French Braid Cloche

I have a new pattern up in my Ravelry Store!

It's the French Braid Cloche, and it's available for download as a PDF and is only 2.00 GBP, (at current exchange rate, about $3.16 USD or 2.14 Euro, or 3.48 Aus, or...)

Available in Adult sizes Medium and Large, it's a fun, comfy cloche hat for all seasons, with a cable-created ruffle for snaz and eyelets that are just begging to have ribbons run through them.

(Link will take you to Paypal)

Thank you to KarateKid, Hobobird, and PocketDanielle for test knitting!

tales of an immigrant housewife

Somehow, a black hooded scarf tends to say everything:


Though it's not for me, but a friend, EllaJ. Since my time is abundant and otherwise useless, since no one feels the need to contact me about volunteer opportunities that I've applied for (I mean...really?), I've been mostly knitting. A lot.

Fortunately, this means quite a few designs should be coming up soon:

French Braid Cloche:


A few other hats, and somehow (har har) managing to work in a little Cookie time into my schedule:

Angees

Back in England

I'm really very torn between hating employment and absolutely loving it. Because, after all, unemployment means no eating out, no yarn (at least, yarn in minimal amounts), and, obviously, no job to go to everyday. On the other hand, I get to stay home all day and knit.

I've been trying to justify my unemployment by busying myself with potential-income-generating things like working on my book(s) and working on some designs. But when I don't have the patience to finish anything in one go, I end up casting on for seven different projects on one time, four of which don't have any sort of official patterns (at least, not yet), and using up all my spare needles.

In the meantime, I'm quite pleased:

This is the start of my Victoriana Coat, a coat I began because I had a hard time finding a coat that was A. a cut I liked and B. not made in China. Solution? Make my own. Of course. And it's going surprisingly fast. Though, come spring time, when the thing's thrown in a heap in a corner with a piece of half-arsed lining sewn to only one sleeve...well, I might have broken down and bought a coat, by then. But I'm determined. By golly, I'm going to finish what I started! For once.

I think all I need now, really, is one of those pointy 1920s-inspired hats like the Beauxbaton girls wore in Harry Potter and I'll be set.

Also coming:
The pattern for this and its fraternal twin sister, the Bacchus Shawl.

And a hat.

I'm Back

Well, I haven't really been away...my attention's just been turned elsewhere. Sorry for my absence! I can usually be found kicking around Ravelry; it seems Blogger stopped sending me comment notifications sometime last year.

In the mean time, here's a quick sampling of some FOs (all links lead to Ravelry):

Bleeding Hearts Shawl

Seeded Cables Cardigan

and Herringbone Socks

I've also been kicking up some new ideas for designs: next up, a lace scarf/shawl.

Here's a peek:

Anya Scarf and Fair Trade Goodies

I finished my first every project for my (someday) future mother-in-law (in other words, the Boy's Mum), the Anya Scarf.

I didn't get enough pictures of it, but it is quite lovely.

Pattern: Anya by Zari Zamen
Yarn: Fyberspates 100% lace silk in Ocean. Lovely, lovely yarn.
Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) Knit Picks Options.
Mods: Did three repeats instead of five. I was running out of time and I really liked the length it ended at.


Also picked up this gorgeous bag in York today, at Fair Trade shop, Shared Earth.
It is completely gorgeous, and completely beats my old (tiny tiny plastic) handbag when it comes to room. It's fairly traded, handmade by women in India who receive fair wages from the purchase. Made from printed silk body, goatskin leather upper, handle, and lower. And enough room to carry knitting (and my wallet and glasses at the same time! Woo!)
Cost: £35. Totally worth it.

Flutter Sleeve Cardigan (IK Spring 2008)

Yup, another FO! This week has been very productive for me (haven't gotten much other work done, but y'know how it goes...)

Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Source: Interweave Knits, Spring 2008
Yarn: Colourmart UK, 100% Silk DK-weight in Peppermint. Took 1.25 cones (a surprisingly small amount, about 800 yards)

I had a hard time getting a decent shot of the front on me. This is the closest it gets, I suppose.

Needles: Sizes 7, 5, and 3 Bamboo (Clover and Addis, I think)
Size: 40"

Blocking.

FO: VK Cape Collar Jacket

The Cape Collar Jacket

Pattern: Cape Collar Jacket from Winter 2007/2008 Vogue Knitting. Massive pattern modifications due to the pattern being...well...extremely stupid.

Yarn: Harris Tweed and Knitwear DK(ish) wool. Took a while to get here (er, after it was shipped off to the US...sort of my fault. They were very gracious though and sent me the second order at no added cost. Very sweet! It wasn't too rough to work with, being 100% wool, and washed up very soft.

Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 4 for the seed st and size 8 for the cables.

Time taken: Exactly two months.

Verdict: Love it. Hated the seed stitch, hated the pattern, love the sweater.

The Boyfriend Sweater: Cobblestone

I made my first men's sweater. For my boyfriend.

The curse says he's supposed to break up with me, but I'm not sure he's up for that, because, well, he loves it.



I don't think he can anyway, because I didn't knit the entire sweater. He knitted one stitch. Take that, Boyfriend Sweater Curse.



My reward? He bought me a dress-maker's dummy.

That's Sara, in the plastic bag. She's fine, now.

Conclusion: Best boyfriend in the world.

Sweater stats:
Pattern: Cobblestone by Jared Flood, from IK Fall 2007
Yarn: New Lanark Aran, 100% Organic Wool, in Gritstone, 6.5 skeins (love this stuff...very rustic)
Size: 39.5", with mods since the yarn was aran, not worsted. Worked less stitches in the round, made the body and the sleeves longer since the Boy is 6'1", worked less rows in the collar since he likes it more open.
Needles: KP Options US 8 (5.0mm)
Total time from CO to end of blocking: 19 days

Late Winter FOlurries

Having been completely sucked in to the time black-hole of Ravelry, I've been sorely neglecting my blog. I haven't stopped knitting, just stopped posting. I have, however, gotten a few things done (and started a lot more) since I last posted.

Picture parade!

Beadless Odessa for Roomie
.7 balls Cascade 220, Lavender (though it really is more pink)

Claudia for boyfriend, in Rowan Pure Wool Aran, one skein

Under Water scarf for Boyfriend,
in 2 skeins Rowan Cocoon (which both my boyfriend and I have decided is the loveliest yarn ever)

The Ice Queen, for my Mum, on my head.
Now for the ever-expanding Works in Progress...

Making my boyfriend and myself matching Cobblestones. I'm making mine a bit sexed-up: in DK-weight (for a less-bulky fit), with dramatic decreases for a fitted waist, thinner sleeves, and an open collar.

Her Cobblestone in progress, based on Cobblestone by Jared Flood in IK Fall 2007

His Cobblestone in Progress, with mods since the yarn is aran weight, not worsted, and the fabric works up better with 5.0mm needles.

The Shedir from Hell. This thing will never end.

Detail of the Cape-Collar cardigan from Winter 07/08 VK, which I love and can't wait to finish/wear. It's unfortunately on hold right now, since His Cobblestone is requiring my size 8 needles.

Poet's Pullover Pattern

This is a design based somewhat on an Anthropologie sweater from a few years ago. I finally got around to making it. The pattern sizes (besides the 40" size) are approximate, as they haven't been test-driven. If you have any errata or suggestions, please let me know in the comments section. Better pictures coming soon.

ETA January 28th, 2010: I finally got around to correcting all those little errors, extending the size range, and tweaking the numbers so it fits the sizes it's supposed to fit. Please see the new PDF on Ravelry; as it won't fit so comfortably on this blog post anymore! And please contact me with any questions.

-Wonk