First Giveaway of the New Year

First,
Today's Tip: I found a great blog post from Sweet Georgia Yarns on Yarn Substitution : what to do when you can't, or don't want to, use the yarn that the pattern calls for.

Either that yarn isn't available to you, or due to allergies and other sensitivities it cannot be used. 
So if you find yourself having to go with a different yarn than what the pattern calls for, you should try to find a balance between the many different but interacting variables. It may sound intimidating, but in reality all you need is just good old common sense paired with a few basic facts about yarn and fiber characteristics.

Gauge, texture, and yardage are discussed. It's a really illuminating article!

Giveaway!
I have a great giveaway for this month. The new Knit Picks Bulky Collection, published in late 2013, is full of quick and easy cozy knits, perfect for winter and spring weather.

It includes sweaters and accessories -- you're sure to find something you like.  These oh-so-satisfying large gauge yarns hold a special space in every knitter’s stash. And not just for instant gratification wow, but also for their keen ability to transform simple textures, cables and motifs to striking designs. The Bulky 2013 collection revels in these details that highlight the qualities of bulky yarns, all while showcasing a versatile mix of dramatic shapes and sleek silhouettes alongside easy-to-wear garments and accessories.
My own Bryant Park Vest is in the collection.

How to enter:

1. Please sign up for my monthly newsletter (upper right side of this blog). I promise to work at making it useful and interesting, not just a sales pitch; for example, every issue has one or more Tips and Tricks  AND,
2. Write a comment on the blog about one of the designs in the collection – why you like it, why you would knit it, whom you would knit it for, etc. Please include an email address or Ravelry ID so I can reach you!

That’s it! If you are already signed up for the newsletter, that’s fine, you don’t have to sign up again.

Deadline is  Feb 15, 2014. 

Coupon Code!

From now until Feb 28, 2014, I'm offering 60% off all hat or hat and mitt sets. See my designs here. The code is HALOS in honor of Halos of Hope, an organization that provides hats for chemo patients -- a great cause! You can knit hats for them (hats are being collected at Stitches West, and several yarn stores) or donate money to help with postage costs.

 

See you next time with a book review, and more tips and goodies.

Downton Abbey Knits - Giveaway!

Newsflash: 
Brenda Castiel Designs–40% off  ALL patterns from Brenda Castiel on Ravelry: coupon code–thanks40. Available from Nov 27 – Dec 6.

** WINNERS of the DRAWING **
Ravelry ID Gussek and Nhsarab 

Contact me with your mailing address!  Congrats to the winners, and thanks to all who entered!

Downton Abbey!

I’m happy to announce a new giveaway! This time it’s the gorgeous “Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits”

I have two copies, so your chances are excellent. Note, for legal reasons this particular giveaway is only available to US residents. Sorry. In future, international entries WILL be accepted.

How to enter:

1. Please sign up for my monthly newsletter (upper right side of this blog). I promise to work at making it useful and interesting, not just a sales pitch; for example, every issue has one or more Tips and Tricks  AND,
2. Write a comment on the blog about one of the designs in the magazine – why you like it, why you would, or would not, knit it, whom you would knit it for, etc. Please include an email address or Ravelry ID so I can reach you!

That’s it! If you are already signed up for the newsletter, that’s fine, you don’t have to sign up again.

Deadline is  November 30, 2013. 

Review

I’m a big fan of Downton Abbey, have watched it since the beginning and have seen some of the episodes more than once. So I was thrilled to get my hands on this magazine.

Before I get to the knitting patterns, I want to say that articles are excellent and well worth reading. The topics include:

- A short history of Highclere Castle, the actual location where DA is filmed.
- Marrying an English Lord
- Mrs Beeton, who wrote books on “household management” in the 1800’s that are still popular today
- Knitting for the Troops.

The last page of the magazine lists books on related topics for further reading.

Categories include: 

• Upstairs – Beautiful lace detailing, beaded embellishments and classic colorwork mark these elegant garments and accessories. These are upscale in design and detail.
• Downstairs – While the details are more subtle, these are just as engaging as the Upstairs patterns. The vests, hats, blouses and jackets here are casual yet interesting, and very wearable.
• World War I – Knitting was a huge part of war-time history, whether it was women knitting for the troops or knitting to create practical garments and occupy their time.

To see all the designs on one screen, here is a Ravelry link.  

