High Contrast pillow pattern

You may remember I released a throw blanket pattern earlier this year called High Contrast.

As a companion freebie, I've adjusted the pattern for a pillow.

Skill level: Intermediate (or beginner with gumption!)
Skills Needed: provisional cast on, stranded colorwork or intarsia, grafting cast off using kitchener stitch.
Finished Measurements: 18" x 18"

Materials:

• Caron One Pound yarn, 100% acrylic; 812 yards, 453.6 g; Black #0503, 1 skein (MC)
• Caron One Pound yarn, 100% acrylic; 812 yards, 453.6 g; White #0501, 1 skein (CC)
• Caron Simply Soft yarn, 100% acrylic; 315 yards, 170.1 g; Autumn Red, #9730, 1 skein (TC)
• A note on yarn: these were leftovers from my High Contrast blanket pattern, so you do not need even close to the whole pound for either black or white. Buy smaller skein if you are making only the pillow.
• US size 10 [6 mm] needles, either a long straight needles or a circular needle (at least 20" long)
• waste yarn
• tapestry needle
• 18" square pillow insert (or other pillow filling)

Gauge: 12 sts x 20 rows = 4"; use color chart for gauge and use the same colorwork method that you'll be using on the pillow.

Pattern:
Using waste yarn, CO 54 sts using a provisional cast on method. Using TC, complete 3 rows in st st.

Switching to MC and CC, complete color chart for 160 rows, or until you have reached desired length. You can use stranded colorwork or intarsia; the sample pillow was completed using intarsia.

Note on color chart: they are added below as jpegs. Start with bottom chart and work up, or print both out and cut/paste them together. Have trouble seeing them? Shoot me an email and I'll send you fresh copies. kateandtatum at gmail

Switch back to TC and complete 3 rows in st st.

Keep all active stitches on one needle and put provisional stitches onto 2nd needle. Cut TC yarn with enough length to complete graft and thread onto tapestry needle. Holding the two needles parallel, use kitchener stitch to graft the two ends together.

Weave in ends and block to size. Seam one side, add pillow insert or filling and seam second side.

And you're done!

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If you like this pillow, I hope you will consider the matching High Contrast lap blanket. You can buy the pattern on Ravelry and Etsy. They make a great pair.

guest kittens

We have two guest kittens! (That's foster kittens, really.)

They are 6-7 weeks old, healthy and lovely and at the height of their kitten cuteness. All day, it's just play, eat, poop, sleep, repeat. Bless their hearts. One is more adventurous and outgoing, one is more reserved and cautious. We love them both equally, although Tatum is more partial to the adventurous one...

If you think these are the most awesome kittens you ever saw, they will be up for adoption soon at Valley Humane Society.

old book

Just digging through my various library resources for spinning books and found this treasure.

 It is an oldie. I can't believe they let me check it out...

Good reading.

the first fiber

Moving house unearthed some hidden treasures. I discovered not only exactly how much fiber I've hoarded (a lot), but also the first fleeces that got me into spinning.

During a road trip down the Oregon coast many years ago, we ran across a "wool factory" and had to stop. The store assistant was very nice and spent a good 45 minutes explaining how to clean and card the wool she was selling me. I had NO idea what I was doing, but took home a pound of Romney, a pound of Friesian, a drop spindle and some lavender oil.

I don't remember doing that much, but I cleaned, carded and spun 148 yards of Romney over the next few months. It is rough wool; not something you want directly on your skin. And super bulky.

It was my gateway drug into spinning more seriously. The only problem: what to do with this yarn? Can't quite decide what would be an appropriate project... all ideas welcome.

easy yoga mat strap

This pattern is so easy, it is not really a pattern.

First, you knit a strip of garter stitch in a feltable, 100% wool. I chose some spare black wool we had in our stash. I think I made it 25 stitches wide on size 7 needles and knit 75% of the skein. Then felt it. Results will vary, but it shrinks a lot. My finished strip was 2.5" wide and 56" long.

Then sew loops into the ends. I had to make my own because I couldn't find anything at the crafts store that was wider than 1".

Pull the loops through and insert yoga mat.

Easy.

UPDATE! May 23:
Of course, the strap stretched out after a few uses. So I doubled a portion and sewed it together- makes a bit of a padded section for my shoulder. I recommend this if your strap stretches, too.

summer goals

Feeling ready for summer, so thought I'd do some summer goal setting. Here we go:

#1- more outdoor time. With cancer-lockdown over, Taters and I hope to go hiking 3-5 times/week. Also big weekend hikes and camping trips. And- dare I say it- maybe a backpacking trip?

#2- run for fun, no goal races. I have a half marathon in October, but until I need to start training for that, only aimless meandering.

#3- be more productive. This is two-fold. I hope to have more patterns to share (some free!) and do some more knitting-in-real-life activities (fiber fests, fair demonstrations, etc.). Basically, get out of the house and interact with the world a little more...

#4- focus on relaxation. Maybe this means getting into meditation, maybe just trying to de-stress more. But practically, I think it'll be a foot massage and two restorative yoga classes every week. Plus gardening, pool time, reading, petting the Tots. All the cancer stuff over the last few months really heightened my anxieties and stress levels. Time to let that go...

So that's the hopes. Anybody got some summer goals they'd like to share, too?

new, new, new

If you are a keen observer, you'll notice that there's been a small gap in postings. But we're back with lots of new things:

1. New place! Yepppppp, we bit the bullet and bought a place. Since we live in the Bay Area, I'll understand if you scoff and declare me insane. Kinda feels like we are... But boxes are mostly unpacked and I've resumed knitting.

new rug suits the Tots

2. Lots of new fiber. Between Stitches West, fiber guild and a generous friend, I'm up to my eyeballs in fiber to spin. I only really noticed how big the stash got when I had to pack for the move...

3. New health status. You can now call us Kate + Tatum + Remission.

That's it for now. Will be back with pretty pictures of yarn (and Tatum) soon.

Bye!