by Talitha Kuomi

eight clues.

when things get hard

see here,

ever gone to a fiber festival or show, only to find yourself drawn to this bright skein over here and that moody skein over there, etc.?

When life

one colorway,

living large

slow

baby, it’s a cold, harsh world out there.

there are times

rocker chic style

joyful enthusiasm.

hiss and roar all you like

when you move, i react.

the space

i want

neon needs

these days i am

it might as well

leaving

it is not

at this point

i saw you on the street

nothing knows

we

indie dye style.

round and round we knit.

what to pair with such a catchy hue?

being the boss (of the pooling) is so empowering!

some days call for

gloves that hug the curve of your wrist.

ready to be the boss (of your pooling)? you can so do this!

what to do when you find the perfect bulky, but want to go bigger?

skinny on scarf.

if lovin’ this is wrong, i don’t want to be right;

light and shadow,

2 skeins

alive!

an intentionally restful knit.

the fangs

still a bit chilly to go coatless,

vivian is back for one more leg of her journey! she heads off to ireland again, but this time is inspired to knit this happy little cabled hat, ‘crossway’.

their play is rough and tumble for sure,

a young one’s

for that one gorgeous skein

stripes,

tell the yarn who’s boss,

A pop of color

cardi and charts by me.

never dull.

textured stripes

a feminine brim because … lace!

stockinette stitch makes it unisex.

Materials

“the sunset here is so beautiful it is hard to imagine a more telling place. sip your coffee in the morning and hike a trail just like mary henrietta kingsley might.” --mrs. crosby

“your steamer trunk begins to gain as many colours as miles. back to the states we go, dear heart.” --mrs. crosby

“my days here are filled with white lace and knitting, i can’t imagine myself more relaxed as i head out in search of mrs. crosby’s next missive.” - vivian

“dearest vivian, you are truly the cat’s pajamas. i have been following your travels closely…” -mrs. crosby

“paris is absolutely beautiful in the spring. to anyone who has not yet taken a stroll along the streets of the ‘city of love’, i cannot recommend it highly enough.” - vivian

“having finally spotted my location on the map in my hands, i made my way to the pub mrs. crosby had references in her last clue. i felt quite like a spy as i analyzed my present company to deduce which ruddy young irishman was indeed james.” -vivian

“having discovered the lovely skeins of carpet bag left for me by mrs. crosby, i immediately set about knitting something soft to warm my neck…inspired by the steam that rises from the ancient geysers that surround me here, i sketched up a little colorwork…” -vivian

“when last we met, you were wearing that delightful hat made in carpet bag. it seems like the perfect way to begin.” -mrs. crosby.

worn slouchy,

simple,

any way you wrap it, personality shines through.

joto is:

’nkata’

’tordre’ is

this wrap is light and airy, which is a happy and unexpected surprise since it is done up in super bulky weight yarn. it can be stretched across your shoulders as a shield against the chill, or scrunched casually about your neck for a completely different turn of events.

burza is:

this is a rectangle. this particular rectangle is seamed, but you could leave it unseamed and then it would be a wrap. maybe you already have the perfect shawl pin or clip or interesting stick to hold it closed with? i bet you do.

June 2015 pattern for the Indigodragonfly Smart-Ass Knitters/World Domination Yarn Club 6

June 2015 pattern for the Smart-Ass Knitters/World Domination Yarn Club.

how do you like your cardigans to fit?

this project is easy enough for adventurous beginners but interesting enough for more advanced knitters. no matter what your skill level, you just might learn a little something along the way.

the luxuriousness of the yarn elevates this beginner level cowl to a piece you’ll love to wear again and again.

the longing these fingerless mitts refer to is a ‘longing for spring’ or anything green and growing. this feeling is intensified by just how many inches (and still falling) of snow we are currently under.

such beautiful yarn dyed by julie asselin and so much breezy space to this stitch pattern. i just love the combo.

