Pattern: Mariage Soeurs

Mariage Soeurs $8 on Ravelry (no account necessary)

Through 7/29 get $2 off the purchase of Mariage Soeurs. No coupon necessary. Discount reflected once pattern is in cart.

Originally designed for my sister’s wedding, this delicate cardigan combines Marriage Lines lace with the bobble-rich Nosegay pattern to create a feminine sweater suitable for any occasion. Waist shaping, ¾ sleeves, and lacy raglan lines highlight its femininity and make it suitable for year-round wear.

What you'll love about Mariage Soeurs

• Delicate stitch patterns with lots of texture (lace, twisted stitches, bobbles!)
• Thoughtful waist shaping increases and decreases the fabric right where you want your curves for a very flattering sweater
• Lacy decreases for the raglan lines add an extra, pretty element to this feminine cardigan
• Worked from the bottom up with the body in one piece, the sleeves are also worked flat (and seamed up at the end - that way the body and sleeve gauge match), then sleeves and body are joined on one long, circular needle before stitches are decreased away to create the raglan yoke
• Stitch patterns are provided in both written and charted formats
• Button bands knitted as you go mean there is very little finishing work: weave together the underarms, seam the sleeves, and sew buttons over the buttonholes (yes, you make buttonholes on both bands, so you will know exactly where those buttons belong) on your preferred side

Finished Sizes
28 (32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52) inches/71 (81.25, 91.5, 101.5, 111.75, 122, 132) cm finished bust circumference, buttoned, shown in size 32 inches (81.25 cm) with 2 inches (5 cm) of positive ease

Materials

• Madeline Tosh Tosh Merino Light (fingering weight, 420 yds/384 m per 4 oz/110 g skein), colorway: Fragrant, 2 (3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5) skeins or approx. 725 (850, 1025, 1200, 1375, 1575, 1775) yds/663 (777, 937, 1097, 1257, 1440, 1623) m fingering weight yarn
• US4/3.5 mm 40-inch/100 cm circular needle or size needed to achieve gauge
• Stitch markers, removable stitch markers, cable needle, waste yarn, tapestry needle, 8 (8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10) ½-inch/13 mm buttons

Gauge
24 sts x 32 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in Stockinette Stitch

Thanks!
Photography: Gale Zucker Photography
Test knitting: minimoebius, SarahinHouston, myexpressions8, gmb3tcd
Technical editing: Amy Gunderson

Mariage Soeurs $8 on Ravelry (no account necessary)
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Pattern: Mother & Child Reunion

Mother & Child Reunion $US6 on Ravelry (no account necessary)

No I would not give no false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
—Paul Simon, “Mother and Child Reunion”

Originally designed and knit as a gift for my daughter as a graduation present to wrap her up in my love, recent news compelled me to become one of the helpers by publishing the pattern and using the proceeds to help other families stay together and/or reunite. Many thanks to my quick testers, as well as my technical editor, who donated her services for this pattern. All proceeds from this pattern will be donated to Together Rising on an ongoing basis. For more on what Together Rising is doing, click here.

Mother & Child Reunion is worked as individual squares then joined to form a square blanket or a long rectangular wrap. Until the very end, when you have a large, lovely pile of knitting on your lap, this is a perfect portable project.

The Big Blanket size makes a generous 50-inch throw using Berocco's Vintage Chunky (an excellent, half wool, low maintenance yarn in lots of colors) using less than one skein per square, while the 30-inch Baby Blanket and 20x70-inch Wrap call for two or three skeins, respectively, of Backyard Fiberworks Sock (or your favorite sock yarn) using one skein for five squares.

Each square is worked in the round from the center out, then stitches from the final round are placed on waste yarn. Squares are joined together with a Three-needle Bindoff (Kitchener Stitch for the wrap). All remaining live stitches around the edge are finished with an I-cord Bindoff, which gives a lovely, clean edge (and a new skill, if you haven't tried that bindoff before). Fern Lace is provided in both charted and written forms, so you've just run out of excuses to wrap someone up in your knitted love.

Finished Sizes
Big Blanket [Baby Blanket]: 50 inches/127 cm [30 inches/76.25 cm] square
Wrap: 20 inches/50 cm width, 70 inches/178 cm length

Materials

• Big Blanket Yarn: Berroco Vintage Chunky, Bulky yarn: 50% acrylic, 40% wool, 10% nylon; 136 yds/124 m per 100 g/3.53 oz.; color: Misty #6113, 10 skeins or approx. 1300 yds/1189 m
• Wrap [Baby Blanket] Yarn: Backyard Fiberworks Sock, fingering yarn: 100% Superwash Merino wool; 400 yds/366 m per 100 g/3.53 oz.; color: Blackberry, 3 [2] skeins or approx. 1100 yds/1006 m [800 yds/732 m]
• Big Blanket Needle: US10/6.0 mm 40-inch/100-cm circular needle + set of DPNs (long needle is used for Magic Loop and to accommodate a large number of stitches), or size needed to achieve gauge
• Wrap [Baby Blanket] Needle: US3/3.25 mm 40-inch/100-cm circular needle + set of DPNs (long needle is used for Magic Loop and to accommodate a large number of stitches), or size needed to achieve gauge
• Stitch markers, waste yarn, tapestry needle

