Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

Last but not least, I have the final three new patterns for this upcoming season to share with you. The first is the Flower Power Throw which is a true masterpiece. This gorgeous throw is worked up in Sweater and uses intarsia to create the modern flower motif. It sure would be fun to wrap yourself up in this cozy blanket. Remember that Sweater is machine washable so this blanket could be taken with you everywhere without a worry in the world.

If you are wondering how this fantastic little pullover got its name I’ll let you in on the secret.  We named this sweater for Olympic skiier Lindsey Vonn, who learned to ski on Buck Hill, right here in Spud & Chloë country. That’s Minnesota in case you didn’t know. You can look like an Olympic skier, too, as you soar down the slopes (or just sit by the fire) in this fitted Fair Isle pullover with turned hems for a clean, finished look.

I swear that I will never get enough of the Buck Hill color combination of Sweater yarn, Grass, Splash and Ice Cream. I am thinking I will probably make this one for myself at some point soon. It is sporty and chic. This is another one of Kim Hamlin’s beautiful designs. She is such a talent. I always get excited to see what she will come up with next.

Finally, here is a special treat for all of those Spud & Chloë crochet lovers out there! Stacey Trock designed the Pack O’ Puppies Mitts. Crochet one, two or an entire pack—any beginner can adopt these fun-time puppies as mittens or hand puppets. There are now 16 colors available in Sweater so the sky is the limit on color combinations for your puppies. This would also make a great Sweater leftover user-upper. Cute, cute!

As I’ve been saying, all of the new patterns and yarn colors (and don’t forget the old patterns and colors) will be available to order at TNNA for those attending. TNNA is this coming weekend. After that all items are always available in your local yarn shops and online shops. Be sure to check out our Stockists page on this site for shopping information.

I’ve got a few new free pattern projects cooking right now including a pair of simple socks. I’ll be back in a hurry with some new and fun projects for you. I won’t be attending TNNA this go-round because of my oldest son’s high school graduation so you won’t see me but be sure to stop by and say hello to the hard working staff behind Spud & Chloë and Blue Sky Alpacas at their booth.

I will miss seeing everyone and I will miss not seeing the booth design! Have fun and safe travels to all attending in Columbus.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I’ve got two more fantastic Spud & Chloë patterns to preview today. The first pattern is an adorable child-size sweater made in our worsted weight Sweater yarn. It is called the Lucky Number Pullover and is designed by Tonya Wagner. What a great photo of a boy and a dog. And that bandana around the dog’s neck? Love. Love. Love.

Everyone is always looking for things to knit for little boys and this definitely fills that space! It would be just as cute for a girl as well. It looks like a little intarsia and striping action along with raglan sleeves will keep this a fun and interesting knit.

The second pattern to share is a terrific sweater made in Outer called the Uplander Pullover. It is designed by the always wonderful Melissa Leapman. This is a perfect man sweater because of the simple stockinette stitch and the big yarn which makes it work up quickly. Also, the colors available in Outer offer so many great choices for manly knits. It’s the perfect combination of yarn and design.

You know, I might just like this sweater for myself! It looks so snuggly and warm for a crisp fall day or a snowy winter night. This sweater could be whipped up in no time at all.

Be sure to check out all of the Spud & Chloë patterns on the pattern page of this site.

All of the new patterns and yarn will be available for purchase in your local yarn shop and online shops in mid-June.

I’ll be back soon with a few more patterns! In the meantime, have a great weekend.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I have another pattern preview for you today. I am starting with my two patterns because I have the most to say about them. I started this colorful pair of knee length socks at the end of last summer.

My family took a family trip up north to Door County, Wisconsin. We stayed in a gorgeous modern house that I fell in love with. I had packed up a bag filled with wound skeins of Fine in all of the available colorways at that time. I would just sit in this wonderful red chair and add stripe after stripe. Every once in awhile I would stop and read my book. That’s a good book by the way. It was all so relaxing. I have fond memories of knitting those socks.

Here are a couple of the skeins just waiting to be added to the socks. These socks are addicting because you can’t wait to add the next color. I wrote the pattern to fit child to adult sizes. What I always do when I am working with lots colors and stripes is stop after every 3 to 4 color changes and I weave in the ends. Then at the end of the knitting I am pretty much done with the socks except for a few more ends to weave in. Clean up as you go! That’s my tip for the day.

Here are a couple of shots on my sock blockers. You can wear these scrunched up and slouchy or…

…pulled up high like knee socks.

Either way you can’t lose. They are fun to make and fun to wear! The pattern is available in mid-June through the Spud & Chloë pattern line which is sold in local yarn shops and online yarn shops.

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the Popsicle Socks!

I’ll be back soon with more!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I made this hat with the remaining yarn from the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket. It is sweet and fast.

By the way, I’m sorry to say I don’t know where the hat stand comes from. It was special ordered from a shop that doesn’t exist any longer and it doesn’t have a tag or name on it. I get asked about this every time I put a photo up of the hat stand.

