EVERYDAY: A casual, modern hand-knit collection

I'm thrilled to share my newest knitting book with you, 'Everyday: A casual, modern hand-knit collection'. I was going to wait until October 31/Halloween to let this baby drop, but things have fallen into place and I think it's ready to go!

‘Everyday’ is a collection of 11 modern hand knits that are casual, comfortable and truly fun to knit and wear. The modern silhouettes of the tanks and sweaters in this book will work their way into every season of your wardrobe, on their own or as layering pieces. Chunky, bulkier yarns round out this collection with a cozy range of accessories to get you through the colder months.

Once again ... a huge, ginormous thank you to my wonderful photographers Joey Leaming and Joelle Blanchard and to my models Chantell Moody and Valerie Sanders (and Joelle again!) And thank you to all of YOU, my friends near and far who have read this blog and followed my crafty adventures over the years. (This blog is over ten years old, which is kind of nuts!) Thank you so much for your encouragement and enthusiasm; for your long-distance friendship and virtual high fives. I love you guys.

Another book, another adventure. I sincerely hope you like it. All the ordering info can be found below. Feel free to email me if you come across any links that don't work or problems along the way. This book is self-published and I've set up all the distribution channels myself, so it's always kind of scary to say GO!

(But I'm ready. Let's go.)

HARD COPY + PDF EBOOK

Order your hard copy of 'Everyday: A casual, modern hand-knit collection' + a free digital copy for $27 + shipping. Hard copies of 'EVERYDAY' are paperback with a soft matte finish on the cover. Gorgeously photographed, this 140-page collection will look fantastic on your knitting resource shelf or your coffee table. Look for the PDF download link (for your electronic copy of the book) in your confirmation email.

 

RAVELRY – PDF ebook + PDF individual patterns

Each individual pattern is available on Ravelry, along with the full PDF ebook.

AMAZON.COM

'EVERYDAY' is also available on Amazon.com.

KINDLE

Available as a Kindle eBook here.

LOOKBOOK

Want to take a look inside? Check out the complete 'EVERYDAY' Lookbook.

 

WHOLESALE INQUIRIES

For wholesale information, please email me or contact Deep South Fibers.

Behind the scenes (of Book no. 2)

I've been sketching, dreaming, knitting and writing my latest hand-knit collection for the past year or so, and now it's finally time to put all the pieces together. I look forward to this part the very most. Once again I'm collaborating with my local dream team Joelle Blanchard and Joey Leaming, plus my gorgeous model friends Chantell Moody and Valerie Sanders. I cannot tell you what a thrill it is to work alongside these comrades of mine who just have creativity oozing from their bones. We laughed and listened to records this past week, and I think we've captured every stitch and tiny detail.

The photos have been shot. The patterns are receiving their final tech edits. The layout is coming together. Here we go again ... and I hope you'll come along for the ride. Book no. 2 (title still in the works) will be released later this month. Tell your mama. Tell your friends. Tell anyone whose heart can comprehend. <3

Big Wool Knits

One of my all-time favorite yarns in the universe is Rowan Big Wool. It's just the very best and I knit with it constantly. So you can imagine my excitement over Rowan's new Big Wool Knits collection! It's so fantastic – I want to knit it all. Check it out.

Braided – now available in Danish!

A few years ago (well, gosh – it was back in 2010!) I wrote a knitting pattern called 'Braided', which is a nice cozy headband/earwarmer. Every so often, I'll get a message from a lovely knitter on Ravelry who offers to translate a pattern for a different language. Which is so extremely cool and kind of them! I love spreading knitting love around the globe, I do.

Thanks to Marianne Holmen of Denmark, Braided has been translated to Danish! You can find the tranlated PDF right here.

Lykkelig strikning! (Happy knitting!)

Briggs & Little Country Roving

It's no secret that I have an obsession/adoration for super bulky and chunky yarn. But sometimes I get the itch to knit with something a little bit different. And I've found a super bulky that is a little bit different (and looks amazing.) It's called Briggs & Little Country Roving, and it's made of 5 strands of 100% wool that are held together as a single strand.

Briggs & Little is Canada's oldest woolen mill and has a really interesting history that you can read about here and here. (Seriously, you should check it out because I just learned a lot about how yarn is spun at a mill.) They use 100% Canadian wool and environmentally friendly dyes, which are very wash & light fast. As you can see here, Country Roving is spun from single strand roving into 5-ply rolls. It's wound to stay together (while remaining separate!) The end result is definitely that wonderful super bulky, woolen fabric that we all love but it's also light and airy. It knits up lightning fast. Country Roving comes in 15 shades, and the one I'm using here is called Sheep's Grey. Each lovely 8 oz roll has 155 yards.

