YARNEXPLODER

Queued: tops with drape

2012-02-27T13:00:00.004-06:00

I recently queued two tops that share a similar design concept: small gauge, draped cowl necklines.

The first is Hannah Fettig's Framed Pullover:

This top calls for a fingering weight yarn, so any of the fun semi- and multi-colored sock yarns are fair game. I love the vibrant green on the model, despite the fact that I could never pull off such a beautiful hue. Green pulls out the olive tones in my skin, making me look even greener. It's a shame, too, because I have a gorgeous skein of Wollmeise in Wasabi that would nearly replicate the look:

Although the length of the top is perfect for current fashion (yeah, crops are coming back in... I refuse to share my midriff with the world again), I'd probably lengthen the hem to overlap with the waistband of my jeans. This would be so pretty in a plum, vibrant pink, or even the neutral families.

The other top is called Ropery, by Michaela Moores, and has a super low cowl, which is created in part by some great bias work:

Again, the pattern is fingering weight, and the openness of the front means you can pair the top with a visually-calming neutral tank, and go wild on yarn choice. See how the variegations are angled on the front piece, due to the bias knitting? Any semi or multi will emphasize that directionality. This is definitely not a pattern for everyone, since I'm sure some people won't appreciate the bulk across the stomach, but I think it has some interesting concepts that could be used in other ways.

I love cowls for their dramatic silhouettes and dressy-casual feel.

Finally, let me leave you with a reminder that my first giveaway is almost at an end! Only three more days to enter. Check back on March 1 for the winner! Good luck!

- YX

FO: Versio

2012-02-23T09:40:00.002-06:00

SO so sooo excited to show you my finished photos of Versio:

I picked up 4 out of every 5 stitches around the neck, and did a teeny rib to finish up the hood and neck. The original pattern had a slip stitch edging, but it still rolled on me, so I decided to do something that would match the cuffs and hem.

I chose to rib the cuffs and hem (instead of the split openings the pattern suggested) because I absolutely love the look of ribbed hems. My second choice would've been a turned hem, but since this is knitted top-down, it would've required some gymnastics I wasn't up to.

The hood is created by knitting up from a provisional cast-on, increasing in a middle section, then sewing or grafting the stitches together to make a T-shape.

I'm really happy with how it turned out, and it's super comfortable (I'm wearing it today!)

Speaking of happy things, have you entered my giveaway yet? Just a few more days until we pick a winner!

- YX
P.S.-- I added a gallery of finished objects to my sidebar, so feel free to check them out!

Welcome to www.Yarnexploder.com

2012-02-21T18:22:00.001-06:00

More news today! I've just finished setting up my custom domain, so you can now reach this site by going to www.yarnexploder.com! Hurray progress!

And for those of you who didn't catch it yesterday, we're doing an awesome giveaway, so go sign up!

In yarn-related news, my Versio is currently blocking and will be ready for a little photoshoot tomorrow! I'm so excited to show you guys how it turned out. I love the smell of Wollmeise when it blocks...

Last night, I tried to look into new projects to cast on, but nothing stood out to me. Of course, I'll be starting the Brownstone I talked about last week, but before I plunge headlong into another large project, I wanted to take a break on something small and quick. I have some WIPS I could finish:

My ongoing Alpaca Square afghan was on hold because I couldn't figure out a good way to seam all the pieces without having the fabric pull and pucker. My interknit friend, Michael, suggested a sewn or 3-needle bind off with live edge stitches, which will do the job well, so maybe I should work on that a bit...

I could always bite the bullet and finish up the sleeves on my Spine Cable Sweater:

Excuse the awful photo... There's something so disappointing about ripping out sleeves and having to reknit them, so I keep shoving this one back into my stashbox like a petulant child.

Or I could get a few rows done on my Blue Heron Rayon Metallic table runner, but it's boring me to death still, so I'm pretty sure I'd get maybe one repeat into it before falling asleep:

The weird thing is, it's not like I hate these projects... They're just not inspiring me right now, and I believe knitting should always bring me joy, not an impending sense of underachievement. When it feels boring, I move on to something else and save myself the frustration. Why pick a hobby that makes you feel like your downtime is unenjoyable?

I have plenty of time to conform to that particular stereotype... Until then, I'll be surfing new patterns.
- YX

Big things happening!

2012-02-20T11:13:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday! I hope you guys had a good weekend. Notice anything different? I made a new banner this weekend... The images are all from FOs I've completed in the past, but they've been toned to purple to match my current layout.

You may also notice a small image on the righthand side of the page. I'm super excited to announce that I'll be featuring one knit/crochet-related sponsor on the blog each month. In exchange for the ad space, we're getting awesome yarns, fibers, and products to GIVE AWAY each month! Awesome!

For the rest of February, I'm featuring amazing wood buttons by Blue Lab Workshop. Blue Lab specializes in exotic wood buttons and toggles. This month, one lucky reader will receive a handmade "Moby" whale button, like the ones pictured above.

Blue Lab has provided buttons and toggles for two of my hats, as well as simple round ones for a cardigan I completed. Check them out:

The buttons are hand-finished and are smooth, shiny, and have incredible graining. I love their earthiness, which works so well with crazy or variegated yarns, instead of fighting with the color. They're lightweight, too, so they won't pull on your finished fabric.

Win one of these "Moby" whale buttons by checking out the Blue Lab etsy store. Then, come back here and leave a comment with your favorite one! Our winner will be chosen on the last day of the month, so check back!
Blue Lab Etsy
Facebook

Good luck!
- YX

Acquisition: Tosh!

2012-02-17T11:12:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, I happened out to Nimblefingers, an awesome little yarn/needlework store in Houston. This store isn't as close to my house as others, but I'm drawn to it because they're my primary supplier of Madelinetosh yarn! I was initially looking for a skein of the mesmerizing Edison Bulb colorway, to continue feeding my neon craving:

Alas, they were out of it, but I managed to snag a skein of Tosh DK in "Pop Rocks":

I also happened upon a breathtaking skein of Lace in "Nostalgia":

I picked both up. I'm thinking the pink will team with the leftovers from my Raphaelite Shawl to make a pair of fingerless mitts. I think I'll improvise the pattern this time, instead of using a pre-written one.

The lace will become an airy dress of my own design, which is still in the nascent phases of sketching. More on that later.

And lastly, I got an awesome I got an awesome package from Sunrise Fiber Co., which included that skein of UFO I ordered after the Etsy shopping post.

Although the skein I got isn't quite as vibrant as the photo on Etsy, I think it's charming and balanced, and will make some awesome mitts or socks in the near future.

I keep saying I have way too much yarn in my life, and it's true. Luckily, I'm plugging away at stash as well as working on newer yarns. Perhaps I should do a clean out and offer up another giveaway? What would you like to win in a giveaway? Wollmeise? Tosh? Magic angel hair/qiviut? Let me know in the comments!
- YX

WIP: Versio

2012-02-15T12:16:00.003-06:00

I've been plodding along on my versio, for those of you who may be wondering. I took a few WIP photos over the weekend, which show how far I'd gotten:

As you can see, I was almost at the cuff of the first sleeve, and hadn't started the second. Well, I kept working and am now about halfway through sleeve #2... No photos yet! I'll take the finals as soon as I finish up.

I really like the way the fabric is pooling, and it's always amazing to me how such small changes can make huge ripples through a project. Especially when the project is knitted with Wollmeise:

The few hip increases I did created the crazy chevron pattern in the fabric. I could have avoided this by knitting every other round with a different strand, but I decided not to. Why? I love the way Wollmeise creates a construction story on a garment, for one thing. Secondly, I am enamored with this giant yarn cake, which is slowly decreasing in size... Right now, the sweater consists of a continual strand for the torso, one for each sleeve, and one for the hood.

I'm trying really hard to finish this sweater by the end of the weekend, so I can start on some new things! A big one is going to be my husband's Brownstone Pullover, by Jared Flood. I have some Sublime Yarns Organic Merino Wool that will fit the bill perfectly:

I also have some mega-awesome yarn purchases to share with you, but I'll save those for another entry!

- YX

Trend: LOVEly yarn

2012-02-14T16:21:00.001-06:00

Valentine's Day! I have some project updates for you, but for today I wanted to share some gorgeous love-themed yarns with you:

First off is Viola Viola's Old Rose M/C/N. Worth mentioning that her "love" colorway was the one I used on my caliper hat:

Next is The Kangaroo Dyer's Heart's Love colorway:

Knit and Fiber Creation's Sweetheart sock yarn sets my feet aflutter:

Not a pink fan? Here's I'm Yours by Turtle Purl:

Show me some yarn love in the comments!
- YX

Trend: Water bottle covers

2012-02-09T15:23:00.002-06:00

I traveled to Columbus last weekend to pay my family a visit. While it was nice to give them a little surprise (I didn't tell them about my plans), ended up coming down with quite a cough thanks to my reliably awful allergies.

No manner of OTC medication seems to help the cough, but I find plenty of solace in a good cup of tea and a hot water bottle or heating pad. I have a little floral bottle that is super cute, but gets cold fairly fast without a good cover. I love to use it on my feet, under a warm blanket while I knit on the couch. So comforting! No matter how warm it is, I always seem to have freezing feet!

So how about the Aran Felted cover from Ann Budd for Interweave? Felted fabric is SO warm! I love the classic sweater look... Even the top is reminiscent of a turtleneck!

Elly Fales has a cute Hot-Water Bottle Cover that includes a little pocket... Perhaps for a small sachet of lavender, or a scent-infused cloth pad? Great for colds, and would look so cute in a little get-well-soon kit. Elly has a really cute blog, too, if you're looking to add to your collection.

Julie Wiesenberger's Hot Water Bottle Cozies design is simultaneously graphic and whimsical. I love this as a masculine (or andro) alternative to the more traditionally feminine bottles. Do you remember Julie? She also designed Liesl and those cute pleated ballet flats I've featured here. Love her!

What makes you feel comfy on a bad day? Share it in the comments!
- YX

Needles in SPACE!

2012-02-07T09:40:00.000-06:00

Those crazy guys over at Gizmodo have shared a video of a statically charged needle in space, playing with water droplets:

Those guys in the International Space Station do some interesting research... I'm essentially accepting this video as proof that one of those astronauts must be a knitter.

Have a good Tuesday! I've made some serious progress on my Versio lately, so I'll have to show you guys!
- YX

Queued: Pei

2012-02-01T18:29:00.000-06:00

I have two lovely skeins of Jade Sapphire 2-ply 100% cashmere that I scored at a big yarn sale a few months back... I bought the two skeins with twin projects in mind: something for my grandmother and Andrew's grandmother.

Looking through my queue, I stumbled onto Michele Wang's Pei.

I love the balance of smooth and textured area on this piece, and the attention to detail with the edgings. It's beautifully proportioned, too... Not too bulky or too thin for the lace pattern scale and fabric weight.

I think it will knit up beautifully in lace weight, even though the pattern calls for a sock weight yarn. It'll have a bit more drape, but downsizing the needles just a bit should help with that.

What I really love about the piece is the timeless, sophisticated look of the FO. Classy and works well with casual or more formal styles. Now, the question is... When will I have time to cast on?