The hat is knit in the round using the Harris Tweed Stitch pattern from the first square I made. For the top seam I used a three-needle bind off. This is a great technique that is simple and creates a clean and easy seam. I have illustrated step by step instructions on this technique in Itty-Bitty Hats if you don’t know how to do it.

I’ll be back soon with the Dream Catcher Hat pattern for you. Until then…

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I have just finished a marathon session with my Dream Catcher Baby Blanket! It is done! It is beautiful and squishy and warm and sunny. I am so proud of this project. I have heard from loads of knitters who are busy making Spud & Chloë Sweater squares for their own Dream Catcher Baby Blankets. I love that and I love the stories you have shared about your blanket dreams. I have heard from two separate knitters making the Dream Catcher Blanket for their elderly parents as lap blankets. It is the perfect size for a lap blanket. That is about the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I have also heard from a couple of groups making the project together for new babies. With the machine washable yarn it will be fantastic for a baby blanket.

I will be back soon with the finished pattern, all pulled together for you and including the border. After much deliberation, I decided on a simple garter stitch border. I did this mainly because there is already so much going on with the squares and the different colors and textures. I felt that adding more colors or more complicated texture to the edging would end up competing and then detracting from the simple beauty and contrast of the squares. It turned out lovely.

I will run you step by step on how to complete the edging so no worries! I am going to have a hard time giving this blanket over as a sample. It would be fantastic to keep in my house. Maybe someday I’ll make a throw size version for my big babies to snuggle up in.

I’ll be back soon with photos and the free downloadable pattern for the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I am so excited to have finished seaming all of the squares for the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket today! I love it.

I’ll be back soon with a border. I am not sure what I am doing for the border yet but I’ll keep you posted.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I am back after selecting the stitch pattern for square #5 for the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket. I am using Sweater in Watermelon for my fifth color. Now, if you don’t want pink in your blanket for whatever reason I have three other color options that will look gorgeous. I recommend Lake or Turtle or Ice Cream as substitutions. I love the pink as it adds to the citrus-y feel of the blanket but I know that pink puts a girlish twist on the project. So you decide what will work best for your needs!

I need to address another issue and I’d love to hear from any of you working on the blanket with me. The Grass square done in the Blackberry stitch has given a few people some trouble. I didn’t think it was too difficult but I am going to give an alternative to use instead of the Blackberry stitch. I want to keep things easy and fun so if something isn’t fun please stop and change it! If you want to keep the Blackberry stitch square in the blanket that’s great. If you didn’t enjoy the stitch pattern wait until I post another option which will be very soon. I have a couple of stitch patterns in mind, I just need to try them out first. How does that sound?

Here is my take on the Basket Stitch from Super Stitches Knitting (pg. 54):

Basket Stitch Square (make 5)

Spud & Chloë Sweater in Watermelon (2 skeins)

US size 7 needles or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

Cast on 32 stitches.

Row 1 (right side): knit

Row 2: purl

Row 3: k1, *(k1, p4, k1), repeat from * to the last stitch, k1

Row 4: p1, *(p1, k4, p1), repeat from * to the last stitch, p1

Row 5: repeat row 3

Row 6: repeat row 4

Row 7: knit

Row 8: purl

Row 9: k1, *(p2, k2, p2), repeat from * to the last stitch, k1

Row 10: p1, *(k2, p2, k2), repeat from * to the last stitch, p1

Row 11: repeat row 9

Row 12: repeat row 10

Repeat these 12 rows until the square measures 6 1/4 inches from the cast on row. I repeated rows 1-12 three times and rows 1-6 one more time but this will vary so be sure to measure your square. Bind off. Cut the yarn leaving an 8 inch end and pull through the remaining stitch.

Here is my second Basket Stitch square in progress. This is a fun and fast stitch pattern. This is another stitch pattern that looks great on both sides and would make a terrific scarf if you just kept on working to a desired length. Just saying…

Have fun!

I have a couple of quick things to share before I go today.

A couple of weeks ago I asked what you are knitting with your Spud & Chloë. I got a great response and want to share a couple of things that came to me. First off, Kim Hamlin, who has done some designing for Spud & Chloë and Blue Sky Alpacas, sent me a photo of her leggings knit in Fine.

Here is her email:

Hi Susan!!

I just finished making a pair of knit dance pants! As a dancer, I’ve
always wanted a pair, but thought it would take forever! It turns
out… it doesn’t IF you’re determined and use big needles!!  I used
your sock yarn because I thought it would wear well for this type of
clothing. On a size 9 needle it worked up quickly and is the perfect
amount of warmth for dancing.  All the other dancers are jealous and
I’ve got orders for more!

I was quite thrifty and used leftover bits of yarn from my previous
Spud & Chloe designs! SO fun!!

This is a photo someone took at our community musical this weekend.
(Hello showgirl make up!!)
Not the best photo, but it shows them in action!!

