Puget Sound Beanie

I can't believe it's July already and I just released the third quarter of my subscription for sale! Who knew that an idea that was suggested less than a year ago would lead to such a fun and collaborative project! 

The third quarter inspiration is Puget Sound. There is no Washington without The Sound. If you don't know what Puget Sound is it's "...a large inland estuary connected to the Pacific Ocean. It is about 95 miles long and 1 to 5 miles wide with its northern boundary at Admiralty Inlet and ending in the south at the city of Olympia.  Around its shores live some 4 million people.” Puget Sound Estuarium. The part of Washington I live in isn't on The Sound but I've spent plenty of time there. 

The project inspired by The Sound is my Puget Sound Beanie. Puget Sound Beanie is a DK weight hat that features a simple lace pattern that mores like the currents of The Sound. I used less than one full skein so it's a great budget project! 

The yarn was dyed specifically for this project by Serial Knitters and fully encompasses the beauty of colors around The Sound. I particularly love the pops of coppery orange that represent the California Poppy's. 

The second collaborator for this quarter is Woolin and Co. with a beautiful wool wash to wash your new hat! The scent is Cedar and Lavender which just emulates Washington. 

The combination of all three of these pieces plus the project bag make of the perfect summer knit to show your love Washington. Puget Sound Beanie is simple and fun knitting to bring to your favorite beach or your next knit night. You can purchase the kit for Puget Sound Beanie here in my Etsy shop. 

Why did you make that choice? I-cords

Sometimes when you're readying a pattern you really just can't figure out why the designer decided to go one way or the other. One of my latest patterns, Discovery Cowl, uses a provisional cast on and then two i-cord bind offs. Why? Let me tell you. 

Picking up from an i-cord is difficult for the average knitter. Honestly, that pretty much is the whole reason. Picking up from the i-cord requires making sure the cord isn't twisted as you pick up. The stitches also aren't always easy to visualize picking up (one strand or two!) and can be very frustrating. 

I'm proud of creating patterns that are fun and easy for the average knitter and a next step for a beginner. While a provisional cast on isn't the easiest, it is easier that the i-cord pick up. If you are confident in your skills then you can most definitely do an i-cord cast on and pick up stitches but you don't have to. 

I hope you enjoyed this look into design choices! 

Textured Henness

 The economy is hard and it has been for many years. One of my goals of my business is to make knitting as financially accessible as possible. For the past few months I've been addressing how to make changes to a pattern you already own to make it completely different. This Textured Henness is the first finished example! 

The original Henness (you can check out the post here) used two fingering weight yarns, one a solid color and one a variegated, and striped them together with a cabled bind off in a crescent shape. 

My Textured Henness used the exact same pattern, crescent shape, stripes, and cabled bind off but I used one skein of fingering weight and one skein of mohair/silk lace weight. The yarn I used is from Craftily Dyed Yarn in the Succulent colorway, definitely a COVID lockdown purchase that I am so happy with!

This contrast of weight in the same color make a stunning and elegant effect. This sample looks completely different than the original; other than the bind off you can hardly tell they are the same pattern.

This about how many patterns you've knit and loved which you can make look so different just by changing weights or fibers! You can take a look through your stash and see what different combos you can come up with. 

Do you like this new version of Henness? Inspired to take a dive through previously knit patterns? I can't wait to see! 

Discovery Cowl

 Do you know what a yarn crawl is? Have you ever been on a yarn crawl? Let me tell ya about it. Usually a region close to you will have a host of yarn shops that come together and plan a few days (or a few weeks!) to visit each of the participating shops and fill out a 'passport'. Each shop usually has special yarn and patterns available during the crawl! 

Washington specifically loves yarn crawls! I designed for Bazaar Girls during the Puget Sound LYS Tour 2024. 

Discovery Cowl is a single skein pattern that uses fingering weight yarn and a simple lace pattern. Sometimes longer cowls can get bunchy when you wear them so Discovery Cowl has a row of increases that widen the circumference of the bottom of the cowl. 

Each end of the cowl is finished with an i-cord bind off to five a clean and finished look to this pretty lace pattern. I'm not usually one to knit much lace (I find it fiddly) but this pattern has a knit row between each lace section so you have a rest. The lace is only 4 rows so you'll be able to memorize Discovery Cowl and take it out and about no problem! 

The sample knit for the yarn shop was a single-ply merino yarn from Neighborhood Fiber Co in an exclusive shop colorway. My second sample (photographed here) was knit in a 100% merino yarn, multi-ply from Knitted Wit that's been in my stash for quite some time. 

Using different yarns for this pattern would be no problem! Anything comfortable around your neck and has ~400+ yards would be great. Discovery Cowl would look great in a solid, fontal, variegated or speckled yarn; you really can't go wrong! 

Leave a comment if you know what yarn you'll use!