Diminishing Ribs Cardigan: Pattern Notes

Alternately entitled: "Last things first." This is actually my third FO for the year, but the first that I've gotten around to blogging. I'm a big lame-o. But at least I'm a knitting and spinning lame-o. For those of you wondering how the plying debacle went, I won't keep you in suspense: Andean plying from a center-pull ball worked! So at some point in the future I will be able to bring you tales of pretty yarn. I've been swatching with the finished handspun for a gift for a friend, and it looks wonderful. I'm very happy with it.

Arty shot of the sleeve detailing.

So now on to the Diminishing Ribs Cardigan (rav link). I love it, too.

I finished knitting Diminishing Ribs while sitting in the doctor's office for several hours about a month ago. I had to get three ultrasounds - one abdominal and two pelvic - so I decided to do it all in one shot and make a morning of it. (No worries on results - just a pesky ovarian cyst.) Sitting in the radiology department ended up being a nice experience. I met three women through my knitting.

The first person I met was a woman wearing a wrist brace. She was knitter for 20 years before her wrist was injured, but will never knit again. She smiled the entire time we sat there together, however, and I felt like she was knitting vicariously. She told me all about the things she made her children when they were little, and the things that she made her grandchildren later. Surprisingly, I wasn't sad sitting there with her. She seemed very happy to have a kindred spirit and just sitting there while I was knitting brought her happiness.

Enjoying a nice day on the porch.The second person was a woman in her 20's who wanted to learn how to knit. She crossed the room to sit next to me and watch, so I got out my DPNs and showed her how to knit. She knit a row before her name was called.

The last - my favorite - was an older Asian woman who spoke very limited English. She was able to say "beautiful," and said it over and over. Then she put her hands out for the sweater. She inspected every inch of it - seams (such that there were - it's a top down construction), woven in ends - and then zeroed in on the self-finishing edge that runs down the front panels. The edge is very simple, but it's effective and a very nice design element. I use it a lot myself, especially along the armscyes of sleeveless shells. She indicated that she wanted me to show her how to do it, so I got out the DPNs again and we sat together making a small swatch with self-finishing edges. (Which makes me wonder why I don't do all my swatches with self-finishing edges, actually.) She had a hard time remembering the sequence at first, so I tried to use just one word for each movement and repeat. She knit about 6 rows and then she was satisfied. She smiled and indicated that she had trouble remembering things now because she was older. Then she drew an "86" on the palm of her hand. It made me realize that some day I will be shuffling around in an 86-year-old body and feeling the same way that I do now. Hopefully I'll be able to remember new knitting techniques. In foreign languages. Her husband came out of radiology looking equally spry (probably 90), and the two of them walked out holding hands. It left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. And it beat the heck out of being stuck watching Dr. Phil for hours with a bunch of strangers. It's all in the sweater now.

Diminishing Ribs Cardigan
Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits
designed by Andrea Pomerantz (rav link)
Knit with 7 skeins and about 1 yard of Filatura di Crosa Zara (rav link)
on size US6 (4.0 mm) Addi Turbo circulars and US6 (4.0 mm) clover dpns.
Gauge: Before blocking: 21 sts and 32 rows per four inches in Stst. After blocking 19 sts and 26 rows. (This is why you wash and block your swatch, people!)
Size: 32" chest circumference.

From the front.
Eventually I may add a closure at the waist.The Pattern:
Most of the time if I go to the trouble of knitting myself a sweater I choose a pattern that is challenging in some way, or involves cabling or interesting construction. Diminishing ribs is a very straightforward pattern with nothing particularly outlandish about it. I was drawn to knit it for its clean lines and clever detailing. The way in which the ribs "diminish" (they actually grow, depending on how you look at it) from the waistline to the hem and at the cuffs makes the cardigan flow in an elegant way that is feminine without being floofy. The design is architectural with just a little touch of "girl" to it, which makes it something that I can wear often and enjoy. As I said above, I also really like the self-finishing edges along the fronts. I don't wear many cardigans because all the little buttons that run up the front of them don't suit my personality. There is something just too "spot on" about them. The self-finishing edges remove the need to have the sweater button up. I will probably add some sort of closure at the waistline, but nothing to visible or fancy. Just something to give me the option of pulling the sweater closed when I want to.

I've been asked to share the self-finishing edge instructions and I am happy to comply. In this pattern it is called an I-cord edging, but it is known by other names, and I know it as slipped st edging. I first came across it in an Annie Modesitt pattern and have been happily using it ever since. The technique is simple, and requires only three edge stitches:

RS: k1, sl1 purlwise wyif, k1

WS: sl1 purlwise wyif, k1, sl1 purlwise wyif

Enjoy!

Diminishing ribs was also interesting for me because it's the first top-down sweater that I have finished. Crazy, huh? What can I say? Unlike the grandmother who taught me to knit, I like seams. Go figure. Still, in this case it was fun to knit top down. It made me consider designing something top-down in the future, which I hadn't really considered before.

Modifications: I substituted yarns, but used the same gauge, so no big modification there. The only mod that I made of substance was to omit the second tier of ribbing on the cuffs and go straight to the third. To my eye, this flows a little better, because there just isn't as much room to transition through three ribs on the cuffs as there is on the main body. Either way, though, I think the cuffs turn out nicely. I also lengthened the sweater just a tad. My goal was to use exactly 7 skeins and I came very close to doing that.

From the side and from the back.

Techniques: Nothing too fancy here. If you haven't worked top-down before this is a good pattern to learn on. It is very straightforward and well-written and between the increasing, edging and ribbing there is enough going on to keep you from going mad with all the stockinette (as I assume I would on other top-downs). The self-finishing edge is a nice technique, too. Oh, and it's a great opportunity to learn how to cast on invisibly for ribbing and do a sewn bind-off. Neither is strictly necessary, but both give the piece a very professional look. If you aren't particularly comfortable with the sewn bind-off it may seem like a long haul. Start with a sleeve! I took the advice of someone on ravelry and put the stitches to be bound-off on two needles (alternating front and back) and kitchenered them off. It made things very easy and enjoyable for a gal who loves seams.

Working With Filatura di Crosa Zara (rav link): Takhi Savoy (rav link), the yarn called for in the pattern, is a silk merino blend, whereas as Zara is all merino. Zara has enough drape that the substitution works well. I have a real soft spot for plain old plied merino yarns like Zara because they are so soft, squooshy, and such good workhorses. The stitch definition is great, the yarn is resilient, and it's warm but not suffocating in an air-conditioned environment, which is where I will be wearing Diminishing Ribs. I haven't worked with Takhi Savoy, but I would imagine it is lovely, too, and likely a bit cooler for the summer weather. Either yarn seems like a great choice and there are many other fibers that would work equally well. The main thing to keep in mind is growth and drape. Don't use something so heavy or prone to draping that your cardigan risks sagging out of shape.

Pattern Notes: Griffin's Tomten Jacket

Alternately entitled: "My kid hates wool." I know. Blasphemy. But it's true. Griffin will deign to wear merino, and I would hazard a guess that he would find cashmere acceptable, but mommy's beloved alpaca and all other potentially itchy fleeces are verboten. If I put him in a long sleeved T-shirt he will tolerate his Tomten Jacket for a short period of time, but will eventually scream his head off. I shall have to employ EZ's suggested method of sneaking little bits of wool into piries, slowly increasing the number of motifs containing wool with each fair isle sweater. Sigh.

James Dean goes Elven.

Cold weather does appear to sway him a bit, though, and when I take him for brisk walks outside Griffin will put up with sweaters, coats and hats of slightly itchier wool a bit longer. I just have to work to make him really get use out of his Tomten. At least I know now, though. The next handspun heirloom sweater that I make for him will be 100% merino. Or maybe I'll just put him in cotton hoodies from Tarzhay for the rest of his natural born life, the stinker.

Modular Tomten Jacket
The Opinionated Knitter
designed by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Knit with 2 skeins of my handspun yarn - one a medium brown alpaca two-ply and the other a merino two-ply spun from Spunky Eclectic "Burning Bush" roving (about 350 yards total)
on size US2 (2.75 mm) Addi Turbo circulars and US2 (2.75 mm) clover dpns.
Gauge: ? sts and ? rows per inch over garter stitch. (I'll fill this in later if I remember!)
Size: 19" chest circumference.

Take that, Legolas!The Pattern:
I think I'm something like the 850th person on ravelry to knit the Tomten Jacket, so there is probably little I can say about it that has not already been said. It's one of those wonderful designs that is simple enough for an advanced beginner to complete, yet looks wonderfully sophisticated when finished. The jacket is susceptible to many permutations and modifications, with different closures, edging treatments, pockets, hoods, etc. possible with little extra effort. Most additions can be made as an afterthought. Sizing is also seemingly infinitely adjustable, and the different possibilities for yarn combinations make the jacket a nice choice for handspun. I can see why one might be tempted into making it multiple times in slightly different ways. This could easily become one of those "go-to" baby patterns for me - always dependable, always beautiful. It's just as great as everyone says it is - try it! (Oh, and although I am sure most of you have seen it already, Jared's version is a great reminder that this jacket looks smashing in an adult version, too.)


The Elven King with his daddy.

Modifications: None! I did follow Meg Swanson's advice, though and leave the armscye stitches live for seamless joining.

Techniques: The most difficult part of this sweater is the I-cord edging (and that is not difficult, either, just follow EZ's directions). It's a perfect beginner sweater - garter stitch and easy seams.

Working With My Very Own Handspun: This was the biggest treat I could imagine. I've spun quite a few skeinlettes of my own yarn and tried multiple times to knit with it, without success. Handspun is very particular about what it wants to be. Or at least mine is. To use it well, you have to be versed in the combining of small amounts of wool in various colors into a grand, harmonious whole. And usually a somewhat folksy whole. You have to walk that line between folk art and fashion, which is not my personal strength. The Tomten Jacket is like a wonderful "cheat." It's a tried and true way to get lovely results and a great way to pull yourself out of a handspun rut.

The Elven King on his "throne."Every time I look at Griffin's Tomten I am inspired to spin more, and eventually, in some hour when I am not reading Dr. Suess (for the 100th time) or wiping spit-up off of god-knows-what with my sleeve, I will spin again. And most likely make another Tomten Jacket.

My merino handspun made of Spunky Eclectic "Burning Bush" turned out beautifully. It was squishy, springy, even and seemingly perfect. My alpaca handspun was less so - too tightly spun and inconsistent. They were slightly different gauges, so although I knit on US2's to accommodate the alpaca, the merino would have been well-suited to a US3 needle. If your handspun has these issues, don't despair. The I-cord edging can hide a multitude of sins caused by using a too-fine, overspun yarn. It will work. Just have faith. I did, and it paid off.

I will walk when I am ready.
For now I am exercising my royal prerogative to be carried.
Onward, Mommy!

Bubble Pullover: Pattern Notes

We finally got one of those SoCal mornings that was truly chilly - well, as chilly as a Los Angeles summer morning can be - so I decided that it was a good time to pull out the Bubble Pullover and write up some pattern notes. It's a great knit, and it would be a shame if it got lost in the shuffle of pregnancy and life in general. Plus, I find that once again several weeks have rolled by without a post, and considering how upside down things are about to become, it's now or in many months hence for the blog. Have you looked over at that baby counter? I have seven weeks to go. And that's if he stays in until 40 weeks (please kid, stay in there 40 weeks!) God, it feels like I have been pregnant forever and yet simultaneously time has flown. Completely amazing.

Enjoying a tender moment with my basketball.

Anyhoo, back to the Bubble Pullover. At the moment I look somewhere between totally ridiculous and kind of cute wearing it - it basically creates a nice clear target on my baby belly and boobs. But I made my friend Laura try it on when she was out here last weekend and on a body that is similar to mine normally it works really well. By the time that I'm wearing it I think that enough of the tummy will be gone that it will be a favorite on colder days. It's wonderfully comfy and cozy when worn.

Bubble Pullover
Knitting Nature
designed by Norah Gaughan
Knit with 5.75 skeins (1254 yards total) of Misty International Hand Dyed Worsted (100% alpaca) in colorway EZ14 "Spring Touch"
on size US6 (4.0 mm) and US7 (4.5 mm) Addi Turbo circulars.
Gauge: ? sts and ? rows per inch over stockinette stitch. (I'll fill this in later if I remember!)
Size: 38" at bust when blocked.

From the back -- closer to
how it will look when I am
flat-chested and flat-bellied again.The Pattern: I've been following Norah Gaughan's work for over a decade now - she's one of my all-time favorite designers - yet somehow I have never gotten around to making one of her patterns until now. There was a time when I thought I would systematically go through some of my favorite people and do a few designs from each of their collections, but now I know better. Nothing systematic is ever going to happen in that department - I'm just too fickle to impose that kind of structure on my fun time. I've made one design by Veronik Avery (three times), one by Teva Durham, one by Sarah Hatton, one by Annie Modesitt, and I'm working on an EZ pattern. So really, if I just get around to a Marie Wallin design someday I will have at least one of each - that's something, right?

I've always thought that completing a few things by those women would be a sort of Tour of the Masters, and it really has been. Norah Gaughan, as most know, is a master of unique construction, and as an on again off again designer myself, I've found it very interesting to follow her footsteps through a pattern - either by just reading through the instructions or by actually knitting in this case. She has a real talent for doing something in a unique way and yet simplifying and streamlining at the same time, so that you can do something new and wonderful without it being a huge pain in the ass. It makes her edgy designs accessible to knitters from a wide range of skill levels, which is a very nice plus. Except for a few different techniques (like picking up stitches using the working yarn and the tail end of your cast-on alternately - so clever) most of what goes on in the Bubble Pullover is pretty straightforward and should be familiar to an advanced beginner.

Dude. If you can't hit this you couldn't
hit the broad side of a barn!You basically start with a single pentagon and build from there, connecting pentagon after pentagon until you have eight pentagons total which are connected into a tube. From there you simply pick up and knit the bottom ribbing down from one side of the pentagon tube and the collar from the other end of the tube. Add fabulous buttons (I got mine at Imagiknit when hanging out and podcasting with Nicole of Stash and Burn), and voila, you have a great sweater. I thought that I would be bored by the repetition of the pentagons, but watching them come together is pretty addictive, so it wasn't a problem. I knit the bulk of this sweater in Italy, so it is infused with our wonderfully romantic honeymoon (babymoon?) as well, which makes it extra-special.

Modifications: I re-gauged this baby to work with the wonderful Misti Alpaca yarn that I bought for it, but other than that I didn't make any modifications that spring to mind. Re-gauging is much easier than you would imagine if you understand the construction. I actually found it easier to deal with than most patterns for re-gauging. (Don't ask me what I did, though - I didn't write down the numbers and I don't remember! There was a lot of winging it involved.)

Showing is no longer a concern.Techniques: This list is going to sound more difficult to a beginner than it is. If you don't know how to do everything already, don't let that stop you - just get a book or look on-line and teach yourself the things you don't know yet. They should come to you and be a good foundation for any sweater: knitting in the round, picking up stitches, working on double-pointed needles, making button holes with yarnovers (explained in pattern) and my new favorite picking up stitches alternating the tail from a cast-on edge and the working yarn. This last technique is one that I haven't seen before, but it is really useful and pleasing. It won't be hard to get down once you have yarn in hand and just try it. This is one of those techniques like Annie Modesitt's slipped stitch edging that I will definitely file away for future use.

Impressions of Misti International's Hand Dyed Worsted:
I know that you must think that I haven't met a yarn I didn't like ever because I am always raving about my project yarns. The reason is that for the most part I know how to pick a yarn that I like without actually knitting it first. I've met many yarns that I loathed, but most of those were encountered early on in my knitting life, well before I worked at a yarn shop or cranked out the volume of knitting that I have in the last few years. Rest assured that when I go on and on about a yarn it is genuine and not without discernment. Not all of the yarns I love are easy yarns - I adore linen, which is hard on the hands in its pure form, and I have happily knit with yarns that others would find splitty, slippery, or difficult. If that is the case, I will tell you the whole story here.

Folded to show off the gorgeous buttons; Bubblicious laid flat.

With that introduction, Hand Dyed Worsted is not only a wonderful yarn, it is an easy yarn. Personally, the alpaca is up there with the merino sheep for beautiful fiber. The two are tied for my favorite. I know that not all knitters feel this way about alpaca, but if you aren't allergic to it and want to go out on a limb and give it a try, this is a good yarn to choose. Hand Dyed Worsted is one if the softest Alpaca yarns I've used yet. Touch it to your cheek (your hands aren't as sensitive and won't pick up any underlying itchiness) and see if it passes the comfort test. You may be surprised. The colors of this yarn are beautiful, and come in semi-solid varieagateds - I could own several colorways if I weren't already over-run with stash. It is a pricey yarn, but not as pricey as it seems at first glance, because it is sold in 100 gram skeins, so you get twice as much yarn as you would in an average skein of yarn. The sad news is that it is discontinued, so like a fine wine it will be hard to find in the future. It is recently discontinued, however, so your chances of picking some up are still pretty good. It's well worth a little hunt, and maybe if enough of us hunt Misti will consider bringing it back. If not, check out their offerings. Misti is a great company and I really enjoy all of their alpacas.

Possible substitute yarns:
A ton. See what other people have used - Ravel it! Some of my favorites: Olga's in Malabrigo, Jatta's in Araucania (with handmade buttons) and Knittingdropout's in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran.

Pattern Notes: Baby Bell Bottoms

I have gotten so freaking lazy about the blog and pattern notes in particular, that it is a little embarrassing. I've been even worse about visiting my pals' blogs and commenting, and I realize that staying in touch with all of you means catching up a bit here and making my rounds, both of which I want to do and have missed doing. It seems like summer is often the slow bloggy season for me, and this one has been especially slow with work, our trip to Italy, and most of all the impending baby. In a lot of ways I like that count down widget on my blog, but I have to confess that at other times it freaks the hell out of me! It's funny how predictable the phases of pregnancy are. First trimester is excitement, disbelief, and constant battling with morning sickness combined with an obsession to eat healthily and get the most out of every little calorie you can keep down. Second trimester is the honeymoon phase - which was well-timed for our honeymoon in Italy - you feel incredibly strong and sexy despite the fact that you are beginning to look like you swallowed a basketball - romance is in the air and you are one with the universe, mother earth as it were. Then comes the third trimester, and like clockwork, the panic of actually having to deliver the basketball sets in. Two weeks into my third trimester now, I look down and simultaneously think how great it is that the baby is growing so well and how much I hope that he grows only to the requisite 7 to 7.5 pounds because I can't even fathom getting him out of me now, when he probably weighs in at 3 pounds! I'm experiencing utter disbelief that this is actually going to work as intended, and words like "tear" and "contraction" cause me to immediately cross my legs and go into denial. I've been second-guessing the whole earth mama no drugs natural birth that I've been contemplating (I hesitate to say "planning," both because I am open-minded in terms of the epidural and because I know full well that babies do not allow you to "plan" anything!) I want to do it if I can, and I think that I can manage for the birth itself, but the thought of having an episiotomy without drugs scares the shit out of me. My doctor does all that he can to avoid them, but there's that no planning thing that comes into play, so I fear that I can't count on not having one.

It's a boy! And these are his pants!

Anyhoo, I'm beginning the parade of finished but unblogged objects with a real favorite of mine - Alison Hansel's Baby Bell Bottoms. These are the second pair of baby bells that I've made, and the second pair that have gone undeservedly without pattern notes. They are an absolutely great and fast knit. Both times that I made them I was in a bit of a knitting funk, and both times they were the "go to" knit that pulled me out of the funk. Last time I made a pair for my friend Jen's impending baby Graham, and this pair is for our little baby boy. Oh yeah - did I say we're having a boy? We're having a boy! Kay was right on the mark. No pansy binky for us - I'm crocheting a 100% "pensie" binky!

Baby Bell Bottoms
Free Pattern
designed by Alison Hansel
Jen's pair knit with 1.8 skeins (188 yards total) of Artyarns Supermerino (100% superwash merino) in colorway 101;
Our pair knit with 1.2 skeins (125 yards) of the same, with .25 skeins (31 yards total) Rowan's Wool Cotton (50% Merino Wool/50% Cotton) in (956) "Coffee Rich" used for the cuffs and waist.
Both on size US3 circulars - Addi Turbos (3.25 mm) and Inox (3.00 mm).
Gauge: 5.75 sts and 8 rows per inch over stockinette stitch.
Size: Jen's are size 6 months; mine are newborn size (not nearly as practical, but I wanted to use the yarn!)

Jen's baby's bells.The Pattern:
I love this pattern, and I already have plans to make it again. It's very easy but turns out an incredibly cute pair of pants. I like the idea of knitting baby pants, because they are slightly different from the usual knitted baby gifts - blankets, booties and sweaters. (Which I also love, don't get me wrong! Variety is nice, though.) The pattern is so straightforward that there isn't much to say - just that I highly recommend it. Go forth and knit a pair!
Techniques:
advanced beginner techniques - cast on, knit, purl, minimal shaping, working in the round, binding off, whip stitching, and braiding cord.

Modifications:
The only mods I made were to use a different yarn, work on two circulars for the body, use a different seaming technique for the cord casing, and substitute I-cord for braided cord.

In regard to the two-circular knitting: Try as I might, socks have never "soared" for me on circular needles. This has always been a sad thing, because I really like Cat Bordhi, and I would love to be all new-fangled in my sock-knitting. Not so shockingly, I am quite the traditionalist and do just fine knitting socks with four DPNs. (Not five - that bugs me, too!) My motto has been much closer to "Socks suck on circular needles!" Baby bell bottoms, however, are a completely different story. They are worked in the round after the legs are joined, and when I got to that point I realized that if I did have a pair of 16" size 3 circs I sure as heck did not know where they were. I was able to find two 24" size 3's however, and those did the trick quite nicely. Because one pair was inox and the other addis there was a .25 mm difference in the 3's, so in addition to having the chance to employ the two-circular method I was also able to verify Elizabeth Zimmerman's theory that it matters not a whit if one of your needles is of a slightly different size. Always good to know. Of course, you don't have to test out either of these methods to make the baby bells, it's just all by way of chattiness that I'm discussing them here.