Here are some of my favorites:

Garden Bouquet – a lacy semi-circle shawl

Stunning Sunflower Stole – timeless design

Chilly Morning Cozycoat – more of a vest, very practical

Footman’s Vest – actually has sleeves

Half Day Off Mitts – charming edgings, very pretty

Vest for the Cricket Match – traditional cream colored cabled vest with contrast trim, so handsome!

Some designs – while faithful to the look of the historical period – are just not adaptable to our modern, casual lifestyles. But they are gorgeous to look at, and would be fun to make.  An example is the Brocade Vestment that appears on the cover.

 

You can buy the magazine here.  It comes from Interweave/F+W Media; and costs $14.99. 

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

 

Disclaimer: I was given the magazines for the giveaway and review by F&W Media.

Today's Tip:
I found this through TwinSetEllen. The lovely Dee came up with a way to avoid twisting your knitting when you join to work in the round. It's kind of like hanging a little curtain behind the stitches so they all have to face the same way. 
It's explained here on Ravelry and here is a YouTube video. You can use ribbon, fabric, knitted strips or even old swatches for the little "curtain". I can't wait to try it!

  

Halloween Promotion - All patterns 50% off!

From now till Oct 31, I'm running a Halloween promotion - a whopping 50% off all my patterns. That's right - prices so low they're spooky!
See them  here:

Coupon Code is "halloween". 

There are several shawl designs in the bunch - Lydia Crescent Shawl  is one.







.









Summerdale Shawl is another.
.

There are also hats, mitts, cowls, kid's sweaters and more - take a look!

http://www.ravelry.com/stores/brenda-castiel-designs

Get ready for holiday knitting :-)

"Hitch" - Patterns inspired by Films of Alfred Hitchcock

And the winner is Dayana !
Pls send me an email address and the PDF copy of "Hitch" will be sent to you!

Congratulations, and thanks everyone for entering the contest! Don't forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter and you'll learn about all my future giveaways.

* * * * *

This is part of the blog tour for the book Hitch.
When I saw the call for submissions for this book, I was very inspired because I really love the fashions of that era. I had been playing around with an idea for straight-line intarsia, and as I looked at fashions from the 1950s and 60s, this design gradually took shape in my mind. 
My pattern is the Riviera Nights Stole. 

In the 50’s and 60’s, this classic stole might have been worn over a strapless evening dress or a tailored day dress. It’s a look that Grace Kelly as Francie might have worn in To Catch a Thief for those Riviera nights with a hint of chill.
The black and white color scheme is simple and dramatic.
 
For versatile modern usage, it could be worn as a scarf or wrap to accent a dress, jacket, or top.

The stole is comprised of two rectangles, each bisected into a black and a white triangle, using intarsia to create the design. Increases and decreases keep the intarsia border straight and even.
Applied i-cord provides an elegant, smooth edging. A little bit of ribbing at the edges adds stability and helps prevent curling.
The Stole can easily be made larger or smaller simply by casting on more or fewer stitches. It's perfect for a first-time intarsia project.

I am running a giveaway for a pdf (E-book) version of the Hitch book here on my blog. Just post a comment on my blog to be entered to win. The comment can be anything related to the book: favorite pattern(s), the whole theme, or a comment about your favorite Hitchcock film. The deadline is Oct 13. Be sure to leave an email or Ravelry ID so I can contact you. 
And while you're at it, please sign up for my monthly newsletter - it always has tips, news, and other useful info. See top right corner of this page.


Hitch is currently available through Cooperative Press as an ebook, and as a preorder for the print and PDF combined package.
 


 These are the other stops on the Tour:

9/28/2013: Sunset Cat Designs 

10/5/2013: Knitting Kninja
10/7/2013: Herrlichkeiten
10/8/2013: Knit and Travel
10/9/2013: Knit & Knag Designs
10/10/2013: Wooly Wonka Fibers
10/11/2013: Verdant Gryphon
10/15/2013: Impeccable Knits: Shifting Stitches
10/16/2013: Rewolluzza
10/21/2013: Knitwear Designs by Carolyn Noyes
10/22/2013: Peacefully Knitting
10/23/2013: Dark Matter Knits
10/24/2013: Turnknit: Dani Berg Designs
10/25/2013: SweetGeorgia Yarns
10/28/2013: doviejay knits
10/29/2013: Triona Designs
10/30/2013: Tactile Fiber Arts
11/4/2013: A Knitter's Life
11/5/2013: Catchloops
11/6/2013: Yarn On The House
11/07/2013: Ramblings
11/12/2013: Hazel Knits
11/13/2013: Knitcircus
11/19/2013: indigodragonfly
11/9/2013: Fyberspates
11/25/2013: knittingkirigami
11/22013: A B-ewe-tiful Design

Winners of the "Harry Potter Knits" Giveaway - and a new shawl pattern

Hello,
Here are the winners of the giveaway, via the Random Number generator:
- Kismatt
- alittleposy
- J Vincent
- sparky136

Congratulations!
I will try to contact everyone over the next couple of days to get his/her mailing address. If I don't hear from you in a week, I will draw more names, until I get 4 lucky winners with postal addresses.

