accessory

May Happenings

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This is what my life has looked like lately:

Clockwise from top left: Selfish knitting; surprise dessert from one of the amazing guys I'm dating; new pattern sneak peek; a girl, her best friend, and her cat.

I'm currently knitting up Carina Spencer's absolutely gorgeous Sugar Maple in a giant skein of Play at Life Fiber Arts' Scrumpet. Chrystee custom-dyed a double skein for me over a year ago, when the tee was just a project on Carina's Ravelry page. Now it's finally been released and I cast on the day the pattern came out. When I was finishing up my last batch of design work I kept telling myself "soon you can knit for yourself, soon you can knit for yourself," the designer's version of the Little Engine That Could. But I have to admit, it's hard work keeping myself on schedule for myself! I've been spending a LOT of time dating and probably should scale back so I can get back to my old life--you know, the nights where it's just me, my knitting, my Netflix queue and my cats. I have no problem being a stereotype! (On the plus side, when you date nice boys sometimes they surprise you with fancy dessert for no reason!)

I have a fun accessory pattern I'll be releasing in a few weeks, seen above in all its mid-layout glory. (With wine.) I enlisted my best friend Kerry to help me model...wanna see?

From the lovely Topham Photo as usual

Babealicious, right?! That morning was one of those perfect moments where everything crystallized for me and I thought, "This is what I want to do forever!" I got to style, direct and model in my own mini-shoot for one of my patterns. I can't wait to do it again...and good thing I will be! There is an exciting collaboration coming down the pipeline involving me + some really gorgeous indie-dyed yarn, so stay tuned!

2012 In Review

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Goodbye 2012, it's been a blast! Above are my projects finished this year (I technically started my Holla Back Tank in the end of 2011 but finished it in January.) 10 total, 5 of which are my own designs--very cool! I started designing in the fall of 2011 so I really took off this year. I already have designs lined up for 2013 and can't wait until I can share them all with you!

Some other great moments of 2012:

  • Started this blog and joined Twitter, both of which have helped me make new awesome online friends and develop my relationship with existing ones. I love knowing that I'm connecting with people all over!
  • Continued to grow my animal herd by taking in Tsuki, our second cat, and Josie, a lady bunny friend for Mr T.
  • Discovered the paleo/primal food community. I'm not always 100% with it but I'm really happy that it's helped me be more mindful about what I eat and it's increased my creativity in the kitchen.
  • Shot the Shit Knitters Say video with work, which was SO MUCH FUN and snowballed into a much bigger hit than I had expected.

See ya next year, world! And watch out, I'm planning to OWN THAT MOTHER.

Scallop

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I finished my Scallop of the Sea!

This was super addictive knitting. Even if the KAL wasn't keeping me on track, anything with stripes always keeps me going, it's that "one more stripe" aspect!

Katie made the lining for me so she could shoot the photo tutorial, which meant even less work on my end. It kind of felt like cheating, to go from knitting to sewing in a fully-made lining!

Now I just need to find the perfect strap, since I am sooo not a clutch kind of girl. Hands free for dancing, that's the way I usually rock it out!

Giveaways & KALs

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Thanks to everyone who entered the Striated giveaway! The winner is Anne Sowell--check your email Anne! Holla Knits has announced their next KAL, a holiday accessories KAL. If you need some last-minute knitted gifts, or just want to sneak in a little selfish knitting time this KAL is perfect for both! Katie is going to be leading the KAL for my Wallpaper Cowl, Allyson is leading a super-quick Black Swan KAL and I'm in charge of the Scallop of the Sea KAL!

Mmm....yarn scallops!

All KAL patterns are half off (yes, only $2!) until their respective KALs begin. The Scallop of the Sea KAL runs from Monday, November 19th through Monday, December 17th. If you're nervous about the sewn lining, Katie is putting together an AWESOME photo tutorial to ease your multi-craftual fears!

And like all Holla Knits KALs, there will be awesome prizes! For Scallop of the Sea, you have a chance to win a Katie Canavan pattern/yarn kit, a 2013 HK subscription, one of Katie's patterns or some Christmas ornaments handmade by Katie. I'm super stoked about one of the prizes I'm offering for the Wallpaper Cowl KALers--a holiday manicure set! I hoard nail polish like I hoard yarn and want to turn someone else on to my obsession. Especially if you love playing with color, nail polish is a great beauty hobby!

Striated

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I have a new self-published pattern! Meet Striated, a chunky two-color slipped stitch hat.

All photos by Lindsey Topham

Huge thanks to the wonderful people at Malabrigo! I originally submitted this idea to the Malabrigo Quickies program. They didn't accept it, but Alex offered to send me the yarn for this project anyways--my first official yarn support! Two squishy, delectable soft skeins of Malabrigo Chunky wound up in my mailbox and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to finally work with this yarn. I used Mariposa as the variegated main color and Pearl Ten as the contrast color.

I designed this hat to be unisex, and Lindsey's husband Ken graciously agreed to have his photo taken as my "male model." What a good sport, and he proves that this is a men's hat too!

All photos by Lindsey Topham

Columns of slipped stitches help break up a variegated yarn but the design rocks in solid colors too, as one of my testers proved. Chunky weight means it flies off the needles, so it’s perfect for gift knitting or when you need a quick accessory fix. The best part? If you use Malabrigo Chunky or a yarn with similar yardage, you can get two hats by reversing the colors on the second hat! You and a friend or family member can have coordinating Striateds to wear together.

Star shaped crown decreases

And one lucky reader can have a Striated to coordinate mine! I'm giving away the leftover yarn used in my sample, enough to make a Striated of your very own in Pearl Ten with Mariposa accents. Just leave a comment on this post by Thursday, November 8th at 11:59PM EST. Don't forget to include a way for me to contact you! I'll post the winner here on Friday.

I

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Since Webs is so graciously giving away the yarn to make my Wallpaper Cowl,  I thought I'd post a few other color combos I picked out to give you some ideas! Photos by Lindsey Topham for Webs/Valley Yarns.

Northfield in Camel & Deep Water, Huntington in Arctic

Northfield in Natural & Avocado, Huntington in Harvest Orange

Northfield in Stone Blue & Chestnut, Huntington in Mustard

Northfield in Mauve & Haze, Huntington in Porcelain Blue

Giveaway Winner

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Thank you all for entering the Wallpaper Cowl giveaway. The winner is Brenda--check your email for the pattern! I finished my pullover juuuust in time for Rhinebeck. Blocked it yesterday and have to sew my buttons on tonight. If you happen to spy me in the crowd on Saturday, please say hi! I love meeting internet friends.

Holla Knits Accessories Blog Tour

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Holla Knits Accessories is finally here! Introducing my Wallpaper Cowl:

Gynx Yarns DK & Sock

Like the majority of my design ideas, I thought of this funky cowl while at work and did what I always do: scribble it down on a post-it and stash it in my design folder to marinate for awhile. (Seriously. That thing is FILLED with post-its, and I know I have at least one new idea floating around in my purse right now!) The HK call for accessories was super timely and since Allyson loves color as much--if not more!--than I do, I knew the cowl would be well received. It's a great introduction to stranded colorwork and working from charts, plus you get to try out a fun new technique with the Latvian braid details. The lining stops any annoying floats from catching as you pull the cowl on and off, which is especially perfect for anyone like me who wears glasses!

Valley Yarns Northfield & Huntington

When you send a pattern off to a magazine, you have to be willing to give up control of styling and photography. Allyson is great with both so I trust her 100%, but I was surprised when I got the results of the photoshoot and saw that she was wearing the cowl "upside down"! And then immediately realized it doesn't matter--the wallpaper design looks AMAZING no matter which way you wear it! Just make sure to pick up stitches for the lining at the side you want to be 'up,' since that way the neatest edge is closest to your gorgeous face, like so:

The "good side" of the lining

To share the love, I'm giving away a PDF copy of my pattern! To enter, leave a comment on this post OR mention @welforddesigns on Twitter. (You could even tweet "I hear that @welforddesigns likes to suck eggs" so get creative!) You can of course get two entries by tweeting and commenting, but make sure to use your email address if you comment so I can get in touch with you. The deadline to enter is October 18th at midnight EST and I will announce the winner here as well as contact them directly!

HK Accessories Collection--the gang's all here!

Don't forget to follow the rest of the tour! I can personally vouch for the stop on the 22nd....or maybe they can vouch for me? We kinda have a Monday through Friday thing going on. ;)

October 8: The Sweatshop of Love October 9: Under the Red Umbrella October 10: Rohn Strong October 11: Emma Welford Designs October 12: Knits in Class

October 15: Bumblebirch Designs October 16: Audrey’s Teashop October 17: Gynx October 18: Adaly Myles Place October 19: Canary Knits

October 22: Webs Yarn Store Blog  October 23: The Sweatshop of Love Hosts Homestead Heirlooms! October 24: Knitted Bliss October 25: Stash, the Knit Picks Staff Blog October 26: Holla Knits hosts Tara Shade!

Free Cecily!

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Time for my first self-published pattern, the Free Cecily Hat! My inspiration for this one comes from a crazy dream I had last fall. Here's how it went:

I was taking a hike with Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn (of Kelbourne Woolens) while wearing it. They were championing their latest cause to me, a campaign to ‘Free Cecily’—fellow designer Cecily Glowik Macdonald, who had been “wrongfully accused and imprisoned for throwing rocks at schoolchildren.” As Kate so succinctly worded it, with the type of nonsense one only finds in dreams, “We know she didn’t do it, the children couldn’t even describe what type of earrings she had been wearing!”

The next day at Webs, I told my coworkers about my dream and they convinced me to design this hat. I've had yarn and work-related dreams for months before then, but this was the first design dream. It hasn't been the last either--I've had several more since then and faithfully wrote down those ideas too!

My friend Elisabeth took the beautiful photos of Erik and I frolicking at Poet's Seat Tower in Greenfield.

Of course, there were also some fun outtake photos!

The nitty-gritty details: The Free Cecily Hat features a short row brim to help cover up chilled ears and a slowly curving cable panel. An asymmetrical garter stitch flap is optional for a touch of whimsy or to showcase a favorite button. It's knit up in Cascade 220 Sport, a workhorse wool yarn with a surprising amount of drape. I love heathered colors and 220 Sport has a good selection of heathers AND solids. Of course, this hat would look great knit up in a hand dyed yarn....Madelinetosh Tosh Sport anyone?

Currently only available as a free download through Ravelry (since I haven't gotten around to hosting patterns on here yet--sorry!) but if you aren't on Ravelry and would like a copy you can email me at welforddesigns (at) gmail (dot) com.

Gravy, baby!

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Introducing my newest Valley Yarns pattern, with possibly the most ridiculous name ever: Wavy Gravy Mittens!

All photos in this post by Lindsey Topham.

These were the little (okay, bulky) mittens that could! My original plan was to do nautical themed mittens, with an anchor on the back of the hand accented by wave motifs. I ripped out and re-knit three or four variations on that idea, desperately hoping to make it work. Then I remembered KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid! I realized I needed to pick something that would really suit Northampton Bulky instead of fighting against the nature of the yarn.

I wound up modeling the mittens for the catalog shots which was an added bonus! I get to play model often at work and I enjoy it. Ok, not going to lie--my vanity enjoys seeing beautiful professional quality photos of myself, but it's also fun to live out my America's Next Top Model-fueled fantasies while helping out Webs when they need photos on the fly. Since I'm not video-camera-shy either, Lindsey and I shot this short video about the mittens earlier this week.

Prickly in name only

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Knitscene Accessories 2012 is now out, which includes my first pattern for a physical magazine, the Mountain Nettle Shawl! Photos courtesy of Knitscene.

This is actually my second design, right on the heels of my Gnomey Earflap Hat for Webs which started my mini design career. I felt like a superstar (and like a little kid eating at the adult table) when I found out that my first professional submission had been accepted.

The shawl features bands of diagonal ribbing on a stockinette stitch background, which creates subtle texture only further enhanced by the gorgeous, lightly slubby nature of Fibre Company's Acadia. The knitted on lace edging is mirrored, so you knit from one edge to the center point, put those stitches on hold, and then work from the other edge to the center point before finishing it off. Knit on size 6 needles, it goes surprisingly fast and has great drape. A sample I definitely didn't want to give up, but I took pictures before sending it off so I'll remember it fondly.