Review: Holla Knits Crochet Collection

Today I have a really exciting new pattern collection to show all of you: the Holla Knits Crochet Collection! If you've been following me, then you should be no stranger to the awesomeness that is Holla Knits. I reviewed the Fall/Winter 2012 collection and the Accessories 2012 collection previously, and my yarn was even featured in the Wallpaper Cowl pattern last year.

I'm excited to say that Gynx Yarns is back with the latest Holla Knits collection and I'm going to have a giveaway, but more about that at the end of this post. First, let's look at the patterns:

Granny Square Earrings and Ring by Casey Carroll

This set of ring and earrings (not pictured) would make such a fun and speedy gift for someone! I love how big the ring is and I think it's a great way to show off your yarn-y pride even when it's miserably hot outside.

Betty...Betty Grable by Rohn Strong

This summery vest is shown in a single color option (above) and a three-color option, and I can't decide which one I like more. I adore big vests, and if I were to wear it, I think it would look great belted at the waist.

Prim by Ann Leachman

I think the name of this pattern says it all. Perfect for the girly girl who loves collars (and the ability to change them!).

County Fair Scarf by Claire A. Denny

The shape of this is like a combination of a scarf and a kerchief. The shape of it allows it to lay beautifully and I think would make an awesome closet staple for times where you want a shawl but don't want to mess with getting it to stay on.

Deco Daisies by Michele Moskaluk

This cowl makes me want to try crochet again. It's that perfect length where you can drape it over yourself as pictured or double it up for more warmth.

Cute Girl Squares Tank by Allyson Dykhuizen

And finally, the tank that my yarn was used for! The green version of this tank is knit out of my Merino Sock base in the Cactuar colorway (which is the same color I'm knitting my Featherweight out of). What I love about this pattern is how easy it is to customize. Crochet it in a solid color like the version using my yarn and then the texture becomes the star of the tank, or have fun playing with color like in the second version. The first version is also shown with a bit of negative ease, while the multi-colored version is shown with a bit of positive ease (how I'd probably wear it). Whichever way you choose to crochet it, it is a very unique and fun warm weather piece (although, who's saying you couldn't layer it for the cooler weather?)

Now, for the giveaway! Allyson is generously letting me give away a copy of the Cute Girl Squares Tank to one of you lucky readers! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post letting me know which of the patterns you want to start first. Make sure you leave me your Ravelry name or another way to contact you. Contest will run through Tuesday, July 30 and a winner will be drawn via random number generator on Wednesday, July 31.

Check out the rest of the blog tour for more fun and giveaways!

July 9: The Sweatshop of Love
July 10: Rohn Strong Designs
July 11: Casey Carroll
July 12: Lion Brand Blog

July 15: Knits in Class
July 16: Claire Denny
July 17: Be Sweet Yarn
July 18: Stash the KP Staff Blog
July 19: Magical Grammar

July 23: Gynx Yarns
July 25: Kalanag
July 26: Casey Carroll & Knit Picks Curio relaunch

Holla Knits Accessories Review + Giveaway!

Today is my stop on the Holla Knits Accessories 2012 blog tour, and I am so excited to share this collection with you (and give one of you a pattern for free!). I was contacted months ago by Allyson of Holla Knits/Sweatshop of Love to see if I'd like to be a part of the accessories collection by offering some yarn for one of the patterns, and I happily took the opportunity.

Like the previous Holla Knits collections that have come out this year, this collection is full of fun, unique, and cool designs by some very talented designers. Each of the six patterns is $4, or buy the whole collection for $12. I've already talked about what I love about the Holla Knits collections in general on the blog, so instead of repeating myself, let's dive right in to the patterns.

First up is Black Swan by Tara Shade. Knit up on size 17 needles in either Knits in Class Twist or Knit Picks Biggo, this looks like an incredibly quick knit that would be a fun way to change the look of an old top or carry a spring/summer dress into fall.

