Posts Tagged ‘accessories’

knit.wear Spring 2013: Amplified Cowl, Chevron Hat + High Relief Dolman

Friday, March 29th, 2013

The latest issue of knit.wear was just released a couple of weeks ago and we couldn’t be more excited!  This issue features some of our favorite yarns, Acadia and Tundra, and some new designs by Kate and Courtney.

To start is the Amplified Cowl

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Designed by Kate and knit in Tundra’s creamy Snowdrift colorway, this cowl is perfect for those transitional months from winter to spring.  The combination of the bulky Tundra yarn and the bold lace stitch pattern make this a quick knit with a great reward.

Another pattern featuring Tundra is the Chevron Hat.

Chevron Hat

Also designed by Kate, the contrasting chevron pattern features Tundra in Petrel and Tamarack two lovely colors that lend themselves to this effortless cap.

Last, but not least, is the lovely High Relief Dolman designed by Courtney.

High Relief Dolman

Featuring Acadia in Summersweet, the High Rise Dolman is a great short-sleeved sweater option that has a subtle stitch pattern at the neck  to add an unexpected element for this uncomplicated garment.

Pattern Specifications:
Amplified Cowl
• Yarn: The Fibre Company Tundra in Snowdrift, 2 skeins
• Finished Size: 27 1/2″ circumference and 12 1/4″ high
• Needles: US 10 (6mm) 24″ circular.

Chevron Hat
• Yarn: The Fibre Company Tundra in Petrel and Tamarack, 1 skein each
• Finished Size: 18″ brim circumference (unstretched) and 9″ high
• Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm) 24″ circular and set of double pointed needles.

High Rise Dolman
• Yarn: The Fibre Company Acadia in Summersweet, 6(7, 7, 8, 9) skeins
• Finished Size: 45  3/4″(49 1/2″, 53 1/4″, 57 1/4″, 61″) bust circumference. Pullover shown measures 49 1/2″
• Needles: Size 5 (3.75 mm) 24″ circular and a set of double pointed needles.

To find out more information on the latest issue of knit.wear, head on over to the Ravelry page here!

Botanical Knits Blog Tour! {and a chance to win!}

Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

When the talented Alana Dakos, the design maven behind Never Not Knitting, contacted us in the summer regarding design support we knew that good things wouldn’t be far behind. Boy, were we right!  Her new book, Botanical Knits, is truly a gem.  Alana’s eye for design in the natural world shines forth in this stunning collection of 4 sweaters and 7 accessories. Available in print May 2013, and as an ebook now, we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek – and a head start on our Fall knitting!

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The ebook version is filled with links to other websites, a feature that we love. In the pattern notes you can click links to the yarn, the pattern page in Ravelry and more.  Additionally, in the table of contents you can click on the project name and be jumped ahead to the pattern, or click the page number to be skipped ahead to that page.

Botanical Knits has two projects featuring The Fibre Company yarns, a garment and an accessory. Entangled Vines is a seasonally transitional cardigan with half-sleeves and a great leaf and cable detail along the length of the arm. Knit in Organik, a single-ply blend of organic merino wool, alpaca and silk, in the color loam, this versatile cardigan is a great layering piece. Constructed as a top-down raglan, it’ll be a fun and easy knit as well! The leaf detailing along the sleeve is charted and written out line-by-line in the pattern, and we love how the leaves get smaller as they wind their way down the arm, such lovely design elements.

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The Twin Leaf Loop is an accessory featuring our most popular Fibre Company yarn of the moment, and our newest yarn, Tundra, a blend of alpaca, merino in a bulky two-ply construction. Shown in the color mink, the Twin Leaf Loop is a long cowl which can be worn doubled and close to the neck, or worn loose and long as a casual scarf.  Knit on US size 11 and just 240 yards of yarn, the scarf  is a beautiful and quick knit quick knit.

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Botanical Knits will be available for purchase in May 2013, but is available for pre-order at botanicalknits.com. As a special thank you for preordering the printed version of the book you will receive the ebook version immediately! This special offer is only available until the print book is released, so get it while the getting is good!

As we poured through the book together we all chose projects that we would like to knit.

Maura chose the Twigs and Willow Cardigan using Canopy Worsted in chiclet tree, a fitting yarn for a leaf-inspired cardigan!

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Courtney chose the Autumns End Pullover in Road to China Light in the color aquamarine.