For the casing, I left the edge stitches live rather than binding them off and sewed down the stitches. It's more trouble for the beginner, but this is the only type of seaming I use on casings because it eliminates some of the bulk. Just a matter of preference.

Folded up until D-day.Finishing:
Very little. Mattress stitch for the legs and sewing live stitches for the casings.

Impressions of Artyarns Supermerino:
For a girl with a lot of yarn I have an incredible propensity to use the same yarns over and over again. When I find something I love, I stick with it. And when I have used some of my stash of a particular yarn I have an almost obsessive need to use every bit that I have left, as is definitely the case with wool cotton below. I had three skeins of Artyarns Supermerino, so I used all of it, calculating that I would have enough to make newborn sized pants with the remainder if I used a contrasting color for the cuffs and hem. My baby's bells took care of two remnants at once, which was very satisfying.

Every time I use Supermerino it comes through for me. It's a great "rut" yarn and comes in fun variegated colors. Prior to this I used every bit of my stashed Supermerino in colorway 111 to make a Chevron Scarf. I loved it then, too.

Impressions of Rowan's Wool Cotton:
This is my go-to yarn. I use it more than any other, and especially for baby things. It is soft, classy, classic, has great stitch definition, and is machine washable. Plus it comes in a lovely array of adult colors. I'm not really a pastel girl, so this is a good choice for me.

Possible substitute yarns:
A ton. See what other people have used - Ravel it!

Judy's Grandmother's Baby Sweater: Pattern Notes

So here it is the end of February and I am just trotting out the first FO of 2008. If you had asked me in December what my first FO's of the year would be, I would not have guessed this! I have three to four designs in the works (depending on whether I decide to back-burner one of them or not) and one is very near completion. But I just have not had it in me to do math lately, so I thought I'd make one of the many baby things that I have planned for the spring and get a jump start on things. Voila!

A little sugar, a little sarcasm. Perfect.

Before I dive into the baby sweater pattern notes, however, I just have to put in another plug for Julie Jackson's Subversive Cross Stitch Book. Very few things could have driven me into the arms of cross stitch. It was just never a craft that I had as much interest in before. Howsomever, between this wonderfully saccharine book and the incredible single-color (almost Swedish) designs in the Japanese craft books I have, well, I just had to go there. And I'm so glad I did. Cross stitch can be a really fun diversion, and used sparingly on a beautiful linen backdrop I find it charming. I would definitely recommend Julie's book. Even if you never stitch a thing, the laughs alone are worth it. I will definitely be making another. (To Moxie's great chagrin - he still doesn't get it. Boys.)

Judy's Grandma's Baby Sweater
Greetings From Knit Cafe
designed by Judy Spector's Grandma
Knit with three and a half skeins (123 yards/skein) each of Rowan's Wool Cotton (50% Merino Wool/50% Cotton) in (955) "Ship Shape," on size US4 Addi Turbo Circulars and Clover Bamboo DPNs.
Gauge: 5.75 sts and 10 rows per inch over garter stitch.
Size: 6 months

The designated front.The Pattern:
Extremely well thought-out. If there is an edge on this puppy that can be self-finishing, it is. The construction is interesting, too. You work the sweater from side-to-side, starting and ending with the ties, and leaving live stitches and a bound of edge to pick up for each sleeve later. The sleeves are picked up and knit down to the cuffs, and then seamed along the top edge to finish.

If you've read my previous entries on this (the one on the Observatory), you'll know that there was a point where the sweater became a little tedious for me. The honeycomb stitch can be a little aggravating, because the action happens on the right side while you are knitting the wrong side. The wrong side, for its part, is not easy to read. If you get off by a stitch (which I did four times), you screw up the row. Normally, I am a stickler for fixing errors, but I was in the dead zone when I got off track and simply did not care enough. I kind of wish that I had cared a bit more now, but only a knitter is likely to notice. A six month old baby definitely won't! the honeycomb stitch is worth some effort, though, because it is very, very pretty.

My journey with this knit was not unlike my journey with every single scarf I've made. Somewhere in the second skein I was bored out of my mind, but by the time I got to the third I was into it again. The sleeves zipped by. Highly recommended, especially for those of you who enjoy repeating patterns. I've been in a knitting slump, so I spent three weeks with this sweater, but someone on a roll could pop it out in a concentrated weekend, and definitely over a week of bad TV and re-runs.

"Front" and "back" side by side. Really, it's fully reversible.

Techniques:
Intermediate techniques - cable cast-on, elastic bind-off, slipping and stranding stitches, knitting through the back loop, and picking up along edges.

Detail of the flap.Modifications:
The only mods I made were to use a different yarn, and a different seaming technique for the sleeves. The original yarn is Classic Elite Premiere, which I used for Mishka (same color, too). It has more of a drape to it, which is also very nice. I subbed because I was knitting from stash, but either is lovely. As for the sleeves, I just didn't feel like reading directions. I did a single crochet up one sleeve, across the front neck, and down the other sleeve. I'm sure that whatever the pattern does is fine, too.

Finishing:
Very little. For the most part this is self-finishing. I used the single crochet method to seam and neaten the front neck, as noted above. I didn't block this one and didn't even think to. I don't always block textured knits and the wool cotton is soft without washing. Blocking will add a little drape if you are looking for that effect.

The parting shot.Impressions of Rowan's Wool Cotton:
This is my go-to yarn. I use it more than any other, and especially for baby things. It is soft, classy, classic, has great stitch definition, and is machine washable. Plus it comes in a lovely array of adult colors. I'm not really a pastel girl, so this is a good choice for me.

Possible substitute yarns:
For this particular project, there are a lot of good substitute yarns. The original Premiere is a great choice, but you could use something like Tahki Cotton Classic or Brown Sheep's Cotton Fleece. Almost any fiber will do, because the shape is simple and the pattern lends itself to being sproingy or draping a bit. I could see it in a nice bamboo or linen.

Endpaper Mitts: Pattern Notes

I love my mitts!Good morning, peeps! Another set of pattern notes for you, though hopefully not quite so long as the last, because you have all knit these mitts before me! As you know, I often end up using the self-timer to take my photos, but this weekend I was lucky enough to have the services of stylist and photographer extraordinaire, Mr. Moxie. Saturday was a bright, chilly morning for LA (think about 50 degrees), so we opted to take the Z for a nice stroll through Elysian Park, which has sections that are about as "forested" as LA metro gets. Elysian also has grassy knolls, city views, and palm trees for scenery, but M was feeling the sylvan landscape, so that's what we did. Excellent choice, I think. I am just ecstatic that it is Endpaper weather here. I can stay toasty while typing in my chilly office or while romping with Z in the mornings and evenings. Quite nice.

Endpaper Mitts
Free Pattern
by Eunny Jang
Knit with less than one skein (191 yards/skein) each of Rowan's 4 Ply Soft (100% Merino Wool) in (393) "Linseed" and (397) "Teak", on size US0 and US2 Clover Bamboo DPNs.
Gauge: 8 sts per inch over pattern.
Size: smallest.

Outside & Inside.The Pattern:
Loved it. I did not find any errors, and the instructions were well-written and easy to follow. I will say that despite the fact that tons of people have knit these successfully as a first colorwork project it is still what I would term an "intermediate" project. So, if you are an intermediate knitter, especially one who has worked on dpns (can we say socks?), you should do fine, but if you are less experienced, don't be hard on yourself if you get frustrated. I had not personally done stranded colorwork in years, so I spent some time ripping back and starting over. If you put in a bit of concentration and effort in the first few hours it will pay off. Don't let the early attempts scare you. It gets substantially easier. From start to finish, with blocking, I did these in about a week and a half. Not long at all for some really lovely mitts.

The best part about this project was that I was finally forced to teach myself to knit continental style. I've always been irritated by the fact that I throw and therefore knit comparatively slowly, but every time I start to teach myself continental, I get tired of struggling and revert. In this case, there really wasn't any choice but to pick with the left. by the end I was choosing to knit the single color knit row in continental, because it was both faster and easier. Huzzah! I still have to work on purling continental style. I think I'm a natural combination knitter when I pick, so I'm deciding whether to stick with that or attempt to modify my ways before they get too set.

Endpaper Mitts in the Woods.

Techniques:
Intermediate techniques - tubular cast-on, circular knitting with dpns, stranded colorwork, sewn bind-off.

Modifications:
Very few. I used the first variant of the tubular cast-on in Vogue: The Ultimate Guide, rather than the Italian tubular cast-on, with which I am unfamiliar. The Italian version gave some people a hard time, so if you struggle with it, just use a variant of the tubular cast on that suits you. I used the sewn bind-off for one-by-one ribbing from Vogue to finish the mitts - I'm pretty sure this is the same, or close to, the tubular method/kitchener bind off suggested in the pattern. I'm sure you'll let me know if there is a big difference.

I'll just note here that when working one-by-one rib, these cast-on and cast-off methods are really nice to use. They create a professional finish and are worth the effort. I don't use one-by-one ribbing often, though I like it, but if I do, these are the techniques I employ with it. Highly recommended.

This one is more about Z than the mitts...
Finishing:
The most challenging part of this project for most people will be the final bind off. Sewn bind-offs are like kitchener stitch, and once you get the hang of them they are (almost) fun. The problem is that it usually takes a bit of binding off to get the hang of them. You may want to consider putting the live sts for the first mitt on some waste yarn and coming back to sew them off when you're done with the second as well, to avoid breaking your rhythm. It really depends on whether its more helpful to have something fresh in your mind or to have a task broken up into segments to make it more palatable.

After weaving in the ends, I blocked the mitts by soaking them in cool water with wool wash for a half hour, spinning out the excess water in the washer and laying them flat to dry outside. Although I thought my unblocked colorwork looked pretty decent, blocking made a huge difference in the smoothness of the patternwork and the hand of the yarn. Don't be lazy - block your mitts!

Impressions of Rowan's 4 Ply Soft:
This was my first time using 4 Ply Soft and I really enjoyed it. The yarn did not pill while knitting despite its softness, and I don't think it will pill easily with wear, either. It is soft. That said, the hands are a very sensitive part of the body (especially the wrists!), so even this soft merino is a little itchy when worn. I'm not overly sensitive to wool, so for me they work well, but if you are knitting for someone who is sensitive, consider a cashmere blend. It won't wear quite as well, but that's better than not being worn at all!

I would use this yarn again in a flash. I'm guessing that it would be even softer knit at a larger gauge, and would have a lovely drape for a sweater. The color palette is suitable for mixing, so it's a good choice for fair isle with few colors if you want something softer than Jameison's.

Possible substitute yarns:
For this particular project, any standard sock yarn is probably going to work, though the more resilient the yarn, the better. Colorwork doesn't have much give, so it's nice if your yarn has some give and take. I would probably go with Koigu, Cherry Tree Hill Supersock or Louet Gems Pearl if I were to use a different yarn.

Lucetta: Pattern Notes

Sometimes I knit something that turns out so well I can barely believe that I made it. Lucetta is that type of knit. It's not complicated, and it works up quickly, but you get more than a bang for your buck. It's an absolutely gorgeous sweater. I think that part of my enthusiasm probably stems from the fact that I wasn't sure what to expect from the finished project. It's from Rowan Studio, and those pieces are generally pretty fashion-forward, which means that you'll love them today, but it's a toss-up as to how you'll feel tomorrow - maybe "fantastic!" or maybe "what the hell was I thinking?" Happily it's the former. I feel fun and in the moment in it, but I also think it will stand the test of time. (By the way, I think Rowan Studio is great and I highly recommend the first four issues. Just be aware that it can be uber-current.)

Some days you just can't give good face, ya know?

Lucetta
Rowan Studio Issue 4
by Sarah Hatton
Knit with just over 4 skeins (229 yards/skein) of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze (70% Kid Mohair/30% Silk) in "Chill", on size US 7 and US8 Addi Turbo Circulars.
Gauge: 24 sts 21 rows per four inches over pattern.
Size: smallest.

The Pattern:

ERRATA:

Body Row 7 of Eyelet Patt: Last 2 Sts should be P2tog, not P2.

Row 1 of Main Pattern should be K all sts in the **first repeat** of each piece, but after that K the P2togs and ktbl on the yos.

In addition to the errata, there are a few helpful things to take note of:

When taking gauge, use the pattern as set up on the sleeves - the main body only has directions for the main pattern with decreases incorporated. It also leaves you to figure out how to increase in pattern. I started with a sleeve because I was too lazy to do a swatch, which is a good way to go. You, too, can be a lazy bum and swatch with your sleeve. It's something I do a lot of.

Detail of the lace.With those unpleasantries out of the way, let's move on to all the good things about Lucetta. It is very easy to knit, but it wasn't overly boring due to the funky eyelet action going on. Overall, the pattern is well-written and makes sense. It should be pretty easy to do even if you haven't knit much lace or worked with Kidsilk. You will want to have a certain confidence with your seaming and end-weaving abilities, because due to the nature of the yarn your seams are out there for all to see. You don't want them to be bulky and you need to make the eyelets line up. I love seaming (I know - crazy - don't hate me because I seam), so it wasn't an issue, but I can see the seams making some poor unfortunate knitters very unhappy. If your seaming skills are a bit weak, tackle the seaming portion with an experienced friend or under the protective guidance of your LYS.

I have watched Sarah Hatton's designs since Rowan 35 hit the stands, and have really enjoyed them. I always loved Kim Hargreaves, but I think it's been good for her and for Rowan to make a change. I like her designs better now, and I love seeing the new people that Rowan brings in. Sarah Hatton consistently creates really interesting pieces. I think Rowan Studio is a great venue for her talents. She's fresh and has a unique take on designing. I would happily knit something of hers again.

Sexy, sexy eyelets!

Techniques:
This is advanced beginner fare - easy but for the tricky yarn and the seaming mentioned above. It requires some shaping and the use of yarnovers.

Love the blousy, comfy sleeves.Modifications:
I use a long-tail cast-on, so one of my standard modifications is to do an extra row of ribbing on every piece. The long-tail makes one side of the work look "purl-ish" and the other more polished. I like the polished side to face the world. This is so standard for me that I don't think I've mentioned it before, but if you use the long-tail method and don't already do this, you may want to start. Just add one row to the ribbing and treat the first row as a set-up row (WS) and the second as if it were your first RS row. It's nice.

I also omitted the side-shaping on the body. After years of following (and designing) the standard method of decreasing to the waist and then increasing to the bust on the edges of the work, I've jettisoned the practice completely. It always looks like shit. If you need serious shaping, make the decreases and increases as darts about a quarter of the way in from the sides. If you need to maintain side-shaping but the shaping isn't too severe, try starting with the stitch count at the waist and only increasing up to the bust, rather than having shaping below the waist as well. This won't work for everyone, but it covers a lot of body types (steer clear if the piece is a bit clingy/closer-fitting and you have a little pooch, though). In cases where the piece has some ease, I usually just get rid of the shaping altogether. This worked well for Lucetta.

The last thing I did, which is also really standard for me was to pick up stitches fairly evenly around the neckline, ignoring the stitch count except to make sure that in the end it was a multiple of four (so that the ribbing works out properly). Usually this results in picking up more sts than the pattern calls for and I just reduce down to the correct number on the next round. In this case I was 8 sts short, and just made the collar with that number. It looks great. You need not be too attached to numbers when picking up sts. I think it's better to avoid gaps around the neckline. Just a thought.

Other than those little things, I changed nothing. The pattern is great as is.

More sleeves.
Finishing:
I seamed using a modified mattress stitch very close to the edges to minimize bulk. The eyelets were a little confusing to line up, because I had to "zig" from the edge of one to the middle of the other and then "zag" from the middle of the second eyelet to the lower edge. When you do it, it might appear at first as if things will not line up. Go a bit farther before making any judgments. If you are off, you'll know.

I blocked the body by soaking the pieces in cool water with wool wash, spinning out the excess water in the washer and pinning it flat to dry. I was lazier with the sleeves, because I really wanted to wear my sweater. I spritzed them with water while the sweater was on my body and tugged! Kidsilk dries so quickly that this works out fine! You will want to block, though - it's much prettier that way. Don't be alarmed by the way the kidsilk looks wet (rather like a wet dog!). It will come around nicely.

Impressions of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze:
When I first used this stuff it was my enemy - hard to see and easy to f*ck up - like dancing on ice. Years later we have become fast friends. I love its delicacy and loft and I appreciate its ability to add elegance to a piece. If you want to know more about it, read about the two pieces that I made with it previously: the Birch Stole that I made for my wedding (same color) and the more recent River Stole. I still love and wear both.

Possible substitute yarns:
The two best substitutes that I know of for Kidsilk Haze are K1C2's Douceur et Soie and Artfiber's Tsuki. At 515 yards/skein for $16 Tsuki is a steal, and can be ordered on line. Douceur has the same fiber content as Kidsilk, and Tsuki is close, with 10% more silk and less mohair.

Nautical: Pattern Notes

Talk about a stealth knit! I was going through my stash and came upon some Filatura di Crosa Brilla that has been bothering me forever. Sometimes I have something in my stash that I like well enough, but that I have in such weird quantities and color combinations that it really bothers me. Brilla has been a major offender in that way for some time, and I am always trying to come up with creative ways to get rid of it. When I do work with it, I love it. I made my friend Jen a beret from some forest green Brilla for Christmas last year that I just adored. But when it is sitting there, I loathe the stuff, probably because it seems so impossible to utilize fully. I was staring at two skeins of Brilla in platinum and all of a sudden I became hell bent on using it up. I had two skeins of deep navy as well, which seemed like a very good combo, and extremely current, given the nautical turn fashion seems to have taken for the spring. My goal was to use every inch of that Brilla, and for all intents and purposes I did. The result is my favorite summer knit top yet - I love it! Thank goodness I had that Brilla hanging about.

Photos taken in Portland, by the lovely Miss Marnie.

Nautical
MindofWinter Designs
by Yours Truly
Knit with two skeins (120 yards/skein) of Filatura di Crosa Brilla (58% Rayon, 42% Cotton) in Deep Navy (306) and two skeins in Platinum (394), using the Silver Reed LK150, carriage 3, tension 3 for the main body and Susan Bates size US 2 straights for the picot casings. Ties made from Wrights Prestige Ribbon in Organdy Navy, available at JoAnn's.
Gauge: 22.5 sts and 36.5 rows per inch.
Size: 32 bust, 27 waist.

The Pattern:
This is the first Hoolia design of the calendar year to actually make the execution phase. I have done a ton of sketching and swatching and am full of ideas, yet somehow I keep getting distracted by really cute patterns or by the need to use up stash now. I really did find myself driven to remove that silver Brilla from my stash for this piece, so I suppose this falls in that category as well. I went to sleep on a Thursday thinking about my plans for Nautical, and then made the main pieces on the machine on the following Friday evening and Saturday morning. I had swatched Brilla earlier on the little knitter, so I had notes and samples of possible gauges. I didn't even bother sampling the stripes, because I decided that in order to use every ounce of the stuff I had I needed to use a fairly even distribution of the two colors and that I wanted the stripes to be fairly fine - voila! - easy enough.

The part that took the longest was the picot casings, which I did by hand. I could have done them on the machine, but I wanted to leave them until I was finished with the main body just in case, so both edges were done afterward and then hand-seamed, which took some man hours.

Detail of the top with organza ties.The coup de grace is the ribbon. Marnie and I made an impromptu stop at the local JoAnn's in Portland, and I got an entire roll of deep navy organza for $2.99. (Since I scored the Brilla on Elann several years ago for about $4 a skein, the entire project cost me all of $20. Pretty nice, eh?) I am not sure how well the photos convey this, but the ribbon makes the top really different and special. It is sleek as a tube top and I will likely wear it without ribbons when I want a rather sexy evening look out of it with some flowing silk pants, but the ribbons really add a little Je ne sais quoi that gives the top a completely unique nautical flavor.

Tooting My Own Horn:
Although this was a relatively simple pattern to draft up and knit, it incorporates two of my favorite features. The first is the use of the ribbons, which is one of my big things in my wardrobe lately - just an easy way to be a little more fun and feminine in approach.

I wove the ribbons through the piece in such a way that they could be removed easily for washing and for the times when I just want an unadorned tube top. I prefer to have a single bow on the left, but the configuration could be easily changed to incorporate two bows, bows at the top, no bows, or to place the bows on the back, which could be really cute. I adore them.

The second is versatility - also a real favorite for me at the moment. I can wear Nautical with about half of my wardrobe. It looks great as a tube top with a simple silver necklace and some flowing black pants for an evening out, but it would also be cute with the organza ties, a denim mini and some navy espadrille wedges for a picnic. Marnie put together the smart ensemble with the khaki jacket (from her wardrobe) over jeans that I'm wearing in some of the photos, and I'm now pretty certain that I can pair Nautical with a suit (khaki, navy, maybe even white) and wear it in a work setting. As someone who prefers to have fewer pieces of clothing that go together in unique ways, the versatility of this little top is a big bonus for me.

Nautical paired with the white linen skirt I wore with Honeymoon, and some cute khaki capris with buttoned hems.

Techniques:
This would be beginner-easy but for the picot edgings which are sewn down. It incorporates stripes, minimal shaping, and easy yarnover picots.