This month Briggs & Little are celebrating their 100th anniversary of the Briggs & Little Name, though the mill itself has actually been around for over 150 years! If you'd like to try the yarn, you can contact them by emailing yarninfo@briggsandlittle.com to find your nearest Briggs & Little retailer. They can also ship directly to customers if you don't happen to have a LYS that carries the yarn. You can check out their yarns on their website ... and be sure to follow them on Facebook!

I'm actually playing around with designs for my next book with Briggs & Little Country Roving because I am really enjoying the way it looks as I knit! I've been on the hunt for a woolen super bulky like this for awhile and I think I've found 'the one!' (What would you make with this super cool 5-strand wonder?)

I've just gotta share ...

(photos by Alex Crahan)

This year (for the first time since maybe 7th grade) I have clear skin. I have spent years covering issues on my face with layers of concealer and makeup. After having my kids, I dealt with painful breakouts that hurt my face and I tried everything I could find to get rid of them but nothing was working. I tried not to worry about it when I went out of the house and covered it the best I could but truthfully, I felt embarrassed about my face. I'd cover my face with my hand or try to hide parts of my face with my hair when I'd talk to people. This was something I didn't want to worry about anymore.

Breakouts like mine physically hurt and being in my late 30s, I felt I owed it to myself to figure this out. And I found something that worked. Rodan + Fields saved my face. And I'm just getting started. Acne and pregnancy have left scars and dark spots and melasma on my face. R+F has skincare regimens for people like me with adult acne, but also for people with sensitive skin, rosacea, dark spots, discoloration, loss of firmness and more. Rodan + Fields has been around forever, you've seen Proactiv commercials and you know the story but it's the real deal. Real dermatologists who have developed products and regimens that can help.

After thinking about it for awhile, I've decided to become a Rodan + Fields consultant. Because I truly believe in this stuff. I have seen friends' faces transform (in person) and the results are mind blowing.

If you are even a tiny bit interested (or know someone else who might be interested) in finding out more or just want to follow my skincare journey, you can find me in the following places. Thanks so much, my friends! (Don't worry ... I'll be right back to blogging about knitting in no time flat, I promise!)

Find me here:
My Rodan + Fields website
My R+F Facebook Group
My R+F Instagram
Email me with questions!

Della Q Millie Roll Top Project Bag

Check out this GORGEOUS knitting/project bag. (I'm a little bit obsessed. I feel like it's the perfect bag for me!) It's called the Millie Roll Top Bag by Della Q and it's a knitter's dream.

I recently had the chance to try out a Millie Roll Top Bag, and the funny thing is that my husband Bo (who has a million outdoorsy hobbies ... kayaking, off-road unicycling, skateboarding, snowboarding, etc.) recognized the genius design of this bag before I did! The Millie Roll Top Bag is fashioned after a kayaking dry bag. So of course, Bo immediately said 'Your knitting bag is like my kayak dry bag!' YES. Yes, it is. And it makes so much sense! Knitters need cool, functional gear, too.

It's a simple and modern design with no fuss – no zippers or buttons to mess with. The fabric is super soft and just slippery enough that your yarn won't get fuzzy while you carry it around. My striped bag is the 'Cedar' colorway but you should definitely check out the other colors and prints here.

The bag itself is 15 x 18.25 inches, which is perfect. And the band at the top allows you to roll down the top of your bag to whatever size you need it to be, depending on the size of your project.

Then you just tie the two straps! Totally functional and extremely cute.

So yes – this is my new favorite knitting bag and you'll definitely see me carrying it around a lot. Check out Della Q's demonstration video below and find all of her fantastic bags, knitting needle/crochet hook cases and more right here. Also, you can follow her on Facebook here.

Greenwich

I finished a sweater! Okay, it took way longer than it should have (cough, I started last October) but things come up. I kept putting this on the back burner but no one's keeping score ... no one exactly wins the knitting race, right? This pattern is Greenwich by Martin Storey, knit in Rowan Super Fine Merino DK in a colorway called Zing. (Such a super rad color!) This still needs to be blocked but I couldn't wait to try it on to see how it feels/looks. This yarn is amazing if you're at all sensitive to wool or tend to get itchy. Super Fine Merino DK is smooth, squishy and extremely soft ... it glides through your hands when you knit with it and I swear it almost feels like rubber. In a good way. This is definitely a extra comfy everyday knit!

The side slits on the bottom edges are a fun detail. And that stitch pattern is created with a k1 below rib which takes a bit to get used to, but goes pretty quickly. (Says the girl who took six months to knit the sweater.)

