handmade by stefanie

Hunter Hammersen does it again! In Curls 3 , you'll find 11 new designs that were created specifically for speckled and gradient yarns. Of course, they can also be knit with any other type of yarn you desire - and just as in the first two Curls books ( Curls and Curls 2 ), you also aren't limited by yarn weight, because each design can be knit at any gauge. Each shawl is knit with the same formula, which is described in depth in the Anatomy of a Curl section at the start of the book. Once you are familiar with the basic setup, you can easily follow the  color coded charts and schematics as you knit your chosen pattern (all of which are explained clearly in this section of the book). If you's someone who likes to modify patterns here and there, make sure not to skip this section! Also worth a read is the section on Speckles and Gradients, which is also found at the start of the book. Hunter clearly defines each type of yarn and shares a lot of great tips for choosing...

Last winter, I reviewed Prairie Spun DK from Brown Sheep , which at the time was a new yarn in their lineup. I enjoyed using it so much, that I ended up purchasing a sweater quantity from Webs during their year-end sale, not knowing which pattern I would use it for. I kept this yarn squirreled away while mulling over my options and changing my mind more than a few times. Eventually, I realized that the perfect pattern had been under my nose the whole time: Andrea Mowry's  Weekender Sweater ! Of course, that didn't mean I started it right away, but then the stars aligned yet again when the Corner of Knit & Tea blog/podcast announced a Brown Sheep Sweater-Along that began on September 1 of this year. I knit my swatch in August and was ready to cast on once the calendar turned to September. Then I got a secret sample knitting commission and had a few other distractions pop up, and didn't get to work on this sweater as much as I thought. By the time November rol...

In all of my 10+ years of knitting, would you believe that I have never tried a sock blank?! I've admired them on Instagram and at fiber shows but have never actually used one until I was sent a very lovely and luxurious blank to try out from Zen Yarn Garden . Part of a Zulily event, these blanks were produced in limited quantities and I'm not sure if the exact blank I used is currently available. They're approximately 400 yards of a 90% superfine superwash merino blended with 10% nylon, and the colorway I received was Midnight Stroll. BUT the good news is that Zen Yarn Garden is offering a new kind of sock blank in their online store right now, called Luxe Blanx , and they're a blend of merino, cashmere and silk (oh my!) and have a whopping 750 yards per blank. Before I talk about the pattern I knit and how much I loved the yarn, let's have a quick conversation about what a sock blank is and how to use it. A sock blank refers to a piece of fabric that has ...