Comfy Cozy DK

My original Comfy Cozy shawl has been big hit with the social knitters but not everyone loves fingering weight. It might be too thin, take too long, be intimidating, or just plain don't like it. So, with many requests; Comfy Cozy is now available in DK weight! 

Comfy Cozy DK uses the same broken rib pattern separated by a few rows of plain garter for a squishy, comfy, and warm shawl of the winter months. The heavier fabric gives an extra layer of warmth for when the wind really begins to blow. 

The original sample uses Miss Babs Yowza, a 100% Merino yarn that comes in giant hanks I like to call yarn babies. The colorway is Tea Time Frenzy and it's a lightly variegated yarn with some speckling. I was hesitant at first because I wasn't sure the patten was going to show but the color and the broken rib compliment so well. 

Definitely take a look at the projects on Ravelry if you can, it will be well worth it. So many testers made awesome color blocked and striped versions. You'll get some ideas and maybe be able to pull from stash! You can take a look at my project page here.  

The fall socks that weren't...

Okay, knitting really has no schedule...but...these were 100% finished late! These were supposed to be my fall 2024 socks and they didn't get finished until New Years day, that's how it goes. 

Although I failed to finish them in the 'designated' season I did use some deeper stash for these! I knit another pair of my Duplo Socks pattern in Black Cat Custom Yarn I purchased at KnitCity Vancouver in 2017. It's a privilege to be able to attend a yarn show out of state, let alone out of the country and I really love that I get to try and see different dyers when doing it! 

These fall socks are definitely a Sierra pair of socks, fall colors but in bright neon! I don't normally do neon but these are for my feet so I went wild. I added a contrast heel from Leading Men Fiber Arts and I love how it picks out the pops of purple from the variegation in the yarn. 

I would rate Duplo a 2 out of 5 on the difficulty scale, it's not a vanilla sock (plain stockinette) but it's only knits and purls that are easy to identify once you have the pattern established. If you're looking for a new sock pattern to work with variegated yarn then Duplo is the one for you! 

Street Mitts

When I lived in California the only time I ever really wore mittens was the very few times it snowed, winter soccer practices, and when we went snowboarding and skiing. Moving up to Washington I could not believe how freaking cold I was the first year. 

Mittens are now part of my winter staples from November until about March/April. With the use of more mittens came the want for more matching colors. I have a beautiful pair of pumpkin orange mittens I knit in college to wear while I was waiting for the bus after night classes but pumpkin doesn't really match my purple winter coat all that well. 

With my love for scrappy projects and my need for more mitts the Street Mitts were born! Street Mitts are a broken rib mittens pattern that incorporates mini skeins and fun play with color. Street Mitts are also a collaboration with Leading Men Fiber Arts, I'm their in-house designer for 2025! I'll have another blog post coming about that soon! 

Street Mitts uses less than 100 grams of fingering weight to knit any of the 3 sizes available. I knit both a striped pair and a pair with a single skein to show the possibilities within one pattern. Designed with a US 1.5 needle size means that your favorite sock size should be perfect for this project.

Fingering weight is on the lighter side of yarn weights so for a cool winter climate this is perfect as outer wear, for a cold winter climate Street Mitts make a great mitten liner! Have a fun pop of color tucked inside your regular mittens. I used a hearty Merino/Nylon blend like I'd use for socks so this hard wearing accessory will last me years. 

The stripe pattern of Street Mitts makes them a great project to try out a new color palette or use leftovers from one of your favorite projects. Sometimes you love a color palette and it really doesn't match your style for a large piece. Street Mitts solves that problem by adding just a pop of color and give you the pleasure of a fun knit. 

Summer Heat Cowl

We are in the thick of winter here in the PNW and I'm missing the natural heat just a bit. I grew up in Northern California and during the summer the was scorching, you could actually see it waving off the pavement of the road. My original Summer Heat Sock pattern was inspired by those heat waves off the pavement. After the first sock design and how well different yarns play with the slip stitches I knew a cowl was needed. 

Summer Heat Cowl uses garter and slip stitches to highlight hand dyed yarn and the play of color between different stitch types. This new cowl design uses a single skein of fingering weight yarn, making it a perfect project to pull from stash. Summer Heat Cowl would be rated at a confident beginner level as the majority of the stitches are knit, purl, or slip stitches. These slip stitches show the change variegated yarn and beautiful play of colors within the skeins. 

