Kaleido by Silkie B.

Knitting Designs By Silka Burgoyne

HaPpY nEw YeAr! January 4, 2012

Filed under: Kaleido By Silkie B. Design — silkaburgoyne @ 11:38 pm
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Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!  I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday with friends and family. As for me, my dear sister Bonnie and her family spent the holiday at my house… It was wonderful time to catch up with each other.

I have just realized that it’s really been awhile since my last post… say at least a couple of months. The truth is that I have been so busy at work that I have unfortunately put my needles on hold for majority part of last year. I did however manage to knit 4 pairs of Maneisha in a slight variation from my original design for my daughter’s dance teachers for the holiday. It’s such a fun pattern to knit if you have not check it out already.

So what have I been up to lately. Well, I will be busy this month to finish up a couple pairs of gloves for the Fall 2012 magazine publication and that will most likely be the only design that I will have for publication this year. I will be providing 2 versions of my design; convertible and full gloves version as you see below.  Thank you Suzanne at SP Photoart for taking the wonderful pictures and Amy for being the model. The sample of the convertible version was worked using one of my favorite yarn tern from Quince & Co in color sea grass; whereas the full gloves version was worked using a hand-dyed yarn from my friend Lindsey of  Waterloo Wools.

After I finish my commitment to the magazine later this month, I will start my big project of this year. You might be wondering what my big project is. Well I will finally start to work on my very first kids collection.  I actually have started the project last year; a couple of designs has finished but missing the actual written patterns; some of the design has swatches and most of the collection will be worked this year. My kids collection will feature knitwear and accessories from the little tiny to teen. It’s a very ambitious project but I am sure it will be a lot of fun!

First of all, I would like to introducing my first design for the collection – Taylor.

Taylor is a cap and sweater set for a baby; the pattern will be available from size 6 mos to 4 years. I designed this set for my friend, Glenna’s god-daughter who has given birth to a baby boy this past August. Taylor features celtic cable as the main center motif and I paired the cable with variation of cable rib. I have so much fun designing and knitting the Taylor set this summer and is very excited to include this design as part of my kids collection. A special thanks to my friend Karen K for taking the picture and have her baby girl Nia as the model.

Another design for the collection is Isaac. Isaac is an unisex cable cardigan design for your boy or girl. I designed this sweater with my son Isaac in mind. I don’t normally like to mix colors but with this particular design, I actually decided to play with colors. I love cable for winter sweater and it’s not surprising for me to incorporate cable into this sweater design. Isaac also features mock turtleneck and button enclosure. There is no buttonhole on the body band; hence the possible for the front enclosure is versatile depending on individual preference. The pattern for Isaac will be available from 4 to 10 years old.

I will keep updating on my collection throughout the year… so stay tune!


 

Misty Gloves – A new design December 25, 2010

Filed under: Kaleido By Silkie B. Design — silkaburgoyne @ 12:08 am
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Photograph by: Karen K. Modeled by: Silka B.

Let me introduce my new gloves design – Misty.

I love lace gloves that work in skinny yarn in the winter. I want to keep my hands warm but not feeling bulky at the same time. I also wanted a pair of gloves that can dress up to go to a formal event or down to have a stroll in the park. Therefore, I decided to choose a very lace motif and pair the design with a unique yarn that made from merino wool and milk fiber. The name ‘Misty’ came to me because of the color of the yarn. ‘Blue Notes’ is the name of the color and was hand-dyed and spinned by my friend Lindsey who is the owner of Waterloo Wools. This blue/grey/tan color combination remained me of the cloudy and misty sky in the winter.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Arm Circumference: 7 inches without stretch
Length: Varies depending on each individual preference

MATERIALS
[MC] Bayfield by Waterloo Wools [80% Merino Wool, 20% Milk Fiber; 420yd per 100g skein]; color: Blue Notes: 1 skein

NOTE: Substitute Bayfield with any sock yarn that maintains the same gauge.

