the royal treatment

on friday i finished my latest store model. this one was fun to knit. i love the fiber... i got to make up a pattern... and grey is one of my favourite colors to knit.

enough nonsense....

here are the details!

Staggered Rib Scarf
designed by kittything
pattern available as a free download.

knit in Plymouth Royal Llama Silk (3 skeins #1002 "agate" 60% fine llama, 40% silk) purchased at K+S=B on size US 7 bamboo needles [a present from donna!]

started: november 5th (ish?), 2007
finished november 23, 2007

i sorta lied about the start date. maybe. i started the scarf over in several different designs. this was the fourth version. because it is a store model you have many things to consider when picking a pattern.

1. we wanted something i made up so we could give it away free with purchase of yarn at the shop.
2. the yarn should be the focus as much (if not more) than the stitch pattern.
3. we specifically wanted to knit something that would be appealing to both male knitters and women knitting for men.
4. it can't be too difficult or people won't feel confident that they can complete it.

fortunately the stars aligned on this project. men like things that are simple. simple = easy to knit. and finally, this yarn's texture is so eye catching that it swallowed any more complicated designs i attempted.

i am a sock knitter, and i will admit that i was inspired in this deign by the Gentleman's Fancy Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. simple. elegant. unisex.

and who doesn't like some silk and delicious llama?

finally...
in alpaca news!
i am frogging my first attempt at the garter loop through scarf. the hot pink sportweight alpaca is simply not cutting it. it looks too limp and smooshy. the stitch definition also leaves something to be desired.

so i reworked the numbers last night and cast on for a worsted weight version out of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk i had in my stash. the silk really helps the alpaca have some body. stitches look good, and this thing is so much faster to knit on US 7 than a US 4! i have more than made up for the lost frogging time. woo!

i may get it finished up tomorrow! we shall see. the holiday tree is supposed to go up tomorrow.

ps- in the photo of me modeling the scarf.... the little skull pin? yeah, his "crossbones" are made of crochet hooks. he was a present. i have the coolest friends!

speedy little sweater

i finished it! the sweater would have been finished last night, but my energy went downhill at midnight. i left 3 rows of sleeve knitting and the end-weaving to today. but here it is!

details....

Unseen Sweater
designed by kittything
available as a free download in ladies size xs/s

knit in Reynolds Rapture (6 skeins #420 Charcoal Grey, 50% silk 50% wool) purchased at Knit + Stitch = Bliss on size US 10 circular and double point needles.

started: August 23, 2007
finished: September 3, 2007


this was a fun little project. it kept me busy and out of trouble while i was in tech for the show Sight Unseen, which is part of where the name comes from. the other part of the name's origin is the fact that i knit at least half of this thing in the dark.

it is a super easy project and would make great TV knitting. also, with so little finishing, you could practically cast off and wear it if you weave your ends as you go along.

i have only written the pattern for one size because... well.... i would rather be knitting new projects than doing math for old ones. (and it is free. pay me and i'll size it up for you.)

if you understand the construction of a top-down raglan sweater, you can easily modify to size this baby up. as it is, you can customize the length by trying it on as you go and adjusting length or adjusting the increases (both in number and position).

i took the second photo without a flash. yes, really. the silk in the yarn really throws the light! yowza.

i really loved this yarn, and i am pleased to report that i still have two skeins of the grey and two skeins of pink. i think something fun will be happening to those little darlings soon.

but with all the leftover yarn... can you believe i knit a whole sweater (yes, short sleeved) out of less than 450 yards yarn? i'm shocked. i knit a sweater with roughly the same number of yards as a sock. i know it is a chunkier yarn, but sheesh.

ps- this is my first sweater design. and technically it is the first adult-sized sweater i have knit. go me.

pattern ready!

i had to get a file sharing account elsewhere because blogger only accepts photo uploads. now that i have solved that little glitch, i present... Hand Basket Socks in pdf format! it will also get archived in the side bar.

enjoy!