Kim, those are fantastic and you are so cute with your showgirl make-up and Fine leggings! Thanks so much for sharing. Incredible and fun:) Kim has a fantastic blog, too. Click here for Kim’s blog, Inspired Living.

cloche

The other fun hat that showed up is a design by Laura Irwin. This is my Ravelry friend, Lucy (click on her name to see her blog). Lucy is an avid Spud & Chloë fan and has knit lots of the blog patterns from Spud says! It is fun to see her looking so sharp and beautiful in her new cloche style hat. Here is Lucy’s Ravelry page for more information on this hat made out of Sweater! I love it! You look gorgeous, Lucy. (Lucy just had a baby a few weeks ago! Congrats:)

Enough for today, I could go on forever, as always. Have a great Monday everyone!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I get to show you what I am knitting on a regular basis but I often wonder about the things that you are knitting. I love a good show and tell so let me know here on Spud says! with a comment, send me an email (address is on the sidebar) with or without a photo or let me know on the Friends of Spud & Chloë group on Ravelry. I have a couple of new hats already worked up to share here in the near future. One of them is a stray from the norm for me so I am excited to share that with you. I just need to write up the patterns. I have another fun hat project out of Fine on my needles right now as well. Gorgeous spring colors. Yum.

Here is another project I have going in Outer. Who doesn’t like a big chunky stripe pattern? I know I do! You can just see the squish of this project. Gosh, that is good yarn.

Lastly, I have some more simple ribbed socks I am working up in Fine. This is my go-to sock that I have made a gazillion times over. I have never written it out to share the way I make these particular socks so that is coming soon. I noticed that I purled my knit again (look on the second green stripe up from the bottom). I did this on the rib for the Track Jacket I am knitting for my son. I guess you could call that my signature mistake:) It’s staying in!

My lists go on and on for upcoming projects. It never ends. When you have baskets of Spud & Chloë yarn sitting right next to you it isn’t difficult to think of fun projects to work up. Let me know what you are knitting with Spud & Chloë! If you have photos of your Spud & Chloë projects and you are willing to share, send them to me. I would love to show and share them right here!

Have a good knitting weekend everyone!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I have to pass on the good things I find online to you. I don’t want anyone to miss out. Earlier this week the spring issue of Petite Purls was released and it is so fresh and fun. Specifically, two of my favorite patterns happen to be made up in our own Spud & Chloë yarns.

The first pattern is called, Henry’s Sweater, designed by, Jenna Swanson.

Click here for the free pattern!

Click here for the Ravelry page for Henry’s Sweater!

I love the colorways of the Spud & Chloë Sweater in both versions. I can’t tell you how many times people tell me that they are looking for little boy sweaters. Well, here you go! You can’t find a cuter little boy sweater than this pattern. Great photos, too. Makes you want to cast on right now!

The next free pattern made in Spud & Chloë from Petite Purls is called, Just-spring. The socks are designed by, Sharon Fuller. L.O.V.E!

Look closely at the details of the socks. Spud & Chloë Fine yarn gives such a crisp stitch it is perfect for texture work like this. These socks have tiny beads at the top of the cuff.  The umbrella on the leg and the tiny flowers on the foot take the entire project over the top! I love these gorgeous little socks. The Cricket colorway of Fine is complete perfection for this project.

Click here for the free pattern for the Just-spring socks!

Click here for the Ravelry page for the Just-spring socks!

Have fun with these new patterns. Petite Purls is really on a fantastic roll and it has only been out for one year. It is worth the time to check out this fun site. The patterns are well done and fun and cute. Plus they are practical. That’s the best.

One more pattern that I have to mention is called Leapfrog. The Leapfrog baby pants are designed by, Annika Barranti. The pants are adorable and are made in Blue Sky Dyed Cotton. Spud & Chloë Sweater is the exact same gauge as the Blue Sky Dyed Cotton. Either yarn will work perfectly for this pattern!

Have a great weekend! I’ll be back soon.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I am back home for a few days in between my final book tour stops. I can’t tell you enough how much I am loving the response that Spud & Chloë is getting everywhere I go. Knitters are bringing in their Spud & Chloë knits to share with me left and right. I can’t get enough. While I was gone last week I started a new free pattern project which is a good one. More on that soon.

I want to share another fun freebie with you today. Petite Purls has started a new feature on their site called, Back to Basics. In between the online magazine’s issues Brandy and Allegra (the women behind Petite Purls) are offering free basic patterns for your little ones. What a great idea! In fact, we thought it was such a great idea that Spud & Chloë is sponsoring this feature for Petite Purls. We are all about the baby and child knitting over here!

The first pattern being offered is this simple hat pattern. Brandy is calling it, Basic Winter Hat.

Click here to see the details and to get the pattern!

Brandy sure has a couple of cute daughters! They are her perfect muses.

I’ll be back soon. I am heading off to Milwaukee (The Milwaukee Knitters Guild on Tuesday, March 9th), Philadelphia (at Loop on Thursday, March 11th) and NYC (at the Knitty City on Saturday, March 13th) to top off the upcoming week! Come and see me and bring your Spud & Chloë!!! It will be a fun time.