60 Quick Luxury Knits: Easy, Elegant Projects for Every Day in the Venezia Collection from Cascade Yarns
Series: 60 Quick Knits
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Sixth&Spring Books (August 5, 2014)

Greetings Friends!

As much as I love browsing patterns on the internet, my favorite way to look for new projects is in books. There is something about flipping through the pages that makes me excited about the possibilities. Unfortunately, a lot of the time there are only a few patterns that I might actually make.  Now that is okay if I borrowed the book from the library, but if I'm going to buy a book I want to make sure that it has several projects that I'm apt to make - someday. 

The 60 Quick Knit Series is from the folks at Cascade Yarns and Sixth&Spring Books. is definately worth checking out. I think that there are seven books now. They all have a unifying theme and showcase their family of yarns. Using the recommended yarn is what they hope you will do, but of course you can make appropriate substitutions. Although if you have the opportunity, give their yarn a try!

So far from Luxury Knits I have chosen two projects. First I made this hat. The pattern is called Catalpa Hat designed by Anastasia Blaes. I did not have Venzia Sport Multis (merino wool/mulberry silk) yarn that is called for, but I did have an excellent substitute. A hank of the Kangaroo Dyers merino and silk hand dyed Poet Seat Yarn in a fabulous colorway called Sunlight in the Forest.

I have to extol the virtues of this hat. I'm not sure if it is the yarn (amazing), the pattern (lovely) or the combination (stunning), but whatever it is, this is officially my favorite hat of the season. It's warm, comfortable and looks great - if I do say so myself.

Honestly, there are so many cool patterns in this book I had to try another one. After much deliberation (I have sticky notes on at least 8 projects!) I settled on theCenter Back Cable Shawl by Candace Eisner Strick. I am a huge fan of cables, and this one does not disappoint. Again I had to make a yarn substitution. I'm using Serenity Garden Yarn from Deborah Norville in Crocus. Of course I would love to use merino and silk, but this microfiber is surprisingly nice. It is smooth, has a terrific sheen and is easy to work with. Plus the price makes it an economical option.

I was a little worried about the color changes, but so far it looks like everything is falling into place. Purple is my favorite color and this one is wonderfully true and rich! It is hard to see in my picture, but the body of the shawl is kind of "ribbed". Alternating (multiple) rows of knit and pearl create a texture that is easy to execute and helps direct focus to the wide center cable. Now if only I could knit faster! I can't wait to finish the shawl so I can wear it and start something else!

All of the projects are from different designers. Since everyone has a unique way of writing it could be confusing.  Happily the editors have done a great job of bringing continuity to the patterns. I have found them accurate and easy to follow. The photography and layouts are visually appealing making it hard to choose what to make next!

In fact, in our knitting group at the library someone just borrowed 60 Quick Knits from America's Yarn Shops (another book in the series). There are so many projects that she wants to make - she decided to buy a copy for herself. I can't think of a better recommendation!. 

You can find the books in the series online or at your local library. If they're not in your library's collection, ask them if they can get a copy for you. Most libraries are willing and able to help patrons find what they're looking for.

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch with Love!

Greetings Friends!

Today I've got something really cool to tell you about.  If you ever visit me on any of the social networks you may have already seen this hat, and have heard me talking about My Mountain.  So what is My Mountain? It’s a little hard to explain, but I’ll give it a try… The concept started as a promotion in Europe where the Schachenmayr Yarn Company asked people what gives you that exhilarating feeling of accomplishment, or the adrenaline rush like you’ve just slalomed down a black diamond trail or summited a world class peak.  Now they're reaching out to North America to see how we challenge ourselves and what makes us feel like we're on top of the world. Well, I’m not much for mountain sports,  but there are a few things that make me want to throw my arms in the air and let out a big whoop of joy!

