Me and My Alpaca & Freddy Too

Smile at the camera Blue.

I needed to get a new picture of me and I thought Blue would love to help me out. Most alpacas look soooooo funny after they get sheared, but in my opinion I think Blue always looks cool! 

Freddy even got in a picture! I was also happy to finally get a picture of me in my Postcard Cardigan. I really don't have any good pictures of me wearing it so I was very happy to get a few shots of it.

You may be seeing some of the above pictures in a magazine this Fall :)

Yarn Along

 

 

Last night I released my Postcard Cardigan Pattern! I decided to release it as one size for now. I had tried it on quiet a few people with very different body types and it looked very flattering on everyone so I decided at this time to release it as is.  The bust is 38" and the bottom is 42" wide. The sleeves fit a 13" arm.  It is easy to modify the circumference of the sleeves by adding or removing 4 stitches. The entire cardigan can go down a size by choosing a lighter weight fingering yarn and smaller needles and it can be made larger by going up a yarn and needle size. I'd recommend removing one of the repeats of the chart if going up a size so it doesn't get to long. I'd be happy to offer any help to anyone wanting to make this cardigan and has questions about the fit.

 

I listed it as an advanced skill level because of the grafting of the shoulders. Otherwise it is a pretty straight forward seamless knit. It is worked back and forth, bottom up. The pattern is both charted and written out. If you are intimidated by the shoulder grafting I would recommend asking a friend or your LYS to see if they would be willing to help out with the grafting. Otherwise if you can knit lace you shouldn't have a problem with this pattern.

 

In the mean time I have a few project that have been lingering on my needles that I am determined to finish up before I start anything new.

 

I am making a Backshore Cardigan. The pattern is by Alica Plummer. I wanted a nice mindless knit and something I could wear around the house and with jeans. I really love how it is turning out. I am using Juniper Moon Farm Findley yarn for it. I am holding two strands together of each color.

 

 

 

Not on my needles yet, but will be on Friday! Is Romi's new Mystery Knit Along. The first clue comes out this Friday. I am so excited. It is the only new thing I'm allowing myself to make until I finish up my other WIPs.

My "To Infinity & Beyond Scarf" is back out of hibernation. I started this many moons ago, but now that it is getting closer to Spring I have brought it back out. I put it a side because I thought the colors were better for the Spring. I work on this waiting for the school bus, kids birthday parties, doctors offices and any other time I have to sit and wait. There isn't a pattern I am just knitting as I go.

 

I have been working a lot on my Spire the past two nights. I am on the lace portion and it is very hard to photograph progress on this huge WIP but trust me there is a lot of knitting going on in there. Oh and I am almost out of yarn. I need to spin up some more.

Do you like my banner at the top of this past and my new logo below???!!!

 

 

My sister Leanne designed them for me for my new Ravelry Group.  I started a group for support on my knitting patterns. It is a place for people to go to if they have questions and to show off their finished AndeeKF patterns. I started the group and right away someone went in a "Disagreed" with all my pages. Who does that? I didn't even have them all set up yet. To be honest they still aren't 100% set up. Oh well I guess there are some haters out there. But for all of you who have shown me so much support I have to give you a huge THANK YOU!

 

I didn't release this pattern to all the wonderful people who offered to test knit, but I will have more in the future so if you want to be a test knitter please leave your Raverly user name in the thread I started in my Raverly Group "Test Knitter".

 

Have a wonderful day!

 

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along

Thank You

I was overwhelmed by the response and comments to my Postcard Cardigan in my last post. I was so thrilled to get so many responses of people volunteering to test knit! Thank you so much. Right now the pattern is with my fantastic graphic designer. When I get it back I will either be publishing it in one size or sending it out to be tested.

 

I have written down everyone's contact info that has volunteered to test knit and I will be in contact with you. In the mean time I am going to set up a group in Raverly where I will have information available for test knitters and for support on my patterns.  When I have it all up and running I will let you know.

Once again I wanted to say a huge thank you!

 

~Andee

Postcard Cardigan Take 2

I finished my second Postcard Cardigan. The first one I made with Brooklyn Tweed's Loft yarn, which sadly I learned I was allergic to. So I made a second one with Anzula Squishy yarn in the colorway "sexy". I am thrilled with how it turned out.

 

I apologize for all the finished pictures, but sometimes I have just as much fun taking pictures as I do knitting it.

