knit it in a bright color for a sporty look, or in a neutral for a more casual style.

P.S. - I added the fringe.  I have posted a fringe tutorial on my Hubpages.

Another great men's scarf pattern is the Campus Scarf by Fiona Ellis from the book Scarf Style.  The pattern for this scarf calls for about 8 different colors of yarn to create stripes in the pattern.  I made this for my hubby using a kettle-dyed denim colored yarn and let the design create the interest.  A fun project to knit, I really like this scarf and so does my hubby.  He actually does wear it (I wish I made it about 12 inches longer though).  Highly recommended!

Hats:

Hats can be a bit trickier - there are SO MANY designs.  If you are going to make your guy a hat, I would suggest a basic design knit in a dark color.  Some ideas:

Keep it simple, like a ribbed Man Hat (free pattern, not pictured) by Haven Leavitt

For something with a little design, try Berruti by Wendy Neal.  I made this hat for my husband out of the same yarn as his Campus Scarf.  He wears it *occasionally.*

Some other interesting hat patterns:

Antler Hat  (free pattern, not pictured) by Alexa Ludeman

Quest for Man (free pattern, not pictured) by Laura Nelkin

Now, on to Socks:

Honestly, I've never knit socks.  But my advice is similar to that for hats - choose a simple design and make them in a solid neutral color.  Here are some patterns I find interesting and designed with men in mind:

Simple Skyp Socks (free pattern, not pictured)) by Adrienne Ku - basic, but with a little pattern to it.

Escalator Socks (free pattern, not pictured) by Sara Armoroso - such an interesting design!

Java Socks (free pattern from Knitty.com) by Cailyn Meyer (not pictured)  Gosh, I do love these!  *If* I were to knit my husband some socks, I think these might be the ones!

And for something a little fancier, Boyfriend Socks (free pattern, not pictured) by Alice Bell.  I love the use of cables, but my husband would never wear them.  Boo :(

Well, I hope I've given you some ideas and fair warning :)  Happy Knitting!

Knitting Year in Review 2013

This is the time of year in the blogosphere where all bloggers do a post that looks back over the last year and makes some type of claim about the upcoming year.  And since I don't want to feel left out (or have you feel left out), here's my look back on my three favorite knitting projects from 2013:

1.  The Theresa Shawl by Nikki Wagner from the Fall 2013 Knitscene magazine:  I really love this shawl/scarf.  I've always been a little frightened of shawls, but there's an ease to this design that makes it so comfortable to just wrap around my neck and go.  I used stash yarn for this - I bought the green/yellow variegated yarn at Stitches South a few years ago.  I added the darker blue because I was afraid that I wouldn't have enough of the green color to finish this pattern.  The blue yarn is some Malabrigo Arroyo that I had leftover from my own shawl design, the Crossroads Textured Shawl.

2.  Norah Gaughan cardigan from my Summer Sweater Knit-a-Long:  I've talked at great length about how much I love this sweater.  The design is gorgeous, the color is wonderful, and I'm so happy with the modifications I made to the pattern.  It has become a staple of my wardrobe.  The yarn is Ella Rae Classic Wool.  Although this fiber is not particularly soft, it's only a little bit itchy at the neck and does wear well.  And I wear this sweater A LOT!

3.  Color Field Baby Blanket/Afghan by ME:  sorry, I just had to throw in one of my own designs :)  I do really love how this blanket came together.  I designed it for some friends who were expecting their first child.  I think the colors and design are both cheerful, yet modern.  And the new parents seem to love it!

So, there it is - my look back on 2013 in knitting.  And for 2014?  I have a few things up my sleeve:

1.  I have a couple of new designs that I will be posting on my Hubpages in the coming months.

2.  I want to make a fall jacket for myself.  I'm considering a pattern from Filati Handknitting, Issue 53 (lefthand side of page 12 - love it!).

3.  And I hope to have a few more surprises coming up!

Stay tuned!  Best wishes to all for a happy and bright 2014!!!

Wonderful or Whack-a-doodle (or Wonderfully Whack-a-doodle)?

So here's my latest knitting project and attempt at using up some of my leftover yarn:  The Cadeau Cowl by Wei S. Leong (free pattern).  I've called it a cowl, but I'm not really sure what it is.  A ruff?  Small capelet, maybe?  Whatever it is, I'm not sure it's really me.