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Finally, Kate chose the Forest Floor hat using Acadia in the color moraine.

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As an added bonus, we’ll be giving away two skeins of Tundra to a lucky reader! Let us know which Botanical Knits project you’ll be making {bonus points if you tell us which Fibre Company yarn you’d like to use!} Comments will be open until 12 noon EST on Tuesday March 12th. One comment per person please!

New Free Pattern: Picket Hat

Monday, February 18th, 2013

Originally knit way back in 2011, Maura kept wearing this hat to work all fall + winter and after we all threatened to steal it from her (more than once!) we though it was high time to write it up into a pattern.

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The beauty of this hat is in its simplicity – a gorgeous yarn {Road to China in citrine) is worked in a 6 x 6 rib.

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Instead of decreases, there is pleating at the top, creating a hat with perfect slouch and texture.

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• Yarn: The Fibre Company Road to China Worsted (65% baby alpaca, 15% silk + 10% camel + 10% cashmere. 69yards/50gm skein): citrine, 2 skeins.
• Gauge: 16 sts and 25 rnds = 4“ in Ribbing after blocking.
• Needles: 2 – 16” US 8 (4 mm) circular needles and 1 dpn.
• Size: 18” circumference, unstretched, 8” height.
• Notions: Darning needle, 1 stitch marker.

To make your own Picket hat, download the pattern HERE. For a list of stockists who carry the Fibre Company Yarns, including Road to China, visit our stockist page here.

New For Sale Pattern: Maude

Thursday, February 14th, 2013

Designed by Courtney Kelley, Maude is a gourgeous shawl knit out of Acadia.

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Knit from side to side in a bias stitch with attached lace edge, the stitch pattern in Maude was inspired by antique cane chairs.

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True to Kelbourne Woolens fashion, the combination of vintage inspiration with modern styling and yarn makes for a classic and wearable accessory!

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Specifications:
• Yarn: Acadia in sea lavender, 4 skeins.
• Gauge: 16 sts + 20 rows = 4″ in bias pattern.
• Needles: 1 – 24″ US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle.
• Size: 66″ wingspan + 26″ length.

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Kelbourne Woolens: Volume 1, Blog Tour! {+ a chance to win!}

Monday, February 11th, 2013

Last week we released our new book, Kelbourne Woolens: Volume 1, a collection of some of our favorite, and most popular patterns from the past five years. When putting together this anthology, we were able to take a look back and bring some of our favorites like Alice, Give a Hoot, and Hawthorn back to our daily wardrobe, and by giving some of our favorites a new look, it made us look at our closet as well.

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We turned to Polyvore, an online-styling website, where people can generate outfits from different online merchants.  From small Etsy stores to large companies like Gap and Madewell, Polyvore takes online shopping and puts it all in one place, allowing the participant to see how that grey sweater will look with those mint jeans.  So, for the Kelbourne Woolens Volume One Blog Tour, we decided to ask some of our favorite shops, designers and bloggers, “what is your favorite item and what would you pair with it?”.  So far we’ve received some pretty amazing outfits, but you’ll have to follow the tour to see more!  To kick it off, here’s some of our favorites paired with our infinate Polyvore wardrobe, enjoy!

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Kate chose to showcase Hawthorn, a simple and feminine cardigan, paired with an adorable pair of mint oxfords and a utilitarian leather purse, this outfit is perfect for a Saturday filled with activity.

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Leah planned for a transitional night out on the town, the classic combination of black jeans with a simple white shirt compliments the Rhodalite colorway of the Alice cowl. Throw on a jean jacket and some ankle booties and you’ll be set to dance the night away.

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Maura was inspired by the need for warmth when running errands on the town during the winter months. She paired the Give a Hoot Mittens with this amazing vintage poncho and fair isle inspired leggings. Add a pair of knee-high lace-up boots and you’re set for any temperature!

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For Courtney she chose to showcase the Linden Shawl, a non-traditional lace shawl in our Cabernet colorway.  Throw on some mint jeans, black motorcycle boots and a black denim jacket and you’re ready to go out to an awesome concert or to a small hole in the wall bar for a drink.

