Fair Isle March

March is here and you're longing for some fair Spring weather, but March can roar with unpredictability, substitute your fair weather wish with some Fair Isle knitting!

Garments knit in traditional Fair Isle are some of the most classic a knitter can create. Use your color palette to express yourself, bright colors can modernize this traditional look while neutrals will keep your garment timeless. This newsletter features new Fair Isle projects and some favorites in all shapes, sizes and skill levels, enjoy exploring this colorful technique!

In This Issue: Norway / Andokides / Fair Isle Favorites /

Norway

Norway
If you're an advanced beginner or an experienced knitter, but have not yet tried Fair Isle Ilga Leja's new Norway is the perfect project! Small and portable while knitting, its a combination scarf and cowl that borrows its geometric motifs and natural colors from the Fana cardigan from Fana, Norway. Its worked as a long tube in a light worsted weight yarn in the Fair Isle technique with two colors, Madelinetosh Tosh DK would be ideal.


Once joined into a Moebius ring, it can be styled in many ways. Choose two colors which please you—or go with an array of many colors. Make this an accessory that will become your signature piece, one that speaks to your spirit, while also acknowledging its inspiration from the North.

Andokides

Andokides
If you've had more experience with Fair Isle, or are looking for a challenge to expand your knitting skills, knit Through The Loops new Andokides jacket. Andokides is an unfitted, colorwork jacket worked from the bottom up, in the round in one piece. The sleeves are worked separately and joined to the body at the yoke. The front edges are steeked and garter stitch front bands are added.

Designer Kirsten Kapur gives detailed instructions on steeking, plus there are many excellent on-line tutorials.

This beautiful jacket is written in 6 sizes and knit in Cascade Yarns' new bulky weight yarn 128 Superwash.

Fair Isle Favorites
Rev up your needles & hooks with one of these Fair Isle accessory projects. Knit a popular earflap hat, Nelkin Designs' Choice Chullo or Lisa Ellis Designs' Andean & Happy Hallotwining.

Choice Chullo

Happy Hallowtwining

Andean

Cairn

Keep yourself and your family warm with Ysolda's Cairn, Annie's Woolens Nordic Design Hat & Mitts , Dawn Brocco's Houndstooth Mittens & Tree of Life Accessories, Gardiner Yarn Works' Interlachen & child's Hearts & Snowflakes sets or Through The Loops' Joni, Sikkim or the Reykajvik Hat & Mitts.

Nordic Design Hat & Mittens

Houndstooth Mittens

Tree Of Life Accessories

Hearts & Snowflakes

Interlachen

Reykajvik Hat

Reykajvik Mittens

Joni

Gentlemen's Scarf

Create something different with Ilga Leja's Midnight Sun leg warmers or felted Distant Hills tote bag. And crocheters can play with multiple colors with Knotsewcute's Plaid Dog Sweater and felted Gentlemen's Scarf.

Plaid Dog Sweater

If you're a Sock knitter you already know, socks are ideal for exploring new techniques and Gardiner Yarn Works' Hurricane or Whitecap, Lisa Ellis Designs' Winter Trio and Through The Loops' Jagged & Sigrid offer a variety of Fair Isle designs in a wide range of skill levels.

Hurricane

Winter Trio

Jagged

Want to tackle a slightly larger garment cast on Schaefer's Fair Isle Vest in Fours or one of these new wrap designs in Jane Thornley's Knit Me a River Evocative Guide.

Fair Isle Vest in Fours

Northern Woods

Rio Grande

And for more pullover and cardi projects try Nelkin Designs' Cascabel or Dawn Brocco's Caterina, Bird & The Bush, Scottish Fleet or Norwegian Tunic.

Cascabel

Caterina

Bird & The Bush

Scottish Fleet Tunic

Norwegian Tunic

Cast on today and be wearing one of these new accessories by tomorrow, or begin one these larger projects and get hours of knitting enjoyment. Thank you for taking a moment to share my March news. I look forward to hearing about which project you work on and, as usual, I'm always happy to help you with any of your fiber arts needs.

To Subscribe to my Newsletter sign up on my Homepage or email Sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com and write Subscribe" in the Subject line.

Knit Me a River...

Think of a sinuous river curling deep into the heart of a forest or through a desert canyon, sparkling like a jeweled ribbon of light. How would it feel to wear a river undulating over your shoulders or wrapped about your neck in an earth-mother hug?

Knit yourself one of Jane Thornley's Knit Me a River wraps and find out!

