Patio Weather Cardigan

 

© SPYD Photography

Introducing the Patio Weather Cardigan! I had worked with Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts on developing this project awhile ago, and we have since been working hard on getting the last elements pulled together so that we can jointly introduce the pattern to you today!

© SPYD Photography

Worked in Nettle Soft DK, the Patio Weather Cardigan is the perfect finishing touch to your outfit in spring,

 summer, and fall. As we all spend more and more time out on the patio these days, it will be especially welcome this fall! The cardigan features a choice of buttonband styles (one button as pictured, or a full buttonband), waist-shaping, a gently scooped neckline, and set-in sleeves that are worked in pieces and then seamed to the cable-and-lace saddle.

© Jessie McKitrick

Nettle Soft DK balances stitch definition with drape, which are ideal characteristics for this sweater. The Patio Weather Cardigan is seen here in French Bordeaux, but if you prefer to sip a different beverage on your patio, why not consider Iced Coffee, Make Mine Caramel, Lime Margarita, Soda Pop (for those who wish for a very bright pop of colour indeed!), or Champagne?

Introductory offer: 20% off until the end of October 9th 2020 MST

The pattern is available for purchase via the Ancient Arts website (where you can also buy the yarn to make it!): Ancient Arts Yarns Pattern Link Here

Payhip: https://payhip.com/b/IDeC

Lovecrafts: LoveCrafts Link

Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/patio-weather-cardigan

Sizes

Women's XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X)

Shown in size M, modelled with 7.5 cm/3" positive ease.

Finished Measurements 

Bust: 84 (94, 104, 114, 124.5, 134.5, 145)cm/33 (37, 41, 45, 49, 53, 57)", worn with approximately 7.5 cm/3" positive ease.

Yarn

Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts Nettle Soft DK Weight

68% Merino/32% Nettle, 3.5 oz/100g, 240 m/263yd: 3 (3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5) skeins

Sample shown in French Bordeaux

Needles

3.75mm/US 5 and 4mm/US 6, 100cm/40" circular needles, and 4mm/US 6 DPNs (for sleeve trim) or size needed to achieve gauge.

Notions

Cable needle, one 3cm/1.25" button, matching thread for button, pins for marking during sewing-up, tapestry needle. If working optional full buttonband version, 10 [10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13] 3cm/1.25" buttons are required.

Notes

The Riverside Stroll Cardigan is worked back and forth in pieces from the bottom up. The saddle is worked end to end with a smaller needle than the main set-in sleeve pieces, and the sleeve pieces are seamed into place. Stitches are picked up to work bands in the front, and then stitches are picked up around the neckline and sleeves for trim. 

© SPYD Photography

© Jessie McKitrick

Quick update

 Hi! It's been the better part of a year since I last posted. I'm in the process of creating a new website with the help of a friend, but it will be awhile yet before it is ready (neither of us have actually had the time to work on it lately as both of us have a variety of other jobs and responsibilities that have to come first right now). Once things are up and running, I'll post here so that you can find the new site easily.

Ravelry has been beyond disappointing in their lack of appropriate response to the effects of their new design (impacting many users with a range of symptoms including vertigo, migraines, and seizures), with the result that many users can no longer use the site safely or at all. While my Ravelry shop does remain open at this time, partly due to the fact that I wish to support Local Yarn Stores that rely on it to help their customers, I am working on setting up my patterns on Payhip to add to the list of alternative venues where knitters can find my patterns. I've had most of my patterns available via Lovecrafts as well for some time.

You can find most of my patterns on Payhip at: https://payhip.com/JessieMcKitrick or at Lovecrafts.com: https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/search?q=jessie+mckitrick

It will take some time to finish setting things up. If you are looking for one of my patterns that you cannot find on these sites, please contact me via jamckit at telus.net (replacing the at with the at sign, and removing all spaces) to let me know, and I will do my best to make it available to you. 

Thank-you,

Jessie

Catching up on New Patterns: Whitemud Creek and Blooming Fine

I'm more than a little behind on things lately, and am going to try to catch up at least a little bit here. First off, I should be sure to tell you that my Whitemud Creek Pullover is on the cover of Knit Now Magazine Issue 109!

Image courtesy of Knit Now Magazine, used with permission

Image courtesy of Knit Now Magazine, used with permission

Worked in Rico Design Essentials Soft Merino, the Whitemud Creek Pullover is worked in the round to the underarms, then shaped and worked back and forth in rows to the shoulders. Shoulders are seamed, then stitches are picked up at the armhole edge and worked back and forth in rows, with a join worked at the underarm edge at each pass until the underarm is fully integrated into the sleeve. The sleeve is then worked in the round down to the cuff, and the collar is picked up and knit around the neckline.

