Inspiration: It’s Way Too *#^@ing Cold

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We are firmly in the SECOND cold snap of the winter, here in Seattle.  Seattle, where I was promised damp, cloudy, and 40s for most of the  year.  Seattle, where I moved to get away from the excessive cold of the Midwest, and the ridiculous hot of the South.  Seattle, where I expected to wear nothing but wool sweaters and flannel shirts for 90% of the year.

It is currently (at 11:30 in the morning) 27 degrees.  27!

And, there’s snow and ice all over outside.  (In November!)

It’s not right.  It’s not fair.  And I don’t like it.

All I want to do is roll myself up in a big wad of roving and go into hibernation until the temperature is back in the 40s.

Unfortunately, that’s not really approved of by society in general, so I suppose I must make do with the next closest thing.  Thrummed knitting.

Thrummed knitting involves working little tufts of roving into your knitting (traditionally mittens, but right now I would consider murder if it meant I could get my hands on a thrummed sweater).  It’s a little futzy, but not terribly so.  And, you end up with knitting that’s completely lined with glorious, fluffy wool (think of shearling, but knitted, not leather), and dotted with cute little heart-shaped stitches.  I can’t think of anything better than walking around with my hands (and feet) swaddled with woolen goodness.

Try these mittens, for some traditional thrummed action:

Yarn Harlot Thrummed Mittens by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Outside:

2895409293_91de82094a_z[1]Inside (I know, right?!):

2873388824_e07708cb94_z[1]Or, if you’re like me and have ice cubes instead of toes, these slippers would be fantastic:

Cadeautje by Ysolda Teague

cadeautje_medium2[1]Now, I’m off to go see if I can fit another sweater over the one I’m already wearing… Wish me luck!

Pattern: Evergreen Cap

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Hey, guys!  I’ve got exciting news!

Who’s got two thumbs and is one of Knit Picks’ newest pattern designers?

This gal.

Totally exciting, right?  As of Monday morning, my first official Knit Picks pattern went up, and, I have to say, it’s one that I’m pretty proud of.  (I’m actually wearing the prototype as I write this.  But that has more to do with the fact that my house is very cold, and less to do with how proud I am.)

This design has been bouncing around in my head for over a year and was finalized months ago.  I’ve been dying to share it with you, and now I can!  Woo hoo!

Also, look:  they even took professional photos with a real-life model (instead of me taking weird-angled shots with my tiny point-and-click camera that eats its battery after five pictures).

55670220_4Ooh… Aah…

55670220_3And, if you want to read the blurb from the website:

“The Evergreen Cap is an exceptionally cozy unisex hat, perfect for everyone on your Christmas list. A richly cabled beanie knit in thick Wool of the Andes Superwash, this hat keeps out even the coldest winter wind. Inspired by the tall cedar trees of the Pacific Northwest, wide cables climb smoothly from the cap’s brim up to the crown. Carefully arranged decreases allow the cables to continue uninterrupted to the very top of the hat.The Evergreen Cap is a quick and lovely accessory for men and women.”

55670220_6Fun, right?!

And, the best part?  It’s free, and just in time for last-minute Christmas knitting!

Get the pattern here:

Evergreen Cap Pattern

Inspiration: Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving, Americans!  (And Happy Thursday, everyone else!)

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is one of my all-time favorite things to do.  There’s something about spending hours planning, shopping and scheduling that makes the run-up to Thanksgiving especially great.  And, nothing beats spending the day chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and smelling all those wonderful Thanksgiving kitchen smells with your friends and family.  I’m drooling in anticipation already (which is a gross image, so sorry!)

When I think of Thanksgiving food, I think of home-y, cozy dishes, made with a special twist.  Food that is comforting (and comfortable), but fancied-up a little bit.  Which, incidentally, is exactly how I like my knitting, too.  Simple, comfy, and just a little fancy.

Let’s share a buffet of Thanksgiving-inspired knitwear, all worked in my favorite comfy, yet fancy fiber, alpaca.

This hat has a gorgeous, squishy texture, but is simple enough for even the pickiest of hat-wearers.

Graham by Jennifer Adams

IMG_8516_medium2[1]I just love patterns with great big swathes of interesting texture.

Big Herringbone Cowl by Purl Soho

herringbone-cowl-flat-425_medium[1]The cables, openwork, and shaping on this sweater make it seem challenging and modern, yet I think it would become an instant classic in any wardrobe.

Aurys by Svetlana Volkova

IMG_3020_medium2[1]

Stuck in the Doldrums Again

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It’s my most favorite part of a sweater.  The torso.  Nothing like knitting skein after skein of plain ol’ stockinet stitch with no end in sight.  I’m definitely not bored or anything.  Definitely not letting Grandma’s sweater sit, neglected in a box on the floor of my studio. Nope.  Definitely not doing that.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHere’s my usual process for making a top-down sweater:

1.  Casting on/neck/upper shoulders:  Exciting! I just started on a new project, and I’ve only got a handful of stitches to a row.  I’m flying along!

