Hi knitting friends, This month is a little strange for me because I am out of the studio for most of August and part of September. Working on a different computer in different settings without my usual stuff around me definitely has its challenges. I think I am getting the hang of it now, though, so hopefully this newsletter will reach you ok.

Last month I featured the new Ice Strawberry color from Crystal Palace Yarns. Now I want to give equal time to another of their lovely colors that inspired one of my new patterns. It is shown above in the new color called Harvest knitted in the Flames of Fall stole pattern. I thought it was a perfect match for the design theme and hope you enjoy it, too.

Hoping this finds you well and savoring the last weeks of "official" summer. Enjoy the newsletter!
Knitterly hugs,

JaanL writes: " Even though my lace isn't perfect, I love your newsletters and most of all the patterns to work on. They are very pretty and I enjoy working on each of them. Thank you so much for showing us how easy lace can really be. "

Hot Picks

It is summer and blisteringly hot here in most of the Northern Hemisphere, but the cold weather is coming and giving up knitting is out of the question. Cowls come to mind; fast, not much sizing to worry about, not a huge quantity of yarn to sit in your lap.

COWL DICKEY (top left) is a quick, easy-to-knit woman's dickey. The loose-fitting draped neckline results in a comfortable accessory that will fit almost anyone. Faster to knit than a full sweater, just tuck in the "body" of this dickey under a plain sweater or shirt, leaving the cowl collar draping over to add an exquisite touch. Pattern #A9BG

FLARED LACE SMOKE RING (top right) continues to be one of HeartStrings most popular patterns even after over 10 years. It is designed with stunning knitted lace ribs that radiate like a fan. This makes a versatile accessory that can be worn pulled down around the neck to lay on the shoulders as a dressy neckline, or pulled up over the head as an elegant head covering. Pattern #A49

QIVIUT NECK MUFF (center) takes only a small amount of yarn, so it is ideal for indulging in a luxury fiber such as qiviut. Lusciously soft and warm, this lace neck muff is designed so that it can be worn in either a cowl or yoke style. Only two simple lace pattern rows are used to produce the zig zag ribbed lace stitch with pleasing reversibility and softly scalloped edges. Pattern #A189

See even more HeartStrings patterns for small projects for the Neck and Up.

The Joy of Blending Yarns in a Troika Shawl

I think it is neat to blend yarns, and I am always intrigued by what other people come up with. And so when Joy told me about how well her colors came together in the Troika Wrap-around Faroese Shawl she recently made, I thought others would enjoy the inspiration, too.

The amazing thing is that Joy comes up with these amazing blended palettes without even being able to see. But that never holds her back, and you'd never know it by reading her story:

" I've wanted to knit the Troika shawl for a long time, and I had the right amount of yarn for one colour (a deep purple in Paton's Classic Merino) leftover from another project, so I kept trying to match it, on a budget.

I was really happy when I did, and was so excited to cast on and start it.

The yarns I used ended up blending their colours in a very striking way ... (read on) "

Joy, thank you so much for sharing your special shawl and it's story.

Everyone, I do hope you will also take a few moments to browse and enjoy Joy Cyr's original artwork at tigerfeathers.ca

More about the Troika Wrap-Around Faroese Shawl pattern at the HeartStrings site.

Bits of Lace for August

I'm delighted that even though we are barely past a week into this month's project for Bits of Lace, there already has been a lot of excitement and word of several people progressing on this month's project for Spiraling Lace Diamonds Lace-edged Towel.

Turn an ordinary towel into something extraordinary. Make it for yourself or a gift for someone else -- your Lace-edged Towel will have a special place in the heart and home.

Spiraling Lace Diamonds Lace-edged Towel will be available in the Free Membership Pattern area only through August 31, 2012. Get it now ...

Whether you are new to lace, or just want to have fun with some simple and interesting skill-building projects, we welcome you for Bits of Lace 2012 at KnitHeartStrings.com. And joining is still free! Besides a free pattern each month for the learn-and-knit-along, there are bit-sized tutorials, tips & techniques posted throughout the month.

Terry of Knits 4 Ewe in IL writes: " I have certainly enjoyed each new segment. Enjoyable to learn something new and different applications. Looking forward to more! "

Toys of the Trade

Have you acquired some seed beads and you are not sure if they are the size you need? Check out this article on how to use a knitting needle gauge to determine bead size ...

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News Nuggets

Transferring Pre-strung Beads
Step-by-step visuals to show you how I transfer beads pre-strung on a temporary thread to the project yarn/thread. Read on ...

The Mathematics of Long Tail Cast On
People sometimes ask what my favorite cast on is. Out of all the many cast on methods I know, the Long Tail Cast On is my work horse. Read on ...

Ravelry Currency Conversion for Paypal Payments
Fans all over the world can conveniently purchase HeartStrings downloadable patterns from Ravelry using Paypal. Currency conversion allows you to see the price in your own currency before buying. Read on ...