This very cute - and very FREE - knitting pattern comes from Anna at Mochimochiland. Go here to download the pdf file, then make as many as you like - the neighbors won't mind one bit.Kidlet saw me open the email announcement and went absolutely ape for these little guys. She has seen it her mission this year to help dandies propagate, much to the chagrin of Grammy's association's lawn maintenance crew...
Beautiful patterns, goodness from Franklin's pen - what more could you want?
Paperless patterns
Head over to Knitting Daily's website for downloadable bundles of five sock patterns and seven lace patterns. A quick registration (if you haven't already), and you're set. Offer ends soon, I'm assuming, so get 'em while the gettin's good.
Aquatic adoption
Auntie Audi has a friend who is relocating and couldn't take the livestock with her. Audi made a mercy call, and two hours later she and two coolers arrived at my apartment where Kidlet and I opened our door to a school of mollies: two ginormous adults, and about 50 fry of varying ages. All to prevent the untimely flushing of innocent fishies. I. am. such. a. sucker.
Anyone want a fish or five?
I've actually been knitting lately, just not documenting it very well. Fellow Ravelers can check my Projects page over yonder - I tend to update there first. Does anyone else find it hard to serve the multiple masters of blogging/FB/Ravelry? Good grief.This is one of two baby sweaters for an anticipated July delivery. Boy Sweater needs only to be seamed; Girl Sweater has yet to be cast on, preempted by...
Jorid Linvik's beautiful Wedding Mittens, of which the cuffs are shown here. I'm doing the lefts of each pair on Magic Loop, then the rights; hopefully this will save a bit of time that would have been spent flipping from chart to chart, let alone Second (and Third, and Fourth) Mitten Syndrome.
Ooh, and I found a yummy new yarn online last week. I'll type slowly so you may savor the thought:
m i n k
a n d
c a s h m e r e
It's as soft as you might think, and not nearly as expensive as it should be (70% mink, 30% cashmere). I purchased two 100-yard skeins of the DK weight yarn, one Jet Black and one natural, for the ridiculous price of US $9.95 each (they also sell 200-yard skeins for US $19.50). And now until Memorial Day/May 25, they are selling all yarn at 25% OFF LISTED PRICE! Check it out - and when you check out, use promotional code 525 for the discount.
The blogoversary will have to wait, for there is sad news to share in the knitting world: Kay Gardiner (of Mason-Dixon Knitting fame) lost her husband, Peter, on Saturday to a brief illness. You can read her cohort Ann's brief blog entry here.I'm sure Kay and their children would welcome all thoughts and prayers.
I realize I never documented holiday knitting FO's very well. Oops. Since there's no time like the present to start setting things aright, here are the details for Kidlet's Easter shrug:
pattern: adapted from One Skein Wonder, by Stefanie Japel
yarns: body in Classic Elite Soft Linen (35% linen, 35% wool, 30% baby alpaca), trim in Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% super kid mohair, 30% silk)
needles: Knit Picks Harmony interchangeables, US5 and US6
cast on: 27 Mar 2009
completed: 11 April 2009
What is more important to you when choosing a yarn - the look of the resulting fabric, or the feel of the yarn? [insert Jeopardy theme song here]This was the weekly question on Knitter's Review, a weekly e-newsletter by Clara Parkes featuring a review (doh) of a yarn or product each issue, along with a readers' poll; the archive of yarn reviews is an invaluable resource, IMHO. If KR doesn't already appear in your inbox, go sign up. I'll wait. Take the poll and make your senses heard, then feel free to share a comment here about a yarn experience you've had - good, bad, or downright ugly. Was the allure of a beautifully twisted skein deceptively harsh on your skin? Did an ugly duckling yarn transform into a swan-like fabric once knitted? (And I'm OK with using actual brand names if you are.) Inquiring minds want to know!
It's free e-newsletter published by Interweave Knits, and they currently have a bundle of 7 free lace patterns for you to download. Can't shake a pointy stick at that price...
We have an insatiable appetite for new and novel fibers. We've created yarns made from corn and bamboo. We've seen yarns dusted with jade, laced with copper, and even fortified with crushed crab shells and seaweed. So it should come as no surprise when I tell you about a new company that has just launched a line of yarns made with recycled kitty litter.
Based in Urbana, Illinois, the company is called PurrFect Yarns. It was founded by inveterate knitter and former R&D scientist Patricia Krapsch—who also happens to have a household full of cats.
"It really bothered me that I couldn't easily flush my used kitty litter down the toilet, nor could I spread it on my garden," she told me. "Every week I'd carry huge plastic garbage bags of used kitty litter out to the curb, and the waste really bothered me. So I thought, hey, I'm a scientist. I should do something about this."
You can read the full article here.
Handknit Heroes! Each issue comes with a pattern in the back. Subscriptions are $20/year for quarterly issues mailed right to your door. No e-publications here - you can almost smell the ink...
I can't complain about the recent weather. I saw my first robin this weekend, but honestly, I wasn't looking hard for them, because I thought spring was never. going. to. get. here.
So tonight I was flipping through the spring issue of Knitter's Magazine at the LYS and saw an little blurb about 
a very handy way to inventory your knitting needles. Don't tell my phone, but I'm a wee bit jealous.
The spring issue of Twist Collective is online, and it is a feast for the eyeballs - beautiful sweaters, socks with texture, baby items, and an intro to wire knitting. I could go on, but you need to see it yourself.Must. Knit. Now.
Designer Stephanie van der Linden suggests that, in addition to her sock cuff, it would work well "with a four or five stitch repeat for a sweet edging on mittens and children's sweaters". What a nice alternative to plain ribbing!
I mentioned last week that weaving in ends was the least of my knitting joys, in not so many words. Here is the evidence:
Not too rough...
... and the oh so nasty, a.k.a. "cat yack."
The end result was a pair of hats. Right and center view:
Center and left view:
The willing recipients, eWAC and Going40.
The project details:
pattern:
based on Grassroots Hat by C Jane Knit
yarn: Cascade Pastaza (50% llama, 50% wool)
needles: US #5 AND #7 Addi Turbo circulars (only because my Harmony needles were occupied, and my Denise needles almost made me do grievous bodily injury unto myself. And yes, I did feel like a traitor.)
After knitting the logo chart twice, I learned a little something: working the lower half of the logo as a solid red field, then applying the white stripes in duplicate stitch makes for muuuch friendlier cleanup (10 ends to weave in, as opposed to 24). More to come after sleeping.
Check this out - it's like a Swiss Army Knife - no, a Leatherman - for knitters. And it's purdy to boot.
Now, how to convince The Powers That Be at the LYS that we need this. Hmm. Must initiate clever mind-control plot. Note to self: must not post that publicly next time.
Pictures to prove my point in a few days.
These Flocks (a fiber-oriented company out of Rotterdam) have a knitted pouf with your name on it. Well, not really. You know what I mean. Best not to wear shorts when you sit upon it, methinks.
Get ready for the newest Wii application: Kniitiing! I'm not kiidiing. heh. It's still in beta stage, but above are screen shots of how to hold the controls for virtual knitting, and game level selection by "pattern". This is a Wii game my mom might actually play. Ness, you see this?
Or so you'd think.
Take a look at this article. Kory Stamper knits her socks on DPNs.
At the same time.
Inside. Each. Other.
This blows my mind. I love seeing people thinking outside the box, taking an established technique like double knitting and turning it on its ear. Next thing you know, we'll all be doing it next year...
Knitting is a vital and evolving beast. So cool.
