Nifty Neutrals in Action

Last week to ease our way into the fall season, we took a look at nine nifty neutral color combos. As a result of that post, I began browsing through completed projects to see where and how neutrals have surfaced in the past, so this week, I thought it might be helpful to share some neutral combinations in action.

Drumlin Almost Neutral: Black, slate and cream with a pop of red

Tikkyn Flagstone: Light, medium and dark greys with burgundy

Kintra Nearly Neutral Cowl: Black, grey and cream gradient with red

Kintra Nearly Neutral Mitts: Black, grey and cream gradient with red

Kintra Greyridge: Dark, medium and light grey ombre

Grey Daze Mitts & Shawl: Cool grey and cream with burgundy

Wyndfael Mitts: Charcoal and cream with red

Pewter and charcoal with red

Twegen Coffee: Black, grey, brown, toffee and cream

Owl Family: Chocolate, toffee and brown speckled yarn accented with gold

Hopefully, if you're one of the many knitters who have difficulty visualizing how colors will interact in a finished project, these examples will serve as a starting point for one of your own projects. Looking through them has certainly prompted some insights for me.

It's clear, for instance, that when a neutral project needs a spark of bright color, reds and burgundies are my go-to choice. At one time, browns and earth tones would have featured more prominently in any neutral roundup, but most of those projects were completed not just pre-blog but also pre-Ravelry, so no pictures exist. Many were sweaters, including a taupe tunic, a tweedy pullover accented with warm peach, and a lovely cardigan for my sister in shades of dark chocolate, mocha and caramel.

I have a small project on the needles right now, but as soon as it's finished, I plan to rummage through the stash, choose a few select skeins, and start swatching something subtle and understated in an interesting mix of neutrals.


The project links above take you to the FO post. If you're interested, you can find the patterns here.

Hand Knits to the Rescue, Again

This weekend, I'd planned to pack away the winter-weight afghans and accessories and pull out their mid-weight siblings in preparation for milder weather, but somehow the task didn't get done. This turned out to be a good thing, since after an all-too-brief interval that carried hints of spring, our world is once again coated in snow that's clinging to every branch and twig and turning the world white. 

Luckily, thanks to my knitting obsession, I was able to start the day fortified by that extra touch of comfort only hand knits can provide. As I sipped my first steaming cup of coffee and watched the sun rise, I wrapped my warm and woolly Tikkyn Flagstone lapghan around my legs ...

 

 and slipped my soft, cozy Kintra Blackberry mitts onto my hands.

I donned a heavy marled cardigan (a great thrift store find) and draped my Dojeling Blackberry shawl around my neck and shoulders for extra warmth.

Now, I'm working in my perpetually chilly office with my Flashpoint lapghan tucked over my legs and feet, cheered both by it's cozy weight and the fact that it blends beautifully with the flashes of red, purple and black in my shawl and mitts. (I can be strange that way.)


The calendar may say it's spring, but the weather looks and feels like winter, so once again, hand knits have come to the rescue.


Connecting to the linkups in the sidebar.

In the Pink

At one time, I had a fair amount of pink yarn safely ensconced in stash. Some still remains, but as I was casting on a quick pair of mitts destined for the ombres and gradient series, I realized how limited my current options had become.

Naturally, I began to wonder what had happened to all those pink, rose and fuchsia skeins, and this is what I discovered.


ACCESSORIES

Colsie Mitts Rose Gradient, which feature shades ranging from red to medium pink.

Dojeling Blackberry, which looks red in some lights and decidedly pink in others.




AFGHANS

Breidan Baby, which features a strip worked in a muted antique rose.

Breidan Berry, which incorporates a range of medium and bright pinks coupled with berry and plum.

Color Check, which incorporates pinks ranging from pastel to fuchsia.

Drumlin Bright, which includes a strip worked in two shades of pink.

Lucben Rose, which illustrates a gradient moving from pale pink to deep wine.

Tikkyn Rainbow, which has five rosy blocks marching on a diagonal across the front.

Rainbow Vivid, which has flashes of bright fuchsia and magenta.

HEARTH & HOME

Graefen Bright, which incorporates an intense pink for contrast.

Sweet Hearts & Soft Spots, which has been worked in wide range of pinks from pale to saturated.