And thanks to everyone who participated. Watch the blog, and the Newsletter, for more giveaways in the future.

By the way, here is my latest design the "An Apple a Day" shawl, a lovely crescent shape with an apple motif.
 .

It's on sale at $4.00 till Oct 4, when it goes to $7.00.  Check it out !

Book Review: Free-Spirit Shawls

Today's Tip:
When you’re near the end of your yarn, and nervous whether you’ll have enough for your bind-off row, this is what to do.

1. Grab the end of the yarn, and measure out a length about 4 times the width of your piece to be bound off. So if it’s 40 inches, measure 160 inches. Place a slip knot there (i.e. 160 inches from the end).
2. Go ahead and knit. When you reach the slip knot, you know you have just enough for the bind-off row.  
3. If you’re near the end of the row, you can finish it; if you’re near the beginning, you would tink (un-knit) back to the start of the row. 
4. If you’re using one of the super-stretchy bind-offs, allow more yarn, maybe 5 or 6 times the width. 

Book Review 

Today I am reviewing "Free Spirit Shawls: 20 Eclectic Knits for Every Day”  by Lisa Shroyer (with designs by many different designers). ($24.95 paperback book, $19.95 e-book); Interweave/F+W Media.  
This is a great book for the knitter who loves shawls – and I’m one of them. Shawls are very appealing as knitting projects nowadays: they are great for showcasing beautiful yarns, can often be made with just one or two skeins, and there are no worries about sizing and fit.

There are both simple and more intricate patterns here. There are some hip, young designers featured that add new twists to traditional designs. Many of the names will be familiar to dedicated knitters: Romi Hill, Kate Gagnon Osbourne, Carol Feller.

What I really love, is the discussion of the different shapes and construction methods, e.g. triangle, crescent, side-to-side shallow triangles, semi-circles.

Plenty of techniques are covered too. The book includes lace, cables, short rows, fringe, slip stitches, blocking, and various cast-ons and bind-offs. Different yarn weights are catered to as well.

The book is nicely styled, and helpfully shows lots of ways to wear shawls – something that was a bit of a mystery to me a couple of years ago.  I knew how to knit shawls but had no idea how to wear them!

After the techniques sections, the rest of the book consists of patterns divided into categories of Color, Lace Shawls, Simple Shawls and Textured Shawls.
Some of my favorite designs in the book were:

Lindsay is on the cover, and uses 2 colors, and is trimmed with a pretty edging.

Helsinki gets it charm from bold stripes (no lace!).

Salter Path, is a pretty semicircle shape in 2 colors.   

 

Framework - a lovely variation on the traditional lace triangle.

Spathe is another triangle, this time worked in DK weight for a warm cozy feel. 

Euclid is a simple yet effective style, using just stockinette stitch and garter stitch.  

In summary, I really enjoyed this book. The book layout is clear and attractive, with great photos. The different techniques and approaches are truly inspiring and there are plenty of appealing patterns to knit.

It should be noted that lace patterns in the book are charted only, not written out. If you have a problem working with charts, and I know many people do, this may be an issue.

I was sent this book by Interweave Knits to review.   

Discounts

Wait, there's more! I'm offering a 25% discount on all my Ravelry patterns till Sept 15, with the coupon code summer25. Don't miss out! Check them out here.

 

Contest – Win a copy of the new Unofficial Harry Potter Knits Magazine! 
 

From Interweave Knits, the creators of the popular special issue Jane Austen Knits, comes a brand new literary inspired magazine that will take you into a magical world of knitting. Enter a world filled with transformative knits, empowering mythology, and classic garments in this collection of 30+ knitting patterns inspired by the beloved characters, stories, and worlds of J.K. Rowling’s popular novels. $14.99 from Interweave Knits.
(I'll be reviewing it soon !)