With a jacket, for the professional look.Modifications:
If I knit this again I would make it just a skoosh longer. I only had four skeins of yarn to work with, so I was being uber-cautious with the yardage in the body. I have a little bit of each yarn left, so I may go crazy and add a half inch or so to the bottom edge, but I doubt it. The effort required to take out those picots doesn't seem worth it when I can simply throw on a jacket or add a sash to make Nautical less tarty in feel.

Finishing:
Once again, the most difficult aspect of making this piece is sewing down the picot casings. Even this isn't rocket science if you understand what you're trying to do. I intended to do a tutorial on this for everyone, but I never ended up seaming at a time when it was convenient to snap photos. I make these kinds of picot casings rather regularly, though, so I'm sure I'll have my chance soon.

Brilla blocks really nicely, but as I write this I realize I didn't even bother to block Nautical. It came off the little knitter in good shape and my picots were even, so it really wasn't necessary. I just seamed and went. I do think it will get even softer and have more drape after a wash, though. It's pretty soft and silky right off the needles.

An open jacket shows off the ties.Impressions of Filatura di Crosa Brilla:
I have a lot of Brilla in my stash in varying colors, so I do get tired of looking at it, but whenever I knit it, I love it. It hand knits nicely, and machine knits fairly well, though it is prone to snags and is slippery. The thing to know about Brilla is that it isn't going to stay in place if you have live stitches hanging around. It is hard to frog and get back on the needles, and if one of your stitches gets loose it will make a run of it. Just be aware and tink accordingly. From what I know of it, Brilla wears very well, has a pretty, shiny look, and feels gentle and silky. It's a very good choice for summer knitting, and for knits that you want to give a dressed up look to. I won't be buying more any time soon, as I still have quite a bit to use up, but I will enjoy using it.

Possible substitute yarns:
Anything shiny and silky with a cotton or silk content should do. GGH Mystik, which I used for my Honeymoon Cami, springs to mind, though beginners will find it a bit splitty.

Warshrag in Action: Pattern Notes?

I am so channeling my mother in this photo!
I am even washing her 1970's mushroom bowl.
I love the mushroom bowl!I know you guys must be sick of me prancing around the internets in my nightgown, but I can't help it - it's cute! And I just have to share how versatile it is. You really can wear it all classed up with jeans and a sash, or sleep in it and just pull on some shearling booties to do the morning dishes. (So California, so not fabulous. The Manolo, he would cringe.) It is that great.

As you may remember, the whole nightie thing began with an innocent little warshrag. I am not one to follow the trends in the knitting blogosphere, unless I can follow way behind. (In 2010, I will be making STR Jaywalkers.) I just can't do it when everyone else is doing it, because then I'm not sure if it was my idea. But afterwards? Sure! I'll always follow a trend after it's ridden itself out.

Takes a lickin', keeps on tickin.'So I'm knitting warshrags. Just two - enough to happily use up my Lily cotton and jettison the funky sponge that has been living at the edge of my sink.

Ball Band Warshrags
The Folks at Peaches 'n Cream
Mason Dixon Knitting
Lily Sugar 'n Cream Cotton, Colors 1712 (Chartreuse) & 1742 (Turquoise)

As free as I can normally be with the verbage, I can't bring myself to do real pattern notes on a warshrag, so instead I'll just say that I used cheapo Lily cotton from Michael's, and knit it on size 6 needles.

Click for exciting close-up.It was fun and I have a good enough attention span that I can probably finish the second one. I could not bring myself to knit thirty. That takes the kind of focus that can only be cultivated on the East Coast. As Garrison Keillor would say, such fortitude and industriousness can only be the product of harsh weather. I bet Minnesotans know from warshrags.

I am happy report that two skeins of Lily cotton create two coordinating warshrags, plus a smidge of another, which is all I need. They stand up to my dirty dishes, still look good, and seem to dry rather quickly as well. They are most excellent warshrags.

After Dark Nightie: Pattern Notes

I'm knitting a warshrag. No, really.As I walked out on the porch to do this little photo shoot for you, Moxie glanced at me and asked: "Are you taking pictures of yourself again? The neighbors are going to start wondering." And then, because I was clearly not uncomfortable enough, he added: "Your internet friends get more of a show than I do." It's true. You guys get the After Dark Nightie and Moxie gets sweats. He'll get to enjoy the nightie eventually, but while it's still just off the needles, you get the good stuff!

This was not an easy shoot. I had to strategically place that warshcloth (and my arms!) and be sure to sit down to keep things from getting tarty. I'm not even going to tell you how many full frontal shots I had to take to get one that qualified as "nice". My hat goes off to the model in the MDK book - she was able to pull off hot, classic and wholesome, all the while not revealing a single bit of what the French so delicately refer to as orange peel. Let's just say that it is no accident that most of these are arty "detail" shots rather than the whole shebang! This nightie is wonderful and I love it, but it leaves nothing to the imagination. (By the time it makes it to Mr. Moxie all will be forgiven for this very reason . . . )

After Dark Nightie
Mason Dixon Knitting
Designed by Alison Will Green
Knit with three skeins (270 yards/skein) of Louet Sales Euroflax Originals Sportweight (100% Linen) in Violet (2454), using size US 3 Boye Straights (garter edge, bust lace), US 4 Addi Turbo circulars (vine lace, short row stockinette), and the Silver Reed 150 carriage 4.5, tension 5 (plain stockinette).
Stockinette Gauge: 5 sts per inch. Gauge for the pattern is 20 sts and 32 rows per 4 inches, but my machine-knit stockinette was at a different row gauge, which I adjusted for.
Size: 32 bust, but I modified the length to be 27" (without straps) rather than 23.5". See below.

Detail of the top and velvet ties.The Pattern:
Watch for Alison Will Green. She designed this nightie and the coordinating robe for Mason Dixon Knitting, and she also has a design in the upcoming issue of IK. Alison's designs have a very clean, classic appeal, with nice lines, and run on the Kim Hargreaves-ish side of the spectrum of things that I like. The pattern was well-written and easy to follow. It's also a very quick knit. Using the machine for the stockinette portions, I finished it in a week of very light knitting. If you have more time, you can probably do the whole thing in a week or so by hand. The end product is, in a word, stunning! I've had a great year for knits so far, and this is no exception. It is an heirloom that I will hand down to my daughter (the one I don't yet have) when she is ready to be married and tarty (yet classic).

Shot of the upper lace band.The only possible errata that I spotted was in the lace band at the top of the nightie. There is no schematic, but the listed bust measurement for a size 32 is 32". (D'oh!) The lace sits on the top half of the breast, about a half inch above the nipple-line, so presumably it would need to be 32" in circumference, or 16" in width on each piece. There is no change in stitch count between the stockinette and the lace, so for the measurements to remain consistent, the lace would have to have the same gauge as the stockinette. This simply does not happen in nature to my knowledge. Lace will always have a larger gauge than stockinette, and you have to adjust accordingly. The lace repeat is only 4 sts, so it is very easy to adjust the lace. Simply swatch the lace to get your stitch gauge (it will be bigger than your stockinette gauge), multiply the stitches per inch by the width your piece should be to get the total number of stitches you'll want, subtract that number from the number of stitches on your needles, round to the next increment of 4, and evenly decrease that number of stitches across the purl row before the lace begins. It's easier than it sounds - I promise! I am not sure if the decrease row got omitted from the original pattern (errata), or if Alison's lace gauge was close enough to her stockinette gauge that the difference was negligible, and she simply did not need to decrease (not errata, just variations in personal knitting). Either way, the way to ensure your nightie works is to swatch the lace.

Strapless from the other day.
Sometimes the "candid" shots work best.Ina wrote me a comment about the side-shaping that goes on in this piece, and suggested that it would be better accomplished through darts. While I don't believe this is errata-worthy, I think she is right. The pieces of the nightie decrease in at the waist and then increase back out to accommodate the bust. All increases and decreases take place at the edges of the work. This is the standard method to use for this kind of shaping. I used it when I designed Honeymoon and Clementine. Kim Hargreaves used it for Bond, and many, many other pieces. It works well enough if you have proportions that are exactly standard, but if you are long-waisted, short-waisted, or like me, just a little off in one direction, this kind of shaping can stick out in a funny, less than attractive way. It is only through two decades of knitting that I have finally decided I am done with this sort of shaping. For me, it is going the way of the stepped shoulder - from here on out I'm doing darts to customize the fit of my garments.

For those making the nightie, I would suggest two things for the waist-shaping: First, move the decreases and increases closer to the center of the knitting. I think the best placement should be in line with where you intend to place the straps. For me, this was about 4 inches in, but this will vary widely, especially in those who have more womanly curvage going on than I do. Find a similar dress or top in your closet, measure where the straps are set, and go from there. Second, knit each piece to the point of the top lace, pin the pieces together and check the fit before finishing the top lace portions. This way you'll know if you need to make adjustments before the top lace panels are finished.

Neither of these adjustments require brain surgery smarts, so I would rate this pattern as intermediate and encourage everyone to give it a try if it appeals. The nightie is short and sheer, but we all have a little orange peel, and our husbands, significant others, lovers du jour, etc. are aware of that. The menfolk really just like to enjoy us as nearly nekkid as possible. Take the plunge and enjoy making the lace.

Another of the velvet ties.
Just because.Techniques:
Beginner lace. Beginner in this case does not translate to "easy." If you've never done lace, you will need to be patient, and even if you have you'll probably rip back a few times - I did! The vine lace is the harder of the two laces, as it is a little counter-intuitive. If you think that you are off, you probably are. Get a feel for what each stitch will look like after it is completed, watch the lace as you go and count, count, count! on the reverse side.

Modifications:
I knit this in the original yarn and the original color and I retained the side-shaping (this time!). The biggest modification that I made was in the top lace panel. The first time I knit it on US4's - the same size needle I used for the stockinette. I ended up with a gauge of 4 sts per inch as opposed to 5 sts per inch! (My open-lace gauge varies much more than most.) The piece I was working on was consequently 4 inches bigger than it was supposed to be, giving a total circumference of 40" rather than 32". Clearly a problem.

The gorgeous vine lace at the hem. Yummy!Last year I discovered that although one would think that one knitter's lace gauge would vary from their stockinette in the same proportion that another knitter's would, this is not the case. This is something that it appears not many designers realize, so it isn't unusual for gauge to be given in stockinette alone, when you actually need to know stockinette gauge and lace gauge. Hence, the sad demise of the Prairie Tunic. It seems that if the lace involves fewer yarnovers per knit stitch (such as the vine lace), my gauge will stay proportional. But if there are a lot of yarnovers proportionally (the top lace, the Prairie Tunic lace), my gauge will generally grow quite a bit proportionally, such that I need to swatch the lace to make sure all the measurements come out right. Some people will have the same gauge as the designer, so this won't be an issue, but the only way to be sure is to swatch.

There are two ways to fix this issue. One, mentioned above, is to decrease the number of stitches. Another is to go down in needle size. Here, I opted to do both. I could have simply decreased 16 sts to make gauge on US 4's, but I felt that my lace was too open on that size needle, so instead I decreased only 12 sts and went down to US 3's on the lace. Voila!

Vine lace lounging with MDK.Another modification that I made was to the straps. Initially, I intended to use a lucet to make straps out of the Euroflax. I had coveted Becky's lucet for a very, very, very long time (can't find the post, but I think its 2004), so when I found one at the Fiber Factory in Mesa while out in Phoenix last month, I jumped on it. Unfortunately, although making cord with a lucet appears easy enough, I am far from accomplished in the skill (more on that in another post). I decided to keep practicing and instead use some thin velvet ribbon that I bought for Christmas ornaments in DC a few years back. It gives a great tone on tone look - it's perfect!

My final mod was the length - I added 3.5 inches to the lower portion, which was perfect for me. If you have rockin' thighs, knit it at the original length - just don't go out on the front porch in it. Hubby will love it, but you won't be able to bend over to scoop up the Sunday paper!

Finishing:
Easy peasy. I dunked each piece in a nice warm Eucalan bath, spun out the excess water, blocked to dry and sewed two long seams. My tip for seams like this with lace at one or both ends is to seam the stockinette portion first, leaving a long tail to finish up seaming the lace afterward. Stockinette lines up really easily, so you'll stay on target for a long expanse and then pick your way carefully through the lace when you get to it. I did the same thing for the Daktari Skirt.

Impressions of Louet Sales Euroflax Originals Sportweight:
This was my first time using Euroflax or any other linen. (!!!) I am a convert. I completely understand why the girls at MDK love this stuff and use it almost as much as they use Tahki Cotton Classic (another old-time favorite of mine).

And now we return to our previously scheduled warshrag . . .Euroflax will not be for everyone. It has a rough hand while you are knitting, and no resilience, so if you are sensitive working with it will be hard on your wrists. I am more sensitive to changes in needle size than fiber, so it was just fine for me, but I also only handknit the lace panels and the short-row portion, so my exposure was not what most people's will be. I also had a lot of work to do the week I knit the nightie, so my knitting sessions were short and well-dispersed. If you are sensitive beware, and give yourself breaks.

The resulting fabric is wonderful. It's soft enough to wear next to the skin (though again, I am not very sensitive - try a swatch first), and the stitch definition is insane. Euroflax holds its shape beautifully and has an excellent crispness to it.

Price points on the linen are great, too. I initially bought some of this for Marnie and thought it was expensive at $15/skein. What I didn't realize was that Euroflax has incredible yardage - 270 yards per skein! So compared to your average-sized skein, that works out to about $6 per skein, which is pretty darn good. On sale at Black Sheep for 50% off, it was even better. It took about 2.5 skeins to make the nightie in the smallest size, and I'm pretty sure I could make a tunic version (to wear over jeans, Kay!) in just over 2 skeins.

Possible substitute yarns:
Although I am sure there are other linens out there, I am not aware of them. I would imagine that Hemp for Knitting might be a nice substitute, but not having worked with it, I can't be entirely certain. If anyone reads this far and has other suggestions, please leave them in the comments.

Pattern Notes: Marseilles Pullover

Marseilles pattern notes at last! I've been done with this sweater for two weeks and have worn it on several occasions already. At this point it feels more like an old friend than a new sweater. Sunday was Moxie's birthday, so we got up at a decent hour and immediately packed the Zosh into the car and headed over to Eaton Canyon in Pasadena for a morning hike to the waterfall. If you are ever in the area, this is a great hike if you prefer less strenuous activity and gorgeous scenery. It starts out in a sunlit wash full of wild flowers and cacti, and then moves through a wooded canyon along a stream for about half a mile to the waterfall. The most difficult aspect of the hike is navigating back and forth across the stream. It's accessible enough that a lot of families hike this trail. At the end, you can sit in the shade and enjoy the beauty of the waterfall.

Marseilles on our hiking excursion to Eaton Canyon with Zosia.

Marseilles Pullover
Designed by Kathy Zimmerman, Interweave Knits, Summer 2006
Knit with nine skeins (147 yards/skein)* of RYC Cashsoft DK (57% Merino/33% Microfiber/10% Cashmere) in Madame (fuchsia) (511), using size US 6 and US 7 Addi Turbo circulars.
Gauge: I'll check my notes soon. Promise.
Size: 38 bust. For me, the final blocked dimensions were 40" at the bust and 25" in length. Unblocked the sweater was closer to 39" at the bust and 23" in length. I made modifications that added drape, but regardless you should plan for growth. See below.

Smiling, but really cold as hell.
The waterfall is fed by a mountain stream.
The Pattern:
This was my first Kathy Zimmerman sweater, surprisingly enough (I love cables, and cables are what KZ does). It will not be my last. This pattern was extremely well-planned out, harmonious, and nicely executed. You can tell that Ms. Zimmerman either is or has an excellent tech editor - I'm guessing that the former is the case. There are no errors that I could spot in the size 38, and the only thing that I would suggest changing is the number of stitches that you reserve for the shoulders. The boat neck, as written, is not even close to workable for me, nor was it for my best friend, Laura, who made the sweater in the size 34 in RYC Cashsoft Aran. My bloggy pal Marie also made the Marseilles Pullover and followed my suggestions on the boat neck, so unfortunately I can't point to anyone I know on the internet who worked the shoulders/neckline as in the original. (Definitely check out Marie's gorgeous sweater and the awesome montage she put together for us.)

In both dk and aran weights of RYC cashsoft, the neckline was too wide for Laura and I. The instructions have you bind off the center neckline stitches and reserve the shoulder stitches on stitch holders so that you can do a three-needle bind-off of the shoulders when both the front and back are done. Since Laura warned me that the neck was too wide, I opted to keep all the stitches live until both pieces were done, and then played around to see how many stitches I needed to bind off to make the shoulders the perfect width for me. [Go to one of my previous Marseilles posts for photos of this process. Notice the two circular needles hanging from the neckline.] My definition of the perfect width is the point where the sweater is still technically a boatneck, but you can't see my bra straps hanging out. On the size 38 sweater that is twenty-four stitches per shoulder. The original pattern would have you use thirteen stitches per shoulder, so rule of thumb if you want shoulder-width like mine is to add eleven stitches to the number suggested for your size in the pattern and tweak from there. Once you've done the three-needle bind-off on the shoulders, you can simply cast-off the neckline stitches in the round.

A shot of the garter ridge that runs up the side seam.

Clever and simple.
This is not a beginner's cable pattern. There isn't any complex shaping, but the cable pattern itself is complex, particularly because some of the diamonds are filled with garter stitch. The garter creates a really pretty effect, but until you get the hang of it, working these sections is counter-intuitive, especially on the wrong side. The chart is correct. Follow it verbatim and you'll have a gorgeous sweater - I 've also included some tips of my own below.

One neat technique used in this sweater is a garter-stitch seam. It's interesting because it is very, very simple to seam, and the resulting seam is loose enough that if you leave extra-long tails on either end, you can stretch the seam after you finish it, so that it has the same resilience as the knitted portion of the sweater. It's also very pretty and decorative. Although it wouldn't work for me in every situation, here it mirrors the garter sections within the the cable diamonds nicely.

All laid out and ready for wear.Techniques:
Advanced cabling with garter filled diamonds. Minimal shaping. Cool garter-ridge seam (see above).

Modifications:
I substituted a DK weight yarn for the worsted weight Goddess Yarns Phoebe called for in the pattern, so I ended up having to make some adjustments for my row gauge. (My stitch gauge was pretty close to the pattern, surprisingly, and definitely close enough to ignore.) I added a half repeat (notice that my version ends at a different point in the cable pattern at the neckline than Laura's does), and re-worked everything to make the armscyes the correct length on the body pieces. I was able to keep the pattern exactly the same as the original for the sleeves. How's that for serendipity? Sometimes, things just work out well.

Here's a good tip: Use a crochet hook as a cable needle. This is my new thing. When you screw up the garter segments inside the cables you can just whip out the crochet end of the needle and ladder those stitches into the correct orientation.

Finishing:
Easy peasy. Those garter ridge seams go very quickly and make adjusting your seam tension a snap. I washed and blocked per usual, in tepid water in the sink with eucalan, spun the pieces in the washer to remove excess water, and laid them carefully on towels to dry. The big trick here is not to let the pieces stretch too much when you gently squeeze water from them or transport them. There is the potential to end up with a very big sweater if you're not cautious while the pieces are wet.

Enjoying the great outdoors.Impressions of RYC Cashsoft DK:
I used this yarn for my Clementine sweater in fall of 2005, and really enjoyed working with it both then and for the Marseilles Pullover. This yarn is not the one used in the pattern, and because it is a DK weight rather than a worsted, using it requires some adjustments. This substitution is entirely unnecessary, as the Goddess Yarns Phoebe used in the original is a great yarn that would work nicely without modifications. I just happened to have the Cashsoft hanging around in my stash, and wanted to use it to clear out room for future yarns. Due to the cashmere content, the RYC Cashsoft line, like the very similar Debbie Bliss Cashmerino line, will show wear almost immeadiately. If you are pill and halo averse, go with the original yarn or a nice merino instead. The Cashsoft works just fine for me, but it does not have a pristine appearance.

Possible substitute yarns:
There are about a gazillion substitutes out there for the Goddess Yarns Phoebe used by Kathy Zimmerman in the original. I personally think that if you are going to purchase yarn, sticking with the Phoebe is a fine choice. The alpaca content will give it drape and durability, and the price is good. If you substitute, I'd recommend a nice alpaca or merino worsted. My beloved Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK (a heftier DK than the Cashsoft) would be a good choice, and Karabella's Aurora 8 could also do the trick quite nicely.

Tips & Tricks: Although there really aren't any errors that I could spot in my size, I do have several suggestions for making your Marseilles Pullover successful:

She who climbs up must climb down...First, be aware that the gauge swatch you make is not going to grow to the same extent that your sweater will. On cabled sweaters this is always the case, because once your knitting reaches a certain heft, gravity is going to kick in and create added drape. This feature will not show up in your swatch because it is substantially smaller and less hefty. Additionally, the sweater has no cables in the sleeve pattern and the sleeve pattern is the pattern used to establish gauge, so the swatch will have even less drape and growth than it would if it were in the cable pattern. So, use the swatch as a guide, and be sure to wash and block it, but realize that you will very likely get an inch or two of growth in the body of the sweater. You can compensate for this by subtracting half a repeat, if you are very petite and think it necessary. Just remember to adjust the pattern so that the armscyes fall at the right place proportionately. I re-gauged the sweater to work with DK weight yarn, and also wanted more length, so I added half a repeat.

Blow up the cable chart, make several copies, and code and color the copies if it will help you. I did. The set up row is tricky, and I find that it's easiest for me to just write out the number of knit and purl stitches to work for that row across the bottom of the chart. I still had to knit each set-up row twice, but I would have had to knit them about five times if I hadn't written out the stitch counts for myself.

