Tag: knitting

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 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

Posted in Knit-a-Long, knitting pattern, Pumpkin-a-Long

Spidey!

Posted on by Carol

Greetings, everyone!  I’m pleased to announce that Spidey is now live!  You can find him in my Payhip and Etsy shops, and soon on LoveCrafts.  Use the coupon code SPIDEY on Payhip, Etsy, or here on the website for 20% off until Halloween.

Spidey is an enjoyable, spooky knit.  He’s created through the use of two-color twisted stitches, along with some unusual stitches like cluster stitches and a k5tog (instructions included) that emphasize the three-dimensional qualities of the motif.  You can actually stuff the spider’s abdomen!  Fun and creepy, this pumpkin will be a great addition to your fall décor.  (I did actually have a dream about spiders while designing this pumpkin!)

While it is written for two colors, this pumpkin can also be knit in a single color, since the spider is 3-D.  Be sure to allow for enough yardage if making this option.  I think the design would be great knit in natural to create a “ghost” pumpkin.

This pattern provides a chart for the spider section of the pumpkin.  The instructions for that section are also written out line-by-line.  These instructions are provided at the end of the pattern and need not be printed if one is using the chart.

Skills Needed: Working in the round, reading colorwork charts (line-by-line instructions for the charted sections are also included), knitting through the back loop, yarnovers, kfb, m1 and m1p increases, k2tog, ssk, p2tog and p2tog tbl decreases, twisted stitches, and i-cord (instructions included).

Measurements, approximate (These will vary depending on amount of fiberfill used):
Circumference:  33 in [84 cm]; diameter:  10.5 in [27 cm]; height:  7 in [18 cm].

Yarn: 
MC:  300 yds [275 m] Manos Del Uruguay Alegria (Fingering; 75% Merino Superwash/25% Polyamide; 445yds/100 g) in Cusco.

CC:  125 yds [115 m] Malabrigo Sock (Fingering; 100% Superwash Merino Wool; 440 yds/100 g) in Black.

Stem:  30 yds [27m] Yama Yarn Merino Linen Singles (Fingering; 90% South African Merino/10% Linen; 394 yds/100 g) in Terre Verte BG.

Needles:
Base of Pumpkin, Crown, and Stem:  US size 2 (2.75 mm) double pointed needles and 16 in. (40 cm) circular needle.

Colorwork Section of Pumpkin:  US size 3 (3.25 mm) 24 in. (60 cm) circular needle.

Gauge:   33.5 sts and 32 rnds = 4″ [10 cm] in charted pattern st on larger needles.  This pattern is worked at a tighter gauge than normal so the fiberfill does not show through fabric.

Other Materials:  Stitch markers if desired, small tapestry needle, tape measure, 1 bag (16 oz.) polyester fiberfill (you will not need the entire bag).

Spidey is, of course, Pumpkin-a-Long eligible.  As a reminder, there are weekly pattern prizes for participation and a drawing for some great prizes at the end (US Thanksgiving) to be chosen from among finished pumpkin projects.  The deets are here: The 2021 Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL).

Thank you all, and I hope you have as much fun knitting Spidey as I did designing him!

Pumpkins forever!

xoxo

Carol

 

Posted in colorwork knitting, knitting, knitting pattern

Garden Cowl Now Available as an Individual Pattern (and with an introductory discount)

Posted on by Carol

Hello, everyone! I’m pleased to announce that the Garden Cowl is now available as an individual pattern on the Knit Equals Joy website and in my Payhip and Etsy shops!

I had so much fun designing this cowl!  The elements really wanted to play together – stripes, abstract diamonds, a flower, a big color block section – and each side of the fabric is the reverse of the other (using positive/negative space to create the design).  Bold colors wanted to play along, too.  And it’s really fun to me how Bridget’s test knit worked beautifully with just two colors – a solid and a beautiful variegated.  The colors in that variegated yarn (Malabrigo Rios in Liquidambar) just shimmer and sing!

