Author: Carol

In this blog, you will find not only an exploration of all that is good in our knitterly lives, but also a variety of posts tying together my passions for writing, photography, and my home state of Oregon.
Posted in Pumpkin-a-Long, yarnpond

Oh My Gourd!

Posted on by Carol

Oh My Gourd has been a long time in the making. In August 2021, a long-standing pumpkin sculpture by Yoyoi Kusama was swept off a pier on the island of Naoshima by a tropical storm (story here). I was struck by the sheer size of the sculpture as well as the use of dots and their repetition to create a stunning piece of art. Pumpkins are a recurring theme of Yoyoi Kusama’s, and hers were an ongoing influence on my knit pumpkin designs. Finally, this year, I realized that I could use beads to emulate, in a small way, her sculptures.

Oh My Gourd can be knit in fingering weight or worsted weight yarn.

I ordered a variety of beads from Amazon. For the white pumpkin: 2 packages of skull beads and a black pearl bead kit with 4-12 mm beads.  For the “bling” pumpkin: a 4mm bicone bead set and 2 packages of Rired 27 glass beads, one in purple and one in grey.

The “bling” pumpkin, made in fingering weight

I loaded the multi-colored bicone beads randomly and tried to coordiate the 8mm beads with the yarn color. I truly enjoyed working with the beads.

Beading was very zen and sort of addicting, so I’m happy that I now have a variety of beads on hand for future OMGs.

I’ve created three short videos (two of them under 4 minutes and one under 6 minutes) demonstrating the beading techniques I used for Oh My Gourd.  They are Loading Beads onto Working Yarn, Knitting Beads into Fabric, and Placing a Bead Using a Crochet Hook. You can also find them on the new Tutorials tab at the top of the website.

I am looking for a few beta testers for Oh My Gourd on Yarnpond.  We have a quick turnaround for the beta testing, since it’s already fall.  Experience with beads is also a bonus.  If you are a Yarnpond member, this link will take you to the test: Oh My Gourd. If you are not yet a member, there is no charge to become one.  Please apply soon, as there are only three spots available.

For those of you who’d like to go ahead and get started on your beautiful beaded pumpkin, the pattern is available here on Payhip and here on Etsy. You may find that you’ll fall down the rabbit hole of beaded knitting like I did!

I hope that you will enjoy the 2023 pumpkin! As always, please tag me on Instagram (@knitequalsjoy) with your finished pumpkins to participate in the Pumpkin Along or just to share your work with me!

xoxo

Carol

Posted in Knit Equals Joy Designs, knitters, knitting, test knitters, test knitting

Hollywood and Vine Ready for Testing!

Posted on by Carol

July greetings!  Hollywood and Vine is ready for testing! Hollywood and Vine is created through cables, twisted stitches, leaves, and a lifted yarnover knot stitch.  It is elegant, light, and warm, and it is large enough to use as a wrap or even as a lap blanket.  I would say that it is likely my most advanced pattern to date.  The knitted-on border is what bumps it up to advanced, and it definitely can be made without that border.

Ha!  If you are still interested in testing it, please go to the Hollywood and Vine test on Yarnpond to learn more or to sign up.  Thank you!!

Hollywood and Vine will be available as part of the Technicolor: Main Event  indie designer collection later this year.  As with our other collaborations, individual patterns will be available sometime after the entire collection has been published.

Shearwater Sweater will be finished with test knitting soon.  I can’t wait to announce its publishing!

This hem makes me very happy.

While I have been struggling with the 2023 pumpkin design, although I think I’m gaining on it, I found this gorgeous yarn yesterday at our local yarn shop, Wild Knits Salem.  I believe it wants to become a cowl that can be made in either of these weights of yarn – using some of the stitches from Hollywood and Vine.

The super bulky is Malabrigo Noventa in Flor de Jade and the DK/Sport is their Susurro in Cian.  I’m very tempted to cast on even though I know I should be working on the pumpkin that is eluding me!!

If you are interested in test knitting Hollywood and Vine, please do let me know or please sign up for the Hollywood and Vine Test on Yarnpond.  Thank you for reading, for encouraging me on my designing journey, and for spending part of your day with me here.

xoxo

Carol

Posted in knitters, knitting, test knitters, test knitting

Shearwater Sweater Ready for Testing!

Posted on by Carol

The design I have been working on since February has been tech edited and it now has a name: Shearwater.   A shearwater is a seabird; it is also the name of a lake and a resort.  It makes me think of the sea – the smell of saltwater and the sound of seagulls.  Who knows, perhaps even a selkie is sunning in a cove nearby.

