When I start a new project I always begin with a hat (or hats). It’s a perfect way to practice your pattern, check your gauge, and try out color combinations. Swatches are great, but I like to have something I can use after all that knitting! (This is also why I have quite a few…
Tag: colorwork
Finished Project: Kate’s Newbold Turtleneck
Hooray! Another F.O.! I actually finished this sweater back in October, and even tried to take pictures on the last morning of Camp Workroom Social, but I was looking a little haggard by the end of the weekend. (Sewing jeans in two days is no joke..also, I may have had a wee bit too much…
December Andorra Love!
December marks the two year anniversary of the release of Andorra, so we wanted to take some time out this month to share a little love for our first Kelbourne Woolens yarn! First up, some highlights from Instagram. Showing off Andorra’s gorgeous stitch definition when worked in knit purl patterning, Kristi knit her Fragment Scarf…
Nordic Night Christmas Stocking by Randi Hjelm Debes
With Halloween behind us (and perhaps a few pumpkins still rotting on the porch), it’s time to look ahead to the holiday season! If you are anything like me, you are faced with the realization that everything you wished you had done last year has yet to be accomplished and you only have eight weeks…
Designer Feature: Nili by Christina Danaee
Designer Christina Danaee released her newest design, Nili, yesterday, and it is a beauty! Designed using Germantown, Nili is a top down pullover that features a yoke in a unique and bold colorwork pattern reminiscent of ceramic tiles. Christina described her inspiration behind the design: When I saw these three colors of Germantown together, I…
Year of Hats: August Hat
We love hats—we love designing them, we love wearing them, we love giving them to our friends and family, but we also love our friends design hats, too! Fortunately, we know many talented designers, so for the second half of our Year of Hats series we’ve invited a few of our friends to share the…
Cast-On-Itis: BC Garn Semilla Melange
Do you suffer from cast-on-itis? It’s a problem I’ve suffered from since the invention of Ravelry. Every day a new, gorgeous, must-start-right-now design popped up on the feed and a fugue state later I was surrounded by fresh pile of yarn and a newly cast on project. This tendency has only gotten worse over the…
Happy Little Accidents: My Humulus Sweater (Dress)
Did you all watch or grow up with The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross? Well, when I tried on my freshly blocked Humulus his famous phrase was my first thought: “There are no mistakes, only happy little accidents.” Humulus by Isabell Kraemer called to me from the moment I saw its hop-filled yoke last…
Designer Feature: Germantown Hats by Chiaki Hayashi
Our Germantown yarn is one of those go-to-for-anything yarns we keep reaching for over and over again. It’s ideal for plain, textured, and stranded knitting. While we’ve been busy knitting piles of textured swatches and sweaters, two new designs by Chiaki Hayashi popped up on Ravelry showcasing Germantown’s colorwork capabilities. Chiaki Hayashi’s new Germantown Rolled…
Navia Duo Makes a Colorwork Knitter Out of Me
Now that the holidays are over, I can finally show you the hats I made for my best friends two daughters! (Full disclosure, I made them pose for me in the middle of Christmas Day festivities, so we were having fun!) One of the frequent conversations we have in the office concerns the ability and,…
Yarnporium 2018 (AKA Finally a Trip to The V&A!)
