Seasons of Lace Prizeand small knit items

The beautiful blue--it really does seem to flow like a river--the colorway is River Run, also the name of the lovely pattern. The yarn is Almaza, tencel, which I've been interested in trying. The beads are a deep purply blue irridescent and this looks like one fun project. The kit is from Just Our Yarns. Thanks so much to Just Our Yarns, and to the prize maven at the Seasons of Lace. I feel so lucky!

Other things I've been working on: My merino silk cardigan is only one sleeve cap away from done--as far as the knitting goes. Then blocking, seaming, and figuring out exactly how to finish it.

Smaller projects I've made up over the last two weeks include:
toddler socks knit in Jojoland Rhythm/
Entrelac scarf in Jojoland Rhythm.
Crochet cap in Misti Alpaca Handpaint Bulky. Gorgeous yarn, gorgeous cap, but it doesn't look right on me, so I also made:
Lamb's Pride Bulky crochet cap. This one suits me very well. I love the shape and the color is flattering.
I also started a pair of cute pink socks for Sophia, which made Dante wonder when I was finally going to make this. The wooly crown cap, in the adult small size. I don't think I have ever knit a pattern as written twice, not even my own pattern. I left out the bobbles on this one because I'm going to let Dante have fun decorating it. More on that later. I also was too lazy to go upstairs and get some yarn and a crochet hook for a provisional cast on, so there is an unsightly line between the brim and the points. Well it may be unsightly now, but I realized that would happen, and that's what made me think of my decorating idea. So it was my laziness that inspired what is going to be a really cool crown. When he gets to it. Seven-year-olds are busy!

Purpleheart Vermont

Yes, those are crochet hooks,the smallest ones all loaded with five or six beads ready to go. My friend Dave Paul, from the Merlin Tree made this for me. I love it! The hooks are far enough apart so you can easily grasp an individual hook. The holes are big enough for all of the crochet hooks I would use for beading. And there are eleven of them. That's up to 66 beads loaded and ready to go at one time. Fun! Dave will be at Maryland Sheep and Wool and at Rhinebeck. He makes and sells the Hitchhiker spinning wheel, and he also made me a lovely hand spindle.


I finished a pair of socks this week. Make that two pairs of socks. And last week I finished Miriam's skirt, and it is gorgeous. But can I show it to you? No. I was unable to do photos or to wash and dry it properly (don't have a washer or dryer). So I'll get photos from Miriam one of these days. I've finished a sleeve on my cardigan, and am working on an entrelac scarf for Miriam, out of Jojoland Rhythm. It's my first try at entrelac, and it's going just fine.

So that's the knitting news. Designs are in the works, but I have to finish a couple of projects before I'll allow myself to cast on for a more complicated project.

I have found, though, that simple projects go a long way toward maintaining sanity. Thus, I was able to knit a pair of toddler socks Sunday, while I was watching the toddler. That works for me.

The Clovers Pattern available at Sanguine Gryphon Fiber Arts

Isn't this a lovely photo? This is the sample of The Clovers that I knit for publication--it is slightly different from the first version. It is available for sale at the Sanguine Gryphon:


The yarn is for sale at her yarn/fiber shop, where everything green is on sale this week. The pattern takes one skein of Little Traveller for the small size, and two for the large. If you have not checked out her site, check it out this week. SanguineGryphon.com

Musings

On Patterns:
Today I posted a new pattern, the Royal Crown Hat, on Ravelry, and sold one within the first five minutes. I had someone test the pattern, and she was so kind:

"In reference to the pattern, anyone should be able to do this pattern. It's well written and if you follow the directions as written, it will be no problem at all. Flawless. Just read it.
This was a fun knit and I am sure will be a huge hit with little kids or even bigger kids too.

Thanks for letting me test it. I wish all patterns were this clear and easy to follow."

Here's her hat:


As you can tell, I'm feeling pretty good about that right now.

