FO Friday: Ravellenics edition

Uniform! -

So I was pretty amped to finish this up on time to win a gold - i.e. complete my knitting goal (in this case, starting and finishing this sweater) while the Olympics were running. I didn't do a whole lot of Olympics watching while I worked (we don't have cable, so it was NBC coverage or nothing).

I was pretty uncertain about yardage up until I'd worked about half of the yoke. To stretch my 9.5 skeins of O-Wool Legacy DK in the main color, Clay, I added two-tone green stripes in the same base. I saved my sleeve cuffs for the very end for yardage insurance, but that was about it for changes. Oh - I also knit the garter hem and sleeves one needle size down from specified. Even so, I think the hem could stand to draw in a little more - it's got a couple inches of positive ease at the hip which I find unflattering. To be clear, I knit a size larger than I usually would for positive ease everywhere else - this was my own problem/mistake and nothing to do with the pattern. My excessive height exacerbates the issue, as it hits me at a higher/narrower place on the hip than it would on a more average sized person.

Anyway, I found the pattern to be generally excellent. I did find a small error which was promptly addressed and I don't feel made much of an impact on the finished garment. It includes different options for body shaping and length, sleeve shaping, patch/inset pockets, a belt, and a plain vs shawl collar. Here's my longer body, fitted waist, no-pocket/no belt, straight sleeve, plain button-band version:

...Aaaaand, you can't see it at all, right? Sorry - didn't have time for proper self-portraiture... the closing ceremonies were mere hours away when I photographed it.

new pattern - Hipster Cred

Godawful weather got you down? How about a superwarm, superfun colorwork hat for everyone in the family? (You might enjoy it even if your view of the road, unlike ours, isn't currently obscured by snow.)

We managed some more pro photos, with open eyes and everything, but I think this one's the most fun.

Here are the particulars:

Hipster Cred is an easy stranded colorwork hat sized from newborn to extra large adult. Every size includes beanie instructions; adult sizes include a slouch option as well. Samples shown are the Adult Med/Lg slouch, and the Toddler beanie. The sample yarns make for a dense and warm hat; consider using a lighter weight dk if you’d like a bit more drape in your finished product. As with any stranded colorwork project, be sure to keep your floats relaxed!

The stranded colorwork pattern is given in charted format only.

Gauge 
Colorwork pattern, larger needles: 22 sts and 23 rnds = 4˝/10cm

Sizes 
Newborn, (Baby, Toddler, Kid Sm/Med, Kid Lg/Adult Sm, Adult Med/Lg, Adult XL): 12.75 (14.5, 16.25, 18.25, 20, 21.75, 23.75)˝/32.5 (37, 41.5, 46.5, 51, 55, 60.5)cm circumference at brim, unstretched. Baby/kids’ sizes are for beanie only; largest 3 sizes include instructions for beanie and slouch.

Yarn 
Beanie: 40 (60, 70, 80, 95, 105, 115)yd/37 (55, 64, 73, 87, 96, 105)m MC; 25 (40, 45, 55, 70, 85, 95)yd/23 (37, 41, 50, 64, 78, 87)m CC. 
Slouch: - (-, -, -, 105, 115, 120)yd/- (-, -, -, 96, 105, 110)m MC; - (-, -, -, 85, 95, 100)yd/- (-, -, -, 78, 87, 91)m CC. 
Sample yarns: 
MC: O-Wool Legacy DK - 100% Organic Merino Wool - 130yd/119m/50g skein; Colors - Clay (Toddler), Charcoal (Adult Lg). 
CC: Cascade Yarns Casablanca - 59% Wool, 24% Silk, 17% Mohair - 220yd/201m/100g skein; Colors - 15/Southwest Desert (Toddler), 6/Teals (Adult Lg).

Additional Materials 
- Set of US 4/3.5mm DPNs or circ (your preferred length for given circumference) 
- Set of US 7/4.5mm DPNs and/or circ (your preferred length for given circumference) or size needed to obtain gauge 
- Stitch marker 
- Darning needle

Available as a Ravelry download for $4.90

FO Friday: (very little) Ease

Oh, the joy of knitting from someone else's pattern!
Of course I couldn't resist making several tweaks, but my compulsive need to be smarter than every pattern is beside the point.

...It went mostly well. One of my mods was ill-conceived but later surgically amended.

Pattern: Ease by Alicia Plummer
Yarn: Miss Babs Yowza in Beachglass (this sweater being its third and final incarnation)
Mods:

• Smaller needles = tighter gauge, less ease, hopefully less pilling.
• Shortened the body slightly. This was the poor decision that resulted in an unflattering poofy situation just above the hem ribbing. Snipped, pulled out a row, knit a few more rounds even and grafted the whole damn thing back together. In hindsight it might have been easier to just rip out and reknit from the bindoff...Anyway, eagle-eyed readers will note that it still needs a re-block, but the worst is over.
• Tightened/neatened up the neck opening by finishing with even smaller needles (US 4/3.5mm), doing a round of decreases before binding off (k3, k2tog around), and after some trial and error, using a suspended bind off. 

