Knitting a Hand Dyed or Hand Spun Sweater

Hello, everyone! Today I listed some exciting new packages in the Storied Yarns Shop - the Ultimate Fangirl Sweater Kits! These kits will give you plenty of hand dyed yarn (in the colorway and base of your choosing) to knit a sweater, and they're available in DK and Worsted weight yarn options as well as a Combed Top option for you spinners out there. For every kit you get two full pounds of yarn or fiber!

So, how about some suggestions of what to knit with these lovely kits?

First up: the Ultimate Sweater Kits (2 pounds of yarn or fiber) ...

For the DK weight option, you will have 2000 or 2650 yards of DK weight yarn, depending on the base you choose. What sweaters can you knit with that? Quite a few, I should say!

How about a simple cardigan with a pop of textured detail at the collar and sleeves? Roheline should do the trick! This one would look really great in a semi-solid OR a variegated colorway, I think. For something with a little more detail (that would probably work best in a semi-solid "Stock Character" colorway), how about The Archer, a hooded pullover with cable details, or a cabled cardigan - Locke Street Cardigan?

For the worsted weight option, you will get 1696 or 2480 yards. Emilien is a great, basic hoodie pattern that would look awesome striped with two colorways or in one semi-solid or variegated color. Girl Friday has been a favorite pattern of mine for quite some time, and I also really love Dark and Stormy. I think either of those would work best in a semi-solid, stock character shade.

If you're going to buy the fiber option, of course your yardage will vary depending on the weight you spin and the yardage you are able to make. However, a few suggestions might help you narrow down the sweater patterns that would work especially well for handspun yarns. My friend Brittany recently published Libretto, which has a really fun shape and structure that lends itself well to textural yarns. I also really like Idlewood, which would be super cozy in handspun. The clean lines and stockinette body of the Effortless Cardigan and Atelier would also work really well in handspun, colorful yarns.

Next up: The Major Fangirl packages (24oz of yarn or fiber) ...

For the DK weight Major Fangirl sweater kit, you will receive 1500 or 1980 yards. Summer Solstice is a cardigan that would look fantastic in a boldly variegated yarn or a tonal one. Vodka Lemonade is an adorable cropped cardi that would be really nice in almost any color. Gnarled Oak Cardigan has beautiful details which would stand out really well in a semi-solid stock character colorway, and Calligraphy Cardigan, which I totally lust over, would be fantastic in a variegated colorway (note: for the largest sizes you may need to upgrade to Ultimate Fangirl for that one).

For worsted weight, try these on for size: you're going to have either 1272 or 1860 yards to play around with. I love the interesting structure of the Levenwick cardigan. The Brownstone pullover has a male model but I think works really well for either gender, no matter who that sweater will be for! Don't forget Francis Revisited; that one would be great for a colorful worsted weight yarn OR handspun.

For handspun, any of the above suggestions would probably work, too, as would Abalone - it only needs 500 yards! :)

Don't forget to check out my album of available colorways, including the milder Stock Character semi-solids in addition to all the bold, variegated options. If you're interested in a sweater package but not sure which one is right for you, just contact me on Etsy! Together we can make you the fangirl sweater of your dreams. :)

Fiber Friday: Wandering in WIP-Land

psst - Are you looking for information about the Fiber Arts Retreat in April? Read THIS! 

Hello, and Happy Fiber Friday!

This week here at Storied Yarns Central, I feel like I may be slightly drowning in WIPs. I recently cleaned out my personal fiber bin (more on that next week), and inside I found a handful of project bags full of knitting WIPs. Now my WIP bin is overflowing instead of my fiber bin! ACK.

The only WIPs that I'm actually working on at the moment are a crocheted handspun shawl and a hat for my husband.

First up, the shawl - I'm using the Rippled Wrap pattern by Cheri McEwan, and I really like it because once you get past the setup rows, each subsequent row is basically the same as the last so it makes for nice TV crocheting. I also like that it's crochet and I'm using a really big (size US P) hook with super bulky handspun so in theory it will be a fast project (if I ever get the time to work on it, that is!). I'm using a variety of handspun skeins that are all hot pink but each one is unique; originally I made these into a bolero but I didn't like the way it fit, so instead they're going to make me a super cozy shawl for those cold winter nights.

