Knitwear Designs by Carolyn Noyes: October 2013

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October 2013

10/20/2013

Channeling Alfred Hitchcock

Can't you just picture Alfred Hitchcock, sitting on-set in his director's chair, needles and yarn in hand, musing silently--no, no, make that aloud--about all the knitwear designs his movies would inspire for the knitters of 2013 and beyond? Ok, maybe not, but it is a funny mental image, no?

Well, the folks at Cooperative Press had a somewhat similar musing when they put out a call for design ideas inspired by the films of Hitchcock over a year ago. And the result is Hitch, a book of twenty-nine patterns for sweaters, shawls, gloves and hats that modern-day Judys and Midges, Lisas and Melanies will just love.

The Judy Henley from "Hitch"

Full disclosure: I have a pattern in this book, the Judy Henley, inspired by Vertigo (one of my faves initially because of the mere presence of Jimmy Stewart!), but I am dying to cast on Elizabeth Green Musselman's San Juan Bautista Shawl (don't miss her KAL starting November 1--there are prizes!). The KAL for the Judy Henley will begin in February--see you then? We'll have prizes, too--a special basket of yarnie goodness from Quince and Co., whose Lark yarn I used for Judy.

My other favorite Hitchcock film style moment

In the meantime, I am giving away a digital copy of Hitch to blog readers: All you have to do is leave a comment here telling us who your favorite Hitchcock heroine is--and certainly, if you have a favorite fashion moment from that film, we'd LOVE to see a pic! The white coat, left, (again, from Vertigo, what can I tell you?!) is my other favorite style moment.

Do remember to leave your ravelryID or e-mail address, so the file can be sent to you if you win. The giveaway is open until Sunday, November 10, at 11:59 p.m. I will draw a winner by random number generator the next day. Good luck!

Be sure to also visit the other stops on Hitch's blog tour for more behind-the-design inspirations as well as contests and KALs: 9/28/2013: Sunset Cat Designs 10/5/2013: Knitting Kninja New! 10/05/13: Knit One, Heart Too Podcast 10/7/2013: Herrlichkeiten 10/8/2013: Knit and Travel 10/9/2013: Knit & Knag Designs 10/10/2013: Wooly Wonka Fibers 10/11/2013: Verdant Gryphon 10/15/2013: Impeccable Knits: Shifting Stitches 10/16/2013: Rewolluzza 10/21/2013: Knitwear Designs by Carolyn Noyes 10/22/2013: Peacefully Knitting 10/23/2013: Dark Matter Knits 10/24/2013: Turnknit: Dani Berg Designs 10/25/2013: SweetGeorgia Yarns 10/28/2013: doviejay knits 10/29/2013: Triona Designs 10/30/2013: Tactile Fiber Arts 11/4/2013: A Knitter’s Life 11/5/2013: Catchloops 11/6/2013: Yarn On The House 11/07/2013: Ramblings 11/12/2013: Hazel Knits 11/13/2013: Knitcircus 11/19/2013: indigodragonfly 11/9/2013: Fyberspates 11/25/2013: knittingkirigami 11/22013: A B-ewe-tiful Design

Posted at 08:59 PM in Books, Patterns, Published Designs | Permalink | Comments (7)

10/11/2013

All Aboard for Rhinebeck!

Train to Maine Hat (c) CNoyes/KAngell

When I was a kid in Maine, there was always a lot of talk about the cargo rail lines being reopened to passenger tr ains to make for an easy connection between Portland and Boston. Let's just say that I grew up, went to Boston (not by train) for college, graduated and then lived in Manhattan, traveling home to visit (still not by train) for more than a decade.

But the train finally did come back to Maine, in 2001--and it beat my own return to the state by a full nine years.

And since coming back to the place I always called home no matter where I was actually living, I have been lucky enough to start a new venture--designing patterns for hand-knitting. When I started sketching out this self-published collection, I wanted it to be a roundup of all things Maine--the state whose climate taught me early on that sweaters and hats were wardrobe staples for about eight months out of the year--like it or not!

Train to Maine Pullover (c) CNoyes/KAngell

And so, the "Train to Maine" collection was:

--designed by a native Mainer (me!) with contrast yarn created by a Maine indie dyer (Heather, of Highland Handmades)

--modeled by a lovely Maine girl

--photographed by another native Mainer (whom I fortuitously met one snowy day as she was shooting fashion on a rarely traveled lake road)

--and named for the journey that brought me back home (but maybe I should have called this mini collection "Design Local, Maine edition"?)