The Multiplicity pattern by Allyson Dykhuizen is an adorable little purse knit in Knit Picks Brava Sport that is a perfect size for just the essentials (phone, wallet, keys, maybe some chapstick...). I am not a "just the essentials" kind of girl when it comes to my bag, but there are some times (like at an event) when carrying your regular purse is a bother, and this would be great for that. This is also double knit, which is a technique I've never done before. This project is small enough that it wouldn't be overwhelming to practice a new technique on.

 Along the same lines as Black Swan, Knight Service by Teresa Gregorio is another quick way to change up an outfit. Knit in Periwinkle Sheep Merino DK or Knit Picks Gloss DK and jazzed up with plenty of beads, this shrug would be cute thrown over a sleeveless top to add a bit more coverage, or over long sleeves as pictured.

The Snowball Bonnet by Anna Elliott is knit with either Artesano Alpaca DK or Knit Picks Swish DK and plays with interesting textures to create a different winter hat. The loop stitch and the pom poms at the ends make a very soft appearance in the bonnet, and the loops just look fun to do. I can see this on a really chic lady at a ski resort.

The Scallop by the Sea clutch by Katie Canavan is a very simple shape, but makes use of pattern and color choices to make a completely unique clutch. Knit in Bumblebirch Blossom or Knit Picks Stroll Sport, the scalloped design really does remind me of waves by the sea. I think this would be amazing either in a two-color combination or a gradient, because I'm a sucker for gradients. I don't really do clutches, but I want this for a small project bag.

Finally, the pattern I'm most excited about: the Wallpaper Cowl by Emma Welford (yep, the lady that designed the awesome Holla Back Tank I just finished). I adore colorwork, yet rarely do it, but I really want to cast on this cowl. Who doesn't love a good cowl, right? The cowl is lined, which keeps floats from the colorwork protected and adds another layer for warmth. It doesn't hurt that the cowl pictured above uses Gynx DK for the colorwork (Canary and Neliel) and Gynx Sock (Electric Strawberry) for the lining. I am really considering getting this on my needles since it looks like a quick knit, but I've been restraining myself because I have so many other projects going on right now. This cowl is happening though, and I'm already playing with color combos in my head.

Now, on to the reason (most of) you are probably here for: the giveaway! One lucky reader will win a copy of the Wallpaper Cowl by Emma Welford. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post telling me which of the six patterns is your favorite, and leave me a way to contact you (email or Ravelry ID). You have through next Tuesday (October 23) to enter, and I'll announce the winner next Wednesday (October 24).

For more stops on the blog tour (and more giveaways!), check out the schedule below:

October 8: The Sweatshop of Love - collection and pattern giveaway
October 9: Under the Red Umbrella - Subscriber exclusive KP yarn giveaway, pattern giveaway
October 10: Rohn Strong - pattern giveaway
October 11: Emma Welford Designs - pattern giveaway
October 12: Knits in Class - Subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway / pattern giveaway

October 15: Bumblebirch Designs - pattern giveaway
October 16: Audrey’s Teashop - pattern and yarn giveaway
October 17: Gynx - pattern giveaway
October 18: Adaly Myles Place - pattern giveaway
October 19: Canary Knits - Subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway, pattern giveaway

October 22: Webs Yarn Store Blog - yarn giveaway
October 23: The Sweatshop of Love Hosts Homestead Heirlooms! - subscriber exclusive purse kit giveaway
October 24: Knitted Bliss - pattern giveaway
October 25: Stash, the Knit Picks Staff Blog
October 26: Holla Knits hosts Tara Shade! - Subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway, pattern giveaway

Review: Holla Knits Fall/Winter Collection.

The second installment of Holla Knits was released a little over a week ago, and as soon as it was available, I rushed to the site to download my copy. This issue is the Fall/Winter 2012 collection, with six garment patterns from different designers. You can buy the entire collection for $18, or buy the patterns individually for $6.

