Helenium, my latest sweater design, was published in the Fall 2017 issue of Twist Collective.

The idea for this design came about a year and a half ago, when I was working on another sweater with a brioche ribbing detail. I was a few rows into the brioche section when I felt the need to add some patterning to that design (I’m pretty sure I was inspired by photos of amazing brioche shawls on Instagram).  It was way to late in the process to change that design, so I tucked the idea away to be explored later. When the opportunity to submit a sweater for Fall 2017 issue of Twist Collective came long, I immediately thought back to that seed of an idea from a year ago. Here is my sketch:

This was the first time I would attempt to design a brioche motif, so I went straight to my favorite brioche book, Knitting Fresh Brioche by Nancy Marchant. I highly recommend this book, by the way. It not only covers the basic stitches, but also includes information on increasing and decreasing, reading charts, fixing mistakes, and lots of brioche stitch patterns.  It took me a few tries to get the flower motif just right, here is my initial swatch (left) and the final motif (right): 

I chose to use straight single color brioche for the cuffs and bottom edging so knitters new to the technique could start with the easier stitch and get some practice before moving on to the 2-color brioche with shaping increases and decreases. I wanted to keep the body simple so the yoke would really be the focus of the sweater. 

When you are working brioche, yarn choice is important. One that is slippery or heavy might stretch too much, a toothy or wooly yarn is best. The bloom and halo of Hikoo Kenzie look beautiful in brioche, especially after you block it - this is one of those yarns where the stitches really even out after blocking.

One last thing - fixing mistakes and dropped stitches can be intimidating in brioche knitting, but it really isn't so hard. There are great resources available that walk you through picking up dropped stitches or fixing missed yarn overs (see my gush about Nancy Marchant's book above). If the mistake is a wrong leaning decrease, try fixing it with duplicate stitch - this is much easier than tinking 20 rows of brioche (I know this from experience).

Visit the Twist Collective website for all the details or to purchase the pattern.

Left: Lucienne Scarf by Katinka Designs, Right: Shelby hat by Katinka Designs.

More fantasy knitting today - this time I want to knit the Lucienne Scarf from Katinka Designs! 

This scarf has all of the things I love to knit - cables (lots of those), lace (which somehow always makes the knitting seem faster), and dropped stitches (intentional dropped stitch are fun).  I thinks this would be the perfect Christmas vacation project.  Once you memorize the stitch pattern, you can knit through all the holiday festivities and still be able to join a conversation, play a game, or watch It's a Wonderful Life.

If the long scarf doesn’t fit into your gift knitting schedule, I would recommend the Shelby Hat.  While it lacks those entertaining dropped stitches, it makes up for it with cables, cables, more cables, and pretty crown decreases.  Maybe this is not the best social knitting, but it only requires one skein of worsted weight yarn.  You will have it done in no time.

There are many more great patterns in Katy’s sale bundle, some of my favorites include the Ridley Shawl, Plummy Cowl and Mitts, and the Interwoven Mitts (I knit these last year and love them.)  Go take a look, I'm sure you will find something you love.

Left: Milkweed Pullover by Sunday Knits, Right: Broderie Hollandaise by Sunday Knits, photos copyright Sunday Knits, used with permission.

Today's pattern pick is Milkweed Pullover from Sunday Knits.  

Who doesn't love to fantasy knit a soft, cozy, cabled turtleneck pullover?  The mix of cables and lace, the beautiful raglan decreases, and the ribbed turtleneck make this a stunning sweater. I imagine knitting it in a cushy wool and cashmere blend yarn while curled up on the sofa next to a warm fireplace. I just need to decide which neck option to choose -  she includes three.

In reality, I am more likely to knit Broderie Hollandaise, a pretty textured hat. I can work this in the same wool cashmere blend, but it won't take nearly as long, maybe just a couple of evenings curled up on the sofa.

Carol has a great variety of designs, from sweaters to small accessories, in her sale bundle. You should be able to find one that fits into your gift knitting schedule too.