Want to make one of your own? You can find this Martin Storey pattern in Rowan's Easy DK Knits at your local yarn shop or online. You can also find more info on Ravelry and on Rowan's website.

Okay, I'm going to go block this now and maybe take better pics when I'm done. ;)

Happy knitting!

Love + Leche

Lotion bars are a kind of a big deal right now. I keep seeing them popping up on my Instagram feed and in local yarns shops across the land, and I've always wanted to give them a try. For a knitter/crafter/mom, these bars make so much sense. My knitting hands are always so dry and I know I'm not the only girl with this problem. The one lotion bar in particular that I keep running into is Love + Leche, an all-natural handmade moisturizing bar made with beeswax. Which sounds absolutely delightful (and it is.) They also make Goat Milk Soap and Anywhere Balms!

I got to try my very first Love + Leche lotion bar a couple of weeks ago, along with an adorable bar of Goat Milk Soap, both in a Lemongrass scent. Take a look at the gorgeous hand-poured reliefs of these bars. They are truly a joy to hold in your hand and they radiate a gorgeous, natural golden honey color. Fresh goat milk, warm golden honey and beeswax ... that's what goes into these products. I love that.

Okay, let's talk about the Goat Milk Soap. What a soft and soothing experience. This design is the Nubian goat “mascots” of Love + Leche. Adorable. (My kids love this soap and it smells fantastic.) The Goat Milk Soap has a light lather and feels totally silky in your hands. It's naturally nourishing, super gentle and made from goat milk, honey, beeswax and organic extra virgin olive oil infused with calendula flowers. I kept my bar in the kitchen where I do the majority of my hand washing, but you can also use Love + Leche soaps on your face and body. I tried the Lemongrass scent but now I want to try them all. (It's easy to treat yourself, because you get $3 off if you buy 3 bars.) The Goat Milk Soap is available in Lavender, Lavender-Rosemary, Anise, Cedarwood, Lemongrass or Unscented. Yum.

And this is the lotion bar (or one of them ... check them all out right here.) I'm totally, 100% infatuated with this bee design. The warmth of your hands gently softens the beeswax as you use it, allowing your skin to replenished and deeply moisturized. It feels extremely soothing on my perpetually dry hands. You can even use it on chapped lips, rough feet and split fingers. (I recently used it on the windburn on my son's cheeks.) Each bar is available with a reusable tin for $1 extra. And once you have a tin in your possession, you can order individual bars and reuse the tin again and again. Unlike other hand balms for knitters, Love + Leche bars are totally handmade and hand-poured using local beeswax, locally grown, organic skin-healing calendula flowers, and scented only using plant-based essential oils. They are also available unscented. Need a cool gift for a knitter in your life, or anyone really? Check out the Mini Lotion Bar Gift Set, which includes 5 mini lotion bars in each scent. (Lavender, Lemongrass, Lavender-Rosemary, Citrus-Rose and Cedarwood.) Then you can try them all, or share with a friend.

The lotion bar is definitely something you'll want to keep with you all of the time, and the tin makes it easy to throw it into your purse or knitting bag. Super slick. It's so nice to have a non-messy, spill-proof lotion bar when you're out and about, especially with kids. Dry hands? We can fix that. Chapped lips? Not a problem.

So, you're dying to give Love + Leche a try, right? Well you're in luck – we'll make this super easy. :)

Get a FREE Mini Lotion Bar with purchase of any product
when you enter the coupon code 'JenGeigley' at checkout.
(Good through the end of May.)

Awesome, right? Treat yourself to an all-natural lotion bar, soap or balm and say goodbye to dry hands. Enter the coupon code above, hit the 'Apply Coupon' button and you're all set. Also, follow Love + Leche on Facebook if you have a sec. You'll love their beautiful photos.

(A big thank you to Love + Leche for letting me try out the Goat Milk Soap and Lotion Bar and for the awesome coupon for my blog friends. Enjoy!)

The A-word

Yesterday, our son Bowie was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder/ASD. And today nothing is different, yet it sort of feels like everything has changed. It's just a word. The A-word. And it might be a tough word to say at first but I think we are just about to break through some doors, help Bowie in brand new ways and discover more about him. We are excited about the future. He's a fantastically cool, intelligent, fascinating boy and I am oh-so-proud to be his mom.

