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Tag: Shawls

Designer Spotlight: Andrea Mowry

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We’re back with another Designer Spotlight! We’d love to introduce you to Andrea Mowry (known as dreareneeknits on Ravelry). Andrea designs beautiful patterns, all of which are cozy. You may have seen her most popular pattern, Find Your Fade, released this past December. We recommend checking out her other patterns as well!

Loopy: Thanks for joining us today Andrea! How long have you been a knitter and who taught you to knit?

Andrea: I feel so lucky that my grandma taught me to knit as a child! If she hadn’t, I don’t know that I would be doing this today!! She taught me when I was around 9 years old, but I really got obsessed with knitting in my late teens. So I would say that I have been a “knitter” for about 15 years.

Loopy: What a special memory to have your grandma teach you! What is your favorite type of item to knit?

Andrea: I love to knit all the things, and usually have a number of different projects on my needles. But my happy place is definitely shawls! They are the perfect canvas for me to play with color and texture and explore my creativity.

Loopy: Shawls are definitely fun to brainstorm ideas with and plan colors. What is the most challenging thing that you have knit to date?

Andrea: Hmmm, this is a great question! As a designer, challenges come in a different way. Sort of like to trying to put together a puzzle, which can sometimes lead to lots of trial and error. When I was designing Ronan for Brooklyn Tweed, I had never knit a garment like that before and really had to play around to get the details to work out just as I wanted them to! It was challenging to figure out, but super satisfying!

Loopy: It is always nice to figure out a challenging problem! When did you start designing, and what spurred that interest?

Andrea: Since I first began seriously knitting in my teens, I would create my own little patterns and projects. It was before Raverly, and patterns weren’t as accessible then. I referenced a lot of Elizabeth Zimmerman books, which are so empowering, and I would just throw caution to the wind and try things out! When I was pregnant with my daughter I left my job as a pastry chef, and I finally had the space in my life to really give designing a serious go. I’ve never looked back!

Loopy: It’s so interesting you were a pastry chef! We’ll be happy to test anything you make 😉  And what a special opportunity, then, being able to spend time focusing on designing. Do you have a favorite pattern that you’ve designed?

Andrea: I have so many favorites, for different reasons! Right now I am really loving on my Briochealuscious shawl. It is so fun to wear and I am obsessed with its playful brioche border. My Yoga Shawl is also at the top of my list, as I love how versatile it is, with so many different ways to wear it!

Loopy: Briochealuscious looks so fun and your Yoga Shawl just looks so warm. What is your favorite part of your designing? And your not-so-favorite part?

Andrea: My favorite part of designing is definitely the knitting! To be honest, I really love all aspects of designing – even the tedious computer work! But physically knitting the sample would be at the top, and computer work at the bottom 🙂

Loopy: It’s fun to hear you like all the work. I do think it would be most fun to see how the sample works up as you’re knitting. Do you have other jobs outside of pattern designing?

Andrea: Knitting is my full time job! I do also teach knitting workshops in addition to designing patterns.

Loopy: That’s awesome. Do you do this business full-time, or on the side? And is that hard?

Andrea: Up until just a few weeks ago I was doing it whenever I could find time as I raised my two young children at home. Thanks to my husband now being home with the kids, I am able to work full time. I am so thrilled, as I really love what I do! I work from home, so I still get to be with my children, it’s just a little easier to focus now 😉

Loopy: What a great husband 🙂  Does anyone else in your family knit?

Andrea: My grandma still knits afghans and dishcloths! I have taught 2 of my sisters to knit, and the 3rd crochets a bit – but none of them seem to have been bit by the bug! I also taught my nephew who was a real natural, and I am hoping he continues to play around with it!

Loopy: It’s fun to be able to share your hobbies with others in your family and hopefully your nephew will stick with it! Are there other hobbies that you enjoy?

Andrea: I used to be a chef, and will always love cooking and playing in the kitchen. I really enjoy embroidery and am really excited to expand my sewing skills.

Loopy: I bet your family appreciates what you make in the kitchen! What would be your favorite way to spend a day off?

Andrea: Family time! My husband is a musician and it is really easy for us to just always be working. We really try to schedule in solid time to just be a family! Of course, that still involves lots of music and knitting, just in a less “work-focused” sense. An ideal day off would be making a fun breakie with my daughter, going on a family walk, and then sneaking in some knitting time while sitting next to my hubs as the kids play!

Loopy: Sounds like a great day! Morning or Night person? Coffee or Tea? English or Continental? Solids or Multicolors? 🙂

Andrea: Yes! Ha! I love coffee and tea, I knit both English and Continental and I love all the colors! I am definitely more of a morning person than night person though 😉

Loopy: Anything else you’d like to add?