RECOMMENDED NEEDLE SIZES
Gloves Body: One 29 inches or longer US 1 2.25 mm circular needles for magic loop method or size to obtain the gauge
Ribbing: One 29 inches or longer US 2 2.50 mm circular needles for magic loop method or size to obtain the gauge
NOTE: If you prefer using dpn, please substitute the same size as the circular needle

PATTERN NOTES1. The pattern of Misty is written in the assumption of using magic loop method. Hence, the pattern will refer sts in 2 groups – group 1 and 2.
2. Although Misty can be work using the dpn, but since the nature of the lace panel, magic loop method will be the preferred method.
3. Both left and right hand gloves are worked the same way; hence, only 1 instruction is given.
4. When working on thumb increase, always increase at the beginning on group 1 and the end on group 2. Refer to Chart 2 for group 1 sts and chart 3 for group 2 sts.
5. Always work the increase sts in purl.
6. Because each individual’s fingers are unique, so measures each fingers before working on the gloves.

The pattern pdf includes detailed written instruction, magic loop tutorial and detail supporting charts for the lace panel and thumb shaping.

To buy the pattern via Ravelry, simple click the button below:

Happy Knitting!

 

Me, Myself, Yarn October 9, 2010

Filed under: Knitting Life — silkaburgoyne @ 11:45 am
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What have I been up to last week or so?
1. got one of the project commitment completed for the magazine and sent out for editorial…
2. Got the pictures taken for another project commitment and have started charting the pattern…
3. One submission done..

Not that I sleep much anyway… but for the last few nights… it was rather brutal… but it’s in a good way… since I am doing something I enjoyed.. I have been spending time.. sketching… playing with yarn.. and working on the swatch… just check out my messy workspace.. basically in the bed in my guestroom… and a pile of beautiful yarns from Quinco & Co, Spud and Chloe and Waterloo Wools… and yes… they are all skinny yarn… and may be a skein or 2 in DK weight…. I am seeing a lot of gloves… sock.. shawl… and lightweight cardi in the next 2 months… btw, I didn’t even take picture of my other corner of the bed.. which have another pile of worsted weight and bulky yarn for a couple of sweater design… yeap… looks like a very busy couple of months before the holiday… not all of them of course are for the magazine… some are just simply projects that I have been putting aside because I am so busy… may be I will finally squeeze in time to work on a sweater for myself….

Cheers!

 

Victoria and Bonnie is available!! September 7, 2010

Filed under: Kaleido By Silkie B. Design — silkaburgoyne @ 3:40 pm
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Just want to announce that the patterns for Victoria Gloves, Victoria Socks and Bonnie Mitts are available through my site, Ravelry and my etsy store. Simple go to my pattern link and click on the image for more information. I have also put Victoria Gloves and Socks as a set in a discounted price.

As always, if you have any questions regarding the patterns. Please feel free to contact me!

Happy Knitting!

 

Introducing Bonnie – Accessory Collection 1 September 2, 2010

Filed under: Kaleido By Silkie B. Design,Knitting Life — silkaburgoyne @ 3:16 pm
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Bonnie Mitt


I am very excited that my accessory collection for the Fall is shaping up. I first introduced ‘Victoria’ yesterday and today, let me introduce ‘Bonnie’; a fingerless mitten design.

The inspiration of ‘Bonnie’ came from my dear sister ‘Bonnie’. Bonnie is my rock. I know that I can tell her anything and she is always there for me. Bonnie is always there to listen and provide her honest opinion and support. It have been a very tough year for me and without Bonnie’s support, I might not be able to pull through. I chose a rather simple lace motif with twisted curvy border; the curvy border between each lace repeat looks like the gentle wave in the water… I love the water, living in West Michigan, I am lucky to be so close to Lake Michigan.. the curvy border reminding me the wave by the lake.. it’s so beautiful and calm and relax… and my sister Bonnie, is like the gentle wave in the lake, she can always calm me down and give me an ease feeling when I am stressing out… although Bonnie is rather tense and stress out sometime.. and very intense in some occassion or many occassion.. but she will always be my calming wave. In addition, her chinese name means ‘smooth, wave, round’ so the lace motif certaily represents her well.