I mentioned before the similarites to the Ethereal Sweater, with the major difference being that it has no stranded colorwork.  Only one color is ever worked at a time, and the colorwork is created through the use of slipped stitches.

The sweater uses a main color (Dragonfly Fibers Pixie in Captain Nemo) and 10 solid/ semi-solid contrasting colors, along with one variegated colorway.  The variegated colorway magically ties the rest of the colors together and adds an extra something special.  It really makes the sweater sing!

Fading is the technique used to blend the colors one into another.  It’s really quite fun to do, and instructions are included, of course.

The hem and sleeve cuff are worked in another slipped stitch pattern that almost looks woven.  This hem makes me very happy.

If you are interested in testing, please go to Shearwater Test on Yarnpond to get the details and to sign up if you wish.

A very different type of test knit will be coming soon, the Hollywood and Vine Shawl.  This design is part of a designer collaboration, so it will be top secret until the collection is published.  We will test it over on Yarnpond as well.  It has cables and some wonderful Japanese stitches, as well as a picked-up border.  I can share a glimpse of it here.

And finally, the 2023 pumpkin design has revealed itself to me.  (It really is a thing…it’s like with authors whose characters have conversations with them….)

…Anyway, the yarn is purchased, and as soon as Hollywood and Vine is sent for tech editing, it will be on the needles.  It will have two or three colors, but they’ll be treated more like color blocks than any kind of colorwork, and this will be the color at the base – I really can’t wait to get started!:

Ahh, happy to be dreaming of pumpkins!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo
Carol

 

Posted in Uncategorized

May Greetings

Posted on by Carol

It’s not everyday I get to photograph my designs with color-coordinating rhododendrons and peonies, so when the opportunity presented itself today, I had to take advantage.  The peonies are especially vibrant this year, so I spent some extra time trying to capture their beauty.

It’s Memorial Day here; moments ago there was a jet fly-by in memory of those who fell in military service.  While my dad served in WWII, he returned home.  I take a moment to think of those who didn’t, and those who loved them.

The day off from work allows me some time to work on design-related things, like writing a blog post and taking pictures of flowers + knits.

This is the design I have been working on since February, still unnamed.  It has been sent for tech-editing, and I expect it to be ready for test knitting mid- to late-June.  If you are interested in testing, please let me know.  I am planning to run the test on Yarn Pond.  I will likely announce the test on Instagram and Facebook, so please follow me there to get the earliest information.

You may notice it has similarities to the Ethereal Sweater, but a major difference is that it has no stranded colorwork.  Only one color is ever worked at a time.  All of the colorwork is created with slipped stitches.  Note: that also makes the knitting go faster, in my opinion!

The sweater uses a main color (I used Dragonfly Fibers Pixie in Captain Nemo) and 10 contrasting colors.  The contrasting colors were pulled from my stash – all purple tones except for the aqua.  When I had knit all of the colors into the sweater, I was teaching a class at Wild Knits Salem, and brought this sweater with me.  A skein of Manos del Uruguay Alegria in Malvin snagged me as I walked by (they do that, you know).  This colorway magically tied all the colors in the sweater together and added an extra something special.  It really made the sweater sing!

Fading is the technique used to blend the colors one into another.  It’s really quite fun to do, and instructions are included, of course.

The hem and sleeve cuff are worked in another slipped stitch pattern that almost looks woven.  This hem makes me very happy.

Finally, two separate people have detected very strong mermaid vibes upon viewing the sweater in person.  Based on that, I found buttons that remind me of sand dollars.  I’m also trying to come up with a name that might convey the mermaid / ocean / seaside / seawater impression, and would welcome any ideas you might have.

In other news, here is the Calla Lily Wrap  in Malabrigo Yarn Rios in Sabiduria. It is the first yarn I knit the wrap in and it works up amazingly!

Thank you for joining me today, and I hope the rest of your week is delightful.
xoxo
Carol

Posted in cable knitting, knitting pattern, shawl knitting

Calla Lily Wrap Now Available for Individual Purchase

Posted on by Carol

Calla Lily Wrap, which  was designed as part of the Technicolor: Matinee collection, is now available for individual purchase on Etsy, payhip, LoveCrafts, and here on knitequalsjoy.com. The whole collection is also available on payhip and ravelry.

