Posted in knit equals joy, Knit Equals Joy Designs, knitters, knitting

Moderation

Posted on by Carol

Hi everyone:

If you know me, you probably know that I am moderate in all things.  Drama does not become me.  In my politics as well, I am moderate.  I prefer to keep my political opinions to myself.

I believe in treating everyone with respect.  This does not depend upon anything they do, say, believe, or are.  Human beings deserve to be treated with respect because they are human beings.  People deserve to be treated with kindness – because we are all in this together.

I believe we can discuss even difficult things if we are kind, if we are open to the other’s point of view, and if we allow for the foibles in us all.

The things that make me shine are those things that are beautiful, pure, kind.

So my heart sank when Ravelry made their anti-Trump proclamation.  Not because of what I think or don’t think about Trump, but because of the blanket statement that anyone who supports the Trump administration “undeniably supports white supremacy.”

Racism is wrong, and there is no place for it.  Prejudice (“pre judging”) is wrong, and there is no place for it.  But the Ravelry statement is guilty of that which they are purporting to fight.  My dismay was with the prejudicial nature of their statement, prejudice being “…feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group”  (Dictionary.com) [emphasis mine].  My disquietude was at their stating that everyone in a certain group (supporters of the Trump administration) is a certain way (undeniably supports white supremacy).

This makes me so very sad, because I have loved Ravelry over the years.  Casey is a coding genius.  There’s nothing like Ravelry in ease of use.  The many, many functionalities are amazing.  The site has made it possible for me to meet knitters from around the world.  It’s where I got my start in pattern publishing.

Anyway, all of this to let you know that I am in the process of closing my Ravelry storefront.  You will still be able to find my patterns here on  knitequalsjoy.com.  They are also available on the LoveCrafts website.  I’m not sure what the Ravelry Knit Equals Joy group will look like or even if it will continue to exist.

Other places to find me and to check out what’s happening in my design and knitting world are the Knit Equals Joy Facebook Page and the Knit Equals Joy Facebook Group. I’m also investigating other avenues and will keep you posted.

This post was not intended to change anyone’s mind, but to give everyone a heads up.  If you must leave, please accept my heartfelt thanks for the years that you have supported my design work and my blog.  If you are staying, thank you so much – you will never know how much your support and friendship mean to me.

All my best, and hoping that knitting continues to bring you joy,

Carol

xoxo

 

Posted in cable knitting, Knit Equals Joy Designs, knitters, knitting, lovecrafts

Summer Musings

Posted on by Carol

Hello dear friends,

Can you believe it is July already?  I guess we never cease to be amazed at how quickly time seems to pass.  I’m listening to a great novel on Audible, A Town Like Alice, by Nevil Shute.  My hubby and I first saw it many years ago on PBS.  The show was terrific; the book is even better.  What an amazing story!

If you have seen my Instagram feed, you’ll know that I battled migraines in June.  I’m hopeful that they’ve run their course for the time being and that it will be some time before they come back.

About a month and a half ago, I thought that it would be a good idea for me to extend the outlets at which my patterns may be purchased.  As a first step, I added my patterns to the existing two or three I had available on the Lovecrafts site.  This is a different market for me, and folks who shop there don’t really know me yet.  The more favorites that my patterns receive, the more likely they will come to the attention of knitters who visit Lovecrafts.  If any of you feel so inclined to “follow” me there and/or to like any of my patterns, I would be ever so grateful.  Projects can also be linked to the patterns.  My Lovecrafts designer link is here: Knit Equals Joy on Lovecrafts.  Thank you, if this is something you’d like to do.

We are wrapping up the test knit of Bold.  It will be released by mid-August – possibly sooner!

photo by Lindsay Newton Photography

I’m working on some more goodies for you!  Be on the lookout for a Bold KAL and the Second Annual Pumpkin-A-Long within the next few months.  I hope you all have a fabulous July and I can’t wait until I can share some of these fun things with you!

xoxo

Carol

 

Posted in Nature, Oregon, Pacific Northwest, photography

Astoria Mood

Posted on by Carol

Last week I was fortunate to spend some time in Astoria, Oregon.  It’s a small port town on the Columbia River, near the Pacific Ocean.  It’s a great place for great views, and here are a few that caught my eye:

  • Geese and goslings
  • Blue Heron
  • Blue Heron
  • Bridge Reflection
  • Coast Guard
  • Delapidated Pier
  • Astoria Sunset
  • Astoria Sunset 2

May you enjoy the sights around you this week!