Honestly, I think it's a beautiful pattern.  The way the cables intertwine is really interesting and makes this item very unique.  I could see possibly wearing this cowl/capelet over a strapless dress for a special occasion if you were uncomfortable showing so much skin or wanted to keep your shoulders warm.  With the right outfit, I think it could look really sweet.

But for me - I'm not sure.  One, I made the larger size and I think it may be too big for my shoulders.  And two, this color, though pretty, might be a little too bright for me and this item.  Maybe if I knit it again in a neutral, like a gray color?  Then maybe it wouldn't look so out of place?  Still not sure.

I'll think about it over the Christmas holidays.  Wishing you a exciting holiday, too!

Big Bang, Anyone?

After finishing my Summer Sweater KAL, I didn't really want to sign up for another one right now.  I had some other projects in mind, I wanted to take a bit of a break, etc...BUT then some other Summer Sweater KAL members suggested a Big Bang Theory knit-a-long, and I couldn't resist :)

I'm not really knitting anything Big Bang-inspired for this KAL, I'm still working on some of my "recession knitting" projects.  But the KAL also includes Big Bang Theory trivia, and as a dedicated fan of the show, I am enjoying participating in these fun (and surprisingly difficult) questions.

If I were going to make something BBT-inspired (and if I knew how to crochet) I would TOTALLY make these dolls designed by Allison Hoffman.  They are completely AWESOME!!!  They look so much like the characters from the show.  It's amazing!  I have a set of manufactured bobble heads of the cast that my husband gave me, and these handmade dolls look way more like the actual cast than my bobble heads.  They are so cool! 

Latest FREE Knitting Pattern: Simply Special Washcloth

Here is my latest free pattern:  the Simply Special Washcloth!  I wanted to make some washcloths for our guest bath that had a simple design but a special touch to them.  So, I created an interesting but easy knit-purl diamond design that's simple but has a pretty look and a nice texture to it.  Then I finished it off with an i-cord border (which is actually knit as you work through the pattern).  I'm really happy with how they came out!

You can find more of my free knitting patterns, knitting articles, and craft ideas on my Hubpages site!

Free Knitting Pattern: Color Field Baby Blanket

As promised, here is my latest free knitting pattern:  the Color Field Baby Blanket.  Baby blankets are always a great handmade gift for new parents.  A blanket is very useful, and a baby doesn't grow out of it as soon as clothes or other gifts.

 I designed this pattern to be fun and colorful, and adaptable to match any personal taste or nursery decor.  For my blanket, I used the detail color of my first block as the background color of the next block, and transitioned through 6 colors that way to make my design.  However, this blanket could also be knit in just two colors (it would be beautiful using a variegated or striping yarn as the background and a solid color as the detail throughout; or - do the reverse.  Use one solid color as the background, and a variegated or striping yarn as the detail!)

I love how this blanket came out.  I hope you like it too :)  You can find my other free knitting patterns and articles on Hubpages! 

Husband-Sized

As promised, here are some photos of my finished afghan for my husband.  He wouldn't model it for this posting, but he seems happy :)

I posted my modifications from the Walt Painted Baby Blanket pattern here.  The finished size of this blanket turned out to be 36 inches wide by 64 inches long (unblocked,and I don't have any plans to block it).  If I were to do over this project, I would add 2 - 4 more chevrons (15 sts each) to the width.  That would give a little more coverage on the side, but it's fine the way it is :)

You'll notice I only did two white stripes as opposed to the three I originally planned.  Knitting a third stripe would have meant starting another skein of yarn and I decided I didn't need any more length, so I chose to skip the stripe and return the extra skein.  Here an update on the yardage I used:

2 1/2  skeins of Caron Simply Soft in Gray Heather (main color)
2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue
1 1/2  skeins of Red Heart Super Saver in Tea Leaf (green)
1 skein of Caron Eco Ways in an off-white

I have enough yarn left over in a few of the colors to do a baby blanket, and we have a friend expecting in late May.  I hope to come up with an original pattern for this blanket.  Stay tuned :)

Keeping Hubby Happy & Warm

We've made it through our first winter in our new house and the one thing we've learned:  our new house is COLD.  My husband complains almost constantly and keeps raising the thermostat (neither of which really helps).  So when I was between knitting projects in February, it dawned on me that I should knit hubby a lap blanket/afghan to keep him warm and happy :)

So I struck a deal with him:  I would knit him a blanket if he let me choose the design and colors.  I knew I wanted a pattern that was simple and modern.  I came across this Walt Painted blanket pattern by Danielle Romanetti that I really liked and went about expanding the baby pattern to be husband-sized.  However, after doing some test knitting, I realized the purl front & back that she uses in her pattern was going to be a nightmare when I enlarged the pattern.  So instead, I used the basic pattern from Zig Zag Pram Blanket by Debbie Orr and made some changes to include garter stitch chevrons.  Since these are free patterns, I feel okay explaining how I incorporated both into my blanket.

