The Rapunzel Infinity scarf is now available as a kit on Craftsy.
Rapunzel Infinity is a completely reversible infinity scarf. It features lace and reversible cables, and is knit flat and grafted together at the end. Rapunzel’s braid is shown in the centre of the infinity scarf, surrounded by thorns on both sides.
Rapunzel is a German fairy tale in which an enchantress has imprisoned a young girl in a tower. Rapunzel has long, golden hair, and she lowers her braid from the tower so that the enchantress can visit her. One day a prince pretends to be the enchantress, visits her and they fall in love. They plan her escape, but the enchantress finds out and casts out Rapunzel. She then pretends to be Rapunzel, and the prince climbs up to meet her. When she tells him he will never see Rapunzel again, he leaps from the tower in despair and is blinded by the thorns below.
The pattern is also available in PDF format, both as a single pattern for $5.00
or as a part of the Fairy Tale Lace collection, which contains 7 patterns all inspired by fairy tales. The Fairy Tale Lace e-book is $20.00 and is also available in PDF format.
The signups for the Mystic Cabin KAL are now open, and I’m really looking forward to sharing this new adventure with you. And while the nature of mystery knitalongs is such that I can’t show you what the final piece will look like until AFTER the KAL is completed, I thought I’d just add a little teaser here.
The Mystic Cabin shawl is really cozy, and I look forward to wearing it once the mystery is unveiled. While designing it, I was imagining myself at our cabin, where we spend the summers. It’s a small little cedar log cabin, right on a lake in the Ottawa valley. During the days, I sit down by the water, knitting. As the day turns to dusk, we often light a camp fire, and grill hot dogs and toast marshmallows. We see the fireflies start to come out and soon the night has fallen. If there are no clouds, we can see millions of stars, and even the milkyway spread across the sky. Summer is coming, and I can’t wait!
Mystic Cabin is a cozy shawl to wrap yourself in, when a warm summer day turns into a cool summer night, and you’re sitting by the camp fire, looking into the dancing flames and listening to the crackling fire.
The little log cabin in the picture is located in the woods behind our cottage. It’s a perfect place to go, to enjoy the stillness and marvel at the magnificence of nature. It’s rustic, cozy, and absolutely beautiful.
This new Mystic Shawl is a triangular shaped shawl, published in mystery KAL format. The design was inspired by little log cabins in the still woods, and I look forward to bringing my shawl with me when I go out there this summer. To knit it, you will need approx. 630 yards of fingering weight yarn. The shawl is designed for the gradient kits from Black Trillium Yarn (see below for details), but can also be knit in two contrasting colours of fingering weight yarn. The size is adjustable, in pattern. My Mystic Cabin Shawl is a fairly generous size, but you can make yours smaller (or bigger) to suit your preferences.
YARN REQUIREMENT
1 gradient kit of Pebble Sock from Black Trillium Yarn (100% super wash merino, 635 yds/165 g, 5 shades of one colour) or similar yarn
FINISHED (BLOCKED) SIZE
wingspan: 170 cm (67 in), height: 94 cm (37 in)
adjustable in pattern (although if you make yours larger, you will need more yarn, naturally)
KAL START DATE: Apr 28, 2015
Clues posted every Tuesday for 3 consecutive weeks.
The PDF pattern can be purchased here for $5.00.
The KAL is available at this price until the first clue is posted on Apr 28, 2015. At that point, the price will increase to the regular pattern price.
The Rockslide Shawl is a fully reversible lace shawl. It uses old Shetland motifs to create an airy shawl with rolling river rocks on the body of the shawl, and a more solid row of diamonds separating the body from the edging with peaks and valleys.
This versatile shawl can be worn as a lacy accessory with an evening gown, or with jeans and a top for a casual look. There’s no need to worry about having the “right side” showing, as the shawl is completely reversible.
Rockslide is worked in several different directions. It starts with a provisional cast-on for the body. Then stitches are picked up for the diamond border, and the shawl is finished with a knit on edging.
The pattern is available in downloadable PDF format for $7.00
Vogue Knit Live took place this weekend in NYC. I’m sure it’s a fabulous show, and I would have love to go.