- YX

Bulky Shrugs

2012-01-30T16:21:00.000-06:00

I have 3 skeins of Araucania Liwen in my yarn stash... It looks like this:

It's a pretty mixture of beach glassy colors, and I have seriously struggled with what to do with 350 yards of it. As you can see, I started a big, foofy scarf in a herringbone stitch. Let us examine all the things that are so, so wrong with all of this:

First off, there is no edging on this sad little scarf square. I don't care if the world thinks I'm wrong, but at this point in my knitting life, I am a firm believer in the power of edgings- they just make things look so much cleaner, handmade and less "crafty". Have I mentioned my dislike for the term "crafty"? It conjures up images of pipe cleaners and glue guns, which just aren't the same, to me.

Secondly, I live in Houston, Texas, where What the Heck Am I Going To Do With This Giant Scarf? I already have a giant scarf that is currently vacationing in the outlands of Jacki's Closet, so why am I bothering with this?!

So obviously, I'll be tearing this little beauty out, in favor of something else. Maybe a bulky shrug that I can wear during the two weeks of spring that we have?

I found the #101 Shawl Collared Shrug by Sweaterbabe, which is adorable and classic:

Pretty in Misti by Kitman Figueroa could be super nice in the yarn:

And finally, the adorable Bazan by the adorable Jane Richmond. I swear, Jane Richmond could macrame a g-string and I'd queue it.

Or maybe an accessory? I'm not married to the idea of a bulky shrug, but I generally don't do well with things like knitted bags. Hmm....

Anyone have any suggestions?
- YX

Video: Contiguous Shoulder

2012-01-28T18:36:00.000-06:00

I haven't had many FO posts lately because I'm working on a big sweater project, but I did a video this week on the contiguous sleeve, which is an alternative option to the traditional raglan or seamed sleeve.

Contiguous sleeves are seamless, but look seamed. I love them! Rav member SusieM invented the method, and there's a group on Ravelry with more information on how to complete the sleeve.

Here's a WIP photo of the shoulder:

The bottom of the sweater is still above my natural waistline, so I have quite a way to go before I can start on the dreaded sleeves and hood. I hate doing sleeves! I actually have a sweater that is all but done, thanks to the sleeves.

Queued: Aphrodite

2012-01-25T13:20:00.003-06:00

I love knitwear. I really do. But I have a complaint.

Now, wait a minute, come back! I think it's a fair complaint. The vast majority of knitwear exists in the realm of medium to bulky weight. When I say this, I mean comparatively. Look at the knit goods available in a clothing store. There's stuff like simple v-neck pullovers that are the teeniest machine stitches, knit shirts with completely indiscernible gauge, and accessories that are cobweb weight at best.

Relative to the rest of my wardrobe, my knitwear tends to fill the same textural application in a daily outfit: The large, soft, obviously-knitted niche. Which is why I'm obsessed with this:

Eeeeeeeeeeeep!! It's Aphrodite by Jamie Besel, and it doesn't even look like it's knitted! It's so flowy and translucent. I audibly gasped when I first saw it.

Upon further inspection, you can see some incredible detail and the teensy stitches. This is Habu 20/3 bamboo on size 1 needles. Look at the shoulder, attaching by what appears to be just a thread.

The drape is incredible, too. I love the smocked appearance on the bottom, and the Grecian style of the overall design. This is so feminine and sexy, but still modest, for those of you who aren't high on low necklines.

The back and fronts are similar. The top is just enchanting. I could see so many variations on this top, including using the gathering concept to create a maternity tank with pleats over the midriff.

I can't imagine this in a color besides white/natural. Maybe a dove gray? Black would hide all of the incredible texture, and colors would seem distracting.

I would love to knit this one as soon as I get Versio off the needles. So many potential projects! I DO want to work on a pullover for Andrew, too, since we're married now and it won't mean the demise of our relationship.

Have a great day!
- YX

Fantasy knit spaces

2012-01-23T22:31:00.001-06:00

If you had endless cash, what kind of knitting space would you create? I have a chaise lounge that is great for knitting, but I generally find myself on my couch next to my husband. But given the ability to create just a space for knitting and relaxation? I might do something like one of these:

I need a decent view, an inviting space, and plenty of space to put up my feet!

What do you need to make a great knit nook?
- YX

Window shopping: Etsy yarn

2012-01-19T13:21:00.000-06:00

I was idly browsing Etsy last night and happened upon some interesting yarn! Although I'm on somewhat of a yarn diet, I figured I'd share it with anyone who was actively shopping.

Etsy is such a great resource for handmade things, but it's also great for hand dyed and spun yarns, as well as recycled yarn! Great cashmere at reasonable prices, silks, and a guilt-free conscience for re-loving fiber that was given away.

Sunrise Fiber Co.'s Neon Green Silver sock yarn:

Lightbrown Hare's Jackalope sock in Luna Cat:

Wild Hare's Handspun Self-striping Bulky Superwash in Peacock Gradient:

ShopYarnLove's Poppies in Winter sock:

Gnome Acres's Fawkes the Phoenix lace:

I love them all! That first one is really killing me! I can't wear green near my face, but I could see awesome gloves or iPhone accessories with it! Eeep!

Leave your pick in the comments!

- YX

Trend: Layerable Dresses

2012-01-17T13:14:00.001-06:00

There are something like 1,000ish adult dresses on Ravelry. Some are definitely tunics, and some are skirt/top combos, but I was astounded at how many there were. Especially because I'm typically floored when I see dress FOs showing up in the Ravelry forums. It seems to be rare.

So I grabbed three layerable choices in different styles for today's post. I like layer pieces because they are so versatile for various weather choices.

First we have Liesl, by Julie Weisenberger. I love the sheer fabric, which is a sport yarn on size 8 needles. The uneven hem and pockets are a total bonus. This would be awesome over leggings or jeans, with a tank or long sleeved tee underneath. So cute!

Bente Geil's Topstykke is gorgeous for the opposite: it has a defined structure and incredible pleating that makes the piece look like it's made from felt, when it is actually sock yarn on #4s! Wearable and tectonic. This would be great with cute tights and a long sleeved tee, or layered over a lace or chiffon underdress.

Heather Dixon's Hattie is my last pick. It's different from the other two, and is fully in the "summer" camp.
It's a great beach coverup, but would be cute with long, lacy socks and a ballerina-style wrap to give it a more coquettish look.

Dresses scare me: the amount of yarn and the dedication to project completion are a step above sweater knitting, which is currently a 2-3 time per year occurrence for me. Were I more prolific with the needles, I might be more willing to jump into bigger projects with less reserve.

Share your favorite dresses in the comments! And link your FOs!
- YX

FO: Texelle

2012-01-16T10:21:00.001-06:00

Oooh! I love finishing a project that I featured as a Queued item. This time, I'm happy to report that Texelle is off the needles and blocked!

I love the finished product. It's warm, soft, and a beautiful color. A friend on Ravelry mentioned that it looks like soft metal, and I can definitely see that. Ahab is much greener in the skein than I thought it would be, but knitted up, the light and dark areas blend together really well. It's an idea semi-solid, with subtle heathering, which is SO HARD TO FIND in semi-solids.

Andrew and I went to Galveston this weekend, which is about 45 minutes from Houston. While the dogs went crazy on the beach, I got a few quick snaps. I was surprised at how well the shawl warmed me up.

So happy with the textures, and the lack of lace!!!

It's awesome as a bandanna, a traditional granny shawl, or worn off to the side (like the photo above), which is my favorite way to wear shawls like this. It's an easy wear, but depending on the slipperyness of the yarn, you may find yourself disliking it. The steps are simple:

1) Place shawl over left shoulder, with the point on the back of your shoulder (but not centered on your back)
2) Throw "front" end across chest, over right shoulder.
3) Lay "back" end on top, over the right shoulder, and let it hang down.

With this wrapping style, you get to see the edging and ends from the front, and the dramatic center yarn overs aren't cutting your back in half. Love it!

How do you wear your shawls?
- YX

FO: Viking Hat!

2012-01-11T15:12:00.000-06:00

Well, the viking hat (and accompanying beard) is completed, and I did a quick shoot before sending it out the door:

The beard is my favorite part, namely how ridiculously long it is:

The Knitpicks Comfy I used on the hat is great for stitch definition, but may not be stretchy enough. I'm sure a quick wash and light tumble dry would tighten it back up. The trick to the horns is definitely to stretch the base of the horn out as wide as it will go as you're sewing it on, in order to get stability at the base and keep the horns from drooping.

I did a video last night explaining everything I could about the beard, including materials and construction methods. Hope you enjoy it!

- YX

Sweaters, sweaters

2012-01-10T19:18:00.004-06:00

So, as I said in my video, I'm restashing my black alpaca until the right pattern comes along. Instead, I pulled out a different skein and wound it for my next sweater project:

There's a quarter for scale, since this cake envelopes my ball winder. One long, continuous strand of Wollmeise lacegarn! This one, in fact:

I'm going to swatch tonight for Versio, which I stumbled upon quite happily last night. There's a modified FO that I just love, and I'll be using her modifications to create a similar sweater/tunic.

One of the things I really like about this is the striping, which I will have to forego due to a lack of a secondary yarn color. I think it'll still turn out great as a solid! I'm not normally a swatcher, but the FOs are so different in terms of needle sizes, and I don't want to get way into the knit, only to realize that it's way too big or small.

Also, I noticed there is a serious lack of laceweight sweater patterns on Rav! Crazy!
- YX

Monday video!

2012-01-09T21:42:00.002-06:00

Hello friends! I made this video on Friday and have finally uploaded it! I talk about some WIPs. Longest video ever... I promise to stick to ONE project or yarn in these videos! Auuugh!

Have a good week!
- YX

New look!

2012-01-07T22:09:00.001-06:00

Notice anything different?

I decided to change up the look a little bit! My old template was having some issues, so I was excited to come up with a new design. At least for now, until I find something else I like!

I'm working on editing a video for you guys, and it should be done for Monday's post. I teach at a local university, and getting ready for classes to start has been my primary focus (and primary time consumption!)

I hope you guys like the new look!
- YX

Queued: BIGsessories

2012-01-03T11:52:00.001-06:00

I love big, bulky accessories-- they're a great way to dress for the season without sweating when you finally get inside. I love my textured tunic, but the truth is that it's rarely cold enough to warrant pulling it out of the old knit bin.

So I have not just one, but TWO! awesome bigsessories for you.

I love a project that plays off of feminine facial features, and Eveli Kaur's Starflower does that so well. It's rustic and roomy and just the right kind of textural for the yarn.

I love the pairing of this with a leather jacket; there's a vintage feel to it. The pattern calls for Gedifra Highland Alpaca, which is a super bulky weight yarn that comes in a large array of colors... and is on sale at Jimmy Beans right now, coincidentally. I love the neutrals, but I might be tempted to use a teal yarn, too.

The pattern is $3.50, too, which makes me happy. All of Eveli's patterns are super cute and reasonably priced, which preys on my impulse-buy weaknesses. I want this hat, yo. Plain and simple.

The OTHER thing I queued was this big, sexy Marshmallow Fluff cowl, by Sarah Kraly. I want to put my face on it:

Yeah, just like that! FACE COWL!