The original Summer Heat Cowl was knit in Malabrigo Sock using ~100 grams or 440 yards of fingering. Any fingering base or yarn you find comfortable on your neck is perfect for this project. You can see tester projects and color on Ravelry to get an idea of what other yarns would look like in the Summer Heat stitches. 

This sample of Summer Heat Cowl is al little more on the subdued side of my color wheel so perhaps I need to stash dive for a bright signal skein for my next one! I'd love for you to leave comment on the blog post letting me know what dyer you think you'll be using! 

Knit Little Elf Knit

Seasonal knits bring me lots of joy and help me get into the mood of whichever season is coming. This year I finished up my Christmas socks on Christmas Eve Eve, and they've been a long time coming because...I actually started them in 2023! 

The awesome yarn was dyed by Show Me Yarn on the Bootheel base and as the title says the colorway was 'Knit Little Elf Knit' which just tickled my sense of humor. I added the contrast heel flap as I prefer to have my stripes stay in order, it makes my brain happy. Using of little bits of leftovers in heel flaps also makes my knitting more sustainably. Less waste is being thrown out and I'm purchasing less yarn using what I already have. 

I didn't use any specific pattern, this is my standard US 1.5 needle with 64 stitches cast on using the cuff down method. I use a Modified Eye of Partridge Heel Flap that is used in all of my sock designs (free and paid.) 

Are you a Christmas sock knitter? I thoroughly enjoy searching out Christmas colored yarn (Even if it's accidental Christmas) at fiber festivals. It gets me excited about my favorite holiday! 

Wrapped in Color

The vast majority of my 20s I spent living in cardigans. I was in college, working at the yarn shop, and working with kids. They are easy to through on and off as I get hot and add just a little extra to an outfit. Now that I'm in Washington and it's much colder and most of my time is spent working from home I don't throw them on as often, I reach for a shawl more readily than a cardigan. 

BUT! Shawls don't always stay in place like I want them too and it drives me nuts to constantly pull them up and over my shoulder. The 3/4 shape that is used in Wrapped in Color is my new obsession to throw on when I'm at home working. 

Wrapped in Color features a fleck stitch that is a four row repeat and adds just a bit of texture to the body of the shawl and then a wide mosaic border. The original sample uses a gradient mini skein kit for the mosaic section but is designed to use leftovers, random mini skeins, or a kit you have in stash. The main body color works best as a tonal or solid to really show off that fleck stitch. 

Wrapped in Color is a long lasting knit, using close to 400 grams of fingering weight. I did have testers that used a heavier weight yarn for colder weather and a faster knit. You can check out the different test knit samples on Ravelry. 

Me Before Brioche

Two color brioche can be so intimidating! Not only with funky looking abbreviations but also with RS, slide, RS, Turn, WS, slide, WS, turn...what the heck do those mean? Me Before Brioche is my latest shawl pattern and it's the perfect stepping stone into two color brioche. 

Me Before Brioche is designed using the same two color garter technique that two color brioche uses. First you knit the RS of your work, then slide your work back the beginning needle, then you'll work the RS again with your contrast color. Once you've completed your RS again then you turn your work to start using the WS. 

Why this shawl before brioche? If you already understand the mechanics of working each side twice then it won't be intimidating at all to approach the technique with brioche added in. 

Using two color garter you can create your own fades/gradients using mini skeins or leftovers from your stash. This effect can blend colors that look good together but aren't a gradient into a smooth transition gradient that will create stunning color effects. Me Before Brioche is a crescent shapes shawl which will wrap smoothly around the neck and ends with an i cord for clean finish. 

The original sample used 7 mini skeins of 37 grams each for a total yardage of 931 yards of fingering weight. The pattern itself is designed to use the amount of grams you have per skein so even if your grams weight is different than what I used it will still work out. Although the original sample and the pattern are written for fingering weight by adjusting your needle size you could knit it with sport or dk weight as well! 

I hope Me Before Brioche gives you confidence to move on to trying two color brioche and helps you play with color. Take a dive through your stash and see what you can come up with!