Right now my greatest mountain moments come from creating original crochet designs. It's something that I'm just getting into, and the process of going from idea to sketch then watching as it comes to life with the yarn and hook is just awesome.  The final thrill comes from putting the whole thing together on paper so I can share it with you.  How cool is it then, that as part of the promotion the folks at Schachenmayr Yarns and Westminster Fiber are having a My Mountain hat design contest. By submitting a design using their yarns you can be eligible to win some really awesome prizes.  As if that weren't enough, by emailing [email protected]  they'll even send you the yarn for free! I don't know when the cut off for the yarn request is, but your finished hat pictures need to be submitted (also by emailing Linda) by August 30.

Using the yarn that they sent me I came up with this 1920's / Gatsby inspired design.  If you know the book then you know that Daisy was bold and sassy.  I think she would have rocked this hat, so in her honor it's called Daisy's Cloche.  In addition to this beautiful violet colorway, they also sent me their new specialty Lumio yarn that has threads that reflect when you take a flash picture.  I've made a hat similar to Daisy's that I'm just about finished with.  I figure it they were kind enough to send the yarn then I'm going to use it to make some cool hats for their contest!

I'm not sure how the winners are going to be picked, and while winning is always nice, the truth is that participating in the promotion has been a great experience.  The yarn that they sent is squishy, soft and so pretty.  Plus it's really given me the confidence to come up with my own designs.  Lately I've been doing a lot of work with thread, and I don't usually use super bulky yarn so it was a real challenge to move outside my comfort zone and try something new.  My initial thought was what on earth am I going to do?! I started brainstorming and incorporating some of my favorite thread elements (like the flowers!) and before too long the cloche was born.  Along with the designing, it's also given me a reason to work on my pattern writing skills.  I think the presentation of the pattern is really important.  One of my biggest pet peeves is bloggers who share their designs, but don't have downloadable PDFs.  I never work from patterns on my laptop, and I don't have a tablet.  That means in order to print I have to copy and paste into a Word document.  It's not hard, but the formatting is always off and honestly unless the item is really special I usually don't bother.  With that in mind, I'm working on a layout that I can use for all of the patterns I share here.  My goal is to  design something that I want to use - with a little background, clear pictures and of course accurate instructions! 

If you're interested in making Daisy's Cloche for yourself or for a gift (the holidays are coming!) just click on the link below and you're in business.  Because you're using such thick yarn the whole project comes together really quickly making this a great pattern to keep on hand for when you're looking for a fast project that looks harder than it is!  Since I did edit the pattern myself you may come across something that doesn't make sense.  First, accept my apologies and then let me know about it so I can fix it!

Good luck to my fellow entrants - I hope you have as much fun as I did creating your designs.  Thanks to the folks at Westminster Fibers for reaching out, sending the yarn and encouraging us to embrace life, conquer our mountains and live each moment to the fullest! 

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me. 
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!

Hi there!

I don't know if it's hot where you are, but in north central Massachusetts the mercury has blasted through the top of the thermometer and the humidity is residing consistently in the "tropical" zone.  As far as I'm concerned this weather is inappropriate for anything except exotic plants and certain members of the animal kingdom.  Humans (especially this one) not included!

At our house we have one air conditioner.  It's centrally located in the dining/living room and we gather around it in hopes of maintaining some margin of sanity.  So far so good, yet I question how long we (my family and the A/C) can hold out!

The one thing that the heat has not stopped me from doing is starting new projects.  It must be some sort of condition that I suffer from that causes me to thrive on juggling multiple tasks .  It's not just in the crochet world, but in the book world too, as I always have at least two novels and one audio book going as well as the reviews that are in the works.  It used to worry me, now I just go with it!  Eventually things get done, and those that don't must not have been that interesting anyway.

Turns out I never did get to that Yarn Along post.  I will tell you that the book, The Sisters Brothers is a quirky delight.  It's a western set in the 1800's and the main characters are outlaws.  But truly they are the most endearing hired guns you're likely to ever encounter!  Good reading if you like off-beat humor and unconventional sentence structure.

