Toesicles: A new (unisex) sock pattern!

Luxurious. Toasty. Sexy. Well, that last one depends on your point of view.

But, hey! These socks are perfect for holiday gifts... They knit up quickly, look impressive, and fit frosty feet of the female and male varieties!

And I'll bet, if you ask my husband, he'll say warm toes are sexy any day of the year. (Since the alternative tends to be my warming them on him.)

The pattern is new -- I just posted it on Ravelry today, so pop on over and pick up a PDF of your very own. You know you want to...



Not a Ravelry member? That's OK -- you can use PayPal. Drop me a line at KnitSix@gmail.com, send your $5, and I'll gladly send you a PDF.

Toesicles: A new (unisex) sock pattern!

What's your pleasure? - Studying the Top 10 knitting patterns

Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox

Mulling over new design ideas, I've lately found myself thinking about existing knitting patterns: Socks, mittens & gloves, scarves & shawls, sweaters, hats... I'm also wondering what knitters (and crocheters) want more of, and what gives them that "been there, done that" feeling.

These days, one can hardly think about knitting patterns without heading straight for Ravelry. After all, it's ubiquitous, a gathering place for patterns new and old. And its pattern database is so wonderfully "searchable".

So I searched.

Harrisville Designs' New England Shetland

I searched all knitting patterns in Ravelry's database (Aug. 20, 2009), filtering out those rated less than four stars (out of five). The results? Telling, though not surprising. The following patterns comprise the Top 10:

1. Fetching (fingerless gloves by Cheryl Niamath)
2. Monkey (socks by Cookie A.)
3. Baby Surprise Jacket (by Elizabeth Zimmermann, available from Schoolhouse Press)
4. Calorimetry (headband/ear warmer by Kathryn Schoendorf)
5. Clapotis (shawl/scarf by Kate Gilbert)
6. February Lady Sweater (by Pamela Wynne, based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic “Baby Sweater on Two Needles,” from Knitter’s Almanac)
7. Saartje's Bootees (baby bootees by Saartje de Bruijn)
8. Noro Striped Scarf (not designed by Jared Flood; he claims only to have written up how he made his lovely 1 x 1 ribbed scarf)
9. Ballband Dishcloth (from ball bands on Pigsah Yarn & Dyeing Co.'s "Peaches & Creme" yarn)
10. Swallowtail Shawl (links to page with PDF download of this beautiful design by Evelyn Clark)

Surprised? I'll admit I was, a bit...

Zephyr Laceweight Wool-Silk

I guess I was expecting a more homogenous result, one showing mostly socks and fingerless gloves, for example. Perhaps with a few lacy knits and sweaters mixed in. Mais, non! What a lovely surprise!

For the Top 10 list includes an intriguing blend of patterns for adults and babies, laces and solids, new and old designs. Most are relatively simple, straightforward knits, proving that a design doesn't have to be complicated to be chic.

And I'm thrilled to see that these are primarily classic designs -- devoid of tricks and fads -- that will last a lifetime (with good care and a wise yarn choice, of course). By classic, I don't mean to exclude the newer designs, like Clapotis, Monkey, or Fetching. Rather, these are new interpretations of generations-old patterns, garments worn by our ancestors to stay warm in cold, drafty houses.

These new interpretations, though, were created with a nod to history -- useful, yet romantic, fingerless gloves, and a scarf inspired by those famously flaunted by Parisian women, for example.

Peach Blossom Scarf ... on a non-Parisian woman.

Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury. -- Coco Chanel

Where is all of this leading? Well, I'm not entirely sure. For me, it's reassuring to see proof that classic designs are ever in vogue, as they're what I enjoy wearing and designing. How this information will affect my upcoming creations, well, we'll have to see...

But I want to know: How about you?
What do you enjoy knitting, wearing, giving, and receiving as gifts?
What turns your head when you see someone wearing a hand-knit on the street?
What would you like more of in knitting patterns?
What designs/techniques are you tired of?

Something to think about... Feel free to PM me on Ravelry or just leave a comment here with your answers. Because while I know how I feel -- I'd love to know more about you!

What's your pleasure? - Studying the Top 10 knitting patterns

When the Fancy Strikes...

The other day I walked into my studio, coffee in hand, and suddenly realized I felt like knitting something small. Something quick. Something that might do good for a little one on the other side of the world. In other words, something for the Afghans for Afghans (current) campaign for kids.

So I grabbed some discontinued, worsted-weight alpaca/wool yarn that's been stuffed in the bottom of my stash for too long, and cast on some little socks. Working two at a time on one circular needle really made them fly.

In one day, they were done. And the whole time I made them, I kept thinking of the cute little toes that, someday, might wiggle in these socks, all nice and toasty.

The next day I cast on for a little kid's hat (to keep the other end warm). I'll make it big enough to grow with him or her, and keep the design unisex so it can easily be handed down from sister to brother (or vice versa).

Interested in helping out? Check out the Afghans for Afghans Web site for more information.


Otherwise, I've been cranking out a few washcloths/dishcloths during the evenings. After many loads of dishes in the Knit*Six Test Kitchen (ha!), I can honestly say I like the crocheted variety better. The texture is thick, strong, and scrubby.