Use the coupon code LOVESPRING for 20% off through April 10th.  The discount is good on the website as well as on Payhip and Etsy.   Pattern purchase includes the pattern in both English and Spanish.

Pattern details, including yarn requirements for either a 6-color cowl or a 2-color cowl, are here.

Colorwork is so much fun!  This cowl is just the thing to keep you entertained and to provide you with a lovely accessory when done.

Enjoy!!

xoxo

Carol

 

 

 

Posted in cowl pattern, designer collaboration, inspiration, knitting, knitting patterns, Rise Up 2021 Collection, sweater pattern

Rise Up Collection, First Two Patterns: Alcyone, Mountain View

Posted on by Carol

Greetings from Oregon on a foggy Sunday afternoon!  The beautiful, saturated color of the Alcyone Sweater cheers me every time I see it, and Knit Eco Chic’s love for the North Carolina mountains surrounding her brings a smile to my lips in recognition of my own similar love for the beauty of nature here in Oregon.

These two are the first two patterns released in the Rise Up Collection, sold as an e-book on Ravelry and as a collection on Payhip.  On January 5 (through January 11) the entire collection is $15. The price increases as patterns are added, ending with a selling price of $28.  No matter when you purchase the collection, you will own the whole thing as each new pattern is added.  Release dates (and price increase dates) are listed below.

January 5
Mountain View from Knit Eco Chic
Alcyone from Christine Guest Designs

January 12
Fiber Dreams

January 19
Marcela Chang Knits

January 26
Garden Cowl from Knit Equals Joy

February 2
Ruth Brasch Design
Jill Wolcott Knits

Individual patterns may be purchased from the independent designers on February 15, 2021.

Jill Wolcott (Jill Wolcott Knits) has interviewed each designer, and the interviews will go up on her website the same week as each designer’s pattern is added to the collection.  I’ve really loved learning about these designers and what drives their inspiration.

Lindsay (Knit Eco Chic) 

Lindsay and her Great Dane Puddles are inseparable.  Here he is assisting her in choosing which one to use in a photo shoot!

Lindsay’s Rise Up pattern is Mountain View.  Lindsay uses ecologically-friendly yarns in her designs; this yarn is AppleOak FibreWorks LinCot, shown in the color Mayfly.  I love the rustic look created by the blend of linen and cotton!  It would also be really lovely in a smooth yarn, like this Amanda Hope Yarn Luxe DK in Chartreuse (80% Superwash Extra Fine Merino/10% Cashmere/10% Nylon, approximately 100 grams/246 yards).  All of her colors are fab but I’m also really drawn to this Oil Rubbed Bronze.  No matter what yarn you choose, you’ll have a winner in the Mountain View Cowl.

Here Jill Interviews Lindsay  🙂

Christine Guest’s Alcyone Sweater is the second pattern in Rise Up.  Christine’s background is chemistry with a minor in math.  The structural influence of elemental building blocks really comes through in her designs.  Here’s another photo of Alcyone, where you can see that the lovely stitch motif is carried on at the base of the sweater.

I think this sweater design is just gorgeous!  You can read more about the pattern here: Alcyone.

And here, Jill Interviews Christine. 🙂

Alcyone photos by Avi Dascaloff.

Purchase the entire collection today or tomorrow, 1/11/2021, for $15 at Payhip or Ravelry.  The collection will be a great deal all the way through (even at the final price of $28, it’s just $4 per pattern) – but it’s a super deal right now!

My pattern will be available separately on February 15, at $7.  So grabbing the entire collection is still the best way to go.

Tuesday (1/12), Laura of Fiber Dreams will be adding her pattern to the collection.  I believe she and I used the same stitch pattern, but while I used the original colorwork pattern, she morphed it into a lovely lace stitch pattern.  It’s another winner!

Hoping that you will enjoy this collection and the fun insight into the creative process in each of the interviews.

All the best,

xoxo

Carol

Posted in knitting, Pumpkin-a-Long

The Great Pumpkin-a-Long!