2.  Lower shoulders:  Sure, I’ve increased up to a couple hundred stitches, so any one row is a pain, but I get to work some cool colorwork.  It’s still pretty fun, and the added fair isle keeps it interesting.

3.  Split for arms:  I get do do some math, and even break out the stitch holders.  Excitement abounds!

4.  Body:  The worst.  Really, pattern?  You want me to knit 12 inches of stockinet over 200 stitches?  No.  I will set fire to the sweater instead.

5.  Bottom ribbing:  Hallelujah!  I am just so happy to be knitting something other than the body!

6.  First arm:  Woo Hoo! Look how fast I can knit when I only have 70 stitches to work per row!  It’s practically flying off my needles!

7.  Second arm:  Didn’t I already do this?  Hurmph.  I think I might get bored, but at least If I finish this step, I’m almost done!  I can power through.

8.  Collar and button band:  Aren’t I finished already?  I’m pretty sure I should be finished.  Oh well, I guess I’ve got to keep going.

9.  Finishing:  Yeah!  Nearly there!  Maybe I if I don’t go to bed until 2:00, I can get this finished in time to wear it to work tomorrow?  That’s acceptable, right?

 

So, wish me luck, cheer me on, and hopefully I’ll get past Step 4.  I’ve still got a looong way to go (and I have to make it before Christmas)!

While you knit: Overdrive

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Let’s keep the celebration of novels going!  I love reading a good book, and I love knitting.  But, surely there must be a way to enjoy a good story without putting down my needles.  This is the 21st century, after all.

In fact, there is!  Audiobooks.  I always have an audiobook or two (or twelve) on my phone, ready for me to listen to at a moment’s notice.  They’re great for driving, doing yard-work, cooking, and of course, knitting.

But how do you get Audiobooks onto your phone without spending an arm and a leg at Amazon or on iTunes?  (Or, if you’re a cheapskate like me, the question is: how do you get audiobooks for free?)  The library!  And, you probably don’t even have to leave your house.

Most libraries these days have started online collections of digital media (audiobooks, e-books, and Kindle books) accessible through the library website.  You sign up in person at the library, and get a pin number, which you can then use to get digital media through the library’s Overdrive account.  (Think of Overdrive as an iTunes-like download service for libraries).

Overdrive%20Media[1]My library lets me check out 24 books at a time, and they automatically are returned when my loan is up (no late fees!).  There’s nothing better than discovering a new, great book.  Especially one that’s free!

So, if you haven’t already, take some time on your next trip to the library and ask about their audiobooks.  Then, spend some time curled up with your knitting and a good book.

Why Knitting is Good for You

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Every few months I come a cross an article about “17 ways knitting helps your brain,” or “99 reasons you should knit,” or, in this case “5 reasons knitting is good for you.”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERALet’s examine what this article says and make snarky jokes about it, shall we?

1.  Fighting off dementia.  I’m not familiar with the research on this subject, but I’d  buy it.  Knitting is a three-dimensional puzzle.  Being able to read a pattern and turn it into a whole garment takes a surprising amount of brainpower.  And, being able to identify when you’ve made a mistake and fix it takes even more.   I imagine that continuing a mentally challenging hobby like knitting keeps your brain sharp through middle age and beyond.   (Or maybe that’s just what I tell myself to justify buying that extra skein of yarn.)

2.  Staying calm.  I totally get this one.  Sometimes, after a stressful day, the only thing that will make me feel better is sitting down with my yarn and a cup of tea.  I get a lovely calm feeling just thinking about it.  Aahhh…

3.  Getting fit.  I call BS on this one.  There’s no way that a sitting-down activity like knitting should be considered exercise (though if it could, I’d be a fitness model).  I have heard of more than a few knitting friends who pick up needles as a way to curtail their mindless snacking while watching TV, but I’ve never had a problem with eating while knitting. (*knit 1, purl 1, eat 1 chip.  Repeat from * until end of row.)

4.  Getting happy.  I’m not sure how happy and calm are separate categories, but I suppose it makes sense.  I know I am always excited when I start a new project, and I  get all giddy when petting a new skein of yarn at my LYS.

5.  Being trendy.  Ugh!  It drives me nuts that this is one of the reasons that people knit now (which, I realize, makes me an annoying hipster).  It’s not that I’m unhappy knitting is popular.  It’s more that I feel regret for teenage me.  I knit for years before I would admit it to anyone (other than my parents and brother, obviously).  All that heartache and sneaking around for nothing.  Dang.

So, why do you knit?  Do you agree with these “Reasons for Knitting,” or do you have your own reasons?

Pattern: Christmas Scallops Stocking

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I love Christmas. I love the family, I love the gifts, I love the food, and I love the decorations. But, I’m not super-traditional when it comes to decking my halls. Red and green are a little passé, and Rudolph (and his red nose) are old hat. I’m a fan of sparkly tinsel and multicolor blinking lights.

