10 reasons to try knitting cables: free knitting patterns

designer: Debbie Adriulli

As I might have mentioned before, this new year I am branching out and resolving to learn new crafts... but I'm not looking to do this alone! So to help bring you along on this journey, I'm going to revisit some of my favorite crafts in the hopes that you will be inspired to try any of those that are new to you; this time around we are knitting cables! Whether you're an experienced knitter, or just getting started, I've found 10 FREE patterns that will definitely pique your interest in taking your skills to the next level ;D

Creepy and cute: My 5 favorite Halloween knitting patterns on ravelry

I enjoy all kinds of crafts, but I can't remember the last time I didn't have something on the needles or hook! That's right: if I'm sitting, I'm knitting... And I've been doing it so long, that I almost never use a pattern. But every so often I come across a pattern that's so nice, so unusual, or so inventive, I just have to try it. In this post I've collected 5 of my favorites, all Halloween themed, all in the round, and all from different independent designers. Take a look and give one a try... Make your own Halloween treat!

Holiday spinning: another fractal experiment

plied yarn pre-wash.

It's the holiday, so of course I'm taking it easy... but between the corn bread and the green bean casserole, I did mange to get in a little spinning ;D

Check out another of my favorite fractal stripe experiments, this time in green and gray.

Stripe experiment: pseudo-fractal striping

If you've ever tried to create a 2 ply self striping yarn, you know how hard it is to get the colors to align perfectly without breaking and joining your singles. Fractals spinning is a bit easier, but still involves some degree of measuring and aligning your singles. But no matter how much measuring you do, they never align just right. So what if you didn't need them to align "just so"? What if you wanted the variegated stripes of a fractal, but with a little less effort? Try this simple technique: Ply your self striping singles on themselves.

First, when we're talking about stripes let's make sure we're talking the same language. A stripe is a block of color(or color combination). Stripes can be even, meaning they are the same length, or they can be varied. In addition, stripes can be solid (meaning a solid color or color pattern) or they can be variegated (including multiple colors or color patterns). The technique I'm describing here creates a yarn that is both varied in the length of the stripes, as well as variegation within the stripes


So let's dive in!
Start by spinning a self striping singles in what ever colorway you like. For this example I've chosen two of my favorites this fall, from 2 merino batts: 1 painted in teal/lavendar/gold/maroon and the other a bright lime green. You can see the stripes in the spool, and they're fairly even throughout the skein, but they don't have to be. If I had varied them a little more, maybe had some more green in some spots, it would've just given more variation in the stripe repeats.

Self striping singles on the spool

same singles in a center pull ball

Next step, and I know this one may be a bit controversial, create a center pull ball with your (rested) singles. You're going to spin this singles back on itself starting with both ends of your center pull ball, so there's no waste with this technique! Check out the color patterns as you spin... see where the greens came together, where the same batts came together, and where that overlapped.

You should be able to predict the stripe effects that you'll get when you knit this up! My stripes are relatively short, so to maximize I'll likely make this skein into a scarf... But if you're not sure how your stripes will work up, a swatch is definitely the answer!

As I mentioned, I'm making mine into a scarf. Check out my progress on Ravelry ;D

Plied yarn on the spool 

Plied yarn in a loose skein

Getting back to spinning, with layered batts

Spinning a self striping yarn from
a layered batt

Wow, it's been 6 months but I'm back in my craft zone. So what was the first thing I did with my new and improved space? I got right to spinning. Well, almost... first I had to prep my fibers! And my prep of choice these days: a well carded batt. Why? I'm so glad you asked, because after years of spinning everything from pencil roving to freshly picked fibers, I can now appreciate a carded batt for the versatility and choice it provides me and the finished yarns I'm creating.
Firstly, by carding my own batts, I can combine fibers in any ratio I want with full control over the amount of incorporation: from fully incorporated for a homogenous blend, to minimally incorporated for a layered (or side-by-side) effect. It's a great way to take advantage of both your longer stapled fibers that may be less soft(ex. Jacob), as well as your short staple fibers that are incredibly soft (ex. Camel). It also provides an opportunity to add in whatever fixins you might have on hand: tencel, firestar, sari silk. Whether your creating a wild art batt, or a sophisticated luxury fiber blend, the batt wins!
Today, I'm going with a layered batt. This batt was inspired by colors I'm seeing in all the stores this season: camel, teal, and graphite. Just to add a little interest, I'm going to pull equal parts of each of the main colors for each layer from my stash, as well as a small amount of contrasting colors to pre-mix in each layer for a heathered look. I'll card each of the main colors separately, with the contrast colors and some extra soft alpaca fiber, at least 2 times. Once I have each layer sufficiently blended, I can begin my layered batt. This is a simple technique achieved by adding each layer of color to the drum evenly. When the batt is removed, the colors remain clear and distinct.
Now, I have a decision to make: how to spin. I can go a few different routes from here.