Posted on by Carol

Hi everyone!!  I hope everyone is staying safe and well.  It’s getting dark quite early here now, and I’m very grateful that DH put up some lights outside and our lighted Christmas tree inside.  That will help me get through the first three weeks of December, when it’s dark when I leave for work, and dark when I get home.  Once we get past the Winter Solstice, I will take hope from the fact that the days are getting longer again.

The Third Annual Pumpkin-a-Long is now complete.  It was so wonderful to see the 21 pumpkins that folks knitted and sent photos to me via email or messenger or posted on Facebook or Instagram.  There were 3 It’s Fall, Y’all pumpkins, 4 Plaid Pumpkins, 1 Large Colorwork Pumpkin, 1 Colorwork Pumpkin, 2 Mini Colorwork Pumpkins, 2 Autumn Spice Pumpkins, and 8 Wee Pumpkins in our community pumpkin patch this year!  From all of the entries, Hubby and I randomly drew winners for these two prizes:

@ogrebite on Instagram won this sweet little hand-needle-felted pumpkin, made by local crafter Wee Woollies.

And Sarah from Instagram won the fabulous yarn prize:

I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who participated, whether you made a pumpkin (or several), purchased a pattern, shared posts, made encouraging comments, or shared in the general atmosphere of Fall joy.  I also want to thank Wild Knits Salem for wholeheartedly jumping into the Pumpkin-a-Long spirit.  I think we might still have a wrap-up to do for any Wild Knits participants!

I hope the next few weeks into the Advent season are good ones for you.  Please stay safe and well.

xoxo

Carol

 

Posted in Fasten Off Yarn-a-Long, Knit-a-Long, knitting event

Fasten Off Yarn Along!!!

Posted on by Carol

Hey everyone!!  There’s something new and exciting, and YOU are invited: The Fasten Off Yarn Along (also known as the FO2020 or the YAL)!!!  It’s a big online event featuring the work of over 90 independent knitting and crochet designers – with discounts, a make-a-long, games, prizes, and lots of cheerleading.  It starts tomorrow (Wednesday, 11/25/2020) and ends at the end of the year.

Here’s what’s what [and official information can be found here (website) and here (the Discord server – it’s where all the chat, games and fun will happen)]:

A discount!!!  All of the designers will be offering a 25% discount on at least some of their designs starting tomorrow and going through December 5th using the coupon code FO2020 on their own websites or platforms like Payhip or Etsy.  All Knit Equals Joy patterns will be on sale with that code here on knitequalsjoy.com and on my Payhip store and my Etsy shop.  There will be searchable lists of designers and patterns once the discount period begins (Wednesday 11/25/20 at 9 pm ET) on the Fasten Off Yarn-a-Long 2020 website – but those lists will be hidden until the magic hour tomorrow evening!!!

Do you have to purchase a pattern to participate?  No!  In order to participate, all you need to do is make a design by one of the participating designers (me, hint, hint!).  Seriously, if you have already purchased, won, or received one of my patterns as a gift, I would love it if you made that during the YAL.  This would be a great time to make a Gnome Spa Cloth as a gift or another Wee Pumpkin for your pumpkin patch, or even to start an Ethereal Sweater.  It’s also a GREAT opportunity to discover some other wonderful designers.  I will be talking up some of my favorite designers, and I’m sure I’ll be picking up some new patterns with that discount!

Prizes!!  There will be pattern prizes from all of the designers; there will be yarny prizes as well.  To be eligible for the yarny prizes, you need to wait to cast on until 9 pm ET tomorrow night and you’ll need to finish by the end of the year.  I think the pattern prizes will be given for games, etc.

There’s even an available playlist!

You can copy and use this nifty graphic if you’d like:

More information can be found here: @FastenOffYAL | Linktree

Feel free to email me at knitequalsjoy@gmail with questions, too.

I hope to see you there!!

xoxo

Carol

P.S. The cover picture is 100 colors of Palette yarn I mentioned in the last blog post.  It’s already being very helpful for design purposes!

