Pattern Roll Call: Win Two Gorgeous Shawl Patterns!

31MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

The weather has changed and, while the days are quickly becoming unbearably hot, the evenings are suddenly sublime — soft and warm and silken. And of course, it is the perfect time to knit.

And I know that last bit won’t make sense to the rest of the world, but you and I both know that summer just begs for luscious yarns, delicate lace, and lovely light shawls that wrap gently around bare shoulders. Oh yes, summer is perfect for knitting.

But I know lacework is not for everyone. So check out the Make It Work! shawl by Leslie Thompson (you know her, she’s one of the KnitGirllls from the Knit Girllls podcast!). What caught my eye first was the beautiful edge shaping — I think looks just like waves washing onto the shore — and then I spotted that it’s got enough short-row shaping and simple lacework to keep you interested without becoming too intimidating. I love this shawl!

knitting pattern, shawl, knitting, yarn — Images © Leslie Thompson, used with permission

The pattern comes with instructions knitting it in fingering, sport, and worsted weight yarns, and even includes a video to explain the process of short-row shaping and how to pick up wraps invisibly. With its lovely stockinette crescent, I think it would look amazing in yarn with a bit of sheen to pick up the summer sun, such as SpaceCadet Fingering Yarn in Bamboo, Superwash Merino, and Nylon, in Pink Sun (below left) or SpaceCadet Fingering Yarn in Superwash BFL and Silk, in Plumberry (below right).

But if lace is your thing, prepare to fall in love… This is Adoro, a gorgeous all-over lace shawl from Ruth Garcia-Alcantud. I love the delicate edging and the beading detail is just beautiful. This shawl just oozes starlit nights and warm breezes…

lace, knitting, pattern, yarn, shawl — Images © Ruth Garcia-Alcantud, used with permission

The pattern comes with instructions for both laceweight and fingering yarn. And even though it is simply amazing in that stunning deep red, I’d love to see how delicate it would look in an ethereal colourway such as SpaceCadet’s Luna LaceWeight Yarn in Silk and Merino, in Covetous (below left) or in Translucence (below right).

Hey Cool! Win Both Patterns!

And here’s the best bit… Leslie and Ruth have very generously offered to give a copy of Make It Work! and Adoro to one lucky winner! To enter all you have to do is retweet this tweet:

“GIVEAWAY! I’ve just entered to win two shawl patterns from @rockandpurl @theknitgirllls and @spacecadetcreat http://wp.me/pKX4B-EU #RPKGllls”

And then just leave a comment here telling me you’ve done it.

I’ll draw a random winner from all the commenters next Monday or Tuesday, and then let you all know who’s won here on the blog. So come on in — the summer is warm and the knitting is gorgeous!

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The details (they’re eeeeeasy!): Sweepstakes opens when this blog post is published and closes on Sun June 5 2011 at 11.59pm EDT and all entries must be made before the close. All entrants will be verified and must retweet the tweet specified in the above blog post and then leave a comment to that effect on this blog post to qualify, and comments must include the commenter’s Twitter name. Invalid entries will be disqualified. Winner will be announced on this blog within 72 hours of sweepstakes close and must respond within 72 hours or we reserve the right to choose another winner. No purchase necessary. Only one entry per person. SpaceCadet Creations reserves the right to substitute prizes. Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash. See, that wasn’t too bad, was it?

Delighted to Announce…

26NovApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

I was so excited when Sharon Silverman, crochet designer and author of Tunisian Crochet: The Look of Knitting with the Ease of Crocheting, asked if she could use my Luna Laceweight yarn in a new design. And I was delighted to dye a brand-new colourway for her to work with.

And now, I am absolutely thrilled to present her stunning Moonmist Shawl and the yarn I’ve created for it, Luna Laceweight in Evening Fog.

148601_175151172511213_120870511272613_566049_6485373_n combo — © Sharon Silverman, Used with Permission

The Moonmist Shawl pattern is worked out from the center back in one direction and then the other, to create a delicate piece of lacework so light that it fairly floats across the shoulders.

When she first described to me the design she had in mind, I saw it draped delicately over a beautiful evening gown. I imagined holiday parties, sparkling lights, glasses of champagne… I wanted to create a colourway as ethereal as the Moonmist Shawl itself…

Luna Laceweight in Evening Fog

As day slips away and the light grows soft, the Evening Fog rises up out of nowhere and gently transforms the world with a veil of translucent blue-grey.

This is over 100g of wonderfully smooshy Luna Lace Weight yarn, a 2-ply blend of Silk and superfine Merino wool that is amazingly light and soft to the touch. Where there are multiple skeins pictured, each is sold separately.

Fiber Content: 20% Silk, 80% Merino Wool
Weight: Approximately 3.6oz / 100g (approximately 1300 yards per 100g)
Colourway: Evening Fog
Care Instructions for the final item: Hand wash in tepid water, Lay flat to dry.

Each item is individually hand-dyed by the SpaceCadet, using professional grade acid dyes which are mixed by hand from primaries. Please be sure to buy enough for your project as the colours may not be able to be reproduced exactly.
SpaceCadet Creations is a smoke-free, pet-free environment.
Please remember that the colours in pictures may vary depending on your computer monitor. The colours in the photos are as accurate as possible.

Pattern Roll-Call: Something Gorgeous Around Your Shoulders

26AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Y’know, even though it’s still August and that usually means high temperatures and hot days, the weather has taken on a slightly cooler tinge this week, and that’s got me thinking about autumn. I’ve been day-dreaming about turning leaves, that crisp smell in the air, and lovely lovely autumn knitting. Is there anything better? And the first thing you need as the weather starts to change is something gorgeous to drape around you to keep that chill at bay.

Abby by Amy Singer

I’m crazy about cowls. They’re so easy — there’s no tying, no arranging, no fussing or adjusting… they just pop over your head and perfectly fill up the space around the top of a jacket to keep you toasty warm. Abby by Amy Singer has a beautifully simple stitch pattern that will work perfectly with any yarn from a Semi-Solid to a Wildly Varigated. I think it would look amazing knitted up in the gentle blues and purples of Mountain Mist.

Mirth by Stefanie Japel

The lace pattern on Mirth is gorgeous, just gorgeous — what could look more elegant draped around your shoulders on a cool autumn day? But the real beauty of Stefanie Japel‘s pattern is that it’s written in both text and charts, and the size of the shawl can customised by completing as many chart repeats as the knitter likes. The allover lace pattern will really shine in a Gently Varigated yarn such as Pink Autumn or Desert Wine.

Eventide by Laura Nelkin

Now here is a pattern that makes you want to grab that crazy-gorgeous yarn that’s been calling your name and just cast on. The long criss-cross floats of Laura Nelkin‘s Eventide really showcase the colours a variegated yarn such as the cool blue/green/purples of Midnight Swim or the gentle pinks and olive-greens of Bramble Rose. And the beautiful openwork creates a pattern that is perfect for those not-too-warm, not-too-cool days that autumn brings.

So, yeah, I know… it’s still August. And the sun in still high in the sky and we’re all still wearing our summer clothes. But one of these days, the weather is going to change suddenly and summer will be gone… And now is the perfect time to cast on so that, when that happens, you’ll have something gorgeous to see in the autumn.