Image courtesy of Knit Now Magazine, used with permission

Inspired by Autumn strolls over crunchy leaves in the Whitemud Creek Ravine near my childhood home, this pullover features a winding cable panel on the back and front that recalls that shallow meandering creek.

Image courtesy of Knit Now Magazine, used with permission

The magazine also features a pattern from a fellow Albertan, Barb Brown, who has designed a gorgeous Christmas Stocking.

Image courtesy of Knit Now Magazine, used with permission

You can order your copy and find out more information about the magazine here: https://www.knitnowmag.co.uk/2019/11/05/knit-now-issue-109-out-now/


I also have a new pattern out with Ancient Arts Yarns, and that one is a quick fun stranded colourwork knit: Blooming Fine Mitts!

Worked in Lascaux Fine, which is a two-ply fingering weight yarn that is a blend of Manx Loaghtan and Punta Arenas wool, the Blooming Fine Mitts feature a flower-like motif that is embellished with bobbles for a bit of extra fun. Two 50g skeins (one in each colour) gives you enough yarn to make two pairs if you reverse the colour scheme for the second pair.

You can buy kits for the mitts right here: https://ancientartsfibre.com/collections/yarn-and-kits/products/blooming-fine-mitts-kits

Kväll

Last month, one of my patterns appeared in Interweave Knits Fall 2019!

Photo courtesy of Harper Point Photography for Interweave Knits

The theme for the collection in which my cardigan was included was Fredagsmys, (Swedish for Friday night), and was filled with patterns made for having a cozy Friday night snuggled up in knitwear. Kväll, as I understand it, means evening, which is well-suited to the deep blue wool that was used for the main colour. I knit this cardigan in Ancient Arts Lascaux Worsted, which is now my favourite worsted weight yarn, and if you're looking to knit Kväll but are not sure which colours to pick, there are a number of options bundled for you right here: https://ancientartsfibre.com/collections/kits-2/products/kvall-cardigan-bundle

For the pattern itself, if you don't have a copy yet, head here: https://www.interweave.com/store/interweave-knits-fall-2019-digital-edition

While this sweater certainly can be worn by anyone who wants to wear it, it should nonetheless be noted that the upper five sizes in Kväll are sized for standard men's sizes S (M, L, XL, 2X) as worn with 3 to 3 3/4 inches of ease, so it's important to check the fit in the shoulders by comparing your measurements to the schematic of the finished sweater to ensure that the set-in sleeves will fit you properly.

Kväll features a shawl collar and generous pockets for both practicality and coziness. It's meant to be that feels-like-home cardigan that you put on every evening and wear about the house, but there's nothing stopping you from wearing it out wherever you go as well!

Fennel Cardigan

My subscriber copy of Interweave Knits Spring 2019 arrived back on Thursday, and it reminded me that I had not yet written a blog post about my contribution to the issue, the Fennel Cardigan.

Photo Courtesy of Harper Point Photography for Interweave Knits

It's very nearly a year since I set up a proposal for this sweater to send in to Interweave, and I was very pleased that they decided to include my work in the issue. I enjoyed every minute of knitting this sweater, which uses Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok, a delightful worsted weight 100% wool yarn.

Photo Courtesy of Harper Point Photography for Interweave Knits

The Fennel Cardigan features a simple yet striking cable pattern that is mirrored at the back and to either side of the buttonband, a V-neck, set-in sleeves, and pockets. Nice, large pockets. The theme for this magazine issue is Impressionist Art, and I felt this is the sort of cardigan one could wear while painting or sketching outside on a mild day, with plenty of room in the pockets for a small notebook, some pencils or brushes, or perhaps small treasures found while on a walk. It's also the sort of cardigan one could wear in a chilly office year-round, around the house, or well, pretty much anywhere. While sized for men, the sample for this cardigan fits me nicely (well, if I fold the cuffs back for my shorter arms anyhow), and I am looking forward to wearing it when the sample comes back to me.

You can purchase the magazine issue here for the digital edition, and here for the print edition. If you like the Fennel Cardigan, why not head on over to Ravelry to add it to your favourites (and/or your queue if you're planning on making the sweater).

Photo Courtesy of Harper Point Photography for Interweave Knits

Cloudbreak Gloves

 I have a new pattern out in Issue 96 of Knit Now Magazine!

Photo courtesy of Knit Now Magazine (Practical Publishing)

The Cloudbreak Gloves are worked in Yarn Stories Fine Merino 4-ply, which can be found here via the Yarn Stories webpage. This buttery-soft yarn is cozy, warm, and comes in a lovely array of colours, which I took full advantage of with these gloves. The glow in the centre of the motif reminds me of that moment when the sun breaks free of the clouds after a storm, and that seemed to fit the theme of the collection "Island Life" quite well. I might live in a land-locked province, but I've seen that light during my travels and I hope I captured it well!