About Calla Lily:
Inspiration – 1930s & ‘40s Romantic Comedies

My husband is a film buff.  He follows the work of a director or an actor from earliest to latest work, then moves on to another.  Through his influence (and because I’m often knitting while he’s watching a film), I’ve enjoyed many movies I would never have seen otherwise.

Calla Lily Wrap is inspired by Art Deco fashion, which flourished in the 1930s and earlier.  In madcap comedies like Bringing Up Baby, elegant accessories reigned, whether the characters were larking it up on the golf course or traipsing around the countryside. No matter what my daily life looks like, I can imagine myself wearing those beautiful silks and organdies and handling obstacles with panache.  Wear Calla Lily draped over one shoulder Katharine Hepburn-style or clasped around the neck.

Calla Lily is knit flat in worsted weight yarn, bottom-up and sideways, with increases along one edge only.  The cabled panel is an engaging motif, and garter stitch comprises the rest of the wrap.  The finished piece measures 32x42x53 inches.

LL Yarn Co. provided the yarn for my Technicolor designs, both of them in the colorway Golden Hour.  Even the name of the colorway is fitting for the theme, as the golden hour is a favorite time for filming for many a photographer and cinematographer.  The play of light in this colorway, along with the fabulous hand of the LL Yarn Co. Worsted, provided for a delightful experience in designing this wrap.  My second Technicolor design will follow in the Technicolor: Movie Night collection, being published sometime this year.

My movie playlist to accompany knitting Calla Lily:

Bringing Up Baby, 1938.  Featuring Cary Grant searching for an Intercostal clavicle, aided and interfered with by Katharine Hepburn.

The Philadelphia Story, 1940.  Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart.  Need I say more?

It Happened One Night, 1934.  An early – and classic – romantic comedy, known for “the walls of Jericho.”

May you have a happy and healthy 2023.  I wish you time with friends and family.  I wish you time to spend in creative pursuits and with everything that brings you joy.

xoxo

Carol

 

Posted in designer collaboration, knitting patterns

Technicolor: Matinee, an Indie Designer Collection, Now Complete

Posted on by Carol

Technicolor: Matinee is a collection of accessories designed by six collaborating designers.  The designers participating in this collaboration, besides myself, are Lindsay Lewchuk, Christine Guest, Sue McCain, Laura Patterson and Jill Wolcott.

Technicolor: Matinee

The Collection:

On the Set by Lindsay Lewchuk (Knit Eco Chic)
Sylvia Needs a Bag by Christine Guest
Steam Heat by Laura Patterson (Fiber Dreams)
Calla Lily Wrap by me
Holyrood Hooded Scarf by Sue McCain
Tulle Collar by Jill Wolcott

The collection is available on Payhip and Ravelry.

Individual patterns may be purchased from the independent designers beginning New Year’s Day.

Enjoy co-designer Christine Guest’s blogpost about the collaboration here: Matinee.
And Christine writes about her design, Silvia Needs a Bag.

And Lindsay Lewchuk (Knit Eco Chic) writes about the collaboration here: Matinee.
Lindsay writes about her design, On the Set.
Lindsay interviews Christine.
Lindsay interviews Laura.
Lindsay interviews me.
Lindsay interviews Sue.
Lindsay interviews Jill.

Enjoy Jill’s musings about the collaboration and her design, Tulle Collar, here: Jill Wolcott.

When you purchase the e-book, you’ll receive not only each designer’s pattern but also her essay about what inspired her, thoughts about film and knitting, and sometimes, a recommended film playlist.

I hope that you will enjoy the collection!!

Oh, and look for our second ebook in the Technicolor collaboration sometime in 2023!  It will feature garments and other larger projects.  I’ve seen some of the samples, and I think they will be fabulous!!

xoxo

Carol

Yellow Calla Lily
Calla Lily Flower Arrangement

Calla Lily photos used under iStock standard license.

Posted in designer collaboration, knitting pattern, knitting patterns

Calla Lily Wrap & Technicolor: Matinee

Posted on by Carol

Technicolor: Matinee is a collection of accessories designed by six collaborating designers.  The designers participating in this collaboration, besides myself, are Lindsay Lewchuk, Christine Guest, Sue McCain, Laura Patterson and Jill Wolcott.

