bts: Bay pullover

ETA: now through Sept 4, Berroco is donating all PDF pattern sales to support the Houston Food Bank.  I'm thinking time to go stock up on future knitting plans....

 A quick BTS (behind the scenes) for this pullover, Bay.  It's a free pattern from Berroco* this week.  
(go ahead, go click over for the PDF, then c'mon back for the blab and more views)

When it popped up in my feed a few days ago, it was like seeing an old friend from the shoot, in May.  I see so many beautifully simple knits on photo shoots, that get lost in the mix of the bright and shiny distractions in my brain. So happy to remember and add this to my mile long queue.
 I'm pretty sure Bay would be a real go-to sweater in my wardrobe.  As well as a speedy knit.

We shot it in a farmhouse in southern Rhode Island that I adore as a location. If you are thinking "is Rhode Island big enough to even have a south and north?"  the answer is...sorta? The south county  is all beachy towns and more rural than the area leading up to Providence.  While lots of older homes have been homogenized when updated, this one is frozen in the 1940's. In the very best way. Wood trim, big old windows, original wallpaper, wide wrap around porch. Swoon.

My assistant caught us in the act of getting this specific shot of Bay. It's funny to see us squooshed up like that--it feels totally normal and not contorted while we're working.  That's Amy Christoffers, the creative director, next to me, assessing the shot.   We  hop around together like this all day. The white cloth on the floor reflects light back up toward the model and blocks light from bouncing off the green floor and tinting the scene. That's a reflecting panel on the left, propped against another bed, and even that pillow in the corner was taken off the bed that's being used in the photo, but propped up to bounce in a little more light.  There's an assistant holding a reflector....and some of our own lighting that gently brightens things up. You know, so it all looks natural ;-)

 It's knit sideways in two pieces, and has that great seaming, and a simple neckline.

 Go get it! It's definitely queue worthy. And for those of us attending the NY Sheep & Wool Festival in a few weeks who feel compelled to make a Rhinebeck sweater but haven't started yet...it's a contender, right?
Hair & Makeup by DD Nickel
All photos by me.
I'm not sure who designed Bay but if I find out, I'll add the credit.
(I truly do have the best clients. Looking forward to more shoots with the Berroco team soon.)

* as I was putting in the links, I noticed  the home page is full of the images and patterns in Portfolio 4. So good, all in their new Ultra Wool. I want to take the rest of my day off and just knit some fall things....

giveaway WINNER : and more rhyming

We've got a winner of the Euroflax yarn and Kollage needles to make a Pompano Tank.

Thank you all for visiting & leaving your comments! Come back again!

Meanwhile some rather fabulous rhyming went on in the comments, in case you missed it:
Doreen from further north said:
I'd be glad to knit this lovely tank,
What if I can't in just one hank?
I'll use two even if it means ripping,
I'm from Canada, but I'd be glad to pay shipping.

gratuitous Nash Island lamb photo

some Jill Draper Makes Stuff : always delish

while Unknown (who really deserves better credit than that)said:

Though I love knitting things at the beach
The Louet yarn is out of my reach
If perchance I should win
I shall have to begin
And thank Gale and Kirsten once, each.


  I wish I had more than one package to send out. Thanks again to Louet NorthAmerica. 

pompano tank: louet euroflax yarn giveaway!

Read down to enter our  giveaway of  Euroflax Sport Linen yarn plus Kollage Needles to knit a Pompano Tank for yourself !

When knitting a Pompano Tank
Designer Kapur is to thank
It's quick and it's easy
The eyelet border's breezy
And it barely takes more than a hank.
Yup back at you with a limerick* introducing a spotlight on the Pompano Tank from Drop Dead Easy Knits. With bonus give away, thanks to Louet North America.

As I've mentioned here and here,  and many times before that, I'm all for knitting on the beach and wearing knits at the beach. Linen is pretty much the perfect fiber for both actions. When Kirsten Kapur designed the Pompano Tank for our book, I was all heck, yeah!  It's the kind of piece you can throw on over a bathing suit, over a camisole  or as a layer over a shirt. The simple A line shape and scoop neck is exactly my style. 

Is it yours, too? Enter our Pompano Tank GIVEAWAY by leaving a comment below, by midnight Sunday August 13th to win 5 skeins of Euroflax Sport in Eggplant (same colorway as our model Katrina is wearing here) and a 24 " size5 US Kollage Needle. Shipping included in US,  if winner is from outside US, you have to pay your own shipping (sorry)**

Last September, at the book launch party, I impulsively cast on a Pompano Tank for myself in wool.  Although I made a gauge swatch,  I (red flag!) didn't check the measurements of the size I chose to knit, against the measurements of my, ummm, body.  I know, idiotic...but I was basking in the glow of celebrating the book.  Long story short, I adored the knit, it practically flew off the needles in 3 busy weeks, but it doesn't fit me. Totally owning the error--I am considerably shorter than a size L waist to shoulder measurement. Not to mention wider in the hips. It is in my do-overs pile.

photo courtesy of Jani Estell...love her garden!

In more inspiring news, my wiser and immensely talented friend Jani Estell, over at Starcroft Wool and Yarns, knit herself this fabulous version of a Pompano Tank in her Fog yarn.  She lengthened the eyelet section and the stockinette above it, before the small amount of shaping toward the waist, creating a tunic out of the tank. Since it is a bottom up knit, you can slip it on, and decide exactly when to start the shape as you go.  I plan to copy her as soon as I can, because this tank/tunic could be a real staple for autumn outfits. or...dare I say it...a Rhinebeck debut?  We've got like 10 weeks, which is more than enough for this truly Drop Dead Easy knit...maybe you and I both should be casting on a Pompano for success?

*More Drop Dead Easy Knits spotlights can be found at these links, we're presenting them every 2 weeks. We joked about introducing them in limerick, I'm the one taking the joke too far....
Short Beach Shawl
Kiawah Pullover
Galworthy Gift Bag Parley Cardigan  
Abide Shawl Searsport Market Bag Glama Wrap Polliwog Baby Sweater 

**Kollage Needles are square and have super flexible soft cables, and nicely pointy tips. I personally love knitting with them. I hope you'll like them too.