I had a great time working with Cascade Casablanca knitting this cowl!  It's a new (FREE!) pattern up on their website and it's a fun way to watch the colors interact with each other.  The pattern is part of their collection of free designs and is a great project for someone new to stranded knitting!

Worked in the round, this cowl features a geometric pattern that comes alive with Cascade’s Casablanca yarn.  Choose two similar colors for a subtle cowl, or go for the dramatic by picking two contrasting colors.  Whatever you decide, the result will be a fun, warm cowl full of graphic interest that’ll be well loved when winter arrives.

This pattern requires intermediate knitting knowledge including: cast-on, working in the round, reading charts, and simple stranded color work, on circular needles.

Call for Submissions

Submission Deadline : Friday, August 16, 2013, 6pm PST
Finished patterns and completed samples must be received by: September 25, 2013
Project scheduled release: November 1, 2013


Designs benefitting Breast Cancer Connections will be an e-book of knit and crochet hat patterns created to raise funds for this worthwhile organization.  The e-book will be sold through Ravelry, and 100% of the net proceeds will benefit Breast Cancer Connections. www.bcconnections.org

Designers generously donate the pattern and finished hat sample to the project.  Each pattern will be formatted to be included in the e-book and designers will receive full credit for their contribution.  Previously published patterns will be accepted.

Samples will be made by designers and submitted along with their pattern.  Patterns should be tech edited and tested prior to submission.

Submission Requirements

Please send your design submission as a .pdf, including an image of the finished hat (or swatch & sketch), and schematic with sizing/dimensions.  Projects should follow the CYC Standards, and can be in one or multiple sizes.  Include a short statement about the design, the project yarn requirements (either what you used or what yarn and colors you hope to use), and contact information.  If you’ve used handspun in your project, include WPI, TPI, angles, and a commercial yarn equivalent.

This project does not include yarn support. Completed patterns will be submitted in .doc format, and all charts and schematics should be sent as separate .jpg attachments. 

Photography | Finished samples will be mailed at designer’s expense to Kyle William and will be photographed for the publication.  Designers will be able to use these photos for their website, ravelry page, etc. as long as they keep the copyright information with the photo. 

Release | The project is scheduled to be released as an e-book on November 1, 2013.  Patterns donated to the project will be available through purchase of the e-book as a collection.  Designers can sell the pattern individually on Ravelry or their own website.

After the project is released, sample hats will be sent to the project beneficiary, Living Beyond Breast Cancer.  If you would rather keep your sample hat, we will ask you to cover the cost of return shipping.

Proceeds | All money from the sales of the e-book, less fees (Paypal, Ravelry, etc), will be donated to Living Beyond Breast Cancer in an annual payment, and the amounts donated will be updated on the book’s ravelry page and on a dedicated page at www.kylewilliam.com.

Email any questions and all submissions to: [email protected] with "BCC Collection" in the subject line.

UPDATE:

Congratulations to RYAN for being the randomly selected winner to the contest on this blog post.  A message was sent to him letting him know that he won, and he'll be getting a Kyle William tape measure.

Thanks for playing!

(feel free to continue posting comments about what you like to keep in your knitting bags! - the answers won't count towards the drawing, but it's interesting to see what people use!)

Every knitter (and crocheter!) who travels, across the country or down the street... to "Stitch -n- Bitch" or "Knit Night"... has a list of necessities that they bring with them.  Just in case. 

In addition to my project and instructions, here's a list of some of the things I have with me in my knitting bag when I leave the studio

Carrying Case - My most-used bag of the moment is a little bag I got on a United international flight.  It's see-through, and that makes digging for the right tool in a knitting emergency so much easier.

Pen - I use a retractable "click" pen so that there's less chance of ink getting all over the place.  Some people might use a pencil instead... but I'm OK with scribbling out mistakes! ;)

Scissors - Full disclosure, I usually can't find my scissors.  They're around... somewhere.  But when I'm organized, or the planets are aligned, I have my little cutting tool the "Quickie Cutter" which I picked up at a trade show or fair somewhere.  Other options are cute vintage scissors (which can open and cut or stab unless they're in a case), or clippers that fit into some sort of cover.  I've heard of people using finger nail cutters as well.

Gauge - My favorite is the little spiral gauge from Debra's Garden.  This is the one I carry around if I travel, but in the studio I use my big Susan Bates gauge.  If I'm sorting needles to put them back away, my little one from Seven Yaks is my "go to" tool.

Coil-less Safety Pins - What can I say about these?  They're perfect for "parking" dropped stitches, marking rows, or the front of a piece, and for holding things like stitch markers (don't worry; they're in the list too!)

Cable Needle - I use cable needles to fix mistakes, as a "third" needle when needed... and, of course, for cabling.

Chicken - Every knitting toolkit needs a tiny rubber chicken.  I have no idea where it came from, but it was in my toolkit!