My design, the Calla Lily Wrap [please note, link currently leads to Ravelry], was so much fun to design.  Featuring a cable panel on the straight edge, the wrap is then made up of lots of delicious, squishy garter stitch – which is the easiest stitch to work, to boot!  I have made four of these wraps – in gold, pink, purple and orange.  “Technicolor” is very nearly literally true for me with this wrap – which I suppose means that it’s still figurative…

A huge thank you to LL Yarn Co.  for providing the yarn support for Calla Lily.  This wrap takes 2 skeins of their Worsted yarn – which is really lovely to work with and creates the aforementioned squishy garter stitch.

This colorway is Golden Hour.

There was snow on the day of the photo shoot, and we used the vintage pin that had belonged to my mom as a shawl pin.  I believe that it is from the 1940’s – but I don’t really know its story.

This is Calla in Dusted Pink:

I hope you will enjoy the pattern.  It’s designed so that there are two parts that require more focused attention (the cable panel and the increase on each row) and the rest ror smooth sailing in garter stitch!

Technicolor: Matinee (so far)

On the Set by Lindsay Lewchuk (Knit Eco Chic)
Sylvia Needs a Bag by Christine Guest
Steam Heat by Laura Patterson (Fiber Dreams)
Calla Lily Wrap by me
Holyrood Hooded Scarf by Sue McCain

Matinee is being offered in a staggered release, with the price increasing as each new design is revealed, ending with a final selling price of $30.  No matter when you purchase the collection, you will own the whole e-book (updates will be sent to you as each new pattern is added).  The collection is available on Payhip and Ravelry.

November 15-21: $16.
November 22-28: $20.
November 29-December 5: $22.
December 6-12: $24.
December 13-19: $26.
December 20-26: $30.

Individual patterns may be purchased from the independent designers beginning New Year’s Day.

Enjoy co-designer Christine Guest’s blogpost about the collaboration here: Matinee.
Christine writes about her design, Silvia Needs a Bag.

And Lindsay Lewchuk (Knit Eco Chic) writes about the collaboration here: Matinee.
Lindsay writes about her design, On the Set.
Lindsay interviews Christine.
Lindsay interviews Laura.
Lindsay interviews me.
Lindsay interviews Sue.

One more design remains…see it here and on my Instagram feed.

xoxo

Carol

Yellow Calla Lily
Calla Lily Flower Arrangement

Calla Lily photos used under iStock standard license.

Posted in designer collaboration, knitting pattern, knitting patterns

Technicolor: Matinee – a Designers’ Collection

Posted on by Carol

Technicolor: Matinee is a collection of accessories being released starting November 15, 2022.  Six designers collaborated, choosing several stitch patterns in common, then each going her own way in designing knitwear based on one or more of those stitch patterns.  Our inspiration was the movies – so many ways to go, so much to inspire!

Matinee is being offered in a staggered release, as was our 2021 collection, Rise Up.  On November 15, the entire collection is $16. The price increases weekly, ending with a final selling price of $30.  No matter when you purchase the collection, you will own the whole e-book as each new pattern is added (updates will be sent to you as each new pattern is added).  The collection is available on Payhip and Ravelry.

November 15-21: $16.
November 22-28: $20.
November 29-December 5: $22.
December 6-12: $24.
December 13-19: $26.
December 20-26: $30.

Individual patterns may be purchased from the independent designers about two weeks after the complete collection has been released.

The first pattern in the collection is On the Set, a scarf designed by Lindsay Lewchuk, Knit Eco Chic.

The second pattern in the collection, Silvia Needs a Bag, is by Christine Guest, and the cover photo of this post is a sneak peek of the design.

The third pattern is my Calla Lily Wrap, a right triangle shawlette featuring garter stitch and more of our favorite collection stitches.  Here’s a brief sneak peek of Calla.  I’ve knit it in LL Yarn Co’s Worsted in the Golden Hour colorway.  This yarn is a delight to work with, and I’m very grateful to LL Yarn for providing the yarn support for this design.  It will be added to the collection on November 29th.

The designers participating in this collaboration, besides myself, are Lindsay Lewchuk, Christine Guest, Sue McCain, Laura Patterson and Jill Wolcott.  More details, photos, links, and more will follow in the coming weeks.

Enjoy co-designer Christine Guest’s blogpost about the collaboration here: Matinee.
Christine writes about her design, Silvia Needs a Bag.

And Lindsay Lewchuk (Knit Eco Chic) writes about the collaboration here: Matinee.
Lindsay interviews Christine.
Lindsay interviews Laura.