That's a fairly respectable lineup, and there are even more examples for which I don't have photos. They range from countless charity hats, scarves and blanket squares to coasters, cloths and a lovely rose gradient sweater for my dog, Stella, which I managed to shrink in the wash, so it's long gone.

I've had pink on the brain for one simple reason. Every spring, these wool-silk lace weight and rayon metallic yarns surface on my radar screen, but I have yet to find a suitable project.

Undaunted, I've come up with yet another plan, and if it works, I'll once again be in the pink.

What colors are captivating your attention right now? 



Connecting with the linkups in the sidebar.

Seeing Red

Not long ago I wrote about my blue streak, because it seemed as if every project that was planned, in-progress or recently completed was blue or featured blue flashes. That torrent of turquoise and blue was followed by a spate of colorful knits incorporating a range of rainbow shades.

Winter has arrived, which around here means cold temperatures, cutting winds and grey skies. To counter this, I long to wrap myself and everything around me in heartwarming red and all its variants from rose and ruby to berry and burgundy.

Over the past few years, you've watched me slowly but steadily build a collection of rosy items, so when these longings hit, there are plenty of options from which to choose. While I've left out many examples, it seems everywhere I look, I'm seeing red:


Scarves, Shawls & Wraps

Alaris Mixed Media

Dojeling Blackberry

Dojeling Wineberry

Plumberry Scarf (pattern in development)

Fingerless Mitts

Kintra Mitts Blackberry

Kintra Mitts Wineberry

Wyndfael Wine

Afghans & Throws

Angletyn Vivid

Drumlin Gemtones

Drumlin Nearly Neutral

Flashpoint Bold

Lucben Rose

Tikkyn Flagstone

Hearth & Home

Cloths

Christmas Trees

Sweet Hearts & Soft Spots

Apparently in my world, there's no such thing as too much red. Add in Valentine's Day which is on the horizon, and it's easy to understand why ...

These swatches jumped onto the needles:

These mitts are in progress:

And this yarn is clamoring to be cast on.

Do you, too, crave warm colors when the weather turns cold? Or do you have a favorite color that helps you battle the gloom of winter?



The embedded links take you to WIP and FO posts. If you're interested in any of these patterns, you can opt to read more about them or buy them here: Patterns.

There's Still Time: Christmas Tree Ornaments & More

From gift tags and ornaments to holiday decorations and children's toys, this is the year of the Christmas Tree.

Since spring, I've been making them in various sizes, weights and configurations, for one simple reason: Last year they were snapped up like hotcakes, so this year I started much earlier. Many will go to family and friends, but I want to have enough in reserve to turn my home into a knitter's version of a holiday forest.

Here are some ways I hope to make that happen.

Bath

• Hang a tree from each towel bar or hook.
• Dangle them from cupboard and drawer handles.
• Stitch two together to create a fun holiday bath mitt.
• Work trees in different colors to make wash cloths for everyone in the family.
• Use strands of yarn of varying lengths to suspend a single tree from each shower curtain hook.
• Use large needles and a multi-strand approach to create a cushy holiday bath mat.

Kids

• Stitch two trees together and add stuffing to make a holiday-themed toy stuffie.
• Make a holiday nap-time pillow by seaming and stuffing two large trees.
• Use soft cotton, make two, and stitch them together for a kid-size bath mitt.
• String multiples on a cord to make a holiday garland for the bedroom wall.
• Do the same, but hang the garland vertically to decorate a narrow window, door or wall.
• Make a set, dangle them from rods, and create a mobile to hang over a child's bed.
• Attach one to a short cord and attach it to the crown of a cap in lieu of a tassel or pompom.
• Tack trees to fleece mittens, hats and scarves for an instant holiday touch.
• Make a small tree and loop it over a strap on your kid's backpack.
• Work trees in rainbow colors for year round use.

