Vagaries (plus giveaway)

From time to time I have one of those days where I very much want to knit…maybe even need to knit…but I absolutely do not have the extra brain cycles to knit anything more complicated than plain stockinette in the round.  On those days, a pattern like Vagaries can be just the thing.

The vast majority of this really is just stockinette in the round.  But somehow those adorable little welts and the contrast color stripes provide just enough distraction to keep it interesting.  I’m pretty sure the secret is picking a yarn you really like (this is Kunlun by Miss Babs, and it is awfully easy to like) and just letting it carry you away!

And then there’s the fun of picking the color for your stripes.  Now…of course you could very easily make this all in one color.  But a tiny stripe of something special is oh so much more fun.  Work it in that color you dearly love but are afraid you can’t quite pull off (though really…if it makes you happy, you can pull it off…happy looks good on you).  Work it with the little bit of leftover yarn that was too fancy to part with (each stripe takes about a dozen yards, you almost certainly have enough).  Work it with that little ball of handspun you made in a class (it’s fine if it’s a little thicker or a little thinner than your background yarn…this pattern is seriously flexible).  Work it in your team colors or your house colors or make a set for the whole family and match the stripes to everyone’s winter coats.  There really are an awful lot of options (and you can even add in more welts and stripes if you’re having too much fun to stop).

And yes the pattern for the little wrist warmers is tucked in there too.  I wanted to take step-by-step photos to show you exactly how to make the welts (they’re easy, I promise), and it seemed like more fun to use wrist warmers for the photos than to show you on a swatch.  And yes…yes I do know exactly how cute these would be as boot toppers!

Now, like I said, the secret to really enjoying this pattern is being sure you’re working with a yarn that mellows you out.  For me, that was Kunlun in a lovely calm gray (it’s called Fieldmouse) with a little hit of green for the contrast (that one’s Hops).  The good folks at Miss Babs want to help one of you achieve a similar state of woolly bliss, so they’re going to send someone a skein of Kunlun in their choice of color (just pretty please pick one of the in stock colors…it’s show season, and sticking with the in stock colors keeps it all more streamlined for them).  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with the name of your favorite of their colorways.

And to spread the love around a little, they’ve also set up the code code KUNLUNHATS to take 10% off all their Kunlun online through November 20th (just remember, that’s online only).  I have a sneaking suspicion I may be taking advantage of that myself here shortly…I promise to leave at least some for you too though!

And in case you need something to do with all that awesome new yarn, the code STRIPES will let you take 10% off the Vagaries pattern on ravelry between now and Friday.  Just put Vagaries in your ravelry cart, click on the ‘use a coupon code’ button, and type in the code STRIPES.  You’ll see the change in price reflected right away.

There’s not too much in the way of fine print.  Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Friday, October 27, 2017 will be entered to win.  I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to send yarn their way (they’ll need to pick a colorway that’s in stock when they’re notified).  Be sure to use a real email address so I can contact you if you’ve won (I won’t do anything with those email addresses besides notify the winner).  If I do email you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them.