knitbot, by Hannah Fettig

Guest Post: Jared Flood

hannah — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:56 +0000

I have stepped away for a few weeks to enjoy my new baby girl. As a gift to you dear knitters I offer you a mini-series of guest posts by some treasured folk from the knitting industry. They share with us what knitting in the summer means for them. Enjoy!

“Even after seven summers on the East Coast, my inner Pacific Northwesterner still finds it difficult to adjust to the heat and humidity that haunts us over here during the summer months. My knitting practice took some serious time to adjust to this as well.

The main problem, for me, posed by the East Coast summer was how to reconcile my obsession with wool. Would I be able to give it up while weathering the summer heat? While I felt obliged to try, my early attempts all failed. Though I love wearing cotton and linen, when I knit with yarns made from their fibers, knitting’s magic always seems a little blunted. I know the same isn’t true for everyone, but the secret to my summer knitting survival was to accept the inevitable – for me wool and knitting are inextricable.

When I stopped feeling obliged to embrace plant fibers in the warmer months, my summer knitting started looking just about the same as my knitting from the rest of the year, perhaps with the addition of an air conditioner and some iced tea as accompaniment. Large, billowy projects and thick, rustic yarns were usually put away in favor of finer fabrics and lighter yarns, but I’ve never looked back and longed for anything other than my wool.

Since I began operating a small American yarn company and heading up a design team, my summer knitting has become all about swatching. These quieter months provide a great opportunity for designing, and with fall and winter around the corner (at least on the “industry” timeline) the timing is perfect. Things in summer finally slow down just enough for my creative brain to come out and start making some noise again. It has now become a time I greatly look forward to – when I’m free to play and dream about my favorite seasons… which always seem so far away when the first bite of heat sinks its teeth into this city.”

- Jared Flood

Farewell for now

hannah — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:00:49 +0000

Dear knitters…I sign off for a few months to enjoy my new baby girl. I hope to spend these final moments before she arrives finishing up some knits designed just for her.

As a gift to all of you, starting tomorrow there will be a series of guest posts here by some treasured folk from the knitting industry. I do hope you enjoy them!

Until my return…happy knitting!

- Hannah

Free Shipping from Happy Knits

hannah — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:40:35 +0000

Winners have been chosen at random for the Coastal Kids giveaway.
Congratulations to Kelly and Janice!

If you didn’t win the giveaway, we still have something for you!

Happy Knits is offering FREE SHIPPING all day today, May 18, for Knitbot readers. Enter the code knitbot at checkout.

Happy shopping at Happy Knits!

Coastal Kids: the whole gang

hannah — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:42:57 +0000

Alana’s samples made it from California to Maine, where the entire Coastal Kids gang has been united.

These samples will become part of the Coastal Knits trunk shows starting June 1. Check the schedule here to see if they are coming to a shop near you!

Coastal Kids giveaway!

hannah — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:19 +0000

Thanks to the nice folks at Happy Knits, Alana and I are pleased to offer giveaways for our Coastal Kids patterns!

1. One winner will receive a PDF of the Tiny Rocky Coast pattern along with 4 skeins of The Fibre Company Canopy Fingering in any of these colors available from Happy Knits.

2. A second winner will receive a PDF of the Mini Water’s Edge pattern along with 5 skeins of The Fibre Company Canopy Worsted in any of these colors available from Happy Knits.

Leave a comment below, two winners will be chosen at random on Friday, May 18. If you aren’t one of the winners, we still have something to offer you. Happy Knits will be offering Knitbot readers free shipping all day on Friday. Enter the code knitbot at checkout.

Be sure to enter the giveaway on Alana’s blog, too!

Coastal Kids: Tiny Rocky Coast

hannah — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:45 +0000

I’m SO excited to release the final pattern from Coastal Kids: Tiny Rocky Coast! With many versions of the original Rocky Coast Cardigan out there, I anticipate some great photos popping up on Ravelry of moms and daughters in their cardigans.

Instructions are provided for an optional ribbon closure, which could be especially useful in the smaller sizes.

To Fit: 6 months (12 months, 18 months, 2, 4)[6, 8, 10, 12, 14]
Shown in size 8; to be worn with 2 – 4″ / 5-10 cm positive ease.

Yarn: 2 (2, 3, 3, 3)[4, 5, 5, 6, 6) skeins The Fibre Company Canopy Fingering (50% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino Wool, 20% Viscose from Bamboo; 200 yds /183m; 1¾ oz / 50g); in Orchid OR 350 (400, 450, 525, 600)[700, 800, 900, 1025, 1075] yds / 325 (350, 400, 475, 550)[650, 750, 825, 925, 1000] m of fingering weight yarn such as Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light.

Gauge: 27 sts and 36 rows = 4″ / 10cm in Cable Stitch patt on US5 / 3.75mm needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

Buy it now!

Next week Alana and I will each be offering giveaways for our Coastal Kids patterns, including yarn support. Check back on Monday to enter the giveaways, sponsored by the lovely folks at Happy Knits!

Coastal Kids: Wee Wildflower

hannah — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:44:26 +0000

The third pattern from Coastal Kids is now available, Alana‘s Wee Wildflower!

I am in love with this little sweater, such a sweet version of the original Wildflower Cardigan from Coastal Knits.

