NEW KNIT KIT: Octopussss aka the other neck/wrist piece

A while back I was asked to design a Knit Kit especially for a soon to be opened online yarn shop focussing on environmentally friendly and fair trade materials; HolyWoly!. How could I resist?
This is what I came up with:

Octopussss aka the other neck/wrist piece
Design: SAS Knits It Again
Level: Starter plus

The patterns in this Knit Kit are unique, versatile and eyecatching. They are not just a neck- and wristwarmer, they're woolly warm jewelry. Make them for yourself or to give away as a present.

It's all about the materials with this kit;

• Beautifull pure 100% handspun fair trade wool from non-profit organisation Manos del Uruguay which assembles over 400 artisans in cooperatives scattered throughout the countryside of Uruguay. The aim of the organization is to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women.

• Each piece unique, hand made Venetian glass beads and buttons from the crafty hands of Mei Tan, who lives and works in Italy and the Netherlands. Beads and buttons go directly from the designer into this kit.

• Brittany hardwood needles made by a small very envorinmentally aware company. All wood used by Brittany comes from strictly regulated forests or small woodland owners in the United States ensuring proper environmental logging practices and selective cutting for maximum reforestation.

When all these things come together, they make for a very positive and relaxing knit project.

Octopussss (€ 27,50) is available only through HolyWoly! a very friendly new online yarn shop. Go here if you want to order.

Enjoy!

Jackll & hide go wonkers

It's been more than a year ago since Knitty was so kind to publish my Jackll & hide pattern. I've had loads and loads of compliments and to this day 311 people on Ravelry alone have knitted it. It made me feel a little famous and I crave for more....

But...

I've also had a lot of questions about the pattern. Mostly to do with the eye holes. The Knitty people edited that part a little, and they were right, their version is so much cleaner looking and easier to do. Thing is, there was a little counting error, they've updated that and forgot to change the following numbers, so questions keep coming.

Since I didn't design that part it was kind of hard for me to answer those questions between the dishes and working on new designs. So I finally decided to knit it for myself and see what went wrong.

Now you can read the correct instructions.
I'll cover the eye hole part completely. The pink text is edited from the original.

Shape Eyeholes:
Next Round: BO 2 sts, k11 (12 sts on right needle together with bound-off sts) and place these sts on st holder; BO 2 sts, k to end. 60 sts.

This part you knit just the stitches on the needle(s), back and forth.

Row 1 [WS]: P2tog, p to last 2 sts, ssp.
Row 2 [RS]: Ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 3 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 4 [RS]: Work as for Row 2. 54 sts.
Rows 5-6: Work in stockinette st.
Row 7 [WS]: P1, m1, p to last st, m1, p1.
Row 8 [RS]: K all sts.
Row 9 [WS]: Work as for Row 7.
Row 10 [RS]: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. 60 sts. Break yarn. If you are using double-point needles, divide these sts between 3 needles so that you have 2 free needles. If using circular needle, leave sts on needle.

This part, you work only the 12 st. from te stitch holder.

Place held sts on a double-point needle and rejoin yarn with WS facing.

Work Rows 1-9 as above. At the end of Row 4, there will be 6 sts.

Row 10 [RS]: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1, CO 2 sts, k the 61 sts on the circular needle or other double-point needles, CO 2 sts; join to resume working in the round, k6. 76 sts.

This point will now be beginning of round. If using double-point needles, place 19 sts on each needle.

Work 3 inches in stockinette st.

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Good luck, I hope this helps!

Merry Knitting

Hi there! It's been a while and I've been busy. The new Knit Kit is coming soon (promise) and there's a new Knit Night at the Naaicafé for everyone that doesn't need lessons, could use a little help and is looking for a friendly and inspiring knitting group. Read about the Knit Night and times and dates of lessons here.
Voor de Nederlandse lezers: op dinsdagavond is er een Brei-Inn voor iedereen die geen lessen nodig heeft, maar af en toe wat hulp kan gebruiken en zin heeft in inspiratie en gezelligheid! Verder vind je hier ook informatie over de lestijden en openingstijden van het Naaicafé.

Reading to Iep I found all these pictures and stories...


So cool!
Life's hectic at the moment. Beeing 7 mnts pregnant, (all is very well! In the picture I have a huge cold, hence the red nose and teary eyes) buying a house, selling the old one, redecorating, refurbishing and moving... all before the 1st of februari and in time to welcome the baby around the 2nd week of march is a bit daunting to say the least. But we'll manage.

