Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

Well, the giveaway is officially over! What a fantastic and fun turn out. Thank you to everyone who entered and left warm comments and made introductions. I read every single comment and yes, that means all 932 of them. Let’s get on to that winner now.

The winner of the giveaway left this comment:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this watermellon hat!! Another to add to the list of “to be made”!! Thanks for always putting a smile on my face when I visit the blog!!

Smiles from Ohio,
Jenn Doll
Landen Road

Jenn’s number came up on the random number generator. Congratulations to Jenn!!! All of the items pictured on my hammock are coming your way.

Now, Jenn, you have until Saturday, August 1st to email me. My email is on the top of the sidebar under, “Contact Susan.” If I don’t hear from you then I will select a new winner.

Thanks again everyone. Your enthusiasm is contagious and it really gave me a boost. I am glad you are enjoying the blog and I’m still just warming up. That’s a good feeling. I’ll be back very soon.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

A quick hello today to say hop on over here to see a bunch (or gaggle, flock, group, gathering? What is the correct word for a group of frogs?) of Ribbits that have already been knitted and bounced. It’s fun to see how the frogs all turn out slightly different looking. I love seeing the expressions. That’s too good.

Have fun!  I am glad to see people are enjoying the pattern.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I hope everyone had a fun-filled holiday weekend. We’re already off into Monday. I mentioned earlier that my 15-year-old son was looking through the new Spud & Chloë patterns and he fell in love with the Track Jacket. It took me a bit of time to gather the yarn to make the jacket but a few days ago I got my start. How often does this kind of opportunity come along? Not often enough and I didn’t want to miss my chance.

As you can see I am almost up to the armholes but not quite. I have been chasing my son around with a tape measure all weekend to make sure we get a good fit. In addition to measuring him I had him try on another fleece jacket with a zipper that fits him well. I am using the measurements from this other jacket as a template for my Track Jacket. I want it to fit him comfortably. I am making a size large but lengthening the body by 3 full inches before the armhole decrease begins. My son is a Long John Silver. He is tall and lanky and he is still growing. I want this thing to last. That’s a lot of stockinette we’re talking about. I am going to finish the body first and get it all stitched together so he can try it on and we can measure the sleeves as I work. He has super long arms so I know I will need to add length there, too.

He doesn’t want the stripes and he picked out the Chipmunk Sweater as his color of choice. There are 13 beautiful shades of Sweater but for whatever reason Chipmunk stood out.  He has already told me he wants a white zipper but I’m not sure about that. I may show him some different color choices before the zipper selection is complete.

Chipmunk is a shade of brown that to me has a hint of olive. It is deep and rich and interesting. The yarn is like a dream to work with, all squishy and smooth. I am taking great pleasure in knitting the Track Jacket in Chipmunk. I keep seeing lots of real chipmunks outside since I have been knitting in Chipmunk. Hmmmm…

Do any of you want to join me in knitting the Track Jacket (ravelry link)? I am sure I will have to start and stop quite a bit as my other knitting work calls me away. It may take me awhile to finish. I know that Craig from Loop is currently making a Track Jacket for himself in none other than Chipmunk. I think we should have a loosey-goosey knitalong. Let me know if you are interested and please send me photos I can post if you are making a jacket for someone in your life or for yourself. I’d love it.

I need to point out a new feature on the Spud & Chloë site in the pattern category. When you click on any pattern for details you will see that under the main photo it says, “view more images.” When you click on “view more images” a box will pop up with multiple views of the knitted pattern piece and often it is knit in more than one colorway. Details are shown up close and from different angles. I think this is the greatest thing to have available when trying to select a new project. This feature gives you a much clearer image of the completed design. Check it out! 

Here is the future owner of the Track Jacket by Bobbi IntVeld. See, that is a big back, very broad. It is an experience to knit a man-sized sweater after focusing on baby and kid and toy knits for so long. It feels so good to be knitting a big, substantial project for some reason. It makes me happy while I am working to think about my son wearing the jacket when I am done. I will pop in with updates as I work along. It is also a good feeling to just be knitting someone else’s pattern for pure fun, no deadlines or pressure. This is going to be a fun one.

I can’t help but to think about the need for men’s patterns out there and then having this beauty for Spud & Chloë right in our laps. The jacket is simple, wearable and practical. These are all key ingredients for good menswear design. It is a solid, easy knit done in lush yarn. I hope you’ll join me.