And She Knits Too!

4x3TDHoP

hat in our 'hood, originally uploaded by Dr. Steph.

I wrote up a free pattern for Xander's 4x3 Top-Down, Hat of Power (aka 4x3TDHoP).

It's an easy beginner knit for someone wanting to start knitting in the round. I've indicated spots where you can modify the size, though it's pretty stretchy and should fit most older kids to adult size melons.

You can find the pattern on Ravelry here: download now.  If you don't use Ravelry, you can grab the pattern right here:  Download 4x3TDHop.  

If you're looking for the yarn I used, it's Indigodragonfly MCN Sport (the colour pictured is Herb Tarlek Jr.). One skein for the hat. 

I knit it in a couple of evenings.  I know it's spring, but there are still some hat wearing days left, or you could get a jump on holiday knitting.

*Asterisk*

I have a new pattern out!  But...it's only for members of Indigodragonfly's Smart Ass Knitters/World domination Club. (For now, sorry).  Kim asked me to design for the club and it's the first offering.  I'm so pleased with the reception to the pattern and the shawl itself.

The yarn is Indigodragonfly MCN Lace in a colour called Paging Dr. Smartass (that would be me).  It's so nice to work with. Not a true skinny laceweight, more like a supermodel who ate a good solid dinner laceweight and it gets all soft and fluffy when it's washed.

The pattern will be available through Indigodragonfly in January 2011 and I'll have it up on Ravelry by early Spring. 

For all you club members, I'm keeping the pictures down near the bottom of the post so you can be surprised if you haven't yet got your package.

And the club itself is a hoot--We got the yarn, the pattern and a nice piece of "artisan swag" from a local ppotter in Kim's neck of the woods.  She made little clay pendants with M1, YO, SSK etc on them.  Very fun (I got SSK).

Next package is in August.  I can't wait to see it.

Until then, here's my lovely, smart ass in training Emma modelling the shawlette.  I like it so much I think I might make another one.

 

 

  
 

 

Spring Cleaning for my Knitting

I know there's been a bit too much blog silence lately, I'm hoping to get back into the habit since I enjoy writing regularly and I enjoy reading blogs too.  I still really like Twitter but I'm trying not to use all my blog mojo there.

If you do follow my Tweets, you'll notice I haven't been feeling all that great.  Just Spring stuff--colds and fatigue, but I think most of it is behind me now.  The good thing about being under the weather, but not too sick is that I have been doing a fair bit of knitting.  

The first priority project is an extra secret project.  I'm the first designer for Kim's Indigodragonfly Smart Ass Knitters/World Domination 1 skein club.  The pattern and yarn will be sent to club members in June so this sneak peak is all I can show you.

 

 

I'm having a great time designing and I stretched myself with this one in the fancy construction department. That part was fun.  Ripping out 150 rows of garter stitch when I got my geometry wrong wasn't as fun!

The pattern is mine to release some time this summer; I'll keep you posted.

Next up are Xander's socks.  I have one done and on the heel for the second one.  His feet really are growing while I look, so I need to get these off the needles.  So it's the couch, Firefly and socks for the next few nights.

 

 

I also have some abandoned projects on deck that I want to finish because I have a LOT of things I would like to start.  I consider this spring cleaning for my knitting.  I'm on the last piece of my Nantucket Red Cardi--mine is Calmer Blue.  So that's an easy finished object.  

I also have not so much done on the Hanami stole.  I really love the idea of this shawl, but can't get my head around the basketweave pattern.  I'm hoping I can get my head down and just knit those last repeats (or even cheat and skip one) and then get to the cherry blossom part which I'm sure I can get my head around.  I'm using kidsilk haze which is rather unrippable so I'm going to give it a good solid try.

What's up after that?  Some baby clothes for my knitpal Keri who is due in July, perhaps a summer top for me and then, I'm not sure...only because I have tons of beautiful stash yarn and I want to knit it all.

Smartass Knitters for World Domination 1 Skein Club: Now accepting applications

Super-fab yarn dyer and wonderfully smart assed Kim over at Indigodragonfly has a 1 Skein Club starting in June.  It's open for subscriptions until Sunday March 14th and it's going to be lots of fun.

The deal is you get a skein of yarn dyed by Kim in a Club-exclusive colourway and a pattern.  I'm designing the first offering and am keeping company with other great smart-asses like Glenna C, Sarah Jenkins, Susan Lutsky,and Ronni Smith.  You also get a bonus of artisan swag--something nifty made by the creative folks that Kim meets during her work promoting the Arts. 

Yummy yarn, great patterns, swag, smart-ass-ness: What more could you want?

Did I hear <<Cashmere>>?

If you sign up for a 1 year subscription (6 shipments) there's even Cashmere.

Not sure? Go read the details.  And look at my recent Indigodragonfly acquisitions. 

Wounded in the Act of World Domination MCN Sock

Self Elmolation (giggle) in MCN Sock for some socks for Xander.

2ply Organic Merino in Seasky (I bought this as a gift for a friend and don't want to give it away)

Soft, squooshy colourful and cleverly named.  What's not to like?  And there's more here.  I'm particularly smitten with Beige.

Help For Haiti

First an update, and then a promotional plug for a pal who's doing more to help.

Update: Thanks to everyone who bought a copy of my Hansel pattern.  I donated the entire price to MSF.  It was only $65--but that's still great.  Thanks a bunch.  