 

 

 

 

Yay a finished knit I can wear :) I'm still unsure about releasing the pattern. If you are interested in test knitting it for me leave me a message.

 

FYI test knitters skills needed for this knit:

You must be able to knit, purl, graft (Kitchener stitch), increase, knit lace & decrease.

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

 

Yarn Along~ Postcard Cardigan

 

I finished my Postcard Cardigan and due to overwhelming encouragement I have decided to release the pattern. That is when I get it legible. So the pattern is in the works.  My first version of it I made using Brooklyn Tweed Loft. I found the yarn to be heavenly. I really loved working with it.....except that I have an allergy to wool. I have tried to deny it for years now, but this time put me over the edge. I sneezed way to much, my eyes burned and my sinus couldn't stand it. I assure you the yarn is fabulous non the less. I have bad allergies and am allergic to many other things, so this is just on my list. Boo Hoo. Boo Hoo.

 

So I went up to Chelsea Yarn and bought new yarn for another Postcard Cardigan.  This time I went with Anzula Squishy in the colorway "Sexy".

 

 

OMG this yarn is a dream! I have used it before and insisted it was the softest yarn I've ever used and I think everyone should treat themselves to this yarn once and a while. It is a joy to knit with. So my second version is coming out very nice. I wish I could find more time to work on it!

 

 

Since I have one skein of Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn left over I am offering it as a GIVEAWAY.  If you would like this 275 yard skein of yarn please leave a comment below letting me know you would like the yarn and I'll randomly draw a winner on Saturday February 22nd.

 

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along

Yarn Along

I feel like I haven't taken pictures of the alpacas lately. So today at the farm I brought my camera out of hibernation and took a few shots. Actually I took over 250 pictures :) So you can expect to see some upcoming posts staring the herd.  I picked just a few for this post.

 

 

 

 

 

Don't you just want to cuddle with them! I love those fuzzy faces.

 

As for knitting I have been working on my Postcard Cardigan. I have been making up the pattern as I go. I am not sure if I am going to be publishing the pattern. I think I am just going to wear it and enjoy it for myself. Unless enough people show interest in it (then it might be worth my time putting it all together on paper). I am making it out of Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn. I am in love with the loft yarn. But I think I might be allergic to it. I have been sneezing the entire time I've been working on it. I am so sad because I love this yarn so much.

 

I designed this cardigan to have two lace panels that run up the front and then down the back. I added shaping on the sides.  I also added shaping on the back that gives the look of a razor back. I like razor backs and thought it would be fun to try on a lace cardigan to give it some Jazz.

 

I think this pattern would work great as a vest or a cardigan, so I wanted to get some pictures of it without the second sleeve. I'm still trying to decide what pattern I am going to do for the cuff so I left the right one unfinished. 

 

So that is what I've been knitting. We are expecting some more bad weather. I am not sure if we are going to get a lot of snow or rain. Either way hopefully it will keep me home long enough to get this cardigan finished up. I can't wait to wear it. Even if I have to take allergy medicine when I have to wear it. I know it will be worth it :)

 

Joining with Ginny's Yarn Along

 

In the last 15 minutes....

 

My new pattern is blocking and I wanted to snap a few pictures of it drying on the wires for reference down the road. I am so excited to finish this up. It has been a joy to knit. I am not sure how writing up the pattern is going to go..... I of course didn't keep good notes as I was knitting it.  So it might end up as a one of a kind, but I really do love it and I'd love to see the pattern get released so we'll see.

 

I took a quick picture of our firewood. Our fire has been burning non-stop. I am so grateful we have a warm home!

 

As I made my way back up the stairs I ran into Brady and Rudee on the stairs. Rudee got spayed last week and isn't supposed to be running around, jumping or going up and down stairs. Yeah that has been fun.... NOT.

 

Once I got all the way upstairs I noticed the deck has a dusting of snow. Since I still had my camera in my hands I thought I'd take a quick picture of the snow. Then Brady and Rudee ran out passed me. NO RUNNING. And I thought I'd take a quick picture of them rebelling on the deck.  Then I realized I could take fun pictures of the snow falling! How fun is that. Falling snow is so much easier to photograph than lightening or fireworks. I just opened the door and shot. Too much fun. But my fun was short lived because Brady has a ton of homework to get caught up on.

 

So that is what we have been up to in the last 15 minutes.  I just wanted to pop in and say hi!

 

I really loving watching the Olympics I think I need a snowboard!