Issue 16, Winter 2011-2012 - Knitcircus

contents
7 Staff
8 ReviewS
Yarn
Books
Products
22 ChooSe it and USe it: handSpUn
Little Miss Sheepish finds herself creating
the perfect yarn for her project, designing
from the fiber up! Nicole Feller-Johnson
guides you through the different fiber
and spinning types to tempt you to take
up a spindle.
29 YaRnSide ChatS I-Cord
30 KidS video SeRieS Circular Knitting
32 YaRn StYliSt: So ManY ReaSonS...
In which the Yarn Stylist helps you out with
100 times when it's just right to buy yarn.
37 wendY JohnSon: totallY tUbUlaR!
As always, Wendy makes the Tubular Cast-
On technique seem straightforward and
appealing with her ribbed hat recipe.
Patterns
43 wiSConSin pRoUd
59 waRM bRownS
69 CableS
81 winteR fUn
94 ReCipe by Bezzie
96 adveRtiSeRS
98 ContRibUtoRS
ON The COver:
French roast
by rachel Dickman
60
48
Purchase
the
collection
94 72
82 44
Project Information:
For yarn, needles, materials
and sizing for all of the
projects in the Winter Issue,
just click here to download
the PDF.

staff
Editor-in-Chief
Jaala Spiro
Creative Director
Tracy HarriS
Photographer
Tracy HarriS
connie Ward
Technical Editors
amy deTJen
aSHley KnoWlTon
STepHannie TallenT
cHarleS VoTH
Copy Editors
TecH ediTing: Julie FiSK
TexT: nicole miyaSHiro
Pattern Collection Layout
elizabeTH morriSon
Website Design
cindy Webber
Marketing and Advertising
Teril Turner
Local Yarn Store Liaison
SaraH campbell
Contributing Editors
Wendy d. JoHnSon
special thanks
To our models, Gretchen, Kai, Nina,
Nate, Nicole, Tasha, and Zoe
©2011 Knitcircus is the property of Jaala Spiro. Pattern copyright belongs to individual designers.
All other materials, text, images, and logos are the property of Knitcircus.
7

we’ll knit that | yarn reviews
1
2
3
4
5
1. Sun Valley Fiber Farm
100% Merino Single-Ply Fingering
Jeannette, of Wisconsin's Sun Valley, consistently creates
gorgeous kettle-dyed colors with repeatable colorways
that keep you coming back for more. The addition of this
single-ply fingering to their lineup gives lace knitters a
reason to cheer (and to cast on).
etsy.com/shop/SunValleyFibers
100% merino Wool, 400 ydS
color: Sangria
2. Happy Fuzzy Yarn
Hand Dyed Sport-Weight Superwash
Riin Gill's colorways got me so excited at Yarn Con
Chicago that I not only purchased a skein of this yarn,
but wound it on my knee and started a shawl on the bus
ride home. Superwash Merino sport in harmoniously
-variegated shades: what's not to love?
happyfuzzyyarn.com/store/
100% merino Wool, 4 oz/330 yardS,
color: coreopSiS
3. Wool Dispensary Imperial Poison
The creators of the Wool Dispensary, dyer Sam Boice and
designer Bree Miller, use old-time apothecary and circus
as inspiration for their modern, small-farm and small-mill
sourced yarn. The kettle-dyed colors give a richness and
depth to skeins ranging from fingering weight to chunky
aran, all hand-tinted in small, special dye runs. If you see
a color you like, stock up! And, with shades like Circus
Popcorn, Tight Rope and Lizard Boy, you'll find plenty to
like. thewooldispensary.bigcartel.com
100% oregon Wool, 245 ydS
color: circuS popcorn
4. Sunday Knits Angelic 3-ply
This light sportweight yarn feels soft and airy, with a slight halo,
but the colors turn this Italian-milled confection irresistible. More
than 52 available shades make Sunday Yarns a dream for any kind of
colorwork, and the texture means that anything you knit will
feel great next to the skin. sundayknits.com/yarn
75% merino, 25% angora, 50 g/246 ydS
5. Sincere Sheep Luminous DK
Brooke, founder of Sincere Sheep, knows tons about sheep breeds,
fibers and yarn content. She began sourcing fiber using the concept
of terroir, a French idea of unique qualities imparted by a local region,
which guides her company vision. The yarn line now features lace to
worsted luxury blends from a wider area, including cormo, polwarth,
silk, alpaca, Merino and cashmere as well as the Terroir Fiber series.
The Luminous yarn blends shiny silk with the crisp Polwarth yarn,
with its saturated colors a natural for showing off textured and cabled
stitches. sinceresheep.com
15% TuSSaH SilK, 85 % polWarTH Wool
4 oz/320 ydS, color: be mine

we’ll knit that | yarn reviews
6
7
6. Pollika KnitGlobal Yarns
75% wool, 25% nylon
from England
Pollika used to specialize in undyed yarn, and
now they're moving into color in a big way!
The Knitglobal sock yarn in 14 colorways
has the combination of wool, stretch and fun
color changes to make excellent socks for any
recipient at a very appealing price.
pollika.com/yarn.html
100g/400m, 437 ydS
7. Juniper Moon Farm
Findley Laceweight
Juniper Moon Farm does it all! This women-run
farmstead raises its own sheep, hosts farm stays
and retreats, holds a long-running yarn/fiber
CSA, and creates beautiful yarn lines sourced in
the USA. The luxury Findley laceweight comes
in a dozen saturated solid colors, with a plump,
shiny texture; it would show off any lace shawl
to perfection. knittingfever.com/c/junipermoon-farm/yarn/findley
80% SuperWaSH merino, 20%
nylon; 425 yardS/115 g,
color: byzanTine

ook reviews
Custom Knits 2: More Top-Down
and Improvisational Techniques
by Wendy bernard
STeWarT, Tabori and cHang,
160 pageS
Wendy Bernard's
California-chic
designs have made
her popular for
good reason, and
with the follow-up
to Custom Knits,
she delivers more
appealing patterns
and design tips.
The techniques and
fitting sections include strategies for taking your
measurements, planning for a perfect fit, and
show simple elements to tweak (short rows,
waist shaping, add-on's, seams & structure). She
includes some useful tips on converting patterns
from men to women and from adult to child,
too.
Of the 19 patterns, most focus on women's
sweaters and sleeveless shells, with a few
children's, men's and accessories designs thrown
in for good measure. Beautiful photographs
show off the patterns, even if not all knitters will
end up wearing the sweaters with a swimsuit,
leading horses down a beach.
The aptly-named Favorite Hoodie is my first
cast-on choice; the cardigan shape would flatter
a lot of figure types. My weakness for hats
means the Lemon Drop Beret stood out, and
the Wasabi Pullover's sleek, sixties style really
looked stylish. An excellent volume for styleconscious
knitters.
reVieWed by Jaala Spiro
How to Sell Your Crafts Online
by derricK SuTTon
ST. marTin'S preSS, 206 pageS
If you want to turn your handcrafts into a
small business, it's easy to just start listing on
the wonderful Etsy community site, but tricky
to make your shop stand out. When this book
arrived, I expected the usual advice: follow
your bliss, believe in yourself, start a blog, have
a website, use social media... and got a very
pleasant surprise. Derrick doesn't feel you
need self-confidence, he assumes you're good,
and will want to build a good business. The
book goes way beyond basic, with concrete
step-by-step and screen-by-screen computer
instructions for building and growing a web
presence as well as marketing techniques to
The Knitter’s Book of Socks
by clara parKeS
poTTer craFT, 208 pageS
book reviews
raise your online
profile.
Using keywords
and existing sites
to maximize your
presence using effort
rather than dollars,
Derrick puts together an Etsy-specific plan
that works for any online business. The book
itself has nice, clean graphics and bookmark
flaps to mark progress through your marketing
plan. Highly recommended for any small
business owner.
reVieWed by Jaala Spiro
Clara Parkes does for socks what she’s done for yarn and wool in her
earlier books!
As expected, Clara gives us just enough technical details about elasticity,
strength, moisture management (chapter one); fiber type (chapter two);
and yarn construction details (chapter three) to educate knitters on what
makes a good sock yarn. She also has a chapter entitled Stitch Tricks,
covering things you can do to increase strength, elasticity and sock
function through pattern and stitch choices. The last section, Resources, tucked away at the end
of the book, covers all the miscellany: caring for socks, techniques, yarn sources, recommended
reading, standard sizing, and designer biographies.
Chapter five, including 20 sock patterns, forms the bulk of the book. Clara recruited a slew of
skilled sock designers (Nancy Bush, Cat Bordhi, Lucy Neatby and Cookie A to name a few (you
know, the ones you get all fan-girlish over at Sock Summit or other conferences) to create some
extraordinary designs. My favorite patterns include Buddleia by Mary Bird (cables and lace), Lady
Tryamour by Sivia Harding (pretty little leaf motif), and Cape Spear by Lucy Neatby (colorwork).
Highly recommended for sock knitters of all stripes.
reVieWed by STepHannie TallenT
15