Gauge
Big Blanket: one square = 16 inches/40 cm in Fern Lace after blocking
Wrap [Baby Blanket]: one square = 10 inches/25.5 cm in Fern Lace after blocking

Skills

• casting on
• working in the round
• knitting
• increasing
• decreasing
• lace (from chart or written instructions)
• three-needle bindoff or Kitchener Stitch
• i-cord bindoff

Thanks!
Thank YOU for purchasing this pattern. All proceeds will go to Together Rising on a monthly basis to help Together Rising support carefully vetted organizations across the country working tirelessly to reunify children with their families.
Test knitting: bananarota, dianedlouw, d4obrien, Jbenedict, MarMarHay, minimoebius, missychick, Northbrooke, Sabograd, SarahinHouston, scrappygal
Technical editing: Laura Cameron

Interested in a KAL? Subscribe to my newsletter, and I will let you know all the details shortly.

This pattern would also work beautifully for a Welcome Blanket if knit in DK or worsted weight yarn, though I have not yet worked a blanket in that size. Choose a needle size as specified on your yarn's ball band, work one square and block it. If your square is approximately 13 inches, you are all set to make a 40-inch Welcome Blanket.

Mother & Child Reunion $US6 on Ravelry (no account necessary)


Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen

Podcast on iTunes: The Blossom or the Bole

Pattern: The Blossom or the Bole

The Blossom or the Bole $US6 on Ravelry (no account necessary)

O chestnut tree, great rooted blossomer,
Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole?
O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?
— William Butler Yeats, “Among School Children”

Inspired by the Yeats poem "Among School Children", this asymmetrical triangle shawl begins with Garter Stripes then alternates stripes with Leaf Lace before bursting into a large section of Birds Eye Mesh. A few more Garter Stripes and a Picot Bindoff finish everything off.

Choose three skeins of your favorite sock yarn and enjoy a fun (but not too challenging) knit. Stitch patterns are provided in both written and charted formats.

Finished Measurements
Wingspan: 87 inches/221 cm
Depth: 42 inches/107 cm

Materials

• Color A (black): Backyard Fiberworks Prairie (fingering weight: 100% superwash merino, 400 yds/366 m per 3.53 oz/100 g), color: Cast Iron, 1 skein or approx. 300 yds/274 m
• Color B (green): Backyard Fiberworks Prairie (fingering weight: 100% superwash merino, 400 yds/366 m per 3.53 oz/100 g), color: Arbol, 1 skein or approx. 400 yds/366 m
• Color C (purple): Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles (fingering weight: 100% superwash merino, 400yds/366 m per 3.53 oz/100 g), color: Daydream, 1 skein or approx. 300 yds/274 m
• US6/4.0 mm 24-inch/60-cm or longer circular needle (long circular needle is used to accommodate large number of stitches)
• Stitch marker
• Tapestry needle

Gauge
24 sts x 48 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in Garter Stitch after blocking

Skills

• Casting on
• Knitting
• Purling
• Increasing
• Decreasing
• Binding off

Thanks!
Test knitting: IsabelleBleu, Minimoebius, SarahinHouston, Strickgut
Technical editing: Catherine Clark

The Blossom or the Bole $US6 on Ravelry (no account necessary)


Happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen

Guess where I’m going next week!

Guess where I’m going next week!

For One More Row Press's next publication, Alice and I are going on a recon trip and connecting with our Parisian designer and dyer friends.

I’m off to get a new pair of sneakers, but share your recommendations of anything we shouldn’t miss in the comments.

#iknitparis #knitlikealocal #iftttkd via Instagram http://bit.ly/2GhuImg

Test knitting

Interested in some test knitting? I have five designs that are set for release in April 2018. More information in my test knitting newsletter...

Sign up for my test knitting newsletter here.

It was a year, 2017, wasn’t it?

It was a year, 2017, wasn’t it?

Thank you for all the hearts and comments that made up this #bestnine2017

Clockwise from top left:

• In my happy place at NYS&W @spirittrailfiberworks booth cuddling Zalti yarn in Big Barn Red that Jen specially dyed for @knitfilament
• in another happy place @knittycity showing off my Persistence tee from @junipermoonfarm (and my pussyhat)
• at the NY Women’s March with our girls proudly wearing my first @p_ssyhatproject
• talking to knitters at Knitty City about the Fall issue of Filament while wearing Covert
• remembering my dear friend Jill @yarnsinthefarms who supported me early in my knitting career
• punting on the Cam with the big guy
• in our happy place in Maine with my favorite photographer after a shoot for @poststitch
• seeing this sweater @themuseumofmodernart was like bumping into an old friend after a visible mending class with @julie_of_jetsetsewing (one of the benefits of living in NYC)
• center - hero shot from Quadrille, a sweater originally inspired by my dear grandmother’s vest that was her souvenir from Ireland. 

Happy that family, friends, knitting, and resistance all were part of my 2017.

Happy New Year, my friends.

Let’s make history in 2018.
xoxo, Kathleen . . .
#iftttkd via Instagram http://bit.ly/2lE6Ig1