How gorgeous is this thing? It looks like a five-second knit, in Classic Elite Twinkle Soft Chunky... But how does this photo make the yarn seem like it's a silk blend?! It's 100% wool, so I assume it'll pretty much save me from freezing high in the mountains of Houston*. Looking through the FO page, I'm drawn mostly to the solid projects, as opposed to the multis or semis. What a perfect gift opportunity, too! I love it! Big cowls are so hot this season, and I might be inclined to triple the length on this one and make it a mobius scarf, which I would wrap around my face about eighty times before passing out blissfully on a fainting couch, awash in my own fabulousness. Stop looking at me like that!

Simple knits in big yarns are so incredibly sexy, and have a wonderful way of contrasting with smaller knits to give textural variety without turning into the yarn monster. I definitely wouldn't wear these two items together, but they'd be amazing individually.

Yarn choices? Leave 'em in the comments!
- YX

*Houston is not freezing nor does it have mountains, but you catch my drift.

Trend: Off the Shoulder

2012-01-02T15:16:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone's enjoying 2012 as much as I am!

What did you wear to usher in the New Year? I love sweaters that show a little skin, like these off-the-shoulder pullovers:

#22 Paton's Off-the-Shoulder by Pierrot for VK. This is pretty in the Paton's Grace that is suggested, but would be awesome in a cashmere blend, like Rowan's Cashsoft line. I'd style it with leggings or jeans and a ribbed tank underneath:

A more textural option comes in the form of the Interlocking Cables pattern by Shirley Paden. This thing looks majorly comfy, and the neck can be worn like a cowl or down over the shoulders for a more coquettish approach:

Finally, something a little more modern... The Off-the-shoulder Pullover by Vladimir Teriokhin. Check out his designer page for tons of cute and recent designs. I love the dolman sleeves and oversized fit paired with a glimmery, feminine yarn choice:

I'm not a big believer in New Year's resolutions, but I do have some knit-related goals for the year:

- Knit 2 sweaters: one for me and one for Andrew
- Continue to blog frequently
- Knit from stash, but also try new yarn sources
- Fave more projects on Ravelry

Do you have any resolutions?
- YX

Queued: Chloe Cardigan

2011-12-29T12:51:00.001-06:00

I'm flipping back through DK cardigans again, still looking for something that is a perfect fit for my Pistolero yarn. Although I don't think this is "the one", I HAD to queue it

This is the Chloe Cardigan by Jo Storie, and it's wonderfully unlike the vast majority of cardigan patterns on Ravelry right now. I love the textures of the yarn, which is Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton (DK), but I could see this being great in any DK yarn that has a little bit of grip to it.

LOOK AT THE DRAPE! The texture! The lightness! I even love the seam on the back, which gives it some structure and makes it look like a garment and not a blanket. I might even be inclined to reverse the seam, so it stands up.

This is SO pretty on so many levels... It could even be elongated by picking up the placket stitches all the way around the garment, so the textured band is also the bottom hem. I'd pair this with a plain tee, black leggings, and a pair of short boots. Or tall boots.

I love how different this is from so many of the other cardigans in the pattern database, and how beautiful, comfortable and effortless it looks. QUEUED!
- YX

Trend: Winter White

2011-12-26T16:16:00.001-06:00

Although Houston summers are brutal, I love this time of year because we travel enough to interact with snow, but don't have to stick around for the slush.

Instead, I find myself gravitating toward fluffy white sweaters and blankets, which remind me of snowbanks without the cold. Winter white is an awesome color: it's not as yellow as ivory, but it's not a cold white, either. It looks great with greys and browns, and festively bright when everyone's walking around with huge, black overcoats.

Here are a few skeins I'm loving right now:

Madelinetosh Tosh Chunky in Antler:

Debbie Bliss Andes in Off White- this is the yarn I used for the failed blue slippers, which is totally nice in cowls and accessories:

And I love anything Filatura de Crosa. Here's Pamir, which is 50% wool, 30% cashmere and 20% silk:

I would love to include some indie artists, but natural white wool kind of defeats the purpose, so I'll have to pick a more vibrant color for my next color feature, for sure!

How do you guys feel about white yarn? Wedding shawls only? Refuse to wear it for fear of dirt/staining? Have half of your FOs in white? Let me know in the comments...

- YX

LRB Penny Farthing Sport (Ahab)

2011-12-23T12:03:00.001-06:00

Hey! I have a video for ya:

Love this yarn for so many reasons: It's a gorgeous color, it's super soft, and it was made by an awesome indie dyer, so what more could I possibly ask for?

I caked the first skein two nights ago, before Andrew and I left for Christmas. We flew to Rhode Island, and I figured the TSA would be more lenient on my Addi Lace Clicks if I had a project on the needles, so I did the first little section of a project before I boarded:

Recognize it? It's the Texelle Shawl! I needed a break from all the gift knitting, so it's my side project. I'm worried about the rapidly increasing planned project/WIP/stash yarn situation I seem to be having, so I hope that I can get this (and my other projects) finished up relatively soon for the new year. The cardigan I'm planning (with the alpaca I bought from the farm- remember that?) will have to wait. I have a sinking feeling it'll be a next-fall FO, sadly.

Hope you guys like the video!
- YX

Baby Chucks

2011-12-20T10:15:00.001-06:00

I don't have anything new to report on the slippers- I finished the second one last night, and decided to take a night away from them to get a little perspective before attempting to felt them. But they are finished and waiting for the next step.

So I decided to cast on for my next gift project (non-Christmas-related, thank goodness). My friend (and wedding videographer) Drew announced that he and his wife are expecting a baby, so I figured some fashionable kicks were in order. I finished one last night-- IN TWO HOURS. Super fast project. All I have is this one image that I took before I blocked it:

I still need to do the logo on the side, and I think I will so a little bit of duplicate stitching over the areas on the toe that aren't perfect. Otherwise, I love it! I did a crochet chain for the laces, instead of the suggested 3 stitch i-cord. I dipped the ends of the laces in wax and smoothed it out to give the aglet effect on the ends. SO CUTE. I plan on finishing the other one tonight, and I might end up taking the yarn and needles with me and cranking out a few more over the holidays, just to have some in my gift stash.

In other news, I just saw the new VK Winter 11/12 preview, as usual, my opinions are mixed. I think that's a good sign for a magazine, though: it means the styles are varied enough that a large audience should appreciate them. Here are a few images:

I LOVE the image on the far left, which is a big, tinuc-y, cowly lace dress. Totally my style!
- YX

Progress and next projects

2011-12-19T10:01:00.000-06:00

I know Mondays are normally reserved for trend posts, but I wanted to update you guys on some stuff! My free trial of Final Cut Pro ran out over the weekend, so I had to buy the full version... Not exciting for you, at least, not until you see my next little video project. Here's a teaser photo:

I finished my lovely Guernsey Wrap at the beginning of last week, gave it a quick blocking and took some photos. This was obviously the standout:

And I was lucky enough to finish those Oh, Slip test slippers. On Friday, I decided a teeny bit of felting might help the shape and fit a little. So into the hot washer they went, and I watched them like a hawk. They needed a little rinse and some blocking, before being placed on the stationary rack in my dryer. The shape improved TREMENDOUSLY:

Full disclosure: This was my first felting project, EVER. I really liked the texture of the fabric and the shape after washing! These slippers have been saved! And had I let them go a little while longer, they would have been at least another size or two (or three) smaller. This was just a low agitation hot water wash!

So with those saved, I moved on to the "final" slippers, which are knit from double-held strands of Debbie Bliss Andes. The recipient loves the color blue, but I am super skeptical of the final product, yet again:

This time, since the yarn is 65% alpaca, 35% silk, I'm not sure that felting will give me the same result, but I'm going to give it a shot. They're a size 9 right now, but I'm sure that I can felt them a little and stretch them back out to the correct size. I'm done with the first slipper and moving on to the second, which is at the heel short rows.

I think I'm really nervous about the final product because I feel like this is a big gamble: my recipient is my grandmother-in-law, and I'm petrified that she'll hate them, think they're stupid, or they won't fit right. Not being thrilled with the look of the slipper is definitely making that worse. I find that the vast majority of my projects end with positive results, which makes me hypercritical of anything new. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Luckily (or unluckily) for me, I'll have plenty of time to work on my gift-giving neuroses, as my next few projects are giveaways. Another pair of these slippers for MY grandmother (probably in the same oat-colored wool as my first pair, and felted more), a pair of baby converse booties for one of my wedding videographers, who just announced their pregnancy before we went to video school, and a secret beanie project for my OTHER wedding videographer.

I also have to finish up my Oh, Handsome rugby sweater for our friends' baby, who is due in the new year. TONS of things on the to-do list, before I can even get to my alpaca cardigan or my texelle shawl.

The Trouble with Slippers

2011-12-14T11:12:00.002-06:00

Somewhere, deep in my box of awful ideas, I decided it would be awesome to knit my grandmothers ballet slippers as a bonus Christmas gift. Andrew and I were asked to get them photos from our wedding, but I felt guilty just giving them a photograph (of us, no less), so I thought "hey, I have some Jade Sapphire cashmere in my stash from a wicked LYS sale... I should use it!"

Unfortunately, I should've known that laceweight cashmere is a bad choice for slippers. I did have some rather pretty, natural worsted yarn in my stash, so I went about using that to do a mockup. I chose Oh, Slip as my pattern, but was dismayed to find that the pattern was actually calling for a doubled sock yarn... But I thought I'd give it a shot with the worsted I had:

The first one, which was completed in mere hours, was a bit disappointing. The construction is basic: Short row toe, some shaping for the foot, and a short row heel. The pattern is well-written, but the fit was pretty rough. The heel came up too high, so my ankle joint kept pushing the slipper lower, off my foot. The sides were a bit shallow, as well. I do love the purled opening/ bind off, but I'm not thrilled with the yarn. I think I'll look through my stash a little more tonight, as I finish a matching slipper to the one above... Might as well have a pair! I'll use them around the house.

In other news, I scored an awesome knit dress at Free People last week. It was on sale! I love Free People, because they always have kickass knits that can, at the very least, serve as inspiration. Here's the dress on me:

I love the details: the chiffon slip and ties, the shaping at the waist... It's so comfortable, too! Here's a back view, courtesy of the website:

I love finding good knits! Any other stores I should shop at? Leave 'em in the comments!
- YX

Trend: Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-12T10:02:00.001-06:00

The holidays are upon us! Happy holidays!

Andrew and I decided to buy a Christmas tree at the last minute this year, and it's being shipped to us today! I can't have a real tree due to my allergies, so we opted for an artificial, prelit (LED) tree with some little sprigs of holly berries and pinecones on it. I figured that, since we don't have many ornaments on our own just yet, the berries would help to make it look more Christmassy.

My mom bought us a Hallmark ornament every year as kids, and they all have some kind of meaning. I have Tinkerbell ornaments from my Halloween as Tinkerbell (and a short stint in my school's Peter Pan production). There's a Pepe Le Pew ornament, for my favorite Looney Toon. Tons of different ones. They're being shipped to me now, too, so I'm really excited to open them up and share them with Andrew.

We'll definitely need knitted ornaments, too. Ravelry's pattern database even has a search category for them, which made it easy to pick out my favorites! So here we go...