Posted in KAL, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitting, knitting pattern, Pumpkin-a-Long

The 2022 Pumpkin and the Fifth Annual Pumpkin Along (PAL)

Posted on by Carol

Hi everyone, it’s been a very long time since I’ve written a blogpost.  Much behind-the-scenes design work has been going on, including 2022’s pumpkin design, the Jack-Be-Little.  More about the other designs a little later.

Jack-Be-Little is a variety of tiny pumpkin readily available each Fall.  This Jack-Be-Little knits up quickly and is made with slipped stitches.   It’s a small pumpkin, 5 inches in diameter and about 2.5 inches tall without the stem.  The pattern also includes Jill-Be-Little (another variety) and Ghost-Be-Little (slight poetic license taken here).  The options vary only in the height of the central slipped stitch section of the pumpkins.

Create your own pumpkin patch by mixing and matching the various Be-Littles, changing up your main colors and contrasting colors, and using either a premade or knitted-on stem.

Hand and glove with the 2022 pumpkin design is the Fifth Annual Pumpkin Along.  Edited to add:  Starting NOW!!

The premise of the PAL is very easy: knit one of the Knit Equals Joy pumpkins (there are now 10!), post progress pictures of your pumpkin on Instagram with the tags #pumpkinalong2022, #knitequalsjoy, and @knitequalsjoy.  I will be giving away Knit Equals Joy patterns (digital) periodically during the PAL chosen randomly from amongst progress pictures posted and tagged on Instagram.  If you’d like to use the above photo on Instagram (or Facebook), it will count as a  progress picture.  Follow those tags to see everyone else’s pumpkin progress and anything related to Fall that we post (because we love Fall!!!).

When you finish a pumpkin, also use the tag #pumpkinalong2022FO (for finished object).

At the conclusion of the PAL (Halloween, although I reserve the right to extend it if the mood strikes), I’ll randomly choose from the finished pumpkins and will award prizes.  We currently have an adorable pumpkin teapot stitch marker donated by Carla and a skein of Blu Fiber Company DK yarn in the colorway Wild Holly (I used it for a couple of my Jack-Be-Littles, and it is a GREAT colorway and a fabulous yarn to work with) donated by Wild Knits Yarn Shop.  Thank you so very much, Carla and Wild Knits!  I will also donate a $30 gift certificate for Amanda Hope Yarn.  I used Amanda Hope Yarn Extra Fine Merino and Superkid Mohair/Silk in the Jack-Be-Little pattern, and it is divine!

If you’re not on Instagram, email your pumpkins to me at knitequalsjoy@gmail.com.

Come join us and get in on some Autumn-knitting joy!!!

Pumpkin-A-Long Patterns – hover over photo for pattern name, click to read about the pattern or to purchase.

Now, for the other designing going on behind the scenes:

I’m excited to be releasing this pattern within the next week or so for more fall fun:

It’s a quick and easy knit, and you can make the garland as long as you like.  The pattern describes the easiest way to connect the pie pieces, but they can also be connected with twine or baker’s twine, using sewn-on or glued-on buttons, or by using i-cord.

On October 15th, we will be having a relaxed Pumpkin Pie Garland KAL/party/class at Wild Knits.  I’ll be demonstrating some of those construction techniques and we’ll have pompom makers in various sizes.  Lots of crafting fun!  Grandma’s and Mom’s button tins will be there, too.

Also behind the scenes, I’m working with a group of designers on a pattern collection built around three stitches and a theme.  Currently the plan is for two releases, one with smaller accessories and the other with larger items.  I can’t tell you too much about the collection except that my designs are a shawl and a shawlette.  They both feature the same stitch as the centerpiece of the design, but they differ in both complexity and size.  I will be using yarn from LL Yarn Co. for both – the shawlette in their Worsted and the shawl in their MSC DK.  I can’t wait to share the designs with you!  Pictured is a swatch of the stitch I’m using.

Once these designs are written and tested (the shawlette has already been tech edited and tested), I hope to get back to the Warp Nine Sweater.  I got pretty far on it, then changed my mind on how I wanted to treat the bodice and the sleeves.  I absolutely love the yarn by Blu Fiber Company (a local company, BTW), the colors, and the colorwork design, so I look forward to getting back to it.

Come check out the Pumpkin Palooza at Wild Knits on September 17th.  My pumpkins will be hanging out there and I’ll be there for at least part of the day.

Thanks for spending some time here checking out the blog.  I appreciate your support for my design work.  Check out the website and the links in the sidebar to find out the rest of what’s happening with Knit Equals Joy.

xoxo

Carol