There are a couple of things that Holla Knits does with its patterns that I really love. The first is that each pattern is knit twice, once in an indie dyer's yarn, and once in a more affordable Knit Picks yarn. I'm really happy to see some indies represented in a knitting publication (you'll see Gynx Yarns in the Accessories issue next month), but I also understand that not everyone can shell out the money to knit an entire garment out of hand dyed yarn.

The second is that each pattern is shown on two different sized models. Most of the time, patterns are only shown on one sample-sized model, and it can sometimes be hard to decide from that if the pattern will look good on you. Sure, you can look in the Ravelry project pages, but if it's a new pattern, there probably won't be many, if any, projects on there. The patterns in this collection all look good on each of their models, which is a lot more reassuring that it has a chance of flattering me as well.

Now, on to the individual patterns:

Devon Cardigan by Karin Kemper

This cardigan to me is everything fall should be: a little roomy, very cozy, and perfect for layering and wrapping yourself in.

Bombshell Shorts by Katie Canavan

 
 Admittedly, these are a bit out there. Knitted shorts? And yet, for some reason, I really like them. I think it would take a lot of confidence for these. If I knit them and don't get the courage to wear them outside, I've heard they're very comfy lounge shorts, but they look really nice over tights.

Sexxxy Librarian by Lilith Ubbelohde

Sleeveless pullovers like this aren't really my style, but I adore the cable patterning and the fit of it so much, that I just might have to knit myself a version with sleeves.

New Girl by Allyson Dykhuizen

A lot of knitted skirts don't look good on many people, because a lot of them are fitted and don't flatter a wide range of sizes. This knit circle skirt, however, is so cute on both of the models. Out of all the patterns, this is the one that I most want to cast on.

Jilted by Jennifer Dassau

 
 This is a pretty basic sweater, except it has a few strategically-placed dropped stitched to add some interest. I think if I did this sweater, I might either add a couple more dropped stitches on the body of the sweater, or just do the dropped stitches on the sleeves.

Henri by Ann Leachman

 Look at all of those cables and stitch patterns! This is a very interesting sweater to look at. This is supposed to be an oversized sweater, but oversized pullovers aren't really my style. If I knit this (which I want to) it's going to have to be a bit fitted, because I can't abide by the rules.

So far, this is my favorite fall collection this year. There are only 6 patterns, but I want to knit all of them. I can't wait to see what Holla Knits comes out with next month in their Accessories collection.

Disclaimer: I purchased my own copy of this collection and was not compensated for this review. Photos posted with permission.

Review: Knitscene Accessories 2012.

I'm a bit late on this magazine, as I think it came out in May, but I just picked up a copy this past weekend at Barnes & Noble ($14.99). I wasn't sure if I wanted to pick up this copy or not, but I checked out the patterns on Ravelry and fell in love with one of the designs. I decided that I didn't care if I hated everything else, the magazine was worth it for that one pattern.

Once I got the magazine, I was pleasantly surprised. Knitscene really seems to be pushing themselves, and this might be one of their best issues yet. A lot of the photoshoots seem a lot more "high fashion," and although in some instances I don't think it works, it's nice to see that they're trying different things.

I'm only going to feature a few patterns here, but really, there are a lot of beautiful designs. Check out all 35 patterns here.

 First up is the Zora Shawl by Mindy Wilkes. I love the sawtooth edge on this shawlette, and the color it's featured in is right up my ally.

 These are  the Marion Socks by Michaela Moores. Wouldn't these just be perfect worn peaking out from some knee-high boots?

Next is the Aotearoa Beret. The star stitch is beautiful on this. I'll definitely be knitting this up for winter.

 I never really do colorwork, but the Check Slouch by Triona Murphy makes me want to for this hat. It's knit in three colors to make a plaid pattern.