Use a crochet hook as a cable needle. This is my new thing. When you screw up the garter segments inside the cables you can just whip out the crochet end of the needle and ladder those stitches into the correct orientation. I made much use of this trick. The fact that the cables have garter inside in some cases makes this pattern a little challenging and unintuitive to work in the beginning. You will have to reign in your instinct to purl every time a purl stitch pops up in the row below in those sections. It's tough!

Some Parting Shots:

Pattern Notes: Daktari Skirt

I am so freaking excited to finally be at the point where I can write up pattern notes for this skirt. As you may know from my last post, it's been a long journey. But the results are so worth it. This skirt is both feminine and extremely comfortable, which is a rare treat. I can feel "pretty" when I wear it, but still feel as comfy as I would wearing jeans. It goes well with both flip-flops and ballet flats, so you can dress it up or dress it down.

My "photoshoot shot" graciously taken by Moxie.

Lacy Skirt With Bows
Designed by Kat Coyle, Greetings from Knit Cafe
Knit with four skeins (167 yards/skein)* of Twisted Sisters Daktari (100% Slubbed Cotton) in Cappuccino, using size US 5 and US 6 Addi Turbo circulars.
Gauge: 21 sts and 29 rows per 4" in Stst using US 5 needles; 25 sts per 4" in lace on US 6 needles.
Size: small, 26" at waist, 36" at base. This size should fit sizes 0-4. I have a 37" caboose, which it accommodates nicely.

Close up of the lace and ribbon, with Mr. Townes.
The Pattern
First things first. There is one pattern correction: at the point where you start the waistband, you will begin on a RS row, rather than a WS row. Please make a note of this if you decide to make the skirt.

Other than that the pattern is wonderful, easy to follow, and a surprisingly quick knit. I have watched Kat's work since she was first published in Knitty in 2003, and had the pleasure of becoming friends with her through our work with Suzan on the Greetings from Knit Cafe book. I have long admired her amazing lace pieces, and her incredibly wearable knit skirts.

The waistline.Generally speaking, I am wary of the skirt as a knitted item, but Kat's skirts are the exception. She uses a wonderful a-line shape which works beautifully. During the photoshoot for the book I got to see many people try on the Lacy Skirt with Bows, and had a chance to put it on myself. It works well on a surprising range of body types. I generally wear pants myself, and am pretty picky about the few skirts that I do wear, so it's no small compliment to say that I could happily live in this skirt. This holds true for Kat's other skirts as well. I tried on the skirt Kat designed for the upcoming issue of Interweave Knits and it's a keeper as well.

Going back to the pattern, although it looks complex, I think that it's the type of garment that a newer lace knitter could work without frustration. The panels are worked from the bottom up in crest of the wave lace, capped with eyelets for the bows (or in my case, ribbon). Then it's stockinette and another eyelet section for the ribbon drawstring. The lace will eat up much more yardage than the stockinette, so don't be concerned if you get to the end of your first skein soon after your lace is done for the first panel. You will have plenty of yarn for the stockinette.

The knitting goes very quickly. A fast or dedicated knitter could bang this out in two weeks easily.

Candid shot by Moxie.
This one's for Kodachrome - I wear my knits!Techniques:
Advanced beginner lace knitting. Nothing overwhelming here, just a fun, lacy diversion.

Modifications: The only modification I made was the use of ribbon rather than a second yarn. I found a wonderful coordinating ribbon in the garment district at Michael Levine. I purchased 6 yards to be safe, but the skirt only required about half of that. (Buy 4 yards to be safe if you go this route - that should be more than enough). I omitted the bows and just threaded the ribbon through the eyelets. At the waistline I did the same. Other than that, my skirt is exactly like the original.

Finishing:
I had some issues with the color consistency of the yarn, so I took special measures to combat those. I am not sure this was the best solution, but it worked. Afterwards, I soaked the panels in woolwash, gave them a whirl in the spin cycle to get the water out, and blocked like mad. I did the panels one at a time, both because of space constraints and because I wanted to use the blocked measurements of the first piece to guide me in blocking the second. The pattern said to block gently, but to get the dimensions I needed I was more aggressive. I'm pretty sure that the skirt would "wear" into those dimensions anyway - knit skirts tend to settle in and grow several inches in length after they've been hanging in the closet for a little while - so there was no harm in moving that process along. With blocking, the panels grew about 5 inches in length and 3.5 to 4 inches in width. Here's a shot of the unblocked panel resting on the blocked one, and here's a close-up of the unblocked lace on top of the blocked lace

Impressions of Twisted Sisters Daktari:
Sadly, I had major issues with color consistency within the same dyelot for this yarn - three identical light skeins, one medium skein, and one dark skein. The color also ran substantially, which is another indication that the dying process was not what it should have been. For more details on the color issues, read my last post. If you have read my blog for long, you will know that I do not usually speak ill of yarn companies or designers. If I have constructive criticism, I try to include it in a friendly way, so that my fellow knitters will be aware of the potential pitfalls and the pleasures of working with certain products. My last post was a bit harsh regarding this yarn, but I felt that it was really important for other knitters to understand that they should proceed with caution if they chose to use it. I am pretty easy-going about subtle variations within a dyelot, especially from a smaller distributer. If Daktari were produced by an indie company, you can rest assured that I would work with the individual dyer regarding the problem before discussing it on my blog. I have written patterns, and I have made mistakes, and I know how difficult it can be to monitor quality control as a party of one, or even few. Twisted Sisters is still a relatively small operation, but they have reached the point of growth where knitters will expect more, and I don't want my readers to be disappointed if they purchase something that I recommend. So there you have the pitfalls.

There are substantial pleasures to this yarn as well, which I hope you can see in the finished product. It is a slubbed cotton with a wonderful organic feel, and the colors, consistent or not, are truly beautiful. It reminds me of something that Blue Sky Alpacas might produce if they partnered with Habu Textiles. I haven't seen anything quite like it, and honestly, I might very well purchase Daktari again for this very reason. I will definitely work with it again, as I have a skein and a half left. I will just have to plan for the variations.

Possible substitute yarns:
This is a tough one, as I really haven't seen a cotton quite like this on the market. For the skirt you could use a smooth cotton - something like Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece or Tahki Cotton Classic would look great - but to get a similar texture you'd have to go to something along the lines of Jaeger Trinity (finer gauge), Rowan Summer Tweed, or possibly Manos Cotton Stria. Of those three, Trinity has the best reputation. I have not used the other two yarns, but they've gotten mixed press on wear. Although it isn't a cotton, I think Elsbeth Lavold's Silky Wool (finer gauge) would be a wonderful substitute for this skirt. I may have to design a skirt in it myself. If anyone tries a substitute, let me know how it turns out. I'd love to see the variations.

A Parting Shot:
Naturally, we had to get a photo with our little stink pot in it.

The Zosh.

*Yarn Market has this yarn listed at 145 yds/skein. I am not sure if Twisted Sisters has changed the yardage or if this is a misprint. For the small size skirt, 4 skeins should still be enough, as I only used around 3.5, but it may be wise to check before purchasing if you have concerns about yardage. I would also highly recommend buying an extra skein to ensure that any color variations can be worked out.

The Stuff of Amy Butler's Nightmares

Although I would have loved to wow you all with my chic taste and amazing sewing prowess for the first journey out on the sewing machine, it was simply not to be. Instead, my sometimes odd sense of humor and extremely rudimentary sewing skills got in the way:

Whahahahahawha!

Here's a detail I love -
the towel loop.Soon after I inherited Marnie's machine and got it up and running, Larissa announced that she was putting together a fundraising auction for Cafe Au Play, a wonderful family-oriented cafe project in Portland, which is slated to take place tomorrow night. In the past, I have done some minimal sewing on the borrowed machines of friends, culminating in much of the piecing work on this quilt. The last time I did any substantive sewing was over three years ago, and it was fairly rudimentary then. Still, I got pretty excited about this apron drive and decided that I really wanted to participate, so I signed up, thinking that I would make an apron or two for myself as a test run and then complete one to mail off to Larissa. Oh, the hubris!

The bow in back.Life, as usual, got in the way. I spent much of the last month either working or spending family time with Caia and M, and really didn't allow myself any time to play with the sewing machine. Then this week came and I attempted to cut fabric. Apparently I need to go back to kindergarten, because I cannot use scissors to save my life. Happily, I have a Michael's nearby, so I was able to pick up a rotary and self-healing mat and avoid the cutting issue. But then the issues with the machine itself began. I should probably say the issues with me. I am sure that if I had threaded it properly the machine would have been just fine. Instead, I spent all of Wednesday night meticulously taking the machine's guts out, removing thread, and cursing steadily. I was only set right by a desperate trip to the repair shop during lunch yesterday, wherein the repairman took mercy on me and reminded me of the most basic of sewing steps. Last night, with the deadline looming (thank god for fedex), I was determined to make the apron work. By early this morning it was finished. (Don't worry, I did not sew all night. I took a "Survivor" break and had a nice healthy sleep before returning to stitching.)

Another view of the pocket.The resulting apron definitely has its flaws. My esteemed photographer is capable of making it look quite nice in these photos, but if you look closely, you can see the way the stitching at the waist undulates like a series of gently rolling Iowa hills. The fabric is not cut in a straight line (as you can tell by the way that the skulls fail to line up), and there are likely thread ends hanging about, but for all that I still love it. I think that this apron would be a ton of fun for the mother of a little boy, or even for the occasional hip, secure dad (though I suppose even a hip dad would prefer to lose the pleating). It's not vintage, lacy, or delicate, like some of the other lovely pieces that I've seen donated, but I hope that it will fill the niche for fun. Although many of the seams are not straight, they should be strong. I'm hoping that the homemade nature of the auction will draw the kind of edgy Portland types who will like its rustic charm. If not, I am happy to bid myself!

For those who are interested, the pattern is the Pleated Apron from Amy Butler's recent book, In Stitches. It is extremely well-written, as evidenced by the fact that I, who cannot thread a sewing machine or cut with scissors, was able to follow it and produce an actual apron. (Yay!!!). The skull fabric is Talking Heads from the Alexander Hamilton Collection. Personally, I would make an entire quilt for a little boy out of this fabric, but as you know, my fabric taste has been questioned before.

Thelma: Pattern Notes

It feels like I am long overdue on writing up some pattern notes for poor Thelma. Happily, what she's lacking in notes, I've made up for in wear. Although we have had the occasional nippy or overcast day, for the most part, it's been a typical Southern California early fall, which means that although it's chilly at night, temps still soar into the 90's in the middle of the day, so Thelma has gotten lots of play.

Andrea complained that our view never makes it into the photos.
Ask and ye shall receive!

Thelma
Designed by Erika Knight, Rowan Denim People
Knit with four skeins (110 yards/skein) of Rowan Denim (100% Cotton) in Memphis (229) and less than 50 yards of BluJeans Indigo (Medium) on Marnie's little knitter (tension 5, carriage 5). Finishing and hems done by hand using size US 4 Addi Turbo circulars.
Gauge: 18 sts and 25 rows per 4" square.
Size: xs, to fit 32" bust.

Close up of the keyhole, top hems and ribbon straps.
The Pattern
This is a really quick and easy knit. The machine knitting on the body took me about 3 hours total, including time for swatching and adjusting the pattern. Following in the footsteps of Miss Marnie, I never use the machine's cast on or cast off edges, but instead treat them as provisional and add two rows at each end for easy transfer to the needles for handknitting. I knit the lighter-colored hem at the bottom by hand and all the hems at the neckline by hand as well. This took a bit longer - about 7 hours! You never realize how long finishing takes until you machine knit a piece. In this case, it was 70% of the work.

If you use a machine, don't be afraid to try some hand-knitting in stockinette on a continuous piece. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to match machine gauge, but it really hasn't been an issue. The machine generally knits at the tension of the "average" knitter from what I've found, so since I knit loosely, I go down a needle size for hand stitching. If you knit tightly, simply go up a needle size instead.

Techniques:
Nothing new here for me. It was very fun to knit the picot hems, though. I love me some picots! The hardest part of this little tank is the finishing. I had to sew down all my hems afterward, rather than using the snazzy k2tog method of hem fastening, because I machine knit and then handknit down from each edge afterwards. I could have done the bottom edge on the machine, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it until after the main knitting was done. If you plan ahead, some of the sewing can be avoided.

Modifications: Just a few. The original piece uses a curved hem at the bottom which rolls up slightly. I didn't want this tank to be belly-baring, so I lengthened the body a smidge and then added the lighter picot edge at the bottom. I omitted the pocket, and changed the denim straps to ribbon. I used some leftover grossgrain ribbon from Asana to do this. The color is a really rich green, a little lighter than hunter green, and it happens to perfectly match one of the skirts that I wear with Thelma a lot (not this one). Eventually I want to outfit several different ribbons with snaps, so that I can change colors when I like. I think a deep chocolate ribbon would be nice. All of these mods dress this pattern up a little, which I like, and make it more wearable for me. I still think the original is really cute, though, and I would love to downsize it for my little niece, Sophie. It would be adorable on a toddler.

Finishing:
Much of this is covered in techniques, but if you skimmed there, be forewarned that the finishing is where the work comes in on this piece. It's a beginner knit with intermediate finishing.

When you work with denim, it always comes out substantially longer (about 15-20%) and a little bit wider off the needles than it will after washing. So part of the finishing process is tossing your knit in the washer (solo, please, in case it bleeds!) and then into the dryer. I didn't check the washer during the soak cycle to see how much bleeding went on, but the color did lighten up (as it should) and the fabric softened and bloomed substantially - in a good way. It shrunk exactly as much as it was supposed to - good job, Rowan!

Rowan suggests that you wash the piece before any seaming occurs, but I went ahead and seamed and stitched down the hems, which turned out fine. I seamed the sides after drying, and added the ribbon then as well. I also steam-ironed the pieces so that they looked crisp. I threaded the ribbon through by clipping a safety pin to the end of it, and snagging that with the tip of a straight needle which I then pushed through the hem. Voila!

Impressions of Rowan Denim:
This is the first time that I used this yarn and I really enjoyed it. Rowan Denim didn't bleed onto my hands while I knit the way that other denim yarns have. [edited to add: Note that Christine mentions it did bleed for her in the comments below - which makes sense since I only hand knit the hems, whereas she knit an entire piece.] I works up very crisply, but it softens and fades nicely once you wash and dry it, and the gaps created by the stiffness of the yarn are filled in when it blooms.

Possible substitute yarns:
I also used some really old stash yarn, BluJeans Indigo, for this project, and it works well, too. It starts out a lot softer, but it also tends to bleed onto your hands while knitting, which is kind of annoying. If it isn't discontinued, the price points are good, though. I have a ton of this stuff and will use it for some other denim projects. The gauge is interchangeable. I think that Elann sometimes carries a denim that would also work, though I haven't seen it in the blue colors on their site lately.

Shots with the Caia Koosher:
I wanted my photoshoot to include Caia girl, but trying to get her in there and get a good view of Thelma was nearly impossible, so I had to do some photos without her. Here are a few where Caia is the star.

What am I saying? Caia is always the star.

[Read all entries on Thelma.]

Reversible Cable Scarf: Pattern Notes

Since the Redwoods were so incredibly beautiful, and because they were chilly enough to truly merit the wearing of cool-weather knits, we decided to do both of my FO photoshoots there. As an aside to Laura of the comments - the weather was perfect. I think the fog makes the Redwoods even more beautiful and spectactular. We would have loved to meet up with you as well, but as a matter of safety I only post my driving routes after I take them - unfortunately not everyone on the internet is a sweet knitter! - if you leave me your e-mail address I'd be happy to get in touch next time I plan to be in the area. We could have used a pal! You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. I know I'll be back.

A close-up of the Reversible Cable Scarf taken by Marnie on a bridge in the Redwoods.

Reversible Cable Scarf
Designed by Mary Heather Cogar
Knit with exactly two skeins (110 yards/skein) of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande (100% Superfine Baby Alpaca) in color 401 (grey) on size US10 Addi Turbo Circulars.
Gauge: varies over cable, but casting on the required number of stitches in this yarn created a cable that about 5" wide.
Size: One. Close to 7 feet in length with fringe.

The Setting:
Redwoods near Stout Grove in Northern California.

Notice the Mata Hari Socks?
Stylin'!
The Pattern
This pattern is complimetary with a yarn purchase at Knit Cafe. There is no specified yarn, it's just a general recipe that can be used with a variety of yarn choices. See the possible substitutions section for some general ideas. The cable is completely reversible, which makes it ideal for a scarf. It looks snazzy, but even beginning cablers should be able to get the hang of it.

The pattern goes quickly and is really enjoyable. All the twists in the cables help to ward off the possible ennui associated with the usual scarf project.

Techniques:
Nothing new here for me. Beginners must know how to cast on, cast off, knit and purl, and have a basic understanding of cables.

Modifications: None! Weird, huh?

Finishing:
All I did was weave in four ends and add fringe using my usual method which allows me to utilize every inch of the yarn:

Here's a tip for fringe: my standard fringe is three 12-inch strands of yarn per tassel, which means each tassel takes one yard of fiber. This makes a lush fringe and is an easy way to calculate the yardage needed for the fringe as well. In this case, I had 10 tassels at each end of the scarf, so I used a total of 20 yards of yarn, or about a fifth of a skein. Neat trick, eh?

The pattern is designed to lie flat and does not require blocking.

Also modeled with the Lush HoodieImpressions of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande:
This is the first time that I used this yarn and I really enjoyed it. Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande is a luxury fiber if ever there was one. It isn't cheap, but it is better-priced than cashmere, and will hold up longer as well. Plus it's as soft as butter, just like cashmere. Since it only takes two skeins to make a scarf (and a single skein to make a hat), it's well worth the expense. This is really one of those projects that you have to see in person to appreciate. From a distance it's a grey scarf. Tossed over your shoulder, it's a luxury item. It's just that nice a yarn.

Possible substitute yarns:
I used stash yarn for this project and knit along with my students at the Knit Cafe while they made their versions back in February. Knit Cafe doesn't carry Plymouth Yarns, but if you want your version to look exactly like mine, Suzan stocks Misti Alpaca Chunky, which is the exact same yarn with the exact same pricing. Misti Alpaca Chunky is a Knit Cafe favorite, so it is often in stock in a zillion colors. (See it in action over on Laura's blog - nice! And here is a really wacky way to use this yarn - OMG!) As with the Koigu vs. Cherry Tree Hill supersock debate, I truly don't prefer one of these yarns over the other, but instead knit whichever colorway entices me first.

The pattern, however, works for a variety of different yarns. You could do it in just about anything you can think of - wool, cotton, silk - you name it. Just stick to a chunky yarn for a scarf of average thickness, or a worsted if you want a skinny scarf. You might even want to try a DK weight to convert it into a belt - cute!

Gratuitous Behind the Scenes Photos:

All photos copyright Marnie Maclean 2006.

Mata Hari Socks: Pattern Notes

Well, I'm back from Portland. Sigh. I suppose it should be nice to be able to walk through the guest room without stepping over swatches and pattern books, but honestly it feels a little empty without my other knitting half. Marnie was safely delivered to Portland rather late on Sunday night, and then she, Leo and I spent a lovely day there before I had to catch my flight back to LA yesterday. Their new place is great, and I'm sure the only reason that Miss Marnie hasn't already posted a grand overview of our trip is because she is steadily unpacking dishes, putting up new shelves, and making runs to places like Trader Joe's. So as not to steal our collective roadtrip thunder, I'm just going to share some pictures from the Redwoods portion of our journey, where we did the Mata Hari Sock photoshoot. I'll leave it to Marnie to post a few more highlights soon, including a huge case of blue balls - more on that later...

The Mata Hari socks warming up my tootsies in the leaf litter beneath the Redwoods.

Mata Hari Socks
Designed by Craftaholic Steph,
Knit with less than two skeins (170 yards/skein) of Koigu KPPPM (100% washable Merino) in color P850 (bright blue monochromatic variegate) on size US2 Clover Bamboo DPNs.
Gauge: 14 sts per 2 inches.
Size: to fit 8" circumference at ball of foot, 9" foot length snugly.

The Setting:
Redwoods near Stout Grove in Northern California.

Stiking a pose.The Pattern
This is a free sock pattern, conveyed in an elegantly simple format by Craftaholic Steph. The pattern gives information on the stitch pattern, but does not tell you how to make a sock. If you have never made socks before, try a basic sock pattern or two and then add in the Mata Hari pattern when you understand how to create the structure. I used my standard sock formula, included in my BMG's footies pattern, and extended the sock to 7" at the cuff, which for me was 18 pattern repeats.

Techniques:
Nothing new here, but I thoroughly enjoyed the yos!

Modifications: I used my standard sock formula, since the pattern does not specify the type of sock to make. I usually do this, even if the pattern does specify the sock and not just the stitch pattern. I modified the swirls of yarnovers so that the socks mirror each other by employing a yo ssk, instead of a k2tog yo, on the second sock, and running the motif in the opposite direction. You can figure it out if you play around with it. I won't write it out here, as these are Steph's socks, and I don't want to step on her toes. Pun intended.

Eyelets!Personally, I don't need to have socks mirror one another, and would have been just fine with the originals, but after listening to Marnie and Mary Heather go on about their obsession with sock symmetry, I decided to make my Mata Haris mirrored, since those two are likely to spend a lot of time looking at them. You have to have a little compassion for the irretrievably obsessive compulsive knitters in your life. I should have probably highlighted this feature in a photo, but I think you can get the idea on the toe shot.

Finishing:
Wet-blocked in tepid water, using lavendar eucalan - my woolwash of choice. Spun briefly in the washer to remove excess water. The colors did not run even the littlest bit, despite their vibrancy. Nice job, koigu!