Carol

Lindsay Newton Photography
Posted in knitting, knitting pattern, poncho, sweater pattern

Willow, Bold, and the next thing

Posted on by Carol

This weekend, our weather app predicts 100% chance of rain.  Usually they’re not so certain and like to hedge their bets a bit, but rain must be a pretty sure thing around these parts today and tomorrow.  (And, actually, it’s pretty much been raining non-stop since I started the first draft of this post earlier this morning).

This changes my plans somewhat, but it’s always a pretty safe bet that my weekend forecast includes chance of knitting: 100%.

You may have seen that I recently published Willow.

The name Willow evokes all things graceful: willows are strong and elegant, and, well, willowy.  I find myself wearing my Willow often.  It’s great to throw on when I get home from work in the evenings; I often get chilled, but if I can get my shoulders warm, the rest of me is warm, and Willow does that for me.

Willow is worked flat using bulky/chunky weight yarn, then seamed together with two quick seams.  There’s even a tutorial for the seaming, here: Cabled Poncho Seam. This would be a great pattern for someone just starting out with cables.

Beth made this beautiful purple Willow.

I love what she says about her Willow:

I finished my Cabled Poncho test knit for @knitequalsjoy and I LOVE it! I thought I wasn’t a poncho person…turns out I just hadn’t found the right one. I knit mine in @blueskyfibers Extra, (alpaca and merino blend) which has beautiful drape and will keep me warm! And of course, it’s purple.

Such beautiful knitting!  Thank you, Beth!

Currently in testing is Bold…with undertones of chocolate.  Now, whether you interpret that as referring to coffee or to beer is up to you!

Bold is an oversized sweater knit top down, seamless, and stockinette-side-out. It took a bit of engineering to get the sweater to be reversible and to include a giant cable, so I was thrilled when I was able to make it work.  If the ends are worked in carefully, the sweater truly is reversible, and can be worn with either the stockinette or the reverse stockinette side out, depending on your whim.

The pattern will be available for 5 sizes ranging from 32-50 in. (bust measurement).  If in between sizes, one can choose from the actual finished sizes for the best fit. It’s worked on size 8 and 9 needles, so it’s a pretty quick knit.

I’ve worn my Bold to work a couple of times and have felt like a million bucks in it each time.

The pattern should be released sometime in the summer or early fall.

Finally, I’m working on a new sweater design.  I recently found this yarn by Yama Fibre Arts and was smitten by its colors and textures. This is the YAMA Merino Linen Singles in Grey Sage and Nomad B3.

I’m using the two colors together.  It’s a subtle contrast, and I love it, but I can see this sweater in so many different color combinations.

 

A few designs seem to write themselves (like last year’s Autumn Spice Pumpkin ) – and this one seems to be doing that as well. I think the color, fiber content, and spin of the yarn must suggest what will work for the yarn.  It doesn’t always happen; sometimes the yarn puts up a stubborn and dogged fight against my ideas for it, but that’s another story…

This is worked in fingering weight and small(ish) needles, so it will be in the works for awhile before it’s ready for testing.  I’ll probably be posting lots of progress pictures on Instagram, so you can catch those in either the Instagram feed or the Knit Equals Joy Facebook page.

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and that the chance of rain wherever you are isn’t 100%!  Maybe your chance of knitting is.

xoxo

Carol

Posted in cable knitting, design, fashion, Knit Equals Joy Designs, knitters, knitting, knitting pattern

Cabled Poncho Pattern Now Available

Posted on by Carol

Hello dear knitters,

I am so pleased to introduce my newest design, Willow.  I designed this poncho as a sort of “shoulder hug” to keep my shoulders and upper arms warm but leave my hands and arms free.  I also wanted dramatic cables and a pretty edging.