Photo courtesy of Knit Now Magazine (Practical Publishing)

I love looking through the Knit Now moodboards whenever there is a call for design submissions, as they're always guaranteed to inspire. I particularly could not resist coming up with a submission for this call, as I adore stranded colourwork, and, well, could you resist it? Take a look; here's a link to the Moodboard that inspired these gloves: Island Life Moodboard.

Kate Heppell, the Editor of Knit Now Magazine, has filmed a delightful sneak peek at the new issue that you can watch here: Sneak Peek Issue 96. So many amazing knits in this issue! I want the gorgeous pullover designed by Claire Neicho, which you can also see over on the Knit Now Instagram feed. Isn't it stunning?

To order your copy of this Magazine issue, head over here to MoreMags via this link.

Photo courtesy of Knit Now Magazine (Practical Publishing)

Laboratory Pullover

I have a new pattern available through Interweave Knits! The Laboratory Pullover was published the other day in Interweave Knits Winter 2019, The Science Issue. There are a lot of fun science-themed knits in the issue, and you can check it out in the Interweave store here.

Photo courtesy of Harper Point Adventures Photography and Interweave Knits

My men's pullover, inspired by Dutch Fishermen's sweaters was given a bit of a modern tweak with the neckline shaping and set-in sleeves, which are worked top-down in the round for a seamless knit. The pullover is worked in Sugarbush Yarns Crisp DK, a gorgeous 100% merino yarn. You can see the excellent stitch definition in the below photo particularly well.

If you noticed during last year's Gift-a-long that I had drifted away from the forums partway through and had trouble keeping up, it was because I was hard at work on this sweater! I'm very pleased with it, and love the pictures that Harper Point Adventures Photography took for Interweave! They do gorgeous work, and the model is handsome too! The sweater looks great on him, and I should add that the same size of sweater (medium), thanks to the stretchy nature of the rope-and-cable pattern, fits nicely up to a 40" frame as well, where it would still have standard ease of 3" in the chest. The full size range of measurements for the finished sweater around the chest at the underarms is: 40 (43¾, 48¾, 52¼, 56)“. For more construction notes as well as details on sizing, materials, notions, and gauge, check out the Laboratory Pullover's Ravelry page here, where you can add this sweater to your knitting queue!

Photo courtesy of Harper Point Adventures Photography and Interweave Knits

Photo courtesy of Harper Point Adventures Photography and Interweave Knits

New pattern: Wrought Iris Mittens

The Wrought Iris Mittens pattern is now available for purchase!

If you've been following me on Instagram, you may have spotted these in their long and gradual process of being charted, written up, knit, unknit, reknit, until they were just right. They're finally here, and I'm very pleased.

The motif for these mittens was inspired by an image of a stylized Iris that has been reworked; intertwined with a memory of a wrought iron fence with the sunset glowing behind it. The result is a fun and elaborate-looking pair of stranded-knit mittens, the Wrought Iris Mittens glowing with the remembered light. Worked cuff up in the round using stranded colourwork, with a gusset worked in the palm that is set aside on waste yarn to be worked later for the thumb.

Finished Size: Women’s medium/large or Men’s small/medium 20 cm 8” palm circumference; 25.5 cm 10” total length.

Yarn: Ancient Arts Yarns Woof Collection 100% Superwash Blue Faced Leicester Wool 4 Ply (fingering/sockweight; 400m/437 yards per 100g 3.5 oz skein; 100% Blue Faced Leicester Wool), 1 skein in Golden Retriever (MC), 1 skein in Chocolate Lab (CC).

Or: Ancient Arts Yarns Woof Collection 75% Superwash Extra Fine Merino / 25% Silk - Fingering / Sock (fingering/sockweight; 400m/437 yards per 100g 3.5 oz skein; 75% Superwash Extra Fine Merino, 25% Silk), 1 skein in Golden Retriever (MC), 1 skein in Chocolate Lab (CC).

Hey, look, I'm in a book!

If you're following me elsewhere, you probably already know, but here's the news: I have a pattern in a book!

Last week, Interweave Knits released their 100 Knits: Interweave's Ultimate Pattern Collection, featuring their most popular knitting patterns, and one of the selected patterns is my Mount Robson Pullover!

You can buy the book through your local independent bookstore (if it carries knitting books; sadly, mine tends not to), the Interweave website, and through Chapters and other big bookstores, as you might expect.

Folk Tale Mitts Kits!

Kits are now available for my Folk Tale Mitts pattern!

If you're lucky enough to be attending Knit City in Vancouver this weekend, the kits will be available for purchase at the Recreated Textiles booth.

Can't make it to Knit City? Never fear; you can order your kit in any or all of the four palettes through Recreated Textiles right here.