1. If I want a homogenous blend of colors in my finished yarn, I can simply pull strips off the batt and spin all three colors together. 
2. If I want a self striping yarn, I can divide my batt vertically into any number of equal parts, pull the color layers apart and spin them individually. Spin equal amounts to two spools if you want 2 ply.
3. If I want fractal stripes,  I can divide my batt vertically into 2 equal parts, then divide one side into smaller equal parts then the other. For each side, pull the color layers apart and spin them individually. Spin each side to separate spools and then ply together.

I've chosen option 2. And here's what it looks like on the spool. You'll see the colors come apart pretty cleanly. This would look great plied with a light heathered grey... stay tuned ;D
I know a lot of you spinners out there are hooked on spinning from prepared top, but if you haven't already, I would definitely suggest giving carded batts a try

The pre-carded fibers for my batt.

This is what the batt looks like in the
carder. You can clearly see each
layer of color.

This is what a strip of the batt looks like,
and easily separates by color layer.

Preview my new hand spun doll kits (coming soon!)

Looking to create a handmade heirloom for someone special? Or maybe a unique gift for the crafter in your life?
This holiday season I'll be offering a few very special kits! Like previous kits, these will feature all my favorite supplies: premium cotton fabrics, hand made glass eyes, ribbons, buttons, and other accessories. But these kits are even more valuable, because they also feature my very own hand spun wool!

The wool is a combination of fibers, dyed by me, and then carded together to create a rich deep color that you can't get from hand painting alone. I've worked hard to bring together some of the most popular color combinations based on past requests, and taken the time to create new pairings that I think you'll love.

You're getting a sneak peak into my process here, as I match my pre-carded fibers to the fabric. Once the fibers are carded, I spin them into a worsted spun(smooth), worsted weight single (100g as most of my patterns call for).

In my opinion, a plush single yarn(vs plied yarns) makes the best doll. And with this kit you'll be able to make your choice of bunny, kitty, or bear ;D

Whether I'm painting, quilting, or spinning,  I'm always looking for inspiration... and here it is!
OK, so it's no secret that autumn is my favorite time of year... and mostly because the of the amazing show the garden puts on just as it nears the end.

This week was the first chance I had to catch it on camera. As I let the dogs out one morning, I noticed the sun coming through the red maple leaves which already have such a beautiful color palette of dark reds and purples. But when the sun comes through them you get a whole other experience of olives and golden tones.


Then there was the peppermint. It gets these cute purple flowers on the end of vine like stalks, which normally hold dark green leaves, but now are beginning to turn pink with touches of yellow!

  

The miniature pink roses are actually still in bloom, but have begun to show these pumpkin like "hips" that are perfectly suited for the season. This crazy ornamental grass just showed up in my garden this year(I think it blew in from the neighbors yard), but it's a great fit. And with it's purple plumes on blue-green stalks, it has a subtle cool palette that I can't resist!

 

A little overboard?

OK, I may have overdone it... but with the holidays coming up, gifts to make, and travel time to spend knitting, I think I was justified. So it all started when I saw that WintryFlowerByDesign is having a sale! With the prices as good as they are, the awesome color combos I was looking for, and the high quality fibers, I couldn't resist.

First, I wanted something soft and durable to make a scarf for a good friend... She likes an earthy olive green, but everything I found was just so green! Then I saw this "Mer" and thought how perfect that will be spun up and knit together... it has an overall green feel, but so much variation. Beautiful!

Then I saw the alpaca in a similar color way, but with a little more pink. It also has the hint of grey that silver alpaca lends. I can spin or ply this with my undyed sliver alpaca fiber for the most amazing shawl! I'm thinking "Nuvem" by Martina Behm.

And finally, I saw "Painting the night sky" and knew this was the colorway I needed for my halloween cowl. Perfect for trick or treating in the crisp October air. I better get started! Check out my ravelry project page for updates on these projects, and others.

But wait, what's this in the bottom of the box? A FREE sample of another amazing merino fiber. 

Talented and generous ;D