As long as I can remember, I have wanted to go to the Victoria and Albert Museum, specifically their Textiles Collection. I have been lucky to have traveled quite a bit in the last ten years, and spent a semester in Florence in college, but somehow London has never been on that list. That is all going…
Scout Collection: Rainier
I tend to be pretty hard on myself when it comes to my designs. By the time the swatching, sketching, knitting, un-knitting, re-knitting, blocking, and finishing happens, the stress of meeting a deadline and time and effort that goes into producing the pattern from start to finish usually leaves me ready to move on and…
Scout Collection: Ballard
Ballard, the second hat in the Scout Collection, is the perfect design for practicing stranded knitting or if you want to play around with color. The design is a mix of classic Setesdal patterns, and no float is longer than three stitches, so each round is easy to memorize. The sample worked up super quickly, so…
Designer Feature: Beartooth Pass by Bonnie Dean
One of the most thrilling aspects of putting a new yarn out into the world is seeing what lovely designs others come up with! We’re so delighted to see new patterns pop up in our first Kelbourne Woolens yarn, Andorra, and this cowl by designer, editor, and hand dyed yarn purveyor Bonnie Dean is no exception! Bear Tooth Pass is designed…
Andorra Collection: Jenny Bohus Pullover
On yesterday’s blog post I told you all about how Patsy was born, and in part, Patsy was a swatch for this sweater! If you follow our blog, you know that I love knitting hats as swatches because I love and value swatching, but hate the feeling of “wasting” knitting time. (A bit of a…
Andorra Collection: Patsy Bohus Hat
If you know me at all, you know that I have a deep love for the Bohus Stickning Cooperative. What is Bohus Stickning? Well, I’m glad you asked. You can read all about it on a previous blog post, or listen to this interview I did with Very Pink Knits, or go buy this fabulous…
Introducing The Andorra Collection!
A little bit vintage, a little bit classic, a little bit contemporary. It’s here! The Andorra Collection, the first collection for our first Kelbourne Woolens yarn, Andorra. Kelbourne Woolens Andorra Collection showcases the best that knitting has to offer. Cables, lace, and color work adorn sweaters and accessories in just the right ways. Designed to…
Crochet Summer 2017: Plans and Projects
Truth be told, I still have a few languishing crochet projects I really want to wrap up, including this stegosaurus I started for Charlie over a year ago from the Puff the Magic Stegosaurus pattern. (Thankfully, it is much further along than that sad little hexagon would lead you to believe..but still. No where near…
Summer of Basics: Pattern Ideas
While perusing the back catalog of Kelbourne Woolens patterns when deciding what to make for the Summer of Basics, I was reminded that we have a hefty collection of designs that would make great wardrobe staples. If you’re as excited about the Summer of Basics as we are, but (like me) have changed your mind…
Stranded: Colorwork vs. Fair Isle Knitting
One of the techniques I love researching is colorwork knitting, and in doing so have discovered a wealth of different styles and methods. Many of you will notice I described the June Mittens as “colorwork”, not Fair Isle, and will have wondered why. Knitters commonly use “Fair Isle” knitting to describe any knitting with two…
Year of Mittens: June Mittens
The June Mittens are here, and this design is definitely my favorite pair thus far! The June Mittens feature stranded colorwork and showcase a nice variety of banded and all-over patterns. The mittens begin with a provisional cast on, followed by a folded cuff, then the body of is worked in a series of geometric…
A Brief History of the Bohus Stickning Cooperative
The Swedish workshop founded by Emma Jacobsson with humble beginnings as the Bohuslän Domestic Industry became the Bohus Stickning cooperative in 1939. Best known for its beautiful hand knitted items known for their attention to detail, innovative design and color, and exacting standards of craftsmanship, the cooperative was active through 1969 and continues to be…
Year of Mittens: May Mittens
The May mittens have arrived, and so has warmer weather and the start of gardening season! The inspiration for this pair hails from Sweden’s Bohuslan region, where it is still a chilly 42 degrees fahrenheit today. The little spots of color and the texture of the purls are reminiscent of the hyacinths and daffodils that…
Knitter Projects: Karen’s Custom St. Brendan
Since I started working at Kelbourne Woolens, I’ve been introduced to so many talented knitters and designers. Kate pointed me in the direction of friend and blogger Karen Templer of Fringe Association, and I am now a huge fan! Today I am excited to share her take on Courtney’s St. Brendan sweater in the scrumptious Arranmore. …
Latvian Braid
