Rowan swatch party (and a giveaway!)

Hey hey! I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but around here we've been seeing a lot of snow. (Like almost 12" in 24 hours.) Which means lots of shoveling, lots of layers, lots of blankets and, of course, it's the perfect time for knitting. I haven't had a chance yet to show off some of my favorite new Rowan yarns from the Autumn/Winter release so I decided to knit up some swatches and let the yarn do the talking. From left to right, we have Brushed Fleece, Rowan Fine Tweed, Rowan Finest, Fazed Tweed and Chenille.

The dark blue swatch on the left is one of my new favorite yarns (of all time.) This is Brushed Fleece – lightweight but extremely warm and not itchy whatsoever. I'm knitting a cardigan (called Stour) with Brushed Fleece right now. The green swatch was made with Rowan Finest, which is luxurious and oh-so-soft. This yarn is a blend of extra fine merino, cashmere and royal alpaca wool. The marled blue and white swatch is a new yarn called Fazed Tweed, and is (in my opinion) the most innovative of the bunch! Fazed Tweed is a mix of wool and fine alpaca with a filled tube-like construction held together with a fine net-like fiber. Finally, on the far right is Chenille, which is absolutely gorgeous in person. Chenille is 100% cotton, very soft and has a great texture that makes it super fun to knit with.

And I didn't get around to making swatches for these guys, but another favorite yarn that I'm loving this season is definitely Rowan Fine Tweed. It comes in a zillion fantastic shades that all work amazingly well together.  This is a beautifully soft, 100% wool, traditionally spun tweed yarn made in one of the few surviving mills in Yorkshire. But again, the colors are what draws me to this yarn ... it's perfect for colorwork and Rowan offers tons of gorgeous patterns that encourage you to let your imagination run wild with color combinations.

GIVEAWAY!

THE PRIZE

One lucky reader will win will get a ball of Chenille, Fazed Tweed and Brushed Fleece. (I might have a few more secret surprises from Rowan to throw in your package as well!)

HOW TO ENTER

• Comment below telling me what you are knitting right now.
• Like Rowan Yarns on Facebook.

THE RULES

• U.S. residents only. (Sorry!)
• Giveaway is open until February 16th, 2015 at 11:30 PM CST.
• Comments must include a valid email address or Ravelry ID so I can contact you if you are the winner. :)
• Winner will be chosen via random number generator and will be contacted within 48 hours after giveaway ends. 

Best of luck and thanks so much for reading!

Ferris

A new hat for me! I've picked out five different things I want to make from Rowan's Big Accessories collection (because who doesn't like a project that you can whip up in an evening/weekend?) The first thing I had to make was this awesome hat, Ferris.

Ferris was designed by Sarah Hatton using Alpaca Chunky. (I used shade 73/Pigeon.) This was a super quick knit and if you're not familiar with this yarn, it is softer than soft. It has a rounded chain construction which gives it a bit of stretch and makes it incredibly lightweight, but it's also very, very warm. This hat uses exactly one ball of Alpaca Chunky and I'm in love with all of the natural colorways that are available. 

The next project I want to knit from this collection is Bandit, which is a super cool cowl with fur trim on the cover of Big Accessories. Check it out – it's so neat! What's on your needles right now? The time (and the weather) is right for knitting.

Rowan Loves

Wow, right? I just received a new stack of gorgeous Rowan publications on my doorstep, and I wanted to share this collection right off the bat. It's called 'Rowan Loves Kidsilk Haze & Felted Tweed' by Sarah Hatton, and it's kind of a big deal because this book is like no other. All 9 designs can be knitted in either Felted Tweed DK – or – Kidsilk Haze (held single or double) and all of the designs can be customized. It's so much fun to see the two yarn usage options and dream of all the possibilities. Just look...

9 designs, all classics with updated twists, have multiple options for customizing.  Plus every pattern can either be knit in Felted Tweed DK for a more casual look, or for a more glam look, knit in Kidsilk Haze single or doubled. - See more at: http://www.knitionary.blogspot.com/#sthash.eg84eO4D.dpuf

all 9 designs, all classics with updated twists, have multiple options for customizing.  Plus every pattern can either be knit in Felted Tweed DK for a more casual look, or for a more glam look, knit in Kidsilk Haze single or doubled. - See more at: http://www.knitionary.blogspot.com/#sthash.eg84eO4D.dpuf

all 9 designs, all classics with updated twists, have multiple options for customizing.  Plus every pattern can either be knit in Felted Tweed DK for a more casual look, or for a more glam look, knit in Kidsilk Haze single or doubled. - See more at: http://www.knitionary.blogspot.com/#sthash.eg84eO4D.dpuf

Sarah Hatton.nd it's a particularly unique collection because

The first pic (top) is of 'Gemma' knit in Kidsilk Haze ... and here is 'Gemma' in Felted Tweed DK. I love both looks! (Do you see how much fun this is?)

This is 'Karla' in Felted Tweed DK and 'Kate' in Kidsilk Haze.

Here's 'Kate' again, but in Felted Tweed DK and with a contrast edging + alternate neckline! 

 

This is 'Andrea' in Felted Tweed DK with long sleeves.

