A Self-Care KAL Featuring Hudson + West Co.

Well guys, we made it. It wasn’t easy, but we’ve made it through two years of this pandemic. The Omicron variant is here, and once again we find ourselves hunkering down in our homes at Christmas, waiting out the storm.

As is tradition at Needles in the Hay, once all the gift knitting is behind us, we kick off our self-care knit along every January and boy do we need it this year. Knitting is when I am most relaxed, the repetitive motions help me to clear my mind and shift focus away from the day’s stressors. And it’s productive! A meditation that gives you an actual finished garment. I hope you’ll join me in self-care this January and cast-on a new project just for you.

Hudson and West Co. is one of my absolute favourite new brands from this past year. There are so many reasons to love this yarn. Their philosophy of balancing softness and durability with ethical yarn production really appeals. I also LOVE their design aesthetic, and the fact that their yarns look amazing in cables. ICYMI, here is my conversation with Founders Sloane Rosenthal and Meghan Babin.

I’ve already selected two patterns I’ll be casting on in H+W yarns! I’ve been counting down the days until my holidays are here and I can take a rest and settle down with these scrumptious yarns.

The first is Ari, by Cheryl Toy in Weld.
https://hudsonandwestco.com/products/ari

This Pullover is one of my favourite Designs from the Autumn/Winter 2021 Collection. There are so many delightful things about it! The cabled sleeves, the cowl neck, the relaxed fit. The way it can be dressed up or down. I’m going to do mine in the colour Evergreen.

The Second is Sveaborg, by Sari Nordlund
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sveaborg-pullover

This pullover isn’t strictly part of a Hudson and West collection, but I think it’s ideal for Forge! I swatched it the other day and it turned out perfectly on a 5mm needle (I used an addi turbo to swatch). Sari is one of my favourite designers.  I just imagine how warm and cozy it’s going to be snuggled into that collar.  I’ll be knitting mine in the Tobacco colourway.

I encourage you to check out the entire Hudson + West design collection to find your inspiration.

I’ve gone through and picked out three more project ideas of various sizes.

Jude by Brenda K.B. Anderson
https://hudsonandwestco.com/collections/pattern-collection/products/jude

With intertwining + winding cables like vines, Jude is inspired by arbors dripping with ivy. The interlocking cable stitch is hypnotic and easy to memorize. Made in 2 skeins of Weld, this hat is warm enough for a winter day, but wearable well into the spring + fall.

Archer by Natalya Berezynska
https://hudsonandwestco.com/collections/pattern-collection/products/archer

Wrap up in a grandly oversized blanket-scarf. Archer is a cable and openwork scarf made for crisp fall days, featuring a gorgeous openwork motif that creates a squishy, leaf-like all-over pattern. Simple cable accents run from the deep ribbed edges and flow naturally through the pattern motif. The slip stitch edges create an i-cord like finish requiring no extra steps.

Skei by Sarah Soloman
https://hudsonandwestco.com/collections/pattern-collection/products/skei

A grayscale circular yoke? Sign me up! Skei is a Nordic-inspired circular yoke pullover, constructed from the bottom up in the round. This design uses all the lovely neutrals in the forge color palette for a striking design. Shown here with a mock turtleneck, the sweater has instructions for a range of necklines from crew to cowl!

Here's the Knitty Gritty:

Of course, KALS are much more fun when you get to chat up your project, so we’re hosting a virtual Cast-on Party on Zoom. Knit your project, ask any questions you may have, and socialize with fellow knitters. Participation is free with yarn purchase.

Saturday January 15, from 11am to 12pm

Please register to join the cast on Party. You can do so here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvduyspzkpG9LNfi14YMHXtz3bVcd2Qcgg

We also have a Virtual Knit Along group on Facebook for KAL chatter, to ask for help and share your project photos. Request to join and we’ll let you in.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/883466498774921

Oh Yeah... and did I mention that there’s a prize!? To thank you for joining us and to keep the conversation going online, each progress photo you post on Instagram of your project counts as 1 ballot in the draw for the prize. For the post to qualify as a ballot entry you must tag @needlesinthehay and use the hashtags #needlesinthehay and #friendoftheflock

We will be doing the Prize draw on Friday March 18^th 2022.

The Prize includes:

A Hudson Beanie Kit  (generously sponsored by Hudson + West)

&

A Maker’s Board Bundle!

I hope you can join us!!

-Deanna