Also:

I'll be recruiting testers for the above hat shortly, which looks less stupid when worn correctly. I may have gotten a little carried away with the fancy new camera and remote this morning.

new pattern - Black Cherry Pullover

Knitscene Winter 2013 is up and available for digital download - hits newstands October 15th - and includes my Black Cherry Pullover. Here it is right before it went in the mail:

It's boxy, a little cropped, and knits up pretty quickly in Quince & Co's Lark. The Lark was lovely to work with, and shows off the cable-and-lace pattern beautifully. The sleeves are seamed in with the reverse stockinette side facing out but could easily be finished with the stockinette side showing if you prefer that look. 

And a shout-out to my talented friend Adriana, whose gorgeous, beaded Tyrion Loop is in the same issue. Yay! 

new(ish) pattern: resonance cardi

(c) SweetGeorgia Yarns Inc

This one was a collaboration with SweetGeorgia Yarns. It's knit in three sideways pieces before seaming and picking up for the short-row-shaped, short sleeves. There's a little short-row shaping thrown into the body as well for a slight A-line silhouette. I'd originally planned on including instructions for tiny buttons, but the finished fabric was just too light and delicate. So: a shawl pin works nicely, or it can be worn open.

<ramble> Yikes. This was a pretty ambitious project to be turning out during the low-brainpower days of late pregnancy and early mommahood (adult sized cardigan, laceweight, unusual construction). It was the first in a traffic jam of accepted submissions with due dates ranging all the way from February to March... that needed extra lead time for international shipping to boot. I felt a little silly for overextending myself so badly, but imagined that I'd have endless sleepless hours of nursing and hanging out with the new wee one to devote to knitting. Endless sleepless hours: check. Anyone who's had an extra-fussy baby can imagine the rest. Anyway, it all worked out somehow, no small thanks to an excellent baby daddy.

Another aside while I'm at it: I almost always take a few photos of samples on myself to show what they look like on a different size/shape person than the model, and to just have a couple straightforward non-artsy shots to show details that I may need to refer back to. You'll notice that that wasn't exactly in the cards for this coming group of patterns, har har (except maybe I'll include a hilarious one of a sweater that was supposed to have a lot - like 6-8" - of positive ease, that I squeezed into before shipping it out.)/<ramble>

Anyway, I'm pretty much in love with CashSilk Lace. It's even better than it sounds.

The pattern's available as a Ravelry download here.

Palate cleanser

I went on a bit of a baby hat rampage between big projects. So fast! So portable! So satisfying!

Pattern: Quynn by Woolly Wormhead

Yarn: Cascade Casablanca (green/gray), Lang Yarns Nobile (green/blue), Toil and Trouble Merino Cashmere Bulky (pink/purple)

Mods: I basically used the pattern as a jumping-off point and adjusted needle sizes for a nice squishy gauge for each yarn. By the third one, I didn't even check the pattern (it's one of those ingeniously simple and just-about perfect ones). Number two (being eaten above) got a pom pom. The pink one might at some point as well. I like how nicely the pointy little peak stands up on the gray/green guy; that'll stay as-is. I changed the decrease placement on it a little for variety.

Edited to add: I obviously had forgotten all about it, but this totally counts as an FO Friday post!

new pattern: Jasmine Tea

This poor pattern's been shoved aside over and over again, but here it finally is. And it's not even Labor Day yet!

Jasmine Tea on Ravelry

Notes 

Sizing and construction: This top is worked bottom-up in the round to the armholes, then front and back are divided and worked flat. The lower body is knit in light fingering weight yarn and the lace portion is worked in lace weight for a diaphanous effect. It is intended to be worn with generous amount of positive ease at the bust and waist for a blouson fit; the high hip measurement should have zero or some negative ease. Armhole depths appear short relative to the offered sizes - the lace section will stretch vertically when worn. Choose a yarn with structure and memory (wool content!) for the lace portion to keep it fitting nicely. The top is written to be quite long, but can be easily shortened by simply starting the body increases and armhole instructions earlier. Try measuring a favorite, similarly shaped shirt for an idea of your preferred length.  

Finishing details: Instructions are included for finishing the shoulders either with or without a decorative button detail. The sample shows both options - buttons at one shoulder and a plain 3-needle bind-off at the other. I used one button between each repeat of lace at the shoulder (where the pattern naturally scallops) plus one at each edge, i.e. six buttons for five repeats of lace. This part is up to you - make it your own!

