Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Going on a Knitting Adventure

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clara yarnI’m super-excited to report that I’m spending this weekend at Mount Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas, at a knitting retreat with about 20 other ladies and the Yarn Harlot.

Awesome, right?

Except I still really have no idea what knitting to bring.

It’s unseasonably cold (there may even be snow. Today. In Arkansas.) and I’m wishing I had time to finish that alpaca sweater I started a few months ago and abandoned because I thought this time, for sure, it was really, really spring. But I’m probably taking a sock. And maybe a shawl. I kind of abandoned the fingerless gloves I expected to be working on because of a math error.

What do you knit in front of a knitting superstar?

I don’t know.

I am, for sure, taking this. It’s the first run of Clara Yarn, made by Clara Parkes. It’s beautiful and warm and fluffy and I can’t wait to dive in.

(Incidentally, if you want to follow the hijinks of my weekend I’m going to try to post updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.)

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Comments

  1. I go to Mount Magazine in October for a quilting weekend-well it is really 4 days of quilting. I love the place! Great food, great scenery and accommodations are top notch. Have a wonderful time. Make sure your walk up to the highest point-great hike!

  2. sounds like you’ll have a great time.She(Yarn Harlet) is really fun. I have been able to go see her two times now, and would love to be able to do a retreat with her!! Sound like so much fun!!

  4. How fun! I take mindless project to knit retreats- vanilla socks or a garter stitch project.

Have you read?

Knits with Sheep

It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.