The Toddler is Coming...The Toddler is Coming!

As we approach April 28th, the day Violet becomes a two year old, we send people running in fear.

Here is the WIP, only one day left to finish it...a hood and toggle buttons to track down.

At least she'll wear the damn thing without crying and yelling, "Off! Off!"

Yay!

Color Blind?

Here are some photos of the WIP for little Vee. I don't think I could get away with something so colorful for anyone else...

Oililly Eat Your Heart Out!

Went to Silver Creek Cabin the other day to pick up some yarn to ffinish the Steek Vest. Of course I couldn't go home with something "new." So...I gravitated to the Malabrigo stash she had in the entry way. This merino wool is so soft and is hand dyed by a co-op of women in Uraguay. How romantic!!! The colors are amazing. See Doggone sleeves...

Well, they out did themselves with their Seleccion Privada. The colors are trippy, bold, exciting...I love watching them as they change and pass through my fingers.

I picked three different types, all featuring an Apple Green: A, B & H.


I'm making a "duffle coat" for Violet. It has some cables, and seed stitch, a hood...I'll post pics soon. I'm done with the back and 1/2 of the front. Each section is a different Privada group of colors.

You can find the pattern for the duffle coat in Zoe Mellor's book, "Double Knits."

Me, but Only Cyber Better

Make your own on Stortrooper.

Just Sleeves Doggone It! Free Pattern!

This was my first submission to Knitty. It obviously didn't get in. But it was really good practice for me writing my own pattern. Use it if you wish, but don't sell any!

Just Sleeves Dog-gone It!
by Amy
Difficulty [Tangy/Piquant]
As an artist living in New Mexico, my best friend Pam requested I knit her some sleeves she could throw in her purse for when she wanted to warm up a bit. “Do you want long fingerless gloves?”
“No.”
“Do you want a shrug?”
“No.”
“Do you want pulse warmers?”
“No. I just want sleeves.”
“Just sleeves?”
“Just sleeves, dog-gone it!”
I googled, I searched my knitting books, I scanned the archives of Knitty, looking for a pattern for just sleeves. If there are patterns, I couldn’t find any…so I came up with one of my own.
Like flared jeans, these are meant to flatter your arms with a wide cuff and decreasing to a tight fit as you go up the arm. It’s very easy to custom fit your sleeves, as you can try them on as your decreasing and decide if they are getting tight enough for your tastes.
I’ve included two versions of just sleeves, the lace pattern may look difficult, but it’s pretty easy and will give you a good chance to practice your YO s and decreases-so try it!
Meanwhile, this is a good project to try new things as well-like other lace patterns, or cables, or to play with knits & purls to come up with something truly unique to your style. It’s also a great project to use up some of your stash, and I’m not talking mous-stash…throw in some stripes-whatever! Go on & be adventurous! People are sure to say, “where’s the rest of your sweater?” anyway, so you may as well look like a Rockstar!
I used Malabrigo because it’s so darn soft, the hand dyed yarn is so funky looking, & I love the fact that it comes from a co-op of women in Uruaguay…but you can use any worsted weight yarn.


Photo credit [Model:Amy Sparks & Otto - Photographer:Adam Sparks]

SIZE
S [ M, L, XL,] (shown in size S)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length: 13.5[13.5,14.14.5] inches

MATERIALS
Diamond Sleeves:
[MC] Malabrigo [100% Merino Wool; 215yd per 100g skein]; color: Sunset; 1 [1, 2, 2] skeins
Knit/Purl Cuff Sleeves:
[MC] Malabrigo [100% Merino Wool; 215yd per 100g skein]; color: Red Pearl; 1 [1, 2, 2] skeins

1 set(s) US #7/4.5mm double-point needles


notions required [darning needle, stitch markers]

GAUGE
18 sts/26 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES
Sleeves are knit in the round on dpns.
Diamond Sleeves: Skpo (Sl 1 st knitwise, k1, pass slipped st over)

PATTERN
Diamond Sleeves [make 2]
CO 48[48,50,50]
Divide on dpns, place marker for beginning of round, be careful not to twist.

Row 1:
K15, place marker, k8, YO, skpo,k7, place marker, k to end of round
Row 2 & EOR until row 14:
Knit even
Row 3:
Knit, slip marker, k6, k2tog, YO, k, YO, skpo, k6, slip marker, k to end of round
Row 5:
Knit, slip marker, k5, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k5, slip marker, k to end of round
Row 7:
K, slip marker, k4, k2tog, YO, k5, YO, skpo, k4, slip marker, k
Row 9:
K, slip marker, k3, k2tog, YO, k2, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k3, slip marker, k
Row 11:
K, slip marker, k2, k2tog, YO, k2, k2tog, YO, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k2, slip marker, k
Row 13:
K, slip marker, k, *k2tog, YO* 3 times, k3, YO, skpo, k, slip marker, k