I used baa ram ewe Dovestone Natural Chunky, a light and lofty single ply yarn, which showed the cables amazingly. The cables truly popped using the Dovestone.

This poncho is pretty easy to knit if you have done cabling before. If you haven’t done cables, this is a good one to learn them on.

Probably the most daunting part is constructing the poncho, but I made a little conceptual model that you can actually cut out and tape together to see where to make the two short seams. It’s sort of like paper dolls! I don’t know whether anyone will want to use the model, but I found myself referring to it when seaming my own poncho.

Sometimes seams can be scary, so I put together a tutorial (some written instructions and a 3-minute video just with music, no speaking) here: Cabled Poncho Seam. There’s also a link to the tutorial in the pattern.

 

Finally, the pattern is 20% off through this Friday, March 22, 11:59 pm (PST), no coupon code needed.

I hope you will check out this pattern!

xoxo

Carol

Photos by Lindsay Newton Photography.

Posted in cable knitting, Knit Equals Joy Designs, knitters, knitting, knitting pattern, knitting patterns

Passport Mitts

Posted on by Carol

The Passport Mitts are a fun, quick knit, perfect for your February knitting!

Find the pattern here: Passport Mitts

Happy knitting!

xoxo
Carol

photo by
Element5 Digital

Light pink mitts and photo by Ravelry user cascott.  White mitts and photo by Ravelry user maashrink.  Used by permission.

Posted in giftalong2018, Knit Equals Joy Designs, knitting pattern, Ravelry

Whimsy Tree with Buttons from Mom’s and Grandma’s Button Tins

Posted on by Carol

I know that some of you share with me an affection for the button tins that our mothers or grandmothers created over time, clipping serviceable buttons from garments that had reached the end of their usable life and saving those buttons for future use.  Some of you may have been fortunate, as was I, to inherit these tins.  I have memories of sorting through Mom’s button tins, and Grandma’s before her, as a child.  These days, I use the buttons to decorate some of my hand-knits.

After releasing the Whimsy Tree pattern, I had the idea of making a second tree using natural, undyed yarn, and decorating it with white, silver, and gold buttons from Mom’s and Grandma’s button tins.  I am so happy with the result.

I’m going to offer the 25% off introductory discount through the end of 2018, no coupon code necessary.  You can find the pattern here: Whimsy Tree.

The Indie Design Gift-a-Long on Ravelry is nearing the last week of this year’s GAL.  I was fortunate to have been interviewed by Stana D. Sortor (Fifinka on Ravelry).  Her website is Stana’s Critters, Etc.  Here’s one of her adorable designs, Chameleon Leon:

Chameleon Leon, design and photo by Stana D. Sortor 

If you’d like to read the interview, here it is: Interview with Designer Knit Equals Joy.

Wishing you all a joyous Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

xoxo

Carol

Posted in Christmas, Indie Design Gift-a-Long, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitters, knitting, knitting pattern

The Fable of the Whimsy Tree, a New Pattern & Discount, and a Gaggle of Crochet Patterns

Posted on by Carol

Hello, dear knitters! I hope that you are having a lovely holiday season. Christmas will be here before we know it, and I wish you a Christmas Day filled with love, warmth, joy…and maybe even a little knitting time.

I’m so thrilled to announce the publication of the latest Knit Equals Joy pattern, Whimsy Tree.  All the details are further down the page.

But first, my friend Jen has created an adorable Far Northern Woods, populated by elves, snowmen, and a variety of knit trees.  Here’s what happened when a new species of tree was discovered in the Northern Woods:

The Fable of the Whimsy Tree

Tooty elf (the one in yellow behind Joyful elf), fancies himself a dendrologist (when he is not making toys) and was therefore thrilled to discover a new tree species in the far Northern woods 😍. Being the first to see it, he named it after himself…Pinus tooty tooty😁. The other elves who are not serious biologists, found the name quite whimsical 🤣😂 and just refer to it as the Whimsy tree.  (copyright Jennifer Wiatrowski)

Pattern Details:

Use self-striping or speckled yarn, or go with a single color and decorate with buttons, baubles, mini-ornaments and lights. This tree is posable so that you can express your whimsical style.

