15% Off!

Those of you who listen to Cast-On know that there is a special right now.....15% off.......I am not sure if all of you are Cast-On listeners, ........but I wanted to give all of you guys this special too. So if you place an order through the website, put Cast-On in the code.

I just want to say I am having so much fun seeing what you all are doing and I want to say thank you so much for sharing!

Outside

This has been the first great week to dry outside and as I am getting ready for the first festival in Indiana, it really helps that the fiber can dry faster!

A gift for my sister-in-law

The Rosebud Vest. This is for my sister-in-law Lisa, for her birthday that was a month ago. We are seeing her this weekend and I just finished this, this morning. I will try to get a photo of it on her, since the photo isn't the greatest.

I made this with two strands of Abundance on 11's. I loved working with Abundance and had quite a bit leftover that will HAVE to be made into mittens.

Now We Are Four

Or, you could say, five, if you count the one I did in a solid, non Briar Rose yarn. It's the Tuscany Tank. Again. I love these reds and browns. Yummy. It's so much fun to see the colors come together to make a truly unique wardrobe piece. After all this, would I make another? Probably so. What's next? Something in Abundance, which should be finished soon!

Earth Song vest and the Legend Shawl

Yes, I finally ironed a white shirt and took my vest to work with me. The colors are very nice together - 2 different colors of Briar Rose Earth Song worked well together.

One last picture of me with my braces...after 3 L O N G years, they come off on Monday!

Chris will begin her summer tour soon - be sure to check her schedule for an opportunity to appreciate her work in person. I am working on a plan to get to one of the shows myself. She has ruined me for all other fiber and I can't get enough!

My shawl was bound off and the edging is coming along nicely. Honestly, this is my first knit on lace edging for a shawl and I did not feel much like doing math to figure out how to get around the corners.


The first corner has been accomplished and will block out nicely. I made notes so the other corners should be fine. For projects in the future I will probably take the time to figure it all out beforehand if only to relieve the stress around wondering.

The pattern is Briar Rose's Tilly's Garden Shawl. My edging is something out of Victorian Lace Today

....Drum roll, please...

It feels like I get to announce at the Academy Awards! Congratuations to Jan, Marie, and Lois! Send your mail addresses to chris@briarrosefibers.net!

New York

If you are reading this, then you obviously are not in New York City today getting ready to hear the Yarn Harlot speak at the Fashion Institute! I am so bummed I am not there! SO!!!! Let's have our own party and I will give away yarn...it will be so fun! Yay! There's one hank of Sea Pearl, one of Grace and one of Wistful! It will so totally keep me focused on what a wonderful life I have even though I am not in New York today.......

Ella Grace

I have finally found a match for the Ella I have been wanting to make. Grace from Briar Rose Fibers was just what I needed. The color is perfect, and the yarn is beyond soft. I have a ways to go, but knitting with Grace has been a dream so far. A big "thank you" to Chris for helping me with my selection.

Q. How do you make 550 yds of yarn fit into a lunch sack?

...ok, it was a trick question!

Congratulations to Tomme! I can't wait to see what you knit with that fabulous Fourth of July yarn!

Don't forget to send Chris your mail address - chris@briarrosefibers.net

In honor of Hattie's Birthday!

Here is a hank of Fourth of July similar to Hattie's sweater to be given away in honor of her birthday (which is actually tomorrow)......550 yds!

Hattie's Birthday Sweater

Her party was on Sunday and I was sewing on buttons on Saturday night. Two strands of Fourth Of July and Rosebuds look good on a three year old!

Diagonal Front Jacket

Last July, Chris hooked me up with a new worsted weight wool that she was painting. I had only the most basic idea of a finished garment in mind. I only knew for sure that I HAD to have more of her stuff. This time in blues with golden yellow. She made time, in the middle of festival season, to dye this to my specifications. "More bright yellow," I whined. Just look at what she sent!

And what a slacker I am, that I've still not finished the shawl collar. Or rather, I've knit it twice but the results were not worthy of the fine yarn used. (It's "Abundance", by the way.) Here's a shot of the front, with my circular needle hanging in it. This is where I join the knit-a-long and get down to work.

I started with Debbie Bliss' Diagonal-Front Jacket (from her Home book) but trimmed it down and shortened the sleeves and it WILL have a real shawl collar, as soon as I get the math right.

Please don't get the wrong idea here, just because I knit without strictly following a pattern. I'm NO expert and I spend almost as much time tinking as knitting. (grins)
My goal is to wear the item for more time than it took to knit it.

Does anyone recognize this pattern?

It's called the Rosebud Shawl.

Another thing I love about Briar Rose are their easy patterns. This is my second project using a Briar Rose pattern and it was very easy and very fast to finish. I'll take another picture after I've blocked it and it is ready to wear.

Finished Legend sweater

I struggled to finish the sleeves...the front and back progressed quickly, but knitting both sleeves at the same time has positive points and negative. The negative being that it seems to take so dang long to finish and see results. Not to worry, I am SO pleased with this sweater and it is one of my most favorites!

After beginning to knit this with Legend, I worried that I may not have enough and ordered another batch...I've joked that I have enough of this yarn to make an entire wardrobe. So, I've started my shawl which was my original intention for this yarn.