Cooperative Press was there, sharing a booth with Dragonfly fibers. And while I wasn’t there in person, my books were there.
Here’s Shannon Okey of Cooperative Press, with a nice stack of Mystic Shawls. The photo is taken by Simone Kereit of OwlCat Designs who was at the show with her new book.
And if you look closely, you’ll see that Shannon is wearing a gorgeous Mystic Light (knit for her by Christina, in Dragonfly yarn). I’m not sure that I’ve seen a two-colour Mystic Light before, but I really like that golden colour, and the effect it has as edging.
So what, you may ask, was I doing that I couldn’t make it to VKL this weekend? I was actually at a hockey tournament with one of my sons and his team, in the great metropolis of Brighton, ON. It was a lovely weekend spent mostly in an arena, with this view.
The end result was a very happy boy and a silver medal. So, all in all, a great weekend!
The first clue of the Mystic Cuppa KAL was released yesterday. There are definitely some speedy knitters in the KAL this time – we already have seven completed clue 1’s posted in the Knit & Knag Designs group on Ravelry.
Katherine in Nebraska was first to post, and she’s making this beautiful version in purple and green.
There are several others as well. And so far, we don’t have two that look the same – different colour choices all around.
Just the other day, my friend Sarah was talking about a short story that she read that ended with the following sentence: “Women who sit together, knitting and talking should never be underestimated.”
In an online KAL, we’re all part of a global “togetherness”, in which we’re all knitting together, even if we’re in different physical locations. I know that some of you have local groups in which several of you are knitting Mystic Cuppa, and others are following along through the web. Some of you are here for your first Mystic KAL, and others have been around since the very beginning (yes, I’m looking at you, Kirsten and Nicole).
For me, the absolute best part of these knitalongs is getting to know so many other knitters. So, on that note, a warm welcome to all of the new faces, and a giant welcome back to everyone else. I hope you’ll introduce yourselves and join the talking as well as the knitting. I’m really looking forward to hearing from you and sharing in your progress.
If you’re not already in the Knit & Knag Designs group – come join us and say hello!
As one year has ended and another one started, it seems like a good time to look back at all that happened during 2014. It’s been an exciting year.
I released the last 3 spatters in the Fairy Tale Lace e-book; Star of Earth, Gretel’s Shawl and Rapunzel Infinity. It was a really fun collection to work on. As you all surely know by now, I do love fairy tales and using them as inspiration for my lace designs.
My personal favourites from this collection are the Cheshire Cat Shawl and Rapunzel Infinity.
The Cheshire Cat Shawl because I really loved the colour combination – the green was such an amazing green – and it was so much fun to knit stripes and then top it all off with an intricate lace border. It’s also an eminently wearable shawl, and I’ve worn it a LOT since I finished it.
Rapunzel Infinity I loved the combination of reversible cables and a very textured lace pattern. It was a fun knit, since the lace was worked on both right-side and wrong-side rows, and yet it was easy enough to memorize. I knit most of this cowl on a trip to Texas, and had the pattern memorized in no time at all.
I also finally got around to releasing a Fair Isle pattern – my Maple Leaf Touque. As I’m sure you’re all aware, most of my patterns to date have been lace patterns. But way back when I started to knit, my absolute favourite type of knitting was Fair Isle. I’ve been meaning to get back to it (and I actually have a few other patterns planned), but somehow I always get distracted by more lace. Still – I’m thrilled that I got around to making this gorgeous hat. When it’s dark and cold (like this week here in Ottawa, when it’s been down to -38 C with windchill), this colourful hat cheers me up. And keeps me warm too.
There were three Mystic KALs in 2014 – Mystic Supernova, Mystic Ocean and Mystic Vortex.
In other big news, Mystic Shawls – my third book – was published.
In Mystic Shawls we collected the first 14 Mystic patterns, all of which were originally published as mystery knitalongs. The shawls were re-photographed for the book, and we also included photos of beautiful examples that other knitters created during the knitalongs. The entire book details my journey as a designer. The Mystic KALs is how I got started. From Mystic Waters through an entire array of shawls, shapes and colours.