Gifts 

• Use small trees as decorative gift tags.
• Make wash cloths or bath mitts, then package them with special soaps as gift sets.
• Work a tree mug mat to coordinate with a special mug and package them as a set.
• Dangle a tiny tree from a purchased ornament for a special touch.
• Tack together the lower portions of two trees to make a gift card holder.
• Do the same to make a gift pouch for small items like earrings or knitting notions.
• Make a coordinated gift set in sizes ranging from coasters to serving mats.
• Spruce up a fleece afghan or throw with a handknit tree applique.
• Do the same to add a custom touch to a fleece hat, hoodie or vest.
• Connect two small trees with a cord to make a festive bookmark.
• Make a cell phone case by seaming together the sides and bottoms of two trees.

Kitchen 

• Dangle trees from towel bars or hooks.
• Attach them as appliques to kitchen towels.
• Use durable cotton to make holiday dish cloths.
• Stitch two together and make a dish scrubber mitt.
• Hang them on the refrigerator with magnetic hooks.
• Put a stack on the kitchen table to use as coasters or mug mats.
• Stitch two together at the peak and bottom and use them as a towel ring.
• Make mug mats and hang them at the ready on cup hooks or a mug stand.
• Make tree placemats for each member of the family.

Holiday Table 

• Make full-sized tree placemats for each place setting. 
• Make a set of serving mats and hotpads for the table and buffet.
• Attach trees as appliques to napkins, placemats or runners for your holiday table.
• Pass the tree through the hanging loop and wrap it around a napkin as a napkin ring.
• Put a tree coaster or mug mat at each place setting for guests to take with them.
• Make two, add a layer of felt or batting, and seam together the trees for a soft hotpad.
• Make two, insert a thin layer of cork, and seam together the trees for a sturdy hotpad.
• Make five small trees and lay them in a circle with the tops pointing toward the center. Tack together the tree tops to form a circular mat.

Home Decoration 

• Hang small trees as ornaments on your Christmas tree.
• Make one of the large sizes and use it as an Advent tree.
• Make tiny trees in different colors to mark each day of Advent.
• Loop small trees over door, closet and cupboard knobs throughout your home.
• Attach trees as appliques to afghans, throws, Christmas stockings and more.
• String multiples on a cord to make a holiday garland for a window, door or wall.
• Tack several to a wide ribbon or strip of felt and hang it on the front door.
• Add jingle bells to your trees to turn your felt door hanger into a cheerful door ringer.
• Attach one or more trees to a premade wreath wreath.
• Make trees in fall colors to get a jumpstart on the season.
• Dangle trees from ceiling fan chains.
• Make tiny trees and suspend each one inside a clear glass ornament.
• Make the XL size, add elastic bands, and slip it over a prefinished pillow as a holiday accent.
• Tack two XL trees together at the points to create a slipcover to decorate both sides of a pillow. 
• Tack a smaller tree to a larger one for an appealing dimensional applique.
• Fill a basket with small trees, put it in the entryway, and give trees to visitors, carolers, etc.
• Use large needles and a multi-strand approach to make a holiday mat for your dog or cat.
• Make a decorative holiday pillow by lining, seaming and stuffing two large trees.
• Put a tree inside a clear vase, pressed against the front then fill the vase with ornaments.
• Mount trees in a shadow box for a quick holiday display.
• Glue trees to thin sheets of cork trimmed to match the tree shape for water resistant coasters. 
• Make small trees, stitch them, stuff them, then sew them end-to-end in the shape of a wreath.

Wearable Art 

• Dangle a tiny tree from your key chain.
• Loop one around the handle of your purse, knitting bag or briefcase.
• String a small one on a cord to wear as a bracelet or necklace.
• Glue tiny trees to flat buttons and use them on sweaters, hats or just about anything.
• Glue a tiny tree to a tack-style jewelry back and wear it as a pin.
• Attach trees as appliques to sweaters, jacket pockets, scarves, hats, mittens and more.
• Make tiny trees and attach them to zipper pulls on hoodies, coats, boots and more.
• Make an I-cord loop, attach a tree and use it as a scarf or shawl ring.
• Lightly tack a tree to a sweater or jacket, then remove it when the holidays are over.

Full disclosure: I've tried a number of these ideas, but not all of them ... yet. Luckily, there's still time to make a few more trees before Christmas arrives, so we all know what I'll be knitting this week!

Meanwhile, I suspect I've only scratched the surface in terms of possible uses for trees in all their varied sizes. Whether you're making them or not, share your ideas and we'll add them to the list.