FO Parade

As always, here are some highlights of some amazing projects completed in TUT yarns and shared in the TUT group. I know these posts are particularly enjoyed and I love sharing them with everyone. Who doesn't like some gratuitous knit wear images?

First up we have a beautifully stylish cardigan knit up by ClaudiaPetra in Silky Merino Fingering. This 75/ 25 Merino and Silk mix gives the garment a beautiful drape and was a great choice for the cardigan. The pattern is the Alys Cardigan by Bristol Ivy and is a paid for pattern from Quince and Company's pattern range. What I really like about this knit is not only the gorgeous way it drapes but also the crisp definition for the cable details. The colourway is 'charred', a deep grey with interesting highlights and tones that work well over large and small garments. Great work Claudia!

Next is Stringygirl's take on Veera Valimaki's 'Line Break' pattern: a beautiful swirl of a shawl.When I asked if I could share this FO, Stephanie admitted that she's obsessed with this FO and wears it almost every day. She also admitted that she already has another shawl planned in this base! It's always so nice to hear such a positive reaction to my yarns, thank you Stephanie. The yarn is the Heavenly Fingering which is a smooth, plied and incredibly soft mix of Alpaca, Silk and Cashmere. The colour used here is called 'After the Rain' and is ideal for such a solid wrap. 

The next FO made me gasp a little when I saw it, I adore the way it's been worked up, the colour choices and the photography to show it off. Indiecita used up every scrap her three skeins of Sumptuous DK to make this wrap/ scarf. The pattern is by Thea Colman of Baby Cocktails and is called 'Black Cherry Lambic'. The colourway used here is called Toast and makes me yearn for Autumn. 

The last FO to share this month is a showstopper. The colourway choices used in this version of 'Spectra' that Konela knit up are perfect for such a bold and graphic design. The colours used here are 'Jonquille, Mais Pas Gentille' and 'Charred' in Super Sock. Super Sock is a 2ply 100% merino base with lots of definition so would have been ideal for such a crisp knit. Great colour choices Kerryn

As always a huge thanks to the knitters who gave permission for us to share their hard work and beautiful images.

Testing...

When I get a new base that I'm interested in stocking or a new colourway that I want to introduce, I really like to test it out and see how the yarn feels or the colour knits up. It's a really nice part of the creative process of dyeing as I want knitters and crafters to love the end product as much as the first moment they laid eyes on their skein to work with.

In the next post I'll be sharing some specific details about two new bases I will be including in the next update. There will be an update when I get back from holiday, on Friday 17 August at 4pm BST. Please keep an eye for news on the Ravelry Group's News Thread as this may well be our very first update on the new website. I will also send out newsletters with spoilers when I get back so make sure you're signed up. 

In the meantime I want to share some news about the colourways I've created and have been working with to test the colours. One of the new colourways that will be featured in the update is called 'Robin's Egg', a delicate and cool blue that I thought would be beautiful in a lacy shawl. This is also in a new base that I'll be telling you all about next post.

I cast on an Echo Flower Shawl, which is a free pattern by Jenny Johnson Johnen and enjoyed it immediately. I found the shawl really quick and easy to work up despite the heavy lace and it only took me about a week to complete. The shawl is knit top down and I worked 11 repeats of the chart and I realise now that I probably could have managed one more repeat as after I completed the repeats I had 50g of yarn left. I'd hesitated because the edge is full of nupps which I know from experience can really consume yarn, but I probably could have squeezed in another 1 or 2 repeats. Keep an eye on my Ravelry projects page for it to appear soon.

There's also another colourway coming, 'Twig' but you'll have to wait for the newsletter to see that one...!

Obsidian Designer: Lisa Mutch

The new Obsidian kits will be released on 15 August. This series of collaborations have been so inspiring and exciting and I'm glad people are enjoying them as much as we are creating them. Lisa is a distinctive designer who works hard to make clean lines, simple shapes and stunning hand dyes work up into moody designs and satisfying accessories to both knit and wear. I invited Lisa to answer some questions for the blog so that you can get to know her a little better. Here's what she had to say:

The stage is yours, tell us a little about yourself!

