elliebelly – Page 2 – Elliebelly Knit & Dye Works

Adventurous April KAL & Yarn Giveaway

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

As may of you know, in April, we have a knitalong on the Elliebelly Ravelry Group. Adventurous April is a chance to knit with old friends, make new ones, and end up with a fantastic finished knitted object, because with the support of this group, you can get all the help you need with your knitting.

We knit for the fun of it and have very few rules. Our start date is April 1, but you can and are encouraged to gather your yarn and needles, review your pattern closely, and swatch before then. You can knit with any yarn you like, and since Elliebelly is no longer sold, there will be a few giveaways to make sure those who would like to try it have that chance (see more below). We have an Adventurous April Chat thread here if you have any questions about joining, the KAL, the patterns, or, if you just want to introduce yourself.

This year, the KAL has three categories. First, there will be a group knitting Antarktis, Janina Kallio's clever one-skein shawl pattern, which works in any weight from fingering up to a light worsted (I'm thinking about you, Plucky Primo Worsted). The sign up thread is here.

Next up is the stuffed animal/monster thread. We started out talking about my March Monkey, everyone shared their favorite toy pattern, and in the anarchy that always characterizes our KAL, we've decided to have a "knit the stuffed toy of your choice" group. The sign up thread is here and it includes lots of ideas. I'm thinking about the Wild Thing, but am equally tempted by C is for Cat.

Our last KAL sign up option is for people who want to try a new technique, but with a friendly, supportive group around them. I have always sworn I would never attempt steeks, but with Adventurous April, you never know. Any technique of your choice is the order of business here — a new cast on, first attempts at lace, beading, magic loop — challenge yourself and have an adventure. Sign ups are here.

To get you started with KAL yarn, we've got a little giveaway. First up is yarn for Antarktis. Sign up for the KAL, and then come post here in the replies. We'll have one drawing Sunday night and then two more on Friday the 20th. Winners will get their choice from among the new colorways I've been experimenting with — I can't wait to see some of them knit up! (And yes, the deep blue colorway, which is a new one, Homemade Dress, is dyed on the return of Elliebelly's Angel sock yarn if you're after some luxury.) In addition to those pictured above, there is a glazed gray colorway called Crake, and an edgy gold called Oryx. If you need a little encouragement to take the plunge and sign up, I hope this will do it.

In addition to this giveaway, there will be at least one more with yarn for the stuffed animal category. Come along and adventure knit with us!

Monkey Has A Head!

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

Look at Monkey's cute (although sort of creepy since it's disembodied) head. I decided to stuff it, even though the pattern doesn't direct me to at this point, because it seemed like it would be easier now, without having to navigate up the body through the tight neck.

There are a lot of comments about the Monkey Jacobus pattern from people who had difficulty knitting it, I'm finding it to be very straightforward and easy to follow, at least so far. It's also a lot of fun.

The purl ridge across Monkey's face is the starting point for picking up stitches and adding on a big sock monkey-esque snout. And the little bars on the side of the head, I am guessing, are where the ear stitches will be picked up. Can you see the vertical ridge of purl stitches below?

You can follow along as I knit my "March Monkey" project here, as part of the Malabrigo March Knitalong.

Although Monkey is my first knit stuffed animal, he is not going to be my last. There has been an outbreak of stuffed animal ideas on the Elliebelly Ravelry group as we discuss our Adventurous April KAL. There are cats and bunnies and all sorts of wonderful things, and I don't think I'm going to be able to keep myself from knitting all of them. If you're interested in joining us, we would love to have you. It's always a fun KAL in April.

Gadabout: Knitting That Is So Much Fun I Can’t Wait To Do It Again

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

I liked knitting Gadabout a lot.

I like knitting cables and these were unique. And somehow, although I was able to memorize that pattern on the first repeat — something that almost never happens with me — it never got boring. Gadabout is one of those patterns where you want to do "just one more repeat" before you put it down for the night, so you keep going until it's done.

It does not hurt that this is in cashmere. It does mean that I haven't taken it off since it finished drying after a good wet blocking, which really brought out the pattern.

This is a go to pattern. I'd like to knit it next in The Plucky Knitter's bulky Snug — a cashmere blend. But I'd also like to do it in a gently variegated yarn, perhaps a Malabrigo Mecha version. I think it would also look great in Elliebelly Basilisk, a silk and merino blend, and I may need to dye some of that up in a wheat color to use as well.

What Did You Knit This Year?

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

[Click on the photo collage to see the larger version]

This is my knitting year in review, or at least most of it.

2014 was a really good year for knitting in my house, likely because our Iceland trip spawned the need for lots of warm things early on and once my hat and cowl mojo got into gear, it never left me. It was also the year I conquered lace, starting with Pale Pink Shells, knit during the Olympics, and continuing onto Rainbow Fish and Lida. I started Lida during a trip to South Carolina in May and didn't finish her until September. She became my constant companion, knitting a row here and there in the carpool line or the doctor's office, and I love wearing her as much as I loved knitting her. I also knit a Citron, the oldest unknit pattern in my queue, from my favorite yarn of all time, Elliebelly Moth and Goat, a silk/cashmere blend that I dyed into a sunshine-y color, just when I needed some sunshine in my life.