Let's just not talk about the fact that it might be spring before I finish it, okay? 

Here is that lovely shawl in progress:

The hat I'm knitting for my husband was a special request from him. He wanted a "Ron Weasley hat," which to him means a hat with ear flaps and ties. Of course, being ME, I had to dye up a Ron Weasley colorway for his Ron Weasley hat, and then I had to use handspun for the hat instead of regular yarn, because that makes it more complicated more cozy.

Here's a picture of the hat along with the rest of the yarn I have in order to finish it - the yarn is a 2ply of my Ron Weasley colorway on SW BFL with a ply of natural oatmeal colored Icelandic wool. I love how the natural wool kind of mellows out the Ron a little bit, making this hat JUST wild enough for my husband to still wear it (I hope!).

I'm using the basic idea of the pattern, A Practical Animal Cracker Hat, by Becca Evans. This hat was inspired by the actual Ron Weasley hat from the third movie (the one my husband is referring to when he tells me the kind of hat he wants), so it's what I'm modeling my hat after. I had to frog the first one, though, as it turned out several inches too big circumference-wise, so I'm continuing on with my own method of decreasing since my numbers will be off from hers. For that I'm using Crazy Aunt Purl's guide to decreasing the crown of a hat.

The down side of this "quick hat" project is that I'm going to have to line it, because the Icelandic makes this handspun a little scratchy and I don't want the hubster NOT to wear it because it's too scratchy. So I'm going to use a SW Merino/Bamboo blend yarn to line it so it will be nice and soft and double cozy that way, but essentially that means I have to knit two hats. Oh well, at least it's going to be a fun one when it's finished!

The reason for all my rushing on these WIPs is that I'm DYING to cast on for the gorgeous pair of fingerless mitts that my friend Steph designed for quarter one of my A Yarn and a Tale book club. I'm making myself finish at least one of the above projects first, though, preferably the hat. So, there's that.

I did manage to squeeze in a little spinning this week - I spun this corespun yarn from a pair of batts by Ever Improving Me. I plan to knit it into a corespun crown for a KAL in the Funhouse Fibers Ravelry group. Wahoo!

And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you, Fiber Fangirl. I also added some new goodies to the Storied Yarns Shop this week:

So, I guess that's it for me! Watch for an announcement next week about Quarter 2 of A Yarn and a Tale, and to stay the most up to date, hang out in the Storied Yarns Ravelry group.

Happy Stitching!

XOXO,
Jess

Meet a Colorway: Tesseract

Hello, and welcome! Are you looking for information on the Fiber Arts Retreat in April? Here you go!

Today we're up for another rendition of "Let's Meet a Colorway!" If you've been here before, you know that all of my gorgeous colorways for yarn and fiber are inspired by characters and stories. When I meet a new story, I tend to obsess over it; I dream about it, I think about it, I find myself quoting it in my head. All of this tends to continue until I make a colorway inspired by it. Then I can finally move on and think about other things, ha!

Anyway, today's spotlight colorway was inspired by a story that I first read a long time ago: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle.

This colorway is called "Tesseract," and it's inspired by the wrinkles in space/time that Meg and her siblings use to time-travel in the books. It's a fun and funky blend of white, grey, charcoal, midnight blue, violet purple and burnt orange:

When I look at this colorway on the skein, I'm reminded of those awesome photos they take with satellites in outer space, where all you see is a blanket of stars against a dark sky and then there are these mysterious, colorful, glorious clouds:

Andromeda Galaxy from Space.Com

This colorway is one of my all-time favorites, and it was inspired by a book that I truly loved as a child. Need some ideas for what to knit with it? How about Time Traveler Socks? Ha! Or maybe a Wrinkled Scarf? I also think this yarn would be ahhh-mazing as an In the Pink Shawl. I mean, wow. It would look just like a galaxy on your shoulders!

Buy this yarn for yourself when you want to escape to another place or time. Buy it for someone else who encourages you to try new things, see new places, or is always there for you when you get lost and need to find your way home. 

You can find Tesseract in the Storied Yarns shop. And hey, I just updated it today, so there are a few other new lovelies in stock as well! If your favorite colorway happens to be sold out, just use the custom order yarn or roving listing and I'll dye it up for you. It's okay, fangirl - I've got your back. ;)

Stitched Together 2013: A Fiber Retreat from Storied Yarns

I am SO excited to make this announcement! A dream I have had for a long time is finally going to come true, and the best part is that I get to share it with my fibery friends!!!