SIZE
6 months (12 months, 18 months, 2, 4)[6, 8, 10, 12, 14]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest circumference (closed): 20 (20.75, 21.75, 23.5, 25.25)[26.75, 28.5, 30.25, 32, 33.75]” / 51 (53, 55, 59.5, 64)[68, 72.5, 77, 81.5, 85.5] cm
Body Length: 10.5 (11.25, 12, 12.75, 14.25)[15.5, 18, 20, 21.5, 22.5]” / 26.5 (28.5, 30.5, 32.5, 36)[39.5, 45.5, 51, 54.5, 57] cm
Shown in size 4; To be worn with 1-2” / 2.5-5cm positive ease.

MATERIALS
2 (2, 2, 2, 2)[3, 3, 4, 4, 5] skeins Madelinetosh Pashmina (75% Merino Wool, 15% Silk, 10% Cashmere; 360 yd / 329m per 3 ½ oz / 100g) in Mulled Wine OR 400 (450, 500, 575, 700)[800, 975, 1150, 1325, 1450] yds / 375 (425, 475, 525, 625)[725, 900, 1050, 1200, 1325] m of a sport weight wool blend such as Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight or Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

GAUGE
28 sts and 34 rows = 4” / 10 cm in St st on size US3 / 3.25mm needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

Buy it now!

Check back Friday, May 11 for the release of the final pattern in the Coastal Kids collection: Tiny Rocky Coast!

Coastal Kids: Mini Water’s Edge

hannah — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:56:47 +0000

Today we release the 2nd pattern from the Coastal Kids collection, Mini Water’s Edge!

This version of the original Water’s Edge Cardigan features a button closure, so sweet on babes and kiddos.

This sample features The Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, keeping this structured cardigan soft and cozy. Shown in size 10, to be worn with 0-2″ of positive ease.

TO FIT
6 months (12, months, 18 months, 2, 4)[6, 8, 10, 12, 14]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest circumference: 18 (19.5, 21.25, 22.75, 24.5)[26, 27.5, 29.25, 30.75, 32.5]” / 45.5 (50, 54, 58, 62)[66, 70, 74, 78, 82.5] cm
Length: 9.75 (10.75, 11.25, 12, 13)[14.25, 15.5, 17.25, 18.5, 20]” / 25 (27, 28.5, 30.5, 33.5)[36, 39.5, 43.5, 47, 50.5] cm

YARN
3 (3, 4, 4, 5)[6, 6, 7, 8, 9] skeins The Fibre Company Canopy Worsted (50% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino, 20% Viscose from Bamboo; 100yds / 91m; 1¾ oz / 50g) in Palm Bud OR 250 (275, 325, 375, 450)[525, 600, 700, 800, 875] yards / 250 (275, 325, 350, 425)[500, 575, 675, 750, 825] m of a worsted weight yarn, such as Cascade 220.

GAUGE
20 sts and 28 rows = 4″ / 10cm in St st on US7 / 4.5mm needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

$6
buy now

Check back Tuesday, May 8 for the 3rd pattern release, Alana’s fantastic Wee Wildflower.

Coastal Kids: Little Oak

hannah — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:55:32 +0000

The first pattern from the Coastal Kids collection is now available!

Meet Little Oak by Alana Dakos:

This is a tiny version of the Gnarled Oak Cardigan from Coastal Knits.

So sweet knit in Becoming Art Theia MCS sport!

SIZE
6 months (12 months, 18 months, 2)[4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14]
Shown in size 6 months and size 4; to be worn with 1-2” / 2.5-5 cm of positive ease.

MATERIALS
Sizes 6 months (12 months, 18 months, 2)
2 (2, 2, 3) skeins Becoming Art Theia Sport (75% Merino Wool, 15% Cashmere, 10% Silk; 260 yd / 238m; 4 oz / 113g); in Tulgey Wood OR 380 (430, 500, 575) yds / 347 (393, 457, 526) m of a sport or fingering weight wool blend such as Madelinetosh Tosh Sock.

US3 / 3.25mm 24” / 60 cm circular needle and set of 4 dpns
US2 / 2.75 mm 24” / 60 cm circular needle

Gauge: 28 sts and 38 rows = 4” / 10 cm in St st on US 3 / 3.25 mm needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

Sizes 4 (6, 8, 10, 12, 14)
3 [4, 5, 5, 6, 7] skeins Madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK (100% Merino Wool; 225 yd / 206 m; 3 ½ oz / 100g); in Sequoia OR 675 (795, 955, 1110, 1270, 1385) yds 617 (727, 873, 1015, 1161, 1266) m of a dk or sport weight wool blend such as Madelinetosh Tosh Merino or Madelinetosh Tosh Sport.

US6 / 4 mm 24” / 60 cm circular needle and set of 4 dpns
US5 / 3.75 mm 24” / 60 cm circular needle

Gauge: 24 sts and 30 rows = 4” / 10 cm in St st on US 6 / 4 mm needles or size needed to obtain gauge.

Buy it now! $6

Check back on Friday for the release of the 2nd pattern in the collection, Mini Water’s Edge!

Coastal Kids is almost here!

hannah — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:45:18 +0000

Next week Alana and I will begin releasing Coastal Kids!

Coastal Kids is a collection of four pint-sized versions of the original garment designs from our book Coastal Knits. The patterns, as previewed above, are Little Oak, Mini Water’s Edge, Wee Wildflower and Tiny Rocky Coast.

Each design is available in children’s sizes ranging from 6 months thru size 14.

These patterns will be available individually as pdf downloads or in print through your local yarn shop.

Check back on May 1 for the first pattern release, Alana’s Little Oak!