Oh and I'm knitting this, Landscape Chevron scarf from Regia's Kaffe Fasset sock yarn. It's a pattern from Regia Magazine 112. It's a really fun knit, in obviously great colors, but it's taking me ages (3,5 mm ndls...) eventhough I knit when I can. It's just that I have so many projects in my head, I'm in a hurry to make E.Z.'s Baby Surprise Jacket in a great green blend of 'Manos del Uruguay - Silky', I'm working on two of my own designs and finally got around to ordering yarn for a cardigan for myself from Knitting Nature (yes, it wil finally happen...) so little time, so much to knit. Can't wait for a whole new year of knitting!!

Happy Christmas everyone and a Merry New Year! ;-) Knit On in 2009!! SAS

Tales of wat is, wat was and what's coming...

To start off I want to show you this picture of some very beautifull beads and buttons and tell you absolutely nothing about it!
Ok, maybe a little... ; It's a quick glance into the future of my next Knit Kit. It's special, it's different and I'm working with two other talented ladies to make it happen. You'll have to wait a little longer to see what's coming. Ha!

On the knitting front there's actually been a conquest! Cobblestone is, finally, after a whole 10 months (shame on me).... READY! And, more importantly, loved by it's new owner; Boyfriend Dear. Eventhough I'm not so worried about 'the curse of the boyfriend's sweater' since we have a son and one on the way, I didn't want to take any risks, so I let him pick the pattern, the material ánd the color. Personally I would've gone for a green or a brown, but there's no educating BD when it comes to colors. Black is the only option. Or in this case a tweedy dark grey.

It may have taken me forever to knit it (in between other projects) but I've done it cleaverly if I do say so myself. I even let him fit it a couple of times while in progress. So now he has a fitting, long enough for his taste, long enough sleaves for his comfort, very special sweater.

Ofcourse you won't be surprised to hear that there was a little downfall in this conquest.
All glowing with pride and joy I presented him with the finished project the night before he went to ..... Taiwan. Where it's about 20 degrees Celcius (short-pants-weather)...

On newer news...
In a week or two I'll be hosting Knit Nights at the Naaicafé. For all those students (and other knitters) that have finished their lessons but want to continue knitting in a friendly, warm and cozy environment where you can share thoughts, get inspired and ask me questions about your latest project.
I'm working on the details. But it will be held every tuesdaynight from 20:00 to 22:00, it will include drinks and a 10% discount on knitting materials and coaching plus tips & tricks. All this will come at a very reasonable price. Pay for a Knit Card, decide when you want to come and get your card stamped when you do.
Keep reading the blog or send me your mailadres to keep posted!

Voor de Nederlandse lezers:
Over een week of twee zal ik Brei-avonden organiseren in het Naaicafé van Caroline Vogel. Voor de breisters die klaar zijn met de lessen, maar wel gezellig verder willen breien en geinspireerd willen raken en voor breisters die al kunnen breien maar dit graag met een groepje gelijkgestemden willen doen in een gezellige omgeving.
De avonden zullen op dinsdagavond van 20:00 tot 22:00 plaatsvinden. Drankjes, coaching waar nodig en 10% korting op materiaal zitten in de prijs die fors lager zal zijn dan prijzen van de lessen. Je betaald voor een strippenkaart dus kan komen wanneer het jou uitkomt. Hou deze blog in de gaten of stuur me je mailadres als je interesse hebt in deze avonden.

ps I seem to have troubles with the 'mail me' button on the right. sasknitsitagain@hotmail.com is the adress you want to use!

Glorious Fall Days

What a way to wake up today... Obama is the new president of the U.S.A.!!!! I'm serious, I got all teary eyed and when my wee one couldn't stop kissing his daddy it got worse and worse. Loads of tears this morning. Tears of joy! (I'm sure a lot of it had to do with hormones, but still... it was a special beginning of a special and historic day) On the knitting front....
I couldn't resist to knit up the two skeins of Noro Kureyon I got for my birthday in between all the other projects I have lying around the house (I swear Cobblestone is coming soon!!) I decided to make the scarf that everybody that has ever touched Noro has made. It's a really simple pattern, but the yarn doesn't need much more so why elaborate? It has beautifull green/brown colors to match the leaves on and off the trees around my house.
This is what I did (I won't call it a free pattern as such because it's all over the web in different varieties, shapes and forms and I wouldn't want to claim anything!)

Materials: 2 balls of Noro Kureyon (100 gr/420m each) # 5mm needles tapestry needle
Finished Size:
Your scarf will be about 1110cm / 44" long
(add more yarn to make a longer scarf... duh!) CO 39 st *[row 1: Work 1x1 rib row 2: sl 1 p wise, *work 1x1 rib, repeat *to last st, sl 1 p wise] Add the second ball of yarn making sure that the shade at the starting point is different than the first one.
Twist the working thread behind the just worked thread to start working a new set of two rows for a nicer edge. repeat * untill you run out of yarn.
BO in pattern.
Weave in ends.
That's all!

ps my spellingcheck hasn't been working for a while, so forgive me any (stupid) mistakes...