16 May 2012 · 2 Comments
I feel a tiny bit bad that it’s been so long since I’ve put out a pattern. The last one was Chamfer in what, February? Now to be fair, the e version of The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet did go live in March, so it’s not like you’ve not got something to keep your needles busy. But still, I’m used to putting out an individual pattern every month or so, and the longer time frame is making me a bit twitchy. But never fear, it’s all in the service of a bigger project!
After seeing how much fun Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet was, I decided to experiment with taking some of the things I’d usually do as individual patterns and combining them into a mini book. That’s what all the things you’ve seen around here since March or so will be used for. I think it will work well, but it does mean that the once a month timeline sort of falls by the wayside. Now I know waiting’s no fun, and I also know I find waiting easier if I know what’s going on in the background while I’m waiting. So I thought I’d let you know where things stood.
The photo shoot is this Sunday. As of this morning, all the projects for the mini book are done and blocked. I’ve even got proof! The only thing left to do is sew buttons one one piece (anyone taking bets on whether that will happen Sunday morning).
Down at the bottom there are the Ruction cowl and mitts in Malabrigo Arroyo. They’re reversible, and I’m totally smitten with them. Next up the stack is the Clamor hat in Briar Rose Wistful. It’s scrunchy and slouchy and looks unreasonably adorable on everyone. Peeking out from the middle is the Tumult cowl in Handmaiden Silk Twist. I think it might be my secret favorite, and I want the photoshoot over with so I can wear it. Next up are the Fracas hat and cuffs in Schaefer Yarn Company Nichole. My secret plan is to send them home with Lauren as a thank you for her help modeling. And on the top there are the Uproar cuffs in Plucky Knitter MCN Primo. These are knitting crack and you should never ever start making them as you won’t want to stop. You’ve been warned.
All the patterns are done, and testing is wrapping up. The pattern text is over with the tech editor, and I’m finalizing the other, non-pattern, text this week. The plan is to have the files to the printer in early June. That means the e version will likely be available in late July, and the paper version available about a week later.
Alright, I feel better now. It’s still not quite as good as having a pattern ready to go for you. But hopefully it works to show that I’m not just lazing on the patio sipping lemonade!
9 May 2012 · 6 Comments
The Tumult cowl is off the needles and blocked. I finished it up on the drive home from Maryland Sheep & Wool. It’s lovely and light and lacy. It will look splendid on an actual human. It looks less than splendid when laying on my back porch railing. Alas, I’m not skilled enough (or perhaps it’s brave enough) to take a picture of it on myself. You’ll have to make do with this for now. I promise pretty pics when I next get a willing victim to play model!
19 April 2012 · 8 Comments
You know how all the instructions in every knitting book ever strongly encourage you to block your swatches? Yeah. I’m here to remind you of the same thing. This time with a demonstration.
You see, I’m working on a little cowl. It’s a lovely fabric, open without being lacy, structured without being stiff. I’m rather taken with it. The yarn was new to me (Handmaiden’s Silk Twist), so of course I swatched. And because I’m lazy and only want to knit it once, I blocked my swatch. It’s a good thing I did, because the swatch grew by about 50% when blocked (it’s because of the stitch pattern, not the yarn).
I took my measurements from the blocked swatch, did a bit of math, and cast on. As I worked, I got to feeling a little nervous. My drapey, open, lovely swatch was great, I loved it. The fabric on my needles? Not so much. It was bunchy and stiff and scrunched up. I was not loving it. See?
Not horrible, but not what I was going for. I kept tugging on it and pulling it and thinking it was too small and fearing it was all wrong. But I knew I’d swatched the right way, and I trusted my math. But I also know that swatches sometimes lie. So I decided to indulge my paranoia and double check. I slipped the stitches onto a bit of extra yarn, tossed the cowl in the sink (securing the ball of yarn so kitten overlords didn’t dunk it in the sink too), and gave it a swish. I took it out, blotted it dry, and laid it out. I didn’t even pin it out under any strain. I just sort of patted and shook it. It relaxed more or less instantly. The bunchy mess was soft and lovely. See?
