Shawls, shawls everywhere! Pt 2

Last week, I shared 3 shawls from Quince & Co.'s recent design set. Here are the last 2 shawl designs from that set. The fourth shawl from Quince & Co.'s newest pattern release is the Qinnitan Shawl, designed by Melanie Berg using Petal 111 and Chanterelle 118 colorways from their Finch yarn line. Qinnitan is another crescent-shaped shawl, worked in fingering weight yarn. The incorporation of stripes adds a welcome touch of playfulness to this shawl. I also love the choice of neutral colors for this design.

The last shawl in this set is the Fulmar Shawl by Veera Välimäki, designed in the Egret 101 and Iceland 153 colorways of their Finch yarn line. Now I haven't knit anything designed by Veera yet, but her designs are mind-blowingly gorgeous! When I grow up, I want to be like her. She takes the simplest stitches and crafts beautiful designs that will stand the test of time. She does the same thing with Fulmar, using clean lines and soothing garter stitch for a wonderful knitting experience. The shawl is worked from the neck down and shaped using short rows.

BONUS: You all saw how I was so excited by Veera Välimäki's work, right? I thought I'd share one of her top-selling designs on Ravelry with you, because it's just too pretty to keep to myself. Veera takes garter stitch and striping to a whole new level, creating designs that seem almost magical. I'm truly in awe of her work, and can't wait for when I actually knit one of her designs (or meet her in person! Squee!!).

Color Affection is probably one of the hottest patterns on Ravelry, with almost 9500 projects to its credit. Again, Veera uses garter stitch and striping to create a stunning shawl that is both warm and stylish. Without further ado, here's Color Affection.

Gorgeous right? I told you!! Which of these designs is calling out to you? Tell me in the comments section below! Enjoy the rest of your week and see you back here next week!

Shawls, shawls everywhere! Pt. 1

After scarves, shawls are my next favorite items to knit. Qunce & Co., an American yarn company (and one of my favorite yarn companies! I love their site, their yarn, and their packaging. Everything of theirs is so pretty!!), recently came out with a week of shawls. I love the designs so much that I thought I'd share with you all! First up is the Everly Shawl, designed by Mindy Wilkes in the Petal 111 colorway of their Finch yarn line. The shawl is so light and pretty that it could work as a scarf too. The lace border is a simple 4-row repeat, and the body is worked with short-row shaping without wraps, according to the designer. I love when simple stitches create such a work of art.

Next up is the Leaves Shawl, designed by Kristen TenDyke in the Little Fern 205 colorway of the Sparrow line (linen yarn). This shawl looks so light and airy, but because of it's large triangular shape, it can keep you warm and cosy without adding bulk to your outfit. The lace details are quite stunning, and look more intricate than they actually are. How neat!

The third shawl is the Lullaby Rain Shawl by Paula Emons-Fuessle in the Glacier 105 colorway of their Chickadee line. This shawl is a top-down crescent shawl with ribbing and a soft curve at the neck to keep the shawl in place on your shoulders. You also have the option of finishing the edging with a plain garter stitch border or a picot border, giving you the chance to add your own touch to this elegant shawl.

Stay tuned for 2 more shawls from this collection next week. Which of these is your favorite? And what color would you rock that shawl in? Tell me in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you!

Designer Spotlight: Circles + Dots by Olga Buraya-Kefelian

I have wanted to feature this pattern collection on my blog since it came out, but it never seemed like the right time. Well I think this week's post is just the right time to highlight Olga Buraya-Kefelian's "Circles + Dots" pattern collection from Quince & Co. (who make such beautiful yarns! Oh, and I have a crush on their website!). The designs are classic and stunning, and all those circles and dots make me giddy with joy. There are 5 patterns in this collection: a pullover, a cardigan, a hat, a scarf and a pair of mitts. Just a little of everything for every kind of knitter, right? First up is the Effervescence Cardigan, which is the first of the collection that caught my eye. I love the front detail in this pattern and can very well see myself knitting this cardigan.

The Compass Pullover is my second favorite in this collection. (For someone who rarely knits clothing, it's interesting that I was drawn to these pieces in the collection. Maybe it's a sign to take a step of faith and start knitting some sweaters? Hmmm.) This top is just sleek and eye-catching, and I could immediately see myself rocking it with some fun jewelry and a pair of jeans during the fall.

Next up are the accessories!! Woohoo!! You all know how much I love my accessories. The Cowry Hat is a sexy, little slouchy hat that makes me so happy. I'm slowly but surely venturing into hat knitting and design, and the level of detail on this hat makes my little knitterly heart sing. The ebb and flow of the design as it snakes along the hat is quite hypnotic. I'm going to stop talking now, and show you the hat. :)

Then there's the Gyre Scarf, a simple, straight-to-the-point stockinette stitch scarf that has some garter chevron action and little open "dots" at the edges to add a little spice. I love, love, love it!

And last but definitely not least, the Flotilla Mitts. Who doesn't love some flirty little mitts covering up their hands and wrists? These mitts are a little longer than usual, with a few dots breaking up the stockinette stitch used.

I love Olga's design style, and I think this collection is just stunning. Which of these is your favorite? Which of these would you wear? Do let me know in the comment sections, and have a wonderful weekend!

Quince & Co's Scarves Etc. 2013

I am quite excited for this week's post. I have a small crush on Quince & Co: their yarn, their website, and their photography all make my little knitting heart sing! And just this week they came up with their newest pattern collection, Scarves Etc. 2013. There are some gorgeous scarves in this collection, and I couldn't wait to share them with you (and ogle the photos too!) NOTE: All photos are by Carrie Bostick Hoge

There are so many lovely scarves in here that I'm having a hard time picking my favorites. I'll share a few that caught my eye almost as soon as I saw them.

My first love from this collection is Netty, designed by Ien Sie. It uses stranded colorwork to create a bubble pattern that just looks striking, especially in the colors chosen for this design.

My next favorite is Isleif by Rachel Coopey. I don't know what it is about me and colorwork this time, but I was taken aback by this scarf because the colorwork in it looks printed, not knitted. How cool is that!!

Now this third one is a scarf after my own heart - Ebb by Susan Anderson! It's an infinity scarf, chunky, and full of texture! And that color! It's the Peacock colorway of the Quince & Co. Lark line. I just love it! And it looks super squishy! Oh goodness I am filled with startitis right now! I want to knit this cowl in this exact color!! Somebody stop me!! (or help me with a few skeins of this beautiful, squishy, bouncy yarn!)

I bet you can't wait to cast on one of these scarves for yourself if you are a knitter! And do you see what I mean by the photos? They have this hazy, dreamy quality that just invites you in. I love all of it! And these are only 3 of the 17 scarves in this collection! What are you waiting for? Go grab your copy now! Also, Quince & Co is having a special offer - The first 50 people to purchase the Scarves Etc. 2013 ebook as well as 3 skeins of yarn will get a free tote bag to carry all that goodness in!

Have a wonderful rest of the week!