 

 And here's an adorable short-sleeved version of 'Andrea' in Kidsilk Haze.

Check out 'Jamie' in this gorgeous blue shade of Kidsilk Haze, called 'Trance.'

And this comfy, cozy version of 'Jamie' in Felted Tweed DK.

 

But 'Rowan Loves' isn't all sweaters! Check out 'Davina,' a gorgeous wrap.

 And 'Paula,' a hat that would look fantastic in both yarns.

You can pick up a copy of 'Rowan Loves Kidsilk Haze & Felted Tweed' at your local Rowan stockist or look for it amongst the many yarn shops online. And keep an eye out for more 'Rowan Loves' books in the future – we've heard that this will become a series. I've been poring over new Rowan designs each night before bed and I can't wait to share more soon!

Rowan Loves by Sarah Hatton will be available soon at your Rowan stockist, if not there already. Rowan Felted Tweed DK and Rowan Kidsilk Haze are very popular yarns and very easy to find.  Your local Rowan stockist will most likely carry a good selection.  My local yarn store, Uncommon Threads in Los Altos is always my first option, support your LYS!  If you don't have that option, there are many many many excellent online stores you can visit worldwide.  

I heard from Rowan that there will be a series of books called Rowan Loves.  I don't know what yarns they will be loving next, but as soon as I know, you'll know!

- See more at: http://www.knitionary.blogspot.com/#sthash.eg84eO4D.dpuf

Latest infatuation: Rowan Felted Tweed + Easy Fairisle Knits

Fairisle kittens and stripes on a scarf! I'm kind of obsessed. If you're still working on perfecting your colorwork skills (like me,) you have to see Martin Storey's newest collection using Rowan Felted Tweed DK. It's called 'Easy Fairisle Knits' and it's a ton of fun.

Fairisle is everywhere this season and I'm convinced that this scarf is the perfect accessory.  

And check out the rest of Martin's contemporary simplified fairisle designs. This collection includes 14 designs – hats, socks, scarves, cushions, a slipover, bag, throw and garland – all with only two colors in a row.

 

 

If you're new to the world of Felted Tweed, I'll let you in on a few details. First of all, this yarn is available in 28 perfect shades (and you will love them all.) Second, these adorable little balls of merino/alpaca/viscose are the perfect yarn for colorwork. You'll want to collect them all because the color combinations are endless. Truly. Third, this yarn is lightly pre-felted which knits up into a gorgeous fabric that's light yet warm, but also looks a tiny bit felted. Felted Tweed is a favorite amongst knitters for a reason and the projects in 'Easy Fairisle Knits' are the perfect way to give it a try.

North

Drab - Kim Hargreaves/North

Sometimes you see a collection of patterns for the first time and fall in love with each and every one. That's what happened to me (and probably what will happen to you) when I first laid eyes 'North' by the wonderful Kim Hargreaves. This collection is a gorgeous showcase of contemporary tweeds, cozy cables and jewel colored arans. I loved diving into all the darks and neutrals to find those exciting brights thrown in – little dashes of orange, pink, blue, chartreuse and yellow amongst oceans of navy and stormy gray. I'm a fan. Take a look.

This collection includes a whopping 21 designs using Rowan Felted Tweed DK, Kid Classic, Kidsilk Haze, Fine Lace, Rowan Finest, Lima, Fur, Brushed Fleece, Mohair Haze, Cocoon and Felted Tweed Aran. Honestly. What more could you ask for? North is available now from Rowan stockists and you can check out the details for each pattern right here.  

Craftwork

 Birgit

If you're having a rather dull day so far, I have a real treat for your eyes. Rowan Magazine 56 features a story called 'Craftwork' and it's my absolute favorite. Craftwork makes me nostalgic for art history lectures in college; it's heavily influenced by the Bauhaus and Arts and Crafts movement. These designs are inspired by an artisan approach to traditional craft in a celebration of pattern, color and texture. Check it out.

 

 Anja

 Heike

 Katja

 Ulrika

Isolde Wrap

Gorgeous and brilliant! I tend to stick with solids and neutrals in my knitting but the colorblocking and color work in these pieces really makes me want to try something new. Which one is your favorite? (I can't even decide.) ;)

Rowan Autumn/Winter 14/15 collection preview: Brushed Fleece

I recently had a chance to check out some of the new Autumn/Winter yarns from Rowan, and one of my favorites (hands down) is Brushed Fleece. I always have a weakness for chunky yarns, but this one stands out. Brushed Fleece is a super soft blend of extra fine merino wool and baby alpaca. Softness? Check. It's also quick to knit and light as a feather – and it's very warm, without that heavy-sweater feeling. Take a peek at the new Brushed Fleece collection of outdoorsy, richly-colored designs for men and women by Martin Storey.

Such a gorgeous collection, right? I am obsessed with the wraps, shrugs, capes and cardigans. All of it. And trust me – you really have to see and feel Brushed Fleece to see how wonderful it is. Lightweight and warm, quick to knit? Yes please. I want to knit a sweater with it ASAP. Be sure to check out all of the Brushed Fleece colorways right here.