Well, besides knitting, dyeing, designing and spinning, I'm a mom to two wonderful and very active children, Brooklyn, 7 and Brodie, 3.  I also love reading, vegetable gardening, red wine and bubble baths.

What’s your knitting journey so far?

My knitting journey began roughly 10 years ago when I quit smoking and decided knitting would be a great way to occupy my hands. I bought 'How to Knit' by Debbie Bliss, a set of needles and some terrible acrylic yarn and taught myself how to knit. My specialty was scarves, or really anything rectangular or square with absolutely no shaping until I stumbled upon the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's blog. Reading her hilarious stories about knitting disasters gave me the motivation to teach myself a few crucial knitting skills allowing me to graduate to hats, socks, shawls and eventually sweaters. 

How did you start designing and what is your favourite part of the process?

I began designing very quickly after teaching myself to knit. I never seemed to have the right size needles or weight of yarn and I could never, ever get the correct gauge. (Which continues to be a problem for me to this day, I'm a notoriously loose knitter. Ahem.) So I started making up things as I went along with what I had.

Was there a particular inspiration for this design?

 I love garter stich at a loose gauge, it has such a wonderful texture and I've always wanted a sweater with a giant cowl neck so this idea of mine has been brewing for a while now. Ce's BFL Sock is such a wonderful yarn for sweaters, being tough and resilient yet soft enough for next to skin wear. I've used this base before for sweaters, cowls and shawls and it's one of my all-time favourites, especially in the 'Charred' colourway.....so dark and mysterious!

 

What drew you to working with TUT yarns and a collaboration?

Ce and I met on Ravelry a few years ago and since day one, I've adored her gorgeous yarn. I very quickly acquired quite the collection of TUT yarns and have tried almost all of her fabulous bases. My favourite colourways are all of her wonderful, smokey greys and charcoals, her warm neutrals and of course, I love to sneak in a bit of Debauchery here and there. ;)

What else can we look forward to from you in the future?

I have so many ideas for new designs, if only I could knit as fast as my mind dreams them up! I've been swatching with some heavier weight bases lately for a few squishy, warm winter garments, and of course, more shawls, cowls and scarves. It seems like I can't leave the house without something handknit and fabulous around my neck.

A huge thank you to Lisa for supplying such lovely answers that shows her gentle and warm nature. If you would like to purchase your own Obsidian yarn and pattern kit, you will find them listed on my Etsy shop on 15 August or check out the Ravelry Group News thread for regular update news.  

Cecilia Flori

There's been some lovely designs shared in our Ravelry group design thread and I noticed that a regular in our group, Ceciknits, has a few patterns using TUT yarns. I just had to share them here as they are really stylish and great single skein projects (You can see a recent FO from Ceci in this month's FO parade too- she's quite the knitter).

(c) Cecilia Flori

One project I know had been very popular since its creation is 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' which is available for free download on Ravelry. This is a medium size cowl with tiny folded edges and many 'suns' that are created through textured stitches. Ceci thinks that these suns will bring light to our lives in the cold and gray days to come and I couldn't agree more. The pattern calls for just one skein of fingering weight yarn so would be ideal for a treat or a stashbuster. Ceci's colourway is the beautifully warm 'Madras' and I think it's a great pick me up on the cold days we've been having here in the UK. 

(c) Cecilia Flori

Her other design, 'Displaced', is also available for download on Ravelry but this time is a paid for pattern. Displaced is a small asymmetric hat that is a cross between a slightly slouched beanie and a snug beret. The hat pattern includes suggestions for single color and multi-color versions as well as  suggested mods for a deeper crown and/or a more slouchy overall result. The pattern calls for one skein of Lush Worsted and is shown here in the 'Plata' colourway.