Stjarna by Karolina Eckerdal is successful in its simplicity. You could make a ton of them to hang (or give) as a set, and they won't overwhelm a tree. A glimmery or silky yarn would be awesome for these, as would a neutral tweed, if you wanted to go the rustic route:

Frankie Brown's Advent Garland is ridiculous. Aside from being adorable, it has the kind of variety that keeps you from stabbing someone with a freshly sharpened candy cane. I mean, how cute is this?! You can put it on a tiny tree or just hang it, and delight in adding a new piece every day until Christmas. Just don't try to knit them on the day before!

I like these Deck the Balls ornaments by Kelly Jensen as a traditional, classic option. Great gifts for your Aunt Kathy, who wears awful Christmas sweaters sans irony:

LOVE LOVE LOVE (gasp) LOVE these Knitted Paper Chains by Kelly Kingston. I love them as a holiday option, but they would be adorable as in a Birthday in a Box kit, or knitted in a gold yarn to make a street cred statement:

These Christmas Lights by Amalia Samios are so cute chained together, but they'd be adorable as single ornaments, too!

And on a hilarious note, I thought these were too good to pass up: 0-548 Easter Chickens by DROPS. They may claim they're for Easter, but I would totally put these on my tree!

You know the drill- post your favorites (or WIPs and FOs!) in the comments!
- YX

Video: Wollmeise Grab Bags

2011-12-08T12:25:00.000-06:00

Okay, folks, I made a video which explains the Wollmeise Grab Bag process. It's actually pretty similar to the standard update.

Here's the Wollmeise Main Shop Page link as promised.

Here's the "We're Different" page I talk about in the video. The listings for each grab bag will be below:

And here's what an individual listing looks like on the page:

(Click to enlarge)

So, this listing is for a random mix of semi-solid or multicolored skeins of 100% superwash yarn in yellow or orange colorways.

Something that isn't incredibly clear in my video: The fastest way to get to a page to just buy any grab bag of yarn is to use the "In Stock" listings. The fastest/most accurate way to get a SPECIFIC grab bag you want is to load the individual listing's page via "We're different"... But you run the risk of that exact bag not being available on this update (not all bags are available each week), so it's, in some ways, riskier.

The updates are at 11:00a EST / 10centeral.

And here's what you get in the mail:

In the bag is the yarn, a receipt, a free pattern (usually gloves, for me), and a teeny bag of Haribo Goldbaren. :D

What bags are you going to try to snag during the update?
- YX

Amazing Project: Mario blanket

2011-12-07T11:15:00.001-06:00

I can't believe that something this awesome exists, but it does. Marie from Minneapolis, Minnesota recently completed this incredible Mario-themed blanket:

My jaw dropped when I saw it. Marie credits CrossStitch Ninja for the creation of the original chart, which she scaled up to crochet. She started the blanket about a year ago, with several periods of hibernation, but look at it! I can't get over it! Here are some in-progress photos:

I think the reason this project is so effective is the diligent loyalty to the original colors of the game. Accuracy! Precision! NES Super Mario Brothers 3! This blanket has everything I need.

I would love to see a whole series of these- every level! Any crocheters out there interested in committing? I might have to learn how, just so I can represent my favorite world.

Thanks to Marie for sharing your project! Which Mario game is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
- YX

Trend: Ballet slippers

2011-12-05T13:04:00.001-06:00

I love slippers: from the fair isle, leather-soled versions I've seen in stores lately all the way back to my big poofy Steve Madden muppet slippers, there's nothing more cozy than a good pair.

There are a TON of great knitted and felted slippers, but I want to focus on a very specific type for today: non-felted, ballet-style flat slippers.

I've had Julie Wiesenberger's Pleated Ballet Flats in my queue for ages. I love the subtle gathering around the opening, which makes these a great candidate for a simple, luxe yarn. I'd make some for myself, and then a bunch as gifts.

Suede slippers, by Lisa S. Rowe, are simple, elegant, and could be a canvas for fun multis. I'd head to the fabric store and get some faux suede to sew on the bottom as sole pads. I can see these being a great scrap buster:

Jade Lee's Seamless Slipper pattern is affordable and adorable, with a different look that presents an opportunity for buttons!

And finally, the Shine Home Slippers by Julia Noskova are cute and worthy of some of the more radical multicolors... These are really successful, in my opinion, due to the solid border and strap around the opening:

Okay, you know the rules: favorite slippers in the comments!
- YX

VK Sale!

2011-11-30T09:09:00.001-06:00

Looks like Vogue Knitting has a sale going on- all patterns for $2.99. I was gifted a subscription several years ago (and my parents continue to indulge me annually), so I have the fortunate situation of owning most of the VK patterns I would want... But there's something so frustrating about toting around a magazine (or a pattern copied out of one).

Maybe it's the way VK writes patterns, which is crammed at the end of their quarterly in 3-column-per-page teeny writing. Flipping through the photos is awesome, but actually attempting to knit anything is irritating.

For the mag issues I don't have, it's great to be able to get the download from their website. All magazines should offer the option-- I mean, if you pay $4 for a single download of one pattern, that's more expensive than buying the entire issue, which would make more money for the magazine.

I flipped through the VK offerings on Rav and pulled a few for us.

#33 V-Neck Dress (H 2006) by Fayla Reiss for for VK. This dress got up, walked over to my desk and screamed "MISSONI" at me. My ears are still ringing. Is the dress painfully simple? Yes. Is it a v-neck pullover with ease at the hips and triple stranded in a way that makes my hands hurt without even casting on? Yes. But I think a yarn sub could fix that. This dress is so flipping wearable. Tights and boots? Done. I'd choose whites, reds, and pinks for an over-the-top Valentine's day deal, or charcoals, barks, and light greys for an ethereal winter palette.

#07 Mohair Lace Dress (EF2011) by Laura Zukaite. I hate the way this is styled in the shoot, because it makes it appear long-sleeved, but this video gives you a better idea of the final product. I loved the laced-up back and the variety of stitches used in the pattern. This is one of those "I'll never knit it, but I absolutely admire it" projects.

I know I'm going to lose some of you with #18 New York Skyline Pullover (H2011) by Renee Lorion, but I love it. I don't love that it's knit in mohair lace, which works so well for the pattern above but would be too fuzzy to wear close to the skin. The sweater is shown as a layering piece, which saves me my initial negative reaction to all short-sleeved sweaters. Boxy, short-sleeved "relaxed" sweaters like this one only attract me if they're balanced by a coquettish design feature- an open back, deep neck, or off the shoulder scoop. Renee borrows the Skyline motif from Perry Ellis, and it's what I'd borrow from this pattern. I think it'd make a kickass bag or cushion cover.

I'm enamored with #28 Colorwork Poncho (EF2011) courtesy of Deborah Newton. I love the colorwork, color choices, and the garment's interesting side seams. It isn't a poncho, but it's a really cute pullover.

Okay, I could keep going, but I want to see YOUR VK picks. Sale ends Friday- are you going to partake? I will, if I can find something I absolutely KNOW I'll knit in the next few months. Otherwise, saving $3 isn't a good enough reason for me to scamper off to the site and start hoarding.
- YX

Daily Posting Fail and Trip Recap

2011-11-28T10:09:00.001-06:00

Well, the holidays drove a big stake in the heart of my daily blog posting. But life goes on!

We arrived in Columbus early on Wednesday morning, and after various activities, we exchanged Christmas presents! For anyone wondering, my niece loved the case we made for her!

The holiday went by smoothly, and on Saturday, we decided to go to the Scott Antique Market at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. When I lived in Columbus, the market was one of my favorite things to do. It opens once a month in the fall and winter months; a venue full of antique vendors selling various wares and accoutrements. The thing is huge. Here, I took a photo from one corner:

This booth was really open and had a ton of different things in it. One small box under a table caught my eye, though:

Vintage yarn? And not just any yarn...

Holy mother of SuperSaver, this stuff was super itchy! And the skein was teensy. One ounce! At least it's shrink and stretch resistant, and comes in a handy, tangle-free ball. NO WINDING! I do love the cute little heart tag that marks the end of the center-pull tail. If only current skeins employed something similar, I'd (a) be able to make some sweet charm necklaces with them (or tile my kitchen backsplash) and (b) not have to reach in and pull out the guts of the skein to find that errant little tail.

Ah, well. I've given up on the center-pull ball, anyway. I knit exclusively from the outside of cakes now. No deflated skein or cake ends, and a cutely shrinking ball that never seems to change size until one day, what happened? It's all gone.

Finding old yarn like this makes me super thankful for modern fiber!
- YX

Trend: Turkeys time!

2011-11-24T09:01:00.000-06:00

Oh, c'mon now, you knew it was coming:

Janice Anderson's Francis Turkey is my favorite of the stuffed toy variety:

Decorative Gourd Season wouldn't be complete without a few table pumpkins. How about Luscious Little Pumpkin from Marie Greene?

Get into the spirit with a Pilgrim Bonnet, courtesy of Heather Buelow:

And of course, the best FO gallery on Ravelry, period: Jive Turkey Baby Hat by SewGeeky!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends, and happy Thursday to everyone else!
- YX

Thanksgiving eve

2011-11-23T17:36:00.001-06:00

We have arrived in the not-so-warm midwest:

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the minute potential for snow in the middle of the night. I brought my Caliper, and that's the only knitted thing I packed this time. Boy, that was a mistake.

And we're almost at the end of NaBloPoMo, too! Just one more week of daily updates before I'm back to a normal Monday, Tuesday, Thursday schedule. Exciting! I can't wait to be back on a normal schedule with enough time to really find the absolute best projects and items to show.

I'm looking forward to our big meal tomorrow (all of our family is convening at my parents' house for the festivities), and I wish all of my American buddies a super happy Thanksgiving! I even have a special post lined up for you tomorrow... You'll love it!

- YX

FO: Doll storage

2011-11-22T09:48:00.001-06:00

I love throwing things away.

Okay, that's not accurate. I love finding things in my house that are not useful to me, but can be given away, sold, or donated to charity. I'm not what you'd call a minimalist (what knitter is, really?), but open, clean spaces are so much easier to maintain when there's less clutter in my house. Imagine my excitement when, one day, Andrew pulled out a dusty looking vodka gift set from the top of a cabinet. It looked like this:

We're not big drinkers, but the case reminded me of a trunk I had for my American Girl dolls:

Apparently, storage has been a big theme for me this week.

The trunk above was used to store tons of things, including a doll. Andrew's liquor case, at 14" was not tall enough to hold an American Girl doll (18"), so I figured it would at least be a decent closet/ storage container for her accessories. We took stock of our current situation:

Straps and shelves would work well for various little items, but drawers would be better. And there was the problem of the front... It had the Grey Goose logo embossed in the leather. We drew up some plans and got to work. While Andrew worked on the drawers, I came up with a solution for the front:

The logo is a sticker from the American Girl Scrapbooking area at our local Michael's Crafts store. I mounted it to a piece of brown mat board, and glued it to the logo.

Then, we worked on the inside. Andrew built some drawers out of poplar craft wood, and I tried to figure out a way to make the open space on the left work. My mom had suggested some kind of hooks for the larger hats my niece has. I didn't want to guess size and placement for hooks, so I came up with a modular solution: A corkboard! I cut out some cork squares, layered them to get the right thickness, and glued them to the inside face of the case. Andrew lined the drawers with felt, and I ran a white ribbon along the bottom (to help them slide easier), and at midnight last night, we were finished:

We printed out little pictures of the doll and our family members to pin up on the board (and added a cool sticker we found in the scrapbook aisle, too. I loved stickers as a kid! This Yorkie sticker wasn't like anything I'd ever seen before, though-- it's like 5 or 6 layers of felt. So cute!

