Patterns and Yarn Galore!

The Etsy shop stocking has been pushed back - with a bit of luck I'll have everything ready to go by next Monday. In the mean time, I leave you with the following pictures of two new patterns that will be going live this week as free downloads...

Handy Dandy Towel



I just finished making these up for a friend of mine to use as burp cloths and I plan to make myself some to use as hand towels in my kitchen. It uses the ever popular "Ball Band" dishcloth pattern with a garter stitch border at the top and bottom and an applied I-cord at the top ending in a loop with a button closure. The models were knit with Sugar & Cream Cotton on US Size 6 Needles. As shown the towels measure 9.5" wide and 13.5" long. Truly a handy-dandy item to have around in your kitchen or nursery!

To Drool For - Infant Bib




Again, I knit these up for my friend's baby. I got the inspiration from the Super Simple Bib pattern by Brandi Spray. I used increases rather than yarn-overs and incorporated a simple striping pattern. The bibs measure 7.75" wide and 5.5" long with a 10" long strap with several button holes for custom sizing. The models are knit from Bernatt Cotton Mill Ends and Sugar & Cream Cotton on US Size 6 Needles. This is such a fast project and a great way to use up your odds and ends of yarn from dishcloth projects - give a bunch to a baby you love today!

That's all folks - check back later for the patterns!

Hand-dye success!

Here's what I spent my Sunday doing...

Fingering, 80/20 Merino/Silk
Hand-painted





Fingering, Merino
Kettle-Dyed





Worsted, Merino
Kettle-dyed





Worsted, Merino
Kettle-dyed



I so love using my acid dyes. It takes a lot more prep-work than using Wilton's, but the actual dyeing process is quicker and I am loving the results. It is very interesting that I used the exact same stock mixtures for the two fingering-weight yarns and the difference came from the dyeing method. The hand-painted is very dark and exact while the kettle-dyed has a softer, washed-out look to it. I'm thinking Bengal as a name for the hand-painted colorway, and Sandstone or Autumn Wood as a name for the kettle-dyed colorway. Aquamarine is a logical name for the turquoise-colored skein, so I think that's a keeper. Nothing screams out to me for the Blue/Green/Yellow one, the names I have bumping around my head all seem cumberson or don't do the color combination justice.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I am going to try to recreate the two kettle variegateds tonight or tomorrow night. I took lots of notes, so lets hope that is enough.

Thanks for looking!

Well, you asked for it....

Here's the link to my Etsy storefront. I have a lot of personal knitting to burn through this week, but I'm hoping to get some work done on my patterns and yarn before the end of the month. I'm doing up some kettle-dyed variegateds on Sunday, so I'll have some pictures up by tomorrow night.

Just a little update...

My kitchen scale arrived on Friday and my yarn came on Saturday. I'm hoping to mix some dyes and get a few skeins of hand-painted done this week. I'm planning on putting things up in the Knitty Keen Etsy Shop by the end of the month.

I will also have a few new patterns available as free downloads by the end of the month as well, but you'll have to wait until they are posted.

In the works

My dye has arrived and as soon as I get some yarn, I'll be doing up some handpainted and space-dyed yarns to sell in my Etsy store. I will also be selling stitch markers and some of my patterns. Here's a preview of one that is coming soon -

Frogs in my pocket
(or on my coffee cup in this case)