16
book reviews
Novel Knits: British Literature
in Stitches
by ann KingSTone
ann KingSTone deSignS, 106 pageS
Jane Austen,
J.R.R Tolkein and
J.K. Rowling: Ann
Kingstone chose well.
For so many of us,
these three authors of
different eras evoke
a similar excitement
and loyalty, and the
worlds they create
stoke our imaginative
fires. Ann's selfpublished
book gives
us 15 patterns inspired
by these novels, including beautifully-done lace,
cable and color work for women's sweaters,
accessories and handbags.
I wish there had been a little more
explanation behind some of the designs (the
leap between a promise that carries death and
ruffled handwarmers was a little mysterious) but
the well-executed patterns stand on their own.
Some highlights include the leaf-themed elven
accessories, the colorwork Durmstrang nordicstyle
knee-highs, the delicate Hartfield shawl
and the cover Lanthir Lamath Hooded scarf,
with its delicate textured and cabled
stitch patterns.
reVieWed by Jaala Spiro
Socks a la Carte: Colorwork
Pick and Choose Patterns to
Knit Socks your Way
by Jonelle raFFino
and KaTHerine cade
norTH ligHT booKS, 2011, 128 pageS
The charming
three-to-a-page
flip format Jonelle
and Katherine have
created let you see
and choose from
nearly 60 different
foot, body and cuff
color and stitch
variations. You can
flip the body, cuff
and foot patterns
around just like with
books you used to love as a kids. The third in
the series following Socks a la Carte and
Toes Up, the book includes introductory
information about sock knitting, followed by
full-color instructions and photos for all of the
different components.
Being able to flip and visually compare
different parts makes this a playful and
appealing collection, and a great showcase for
the Southwest Trading Company solid and selfstriping
yarns used throughout the book. All
patterns in the book are worked top-down, so all
of the colorwork is truly interchangeable. Great
for sock knitters ready to jump into colorwork.
reVieWed by Jaala Spiro

product review
Knitter's Pride
Dreamz Knitting Needles
The Dreamz' sleek, hard material makes
these wooden needles very different from
some of the others you may have tried.
The water-resistant densified birch
wood allows stitches to slide quickly
and easily, and the different colors
for each size mean you can easily
pick out the right needle size.
The interchangeable tips join
smoothly to a flexible coated
wire. All of the versions work
nicely with many fiber types,
from smooth lace to bulky
mohair: a great choice
for knitters!
yarn.com/webs-knitterspride-dreamz-knitting-needles
Splityarn Box Bag
Perfect for a small knitting
project on-the-go, this
handmade yet professionallytailored
bag is even
constructed to stand by itself.
The witty, modern fabrics
make you look good while
the interfacing and finishing
details mean the bag retains
its shape when storing projects
or craft tools. Bag measures
approximately 8"by 4" and
3.5" tall. If you want matchymatchy,
accessories, Splityarn's
Caro offers tiny and long
zippered pouches and a muchbigger
version of the box bag
for sweaters or large projects.
shop.splityarn.com/products
Comfy Stitch Markers
Handmade in Canada, the Comfy stitch marker
line features glass beads strung on waxed
cotton, which forms a large, soft ring. The snagfree
design works for up to a US-size 11 needle,
and the waxed cotton holds its shape nicely, so it
works well with varied needle sizes. The cotton
feels pleasantly leatherlike and while I had
doubts about the knot ends getting caught in
my work, they slid through smoothly every time.
The markers come in sets of four, one with two
knots to mark a special spot. knitca.com

product review
Soak Heel Peppermint
Foot Cream
The tagline, "For feet worthy of handknit
socks" really says it all: this luxurious salve
feels light and creamy, and smooths the skin,
leaving a subtle peppermint tingle. Highly
recommended. soakwash.com/heel.html
Knitifacts Una "Flora" Stitch
Marker Set
With delicate glass flower beads, this set of
eight markers with closed jump rings adds
sparkle to your knitting. The markers fit needles
up to size 9/5.5mm and move easily from one
needle to the next, to hold your place in the
pattern with style. Knitifacts' smooth, no-snag
construction makes them easy on the knitting as
well as on the eyes!
knitifacts.com/Stitch_Markers.html

Little Miss Sheepish scours
the yarn store shelves with a
look of sheer desperation. She
has at least a dozen skeins piled
in her arms and is violently
yanking more off the shelves.
Her niece, NAME's, birthday is
two weeks away, and the perfect
yarn for her birthday hat is
nowhere to be found.
"It's impossible!" Miss
Sheepish wails. "This kid
wants a ‘bumpy’ hat with
shiny pinkish and fuzzy purple
stripes that aren't 'too icky
to wear.' And I hate weaving
in ends on stripes! NAME’s
mother wants the hat to be
washable and not too bulky,
so it can be worn all year. And
I want to knit this birthday
gift with my hands, brain, and
budget still intact…"
I hand Miss Sheepish a
chocolate, and she takes a
deep breath.
"Did I mention the blue
sparkly pompon?"
I gently take Miss Sheepish
by the hand and guide her
over to the shop's fiber carding
counter and spinning wheel
for her introduction to one of
knitting's greatest pleasures:
creating handspun yarn!
cHooSing iT
If you are a picky hoarder and love yarn
that is just right, handspun is for you! Unlike
commercial yarn—which consists of a weight,
texture, color, and fiber that are all chosen by
the manufacturer—handspun allows you to
design your own unique yarn from the ground
up. Whether you learn to spin (Miss Sheepish
is starting on a drop spindle) or have someone
custom-spin for you, handspinning allows
you to dictate the gauge, texture, and color of
your yarn, with infinite possibilities. Before
commercially spun yarn was readily available,
handspinning was a necessity for knitters
and needle crafters. Even now, with so many
commercial yarns on the market, handspun has
an allure that’s impossible to resist: you can spin
the ideal yarn for the pattern in mind!
BY NICOLe FeLLer-JOhNSON
handspun
photos courtesy of Nicole Feller-Johnson
Spinning FiberS
You can choose to spin:
• Top: High-quality, long staple fiber that has
been cleaned and prepared.
• Roving: Top fiber that has been pulled into a
long strip with the fibers aligned or combed.
• Batts: Soft carded sheets of fiber.
• Rolags: Carded fiber that has been gently
rolled into a tube shape.
• Pencil Roving: Top fiber that has been pulled
to create a small width for ease of spinning.
• Handfuls of soft pulled fiber, like cashmere or
camel down.
There are various ways to prepare and draft
your spinning fibers… for some spinners, half
the fun is in the shearing, scouring and cleaning
of the wool, the carding, combing, and dyeing.
For those who choose to live animal free, there

