the October Pillow

The pillow is finished!



You can see it in person at the shop, along with several other versions by customers and Shelly. This project has been a hit! It's a great intro to stranded knitting, and works up quickly without shaping.

We had our first snow today, and the roads actually got a bit slushy by afternoon. I pulled out some of my toasty winter accessories to keep my extremities warm, but I can't help thinking about knitting some new ones!

I've also been inspired to knit these. Thanks Supers!





See more about this designer, Jean Greenhowe, including some free patterns, here. I hope to get her pattern booklets in the shop soon. Happy knitting!

The post I SHOULD have done three weeks ago!

Yes, I'm alive. AND I got a new computer, so I can get back to blogging again. Yippee! Did you miss me?

First things first- I'm on Ravelry! My name there is Kate Jackson Knits. If you go check it out, don't be too dissapointed in the total lack of projects. I'll have a photo shoot soon and get more things up there.

I got new furniture at the shop: two new couches and a coffee table, and I brought a hutch from my in-laws too. You can see them in these pictures from the alpaca yarn tasting.





We had a blast sampling different alpaca yarns - I can't wait to do another one! I've already done bamboo and alpaca - any suggestions for the next "featured fiber"?



This is a progress photo of my Acidic Seed Stitch purse. I designed this pattern for the Fall Knitscene, where I used a yellow Blue Sky Alpaca yarn. This one is Cascade Tuscany, a super-chunky wool. I am going to add a leather handle (new at the shop!) and line it with something pretty.




This is my Fair Isle Pillow, which I did a class on this past month. It is knit with only two yarns: Lamb's Pride worsted in light grey, and Noro Kureyon, a self-striper that makes it look like I did more work than I did!

I'm kind of on a Kureyon kick with this and the Lizard Ridge. Sooo . . . .




The man in brown brought us a present!




Ten new colors of Kureyon! Yippeeeee!

Now I just need to find more knitting time! I can blog with Audrey on my lap, but knitting doesn't really work that way.

Speaking of Audrey . . .



She wanted to model this darling knitting basket for you. She wants you to know that the lining is very soft and yarn-friendly. Hey, you didn't expect this long of a post WITHOUT her, did you?

New yarns!

Yes, it really is like Christmas every time the UPS man comes to visit. What can be in that big box?

Fun colors, even through the plastic bags.

Ooh . . . . Adrifil KnitCol

washable merino self-patterning dk

Aah . . . . Plymouth Suri Merino

alpaca/merino worsted blend

solids, heathers, and handpaints

yippee!!!

And now for some knitting: This is the swatch in-the-round for a fair isle pillow. The pillow will be the subject for a class coming up in October. I swatched the fair isle in the round, since that is the way I will be knitting the project. A regular stockinette swatch would not do the trick, since stranded colorwork pulls the stitch gauge in significantly, and I am also not purling at all. I will use my "swatch" as a very schnazzy travel-mug sleeve.

The swatch, I knit in 40 minutes. Then it took me 5 days to knit this? Two inches? This is just an example of how LITTLE knitting time I have. I'm going crazy! The pillow is looking lovely, regardless of how long it's taking. I am using Lamb's Pride worsted and Noro Kureyon for a much more complicated effect than I'd get with two solid colors. What do you think?

My birthday is this Friday. I'll be 25, and my sister Eileen will be 22. Are we feeling old yet? Come celebrate at the shop with me! All my favorite yarns will be 25% off. And let me tell you- I really like a lot of yarns!