This year I will be hosting a Fiber Arts Retreat - YAY!!!! (Enter Muppet Flail Here.)

Do you want to join me?!? Of course you do! Here are the details:

What: Stitched Together 2013: A Retreat for All Things Yarny

When: April 26-28, 2013

Where: Fall Creek Falls State Park in Pikeville, TN

Cost: $100 per person to include food, lodging and extra goodies.

Come join us in a mountain retreat for the weekend! We'll surround ourselves with all the natural beauty Tennessee has to offer. Fall Creek Falls has six waterfalls, including the one called Fall Creek Falls which is the highest waterfall in the eastern United States! There are nature trails to explore and other activities including golf, horseback riding, and sports fields.

The theme I've chosen for this year's retreat is "Circle of Friends." Last year was a very challenging one for me in a lot of ways, and I felt that I got bogged down in the negativity. This year I'm trying my best to elevate myself, my circumstances and my surroundings. One way for me to do that is to gather together a circle of friends for a weekend of fellowship and fiber! Though we may not all know each other before the weekend begins, I'm sure that through the magic of yarn we will leave as a circle of friends. :)

The main thing I want to do this weekend is relax and play with yarn! I'm sure most of you feel the same way, so that will be our main event. I will bring as much of my fibery equipment as I can pack, so you can try out something new. We won't have any structured classes, per se, but it's my intention to form smaller, impromptu group lessons and demonstrations so we can all learn or see something new. On Saturday I will invite fiber artists to showcase their wares in a mini marketplace, so come ready to shop! We'll also weave a group banner and take at least one nature walk together. Options will be available for you to add on other activities on an individual basis as well, if that's what you prefer.

I will be providing the food for the weekend; we'll eat together in the dining room of our group lodge, with a casual and relaxed, home-cooked atmosphere. I will do my best to accommodate any dietary needs you may have as well. We'll eat three meals a day and indulge in plenty of snacking. ;)

Please note that this is a retreat for YOU, not your family. Please leave your children at home for this and come and enjoy a weekend with the girls! Special exceptions may be made if you have a child who is an infant/nursing. :)

The spaces are limited as the lodge only holds about 30 people, so sign up now if you are interested! The cost is $100 for the weekend, but I can set up a payment plan if you need one; just let me know. The registration form is here; get your name in now and then you can pay via PayPal or check/money order after that.

If you are interested in vending at the retreat, please use this form here. I will give preference to the vendors who are also going to attend the retreat for the weekend, and the vending spots are limited as well.

I really hope to see you there! If you have any questions at all about the retreat, you can visit this thread on Ravelry, contact me on Ravelry (I'm Jessecreations) or e-mail me at jess@storiedyarns.com.

Knits for Men

Hello, and welcome back for another edition of "Jess's Holiday Knit Suggestions" here at Storied Yarns Central!

This week I've been thinking about what I want to make for the men in my life this year for the holidays, and I confess I've been a bit stuck at times. Most of the women in my life are happy to own a variety of scarves, hats, mittens and gloves. My husband, on the other hand, has only ever let me knit him ONE scarf and he only ever wears that ONE scarf and he doesn't see the point of owning two (or, heaven forbid, several). Ugh, what's a knitter to do?

In case you're in my boat, here are some pattern suggestions for the men on your knitted gift list. These patterns are all free, and they all work with 150 yards (or less than that) of worsted or bulky weight yarn. Maybe, just maybe, your guys will love these so much they won't mind finding room for them in their wardrobes! ;)

The scarf my husband let me knit for him was solid black, and very basic; it was, essentially, the same as this Basket Weave Scarf pattern. It wasn't the world's most exciting knit, but it was fairly simple to follow the pattern without having to refer back to it all the time, and if my picky husband likes it then I'm fairly sure yours will, too! Here's a picture of the one I made:

This year, the husband says he wants a hat. I'll have to get the yarn for it (I know; weird, right? I'm an indie dyer who has to buy yarn to make her husband a hat, but he only wants solid black and it's easier for me to buy plain black yarn as it is to dye it), but I'm already perusing the patterns. I really love this Antler Hat; it's got nice cables (which I've never quite tackled but I'm willing to try) and it's part of the Pacific Knits collection which I LOVE. (Please note: the hat pattern is free, the whole collection is not.) I also like that the Antler hat comes with a fold-up brim so in case it's not quite the right length when I finish it, it will still probably work out.