Bonnie


So to my dear sister, Bonnie, this post is dedicated to you by your always busy and stress out sister… and with your support.. I know I will always be OK. Thanks for being so supportive and being such a great sister.

Cheers!

 

Introducing Victoria – Accessory Vol. 1 September 1, 2010

Filed under: Kaleido By Silkie B. Design,Knitting Life — silkaburgoyne @ 7:58 pm
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Victoria

As I have finished my urgent project commitment and have a little bit of time (a week to be exact) before next rounds of design submissions. I decided to start working on my first Winter Accessory Collection that I would like to be completed by fall. I am very excited to introduce ‘Victoria’ – A lace gloves and socks design features two of the Waterloo Wools; a fingerweight yarn composes of 50% merino Wool and 50% Tencel for the gloves and merino and nylon for the sock.

I wanted my 1st accessory collection to be driven by someone I know and I care about. For ‘Victoria’, I got the design inspiration from my sister, Vicky. Vicky lives in beautiful vancouver, Canada. She is a free spirit and fun loving person, a caring and a compassionate friend; a person who might look tough on the outside and often time not so easy to deal with; a stubborn person but with a delicate heart. We don’t see each other often, but I know she is always there for me when I needed her. I could not ask for a better sister. A lot of people might not think an overall lace motif will represent Vicky; but we just need to look through her outer appeal and look inside; then you will see how soft and delicate Vicky is. The tightly twisted cable inside the lace representing the tie between us.

Victoria - Sock


To my dear sister Vicky, I wrote this post on your birthday.. however, I wanted to have the pictures to come with it.. so this post is a little bit late… anyhow, this post is delicated to you by your also very stubborn little sister even though I might look more mature then you and have 3 kids.. but I am still your little sister. Cheers!

 

Meeting Lindsey…… August 4, 2010

Filed under: General,Knitting Life — silkaburgoyne @ 2:10 pm
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When you think of yarn, wool will most likely be one material that come into most of the people’s mind…. wool indeed a common material that make into yarn… as yarn evolves through time… nowadays almost everything can make into yarn… alpaca, camal, soy, bamboo, cotton, silk etc are very common… then comes some items that I don’t think can be possible to make into yarn… think sugarcane, seacell and even milk… Milk? How could it be possible? I have my doubt until I actually touch a skein of yarn that is 80% milk fiber… looks and feels absolutely wonderful!

But I am here not to talk about yarn evolution, I am here to talk about meeting Lindsey Ligett.

A couple days ago, with a connection from Shirley, a lady from my knitting group, introduced me to her niece, Lindsey, who happened to be in town for a visit. Lindsey is the owner of Waterloo Wools, a small business that locates in Waterloo, Ontario that specialize in hand dyed, handspun yarns and spinning fibers. I enjoy working with all type of yarns, of course everyone should know that by now.. but I am totally clueless on how yarn is made. I always admire people that can spun and dyed their own yarns… and meeting Lindsey who specialize in those 2 things is such a wonderful experience for me.

During our meeting, Lindsey has graciously given me a few skeins of her hand-dyed yarns that I attached in this post. Don’t you think the yarns look amazing? Lindsey did such a great job on the colors and they are absolutely beautiful. Amongst my goodies, one of the skein is made with 80% Milk Fiber and 20% Merino Wool, one skein is made with merino wool and seacell.. and there is one that is made with merino wool and Tencel. Of course I can’t just take the yarns and not do anything with them. In return, I will put myself into the design gear (soon after I finished my other project commitment) and design a few items that will features the yarns that Lindsey has given me so that she can showcase her yarns in the trade shows that are coming up in the middle of September and late October in Canada. It is also a good opportunity for me as an indie designer to reach out to other knitters using a different channel. So please stay tune for my designs in the next couple months that features Waterloo Wools.

Thanks again to Lindsey for the beautiful yarn and I am truly grateful.