are also plenty of pre-processed fibers to get
your industrious hands on!
Just choosing fiber content can be exciting,
and Miss Sheepish has compiled a list of readily
available fibers for your spinning pleasure.
Fiber conTenT
• Sheep's Wools: Merino, Bluefaced Leicester
(BFL), Polwarth, Falkland, Wensleydale,
Corriedale, Cormo, Dorset, Suffolk
• Goats' Wools: Mohair, Cashmere
• Camelid Fibers: Camel, Llama, Alpaca,
Vicuna, Yak
• Other Animal Fibers: Angora, Buffalo, Musk
Ox, Dog, Mink, Possum
• Plant Fibers: Cotton, Linen or Flax, Hemp,
Bamboo, Ramie
• Plant-Derived Fibers: Rayon, Tencel, Seacell
• Silk: Mulberry Silk, Tussah Silk, Silk Noil,
Recycled Sari Silk
colorS and dyeS
Choosing color combinations is Miss
Sheepish's favorite part of handspinning! From
hand-dyed or hand-carded to a plethora of
naturally-occurring fiber colors, the possibilities
are endless. Hand-dyed roving is exciting to
spin, and different plying methods can create a
variety of color effects.
Roving can be:
• Immersed or dip-dyed: The roving is placed
in a dye jar or container, and the dye soaks
through the wet fiber until it is fully absorbed.
• Gradient-dyed: The colors fade slowly from
one to the next.
• Kettle-dyed: The fiber is dyed loosely in a
dyeing pot, space-dyed, or painted in short
segments
• Over-dyed: The roving is dyed several times
to create depth or is dyed over a natural color
such as gray.
• Batik-dyed: A resist technique is used to keep
some spots light or white, while other parts of
the fiber absorb color.
Each dyeing method distributes color
differently throughout the roving. Hand-dyed
blends are great for plying (see the Handspun
Structure section for more on this); you can
spin a colorway on plain merino and then ply it with a single of
the same colorway on merino/silk for a shimmery effect. Handdyed
blends are fun to spin and create great depth of color;
try “humbug” wools (spinning fiber made from dark and light
shades of wools blended together) mixed with silk for
gorgeous heathered yarn! You can find some delicious
hand-dyed fibers to try at Bee Mice Elf, Pigeonroof
Studios, Southern Cross Fibers, FatCatKnits,
NoTwoSnowflakes, and Two if By Hand.
Miss Sheepish has chosen her fiber—two ounces of
hand-dyed superwash Merino/tencel in a girly pink,
two ounces of superwash Merino/angora/nylon
batts in a deliciously deep purple. For her Pompon
spinning she has a small hand-carded rolag with
bright blue BFL, Aqua Merino, and Sapphire
Angelina—Miss Sheepish is ready to take her fibers
for a spin!
HandSpun STrucTure
Ply (the strands that you twist together to make
yarn) is another intriguing aspect of handspun.
Most handspun is made of either a single ply,
two-ply, three-ply, four-ply, Navajo-ply/chain-ply
(a three-ply made by plying an oversized single
crochet chain onto itself), or cable ply (two twoply’s
plied together).
You begin by spinning a single strand of fiber,
which you can then choose to ply according
to your desired weight and color distribution.
You could even ply 24 plies of a laceweight
single together to make a soft, yet very sturdy,
worsted! To make the most of your hand-dyed
roving, ply your single with a plying thread
(Miss Sheepish likes silk, but any laceweight
can be used) —this will make a boucle yarn
with tons of yardage. Another aspect of the
spinning structure you can look for is whether
the handspun has been spun worsted (smoothly
and tightly, with all of the fibers aligned) or
woolen (soft and loft with the fibers going in all
directions). Woolen spins can be extremely soft, but may
not hold up to hard wear as well as the sleeker, more uniform
worsted spins. Worsted-spun handspun is good for sweater
or sock knitting—woolen yarn can make pretty scarves or
baby items.
Beautiful textures are one of the most compelling reasons
to knit with handspun; novelty handspun and Art Yarns are

