Post-release bliss

I've spent the last week or so working on other people's projects. Which is to say, working on patterns that I didn't write/am not currently writing/am not planning on writing up and publishing. It's been very enjoyable!

I've been doing some spinning...

I ran out of yarn with one row and ten stitches left in the third chart of Jane's Ubiquitous Shawl, so over the weekend I spun up 8 more ounces, and last night I plied it all (in less then 2 hours - love the miniSpinner for plying!). It's now having a bit of a soak, and it should be dry by tomorrow, so I can motor on with that project.

I've been working on Ruth's Mystery KAL, a pair of gloves in Botany Lace.

I'm almost done with last week's clue on glove #2, which is good because the last clue was released this morning. I think these are going to end up as a Christmas present.

And I've been cranking along on Boo's Christmas sweater.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, she is not colorblind. She simply wants to look like a green and purple bumblebee. We had a mini-P3 reunion lunch last week, and the general consensus was "Did you talk to her about the color wheel at all??!!!"* and "You should probably do some kind of slip stitch when you change colors..."

The end result is a slip stitch color change row of which I am becoming increasingly enamoured. If I hadn't put a mental moratorium on designing projects** until after the new year, I would be starting a steeked fingering weight cardigan using this switch over. But in some more appealing colors, to be fair...maybe I can just do a bit of swatching?

* The girl is not yet six, but she has pretty definite ideas of what she wants. Color wheel, shmolor wheel. Green and purple it is.
** Note: this does not mean I'm not going to buy yarn for it. Knitpicks doesn't deliver to the UK, but they do deliver to my parents' house! Hello Christmas present to myself.

Travelling Hats are on the road

I am very pleased to announce that, after must consternation and fretting on my part, my new collection of designs is now available. Meet Travelling Hats,

This is a group of five hat patterns, all available seperately, or in a single pdf download. All of the designs are inspired by cities that we've visited in the last three and a half years while we've been in the UK. There's the Delhi Beanie,

the Copenhagen Hat (which can be done in two colors or in a knit-purl textured motif),

the double-thickness, lined-with-alpaca-goodness Boston Toque,

a slouchy, reverse-stockinette cap inspired by the London Eye,

and finally, a lace-knitting-on-every-round beret worked in worsted weight yarn, inspired by the cafes of Paris.

The hats are all sized from baby-adult large (specific measurements are included on the Ravelry pages for each pattern), and are all pretty quick, covering a wide range of difficulties. There really is something for everyone. Most of them use less the 200 yds of yarn (ranging from DK to aran weight), and can be whipped up in a couple of evenings, so they're perfect for last minute holiday gifts.

The Ravelry page for the collection is here, and I'll be adding the patterns to my Patterns for Sale page in the next little while, if you're interested. Individual patterns are $5.00 each, or you can buy the e-book, with all five patterns and additional schematics, for $20.00.

I need to thank my fabulous test knitters, once again from the Ravelry Free Pattern Testers group, who this time around were many and eagle-eyed. In alphabetical order: BrindleviewFarm, catdragon, CatSaysKnit, CrafteeWitch, GiddyCrafter, iammo, JenAus0524, jhandmade, kimkat, KnitterBeth, Kokolat, kyorei, LionesseM, maineknitter1975, MandyzMoon, maperkei, Momto3boys, neddhead, peggylaine, Ravelling, sandyvar, shortbusmom, siro2, SnookiesOz, TosaGirl, yofed and yukachan08.

And I have to thank Alli, and Devil and Boo for their enthusiastic (and not-so) modelling of these babies. Mwah!

New shop update now live

Here's what has been added to the shop today - Yellow Fluorescent Protein and Golgi on Shetland, Blue Morpho Wensledale, Spice Markert Superwash Cheviot and Quantum Dots Romney. Happy spinning!

Successful marketing FTW

Today Alli* and I ventured out to the St. Margarets section of Twickenham to Mrs. Moon, a lovely little yarn and haberdashery shop right by the train station. She had been before, but this was my first visit, and it was either very successful or completely disastrous, depending on your point of view.

Mrs. Moon is pretty heavily into alpaca and alpaca blends. This is not a bad thing in any way, shape or form, but as I perused the walls of the shop, I came across these little gems.

Spectacularly soft, 25 gr balls of 100% Royal alpaca, in the most gorgeous subtley muted colors. I fondled, sighed, and moved on, determined to resist their siren call. Because really, more yarn is not what I need, amirit?

But then I noticed the patterns. And it was game over...

Blue Sky Alpacas have released a set of accessory patterns to go with the Royal Petites, and the package is completely irresistable. The cover of the pattern has a vintage style drawing of the accessory, and when you open it up,

there are two pockets. On the left side is a photo of the fiber sources,

while on the right is a gorgeous, wallpaper-y shot of color peeking out which,

when unfolded, reveals a picture of the finished accessory on one side, and the pattern on the other.

There was no way I was escaping unscathed, no way. It's almost too over the top, but I couldn't resist.

However, this purchase has firmly put the nails in the coffin of my theoretical attempts to not knit presents for Christmas. Currently, the list has ballooned to the following:

One hat (already done)
One scarf (weaving)
A set of felted clogs (which will be delivered unfelted)
Another cowl (already done)
Two kid-sized sweaters (now swatched - Hooray!)
A Color Affection (done)

Also in the works are a handspun shawl (for me), a laceweight cardigan (also for me), and some gloves (yet again, for me, but they may end up as a Christmas present instead). So adding one more cowl to the list isn't so crazy, right?

We will ignore the fact that I have not yet cast on either of the sweaters or the felted clogs. Apparantly I'm counting on our 8 hour flight home ballooning into something like a week and a half, given all the knitting I think I'm getting done on the plane. To be fair, if I prioritize, I need to do the sweaters and the cowl first, because they need to be done by Christmas day. The clogs can be a few days late.

Shit. I guess this means I have a plan? Oy!

* I'm getting a bit concerned that this is the second Friday in a row Alli has dragged me to a yarn store, and the second Friday in a row I've purchased something. Since we're scheduled to do another outing next Friday, I'm thinking I should leave my credit card at home...

Still here...

I have no pictures for you today, I'm afraid. Events have conspired against me to prevent my being home in the daylight hours with reasonable light. However, Things Are Happening.

• There has been pattern editing. Much editing. Progress is being made.
• There has been dyeing. In fact, there is dyeing right now. All is fun with the pretty colors.
• There has been running. And working. And lunches with departing office mates, etc. Busy work stuff.
• Tonight, there will be swatching. Because, although it's not December (which means I don't actually have to cast on the girls' Christmas sweaters yet), it would probably be a good idea if I figured out what the crap I'm going to do with the stitch counts and such before Saturday. You know, so I can knit them eventually...

That's about it. Maybe pictures on Friday. Keep your fingers crossed.