handmade by stefanie

At last, one of the "secret knitting" projects I've been working on recently can be shared with the rest of the world! I am super-excited to share my newest design: the Inverness Shrug . It's knit in one of my favorite yarn bases from Bijou Basin Ranch, Himalayan Trail (for more about why I love this yarn, click here !). I was asked to design this shrug to be part of their Outlander-inspired pattern collection , and when I think of time-traveling historical romances, apparently I think "textured cables" (confession time: I haven't read the books or watched the TV show...but I've read the cliff's notes). I just couldn't get them out of my mind as I knit swatch after swatch to find the perfect stitch pattern for this shrug. Though I have many designs in my back catalog , this is my first-ever garment. I was actually kind of nervous about it, even though a shrug is basically like dipping your toe in the garment pool, right?! Still, the ...

I am so incredibly excited about my FO this week: the Lory Shawl  by Bristol Ivy, which is a pattern from the Fall 2014 issue of Knitscene. It calls for Bijou Basin Ranch's Himalayan Trail yarn, and I knit mine in one of their new Outlandish colorways, Geillis. "Shawl" is a bit of a misnomer in this pattern, as I'd really consider it to be more of a scarf - at least, that is how I intend to wear it this winter! It's 80 inches long but not terribly wide (at least by shawl standards), so that qualifies it as a scarf, at least in my book. It will be great for wrapping around my neck this winter, and I love the bright green color. Yak fiber is known for being incredibly warm (after all, they are native to the harsh, rugged regions of Tibet and Mongolia). In particular, the Himalayan Trail yarn is a 50/50 blend of both yak and merino fibers, and it feels cashmere-soft. It's the kind of yarn I can only knit slowly, because I keep stopping what I'm do...

My gnome is done and he's already causing trouble! Well, maybe not trouble , but he's definitely having adventures. For instance, he decided to hang out in the free library to surprise anyone who might be looking for a book to read! Then he climbed some more trees.... ...after which he tried to mail himself to Abu Dhabi. I destashed several worsted-weight yarns to knit my gnome using the Jumbo Gnome pattern from Mochimochiland! Also, I just received word that individual pattern downloads for the Forever Linked Hat & Mitts are now available on Ravelry  and  Craftsy , or you can purchase a discounted project kit containing the yarn and pattern from the Bijou Basin Ranch website!!

I'm so excited to share my newest design! I was recently asked to design some accessories for Bijou Basin Ranch's #CountdownToOutlander event which is happening right now! They have a new line of hand-dyed colors inspired the the Outlander  series of books by Diana Gabaldon, which is being made into a TV series which premieres on Starz on August 9. The Outlandish collection includes a spectrum of 27 gorgeous colors and comes in two of my favorite bases: Lhasa Wilderness (a blend of yak and bamboo) and Himalayan Trail (a blend of yak and merino). Himalayan Trail yarn in Lallybroch from the Outlandish color series. Before we get too far, I have to make a confession: I've never read any of the Outlander books. I have managed to glean a few key plot points here and there in my internet research, but I can't claim to be a super-fan, nor would I want to misrepresent myself as such. I chose to draw my inspiration from scenic photos of Scotland, which is where a large po...