Heel detail.Impressions of Koigu KPPPM:
I have used Koigu KPPPM for socks many a time. Since you already know how I feel about it (or can go back to those links to find out), I'll just say a few words about how it holds up here. I have washed my KPPPM socks in the machine on a regular setting with all my other colored clothes for over a year now, and they have held up reasonably well. I think that machine washing (& drying!) is completely fine for a pair of BMG's Footies if you make them. They will tighten up in the process, which is not a bad thing after being stetched out by your foot, and they will accumulate a bit of a halo, as some minimal felting does occur. If you want to keep yours pristine, hand wash them. My Crusoes have not faired quite so well, mostly because the lovely stranding technique they employ leaves the yarn more exposed to the washing process. They are still great socks, and I continue to machine wash them, but they do appear worn. If you knit the Crusoe pattern, I'd suggest hand-washing. I intend to hand wash my Mata Haris and future fancy socks, though I will continue to launder my less fancy, more durable footies. As an aside, I think it's possible that the socks would appear less worn if turned inside out prior to washing, but I haven't tried this. If you have, let me know how it went in the comments!

Possible substitute yarns:
Cherry Tree Hill Supersock is an excellent substitute. It's basically the same thing, comes in huge hanks and has great colors. I used it when knitting the Old Rose Stockings for Katrina relief last fall and really enjoyed it. I don't prefer one of these yarns over the other, but instead knit whichever colorway entices me first.

Gratuitous Behind the Scenes Photo:
Ever concerned about my popularity ratings, Marnie determined to take a few shots detailing the sock photography process - lest I be outdone by some other January baby. Since she thought I looked vaguely like someone practicing yoga, Marnie charged me to come up with a name for my pose:

Witness "Downward facing Dork."

Project MIL: Pattern Notes

Me and my fabulous MIL reunited with her favorite sweater.

Project MIL
MindofWinter Reconstruction,
Knit with (barely) eight skeins (98 yards/skein) of Rowan All Season's Cotton (60% Cotton/40% Acrylic) in color 178 "Organic", on Marnie's "Little Knitter" and by hand on size US7 Addi Turbo Circulars.
Gauge: 16 sts and 24 rows per 4 inches.
Size: 41" chest and 20.5" length in final finished garnment.

The Pattern
This sweater is a reconstruction that I worked up the pattern for over Christmas, based on my MIL's favorite sweater. I lucked out, because the sweater was in a large gauge for a machine knit, in a fabric that had the same fiber content and characteristics as Rowan All Season's Cotton. There are many commercial sweaters out there that are beautiful but hard to reproduce. This isn't one of them. It has some very pretty details and some clever shaping, but all of these features are readily apparent, so re-creating them wasn't difficult. I could have very easily knit the entire piece by hand (it probably would have been faster in this case!), but I planned to make it for my MIL many times, and I also wanted a fairly straight-forward pattern to use to try out Marnie's knitting machine, so instead I did about 50% of the work by hand and the other 50% by machine.

The original sweater, laid out for planning at Christmas.

The reconstruction, slightly different, but the fit is true.

This was my very first machine-knitting project, and it went really, really well until I decided that the short rows the machine created looked like poo and ripped out the front and back pieces. In itself, this would not have been such an ordeal, but because I only came to my decision after binding off, seaming and crocheting the edges, it was a bit of work. I reworked the pieces with decreases instead of short rows, but my machine tension still wasn't great from about the neckline up, so ultimately I decided to handknit the tops of both pieces.

When we left for Hawaii, I had all of the pieces in a bag with the sleeves bound off, and the partial front and partial back secured with waste yarn. I was somewhat nervous about finishing, because I wasn't absolutely sure I could match the machine's gauge, and I was afraid that the handknit section would look wonky. It is one thing to do a ribbing edge by hand and a stockinette body by machine, and it is another entirely to switch between the two in the middle of a long plane of stockinette. Blessedly, it all worked out, most likely due to my inexperience on the machine and my experience with handknitting. I am still shocked that this little manuever worked.

The original sleeve with full fashioning.I was able to finish the body pieces, bind off, seam, crochet the edges and steam the piece in time to present it to my MIL on our last day in Hawaii. She was thrilled and showed the sweater to anyone and everyone who might be remotely interested, and insisted on wearing it to dinner with her new necklace - also a beloved possession. If she had been a knitter herself she could not have done a better job of making me feel appreciated and making every single bit of the effort that I put into that sweater worthwhile, and I love her for that. So much so, in fact, that I would still be willing to make five more of these sweaters (as promised) if that was what she most wanted. I think she would still like to have a few more and I am sure that I will produce a few in varying colors here and there for birthdays, but what she really wants next is a River Stole. I think you know what I'll be knitting for Christmas.

Techniques:
This sweater incorporated many interesting shaping and full-fashioning details. I used the shaping for the shoulders, which included increases to broaden them for a swimmer's form. I intended to use the full-fashioning as well, but because you see the wrong side on the knitting machine, I kinda goofed up, so the fashioning is not as exciting as in the original. The big technique that I used was a single crochet border (something I've done often), done in a 2:3 ratio (two crochet loops for every three knit stitches) (something I've never done before). It was pretty cool to have it work out, and the result is nice. It pulls the knit in a little to give a bit of puff to the edges.

The reconstructed sleeve
with a little less fashioning.Finishing:
I would have loved to have had the luxury (time) to wet-block this piece, but with the constraints I was working under, I had to resort to steaming it. I had the foresight to bring along a little $15 hand-held steamer that I got at walgreens years ago, and it did the trick. I hung Project MIL on a hanger on the door of the closet in our cabin and let the steamer get to the point where it was really bubbling along, and then I steamed the sweater very meticulously and slowly, letting the steam seep into every inch of the fabric before moving on. It definitely removed any wrinkles and evened out the stitching, although a wet-blocking would have given a more professional result. If you need to resort to steaming, even with a cheapy steamer, know that it can be done.

Impressions of Rowan's All Season's Cotton:
Rowan All Season's Cotton is a yarn that I return to again and again and again. It's not a yarn that makes me go crazy with need when I see it on the shelf - it's more of a standard, like Karabella Aurora 8 or Rowan Wool Cotton. This isn't the prized yarn that sits in my stash unused because it's beautiful but doesn't go with anything. It's the yarn that goes with everything that I purchase in bulk when I have a design idea. Two of the four things I made with it are original designs, and a third is a reconstruction which required designing. It's a perfect blank canvas that will wear well, drape well, and give great stitch definition.

Possible substitute yarns:
There isn't an adequate substitute for All Season's Cotton in my book. This is one of my favorite yarns. You could use GGH Samoa, but it just isn't quite as nice.

The River Stole: Pattern Notes

River flowing over the sea, and gliding past the island of Kauaii.

River Stole
Designed by Jennie Atkinson, Rowan No. 38
Knit with two skeins (229 yards/skein) of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze (70% Kid Mohair/30% Silk) in color 606 "Candy Girl", on size US8 Bryspun Circulars.
Gauge: None.
Size: 26 inches wide by 53 inches long.

The Pattern
Sometimes to make a beautiful thing, you have to preservere. This is one of those times. Although this is one of the easier lace stole patterns out there, it takes a good three repeats to set the pattern in your mind, and by then you've knit a hundred rows. On the way to that first hundred rows is where your patience will be tested.

For those who choose the path of the River, do as I say and not as I do: take the time to put in some lifelines in the early stages. I spent as much time tinking this shawl as I did knitting it, and if I had even once used a lifeline to avert disaster rather than snaking one through in a haphazard manner later, I probably would have saved a lot of time.

That said, I had the same experience with River that I have had with many other long, rectangular projects, and somewhere in all those rows, adrenaline or madness or something kicked in and I became so attached I was almost unwilling to finish it. This was not the experience of all who knit River, but for me it became somewhat entrancing. If you are thinking of embarking on the River journey, know yourself. If some unknown force kicks in when you see piles of fabric spilling out before you and allows you to engage despite obvious repitition, go forth. If you get bored easily, go elsewhere.

As far as I could tell, there were no mistakes in the pattern, although I did not make the accompanying beaded scrunchy, so I cannot speak for that portion of the pattern. My one request to Rowan would be to start using charts for lace for pete's sake! Having to read thirty-six lines of written lace instructions does not endear me to you. That said, finished project? Gorgeous.

Techniques:
I used the Russian join to join the second skein of kidsilk on River - a technique that had piqued my interest when I saw it over on MJ's blog. It is a bitch to execute on mohair lace, as you have to use a sharp sewing needle rather than a chibi and risk the possibility of drawing some serious thumb blood. The result is great, however. I challenge you to find my ends! I would definitely use it again.

Finishing:
I wet-blocked River, by gently placing it in a the sink of tepid water and eucalan and allowing it to soak for 30 minutes. I then gently pressed out the excess water at the sink and put it in the washing machine on the spin cycle to get even more moisture out. The spin cycle won't harm or agitate fibers - the fiber stays flush against the wall of the washer after the initial movement and the water spins out. I then layed River out on the picnic table that we have on the side deck, on top of a stack of old towels and pinned it into scallops, with each scallop residing where a wave of the pattern crests. I did notice some bleeding of the color in the sink, and a small amount of it bled onto the towels that I used. I didn't have this with the muted color of Birch, but if you use a color like the blazing pink "Candy Girl", you can probably count on it. The bleeding did not affect the vibrancy of the color, however, and it was minimal. River dries very quickly in our dry, hot California air, so it was done blocking within an hour.

Impressions of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze:
I have talked about this yarn ad naseum on this blog. It's a bitch to use when you're new to it, and challenging even when you're not. But the rewards? Incredible. Once you finally get to the point where actual knitting is taking place it's amazing.

Possible substitute yarns:
The two best substitutes that I know of for Kidsilk Haze are K1C2's Douceur et Soie and Artfiber's Tsuki. At 515 yards/skein for $16 Tsuki is a steal, and can be ordered on line. Douceur has the same fiber content as Kidsilk, and Tsuki is close, with 10% more silk and less mohair.

Tips and Tricks:
Everything that I said about Birch applies here. If you want to add more horizontal repeats, each will take 17 sts. If you add an even number of horizontal repeats the edge pattern (little loops) will work out. If you add an odd number you will have to start with an extra st, dec 1 st after the loops, and do the opposite at the other end. No big deal, but good to think out in advance.

Farewell Kauaii.

*My esteemed photographer sometimes forgets that the knitwear is his subject. For clear shots of the lace see my previous entries.

Griffith Hoodie: Pattern Notes

Modeled on our front porch in the evening.While I'm still waiting for my film from Hawaii to be developed, I've decided to go back and complete the pattern notes for some of the many projects that I haven't been able to catch you up on. Lucky for me, the weather here has finally become so blessedly Californian and cool again that I was able to wear my Lush Hoodie to take some pictures for you. This is my personal version of the hoodie that I designed for the Greetings from Knit Cafe book last summer, and it is a staple of the comfy-yet-chic portion of my wardrobe in the fall and early winter. I like it best with the hood popping out from under a suede jacket, but the weather here is simply too hot for that! Here's the back story:

Griffth or "Lush" Hoodie
MindofWinter Designs
Materials: Knit with eleven skeins (92 yards/skein) of Elsbeth Lavold's Designer's Choice Angora (60% Angora/20% Wool/20% Nylon) in color 01, (a pale grey-blue) on size US7 and US8 Clover Bamboo circulars.
Gauge: 17 sts and 24 rows to 4 inches
Size: x-small, 32" bust

The process of designing the hoodie, which is a very simple sweater, ended up being quite challenging. It was a really good experience for me to have after the ease of Knitty and Magknits submissions, where I had been able to choose the concept and yarn myself, and knit the piece in advance. I designed this hoodie in spring 2005, when I was still living in DC. Moxie had taken me back to LA for my birthday in January, and while I was visiting, Suzan and I had talked about her plans for the book. That visit and another quick visit in May while I was interviewing were the only times that we were able to meet in person. We did everything else over e-mail and phone.

This pose reminds me of Froggy. I miss her.Suzan's vision was to create an understated garment that fit like a slightly sleeker version of a sweatshirt, with clean lines. The "work" of this piece was to be done by the fabric, which had to be something that was absolutely luxurious to the touch, and sumptuous to look at. Other than Moxie's Wedding Sweater this was the only garment I had ever designed to meet someone else's specifications. Given my druthers, I would have probably done the hoodie a little differently, with a few more details to push up the skill level. In fact, I designed the original with pockets (which I still haven't tried out), but Suzan nixed those in order to maintain the vertical line of the front so that the hoodie could be easily worn under a jacket. In the end, I really love the result of the collaboration. I feel that the final design is something we both would make and wear. It is accessible to knitters of all skill levels, and a real "staple" piece that can anchor any any wardrobe. And it is sumptuous and luxurious to boot. I love mine and have worn it more than any other piece that I've designed.

The yarn for the hoodie changed three times during the process, before Suzan hit on Classic Elite Lush, which seemed "just right." For me, designing is almost always about the yarn, so finding a yarn that embodies exactly what I want to convey is important. Her choice of Lush was dead on. Unfortunately, by the time that we found the right yarn in the right color, my work schedule had gotten considerably worse as well, which led to the most challenging aspect of designing the sweater - I wouldn't have time to knit it myself.

This was rather a large milestone for me, as I had previously designed as I knit, working out the kinks along the way. Luckily, Suzan enlisted Denise Boutier, aka "Grandma Hollywood" (who does not, by the way, look like a grandma, although she is one) to knit the prototype. All I can say is thank goodness for Denise. Not only was she able to execute the knitting portion of the job flawlessly, she was also the most perfect, gracious editor one could ever want. She scouted out a number of mistakes and ensured that the pattern was the clean version that you see in the book before a "real" editor ever got to it, much to my relief. Personally, I would have been frustrated if someone had handed me the hoodie pattern that she was given to knit - it was not "tight" by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, Denise kindly and diligently set up extensive e-mail communication with me. While Moxie and I were vacationing in Lake George (where I was knitting the WeHo Bikini, which I call the CafeKini), Denise and I went back and forth in a series of about 20 e-mails, fixing all the nits. She was definitely my co-captain on this one, and she became my friend as well.

From the back.When I finally moved back to LA in late July last year, Denise was finishing the hoodie in anticipation of the photoshoot for Greetings from Knit Cafe in early August. Despite all our communications, I was nervous. What if I had screwed up and the design was a total flop, which no level of knitting skill could hide? With only a week left before shooting, this could be a total disaster. I went to the Knit Cafe only a few hours after driving cross-country to LA with everything I needed in the bed of my truck. That's how nervous I was. I met Denise for the first time, laid a wet one on her, and was relieved to see the most beautiful version of the hoodie that I could have ever imagined sitting on the back work table. It felt nearly miraculous. After that, everything was downhill. The photoshoot was a fun flurry of activity which I caught glimpses of on evenings and weekends, editing occured sporadically throughout the fall (the hoodie had no remaining errors), and then there was the long, long wait for the book to go to press in the spring.

Modifications:
I wanted a version of the hoodie for myself, and I also wanted to "test knit" it personally at least once, so I worked it up in some Elsebeth Lavold Angora which I had stashed. I made a few modifications for the difference in gauge (Elsebeth Lavold's Angora is bulkier than Lush), short-rowed the shoulders, and left out the zipper (I had plans to put one in that never materialized, since it works well without one) but other than that, the pattern is the same as the original. It worked!

Impressions of Elsebeth Lavold's Angora and Classic Elite Lush:
I love both of these yarns, but they are not for the faint of nose. It is the nature of the angora beast to shed, so if you are sensitive to having fluff in your nose, I would recommend substituting a nice merino instead. If you want the halo without the loose fluff, knit the merino with a coordinating strand of lace-weight mohair like Rowan's Kidsilk Haze or K1C2's Douceur et Soie. This is a very friendly way to use mohair lace-weight, which will cause you far less anguish than actually knitting lace with it. You should also nix the angora (and the mohair) if you have itch sensitivities and plan to wear the hoodie next to your skin. Both Lush and Designer's Choice Angora have wool content to keep them from being too delicate. It's soft and luxurious for the most part, but it can itch as well. Angora pills naturally. I considered shaving the pills from my hoodie prior to photographing it, but decided to leave the pills so that you would get an idea of what happens after a season of wear. To me, the result is completely acceptable. This is a nice, natural, gentle pilling, which can easily be taken care of with a quality sweater shaver if it bothers you. It's the same type of pilling that will occur with a fine cashmere. If it bothers you, substitute merino - again, you can use the lace-weight mohair to add halo - neither should pill easily.

As for a comparison of the two yarns, I would say that Lush is slightly more delicate and slightly more drapey and luxurious. I wanted my hoodie to be as durable as possible, so I was happy to go with the Designer's Choice Angora, which is very, very close to Lush in character. I worked with the Designer's choice more extensively, so I can say a little bit more about it. First, don't be put off by its initial hand. This is a yarn that blooms with blocking and takes on a much more refined feel after finishing. Second, do swatch and block your swatch, because the yarn will grow a little (not too much, but a little) with blocking. It's good to know how your yarn will behave if you want a nice fit - take the gauge for the hoodie after blocking. To be safe, I would assume that this is true for the Lush as well. My experience of it was only in swatch form (and I only measured after blocking), but better safe than sorry.

I've worked with two of Elsebeth Lavold's yarns now (the other is Silky Wool), and have found them to be very thoughtfully designed. They definitely earn the name "Designer's Choice". I like the Angora so much that I have a sweater's worth of it stashed in two other colors. It's good stuff. If anyone has used her Cable Cotton let me know - I'd be really interested to hear how it works up as well. My expectation is that its a fine yarn.

Tips:
I don't think there's anything particularly tricky about this hoodie, so I would recommend it to knitters of all skill levels. If your sewing leaves something to be desired, you can have your tailor add the zipper, or go super casual and leave it out.

A Last Look:
Note the camisole underneath, knit by High Energy Jenny:

Southern Snowfall: Pattern Notes

Sometimes I get sick of seeing myself on this blog all the time. I love taking pictures and it is really refreshing to have a chance to share photos of someone else. This particular photo session was a real treat, because my dear friend and knitting compatriot, Hope, is an elusive subject. She said, and I quote, "I trust you to choose the right photos to post."

This choosing of the photographs is a tough job. I did my best and picked shots that I like, but I know that Hope will probably be critical of how she looks regardless. When I choose photos I do my best to capture the nature of the subject. I liked these because they were either happy and engaging or a little contemplative. If you know Hope you will see that hint of nervousness at having her picture taken flitting across her eyes. These aren't perfect, but I think they capture a little of her very special spirit. Just in case she doesn't like them, though, I've tossed in a little bonus to even out the playing field. This is one of my favorite pics of myself, but it is goofy as all hell, and not one that you could call attractive. I'm guessing Hope will appreciate the effort. And now, without further ado, pattern notes for Southern Snowfall:

Southern Snowfall Scarf
MindofWinter QuickKnits
Knit with two skeins (150 yards/137m/skein) of Blue Sky Alpaca's Dyed Cotton (100% Organic Cotton) in color 614 "Drift", on size US8 Addi Turbo Circulars. I didn't take a gauge because this is a scarf, but 22 sts gave me a width of about 5 inches.
Size: 5 inches by about 6.5 feet - this is approximate, b/c I didn't measure the scarf before I gave it to Hope, but it was long.

Detail of the "right" side - I like the wrong side as well.The Pattern
This was the winter, spring, and early summer of the rectangle for me. Prior to this year I had knit two scarves in about 12 years. Between January of 2005 and February of 2006, I knit three. And the only thing I've finished since then is the River Stole - yet another rectangle. All of these scarves are in complicated-looking patterns and luscious yarns, so it makes for a very nice collection. Though rectangles aren't normally that exciting for me, these really allowed me to knit through a time when I simply couldn't concentrate.

Southern Snowfall came about when Hope generously gave me a skein of dyed cotton to swatch with to see if it would work for a design I had in mind. It didn't work for what I was planning, so I decided to play around a bit. When I hit upon this stitch pattern, I knew I had something that I liked. I just kept going, and made Hope a scarf for Valentine's Day.

It's named Southern Snowfall because it looks like a dusting of snow in the south, with the ground peeking through. It's also southern because the scarf is made of cotton, rather than wool. I think it would be gorgeous in a bulky alpaca single like Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande or Misti Alpaca Chunky.

To make it, you simply cast on 22 sts and repeat these two rows:

Row 1: (RS) K3, *YO, sl1, K1, psso, K2; rep from * to last 3 sts, YO, sl1, K1, psso, K1.

Row 2: (WS) P3, *YO, P2tog, P2; rep from * to last 3 sts, YO, P2tog, P1.

I am a little obsessed with using every last bit of the yarn. With scarves, I knit an entire skein to see how much length I can get out of it. Once I've started knitting with the final skein, I cut the fringe from the outside end of the skein, and just knit to the bitter end. I never have more than 4-6 inches of yarn left.

Here's a tip for fringe: my standard fringe is three 12-inch strands of yarn per tassel, which means each tassel takes one yard of fiber. This makes a lush fringe and is an easy way to calculate the yardage needed for the fringe as well. In this case, I had 10 tassels at each end of the scarf, so I used a total of 20 yards of yarn, or a sixth of a skein. Neat trick, eh?

If you try it with alpaca, or a loosely spun wool, you might want to use bigger needles - I think the drape would be just lovely. The pattern has a repeat of 4+2, so you can cast on any multiple of 4 and then add 2 sts to get exactly the width that you want for the fiber you choose to work with. It would be pretty in fine yarn as well. Kidsilk could be yummy.

Still on the needles - you can see the reverse side well here.
Impressions of Blue Sky Dyed Cotton:
Organic cotton always has a slightly odd, papery feel for me on the needles. It is very lovely, and very organic-feeling, but there is an adjustment period. It's a grabby fiber, so I like using Addis to handle it. For a cotton, it behaves like a wool, in the sense that it seems lighter and less drapey than most cottons. It doesn't have memory or resilience like a wool, though. It gives a lovely result, and produces a unique fabric. I use it when I want a very natural, casual look. This particular line comes in really great colors. At the Knit Cafe we use it for baby items a lot - it makes beautiful blankets - but be forewarned that it is not machine washable. It has fabulous yardage, which makes it more of a bargain than the price tag indicates.