amazing to own, fondle, and create with. Art
Yarn is a loose term that refers to handspun that
is made of varied components, often other than
wool, and that has an unusual texture or theme.
Art Yarns can be incredibly thick and thin or
very bulky, sometimes as little as 15-17 yds/ 6
ounces. This is extremely fat yarn—standard
worsted handspun can have 200 or more yards
from 4 ounces!
“Art Yarn” is a loose term, but can refer to
handspun that is made of varied components,
often other than wool, and that has an unusual
texture or theme. Try Art Yarns with coils,
granny stacks, curls, bird’s nests, corespun
textures, inclusions, sparkles, sequins, beads,
and nepps for an engaging project that will wow
your recipient. Check out Lai Grai & Friends
or Loop on Etsy for these kinds of fun yarns, or
take time to read, Intertwined, by Pluckyfluff, a
must-have for any Art Yarn spinner! Art Yarns
are fun to spin provide a great excuse for buying
all of those lovely bits and bobs of fiber you’ve
been eyeing, and can inspire interesting ways for
you to use the fiber in your stash.
You can also learn how to spin! Spindle
spinning is an inexpensive way to get started,
and you can move on to a wheel, charka, or
support spindle depending on what method
suits you best. Once you know what goes
into making yarn, you will have a better
understanding of how to work with it to
improve your knitting. For those eager to
knit with some handspun, check out some
of Miss Sheepish’s favorite sellers on Etsy:
Sheeping Beauty, Loop, Dripping Fiber Studios,
Sunrise Lodge Fiber Studios, FeltStudioUK,
Rivulette, Woolamina, and Million Tiny Fibers.
To get to work on your own handspun by
investing in a spindle, consider these favorite
spindle picks: The Spanish Peacock, Golding,
ThreadsThruTime , and Pumpkin Hill Farm.
uSing iT
Once you’ve knit with handspun, you won’t
want to knit with anything else! There’s an
incredible energy that comes with using a yarn
that has been lovingly prepared and deliberately
chosen, and Miss Sheepish likes the idea that
every inch of her yarn has been in someone’s
hands before hers—it’s a connection to the
spinner and to the history of spinning and
needlework. Each spinner’s yarn feels different
as you work with it, and you’ll find that you’ll
want to knit with many different spinners’
yarns. This shared energy is a huge part of what
makes handspun such a delight!
Miss Sheepish’s first handspun is lumpy and
bumpy, full of texture and twist. She spins a
thick and thin self-striping 2-ply from her pink
and purple, and then tries a Navajo-ply with
her little blue rolag. She’s smiling until she goes
to skein her new handspun, and it jumps into
a jumbled pile of overtwisted mess. “No!” she
cries. “What’s going on?” I pull the tangled blob
from her hands and get out my travel niddy
noddy so we can skein her yarn, wash it, and
let it dry to set the twist. Miss Sheepish will be
knitting with her handspun in no time!
Working with handspun is different than
commercially spun yarn—it may vary in gauge
throughout the skein, and patterns that are
meant for commercial yarn may not show the
beauty of your handspun to its fullest advantage.
Try to pick a pattern that’s designed to show off
gradients, self-striping, or hand-dyed, which
will be more likely to work well with your
handspun. Also, if you’re using an Art Yarn,
large or elongated stitches can
highlight inclusions and make
for a speedy success! One of
the biggest questions knitters
have when using handspun
is, “What can I do with so
little yarn?” When spinners
first start, it’s a challenge for
them to spin high yardage
or laceweight yarns. For this
reason, many handspun skeins
are not high on yardage and
are one of a kind. So Miss
Sheepish got creative and
found these projects for her
handspun odds and ends:
• Use a few yards of gorgeous
Art Yarn as Christmas
Tree garland.
• Cut strands of 2-ply handspun to use as gift
ribbon or to build a nursery mobile.
• Knit-up a beanie with only 60-100 yds
of Worsted!
• Use 50-120 yds to knit small fingerless gloves.
• Knit your handspun into I-cord and make a
necklace or soft bangle bracelets.
• Add beautiful stripes and borders to your
colorwork using leftover handspun.
• Crochet small flower or freeform accents for
hats or to make pins.
• Knit small change purses or jewelry bags.
• Use all different handspun scraps to create
larger modular projects.
• Texturize your scrapbooks with handspun!
As your spinning improves, you’ll want to
start using it for larger handspun items, and it
does require discipline to make multiple skeins
of the same handspun. When spinning for use
in larger knitting projects (such as, sweaters or
shawls) your wraps-per-inch (WPI) are going
to be extremely important! Handspun can be
tricky to spin in a consistent gauge, and it helps
to measure how many strands laid side-to-side
can fit in an inch—it’s like knitting gauge, but
for making yarn. WPI allows you to test how
much yardage you can get from a designated
amount of fiber. You can also use WPI to assist
with picking patterns that have been designed
specifically for handspun, as the designer will
often provide this information about the yarn.
When spinning higher yardage, make sure to
keep a small swatch of your singles to check
WPI and a sample of your plied yarn for WPI
to compare during plying. One easy way to keep
your singles consistent through a large spinning
project is to tape a swatch right onto your wheel,
so you can constantly check your spinning
against it. You can also make a handspun stripey
sweater if you doubt your ability to commit
to a color for that much spinning. If you need
further motivation, there are groups on Ravlery
(such as, SweaterSpin and Spin a Shawl) that
will help and encourage you through your large
spins. Handspun sweaters and shawls are all
incredibly beautiful, as well as instant heirloom
pieces to be handed down to future knitters!
caring For your HandSpun
You can care for most handspun as you would
hand-dyed yarn, but keep in mind that some
Art Yarns may need dry cleaning and that
anything knit from overtwisted yarns may need
occasional blocking to maintain its shape.
Miss Sheepish sips her mocha with a huge
grin—she has her niece’s hat drying on her
blocking board. It’s perfectly girly, shiny, and
fluffy. Miss Sheepish cringes and then laughs,
“My niece will love it!” Even better, Miss
Sheepish is off to buy fiber for her next spinning
project: a gorgeous, soft and subtle, gray-lilac
hand-dyed Merino shoulder shawl for herself.
She has joined the ranks of the truly twisted,
and I’m proud to say she’s most likely a spinner
for life!
Check out Nicole's Sun Slice Scarf
pattern this issue for your new
handspun yarn!

YARNSIDE
CHATS
I-Cord
WiTH THe
Sexy Knitter
Join the Sexy Knitter for a close encounter with
i-cord! Learn how to create i-cord using straight
or double-pointed needles and how to add it to
an existing project for a nice, finished edge.
Photo courtesy of Lee Ann Barker
video

30
video
KIDS’
VIDEO
SERIES
#5
Circular Knitting
Join knitting teacher Kate and young knitter
Corrina to learn how to knit around and around
on a circular needle! Check out different sizes
and kinds of needles, and see how to join your
knitting into a round so you're ready to knit
hats, sweaters and other tube-shaped things.
Video by Rising Solari

32
essay
Stylist
BY KATeLYNN MAYer
Fiber-lovers are always trying to find the
perfect yarn for their next project... and trying to
stash it all at home in a collection that appears
as reasonable as it is plentiful. Here are the top
100 ways to feel good about Stash Enhancement
next time you hit a local yarn store (LYS) or
fiber festival, courtesy of someone whose work
in a yarn shop means always having skeins right
under her nose. Trust me, I'm familiar with the
reasoning below!
aT THe lyS:
1/ It’s the last one.
2/ It coordinates with the {insert thing here}
I have.
3/ It’s for a gift.
4/ It’s one-of-a-kind.
5/ It’s on sale.
6/ I have a coupon.
7/ I’ve been looking for this color!
8/ It’s soft beyond words.
9/ I have a pattern for this yarn!
10/ The company is going out of business.
11/ This yarn line is going to be discontinued.
12/ This color is going to be discontinued.
13/ I special-ordered in a moment of weakness.
14/ I live too far away from this LYS; I’ll save
money buying it now instead of making a
trip back.
15/ I should support my LYS to keep it
in business.
16/ I should support this LYS, because
it's closing.
17/ Sock yarn doesn’t count as stash.
18/ I need it to knit the store sample sweater
(enough said).
WHen TraVeling:
19/ It’s a souvenir.
20/ I’ve never been to this LYS before; I should
support the local economy.
21/ I don’t have this indie dyer in my stash yet.
22/ I've never seen anything like this before.
23/ I’m collecting for an afghan, so it's good to
buy a skein here and there.
24/ This one is hard to find, and here it is!
25/ This yarn reminds me of {insert person/
place/thing here}.
top100
excuses reasons to Buy Yarn
general:
26/ I love it!
27/ I had a bad day.
28/ I had a great day.
29/ I deserve a luxury treat, just this once.
30/ I need it for school.
31/ I’m using birthday money.
32/ I’m using holiday money.
33/ I’m using tax return money.
34/ I donated blood today.
35/ It has great yardage; it’s practically
a bargain!
36/ I need it to “test” a design.
37/ I’ll “make it work.”
38/ I just need a quick fix.
39/ I just completed a yarn diet and deserve
a reward.
40/ I like to join clubs that send yarn to
me monthly.
41/ If angora is good enough for Princess Kate,
it's good enough for me.
iT'S THe yarn:
42/ It’s new.
43/ They will never make it again.
44/ It sells out quickly.
45/ It’s limited-edition.
46/ It’s my favorite (today).
47/ It’s in my top three favorite brands (today).
48/ It’s made from an innovative fiber.
49/ It's recycled/reclaimed.
50/ It's handpainted.
51/ It’s handspun.
52/ It self-stripes, making less work for me.
53/ I need a distinct self-striping yarn for the
pattern I am doing.
54/ I need a slow, gradually shifting self-
striping yarn for the pattern I am doing.
55/ Each dye lot varies, so I should buy this to
match my skeins.
56/ I’m collecting {insert brand}.
57/ It’s an interesting color combination.
58/ It’s an interesting fiber blend.
59/ It’s machine washable {insert exotic
fiber here}.
60/ I have a plan…
61/ This yarn possesses these qualities
that make it perfect for {insert insane
idea here}.

