knitbot, by Hannah Fettig

We now have 3 trunk shows knit up for Coastal Knits. One of the fun things about this is that we now have some of the designs knit in different yarns or colors.
One sample I’m especially keen on is Alana’s Gnarled Oak Cardigan knit in Pigeonroof Studios Cassiopeia DK. The original sample was knit in the color Juniper.

I’m especially in love with it knit in the color Bronze Age.

Note, this sample is 32″, and I am (ahem) not 32″.  I would knit the 35 3/4 for myself.   I do think this cardigan looks really cute with negative ease if you like to wear your sweaters that way.

Yoked cardigans are so great because they look good on EVERYONE.   Gnarled oak comes sized 32 (35¾, 39½, 43, 46¾)[50½, 54, 57¾, 61½]”

If you are looking to knit one of the largest sizes, check out Julie’s post on Knitting at Large.  She has some great tips there, as she is knitting it herself!

Since the release of Coastal Knits, there has been a flurry of activity.
This past week I enjoyed some relaxation on Cape Cod.

I did fit in a stop to a yarn shop while there, A Stitch in Thyme in Orleans, MA. It was nice to see Coastal Knits on display!

I hope everyone has a nice week!

We thought it would be fun to hold a knitalong with another one of the patterns from Coastal Knits. We chose the Water’s Edge cardigan because it is so flattering to many different sizes, and it has a lot of fun knitting to offer to all skill levels. Fun for everyone!

I will be posting about the KAL over on the Coastal Knits Ravelry group where we can all share our progress and ask questions. I will also be hosting a weekly live chat in the group’s page on Ravelry. If you want to join in, just go to the group page and click inside the Chat Room box in the upper right corner of the page to enter. I’ll be there every Wednesday from 5:00 – 6:00 PST for some fun sharing and conversation. I hope you will join me there!

I will be knitting the sweater using madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK in the Cove colorway. I even took the time to properly wash and block my swatch. Go me! Swatching is hard when you want to jump right in to a project, but it’s always worth it in the end when everything fits the way it’s supposed to and you can throw on your new sweater and wear it with pride instead of stuffing it in the back of a drawer (*cough! cough!* Not that I would know anything about that.)

So what are you waiting for? Grab your book and some yarn, and get knitting! I’m looking forward to the company.

- Deirdre @ Knitbot

I’m happy to release today a version of the Carrot Cardigan from my Knitscene 2009 collection: Autumnal.

finished measurements
Bust: 34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62)” Length: 27.5 (28.5, 29.5, 30.5, 31.5, 32.5, 33.5, 34.5)”
Shown with 2–4” positive ease.

yarn
12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27) skeins Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light (50% Super Fine Alpaca, 50% Peruvian Wool; 50g; 144 yds) in Mahogany Mix

needles
US6 / 4 mm:
• 32” circular needle
• set of 5 double-pointed needles (dpns) US8 / 5 mm:
• 32” circular needle
Adjust needle size to obtain correct gauge.

notions
Stitch markers, stitch holders or waste yarn, tapestry needle

gauge
24 sts and 36 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Stockinette stitch on smaller needles

$4.95
buy now

This open cardigan is knit from the bottom up in one piece until you reach the underarm edge. The fronts and back are then worked separately. The sleeves are worked separately and then set it. The collar is picked up last, you switch to larger needles half way through so the collar folds out nicely.

Yarn shops, Autumnal is also available for wholesale starting next week!

Thanks so much to Berroco for supplying yarn support, and to Carrie Hoge for the beautiful photographs of Jocelyn!

Thanks to your enthusiasm for Knitbot patterns, and the overwhelming response to Coastal Knits, I have someone to introduce you to today.

Meet Deirdre Kennedy!  She’s going to be assisting me here at Knitbot.  If you write in with a question about a pattern, or are a yarn shop placing an order, you will most likely speak with her.
Deirdre has been working for me as a sample knitter for the past few years.  She’s knit a good number of Knitbot designs! She’s very qualified to help you if you are having trouble figuring out a pattern.

Let’s get to know her a little better:

Where are you from?
I have lived most of my life in the Twin Cities in Minnesota.  I moved to southern California four years ago for grad school and now I live in San Diego.

What’s your knitting background?
I taught myself how to knit in 2005 after a coworker mentioned her knitting and recommended the Stitch n Bitch book.  I have been knitting ever since.  Right now I share my enthusiasm for knitting by working at my LYS: Two Sisters and Ewe in La Mesa, CA.  I get to teach classes, help people tackle knitting problems, and I’m surrounded by beautiful yarn all day.  What could be better than that?

I know both your brother Peter and your mother Barbara also knit.  What’s it like being part of a family of knitters?

I have three other sisters who knit as well; one older, and two younger.  It’s great having that many people to call when I get stuck or have questions.  I come from a large family so we have several other siblings who do not knit but are always requesting projects–it’s very nice to be able to “share the burden”. LOL

What are your favorite kinds of knitting projects?
I like to knit sweaters and lace most of all.  The toughest part about living in southern California is that we don’t get as much sweater weather as most of the rest of the country.  I love chilly nights when I have an excuse to pull out the wool sweaters.

What’s the craziest thing you ever knit?
A few years ago I started a tradition of knitting crazy birthday gifts for one of my brothers.  I’ve done a couple of wigs, some bearded helmets, and this year I crocheted a giant, neon afghan.  It’s fun to do something silly once in a while.

 
If you were going to design your own yarn line, what would it be like?
Ooh…good question.  I like natural fibers, in solid or semi-solid colorways.  I would probably design a line of plied, dk-weight wool/silk blends with deep colors.

What’s your favorite color?  Do you find yourself knitting in this color a lot?
I’m always drawn to greens and purples but I try to vary what I knit with so I’m not always using the same color.  Oddly enough, I seem to use gray most of all.  I know…it doesn’t make sense to me, either.

What’s on your needles right now?  What’s next in the queue?
Right now I’m working on a baby blanket for a sister of mine.  Then it’s back to sweaters!  I’m looking forward to casting on for a Water’s Edge cardigan from Coastal Knits, then I’m hoping to make a swirl jacket from Sandra McIver’s book ‘Knit, Swirl’.  I’m looking forward to knitting both of them. :)

You can find more of Deirdre here, on twitter: @deirdreknits, or e-mail her at info@knitbot.com.  She’s starting a Water’s Edge Cardigan knit-a-long in the Coastal Knits group on Ravelry.  If that’s in your queue, come join us!

Leave a comment below to welcome Deirdre!