I recently took part in a kit swap of sorts, where the swappers each received a list of their assigned giftee’s knitting kit requests. The person I was assigned was a challenge in that her colors are not really my colors, and her pattern desires were not all that similar to my pattern desires. The combination of somewhat vague and largely specific left me scratching my head. In case you haven’t participated in one before, that’s how it is with all swaps (at least in my recent experience).

The pattern request, in particular, flummoxed me. You may have seen linen stitch shorties or longies for sale at Hyenacart, my preferred location for buying handmade goodies.  The stitch pattern, which isn’t all that stretchy and is incredibly dense, is a perfect application for use with cloth diapering, and it breaks up color runs when using hand-dyed yarns.  Linen stitch itself is easy.  A pattern for linen stitch longies, however, was impossible to find.  So I wrote up a recipe.

How stinking cute are these?

At this moment, 7 pairs have so far been knit up by the testers who volunteered.  Comments include that you should use needles that are a couple of sizes larger than you would normally use with the yarn you’ve chosen, and that the row gauge will be a lot smaller than you’d expect.  The pattern eats yarn, so you’ll likely need more than you would expect.  But the gusset works as it should.  The difficulty is how to achieve a seamless graft.  Does anyone know how to do a seamless graft of linen stitch?  I am experimenting, and have been, for weeks, and so far I haven’t accomplished the task.  But I want to make the recipe live, gosh darn it.  Cuteness like this shouldn’t be contained.
If you have v.1, this is the test version of the recipe, which I would have had to email you.  If you have v.2, this is the version with the test knitters comments and no instructions for how to seamlessly graft.  If you have v.3, I’ve been able to figure out how to seamlessly graft up linen stitch, and have updated the pattern accordingly.  V.3 will be accompanied by drumrolls and fanfare.

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And after all the rushing around like a crazy person to get this job done, the fact that I look fantastic in this shot makes me wicked happy.  We won’t talk about the other dozen shots…or those dozen double chins…

Not everyone is a handknit-wearing kind of person.  And unfortunately people like me often want to knit projects that we think would be perfect for so-and-so, but knowing they’re not a handknit-wearing kind of person stops us.  One day last year, my aunt remarked on a cowl I was knitting, and said something along the lines of “I’d wear one of those if you made it for me.”  The obvious course to take lay before me.

After taking into consideration what I liked to knit, and I thought she would like, I bought some yarn (elann’s Superwash Chunky, which is now just about sold out), and CO a true moebius, in a feather-and-fan stitch pattern.  As the pattern took hold, within the first ten rows, it looked so much like a coronet, like a queen would wear.  Perfect for the aunt in question, and also a pattern worth writing.  So I took copius notes (made a huge error in the first FO, which I had to work around by the time I realized it was there).  Then I wrote an real pattern, tested it, and had it tested.  While life got in the way and I haven’t finished my 2nd attempt, (this time in Malabrigo Merino Worsted), the pattern is complete, and the finished result is Queen Moebia. Pictures are, alas, forthcoming. But I’ll get there, I promise.

You know how it is when you really, really, really are opposed to doing something, yet you are compelled to do it anyhow? That’s me. With socks.

If you’re at all aware of where I work, you’ll know we had sock yarn available at a sweet, sweet price. I, however, am not interested in knitting socks. I have knit one pair, and it took me more than a year to actually get them both finished. So what did I do on Thursday? I bought sock yarn (6 balls of Regia Color 4-Ply), needles to knit it with (two 24″ 2.5mm Addi Turbo Circs), and I also bought a bunch of other stuff I didn’t really need. I thought to myself, “if I can’t bring myself to knit socks, well then, I will have a great gift for the Holiday Swap at my usual knit night.”

Next thing I know, I’m at Ravelry printing toe-up sock knitting patterns (Lifestyle Socks from K1P1Design1.com), which led me to Judy Gibson’s “You’re Putting Me On” socks, which is the pattern I used the first time I knit socks, only this time it’s been re-written to knit on two circs or using magic loop.  That’s not so bad, right?

Well…I wouldn’t think so either, except that next thing I know I’m casting on for some socks, and I’m getting all into it. 

This is not good, not for the Clapotis I CO in September, or the February lady I CO in September, or the Cushion I need knit for May, or the baby hat I need to finish for May, or for the Cowl Cresting I started in September, or the Queen Moebia I’ve designed and am now testing, or for the longstanding surprise project I’ve had in the works since fall of 2005.

I really hope I get good at knitting socks fast, because I already want to be done.  (Yes, go ahead and roll your eyes at me, I know you want to.)

Not only am I completely thrilled that there is going to be class taught on my Zinnia Dahlia, at Ancient Pathways just a few days before my birthday, I also just bought a birthday present for myself.

Initially, I was going to splurge on some of the fantastic deals that can be had during Malabrigo March (if you don’t know what it is, you need to join the Malabrigo Junkies group on Ravelry), but when the colors I wanted, in the quantities I wanted, were really hard to come by, I was bummed.  Then, it happened.  The Addi Click became available.  And I bought a set immediately. 

While the Malabrigo budget has decreased substantially, I am over the moon.  It is quite likely that there will be lots more FOs in my future, because you know I’ll not be able to resist knitting…and knitting…and knitting…

Every once in a while I get a series of days during which it feels like I’ve gotten a ton of stuff done, but there’s not much evidence.  This is sort of how things have gone since the New Year.