62/ This yarn wants to tell me what it should be.
63/ It is so pretty it hurts.
64/ Life is too short not to knit with {insert the gold standard of
fiber here}.
65/ There will be an emptiness in my heart if I leave without
this yarn.
iT'S THe color:
66/ This was knit-up on Ravelry with another color and made the
most perfect combination ever!
67/ Its color name is{blank}, and {blank} is important to me in
real life.
68/ I don’t have enough {insert color} in my stash.
69/ It’s the perfect shade of {insert color here}.
70/ It’s {insert person you care about here}'s favorite color.
71/ It’s a handpainted yarn with all of my favorite colors in it!
It’s meant to be.
72/ I must have this color!
eVeryone elSe iS doing iT....
73/ I have to see why everyone is talking about this.
74/ A person I know/like/admire says it’s awesome.
75/ I am super jealous that {insert fellow knitter} has this yarn and
I don’t.
76/ One of my favorite designers recommends this yarn.
77/ This yarn line is by one of my favorite designers.
JuST being pracTical:
78/ I’ve used this yarn and loved it; I should replenish my stash.
79/ I need an alternate skein
to go with this handpaint
I’m buying; wouldn’t
want pooling.
80/ I can almost always do
something with
two skeins.
81/ I only need one skein but
it wouldn't hurt to have a
few more.
82/ This is a novelty yarn,
which is difficult to
substitute; I should
just buy what the pattern
recommends.
83/ I need enough to make
a sweater.
84/ If I buy lots at once, I'll get
a discount.
85/ I want to knit with every
single color of this yarn,
so I should start
stashing now.
86/ This yarn is inexpensive,
and I should buy a bunch
of different colors to
do swatching for
my colorwork.
87/ This line of themed colors all go together,
so I should buy as much as possible. That
way everything I knit will go together.
88/ I should have this yarn in my stash for that
project I knit over and over.
89/ I can never have too much {insert fiber
weight/type} in the stash.
Helping oTHerS:
90/ This yarn is organic and good for
the environment.
91/ This yarn uses low-impact dyes and is good
for the environment.
92/ Buying a de-stash helps the environment.
93/ Buying a de-stash helps the seller.
94/ I want to support this indie dyer.
95/ This yarn is from a local farm.
96/ This yarn is spun by a local mill.
97/ It’s socially responsible to support this LYS.
98/ Proceeds from this yarn go to a
worthy cause.
99/ {Insert loved one} asked me to knit
something for them, and he/she would like
this yarn.
iF none oF THe aboVe apply:
100. Because I said so.

36
photos courtesy of Wendy Johnson
Totally
Tubular!
BY WeNDY D. JOhNSON

38
ne
One of my favorite quick-knit
projects is a simple ribbed hat
made of worsted weight wool,
also referred to as a watch cap. If
you don’t need a warm handknit
hat for yourself or a loved one,
consider knitting a hat for
charity. There are organizations
that collect knitted hats for the
homeless, for our military serving
abroad, etc.
A watch cap is super simple to knit—cast-on a
few stitches, join into a round, work the ribbing,
knit plain for a bit, and then decrease at the
top—that’s it! You are done!
Because this style of hat is so simple, I like to
embellish it with a couture detail: a tubular
cast-on.
A tubular cast-on gives the bottom edge of
your hat a professional finish with that nicely
rounded edge seen on machine-made knits.
Have you avoided the tubular cast-on? Are you
intimidated by its perceived difficulty? Fear not,
it is actually quite easy.
Here are step-by-step instructions for creating
a simple watch cap with a tubular cast-on.
For this hat you will need approximately 200
yards of a worsted weight yarn. I recommend
going with a smooth yarn rather than a boucle
or texture. (I used Dream in Color Classy in the
“Deep Sea Flower” colorway.)
This watch cap is approximately 20” in
circumference, unstretched, and it stretches
quite a bit, so it will fit almost any adult-sized
head. It measures from 13” (33cm) from
bottom edge to top of crown without folding
up the cuff. This may sound like a bit too
much length for a hat, but this hat has a deepribbed
cuff that you can fold up to double the
thickness around your ears when wearing
it. The top of the hat is a bit taller than a
traditional watch cap, too. You can, of course,
adjust this measurement by simply knitting
more or less onto the length of the hat. If you
prefer not to have a turned-up cuff on the hat,
cut the ribbing measurement in half.
You want your gauge to be 20 stitches and 26
rows over 4" (10cm) in stockinette stitch. I get
this gauge with a U.S. size 7 (4.5mm) needle.
(But be forewarned: I am something of a loose
knitter.)
When working a tubular cast-on, you
will start out with a needle a couple of sizes
smaller than your working needle (the size you
used to measure gauge). I will start my cast-on
with a U.S. size 5 (3.75mm) needle. Because
this hat is knit in the round, I am using a 16inch
circular needle. (You will also need a set
of double-pointed needles (dpns) in the size
you used to measure gauge, because as you do
the decreases at the crown of the hat, the work
will no longer fit on a 16” circular needle.)
The tubular ribbing starts with a provisional
cast-on using a waste yarn. Use any smooth
yarn that is about the same weight, or a little
lighter, than your working yarn. You only
need a couple of yards. I think the easiest and
quickest provisional cast-on is a backwards
loop cast-on.
Using the waste yarn, make a slip knot on
your Size 4 circular needle. This will be your
first stitch. Figure 1
Now cast on your stitches
using a backwards loop caston.
Figure 2
Cast-on one-half of your total
number of stitches for your
hat. This hat has a total of 96
stitches around, so I started
with half that number: 48
stitches. The slip knot is your
first stitch, so you will cast-on
47 more stitches.
Cut you waste yarn, leaving a
short tail.
Start working with your hat
yarn. There is no need to join
your stitches into a round
yet. Just turn your work and
start knitting into the cast-on
stitches with your hat yarn.
Knit into the last stitch of your
cast-on and then work a yarnover.
Figure 3
You will continue knitting
1 stitch and then working
a yarn-over, until you have
worked all the stitches (ending
with a yarn-over) and you have
96 stitches on your needle,
counting all of the yarn-overs
as stitches. Figure 4
Now, being careful not to
twist your work, join and knit
in the round using the working
yarn. Remember that the last
stitch you worked was a yarnover,
so be careful not to lose
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
that stitch
as you start
knitting in the
round. Work
this round as
follows:
Knit 1, move
the yarn to
the front of
your work,
slip the next
stitch as if to
purl (this is
your yarnover
from
the previous
row), move
the yarn to
the back—you
have worked
the first two
stitches.
Continue in
this manner
until you have
worked all of
the stitches,
knitting the
knit stitched
and slipping
the yarn-overs
as described.
Figure 5
For the next
round, do the
opposite:
Move the yarn

Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
40
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
to the back
of your work,
slip 1 as if
to purl (this
is the stitch
you knit on the previous round), move the yarn
to the front, purl 1 (this is the yarn-over you
slipped on the last round)—you have worked the
first two stitches. Continue in this manner until
you have worked all of the stitches.
After you have finished working these two
rounds, you have actually worked only one
round of the ribbing. This is because you
worked all of the knit stitches on the first row,
slipping the purl stitches unworked, and then
you worked all of the purl stitches on the
second row, slipping the knit stitches unworked.
Figure 6
Now repeat these two rounds one more time.
You will have worked a total of 4 rounds in this
manner, slipping every other stitch, and this will
make 2 rounds of your ribbing. Figure 7
Switch to your larger needles and k1, p1
around.
At this point you can carefully snip and pick
out your waste yarn. I find that I can undo the
slip knot using the tip of a needle and simply
pull out each stitch of the waste yarn. Figure 8
And look: once you pull out your provisional
cast-on, you have a lovely rounded edge. Almost
like magic! Figure 9
Continue by working in k1, p1 ribbing for a
total of 6” (15.25cm) to make a nice deep cuff (or
for the desired depth).
Once the ribbing is as long as you
want it, switch to stockinette stitch
(knit every round) and work until
your hat is approximately 8” (20.3cm)
from the beginning.
Start working decreases for the top of the hat,
switching from your circular needle to dpns
when necessary:
Rnd 1: (K14, k2tog) 6 times. 90 sts
Rnd 2 and every even-numbered round, k.
Rnd 3: (K13, k2tog) 6 times. 84 sts
Rnd 5: (K12, k2tog) 6 times. 78 sts
Rnd 7: (K11, k2tog) 6 times. 72 sts
Rnd 9: (K10, k2tog) 6 times. 66 sts
Rnd 11: (K9, k2tog) 6 times. 60 sts
Rnd 13: (K8, k2tog) 6 times. 54 sts
Rnd 15: (K7, k2tog) 6 times. 48 sts
Rnd 17: (K6, k2tog) 6 times. 42 sts
Rnd 19: (K5, k2tog) 6 times. 36 sts
Rnd 21: (K4, k2tog) 6 times. 30 sts
Rnd 23: (K3, k2tog) 6 times. 24 sts
Rnd 25: (K2, k2tog) 6 times. 18 sts
Rnd 27: (K1, k2tog) 6 times. 12 sts
Rnd 29: (K2tog) 6 times. 6 sts
Cut the working yarn, leaving a tail several
inches long. Using a tapestry needle, weave the
tail through the remaining 6 stitches and pull
tight. Weave in all ends on the inside of the hat.
You’re done!

42
Wisconsin
Proud
When she's not posing for photos, our model
wakes up for a 3:00 morning milking and cares
for animals on several Wisconsin family farms.
Whether you're leading a meeting, checking a pulse
or serving espressos, we salute all you real
hard-working women with real style!

44
Purchase
the
collection
Komeeta
by odeSSa reicHel
These mittens are influenced by my love
of Finnish design (think Marimekko)
and a recent re-reading of Comet in
Moominland. The front is a starry galaxy
motif while the palm features a stylized
comet pattern and a different comet
pattern on the thumb. The Sanguine
Gryphon Bugga! yarn lends a luxurious
touch to these bold graphic mittens.
YaRn:
Sanguine
Gryphon Bugga

46
Purchase
the
collection
Bronze Maple stole
by ryan HolliST
This stole is for the cold season, a swirl
of maple leaves turned golden and falling
around your shoulders.
YaRn:
Fiber Optic Yarns
Siren Song

48
Purchase
the
collection
confection hat
by Sara peTerSon
As I was leaving work one day and saw
a young woman walking ahead of me,
wearing a spectacular slouchy hat. I
must admit that I followed her to capture
every detail. her hat featured an entirely
different texture, but the shaping by
gathering was what most intrigued me. I
went straight home and found a drapey
worsted weight yarn and put together
a simple lace pattern with reverse
stockinette tucks. Written in a full size
range from Baby to Adult Large.
YaRn:
Valley Yarns Northfield

50
Purchase
the
collection
Duplicity
by TaliTHa Kuomi
Looking to try double knitting? This
buttoned neckwrap is a great little project
to learn on. Inspired by bare winter
branches and a cold weather sunrise, it
requires only two skeins of yarn and is
fully reversible. Why don't you go ahead
and give double knitting a spin? You're
gonna like it.
YaRn:
Classic Elite
Yarn's Woodland

52
Purchase
the
collection
icy rivulet shawl
by KriSTina VilimaiTe
The Icy rivulet Shawl reminds one of
those creeks that remain running even in
the middle of cold winters. The ruffles of
the shawl look like shallow water running
down stones; the lace section resembles
the thin porous ice that forms on the sides
of the rivulets on sunny winter days.
YaRn:
Yarn.Love
Marianne Dashwood

54
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the
collection
r o x a n n e t u n i s i a n
loop scarf
by lindSey STepHenS
A rich, warm scarf is a perfect project
for practicing your new Tunisian crochet
skills. The loop allows it to hang around
your neck, or double it over when you're
ready to brave the frosty outdoors.
YaRn:
Kollage Yarns Glisten

56
Purchase
the
collection
Wild cherry cardi
by micHele moSKaluK
Show off your double knitting skills with a
fully reversible sweater; vintage-inspired
on one side, and wild on the other! This
little cardigan is designed to look cute as a
button on many body types, with an easy
i-cord tie; go from grocery shopping to a
party in this fun piece.
YaRn:
Spud and Chloe Fine

58
Warm
Browns
Winter lets us appreciate
the subtler tones, and
nothing's cozier than the
colors of a pan of brownies,
a hibernating bear, and a
log on the fireplace.

60
Purchase
the
collection
French roast
by racHel dicKman
Generally, when designing a sweater, I
choose one design element. When I started
thinking about what to wear this winter,
the answer was: texture! I love the effect
of an all over textured cardigan. This yarn
is perfect for that; plump and soft, with
just the right amount of sheen to make the
stitches sparkle. In fact, it shines just like
my favorite French roast coffee beans do!
YaRn:
Berroco Lustra

62
Purchase
the
collection
exothermic Vest
by SaraH burTon
This front-zippered men’s vest is created
using a reversible, textured, yet easy-towork
pattern stitch, the fluted rib. The
stitch creates softly rounded columns on
one side and a knit rib on a bed of seed
stitches on the reverse side. Color blocks
at the waist and upper chest are created
by alternating two rows of accent and
main colors. Seamless construction makes
this a quick project, great for creating that
extra layer of warmth.
YaRn:
Cascade Eco+ Wool

64
photos courtesy of Emily Brewer
Purchase
the
collection
Priscilla Vintage capelet
by SaraH WilSon, THe Sexy KniTTer
Inspired from a pattern in an early 1900’s
stitch dictionary, what was originally
intended to be a dainty border worked on
minuscule needles and crochet thread
turns into a big fashion statement when
worked with chunky yarn on large needles.
Go bold and stay warm in style!
YaRn:
America’s Alpaca
Blend DK

66
Purchase
the
collection
syrinx hat & infinity cowl
by SuSanna ic
Syrinx aruanus is a species of giant
sea snail found off the coast of Australia.
The shell forms a perfect spiral with
very distinctive ridges, which I wanted
to capture in this design. The spiraling
lace pattern is easy to memorize and
suitable even for a beginner lace knitter.
The pattern includes beads for a little
unexpected sparkle, but the addition
is completely optional. Practical and
elegant, quick and easy to knit, this
set of accessories will keep you warm
throughout the wintry days.
YaRn:
Miss Babs Yummy
Monochrome Sock &
Baby Superwash

68
Cables
How can simply changing
places between stitches
create such fascinating
designs? A knitter's love
affair with cables
never ends.

