Follow Your Arrow Mystery Knit-along

I just finished a mystery knit-along (MKAL) from Ysolda Teague called Follow Your Arrow! A mystery knit-along is a KAL where you don't know what the pattern is and the pattern is usually released in sections so its a surprise as you knit it. A MKAL can be scary to commit to, so its good to know you like a designer before you sign up. Ysolda Teague is one of my favorite designers and this was her first MKAL so I knew it would be a win. The project was a shawl that used about 680 yards of lace to fingering weight yarn and that's all I knew going into it. Ysolda did her MKAL with a new twist - it was also a choose your own adventure MKAL! Each of the 5 clues would have 2 options for a total of 32 different shawls that could be created. WHAA?!

The nature of this MKAL was a little stressful for me. Each week I had to choose which pattern to follow without knowing what the finished result would be! I really had to let go of my control and attachment and just go with the flow. It ended up great. In the beginning I chose to follow the more geometric options and I love the unique shape that this produced.

I knit my Follow Your Arrow out of Meadow lace yarn by the Fibre Company. I've been itching to knit a shawl in this pale aqua color Pennyroyal since we first got this yarn in last summer so picking out the yarn was the easiest part of this KAL. Meadow is a light-fingering weight yarn that is a luscious blend of merino, llama, silk and linen. The yarn has a beautiful hand and drape and was dreamy to knit with. I knit the options ABBAA so my shawl only used about 620 yards of yarn.

My favorite perk that came with participating in Ysolda's MKAL was seeing what everyone's project was shaping up like each week as the clues were released. The number of possibilities of this shawl pattern made this so fun! You can go to Ravelry and check out tons of finished shawls here.

I can't even believe that Ysolda was able to write a pattern with so many options that worked out so well - she really is a knitting genius! I would totally recommend this pattern and yarn to anyone looking for a really fun knitting adventure!

Jaime's Pippin Sweater for Rhinebeck

Ysolda Teague has just released a new book, The Rhinebeck Sweater, and it's my favorite knitting book this year. It is a tradition for most knitters to knit a sweater to wear when they go to Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool festival. Ysolda turned this idea into a beautiful book with 12 sweater designs by 12 different designers (herself included). When Amber and I decided to go to Rhinebeck this year, I knew I had to make a sweater to wear so I chose to make one from Ysolda's book. This pattern is Pippin by one of my favorite designers, Gudrun Johnson.

Amber and I might have some connections so I was able to get my hands on the this pattern before the book was released. That being said, I knit this up in record time to get it finished in time for Rhinebeck and before Spinzilla started (which took me away from my knitting for a week). 

Pockets!

All the sweaters in The Rhinebeck Sweater feature farm-y yarns that are representative of the yarns you can purchase at the Sheep and Wool festival. I knit this up in our Heirloom Romney yarn which worked so well for this pattern. The worsted weight longwool Romney has great stitch definition - perfect for the brioche details. I used the deep-purple Elderberry and the sweater took 5 skeins for the size 33 1/2".

Upstate New York is a great backdrop for photographing sweaters

There are so many things I love about this sweater, I don't even know where to start. First, there is the unusual sleeve construction. The shoulders are created with short-row shaping and then the sleeve is knit down from there - interesting to knit and soo flattering to wear!!

I love the fluffy brioche stitch details at the collar, cuffs, and pockets. The large fluffy brioche cowl neck was picked up and knit last - it really gives the sweater a striking look, and you know how I feel about large cowls...(insert heart eyes).

Professional details such as the bottom folded hem and kitchener seams make this sweater look fantastic and sophisticated.

I can tell you right now, you will be seeing more sweaters from this book knit up by yours truly - its a beautiful collection. The Rhinebeck Sweater book is in stock now so you too can start knitting up the sweaters of your dreams!

Jaime's Icelandic Strokkur Sweater

In 2010 when Amber and I first went to magical Iceland and met Ysolda Teague for the first time, she had just finished and was wearing an Icelandic sweater of her own design. I fell in love with her sweater on that trip, so I was thrilled when the pattern was released this summer.