(c) Cecilia Flori

Both of the designs are wonderful Cecilia, thank you so much for featuring TUT yarns in your work. For more inspiration of what to do with your TUT skeins, check out the designs thread in the TUT Ravelry Group here.

FO Parade

I am really enjoying this monthly feature as it basically means I get to share wonderful knitwear in my yarn. There are so many talented knitters out there working with TUT yarn and it's such an honour to feature a selection here for everyone to 'ooooo' and 'ahhhhhhh' over too.

Let's start with a real lovely and one that not only combines the beauty of simple lace but also has little tassles for added cute factor! ZarahMaria worked this beautiful Camomile pattern up in two different bases of TUT yarn using the 'Tea Smoked' colourway. The design is by Helga Isager and is quite 'graphic' in terms of lean lines and sharp edges for a lace shawl. The addition of the delicate pink yarn adds a completely different twist on this design. Zarah used the Heavenly Fingering base for the majority of the shawl and worked the tassels up in the Organic Merino Lace. I'll bet it's super soft and so divine to wrap silk, cashmere and alpaca around yourself and play with the delicate little tassles. 

The next FO is also stunning but for completely different reasons. This bold interpretation of the very popular Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig is incredible. Ceciknits worked a summery treat up with plenty of modifications to get just the right layering piece she wanted. It's fabulous. The colour is created by combining two different tones of yellow in stripes throughout the garment and it's so cheerful yet stylish. The first colourway is 'Brassica' on the Alpaca Silk Lace base which is smooth and plied but also soft and gives a gorgeous drape to fabrics. The other yellow is in the popular BFL Sock base in the colourway Gold Rush.

The Colour Affection shawl by Veera Valimaki is incredibly popular right now and KreuzbergStrickt's version is amazing. The bold colours of the Madelinetosh 'Dahlia' were complemented by some Super Sock fingering weight in 'Plata' and 'Les Fleurs'. KreuzbergStrickt's project notes shows that she too loved the super soft 2ply yarn and it really showed the texture of the garter stitch with its great stitch definition and lovely texture. Simply stunning.

The next project combines two favourite things: Lisa Mutch designs with TUT yarn. Knitabyebaby shared her rather delicious looking version of 'Capture' in the Silky Alpaca Sport colourway 'Leaden'. This cool blue really shows off the texture that Lisa is able to create with simple stitches and strong lines. I also love the way the nature of this base (smooth with a slight fuzz) adds a new twists to the open work of the stitches.

From cool and airy to warm and classic looking- these Welted Mitts knitted by SusanneS-vV are fabulous. The pattern is Welted Fingerless Gloves from Churchmouse yarns and teas. It's hard to believe these are Susanne's first ever mitts that she's knit as they are so beautifully worked up in Lush Worsted 'Toast' colourway. The texture of the merino, cashmere and nylon blend of Worsted is really showcased by the plain stockingette and texture contrast in this knit. I also love the buttons!

Lastly, I was rather spoilt by this stunning shawl that ButterflyKnits designed for me as part of a swap I took part in recently. I'll write about it as soon as the pattern is published, but in the meantime, here's a sneak peak at how much I was spoilt. Using the 'Brassica' colourway in the Silky Alpaca Sport base, Butterflyknits designed a gorgeous shawl and I can't wait to share more details with you soon. 

If you''re now craving some TUT goodness to knit with, don't forget there's an update coming very soon. Tune in this coming Friday 13 July at 4pm BST. As always, you can check your local time here. Lots and lots of fabulous new things and if you want to keep up to date with what to expect, don't forget to sign up for the TUT newsletter.

Not One But TWO KALs...

Have you visited the TUT Ravelry Group lately? We're very busy chatting about our favourite skeins, projects and suggesting Knit Alongs. It seems everyone is as addicted to knitting as I am!

