We’re ready to jump into our Second Quarter Challenge! Join us for some knitting fun. This quarter, we’re working on simple colorwork projects.
Project: Use two colors of yarn, 500 yards total or less, for this month’s project. Your pattern needs to mix the colors with stranded work (so just doing solid stripes doesn’t count).
Dates: You can start as soon as you have your yarn. All projects must be completed with photos uploaded to our Loopy Ewe Second Quarter Photo Gallery by July 1st.
Yarn: If you need to buy yarn for your project, we’re offering a 20% discount on the yarn if it’s purchased between today and Wednesday, April 10th. Yarn must be Sport, DK or Worsted Weight, and the discount is valid on two colors, up to 500 yards total for your project. In order to get the discount, you must leave us an order note telling us which two colors you will be using for this project. We’ll apply the discount after your order comes through to us. If you’re going for free shipping in the U.S. (over $75), please make sure your discount won’t take you below that amount.
Need some fun ideas?
Mittens & Mitts: Snowfling Mittens, Northman Mittens, Houndstooth Check Mittens, Flocked Mittens, Bird in Hand, Bird and Vine Mitts, Vanamo Mitts, Rigmor’s Selbu Mittens, Meta Mittens, and Bacon Mittens (ha!).
Hats: Norwegian Star Earflap Hat, Marius Hats, Flora, End of May Hat, Moose in the Woods Hat, Sequence Hat, Double Diamond Argyle Hat, Diamonds on the Mind, Modjeska Hat, Min Ulla Hat, INSULATE! Hat, and Opus Spicatum Hat.
Other: Luvbots, Snowflake Boot Cuffs, Norwegian Star Slippers, Gyre Cowl, Snowflake Christmas Stocking, Easy Fair Isle Headbands, and Japan Cowl.
Yarn possibilities: Cascade 220, Cascade 220 Superwash, Cascade Superwash Sport, Stonehedge Fiber Worsted, Stonehedge Fiber DK, Amy Butler Aran, Amy Butler DK, Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes, Spud and Chloe Sweater, and more. Just be sure to use solids or semi-solids so that your colorwork shows up well.
See that mitten up there? That’s my attempt at colorwork, awhile back. There is a reason the mitten is not on a hand. It turned out way too big! I might just re-do that same pattern (Flocked Mittens) for the Challenge. I really want to get this colorwork skill down. There are so many fun things you can do with colorwork. I figured starting out with a two color project is best.
Sheri who,admittedly,didnotdoagaugeswatchforthatmittenupthere
You’re making me do something I’ve been wanting to do but have been too scared! 🙂 A real challenge!
That’s a good thing, right? I’m making myself do it, too. There are so many fun colorwork projects, and I just need to jump in and work on those skills. Glad you’re joining in with me!
Sheri,
I am looking at Honeycomb Baby Blanket on Ravelry. The description for techniques does not say stranded but looking at the pattern it clearly is. You are carrying the color along and picking up. Will you count this project as stranding? I have three births coming up 🙂
Patricia
Hi Patricia! It doesn’t count for the challenge because it’s more than two colors and more than 500 yards, but it IS a cute pattern for a baby blanket. Looks fun to knit, too.
Patricia, is it the Honeycomb Stroller Blanket? If so, it’s gorgeous and I’m glad you asked about it. Even though it won’t work for this challenge, I’ve added it to my Favorites! Also, I clicked through to the pattern and it isn’t stranded, even though it looks like it is – it’s the magic of slipped stitches!
Okay. Colorwork is not my favorite thing, but I am willing to try again, and try not to hold the yarn too tight, so that the hat will actually fit my head this time.
Ha – Kathleen – I had the opposite problem, apparently. I did hear that you should go up a needle size for colorwork, so maybe that will help with your hat sizing.
Sheri, What a good challenge! I have a pair of mittens I started two years ago, did one row of colorwork and then let fall to the bottom of my knitting pile. I have to admit, I’m really bad about doing gauge swatches as well.
I decided to start fresh for your challenge. I’m really excited to try colorwork again and have already dashed off to purchase the pattern for Modjeska Hat. (Thank you for all the great ideas you shared with us by the way!)
Isn’t that hat pretty? I’m glad you’re making it (and glad you’re giving the Challenge a go!).
Great challenge! I’m working on the Tardis Hat which uses 3 colors stranded. I have also just completed the Tam of Rassilon.
Sheri, I know you said stripes won’t work, but would mosaic knitting be okay?
Ok I am back. I decided on 126-2 by drops. 2 colors and under 500 and stranded. I need a nice headband to run in.
Sheri, I was so excited to fit something into my need to do description that I did not notice the under 500 lol.