Stitch Markers - These come in so many varieties.  I love my little lamb ones that I bought at Stitches.  Other ones I uses:  a little silver baby ring, plastic ones (from Boye), O-rings (from the hardware store), and truthfully, anything I can get my hands on if I am in a bind.  Bits of yarn tied into a ring, a twist-tie, even paper clips (or those coil-less safety pins!) work in a pinch.

Head and Health - Snacks for emergencies, aspirin, antihistimines, etc. to fix what's hurting.  In this category I'd also add a few dollars.  It's not in my essentials bag, but I do keep change and some cash in my knitting bag for parking meters, public transit fare, and emergency purposes.

Golden Needle - My favorite needles to use for finishing are the golden needles.  I also love my little chibi case from clover.  I also keep dental floss in my bag for lifelines (and for flossing!)

Stitch Holders - These are transient.  If I'm getting to the point where I might need one, in it goes.  They're used, of course, to hold live stitches.  If I don't have one, a length of yarn or dental floss works almost as well.

Crochet Hooks - Used to pick up stitches, for provisional cast on, and crochet (of course!) I have a couple in my bag to use, or to lend.

Latch Tool - I have a little latch hook tool that's used in machine knitting that I got from Florence Bishop years ago.  She swore by these for picking up stitches.  Sometimes it ends up in my knitting bag because it's a great tool for picking up a column of dropped stockinette stitches.

Tape Measure - Of course, measuring tapes are the #1 must-have in knitting bags.  (and now there's Kyle William tape measures!) 

The Kyle William tape offers measurements in centimeters and inches up to 60 inches (150 cm).  They're the standard 2" diameter x 1/2" and have a push button that retracts the tape.  Compact, cute, and emblazoned with the Kyle William logo!  Want one of your very own?  Keep reading! :)

What's the one thing you can't live without in your travel knitting bag?  (and why?) Post your answer in the comments to be entered to win your very own Kyle William tape measure!

A random entry will be selected on Friday, August 2, 2013.  If you can't wait, feel free to hop on over to the SHOP where you can buy your very own!

The Jack cardigan began its life back in October when I talked with Classic Elite about contributing to a collection of men's garments for release Fall 2013.  After a few emails, we agreed on design, materials, and colors.

This design began as a swatch in different yarn, and different colors... but once I got going on it I was infatuated with the sheer luxury of Classic Elite Yarn's Inca Alpaca. 

I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. this yarn.  Seriously.  It was glorious to work with (and I want to work with it again VERY soon) and the finished cardigan is so comfy and soft it was really hard to send away.  I want to knit another for myself for chilly San Francisco days!

The pattern is part of Classic Elite Yarn's new booklet #9231: Leader of the Pack, available for purchase on Ravelry, and pattern and yarn both should be waiting for you at your local yarn shop.  More information about this and the rest of the collection can be found HERE. 

Back in mid-March, I mailed off a little bundle to Amy Clark Moore and her staff at Interweave.  My very own contribution to the Unofficial Harry Potter Knits!  Here it is, 4 month later, and I am finally able to share this project with you.

The Order of the Phoenix Winged Vest uses Zitron Lifestyle (100% extrafine superwash Merino) in #54 Nutmeg and #33 Corn.  It features a solid front and, when worn with a jacket, others can't know the secrets it holds.

The inspiration comes from the idea of the "hidden identity" of everyday superheroes.  People (like policemen, nurses, and counselors) in our communities work hard to protect, educate, and serve.  Out of uniform (or out of the office!) they blend into the crowd, unnoticed.  We don't recognize they are the ones that do so much good when duty calls.

It is interesting to me how these individuals carry with them such strength and knowledge, and others can so easily be unaware.  They walk by us... on the streets or at the mall... but at work; when they're needed, they dive in.  Head-first.  Selflessly.

While I was designing this vest I had in mind this idea of carrying around that "hidden identity"... it's more than the "secret powers" of heroes like Harry Potter - it's the real power of knowing what to do when a problem arises.  It's also important to note that everyone has the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.  Listening... Offering emotional support... Teaching "the tricks of the trade" to someone new to your field... Taking time to write a letter... Visiting people in the hospital.  The small efforts we make turn us into true heroes in the eyes of others.

I hope the Order of the Phoenix vest will help others appreciate the heroes of their communities, and to find time to recognize the knowledge and talents of those around them.

The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits will be available at your Local Yarn Shop or through the Interweave website.  If you can't wait to cast on this (or any of the other AMAZING projects) in the magazine, you can hop on over HERE and download an electronic copy right now!  (Due to copyright restrictions, this magazine is only available for sale in the U.S.)

Over on the Facebook page, I ran a little giveaway.  Once the page reached 250 "likes", I would randomly select someone to receive their choice of fiber in their choice of colors.  Once the goal was reached, I used a random number generator and Lynette was the winner!

