these are a few of my favorite things

Winter knits! No surprise, but I have way too many things on my needles this winter. I just can't help myself. I've been beyond busy knitting chunky accessories for local holiday craft fairs, so I've been yearning for some free time to knit for myself. Yes, me. My stuff. Above are some Rowan pattern books that I can't keep my hands off of. Left to right, these are my very favorites. Warm and Toasty, a collection of women’s accessory designs from simple shrugs and capelets to snoods and hats. Pioneer, a collection of hand knits for both men and women inspired by the Midwest and hand crafted lifestyle. The collection features rustic cables, intarsia star jackets and also simple to knit minimal designs in a palette of dark neutrals. (I love this Pioneer.) The Amore Collection, which includes shawls, wraps, hats, wrist warmers and a relaxed short sleeve sweater, all designed by Lisa Richardson. And Rowan Studio 33, The Last Hurrah, which is the final collection for Rowan's Studio publications. Using Kidsilk Haze, Anchor Artiste Metallic, Kidsilk Haze Eclipse, Angora Haze and Kidsilk Haze Glamour the designers have ensured the final collection is a fitting last hurrah and covers all knitting skill levels from beginner to the more experienced.

 I've started knitting the 'Hyslop Hat' from Warm and Toasty using Alpaca Chunky.

 And I also have a decent start on the 'Ranch' sweater from Pioneer using Big Wool.

 I'd love to give 'Amity' a go, from The Amore Collection by Lisa Richardson.

And I recently received these lovelies in the mail – Fine Art Aran and Fine Art (sock.) Which I can't wait to wind and put to good use. The green Fine Art will make a pair of awesome socks and I want to knit an accessory of some sort for Lotus with the Fine Art Aran. So as you can see, my knitting to-do list is long but very lovely. I can't wait for some down time to tackle some new projects. (What are you working on right now?)

knitting with Rowan Fine Art

 

This, my friends, is Fine Art. The much-anticipated new sock yarn from Rowan. (Yes, their very first premium hand-painted sock yarn!) It's a blend of fiber and color. Designed for socks, shawls and other accessories, it is made with merino wool, kid mohair, mulberry silk and polyamide to make it the perfect choice for all kinds of projects. 

Fine Art is also a story of the people in South Africa who source, spin, and dye the yarn. 'If there is one aspect of this business we'd really like to highlight, it's the empowerment of individuals.' You can read more here about the group of people who form a collaborative effort to create this beautiful hand (and sponge!) painted yarn. It's a pretty neat story worth checking out.

 

You may remember when I first posted the gorgeous photos from the Fine Art Collection here, and when I got my skein in the mail (and saw the gorgeous neutrals in this colorway, called Chiff-Chaff) I started to get excited about a certain pair of ankle socks in the book.

 

And so I cast on Sparrow by Gemma Atkinson, shown in the photo above. It's a bit hard to see the detail on the cuff in these photos, so had a fun surprise as I started knitting these! There are three rows of gathered lacy bits near the top and the rest is garter stitch, which shows off the color changes ever-so-nicely.

Even more fun than watching the colors change is feeling the softness as you go. This yarn is so incredibly soft and wonderful to knit with. It's not stiff, and not flimsy. I can tell these are going to feel incredible when I finally get to wear them. (Oh yeah ... did I mention that this is my very first time knitting socks?) Even if I make a few rookie mistakes, these are going to be beautiful, I can tell. I'm sure this very first pair will be a little bit extra special.