I might also just go with the Brother-in-Law Basketweave Hat so it will match his scarf. :)

If you prefer to warm their hands (you know, warm hands = warm heart, right?), fingerless gloves are always a nice gift. I made a fairly boring pair for my dad a few holidays back when I was still a newbie knitter, see?

He likes them because he can wear them when he goes shooting. If I were to make them over again I'd probably go with these Manly Mitts, because they have a little bit more style while still being understated. I really like them, actually - I wonder if I can get hubby to wear them? ;) If you're looking for a nice, basic pattern, it seems like the Fingerless Mittens with a Flap would be great for shoveling snow, driving around town or whatever else your man of choice might be doing outside at this time of the year

This year, I'm giving my dad a cowl, which should also come in handy while he's shooting. I just finished spinning a luxury merino/yak/silk blend for him - it's still hanging to dry on my yarn shelf:

When it's totally dry I'm going to knit it into the Wonky Cowl pattern, designed by my friend Brittany. My dad doesn't mind a little color in his knitwear so I think he will really like it.

In case you've been wanting to tackle your first pair of socks, this Easy Peasy Socks for First-Timers pattern works up quickly in worsted weight yarn to help you understand the basics of sock construction. Worsted weight socks might be a bit thick but they'd be great under a pair of boots this winter!

In case you have a man who's a little more adventurous and whimsical than my darling hubster, how about Invading Your Earspace? You can't go wrong with a hat full of space invaders, right? My husband has been joking around for years that he wants me to knit him a Beard Hat, and I'm telling you he'd better be careful what he wishes for because this might just be the year for it! ;)

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed my list of manly knitted gift ideas. In case you need some yarn, the Storied Yarns Shop is fully stocked and ready to serve. ;)

Happy Holidays!!

XOXO,
Jess

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Quick Gifts to Knit or Crochet

Howdy! Long time, no post! Sorry about that. Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming ...

This is the time of the year when I mentally start to whittle down my Handmade Holiday List. You know, all those grand plans I had back in August seem maybe just a little too grand by November, so it's time to really figure out what I can and cannot accomplish between now and December 25th.

If you're feeling the holiday crunch like I am, I've put together a little list of gift knits (and crochet projects, too!) that seem like they wouldn't take too long to complete. They all use about a skein (or less than one skein) of worsted weight yarn. This way you get to make something special for a special recipient and keep your sanity: win-win!

Let's get started, shall we?

I love a good gender-neutral project; knit it up and keep it in your drawer so when you need a last-minute gift you've already got one! I think the Knotty but Nice hat pattern falls well into that category. Its all-over cable pattern adds interest whether you use a solid colored or variegated yarn and it would look equally snazzy on a man's head or a woman's. If you used a colorway like Walkers, this hat could easily go for either gender, too. After all, zombies are equal-opportunity killers. :)

"Walkers" on SW Merino Worsted

 

The Mustard Scarf by Jane Richmond is a pattern I've actually made myself. It looks particularly awesome in handspun, because the simple stitch pattern lets the yarn take center stage and the open, meshy style allows for differences in thickness without making the pattern seem off. This one's more for the women on your list than the men, but it's such a quick knit it'd be great for your kids' teachers! Here's a photo of mine:

I think this scarf would be gorgeous in my Goddess in the Storm or All Things Nice handspun; if that's not your thing, stay tuned as I've got several more skeins to add in this week!

I don't know about you, but when it starts to get chilly outside I grab a pair of fingerless gloves for use indoors and out! These Cozy Thermal Mitts do a fairly good job of straddling the gender gap, and at 110 yards for the small size you could actually get two of them out of a single skein of worsted weight yarn! Personally, a pair made in my new "Garden State" colorway would match almost anything I wear this winter (grey is definitely a staple color in my wardrobe), and it's a nicely neutral color palette to give as a gift to someone if you don't know all about their favorite colors.

