I Smell Snow | Pattern Review

I started the wrap-thingy called I Smell Snow by Melody Hoffman in February 2018 and finished the project in August of 2019. So, yeah. It took me a while. The wrap is huge and was very monotonous. I work on it as I needed breaks from Little Grey Heart knitting.

I struggled with the pattern a bit. I found a couple of errors in the writing that threw me off. I discovered the miscounts because of my meticulous nature.

Once I completed the project, I was sick of it since it took me so long that I haven't worn it. I'm a little unsure about how to wear such big wraps. I'm sure I will get excited about it at some point. I need a little space at the moment.

It felt terrific to finish the project. I am usually one pattern knitter, so having a project outstanding for such a long time was annoying to me.

The piece is a giant square, and I used two different colors. I picked a neutral for the first half. I wanted to get the neutral done first. I used Malabrigo Sock Yarn in Pearl. I love Malabrigo yarn. For the second half, I used my friend's yarn, Comma Chameleon. Her colorways are beautiful and exciting, and I love the yarn. The multicolored yarn I used is called "Turn that Frizz-own Upside-Dizzity," which is a fantastic name. It's a quote from Jean Ralphio on Parks and Rec. The yarn helped me get through this project because I enjoyed knitting with it.

If you're going to knit this, be in it for the long haul. I do believe the pattern has been updated, and the errors corrected.

Self Fringing Shawl | Pattern Review

I knitted the Self Fringing Shawl by Amberly Frost in January 2018. I picked this pattern because it was all stockinette, and I was going to be knitting while traveling. I like to knit simple patterns while traveling, so I'm able to enjoy my surroundings while knitting. I tend to hyper-focus when knitting more complicated patterns and tune out my surroundings. When I knit a super simple pattern, I like to use an interesting yarn. The simple design lets the yarn shine. So, for this pattern, I used Noro Kiso in Santana. The yarn is awesome. It has so much variation in color and texture.

The neat thing about this pattern is the self fringing fringe. I tried to overcomplicate, but it's very simple and really cool how it works. Then you just have to cut the loops.

This pattern is straightforward, quick, and the self fringing technique is fun to learn. I would recommend using the suggested yarn, Noro Kiso, as it adds so much color and textural interest to a simple pattern.

Little Grey Heart Zipper Pouches, Tote Bags, and Letterpress Cards

I have three exciting new products to introduce at Little Grey Heart. This week I have posted zipper pouches, tote bags, and letterpress cards. I am so excited about all these products.

Little Grey Heart Zipper Pouches are available in two sizes. The large zipper pouch is approximately 10”x6”. The small zipper pouch is approximately 6”x5”. Both zipper pouches are lined with 100% cotton custom LGH fabric. It’s the cutest!

Little Grey Heart Tote Bags are 100% canvas. They are 15"W x 16"H with 21" handles. They are screen printed with mini little grey hearts.

Little Grey Heart Letterpress Cards are hand-printed by The Red Door Press. The cards are 5”x7”, blank inside, and perfect for any occasion.



Fall Garland! 🍂

I was asked by a friend to make Little Grey Heart garland in fall colors. It turned out so cuuuuute I decide to make more! It includes seven LGH hearts in fall colors and measures approximately 72" long. They look great on mantles, above windows or doorways, or on gallery walls. There are a limited number of the fall garlands, so get yours before they are gone.

SALE

Little Grey Heart is having a sale! Hooray! Two colors, wheat and framboise, from the 2017 collection have been discontinued to make room for two new LGH colors. There are a few pieces remaining (including yarn!), which have been marked down. These items will go quick, so hop on over to the shop before they are gone! 

Office Refresh

Earlier this summer my amazing wife helped me refresh my office. It's the space in our home where I spend the most time, but we hadn't really touched it since we moved in 4 years ago. No one sees the space other than us, so it was super easy to put off. However, it's the space where I create, and it was well overdue for a spruce up. 

I think and create best in a space that is clean and orderly. My office is now bright, clean, and organized. The walls are pale pink and the furniture white with grey accents. I have plenty of storage that is easy to maintain by using bookshelves with felted wool bins. I made sure the things I use the most are easily accessible, so I don't have to go digging, and they are worked in the design. 

I have a lot of artwork from other local makers and artists. It helps remind me if other people are doing it, I can do it. It's hard sometimes to be a one-woman show with a full-time job. It's hard a lot of the time, but I can't not do it. I love knitting, and I love sharing it with the world.  

Fall Collection Preview at Active endeavors

Fall is on the horizon, and I couldn't be more excited! I have so much planned for the season, including new colors of classic LGH merchandise and a handful of local events. This year, I am also partnering with some of my favorite local makers for some non-knit, but super cute LGH products. I can't wait to share it all with you. 

I will have some of my new handknit merchandise for sale this weekend, Sunday, July 29th at Active Endeavors from 12 - 3, in West Des Moines, IA. In addition to Little Grey Heart, there will be some other favorite local makers like XOLP, The Red Door Press, The Side Garage, Hello and High Five, Over+Print Co. and Iowa Parklands. 

My online shop will reopen for business on September 7ᵀᴴ, and I will continue to introduce new merchandise throughout the fall. To stay current with all the exciting happenings, follow along on Instagram. 

This Month on My Needles | Back to Business

I took the first two months off in 2018 from LGH knitting after the crazy but wonderful holiday season. And I'm ready to dive back in! First up on the list is to get everything back to stock. Once that's done I'm kicking around some ideas for new merchandise. However, I'm open... if there is some you'd love from LGH, please let me know. Thanks again for all the love and support and I can't wait to see what 2018 has to offer. ♥︎

Tread | February Pattern

I made Tread for my oldest and dearest friend and amazing LGH designer, Megan. She has done so much amazing work for me; I wanted to make her something a little special for her birthday.

