SAFF Bound, Indigo To-Go

Here at KnitOasis Central, we've been hard at work preparing some lovely knitting indigo kits for sale at SAFF, The Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair.

Every year, farmers, yarn merchants, spinners, dyers, and assorted crafts people and small business owners gather to teach, learn, compete, share, mingle and more at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC. Last year I made it for one day and was so impressed with the atmosphere of creativity and camaraderie. There was so much to see and do and buy.

My friend Pat Lorenz at Bird Mountain Creations invited me to be part of her booth this year (#72 in the McGough Arena) and I'm planning on having a fantastic time for the following reasons:

• Pat is a hoot and a half. When you meet her, you'll see what I mean. I will also be surrounded by her amazing creations. Art for daysssss.....
• I will get to see lots of lovely folks that I only ever see at events like this.
• I'll have the chance to show off some indigo, talk about indigo, and hopefully, sell some indigo kits!

This amazing fabric will be lining for hand-knit bag kits. I love it all so much, it's kinda hard to part with any of them!

Are you going to be at SAFF this year? If so, please come see me! No trip to any event is ever complete for me without seeing folks I know and making new friends. Heck, that also applies to going to the grocery store! Please stop by and say hello. If we've yet to meet in person, all the better. I can't wait to see you all!

I'll have two kits available: The Charleston Indigo Scarf kit (includes pattern and 500 yards of 100% cotton yarn, hand-dyed with natural indigo) and the Indigo To-Go Accessory Bag kit (includes pattern, zipper and 100% cotton yarn and fabric, both hand-dyed with natural indigo). The bag is a brand new pattern and will be available for the first time at SAFF!

100% cotton, 100% natural indigo, 100% special.

Free Pattern Friday: Reversible Cable Wrap

Just in time for colder weather, here is my latest pattern published by Red Heart, the Reversible Cable Wrap.  This design was originally sketched out several years ago. Last year I dug out the sketch and figured out how to make it happen! It took a lot of trial and error, because I really wanted it to be knit from end to end, not from the triangle up or down. I'm not sure why this was so important, but it was and it made the cable work right as it runs along the long edge. There was math involved, people!

I hope you enjoy knitting it.  As you can see, it makes quite an impact!

This version was knit in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Cranberry.

The Charleston Indigo Scarf

All this time that I've been mucking about with indigo dye (and loving it!), I've thought, I really really REALLY need to come up with some knitting pattern that will show off this amazing color. Really. A couple of months ago, I was given a charge by my friend Pat to create a pattern that would be "something very Charleston...you know...maybe with indigo...a scarf or a shawl or something...". Well, Pat, I did it. What do you think?

It's not cold here yet, but it will be, and I think I will have to wear this scarf every. single. day.

Some lace, some textured stitches, some drop stitch action on each end...there's always something going on!

It helps to have a model who is studying to be a professional dancer...

On location--this house did not survive the big earthquake of 1886, despite being one of the oldest Ashley River plantations in Charleston. The primary crops grown on this once prosperous site were, you guessed it,  INDIGO and rice.

Stitchy!

This pattern makes me happy.  I loved knitting it and I was a little sad to finish it; it was that much fun to work on! I used 100% cotton worsted weight yarn, hand-dyed in my backyard in a big ole vat of natural indigo, knit with US size 8 needles for a gauge of 18 stitches = 4 inches   (measured on that twisty stitch stuff in the middle that looks like the spans on bridges or the details on the roof line of an old house in the historic district of Charleston.).

If you want to knit this scarf (and make my day by doing it), you'll need the pattern, available for sale in my Ravelry store or in my Craftsy store (and later on at SAFF, but that's a story for another day in October), and approximately 450-550 yards of yarn. I would love it if you used blue, but let's be honest--not everyone wants blue. I personally think it will look amazing in any color, and I promise not to judge you if you use a different color.

As always, with any pattern I sell (or class I teach), I want you to be happy with it, so just give me a holler if you have any questions.