Diameter: 2.25 in. 5.7 cm at base.
Height: 11 in. 27.9 cm before bending or curling.

Yarn: About 100 yds sock yarn.

Other Materials: 1 stitch marker for beginning of round, tapestry needle, ruler, 12-inch pipe cleaner in coordinating color, small amount of polyester fiberfill. Optional: wooden base, buttons, ornaments, battery-operated lights, and other decorations for your tree; as needed: glue gun or sewing needle and embroidery floss/scrap yarn to attach decorations to your tree.

 

About the Indie Design GAL

I’m still participating in the Indie Design GAL #giftalong2018.  The pattern I’m working on is the Adult Modular Cardigan by Loraine Birchall (Woolly Madly Deeply Designs).  I’m using my all-time favorite colorway EVER, Malabrigo’s Frank Ochre.  It’s a fun knit and it’s working up into a beautifully squishy fabric.

Gaggle of Crochet Patterns:

One of the fun things we as designers got to do was to look through all of the patterns by the other craft.  In my case, the other craft is crochet.  I browsed through many crochet patterns by Participating Designers, and created a group of my favorites.  If you crochet, here are some patterns you might enjoy: Carol’s Fave #giftalong2018 Crochet Patterns.

A huge thank you to Jen for allowing me to share her whimsical story here. It’s so perfect for her Northern Woods that she’s created, and perfect for the Whimsy Tree. I love it.

Here are a few more Whimsy Trees for you to enjoy.   Thanks for spending a few minutes of your day here with me.

by Torunn

by Carla

by Linda

Posted in Indie Design Gift-a-Long, KAL, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitting patterns

GAL – More Sale Faves

Posted on by Carol

Hi again, dear knitters.  The sale portion of the Indie Design GAL on Ravelry ends Thursday night, November 29th, at 11:59 pm EST.  I wanted to share one more set of patterns that I love, designed by other designers.  These designs appeal to me because of their use of texture, color, and pattern, because of the techniques used, or because of an elegance of style.  Remember to use the coupon code giftalong2018 to save 25% on these patterns. My sale patterns are also on sale with the giftalong2018 coupon code through Thursday night (11/29/18).

Enjoy these wonderful designs!

Shoreline Beanie by Ranee Mueller (Arabian Knits Designs):

Aviatrix Pullover by Denise Voie de Vie:

Sandrine Slouch Hat by Katy H. Carroll (Katinka Designs):

Nancy’s Vest by Carol Sunday:

Iago Waistcoat by Kari-Helene Rane:

Katherine Cardigan by Amanda Scheuzger:

Aotearoa Mitts by Sabine Kastner:

Walter by Allison O’Mahony:

Zart Mittens by Julie Hart:

Woodcutter Mittens by Renee Kies:

Cuddle Me Caterpillar by Doreen Blask:

Pippi Lotta Doll by Irina Ferrer:

Happy knitting!

xoxo

Carol

Posted in KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitting patterns, Ravelry

Gift-a-Long, More Favorites

Posted on by Carol

As promised, here are a few more not-by-me designs that caught my eye during the Indie Design Gift-a-Long on Ravelry. I’ve linked to each pattern, and each one is 25% off through 11/29/18, 11:59 pm EST with the coupon code giftalong2018.

Adult Modular Cardigan Jacket by Loraine Birchall (Woolly Madly Deeply).  Besides the lovely fit, the construction looks really interesting.  I can definitely see this as a workday staple:

Party Bones by Stephanie Lotven (TellybeanKnits).  You probably already know that I love the Day of the Dead:

Kicking Horse Mittens by Kate Bostwick (Cowtownknits).  I love this look:

Festive Forest Cushion by Sandra Nesbitt.  The colorwork is so clever and pretty:


Bunty MItts by Ella Austin (BomBella Designs).  Loving this 70’s vibe:

Of course, as a participating designer, I have patterns on sale as well.  They can be found here.  Edit: the sale is now over, but the GAL continues through the end of the year!  My patterns can be found here: Knit Equals Joy Designs

Check back tomorrow for my next group of favorites!  Happy knitting!!!

xoxo

Carol