knitting

As promised, I made a video illustrating how to work the wrapped cable I used in the Vimioso Cowl. I’ll be putting the pattern up for sale tomorrow morning (Monday) but wanted to share the video now since it’s ready! Below is the same video twice, the top one hosted at YouTube and the bottom on on Flickr (just in case you can’t view one for some reason). I’m a bit nervous about this since it’s my first time making a technique video and I hate the sound of my voice on it, but I think it’s clear enough to follow . . . please let me know if you disagree!

Enjoy!

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Came home to find this instead of the brand new ball of Karabella Aurora 8 I’d left on my chair . . .

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I guess the yarn shopping withdrawal I felt while in Brazil is to blame for the little yarn binge I went on the last two days . . . above you see 2 skeins of Madelinetosh Sock yarn that I got at Gotham Fine Yarn, a new LYS that opened a few months ago on the Lower East Side. Yesterday was my first visit to the cute shop and I’ll definitely be back! The owner, Rebecca, chatted with me a lot about the business and seems to be the perfect blend of laid-back and interesting. And I liked that she had Malabrigo and Madelinetosh! The colors above are Ginger on the left and Rose on the right. They’re so beautiful I want to cast on right now!

And on Monday, I went to Purl! I had some yarn to return and with the credit I bought myself a little present. Enough Swans Island Worsted in Purple to make a cozy pullover! This stuff is absolutely GORGEOUS. I already swatched it and cannot wait to wear it. I know just what type of pullover to design out of this . . . but I’m making myself wait to start that until I have at least one new pattern up for sale. It’s been way too long since I released a new pattern and I have to get on with it! Stay tuned . . .

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Sophie Blackall is a Brooklyn artist who’s doing a series of illustrations inspired by Craigslist’s “Missed Connections” section. The one above really spoke to me when I just saw it on the Love.Obsess.Inspire. blog and I knew you fellow knitters would get a kick out of it too! Isn’t it just so romantic-cute?

A print of the illustration is available for sale from her Etsy shop or you can follow the series on her blog, Missed Connections.

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(oh by the way, I’m back in the US now and intend to post way more often! Knitting was accomplished while in Brazil, don’t you worry!)

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Yet again, I apologize for the blog silence. This time I have a pretty damn good explanation, but unfortunately most of it is simply not blog-appropriate. The part I can share is that I took an impromptu trip to Brazil and have been down here tanning (I know, how retro), knitting, and eating for the last few weeks. And unfortunately, the internet connection here is absolutely horrible. I’ve been taking pictures but there’s no way I can upload them at under 10 Kbps! (no joke)

I’m happy to say that I have been knitting! The Nutkin socks are finally back on track and I expect to have the pair finished by the time I come home. I brought only that knitting and one other project in an effort to make myself focus and actually finish the socks. The only other entertainment I brought other than books was some projects that need patterns written. I brought the Vimioso Cowl, the Luluzinha shawl and shawlette, and the Soneca blanket. I got a fair bit of work done on the cowl pattern and if I can get better pictures taken when I get back, I’ll be able to post it for sale soon. I’m pretty psyched about that! And tomorrow I intend to work on the blanket pattern, I actually wrote a rough draft of it already so it shouldn’t take as long to write as some of my others . . .

It figures that the minute I go to a tropical climate I start fantasizing about yarn, doesn’t it? All I wanted to do all week was go yarn shopping, but there is no good yarn down here . . .

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Thank you to everyone who bought patterns during the Help for Haiti drive! Because of you I’ve been able to donate another $130 to Doctors Without Borders!

Knitters rule!

In new knitting news, my BFF just announced that she’s expecting a boy this summer and I couldn’t be more excited if I tried! I’m already planning to knit an entire wardrobe for the bebe. Starting with this gem:

It’s a pattern from Vintage Baby Knits, which I just picked up yesterday. I may end up knitting most of the gorgeous designs! They’re all so cute. I’m making this one in traditional pale baby blue, out of cotton, in the newborn size, so the baby can wear it immediately. I also bought yarn for another project which I’ll be knitting in a 18-month or 2-year size . . . but more on that later as that one will be my own design and a completely different concept/style.

For the last week or so I’ve been working mostly on my Koigu Scraps project and I’ve actually gotten almost to the end of the scraps pile. It turns out I have an exactly awful amount of scraps: too much for a shawl and way too little for a blanket. I decided I’ll go for the blanket anyway and just keep adding to it as I collect more Koigu scraps . . . which we know I will continue to do until I die or the yarn is discontinued, whichever comes first! I’ll try to get a daytime picture soon so you can see how much I’ve done since the last update . . .

Oh and I also knit a small shawlette which may become a pattern if I can work out a few small kinks. I took a few pictures of it yesterday but they didn’t come out, more on that project later as well. This weekend I plan to work on the Vimioso cowl pattern (for real!) and work send out some submissions to IK. It’s nice to finally get the knitting mojo back!

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I’m late joining in on the movement (link to Ravelry Help for Haiti Patterns) but better later than never, right?

I’m donating 75% of the sales price of all my patterns purchased during January to Doctors Without Borders. Yes, all of January (meaning retroactive to the beginning of the month). So if you’ve been meaning to buy Leila or Soho or any of my other patterns, buy it now and help someone who definitely needs your help.

A disaster of this magnitude makes you much more humble about the problems in your own life. I’m currently going through one of the worst times of my life but yet I’m employed, clothed, and have a roof over my head and food on the table. It’s so easy to let everyday problems and drama overwhelm us and make us forget what’s we DO have. I’m one of the lucky ones, even though most of the time it doesn’t feel that way. I’m going to work harder to value and appreciate what I have all the time and help others in need more than I have been.

I’ve made my own donation already and wish I had more to give. Won’t you help me give more?

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At the last minute last Thursday I decided to join my friend Shana for her weekly knit night in Astoria (the same one that Neoknits Melissa goes to!). The only problem was that I hadn’t brought any knitting with me to work that day! So Shana and I came up with the idea that she’d pick out a sock pattern, swing by her place to pick up yarn and needles, and I’d knit her the socks. She’s not a sock knitter but she does appreciate a good knitted sock, and I needed something to knit, so it seemed like the perfect plan.

She picked out the Nutkin Sock Pattern and some Koigu and came to meet me at the teahouse. When she produced the Koigu color I almost died laughing because I have the exact same color in my stash! What are the chances? I loved the yarn and pattern so I started knitting right away. After working the turned cuff I thought they looked a bit small, but I kept going. I knew Shana’s feet are bigger than mine, so my plan was to try them on myself a bit later and make sure they were roomy on me. As you probably guessed, they were TOO TIGHT on me! I couldn’t believe it.

What you see in the picture above is actually try #2 on these socks. I ripped everything out and cast on again, adding about 1/2 inch worth of stitches by adding purls to each purl section. Then I knit what you see above and brought it with me to dinner with Shana on Sunday night and had her try it on . . . and of course it’s still too small.

For try #3 I plan to add an entire pattern repeat to see if that works out . . . stay tuned!

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When Connie posted about her latest design for Twist Collective, Sabbatical, I clicked right over to learn more! What a gorgeous and wearable cardigan! I would probably never have noticed it since it’s a mid-season release by Twist and I don’t usually look at the site except when an issue goes live, so I was really happy to see that Connie brought it to our attention. Her designs are always do beautifully detailed and classic, yet totally interesting, too! What more can you ask for in a sweater?

Now to figure out what to knit it out of . . . preferably something from the stash . . .

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