I hope my niece likes the case!
- YX

PS: Did you know that you can click on my photos to get enlarged versions? When I post photos of patterns, those photos are linked to the purchase location or Rav pattern page.

Trend: Cloches

2011-11-21T10:36:00.001-06:00

There are 603 Ravelry patterns under the category Knitting> Hat> Cloche.

Cloche is french for bell, and the hats do resemble little bells: tight against the scalp, typically with a band or seam that gives way to a slightly flared brim. The hat should be worn low across the eyes and look flirty:

I was really disappointed to see how many patterns were miscategorized on Ravelry. A ton of beanies, turbans, and even a few bonnets were thrown in. I did see quite a few toques, which are narrow- or non-brimmed hats, which actually fit the cloche bill fairly well.

Okay, let me start with flawless yarn goddess Marnie MacLean and the Chapeau Marnier:

Have you ever looked at this hat? Really looked at it? I love the inclusion of the ribbon; different textures with knitted fabrics are one of my favorite ways to push an item from looking homemade to Handmade (with a capital H!). I'd extend the body of the hat downward, so the lace section was right at/ below my eyebrows.

Cloche Divine by Meghan Jones is adorable with interesting details:

I think this hat is BEGGING for color, and wouldn't look as good in a neutral, except maybe black. I can't see this in a grey or white, personally.

Lea Cloche by Cecily Glowik MacDonald is a true cloche, which would be amazing felted:

In that same book, Weekend Hats, there's a great little welted toque, too!

And finally, Carina Spencer's Regina, which is so popular right now:

I'm trying really hard to get past the duck-foot-as-design-element, but more effort is obviously needed!

Favorite cloches? Post 'em in the comments!

- YX

Weekend illness and WIP progress

2011-11-20T13:14:00.001-06:00

Thanks to this weekend's continued illness, I've been flying along on my Guernsey Wrap with relative speed. Although it's nice to see progress on a WIP, it's disappointing to miss out on surprisingly beautiful weather... and from the looks of my husband, who gifted me with this cough/sore throat/fever, it's not going away soon.

At least I'm self-medicating:

Despite the crummy health and unfairly beautiful weather, the Guernsey Wrap moves along:

If you're familiar with this pattern, the photo above may seem distorted, or the project may look like the gauge is WAY off... That's because I nearly doubled the amount of stitches in the pattern! I wanted a super wide wrap, something I can possibly convert into a poncho, so we'll see how that turns out!

I definitely need more Eco Alpaca to finish the project, too. We're leaving for Ohio on Wednesday morning, so I need to determine if the ball that I have will last through the holiday:

(Note the Ricola for scale)

Looks like I'll be making an emergency trip to the yarn store this afternoon! 3 hour flights and lots of time inside will definitely result in increased yarn consumption!

- YX

Yarn and FO storage

2011-11-19T16:58:00.001-06:00

Well, we've crossed over to that confused time of year-- the part where it's 80 degrees one day, then 60 the next. I keep a few pairs of socks around like house slippers, to pop on and off as needed when my feet start to get cold.

Imagine my horror when I pulled on my first (and only) hand knitted socks and there was a gaping hole in one. I never wear these socks outside of my house, and this wasn't a worn-through hole... It was courtesy of my own personal nightmare: we have moths somewhere.

I've been fighting moths for a few months now. I catch holes in Andrew's clothing every now and then, so awhile ago, we went to the Container store and stocked up on cedar hangers, storage bags, and some awesome locking bins for my yarn.

The ones I'm using for my yarn actually have 6 locking handles on them. They are great, because they're airtight and watertight, and stack really nicely. I have two for my yarn, and it's nice to be able to see everything and know that it's safe from moisture and evil moth monsters.

But after the sock debacle, it became apparent that I'd need another bin for my finished objects. So back to the store I went...

This one is smaller than my yarn storage bins, but I hope to fill it up pretty soon! See all of my squares in there? It closes up nicely:

And stacks on my yarn!

What now, moths? HA!

- YX

WIP: Mitered Squares

2011-11-18T19:19:00.001-06:00

I'm not feeling great today. In fact, I just woke up from a monumental nap, which is why this post is so late.

I've been working on a blanket, which is a series of mitered squares in Cascade Eco Cloud:

I LOVE love the fabric- it's light and warn, and shows the increases well, but my cast off (a stretchy one) isn't stretchy enough, and the middles keep bunching up. I hard blocked them again, and they flattened out, which is what you're seeing in the photo above. Unfortunately, when I sewed four of them together, they looked awful:

The sewing yarn is not stretching with the fabric. I even tried blocking the whole thing together, to get the yarn to stretch more, and it's not working. I'm using a pretty basic whipstitch, and the result is terrible. I do have plans to use a different cast off to try to make the squares even MORE square, which I'm hoping will help.

The thing that bothers me most about this project is that I just want it to be done. This blanket is replacing a really worn lap blanket, so the sooner I can complete it, the better. It's not mentally stimulating knitting, but the squares are small enough and easy enough to take along in a car, to a waiting room, etc.

I have to admit- I've been less interested in working on the project because I'm not happy with how it's going. Does anyone have any advice for me, out there in knitter land? The fabric is just too nice to give up on!

- YX

We have a winner!

2011-11-17T15:23:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to BydeMyTime, who correctly guessed that the yarn in yesterday's video was indeed Wollmeise sock yarn in Dornroschen! She'll be receiving a mini-skein of the yarn!

For those interested, Dornroschen translates to "Sleeping Beauty":

I love Wollmeise. It's the perfect combination of warmth, twist, and strength. I also really like that the price is so reasonable for being such a popular yarn... around $27 bucks gets you 575 yards.

My Ravelry queue is full of patterns that have been tagged with "wm"; things I hope to knit - some day- in my favorite yarn.

Carina Spencer's Whipporwill:

Rat Ruffles from Arlene's World of Lace:

Trillian by Martina Behm- REALLY shows off those multicolored skeins:

Love it! Leave your favorite Wollmeise patterns in the comments!
- YX

Video!

2011-11-16T23:41:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited today! Last weekend, Andrew and I went out to shoot some video. We didn't have a concept or subject, so I just took along some knitting supplies and started casting on a project.

Last night, I edited the footage. This was our first attempt at doing anything on our own, and it was so fun! I'm hoping that shooting, at least once or twice a month as a team, will help us improve.

Startitis from Jacki Schaefer on Vimeo. - Password: yarn

Bonus internet points (and a special prize*) to the first person who can correctly guess the yarn brand and colorway used in the video!

Good luck!
- YX

(*Special prize may or may not be a mini-skein of the featured yarn)

Pistolero

2011-11-15T09:57:00.001-06:00

My parents live within stone-skipping distance of Swisher Creek Alpaca Farms. I had no idea that they had a shop on the premises, so it came as quite a surprise when my mom mentioned that I might be interested in going to check it out.

The alpacas aren't normally available for public visits, but every once in awhile, they'll open up the farm for visitors and a market. I happened to be in town one weekend and got to meet several of their alpacas.

Unfortunately, the alpacas aren't generally for sale. Nor do they fit in an overhead bin... But you know what IS for sale? YARN. Tons of it. I went to the shop at the beginning of the summer and came home laden with purchases. I scored two skeins of natural suri, but most of my cash was spent on this:

That, friends, is a giant hulking pile of DK weight alpaca, next to my dog (for scale). The yarn is gorgeous: it's intensely black, with a bit of a shimmer.

I lightened the photo, so you could see the twist and texture. It's lightweight, fluffy, and insanely warm. I have 1600 yards in 8 skeins. The fiber is courtesy of Pistolero, a Huacaya alpaca that apparently doesn't believe in smiling for photographs.

I've had the yarn for a few months now, and I have been drawn to it more than usual lately, while going through my stash. 1600 yards is definitely a sweater quantity, but I've had some problems landing on a pattern. At first, my plan was to do a classic v-neck pullover, but then I remembered my Textured Tunic, which sees almost no playtime in this climate, and I decided a cardigan would be a better direction. Something warm and enveloping but layerable. I returned to Rav's pattern database and came up with some candidates:

Autumnal Cardigan by Hannah Fettig:

Cassis by Thea Colman (I would lengthen the sleeves):

And Snowbird by Heidi Kirrmaier:

Zephyr by Tori Gurbisz... Remember her? She's the Caliper designer.

They're all gorgeous, but black is such a difficult color. Textures are subtle, and too much can be harsh. Black is my staple neutral - I eschewed navy and brown about 3 years ago and haven't looked back. Maybe I should do some photoshopping to get a more accurate idea of what each FO might look like...

Leave your pick in the comments!

- YX

Trend: Kimonos

2011-11-14T10:05:00.001-06:00

Remember my friend Liz, the one who made the cute Halloween witch a few weeks ago? She asked me to do a blog post on Kimonos! Since fall is unmistakably here (for everyone but Houstonians - it's 82 degrees here today), I thought it'd be an excellent idea. Kimonos are great for fall- they can be left open for a more casual look, wrapped tight against a chill, and feature sleeves at various lengths.

I love kimono sleeves. They help balance my shoulders, which are decidedly... shouldery. A good kimono sleeve can make an arm look so slender and delicate, too.

My personal love affair with kimonos began with this pullover, surprisingly. The Pull Kimono from Phildar:

I curse the French language and my inability to understand it, but I think this one could be reverse engineered. Anyone notice the spine cables?

Get kicked in the face with some awesome colorwork via Murasaki Akai by Vicki Square:

I love the simple casual Glitter Shrug by Lion Brand. Yeah, by LION BRAND. I can't believe it.

And Norah Gaughan brings us the Origami Cardi via IK:

Can I just stop us there for a second? The name bugs me. There's nothing about this cardigan that says "folded" to me, so the reference seems to be purely for the sake of the Japenese connection, which seems lazy to me.

Best thing ever: babies in kimonos. Here's Seamless Kimono by Carina Spencer:

And I'll point you in the direction of a sassy man kimono, if you're interested!

Post your favorites in the comments!
- YX

Knitting beverages

2011-11-13T19:29:00.001-06:00

I love knitting. This is probably apparent due to, you know, the whole blog thing.

But there's nothing better to me than sitting in a great comfortable chair, with a warm glass of sweetened herbal tea. There's something so simple about it, but it definitely takes my knitting from a crafting activity to a relaxation activity. The warmth of the drink means I have to sip frequently, which gives my hands a break, too!

How about you guys? What do you drink while you knit?

Oh, and here's a bonus-- New FO photos of my caliper, including my toggle button, thanks to Blue Lab Workshop:

- YX

Do You Stash?

2011-11-12T19:23:00.001-06:00

Lately, I've been thinking about my project and stash pages on Ravelry. It's so hard to take a good finished object photo on your own; I see a lot of bathroom mirror photos or, in my case, spouse-taken photos that end up being more about my face than my fabric. It's one of the reasons I've wishlisted a dress form this year for Christmas.

