Sweater Success !

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A very bright but chilly November morning, in the usual places we photographed, the ‘four corners’ of Lincoln & Washington Streets in Calistoga. This year, things are quite different all around.
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First of all, what normally would have been the actual time of equinox, the infamous and devastating wildfire of Lake County held things off for two months. But here we are, back to our familiar places. . .

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Other things about this year, as predicted, Miss Twelve is now Miss Thirteen, and has grown so tall that she is now beginning to tower over everybody, including her ‘big sister’, Miss Fifteen (but very soon-to-be-sixteen!).

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Miss Thirteen is now in Middle School, and on the volleyball team (they smashed all the other teams and came in first for the season!) and Miss Fifteen is excelling in cross-country running 3rd year in a row, and about to go to the post-season competitions ~~  and about to get her drivers license too!

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Since all is going well with them, I’ll get back to the business of the sweaters . . .

These two being modeled are samples of Calidez.
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I knit these Autumn Sweaters as I did the prototype, in Cascade 120 superwash ~~ extremely lofty and poofy yarn~~ and these pullovers knit up at lightening speed being bulky-weight yarn, and the instant impression from my nieces was ‘oh they’re soooo soft ‘.  So I recommend this yarn if one wants a ridiculously soft but still pure wool experience.

And then . . . 

after the photo shoot we went on a book-buying spree for Miss Thirteen’s birthday !
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I think this Autumn Sweater design for my nieces is up to par and is deserving of the usual title of  ‘Sweater Success!’   Now, those of you who are new to this blog,  you must see Sweater Successes past, go HERE and be sure to scroll all the way down~~ to 2010!

Tweedy

jenjoycedesign©Tweedy

What do I have here? Something very tweedy for Autumn! A set of my Tartan & Tweed  Tam & Mitts for an Autumn birthday gift, and a pretty nice ensemble of Autumney finds of local acorns and fir cones.

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I have used a lovely yarn of alpaca-wool blend called Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light, which I really love, and adorned not with a pompom or toorie, or beret loop ~~ but a Dorset Button.

jenjoycedesign©tweedy detail

That is the news from my neck o’ the woods, and I’m roaring along rather productively on another mitt design, soon to be done & dusted with it.  I hope you are all having a wonderful Autumn and enjoying the turning of leaves and things to gold & rust, as I am. Its a slow turning in Northern California, but it is beginning!

Feather & Fan . . . and an e-book !

jenjoycedesign©Altitude Lace

Introducing Altitude “Lace”, the third of my series of three cowls designed for my Knitting @ Altitude group, with special consideration of  those beginners who are up for a challenge.

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“Feather & Fan” I believe is a colloquial name for a traditional lace motif, and I’ve borrowed it to design a very easy lace cowl, with naught but a knit stitch, a yarn-over, and a knit-2-together is all that is needed for making one ~~ you can do it ! 

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I must say something about this yarn too, got it over at the Local Yarn Shop in the sale ‘bin’ the other day, it is deliriously gorgeous (okay, so I guess I am a real ‘yarnie’ now)… Road To China  (made in Peru) which is 65% Baby alpaca, 15% Silk, 10% Camel, 10% Cashmere. I’ve never had the pleasure of such luxury, it is beautiful, and I’m keeping this prototype to wear all the time.

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That’s about it. I’m trying to figure out still how to assemble the e-book on Ravelry, but until I do I’ll just have them all sold separately, no harm in that.  You can find Altitude “Lace” on this site HERE , and on Ravelry HERE . . . .

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… and….

Edit In : I’ve now got my first e-book together ~~ Altitude Cowls !!!

Calidez

jenjoycedesign©Calidez cover

My younger niece models Calidez, in size 30″, the prototype and smallest of the bulky-weight size run, and looking a little outgrown, but she wears it well none-the-less.  My nieces and I had a double-design photo shoot in St.Helena last week in the scorching heat of a late July morning, at ten o’clock the mercury rising up into the 80’s, while wearing wool sweaters, proves that my nieces are really quite good at the modelling thing after all. Calidez is to be a most basic & classic wardrobe sweater and very easy to knit!

Please see the pattern page on this site HERE and on Ravelry HERE, and try out your version.
 
 
 

Altitude Cowl

jenjoycedesign©Altitude Cowl cover
Miss Fifteen modelling my very recent “Altitude Cowl”

My nieces and I had a double-design photo shoot in St.Helena last week in the scorching heat of a late July morning, for Altitude Cowl and for Calidez.  At ten o’clock the mercury rising up into the 80’s, proves that my nieces are really quite good at the modelling thing after all.

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So Altitude Cowl was designed to be a very easy knit for beginner knitter , for teaching in my Knitting @ Altitude group that is soon-to-be-forming (so excited!). Actually , this one is first in a series of easy cowls, this one being ‘twists’.  The next will add to make the pattern my first official e-book, and it will grow from there to hopefully a handful of easy cowls.

Please see details of the pattern page on this site  HERE , or on Ravelry HERE

It can be worn tossed on over the head, or folded and pinned. It is a very showy deeply textured cowl that is ‘all about the yarn and the twists’ and I hope you try it!

Now please go see Miss Twelve in Calidez

jenjoycedesign©Calidez cover