If you have any babies on your gift list, these Ruth's Perfect Baby Booties would be an adorable and useful gift. Knit up a pair in superwash worsted weight yarn so Mom and Dad don't have to worry about hand washing on top of all the other Baby-induced chaos! :) Today I'm actually dyeing up several skeins of a brand new worsted weight (all-American, 100% merino, SUPER soft) yarn in my Nursery Rhymes colorways, too! That particular base won't be superwash but the hand washing is worth it to get yarn like this! Watch for news on that later in the week. ;)

This "Josh Lyman" colorway would be perfect for a baby boy!

 

 



Sometimes you may not know accurate sizing for a recipient on your list, so this Cabled iPad cozy or these Leg Warmers come to the rescue! Both of these gifts also come with the added bonus of being useful for any teens or tweens you might be making gifts for this year. Try a cozy in Mr. President for the guys on your list or Lady Bianca leg warmers for the girls!

If you're attending a holiday party, you might want to bring along a Hostess gift. How about a wine bottle cozy? If you use my Grapes of Wrath or Mr. D yarns you can incorporate the theme right into the yarn! Another hostess gift could be a pair of handmade slippers! I'm hoping to crochet up three pairs of this pattern this weekend; am I nuts?!? I hope not! If you don't own the DeFarge book, this pattern would be an adequate substitute!

Grapes of Wrath for the wine-lovers on your list!

 

Whatever you make this holiday season, the point is to put love in every stitch! I hope you enjoy your holiday crafting and have a wonderful Winter!!

Mystery Knits

Hello there!

It seems like mystery KALs (knit-alongs) are all the rage these days, aren't they? For those of you not familiar with them, the basic concept is that you start to knit something without knowing exactly what it is that you're knitting! You might know as much as what type of garment/accessory it is and how much yarn it will take, but beyond that the actual design and construction are a mystery. The designer reveals the patterns via a series of clues or sections and at the end you have a fun new item you never knew you were going to knit!

In case you've been bitten by the mystery bug, I thought I'd showcase some of the yarns available in the Storied Yarns shop that will fulfill the yardage requirements for a few of the mystery KALs that are "hot right now" on Ravelry.

First up, the WestKnits KAL; this was a KAL for a shawl and the final clue was revealed earlier this month, so you have the advantage that you can peek in the projects if you want to see the finished shawl before you cast on! For this one you need 460 yards of a main color and 410 yards of a secondary color. Might I recommend the combination of Grandma Redbird and The Handmaiden?

 

Another option is the Dandelion on a Meadow KAL; this one uses one or two skeins. For a single-skein shawl, I think Night at the Fair would be a gorgeous choice; if you'd like to add yardage then why not pair it with Hot Shot?

 

Designer Laura Nelkin has a new KAL as well; it's called Trapeze and it's for a shawl that will work with a single skein of fingering weight yarn. She recommends a yarn that is semi-solid or slightly variegated/tonal; I think anything in this palette would work really well:



From left to right that's The Princess, The Farmer's Daughter, Arabian Days, The HotShot and The Handmaiden.

The Wendy Knits Summer Mystery KAL also recommends using a yarn that is subtly variegated or semi-solid. How about one of these?

Left to right that's The Ingenue, Arabian Nights and The Crone.

I keep going back and forth about the Leethal Knits KAL myself; I'd love to join but I'm worried about having the time! Maybe one of you can just sign up and do it instead and I can watch and live vicariously for a while. ;) This pattern is easy to customize to different yarn weights and yardages, but the designer recommends anywhere from one or two colors for the main and up to several options for contrasting details. I personally think it would be awesome to knit a shawl in this combo:

That's The Ingenue, Arabian Nights and The Handmaiden. Can't you just see how awesome the three of these yarns would work together in a shawl?!?

For something that takes a little bit less commitment, why not a skein of Daisy combined with The Princess for contrast?

Even if you're not into mystery knitting, any of these color combinations would make an awesome project! I myself am planning to knit a top out of a color palette very similar to this one:

That's The Crone, The Ingenue and The Handmaiden for those of you keeping track. ;) Whatever you knit, stitch yourself a story worth telling with yarns that are worthy of your project! Visit the Storied Yarns shop today for these beauties and several others. I just updated today! ;)

Thanks, everyone, and happy stitching!