It’s here! The final mitten in the Year of Mittens. We can hardly believe a year has gone by! So much has changed here at Kelbourne Woolens over the last year and it has been both amazing and wonderful – and if we’re being honest, a little stressful! – to mark the beginning of each…
Tag: Cumbria Fingering
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…
Designer Feature: Navigate Pullover by Annie Lupton / Rib Magazine no. 2
Rib Magazine, dedicated to publishing “patterns and articles of interest to men who knit and those who knit for them”, recently released the preview its second issue, Navigate. The four sweaters are particularly noteworthy, as the fit and style are excellent and are all classic garments that look like they would be both enjoyable to…
Designer Feature: Bash by Linda Dubec / Pom Pom Quarterly
Since its first issue in 2012, Pom Pom Quarterly has been a leading influencer of design and style in our industry. With its lovely hand-drawn schematics and techniques, its support of crochet, tasty recipes, and innovative designs, the magazine has been a favorite of ours from the beginning. (So much so, we’re proud to call ourselves…
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…
Designer Feature: Puro by Regina Moessmer
German designer Regina Moessmer recently published this lovely, classic V-Neck pullover using The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering in Castlerigg, Puro. The deep v-neck, k2, p2 ribbing and a-line shape are sure to make it a staple in any wardrobe. In fact, it would be a perfect contender for a pattern to knit for the Summer…
Year Of Mittens: Prolific Knitters
We hope to see some mitten-loving people knit all 12 mittens as part of the Year of Mittens, so today we’re highlighting a couple prolific knitters on Ravelry who have been busy knittin’ mittens! Ravelry user Teal has knit every mitten from August – February, we’re hoping to see March pop up in her Ravelry…
MDK March Mayhem: October Mittens
While March Madness means something different in the collegiate sports world (its collegiate sports….right?), here at Kelbourne Woolens, it means one thing: MDK March Mayhem! March Mayhem is a super fun bracket-based knitting competition, where the main goal is fun. We all get to vote on our favorite patterns tournament-style, and the winner gets bragging…
Year of Mittens: March Mittens
We have March Mittens mosiac madness here at KW headquarters! This mitten uses traditional color work to produce a modern motif inspired by simple but stunning Moroccan tiles. To add to the rich, visual patterning of the mitten, the cuff is accented with Latvian braids leaning counter to each other, hemming in a simple and…
Designer Feature: Last Lavender
There’s nothing more exciting than seeing what comes out of a new generation of knitters. I am happy to share this super cute hat design called Last Lavender by budding designer Jessica Gingerich. I asked Jessica to tell us about her design experience in her own words. “I learned to knit on YouTube a little…
Year Of Mittens: February Mittens
We have a double mitten for the second month of the year! The February Mitten is here! The February Mitten is an all-over leaf-lace mitten, lined in a bright contrast color. This month we have a few new challenges lined up in order to keep things interesting. The payoff for working twice as hard is a…
Designer Feature: Badlands Mitts by Kathryn Folkerth
Now that it’s truly winter, I find a good pair of fingerless mitts is an absolute necessity in the office and warehouse. These Badlands Mitts by Kathryn Folkerth answer my need perfectly. Worked up in Cumbria Fingering, these mitts use an allover texture contrasted with 1 x 1 ribbing at the thumb and cuff to…
Free Pattern: Holiday Cheer Ornaments
Our daughter, Charlie, is at the age where she’s really starting to “get” holidays. Easter and Christmas are current favorites, although I’m confident she has no idea what Easter is about except piles of chocolate and everything is covered in bunnies (two of her most favorite things ever), and we try and keep Christmas planning…
Year of Mittens: December Mitten
December 1st is here! Winter temperatures have finally hit Philadelphia, and we’re delighted to have a new pile of mittens to choose from when braving the colder temperatures. The December Mittens are built for warmth, durability and comfort. Inspired by traditional gansey patterning, the cuff of the mitten begins with a Channel Island Cast On,…
KW Swatch Experiment Data: Cumbria Fingering
It’s time for our next data post in the #kwswatchexperiment: Cumbria Fingering! For the Cumbria Fingering swatch, we asked knitters to cast on 27 stitches using US 5 (3.75 mm) needles and work in stockinette stitch with a 2 stitch garter edge on either side. The needle size was pulled from Bristol Ivy’s design, Lita, published in…
Year of Mittens Roundup
It’s been so fun to see the shared images of your Year of Mittens WIP and FO’s! I recently browsed Instagram and collected a few of my favorites, which you can see below – make sure to click on the individual images for a link to each knitter’s feed! I also loved seeing what else they’ve…
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…
Rhinebeck Round-Up
I made a quick jaunt to the NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY last weekend! It’s always such a highlight of the fall, getting to see and experience all the sheep, the alpacas, the yarn, the fiber, the apple cider donuts, and the best sweater watching all year. I brought along a friend…
Year of Mittens: October Mitten
A chill is in the air, and our October Mitten is here! The October Mittens are inspired by the dried twig and bud floral decorations that adorn homes in the autumn and winter. The mittens are dense and warm but not too thick. As such, they are perfectly suited for brisk morning walks to school and…
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…
New Colors of Cumbria Fingering!