So I decided after not working very much tonight to try and link the pattern to my blog with a Paypal button hosted through Ravelry. And it worked. And then I decided to create a list of my patterns in the sidebar, with links to those entries that have the "buy now" button in them, and that worked too (see the new gadget over in the sidebar?). It remains to be seen whether actually purchasing a pattern from here works.

On Books:
I'm reading a wonderful book, Magnus, by Sylvie Germain. It is in French, and I don't know if it's available in English, but if it is I would really really recommend it to anyone who recognizes the author over there in my list of Literary Muses, and especially Umberto Eco. I just realized that I need to add W.G. Sebald to that list. And anyone who has read Sebald should read this novel, even if they have to learn French to do it.

Why those authors? Because this is a novel that explores memory, and the construction of memories, both individual and cultural. And the horrors of World War II in Europe play a big part of that. I am just starting on this one, but Germain had me within five pages. Magnus is the name of a teddy bear that belongs to a five-year-old boy who lost his memory to a terrible fever and whose mother builds his memory again by telling him stories. There is an incredible moment early in this novel when the boy's father's occupation is revealed in a subtle and devastating way.


On baby and knitting:
Last musing. . .for tonight. I've been doing a lot of knitting lately, and a lot of it is happening as I drink coffee after breakfast or dinner, with my youngest next to me at the table doing his puzzles or coloring. It's been quite pleasant actually, he's developed his own words for my knitting. "Orie" is for "orange," the color of the socks I knit for my mother-in-law, but it also appears to mean "socks that mama is knitting," even if they're green (like the socks I'm knitting for dada). "Row" is what mama has to finish before she'll do what Gavyn wants. But this is the part I love: The other day he was in my lap as I quickly checked a few blog updates (not my choice, but his father came in and dumped him on my lap). Every time he saw a piece of knitting he said, "Row," with a big smile. And he said it again, and again, and again. Well he's two now, you know how that goes.

Wooly Crown Hat, pattern available

Wooly Crown Hat pattern, $4.00 US
materials: Lamb's Pride worsted from Brown Sheep.
sizes: baby, toddler, child, adult small, adult large




Here's another "buy now" button. Hey I feel like a kid with a new toy. How does this work? It's a paypal button that links you to paypal and Ravelry, so that you can download the pattern after you pay. You can also go to Ravelry to buy this pattern, and the one in my last post, and there you can get yourself a cart!


I've written the Crown hat pattern for worsted weight wool, in five sizes, knit in the round with bobbles. This pattern is a bit more refined than Sophia's Crown hat, and I love it. Here the child size is shown on a toddler and on a four-year-old. It also worked on a seven-year-old, but only for dress-up or a spring hat, not for a warm winter hat. But the larger sizes will obviously take care of that!

Royal Crown Hat, DK, pattern available

Royal Crown Hat pattern, free! link in the sidebar!
materials: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select DK weight, 1 skein, 360 yds
sizes: preemie, baby, toddler, child, adult small, adult large

Remember this? My Royal Crown Hat, knit in the round in DK weight yarn, and written for six sizes.That makes three. And see that little "Buy now" button?

Now I'll have to start collecting my patterns over in the sidebar. Isn't life grand?


I'm still waiting for photos to post the other patterns that I hope will become available elsewhere soon.
Crown cap, DK
Originally uploaded by 2Sligo

The Clovers II, finished

I finished my second Clovers shawl. Here it is, unblocked. It looks nice and cozy on a little one.
And the color is still great for winter.



Here it is blocked and resting (sorry the picture is a little blurry):
And blocked on the young one again:I made a couple of minor changes in the pattern, especially around the edging:

And I really had fun blocking this shawl. I love working with string to get things to do what I want.

I also managed to finish Miriam's shawl:



Nice and simple. Now I have some lovely red, purple and green yarn all ready to swatch, and a shawl on the needles, which is going very well, but it's not ready to show itself.

I finished knitting the cuff yesterday, and so only have to block out the pieces and sew it together. I'll be very happy to have that job done.

Off to swatch. . .