I can't believe it's already time for the Indie Design Gift-A-Long, where did the year go?  This year I have 8 patterns in the sale, including my recently released shawl Sagitta, and an updated re- release of Tucker, a cabled yoke pullover. The patterns will be 25% off when you purchase them in my Ravelry store through November 30 with the code "giftalong2016" (the KAL, chat, and prizes continue until the end of the year.)

In addition to my patterns, there are over 5,000 patterns, from 335 indie designers, also on sale.  As I have been looking through all of those patterns, I once again find myself falling deep into fantasy knitting.  I think it is time to revive my fantasy versus reality series.

Left: Indulgence Wrap by Michelle Krause, Right: Drawstring Mittens by Michelle Krause, photos copyright Leah Michelle Designs, used with permission.

My first dream knit is the Indulgence Wrap by Leah Michelle Designs. 

I love the graphic zigzag ribbed lines that the lace pattern creates.  I imagine it knit up in a soft plump yarn, keeping me warm on a chilly winter day.  Since I probably don't have time to knit the long scarf I am dreaming about, I might try knitting some thick ribbed Drawstring Mittens.  These are knit with a chunky yarn in 1x1 ribbing, and are closed by clinching up the stitches, no decreases!  A super simple yet brilliant idea. I might be able to fit this quick knit into my schedule, yay!

Be sure to check out the rest of Michelle's GAL designs, there are some beautiful cowls and shawls included in her bundle.

Left: Ballyronan by Michelle Stead, Right: Chasing Waterfalls by Michelle Stead, photos copyright Michelle Stead.

Today's fantasy knitting is Ballyronan by Michelle Stead, (Crafty Flutterby on Ravelry).

Ballyronan is a cowl with lace and textured stitches that make for a pretty pattern, one that is perfect for variegated or semi-solid sock yarns (and who doesn't have plenty of those).  I think I would to knit it with a yarn that has a little halo, maybe an bit of alpaca or cashmere blended with wool.  A light and airy cowl that is cozy and warm too.

If you want to knit lace, but need a quick project, maybe a last minute gift, take a look at Chasing Waterfalls.  This is a beaded bracelet that only requires 30 yards of leftover sock yarn.  These knit up so quickly you will be able to fill a lot of stockings.  I like the idea of using one as a coffee cup cozy.

Check out the rest of Michelle's pretty Gift-A-Long designs on Ravelry, and her lovely shawl pins on Etsy.

Left: Folklore by Faye Kennington,  Right: 2 Hour Smoked Toque by Faye Kennington, photos copyright Ukeeknits, used with permission.

Today's fantasy knitting is Folklore by Faye Kennington.

This is a really sweet colorwork hat that is a little bit traditional and a little bit modern.  Its folksy motif is updated with a cool color palette and a slouchy fit.  I think this is the perfect cheery hat for a hike in the woods or a play date in the snow.

If you have way to much holiday knitting to tackle a stranded project right now, I would suggest Faye's 2 Hour Smocked Toque.  This hat is knit in a super bulky yarn, so even though the stitch pattern looks complicated, it is sure to be a quick knit.  Who doesn't have time for a two hour project?  In fact, she says that it can be completed in as little as one hour for a fast knitter.  This is beginning to sound like a challenge.  Now, I'm not sure if I would be considered a fast knitter, but I am shooting for 55 minutes.

You can find the rest of Faye's Gift-A-Long sale patterns on Ravelry.  I am especially excited about a pretty little scarf called Waverleaf and an interesting cowl called Whitefish Ripples, be sure to check them out too.

The Indie Designer Gift-A-Long is in full swing on Ravelry.  I have been meaning to write up a post about the designs I have included in the sale (they 25% off until November 27th), but I have been sidetracked by all of the beautiful patterns I want to knit.  There are many.  Yes, I know it is a fantasy to think I can knit them all.  Time for a reality check.

Left: Ribbon Weed by Kate Bostwick, Right: Kicking Horse Mittens by Kate Bostwick, photos copyright Kate Bostwick, used with permission.

My pick today is Ribbon Weed by Kate Bostwick of Cowtown Knits.

