new knitting pattern

Oh My Gourd and the Pumpkin Fairy!

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Carol

We’re in full-blown pumpkin mode at our house right now. Pumpkins growing in the back yard. Pumpkins piling near the front stoop. Pumpkins at the yarn shop. Pumpkins at work. Pumpkins at play! And I’m totally loving it!

I made this Oh My Gourd using Yin Yang Yarn by Loop Fiber Studio in the colorway All That. The yarn is lovely to work with and comes in a variety of inverted marled colorways. All That is a beautiful pumpkin orange marled with black.

I love this gorgeous pumpkin by test knitter Linda. Those copper beads slay me! And the colors are so rich.

I also love this whimsical pumpkin made by test knitter Dimitra. She repurposed leftover bracelet beads from a three-year-old’s birthday party. Brilliant! I think the Pumpkin Fairy also visits her house. Proof: OMG: The Pumpkin Fairy!

OMG can also be knit in fingering weight yarn. This one is knit in Round Mountain Fibers Alder Fingering in the colorway Bluegill. I absolutely loved working with this base and this stunning colorway. Adding in (semi-) coordinated beads was a joy.

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 have made three very different looking pumpkins from the OMG pattern, the variables being yarn weight, beads chosen, and how much stuffing was used. The gourd shape requires less stuffing than the more traditionally round shaped pumpkins.

The OMG pattern is available on Payhip and on Etsy.

I am fairly sure that this is not my last beaded design. I’m already dreaming of incorporating beads into sweaters and shawls – and ooh! – long, beaded fingerless gloves!

Thank you for reading this post about pumpkins. I wish you all the fall vibes as we approach the weekend!

xoxo

Carol

Pumpkin-a-Long, yarnpond

Oh My Gourd!

Posted on September 22, 2023October 1, 2023 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 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

colorwork, colorwork knitting, Knit-a-Long, knitters, knitting, knitting pattern, Pumpkin-a-Long

First Annual Pumpkin-a-Long (PAL) and a New Pattern!

Posted on September 15, 2018September 15, 2018 by Carol

Pumpkin-a-Long (PAL)

Hello, dear knitters! I am so thrilled to announce our first annual Pumpkin-a-Long ! Fall is my favorite time of the year, and apparently I am also pumpkin-obsessed, so the idea of the PAL was hatched.

I’ve released a pumpkin pattern annually, starting in 2015, so there are four pumpkin patterns to choose from: Mini Colorwork Pumpkins, Colorwork Pumpkins, Large Colorwork Pumpkins, and Autumn Spice Pumpkin.

The PAL runs through October 31, 2018, so there is plenty of time to knit a pumpkin (or three). There are two ways to win prizes:

1. Winners of a coupon code good for one of my Knit Equals Joy patterns will be chosen randomly and at random times from among comments in the PAL thread.

2. Winners of yarn and other prizes will be chosen after the PAL ends from among posts in the Finished Objects thread.

Questions? Just come on over to the PAL thread and we will be happy to explain how it all works.

New Pattern:

Autumn Spice Pumpkin. This jumbo pumpkin is a joy to knit. Cables that twine over the surface are reminiscent of garden vines. Knit in the super-bulky yarn called for, your pumpkin will be a statement piece (39 inches around!), but it will be amazing knit in any weight yarn. Use the coupon code pumpkins for 25% off through September 22.

Check out these beautiful Autumn Spice Pumpkins (photos used by permission). Each one is uniquely beautiful and I love them all:

Heathers' (2) — by heatherg7, knit in sock yarn on size 0’s!

Missy's — by MsMEdge (using a button I had given her; how cool is that?!?)

jen's — by jenb69; knit on size 15’s – it’s ginormous!

We would love it if you joined us in our pumpkin madness in the Knit Equals Joy group on Ravelry. Questions? Send me a message here or on Ravelry. Follow the links in the sidebar or find me there as CarolEHerman.

Knit Equals Joy
xoxoxo

KAL, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitting

Dreaming of…the Bridgetown Cowl

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Carol

Dear knitting friends,

I am so excited to introduce this upcoming design to you. This cowl pattern was so much fun to design, and it’s very fun to knit. I just want to share pictures with you right now. The pattern is to be released next Monday, June 4. Then I think I’ll tell you the story of its genesis and the inspirations for the design. For now, pictures. And an invitation to come join the KAL also starting June 4. We’ve started a thread in the Ravelry group, here: Bridgetown Cowl KAL. As always, there will be prizes and encouragement.

And now, pictures!

Katherine’s beautiful cowl: