12.07.2011

Introducing Muffalette (and a giveaway!)

The new Knitty got me thinking...it's been awhile since I self-published a pattern (nine months, actually, since Limeade Fizz came out), so I've decided to go ahead and release a pattern I've been working on for some time now. I give you: Muffalette!

Cozy thrummed muff!

I’m a native Texan. I spent the first 23 years of my life in Fort Worth, Texas, followed by 3 years in West Palm Beach, Florida. It should have been 5 years, but that’s a very long story involving the Dr.’s career and other people moving and someone else having a stroke, so perhaps that’s best saved for another time. Long story short, at the age of 26 I suddenly found myself residing in the Midwest. You know what? I have learned one very important thing from my time here: I do not like being cold. I’ve also never seen this much snow in my life; luckily for me, I happen to be a knitter. It suffices to say that I quickly set out on a quest to find the best way to cocoon my entire body in as many layers of wool as humanly possible during the winter months. My quest was over when my lovely local yarn shop owner told me about thrumming. Thrumming is, for someone who does not like to be cold, a godsend, because thrumming is a means by which you can knit huge gobs of fluffy, unspun wool, right into your knitting. This leaves you with an insulative layer of wool underneath your knitted fabric! It would almost be like wearing a sheep, if sheep came in loads of different colors and knew how to cable.

Colorful diamonds decorate the outside, while the inside keeps you nice and warm.

Muffalette is designed to be truly practical; it has all the grace and charm of its counterparts from a time gone by, yet still caters to the demands of today’s busy schedules. Worked with a single skein of worsted wool and two colors of fiber, this muff features diamond cables on the cuffs and sneaky colorwork across the body. There’s also a wrist strap, in case you need to send a quick text or open a door to let yourself in out of the cold.

Diamond cabled cuffs are expertly finished with an I-cord Bindoff and wrist strap.

The pattern uses just 200 yards of worsted weight yarn and 60 grams fiber, total. The 5-page PDF includes a link to a video tutorial for making the thrums and inserting them into your knitting, as well as stitch-by-stitch written instructions and charts for both the cable and colorwork sections. I'm offering it for just $4.00, but WAIT! You can get it for FREE, for the next 30 minutes, right here. If you missed the freebie, you can get $1.00 off when you use the coupon code "clubsexy" during checkout.

But that's not all!

No, friends, no post of mine would be complete without a giveaway, would it? I didn't think so, either. To help promote Muffalette, I'm going to be giving one lucky winner the following:

  • 2 skeins Spud & Chloe Sweater in Lake
  • 80% Merino/20% Bamboo Top with Angelina from Shunklies
  • Undyed 100% Corriedale roving
  • Project bag from Kusala Knitworks

Jenifer's bag fits all the goodies with room to spare!

Want to know how to enter? Well, I'm giving it a bit of a twist this time. To enter, you need to knit a Muffalette, and post your FO photos to Ravelry by the end of December 31. That's it! Muffalette knits up quickly, I promise; you have plenty of time between now and then to whip out one or five. Remember, each FO you produce counts as one entry, so go crazy! Surely you know someone who needs a lovely thrummed muff for Christmas, right?

I also have a beautiful notions bag from Jenifer to give away to one lucky commenter. To enter to win the notions bag, all you need to do is leave a comment to this post! I'll choose a winner sometime next week. (You know me, I try to be specific and then nope, it just happens when it happens.)

So cute! This one measures 7.5" x 7".

For a second entry for the notions bag, tweet the following:

"Couldn't you use some FREE YARN this Christmas? @TheSexyKnitter tells you how to win enough for her new thrummed muff: http://tinyurl.com/79nvrvg"

Good luck, everyone!

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23 comments:

  1. I have never tried thrums, but this must be the year for it! And yes, Jenifer's stuff is great!

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  2. Cute pattern, but I have no time in December to knit one and post a photo. I'll have to settle for the notions bag :^)

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  3. I'm thrumming this year, too! Such fun: all business on the outside, party on the inside. I'm teaching a class at my LYS this Saturday.

    Cute pattern!

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  4. Not quite cold enough for thrums here...still in the 60s and I'm waiting for the snow I promised my sister! I'd love to win that notions bag, though.

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  5. I love that muff! I'm not typically a muff person but I love the cuffs of it and the colours you've used!

    And although I may never wear it myself (I've got two kids (a toddler and an infant) to run after) right now, I could totally see me in a few years using it

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  6. Ingenious AND gorgeous! Plus, I was just thinking last night how I really needed to get a couple of notions bags for making my projects more portable.

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  7. kelly-ann (on ravelry)December 7, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    I love the idea of the thrums. I would love to have one of those when I am helping out with recess for the school!

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  8. I just bought some roving and wasn't sure what to do with it. I guess you solved that problem for me! Thanks!
    lindaran (on Rav)

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  9. I would love to win the notions bag. THRUM is the word of the month, I am hearing it everywhere!

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  10. I would love to win a notions bag. thanks, Debbie H

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  11. what a fantastic muff! I love the vintage-y yet modern quality of it. perfect for cold winter walks!

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  12. Oooo it would make a lovely christmas gift.....to myself of course!
    rosebob on ravelry

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  13. What a lovely project bag. I'd love to win it.

    I'd love to enter by knitting your thrum but am way behind on other projects for the holidays right now. Perhaps later. Keep pumping out those lovely patterns, Sexy.

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  14. Cool pattern. I don't think I'll be knitting one by the end of the year, because I have so much else going on, but I'll add it to my list of future projects.

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  15. Oh, that project bag. So cute!

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  16. Love your new design, and for some reason I always keep on missing the free patterns lol may be next time :D

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  17. Cute bag! I like Muffalette, too, but will have no time between now & Christmas to make one - hopefully after New Year's...

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  18. Got the pattern and may just have to try this out! :) Love your stuff! Love, EditorABC on Ravelry :)

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  19. What a cute notions bag!
    Here's hoping I can do some WINNING!

    Also posted on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/anidoll/statuses/147012024612823042

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  21. Jennifer's stuff is adorable! I want to try thrumming something soon. =D

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  22. I don't tweet (I'm a twat LOL), so no double entry...but several ladies in a knitting groups I host at the (one high school kids, one seniors..what a mix!) were just talking about learning to thrum. So I will point them towards your Muffalette ;-)
    I'm just doing my first thrumming on slippers. This will be the perfect follow up for me.

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