I will post more sweater photos on my blog

Thank you Rhinebeck

I "met" Briar Rose fibers at Rhinebeck back in October of '06. I fell in love with this gawgeous poncho one of the sales people wore so I bought the pattern and the yarn. The beautiful earthsong alpaca yarn was like knitting with 'butta'!

I finished my poncho in no time

I had a little bit of yarn left over, so I made a pair of Knitty's Fetching mitts.

I guess now I'll have to buy some more yarn to start a new project for this knitalong. The rosebud vest looks like it will be next.

A Pair! Finally!

Thanks, Doulicia, for inspiring me to get my other mitt finished. I had one done for the longest time but hadn't done the other until a few days ago. I was waiting for some of the Abundance to come from my mom to start a Rosebud Vest and needed something to knit while I was waiting. So, I started my second Cabled Fingerless Mitt and now I finally have a pair!

Joining with Grandma's Blessing

Greetings all!


Several month's ago, I won a caption contest on the wonderful podcast Cast-on hosted b Brenda Dayne. To my delight, the prize was a skein of yarn from Briar Rose Fibers, in gorgeous blues and greens called Grandmas' blessing.

I've had this stashed away for a while now, so this KAL is my inspiration to let it become something great! It is 400 yards, so plenty to do a one-skein project. Up for consideration are the Diamond Fantasy Shawl, and the Elegant Gauntlets from Sally Melville's book The Purl Stitch. Any other suggestions?

Happy Knitting!

Hi Everyone--

All of your posts and beautiful photos made me want to chime in.

I met Chris and Briar Rose Fibers at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in 2005. Her imaginative and inviting exhibit blew me away! On impulse, and without any project in mind, I took home 3 blending hanks of Sonoma. I petted it for a week or so, asked it what it wanted to be.... It never said, so I finally decided on a simple top-down cardigan. I threw in a dash of 7 purl stitches whenever I got bored with stockinette. Seed stitch bands at wrist, neck and waist play up some of the darker shades of purple and chocolate.

This yarn is soft and warm and I've worn this sweater everywhere. It's held up well with just a little pilling. This photo was taken yesterday, after nearly 2 years of wear. In my mind's eye the striping is more subtle-- I've described it as greens and purples. But the camera doesn't lie and the blue and gold play well with the others. Many of Briar Rose's "paintings" blend well with each other. If you get a chance to see them together at a show, rather than on a PC monitor, you can decide which pairings work for you.

I went back to the 2006 Great Lakes Fiber Show to score some more of this addictive substance. But that's a story for another day....

I am smitten

I have this incredible Grace yarn that I've wanted to take photos of and post. Unfortunately, the amount of available sunshine has been limited and affects the quality of photos I can take. All of the walls in my house are some shade of butternut or orange and it makes the photos look yellow.

I've enjoyed the sunshine and the photos turned out. I am planning a shawl from this beautiful yarn, but am aiming to finish the sleeves of my legend sweater first - I started to bind off a few minutes ago!

Forgot to Mention

I finished this Rosebud weeks ago, using two hanks of Sonoma. I knit it longer, and only had a few yards of yarn left. The longer length suits me a little better. I just need to do a little finishing work, and the Tuscany tank I started last month will hit the runway. Now, I'm working on a modified Rosebud in beautiful red Abundance.

New Yarn!!!

Hi All!
Look at the beautiful Fourth of July yarn that was waiting on my porch for me! Chris ships so quickly! I never expected it to arrive in only two days!!!! What a tallented lady she is! Unfortunately, I can't wind it into balls and start on my gauge swatch immediately.
I plan to make my first sweater with this yarn. I've only made small projects up to now. I hope that I am up for the challenge!
Take Care!
Christine

XOXO Hat

I LOVED making this hat. This was my first time using a cable needle and I had a blast (even after getting the band almost done and ripping out and doing it all over). Look for more cabled items from me in the future!

So, this hat was supposed to be for myself, but it is too small. I measured my head and my measurement was in between the medium and the large sizes. I thought it'd be okay to make the medium, thinking that it would stretch to fit. Should have gone with the large. Oh well. I am going to make another one, but I need to get a new hank of Sonoma (mom? :-)), since I want to do the mittens too, to match.

Here is Hattie modeling the finished hat. It's a little big on her. I think I will give it to my neice for Christmas. It should fit her better. Another Christmas gift done. Score. I could only get Hattie to sit long enough to take two pics of her. It's so hard to get her to smile and look at the camera these days. I took two pics and she pulls the hat off and says, "I'm done", and walks away. Okay, I guess we're done.

Earth Song Lace Vest

This pattern came from Louisa Harding's Modern Classics. I love this book because the patterns are timeless and are arranged by yarn weight. I adapted the neckline and length a bit because I plan to wear it over a crisp, white shirt (if I ever get one ironed...the dry cleaner never gets the collar right!) Anway, once I iron the shirt - I will, I promise - and get someone to snap the photo, I will post the picture.

For my next amazing feat, I will be finishing the sleeves to my 'v' neck sweater knit out of Briar Rose Legend...remember? (I know, it looks blurry)

I've also procured some of Chris' fabulous Grace. Once again, she amazes me! 60% superwash, merino, 30% bamboo, 10% nylon. I have the perfect shawl pattern chosen.