I am patiently waiting for my family to get together and open their Christmas gifts (I didn’t get them mailed until the second week of January, and now they’re there, but they all haven’t been there, too, so everything remains in the box).  This has caused some delay in the pattern I posted teasers for, because I don’t want to post the pattern without pictures, and I’m not going to post pictures before the recipients see the FOs.  So I wait.

In the meantime, I have another secret project in the works.  That I can’t talk about.  But I’m working on a lot.  ARRGH!

So what can I talk about?  I’m working on a new moebius pattern, and I’ve got round one almost completely knit up. Unfortunately, I discovered halfway in to the second ball that I had fouled up some decreases early in my knitting.  While it’s fixed up and hard to see the mistake, I now need to make up another one, without defect.

And there you have it, the update from my knitting corner.

I’m embarassed to admit, but must, that I’m not quite done my holiday knitting.  Shame.

I am, however, almost done.  And I will be done by the time I have to find my way in to work again (I hope).  So with some luck, I can get the darn things shipped this coming Monday (yay!).  There is a benefit to being just about snowed in, I guess.

What am I making?  Well I can’t tell you yet, but I will soon!  That is, as soon as I know that the things I’m working on have arrived at their destination safe and sound, and received by the family I miss so much. 

Two patterns will be released, too – how’s that for a teaser?

And now, back to work.  Happy Holidays to all, may you be save and warm and well-loved this holiday season!

I’m attempting to knit hats for men.  For instance, my husband, Dad, brother, and brothers-in-law.  My father-in-law would be on that list if he wore hats, which he does not.

I thought of a simple enough ribbed stitch pattern that I think is manly-ish, and I’m knitting it up.  Hubby Dearest likes the outside.  I prefer the inside.  Hey, it’s reversible!  Fan-tastic, less likelihood of complaint from men who have a thing against handmade.  (Don’t ask.)

Hat 1 is DK/sport, Hat 2 will be worsted.  Both will be (hopefully) finished today.  Pattern w/ sizes will go up as soon as the crown decreases are sorted out. 

I’ve figured it out – one-skein projects, or even two-skein projects, achieve FO status more expeditiously than projects requiring 3 or more skeins. 

Since I waxed poetic about my February (Sept-Dec) Lady Sweater, this round of idle banter will discuss my Clapotis.  I really, really, really want to finish this one.  I’m barely into the 2nd skein.  *sigh*  It’s coming alone nicely, though, and I’m really pleased to have gotten the tip to purl the row of stitches that will eventually be dropped, since the yarn I chose would be perfect (for all intents and purposes) for steeking.  Maybe I’ll delve into this one tonight – it’s next to the bed waiting to be knit.

But about that Lady sweater…I finally got to the lacework last night, and I’m so happy to finally be done with garter stitch.  This part should be easy, with no figuring out what the heck I’m supposed to do next on little scrap pieces of paper at my knitting group.  I have a plan to prevent future Lady Knitters from what I have gone through (well, not the craptastic yarn part, just the frustration of getting to a point and…well, you know).  More on that later…

The other project I’m actively working on (I retired some to hibernating status on Ravelry) is another of my Cowl Crestings.  This one knit up in elann.com’s Silken Kydd…colorway Baked Apple.  This colorway could easily be my favorite colorway ever.  I have high hopes that the errors I’m making (did you know I never knit laceweight before?  Because I haven’t…) are difficult to discern because the pattern is so gosh darn forgiving. 

On deck – Auntie has requested a warm cowl knit from something soft and neutral.  Elann.com Seta Lana, perhaps?  Projects for my Mom and Dad are also in the works.  Mittens for my boys, maybe I’ll finish the slippers I started for my 2yo too (except he no longer keeps his shoes or socks on, so not much point finishing, is there?).  Something for me?  I’d like to try knitting up my friend’s hat pattern, using yarns that are closer to the prescribed gauge, but I’m running short on time…although it could likely achieve FO status. 

Something to think about…

If you have, then you’ll also have noticed that BaDumBums has entered a new incarnation. There’s no more Sizing or Shopping or Policies ~ there’s just chit chat. Of course, since it’s chit chat about knitting, no disturbance in the force can be detected.  This design is actually close to exactly what I was looking for when BDB first went live, but I only stumbled across it a couple of days ago.  Plus I’m 100% Dutch, so tulips are a natural fit.  Likee?

I have some secret knitting projects in planning stages for 2009, and I also have some goals for the end of 2008.

First and foremost: September/October/November/December Lady Sweater. This will be my only one of my only projects until it’s finished. I CO ages ago, it feels like, with a yarn I got for a song from Plumknit Yarn Supply. It’s a 60/40 cotton/wool blend, and I am enjoying the color and feel of the finished fabric more with every stitch. Unfortunately, each ball has been full of knots. The first ball had 2 knots, the second had 4, and they were all clumped together. GAAAH.  Luckily, I bemoaned the knotty yarn situation at my bi-monthly SnB at the Steveston Community Center (1st and 3rd Monday nights each month, 7-9pm), and Pat heard me. Apparently, it’s not knitting she loves, it’s tedium. So she took the remaining 7 balls home with her, and while she was on a seaside holiday at the home of a knitter, she wound all the balls into center-pull balls for me, noting all the knots, bringing it back to me two weeks later.  I know you were wondering – 1/7 balls had 4 knots, 5/7 had 2 knots, and 1/7 had 1 knot.  All knotty balls were clearly labeled.  Pat is my new best friend. 

I have other projects to blather on about, but I have used up my waxing poetic time budget on the Lady…