Skill Level

Skill Level

Skll Level

Skill Level

Skill Level

Skill Level

Skill Level

Skill Level

Skill Level

Skill Level

phydeaux’s mini skein sets are a great way to try out colorwork in a small accessory. ‘riles’ uses all 5 colors in the mini skein set named ‘neutrals’. the silk in the yarn adds lovely sheen and drape to the project.

This hat and mitten set is meant to bring to mind the blue skies and pine trees of Beals Island, ME. Slipped stitches create the colorwork pattern, but only one color of yarn is worked per round (ie: they’re easier than they look).

i designed ‘lind’ as a tribute to all the books that let me walk safely through their mountainous adventures before i was brave enough for adventures of my own.

a knit messenger bag strong enough to hold its own.

graphic cables on a fitted hat. a good look for men, women and teens alike.

’esonta’ is a worked top down in the round. long enough to wear pulled over your head as a hood, it is just as nice snuggled down in soft folds around your neck. it widens gradually as it goes to allow the drape to sit sweetly on your shoulders.

i started by asking myself the question: just how streamlined and modern a piece could Stockinette Stitch be worked into? it’s fascinating to me that just wool and an outside the box construction can make soft knit fabric hold such an architectural shape without any added help.

wonderful local yarn turns double twisted cables into something extra special.

Elegant in their simplicity, these fingerless gloves are knit in the round, with no interruptions to the flow of the stitch pattern. Both the bit of lycra in the yarn and the stretch of the stitch pattern itself allow them to glide smoothly over the curves of the wrist and the palm.

The soft cotton in the SilverSpun yarn brings thoughts of warm weather and blue skies into view. That kind of weather calls for breezy accessories like this lacy scarf. Wrap it once around your head, knot it, and you’re good to go. The Lycra in the mix is elastic enough to keep this head wrap in place as you enjoy your carefree day.

an easy to knit baby blanket that will pass the test of time to become a hand me down through many generations.

funky enough to stand out in the crowd. cozy enough to feel like a friendly hug around the neck.

this is my 101st pattern. hey, that feels good.

a sweet star at the crown tops off this hat for wee ones to snuggle up into.

this hat is some slouch, plus some texture, add some attitude

an easy to knit cowl with oh so many ways to wear it.

One skein of bulky weight yarn, a little straightforward in the round knitting, and your hands can be toasty.

Sizes

’makalio’ is seamless and versatile. the unique texture of shibui’s linen, held together throughout with shibui’s staccato (merino and silk), is showcased in this vest/cowl/wrap.

Nothing makes me feel more like myself than jeans, heels, and a long warm sweater. But just the right long sweater was evading me. I wanted a little drama, versatile enough to go casual or gussied up, and comfortable above all else. Unable to find what I wanted, I took to the needles to make it myself. Sojourner is exactly what I was looking fo...

the lace of this wrap looks like water and mountains, hence the title ‘valleys of the sea’.

long cozy gloves. adding beautiful buttons at the upper arm is a great to showcase them.

Knit from the top-down, this one piece cardi is completely reversible. Collar can be worn flat, as shown, or buttons up into a mock turtleneck for extra coziness.

A dramatic long skinny scarf with interwoven cables adding shape to the edges.

Inspired by the balboa trees of Kenya, the cables of this cowl ‘grow’ out of straight columns of knit stitches that remind me of those trees’ impressive trunks.

a reversible neck wrap (or short scarf) with multiple ways to be worn.

1 of 6 patterns in the MFPP e-book ‘The Great Deep’.

1 of 6 patterns in the MFPP e-book ‘The Great Deep’.

1 of 6 patterns in the MFPP e-book ‘The Great Deep’.

knit in the round, this scarf needs only k2tog and yo’s to create it’s fun spiralling effect.