Finally, the whole reason I bought this pattern. This is the Artistida Shawl Alexandra Beck. The blocks of diamond stockinette surrounded by lace, the bobbles, and the fringe are just all perfect (don't tell my weaving professor I'm in love with the fringe!). I was searching in my brain for what fingering weight yarn I have that would work, and then I realized that it needs a bit over 600 yards. I was sad about not having enough in my personal stash (and no real good reason to dip into the Gynx Yarns stash), and then I remembered that I have 800 yards of some wool/cashmere recycled yarn that I dyed an emerald green a long time ago that is a fingering weight. In an emerald color it will be a much bolder piece, but I am very excited about this.

That's only a tiny bit of what this issue has to offer. There are several instructional articles, including colorwork, entrelac, and dropped stitches. There's also a feature on Kim Strang of Imstrang and an article on Green Mountain Spinnery. This special issue costs more than their regular issues, but it is jam-packed with loads of information and beautiful knitwear.

Interweave Knits Summer 2012 Review.

I'm a bit late to the game on this magazine, but I just got my hands on it earlier this week. Interweave Knits isn't a magazine I normally want to rush out and buy. It seems to be geared to an older audience than me and I don't typically find things that suit my taste, or they downright confuse me as to why anyone would wear them. This issue wasn't void of it's patterns that made me say "whaaaaaa???"

This time though, I was drawn in to the photo on the cover and decided to get it. Even if there was only one other pattern in the magazine I liked, the $6.99 price was comparable to what I'd pay online for one shawl pattern.

The pattern I'll start with is the cover pattern, the Summer Blooms Shawl by Susanna Ic. I love how light and airy this shawl is, and how beautiful it looks wrapped around the model's shoulders. I don't think I'd wear a shawl in the Texas summer, but this would definitely be welcome in warm weather over a tank.

The other pattern that made this magazine worth it for me is the Coquette Vest by Adrienne Larsen. What I like about this pattern is how it was designed to "define a strong hourglass shape." I can't pull off the many tank patterns out there with zero shaping, and the lace pattern on this pattern is very pretty. It's done in lace weight, so even though it's a layering piece, it won't add a lot of thickness. If I knit this, I'd narrow the shoulders and make this more a tank than a vest, but that would probably be my only modification.

Sigh, yet another cardigan pattern in a summer issue. I know, I know, some of you have cool evenings and such, so I shouldn't complain. Regardless though, I really do like this pattern (Bethany Wrap by Amy Miller) and I think it would look good belted at the waist.

Speaking of unseasonable patterns... Although if I had to wear fingerless gloves in the summer, I think these Pianissimo Mitts by Becky Herrick would be a good candidate. Maybe for people who work in cold offices or for a cool summer night (what is that, by the way?). They are very pretty though, and I'll probably knit them up some time soon for myself or a gift. They're knit in lace weight on size 1 US needles, so they probably wouldn't provide a whole lot of warmth. If you're looking for some "summer" gloves to keep your digits warm, look no further than...

Okay seriously, what? These are not tissue-thin lace gloves you'd see on the Downton Abbey ladies while they drink tea in the garden. These are gloves you wear when your hands are cold. I'll let you have your summer cardigans and lacy fingerless mitts, but I draw the line here. These are not summer gloves. No offense to the pattern, which is Ingrid's Gloves by Veronica Webb, because they're cute gloves. In fact, I'd wear them. In January. Not June.

Other features in the magazine include a several-page guide to knitting needles, breaking them down into type of material and type of needle, and a guide to stretches for keeping your hands and neck healthy as a knitter. The magazine is always hit or miss with me, so for the most part, I'd have to say this is one of my favorite issues of Interweave Knits in a while, even with the not-summer summer patterns.

Review: knitscene Summer 2012, a Secret FO, and a Birthday.

Although the digital version has been available for weeks now and I found it in print at my grocery store last week, today is the official newsstand release date for the summer 2012 issue of knitscene.

