Anchors Away Pullover

Summer is in full swing here in Washington, DC. You know what that means if you’ve ever experienced a DC summer… Dodging from shade patch to shade patch, constantly searching for your sunglasses, going through sunscreen like it’s going out of style, praying for lower humidity and trying to knit something that doesn’t make you sweat the second you touch it.

I’m a big fan of cotton. I wear it all year round and particularly like knitting with it. Cotton gets a bad rep and I hear a lot of “it hurts to knit with cotton,” or “my dry hands can’t handle it.” To those comments I say “heck no!” You’re not working with the right kind of cotton if you’re having those issues. Try Pima.

What is Pima Cotton you ask? According to an online source, it’s “also called extra long staple (ELS), is a type of cotton grown primarily in Peru, the southwestern United States and Australia. It is considered to be one of the superior blends of cotton and is extremely durable and absorbent. This type of cotton is named after the Pima, a group of American Indians who first cultivated the plant in the U.S.”

I especially like it in a yarn because you can throw it in the washing machine on a cool setting, then tumble dry it on low. This makes it particularly nice for children’s garments because at the end of the day both the child and the nice handknit sweater you made them are filthy.

Growing up on the ocean a smidge southeast of Boston, I’m no stranger to the sea and all things ocean-motif. My mom and I used to walk a lot on the beach in the evening, watching the fishermen haul in their daily catch and search for seashells. One of my oldest friends and I would carefully pick our way across the rocks to get to the end of the jetty and watch the lighthouses turn on as dusk fell and have a good talk. I’ve always had a particular fondness for anchors and blue and white. It reminds me of home, the smell of salt in the air and seagulls crying, searching for food.

Knit in Cascade’s Ultra Pima Fine, the short-sleeve Anchors Away Pullover knits up quickly on US 3 and 4s. A huge fan of the top-down raglan and Fair Isle, this is the perfect portable project to bring with you on your summer travels. Cascade’s Ultra Pima Fine comes in over 50 colors, making it incredibly easy to choose two colors that suit the wearer. Again with the amazing color selection! It’s very soft on your hands, does not pill and knits up nice and smooth. Yum! You only need 2 hanks of the MC and 1 of the CC. 3 hanks for a 12-month size pullover? Sign me up! This is one of my favorite Pima Cottons to knit with.

Download the free pattern here.

Ahoy!

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Pamela Enz for winning a copy of Stitch Red! Thank you to all who entered! Stay tuned for more giveaways and free patterns right here at TanisKnits!

Stitch Red Book Giveaway!

I'm pretty excited to be hosting my first ever blog book giveaway!

I've written about Knit Red a few weeks ago, and now your chance has come to win a free copy of the fantastic book!

From the Stitch Red website:

Stitch Red is a national heart disease awareness campaign supported by the Needlearts industry. The campaign is driving efforts to draw attention to heart disease, the #1 killer of women in the United States, help people understand their risk factors for the disease and encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles to protect their heart health.

A majority of manufacturers and designers throughout the industry are creating and selling Stitch Red products to benefit the Foundation for the National Institute of Health (FNIH) in support of The Heart Truth®. Local yarn stores across the country are supporting the campaign by carrying these products and hosting Stitch Red events to raise awareness about heart disease.

Additionally, a new book called Knit Red that is authored byJimmy Beans Wool Owner Laura Zander, is drawing further awareness about the importance of heart health. Featuring 30 eye-catching, red, heart health-inspired garments, accessories and their patterns, as well as personal stories about heart disease from industry greats, Knit Red also provides tips, resources and recipes for heart-healthy living supplied by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and NHLBI's campaign--The Heart

We've all been touch by this horrible disease. One of my favorite students went in for a routine check up while beginning training for a marathon. Instead of a thumbs up from the doctor she was told she needed surgery to fix a blocked artery. If she hadn't gone in for that check up, I don't even like to think about what could have happened.

You can see all of the wonderful garments in this book here. Mine is a lace infinity cowl in Be Sweet's Whipped Cream.

To win your free copy of Stitch Red, leave a comment on my blog! The winner will be chosen at random tomorrow (Wednesday) and I'll contact you to get your shipping information.

Raise your needles up and salute all of the strong women and men who have survived heart disease. I raise mine up for my grandmother and grandfather who didn't survive, but I raise them even higher for Eileen, my student with the most gumption who fought her way through with a smile on her face and her knitting needles clicking away.