Choices

I'm trying to decide what to knit next:

28's Big Sister 77 by Lynne Ashton,

Deirdre by Linden Down (she also designed the Estelle, which I knit last year),

or Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark.

I think anyone of these would be perfect for early spring. But which one to choose....

What are you dreaming up for spring knitting?

Long Hair, Warm Weather, Dreaming

I think I have a new favorite photographer. Her name is Irina Werning and she did a whole set of photos of people with really long hair.

Love it.

Lodekka

I'm only slightly obsessed with Lodekka, the double decker bus turned vintage shop in Portland. Just slightly... I think.

Inhabitat has a nice article about it and some sweet peeks inside.

More of the Same

Playing with Noro and a solid yarn again. I love how the sapphire blue glows against the pale tan.

I Love this Video

Handmade Portraits: Mabel Pike from Etsy on Vimeo.

Fun, Natural Fun

Yesterday morning as I was heading out the door to go to work I realized I had a problem: I only had 5 pages left in the book I was reading, no small knitting projects in progress, and and hour long subway commute each way.... I'm just not the kind of person who can ride the subway for more than a couple stops without anything to do. It makes me nuts.

So I opened a drawer and grabbed two balls of yarn that looked okay together and seemed to be about the same weight; a ball of handspun from the Union Square Farmer's market in dusty blue and some Noro in greys and blues and browns. I crammed a size 6 circular needle in my purse and ran out the door.

Two long subway rides, one short subway ride, plus some downtime at work and I had a finished hat by last night.

It's just a simple kid's cap. I cast on 70, did 1x1 rib for and inch, then alternated 4 rows of the blue with 2 rows of the Noro, decreasing after about 5 inches. Easy and cute. So cute, in fact, that I'm now making one for myself with the same ball of Noro and some tan handspun from the same farm. I love alternating the self-striping Noro with a solid, it's fun and creates a really pretty effect. I wonder if I could get away with doing something like that for a cardigan for myself... would it look too dorky? Would I care? Some things for me to think about...

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Evelyn Roth

I've been thinking about this video a lot since I saw it on the Craftzine blog yesterday. The video suit gives me mild panic attacks.

New Pattern Time!

Here's a nice little headband for keeping your ears warm on days you don't want to wear a hat. It is secured in the back with a button which is nice because you won't mess up your hair pulling a headband down and you get to use one of those cute buttons you've been saving.

Seed Stitch Headband

You Will Need:

-Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (Less than half a ball) or 4 strands of any worsted weight yarn held together

-Size 11 Knitting Needles

-Tapestry Needle

Gauge: 4 stitches in seed stitch = 1 3/4 inches

K=knit, P=purl, YO=yarn over, K2tog=knit 2 together, SSK=slip slip knit2tog

Cast on 7 stitches.

*K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1*

Repeat this seed stitch pattern on every row until piece measures 20" or 1.5" less than the circumference of your head (remember the headband will stretch).

Now you will put in a button hole:

K1, P1, K1, YO, K2tog, P1, K1

Knit in seed stitch pattern for 3 rows.

K2tog, K1, P1, K1, SSK (5 sts)

K2tog, P1, SSK(3 sts)

Bind off remaining 3 sts

Sew on a button and you're done!

Coming Soon

This past week I've been super interested in quick projects. I'm talking like less than 2 hours... or even less than 1 hour. And that's how this new Seed Stitch Headband was born. And I've already made six of them...

I'm hoping to have the pattern up later this week. It's just way too overcast this morning to take any decent modeled photos. Irina and I were actually planning to do a little photo shoot this morning for a couple of different projects but we had to cancel because it's so dark out. Boo hoo, oh well.