However, we’re not just sharing our outfits, we’re also sharing signed copies of our book! Leave a comment on this post and one person will be randomly selected to win a signed copy of Volume 1! {one comment per person, please. Contest will be open through Feb 18th midnight EST}

Next up, we head over to one of our favorite craft-inspiration blogs, The Sweatshop of Love. From sewing to knitting, The Sweatshop of Love keeps inspiring us to pick up even more hobbies, and we hope you get as inspired as us. While you’re over there check out these awesome Quilted Tea Cozies and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the upcoming stops on our blog tour!

Announcing…Kelbourne Woolens, Volume One

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

It’s been hard keeping this a secret all year, but we are so pleased to finally share with you our celebration of the first five years of Kelbourne Woolens!

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Five years ago, in 2008, Kate was in her last year of graduate school, earning a degree in textile design with a weaving focus, and Courtney’s son was just six months old. Being in our late 20s and already pretty busy, owning our own business seemed impossible and wonderful, and at times like a terrifying dream come true.  But by August of 2008 Kelbourne Woolens was official, and jammed into a 500 square foot subleased office space, we took our first order.

Linden

Much has changed in the last five years—Courtney’s son is now an active and precocious five-year-old, and she and her family have moved from the city to a house on the river with a large organic garden. Kate finally finished her graduate degree, got married, and has a baby of her own. One thing, though, has stayed the same: our commitment to distributing beautiful yarns that are both wonderful to knit and wear, and creating knitting patterns that show off the best qualities of those yarns.

Springtime Bandit

The very first patterns we released were all free patterns—The Springtime Bandit, Selbu Modern, Give a Hoot Mittens among them. We just knit things we liked, photographed them on our friends with Courtney’s point-and-shoot camera.  We wrote the patterns, Kate laid them out and we posted them on our website and crossed our fingers that people would enjoy them as much as we did!  It’s hard to notice the progression from where you began to where you end up, so to honor the journey we have rewritten, rephotographed and re-edited eleven of our most popular designs and compiled them into a fantastic new book. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Hiker's Waistcoat

We are so happy to bring you this collection of our most popular patterns over the first five years. It would not exist without your support, and we count ourselves lucky to work amongst such talented and dedicated knitters. Thank you!

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View the Lookbook for Kelbourne Woolens, Volume One here, and pre-order through Amazon here.

New For Sale Pattern: Parquet

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

Designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn, this triangular shawl featuring Canopy Fingering in fern begins at the center and increases are worked on either edge and opposite the center stitches.

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The shawl is designed with three separate lace patterns: a cable and lace with patterning on every other row, a lace with patterning on every row and a geometric border with patterning on every other row.

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Specifications:
• Yarn: The Fibre Company Canopy Fingering (50% wool, 30% baby alpaca + 20% viscose from bamboo; 200 yds/50gm skein): fern, 3 skeins.
• Gauge: 20 sts and 27 rows = 4” in lace pattern.
• Needles: 1 – 36“ US 5 (4.5 mm) circular needle.
• Size: 50” wingspan and 25” length.

parquetlg4b

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Independent Designer Feature: Boiseau by Megan Goodacre

Friday, December 14th, 2012

Megan Goodacre is a knitwear designer known for her classic designs with beautiful texture and color. (I don’t know about you, but you can bet Kate is knitting Charlie a pair of Megan’s Tiny Pants this weekend!)

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The Boiseau Wrap is an absolutely stunning scarf with textural and lace details. Knit out of Acadia in Bog, there is just enough texture and detail in the lace to let the unique characteristics of the yarn shine through.

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Specifications:
• Yarn: Acadia in bog, 6 skeins
• Gauge: 15.5 sts and 25 rows = 4″/10cm in pattern, lace-blocked
• Needles: 15.5 sts and 25 rows = 4″/10cm in pattern, lace-blocked
• Size: Approximately 18 x 70″ after blocking

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For more details and to purchase the pattern, visit Megan’s Ravelry store here, or her website here.

{all images © 2012 Megan Goodacre and used with permission.}

New For Sale Pattern(s): Sugar Mountain + Gretel!

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

This beautiful duo of new for sale patterns has been published just in time for lovely holiday gift knitting! Two styles, two different yarns, two weights and two techniques – something to please everyone on your list!

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Designed by Courtney Kelley, Sugar Mountain is a slouchy cable and lace beret with beautiful texture and integrated decreases at the crown. Knit in Organik, in a bright, cheery red, Sugar Mountain would make a perfect gift for someone you love.

