Recently on Insta

I'm more active on Instagram (username Wonderfallz) than anywhere else these days so I thought I would share a quick roundup.  But first this, not from my instagram:

My Galaxy S4's camera is my MVP.  I can't believe it got a pic this nice.

I went to visit a friend who lives in Long Island City where there is a beautiful new waterfront boardwalk/park.  It was a beautiful night with a crystal clear shot of Manhattan.  I got to watch the sky go from light blue, to pinky orange, to deep blue with a sparkly skyline.  I will be going back to knit in one of the many public lounge chairs.

Next up, this spring, a dear friend agreed to model some cowls for me.  I had several requests to see them on an actual human being (imagine that!).  We spent the morning wandering around the meatpacking district looking for good background walls, drinking chai, and just having a good time hanging out, which we don't get to do nearly enough.

Bloomst Cowl

Wribbons Cowl

Next, in May of this year I hit 10 years of living in NYC.  I like to make note of this anniversary every year if only because it is so darn tough to live here so it feels like an accomplishment.  

Now that it is summer the beach is warm enough to visit.  The first visit to Rockaway Beach every year marks the first good full breaths of air I get outside after allergy season.  Gotta love that salty ocean air in the lungs.

Just out of shot are all the buildings that remind you where you are, but really how incredible to be able to visit a place that looks like this and then hop on the subway and pick up bubble tea in Chinatown.

Blame it on the Girl Scouts

I went on a bit of an embroidery kick recently and whipped up a patch.  I love patch projects because: A- I was a Girl Scout who loved her patches 

and 

B- Patches are a small, easy to complete project.

I took inspiration from Valentino's Pre Fall 2015 celestial dresses and made this.  100% hand stitched.  Finished during Eurovision (Congrats Sweden!).

(please ignore the difference in lighting between the WIP and final product)

WIP Shot

Final Product

Detail Shot

Bonus pic of a truly embarrassing Kpop patch project that will make little sense to anyone unless you watched the Korean variety show Roommate.  It was a bit of an inside joke project between friends and I was going to make a whole series of them but the show got recast and this project got pushed to the backburner.  I still think the patch is super cute though, so I am sharing.

Bloomst

There is something about a brutally cold winter that makes a person want to knit flowers in bright colors.  With that in mind I would like to share my latest cowl pattern, Bloomst!

The cowl formula is my favorite to wear.  It flairs at the bottom and covers my collar, protecting even the nape of my neck from the chilly winds blowing across my elevated train stop and folds down around the neck nicely.  It is a looser fitting cowl and does not fit closely around the face but if that is the desired fit, there are tips for customizing in the pattern.

Technical details about size, yarn, and needles can be found on the Ravelry pattern listing.

Ribbon Candy Cowl

When I set out designing this pattern it looked quite a bit more Christmas-ey in my head than in execution.  Luckily the end result is a much more universal pattern that can be worn any time of year.

$3.00

The Ribbon Candy Cowl is made using 3 yarns.  Two colors are used for the colorwork body of the cowl and the third is used to make the bands.  The example I show here used 2 balls, one red and one white of a 420 yard sock yarn, for the colorwork body of the cowl and an undyed sock yarn for the bands.  The colorwork portion of the pattern uses equal parts of each color and is meant to be repeated until the yarn runs out.  If you have 2 balls of yarn that are roughly 200yds/180m each, the cowl will be roughly 11"/28cm in height.  If you have 2 balls of yarn that are roughly 400yds/360m each, the cowl will be roughly 20"/51cm in height.  The ribbed bands require 150yds/137m of yarn.

My favorite thing about this pattern is that the jog between rows is completely hidden in the spiral.  There is no way of seeing where one row ends and another begins.  

Rhinebeck 2014

Another year, another trip to the NY Sheep and Wool Festival.  This year my mom and dad joined me.  I've enjoyed going with each and every person I've ever attended with, how could you not, but Rhinebeck is the best when my family visits.  Heck, NY in general is just better when my family visits.  

I have talked about Rhinebeck extensively year after year so I will keep the recap short and sweet.

First, the hat.  I have tried this on every year for the past 8.  This year it came home with me.  There was a guy also from NYC trying on a different hat from this vender and I think we talked each other into our hat purchases.  It reminds me of Dr Zhivago.

Second, the animals.  How cute is this sheep?  I was squeeing over it and the farmer told me this breed is special because they smile.  And no, I don't know what breed it was because I forgot to take note.  whoops.

 And finally, the haul.  Miss Babs, Fiber Optic, Touch of Twist, Bartlett Yarns, Brooks Farm, Ensign Brook Farm, and sparkly gold fiber from a vendor I can't remember.  The goal was golds, a light indigo, a Fiber Optic ombre box and colors I don't normally grab.  I think I accomplished that.  There is not a red and teal combo in sight (if I didn't check myself those are the only colors I would ever use).

Just something random, it never fails that the moment you stop posing like an normal adult and start goofing off, it will be captured for posterity.  So here you go. 

I call myself a normal adult but my sunglasses say otherwise.

\/\/ Wribbons /\/\

I have published a new cowl pattern today.

\/\/ Wribbons /\/\ 

This cowl is one of my favorites to wear.  It flares at the bottom to protect the neck and collar from chilly air.  The pattern includes yardage and instructions for a sport weight cowl as well as the formula for the pattern so it can be customized for any yarn and any size.

Here's the Ravelry link:

I made the first version of this cowl over a year ago and it was far and away my favorite cowl to wear.  Unfortunately I failed to write down any of the yardage so the pattern hung out in limbo until I knit a second sample.  The edging on the first version is different from the final version because even though visually I loved the way it looked, it rolled in on itself too easily so it got replaced with ribbing which managed to make it even cozier.  The yarn on this first version was such a surprise.  They were two random cheap merinos from Ebay and Smileys Yarn Sale that were utilitarian yarns in my stash.  Together they are luminous.  The first version also had one additional round of chartwork.

Scary Easy Hocus Pocus Tote

Fall is finally upon us.  All the drinks and food at Starbucks and Whole Foods are pumpkin flavored and the Halloween section of the craft store is jam packed with glitter fall flowers, skeletons, black cats and pumpkins.  With a month and a half till Halloween I thought I would add a little addition to the Hocus Pocus Trick or Treat Bag Pattern.  Here is the Scary Easy Hocus Pocus Tote. 

 This tote is a much easier, finish in a weekend, version of the original bag.  It does not require any lining or felting and it a much more appropriate size for trick or treating.  

If you have already purchased the Hocus Pocus Cowl and Trick or Treat Bag ebook then you should see this new tote pattern added to the download options, you do not have to purchase anything new.  If have not purchased the pattern but are interested in making your own, follow the button below for more details.