As fall is upon us, we’re pleased to add four lovely autumnal tones to The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering palette: Yew Tree, St Bees Beach, Nutkin, and Coniston. The astute among you will notice these are the four new colors we recently introduced to The Fibre Co. Cumbria line in June. We’re especially excited about St…
Year of Mittens: What Color Did You Choose?
We’ve been in this industry long enough to know that you’ll ALL want to knit it in the same color as the sample, no matter what. Okay, okay…we know that’s not 100% true, but it’s true often enough that we thought it’d be nice to show you some August Mittens knit in a color other…
Year of Mittens: August Mitten
Its here! The first pattern in the Year of Mittens, the August Mitten! The cables on the August Mitten are inspired by the rich history of intricate stitching that is common in Ireland and the British Isles. Combining The Fibre Co.’s British wool yarn, Cumbria Fingering, in the traditional sea-blue Windermere, and intertwining columns of…
Year of Mittens
We’re delighted to introduce Year of Mittens, a year-long knit-along featuring The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering! We love knitting mittens, and with the introduction of The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering, we have a mitten yarn we can really stand behind and believe in. Launching August 1st, we will be releasing a new mitten pattern on the first…
Finished Projects: Lita by Bristol Ivy
This time, the knitter who made the project is me! Meghan! When I saw the sketched proposals of Bristol Ivy’s patterns for her collection, I knew I had to make one. They were all so modern and fun. And when the samples came in, you know I tried each and every one of them on,…
The Hill Top Shawl, Cumbria, and finding inspiration in the world around you
The Fibre Co. founder, Daphne Marinopoulos, sat down this week with designer Helen Stewart to discuss England, British sheep breeds, Cumbria, and finding creative inspiration in the world outside your back door. Last year, Daphne and her family relocated to her husband’s home in the north of England, in the lake district. They found their…
Introducing: The Fibre Co. Fell Garth Collection
The Fibre Co. just published the Fell Garth Collection, a lovely assortment of sweaters and scarves by Emma Wright and Melanie Berg. From the Designers: The Fell Garth Collection is born from a love for beautiful handmades with a practical purpose. Each piece is worked in Cumbria or Cumbria Fingering yarns that were created to be…
Color Stories: Daydreaming in Green
It’s February and it’s cold. The holidays are over and now we are looking down the road to spring. I find myself daydreaming of green at this time each year. When it’s this cold and grey outside, I go through three variations on my green dream theme: travel to sunny, lush, exotic places; gardening; and museum – hopping….
Vogue Winter 2015/2016: Fitted Hat
I was recently asked to design a project for the Bohus inspired story in the newest Vogue Knitting magazine, and immediately thought of creating a hat out of four shades of The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering. Unlike the angora-heavy yarns of traditional Bohus, the Cumbria Fingering has a very subtle halo from the mohair, making…
Free Pattern: Bardon Mill Hat by Kate Gagnon Osborn
The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering lends itself perfectly to winter accessories. With a healthy 328 yards per 100 gram skein, there is plenty of yardage to create a classic hat or pair of mittens. (I’m also scheming up a pair of boot socks…) In honor of the newest fabulous addition to the Fibre Co. lineup, I…
Guest Post: Bristol Ivy on the Bristol Ivy Collection
Today, I am delighted to share a guest post by Bristol Ivy, the designer behind our latest collection, the Bristol Ivy Collection. FROM BRISTOL: “The genesis of a collection is always an interesting thing. In some cases, prevailing themes beg to be explored; in others, yarn takes a front seat and guides the intention of the…
Introducing: The Bristol Ivy Collection
We’re delighted to announce our second collection of the season, the Bristol Ivy Collection. Known for her unique approaches to construction, brilliant use of geometry, and feminine detailing, Bristol Ivy used The Fibre Co. Cumbria and The Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering to great effect, creating a wearable, unique, and beautifully styled collection of sweaters that…
Introducing Cumbria Fingering
After the release of The Fibre Co. Cumbria this fall, we knew the blend of merino, masham, and mohair would be amazing in a finer weight – perfect for mittens, color work, cables, lace, and garments that call for excellent stitch definition and longevity. With that in mind, we quickly set to work in developing Cumbria…