Row 14:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 15:
k, slip marker, k2tog, k2, *k2tog , YO*4 times, k3, YO, skpo, slip marker, k
Row 16:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 17:
k, slip marker, k2, YO, skpo, k1, *k2tog, YO*3 times, k2, k2tog, YO, k2, slip marker, k
Row 18:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 19:
k, slip marker, k3, YO, skpo, k1, *k2to, YO * 2 times, k2, k2tog, YO, k3, slip marker, k
Row 20:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 21:
k, slip marker, k4, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k2, k2tog, YO, k4, slip marker, k
Row 22:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 23:
k, slip marker, k5, YO, skpo, k3, k2tog, YO, k5, slip marker, k
Row 24:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 25:
K, slip marker, k6, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k6, slip marker, k
Row 26:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK
Row 27:
K, k6, YO, sl 1 knitwise, k2tog, psso, YO, k7, slip marker, k
Row 28:
K2tog, k to last 2 st, SSK : 32 [32, 34, 34] stitches
Row 29:
K, slip marker, k8, YO, skpo, k7, slip marker, k
Row 30 & EOR:
Knit even
Row 31:
K, slip marker, k6, k2tog, YO, k1, YO, skpo, k6, slip marker, k
Row 33:
K, slip marker, k5, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k5, slip marker, k
Row 35:
K, slip marker, k4, k2tog, YO, k5, YO, skpo, k4, slip marker, k
Row 37:
K, slip marker, k3, k2tog, YO, k3, YO, skpo, k2, YO, skpo, k3, slip marker, k
Row 39:
K, slip marker, k2, k2tog, YO, k3, *YO, skpo *2 times, k2, YO, skpo, k2, slip marker, k
Row 41:
K, slip marker, k1, k2tog, YO, k3, *YO, skpo * 3 times, k2, YO, skpo, k1, slip marker, k
Row 43:
K, slip marker, k2tog, YO, k3, *YO, skpo * 4 times, k2, YO, skpo, k2, slip marker, k
Row 45:
K, slip marker, k2, YO, skpo, k2, *YO, skpo * 3 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k2, slip marker, k
Row 47:
K, slip marker, k3, YO, skpo, k2, *YO, skpo * 2 times, k1, k2tog, YO, k3, slip marker, k
Row 49:
K, slip marker, k4, YO, skpo, k2, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k4, slip marker, k
Row 51:
K, slip marker, k5, YO, skpo, k3, k2tog, YO, k5, slip marker, k
Row 53:
K, slip marker, k6, YO, skpo, k1, k2tog, YO, k6, slip marker, k
Row 55:
K, slip marker, k7, YO,sl 1 knitwise, k2tog, psso, YO, k7, slip marker, k
Rows 57-112:
Repeat Rows 1-56, without decreasing.
Row 113:
BO loosely.

Knit/Purl Cuffs [make 2]
CO 48[48,50,50]
Divide on dpns, place marker for beginning of round, be careful not to twist.

Row 1:
K0[0,1,1]*k3, p1, k1, k3, p3 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 2:
K0[0,1,1]*p1,k3,p1,k1,p1,k3,p2* 4 times k0[01,1]
Row 3:
K0[0,1,1}*p2,k3,p1,k1,p1,k3,p1* 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 4:
K0[0,1,1] *p3, k3, p1,k1,p1,k3 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 5:
K0[0,1,1] *k1,p3, k3, p1, k1, p1, k2* 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 6:
K0[01,1,] *k2,p3,k3,p1,k1,p1,k1 *4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 7:
K0[0,1,1] *k3,p3,k3,p1,k1,p1 *4 times
Row 8:
K0[0,1,1] *p1,k3,p3,k3,p1,k1 *4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 9:
K0[0,1,1] *k1,p1,k3,p3,k3,p1 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 10:
K0[0,1,1] *p1,k1,p1,k3,p3,k3 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 11:
Ko[0,1,1] *k1,p1,k1,p1, k3, p3, k2 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 12:
K0[0,1,1] *k2, p1, k1, p1, k3, p3, k1 * 4 times k0[0,1,1]
Row 13:
Knit even
Row 14 -decrease row:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 15:
Knit even
Row 16:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 17:
Knit even
Row 18:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 19:
Knit even
Row 20:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 21:
Knit even
Row 22:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 23:
Knit even
Row 24:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 25:
Knit even
Row 26:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK
Row 27:
Knit even
Row 28:
K2tog, knit to last 2 st, SSK: 32[32,34,34]st
Work Rows 29-100 or until piece measures approx. 12[12, 12.5, 12.5] inches from CO edge in Stockinette
Row 101:
Purl round
Rows 102-104:
Knit round
Row 105:
Purl round

Row 106-108:
Knit round
Row 109:
Purl round
Row 110-112
Knit round
Row 113:
Purl round
Row 114:
BO loosely.






FINISHING
Weave in ends.

Sprung!

There's something about the month of April that kicks you in the kiester and promotes good work ethic.

All of a sudden I'm dusting my shelves, finishing my taxes, washing my windows. Getting the winter stink out of the house.

Went to Arizona to visit the in-laws for a couple of days. Superstition Mountain is a fine place to ponder. Woke up to birds singing and lynx prowling. Did some yoga on the roof of the casita. Intended to do lots of knitting and wine sipping. The desert didn't motivate the former. Back home to the MN puddle and Teva speaks to me again.

I decided to plunge into the Steek Vest from Loop D Loop I made some boo boos, but I knit it in about 2 days of nonchalant knitting days on size 13s.





Next time I knit this I will definitley make the body longer. I'm so glad belly shirts are "out." Well, they really have been "out" of my world since 1999?! Perhaps I will knit it in Collinette merino tape, or do something forty-ish? Feedback?! I really like the whole sweater tank thing. Never interested me before. But damn! It's so great not to put in sleeves!