Yarns: Yarns used for the sample have since been discontinued, but appropriate substitutions for the solid portion include DyeforYarn Fingering Mulberry Silk, Sundara Yarn Fingering Silky Merino and madelintosh tosh merino light; for the lace portion: DyeforYarn Lace Merino/Silk/Cashmere, Sundara Yarn Lace Silky Merino and madelinetosh tosh lace.

Sizes A (B, C, D, E, F) = 33.75 (36.75, 41.5, 44.5, 49.25, 53.75)"/85.5 (93.5, 105.5, 113, 125, 136.5)cm bust, designed to be worn with 3-5"/7.5-12.5cm positive ease. Sample shown in size C, modeled with about 5"/12.5cm positive ease.

Gauge 28 sts and 38 rnds = 4"/10cm in St st and heavier yarn on medium needles, washed and blocked.

33 sts and 44 rnds = 4"/10cm in TSSR and heavier yarn on smallest needles, washed and blocked.

30 sts and 36 rows = 4"/10cm in Jasmine Lace pattern and lighter yarn on largest needles, washed and blocked.

Materials 690 (750, 840, 910, 1010, 1090)yds/ 630 (690, 770, 830, 920, 1000)m heavy lace to light fingering weight yarn; 230 (250, 310, 350, 400, 460)yds/210 (230, 280, 320, 370, 420)m lace weight yarn (see Notes for yarn recommendations);

US 2 (2.75mm), US 3 (3.25mm) and US 4 (3.5mm) circular needles or sizes to obtain gauge; 2 stitch holders/waste yarn; darning needle; 2 stitch markers; extra needle for 3-needle bind-off and/or 5-16 small, lightweight buttons.

$5.90

new pattern: longboard pullover

...in the Summer issue of Knitscene:

(c) Knitscene

A breezy two piece tee with fun drawstring details. Easy knitting, easy wearing.
Here's the Ravelry link.

New pattern: Canyon

Produced in collaboration with Shibui, I have a new, free pattern out:

Canyon is a big, reversible, cozy wrap knit in stripes of  Heichi held together with a strand of Cima. I loved working with both the yarns and the company! Available for Ravelry download now!

the mother of invention...

Well, I never would have guessed that I'd get a ton of exercise whilst knitting, but circumstances have made it so.

The kiddo (2 months old tomorrow, btw) has been having some wicked reflux problems over the last few days. He who was so easily and reliably going down for a nice long afternoon nap for about a week or so prior suddenly could get to sleep okay, but started thrashing around and waking himself up, over and over again, not more than 5 minutes after being lain down. Meanwhile, I have three samples and patterns due within the next month, the yarn for one of which didn't arrive until today. Mind you, these samples are due back in the US, so in reality I've got about a 2 week turnaround to contend with.

Enter The Wrap. As I told a fellow knit-grouper the other day, it's not really a parenting philosophy thing, attachment or otherwise... it's just a matter of survival. The kid's been doing all his daytime sleeping since Monday or so hanging off of dear old Mom (and occasionally Dad as well; credit where it's due) His sleep situation's been improving somewhat in the last 48 hours or so, but he's still been super restless, requiring a ton of "deep bouncing", i.e. squats and/or lunges, to get to, then stay, asleep.

Any member of the public who might have seen me in the last week would surely think me insane, knitting on a heavy wool sweater with a baby attached to me whilst doing calisthenics. But I'm pretty sure I'm putting a dent in the baby weight...

FO Friday: moonlight sonata, mo monkeys, baby hoody

Bumper crop this week! Lots of knitting while I wait around for the (due Monday... as in last Monday) baby to arrive.

Pattern: Moonlight Sonata v.2 by Shui Kuen Kozinski
Yarn: Lana Grossa Lace Lux
Mods: Slipped first st of each row for a cleaner edge. 10 repeats of lace pattern.
Comments: The directions are a touch shaky - I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with the first lace chart, but it's written out as well and is correct there. Free pattern though, so I really can't complain. I'd knit it bigger if I used this yarn again - it has very little stretch and memory... but is really really pretty. Had a hard time photographing it accurately.
Project Page: Blood on the moon

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Yarn: Regia Design Line Hand-dye Effect by Kaffe Fassett
Mods: No purling this time (turns out that this is kind of its own pattern already? I didn't consult it, just went with the purl-less version of the stitch pattern, but here it is) and finally knit on a smaller needle, results of which I'm very happy with.
Comments: Christmas sock factory is in full swing.
Project Page: Mo monkeys mo problems

Pattern: There isn't one...
Yarn: Lion Brand Thick n Quick
Comments: Little tiny top-down raglan baby sweater. Knitting done in one evening, finishing taken care of the following morning. I just cast on what looked like a likely number of stitches and increased to desired arm/body size; held sleeves and knit body, finished with a couple decreases before the garter hem (hate flippy garter stitch edging). Knit sleeves in the round with a couple decreases at underarms and garter cuffs. Picked up stitches for hood; increased at the back of the head then decreased back down; closed with a 3-needle BO. Picked up and knit garter stitch button band all the way around front and hood. That's pretty much it. I think it'll be good for a tiny fella; we'll hopefully see soon!
Project Page: 4 hour hoody

FO Friday: sea(foam) monkeys, tiny booties

Weekly FO logging seems like a good habit to get into, at least between now and Christmas... though who's to say what kind of blogging will occur once the kid shows up.