I was pleasantly surprised with how many of the patterns I liked in this issue. I won't talk about all the ones I liked, but I will highlight a few. The first one is the cover pattern, the Cara Cara Pullover by Amanda Bell. It's a pretty simple design, but I love that the kangaroo pocket in front and the neckline are done in seed stitch. If/when I knit this, the only modification I think I'd make would be to extend the sleeves to full length.

The Westport Shawl by Sarah Wilson was another favorite of mine. I really like the little textured bumps in the stockinette portion of the shawl. This is very high on my to-do list now.

I thought the Halesia Hat by Catherine Shields was pretty clever. Leaf motifs are very trendy right now in the knitting world, but a lot of times they are done using lace. This hat has large leaves created with knit stitches on a purl background instead and is very cute.

The last pattern I wanted to show is the Ginkgo Camisole by Andrea Babb. Finally, something in here I could possibly wear in the summer! It's pretty simple, but I like how light and airy it looks and the bits of lace detail at the bottom.

There were some patterns I didn't like, as is the case with every knitting magazine. There is a section called "Just Slightly Askew," which features asymmetrical designs. I think asymmetrical patterns can be quite interesting, but in my opinion, when the patterns are "just slightly askew" like these are, they look more like they were made incorrectly rather than intentionally off-balance. The tank with the twisted strap drove me absolutely crazy, because while it looked cute, that one strap looks like it got twisted by accident. In this past Sunday's TheKnitGirllls podcast, I laughed when Leslie talked about this pattern, because she said if she saw someone wearing this and didn't know it was intentional, she'd probably try to twist the strap back around for her.

In other news, I have a finished project, but I can't post it here. It's for my mom's birthday, and since she reads my blog, I can't go blowing the surprise. Her birthday isn't until mid-December, so it will be a while until I post about it on the blog with (hopefully) some modeled shots, but for now I'll give you a Ravelry link since my mom's not on Ravelry: link

Finally, I'd like to wish a happy birthday to my little guy Othello. He's the oldest of the two kitties, and he turns two years old today! Here's a picture of him when he was just seven weeks old:

Awww.

Review: Kollage Yarns Square Needles.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the inability to find a set of dpns that I needed led me to the counter at my local yarn store trying to decide what kind to buy. Out of curiosity, I ended up purchasing the Kollage Yarns square needles.

The package promised more even stitches, faster knitting, and less stress on your hands. The needles are supposed to be good for slippery yarns or tight knitters. It says that the needles are "perfect for knitters who have arthritis, carpal tunnel, or stiffness on their hands and fingers."

Side note: The idea of square knitting needles reminded me of my "invention" I made for an elementary school fair where I took a pen and covered the sides with rectangles of foam so that the pen wouldn't roll around when set down. Remember that, Mom?

Now, I am probably not the best person to be reviewing these needles. I am not a tight knitter; in fact, I tend to be a loose knitter if anything. I also do not have arthritis, carpal tunnel, or any other problems with my hands (knock on wood). Regardless, after knitting two full sleeves of a cardigan with them, I feel like I have the ability to talk a bit about them.

I had wondered if it would feel odd knitting with square needles, but I really didn't feel the edges while working with them and I didn't find that I had to "get used to them." Even though I wasn't working with a terribly slippery yarn (cotton), I did notice that my stitches slipped around less than I expected them to on the metal needles.

As far as evenness of stitches goes, I saw no difference. I feel like I got a pretty good comparison too, since the sleeves of my cardigan were done with the squares and the body was done with my regular circulars. That might be because I'm not a tight knitter, but I don't know.

I can't say whether or not I knitted faster with these. If I did, it wasn't a huge difference. I suspect the reason one might knit faster with them is that the needles kind of "settle" in your hands because of the edges, so they don't really spin or slide around. I'd bet that's probably why the package says they are good for people with joint or muscle problems in their hands, but because I don't experience pain when I knit, I couldn't notice a difference in that department.