Although, I'll admit, the dress form won't show fit as well as modeling will. Regardless, there are still decent photos of finished objects on Ravelry, and they tend to tell a story about the process, for those who are interested in knitting the pattern. Look at my Raphaelite photos... They (kind of) tell a story about my journey through the pattern:

But what about old mister stash?

No one loves stash yarn. It's abused, rarely used, shoved in the back of your yarn storage, and forgotten when your local yarn store has a blowout sale on Cascade Eco Alpaca (drool). It's sad. I don't even have all of my meager stash cataloged, and I totally should. It's an awesome tool. You can see what yarn you own that would work with a current pattern, or look through your inventory without exposing your wool to potential moth invasions. You can see everything with the click of one button. I love it. If you link projects to a stashed yarn, Ravelry will deduct the amount that you claim you've used, and update your total yardage available. How cool is that? Why aren't we all using this more?!

Well, for one thing, you have to take all of these photos. I sat down one weekend and sort of photographed a few on my white table, with a white background I threw together:

But you could grab a few art store supplies and make your own lightbox, which would be way quicker and easier than trying to set up a bunch of sheets and things, and then going into photoshop to try to correct a bunch of miscolored images because you're an amateur and didn't correct your white balance for the setting sun... Oops, sorry, was I still talking?

We spend so much cash on our stash (see what I did there?) that it seems like a total shame to relegate it to boxes. I love good stash photos- they help me make decisions when project planning or preparing to purchase online.

And I'm not gonna lie- there's something absolutely gratifying about being able to look through all of my precioussss...

- YX

Knittable fashion: Vince shimmer stripe sweater

2011-11-11T14:33:00.001-06:00

Looking at knitwear online, I usually have one of three reactions:
1. "That is heinous; I'd never wear that."
2. "That is absolutely cute and would be easy to recreate."
3. "That is absolutely cute and is way too complex/ involved to make."

This sweater falls into category 2.

It's the Shimmer-Stripe Cashmere Sweater by Vince. It retails for a whopping $285.00. Luckily, this is absolutely do-able as a knit.

First, I'd do this as a raglan pullover, with a boatneck. If you're not comfortable with raglans-on-the-fly, you could probably use the Newport Beach Pullover pattern from Knitpicks, to get a foundation for construction. Make sure to size up a little to get the slouchy feeling.

All of the raglan increase section would be in black, and on the second or third round after separating the sleeves, start the stripe. It's obvious that this pattern uses a seamed sleeve, but I love raglans for their ease of construction, and I think the raglan shoulder will lend itself to the same type of look when oversized.

For yarn choice, I have a few options here in the 4-ply range, all different fiber blends.:

$- Knit picks Stroll in black and Stroll Glimmer in gray
$$- Cascade Heritage Silk in Real Black and Charcoal, carrying Garnstudio Drops Glitter with the Charcoal
$$$$- Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere in La Nuit and Silver Pearl, carrying Garnstudio Drops Glitter with the Silver Pearl.

Even using the most expensive yarn I've listed, you'd end up at around $200 for the medium size noted on the above pattern. Crazy!
- YX

Wishlist: Viola Fancy in Twig

2011-11-10T15:34:00.001-06:00

Freakin' Emily at Viola. I swear I'm not getting paid for this, but every time I look at her Etsy shop, I get this evil voice in my head that screams, "YOU MUST BUY IT ALL! NOW, NOW BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES!!!"

Today's want:

1300 yards of Fancy Lace in the Twig colorway. I have nothing to say for myself. I don't even wear brown! Where is this coming from?!

70% alpaca, 20% silk and 10% cashmere. LOOK AT THE HALO. That is like, the most perfect halo I have ever seen. I bet it barely even sheds on you. I love a good, reasonable halo. Halo halo halo! I know someone who agrees with me:

Thank goodness I'm on a tight yarn budget right now. I can't afford to keep myself in luxe yarn!

-YX

Wishlist: Mal Worsted, Damask Rose

2011-11-09T15:55:00.001-06:00

This dusty, rosey, pinky business is taking over my life! Absolutely my color du jour... I find I go through phases of color obsession. They're always in the same families (all pinks and purples, cyans, light greens, every gray ever), but I'll fixate on a color for ages and acquire a ton of it. For this dusty, warm rose, I blame you, Emily!!!

But check this out. I want this:

Malabrigo worsted in damask rose. I'm ashamed to admit that my personal experience with Malabrigo is limited to this one time, when I was in a (now closed) yarn shop and grabbed a skein of something- I think it was a sock yarn?- to see what the fuss was about. But this... I could just moosh into it after a long day.. BEAUTIFUL FOs on Rav in this colorway.

-tangledYARN-'s Kindred Knits Yoked Cardigan

Rovestar's Tiny Leaves cardigan:

GraceIvy's Neighborly:

Take a look at other FO's at Rav. If you like the above projects, PLEASE fave them! I know I did!
- YX

Finished: Caliper

2011-11-08T20:57:00.000-06:00

WOOHOO! Just 7 days after casting on (3 of which I couldn't work on it), I have finished!

This is my caliper! Better photos WILL come later, but for now, I am just happy walking around in it. I still need a toggle button, but everything else is ready to go! I'll probably have my husband make one for me, since he makes buttons occasionally and sells them on etsy. I'm thinking a red wood with a satin finish.

So happy with the FO. It looks great with black, which is the color I wear the most. Here's the yarn shot again, so you can see the colors:

I'll pair it with a black leather jacket, black moto boots, and some skinny jeans. I can't wait to block it, sew on a toggle, and take some great photos!

- YX

Trend: Cranberry

2011-11-07T19:04:00.003-06:00

It's fall! Here in Houston, the weather is barely dipping down below 80 during the day, so we have to fake our autumnal feelings with candles, warm cider (in the AC), and lightweight sweaters.

One thing I miss most about living in the midwest is the seasonal color change that occurs with the falling leaves. Here, I have to drive a few hours before I can see the colors, so I look at a lot of photos, and I fake it with fall colors.

My favorite fall color: Cranberry. It's sassy and rich, warm and intense.

Madelinetosh Tosh Merino in Alizarin

Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in Cowkiller

Wollmeise 80/20 in Merlot

Malabrigo Worsted in Burgundy

Got a favorite cranberry-colored yarn? Leave a link in the comments!
- YX

Sunday Funday

2011-11-06T22:26:00.001-06:00

Well, week one of our month-o-posts is down!

Tonight, I figured I'd do a short entry on some interesting knitwear I've seen for sale.

I love the tiny shawl collar and button detail on this men's sweater from Bachrach.

This colorblock cashmere dress from Neiman's was $425, now $165.

And this cute poncho from Anthropologie!

Speaking of ponchos, BGBC has one that I am shocked to love. Styled with black jeans or leggings, it'd be great.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend! See you tomorrow!
- YX

Video School Wrap Up

2011-11-05T22:49:00.000-05:00

So video school ended yesterday, and we left Dallas this morning... But not before a quick detour.

I didn't find anything I particularly liked... and for the money they're asking, you have to LOVE them!

We finished up on Friday at Cine Skool with a crash course in editing with Final Cut Pro. I loved being able to watch people work in it, and I think I'll be alright when it comes to trying it on my own! We edited our video and all three groups got together to watch the videos we all made. It was great! My group was awesome. We really stayed focused and got pretty far with ours, in just a few hours! I can't wait for Smiz to see it!

For anyone who has been interested in my experience at this school, I have to tell you: It was absolutely amazing. We learned SO much SO quickly. Absolutely worth the time and money! I walked away feeling like I could really, truly try something new, and I really have the crew from Shade Tree to thank for that.

They go all over the US, so check out their website and see if one's coming to you! If not, you can email and request it, too. They are such amazing people, wonderful friends that I feel very lucky to know. Chad and Drew (and the rest of the team: Brandon, Candice, and Maci) are so talented, friendly, and patient, and worked with skill levels from total noob (me) to people who have been shooting for years. They were incredible with being able to teach to all of those levels. Don't be timid! And if you DO end up going, let me know. I get free tuition to go back at any time, so maybe I can go with you!

After we were done, we left the studio and the group... but not for long! They had post-skool party plans...

I haven't been skating since I was in elementary school! Luckily (or unluckily), rental skates haven't changed much.My first time around the floor, I was wobbly, but shocked that I was able to keep up fairly well. It's kind of like riding a bike... Except you feel like more of a jackass. I tried to get a picture of the crowd:

See that guy in the yellow shirt and bodacious cut-off jorts? That's Drew, and he's using a Steadicam while skating! So cool! He got some really neat footage! I was cracking up, too, because what you DON'T see is his stellar mullet wig, which was left behind while he used the camera. Chad is actually right behind Drew in this photo, and he's wearing this awesome beige turtleneck. Both of those guys were really good skaters! I was totally worn out by the time we left-- forgot how much of a workout it is! Especially for me, since I spent so much time out on the floor... I'm usually not such a joiner, but I was having a blast!

And then it was this morning. After the fruitless shoe stop, we had to go home.

I'm so sad to be done with film school, but I am so thankful for the knowledge and experience! Can't wait to get some gear and start trying things!

And on the way home, I had a little time to start working on -yet another- WIP:

Do you know what project it is? No cheating! Bonus internet points awarded to the first person to guess correctly!

- YX

Queued: Mug and French Press Jacket

2011-11-04T23:35:00.000-05:00

Alright, tomorrow I will probably talk a ton about film school again, but today I'm going to go back to fiber talk.

So this pattern is not obscure, but it's so darn cute and simple that it has everything I love in a houseware pattern.

MK Carroll's Mug and French Press Jacket is so simple in concept, but can make a huge difference in the look of a coffee cup. I love how the stitch pattern doesn't resort to the same old cables.

Even the closure is so intentional. Look at the button choice with yarn choice. Great pairing!

The pattern looks great in all kinds of colors and a variety of objects.

It'd even look great in a handpainted yarn! The best part: the pattern is free. 100%, absolutely free. Think about serving a guest some hot cider this fall, wrapped in a little sweater! Extra cozy! It adds color to your coffee, and would be so cute on an office mug. I have TONS of free mugs from vendors, and this would be awesome for obscuring logos, if needed. How cute would it be to pair four of them with some cute cocoa mix, some nice cups, peppermint sticks, and a few wintery napkins? LOVE.

The pattern is scalable, clearly written, and apparently popular: there are currently over 600 FO's on Ravelry, and they are all totally different and interesting. With 90-160 yards of yarn needed for the project, (worsted), it is a great scrap project, too!

Love it.
See you tomorrow!
- YX

Videos?

2011-11-03T20:53:00.000-05:00

Okay, so if you haven't noticed, I'm not very good at videos. Everything about the process overwhelms me: shots, audio, editing. I hit record on my Mac Photobooth app and put some title cards and some random music in the background, just to keep the sound of my awkwardness at bay. And it doesn't work.

So when our wedding videographers decided to bring their awesome cine-skool experience to Dallas, we signed up. I had no grand expectations of my own awesomeness, but I thought it might be great to learn a new hobby. Also, since our families are so far away, it'd give us another venue for sending info to them.

So we packed up our stuff. Almost all of our stuff, in fact.

And we drove up to Dallas after work on Tuesday. In most states, the cities are reasonably close to each other. In Texas, even the "close" cities are far away.