Andrea: Thanks for having me!!! xoxo

Andrea has provided us with a coupon code (theloopyewe) valid from today through next Friday, for 20% off of one of her patterns of your choosing, via Ravelry. You can find all of Andrea’s patterns at this link. (Coupon valid August 4-11).

Yarn Recommendations:

Worsted: Dream in Color Classy, Malabrigo Rios, Cascade 220 Superwash, Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, and Stonehedge Fiber Worsted

Fingering: Knerd String, Uncommon Thread Posh Fingering, Magpie Swanky Sock, and Cascade Heritage Sock

Gift Knits: 10 Quick Projects for Holiday Knitting

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Knitter's Gift Timeline via PinterestIt’s that time of year again! Time to start thinking about the holiday gift knitting. Unless you’ve been in our Spring and Fall Giftables Club, in which case, you have already completed several quick projects and have them tucked away, ready for the holidays! I came across this Knitter’s Gift Timeline on Pinterest and thought it was a perfect description for how I go about getting gift knitting done. For those of us still thinking about what to make for the different people in our lives, here are 10 different project ideas (with a few options for each one) for quick knitting for Christmas gifts. (71 days. Did you need to know that? I didn’t.)

1. Hats – great for males and females, young and old! Here are a few of my favorite hat patterns: Wurm, Windschief, Koolhaas, Crosscheck, Who?, and Felicity.

2. Scarves – also great for all ages and stages. A few ideas: A Little Jazz, Black Cherry Lambic, Cerus Scarf, Palindrome, Favorite Scarf Ever, and Strangling Vine Lace Scarf.

3. Fingerless Mitts – great for kids and adults alike. Check these out: Fetching, Treads, Cafe au Lait, October Leaves, Part Deux Mitts, and Felicity Mitts.

4. Mittens – for those who prefer their fingers covered! Try these: Bella’s Mittens, Horatio and Oren, Grove, Wood Hollow Mittens, Basic Children’s Mittens, and Waiting for Winter Mittens. Add a tub of Lavishea to keep their fingers soft!

5. Gloves – these take a little more time, but there are some beautiful patterns out there. A few ideas: Knotty Gloves, Froot Loop Gloves, Spice Route (ok, not quick, but beautiful, right?), Finlay, Absinthe Gloves, and Char.

6. Small Shawls/Wraps – typically knit up with one or two skeins of yarn, and used around the shoulders or around the neck. Check out: Jadyn Shire, Granlibakken, Amaranth Shawl, Boiseau Wrap, Andromeda Shawl, and Allis.

7. Dishcloths or Facial Cloths – it’s always nice to pair these with handmade soap (like TwentySeven Soap). Some pattern ideas: Leafy Washcloth, Double Bump Washcloth, Shaker Dishcloths, Pinwheel Flower, Lacy Mock Cable, and Ballband Dishcloth.

8. Cowls – quicker than a scarf, but just as warm around the neck. Here are some of my favorites: Song of the Sea, Zuzu’s Petals, Willow Cowl, Calm Cowl, Pretty Thing, and Lila Blue.

9.  Vests – usually a bigger investment of time, but leaving off the sleeves makes it quicker than a sweater! Try these: Vine Lace Vest, Angostura, Memory Vest, Cloud Chaser, Mondo Cable Shell/Vest, and Dr. G’s Memory Vest.

10. Socks – the heavier the yarn, the quicker they knit up. Ideal for all ages. Here are some sport/dk/worsted options, to they knit up quickly: Simple Skyp Socks, Blueberry Waffle Socks, House Targaryen Socks, Diagonal Rib Socks, Tern, and Mudslide Socks.

Or how about a kit that contains yarn/pattern/fun extra, all ready to knit up? We have a few August Giftables Kits (with an exclusively dyed skein of Biscotte & Cie Self-Striping yarn and a pattern for fingerless mitts and ear warmers) and a few September Giftables Kits (with an exclusively dyed skein of Dream in Color’s Wool/Alpaca worsted weight yarn and a pattern for The Path Less Traveled hat) still available. We’ve also put the patterns from last spring’s Giftables up on the website: Lila Blue infinity cowl, Crosscheck hat, and Allis shawl/scarf, which are all great patterns for quick gift knits, which is the whole premise behind our Giftables Club! (The October Giftables Kit will be out at the end of the week, for those of you who have signed up for it.)

So how are you fixed for gift knitting? Done? Haven’t started? Halfway there? Pick a pattern and pop over for some yarn. We’ll get you fixed right up and on your way!

Sheri stillneedingtomakealist.That’sagoodplacetostart.

First Quarter Challenge

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We have a lot of fun with our Quarterly Challenges each year. Be sure to take a look at the projects completed last year in the challenges for First Quarter, Second Quarter, and Fourth Quarter. (During the summer we do Camp Loopy instead, which involves a monthly challenge for 3 months in a row. You can find those photo galleries here, here and here. Lots of beautiful projects in there!)