So my verdict as to whether or not these are worth it: Maybe. I like the idea of them and they look fun (And I appreciate the fact that they've been sitting on my desk a couple days now and haven't rolled around at all. The eight-year-old me was definitely onto something with that pen idea.). Am I going to go run out and replace all my needles with them like the woman at the yarn store said another customer did? No, not now anyway. Maybe down the road if I start having problems with my hands, I'll try using these some more and see if they help.

I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone else who has used these, especially if you have any hand pains or are a tight knitter. What do you think of these?

Book Review: The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos

Despite my best intentions and clearly written out goals, yesterday got completely derailed. It started with my trip to the DMV to change my name. I got there a bit before they opened, and the line was already very long. I ended up waiting in line outside for almost an hour, and while the temperature was actually nice, it was very windy, and my allergies went crazy. After waiting over an hour once I finally got inside, I was turned away because I hadn't taken my marriage license to be filed and have the little stamp and seal put on it. Sigh.

After driving downtown and filing the marriage license, I decided to save the second trip to the DMV for today (which I did do) and get to work on the million other things on my to-do list.

Well, I'm not sure if it was being outside in the wind for so long or what, but I became incredibly crippled by allergy symptoms and a nasty cough. Needless to say, nothing was scratched off my list yesterday.

Luckily, I got a package from UPS yesterday, containing two books I ordered from Amazon. The first one was The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos by Heidi Adnum, and not having the will to do anything else, I spent some time flipping through the book.

While I wouldn't consider myself a complete newbie to the world of photography, it is definitely not one of my best skills. I've tried reading photography blogs, tutorials, etc., but my mind would start wondering when all I saw was technical mumbo jumbo, numbers, and decimals. Anything that feels like reading a math book isn't going to hold my attention. This book appealed to me because it wasn't written to photographers, but to artists and crafters.

The beginning explains a lot of the photography lingo, like aperture and exposure, and gives troubleshooting tips for each. Adnum breaks up crafts by category, and gives tips and tricks for shooting them. I was particularly interested in the Knitting and Needlecraft section (Chapter 6) obviously, and there is a lot of information on how to capture all of the textures involved in knitting.

Since this is written for crafters, and crafters generally like to DIY, Adnum also gives several tutorials to make your own photography equipment, like light tents and flash diffusers. If you need some help post-photoshoot, there's also a section at the end dealing with photo editing.

Overall, this book is very well-written and easy to understand. The photography in the book is just beautiful and is so much fun to flip through. I didn't feel like I was reading a math book at all.

Handmade Profile: Zelas

I haven't updated in several days. I've been working on a lot of projects, but I haven't made any interesting progress that I wanted to share just yet. I should have a bit to share soon though, because I am very close to being done with the socks and my dresser just needs to be sealed and have new hardware put on.

In the meantime, I thought I'd feature one of my more recent Etsy shop finds, Zela's.

Click on any of the images to go to that item listing on Etsy.

Zela's is mainly a button shop. I don't know why, but I really like buttons. I don't like carrying things with buttons all over them or wearing buttons, but for some reason I like them anyway. According to the listings, each button is hand-stamped and the images are original drawings. I love the style of the drawings.

Most of the characters are from animes (such as Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist and Bleach) or video games (like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts). Now, I don't consider myself an anime fan or a video game nerd, but my fiance recently got me into Naruto and I've been known to casually play Final Fantasy from time to time (the only one I've ever played all the way through was Final Fantasy X).

This is the one I got for me!

So, about a month and a half ago when I stumbled across this shop, I knew I had to pick up a button for my fiance and for me.

This is the one I got for Jose.

There are a lot more that I really like, but like I said, I don't have a use for a lot of buttons. Luckily, for an additional $.50 (on top of the reasonable $2.00 for a 1.25" button) you can request that any design be made into a magnet instead of a pinback button. I think Jose and my future refrigerator might have a few on them eventually.