But we got there.

The first day was intense. We had lectures in a big group, and smaller sessions in groups of 4. We looked at equipment, talked about theory, and wondered about where we were headed professionally. I still have no idea. We got back to our hotel room overloaded with info and super exitsted! (That is so obviously a combo of exited and exhausted, of course)

Today, we had the opportunity to break into groups of 4 and start shooting. But you don't just grab a camera- you have to plan it all out!

My group was an awesome combo of people who have shot tourism promos, music videos, and even birth videos! Our task was to define a story and create a video about an individual. Luckily, our subjects were provided for us. My team won the talent jackpot when we were paired with a great guy called Smiz, who is an incredibly entertaining dancer. Check this out:

Is he not amazing?! I was like holy crap, every time he moved I wanted to capture it. We were also super lucky because he was a total natural in front of cameras. I got to see this firsthand, because my inability to shut up earned me the coveted position of interviewer!

That's me in the middle, and Smiz on the left. The rest of my team is getting various shots and audio. Later, we did some shots in a park and in a studio to capture his moves. I got to do audio, use cameras, pick lenses, figure out what in the heck all the settings did. I had such a great time, but it's so incredibly intimidating, too! Regardless of my own fears of inadequacy, I am so ready to practice on my own and try the things we've learned.

With all that said, how does this have anything to do with knitting? Well, I think it'd be great to do some videos about knitting. About the people who knit, about breaking the stereotypes that we confront as knitters, and to be able to bring new, clearer messages about what it is. Heck, maybe my little sad videos on here will start to look better! I know a few things that I can do already to help.

So with that said, here's some iPhone footage I took of our team, closing down our shoot. I can't wait to edit!

See you tomorrow!
-YX

Viola Yarn: Silky DK

2011-11-02T18:38:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! No video today-- for some reason I can't get it to work! But that's cool, because this week I'm in Dallas at Shade Tree Films' Cine Skool! So awesome! Maybe my future videos will be better quality... One can certainly hope! Anyway, here's the good info:

Viola Yarn

So yummy and soft and the colors are like cinnamon apples and kitten nose. I had to take a photo for my stash page. Luckily, I'm currently working on adding more feathers to my poofball lampshade, so KABLAM, I bring you silk and feathers. Somewhere back in the 1980's, the doves are crying tears of joy.

Obviously, I had to cast on and knit my Caliper with the lightening speed of a depraved lunatic. Knitting with this yarn is incredible. It has enough bounce from the merino, so your hands aren't taxed with the strength of the silk. But oh, the silk. So ridiculously soft and workable. I am so excited for this project!

I'm already blasting through the twisted rib portion of the pattern. I tried magic loop, but ended up switching back to one of my shorter cables on my Addi Lace Clicks. I give you: shoddy hotel room photos!

Actually, a light box/ better photo equipment is next on my list, so I swear you'll see more WIP and project photos. My Rav page is begging for it, honestly. My lazy iPhone photo method can only last so long.

See you tomorrow!
- YX

Bonus: NaNoWriMo and 1 Scarf, 25 ways

2011-11-01T10:45:00.000-05:00

So, November is National Novel Writing Month, and my internetty pal Ritsuka suggested doing 30 days of blog posts. How fun! I'm willing to give it a shot, along with my friends over at Little Red Bicycle and Mes Tricots.

Check out this adorable video by Wendy of Wendy's LookBook for various ways to tie scarves!

This could work for shawls, bulky scarves, stoles and wraps, too!

Another post coming later today with my video!
-YX

Trend: Halloween

2011-10-31T08:55:00.000-05:00

Okay, you know it had to be done. Just a quick roundup of some of my favorite Halloween patterns!

Jackyll and Hide by Saskia de Feijter

Wee Sandy's crocheted Eyeballs:

This amazing Mermaid Set by Melody's Makings:

Hallowig, by Megan Reardon. I'm sorry, but browsing the FO's is a riot. ESPECIALLY BABIES! This FO is made by Knitsmith, who has 154 projects, all of which appear to be flawless!

Okay, I'm sorry, but this photo makes my day. I bet I could eradicate any bad mood by bringing this post up at looking at this kid in this hair hat. I'm cracking up!

There's the ever-popular Fish Hat by Thelma Egberts, which made me snort the first time I saw it:

Maybe a little witch doll? Purl Soho can hook you up. My friend Liz from my knit group just finished one of these and it was SO cute! (I did have to ask her why she was making a miniature version of me...)

I'm going to work dressed as a late 50's/ early 60's secretary, since I already have the outfit and glasses. I'm practicing my beehive french roll, too! Not many people downtown dress up for Halloween, but a little vintage look is enough to be festive without going full-on costume. I'm also a big fan of just wearing clip-in devil horns, weird color contacts, or those stick-on vampire teeth. Something small that can be removed for meetings, if needed. I can take off my glasses and just look like I shop at Banana Republic this year. Here's a photo of my makeup and outfit test-run:

What you can't see: knee-length tweed skirt, sensible shoes, white kid gloves, skinny belt, and my winged eyeliner! So much fun! Now to get the hair in shape. I don't know how those women did it!

Happy Halloween!

-YX

Queued: Flame Yoke Top

2011-10-27T12:16:00.000-05:00

If I had an army of monkeys, a room full of laptops, and a million years, I don't think I'd be able to get through all of the patterns in Rav's database. Yet, somehow, that's what I find myself doing currently. I've sorted the knitting patterns just down to "Female" "clothing" "with photos", and I've spent a few nights already click-click-clicking through. Mind you, this is JUST garments, not accessories. My filtered search returned 24,353 items, and each day, I see a few duplicated patterns from the end of my current page, on the next page, suggesting that more designs have been added since I last searched.

So many patterns. So many OBSCURE patterns.

I didn't find this one in my search, though. I found it quite awhile ago, while I was searching for a pattern for some alpaca I bought at a farm down the street from my parents' house. Anyway, check this out:

Okay, first of all, if you put a gorgeous model in a shoot, I may buy the pattern regardless. I feel like pretty models in simple poses really do amazing things for the garment. The way she holds her hand up gives you a look at the sleeve cuff, and draws attention to the yoke.

And can you see the shaping? What? Do you need a better image?

LOOK AT THAT. Hourglass-shaped decreases and increases! Illusion of hourglass figure! Well-planned ease! I'm floored. Awesome. Designer Ashley Knowlton did so many effective things in this sweater. The yoke is appropriately sized, for one thing. I can't tell you how many yoked sweaters I see, where the yoke's too long and the armpits of the sweater end up sagging lower, and they end up creating this weird saggy pit-boob zone that is not sexy at all.

I also love this yoke because the designer included a split at the neckline. I love yokes, but I get so bored seeing the same shapes, over and over. This one isn't a scoopy, roundy "I made a yoke, so here it is, it's a yoke" neckline. It has INTEREST. It works well with the lace pattern. The only change I might make it to pick up some stitches around the neck and create some kind of stabilized edge. Maybe just a crocheted row. I'd really have to knit it and see what the edge looks like without anything, first, but I just get the feeling that it needs more.

Look at the length, too. Mid-butt. I love sweaters at this length. Partly because I have a long torso, and partly because I like sweater cover in case I get a hole in my pants or sit in something, or want to wear a sweater with leggings and kick it 1980's style. And it's screaming for a soft, simple yarn with an eensy bit of halo, just like the alpaca I have.

As much as I love this pattern, I have gripes. First off, there are NO pattern notes on the Ravelry page. All I can tell about the construction is through the tags: Bottom up, charted and written, requires kitchner. It also says it is both worked flat AND in the round. How? None of the FO's have information, and half of them don't even have photos. Yep, this is the plight I mentioned earlier with projects that are obscure, coming back to bite me in my non-flame-yoked butt

Another issue (pun time!): it was published in Yarn Forward magazine, which has changed its name to Knit Magazine. It makes finding back issues a nightmare. Luckily, the issue has a discussion about the top, and some nice person suggested Yudu.com for locating a digital copy. At this point, I honestly believe there is no excuse for magazines when it comes to having digital patterns on their website, or available as a Rav download.

Despite these problems, I want this pattern so badly. I mean, even the things I'm complaining about have nothing to do with the design or the designer! It's still gorgeous, just going to be hard to track down.

That said, anyone have Issue 30 of Yarn Forward?
-YX

Scalloped Table Runner

2011-10-25T19:37:00.000-05:00

Tuesday video time, in which our hero sounds like she hates the pattern and yarn, but honestly doesn't! The pattern's lovely and well written. Check it out:

And here's the yarn that I'm using....

Ravelry Project Page
Pattern Page

Trend: Spine cables

2011-10-24T09:49:00.000-05:00

Halloween is coming... so here's something skeletal!

These cables are often called Y-cables, but I refer to them as spine cables. Most cables twist in one direction, but these are delightfully monodirectional. The projects I see that incorporate spine cables generally have a refined but edgy look. They're super fun to knit, too! Here's a spine cable project I've had on the needles forever.

Drops 125-23 jumper:

And more...
The Aspen Wrap by PreciousKnits

Silken Scabbard by Jennifer Hansen

#02 Backbone Vest by Mari Muinonen / tikru

Backbone Shrug by Melissa Halvorson

Collision by Tora Frøseth Design

They're showing up on a ton of apparel items. I couldn't believe it when I opened my Victoria's Secret catalog and the first big spread included the sweater below. They look like little hearts on a lot of these items, but I find that the hand knitted spines I see are way... spinier.

Sweater by Haute Hippie, Old Navy slipper boots, Sweater from Victoria's Secret, cushion by AllSaints, Hats by Kangol.

I'm in love with the way these cables are so structural. They look great on men's and women's garments alike, and read well horizontally or vertically- how's that for versatility?

Got a favorite spine cable pattern? Post it in the comments!
-YX

Queued: Texelle Chunky Shawl

2011-10-20T16:03:00.000-05:00

I love searching through Ravelry's database of patterns. Right now, there are just over 180,000 patterns for JUST KNITTING projects on the site. I spend hours searching terms, flipping through options, and narrowing down my searches to find exciting potential projects. When I queue something, I immediately get excited about the potential yarn choices, project timeline, and I begin envisioning my final product. I'm definitely a product knitter, too. I love having THINGS when I'm done! It's like winning a trophy every time.

That's all fun, but I really love it when I can find a project with less than 10 finished objects on Ravelry. Why? I think it's the excitement of finding something that seems obscure. I like being able to say, "Hey, have you seen this?" to my knitting friends. With fewer FO's, I feel like my brain is more flexible on yarn choices, too, because seeing a great FO in a great yarn just makes me want to run out and get the same thing, instead of thinking through fiber and color choices for myself. The downside is that I depend on the designer to have some great photos to get my excited about the pattern.

I'm excited about this one:

Look at that! No, really! Look!
1) This is a shawl
2) But it's not a shawly shawl.

There's no lace, there's no foof, it's clean but has excellent texture. It calls for WORSTED YARN, people. WORSTED.

This is the Texelle Chunky Shawl by Phydeaux Designs. Look at that. It's beautiful in its simplicity, but has enough variation in the stitches to be an interesting knit. Brenda Lavell, the incredibly talented designer, chose Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage for the shawl, which makes a beautiful fabric without overwhelming the pattern. This is definitely not a multicolored yarn showcase. It looks so appropriately autumnal that I can easily see it being beautiful in jewel tones. I could even see- if one was feeling a bit saucy- some of the textured stripes in a different color.