Stuff for feet, adult-sized and otherwise:

Might overdye these. I'm pretty into the color, but they're
intended for someone with more refined taste.

Hardly seems reasonable counting these, but the ends are
woven in and everything, so there.

Above: 

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. 

Yarn: Regia Design Line Hand-Dye Effect by Kaffe Fassett

Mods: One repeat shorter in the leg. I have a lot of socks to finish in the next month.

Comments: There's a reason everyone and their uncle has knitted these socks. I may crank out another pair for the ol' gift knitting pile; maybe the no-purl variety next time. 

Below: 

Pattern: Hodge by Stella Lange

Yarn: handgefaerbt.com Sockenwolle

Mods: None, except to tighten the gauge. 

Comments: Loved this pattern. Plus learned a new skill: Russian grafting!

a matter of scale

It's blocking day round these parts.

On the docket:
1 baby sweater
1 baby hat
1 pair of baby booties
1 pair of gigantic man socks

Nothing much to say about it; just thought the juxtaposition was kind of cute and hilarious:

Also a good reminder that I should enjoy knitting stuff for the kid (aka Cletus the fetus) now; he's got a good chance of eventually fitting into the larger pair. Also, there will be no griping about the lameness of Mom's knitwear from a newborn. 

fo: ulina baby sweater

Success! With 2m of the main color to spare and probably 10m of the contrasting color:

Pattern: Ulina

Yarn: Wollmeise Pure, 100g in Spinaci; Wollmeise Twin, 50g in mystery summer sale colorway

Needles: US 1.5 / 2.5mm

Size: One; see below

Mods: Changed button placement to fall a bit lower and eliminated buttonhole in neckband. 

Pattern is written for one size - about 6 month - and calls for US 2 / 2.75mm needles; I knit it on smaller needles to make it slightly smaller for (hopefully) more-or-less immediate wear. 

Raveled: Here

you know the thing...

...where you knit really fast because you're worried about running out of yarn and somehow it seems like slowing down will allow the bad juju/end of the skein to catch up with you? Doing that right now. Will report back on results. No time for pictures; must continue knitting...

Knitscene Winter 2012 - and a new pattern!

The latest issue is up and available for digital and physical orders - hits newsstands on the 23rd. Full

of some pretty great stuff. I especially love Leah B. Thibault's Toulouse Pullover:

(c) Knitscene

and Josie Mercier's Imbolc Pullover:

(c) Knitscene

...and oh, yeah - I have a design in there, too:

(c) Knitscene

Hastily snapped sample photos for an idea of the details:

...check it out here on Ravelry.

pretties...

Just dropping in to say that the Fall Brooklyn Tweed lookbook is out, and full of delightfully simple and wearable knits. I especially love the Wellwood henley and Driftwood pullover. In my dream life, I'm either inside a Brooklyn Tweed photo shoot or busy being one of the in-house designers at all times.

It's official - the ripping is complete:

What was once an ambitious sweater/design attempt is now back to its low-energy state - big pile o' yarn (several balls, actually). I was reasonably happy with the way it was turning out, but not as happy as I will hopefully will be with this. More details over here, if you're interested.

new twist

I would happily wear probably 90% of the patterns in the Fall 2012 issue, out today. Most favorite:
Barberry by Kristen Rengren - a hooded, twisted stitch patterned cardigan with both kiddo and adult versions available, and...
Malpeque by Katya Wilsher - another cardi, this one long and open with an allover lace lattice pattern.

Barberry is especially tempting AND I have the yarn on hand. It's half a sweater right now, but this is definitely my backup plan.

Also: check out the fabulous illustrations in the Empress and the Teacup story, by none other than my knitting (and otherwise multitalented) friend, Adri H.

Cornflower Cardigan

The Interweave Knits fall preview is up, and my pattern is in it!

The sample was a true marathon knit, and one of my more ambitious projects to date - stranded, steeked (in superwash; eek!), short-row-shaped... and written, charted, and graded of course. I took a few pictures wearing the sample before sending it out. It's the smallest size and I'm wearing it with very little ease (apparently it had relaxed a bit by the time it got to the IK offices; the final sizes are a bit larger than I'd intended...such is the hazard of superwash). The intention is to include a decent amount of ease for coziness and layering capabilities, but I think it looks okay either way.

I'm not actually hungover here, but damned if I don't look it