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Specifications:
• Yarn: Organik in magma, 2 skeins.
• Gauge: 19.5 sts and 28 rounds = 4″ on larger ndls in pattern.
• Needles: 1 – 16″ size 6 (4 mm) circs + 1 – 16″ size 8 (5 mm) circs and set dpns.
• Size: 18″ brim circumference, 27″ at widest point and 8″ height.

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Designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn, Gretel is a Setesdal-inspired colorwork beret knit in two colors of Canopy Fingering. Shown in a traditional red/cream colorway, it would also look amazing in a more modern combination of brights!

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Specifications:
• Yarn: Canopy Fingering in acai (MC) and orchid (CC) 1 skein each.
• Gauge: 30 stitches and 33 rounds = 4″ (10 cm) on larger needles in colorwork pattern.
• Needles: 2 – 16″ US 1 (2.25 mm) circ + 1 – 16″ US 3 (3.25 mm) circ and set dpns.
• Size: 16″ brim circumference, 19.5″ body circumference, unstretched, and 9″ height.

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Normally retailing for $5 each, as a Holiday Motivational Bonus, we’re also offering both patterns together in an EBook for $8.50 for the pair. To purchase the patterns as a set, click here. Enjoy!

Westknits Choreo Kal: Geysir Stretch

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

Stephen West appears to be a madman as of late – in June he published Westknits Book 4: Made for Movement, he did a followup to his wildly successful Mystery KAL in July, the Rockefeller shawl, there is a much anticipated Westknits book 5: Midgard coming out (we’re a fan of anything featuring Cirilia Rose, so this book is sure to be a winner).

If that wasn’t enough, Stephen recently released his Choreo Knitalong, a month long pattern subscription that is comprised of four patterns, all inspired by movement and the relationship between stretch and tension within a knitted garment. The first pattern in the KAL is the Geyser Stretch, a three-color shawl that showcases a simple yet elegant color striping sequence and the perfect opportunity for color mixing and tonal variations within different yarn.

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Geysir Stretch by Stephen West. Image © Stephen West

Unwilling to miss out on the fun, we decided to hold a KAL here at Kelbourne Woolens headquarters!

Color is everything when it comes to a new project, choosing that perfect colorway to compliment the design you’ve come to love.  The pattern calls for two colors of Terra and one color of Savannah, so the Kelbourne Woolens team decided to join in on the Westknis knitalong, and here are the color stories we came up with.

Courtney chose a dark, more muted color palette based off of a picture she took in her backyard (Yes, that is truly her backyard!) The fog settling on the river allows the picture to showcase a more muted color story and inspired Courtney for more tonal neuturals with subtle pops of color.

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L to R: Terra in black walnut, Savannah in cabernet, Terra in coal wood.

Picking from the nature theme, Leah was inspired by figs and the contrast between the fig skin and the delectable center.  The contrast between the fig, cutting board and light neutral background is a play on contrasting colors.

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{Image Source}.

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L to R: Terra in wild clary, Savannah in hickory, Terra in chestnut.

For Meghan, spice is not only used in cooking, but for color inspiration as well. In this gorgeous picture depicting the tonal variations in different spices, Meghan truly wanted to showcase a warm range of color within her palette. The brown balances the yellow and red and grounds this vivid colorway.

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L to R: Terra in chestnut, Savannah in marigold, Terra in madder.

Kate took her color inspiration from this Icelandic volcanic river photographed by Andre Ermolaev. She absolutely loved the way the bright turquoise, deep purple and chartreuse green played off one another and chose her colors accordingly.

tumblr_mcsf42xris1qmhyoao1_500 {Image Source}.

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L to R: Terra in olive leaf , Savannah in seafoam, Terra in belladonna.

Keeping with the nature theme, Maura chose a picture she took of a gorgeous sunset in the city of Philadelphia. This picture showcases the subtly of color mixing within the clouds and the variation of pinks contrasting the blue sky. Maura chose a more analogous and warm colorway for her Choreo, which will add a nice pop of color for the winter months.

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L to R: Terra in woad light, Savannah in persimmon, Terra in hyacinth.

We can’t wait for the pattern to be released on Friday!

For a list of the full like of Terra and Savannah, you can check out the full line of Fibre Company yarns here. For a list of stockists who may carry Terra and Savannah, check out our stockist page here.

We can’t wait to see what colors you come up with to knit your very own Choreo!