Sheryl,
I downloaded the pattern and read what other ravelers had said about it and at least two had said that it was stranded even though the pattern didn’t say so, so I was hopeful. As it turned out I was not only out on that category but also on the yardage. I am still keeping it my favorites because it is just so cute 🙂
Hi Alice – Mosaic Knitting is slipping stitches instead of working more than one color in the same row. So unfortunately that won’t work for this challenge.
Patricia – glad you found something fun that will work!
Wow great timing, I just finished writing out the notes for a cowl in my Caroline’s Winter garden set. I can also use it for the contest! Now the hard part, choose the yarn and the colors.
Question, the project has to use a total of 500 yards or less. I assume that if the total yardage in the two skeins is more, that is okay if we don’t use the entire skein?
Okay, one more question. Is Aran weight yarn acceptable?
Hi Carol – the discount is for 500 yds. or less, so if you are ordering bigger skeins, keep that in mind. Looking forward to seeing your new cowl design!
Alice – Aran as referred to in this chart? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_weight Sometimes Aran is used to refer to Worsted, and sometimes Aran refers to bulky (depending on the company). Yes to the worsted, no to the bulky! 🙂
Oh, I have some beautiul Wollmeise DK that just arrived. If I measure off 500 yards of each can use that? I see a colorful stocking colorwork cap with that. Or I have had an idea of mixing cables and color work, this just might the time to work that one out. I will just have to DO IT ALL.
I think colorwork would be beautiful in Wollmeise DK. You’ll want 500 yards for the total project, so 250 + 250 of each color (unless one color is more predominant).
I’m thinking of doing “wallpaper mittens” in Road to China light. I wanted to do the inside cuff in a third colour, does this mean that it will not count for the second quarter challenge (because of the introduction of a third colour) or just that I would only receive the discount on two of the colours? (Sorry if this feels repetitive, but I was a wee bit confused by previous posts)
Thank you.
Hi Stephanie – you’d just get the discount on your two colors. But you’re welcome to line it with a third and it wouldn’t disqualify the project.
Oh, like I need another project right now! But, I’ve been itching to do Selbu Modern for ages, and I think that counts?? Of course, then there’s the whole “need to knit from stash and don’t wanna” part…
Thank you for the quick response Sheri, and a big thank you for this challenge. One of my knitting goals this year is trying more colourwork (as I have so little experience with it). This challenge project will push me toward my goal!
Hi! I am always up for your challenges, Sheri! I gotta tell you though, this one scares me!!!
When you say colorwork and stranded, you mean like in fairisle and Icelandic sweaters? So I would be knitting one color and then carrying the other color until it is time to use it in the pattern? Not like double knitting where we just hold the 2 colors together, right? I am gonna go for it – that’ s what a challenge is meant to be. Now, on to patterns and yarns! Thanks bunches!
I adore colorwork. Colorwork, lace, cables. Spent last evening and this morning looking in some of my magazines and stuff, searching for the perfect colorwork pattern. I was getting ready to go downstairs and pull out one of my books and see if I couldn’t do some designing, when it occurred to me: I’M MOVING!! And I have all this stuff to pack and purge and sort and sell and stuff. I DON’T HAVE TIME TO PARTICIPATE!! But, I will watch all the glorious stuff pop into the gallery. And I may still do something from stash. Tams don’t take long….
Lisa – exactly right. Knitting one color and carrying the other until it’s time to use that in the pattern.
TMTTYRR – happy move! (And I think a little tam colorwork might provide some great stress relief in the process.)
Thanks Sheri!
Can that mittupthere be repurposed as an oven mitt?
Cool! Looking forward to some stranded knitting — playing around with some fair isle would be nice to do this Winter in Australia (yay, cushy stranded knitting in time for our cold weather!). Melissa
Sheri – I don’t suppose you’ll be getting more Malabrigo Rios or Arroyo in for this? I know their yarn takes time between when anyone has it in stock. I love their colors and either one would be good for what I have in mind. Thanks!!
Hi Diane – I don’t think we have more Rios coming in the next week or two. Hoping we can get more soon, though! And we probably won’t continue to carry Aroyos, as there are other bases that sell better for us from Malabrigo. I agree, their colors are awesome.
So, I love colorwork, however I will not be attempting this challenge as my knitting skill is no where near that level I will however be looking to purchase some beautiful colorwork knitting goodies next week in Stockholm. I will be thinking of all of ewe!
Does this have to be 500 yards or just lesss than 500? I saw a delightful pair of mittens and don’t think it would be 500 yards or even close.
Nancy – 500 yards or less, so your mittens would be fine.
I am thinking about doing this with a cute baby sweater like this one: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/goldfish-8
It is adorable!
What a cute pattern, Seanna Lea!
Another challenge! Bring it on!!!!!