There is one more project that I've been toiling with this week - Hats. Specifically for the My Mountain project (more on that soon!) I'm working on some designs that combine my favorite granny square and doily components with traditional cloche styles.  I finished one that's good, just not perfect - yet... but don't you worry, I'll be sure to show you what I come up with!

So that's what's in my project bag today.  How about you?  What do you like to work on when the temperature hits broil? I'd love to hear how you stay cool.  I was also wondering how many of you work on multiple projects simultaneously.  And if you do, what's your secret for getting them finished?!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Even though it's Thursday, I'll be linking up with some of my favorite Wednesday blogs!  Scroll down the sidebar to see who I'll be visiting with.
Until next time friends,
Stay cool, be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Hi everyone!

It seems like ages since I've blogged a simple little post.  I tend to get carried away and want to show you every detail of each project!  So in the spirit of keeping it simple, here are a few pictures for you.  I crocheted these adorable little baby hats for my co-worker. There aren't many (okay any) babies in my circle (until now), and I had no idea how much fun it is to make these itty bitty creations.  I'm a bit of a magazine and pattern book fanatic, but I usually skim over the baby items.  Not any more!  Now I find myself oohing and aahing over tiny sweaters, snugly blankets, little booties and stuffed animals! I want to make them all!  Alas, I know that baby doesn't actually need 5 blankies and multiple pairs of booties that look adorable, but won't stay on those little feet. So far I've made a littlestuffed kitty, these hats and a lap/stroller blanket.  

I have one last gift on my hook.  It's a cocoon in camo yarn to match the hat.  The new mom and dad are huge fans of Duck Dynasty (you know, the reality show about the crazy, bearded hillbillies that make duck calls!) I thought it would be appropriate to pay homage to their favorite program by decking out the newest member of the family in camouflage.  I'm not sure how much use they'll get out of the cocoon.  If nothing else, it will make for some good pictures!  They (the cocoons) seem to be tremendously popular, with patterns showing up everywhere.  I imagine that baby might like the swaddled feeling, but it seems to me a blanket is just as effective when folded around the little one burrito style.  Anyway, I'm sure they'll get a kick out of it and I'm happy to have a little one to lavish my handmade goodies upon!

If you're interested in making the set yourself, you'll find the pattern in the December 2012 issue of Crochet World magazine.  It's the Cuddle Bug Bunting Set by Dianne Gochenour.

That'll do it for now! Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Greetings!
I'm trying something new.  Knitting lace. 
Guess what?
It's kind of hard.  Well the stitches aren't that hard.  Making sure that you do the right number of them in the right order is a little hard.  But for me, the really hard part is keeping those pesky stitches from sliding off the needles!  Because when one does, I'm sunk.  I've read about ways to correct mistakes, and even had a limited amount of success if I'm just knitting or purling.  But when it happens on something like this I have no idea what to do and my only solution is to just start over.  It's not a pretty picture.
I've learned that if I knit when I'm tired I make mistakes.  So now I knit during the day and crochet at night.  Because if I make a mistake in crochet it is SO MUCH EASIER to fix!  There's no comparison really.

I did discover a way to keep track of which row/stitch I'm on.  Check it out.  I saw this on Facebook a few weeks ago and had to give it a try.

All it took was (2) 4"x6" postcards and (1) 3"x5" postcard, a little scotch tape and an x-acto knife.  The hardest part was making sure that I copied the chart correctly!  I've found it to be a brilliant solution that works like a charm!  I totally recommend giving this a try.

The project that I'm gearing up for is the Earflap Hat from the book Knit Noro: Accessories. I know hat season is just about over, but I want a small project that will teach me some new knitting skills.  This one seems just right.  It uses yarn overs and a knit and pass over technique that creates the center of each triangle.  I often avoid swatching, but this time it seemed extra important.  Once again I'm glad that I took the time.  Not only did it help me determine what size needles to use, but it let me practice the stitches and get comfortable with the flow of the pattern.  Now when I get started on the hat I'll know how to do it and what things should look like! 