Now the plug.  My knit pal Rosemary, pin maker extraordinaire and pattern designer of fabulous pretty things is selling her Brandywine shawl to raise money to Help Haiti.

Rosemary has a BIG goal.  She wants to sell 10,000 patterns to raise $50,000 dollars to help Haiti.  That's a lot of patterns.  She's already donated $2000, so she's well on her way.  It's a lovely shawl (great for those of you doing 10 shawls in 2010).  Have a peek and help the cause.

Hansel for Haiti

Just wanted to let you know that until January 31, 100% of the sales of my Hansel mitten pattern will be donated to Medicin Sans Frontieres (I'll even eat the paypal fees to donate the full $5). 

If you're not on Ravelry, email me (link on the right) and I'll make the arrangements.

I don't sell a lot of patterns, so I'll top up the donations to an amount that I think is suitable.  Haiti needs a lot of help. 

Hansel

Well it took me almost a year, but I finally released my Hansel Mittens.  

 

The companion to Ysolda's Gretel beret, these mittens knit up fast in heavy worsted or aran weight yarn and have a lattice cable pattern inspired by the beret.

 

The pattern includes charts and line-by-line instructions and is available on Ravelry for $5.00.  

The mittens have an 8" /20cm hand circumference and are 9.5" / 24 cm long.  For smaller mittens, knit to a tighter gauge.

I used Foxhill Farms Cormo Cross, but any worsted/aran weight yarn would do--about 220yds/200 metres.

So if you made Gretel you can get all matchy and have warm hands this winter.

Not a finished Bohus, but still something finished...

I've been putting most of my knitting attention toward finishing my Grey Mist Bohus in time to actually wear it a few times this winter, which means not casting on any new projects, and finishing the other ones that are on the needles. 

One of those WIPs was the Hansel mittens I was designing to go with my Gretel hat.

I finished them last night and rather like them.  They look better on my hands because the cable stretches out--I forgot about my camera timer when I was taking these and now there isn't enough daylight.

 

I used the other ball of Foxhill Farms Cormo I bought at Rhinebeck this year and have enough leftover for a little neck warmer or headband (I feel so matchy). They are nice and warm on a mild winter day and the yarn is nice and soft.

The only tough part of the design was figuring out how to decrease for the top and a bit of thought was needed to deal with cables that don't run the round of the mitten, but all in all it was fun to design a little something.

I have the pattern written up and am considering doing a charted version to sell or share (probably sell--that chart is going to take some time to do).  I even had the cables cross in opposite directions on each mitten.

Now I'm just down to socks and Bohus.

In the knitting basket

I told myself that after I finished Baby Cables and Vinterblomster that it was time to get back to my Grey Mist Bohus. I really want this sweater for the winter sweater season, but it's always the last thing I pick up when it's knitting time. 

It doesn't make a lot of sense because the yarn is delicious, I'm about 10 rounds away from splitting off the arms so I have a) less stitches and b) a lot of mindless knitting (which is my preferred kind of knitting for the most part) and yet, it is still crammed in a project bag in my second string knitting bag.

Hopefully I'll pull it out soon.  Maybe even tonight, though that means I'll also need to figure out where I left off which is how I probably get into this situation in the first place.

So what's distracting me?  Right now, two things.  First is a baby present I need to get cracking on because the baby is coming and maybe sooner than I thought due to some unexpected but completely manageable things. 

It's the Little Sister's Dress pattern in Lettuce Knit Socks that Rock Lightweight wool.  I love the dress and love the yarn and I'm calling it the Rocket Dress because it reminds me of Rockets; Craig's favourite Halloween candy (which I believe are called Smarties in the US; smarties are something different, it's all explained here).  I am particularly enamoured of this ensemble and purchased some dark purple malabrigo sock yarn to accent the dress and if there's time I plan to make the coordinating baby surprise jacket; mostly because I've never made one before.

The other thing is another pair of mittens.

 

I'm still rather taken with my Gretel hat and have another ball of the yummy Foxhill Farms Cormo cross and decided to invent some Hansel mittens. 

 

I'm only showing off the palm until I get the pattern right; I want it to be a surprise.  They're knitting up quite fast and the cable pattern is working so far.  It's been a while since I've done up a pattern and it's working my brain nicely.  Though work is still kicking my ass, so tonight it's some rockets, tea and the rocket dress.

Necessity is the mother of invention

Problem: I want to ride my bike to work but must transport my huge poster home from the printers (poster is 90" by 46").

Consensus of everyone I ask: You're taking the subway today honey.

Lightbulb moment: Last  night on the subway on the way home from great night of knitting at Lettuce Knit (got to meet That Laurie who is a knitter/dyer/spinner extraordinare and all round nice woman)...I need some sort of carrying device for the tube.  Aha!  My yoga mat bag.

Aren't I clever?

And it actually worked!  Poster is at work.  I haven't looked at it yet, mostly because I'm afraid I won't be able to get it back in the tube when I'm done.  I'm going to borrow a snazzy telescopic poster case to get it to Banff.  Not as nifty as a knitted thing, but probably safer. 

My research partner offered to take it home in her car tonight so I won't have to worry about getting it home.  Too bad, I felt like an Academic Ninja with it on (I know, dorky, but I'm a geek, what can I say!)