Ysolda's newest sweater pattern, Strokkur, is named after an active geyser in Iceland. Strukkor sits next to Great Geysir, the earliest documented geyser after which all geyser's are named. Ysolda's Strokkur is an Icelandic lopapeysa which features a 3 color yoke design and is knit from the bottom up. In Ysolda fashion, the sweater is fitted for a more modern look.

Of course, I knit my sweater out of the Léttlopi yarn - the worsted weight Icelandic yarn that I love so much. This yarn holds up amazingly to wear due to the durability of the Icelandic wool. The Icelandic wool also means it is virtually weatherproof - keeping me warm and dry in the worst of weather conditions. This sweater will come with me on camping trips, mountain hikes and anywhere I want a lightweight yet warm outer layer.

The main color for my new lopi is Hazel Heather, with Rust Heather and Ash Heather as my colorwork accents. I knit this sweater in a surprisingly fast 3 weeks (in the midst of Spinzilla as well!). The goal was to finish this sweater to wear at Rhinebeck and I did it! I finished the sweater on the plane to New York and blocked it in our house in the Hudson Valley. Upstate New York was a beautiful backdrop to photograph my new sweater.

If you've been wanting to knit a Lopapeysa I would highly recommend this pattern. Strokkur is smart, well-written and beautiful! Thanks, Ysolda for sharing this design with us!

I entered this sweater in the Fringe Association Rhinebeck sweater contest and won! There was some sabotage attempts, though from fellow competitor Kate Gagnon-Osborn of Kelbourne Woolens...nice try, Kate!

Sabotage!

Victorian Goth Ladies Pouf It Up

Yuwa fabrics from Japan makes some of the best prints. Take this off-black print with Victorian ladies on it for instance. I'm not sure what's happening over in Japan, but I like it. I had to make something with this and the Victorian ladies demanded pouf. I decided to go with the tried and true Ysolda Pocket and Ties skirt. This pattern is a free pattern you can download here and was created by Ysolda Teague when she came to visit us a couple of years ago.

The skirt features elastic gathering in the front and back for maximum pouf volume. I went with our cotton/silk in grey for a lining and ties which means I don't need to wear a slip when pairing this skirt with tights in cooler months. The Victorian ladies feel right at home in this skirt and they are lookin' great.

If Victorian goth isn't your style, you may want to try some tiny macaroons, Rococo children, or a 19th century hats and shoe print with acid green polka dots. All of these are now available to spruce up your fall wardrobe! Happy Sewing!

Scotland Journey Part 4: Jamieson + Smith and Shetland Ponies!

Part 4 of our Scotland journey finds us still on the Shetland islands soaking up more wool culture. Today we visited Jamieson and Smith! Jamieson and Smith is the other producer of Shetland yarn on Shetland. Jamieson and Smith has a facility in Lerwick (Shetland's largest town and port) where they sort all the wool that they purchase from local farmers.

Oliver explains how to feel the quality of a fleece

Oliver Henry has been sorting Shetland wool for Jamieson and Smith for 46 years. He knows a lot about wool. Oliver took a couple of hours out of his day to give us a tour of their facility and talk to us about wool. Jamieson and Smith purchases over 80% of the Shetland wool grown on the island from over 700 crofters. They are very committed to working with the farmers and improving the quality of the wool. Oliver almost single-handedly sorts all this wool himself.

The Jamieson and Smith sorting facility in Lerwick

Each fleece has to be sorted by color, quality and type. Some of the Shetland sheep on the island have bred with non-Shetland sheep - Oliver keeps a catalog of lineage records so he knows which fleece are 100% Shetland - these are the only fleeces used to make the Jamieson and Smith Shetland yarns. Within each fleece there are different grades of wool and these must be sorted as well - the wool on the back of the sheep is a different quality than the wool around the legs so these all get seperated into different bins.