Plus I don't have any extra Noro, and if I remember from the one time I used it, it doesn't like being frogged.

Now, about that problem of making mistakes, and not being able to fix them... I've read about knitters who use lifelines when working on difficult patterns.  By threading a piece of yarn through your project at intervals you create a safe zone.  If you do make a mistake you can pull the work out back to the lifeline instead of having to go back to the beginning. Sounds like a great idea to me!  Now at least I can have a little piece of mind, because let's be honest -  I'm going to make a mistake or two or three!

I also found that placing a stitch marker after every pattern repeat helps.  It's kind of tedious, but I know that between each marker I should have 12 stitches.  If I make sure each repeat is done correctly than I know that the row has been done the right way.  Plus, it's (usually) easier to fix a mistake that's only a few stitches back. So what about you? Do you have a trick for keeping your place in the pattern, or for fixing those pesky dropped stitches?  I'd love to hear what you do to make your knitting go more smoothly!

Well folks, the swatching is done and the charts are in their handy dandy holders so I guess that means it's time to cast on!  Wish me luck!  Did I mention that this is also my first knit hat?  I'm either adventurous or foolish - time will tell which!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Greetings Friends!

It's snowing in Massachusetts so it seems appropriate that today's post is about things that keep you warm!  Do you remember this picture from back in November?  After ripping the mitten apart several times for various reasons (like: it was too small in the cuff, too wide in the palm, too spacious in the thumb, too pointy at the top, the finger opening was off center, etc, etc, etc...) I finally had a mitten that I was happy with.  Well, after I took off the daisy button and replaced it with one in plain white.  Of course by the time I was done I was so tired of working on the mitten that I set it aside in lieu of something different. 

As the weather became consistently cooler it was time to give my mitten the mate it had patiently been waiting for.  I found my marked up December 2012 issue of Crochet World magazine still open to the Texting Mittens.   This is first time that I actually made multiple changes to a pattern to make it fit better. I've done things like add rows to make something longer, or used a magic ring instead of joining a chain into a loop. But never anything like this.  I've always been afraid that making one change would through things off later in the pattern. This time though I just went for it.  I figured the worst that would happen is I'd rip it out and try again. Which I did many, many times before I got it right! Thankfully I was wise enough to take ample notes of the changes.  One of the most important lessons I've learned  is to ALWAYS write down everything in detail.  No matter how much I like to think that I'll remember what I did, the truth is I have no hope whatsoever of that happening.  I can't even remember what hook I used, let alone how many stitches I deleted or added! I was able to decipher my scribbles and diagrams and in relative short order I had a (matching) pair of mitts!  I was so excited to wear them for the first time along with my coordinating Tassel Hat (from Voie de Vie's Accessories: Autumne 2012 Collection).

Does this sound familiar?  If it does, I really encourage you to step outside your comfort zone and just go for it.  Eventually you're sure to come up with changes that suit your needs.  And even if you don't imagine all that you'll learn about what not to do!!

Did you notice that there is only one purple mitten in the picture?  Are you wondering where the other one is?  It's the same old story.  I spent so much time finishing the red one and then on the pattern mods and making sure it works that by the time I finished testing it out I was tired of making these mittens and moved onto something new!!  Of course now it is in the basket next to the chair taunting me.  Telling me I have no excuse and that I really should be able to whip it out in an evening or two.  Will I listen and finally get it done, I'm sure I will.  I just don't guarantee that there will still be snow on the ground when I do!!

Well my friends, that's all for now.
Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

By the way, just in case you're interested here is a downloadable PDF file detailing my modifications.  If you happen to give it a try please let me know.  I'd love to hear how it goes.  I'd also like to hear about how you handle modifications.  Do you stick to the pattern or do you try different things and make it custom?  Were you always brave or were you a fraidy cat like me?