2nd sock syndrome

i have been accused of having second sock syndrome. you know... finish one sock and never knit the second. well, i am proving the naysayers wrong! i completed the 2nd half of two sock projects over the weekend. never mind that i had four single socks, and that means i still have two to finish. i'm half cured, i guess.

my real excuse is that i get bored working the same stitch pattern for too long. so don't expect the fourth basket weave sock for awhile! project details....

Hand Basket Socks
designed by kittything

knit in Rowan Calmer (2 balls #465 "Onyx" 75% cotton, 25% microfiber) purchased at Knit+Stitch = Bliss on size US 4 and US 5 Crystal palace Bamboo double point needles.

started: may 27, 2007
finished: august 9, 2007

so there they are. they took awhile to knit because i stopped working on them when my ex and i split. now they get tucked away in a drawer until they pick an owner. or i suddenly begin wearing a men's size 11 shoe. those of you who are clever will note the name of the socks implies their history. (they are basket weave and when i was knitting them everything went to hell in a hand basket. i'm too witty sometimes.)

i'm also posting the pattern for these babies. be forewarned! this is the first knitting pattern i have ever written. i am sure the smaller size is accurate, but some of my numbers may be slightly off on the larger size. this will teach me to write as i go instead of at the end.
the second finished project is my not-a-socks. i finished them up while i was working at the store on saturday. they helped me discover a new (to me) needle i love! the details...

Short Toed Socklets
designed by the folks over at Regia
(pattern downloads as PDF)

knit in Koigu Painters Palette Premium Merino (less than 1 skein of #857, 100% merino wool) purchased at Knit+ Stitch = Bliss on size US 2 Brittany birch double point needles.

started: may 26, 2007
finished: august 11, 2007

these were just an excuse to try out koigu and see what all the hype is about. i liked working in it, but i am not going to become a koigu nutcase. i will, however, continue to use the Brittany needles. they are perfect for a slick yarn like koigu. i am sure i will use them when i knit up the ShiBui sock yarn i have.

now that i finished up two pairs of socks, i decided to start another! because, you know, i need one more project.

but isn't the yarn yummy? it is Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the Sunriver colorway. yum! i'm sure this super star will return soon.

when life gives you yarn...

make lemons! (and limes.)

these are the fruition (har. har.) of my current groove on needlecraft whimsies. i saw all sorts of patterns for fruit, but the only fruit colors i have on hand are citrus. i found knit patterns for lemons and limes, but i didn't have needles that would work. alas, i couldn't find crochet patterns i like. so i made one up!

for your enjoyment...

Crocheted Lemons and Limes

Materials

• Small amount of worsted weight yarn. (For the lime I used Sugar and Cream kitchen cotton. The lemon was made from scraps of Berrocco Touche.)
• Size US “H” hook
• Small amount of polyester fiberfill or wool roving for stuffing

Notes

• Fruit is worked in continuous spiral rounds—do not join. Work tightly in order to prevent stuffing from poking out of the stitches.
• If using a lighter worsted weight yarn, work an additional increase row after Rnd 6, one additional even Rnd, and an additional decrease Rnd before the written Rnd 10. (Lemon was worked in this manner.)

Ch 2.
Rnd 1. Sc 4 in 2nd ch from hook.
Rnd 2. Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 3. Sc 2 in each sc around. (8sc)
Rnd 4. Sc 1, sc 2 in next stitch* around. (12sc)
Rnd 5. Sc 2, sc 2 in next stitch* around. (16 sc)
Rnd 6. Sc 3, sc 2 in next stitch* around. (20 sc)
Rnds 7-9. Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 10. Sc 3, sc2tog* around. (16 sc)
Rnd 11. Sc 2, sc2tog* around. (12 sc)
Stuff firmly.
Rnd 12. Sc 1, sc2tog* around. (8 sc)
Rnd 13. Sc2tog around. (4 sc)
Rnd 14. Sc in each sc around.
Fasten off, pull ends into body of fruit, snipping off any excess length.

If you decide to make fruit from my pattern, please give me design credit. Also, selling finished lemons and limes created from this pattern or selling the pattern itself is a big no-no. And by "big no-no", i mean illegal.