Above left: fleeces have been sorted by color
Above right: tons of wool fleeces await sorting
Lower photo: Oliver has trained a crofter to help him in the sorting room

Jamieson and Smith have developed other products to make sure that they are using all the wool. If a fleece is not suitable for their yarns they can find a home for it in other products they have developed, therefore they're able to pay the farmers more for their fleeces. In addition to their hand knitting yarns (which get only the finest grades of wool) they also have a company that produces wool carpets as well as another company that makes wool mattresses. These products are extremely sustainable and ensure that sheep crofters on Shetland can have a future with their wool. Imagine carpeting your home in 100% naturally colored Shetland wool! Amazing!

An old photo of women in Shetland blocking their lace Hap Shawls

Ysolda, Oliver, Malia, Stephen, Amber and Jaime in the Jamieson and Smith sorting room

Shetland sheep come in many different colors - which is amazing when you are on the island and see the landscape covered in dots of all colors - not just white dots! Shetland wool yarn comes in 9 undyed natural colors - each with adorable names like Mooskit, Moorit, Katmollet, Yuglet and Shaela. These names are still used today and are from old Norn origins.

A wall of undyed, naturally colored Shetland wool yarn in Jamieson and Smith

Attached to the sorting facility is the Jamieson and Smith yarn shop (also know as heaven to yarnies). We were able to shop to our hearts content all 84 dyed colors and 9 undyed colors of jumper weight yarn! Jumpers are sweaters and since fair isle sweaters are all knit out of fingering weight yarn, the weight is referred to as "Jumper weight" in Shetland.

Malia and Amber pick out colors of Shetland Jumper weight yarn

We picked out projects (some of us picked a few projects...) and left with a lot of yarn. There was even a wool bed in the Jamieson and Smith shop if you tire yourself out looking at all that yarn.

We took a nap on a wool bed in a yarn shop!

Black Shetland sheep frolic on a hillside in Shetland

There are a lot of sheep on Shetland - they were everywhere as we drove around and explored the island. In addition to Shetland sheep though, there are also Shetland ponies.

Cuddling Shetland Ponies - a necessary stop

We made sure to stop and take some time to cuddle and gaze at these most adorable of all ponies!

Next up: Shetland museums - Fair Isle and lace knitting galore!

Scotland Journey Part 3: Jamieson's of Shetland, Beach Knitting + Shetland Sheep!

Next in Shetland, we trekked west to visit the Jamieson's of Shetland mill. Shetland is home to two producers of Shetland yarn: Jamieson's, and Jamieson + Smith (not confusing at all). Jamieson's is located in Sandness on Shetland's west coast. Jamieson's is a family owned mill that produces Shetland wool yarn as well as manufactures garments - all of this is done in their facility in Sandness which is open to the public. 

Ysolda looking cute in Jamieson cardigan on vest action

We had more fun trying on (and buying) knitwear. We also were able to shop for yarn! Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift is their fingering weight Shetland yarn and it comes in tons of great colors. Fair Isle colorwork demands having access to tons of colors (sometimes upwards of 10 colors will be used in one design) so both Shetland yarn companies cater to this type of knitting with extensive color palettes. They also sell their yarn in smaller put ups, because you usually just need a little of some colors, so this way you can use more colors in a project, without buying tons of yarn.

Malia and Amber in Christmas sweaters!

Malia is shopping for the perfect colors

Stephen is trying on more knitwear

After we tried on knitwear and purchased yarn, we toured the factory. All the Jamieson's yarn is made right there in Sandness. We were able to follow the yarn from fleecy fluff to finished product. On this particular day, a buttery yellow was in production.

On of the wool experts of Jamieson's shows us the milling process

Seeing the steps of milling wool into yarn was pretty amazing. Jamieson's also produces their own knitwear so we were able to see workers making garments on seaming machines from knit fabric that had been knit on knitting machines. Amazing!