Before I announce the First Quarter Challenge for 2013, we need to vote on a Reader’s Choice award for our Fourth Quarter participants. Take a look at the Fourth Quarter gallery and email us your favorite project (support@theloopyewe.com) and we’ll announce the winners soon. Thanks for your voting help!

Our first challenge project for 2013 involves 1 skein of yarn and cables. You’ll need to pick a one-skein project that features cables in the design. You can use any weight of yarn, but just a single skein. You might consider Hats, Cowls, Socks, Shawls, or Mittens/Mitts/Gloves. One of my favorite cable projects was my Camp Loopy 2011 mittens (All the Water by Through the Loops, shown above.) At that time, I mentioned wanting to make a pair of red mittens, and a pair of yellow mittens, too. Of course I haven’t done that yet, so maybe now is my time. Although I could use a new cabled hat, too. And I saw some really cool sock patterns with cables. Choices, choices.

Details:

– The challenge runs from today through March 31st. All projects must be done and photos uploaded to our First Quarter Challenge 2013 Gallery by 3/31.

– If you’d like to order yarn for this project, you can get 20% off of the skein you choose to work with. This discount is available between now and next Friday, January 11th. You must leave us an order note, letting us know which skein you will be using for the project so we know which one to apply your discount to.

– If you purchase this project yarn between today and 1/11 and finish your cable project and upload a photo of it by 3/31, we will double your Frequent Shopper points for that skein. So if your skein is $18.50 after discount, you will see 18.50 added to your point tally when we ship the yarn, and another 18.50 added to your point tally when we have received your completed photo (by 3/31). With our new Loopy Rewards Program, the extra points accumulate to earn you even more rewards!

– You are also welcome to participate using stash yarn, as long as it’s a line that we carry here at The Loopy Ewe. You won’t be eligible for the double Frequent Shopper points, but if you finish in time and upload your photo to the gallery,  you’re still eligible to win a Reader’s Choice award or our random drawing done with all entrants.

Do you need some pattern suggestions for one-skein cable projects? I’ve started a list for you! If you have other ideas, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Hats: Princess Lace Beret, Soft Shimmers Hat, Koolhaas, Antler Hat, Declans Hat, Claudia, Gretel, and Iced Hat.

Mittens/Mitts/Gloves: Bellas Mittens, Fetching, Knotty Gloves, Vancouver Fog, Eugenia’s Mittens, Wanderlust, Yummy Mummy Wristwarmers, and Wood Hollow Mittens.

Socks: Owlie Socks, Java Socks, BFF Socks, Neely Ohara, Katniss, Sunshine, Aragorn, and Smaug.

Shawls: Marin, Creekwood, Batik, Sunset Shawl, Theia, Dubliner, and Lafant Wrap.

Cowls: Cream and Sugar Cowl, City Creek Cowl, Lava Flow Cowl (shown here), Nennir, Cabernet Infinity Scarf, Heart on a String, Tom’s Crossed Cowl and Caera Cowl.

Are you up for the Challenge? And if so, what are you going to make?

Sheri contemplatingyarnchoices

More Weaving

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I’ve finished two more woven scarves, and I have to say, it’s really fun and I love the results. I’m still working on getting my edges even, but washing and blocking helps a lot. (Not really blocking. You actually wash it and hang it on a rod to dry. I like that better than pinning out the edges of a shawl. Shawls aren’t really “wash and hang” types of things.) All in all, weaving/washing/blocking sure goes much faster than knitting. No wonder I’m hooked on it.

I haven’t tried a two color woven scarf yet, because I’m having too much fun weaving with multi-colors. Do you ever find a gorgeous multi-color yarn that you want to buy, but you’re not sure what you can make with it that will work well with the coloring? Weaving always works well! But if you want to knit with multicolors and you need a good pattern for it – try Lintilla, Hitchhiker, Wurm, or Boomerette. (Need suggestions for multi-color yarn? Lorna’s Laces, Hand Maiden, Fleece Artist, Mountain Colors, Studio June, Sweet Georgia, and Three Irish Girls are all great choices.)

This one was done with Wollmeise Sock in True Love.

And this one was done with Wollmeise Sock in Versuchskaninchen.

I have a few more colors set aside for future scarves. But right now, I need to get back to some knitting. My sweater is not progressing. I’ve decided I’m not a good sweater knitter, although I keep finding sweater patterns that I like. I’m not giving up on it because I love the yarn and want it to be a sweater, but I do find sweaters challenging to stick with, for some reason.

Have you discovered there is one thing that you’re not as good at knitting (or finishing)?

Sheri 3sweaterscurrentlyontheneedles.
Mightneedtochangemyattitude.