Wool Oversized Vest - Free Pattern

Dear All,

I recently visited a yarn shop in Skippack, PA and they had a knitted sample on display of a summer linen oversized top.  It's knit to wear over a bathing suit or tank top.  I decided to knit this pattern in wool to wear over a turtleneck.

The yarn shop gave me the link to Kat Coyle's blog and I was able to print the pattern.  I ordered 4 skeins of Knitpicks sport weight wool - in a heathery shade of dark teal green with black.

The pattern is easy to knit and definitely oversized, but it's very warm worn over a turtleneck!

The original top was designed by Kat Coyle.  You can find her free pattern at the following link:

Kat Coyle Linen Top.  Here's an image of her linen top.

Keep knitting!

Susan

The Mannings - Lace Knitting Class

Dear All,

I attended an all-day lace knitting class at The Mannings in a very rural setting near Lancaster, PA.  It was a lot of fun and of course I am now addicted to lace knitting.

The class was taught by:

Heather Zoppetti
	Heather Zoppetti has been obsessed with fiber arts for the last ten years. She is a web programmer by day, a designer by night and a knitter always. Among her other hobbies are spinning, tatting, crochet and teaching. She has had several patterns published in Interweave Knits and also self publishes patterns on her website, digitalnabi.com.

The Mannings is a fiber art school, mainly for weaving, spinning, felting, knitting, and crocheting.  You can take week-long classes or day classes.  It's a nice "escape" from the rat race!  You should see their yarn shop!!!  Eye candy that leaves a lasting impression.  They have a large book selection too!

Here are some additional photos of The Mannings property.  I took them during the lunch break.

See you!

When you think you cannot knit -- keep knitting!

Done and Done Infinity Scarf

Dear All,

I finally finished the infinity scarf.  Here are a few photos!

It is a gift for my niece's birthday.  I'm sure she will love it!

Take care.

Swedish Cuff Pattern

Fingerless gloves are very popular right now! They are very convenient to wear while blogging too! It's great to be able to wear gloves and type!



The cuff pattern is a warm olive green yarn knit with taupe and mocha brown yarn. The stripe design is from a Swedish mitten book from the 1850s!



Fingerless gloves are quicker to knit than regular mittens. They are perfect to make when you want to use up your stash of yarns too!



Here are some freshly made earrings, with peach color faceted briolettes and copper findings.

The background in the photos match the earrings. It is from a greeting card my sister (Karen Harvey Cox) made. The colors of the papers and the earrings match perfectly!

When you think you can't create, keep creating!

Craft Podcasts

Everyone who needs a little creative inspiration needs to check out the podcasts featured on CraftCast! It is fun to listen to the different shows.

Thank you for your prayers for my sister. Please visit her blog to see her creations.

Wool and Prayer

Working with wool helps me to feel connected to God. I've often thought about the profoundness of wool. It's not only one of the most perfect fibers to work with, but it's also warm and protects us from the elements.

Whether you knit, crochet, felt, spin, weave, make rugs, or sew, just the act of working with wool is calming. It brings a sense of connectedness to God. Working with wool can also help to bring you toward healing and wholeness. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment that you made something that has a purpose. We have been compared to sheep in the Bible. Maybe God wants us to realize that He created us with a purpose too.

As a knitter, I feel it is a privilege to work with wool and I thank God that I learned how to knit, especially since it is the reason why I quit smoking cigarettes just about 25 years ago!

Stay Inspired and Have a Happy New Year!

• I have a special request: Please pray for my sister Karen, as she has an appointment with a surgeon this Friday, 1-2-09. Be sure to stop by Her Blog. You will love her creations!

Visit my other blog for inspiration: InHisFavor

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!

This is my first time participating in "Pink Saturday." Please visit the blog How Sweet the Sound, where Pink Saturday originated. My sister Karen told me about it. Feel free to visit her blog too!

For my first Pink Saturday posting, I decided to post pink things that I have made. This is a handknit pink neckwarmer. It reminds me of a strawberry vanilla color. It is very soft and has a satin ribbon woven throughout. You can remove the ribbon and wear it as a cowl or tie it to keep your neck warm.



Watercolors: I recently started doing original watercolor ACEOs, each measuring 2.5" by 3.5". They look cute displayed on a tiny easel or in a frame with a large mat.

Pink Tulips:

Pink Sky:

This is a painting from a photo taken in Arizona of a pink catus:



Here are two of my needle-felted pieces:

Pink Bunny (Rouge Lapin)
"Demi" Pink Cupcake Bear

This is part of one of my fiber art quilts called Majestic Glory. This section has beads, quilting, French knots and of course a little pink:


Feel free to stop by my Etsy store to see more of my pieces. I hope you enjoy your Pink Saturday. This is my logo - somewhat French and of course - PINK!

Take care, Susan

Seasons of Yarn

It's that time of year to start knitting, crocheting, and weaving. When you have lived in Vermont for as long as I did, the seasons of yarn crafts were something to look forward to. When it starts to get cold and there's the first snow, you need to stay warm and knitting is a great way to feel cozy and warm.

It's life transforming when you are able to attend a knitting bee in an old Vermont farmhouse, eat pumpkin soup and homemade bread, drink tea, and -- of course -- you knit something! Click, click, click go the needles, conversation, crackling fire, warmth, the smell of apple pie, and snow flurries!



Above you will see my latest fun-and-easy-to-wear neckwarmer, made with Noro 100% self-striping wool. Noro yarn is made in small batches in Japan by a very regal and nostalgic wool designer. Each batch is unique and special.

Also, take a look at the skinny scarf shown below. It's so soft and fluffy, light and warm too. This scarf is definitely a show-stopper! Very pretty and fashionable too. It's knit with turquoise alpaca yarn and calypso eyelash yarn, which creates a fun texture.

Including the fringe, this scarf measures 82" long by 2" wide. Wrap it around your neck a few times to create a fuzzy neckwarmer, wear it as a sash, or simply tie a French knot for a Parisian look.



If you have the time, try taking a knitting or crocheting class. You can learn to make beautiful gifts for your family, friends, and even yourself! If you want to see more of my items, please visit my etsy store at pafiberartist.etsy.com.

Quit Smoking by Knitting!

First of all, if you want to quit smoking, knitting is the perfect way to get rid of that nasty habit. At the same time, you can make beautiful knitted gifts for your family and friends and renew your health and spirit.



I am living proof that you can quit smoking by knitting. Having been a smoker for ten years, I learned how to knit in 1984 and quit smoking cigarettes forever, COLD TURKEY! There were no withdrawals and no weight gain as well. The fruit of my labor produced many mittens, sweaters, and hats! Thank God!

Circular knitting is the main reason why you can quit smoking so easily when knitting. There’s no time to light up a cigarette, because you keep going around in a circle! This fingerless glove knitting pattern is my own design. It is very easy for the beginner knitter. All it takes is one 100 yard skein of worsted or bulky weight yarn. You will also need size 10 double-pointed needles.

Imagine the possible colors and styles you can make - while you quit smoking - of course!



This fingerless glove pattern is a 3-page PDF file (606kb) that I can send to you via e-mail. Please visit my Etsy store for more information.

Instead of smoking, start a good habit by knitting. Quit and Knit!