Much much better. The size and the fabric are both right on track.
So, we’ll call this a reminder that you should just about always block your swatches. I’ll grant an exception if you’re making your second pair of socks using the exact same yarn and pattern and you just know it will work, or if you’re making a market bag and don’t really care about the finished dimensions. But if you want the finished object to be a particular size, you really need to block. And if you’re ever doubting your work, blocking in the middle can be marvelously reassuring.
28 February 2012 · No Comments
What I really really should knit? The last few rows of the cowl. It’s achingly close to done.
What I have been knitting? Swatches. For you see, I have this plan…this plan for a hat…this plan for a hat that will be either the cutest or the ugliest thing you ever did see. Only time (and more swatching) will tell.
But first…I must finish this cowl. I get to see some friends this weekend and I think I will be able to sweet talk one or two of them into modeling it for me!
22 February 2012 · 4 Comments
There are people out there who say they don’t like classical music. I would suggest that what at least a few of these people actually dislike sitting still and being quiet while wearing fancy clothes. Because sometimes that’s what’s involved in going to see such music performed. Now I’m not presumptuous enough to suggest that this is the case for everyone, but I think there might be at least a few folks for whom the outfits and the environment are the deal breaker rather than the music.
If that’s the case for you (and if you’re in this general area), I have the solution. It’s called Happy Dog. It’s a bar, so they’ve got beer. But they’ve also got hot dogs and french fries or tater tots. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. You sit down at your table, take a sheet of paper off the little notepad waiting for you there, and indicate what you’d like on your hot dog. Perhaps you’d like brie and bacon-balsamic marmalade? Or maybe you prefer kim chee and fried onions? You’ve got dozens of things to pick from, and you can have as many as you’d like. They’ve even got suggestions in case you find yourself overwhelmed. Once you’ve figured that out, you flip the paper over, decide if you’d like french fries or tater tots, and then pick what dipping sauces and toppings you’d like for those. Someone swings by to get your papers and take your drink orders. Five minutes later, they’re back with your hot dogs and beers. Repeat until you’re full or until you’ve remembered you’re a grownup and don’t eat things like that.
That’s all well and good, but if you happen to come on the third Tuesday of the month between 8 and 11, you’ll do all this while Classical Revolution Cleveland plays in the background. They play chamber music in all sorts of unexpected locations. Last night’s performance featured a selection of Bartók’s lesser known pieces and was simply splendid. Just as important, the booths at Happy Dog are quite suited to knitting. I got in several more rows on the cowl (the mitts were finished on Monday), and should finish that up this week with any luck at all. I have a sneaking suspicion this may become a regular event. Surely one hot dog a month won’t kill me, right?
18 February 2012 · 1 Comment
The plan is totally working. Just as important, all the math indicates that I’ll be able to make the cowl significantly wider (by keeping the mitts tiny…tiny but awfully cute). So as long as I can keep from tangling the various bits and pieces of the project, everything should come together well.
And apparently this morning the yarn is purple. I’ve simply embraced the changing nature of this fabric and I’m no longer fighting it. I swear I’m setting my white balance and I’m in decent light. I think it’s just the yarn’s magic resisting the camera’s technology. I’m letting the magic win.
13 February 2012 · 4 Comments
There’s a reason I knit on dpns. They generally put an upper limit on how many stitches are in a row or round. I know myself, I know I’ll get awfully bored if something is much more than 100 stitches around (which is about where my hats come in). Yet somehow, I find myself working on this.
This is not on dpns, and it is way more than 100 stitches per row.
It takes a flipping age to get through one row, and yes I do get bored in the middle. It’s also shockingly, alarmingly pink, which is utterly out of character for me.
Yet somehow I am smitten with it. Blame February. Blame the surplus of socks in my closet. Blame some sort of incipient brain melt brought on by too many highlighter fumes. Whatever it is, it’s making me happy.
And now, to make someone else happy. The charming Kelly has won the yarn and pattern giveaway and will find a wee package in her mailbox soon. And in other news, the orange socks are done and should be out later this week, which I hope will make even more of you happy!