After Jamieson's  we had to take a break for some beach knitting on the beautiful, rocky shores of Sandness. A lovely way to spend the afternoon on a rare sunny day in Shetland.

Beach knitting break on Sandness

Shetland is full of sheep. Throughout our time there, we were constantly surrounded by sheep. The sheep were in all the pastures, on the sides of the roads and sometimes in the roads.

Most of the sheep are Shetland sheep. Shetland sheep are a hardy, small breed of sheep who produce fine wool. All the yarns produced on Shetland are from these sheep. Shetland sheep come in 11 recognized colors ranging from white to grey to brown to black. Both yarn companies stock yarn in 9 un-dyed colors from the naturally colored sheep. We explored the island with sheep accompanying on all our adventures!

We traveled north, not really knowing where we were headed, and ended up at the epic cliffs of Eshaness.

Ysola, Malia, Amber and Jaime in Eshaness

Jaime and Amber at Eshaness

Ysolda on a cliff...she didn't fall.

One of the purposes of our trip was to photograph a new collection of patterns that Amber, Malia and Stephen designed for an upcoming collaboration. Ysolda did the photography in some beautiful spots on Shetland when the sun was going down. Stay tuned for the release of these awesome new patterns later this fall!

Ysolda, Jaime, Stephen with sheep

Ysolda fixes Stephen's hat during a photoshoot

Next up: Jamieson and Smith with Shetland ponies!

Scotland Journey Part 1: Ysolda's Edinburgh Studio

-jaime

Amber and I recently got back from our own self-guided fiber tour of Scotland! We have come back filled with amazing inspiration, stories, and new yarn acquisitions that we want to share with you all. We traveled with Scottish knitting designer, Ysolda Teague, designer Stephen West, and Malia Mather of Penelope Craft in Amsterdam to the Shetland islands, home of Fair Isle knitting, Shetland lace hap shawls and, of course, Shetland sheep. We then headed west to the mystical Isle of Skye with Stephen and our friend Katie for even more woolly adventures. Stay tuned to our blog for the next week to read all about our adventures in this magical land. Our travels started in the fine city of Edinburgh - home to Ysolda!

Ysolda picks out buttons for a new baby sweater design

Ysolda was kind enough to give us a tour of her studio in Edinburgh! Edinburgh is a beautiful historic city. While in Edinburgh, we were able to explore delicious local food, beautiful parks and historic landmarks. Ysolda's studio is located in a fun part of town full of local restaurants, boutiques, and coffeeshops - kind of like Broadway in Denver if it were on a narrow, cobble-stoned street.

Amber, Ysolda, and Jaime, just chillin' in Edinburgh

Ysolda's studio is small, but very functional and organized. There are computer stations for her and her assistants. An inspiration wall of swatches sits behind Ysolda's desk and her collection of Shetland wool yarn is displayed in colorful round bins on her wall.

Ysolda has everything she needs for designing patterns right at her fingertips. It was fun to see how she organizes her materials and tools. Drawers full of yarn ready to knit are labeled and organized by yarn company. Ysolda's bookshelf is filled with knitting books and stitch pattern references to answer any quandary or lend inspiration to a design.

Ysolda is hard at work designing!

There are labeled bins containing everything from buttons to ribbon to needles and notions. She also has color cards from every yarn company under the sun in well organized file folders so she can easily plan a design and order the perfect colors from any yarn line.

Ysolda is all about fit, so it is no surprise to see professional dress forms in her studio in various sizes. Her patterns reflect her commitment to helping people make garments that are flattering on a variety of body shapes and sizes. 

A Cria sweater is displayed on a dress form

The most amazing thing about Ysolda's studio is her secret garden - an adorable outdoor courtyard, perfect for sharing a cup of coffee from nearby Artisan Roast on a nice day! Thanks for the tour, Ysolda! 

Ysolda's adorably overgrown outdoor courtyard

On Monday read all about what happens when 5 knitters descend upon Shetland!