This stocking is just what I look for in a Christmas decoration. It’s festive, but not boring. Traditional…ish. I’ve picked a deep winey red and a pale seafoam green to my delightfully chubby stocking. Experiment with the colors to make one perfect for every member of your family!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe Christmas Scallops Stocking is a simple, fast knit that you can work up in a weekend. It is knit from the top down, in the round, at a largish gauge. A few easy rows of Fair Isle creates the decorative colorwork at cuff and toe. The heel is formed by a simple series of short rows in an easily memorized pattern.  You’ll have plenty of time to finish these stockings before Santa arrives on Christmas Eve.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAGet the pattern for free here:

Christmas Scallops Stocking

Knitting in Novels: Knit Lit

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I love reading.  I love knitting.  But do I love reading about knitting?   Eh… not really, but maybe I just haven’t found the right book yet.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good book, and I love a good knitting cameo.  But, “Knit Lit” is something that hasn’t really appealed to me.  Maybe because the knitting books tend to be a little girly and “nice”, and I like my novels with dragons, or robots, and at least a little grizzly murder.

But I have dipped my toe in the Knit Lit pool.  And, it seems to me that Knit Lit books tend to show up in one of a couple categories:

Cozy mysteries:

4cd7db7732f63ce572fb3ebb3c1d1f0b[1]These are mysteries, certainly.  And there is definitely murder involved, but it’s not grizzly, and there’s very little real peril involved.  I know it’s weird to say, but they’re actually pretty “nice” murders.  I listened to Knit One, Kill Two a while ago, and it was pleasant enough, a fun little book, but nothing terribly exciting.  I imagine it would be perfect reading if I was feeling under the weather.

Memoirs:

thCA1Q6B4SThese are the sort of “overworked single mother learns to take back her life and get her groove back while making a cool sweater” type of stories.  Of course, there’s nothing wrong with these, either.  I read Sweater Quest years ago, and actually quite liked it.  It wasn’t just about knitting and self-growth, but it was also about the designer Alice Starmore, who is a character in every sense of the word.

The Serious Novel:

45f173cab7fae6842d880b2ae1ff263d[1]I admit, I haven’t gotten up the guts to read The Knitting Circle yet.  I love me some murder, mayhem, and violence in my books, but you give me a book that starts out with a dead baby and a grieving mother, and…oof.  That’s a tough sell for me.  But, it’s been sitting on my shelf for years, so I’ll probably get around to reading it some day.  But today is not that day.  (I have heard it’s good, though.)

Paranormal Romance:

dbe01b68d5ef974817ec3b5a533f9edd[1]Total confession time:  I just bought this book while researching knitting books on Amazon.  It’s probably terrible, and it’s definitely not something I would usually read.  But, look at that cover!  It’s ridiculous!  And read this synopsis from Amazon:

“Sugar Maple looks like any Vermont town, but it’s inhabited with warlocks, sprites, vampires, witches, and an ancient secret. And Chloe Hobbs, owner of Sticks & String, a popular knitting shop, has a big secret too. She’s a sorcerer’s daughter in search of Mr. Right, and she’s found him in Luke MacKenzie, a cop investigating Sugar Maple’s very first murder. Bad news is he’s 100% human, which could spell disaster for a normal future with a paranormal woman like her.”

Amazing right?  I’ll have to read it and give you a review.

So, do you read any Knit Lit?  Or do you stay away?  What’s your favorite knitting-related book?

(Fewer Than) 50 Shades of Gray

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My Dove Heather yarn showed up!  And it’s perfect!  Look!

Before:OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAfter:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt’s not blocked yet (obviously), and the picture is a little over-exposed, but you get the gist!  The dove gray is the perfect shade.  It’s light enough that it doesn’t get swallowed up by the blue, and it’s the perfect counterpoint for the pink.  I couldn’t be happier.

Now I just have to knit the rest of the sweater… Oy!

Inspiration: Charles Phoenix

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I just re-discovered an awesome… performer?  Internet personality?  Cook?  I’m not sure what to call him, exactly.  He defies explanation.  He is Charles Phoenix, and on his website he describes himself as a showman, author, humorist, and Ambassador of Americana, which seems as good a description as any.

CharlesPhoenix-4-up-599x158[1]But, really what he is is fabulous.  Point in case:

Isn’t that the best thing you’ve seen in years? I want to a Christmas party this year, just so that I can make Frosty the Cheeseball Man.    If you have an hour to kill, I highly recommend looking through his other cooking videos.  They’re pretty much the best.

Let’s take a minute to share patterns that Mr. Phoenix would heartily approve of.  Fun, kitschy, and a little bit weird.

When I throw a party, I always insist on a strict dress code, even for my dish soap bottles.

Going Dancing Dish Cloth Dress by Debbie Trainor

36075428_DishclothDresses_p17_Going-Dancing-No2_medium[1]Why waste your time with boring old pot holders when you can use this adorable menagerie?

Crazy Casserole Pot Toppers by Crochetroo

2406514933_614a0f64c7_z[1]Vintage shaping combined with a fantastic bright fuchsia yarn is definitely something that Charles Phoenix would approve of.  If only there was a way to add a glittery Western String Bow-Tie…

Zelda by Joan McGowan-Michael

13611507175_a6d937759a_z[1]