Don't get me wrong: Knitted cloths are fine, too! And they often look nicer than the crocheted cloths -- at least the ones I turn out. To each his own, as they say.

Either way, though, there is something satisfying about working with soft, thick, bright cotton yarn (Peaches & Creme or Sugar & Cream), working mindlessly while you watch a favorite show (Entourage, anyone? It's my current favorite), and finishing a project in a few hours.

And then, you toss this brightly-colored, hand-knit or crocheted beauty into a sink of dirty dishes and soap it, scrub with it, wring it, throw it in the washer and dryer -- just use and abuse it. Because that's how it wants to be treated.

Yep, a rare occasion indeed. And, I think, a refreshing change from handling our usual delicate, gem-like, hand-knit lace shawls/scarves, socks, and sweaters.

Feels good, doesn't it?

When the Fancy Strikes...

Ode on a Peruvian Glove

A little more than a year ago, when we still lived in downtown DC, I found myself out and about on a frigid day, without gloves--on foot, of course--with grocery shopping to do. It was one of those days when the thermometer drops about 20 degrees in an hour. After battling a razor-sharp wind all the way from 18th and L streets to 15th and P (NW), I dove through the doors of our local Whole Foods store, my hands both numb and raw.

I grabbed a basket and set about my shopping. But these gloriously colorful gloves drew me in, irresistible despite my budget-conscious state of mind. Mittens, hats, and full-fingered gloves shared the end-cap display with the fingerless variety, which I happen to adore.

Hand knitted of 100% alpaca by members of a Peruvian women's cooperative, the colors hearkened back to a vibrant culture I must have experienced in another life, so often do I long for its richness and boisterousness.

Let me add to the drama: Unbelievable as it seems, I, a hand-knitter, have no family members who knit (yet), and so knitted presents (or presents to do with knitting, actually) are virtually unheard of... So, every now and then, when I hear someone say, "Oh, my mom made this scarf for me..." or "I made this sweater out of yarn my grandmother sent to me," I feel a little twinge of envy.

But, for some reason, these gloves have satisfied my need for hand-knits. When I slide my fingers into their thick, cozy fabric, I mysteriously feel that they were knit just for me. It's a gift, I believe, and one I've been grateful for on many a cold morning.

Whoever and wherever she is, the woman who made my mitts obviously knit lots of love into every stitch. I wish I could meet her, and tell her how much joy her knitting brings me.

And now for a moment of undeniable cuteness:

Katja in repose...

Happy knitting!!!

Ode on a Peruvian Glove

Toesicles

Toesicles socks...inspired by the fact that my feet are always cold...
Silky, 100% baby alpaca, soft as a cashmere cloud. These feel so wonderful on my feet, I'd wear them in the midst of summer!

But they're not for me... Who's the lucky recipient? Only time will tell ;-)

Toesicles

Keeping Warm with (less than) One Skein

I love warm weather, and can't wait for spring to arrive! But if it's going to be cold, snowy, and icy, I'd at least like to cash in on some of winter's beauty...instead, this was about the extent of D.C.'s ice-covered, sparkling wonderland:(My focus is a bit off, but you get the idea...)

We also got 4 inches of snow/sleet/slush in the District (now frozen into a solid, dirty sheet of ice). And it's been SO cold this week! Looking on the bright side, though, it's great weather for making and wearing our woolies. I have a few FOs to show off...I'll start with the most recent:

Last weekend, with a friend's birthday just days away, I decided to use up a skein of the wonderful alpaca yarn I bought at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival last year (Alpaca Fun Fiber Works, Web site unavailable). I'd already decided upon the rib and cable neckwarmer from Leigh Radford's One Skein.I've already made two of the two-cable scarves: one for my husband, and one for my stepfather. These patterns are well thought out, fun to knit, and quick to finish.

A couple of days later (after working on various projects in my typical fickle fashion), I finished. I thought it looked gorgeous. The alpaca yarn (from Bailey, one of the cuties at Alpaca Fun Farms) is a rich, glossy chocolate brown, soft as butter.
I didn't use cable needles...they're slow, and get on my nerves. So the first couple of 3/3 cable rounds, in slick alpaca on Addi Turbo needles, was a real adventure! But once I got into the swing of things--thanks to Grumperina's tutorial, which I discovered a year ago--the needle-free cabling was no problem at all.

When my friend opened the package (wrapped in the comics section from last week's paper...why do I never have wrapping paper on hand when I need it??) he seemed to genuinely appreciate it. I just love knitting gifts for friends and family, letting them know how much I love them by investing time, thought, and creativity in their presents instead of money.
(The FO, next to one of my mother's early sculptures, titled "Grandmother Sleeping.")

My only complaint about the pattern is that the finished neckwarmer stretched significantly within a couple of days. I offered to thread some elastic through it, but Thom said he liked the drape and was wearing it "cravat style." If I make another, I will definitely go down another needle size (I already went down from US#6 to US#5), and will probably cast on fewer stitches, as well.

Still, it's lovely (thanks to Bailey!) and soft, warm and handmade with love. And in the end, isn't that the real gift?

Keeping Warm with (less than) One Skein