I feel famous today

As I play along on The Fiber Factor. Are you aware of it? It's a knitting competition and I find it so fun. I love it.

Anyway, we watchers can participate by submitting our designs, and I've submitted my Turning Points Slouchy Beret.

As you know if you have read my entry in Tinking Turtle, this hat mimics a bit of my personal story for, well, reasons. Which is exactly the inspiration behind the first challenge in The Fiber Factor.

It is posted on their site today, you can see my entries and the entries of the other watchers here.

Have fun!

Oh, by the way, so that I don't make you watch my hat again, here`s a pic of the same hat, only that it is felted. A great idea of one of my testers, she's annagret on Ravelry (it's a ravelry link, you have to be a member to click through). Isn't it a gorgeous hat? I'm digging it.

So, what is the story behind the Turning Points?

If you are at least a little curious about the story I mentioned existed behind my Turning Points Slouchy Beret pattern, you can go check at my guest blog post at Tinking Turtle below (be warned, you will know a little more about me after that).

Sink a fork in me baby...

cause I'm done.

Dear little sweater: We had our ups and downs, you and I. Now you are done (almost, yes, I know I have to trim those flocks and give you a good bath) and I promise, I'll wear the living daylights out of you.
And then I'll go and write you up so that everyone can have a little sweater just like you.

Turning Points Slouchy Beret

 

This is my latest pattern, a slouchy beret with an interesting construction to keep you interested as you knit.

It is made using short-rows, a gathered stitch detail that forms a ring around the transition between the crown and the simple rib band.








It is started from the crown, where you knit a series of short-row wedges that make up the top.

From there, you  proceed to the rest of the hat, knitting in the round to get the gathered stitch detail and band.

It calls for half a skein of worsted weight yarn: I used half a skein of Malabrigo worsted for this sample.

I hope you knit it and have fun doing it!

A very Venezian cowl

I have a new pattern for you today.It is a very simple cowl that I designed just to show off some beautiful handspun I had. Aren't the colors very Venetian?

It is free, you can download the PDF here and you can read a bit more about it in the Patterns section at the top of this blog.

I hope you like it!

A Cold Jewel is up

I proudly present you with Cold Jewel, my first ever pattern for publication.

I have long wanted to have a sweater that would flatter my big girl features.

This is the result of such quest, a V-neck sweater particularly flattering for generously sized women. The focal point of this garment is the deep V-neck opening -which really helps elongating the body, and the lace band that frames it – which adds a touch of daintiness and femininity. 

I'm so happy with it, I hope you like it too! 

I need some more people to test the pattern. Would you like to join in?

Here are the measurements, so you can decide:

To fit:

Bust: 44 (46, 49, 52, 54, 56) in / 113 (118, 125, 132, 138, 142) cm
&
Cross back: 15.30 (16, 16, 17, 17,5, 17,5) in / 39, (40, 41, 43, 45, 45) cm


Finished Measurements:
Bust: 46 (48, 51, 53, 56, 57) in / 120 (122, 130, 137, 143, 146) cm
Armhole depth: 10 (10, 10, 10.5, 10.5, 10.5) in / 25 (25, 25, 26, 26, 27) cm
Total length: 26.5 (26.5, 26,5, 27.5, 27.5, 28.5) in / 67 (67, 67, 69, 70, 72)
Sleeve length (from cuff to underarm): 12 (12, 12, 14, 14, 14) in / 30 (30, 30, 35, 35, 35) cm

Gauge: 18.5 st x 4 “ / 10 c in stockinette stitch

Materials:

Yarn:
6 (6, 7, 8, 8, 9) skeins
* Malabrigo Rios (100 g - 210 yd), colorway Solis
Possible substitutions:
Madeline Tosh vintage (100 g – 200 yd)
Sweetgiorgia Superwash Worsted (115 g – 200 yd)
You may subsititue other wool yarns that knit to gauge I don’t recommend acrylic yarn since the lace border needs to be blocked.
   

My first design is finally here, at least as

a croquis. It's being test knitted as I write this, I'm very, very happy about it.

How do you like it? 

Here's a shot of the stitch detail: