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Giveaway: Knitting on Top of the World

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Win a paperback copy of Nicky Epstein's Knitting on top of the world.

Congratulations to winner Debby!

Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on Top of the World is a really fun book, chock full of 50 designs inspired by knitwear and other traditions from around the world.

For example (opening to some pages randomly) an entrelac wrap inspired by strolls in Paris, a Fair Isle and diamond brocade cardigan, a super fancy Aran sweater (that’s it there on the newly designed cover for the paperback edition), a capelet that looks like giant versions of tams sewn together, a flower-covered pullover inspired by Spain, and a lace scarf fir for a Shanghai garden.

I started knitting the dragon from this book a long time ago. Never finished it, but maybe I will now that I’m thinking about it again.

This week I have a copy of the paperback version of this book to give away. One winner will be chosen at random from the people who leave comments on the post before the end of the day Sunday, October 19.

Why don’t you tell me where your dream vacation would take you? I would love to go to the Mediterranean!

Thanks for visiting, sharing and commenting and good luck!

Looking for knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Looking for pullover and sweater patterns? Check these books out.

Comments

  2. I want to go to the U.K. I want to see the broad northlands, Dartmoor ponies, Exmoor, the ancient Roman roads, so many places!

  7. I would love to revisit Australia, I visited quite a few years ago when my sister lived there, and I think i may have left a part of me behind. And not just the blood that the mosquitoes had out of me either!

  8. Well so many places to go but I think Peru. Visit the ancient ruins, and get some beautiful yarn!

  9. I would love to go to Provence in France..and the Alps.. and Italy…Switzerland; it’s a big world!

  13. I would love to see Egypt or India. And I love Nicky Epstein’s designs. Maybe I could talk her into going with me so we could get inspired together. 🙂

  14. My dream vacation would be Great Britain. I’d love to see all of the castles, historic sites, and the Harry Potter studio.

  23. It’s Scotland for me! It doesn’t matter what season, what time of year, I’d like to spend weeks (or months) there seeing absolutely everything.

    This looks like a fun book — thanks so much for the chance to win. 🙂

  25. I would love to go to Italy, and specifically to Rome. Thanks for the question, and for the great giveaway. I would love to win this book- Nicky Epstein is awesome! Thanks

  26. My dream vacation would be to go to the Galapagos Islands to see all the different wildlife there. I bet I could come home with fabulous photos. And I could probably do some fantastic scuba diving there.

  29. Have to say my dream vacation would take me many places – on a cruise ship to Tahiti , Fiji , all around Polynesia .

  31. I would love to go to Spain. We hosted a student from there so I would love to go see her and meet her family. I would also like to check out their yarn, she gave me a book with really interesting knitting patterns.

  33. Do I have to just pick one? Hmmm….I love going to Hawaii, so that’s always up there. Europe, the UK, and South America would be great too.

  38. My dream vacation would be to Ireland where I could visit all the yarn shops and talk with all the local knitters who knit the beautiful fishermens knit sweaters. I would see all the awesome castles and fantastic green countryside dotted with herds of sheep!

  39. Definitely the Mediterranean, it has always been on my bucket list! I’d like to start in Spain and end up in Greece or Turkey, maybe even make my way over to Israel. 🙂

  42. Glacier Bay, Alaska has always fascinated me. And it will be a great place to wear my handknits! Thanks for another generous giveaway.

  44. I would love to go on a yarn tour type of vacation. Explore new places and enjoy all sorts of yarn as I go along. Heaven!

  46. My dream vacation is an Ireland/Scotland road trip where I get to stay in rustic lodgings and pretend I’m in a historical romance novel 😉 Thank you for the giveaway!

  47. I have a good friend who lives in Germany and has traveled to the US to visit me a few times already. My dream would be to visit her in Germany and explore the countryside!

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]