July is here and we're settling back into our routine after vacation (more to come on my vacation later this week - basically, it was really nice). Now that I'm mostly recovered, I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. To get started, how about the July Simple Knits project?

I've been drooling over cabinfour's designs for months and I pretty much want to knit each and every single one of them. I love Deneise's clean and simple aesthetic - not only are her designs gorgeous, but her patterns are relaxing to knit and classically styled so they'll be 'in style' for many years to come.

Meet our July project from cabinfour, Wandering...

These mitts are so incredibly simple and quick that I knit a pair yesterday on the way to a family gathering - very easily a weekend project. They are also great for leftover yarn because they are cast on at the finger edge and worked up the arm from there - just divide your yarn in half and knit each mitt until you have enough to bind off...

But, Wandering isn't where I started or what I originally had planned for us... I frequently get questions on what the next Firefly Fibers or Simple Knits Knitalong project will be. If you've asked, you'll know that I'm pretty hush-hush about future projects and this is why - I know there's a fair chance that I'll change my mind (even when it's not in my best interest).

Before vacation I decided that I was going to knit something special for myself, so I cast on Pure | Aran by cabinfour and quite simply fell in love - just as I expected. Then, as I was knitting, I thought... "hey, I bet the Firefly knitters would love this project, too." So, I changed the Firefly Fibers Summer Knitalong plan (it had only been written on the calendar since before the New Year) and quickly cast on the shop sample of Pure | Aran. This is exactly why I'm so secretive about the KAL's - I can be fickle at times and this isn't the first time I've changed my mind with only a couple weeks to go. I guess I like to keep myself on my toes.

Pure | Aran was so much fun to knit, and even more so with Blue Sky Alpacas Extra. As I was knitting and doing math in my head, the math told me I'd have 80-100 yards left and I thought, "hey, that's the perfect amount to use for a Simple Knits project." So - also at the last minute - I decided to change it up for our Simple Knits Knitalong. And... here we are.

My personal yarn recommendation, hands down, for both projects is Extra. Of course, you can use any heavier worsted weight yarn for Wandering (or the shawl, for that matter), but I can't recommend Extra enough. If you select a different yarn (or can't wear alpaca), look for a worsted weight with a lot of bounce and twist for good stitch definition.

The shop Pure | Aran sample and the mitts I knit yesterday are drying on the blocking boards and I'll get photos soon. Since I used leftovers for my first pair of mitts, they are a wee bit shorter - I had about 80gr of Extra left (basically half a skein) and my finished mitts measure 8" in length, so they're a few inches shorter than the pattern calls for, but still a very wearable and nice length. If you're new to knitting in the round, Wandering is also perfect for you! They're cast on and knit flat until just past the thumb opening, so they're good for building your DPN or Magic Loop skills.

Now that the shop sample is finished, I'm excited to pick up my own Pure | Aran again and use those leftovers for a matching Wandering. Many thanks to Deneise for permission to use her lovely cabinfour photos and for her enthusiasm for our knitalongs.

I hope you like this month's project. You can find the free pattern for Wandering here on Ravelry and Extra at Firefly Fibers in our brick-and-mortar shop or our online shop, but I also can't wait to see what other yarns you decide to use! You're also welcome to double-dip if you want to join the Firefly Fibers Summer Knitalong. ;)

Cheers!

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