Growing Up

Go check out my new pattern store.

For the past few months the side bar here has been getting pretty full.  Things like links to other blogs, knit alongs & webrings have all been pushed aside.  The pattern store is way overdue.

I'll continue to post notices here when I release new patterns, but soon the links in the sidebar on this blog will be eliminated to make room for links to some beloved blogs and shops.

Coming soon to the store:  Patterns for the Wildly Stacatto Hoodie and Fraternal Socks.

Don't tell me my socks gotta match. . .

. . .'cuz I'm not gonna to listen!

Fraternals keep the knitting interest high, and that is just the way we fly.

My identical twin daughters don't match, so why should the socks?

It's all about individuality, baby.

Yup, we're just livin' on the edge.

Fraternal Socks

Pattern(s?):  My own
Yarn:  Farmhouse Yarns Fannie's Fingering
Colorway:  Harvest
Needles:  US 1.5/2.5mm Addi Lace magic looped

Confection

 

Sarah recently sent some of  her beautiful new Plucky Knitter Merino/Cashmere/Nylon sport weight yarn my way.  It wasn't in my house for 24 hours before I caved into the temptation to get it on my needles.  A yarn this soft belongs around the neck.  The obvious choice for the project was a cowl.

The design possibilities were limitless in this semisolid colorway.  As a result swatching was a joy.  In the end I decided to go with something a little frilly.  Confection has a twisted, rope-like edging under the chin, while waves of garter stitch frame delicate fans.

A bit of confection to warm the neck, this sport weight cowl is worked from the top down.  (Although if you’d like to flip it and wear the rope edging on the bottom the knitting police won’t come after you.)

I can’t decide if this cowl reminds me of an ornate cake or the swags of a circus tent.  Either way knit in the Plucky Knitter’s Cashmerino Sport it is a decadent adornment for chilly days.

Size:  One size 7”x23”

Gauge:  23 stitches = 4” in stitch pattern

Yarn:  The Plucky Knitter Cashmerino Sport, 80% Merino/10% Cashmere/10% Nylon, 250 yards per skein; Colorway: Pout, 1 skein

Materials
Needles:  US 5/3.75 mm, 24” circular
Tapestry needle
Place Marker

Price $6.00 US

As with all of my patterns, Confection will be e-mailed to you once Paypal notifies me of payment.

Thanks!

Happy Belated Mother's Day

As I write this post it is 12:01 am.  Mother's Day is over.  Sorry I'm a bit late.  Hope you had a good one, whether you are a mother of the child of a mother.

It was a good weekend.  My kids were in a show.  It was my son's last with the group he's been working with for the past 3 1/2 years.  We've watched him blossom from an awkward 7th grader to a confident young man in those years.  That was in no small part due to all of the amazing opportunities he has had to perform with this program.  Now it is time for him to move on and explore new interests and create music of his own, on his own terms.

He went out with a bang.  The kids did a production of the musical "Hair" and he was one of the leads.  The kid put his heart and soul into the role of "Berger" and it payed off.  Mama was proud.

DD#2 was also in the show.  As always when she sings, she gives her mom the chills.  I will never tire of listening her. 

It was fun creating the costumes for the show.  DD#2 was well prepared except for the "dire" need of a crochet scarf at the last minute.  That was easily remedied on Thursday night with a 6 mm crochet hook and some bulky yarn from the stash.

I improvised the pattern on this.  It is based on my memory of a pattern in the Stitch and Bitch crochet book "The Happy Hooker".  I say "based on my memory" because I was too lazy to run upstairs to find  the book and get the actual pattern.  Wasn't it enough that I dug through the stash for the yarn?

Happy Monday.

Eloise

Eloise was originally designed for the Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special Sock Club.   I am now able to make the pattern available to the public.

Eloise is one of my favorite children’s book characters.  Her spunk and carefree style are something all adults could do with a bit more of.  When Khris sent the yarn for me to design this sock with, I fell in love with the color name, “Impudent’.  The most impudent little girl I could think of is Eloise, and so I named this sock for her.  Be a little naughty when you wear these!

Materials:
Two pairs US size 1 circular needles, 24 inch.
Spare DPN in US size 1 (or size to obtain gauge.)
Tapestry needle.

Yarn: Chewy Spaghetti ’08 Blue Plate Special -
April (60% Superwash Merino, 30% Bamboo, 10% Nylon)
Colorway:  Impudent.  1 Skein.

Gauge:  32 stitches = 4”(10cm) in stitch pattern

Finished Measurement: 8” (20 cm) circumference at leg and foot.

Price:  $5.50

Yes, We Are Blurry

But:

1. It was before 7 am when these photos were taken
2. It was very foggy
3. We only had about 5 minutes to take the photos
4. I hadn't finished my coffee

Will you forgive us?
Thanks.

 

Wildly Staccato Hoodie

Pattern:  My Own

Yarn:  Cascade 220

Zipper:  Mood Fabrics (What is up with M&J Trimming not carrying zippers?  I swear I used to be able to buy them there back in the 80's before they were the Mecca they are now.)

Coffee:  Latte w/ 1% - Made as a bribe to get him to model so early in the morning.

Started in January, finished on May Day with much harassment/guilt from the recipient.   If I didn't love this kid so much I never would have been able to get through the weaving in of those ends.
His sisters have designs on stealing this.  Perhaps I should take advantage of the Cascade 220 on sale at Webs and make a few more.

Now, if you haven't already seen it, go have a look at the striped Tomten Nova made for her rock star.   I feel a kinship with her over these projects, not just because of all of the ends that we both had to face, but also because Little Sir reminds me so much of my son at that age.  Seeing him in those stripes is like a time machine.

Hey Nova, guess what his first comment was when he tried the finished hoodie on?
"Where are the pockets?"  They never change.  The only difference, the trains are now Metro cards, random guitar picks and a cell phone.

Off to Maryland Sheep and Wool tomorrow.  The weather report looks great!  I can't wait of meet some of my blog friends.