It’s another book review and another giveaway!! Yay!! This one is a review for the newly released book, Creating Glass Beads by Jeri L. Warhaftig
. This book contains a bunch of really cool glass bead projects. I’m loving the Glass Momento bead that allows you to create a window to put a picture in once the bead has been finished. I’m also loving the Silver Butterfly bead which incorporates fine silver paste and the usage of a bead press. Both very helpful things to learn about. One of the coolest aspects of this book though is how Jeri brings in project testers, other bead makers, to give their spin on the projects in the book. Another very helpful addition. I highly recommend this book for both the beginner and the more advanced bead maker. Now if you’re interested in getting ahold of a copy of this fab book drop me a comment. Deadline for entries is next Friday, March 25th. And finally this giveaway is for US residents only. Thanks!!
Have you read?
Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern
Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.
Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.
It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.
This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.
Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.
Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.
The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.
This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.
[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]