Possible substitute yarns:
I know that there are other organic cottons out there, but I can't think of a good substitute with the same fiber content and properties. Pachuko Organic Cotton is less soft, and has greater stitch definition, so although it's lovely in its own right, it is not truly a "substitute". Perhaps my commenters will have ideas. I assume there's probably a smaller regional company that produces organic cotton. If you know of a regional farm that makes something similar, please let me know below.

Pattern Notes: My So Called Scarf

This was yet another stealth knit. It snuck in among my unfinished gifts, charity knitting, and lingering projects and made itself a necessary (& fun!) part of my knitting days. Last year around this time I set several new aspirations for my knitting in 2005, the most important being to cut down the number of projects that I have on the needles at any given time to between five and seven, to design more, and to give more of what I make to friends and others.

One of the reasons to limit the number of WIPs was to allow myself to focus more on the projects at hand and enjoy them, rather than becoming scattered and racing from one thing to the next. I'll write aspirations for 2006 in the New Year, but I wanted to say now that the stealth knits have validated my feeling that less (at one time) is more. I feel much more connected and interested in what I'm doing when I can focus in on one thing. One of the reasons that I liked these knits so much was the feeling of spontaniety I had while knitting them. I was free! Creative! I could do whatever I wanted! I think this was primarily because the queue of knits that I was obligated to was not particularly long, and whenever I wanted to I allowed myself to knit the thing that called to me, rather than whatever I was supposed to knit next.

There's nuthin' 'so called' about it. This is a rocking scarf!

My So Called Scarf
Free Pattern, from Sheep in the City
Knit with three skeins (98 yards/skein) of Di.ve Teseo (Di.ve is a division of Cascade) (55% Wool/45% Microfiber) in color 39361, on size US9 Addi Turbo Circulars. I didn't take a gauge because this is a scarf, but 30 sts gave me a width of about 5 inches.

Size: 5 inches by about 7 feet!

The Pattern
This is a really beautiful stitch pattern that shows off both variegated and barberpole yarns beautifully. I first caught sight of it over at Mellow Trouble and it's been love ever since. (Go over and say hi to Andrea - she has a great site!) I may make a second one with my Tahiti Handspun below. The pattern is all of two rows, so it's really easy to memorize, but it looks complicated and sophisticated. There's enough variation that you can enjoy it for a stretch.

I don't often make scarves (I say this knowing that the only other projects I have going are a scarf and a stole - still, it's unusual), because the monotony of knitting a really long rectangle that ends in the excitement of fringe (at best), doesn't really do it for me. This scarf was different. Although there was a point somewhere in skein two where I suffered a bout of malaise, for the most part it was steady sailing. Near the end I was obsessed with using every last bit of the yarn. I cut the fringe from the outside end of the last skein while knitting with the other end so that I would know exactly how much yarn I had to work with.

[As an aside, my standard fringe is three 12-inch strands of yarn per tassel, which means each tassel takes one yard of fiber. This makes a lush fringe and is an easy way to calculate the yardage needed for the fringe as well. In this case, I had 12 tassels at each end of the scarf, so I used a total of 24 yards of yarn, or a fourth of a skein. Neat trick, eh?]

I'm glad that I made the scarf so dang long, because it really adds to feeling of lushness. Nothing like a bit of excess fabric to connote luxury. It goes for three full wraps easily.

What else? The stitch pattern lies very flat. This is an excellent attribute in a scarf. It is also thick and a little stiff which is fine for a scarf, but wouldn't work as well in a sweater. If I were to adapt this pattern to a garment I'd knit it very loosely to encourage drape.

Modifications:
I substituted the yarn and added fringe. I think that the gauges are close if not dead on, but really, it doesn't matter. If you want to use a smaller yarn, just remember that the pattern requires a multiple of 4+2 sts, and then cast on the number you need to get the width you desire.

This is one of Moxie's faves. I like the reeds in the background.

Impressions of Di.ve Teseo:
I have to confess that despite some serious geeky tendancies when it comes to yarn, I didn't even know that Di.ve existed until I bought this yarn, and then it took me a while to put together that Vergnasco was the location in Italy where this is made, rather than the name of the yarn company.

Di.ve is a division of Cascade, which makes sense. It's a wonderful yarn at a great price. Cascade excels at offering well-made yarns at good prices. In my perfect yarn store, if I could carry only three lines, they would be Rowan, Karabella, and Cascade. There are other lines that would fill in nicely and great niche companies, but for big and necessary, those three do it, and Cascade offers the "value" aspect of the trio.

Teseo is a beautiful yarn. I've seen several colorways and they are all fabulous. Usually, when we get in a new yarn at the store, I can pick out "the color" that everyone is going to buy. Teseo doesn't have a single "it" color. It has about five "it" colors. I must have more.

Teseo is a wool/microfiber blend, but it feels like a real wool, only softer. It's not quite to the level of merino in softness, but for a non-merino it's cushy. It also strikes me as a yarn that will wear well. I do not anticipate pillage, but I'll let you know if I find otherwise.

Oh yeah - almost forgot - very economical. It retails for $6.50 a skein. Gotta love that.

Possible substitute yarns:
Since bright wool variegateds are the thing this fall and winter, there are likely zillions of substitutes for Teseo, though for subtle variation in hue I haven't seen an exact counterpart. My favorite substitute for this would be a yarn by a new Westminster line called Nashua. I beleive the exact name is wooly stripes worsted. (Their equinox stripes and creative focus solids are also quite nice.) I haven't knit with any of their yarns yet, but they look extremely promising, and they have really nice supporting leaflets (I purchased a great one, but I can't find a link for the thing anywhere!). The Nashua yarn retails for a bit more, but I beleive it is also 100% wool, and the "real thing" is nice to knit with.

Gratuitous Scarf Photos:
The photos for this shoot were taken by Moxie. We went for a walk yesterday in a field in Wayland, Massachsetts, where we often go with the dogs when visiting family in Boston. I know there are a lot of photos, but you'll have to humor me. The light was perfect, and the colors were great, so we went a little crazy.

Oh, and Panda, eat your heart out!

Panda, I'm pretty sure if we work together we can overpower them -
we've definitely got more sense.

Just Ducky Pattern Notes

This post is a suprisingly hard one to write. It's a round-up* of the Christmas presents that I made for my estranged parents. I made these gifts for them in an attempt to reach out and do something personal that might be meaningful for them. I thought at the time that it wouldn't matter if they didn't do anything for me in return, and perhaps in the long run, it won't. I have a wonderful husband, in-laws who spoil me rotten, and a "chosen" family of friends who are always there for me. Parents are people, and perhaps they cannot always do the things that we would like them to. Someday I will learn to accept them as they are. Giving is the important part, and I did feel good making these things for them.

The guest bed at my friends' house in Pasadena. Stately, yet it coordinates well with the duck.

Why the Duck?! (or is that 'What the Duck?!')
Long ago and far away, when my younger bother was about eleven, and life was slightly less complicated than it is now, he wanted with his entire little prepubescent heart to have a duckling of his own. I am not entirely sure how this desire originated in my brother (though I suspect that it had something to do with my mother's stories of growing up in the country with baby ducks and chicks), but it reached a point where my mother felt that it could no longer be denied. He had to have a duck. She promised she would get him one.

So we piled into the station wagon (a Chrysler LeBaron with fake wood panelling - you remember the 80's), and headed for Wilson Seed & Feed on Richmond, Virginia's south side, to procure ourselves a duckling. What we did not know when we set out on this quest was that Richmond, booming metropolis that it was, had a bit of a duck problem. Apparently many little boys of my brother's ilk had a need in their hearts to have a duckling of their own. Until, that is, the duckling in question grew up, reaching a height of approximately two and a half feet (much bigger than a cat) and produced sounds not unlike that of a group of third graders practicing for marching band. The grown (and hence outgrown) ducks of new height and impressive noise capacity would then be whisked away under cover of night by the soccer moms of our town, and deposited in the park (ironically "Byrd Park") to fend for themselves, disturbing the neighbors with their trumpeting and harassing park-goers for food.

To protect its citizens from the menace of the abandoned ducklings, the city had enacted an ordinance geared to limiting the purchase of duckings to only the most serious of buyers (restauranteers): it was ordained that ducklings could only be purchased in quantities of six or greater.

Most mothers might find themselves daunted at the prospoect of owning, not just one, but half a dozen ducklings. In fact, I believe that in THE GREAT BIG BOOK OF PARENTING DILEMNAS there is an entire chapter devoted to broken promises, and how to explain that in this life mommy and daddy cannot possibly keep every promise that they have made, because if they did, their house would be over-run with ducks. Needless to say, my mother has never taken a chapter from THE GREAT BIG BOOK OF PARENTING DILEMNAS. She instead, almost without pause, purchased six ducks.

And, for about two months (the time period required for the ducks to reach their full adult height and lung capacity), we owned six ducks. I think I have said before that we lived within the city limits. We did not have an inordinate amount of land, and the land we had was not fenced with anything, let alone the kind of fencing that would be required to contain six ducks.

What we did have was an unfinished basement (cement floors with a drain in the middle - thank god for small favors), and several very deep bathtubs. So for these two months we kept the ducks in their space in the basement the majority of the time, with several daily jaunts up and down the stairs (all in single file, following my brother) to the bathtub for a little swim. It was an idyllic time.

The only one who was not pleased with this state of affairs (I was 13 at the time, so old enough to know that my mother's decision was a little off, but still young enough to think of it as "cool"), was my father, who did not find the copious duck poop that then lined our basement to be the most charming addition to what had previously been his personal wood-working shop and sanctuary.

He blew off steam by occasionally shouting out something vaguely accusatory about all the damn 'duck butter,' which was his euphamism for the duck poop that was rapidly filling our house. Why my father chose this instance to wax poetic and euphamize I will never know. He has never been a man to mince words and he has the mouth of a sailor, so this was certainly a strange time for him to hold back. In his position I am quite sure that I would let fly with the explitives. But while the ducks did not stick (they were finally and tearfully sent to a friend's horse farm equipped with a pond out in Goochland), the Duckbutter did. It was a nickname that my brother christened him with (most likely in retaliation for the departure of the ducks), and that my father grew to love over time and feel was symbolic of their bond.

We have called my father Duckbutter, Duckie or some variation of the two for over twenty years now. It's hard to remember a time when we referred to him as 'dad'. The name became even more precious with the passing of my brother about four years ago. It is one of the small legacies of my brother that continues to live on regardless of the passing of time, or the changes in our lives and relationships with each other. Hence, the duck.

Just Ducky Pillow
MindofWinter Designs
Knit with two skeins (123 yards/skein) of Rowan's Wool Cotton (50% Merino/50%Cotton) in French Navy (909) and one skein in Mellow Yellow (942) on Addi Turbo 24" circulars in size US5 (3.5mm). I honestly can't remember the gauge (it's on a scrap of paper somewhere!), but I think it's about 20-21 sts per 4 inches in Stst.

Size: One. About 7"x10"

The Pattern
I've been inspired by several intarsia charts lately (read this post for links to cool free charts and my quick instructions on how to make your own), so I decided that I would make Christmas my opportunity to brush up on my intarsia and charting skills, which are pretty darn rusty. I did almost all of the tough work for this pattern myself. The only part of it that was created by someone else was the duck outline. I'm not much of an artist, so I scrounged around on the internet to find an image that would work for me. I did a gauge swatch, charted the duck, and knit the resulting pillow.

I got a little off course, and ended up with a duck that has a rather primitive look about the head and bill. One of my knitting buddies at Knit Cafe, Denise Boutier (aka "Grandma Hollywood" - but that's another story), referred to it as a ptera'duck'tyl - which I love! I considered ripping back and revising it, but decided that my parents, who have some primitive art here and there, would probably like it as is. I did a little stitching around the edges to even things out, but I have a feeling that might have made it more, rather than less, dinosaurian.

I loved dong the intarsia on this piece, and I've realized, to my own complete suprise, that there is more intarsia (just a little, tastefully done) in my future. I had a great time!

Finally, one of my favorite details is the border. To make it I simply picked up stitches very close to the edge of the front of the pillow (before sewing it up!), knit a single round through the back loop, and then bound off using the I-cord bind-off method. For a long time, I've wondered why I haven't seen knitted pillows with a piped border, since this is so common in sewing. Mary Heather has wondered this as well, and did a wonderful pillow with piping earlier this year for an upcoming book that we both have projects in, so I got to see a sneak preview of knitted piping in action. Her method was different than mine, and gives a lovely traditional result. (You'll have to wait for the book to see it!) This version creates a small lattice below the piping. It looks really professional, and I'm pleased with it, though I did wonder a bit if it out-classed my pteraducktyl!

Impressions of Rowan's Wool Cotton:
I've used Rowan's Wool Cotton several times this year, and it's definitely a favorite of mine. As I think I've said before, this yarn is a real staple, like Karabella's Aurora 8, though it is worked at a finer gauge than that yarn. Wool cotton is an excellent choice for intarsia. It works up crisp, and yet somehow seems to adjust for all your knitting 'sins'. If only we could bottle such properties. Wool cotton is an especially good choice for this kind of color work because it can be worked on smaller needles - somewhere from US4 to US6 is ideal when you want to preserve a little drape - but it can also make a mighty cushy sock or footlet if you use it on size US2 or US3 needles. I think that a fair isle sock would be just lovely in this stuff. It has great versatility.

*I had plans to write about my mom's gift as well, but after a post of this length, I'm tuckered out. I'll post some pictures later this week.

This Year's Ornament

I really enjoyed making little sweater ornaments last year, but this holiday season, as I've spent the days leading up to the holidays in the great outdoors, I found a different inspiration for some knitted decorations.

Between the beautiful ginko trees in the yard where I'm staying with friends, the lace knitting that I've done recently, and my current interest in knitting with wire, I was inspired to play around and create some lace leaf ornaments.

The concept is simple. You just take a repeat of your favorite traditional lace pattern, and knit it with a strand of mohair. I used a fine kid mohair silk blend for the white leaves and a thicker wool mohair blend for the colored leaves.

The silver leaf with beads is simply the same pattern without the yarn, using a thicker silver wire. Mine was 26 guage sterling.

I'm copyrighting the recipe, since I think it's such a cool concept that I'd like to keep the credit for it, but I think it would be really cool to see what other lace patterns people could come up with to knit this way. I've had snowflakes on the brain as well (check out the really cool links), and I'd love to see a snowflake version if anyone comes up with one.

White Lace Leaf Ornament
Julia Trice, copyright 2005

Materials:

Small amount of lace weight mohair (I used Art Fibers' Tsuki, but Karabella's laceweight mohair and Rowan's kidsilk haze would give the same effect)

Spool of 36 gauge metal wire (available at beading supply shops for about 99 cents)

Size US7-US10 wooden needles

Wire cutters to cut ends

Precaution:

When working with wire it is always advisable to wear safety googles to prevent sharp ends from injuring your eyes. When your leaf is complete, carefully tuck in any sharp ends that might protrude and keep out of reach of children.

Instructions:

With yarn and wire held together, cast on 3 sts using the backward loop method.
Row 1: k3
Row 2: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1
Row 3 and all odd rows through row 11: purl
Row 4: k2, yo, k1, yo, k2
Row 6: k3, yo, k1, yo, k3
Row 8: ssk, k5, k2tog
Row 10: ssk, k3, k2tog
Row 12: ssk, k1, k2tog
Row 13: sl1, p2tog, psso, fasten off.

Pattern Notes: Old Rose Stockings

I photographed these lovley stockings last week, but when I looked at the pictures again, I just didn't feel that I had done them proper justice. These are beautiful socks. The pattern is wonderful, the yarn is wonderful, and since I'm giving them away, I want to have pictures that truly capture their spirit. So, I pulled them out this morning, and took a little stroll down the brick pathway in the rose garden of my friend's house.

Those of you who do most of your own blogtography can envision the position I had to get in to take this picture!

Old Rose Stockings (aka Diagonal Rib Socks)
Interweave Knits Subscriber Only Pattern,* by Ann Budd
Knit with one skein (370 yards**/skein) of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock(100% Superwash Merino) in Old Rose, in a gauge of about 7 sts per inch in Stst on size US2 Clover bamboo DPNs.

Size: 7-8.

The Pattern
I love love love this pattern and intend to make it at least one more time for myself. I want to experiment with some other sock patterns, so I may not opt to make it obsessively (cough::Cara::cough), but I could definitely see this becoming my gift sock pattern of choice, since the results are so lovely.

The stitch pattern gives the sock a lot of resilience and memory, so it ends up being the type of pattern that has some sizing flexibility. If you make it too large, it will cling. If you make it too small, it will stretch. I don't know that I'd classify it as a beginner sock pattern, because the pattern takes a bit to set up, but if you feel like you just can't quite get your sizing dead on and you're an advanced beginner sock knitter, this is the sock for you. (Compare this to Crusoe, a pattern which I love and wear all the time, but which requires that you get the fit right.)

Modifications:
I changed the yarn and therefore the gauge is a little different. Other than that, not a one!

Impressions of Cherry Tree Hill's Supersock:
LOVE IT. This is KPPPM's twin. Same fiber content, same machine washability, and slightly higher lustre. There are really only three ways to tell Supersock from Koigu. Supersock is shinier and has a little less texture (maybe that's why it's shinier?), and the colorways seem to have fewer component colors. Otherwise almost an identical yarn. Although I know some die-hard sock knitters who think this type of yarn is a little delicate, I personally prefer it to some of the scratchier (and more durable) alternatives out there. A single skein was enough to get two socks that were 7" in length prior to the heel flap, with leftovers. Cherry Tree Hill is now making it's skeins in 420 yard lengths (mine was 370 yards), so you can easily get a pair of ample socks out of them.

Possible substitute yarns:
KPPPM. See above.

Tips for Making Diagonal Rib Socks:
Patience. There are 65 stitches in this pattern, so it gets to be a loooong haul. Just remember its worth the effort!

Gratuitous Sock Photos:

*For this issue, IK is giving access to the subscrber only portion of its website to all who purchase the magazine. Check your issue for the password and then hightail it to the sock section - it's great!

**This is the old yardage for this yarn - it's now sold in a hank that has 420 yards, so you get even more bang for your buck.

Pattern Notes: This Birdie Has Flown

It seems that there has been no end to the babies this year. And since many of the intended recipients' mommies prefer primary colors to pastels and because green is the new pink (and arguably the new blue) I have been knitting, knitting, knitting away on many little green things. To mix it up a little I decided to make the most recent little Tadpole a knitted toy, since I had it on very good authority that she was likely to receive many knitted gifts. My guess is that knitters often make clothing for babies (I do!), so I thought a toy would be unique and fun to make. Hence, Birdie:

Shhh! I'm nesting....

Birdie
Designs for Kids, by Lucinda Guy
Knit with half a skein 123 yards/113 meters/skein) each of Rowan's Wool Cotton (50% Merino/50%Cotton) in Laurel (960) and Mellow Yellow (942) on Addi Turbo 24" circulars in size US4 (3.0mm), in a gauge of 22 sts and 36 rows per 4 inches in Stst.

Size: one.

The Pattern:
Let me start by saying that Lucinda Guy's Designs for Kids is a charming, whimsical book. It has a lot of really wonderful projects in it (scroll down on the book link to take a look at some others), and as I look at it again, I am reminded of all the silly little things I would like to make from it. There are quite a few.

That said, the Birdie pattern is really about the result more than the process. It involves knitting (& crocheting!) many little triangles and other parts and then sewing them together. The tedium of all the fiddly sewing is lessened only by the fact that you can avoid weaving in most of the ends by stuffing them inside the bird as you seam, and you can utilize the others to do the seaming itself.

To be honest, by the time I got to crocheting the eyeballs, I was completely out of gas. I was going to be a good girl and teach myself how to crochet a circle (I learn crochet on an "as needed" basis!), but instead I shamelessly pooped out and enlisted a little help. (Thank you, Ms. Marnie!)

Do I think there's anything wrong with the pattern? No! Would I make it again? Absolutely! I just want to warn all you shower knitters out there that if you sign up to make a Birdie for the little wee one in your life it might be a little bit of a pain in the ass. It will be worth it, though. The finished bird is very cute.*

Modifications:
I changed the yarn and therefore the guage. The pattern is pretty amenable to fudging. The original is made using Rowan's Cotton Glace, which I'm sure is very lovely, but which probably shows more mistakes. I also stubbornly refused to seam as called for in the instructions and instead mattress-stitched (and none too gracefully I might add). You should probably go with the original instructions on that one. Mine looks decidedly homemade. Although I find that charming, I'd do it differently the second time around.

Impressions of Rowan's Wool Cotton:
I've spoken highly of this yarn in the recent past, and have used it for three projects this year already with a fourth (and possibly a fifth) on the way. Rowan's Wool Cotton and Karabella's Aurora 8 are my standby yarns - good for just about anything, reliable, wonderful hand, great stitch definition and machine washable. They're also fairly easy to find.

Possible substitute yarns:
I would use the yarn called for in the pattern - Rowan Cotton Glace - if you want to avoid re-guaging and/or fudging. If you're looking for a substitute for the yarn itself, Jaeger's Extrafine Merino DK is one of my favorites (but not for kids - it isn't machine washable!)

Tips for Making Birdie:
Patience, grasshopper. That's all you need. It's fiddly, but relatively quick.