Rio Grande

This Evocative Guide features two wrap designs in two different shapes, Northern Woods is designed to flow across your shoulders or around your neck in a diagonal motion. While the Rio Grande flows in a longer shape, perfect for fastening with a pin or button.

Measurements: Northern Woods: 21"/ 53 cm deep at longest point x 55"/140 cm wide from end to end

Rio Grande: 65"/ 165 cm long x 14"/ 36 cm at widest part

Rio Grande

Both wraps are worked in free-range intarsia using simple stitches. In such a free-flow design it hardly matters whether you make one 20 garter stitches or 10. Mix color and texture to create a river of your own. Charts are provided but you may not need them.

Northern Woods

Northern Woods

20 pages of full-colored instructions, photographs, charts and inspiration for two designs, everything you need to knit yourself a river.

Pattern is emailed to you as a PDF after purchase with no shipping fees.

Meet Heather Dixon of "Army of Knitters" & Enter to Win 1 of her Patterns!

Congratulations to Miki! She was randomly selected and now has 24 hours to contact me to receive her free pattern!

In late December 2010 I had the privilege to meet the UK designer Heather Dixon of "Army of Knitters" and I was overjoyed at the opportunity to bring you her sophisticated & sexy pattern line.


Each season Heather's collection includes garments and accessories that will take you through the entire season in style, be it causal or dressy, her pieces mix & match with each other and your existing wardrobe with ease. And judging by the amount of traffic her patterns have received on my website I think I was spot on in my assumption that you would love her work as much as I do!

For this official introduction Heather has kindly granted us an interview and donated one of her patterns to the lucky winner of this blog giveaway, more on that later....

Meet Heather Dixon: Born and bred in Nottingham, England, Heather Dixon taught herself to knit at an early age. She designed clothes and accessories for her toys, herself and various family members before graduating with a degree in Knitwear Design from The Nottingham Trent University.

Heather freelanced in the UK and Italy before moving to New York City in 1999, where she worked with indie designers as well as corporate companies whilst honing her craft. After a couple of years designing Sweaters and Embellishments for Urban Outfitters, Heather decided it was time to run away to the country where she could turn her hand-knitting obsession into her full-time career and give Army of Knitters all the energy it needed to become a roaring success.

Heather now lives in a converted barn in the Catskill mountains of New York with her actor/artist/chef fella and Lucky, the sweetest dog in the world.

1. Hello Heather, please tell us about yourself and what got you interested in knitting and designing knitwear.

I learned to knit and sew when I was quite young. Designing seemed to come naturally to me as I made clothes for my dolls, then myself and family members. It wasn't until my friends asked me to make things for them that I realized that I was really good at it as well as being a hobby that I thoroughly enjoyed. I studied Fashion Design then specialized in Knitwear at the Nottingham Trent University. After graduating, I spent over 10 years designing for various companies in the NYC fashion industry. It's a dream come true that I can now design my own collections and publish finished patterns.

2. Who or what inspires you the most in your design process?

There is no one place where I find inspiration. I design my collections with a theme in mind, each season I'm drawn strongly to a story that I express through my knitting. For the collections I'm working on at the moment my stories are Flamenco for Spring and the film, Pretty Baby for Summer. I'm currently attracted to all things connected with the late Victorian era, especially the under garments so my Summer collection is heavily inspired by corsets, bustles and nighties.

3. What direction do you see yourself heading in as a designer?

My ambition is set to "high". I'd like to start producing finished product to sell worldwide. Editorial spreads in high-fashion magazines and catwalk shows in Paris. Why not?

4. How have the advances in technology and the internet helped you (or hindered) you as a knitwear designer?

I would not have attempted to do what I do without the internet. It's where over 90% of my business comes from. I'm constantly hooked up to my internet connection. I don't have a television, or time to read newspapers and as I live in the mountains, it's how I stay in touch with the rest of the world.

5. Your website is fantastic and your photography is very sophisticated but I'm really intrigued by the name you selected, how did you come up with "Army of Knitters?"

Thank you. I stole the name from the 80's dance band Army of Lovers. I loved how Army of Knitters can be shortened to AoK. It just makes everything seem all right.

Heather thank you so much for taking the time to talk to with us, it was a pleasure getting to know you.

One lucky winner receive an Army of Knitters' pattern of their choice, rules for entry are below, and the winner will be selected on Feb. 28th. Sandrasingh.com carries Army of Knitters' Winter & Fall 2010 Collections.

Winter 2010: Precious
Linger a while over a glass of mulled wine.
Dance beside the roaring flames of an open fireplace.
Taste the warming flavours of a berry flambe.
Envelope yourself in layers of rich, deep jewel tones.
Because baby, it's cold outside.