I love the whole fantasy of this, a cozy super bulky blanket, striking geometric cables, thick squishy wool, long winter evenings with this blanket in my lap as I work on it…

In reality, I should focus on something I know I have the time to finish, like a pair of Kicking Horse Mittens, also by Kate Bostwick.  It still works - warm hands, fun cables, and cozy merino wool.  With the added bonus of slipped stitches over a striped background, this pattern is perfect for me!

Check out the rest of Kate's amazing GAL designs on Ravelry and on her blog, Cowtown Knits.

These are few of my favorite things:

Mini-Skeins - They are little, cute, and colorful. What's not to love? They are even better when they come in a range of gradient colors, like this Ultraviolet color shift set from Seven Sisters Arts. I had the pleasure of meeting Karen, the dyer of these beautiful yarns, at her Fiber Frolic booth last weekend.  It was fun to learn a little about her process in creating a cohesive color collection. 

The While She Naps Podcast - I first learned about Abby Glassenberg from the Craft Sanity podcast. I recently discovered that she has her own podcast - and it is great. She interviews crafters and creative entrepreneurs. You get to hear their inspiring stories, and as a bonus, they give lots of recommendations for fun things like tools, books, and web finds.

Stitch patterns on Pinterest - I love stitch dictionaries, and have plenty on my bookshelf. But lately, I have been using Pinterest it as a place to collect stitch patterns.  Be warned that many of them come from foreign language sites (so you may have to work at translating) and some of them look like questionable copies of pages from books. Still, you can find a lot of inspiring stitches there.

Victorinox SwissCard - This is a credit card sized swiss army knife, and it is one of my favorite knitting notions.  With scissors, a knife, a pen, a straight pin, a small magnifying glass, tweezers, a light, and a 3 inch ruler, I use this tool every day.

TGIF. Sock week ends with a pair that will definitely keep my toes warm. 

These are knit from a worsted weight sock yarn - Regia 8-ply Color in Berry Fusion.  I love how fast and easy these were to knit.  If I could find more of this yarn in less variegated colors, I would be knitting many more of these thick socks.  As I mentioned earlier this week, I don't usually knit with variegated yarns.  This one is okay, but still, I think I would have preferred a semi-solid or maybe stripes.

Thursday's socks are actually knit from a pattern - Eunice from the book Sock Innovation by Cookie A.  This pattern has been in my queue since the book was first published.  In fact, I tried to knit them once with Cascade Heritage Paints, but that yarn didn't play well with this pattern. 

This time, I used Mrs. Crosby’s Train Case. This yarn includes Outlast, a super high tech phase change fiber that is supposed to help regulate your body heat.  I just want it to keep my toes warm next winter.

Again with the purple, here it is called Wild Huckleberry.

Wednesday brings another pair of socks knit with Simply Socks Yarn Company's Poste Yarn Striping Sock.

This time in the Ashikaga Park color - dark gray, light gray, and lavender stripes. These I have worn a few times, and I love how the yarn has really softened up after washing. See Monday's post for more about my love of this yarn.

The leg is knit with a 3x1 ribbing that continues on the top of the foot. The heels are worked with a heel flap, and I don't mind how the stripes look with this construction. I started the heel flap at the beginning of a stripe. After I completed the heel turn, I broke the yarn and advanced it so the stripes continue in pattern on the top of the foot.  Thanks to Susan B Anderson for this nifty idea.

Tuesday's sock is worked in Madelinetosh's new sock yarn, Twist Light. 

This is a merino/nylon blend in a 3-ply that is silky soft and a joy to knit with. With so much going on in the yarn, I chose to knit a simple stockinette sock. Although I don't usually go for variegated yarns, I do like how color, called Care, pools. It looks like a watercolor painting. And of course, it has just enough purple to suit me.

For added durability, I knit the heel and toe with Meilenweit from Lana Grossa, a more traditional (not merino) wool sock yarn, which I assume will hold up in the places that need it most. I chose a pale heather gray that will work as an accent with many colors. I expect it will make an appearance on several of my socks in the future (Yes, I'm looking at you, Malabrigo Sock).