First, since I knew my husband wasn't going to treat this blanket with any particular care, I decided to use inexpensive acrylic yarn from my local craft store.  I'm only about halfway through knitting my blanket, but I plan for the finished size to be about 42" wide by 60" to 64" long.  Since I'm still working on it, the yarn amounts below are estimates:

My materials 

3 skeins ( maybe more) of Caron Simply Soft in Gray Heather (main color - MC)
2 skeins of Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue
2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver in Tea Leaf (green)
1 skein (maybe 2) of Caron Eco Ways in an off-white

So, first was to adjust the chevron garter stitch from the Walt Painted Baby Blanket.  Here's what I came up with:

Garter St Chevron
R1 (RS) :  K5, * kf&b, k5, sl1 knitwise, k2tog, psso, k5, kf&b, repeat from * to * until last 5 sts, k5.
R2 (WS):  Knit

Stocking St Chevron (worked only in main color)

R1 (RS):  K5, * kf&b, k5, sl1 knitwise, k2tog, psso, k5, kf&b, repeat from * to * until last 5 sts, k5.
R2 (WS):  K5, purl to last 5 sts, k5.

For my blanket:

With MC, cast on 220 sts with #7 needle (this creates a 5 st border on my blanket).

Worked 5 repeats of Garter St Chevron (10 rows total).  Then worked 6 repeats of St St Chevron (12 rows total).

*Changed to Country Blue and knitted Garter St Chevron for a total of 20 rows.  Then I changed back to the gray (MC) and knitted in St St Chevron for 6 rows.*

I repeated from * to* two more times for a total of three blue stripes.  Then I did the same pattern repeats to create:

3 green stripes
3 off-white stripes
3 more green stripes
3 blue stripes
(total of 15 colored stripes in all)

After finishing my last blue stripe, I'm going to switch back to gray (MC) and work 12 rows (6 repeats) in the St St Chevron and finish with 9 rows of the Garter St Chevron (end on right side).  I'll bind off loosely on the WS to finish my blanket.

As I said, I'm not done yet, but I like how it's coming out.  A hearty thanks to the two designers for coming up with such great patterns!  I'll post more photos when it's finished :)

Ode to Spring (and a new knitting pattern)

I've been talking about Spring for a while now and I know it's not here yet.  But we are about to change our clocks, and it is getting lighter every day.  So I've been celebrating Spring with some new projects, hoping this will encourage the sunshine and warm weather.

First up is my latest knitting pattern - the Loopy Loop Necklace.  (You can click on this link to get the pattern on Hubpages)  This pattern is inspired by some of the bold statement jewelry I've seen in stores for Spring.  The design uses a basic i-cord to make the pendant (a video tutorial is posted with the pattern).  Then I added some bright colors with a simple wrap embroidery stitch.  I love how it came out!

And to welcome Spring when it finally arrives, I've made a new wreath for our door.   This Scrap Fabric Wreath is easy to make using strips of fabric, a wire wreath form, and the decorations of your choice.  The best part is that you can make a wreath for any holiday or season just with the fabric you choose.  I wanted a Spring decoration, so I chose sunny yellow and bright pink, but you could make a wreath that is more rustic by using plaids and denim, or that celebrates your school by using the school colors.  The options are endless :)

I hope these projects help you prepare for Spring's arrival!!

Think Spring!

I love spring.  The world seems to be bright, everything is blooming and starting over again.  It makes a girl's mind turn to...new jewelry!!

And with my mind on new jewelry, I've recently posted two new jewelry tutorials on my Hubpage.

The first is this Beaded Ribbon Necklace.  Using 48 inches of ribbon and your favorite beads, you can make a fresh fashion statement and bring new life to your spring wardrobe!  And who doesn't want that?

Number 2 - This Etched Plexiglass Bracelet is one of my favorite projects!  I love wearing this bold bracelet, and have gotten a lot of compliments on it.  I'll admit, this is a more advanced project and it helps to have some drawing experience.  But the results are well worth the work you put into it :)

New FREE Knitting Pattern: Back & Forth Cowl

Just in time for the new year, I've posted a new knitting pattern!  My Back & Forth Cowl pattern is posted on Ravelry.com as a pdf download.  You can also use the link to the right under my FREE Knitting Patterns (please let me know if these links do not work).

This colorful cowl was designed using slipped stitches and knit stitches to look like a woven textile. Similar to my Reindeer Tracks Cowl pattern, this cowl was created to show of the changing colors of variegated yarn but would also look wonderful in a solid color. This pattern is easy and appropriate for beginners who are familiar with knitting in the round and slipped stitches. This cowl would also look great made with bulky weight yarn!

This pattern is shown as a long cowl that can be doubled around the neck for a snug fit (about 36 inches in length). However, the pattern includes instructions for knitting a shorter draping cowl, or making it longer for a looser doubled cowl.

Hope you enjoy this new pattern.  Let me know what you think! 

Friday Favorites: A Little Somethin' Somethin'

 Just for you - a little something special :)

I've posted a new free pattern on my Hubpage for this knitted flower.  This is a quick knit and easy to assemble.  And it uses two of my favorite materials:  scrap yarn and vintage buttons!

My pattern includes directions on turning your flower into a pin, but you can really use these flowers as decoration on sweaters, hats, household items, whatever.  And you can change up the look of your flower with your choice of yarn and buttons.

I hope you enjoy this pattern!

Friday Favorites: The Lust List

Or "If money grew on trees..."

photo by Genevieve Williamson on etsy

1.  Polymer Clay Bracelet by Genevieve Williamson on Etsy - This bracelet is beautiful! I love how she formed and colored the polymer clay to look like old, worn pieces of wood, stone, I don't know, something else. It's - at the same time - both very architectual and organic. Really cool.

photo by Zach Medler on etsy

 

2.  Pittsburgh Mug by Zach Medler on Etsy - He doesn't currently have this mug in his shop, but I love this design. I love how he uses stamps to create a Pittsburgh-like landscape on his mugs. I lived in Pittsburgh for 9 years and loved it. This mug reminds me of Pgh - the heaviness and colors of this piece remind me of the industrial past and hardworking roots of the city. Plus, I always love a great handcrafted ceramic mug!

 

 

photo from elvafields.com

 

3.  Handmade Necklace from Elva Fields - I first heard about Emily Wheat Maynard's beautiful jewelry in an article in Country Living magazine and just fell in love. It's hard to pick a favorite among all of her beautiful pieces. Emily recycles/upcycles vintage jewelry into new pieces with a great modern look. I love bold necklaces and really like how she maintains the femininity of the vintage pieces while updating them to a very current and cool look.

 

 

4.  The Photographs of Sarah Szwajkos - We saw an exhibition of her really large photographs recently at the Chocolate Church Arts Center (I'm not making this up) in Bath, Maine. I can't seem to copy any of the images from her website to share on this blog, but believe me, her photos are amazing (follow the link). Her photos of indoor spaces capture this wonderful sense of stillness, beauty, and mystery. You feel as if the occupants have scampered off, and left the details of their daily lives to be examined like an archaeological dig. Really fascinating.

 

With the holidays coming up, I hope this list gives my husband some ideas :)



Knitting Pattern: Reindeer Tracks Cowl

I recently posted this new knitting pattern for my Reindeer Tracks Cowl on my Hubpages.  You can find this FREE pattern at: http://purl3agony.hubpages.com/hub/Free-Knitting-Pattern-Reindeer-Tracks-Cowl.

This is a pretty quick, so it's great for last minute holiday gifts :)   The pattern uses slipped stitches and is knitted in the round.  I designed it to show off the colors of variegated yarn, but I think it would also look good in solid colors.

Hope you like it :)

Sakura, or How I Learned to Love this Top

It's taken a long time to post, but I finished my Sakura Tee from the Summer 2012 Interweave Knits about a month ago.  I knew when I started this pattern that this top was not the best choice for me.  These boxy tops with no side shaping seem to draw attention to my hips and make my chest look like that of a 12 year old boy.  Not a good look for me :(  But I still loved the design, and I had some cotton yarn in my stash that would work for the pattern, so I decided to give it a go.

I still think the shape is not the best for me, but the top has grown on me.  I like the relaxed feel of it and I think the pattern is unexpected.  The construction was unusual too and it was fun to knit.

It was not fun, however, to try and photograph.  Three different photo sessions, three different necklaces (variety is the spice of life), a very patient husband, and still not a good photo to be had.

Ugh, my face is blurry

Maybe a flash will help?

Why does my hair look green?

Time to move on to the next project :)