Or maybe "Design Local, New England", because I owe Wendy from Massachusetts (pennywenny from the Knit 1, Heart Too podcast) a huge thank you for her wonderful tech-editing skills on both of these patterns.

Wendy and her co-host Sheila (SheilaD37) will be giving away a copy of the hat and sweater pattern, plus a $10 WEBS certificate on their podcast after returning from Rhinebeck. And, if you'll be at Rhinebeck, too, be sure to enter the "Where's Carolyn?" drawing for the chance to win a $20 WEBS certificate plus a copy of the "Train to Maine" patterns! All you have to do to enter is spot me at Rhinebeck (October 19-20) wearing the Pullover or Hat, snap a pic of you and me together, post it on the Knit 1, Heart Too Ravelry Group thread, and tune in to Wendy and Sheila for the drawing.

Patterns for both the Train to Maine Sweater and Hat are available for download purchase on Ravelry; (you don't have to be a member to buy patterns on Ravelry).

All aboard!

Posted at 11:25 AM in Patterns, Published Designs, Rhinebeck | Permalink | Comments (0)

10/10/2013

The Sweater's in the Mail

Greetings for your favorite sweater girl

A few weeks ago, it was the 85th birthday of a very dear friend of mine. And even though she is a knitter, it just didn't seem to fit to buy her a knitting-related gift; it is she, after all, who passes along to me her quadruple-extra set of dpns, vintage buttons and 5-inch zippers, and skeins of yarn we bought together 20 years ago. But--because she is a knitter herself--I knew she would get a kick out of anything that even remotely brought yarn and needles together.

So I decided to acknowledge her birthday not with some funny animated e-card, but rather, the old-fashioned way--with an actual card that required an actual envelope and stamp, and, yes, the post office to get it to her.

I had seen "sweater cards" through the years and thought I'd make my own from some lovely leftover merino/cashmere Ariosa yarn from Classic Elite. (They call it bulky, but it acted more like an aran on my needles. Not to worry, gauge isn't important for this project--just pick the stash yarn you like best.) And in some odd arrangement of the constellations, it was poetry week in my eight-year-old daughter's class, and she fortuitously came home that afternoon with her newly written "Ode to Knitting". Well, there we have it--perfect sentiments for the inside of my card. (My daughter's agent and I are still working out copyright issues, so I am unable to post it at present ; ) While waiting for rights to clear, I'll pass along my instructions for the sweater-dress, below...

Birthday Card Sweater-Dress (steps 1-10 make one 3-inch-tall sweater-dress)

① With size 4/3.5mm needle, CO 14 sts, work St st for 6 rows, slipping 1st st purlwise at the beginning of every row.

② Next row (RS), decrease row: Sl 1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end, k2tog, k1. —2 sts dec'd

③ Work 3 rows even. Rep dec row. —10 sts rem

④ Work 7 rows even.

⑤ Next row: Using backward loop method, CO 4 sts; k to end.

⑥ Next row: CO 4 sts; p to end. —18 sts total

⑦ Work 4 rows even.

⑧ Next row (RS): Sl 1, K6, BO 4, K7.

⑨ Next row (WS): Sl 1; BO this shoulder in p1, k1. Cut yarn, leaving tail to weave in to secure sts.

⑩ Reattach yarn after neckline BO sts, and BO shoulder in k1, p1 but do not sl 1st st.

Finishing: Sew 3 beads on center front.

Blocked measurements

Make card: With a medium-point felt-tip marker, draw the hook and top edge of a wire hanger on cover of card. Lightly apply a gluestick to back of dress at corners to hold in place for the next step. Place sweater-dress onto front cover, aligning it to "hang" on the marker lines; press to adhere. Use invisible thread and an embroidery needle to stitch sweater onto cardstock, securing it at neckline edges, sleeve corners and lower hem corners. Cut a piece of decorative paper to the size of card's cover; glue to inside front to cover stitching. Write your message--and don't forget your stamp!

Abbreviations

BO bind off CO cast on dec ('d) decrease(d) k knit k2tog knit 2 sts together p purl rem remain
rep repeat sl slip ssk slip, slip, knit st(s) stitch(es)
St st stockinette stitch

©2013 Knitwear Designs by Carolyn Noyes. Not to be reproduced, sold or re-knit for sale or profit. - See more at: http://www.carolynnoyes.com/knitwear_designs_by_carol/free-patterns/#sthash.5EHwwjPu.dpuf

Posted at 01:47 PM in Free Patterns, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (0)

Knitwear Designs by Carolyn Noyes