70
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the
collection
sandrilene
by JeSSamyn leib
A basic stockinette cardigan with a (quite
literal) twist, Sandrilene is a simple, fast
knit with clever details that will keep
even accomplished knitters entertained. A
shoulder-shaping method modified from
elizabeth Zimmerman creates a perfect
fit with no sewing or picking up stitches.
Waist shaping and slim fitted sleeves
create a flattering silhouette for all sizes.
YaRn:
Kitchen Sink Dyeworks
Merino Worsted

72
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the
collection
W a l k i n g i n t o t h e
new Year socks
by KaTHerine VaugHan
It is said that many of the stitches used
in Aran knitting are lucky symbols
for the wearer. For instance, diamonds
represent wealth and success; cables are
for strength, safety, and luck. This pattern
incorporates such traditional designs into
extra-cozy hiking socks loaded with good
omens for the new year. Knit in worstedweight
yarn at a tight gauge, they are a
great quick knit for men or women.
YaRn:
Berroco Vintage

74
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the
collection
rosebud
by Kimberly VoiSin
Named after the iconic rosebud sled from
the movie Citizen Kane, this hat is meant
to encourage winter play for all ages. It's
constructed by first knitting and grafting
together a cabled band, then the crown and
ear flaps are picked up along the hat band.
Knit out of 100% superwash wool, this hat
will keep you warm and toasty on a chilly
day no matter how low the mercury drops.
YaRn:
Madelinetosh Tosh DK

76
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the
collection
riffle by anna dalVi
riffle is the part of a stream where the
flow is shallower and more turbulent.
This riffle moves rapidly towards the
center in swirls, and narrows on the
back of the hand. These fitted fingerless
mittens/gloves are worked from the cuff
up, featuring a fitted thumb gusset and
twisted Bavarian cables.
YaRn:
Springtree Road
Emeline Sock (mitts)
Handmaiden Fine
Yarn, Swiss Mountain
Sea Sock (gloves)

78
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the
collection
speleology
by maria näSlund
'Speleology' is the scientific study of
caves. While not a real speleologist, caves
have always fascinated me. In many,
centuries of water dripping from the roof
have created beautiful stone formations,
called stalagmites and stalactites. My sock
celebrates this fascinating phenomenon.
Cables decrease and increase down the
leg, and continue down the foot to create
a thick fabric to keep your feet warm.
The toe and heel are reinforced with
a slip stitch pattern, both for warmth
and durability.
YaRn:
DROPS Fabel

80
Winter
Fun
Playing with color,
texture and lace make
the cold months fly by!

82
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the
collection
ripen by megHan JacKSon
ripen is a striking one-skein shawl with
a leafy edging and an all-around lace
border, knit in one piece from side to
side. Featuring a spice-colored yarn and
optional bead details, ripen lets you hold
on to the last of the rustling fall leaves
when winter sets in.
YaRn:
Rocky Mountain
Dyeworks Bow
Falls Fingering

84
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the
collection
sun slice scarf
by nicole Feller-JoHnSon
This modular piece is a great way to while
away the Winter hours, one slice at a time!
Before electricity and refrigeration were
accessible to everyone, fruit in winter
was very expensive; a luxury not many
could afford. Winters were hard, and long
nights might be spent talking, reading, or
spinning by a fire. I was inspired to use
this gorgeous handspun in citrus colors;
the “orange slices” show off the color
changes and can be made until you run out
of yarn. During a long, cold Winter, these
little slices of sunshine will spread warmth
and cheer to you and your loved ones!
YaRn:
Catsnrabbits
Handspun from
Woolgatherings 50/50
Merino tencel fiber,
Non-handspun
Alternative: Knitpicks
Chroma, Noro Kureyon

86
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the
collection
Jile Vest
by Jean clemenT oF deSerT roSe deSignS
Fair Isle-inspired panels frame the front
of Jile vest, while self-striping yarn knit
sideways and accented with white adds
a fun touch. Work the sides and back in
one piece, then pick up stitches along the
edge of one front panel and join to the edge
of the second panel, making finishing a
breeze. The neckline trim gives shape to
the back neck when the hood isn't being
worn. When the cooler weather says
'layer,' the Jile vest is perfect to wear
indoors or out.
YaRn:
Classic Elite Yarns
Liberty Wool

88
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the
collection
sophie’s Mittens
by Julie rouSculp oF Handmade by Jaia
My friend Sophie, an adorable little four
year old, loves ruffles and ribbons, yet
hates when they get in the way of her
playtime. Sophie’s Mittens are designed
with her in mind. They are a perfect
combination of pretty and practical with
ruffles and ribbons, but not too much
to interfere with serious play! The wrist
starts with a small ruffle and then moves
along to a ribbed cuff with eyelets for the
ribbons to run though. These are tied into
small bows that add a bit of interest while
helping to keep the mittens secured to
little hands!
YaRn:
Sweetgeorgia Yarns
Superwash Worsted

90
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the
collection
sprite by lynn HerSHberger
The energy and fun of a zigzag pleases
me. There is an energy which comes from
a diagonal line which draws me in, and I
become more intrigued as I play with its
possibilities.
Webster says a sprite is an elf or fairy. I’d
like to feel that chipper on a cool winter
day, and I think this collar may just help
that happen! This lighthearted piece is
worked top down in the round on circular
needles. The cowl section is a tube
which then blooms out into a collar in an
increase section.
YaRn:
Two-color version:
Cascade Yarns
Lana d’Oro,
One-color version:
Malabrigo Rios

92
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the
collection
Verona cardi
by Julie FiSK/amy deTJen
Lace cardigan with raglan sleeves and
scoop neck and garter stitch edging. A
provisional cast-on allows for a stretchy
bind-off, providing more ease when
blocking. Flattering to many body types!
YaRn:
Quince and
Company Chickadee

Lebkuchen
BY BeZZIe
My brother married a German girl and the first gift they
gave us as a married couple was a tin of real German
lebkuchen. Lebkuchen is best described as a German
honey-gingerbread. To me, there are hints of gingerbread,
molasses crinkles, and even a touch of fruitcake with the
use of candied citrus peels (citron).
I thought it would be fun to try to recreate the cookie I
first tasted out of that tin fresh from Deutschland.
ingRedientS:
½ C honey
½ C molasses
Rind of one lemon (grated)
Juice of ½ a lemon
¾ C brown sugar
1 egg
2 ¾ C flour
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
½ t. baking soda
½ C citron (candied
citrus peels)
½ C chopped walnuts
Glaze
1 ½ C powdered sugar
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 to 3 T water
Makes about 3 doz
recipe
inStRUCtionS:
Combine honey and molasses in a saucepan
and bring to a boil on the stovetop. Remove
from the heat as soon as it starts to boil.
Cool completely.
In medium mixing bowl, mix egg, brown
sugar, lemon juice and lemon rind. Stir in cooled
molasses/honey mixture. In separate bowl, mix
the dry ingredients and then slowly incorporate
the dry ingredients into the wet. Finally, add in
the walnuts and citron.
Dough should be very sticky and almost
batter-like. Cover and chill dough overnight.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and drop
spoonfuls of cookies onto a cookie sheet lined
with parchment paper about 1“ apart (I prefer
parchment paper because these cookies really
hold on, and a greased cookie sheet could
cause them to spread too far). Bake for 10 to
12 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, mix up the
icing in a smaller mixing bowl. Cool cookies for
a minute on sheet before removing. Using the
back of a spoon or an offset spatula, ice cookies
with a thin layer of glaze while still warm. Let
the glaze harden. If the glaze becomes hard
while you’re icing, just a add a teaspoon of water
and mix to make it smooth again. This recipe
makes about 3 dozen cookies.
These cookie “season“ well, meaning they get
better with age.