The Latvian Braid is a spectacular knitting technique that creates the look of a twist or rope embedded into your knitting. Unlike the Estonian (or Vikkel/Lateral) braid, the Latvian Braid is worked in a three round process and is typically worked in two colors. In order to function properly using two colors, it must be…
Guest Post: Bristol Ivy
Today we feature a guest post from Bristol Ivy, about her new design Second Grace in The Fibre Co. Cumbria. I had the pleasure of working with and getting to know the colors of Cumbria and Cumbria Fingering in late 2015, when I designed and knit the pieces for my collection with the Fibre Company,…
Year of Mittens: January Mittens
Happy New Year! We are ringing in 2017 with a new mitten pattern to get you through the chilly January days and nights ahead. January’s mitten features Latvian inspired color work, perfect for a little post-holiday selfish knitting. After the hectic holiday season it’s always nice to work on something that doesn’t require rushing through…
Designer Feature: Second Grace by Bristol Ivy
Bristol Ivy’s latest pattern Second Grace is a departure from her typical designs that feature lovely geometric details and unique stitch combinations. Designed using The Fibre Co. Cumbria, Second Grace is a pullover with a simple shape featuring an intricate colorwork yoke. The design’s name was inspired by Nick Drake’s Second Grace album, which I’m thoroughly enjoying…
Color Stories: Wild Irish November
Blustery winds, waves crashing on the coastline, damp moss covered stones, and sheep clustered on jagged hills lined with babbling brooks; this is what we experienced on the western coast of Ireland last winter when we traveled to the mill to design The Fibre Co. Arranmore. As we have just received a large shipment of Arranmore…
Year of Mittens: November Mitten
November is the month we start looking towards the holidays and getting together with family. This month’s mitten is inspired by togetherness, warmth, and traditions. As the holidays approach, our attention often turns to knitting for others. The November Mittens are designed for the whole family – a unisex and sporty design perfect for the…
Nordic Knitting Conference
Courtney and I spent last weekend at the Nordic Knitting Conference held at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle. We planned the trip with friends Jaime Jennings and Karen Templer, and scheduled our time around learning as much as humanly possible about the history, craft traditions, and techniques of the (widely disparate) people who fall…
Knitter Projects: Alpenbrevet by Anna Stratton
I’m not sure what I was looking for on Ravelry, because when I came across Anna’s Alpenbrevet pullover, nothing else really mattered. The combination of the spectacular backdrop of Switzerland, the classic colors, and the beautiful simplicity of the design make this sweater an all-around winner. Knit in The Fibre Co. Cumbria, the fit, colors,…
Knitscene Winter 2016 / Snowflake Cowl by Jesie Ostermiller
The winter issue of knitscene was just released, and it does not disappoint! There are some really exceptional sweaters, running from classic cables to subtle but excellent applications of color. We’re lucky to have one of The Fibre Co. yarns, Cumbria Fingering in the issue, in the Snowflake Cowl by featured designer Jesie Ostermiller. From the issue:“When…
Kelbourne Woolens at VK Live Minneapolis!
This November, I will be headed to Minneapolis to teach three classes at Vogue Knitting Live! I’ll be flying solo on this trip, as Kate stays home to hold down the fort at one of our busiest times of year. I’ll be teaching some of our all time favorite classes, and they are all color…
Interweave Knits Fall 2016 / Rahwah Pullover by Kate Gagnon Osborn
Interweave Knits 20th anniversary issue was just published, and it is, in a word, excellent. I am proud to have a design in the issue, the Rawah Pullover, in the Cabin in the Woods story. Many among you will recognize the garment as heavily inspired by the iconic “L.L. Bean Sweater” popular in the 80s and…
Vogue Knitting Early Fall 2016 / Modern Chullo by Kate Gagnon Osborn
The preview for the Early Fall 2016 Vogue Magazine came out, and I designed a hat for the “Chullo Challenge” story. The idea was to do a riff on the Andean Chullo hat. When researching the traditional accessory, I was most drawn both to the use of multiple colors and geometric motifs. My intention was…
An Interview With: Jenn of knit.love.wool
Jenn of knit.love.wool first came to my attention while playing around in hashtag searches on Instagram, and after seeing her gorgeous lopapeysur, I did what any good knitter would do and sought her projects out on Ravelry. A mother of two young boys in Maine, Jenn lives in the perfect climate for lopapeysa, and from the looks…
Working From Charts: Colorwork
While most stranded knitting these days is referred to as “Fair Isle” knitting, this is actually a misnomer, as Fair Isle knitting is a very specific type of stranded colorwork originating from the island of Fair Isle. For more information on the terminology regarding the many types of stranded colorwork, read our post here. Most…