Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Crazy for Calendars!
I had submitted a design for the Knitting Pattern-A-Day calendar last year. I figured I didn't get in since I had sent it so close to the deadline I had probably missed it plus the fact that I never heard back from them. I re-sent it for next year's calendar and got an email back this time stating that my pattern was already in the 2008 calendar. I was December 8th and they would send me a free copy in the mail. That was the best surpise ever!
If you bought this calendar you can be patient and wait or just skip ahead to December and check it out. It was actually co-designed by me and JF. It was his vision then we worked out the math together and I chose the yarn and knit it up.
I made it to go with his Jimmie Johnson NASCAR jacket. If you've seen JF out and about you've probably seen him wearing his Racing Stripes Scarf. It was good to work on this pattern together because I never would have thought to mimic the stripes on the hood of a race car on my own!
Even though I knew way ahead of time about my other calendar design I was still super excited to get this package in the mail. It came from Bust magazine since that's where Debbie Stoller works as editor-in-chief.
Inside was the Stitch 'n Bitch Page-A-Day 2008 Calendar. I had this calendar last year and enjoyed looking forward to little knitting tidbits each day.
Again, if you don't mind skipping ahead check me out on October 24th. My Arrowhead Socks are the 'Socks of the Month.' JF took that pic of me (err rather my feet) in Charles Schultz Park. It's a great little park on the Upper East Side by my old apartment. They have benches where you can sit and look out at the water. I endured multiple stares as I positioned myself on my back on the bench with my feet up in the air and JF shouting, "Hold still... show me some heel...now more toe..I said more toe!"
I had submitted a design for the Knitting Pattern-A-Day calendar last year. I figured I didn't get in since I had sent it so close to the deadline I had probably missed it plus the fact that I never heard back from them. I re-sent it for next year's calendar and got an email back this time stating that my pattern was already in the 2008 calendar. I was December 8th and they would send me a free copy in the mail. That was the best surpise ever!
If you bought this calendar you can be patient and wait or just skip ahead to December and check it out. It was actually co-designed by me and JF. It was his vision then we worked out the math together and I chose the yarn and knit it up.
I made it to go with his Jimmie Johnson NASCAR jacket. If you've seen JF out and about you've probably seen him wearing his Racing Stripes Scarf. It was good to work on this pattern together because I never would have thought to mimic the stripes on the hood of a race car on my own!
Even though I knew way ahead of time about my other calendar design I was still super excited to get this package in the mail. It came from Bust magazine since that's where Debbie Stoller works as editor-in-chief.
Inside was the Stitch 'n Bitch Page-A-Day 2008 Calendar. I had this calendar last year and enjoyed looking forward to little knitting tidbits each day.
Again, if you don't mind skipping ahead check me out on October 24th. My Arrowhead Socks are the 'Socks of the Month.' JF took that pic of me (err rather my feet) in Charles Schultz Park. It's a great little park on the Upper East Side by my old apartment. They have benches where you can sit and look out at the water. I endured multiple stares as I positioned myself on my back on the bench with my feet up in the air and JF shouting, "Hold still... show me some heel...now more toe..I said more toe!"
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Quick Knits and Cat Communication
Lately, I've been working on complicated pieces that involved a lot of colorwork or shaping. While it's interesting to learn new skills and rewarding when I (eventually) finish a piece like that I've been feeling a craving for some quick knits. I find winter is the one time of year I get to display some of my handiwork and if I didn't start soon these would be destined for next season!
Lately, I've been working on complicated pieces that involved a lot of colorwork or shaping. While it's interesting to learn new skills and rewarding when I (eventually) finish a piece like that I've been feeling a craving for some quick knits. I find winter is the one time of year I get to display some of my handiwork and if I didn't start soon these would be destined for next season!
These mittens were made from a pattern in Ann Budd's The Handy Book of Patterns. This book is a great resource as it gives you charts to make any basic project such as hats or even sweaters in many gauges of yarn. The only modification I made was to cast on more stitches for the thumb than was indicated so it wasn't too tight. I managed to whip these up in just 4 days starting on a Saturday and binding off the thumbs at knitting group on Wednesday.
I used yarn I had in my stash from Brooks Farm. I'm having trouble figuring out which yarn it was but it appears to be a wool/mohair blend and is on the chunky side. I made a pair of these mittens from a similar pattern a couple years ago but my downfall was leaving tails that were too short and I ended up busting open the thumbs after a couple of wears. This time I learned my lesson and left generously long tails to wind in several times.
Remember that day last week when it was sudddenly about 10 degrees out? JF begged me to whip him up a quick hat the night before, even threatening to buy a hat which at this point would be sacrilege! I felt a little guilty as the '48' hat I had started for him has been sitting around unworked on since I made a mistake in the chart and have been too fed up to take out 2 rows of 130 stitches each in 3 color intarsia!
This hat was completed in one night of speed knitting using Lion Brand Thick 'n Quick. JF had bought a ball of this to use as a trim on a sweater he's been working on we figured there was enough to spare. The edging is a 2x2 seed stitch pattern. It looks nice but isn't as effective as ribbing in terms of conforming to the head. JF added the pom-pom on top which I think is a nice touch.
Finally our very quiet cat has gotten creative in finding ways to communicate with us. The other day she ate her wet food in the shape of a backwards "C." This could mean many things...cat, Cosette, Christmas....or is our kitty just dyslexic??
"No, dummy, I was trying to say put down the yarn and play with me...or at least give me some yarn to play with too!"
I used yarn I had in my stash from Brooks Farm. I'm having trouble figuring out which yarn it was but it appears to be a wool/mohair blend and is on the chunky side. I made a pair of these mittens from a similar pattern a couple years ago but my downfall was leaving tails that were too short and I ended up busting open the thumbs after a couple of wears. This time I learned my lesson and left generously long tails to wind in several times.
Remember that day last week when it was sudddenly about 10 degrees out? JF begged me to whip him up a quick hat the night before, even threatening to buy a hat which at this point would be sacrilege! I felt a little guilty as the '48' hat I had started for him has been sitting around unworked on since I made a mistake in the chart and have been too fed up to take out 2 rows of 130 stitches each in 3 color intarsia!
This hat was completed in one night of speed knitting using Lion Brand Thick 'n Quick. JF had bought a ball of this to use as a trim on a sweater he's been working on we figured there was enough to spare. The edging is a 2x2 seed stitch pattern. It looks nice but isn't as effective as ribbing in terms of conforming to the head. JF added the pom-pom on top which I think is a nice touch.
Finally our very quiet cat has gotten creative in finding ways to communicate with us. The other day she ate her wet food in the shape of a backwards "C." This could mean many things...cat, Cosette, Christmas....or is our kitty just dyslexic??
"No, dummy, I was trying to say put down the yarn and play with me...or at least give me some yarn to play with too!"
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