It's a tiny bit ironic that April is National Autism Awareness Month, because our family is feeling very aware. And that is what is pushing me to write this blog post. I'm an autism mom – technically only since yesterday – but really I've been one all along. And while my viewpoint on this might be super fresh, this is the story of the beginning of our journey. We don't feel the need to hide the results of Bowie's evaluation yesterday. We think it's better to share. It's not a scary thing, or a sad thing – it's our everyday. It's so many people's 'normal.' And we are ready to do more for him and learn more about him. Like our amazing doctor said yesterday "Autism is just a word, just a diagnosis but it doesn't change who Bowie is. He's a great kid ... he has a great name."

First off, I have to tell you that Bowie is my heart. If you know us or have seen us in person, you already know that he and I are stuck together with super glue. Pretty much all of the time. He is extremely cute and funny and sweeter than sugar. He spontaneously showers me with hugs. He will hold my face in his hands and smoosh his cheek into my face. He is very smart, caring and has memorization skills that will blow your (average) mind. He used to be very quiet but now has started chatting much more and honestly, he is a delight to be around. I love listening to what he has to say. And he has a lot to say.

Bowie was also a delightful, perfect little baby. He loved to be snuggled and was affectionate. He smiled and laughed. Did he look directly at us ... in the eyeballs? Not always. I remember him staring at the windows in our bedroom when he was nursing or when I'd rock him to sleep and I used to think he could see ghosts. I wasn't sure he could hear me sometimes. We sought out help for Bowie early on because he had a significant speech delay as a toddler. We weren't super worried though. He was doing well in so many other areas that it wasn't a huge concern at first. But by age two, he still hadn't said typical first words like 'mama' or 'dada' ... and I wasn't sure he ever would. Our pediatrician set up in-home speech therapy visits. And that really helped. He went from using baby sign language to developing a slowly growing vocabulary. Our sweet therapist was like a friend to me and at one point, I did muster up the courage ask her if she thought Bowie might have autism. She didn't really say yes or no, and maybe she couldn't. But she opened my eyes to things that we needed to see. Like Bowie's reclusiveness, which we thought was independence.

Once Bowie learned to say a few words, he was fantastic at being social and loved to say 'hi' and 'bye' to people. He would make eye contact ... for a brief second. He was very coordinated. But he flapped his hands. He loved to be held. But he spun in circles. He could sing the alphabet and count to 20. But he couldn't always hear us call his name. It was all very confusing even though I analyzed everything on a daily basis. A lot of the things he did or struggles he had looked like they could be caused by something else. And a lot of his strengths threw us off. Maybe spinning in circles and constantly jumping off the furniture was just him being a boy. Maybe his older sister talked a lot so he stayed quiet. Maybe he had speech apraxia. Maybe he had a cognitive delay that would work itself out by kindergarten. Maybe he was just super independent. Even some of our favorite therapists and our beloved pediatrician were uncertain. Maybe I was crazy for thinking it could be autism ... but I couldn't shake that feeling in my heart and in my head that it might be. All the pieces add up and make so much sense now in hindsight. Of course they do. But we didn't know. And that's okay.

And so we waited a bit. And things became more apparent during his first year of preschool. His wonderful teachers brought out the best in him and he's really done well in the classroom. We set up his IEP. We had conferences. We met with his amazing team of therapists and teachers at school. A whole team of professionals who are committed to our family and truly care about my child. And I could eventually see that they were kindly, softly, carefully nudging us toward getting an evaluation and a diagnosis.

There was a phrase I had heard them say when one of us would mention testing ... 'It wouldn't be a waste of time...'. And after I had heard three different teachers/therapists say that phrase, I finally understood. They were telling us to go. So we decided to get the ball rolling. We, like so many other families were referred by our pediatrician to a local child development center at our local children's hospital. And we were put on a very long waiting list for an autism evaluation last November. And had our appointment yesterday, April 4. And let me tell you, the waiting is the hardest part. It sucked. But it gave us a chance to accept the possibility of having a child with autism. It gave me time to get ready for it. To read about it. But no matter how prepared you think you are, the A-word can hit you like a ton of bricks.

But it can also open doors. We are embracing it. And now we can see (and feel) how fantastic it can be. I felt a literal wave of relief come over me yesterday after we left the doctor's office. I took a deep breath – inhaled, exhaled. And then took Bowie out for ice cream. Now that we have a diagnosis, we are eligible for the additional speech therapy that Bowie needs most. There are so many resources available and we are lucky to live in a city where we can access them easily. We have an outstanding doctor who will help us along the way. We have a plan now. We have answers to the questions we've had in our heads all of this time. We are excited and optimistic about Bowie's future. We have so much hope. He's healthy. He's okay. We're okay. We woke up this morning, the kids ate breakfast, and I took them to school. Just like always. Every little thing is gonna be alright.

All photos by Alexandria Crahan Photography