Educational
Let's talk yarn. The yarn I'm using on the current mitts is Bijou Basin Tibetan Dream Sock Yarn. It's 85% yak down, 15% nylon, and working with it has been a bit of a learning experience. Now, let's get this part in right up front. The reason it took me a little while to get comfortable with this yarn is that it is made from a fiber I've not used before. It's not that there's anything wrong with the yarn, it's that it was new to me and I didn't know how it would behave. My ignorance is not the [...]
Now With Less Drama
Hi pinterest folks, if you're looking for this pattern, it's called Brigand and it's available in Ne'er-Do-Well Knits on ravelry! Yesterday's escapades didn't really show off the work to its best advantage. The picture of Millie--lost over the fence, pitched into the snow--has its charms, but it doesn't do much for the knitting. So, just for clarity, I'll offer here a somewhat more detailed look at the stitches. You'll note that Millie is nowhere near the fence. You may also notice that this is post-rinse (not quite a full on proper blocking, but just a bit of a rinse and [...]
Jumper
You know those stories? The ones that end 'and the doctor says with physical therapy I'll be good as new in six months,' or 'but luckily, the lawyer got me off with just community service,' or 'so as long as I never go back to El Salvador, everything should be just fine?' Have you noticed they all have something in common? They've all got a moment when the story teller pauses and says 'that's the moment it all went wrong.' I'm convinced that part of living to a ripe old age is learning to recognize those moments as they approach, [...]
Never a Good Sign
If I show you a bit of knitting, and it doesn't have needles in it, you can pretty safely guess that knitting is about to go on to its greater reward. This is no exception. This yarn (Bijou Basin Tibetan Dream Sock Yarn) is trying to teach me some things. I've not quite mastered what it has to show me, so we're still working through our lessons. I have a sneaking suspicion it will be worth it in the end though, and learning is good for you, right?
Helper Kitten Helps
So there I was, sock and notes and computer all at the ready. It was time to sit down and make the charts and type up the pattern. All I was lacking was a cup of tea. I stepped out to remedy that situation, and upon my return...Levon. I did not have the fortitude to say no to a face like that. Not even a little. So that particular pattern writing session was rather dramatically abbreviated, and kitten belly petting ensued. I think it was by far the best available course of action, don't you?
The Limits of my Love
I love you all dearly, but my porch is currently a giant sheet of ice. That means I'm going to show you the crappy pick I took yesterday (before it thawed and then froze into a death slick) instead of dutifully going out there and taking a better one. Because really, slipper ice skating is not a sport I wish to take up. We'll say it counts as proof that the hat is done, and we'll call a better picture of it something in the 'to do some time soon' category.
Variations
A quick variation on the previous stripy hat. It's Malabrigo Twist again (the second half of the skeins I used for the last one, both should easily come out of those two skeins). It's the same technique as before (never knitting more than one color in a given row, glorified stripes, miles of stockinette with just one goofy row every now and again), just a slight change to make wee nubbies instead of an all-over pattern. I think they make a nice pair. Last time I did three variations, but I think I'll have to call it good at two [...]
Stitch Definition
The holiday weekend was productive. The Boy's socks are finished and blocked. I'm unreasonably pleased with how they came out. He's quite ready to start wearing them, but alas we must wait until the snow melts and we can get in a quick photoshoot. For you see, I have a plan. Those of you who have been reading here for some time will know I usually have a plan. Actually I usually have four of five of the things kicking around in my head. This one is a doozy though and will require a brief field trip and a little [...]
Collate
This is the view from my office door today. I'm pulling together all the various corrections from all the various editors and putting them into one master document that gets sent off to Zoe, the book designer (translation, it's really really really close to done, but it's still going to be a while before you guys get to see it). On the desk, from right to left we've got: KCC1 (to make sure any conventions established there are carried on here), Heather's notes, The Boy's notes, the notepad with a list of files to update, the coolest keyboard in the [...]
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