We have a great KAL for those who aren't very good at sticking to plans or perhaps haven't knit along with a group before. This summer we're hosting the Lazy Summer KAL which means you can knit whatever project you want, as long as it's in TUT yarn. So that's work in progress taming, cast on mayhem or something you have been meaning to knit for ages. There's even a spin off West Knits KAL from this for those people having a go at his second mystery shawl knit along.

We also have had a lot of chatter about the Occitan kits which were a huge success. There was so much excitement in fact, that another KAL sprang up! So that's a lot of different ways to participate in the group which is great as you can count any project you're working on like the Occitan, WestKnits shawl or perhaps your Ravellenics project, towards more TUT chatter. 

Enjoy!

Off the Needles

A while ago, we held a Lace KAL in the TUT Ravelry Group and I wrote about my choice to knit the Crocus Shawl, a pretty big lace challenge for me. The Crocus Shawl is designed by by Hiroko Folkmann Drost and is an Estonian Lace inspired shawl which I initially found very intimidating despite its beauty. 

I think I must have underestimated my skill level as I loved working on this project and really enjoyed the whole experience. I worked this up in Heavenly Cobweb, the new base that I think worked really well on such an intricate lace pattern. It is supremely soft and the end result is breathtaking.

I had a huge sense of accomplishment once I finished this shawl as it was by far the most complicated knit I had ever completed. Having now finished it, I feel completely invincible and feel I can take on more challenging knits in the future. I've already worn it a lot as I'm so proud of the end result. 

What finished item are you most proud of?

June's FO Parade

This is fast becoming one of my favourite blog posts each month as I get to share some of all the very talented knitter's work I've come across in TUT yarns. It's always a pleasure to see new projects being shared in the group and there's always a great reaction from other group members. I think we all like the inspiration. 

This month, Fimaha shared her 'Grumpled' socks which were knit is Lush Twist, a fingering weight Merino, Cashmere and Nylon blend with a tight twist. The colourway is called 'Envy' and the great stitch definition of this yarn showcased the texture in this pattern really well. The pattern is by Alice Yu and can be found in her recently published book 'Socktopus: 17 Designs Worth Showing Off'. The pattern itself is called 'Rumpled!' and Fimaha did a wonderful job on this intricate pattern.

Daily knit this wonderful sweater using the heavier weight Lush base, Lush Worsted, another MCN base with great stitch definition and a smooth ply. The pattern is called 'Shellseeker' and is designed by Heidi Kirrmaier. Daily worked her version up in the 'Teasmoked' colourway, a dusky pink, along with a darker Madelinetosh Vintage yarn to create strong stripes. Daily clearly loves the teasmoked colourway as her pattern notes include a great description of her 'prettiest yarn in the world' and it looks great with her colour choice for contrasting stripes. 

A while ago I knit a 'Cameo' shawl by Paulina Popiolek that proved very popular and IttyBitty's version is wonderful. Ittybitty worked her shawl up in two contrasting stripes of fingering weight, TUT's Lush Twist and Flying Colour's BFL Fingering. Lush Twist is the new yarn from The Uncommon Thread and looks like Super Sock, but feels like Lush Sock so is ideal for the drape and softness that you need in a shawl. Again, this is the 'Teasmoked' colourway and looks fabulous on IttyBitty.  

Maximiliana knit a gorgeously textured hat using Lush Worsted in the colourway 'Nimbostratus', a delicately variegated grey that is perfect for this kind of knit. The pattern is called 'Kirkstone' and is designed by LilyKate France. Maimiliana says she really enjoyed working with this yarn and it was her first time using TUT so I'm hoping we'll see lots more of these wonderful knits from her in the group in the future!

In contrast to wintery knits, Etfeemere has worked up a beautiful version of Heidi Kirrmaier's shawl pattern 'Windward'. I knit this pattern some time ago too for a test knit of the pattern and really enjoyed it. Etfeemere used just over 2 skeins of the 'Pontus' colourway in BFL Sock. Every 100g skein of plied British wool comes in 437 yards (400 meters. This delicate knit looks gorgeous in the blue tones of the colourway.  