Finished Measurements: Front Panel = 10 1/2”/26.5 cm x 8”/20 cm Body = 37”/94 cm x 19”/48 cm

quick little lacy fingerless gloves. a really pretty edging and no thumb to fiddle with.

based on the edging and openwork of my wild olive beret, this cowl has an i-cord drawstring that easily concerts it into a striking hood.

My kids are always looking for secret little spots to stash their precious things. I find rocks under the couch cushions, marbles in my shoes, my big girl’s journal stashed between the cookbooks and matchbox cars behind the milk in the fridge. This pillow was created to be a better, safer place for their special treasures.

brown wrap in photos is made of allhemp6. the grey wrap (which is also the wrap shown in the top 2 photos) is malabrigo silky dk.

fun lace in bright colors is just the thing to welcome the warm spring breezes. the lace stitch pattern is both written and charted so you can choose your poison. a good pattern for the ‘lace newbie’ since it’s only an 8 line repeat and comes together quickly on size 9 needles.

two fun accessories knit from just one skein of plymouth yarn’s ‘kudo’.

little ‘moses’ the mouse is up to any adventure. just carry him along with you and see what fun the two of you can find together.

’Hip’ on a tween and adorable on a toddler, Machine washable yarn makes this long sweater just right for girls of all ages. The super bulky yarn comes in bright fun colors and knits up fast on size 11 circular needles.

one of the trapped chilean miners became the father of a tiny girl while he was still underground. modern technology allowed him to watch his wife give birth even though he was not yet freed to be physically at her side. they named their baby ‘esperanza’ (which is spanish for ‘hope’).

I was out and about one day when a snuggly beret with ribbing at the brim and a cabled crown caught my eye. Started me to wondering just what it might look like the other way around. Inspired by the shape of the cozy winter hat my Mum wore when I was a child, I set to working out the details. This is the slouchy beret that emerged.

’vapor’ won 1st place for accessories in ‘the 2009 aslan trends creative knitting contest’.

The men in my life who would wear a

Twisted rib and braided cables keep the knitting interesting. Knit in the round, with only the top and bottom ends to weave in, the main bit of the bag is easy comfort knitting.

’leviathan’ is a long, slinky scarf. it consists of three different lace stitch patterns that mimic the deep sea creature scales of its namesake.

My youngest child loves to wear things on her head. This includes but is not limited to: sand buckets, bowls, the kind of stuffed animal that has Velcro hands that cling, colanders, boxes – you get the idea. One day she took my electric guitar cord (which was wound into a circle and secured with a gripper) and plopped that upon her noggin. My f...

Having spent a few years singing in local clubs, I deeply love many flavors of music. It moves me. The unexpected twists of improvised jazz, the strong emotions of the blues and the constant forward motion of rock especially get to me. My son, at age 4, is already a very soulful boy. He can be found often in his room singing into his Peavey amp...

this scarf is knit in just one colorway of plymouth yarn’s ‘kudo’. all the color changes are done by the yarn itself. nice.

here is “shrug this” by toni kayser weiner sized down for wee little newborns to 24m old toddlers.

this pillow is built on the different textures of the two yarns, not difficult stitches or techniques. the knitting itself is relaxing and all the loose ends (or carryovers) from the color changes wind up on the inside so there is room to not be overly meticulous about them. ahh.

a classy way to use and wear a partial skein of luxury yarn or silky homespun.

Japanese version found on website source only.

the nippy air has arrived with fall, but it’s not really cold yet. as i switch from flip-flops to clogs, my toes put up a little fuss.

this is the ‘super bulky’ version of ‘shines’ found here.

a crown much loved by my kids, finally in pattern form.

i really like hats with earflaps. i really don’t like how the flaps are inevitably knit in a different stitch than the rest of the hat. i also really don’t like how the flaps tend to, well, ‘flap’ in a wind (which is when you least want them to move at all). so, here is my answer to both problems.

in trying to teach my daughter that handmade gifts are best, she has understood me to mean that mama will attempt to make any gift she can come up with an idea for. it’s a start anyway.