It’s grainy, it’s a little blurry, it had to be converted to black and white because the carpet and walls are just too horrifying for me to inflict on you, but I wanted to show you this picture anyway. It’s me at VKLive last Sunday, wearing the sample of Jared Flood’s Channel Cardigan. Talk about feeding an obsession — is it awesome or what?! I liked it before — thought it looked like a ton of fun to knit — but now that I’ve had it on, I can’t stop thinking about it. There is no question I’m knitting it (and probably before or concurrent with poor old Slade). The only question is what yarn. I want it to be something with outstanding stitch definition, obviously, but not quite as hot as the BT Shelter. I’d like to be able to wear it for most of the year, so I need some kind of wool-cotton blend or something. Not pure cotton, preferably a tweed or heather. If you have suggestions, I’m all ears!
Also, FYI, I got to spend a couple of hours knitting with the illustrious and adorable Ann Shayne (of Mason-Dixon Knitting) this week, and she posted a tiny video of me knitting Portuguese style. I don’t know how helpful it is, but for everyone who was left curious after my inadequate description of the process …
In other news, there are some thrilling new things in the webshop today, which some of you will have seen at Stitches West and/or VKLive. Carrying Bookhou goods has been a goal for me since the launch of Fringe Supply Co. Maker Arounna Khounnoraj is sort of an idol of mine — I’m stunned at the amount of talent and taste and hard work in this one person. And her sewn goods are not only beautiful but imminently useful and attainably priced. So I’m thrilled to finally have her storage box and assorted pouches in store.
Also, by popular demand, the “high-fiber diet” design is now available as a letterpress print! The perfect companion to the Yarn Pyramid. I hope you love all of it!
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Happy Friday, everyone. Please do tell me what you’re working on this weekend!
I want to knit my own Channel Cardigan, it’s amazing! I had to laugh when you said you would wear it year round, here on the coast of SC I would melt in a puddle if I had a sweater on in May no matter what fiber content!
Right now I am working on socks, I am on a mission to knit a 100 pairs. I also have Jared Flood’s Leaves of Grass on the needles. I’ve knit this pattern before, but now I am using worsted weight to make it blanket size for a wedding gift.
I had to pop back in to say I love that you are carrying cookies in your shop, you think of everything a knitter could need!
Have a great weekend.
I try! Seriously, those cookies are amazing.
I wear sweaters all year round too.
I need to get started on some more cardigans and sweaters before the weather warms up much more, but this weekend I am going to be knitting up a pair of alpaca socks in the hopes that they will keep my freezing feet warmer. I just hope I can round up enough time to complete (including blocking) them for wearing on Monday.
I really want to knit some socks this summer. I love that everyone talked about that in the “do you knit year-round” discussion.
I want to recommend using Chesapeake yarn by Classic Elite for your sweater. It is 50/50 wool and cotton. I made my Acer out of it and it has great stitch definition plus it doesn’t pill very much. Not sure if the gauge is the same as the original yarn.
I haven’t heard of that one — will take a look!
Checked and the gauge of both yarns is compatible. They are both considered worsted.
Inspired by your “Someday / Right Away” post I decided to go for the “Right Away”:
The Guernsey Triangle – which is my first Jared Flood pattern AND first Brooklyn Tweed “Loft” project – and it is really fun. (For the moment I can only DREAM about casting on for the Channel….sigh)
Jealous!
Great I knit in portuguese style!
I love that you post so often! Yours is the first I click in the morning when I’m starting my day with a little knitting and coffee. This weekend I’ ll be working on the sleeves of my Space Girl sweater made from Ms. Babs Yowza. It’s a light worsted and I’m working in the color Love Bug,,,,shockingly pink; just perfect for spring and air-conditioned summers. I wonder if the Channel piece might not work up in Handknit Cotton from Rowan?
I have a soft spot for hot pink but rarely feel bold enough to wear it.
Please revisit this as I would also would love some suggestions – do like the 50:50 suggestion above ! The sweater is divine!
The sweater fits you really nicely!
Rowan Purelife Revive is tweedy and pretty if you’re sold on not knitting with wool–Revive is a 100% recycled blend of wool/silk/viscose.
Green Mountain Cotton Comfort also has some lightly heathery colorways–
I thought about the Green Mountain — saw it at Stitches and found it really appealing. I might have to get some to swatch with.