Gratuitous Birdie Photos:

*It's also useful. For several days before I mailed it off, Moxie used it as a "watch bird" to keep the kitties from jumping on top of his beloved speakers. Perhaps he needs one of his own?

Lace Leaf Pullover: Pattern Notes

Lest you think the days of imitating haute couture knitwear are past, I present you with my version of Teva Durham's Lace Leaf Pullover, complete with styling:

I am a pouty wood nymph in a fabulous sweater. Envy me my indulgently sour expression.

Lace Leaf Pullover
Loop-D-Loop or Interweave Knits, Summer 05, designed by Teva Durham
Knit with 10 skeins - and not a pinch left! - (53 yards/50 meters/skein) of Twilley's Freedom Wool (100% Wool - not merino!) in Moorland (408) on Inox 29" circulars and Addi Turbo 24" circulars in size US13! (9.0mm), in a guage of 10 sts and 14 rows per inch in Stst.

Size: smallest.

The Pattern:
This is a wonderful and well-written pattern!!! It justifies several exclamation points!!! I don't usually knit on big needles - this is the first time I've ever gone past a size US11 - but when I saw this yarn on my trip to Cleveland, I just had to have some, and I knew that this was the one chunky sweater I had seen that I really wanted to make. I wasn't disappointed.

The construction of the Lace Leaf Pullover is pretty unique. It's knit from the bottom up to the center, and then from the top down to the center, so that the leaves can point in opposing directions - very clever. You will notice that my version does not have leaves on the body, though Teva's does. (That's because Teva knows that to really show off the design you should knit it in a solid color. Julia knows this, too, but she never buys chunky yarn, so she made some modifications to make it work.) I actually knit this as designed the first time, despite some reservations, but during one of my myriad "fitting" sessions Moxie noted that keeping the leaves in that position made it "look like I fucked up". He was right. We can't have that!

This is Roosevelt Island where we took the shot above. You can read about it below.

In addition to "having that shit at the bottom where it looked like I fucked up," the sweater body was a little short when I kitchenered it the first time, so I set out to knit the sleeves with the goal of having a little yarn left over so that I could not only rip out the lace leaves at the bottom, but also lengthen as much as possible when I got back to that section. All this was necessitated by the fact that I had less yardage than called for in the pattern, since all the Cleveland yarn store had was 10 skeins. In case anyone else is this cavalier or cheap, the sweater can be done in the smallest size with a total of 530 yards or 500 meters of yarn in the correct guage, if you shorten the sleeves by an inch, and the body by a smidge. Just be sure to make guage and knit the sleeves first, so that you can use every bit of the yarn. This is not a feat for the faint of heart.

Originally I planned to rip back the section of the body that flashes really obviously. That was before I realized that the lightening bolts of color would be swathed across my not so voluptuous bossom. As soon as I realized what this particular anamoly did for my figure, it was transformed into a "feature". Victoria's Secret has nothing on variegated yarn.

Back to my praise of the pattern, however. This is a very fun knit. You get to use a lot of techniques, including grafting (kitchener stitch), lace knitting, circular knitting, knitting through the back loop, top-down and bottom up construction, etc. I particularly like the ribbing at the bottom, neck and cuffs. At first it is a little irksome to purl through the back loop, but the effect is a lacy ribbing which nicely mirrors the rest of the design. It's a very thoughtful detail. The work moves quickly, and the result is stunning. You're left with a lovely, unique piece that is extremely wearable. That's a lot to ask from a single knit.

Modifications:
I think I covered these in the last section - I tend to digress.

Impressions of Twilley's Freedom Wool:
Freedom wool is gooooood stuff. It's very old school in feel - like Lamb's Pride - and it knits in a very even, satisfying manner. The colors are just lovely, and the wool itself is very soft, despite not being merino. I will have to investigate its provenance. It's a fine fiber. I recommend it to anyone who wants to knit chunky. I may even get more! Also, it's dirt cheap. I bought mine for $4.50 a skein. It's hard to get anything for that price, let alone a yarn this nice. I'd be willing to pay twice that price for it.

Possible substitute yarns:
I don't really do chunky yarns, so I'm not much help here. Something Rowan might be nice. Perhaps Lamb's Pride Bulky? (though that might be finer.)

Tips for Making the Lace Leaf Pullover:
If you have the requisite skillz, you'll be okay. If not, it could be a fun way to learn them!

About Our Photoshoot:
The photo above was not obtained by any small outpouring of energy, but it was taken in a beautiful setting which somewhat eased the pain. Moxie got up this morning, having clearly not checked the weather (26 degrees - has DC become part of the Tundra?), with an itching to go to Roosevelt Island. I immediately thought "Great! Lace Leaf Pullover shoot! I'm on it!" So we bundled up, got Caia into the car, and set out for the Island.

Roosevelt Island, for those who are too lazy to click the link, is a monument to Teddy Roosevelt, great conservationist and President of the United States (I know, I bet you thought that was an oxymoron). It's a beautiful wooded island on the Virginia side of the Potomac, that can be reached by a footbridge. RI is a wonderful oasis for runners, dog lovers and others in the know. It's scenic, quiet, and has many serpentine paths that all lead to a spectactular monument in the center. It's our favorite monument in DC to date - and this city has some good ones. If you want to see more pictures of it, click here for a little tour. If you're a history buff, there are even more interesting sites on Roosevelt Island here and here.

Once there, Moxie assisted me in getting all braided up and set for the shot. This consisted of many fine hair adjustments, and several minute adjustments of position and expression on my part. Moxie did bobby-pin detail and was patient enough to take 30 shots in order to produce the one that you see. Despite the fact that we were both friggin' freezin' to death. Afterwards we shot our hands into our gloves and ran down the closest shortcut path to the monument to snap a few pics before returning home to hot chocolate. All in all, a fun, if brief, outing.

Freebie: Sprout Hat

You gotta love the pompom! Click here to see the set.

Happy Green Sprout Hat
MindofWinter QuickKnits, designed by Julia Trice
Yarn: Just over 1 skein (98 yards/90 meters/skein) of Karabella Aurora 8(100% Merino) in Parsley (716) If you do a less fluffy pompom you may get away with 1 skein, but no promises!
Needles: Clover Bamboo DPNs in size US6 (4.0mm)
Gauge: 4.5 sts per inch in moss stitch.
Size: About 14 inches in diameter, to fit newborn to 3-6 months, depending on the infant.

Note/Disclaimer: I designed the Sprout Hat to go with Veronik Avery's Gansey Layette, which is in a very different gauge. To make the two as a set, you will either have to re-gauge my pattern or hers. I'd re-gauge mine!

Using DPN's, CO 64 sts, place marker to mark rounds if needed. Work 6 rounds in 2x2 ribbing as follows: *k2, p2* to end every round. Next round, dec as follows: *k14, k2tog* to end. 60 sts remain. Purl two rounds. On next round begin moss stitch pattern:

Round 1: *k1, p1* to end.
Round 2: *k1, p1* to end.
Round 3: *p1, k1* to end.
Round 4: *p1, k1* to end.

Repeat these four rounds until hat measures 5.25 inches from beginning, ending after either round 2 or round 4. Purl two rounds.

Begin decreases as follows:

Round 1: *k10, k2tog* to end.
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: *k9, k2tog* to end.
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: *k8, k2tog* to end.
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: *k7, k2tog* to end.
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: *k6, k2tog* to end.
Round 10: Knit
Round 11: *k5, k2tog* to end.
Round 12: *k4, k2tog* to end.
Round 13: *k3, k2tog* to end.
Round 14: *k2, k2tog* to end.
Round 15: *k1, k2tog* to end.
Round 16: *k2tog* to end.

Leaving an eight-inch tail, cut yarn, and using a darning needle thread through the remaining live stitches. Pull live sts off needle and thread through a second time to strengthen. Weave in ends on the reverse side.

Make a pompom about 2.5-3 inches in diameter and fasten to top of hat. I used this pom pom maker, but for years before I acquired it, I made my own "maker" like this.

For notes on the yarn and accompanying sweater, see this post.

COPYRIGHT 2005, Julia P. Trice This pattern is protected by copyright and available for personal use only. It is not available for sale or distribution without the author's express permission.

"Happy Green" Pattern Notes

Yeesh! This year has been tough. Between designs not yet released and gifts for people who read my blog, I haven't felt free to share my FO's with you, and that's just not fun. So it is with great joy that I bring you the pattern notes for "Happy Green," the baby sweater that I made for my friend Jen's baby to be.

Happy Green in her native environment - the bench outside my temporary "cottage" home. Click here to zoom in.

Gansey Layette aka "Happy Green"
Interweave Knits, Winter 02-03, designed by Veronik Avery
Knit with almost 4 skeins (98 yards/90 meters/skein) of Karabella Aurora 8(100% Merino) in Parsley (716) on Clover Bamboo 24" circulars and DPNs in size US6 (4.0mm), in a gauge of about 5 sts per inch in Stst.

Size: smallest.

The Pattern:
This is my favorite baby sweater pattern. As a rule, I don't knit a sweater more than once unless it's my own design, but I like this one so much that I've made it three times (here it is in white on my niece Sophie, which reminds me I need to complete those pattern notes!), and considered up-sizing it for myself. This is especially impressive since I've never made it in the recommended gauge or in the same gauge any of those times. (Nor have I managed to take great notes, so that if I did do it in the same gauge I wouldn't have to do the math all over again.) It's true love, I tell you.

If I had to pick two all-time favorite designers, they would be Veronik Avery and Norah Gaughan, because they both use unique construction to stunning (yet wearable) effect. This little gansey is no exception. Veronik has you knit the sweater all in one piece to the armholes, which are made by picking up stitches and knitting down to the cuffs in the round. She uses short rows along the neckline to create a lovely scoop and then employs a sewn bind-off all around the neck and the cuffs. Between these techniques and the lovely garter rib detailing, the gansey is a veritable sampler for the intermediate knitter, and a fun ride for the experienced knitter as well. It's probably only suitable for the intrepid beginner, but if you've got a few projects under your belt and are dying to make it, you'll definitely pick up some knitting know-how along the way. Plus it makes an absolutely smashing gift.

Aren't the buttons lovely? Courtesy of the Great Wall of Buttons, visited on our Michael Levine trip.

Modifications:
The only modification that I made was the gauge. This is one of those patterns that is great "as is". It's very well-written, too.

Impressions of Karabella's Aurora 8:
This is a workhorse of a yarn. It comes in beautiful colors, knits up at a nice gauge, feels soft and lovely to the touch and displays beautiful stitch definition. I would highly recommend it for ganseys, arans, and ribbed sweaters. The solid colors are fabulous, but the slightly heathered colors, like the one I chose, are really special. My photography really doesn't adequately display the rich depth of a piece worked in such a beautiful heather. Oh yeah, here come those two wonderful words again: machine washable

Possible substitute yarns:
A cheap alternative to Aurora 8 that springs to mind is Peruvian Collection Highland Wool, a very nice yarn in its own right. Still, it's not merino. If your budget allows it, always go merino.

Tips for Making the Gansey Layette:
Do the short rowing when your mind is fresh and you have a lot of time to devote. You will need to "reverse shaping" and that can be an ugly thing to bend your mind around if you are already tired or don't have the necessary time block. If you re-gauge - write it all down for next time!

Did you see this little number? My pal Dan at the Knit Cafe always adds an extra button and yarn to a gift - seems like a great idea.

Classic "Cashmere" Booties Pattern Notes

It has been all baby, all the time at MindofWinter this month. Here's round one:

Boooteeelishous!

Classic Cashmere Booties
Simple Knits for Cherished Babies, by Erica Knight
Knit with about half a skein (123 yards/113 meters/skein) of Rowan Wool Cotton (50% Merino/50%Cotton) in Rich (red) (911) with accents of Ship Shape (blue) (955) on Clover Bamboo DPNs in size US4 (3.5mm), in a gauge of about 6.5 sts per inch in Stst.

Finished Dimensions: Tiny! Size 0-3 months.

The Pattern:
This is a wonderful pattern. It's simple to follow, with good illustrations that help those who might be new to knitting these types of fiddly little projects on DPNs. Although I would not rate it as a beginner pattern, due the shaping and fiddling that you have to do, I think it's a good advanced beginner pattern, and certainly a good bootie pattern. I found it much simpler than the Dainty Booties, also designed by Erica Knight, though I like both booties in their finished form. There is a bootie for every occasion, no?

As an aside, I think Simple Knits for Cherished Babies is a wonderful resource for all your baby needs. Although I cannot yet speak for the editing, as this is the first pattern I've tried, the pieces are beautiful. I'm considering making the Mabel Dress for my new niece who is due in February.

Modifications:
The only modification that I made was the addition of the free-form sewn hearts at the end. I thought they added punch and a homemade look to the booties.

Impressions of Rowan's Wool Cotton:
This is a great yarn, and one that I've had occasion to work with several times recently. It beats the pants off of Debbie Bliss' Wool Cotton (now discontinued, I believe), and rivals my all time favorite Jaeger's Extra Fine Merino DK. I would actually go with the wool cotton over the EFMDK for booties, simply because that cotton content gives it a little more structure. Additionally, and importantly, since we're talking about babies here, wool cotton is machine washable. We all know that those two words are glorious music to the ears of new mothers.

Note:** Esteemed reader Rachel adds that Koigu's KPPM used doubled also works well with this pattern.

Possible substitute yarns:
Either the original cashmere called for in the pattern or Jaeger's Extra Fine Merino DK would be a good substitute. The booties will not "stand up" as much in those yarns because they have more drape, and they will also be more delicate and require hand washing. The trade-off is softness and luxury, though I assure you wool cotton is very soft!

**Added Later: My esteemed reader Rachel adds that Koigu's KPPPM works well for this pattern doubled.

Tips for Making Classic Booties:
The only tip I have it to use a needle size that makes the stitches a bit tighter than you'd normally knit. I think this helps keep the shape and make the booties more durable. This pattern is so well-written that there's no trouble-shooting involved.

Dainty Baby Booties: Pattern Notes

I've been doing a little house-keeping and realized that I'm behind on my pattern notes, so I decided to get caught up - just in time for baby season part II...

If I look lonely it's because I'm waiting for my mate to be sewn up...

Dainty Baby Booties
Knitting for Two, designed by Erica Knight
Four booties made with 1 skein of Jaeger Extrafine Merino DK (100%Merino Wool) in Shade 989 Cupid (lavender) (136 yards/skein) on Clover Bamboo size US5(3.75mm) DPN's.

An additional four booties made with 1 skein of Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton (50% Cotton/50% Merino Wool), in Shade 125505 Yellow (122 yards/skein) on Clover Bamboo size US4(3.5mm) DPN's. (The size 4 needles gave me the slightly smaller gauge that I wanted for my friends premie twins.)

Size: Smallest

The Pattern:
I will buy any book that Erica Knight publishes, and probably have. She has a wonderful sense of color, composition and style and can take the simplest of ideas and make them into elegant original projects. Even if I never knit anything from her books (and actually these booties are the first of her projects that I've knit) I would collect them simply for the inspiration.

That said, Ms. Knight does not include schematics for her designs and occasionally leaves out little details that would be helpful to the beginning knitter. In the case of these booties, she omits that they should be worked on DPNs rather than straight needles. This isn't such a big deal if you have way too many needles on your hands and read through the pattern before you start (we all know that I'm a geek, so I did), but it could be a nasty suprise for a newer knitter if they got started out on straights and then couldn't figure out how to make the pattern work. Normally I would think that this was just a stray omission which didn't get caught by the editor, but because I own so many of these books I know better. The details are often left out, so read before you knit.

Other than the DPN issue the pattern was a little fiddly, but error free. Personally, I don't mind fiddly little pieces or sewing in ends. The resulting booties are some of the cutest I've seen, and that's good enough for me. There are probably simpler booties out there which require less sewing, but these are so great that they've become my standard, and I've made four pairs for my various new mommy friends this year.

This is what a bootie looks like before seaming.

Impressions of Jaeger Extrafine Merino DK:
If you've read my Desert Island Yarn Post, you know how I feel about JEFMDK. It's fabulous stuff and my all-time favorite merino to date. It works wonderfully for these booties, and I highly recommend it.

Impressions of Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton:
The first thing to know is that this yarn has been discontinued, so you'll probably only be able to find it in the stash or on Ebay. Personally, I think it's a fine yarn, but I wouldn't go to any great lengths to find more of it. The most interesting thing about this yarn in my opinion is that it behaves like a cotton. This really threw me off, because Rowan wool cotton - same name, same fiber content - behaves like a wool. DBWC worked well enough for these booties. It works at a slightly smaller gauge than the JEFMDK so I used smaller needles with it and got the fit I wanted for my friend's premie twins. Because it is cotton-like, seed stitch tends to gap with this yarn, which is an effect that I'm not terribly fond of. The JEFMDK works better. The strength of DBWC is its stitch definition, which it takes from its cotton content. The great failing of the yarn is its complete lack of resilience and memory - also from the cotton. When I think of it now, this would be a great yarn to use in a project that needed good drape - perhaps as a linen substitute. It doesn't fare as well if you're looking for structure.

Possible substitute yarns for this pattern:
Rowan's wool cotton would be a great substitute. It behaves like the JEFMDK, comes in really pretty colors and I think it is even machine washable, though don't quote me on that. Karabella is coming out with an Aurora 4 this fall that could also be a possibility. Their current Aurora 8 (a yarn that I've used a lot this year, especially in my beginner classes) is a 100% merino reminiscent of wool cotton that is just a little too chunky for these booties. The Aurora 4 may well do the trick, and is sure to be a nice yarn regardless. For all you knitters in the DC area, I have it on good authority that Stitch DC (my favorite area store) will carry it when it makes its debut.

More Photos:

Tips for Making Dainty Booties:
Use DPNs! I don't think it's possible to do without them. (If it is, I'm sure someone will let me know!) Go with a yarn that will give you some structure. These booties are cute when they stand up at attention. Be careful not to make 2 left (or right!) feet. This is pretty easy to do if you aren't a spatial thinker.

Cute Dainty Booties Sighting:
I've also seen these over at Sweet Georgia. She made the fabulous bonnet to go with as well, and if I hadn't been using oddballs I would have been forced to do so myself. It's so beautiful.

Freebie: BMG's Footies

Two posts in a week! Three posts in a month! You people must be ready to fall over. As a reward for your patience I offer these fun, funny-colored footies. Go forth. Make little socks that Bob Marley's Grandma would be proud to call her own.

Want a more descriptive photo?

BOB MARLEY’S GRANDMA’S FOOTIES

To Fit: Shoe size 5-6[7-8,9-10]. Photographed in size 7-8.

Materials:
2 skeins Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino (KPPM) (100% washable Merino Wool), 170 yards/skein. You will have plenty of leftovers.

Size US2 (2.75mm) double-pointed needles, set of 5, or size to make gauge. Pattern knit on 4 needles, with 5th spare needle used to pick up gussets.

Stitch marker to mark round (optional)
Darning needle to weave in ends

Gauge:
14 sts per 2” in stockinette stitch on US2 (2.75mm) needles or size to make gauge.

CUFF
CO 44[48,52]sts, and distribute sts onto three needles as follows:

Needle one (N1) (half of back of sock): 11[12,13]sts,
Needle two (N2) (top of sock ): 22[24,26]sts,
Needle three (N3) (half of back of sock), 11[12,13]sts.

Join work and pm to mark round, if desired. Begin working in k1p1 rib as follows: *k1, p1* to end. Repeat for 8 rounds. Next round begin working in stockinette. Knit 5 rounds total.

HEEL FLAP
On the next round, using N3, knit sts from N1, so that all of the sts are on only two needles, with N3 (back) containing 22[24,26]sts and N2 (front) containing 22[24,26]sts. For the rest of the heel flap, you will work only with the stitches on N3, working back and forth. Begin by flipping the work around and slipping the first st, then purling across the row. On the next row, slip the first st, then *k1, slip one with yarn in back* to last st, k1. Repeat these two rows 11[12,13] times, for a total of 24[26,28] heel rows.

SHORT ROW HEEL
Still working back and forth, on the next row, sl1, k12[13,14], k2tog, k1, turn work, leaving remaining sts on left-hand needle. Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn work leaving remaining sts on left-hand needle. Continue in this manner, knitting and/or purling one more stitch on each row as follows:

Sl1, k6, k2tog, k1, turn work
Sl1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn work
Sl1, k8, k2tog, k1, turn work
Sl1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn work
Sl1, k10, k2tog, k1, turn work
Sl1, p11, p2tog, p1, turn work

GUSSETS
Resume working in the round. Knit sts from N3 onto spare needle, then knit the remaining sts onto N1, so that the sts are once again distributed onto three needles. Using N1 pick up and knit 12[13,14] sts along the heel flap. Knit the 22[24,26]sts from N2. Using N3, pick up and knit 12[13,14]sts from the heel flap and then knit remaining sts from spare needle onto N3.

Work one round even, and then dec on the next round as follows:
N1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
N2: knit
N3: k1, ssk, knit to end.

Repeat these two rounds (one round without shaping, one dec round) until total stitch count is 44[48,52]sts, with 11[12,13]sts on N1, 22[24,26]sts on N2, and 11[12,13]sts on N3.

Work even until foot measures 6.5[7.0, 7.5] inches.

TOES
On the next round, begin toe decreases as follows:

N1: Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
N2: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
N3: k1, ssk, knit to end.

Repeat this dec round every other round until 20[22,24] sts total remain. Then work dec round every round until 12 sts remain. Using N3, work sts from N1 even, so that all sts are once again on two needles. Kitchener live toe sts together, and weave in loose ends to finish.

COPYRIGHT 2005, Julia P. Trice This pattern is protected by copyright and available for personal use only. It is not available for sale or distribution without the author's express permission.

Crusoe Pattern Notes

Socks in the Garden on a Summer Morning...