contributors
Born and raised in Alaska, bezzie (Lebkuchen
Recipe) resides, for the moment, in New Jersey.
Sundays she’ll be baking her cookie of the week
in her trusty oven that’s nearly as old as she
is. You can follow her adventures in baking,
knitting, and more at: rkbezzie.blogspot.com.
SaraH burTon (Exothermic) lives in
Indianapolis, when not working on the road
as an environmental management consultant.
Knitting has become her sole means of
surviving air travel. She blogs about knitting
and the environmental impacts of fiber arts at
verdigrisknits.com
Jean clemenT (Jile Vest)) learned all
types of needlework and sewing at a very young
age. She likes to design garments that are
fashionable while remaining classic. Jean loves
to spend time with her husband of 35 years, her
four Italian Greyhounds, one Australian
Cattle Dog and seven Myotonic goats, in the
high plains of Colorado. Find her at
Desert Rose Designs.
anna dalVi (Riffle) has been publishing
knitting patterns online since 2007, is the
author of Shaping Shawls and has selfpublished
50+ patterns. In her knitting, Anna
enjoys variety, from intricate lace to sprawling
cables, and differences in color and texture.
She loves hosting mystery knitalongs, from the
popular Mystic KALs to the Seasons of Lace
series. Her latest adventures can be found at
knitandknag.com
racHel dicKman (French Roast) lives
with her husband, two daughters and a dog
that thinks he’s still a puppy. She has recently
doubled the size of her yarn stash and is
considering dropping tennis to knit.
nicole Feller-JoHnSon (Choose It
and Use It; Sun Slice Scarf) is a Philadelphiabased
knit wear designer, dyer, handspinner,
and writer. A former glassblower and current
ballet teacher, she is also the owner of No Two
Snowflakes, and is inspired and supported by
her husband Bobby and two sons Robert
and Caeden.
Julie FiSK (Verona Lace Cardi) began
knitting at 14 and has never stopped. Knitting is
one of her favorite things, along with chocolate,
books and music.
lynn dT HerSHberger (Sprite Cowl)
Lynn, also known as LynnH or ColorJoy, has
been fascinated by color since childhood.
Knitting blends her love of color, texture, fiber
and zigzags! She is particularly interested in
Turkish socks, Andean hats and other exuberant
historical colorwork. On weekends, Lynn
performs 1920’s love songs with her husband
Brian, as The Fabulous Heftones.
ryan HolliST (Bronze Maple Stole)
Taking the steps to become a professional
crafter has brought a sense of fulfillment
to Ryan's intellectual love of geometry and
spiritual desire for artistic creation, helping
him find an unexpected use of his education in
writing and editing.
SuSanna ic (Syrinx Hat and Cowl)
currently lives in Germany with her husband,
two sons, eleven fish and countless balls of
yarn. Her projects and designs can be found on
Ravelry, user name zuzusus, and at
artQualia.com
megHan JacKSon (Ripen) is a wife,
mother, knitter, writer, and knitwear designer.
She has three young children, a wonderful
husband, and more yarn and ideas than she
could knit in a lifetime. Her current obsession is
shawls of all kinds. Find her at butterflyknit.ca
and as ButterflyKnit on Ravelry.
TaliTHa Kuomi (Duplicity) always has
too many knitting irons in the fire at once, but
enjoys the juggling act of finding a maintainable
balance. She writes about her even-keeled
as well as her off-kilter days here:
talithakuomi.com/blog.
JeSSamyn leib (Sandrilene) is a young
knitter, spinner, designer, and all-around fiber
geek who goes by Jesh pretty much everywhere.
Her non-fiber talents include cat wrangling,
slider-puzzle solving, and leaping small
ottomans in a single bound.
KaTelyn mayer (Yarn Stylist) is the
newest employee at Blue Sky Alpacas, where she
thinks about yarn pretty much all day.
micHele moSKaluK (Wild Cherry Cardi)
is a life-long fiber enthusiast. She learned to
crochet as a child, but it wasn’t until attending
a small, isolated college in upstate NY that
she taught herself to knit and her creativity
flourished. Now she enjoys creating patterns
and has a growing flock of sheep and
angora goats.
maria naSlund (Speleology Socks)
learned to knit from her grandmother as a
young child. She's played around with most
textile crafts, worked as a seamstress and as a
fashion designer. Her knitting group thinks she
knits nothing but socks; almost, but not quite
true. Since she can’t keep to a pattern, she likes
to create her own.
contributors
Sara peTerSon (Confection) lives in
Rochester, New York with her boyfriend and
three cats. She enjoys many textile crafts and
her blog celebrating these pastimes can be
found at knottygnome.blogspot.com
odeSSa reicHel (Komeeta Mittens)
divides her time between helping to run
Wolseley Wool in cold Manitoba where yarn is
a necessity and knitting intricate mittens which
are also a necessity. She loves color and pattern
and likes to think she's creating little art
for hands.
Julie rouSculp (Sophie's Mittens) is a
former costume designer with an obsession
for all things crafty, especially knitting and
designing socks. She lives by the sea in gorgeous
Cape Ann, Massachusetts with her wonderful
husband and adorable baby boy. She’s known on
Ravelry as Jaia and can be found on her blog at
handmadebyjaia.blogspot.com or her website:
rousculp-designs.com.
KaTe ScHiFFman (Knitcircus Kids Video)
has been a knitting teacher for four years and
couldn't imagine anything better than working
with kids, helping to get those stitches to hop off
the needles.
lindSey STepHenS (Roxanne) is the
crochet and knit designer behind PoetryinYarn.
com. She has also created designs for magazines
and yarn companies. Lindsey loves to share her
knowledge through online tutorials and inperson
classes. Discover more about Lindsey
and her fibery antics on her blog (poetryinyarn.
com/blog).

98
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KaTHerine VaugHan (Walking into
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is the second sock pattern she has designed
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sometimes cold enough to wear handknit socks.
ktlvdesigns.com
KriSTina VilimaiTe (Icy Rivulet)
is a Lithuanian living in Hungary, who
learned knitting as a child. She experimented
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environmental protection before maternity
leave. She knits and designs shawls when her
toddler is sleeping.
contributors
Kimberly VoiSin (Rosebud) is well-known
amongst her family and friends for her love of
design and her DIY attitude which spans from
decorating cupcakes, sewing superhero capes
for her two sons, and, most recently, designing
knitting patterns. You can read about
Kimberly's design pursuits on her blog:
weestudio1.blogspot.com
SaraH WilSon (Priscilla Capelet/Yarnside
Chats Video) is The Sexy Knitter. She inspires
women feel positive about their bodies and
discover that sexy is a state of mind. Find Sarah
on the web at sexyknitter.com, or on Ravelry,
Twitter and Etsy as TheSexyKnitter.