I published a free pattern for a pair of armwarmers on ravelry - just in time for the christmas-knitting frenzy (as a small gift from me to you guys)!

These feature a big mirrored cable, with crisp and neat looking braids thanks to the hidden purl stitch in-between them and the 1x1 ribbing right next to the cables. The rest of the armwarmers is worked in simple Stockinette stitch. 

Any smooth and highly twisted yarn is suitable for showing off the cables. In this sample 100% merino was used, which is an excellent choice for textured patterns. 
And they are made out of worsted weight yarn, which makes for a speedy knit!

This pattern uses a tubular cast on and bind off for a very neat looking finishing that has also extreme stretch (my absolute favorite for accessories). But if you don't feel up to work this technique, you can exchange this CO or BO with any other method of your choice, just make sure that it is very stretchy! 

And while I was taking the pictures for the pattern it started to snow - for the first time this winter, very softly and silently the snowflakes wanted to make their presence in my photos...

You can download this pattern for free either on this site here, or directly on ravelry.

My new hat pattern!!!
It has quite an interesting fabric with a stitch that highlights all subtle colour-changes in hand dyed indy yarn!

This Diagonal-Basket-Weave-Stitch-Pattern is also the reason for the funny name. Quadrifurcus means "crossroads" in latin (yes... our friends the Romans had quite some ridiculous sounding words, some times) - and I liked it, not only because I have a penchant for ridiculous names... but mainly because the stitch allows for all different hues to come together in never ending crossing paths!!!
But who cares about the name anyway...

The best thing of all is, that Sylvie fromPolo&CO - who made the yarn of my hat - agreed to prepare some incredibly gorgeous kits extra for this pattern!!!

She has been working like a maniac to prepare all the yarn and kits, so that they will be ready and waiting for you in her little etsy-shop tonight, at 19:00 GMT. 

For the first 2 weeks of it's publication, until Nov 30, 2013 at 0:00 GMT, the pattern will be exclusively available in her shop (together with the yarn-kits) at a special price....  Polo&Co is in France and all the yarn is made exclusively out of local french wool that is washed, carded and spun on the spot!

There will be two different kinds to choose from:
A Natural Colour Combination 
(at 8,70 Euros + Shipping)
With 2x50gr balls of yarn in gorgeous "sheep" colours... unprocessed, natural colours without any added dye: just the actual colour the yarn had when it was shorn from the sheep.
By clicking on the images below you can get to each kit page directly to order it.

And a Coloured Combination
(at 11,50 Euros + Shipping)
Again 2x50gr balls of yarn. One in a natural shade as above and another one in a gorgeous hand-dyed colour out of natural & biodegradable dyes.
By clicking on the images below you can get to each kit page directly to order it.

The Quadrifurcus pattern will be offered together with each kit until Nov, 30 - at the discounted price of 3,20€ (it is already included in the above prices)! 
After that period it will be available through my own shop and ravelry (without the kit sadly) at it's regular price of 4,20€.