Finally, there was an adorable child's knit using Posh Fingering, a decadent blend of 70% Superwash Bluefaced Leicester, 20% Silk and 10% Cashmere. Alouisa used the colourway 'Cumulonimbus' as the main colourway for the cute pattern 'Gathering Stripes' from Veera Valimaki. The finishing on this sweater is absolutely perfect and I love the flash of colour used inside on the cuffs and waistband (see her project page for lovely detailed pictures). Alouisa says she thinks there will be a lot of wear for this little sweater and I can see why. 

 

As always, a huge thank you to all the knitter's featured in the FO parade and agreeing to share your work and images. If you feel inspired by the FO's here, why not come over to the TUT Ravelry group?

Revving up....

... for the Ravelympics!

Have you seen this post on the TUT Ravelry group? We're thinking about creating a TUT Ravelympics group for the upcoming event.

For those of you who have never participated in the games before, the idea is to challenge yourself by starting and finishing one or more projects during the Olympics. This summer, London is hosting during the period of July 27th - August 12th and the Ravelympics start from the lighting of the beacon at the opening ceremony. For more details, visit the official FAQs on Ravelry and start planning your goal to reach.

I have been lucky enough to get tickets for the athletics so I might get to do some real life knitting at the Olympics. I haven't decided what my 'challenge' will be yet but I know it's going to be lots of fun. Let me know your plans and whether you'd like to join in!

FO Parade

Over on the TUT Ravelry group, we've been enjoying some very inspiring knitalongs. The Lace knitalong has just finished and ran from 1st March - 30 April 2012. The rules were simple: in order for your project to qualify it needed be any lace pattern or laceweight yarn from The Uncommon Thread. The results were amazing, just take a look at some of the beauties that were shared.

Knitasaurusrex completed a beautiful As You Wish shawl in just one skein of Posh Fingering. This shawl was a test knit for the designer, Boo Knits, and the colourway featured is 'Quiet Folly'. The long ripples in the simple pattern repeat of this shawl really show off the subtle variations in the colour of this yarn.

Lizoid worked up a really stunning Semele in two skeins of Silky Merino Fingering. The pattern is from Asa Tricosa and is offered in a range of sizes. Lizoid worked hers up in the colourway 'Dartmoor', a wonderful green tone that seems to suit the green foliage in her garden! Lucky Lizoid also has plenty of yarn left over so we expect to see more lovely green projects in her future.

Raphael used a club colourway to work up a truly amazing Silhouette shawl. The design is by Diana Rozenshteynand is a simple lace repeat on a top down shawl that gives a lovely lace finish. Raphael worked hers up in Silky Merino Fingering in the colourway 'Cerulean' and enjoyed the knit so much, she's cast on another already! It looks absolutely perfect for warmer days ahead.

Stringygirl's Henslowe in BFL Sock is absolutely lovely. This vibrant shawl uses the ' Jonquille, Mais Pas Gentille' colourway and makes great use of the stitch definition that comes from the BFL's plied texture. Henslowe is designed by the very talented Beth Kling and is a wonderful elongated curve with lacy edging. Another great knit to head into summer with.

Another green project that got a lot of attention was Audephil's Holden Shawlette. The Holden Shawlette is designed by Mindy Wilkes and makes use of a single skein of fingering weight yarn. Audephil worked hers up in another club colourway, 'Habitat', this time in Lush Twist a wonderfully bouncy MCN blend.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Lace KAL and if you would like to see more inspirational projects, please pop along to look at the thread here.

New KAL

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while will know how much I love stripes so the current KAL in the Uncommon Thread Ravelry group is perfect. This time we've chosen to go for stripes as so many people seem to be enjoying knitting more than one colour and combining TUT yarns in new and fun ways. 

The KAL started on the 1st May 2012 and there is already lots of inspiration and chatter. Come and join in! It runs until 30th June, so plenty of time to go still!