 

Posted in design, Knit-a-Long, Pumpkin-a-Long

Design Plans, Pumpkins, etc.

Posted on by Carol

Good Saturday morning to you.  Again it’s a gray Oregon morning – not at all surprising for this time of year.  Hubby is watching an episode of The Great Courses on Shakespeare.  He loves his subscription to The Great Courses Plus so he can learn about anything that catches his imagination, whenever he wants!

We’ve finished our coffee…and I don’t have a design on the needles right now, but I do have ideas flitting around my brain.

I’ve ordered the sampler set of all 150 colors of Knit Picks fingering weight yarn, Palette.   One Hundred and Fifty colors of fingering weight yarn!  Squee!!!  Quite truthfully, I’ve always had it in mind to redesign the Willamette Valley Tee (which is now out of print) as a round yoked sweater in multiple sizes.  It takes lots of colors, and I spent a lot of time and money trying to determine the right colors for the first pattern, so having these 150 colors to choose from should make that aspect of designing go more smoothly.

Willamette Valley Tee (out of print)

The one aspect of the design that I anticipate will be a challenge is how to make the single flower motif fit into a round yoke correctly, taking into account its size and the increases needed for the yoke to fit well.  I’m looking forward to having the time during my upcoming vacation to really sit down to crunch the numbers, make some drawings, and work on the charting.  Yay for vacation!!

Other good news is that I have used that single flower motif in an upcoming cowl pattern!  I’m very happy with the cowl – it’s a bright and colorful graphic design.  It’s planned to be released in Jan/Feb as part of a collection with several other designers.  We all had the same 6 stitch patterns from which to choose and then expand upon, so it will be fun to see how each person was inspired by something different and how our imaginations ran in different directions.  For now, I have to keep that design under wraps…

Thank you to everyone who has joined the pumpkin fun in our third annual Pumpkin-a-Long!  The PAL continues through Thanksgiving (November 25).  I know many of you are now thinking of Christmas gift knitting, but if you are wanting to add to your Thanksgiving/Fall décor before then, our pumpkin designs knit up pretty quickly.  To enter the PAL and be eligible for prizes, please email a picture of your finished pumpkin to knitequalsjoy@gmail.com or post it on Instagram with #pumpkinalong2020 and @knitequalsjoy.

Here are the PAL patterns:

And just for fun, Green Pumpkins…a montage.  Two minutes of green pumpkin zen:

I’ve had two of my patterns, Ethereal Sweater and Little Ethereal Sweater translated into Spanish.  The new upcoming cowl pattern will also be translated into Spanish.  I’m looking into having Willow Poncho translated into French.  If having any of my patterns translated would make a difference for you, please let me know.  Thank you!

I’ll leave you with a picture of the new sample of the Colorwork Pumpkin I finished right before Halloween.  It’s modified from the pattern in two ways:  I made the base of this one striped, by making alternating 2-row stripes, and I used duplicate stitching on the hourglass shape on the spiders.  These modifications were a big hit.

Thank you, everyone.  Until next time…

xoxo

Carol

Posted in Christmas, colorwork knitting, Knit-a-Long, knitting, Pumpkin-a-Long

Newsy News Post (as opposed to a newsy newsletter)

Posted on by Carol

It’s not a newsletter, exactly…I tried that earlier this year, and it just wasn’t a fit.  I really didn’t enjoy the newsletter format.  For me, it felt like putting together an advertisement. Well, yes, I want people to buy my patterns…but the blog’s purpose is broader than that.  The blog is a place where I can write about stuff that, hopefully, brings a little beauty, whimsy, and maybe useful information from my world to yours.  It’s where I can write about things that caught my eye, that bring me joy, or that I thought were interesting.

I’m a nerd (or is it geek?).  I posted a picture on my personal Facebook page about one of my patterns, and one of my high school friends commented with something to the effect of “you’re so talented.”  My response was that I have always loved beautiful things, crafting, writing, and math…and in my older years I’ve discovered that I like problem-solving, so it all came together in this fun pastime.  So, yeah, basically I’m a nerd.  🙂

Independent Knitting and Crochet Designers.