Speaking of favorite yarns, late in the year I discovered The Plucky Knitter's yarns and fell in love. Some people got up early to shop on Black Friday. I sat in front of my computer and bought Plucky. Lots of it. My first project was a Nevermind hat in the Plucky bulky cashmere blend called Snug. My second project, which I only speak of with great difficulty, was a pair of beautiful merino mitts that were almost done when I stupidly left them in the Atlanta airport, never to be seen again. I've got an Olivia shawl in the works in a worsted Plucky yarn and plan to cast on several more projects this week to get me through January and February in Plucky yarn. Because I am in love. Plucky has great yarn, beautiful colors and the most incredible customer service.

2014 has been a great knitting year. Looking at my collage, I've decided I need to up my photography game in 2015, so my poor knitting models darling children can all have that to look forward to. 2015 will be a year filled with cashmere, sweaters, happy knitting, and it will, of course, be the year I start my Christmas knitting early. I'm starting in January this year. Really.

Outlander Knitting and The Polar Vortex

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

With rumors of another polar vortex-like episode of cold weather headed for the deep south, I decided I needed a quick, but densely warm cowl, to get me through the next few weeks. I've knit several cowls that mimic the look of Claire's beautiful Sassenach cowl, as she works her way through the Scottish Highlands in the Outlander series, and I decided a modified version would be just right.

This pattern is so easy that I knit it during a drive yesterday (I was obviously a rider, not the driver), and had it ready to wear by evening. The yarn is Bulky Blue Sky Alpaca and I held it double-stranded. I used three skeins of yarn for this cowl, dividing the last skein into two even parts. The pattern is very simple: Using size 35 needles, Cast on 16 stitches using your favorite provisional cast on (I like Lucy Neatby's, using a crochet hook, which you can see here). Knit in garter stitch, i.e. knit every row, until you are almost out of yarn. You will finish the scarf with Kitchener stitch, for a seamless join. To do this, you need one length of yarn (no double stranding for this part), that is three times the width of your work. Even if you don't like to Kitchener, you can manage it for 16 stitches, and the result will be well-worth it.

For the larger cowl worn by claire — one that is long enough to twist around your neck a couple of times or spread out along your shoulders, you will want a longer cowl than this one. The modification is simple — this cowl is very bulky because of the double stranding, but using the same quantity of yarn, held single, you can produce a longer cowl that is easily wrapped around your neck.

Finally, a word about the yarn. Recently, I overdyed a sport weight Blue Sky yarn in this same pink colorway for a friend, and got a lusterous result. That yarn had silk in it, and I thought that might be responsible for the sheen of the yarn. I was curious as to whether I could replicate the result in a yarn that lacked the silk content. I tried it with this bulky yarn that is 50% Alpaca and 50% wool and you can see the result in the picture at the top — it's a deep, shimmering blue. I'm as pleased with the cowl as I am with the yarn, and look forward to staying warm through out the coming weather event.

Knit It Now: Stephen West’s Honegart Hat

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

This is my favorite hat of all time, possibly my favorite knitting project of all time.

I made it back in 2011, but it was a rush job as cold weather set in for a child who was going to school up North, and I didn't get decent pictures at the time. Thankfully, the child returned, and with him the hat. I pulled it out with some other winter things this morning and remembered what a brillant pattern and fun knit it was, and wanted to share it with you all.

This hat is knit in two different sections, which gives you endless possibilities — solids, variegated yarns, you name it. I dyed Elliebelly Alpaca & Merino just for this project. The honeycomb portion of the hat is so much fun to knit that I pulled over at a farmstand on the way back from the beach, and knit much of it while eating fresh peach ice cream and watching the tourists. I couldn't wait to finish it.

This hat is at the top of my "must knit it again" list and I recommend you try it if you are looking for something a little bit frisky but well within the capabilities of a advanced beginning knitter with a couple of projects under your belt. (I mean that in the realistic sense — not in the way some well-meaning experienced knitters who have forgotten what it's like to be knew to sticks and twine will tell you the lace shawl is "really easy" or the heavily cabled pattern is fine for a new knitter). Like all of Stephen West's design, it is slightly edgy but imminently practical. And, it's really warm. Return of the Polar Vortex, anyone?

Outlander. Late & Grudgingly. (But Happy About The Knitting!)

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

My Mom has been a huge fan of the Outlander books for at least a decade. I have to confess that I've feigned polite interest, but the plot has never grabbed me enough to convince me to read it.

One word suddenly changed that: Handknit.

Or rather, it didn't convince me to read the books, but instead, to watch the show, because I was told the knitting was beautiful. And it really is! Claire's ubiquitous and stunning cowl is something I had to knit for my Mom, also named Claire, right away. After searching through the available patterns (clearly, it's just a big ring of garter stitch, but I wanted ideas — should it be a mobius, should there be shaping, etc. etc.) I settled upon The Gathering as a good place to start and cast on.

The lovely purple edge is this provisional cast on, which I prefer to the one the pattern suggests. The yarn is Elliebelly Bulky Merino, held triple stranded to give it the necessary bulk. Although the pattern calls for size 50 needles, I didn't have any on hand, so I'm trying it with my size 35 needles, the largest I own. I'm not sure it will give the loose drapey knit of Claire's cowl on the show, but it seemed worth a try.

My plan is to knit until I am just about out of yarn and then use a three needle bind off, rather than Kitchnering, because I'm lazy like that.

This pattern is the easiest possible knit, and seeing how nice it looks now, part way done, I'm pretty sure the biggest challenge will be giving it over to my Mom when it's done.