Tread is from Jane Richmond and Shannon Cook's book (haha cookbook), Within: Knitting Patterns to Warm the Soul. This particular pattern is by Shannon Cook. I love ALL her work. Everything she designs is so wearable and has excellent texture.  

I love the texture of this hat. The balance created from the clean lines, cozy texture and playful pom is perfection. I felt like it was a perfect fit for Megan. The pattern used WOOLFOLK FÅR, which is dreamy. It's so incredibly soft and lightweight. And the colors are my favorite, moody and neutral. I ended up using the colorway Maybe which is a deep olive green with a hint of brown. It's so good. 

I followed the pattern exactly. I started making the small and decided it was too small, ripped it out and went with the medium. The medium also felt a little small, and the pom looked HUGE on it. It's a great pattern though, and I want to make another one for myself for next winter. 

This Month on My Needles | Valentine Garland

Little Grey Heart Valentine Garland is now available, in honor of my favorite holiday! LGH is all about showing the ones you love how much you love them. A great way to do that is with hearts, and that's why I'm so excited about the new Valentine Garland. Share your love with the world! ❤️

Little Grey Heart Garland includes seven LGH hearts in a variety of Valentine colors and measures approximately 72" long.

Chunky Walnut by Katrin Schubert | January Pattern

In an attempt to create a little bit of balance in my life, I am making an effort to knit some non-Little Grey Heart projects. Even after the knitting marathon I completed over the holiday season, I still want to knit all the time. I will spend the majority of time working on Little Grey Heart, but I want to keep my knitting skills in tip-top shape by exploring all the amazing patterns created by other designers.

I knit Katrin Schubert's Chunky Walnut hat for my cousin Brooke for Christmas. It was a perfect match for her; she loves Nordic looking knitwear, and I drew her name in our gift exchange. I LOVE KNITTING GIFTS FOR PEOPLE. 

It was a quick and fun pattern to knit. I followed the pattern exactly (well, I added a pom, because POMS). I used Brooklyn Tweed Quarry in Gypsum, which was fun to knit with, of course. I washed the hat once I finished knitting it. I was amazed how much the color changed. The yarn looked kind of greyish-cream before I washed it, but rich and creamy after. The brim of the hat was a bit wavy. I'm guessing this is because my stitches were a bit tight. However, it kind of works as the waves fit nicely around her face. 

I have some exciting things on the horizon for this winter. Most LGH products are out of stock. After a bit of a holiday break, I am working hard to get everything replaced soon. I am also working on a special edition, Valentine's Day Garland, which is going to be as cute as it sounds. ❤️ 

Quite a few people have reached out interested in purchasing projects I have knit, created by other designers. Out of respect, I do not sell knit goods created by other designers. I *only* sell my original designs. Thanks for the support!  

This Month on My Needles | Sabbatical

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Usually, "This Month on My Needles" is a retrospective post about what I've been knitting the past month. However, this month I have some exciting news to share about October. Starting now, I on sabbatical for the next four weeks! I am taking this time after working at Lullabot for the last ten years. I am so thankful to have this time to use my brain differently. I currently spend most of my day organizing and planning events in other states and always in front of my computer. I will spend the next four weeks working full-time on Little Grey Heart: blogging, knitting, designing, and selling. I can't wait to have focused time to work on content for my blog, knit merchandise for LGH and myself, and share some of my LGH patterns. I will be selling in Omaha on October 21st at Hutchfest, and in Des Moines on November 25th at Market Day. I am so excited to dedicate a full month to this hobby I love so much. Your support continues to amaze and overwhelm me. I can't wait to share all the exciting things I have planned during the next month. 

Learn-to-Love-Steeks Blanket | Pattern Review

I recently knit this adorable striped baby blanket for the sweetest and newest member of our family, Baby Will. Baby blankets take forever to make and can be soul sucking. When I saw Learn-to-Love-Steeks Blanket by Purl Soho, I was certainly intrigued. Knitting a baby blanket in the round certainly felt dreamy. The terrifying part about making this blanket, of course, is cutting it down the middle. However, it was amazing. I mean it was terrifying cutting it down the middle (but it was also satisfying). Folding and securing the edges was a bit tedious. Nonetheless, when it was all said and done, it was a great project. I will never knit another baby blanket any other way. 

The Learn-to-Love-Steeks Blanket pattern is fantastic. There is a steeking tutorial that uses pictures and videos to explain every step. I took it slow and followed the directions word for word. No deviations. I feel like now that I understand how it works I could make adjustments if I wanted.  

I had always been curious as to how steeking worked and I'm glad to have one project under my belt.

This Month on My Needles

July has been a BUSY month working on Little Grey Heart merchandise. My goal is to get everything knit before my shop opens on September 22nd. At this point, I have knit all my zipper pouches and my hats. I am just getting started on mittens. Since mittens are a new product, I have to write the pattern. So, there has been a lot of knitting and tearing out, which drives me crazy, but I want to get them *just* right. 

Maggie, my wife, has recently taken up embroidery. She is working on some adorable pieces for Little Grey Heart. I will have those up in the shop in September.

I released a new pattern this month, the Bobble Cowl. I am in love with this cowl and can't wait for the weather to cool down so I can start wearing it. 

I can't believe how fast summer is going. I have a lot of knitting to do before my shop opens, but I am so excited to share everything I have been working on this summer.