Howlite

Tanzanite Stockings & Shorts

Onyx

Malachite

Garnet Hat & Headband and Sparkly Wristlets

Citrine Cowl

Fall 2010: Sugar & Spice
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and all that's nice,
that's what little girls are made of.

Parfait Dress

Nougat

Toffee Apple Vest and Armlets

Parfait Tunic

Pumpkin Pie

Rhubarb & Custard

Chambord Truffle and Hat

Enter this Giveaway:
The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win and make sure to leave a comment telling exactly what you did to enter. And please make sure to include your contact information. Winner will be announced Feb. 28th and the pattern will emailed to them as a PDF.

1. Leave a comment about your favorite Army of Knitters' pattern, under this blogpost.
2. Blog about this Giveaway on your blog and link it, leave a comment under this blogpost with the link back to your blogpost.
3. Join my Ravelry group Sandrasingh.com and introduce yourself in the "Welcome Tell us About Yourself..." thread.
4. Announce this Giveaway in your Ravelry group or in another Ravelry group that allows you to announce Blog Giveaways.
5. Friend me on Facebook: Sandra Singh and say you "Like" my post about this Giveaway.
6. Announce this Giveaway (with the link) on Facebook
7. Follow me on Twitter: Sandrasingh
8. Announce this Giveaway (with the link) on Twitter.
9. Sign up for my Newsletter on my Home Page.
10. Sign up to "Follow my Blog."

Save 15% on Any Yarn!

February is the month of Love! Celebrate Black History, Valentine's & President's Day and my Birthday with this Gift, the lace scarf pattern Fallin' for You by The Schaefer Yarn Co. Email sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com to receive your PDF.

Knit this complimentary scarf for yourself and for a loved one.

Schaefer Andrea

Fallin' for You is knit with one skein of Schaefer's 100% silk, lace Andrea (1093 yds/3.5 oz/1000 meters) on size US 4 (3.5mm) straight or circular needles. Andrea is lovingly hand painted in Schaefer's solid & variegated colorways, all may be special ordered.

Fallin' for You

Sandrasingh.com customers will also save 15% on Andrea or Any Yarn with this Coupon Code: love01. Follow the prompts and enter the coupon code during Checkout or call or email any time. You may use it to save an additional 15% on yarns sold in Dyeloted Bags, but please do not combine it with any other offers. And Coupon expires Feb. 22nd.

Fallin' for You would also look beautiful knit it in one of these Lace Weight yarns!

• Sandrasingh.com Lace
• Madelinetosh Pure Silk Lace
• Malabrigo Lace Baby Merino
• Alpaca Yarn Co. Suri Elegance
• Jojoland Consonance

Sandrasingh.com is Closed for Shipping until Feb. 28th

My website is open for business, 24/7 as always, but during February yarn, paper patterns, knitting needles and notions will be shipped after Feb. 28th.

Patterns sold as PDFs will either have a download link after purchase or they will be emailed to you within 24 hours.

Thank you everyone!

Carry an Original: Zen Collection Knitting Totes

Happy Valentine's Day, celebrate your love of fiber arts with a new knitting bag, an original Cinful Designs' Zen Collection Knitting Tote.


Cindy Lee of Cinful Designs crafts her Zen Collection Knitting Totes of the finest Napa Valley leathers, suede and lambskins available. Each tote features a piece of art, an original watercolor designed and named by Cindy Lee and signed by nationally recognized artist, Linh Nguyen.


A beautiful, crystal studded tag gives the title and the Zen meaning assigned to each piece. The art has been photographed and then digitally transferred onto the high quality leather. This state of the art technology is so new it is not yet being mass produced. You can actually see the brushstrokes on the leather.

The perfect knitting bag:

It is beautiful, unique and is sized generous enough to hold entire projects with room enough for a purse or laptop. 14.5" high x 13.5" wide x 5" deep.

There is an outside pocket for an i-phone or blackberry and an outside key fob which means no digging for these things.

It is structured so that needle artists can work out of it without the bag flopping over. Their expensive yarns glide over the smooth, zipperLESS top.

There is an inside side pocket to hold knitting needles & crochet hooks.

There are also 3 inside over-sized, open pockets to hold patterns & accessories.

The high quality, bridal satin interior makes skeins unroll smoothly and snag free, while working out of the bag. All inside edges are smooth, insuring protection for fine fibers.

The bottom of the purse has brass feet to protect the interior.