To win your own copy, post a comment on this blog describing your favorite one of my designs, why you like it, or who you would knit it for and why.   My designs can be found here, on Ravelry (my Ravelry name is Goodstuff).
On Sept 15, I will randomly select 4 entries to win one of 4 magazines. I'll also send you your favorite one of my designs, sold  here.
Good luck!
* I'm extending the deadline to Sept 30 to allow more time for entries! *

Don't forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter at the top right corner of this blog. Thanks!

Happy Summer Solstice!

So we just had the longest day of the year - in the northern hemisphere that is. Doesn't it feel like the whole, long summer is stretching out in front of us? Just like when we were kids and school was out for the summer?
I can swear that summers were longer back then ;-)

Today's Tip:

Here is a tip that makes use of Ravelry. 

Do you have a variegated yarn that you want to use, but you’re not sure how it will look knitted up? Of course, it’s a good idea to swatch; but here’s another idea.

1. Go into Ravelry and under the “Yarns” tab, look up the yarn. 
2. Once you have it, you’ll see tabs along the top including “Stashes”, “Pattern Ideas” and “Projects”. Choose Projects.
3. On the drop down menus, choose Knitting or Crochet, and optionally select the color you’re interested in. You can even enter the exact colorway in the search box on the right.
4. Click “Search in Projects” and you should see a bunch of projects worked up in your color of yarn. 

Like this.

Isn’t that neat?

Designs

So, what’s new in my projects? Recently published are:

The Nancy Pearl fingerless mitts have just been published in a new book called “Stitching in the Stacks”.

It is themed to libraries, librarians and books, and is published by Cooperative Press.
The yarn I used, Elizabeth Bennet by Yarn Love, was great.  

The Hampshire Jacket, published in Yarnwise magazine is out too. 
This seamless sweater features distinctive trim using a decorative blanket stitch. It has a bit of the flair of the classic Chanel-style jacket.
The lower hem is done in garter stitch, turned up and stitched in a contrasting color, and the sleeve cuffs are edged in the same way. Blanket stitch is also applied to the collar and armhole seams.

The Greenwich Vest - also in Yarnwise -  is one I’m particularly happy with. It’s simple, and flattering to many body types.
Cables run up the center and frame the neckline to make this top very flattering by lengthening the body, and the unusual off-set rib at the waist creates a slimmer silhouette.
This is a great layering piece, and can be worn over a crisp shirt, or a soft turtle neck sweater for those times when you need an extra layer but don’t want anything too bulky. It is a quick knit in chunky yarn.  

Best of all, it made the cover of the magazine! I was so excited to see that.

It will be available as an individual download in Sept 2013. Let me know if you’d like to be reminded when it comes out – just give me your email or Ravelry ID or cell phone number (to get a text).

There are more – see the rest on my Ravelry Page.
 
In the Works:
Eveleigh, a cozy cowl in yummy Malabrigo Rios – knit at an angle, reversible, with a colorful i-cord trim. More to come...
 
A lacy, ruffled shawl called Summerdale –

Small shawls are a brilliant way to show off the sock yarn that’s too pretty to wear on your feet!
This crescent shaped shawl has a great shape that’s easy to wear, as it stays on without a shawl pin; it can work as a scarf and be draped in many different ways.
It’s designed to use one skein (about 425 yds) of a solid, or semi-solid yarn such as Mountain Colors Crazyfoot.
A larger size shawl (needs about 600 yds) is provided as well.
This will be published in a couple of weeks, as soon as the test knitters finish!

I designed 5 items for a new yarn company called Willow Yarns .  They have a great selection of yarns: wools, blends, acrylic, and even a lovely wool-silk blend.
There was no way I could have knit all 5 pieces in 4 weeks (I'm actually not a very fast knitter), so I hired sample knitters to knit 3 of the 5 for me.  It worked out OK, although one of them cut it very close deadline-wise.
There was a lace shawl, a men’s sweater, a baby blanket, a kid’s cardigan, and a hot-water-bottle cover.
I will show them to you when they’re published! Or you can keep an eye on my Ravelry page.  - http://www.ravelry.com/designers/brenda-castiel

As you can see, I’ve been pretty busy lately!

Next week I’ll be featured on the Twinset Designs podcast.  Two twin sisters, Jan and Ellen, do this one, and they are funny, knowledgeable, and delightful. Give them a listen!

Contest and Giveaways

Watch this space because I plan to run contests, giveaways, and promotions later on this summer.

Talk to you soon!