If you like supporting independent designers, Barbara Benson has created the Indie Pattern Portal.  The purpose of the portal is “…to help you find stores where you purchase patterns directly from the designer, no middle-man. Each designer may use a different service (Payhip, Shopify, etc …) but the stores are entirely under their control.”  It’s a great place to find professional designers.

It’s two months till Christmas today!  I get pretend-annoyed by folks who announce how many days remain until Christmas, but I don’t really mind.  I promise not to be one of them after today, however.

There are two Knit Equals Joy Christmas patterns, Whimsy Tree and Gnome Spa Cloth.  When you start thinking about Christmas, you might enjoy making them.

Whimsy Tree
Gnome Spa Cloth

Finally, pumpkins!  This year I added shaping to 2016’s Colorwork Pumpkin pattern, so I’ve been reknitting samples of that pattern.  It’s been really fun!

We have this volunteer pumpkin plant in our back yard, and it makes the perfect foil for knit pumpkins.

Colorwork Pumpkin

I made the pumpkin using Alexandra’s Crafts Dark Side of the Moon in Saffron Spice and Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Saffron.  They were lovely yarns to work with!

I made a short (30 second) video showing how I hold the yarn in two hands for colorwork.

Here’s another lovely pumpkin made this week by Ginny.  It’s the Wee Pumpkin.

Wee Pumpkin by Ginny

I’ll leave you with that lovely picture by Ginny.  It captures the warmth and beauty of Fall for me, and it makes my heart smile.

May the rest of your Fall days be warm with a touch of chill in the air.  May you enjoy the rich Fall colors and the taste of apple cider.  May you enjoy the warmth of friendship and family (even if virtually).  Catch you next time!

xoxo

Carol

Posted in KAL, Knit-a-Long, Pumpkin-a-Long, yarn

October, Pumpkins, a Wedding

Posted on by Carol

Hey everyone!  It’s a chilly October morning here, gray and drab, but cozy inside.  We’re drinking coffee and trying to decide what to do with the day.

The Pumpkin-a-Long (PAL) continues!  I’m giving away free patterns weekly – randomly chosen from those who either email a photo of their pumpkin progress to knitequalsjoy@gmail.com or post their pictures on Instagram with the tag #pumpkinalong2020.  At the end (Thanksgiving) there will be a random drawing for some Amanda Hope yarn, a felted pumpkin, and other prizes, drawn from the pool of finished pumpkin projects that were emailed or posted as above during the PAL.

If this appeals to you, please join us, and invite your friends!

I love this pumpkin that Carla made:

Pattern: Because Pumpkins

And this one by Ginny:

Pattern: Plaid Pumpkin, using instructions for the one-color pumpkin

I made my original “Because…Pumpkins” pumpkins using Amanda Hope Yarns.  I used their Aussie Extra Fine Fingering (100% Merino – yummmmm!) held together with their Superkid Mohair/Silk (also yummmmm!).  Working with the two of them held together is heavenly!  They create an amazingly soft and halo-y fabric.  If you look closely, you can see that the colors are slightly tonal.  Tonals are my very favorite – the color changes stitch-to-stitch invariably keep my interest, even when working miles of stockinette.

Check out their website: Amanda Hope Yarn and see Because Pumpkins featured in their opening slides (thank you, Wendy)!!!

If you follow on Facebook or Instagram, you know that our younger son got married last month.  It was a joyous – outside, small, and socially distanced – occasion, and we are thrilled for them and so happy to welcome our new daughter-in-law to the family.  It was truly a sweet ceremony and represented them so well.  My pictures here were taken by cell phone, so I apologize that they’re not very clear.

This year I have truly missed my trips to the Oregon Coast.  I’m hoping to take a few days there around Thanksgiving and to have some pictures to share with you here.

I hope that you and yours are safe and well.  I hope that you can enjoy some fall festivities, fall knitting, or some fun fall decorating.  Pumpkins are always good!  😉

All the best,

Carol