Without the encouragement of all of you, Mystic Waters could have been a one-off design. But the reception was spectacular, and I’ve really enjoyed hosting the mystery knitalongs and in particular getting to know this fabulous knitting community. Way back when I started, there was no Ravelry, and the KALs were hosted in Yahoo groups. But for the past many years, Ravelry has served as a platform to bring knitters together from all over the world. One of my favourite features is actually that it’s so easy to share pictures, and to access pictures of projects made from any particular pattern. It’s great to see how different a shawl can look depending on the colour choices made by the knitter.
And finally, 2014 also treated me to some excellent teaching opportunities. I’ve taught both locally at LYSs, private events, and even on a Caribbean Cruise. And last, but not least, my very first Craftsy class has launched.
Teaching at Craftsy has been absolutely wonderful so far. I’m thrilled to say that almost 1000 students have already joined me in My First Lace Shawl class. The platform is amazing, and I really enjoy the interactive capabilities of the platform.
Anyhow, looking back at 2014, I’m really pleased with all that’s been accomplished. I’m looking forward to another great year. First up, we have the Mystic Cuppa KAL which starts next week. After that? Well, I wouldn’t want to spoil any surprises. 
Check back soon, and we’ll see what else is cooking.
All the best and thank you so much for making my 2014 wonderful!
The Mystic Cuppa KAL is about to start next week. And in preparation for the KAL, I have released the swatch. It’s always fun to have something to play with a little bit, and to try out the yarn.
My shawl is knit in two contrasting colours of Outlaw Bohemia Sport. The one I used for the swatch is Earl, and the other one is a beautiful deep red called Carnivale.
There’s still time to sign up for the KAL and get the discounted price. There are 5 weekly clues, published each Thursday. The PDF pattern can be purchased here for $6.00.
The KAL is available at this price until the first clue is posted on Jan 15. At that point, the price will increase to the regular pattern price.
When the world is all at odds
And the mind is all at sea
Then cease the useless tedium
And brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its’ fragrance,
There is solace in its’ taste;
And the laden moments vanish
Somehow into space.
And the world becomes a lovely thing!
There’s beauty as you’ll see;
All because you briefly stopped
To brew a cup of tea.
Mystic Cuppa is a crescent shaped, two-colour lace shawl, published in mystery KAL format. You will need approx. 360 yards each of two contrasting colour sportweight yarn.
YARN REQUIREMENT
4 skeins Outlaw Yarn Bohemia Sport in two contrasting colours (2 skeins in earl + 2 skeins in carnivale) or similar yarn
KAL START DATE: Jan 15, 2015
Clues posted every Thursday for 5 consecutive weeks.
The PDF pattern can be purchased here for $6.00.
The KAL is available at this price until the first clue is posted on Jan 15. At that point, the price will increase to the regular pattern price.
My Craftsy class is now up and running. So far, so good. Hundreds of people have already joined me on this adventure, in which we’ll be knitting a gorgeous Waterspout Shawl. The shawl can be knit in fingering weight or worsted weight, and we’ll look at the different fabrics created.
We’ll talk about yarn choices and needles. We’ll work our way through a gauge swatch and try out all the lace stitches needed for the shawl. Then we’ll cast-on for our fabulous shawl adventure. You’ll have a choice of casting on with the traditional garter-tab cast-on, or you can use my fuss-free alternative. Either way, we’ll start with just a few stitches at the nape of the neck, and then work down and out towards the edging.
Next, we’ll work through your lace chart, as I give you manageable instruction to easily knit increases, decreases, yarn-overs and more. We’ll talk about how and where to join the next skein, if you run out of yarn from the current skein. And before you know it, we’re ready to bind off. We’ll look at a stretchy lace bind-off, and how to finish the shawl by sewing in the ends.
Finally we’re ready for the magic of blocking. This is where you transform your knitting into a true masterpiece. We’ll look at wet-blocking, and how to alter the look of the edging, at any point in time, simply by re-blocking your shawl.
Please join me on Craftsy, where I’ll be available to answer your questions as they come up. You can watch the class at any time, pause, rewind or even skip ahead. You can watch the class as many times as you’d like. I look forward to seeing you there.
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