Hi – I made a cardigan (Hypatia) out of Knit One Crochet Too Seda Rustica. It’s 70% silk and 30% llama, so not sure if that’s light enough for what you want, but it actually feels pretty light to me, I guess due to the higher silk content? It’s kind of nubby but soft. I enjoyed knitting with it.
Do you find the silk to be really warm? People are always telling me how warm silk is.
Channel Island looks great on you. I like the shoulder/sleeve shaping.
This weekend I’ll be knitting upteen-hundred and seventy cables on my Stormy Cables pullover: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/atexasgirl/ultraviolet-v-neck . Trying to get it done before the weather warms up too much. I have doubts, though. Two days ago it was 82.
Eh, wearing it in the fall will be something to look forward to!
That cardigan is on my mental list for next winter. I’m already planning colours! For a warm-weather friendly yarn, what about using Berroco Remix? For the content, I’ve found that it holds it’s shape quite well and is perfectly tweedy! (Also, I have such a huge crush on Bookhou and I’m picking up my first purse from them at the One of a Kind show in Toronto next week! So excited!)
That’s another one I don’t know but will investigate! Thanks.
Pediboo Worsted from Frogtree. Great stitch definition, bamboo merino blend. Lovely yarn.
Have you made a sweater with it? I worry about bamboo’s tendency to grow — wondering if you’ve experienced that with this yarn, which I’ve not heard of.
Hi, I just downloaded Macallan, I have some Swan’s Island wool. I think I would knit Channel cardigan in o-wool Balance. Have fun!
Oh, I like that Macallan. Balance, sadly, is discontinued.
Balance appears to be here in abundance: http://o-wool.com/products/balance
It’s a great yarn in wool/cotton blend!
What about Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Wool for the cardigan? It’s 45% wool, 35% silk, and 20% nylon, and—to my mind, anyway—a nice mix of refined and “tweedy.” It *is* DK weight, not worsted, though. I’ve used it a lot, and like it, and find that it’s perfect for our cool Oregon coast summers. (There’s also Silky Wool XL, which is an 80/20 mix of wool and silk, and calls itself “heavy worsted.”)
I know people who love that yarn, but I’ve not knitted with it. It has some sheen, doesn’t it? I’m weird about sheen (for me).
YAY!!! So happy you made the Wool letter press print. Any chance you might do it in black too or is that too much ink/cost prohibitive? Love the cardigan on you, Karen!
If I were screen printing it, maybe, but wanted this to be letterpress. It came out beautifully — I hope you’ll like it, Olga!
Oh I love it! I am just so in love with the black in the post card one too, that’s why I was curious and yes, now I get it that it can’t be letterpress’ed :P
The idea of knitting all those gorgeous cables with cotton makes my hands ache. I’d look for a bamboo blend, maybe? Or something with a little silk? You’ll get nice colour variation just by virtue of how the different fibres take colour differently.
Karen, thanks for the video. My curiosity has been piqued by portuguese style knitting ever since you mentioned it (knew it existed, and found it complicatish-looking at the time). The technique promises some features that make it very interesting in my book, especially when it comes to stranded colorwork: hands-free tension consistency; same stitch formation movements for knitting with different colors (no need to learn the “other” style – be it English or continental); easily manageable floats. Now, if I could just get some practice!
Karen, I have two options for you Juniper Moon Sabine or Austerman Whisper. Sabine is a cotton, merino, llama blend and the Whisper is a wool cotton blend. Both are wonderful to knit with but the Whisper knits just like a “whisper”. If you can’t find a cotton blend then another option is Quince Owl or Tweet, neither knit as bulky and heavy as you think and can run the needle size changes similar to Shelter. Can’t wait to see the cast on photos.
I’ve been curious about the Junipe Moon yarns, Cheryl, but have never heard of Austerman Whisper! Do you sell it?
SAVANNAH! http://kelbournewoolens.com/yarns/savannah (xo)
Why didn’t I think of that, Kate? I have that persimmon I can swatch with, but it might be great in slate …
I tried on that cardigan too and can’t get it off my mind! It fit so perfect (except for the sleeves being short) and those Churchmouse ladies are such enablers! I think I’ll make it out of Shelter because I have a stash, but would consider Ella Rae classic wool as another option.
Oh goodness. That is divine. I’m not surprised it’s haunting you!
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