Candy Cane fiber and hat pattern

I'm a big fan of handspun yarn, and even more a fan of patterns for handspun yarn. A couple of years ago there was a handspun design challenge on Ravelry to increase the number of patterns available for 4 oz/115 gr of handspun yarn. I designed two hats, and had an absolute blast writing up the patterns, including directions for spinning the yarn.

So this idea has been percolating in the back of my mind for a while that I'd like to occasionally offer patterns designed for a specific colorway or fiber that I offer. I'm pleased to say that the first of these patterns, the Candy Cane Hat, will be available (along with the appropriate fiber) before the end of the year - the fiber is drying as we speak, and the pattern is almost complete. Stay tuned!

Gherkin Mittens

I'm very pleased to be able to say that the fourth (and final) pattern in my London-inspired collection is now available.

The Gherkin Mittens are inspired by the Gherkin, a rather phallic odd building in the Financial District. While it's not in the London Bridge area where I used to work, it is extremely visible from there (as well as many other parts of London). I've been enthralled by its lines since I first saw it, and I'm thrilled to bits with these mittens.

Worked in bulky weight wool, these are super quick to knit up, so if you need a last minute Christmas gift, these are for you! I knit the large size for the prototype, and used about 220 yds of bulky yarn over the course of a couple of evenings.

The pattern includes both charts and written stitch directions, plus a cute picture of the wee small dog serving as a prop. Something like this:

Gherkin Mittens, $5.00


God willing and the crick don't rise, I'm hoping to release all four patterns as a mini-e book before the end of the year. Stay tuned!

Ooops!

Meant to blog about this yesterday.

A handspun sweater for Devil, finally photographed
Pattern: Tappan Zee by Amy King, from Knitty
Yarn: handspun Targhee from Hello Yarn, coloway Sprout, about sport weight
Needles: US 4/3.75 mm
Gauge: 6.5 sts/inch
Start/finish: 10 October - 28 November 2011
Modifications: the pattern calls for a heavier weight yarn so I had to do some finagling with the numbers. I knit a swatch (gasp!), got my stitch and row gauge, and plugged some numbers into a spreadsheet to figure out which size to follow from the pattern to get something that would fit her. From that point on it was pretty straightforward knitting from the pattern.

I did work buttonholes all the way down, as requested, and omitted the diamond detail at the bottom. I've got some yarn leftover, so I'm hoping to be able to lengthen it as necessary as she grows.

For the sleeves, I knit straight for about three inches, then decreased two stitches every inch down to about 7 inches at the cuffs, which are finished with a garter stitch band to match the neck and hem. Buttons are yellow hedgehogs found in a shop in York as we were wandering about in the fog.

This is the third time I've knit this pattern, and it's still fun to do. Now I just need to work up one for Boo, and we'll have a matching set in the house. So far the sweater seems to be a huge success. At least it's getting worn a lot! Most gratifying when that happens.

Borough Market Scarf

This pattern is the third of four in a collection, but it's the most recent design, and easily the fastest from idea to completion.

Worked lengthwise, the scarf starts with a long cast on. Then the lace border is knit, after which the scarf is shaped into a gentle curve using short rows in the stockinette section. It can be worn as a narrow shawlette or wrapped a couple times around the neck for extra warmth.

The pattern includes both written and charted directions, at a gauge of 18 sts/24 rows per 4 inches. Worked in worsted weight yarn (approximately 430 yards/395 meters), this scarf works up really quickly - my prototype took me three evenings worth of knitting - so it's perfect if you need a last minute gift for the holidays.

I borrowed a technique from Cat Bordhi for hiding the wraps in the stockinette short rows, and the pattern includes a photo tutorial to aid you in the process.

Many thanks to Lotz, tlpearce82 and lazylibran in the Ravelry Free Pattern Testers group for speedy and careful test knitting. 

Borough Market Scarf
$5.00

There is still knitting for Christmas

It's just that it's stuff I've been knitting over the course of the year. There are a couple of pairs of socks in the gift pile, and a scarf that I made a long time ago but don't ever wear, so it might as well go to a good home. And there's this sweater,

which is only slightly past this stage (shoulders are bound off), but desperately needs a steeking and a neck band ASAP. Like, tonight. Otherwise it's going to turn in to a birthday present three months from now.

I've managed a vest (no pictures yet), and a hat that needs a lining. There's a hat/mittens combo in the works for Devil (one mitten totally done, second mitten outside done (they are lined!), and a hat cast on), but I'm not sure I have enough yarn for them all.

Then there's the things I want to be working on, i.e. spinning up some new fibers to see if I want to carry them in the shop, starting to dye January's fibers, sewing the girls new nightgowns for Christmas Eve. And the things I have to work on, i.e. cooking, cleaning my house for the influx of personages on Thursday and Friday, setting up some things for the girls and I to do because OMG school ends tomorrow at noon. Oh yes, and photographing and getting out not one, not two, but three patterns that are more or less done except for decent pictures.

It's a crazy time of year, that's for sure. Thank goodness there is a full mug in my hands with the chemical structure of caffeine imprinted on the inside (both literally and figuratively).