19 May 2010

WIP Wednesday: Cap'n's Scarf

Actually, it's pretty much finished. A cozy scarf with tied fringe a la Frank Austen worked in Malabrigo's awesome Twist yarn (why did I resist you?). I'd had this idea for a scarf reminiscent of Captain Jack Sparrow's red scarf in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies for quite a while. Then Frank Austen's fringe appeared. And finally I encountered a couple of skeins of Twist at Yarntopia last week in Ravelry Red, which was the perfect color.

This yarn is luscious! And all those plies mean the usual Malabrigo Worsted pilling problem isn't a problem at all. If you need an Aran weight (4spi) yarn, be sure to check out Twist. NAYY. But I sure am glad Dona had a swatch knitted up at the store.

I still have to snap pictures of this one, as well as Aphros, so there will be two, count 'em, two patterns coming soon.

Etsy Treasury: On the High Seas

Jennifer of Laughing Rat Studios scored a Treasury on Etsy (you get to play curator with all the amazing items Etsy has to offer, selecting your own perfect, little exhibition) and was sweet enough to include my On the High Seas shawlette pattern in her Sheep to Shawl collection! [link] Thanks, Jennifer!

15 May 2010

Frank Austen's fringe

Apparently, when Jane Austen's brother was home on leave, he would work fringe. [link]

(I don't want to lose this link - some day all will be clear.)

14 May 2010

Free Pattern Friday: Cabled Beret (there's a contest, too)

The talented Veronik Avery's new book Knitting 24/7 is out now, and there's a pretty little beret pattern to celebrate. Be sure to check out Twist Collective's page for details on entering the contest. [Twist blogPDF]

13 May 2010

WIP Wednesday: I've got nothing

Hard to believe, but I've hardly knit a stitch since finishing Aphros last week. My allergies have been awful. Now they're under control, but the aftermath is ugly (the skin around my eyes is so irritated, since I seem to rub them in my sleep - ugh). So, I've been avoiding the outside world except to visit the doctor on Monday, and Mother's Day was decidedly low-key this year.

But the postal worker helped. In an overflow bin (oops - we hadn't checked the mail in a few days) were a package from the talented Leslie Wind with one of her beatiful, silver C-pins (based on the Celtic penannular brooch), which I may feature in the Aphros photos, as well as a set of Briggs & Little sample cards from the lovely Elizabeth. So many lovely colors in a number of different yarns. Oh, the possibilities!

More on Leslie in another post, as I actually got to meet her at the Gore Place Sheep Shearing Festival a few weeks ago. But now I have lots of work to catch up on (when you wake up itchy throughout the night, it's difficult to focus during the day).

07 May 2010

Free Pattern Friday: Raspberry Bed Socks

Mother's Day is just a couple of days away. If you're quick, you could knit mom a pair of Mel Clark's Raspberry Bed Socks with pretty little bobbles and i-cord drawstrings. [Ravelry link | Pattern link]

And my face is finally calming down from the horrible allergies (apparently, I rub my eyes in my sleep, and it looked like I'd been in a brawl or something), so there should be an Aphros photo shoot soon, followed by a pattern release!

05 May 2010

WIP Wednesday: Aphros is complete

I even blocked the additional portion of the stole this afternoon, but the tree pollen is conspiring to make me as un-photogenic as possible, so you will have to wait a few days before Aphros and I smile for the camera.

This time I worked the edging from my chart, rather than the original written instructions, and it went much faster. I do love charts; however, I know not everyone likes charts (and some people look at them and just get gobbledeygook in their minds), so the edging will also be written out in the pattern.

In the picture below you can see the difference blocking makes. We have egg carton on the right and smooth, blocked out waves of seafoam on the left.
Tonight and tomorrow I have "real work" to do, but I hope to have the Aphros pattern ready to go on Friday.