Lynette asked for Alpaca in greens, golds, and blues.  I delivered to her 4oz of fiber rich with color and ready to be crafted into something beautiful.  I love working on Dye Lab (one of a kind colorways) because they're unpredictable!

Of course, giving one prize is fun.... but the fun didn't stop there.  Lynette selected ANOTHER person to win fiber, and she chose Gilda. 

Gilda asked for Merino so I gave her 4oz of it in a new colorway which has yet to be named! 

So... here's one more way to win.  Help me name this fiber! - First, visit the Kyle William Facebook page and "LIKE" it. 

Then, come back here and leave your name suggestion for this colorway in the comments here on the webpage.  On August 1st I'll choose a winning name, and the person who coined it will get their choice of fiber from the Kyle William Shop! 

Feel free to enter as many times as you like and HAVE FUN! :)

The street where I live is usually a quiet place.  Outside, you'll find people jogging, riding bikes, or walking their dogs.  On the 4th of July, however, everything changes.  This year marked the 6th annual Laidley St. parade!  

It is not a "city" parade... this is a true, "small town" parade.  It began with a marching brass band, then the neighbors with the vintage Mercedes convertible, followed by the neighbors who own a SF tour company (with all the safari animals in the back!) ... it went on to even include a horseless carriage!  After the vehicle contingents, the "real" parade stars started down the street:  kids and adults on bicycles and skateboards, marching carrying flags... walking pets.... and being cheered on by the spectators on the side of the street.

At the end of the parade route (also known as the end of the street; only 2 blocks or so!) there was an old firetruck that could be explored, and a baking contest being judged.  We also witnessed the traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence from a balcony.  Here's part of that reading:

Down with the King!  Then, we moved on to the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by an opera singing neighbor.  The crowd joins in:

Have I mentioned I love my street?!  The event goes on for a while and also includes BBQ and fixings.  It's a neighborhood fun day and I look forward to being part of it again next year.

It was during the celebrating that I decided to try to get my second 100 Strangers photo.  I looked around at all the people and, while I did see one person I wanted to photograph, I also saw this sweet, sweet dog!  (The rules say nothing about the 100 strangers being all people!)

This is Colbert (left).  He actually lives just a few blocks away from me on the same street with his buddy and family.  They were both very sweet and fluffy (and HOT!)  and I am sure they wanted to just go home and drink water and cool off.  Lucky for them "home" wasn't far away.  

I chatted with their owner (I think she said her name was Emma; I was so intent on remembering the dog's name I didn't write hers down!) and explained the project.  In the frenzy of the event I also forgot the other dogs name, and didn't even ask the breed!  My guess would be Samoyed.  Thoughts?

Photographing a dog in a busy place like the street party after a parade is difficult.  Emma said "you need to be quick if you want to get a good photo" - and she was right.  I lamented that I didn't have my "real" camera, and that I knew I would want to take photos for the project.  Maybe after taking 2 photos for this project with my phone I'll give in and start using a "real" camera.  Turns out, though... phone cameras are pretty darn good!

We said goodbye to the dogs and the friends at the festival and headed to a friend's house for some more food and friendship.  After that, it was home for me and some relaxing and knitting time.  

Once the sun went down, of course, it was time for the real show.  What's the 4th of July without fireworks?  Here's a video showing the view from my house with a glimpse of some of the the pyrotechnics.  Being up high overlooking San Francisco makes for an interesting view.  We get to see all the shows from all the different neighborhoods.  It was super neat to watch live... and like they say, nothing is better than "being there".

There's not much I can say on the knitting front.  I'm working on a few proposals that are on their way out the door... one design is in testing and should be released in a few weeks... some other designs are within inches of being published and announced (as soon as I get the word I'll talk with you about those.)  I'm working on a shop update... and that's about it.   I think it's so much more interesting when I can share images...

Have an amazing weekend!

I've been thinking about this project for more than a year.  The collection will be housed HERE.  Eventually, as time and courage allows, I will be able to look back on this project and see the faces of 100 strangers.  My intention, of course, is to practice using my "real" camera, but as I prepared to head out for the parade, I knew I would be spending the entire day out among the crowd and didn't want to worry about carrying it.

I ended up armed with my iPhone and just enough courage to start the project with this first picture.  After being a bit afraid to approach her, I finally just went up, got permission, and took this photo:

And with this photo, the project is started.

Jackie is part of a samba dance troupe that was near my contingent at the San Francisco Pride parade.  Along with her troupe members, they DANCED the entire parade route.

I love her makeup, the fiery colors of her plumes, and that little nose ring.  Her makeup is put on for show... for a parade!

Thank you, Jackie, my first stranger model, for allowing me to photograph you for the project!