So simple, so beautiful. It's a great companion to the Raphaelite's intricacy. I can see this being wrapped around my shoulders during a fall walk, or making an excellent gift for someone who isn't into a lacy shawl. And I love the variation in the stitches as a great way to show off just a few of the different stitches you can do in knitting, in such an intentional way. Let's look at some more images:

As with all patterns I love on Rav, this one has some great pattern notes, which let you know all the info up front without surprises. Check out the pattern's Ravelry page.

YX

Weaving with Wollmeise

2011-10-19T13:34:00.000-05:00

Hi readers! Sorry I missed my video update yesterday; late nights at the office don't do well for blogging on time! Since I can't get you a video right now, how about a review of a project that has pretty decent photos, anyway? How about something that uses yarn really quickly? How about something that isn't knitting?

How about this scarf that I made? I'm new to weaving-- this summer was my first attempt at weaving. I wasn't particularly interested in learning how to weave until I saw some really cool pooled Wollmeise scarves in the Wollmeiseaholics group on Ravelry. Some of the colors, like the pitahaya I used for the above scarf, look a little crazy when knitted into a fabric. I find the irregular striping to be super loud and distracting on me, so this is a great way to use supermultis in a more controlled way. You can actually pool with knitting, too, but I haven't tried it yet.

So the thing about pitahaya is that it's lovely: pink, green, and white. The skeins are SO pretty.

So I had to show off the color. I bought a Schacht Cricket loom from Lion Brand's website, and after a little assembly, had it up and running. I did a few practice items (ahem, 2), before I dove into warping for the scarf. Things I learned on my first two objects: make the selvedge edges as loose as the middle threads, don't yank on your weft thread when you pull it through, and you have to plan out your project before you get started, which is something I fail at. ("Stripes? Sure, how about....here. And there.")

Warping for pooling colors is an easy process that looks complex. Basically, your scarf length is guided by the dye repeats in the skein. Think of your skein untwisted and sitting on a swift. One 360 degree rotation around your skein will usually equate to one dye repeat. I used two rotations on my swift, so I got about 6' of length. As I warped, the colors pooled:

From there, I wound the warp threads around the apron bar, got everything ready, and started weaving in my weft yarn. For this scarf, my weft yarn was the same color pink as the pitahaya, but just solid. If I had a white, I would've used it.

Weaving goes REALLY quickly, but you have to pay attention to your fabric to make sure things don't get uneven or wobbly. See my fabric above? Wobbly, due to the warp threads having uneven tension. I'm still working on how to do a better job. I wove the weft thread through the warp about, oh, fifty million times, and then BLAMMO, scarf:

You can see all the color repeats here, really well. I ended up doing a triple knotted fringe on the ends, which gave it a decent finish for this newb.

For simple weaving projects, I really like my little Cricket. It's portable, easy to store, and makes good presents that don't require the commitment of knitting. On the other hand, your finished product is basically 10" to 12" wide, with an infinite length. More complex weaving, or wider objects, have to be done on another type of loom. While I DO enjoy weaving, knitting's still number one for me.

See ya on Thursday!

Trend: Owls

2011-10-17T13:23:00.000-05:00

Okay, owls have been around for several seasons, and definitely aren't a new trend, but I keep seeing them come across my Ravelry "friend activity" feed. My college mascot was an owl, and I've always had a soft spot for them. They're also symbols associated with wisdom, the Goddess Athena, and even the Illuminati. Regardless of occult involvement, they seem to be everywhere, and I've taken this trend's popularity as a rare opportunity to stock up on owl-related goods to support my Alma Mater (Go Rice!).

The knitter owl craze kicked off hard with Kate Davies's Owls sweater. So cute and funky. I definitely like the knit as shown, but it's also cute with eyes on just one owl (preferably one that isn't in the center!)

But now, aside from seeing this cabled motif on all sorts of things, I feel like owl patterns are popping out everywhere. Look at this mooshy Big Snowy Owl stuffie from Purl Soho:

How about Amy Gillespie's omg so freaking cute Owl hat:

And a sweet minimalist plushie Owl Pattern from Linda Dawkins over at Natural Suburbia:

They're showing up all over the place.

(Clockwise from Top Left: Garnet Hill Owl Sheets, print by UnitedThread, Alexander Henry Owl Fabric, Tee by PRVCY, Owl wall vinyl by SimpleShapes, Owl earrings by McKee Arts, Lunchbox by Skip Hop)

I think I'll celebrate the owls today with this necklace I picked up last week!

-YX

Queued: Caliper Hat

2011-10-13T17:55:00.000-05:00

Know what I love?

Hats. I love a good, quick hat. People don't wear hats anymore; what's up with that?

There are a ton of knit patterns for hats, but I find that the vast majority of them fall into one category: winter hats. I've told you before that I live in Houston. Today, it's 84 degrees out, but it still feels like the surface of the sun, so many of these heavy, bulky hats that make most people look like sexy snow bunnies are laughable here. I crack up when I see women in Houston wearing faux fur or shearling boots. It's 40 degrees in the winter.

So I'm relegated to hats that exist purely for the fashion. Things that are effortless in their presence, and I find that these are the most difficult patterns to find. It has to have slouch. It has to have drape. And it has to be something fun and interesting to knit. You know who pulls off sexy knit hats flawlessly? P!nk. Mr. Kangaroo agrees.

When I see a hat that has the qualities I'm looking for, the combination is usually off: It's too slouchy. The yarn choice is integral to the design, but I hate it. The stitch pattern is unappealing to me. There's too much going on. There's not enough going on. I'm obviously way too hard to please.

Well, here's one I love.

It's called Caliper, and the designer is Tori Gurbisz. Her pattern is $5.50, and available as a Ravelry download. It is so many things that I love: Rock and roll. Simple and effortless in style. Had a cable element that is 100%, pure, unadulterated liquid sex. I love the decreases and detail on the cap:

This hat is exactly the reason why I will never be an awesome knitwear designer, period. She has a beanie version in worsted, but it's this DK toque version that has my heart aflutter. I love the yarn choice, too! One skein of Viola Silky and you're done! I ALSO love that this pattern only has 10 projects as of right now-- I love new things!

But seriously, check out Tori's blog. I love this hat, but the more I read, the more I adore her sense of style and ability to pair yarns with designs.

Hey, this Thursday post thing is killing me; I'm getting the screaming wants!!!

Raphaelite

2011-10-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday, so here's my video! I thought it'd be a quick one, but my inability to shut up won again!

I loved this shawl on so many levels. It was a great pattern, written well and clearly, and I made a good yarn choice for the project. Super happy with the final product!

My project page

Pattern page

Have a great week!

Queued: Pas de Valse

2011-10-07T20:21:00.000-05:00

I was looking at my queue and determined that I have great aspirations and never enough time, so why not spend Thursdays looking at some projects I hope to knit eventually... Once I find a way to cram more sand in the hourglass!

So, I have some serious admiration for Marnie Maclean. I love her patterns, which are always so well written, and include about a bajillion sizes. I'm big on sizes. I think it's because one of the greatest benefits of knitting a garment is the ability to make it FIT you. Not just in the offhand way that XS-XL sizing works, either. Like I said in one of my videos: Body: Small. Hips: Medium, for sure. Store-bought garments always look great up top, but they tend to ride up on me, because they're gasping for air once I stretch them over my hips! I realize my obvious solution is to buy bigger and tailor down, but that seems silly on a $20 tank top... Besides, I like this despair: It gives me More Reasons For Knitting(TM)! And we all need more of those.

Anyway, back to Marnie. She is just so flipping cute, and is one of the rare designers who has not only a huge catalog of designs, but a breadth of typologies, silhouettes, and concepts that flatter all sorts of people. She's not a skinny designer making skinny stuff, and she's not a busty designer making knits that would look great on Christina Hendricks and awful on everyone else. She does knit AND crochet. She's essentially Fiber Superwoman, and I want to be her when I grow up.

The first time I saw Pas de Valse, I fell in love. It's a fingering weight, open cardigan with this sexy lettuce edging that is raw, ruffly, and the right amount of pretty without being kitschy.

It calls for Oceanwind Knits Hand-Dyed BFL, but I could see this working in pretty much any soft sock yarn with a nice luxe feel. There are quite a few FOs on Ravelry in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, which looks awesome. For down here in Texas, it'd be amazing in cotton, keeping it airy but still warm for the occasional cooler evening. I'd warn against dramatically variegated multicolor yarns, which are combative with the design, and if you're going the variegated route, stick to hue variations of the same color, which will give it a vintage feel. Essentially, this is not a sweater for showing off your yarn; use the yarn to show off the sweater. I'd also stay away from particularly shiny yarn on this project; it begs for a matte, washed look... But on the other hand, a super fuzzy mohair is going to drown the lines in a blur of fluff.

Twelve sizes (what did I tell ya?), which run the gamut from 30" to 63" busts! The open nature of the sweater makes it a great pairing with skinny jeans, vintage flares, cute little dresses, even a great pair of wool trousers. Something I absolutely LOVE is the versatility of the closure: she shows it belted, open, and pinned, and I've gotta say: it looks ROCKIN on cute pregnant bellies, too! Something you can knit during pregnancy and wear after. I'd knit it in a cool grey or a pink similar to the test knit, pair it with my floppy vintage Joplin hat, and some flares.

Check out the Ravelry project page here, and note the depth of information about the project, before you even buy the pattern: you see what the process is going to be, so there's no !surprise! skill in the pattern that suddenly makes it be above your skill level. (The edging is a crocheted lettuce, so that'll be a new skill for me to work on.) She even talks about finding a yarn with a good halo to fill in the "holes" that are created in order to make the fabric floaty.

Dang, maybe it's time for a 5th WIP? What yarn would you use for this sweater?
YX

Cascade Baby Sweater / Wollmeise 100%

2011-10-04T20:32:00.000-05:00

Here's video 2:

Ravelry Pattern page
I loved this sweater. I didn't really have any challenges with it, due to previous sweater knitting experience! The leaf motif was kind of annoying, because the main repeats were at the top of the pattern, so after working part of the way down the page, I had to scroll back up to refer to that repeating pattern. Honestly, that's a quibble at best, because the pattern is so easy and cute! I love the photos, which were a great mix of detail and overall shots, and I REALLY loved the bottom and button band pattern, which had a seed-stitchy effect without the pain of doing full-on seed stitch.

Wollmeise 100% "Nicole" page
Wollmeise is a 100% superwash merino fingering weight yarn, which is great for all kinds of garments. I've done quite a few projects with it, and I'm always pleased with the wear, warmth, and color of the yarn.

See ya in a week!
YX

Textured Tunic/ Madelinetosh Merino DK

2011-09-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

Hey!

I decided to do some videos on the projects I've done and yarn I've bought, so BOOM! Here's my first video.

Ravelry Project Page
Some awesome sweet old photos and notes are available on my Ravelry project page, but here's at least one shot:

And I discover the appeal of Madelinetosh Merino DK, which is sexy and about to become a shawl for me!
Enjoy!
YX