Crusoe Socks
Free Pattern Knitty Spring 2003 Issue, designed by Marilyn Roberts
Knit with less than 2 skeins (178 yards/150 meters/skein) of Koigu Painter's Pallette Premium Merino (100% Merino Wool), Shade P110 on Antique Metal DPNs in size US2 (2.75 mm), in a guage of 15 sts and 20 rows per 2 inches in Stst.

Finished Dimensions:
Women's Size 7.5, Approximately 7.75 inches wide and 8.5 inches in length after blocking.

The Pattern:
I really enjoyed knitting these socks. The stranding pattern shows off the wonderful colors of the koigu to its best effect (which gave me some ideas as to how I might want to use it in future projects), and results in a really cute pair of anklets. The downside of the stranding is that it has absolutely no elasticity, which is a bit problematic in a sock. If you make the stranded portion of the sock to tight, you risk not being able to pull it over your heel. Make it too loose and it will bag unattractively.

My solution to this problem was to re-gauge the pattern to make a sock that fit snugly, but not so snugly that I couldn't coax it over my heel. (There was no way that I was going to make the designer's gauge without going down to size 0's, so this was a modification I was going to make anyway.) I ended up casting on 48 sts (7.5 sts per inch before blocking) and going from there. I also added several heel rows to accomodate the rocking arch I have going on. Other than that, it was all Marilyn. I'm very happy with the result.

Impressions of KPPPM:
I feel a little silly even putting this section in, since I think almost everyone in blogland has tried and loves this yarn. What is there to say? It is the only yarn that I have ever used for socks, so at this point I'm ill-equipped to make a full comparison to another sock yarn. I have been swatching with Cherry Tree Hill's Supersock which is also a 100% merino yarn and I can say already that KPPPM has greater thickness and a nice bounce in comparison. However, it's a trade-off because CTH has very nice drape and sheen (I think it would be excellent in a shawl). It's amazing to me how two yarns with the same fiber content can be so different, but there it is. Anyhoo, I digress. KPPPM is great, and we all love it. The only thing I have left to say is that I wish more places would carry it in some solid colors, because despite the rather brazen color combos I've had going on over here in honor of sockapalooza (which seems to drive us all to wacky colors and patterns) I am a solid color girl and would love to make myself a very subdued pair of cabled stockings.

Possible substitute yarns:
Any sock yarn that knits to guage. The Cherry Tree Hill Supersock springs to mind as a good all-around substitute for KPPPM, since the gauge is similar and the fiber content is the same. Just note the differences that I mentioned above.

Tips for Making Crusoe:
I'd aim for snug. Go with the gauge that works for you and re-calculate from there. Adding in heel rows for a high arch will help with the process of getting the socks over your heels as well.

Honeymoon: The Alternate Version

The Citrus Moon is another fun variation on Honeymoon in Knitty. It’s a little simpler than the first version with a shorter, clingier fit and simple ribbing. The armscyes on this version are V’s, making the front and back V’s and the armscyes identical. This creates a tighter fit in the arms than the original, so if you’re particularly ample, Honeymoon might be a better bet. The straps on this version are wider, making it easier to get a bra with straps underneath. The final difference is the stripes – loud, colorful and fun. This is the dressed down version of the cami, for play days on the beach.

SIZE TO FIT
I’ve tried to be helpful by including ten sizes for you to choose from. The sizing is based on a standard difference of approximately 4 inches between the bust and waist measurement. I realize that some people are going to be bustier, or have smaller waists, etc. Choose the size that is closest to your measurements below. For ideas on how to tailor the camisole to be closer to your personal measurements, please check out my Honeymoon FAQs post and talk to the helpful folks on the Knitty Board. The ladies over there have experience with knit to fit for the chesty lass (not me!).

To fit bust: 31[31.5,32.5,34,35,35.5,36.5,38,39,39.5] inches
To fit waist: 26.5[27.5,28,30,30.5,31.5,32, 33.5, 34.5, 35.5] inches

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 29[29.5, 30.5, 32, 33, 33.5,34.5, 36, 37, 37.5]
Waist: 25.5[26.5, 27, 29, 29.5, 30.5, 31, 33, 33.5, 34.5]
Length(not including straps): 16[16,16.5,17,17,18,18,18.5,19,19] inches

MATERIALS
Cascade Pima Tencel [50% pima cotton, 50% tencel; 109 yd per 50g skein]; colors: Orange(3183) 2[3,3,3,3,3,3,4,4,4] skeins; Red (7478) Purple (2493), Green (4084) 1[1,1,2,2,2,2,2,2,2] skeins each. I used the leftovers from my Anouk baby dress, but there are many good substitutes out there. Go to my Honeymoon FAQs post for a list of yarns that other knitters have used.

COLOR SEQUENCE
The camisole can be made in a single color for simplicity, or in any striping pattern that you like. Yarn amounts are listed for the striping pattern that I used, so if you use a solid color or only two colors, you will need less yardage. (I leave that estimation to you!) To make your cami like mine, use the orange for the bottom ribbing and then *work 4 rounds in orange, 2 rounds in purple, 3 rounds in red, 2 rounds in green*. Repeat this sequence throughout the work.

WORKED IN THE ROUND:
1 set 24 inch US5/3.75mm circular needles
1 set 24 inch US6/4mm circular needles
1 set US6/4mm straight needles
optional: 1 set US 6/4mm double pointed needles (for straps)

Notions:
4 stitch markers, 2 in one color and 2 in a second color
2-4 stitch holders
1-2 safety pins

GAUGE
20 sts/28 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch on larger needles

DEFINITIONS

Rdec= make a left-slanting decrease on the right side of the work using the ssk method – slip 2 sts from the left to right needle knitwise and then knit the two slipped sts together through the back loops.
Ldec= make a right-slanting decrease on the left side of the work by knitting 1 stitch, returning it to the left needle, passing the second stitch on the left needle over the returned stitch, and finally returning the first stitch to the right needle (w/o twisting it or knitting it again).
RRI= make a right raised increase. Reach the tip of the right needle around on the farside and insert it up under the purl nub below the first stitch on the left needle. Lift this stitch onto the left needle tip without twisting. Now knit the new stitch you created by lifting the purl nub.
LRI= make a left raised increase by knitting the stitch above the one that you will use to increase. Insert the tip of the left needle under the second purl nub below the stitch that you just knitted and pull up onto the left needle. Knit this new stitch created by the purl nub from the farside (if you knit it from the nearside it will twist and look wrong).

BODY
Using US5/3.75mm circular needles, CO 140[145,150,155,160,165,170,175,180,185] sts. Join knitting and place marker at the beginning of the first round – this will mark the left armhole of the camisole. *k3, p2* to end of round. Repeat this round for a total of 11[11,13,13,13,15,15,15,17,17] rounds.

***Note: as designed, the camisole hits right at the waist, so if you’re wearing low riders you will be showing belly. To avoid this (as I do by avoiding low riders!) add a few extra rounds to either the ribbing or the unshaped portion directly following the set-up rows, or both.***

Main Body:
Set-Up Round: Switch to US6/4mm circular needles and work in Stst, either increasing or decreasing sts as directed for your size: 0[-1,-2,1,0,-1,-2,1,0,1] sts evenly across the round. 140[144, 148, 156, 160, 164, 168, 176, 180, 184] sts remain.
Next Round: k70[72,74,78,80,82,84,88,90,92] sts, place the right armhole marker(this should be the same color as the left armhole marker already on the needles), k to end of round. Continue to work in Stst for 4 more rounds.

Shape Waist:
Begin decreasing at each side of the camisole to create waist shaping:

*k1, Rdec, k to last 3 sts before second marker, Ldec, k2 (one st on either side of the right armhole marker, Rdec, knit to last 3 sts in the round, Ldec*.

Decrease 4 sts total each round (one on each side of each marker) every 7th round, 3 times total. After the decreases you should have 128[132,136,144,148,152,156,164,168,172] sts on your needles. Work 13[13,13,15,15,15,15,17,17,17] rounds even in Stst without shaping.

Shape Bust:
Begin increasing at each side to create bust shaping:

*k1,RRI, k to the last st before second armhole marker, LRI, k2 (one st on either side of second marker) RRI, k to last st, LRI.*

Increase 4 sts each round (one on each side of each marker) every 5th round, 4 times. After the increases you should have 144[148,152,160,164,168,172,180,184,188] sts on your needles. Work even in Stst without shaping for 30[30,32,32,32,34,34,36,36,36] rounds.

Shape V-Neck and Back:
Begin V-shaping at neck, back and arms: 36[37,38,40,41,42,43,45,46,47], place contrasting marker to mark center front V, knit 72[74,76,80,82,84,86,90,92,94] place final contrasting marker to mark center back V, knit 36[37,38,40,41,42,43,45,46,47] to end of round.

Begin V-neck, back and arm decreases: k1, Ldec, k to 3 sts before marker, Rdec, k1 (you are now at the marker). Divide the work, and begin using straight needles to work the segment that you just knit, leaving the other three segments on the circular needles. Purl back across the work. On the next (RS) row k1, Ldec, k to 3 sts before marker, Rdec, k1. Repeat these two rows until only 6 sts remain on your needles. Place 6 remaining live stitches on a stitch holder. Repeat for remaining three segments.

After all four segments are done, try camisole on to estimate strap length. Somewhere between 2.5 and 4 inches (depending on size) should be right. Most likely, they will be shorter than you’d guess. Make them shorter, rather than longer for a nice close fit. Work in stockinette, making a strap on each segment that is half the total length that you estimate you will need. When complete, use a three-needle bind-ff on the wrong side to complete.

FINISHING
Weave in loose ends and block as necessary, according to the instructions on your yarn’s ball band.

COPYRIGHT 2004, Julia P. Trice This pattern is protected by copyright and available for personal use only. It is not available for sale or distribution without the author's express permission.

Bob Marley's Grandma's Caribbean Shell Socks

I finished my Sockapalooza socks earlier this week, gave them a little Eucalan bath, and they're ready to go:

These socks were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do...

Bob Marley's Grandma's Caribbean Shell Socks
modification of Little Shell Socks, designed by Judy Sumner
Knit with 2 skeins (178 yards/150 meters/skein) of Koigu Painter's Pallette Premium Merino (100% Merino Wool), Shade P132 on Clover Bamboo DPNs in size US2 (2.75 mm), in a guage of 30 sts and 20 rows per 2 inches in Stst.

Finished Dimensions:
Women's Size 9, Approximately 8.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches in length after blocking.

The Pattern:
This is a very cute little pattern which I think would look nice in a solid color yarn or one that was subtly variegated, as well. Although you can't see it in the pictures, it is actually a lace pattern, with tiny little eyelets framing the shells. I think this aspect of the sock will be a little more obvious when the sock is worn by the recipient and is properly stretched out.

As usual, I monkeyed around with the pattern a bit. I knew my guage on US2's using KPPPM from working on my Crusoe socks, so I calculated my pal's sock circumference at that gauge, rather than playing around with needle sizes and swatching. Surprisingly, casting on 56 sts (which is what the pattern calls for) was spot on for a size 9, despite the fact that the pattern guage is 1 st per inch smaller (seems to me that the pattern would make rather large socks, so if you make these socks at gauge and you have an average size foot, you might want to consider knocking off a repeat). From cast on I worked 15 rounds in 1x1 rib and then 42 rounds in pattern - pretty much following the pattern but making the sock a little shorter, since my pal likes ankle socks.

The heel is where I made the big changes. I used the stranded heel from Crusoe and made my heel 32 rows deep. This meant that I had to pick up 16 sts at the gussets and reduce a little further as well. When turning the heel I used almost the same short row method as the pattern, except that rather than using a skp, I used a k2tog, which I think looks a hell of a lot better. I haven't decided if that is in absolute terms, or if it has something to do with my knitting. Regardless, I'll keep k2toggin'. I also shaped the gussets using first k2tog and then ssk on each side of the sock. I'm avoiding anything that passes a slipped stitch over on the principle that if it's looked ugly in other places on the sock it will look ugly here.

Finally, I worked to 7.5 inches from the heel (for me this was 68 rounds past the heel turn short-rowing) and then began the toe-shaping. There, I also stuck to k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk for the reasons noted above. Finally, I kitchenered the toes.

[For those of you who have issues with kitchenering, I pass on a little tip that my friend Mary (Oh She of the Beautiful Socks!) passed on to me: Use the instructions in the back of every issue of Interweave Knits. They're well-written and as easy to follow as kitchenering will ever be. After a single sock, I knew the basic method well enough that I could make any sock without referring to a pattern. I cannot kitchener without IK sitting in my lap. Give it a try, you'll like it.]

Impressions of KPPPM:
I feel a little silly even putting this section in, since I think almost everyone in blogland has tried and loves this yarn. What is there to say? It is the only yarn that I have ever used for socks, so at this point I'm ill-equipped to make a full comparison to another sock yarn. I have been swatching with Cherry Tree Hill's Supersock which is also a 100% merino yarn and I can say already that KPPPM has greater thickness and a nice bounce in comparison. However, it's a trade-off because CTH has very nice drape and sheen (I think it would be excellent in a shawl). It's amazing to me how two yarns with the same fiber content can be so different, but there it is. Anyhoo, I digress. KPPPM is great, and we all love it. The only thing I have left to say is that I wish more places would carry it in some solid colors, because despite the rather brazen color combos I've had going on over here in honor of sockapalooza (which seems to drive us all to wacky colors and patterns) I am a solid color girl and would love to make myself a very subdued pair of cabled stockings.

Possible substitute yarns:
Any sock yarn that knits to guage. The Cherry Tree Hill Supersock springs to mind as a good all-around substitute for KPPPM, since the gauge is similar and the fiber content is the same. Just note the differences that I mentioned above.

Tips for Making Little Shell Socks:
Do your math to make sure that the fit is going to work well for you, and then adjust accordingly. I think this goes for most socks.

For the "shells," the yarnovers that precede purl sts can be hard to identify and knit properly on the following row, because the purl sts that tack them down tend to roll back on the needle. This issue is especially pronounced on the yarnover at the beginning of the needle. To help myself out, I roll the yarnover forward on the needle with my left index finger and get into the stitch from there. This is probably something better illustrated than written about, but if you've ever dealt with a yarnover preceding a purl stitch, you should get the picture.

Wallace: Pattern & Notes

Wallace
MindofWinter QuickKnits
Knit with 2 skeins (98 yards/skein) of Karabella Camissimo (50%Merino/32%Baby Camel/18%Polymide), in Camel (18109) on Addi Turbo Circulars in size US10 (6.0 mm), in a guage of 14.25 sts per 4 inches over pattern.

Finished Dimensions:
Approximately 20 inches wide and 10 inches high.

The Pattern:
As a preliminary matter, I don't recommend that you substitute yarns for this version of the pattern. If you're up to charting decreases, then cool, go for it. If not, please stick to Camissimo or at the very least to something equally fluffy and fuzzy.

This hat is knit flat, so you can either use circs, like I did, or go with straight needles. The 20" size here fits my 22" head. If your head is a different size, knock off or add three sts for every inch of difference and adjust the shaping accordingly.

Stitch Pattern:
Row 1: k1, *sl1 wyfwd, k3, sl1 wyfwd* to last stitch, k1
Row 2: *k3, sl1 wyfwd* to last 3 sts, k3

CO 72 sts and work in patt for 8 inches. On the next right side row begin decreasing.

**Note: If you follow this method of decreasing, at some point you'll have to give up working in pattern and revert to garter stitch. This is what I did and it looks perfectly fine with this fuzzy, fluffy yarn. However, if you are a perfectionist or if you substitute yarns, I would highly recommend taking the time to chart out the decreases so that they fall in the "troughs" of the ribbed pattern.**

First Decrease Row: *k8, k2tog* to last st, k1
Work one row in patt.
Second Decrease Row: *k7, k2tog* to last st, k1
Work one row in patt.
Third Decrease Row: *k6, k2tog* to last st, k1
Work one row in patt.
Fourth Decrease Row: *k5, k2tog* to last st, k1
Work one row in patt.
Fifth Decrease Row: *k4, k2tog* to last st, k1
Work one row in patt.
Sixth Decrease Row: *k3, k2tog* to last st, k1
Seventh Decrease Row: *k2, k2tog* to last st, k1
Eighth Decrease Row: *k1, k2tog* to last st, k1
From here k2tog all sts on every row until you have about 6-8 sts left.

At this point, cut the yarn leaving a six inch tail, then weave the tail through the remaining live sts and secure. Seam up the side of the hat. If you'd like, make yourself an outrageously big pom pom. If that is not your thing, Wallace looks great as a watch cap as well.

COPYRIGHT 2005, Julia P. Trice This pattern is protected by copyright and available for personal use only. It is not available for sale or distribution without the author's express permission.

Impressions of Karabella Camissimo:
I detest working with this yarn. It is one of those fluffy novelty-esque monstrosities with a threadlike yarn for a base and tons of puffs surrounding it. It gets matted up in itself easily and is hell on the hands. BUT. And this is a big but, requiring full caps - it gives a great result. It is interesting to me that the Chevron Scarf, which I so loved making and which I think is very, very beautiful gets accidentally left behind every few days, but Wallace, which was not nearly as enjoyable during the "creative process" is taken out daily and worn with great relish. I really love this hat and consequently, I have to give props to the yarn that made it possible. Because honestly, this hat is very little more than great feeling fluffy fabric, a cool stitch pattern and a helluva pom pom.

Other things to like about the yarn? It is very soft and much less itchy than most wools, so it makes an excellent hat. It's also made with camel hair, which I think is pretty neat. I have quite a bit of my second skein left and will probably pick these leftovers up next year to make a coordinating cowl. It's a yarn I'd use again, just in small quantities, spaced out over time. This is probably for the best anyway, as Camissimo does not come cheap.

Possible substitute yarns:
I'm sure that there are yarns out there that will give a similar fluffy effect, but I haven't seen one with the cool camel content in it around. Let me know if you have, particularly if it isn't as pricey!

More Photos:

Naturally, I had to go outside the second that it snowed and take some goofy pictures in the yard.

Tips for Making Wallace:
The fit on this hat is pretty exact, because it doesn't have the elasticity of a "normal" rib. Make sure you do your head measurement properly, check guage, and then take it off the needles and see if it fits a few inches into the process. It's worth the trouble!

Maniacal Harlot Poncho

Modeled on "Long Island" in Lake George with my beloved girl Caia

Maniacal Harlot Poncho, Yarn Harlot Free Pattern,
designed by Stephanie Pearl McPhee
Knit with 7 skeins (120 yards/skein) of Berroco Suede (100% Nylon) in Zorro! (Black - 3729) on Clover bamboo circulars in size US 10 (6.0 mm), 24" and 32" and Addi Turbo brass-plated circulars in size US8 (5.0 mm), 16", at a guage of 4 sts per inch.

Pattern Notes:
This fun little knit is available for free on the Yarn Harlot's site. If you haven't come across it yet, you must live under a rock! Nonetheless, here's the link.

My poncho is a little different from the original - different yarn, different guage, and slightly different neckline. If you want to do the poncho in Suede, or another yarn that gets the same guage, cast on 100 stitches and follow the Harlot's pattern for 92 rows. For the neckline, I simply picked up and knit 100 stitches on needles two sizes smaller than those used for the body and used paired decreases with a knit stitch in between them at the front and back V's. Voila! This would have been a very simple and quick project if I hadn't taken a little detour. I had fun anyway. I was on vacation and had plenty of time to experiment. But for this detour, I was going to dub it the traveling harlot poncho - it was knit in 8 states - California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, New York and Vermont. I'm pretty sure that's a record for me. I've crossed the country five times, but I've always driven, so it takes effort to wrack up the knitting states. On this trip, I made use of lunch breaks. In the end, the poncho became maniacal, despite the traveling, for obvious reasons.

The Harlot Poncho is a great pattern. Easy, fun, flowing. Maniacal is optional. I wear the poncho a lot. In Suede, it's more of a fall/spring piece than a winter one, but the slinkiness of the suede transcends the season. On hot days in Lake George (hard to believe those were 6 weeks ago), I wore it as a cover-up on the boat, and I'm guessing if I put a hardy enough sweater on under it, I can take it into most of the winter. It models particuarly well in an enchanted forest on a magical lake island. It's also an excellent housecoat. Not, perhaps, the most attractive thing in the world - sweats, bunny slippers, hair in a bun, glasses, and poncho - but ooooh! comfy! My own traveling fort. Who says I can't camp in my living room?

Impressions of Berroco Suede:
Love it! (I feel like I'm saying this a lot lately. Do I choose well or do I just frog it if the yarn isn't smokin'?) If my desert island needs a nylon yarn, this is it. Springy, squooshy, fun to use. If you are looking for a soft yarn with loft and stretchiness, look no further. Light and luscious describes Suede perfectly. To get a very suedey effect, one of the other heathery colors is a better bet, but I liked the black just fine. That's the other great thing about this yarn. The colors have wonderful names. Black is Zorro! Blue is Wrangler! Green is Maverick! Get me my boots!

Possible substitute yarns:
GGH makes a suede called "Velour". 100% nylon, also. The yardage is substantially less (around 60 yards, I think) and the yarn isn't as squooshy. It should work just fine as a substitute, but for most things I'd prefer the Berroco. (I say this despite never having worked with the Velour, it's merely a gut reaction.) Try the Velour if you want a finer knit.

Tips for Others Making the Harlot Poncho:
There's not too much to say in the way of tips as this should be a pretty fool-proof pattern. (It is not maniac proof!) Check out Stephanie's extra help post if you're confused by the yarnovers. Avoid seams, steeks and inserts at all costs! Have fun.

More cool photos...

On the boat...

In the forest with the Pup and the Kiddo...(the sister-in-law's kiddo)