Freesia Socks: Update about a favorite pattern

Remember the Freesia Socks?

Last year, explaining the inspiration for these socks, I wrote about a little cloister-like courtyard in my high school (in Marin Co., Calif.), where planters were filled with freesias. When the sun shone down mid-day, the entire courtyard would be thick as honey with their intoxicating fragrance. This colorway, Iris, reminds me of those flowers…

Simple as it is, this is one of my favorite designs. The colors in the yarn, the texture of the fiber, and the stitch pattern all came together to create something wonderful. They're scrunchy and squeezable (for those of us who do such things to our socks/yarns).
And they look pretty "on the foot."

I wrote the actual pattern for these socks last fall, for Shalimar Yarns. It takes only one skein of fingering-weight yarn and some US# 1.5/2.5 mm needles to knit up a pair. You can include the ribbon of your choice or opt to leave the picot hem otherwise unadorned.

I say: Enough already with the cold, snow, and ice -- It's time for spring!
So grab your favorite yarn and needles, and let's knit up a little flower power.
Happy stitching!

For more information about this pattern, you can contact Shalimar Yarns or Eleganza Yarns. Currently -- and perhaps for a limited time only -- the pattern is free when you purchase a skein of Shalimar's Zoe Sock or Superwash Sock. You can also check out the Freesia Socks pattern on Ravelry.

Freesia Socks: Update about a favorite pattern

Knittin' and Kitten

Meet Charley...
He's the newest member of our little household. After Maggie died last January, we couldn't even think of getting another kitty. But over the months, Chris, Katja, and I found ourselves grieving less and then, suddenly, feeling like it was time for a new kitty...a playmate for Katja.

Enter Charley -- about two pounds of 24-hour-a-day, nonstop Kitten. When I saw his picture, with his little newborn blue eyes and apricot-cream coloring, I knew he was the one.

My friend Elaine rescued him, along with his siblings, near her home in upstate New York. We waited for him to grow up a little, and then, last Thursday, he arrived in style, chauffered by Elaine and her husband (who were on their way to DC for the weekend). Have no doubt: You'll be hearing about his antics for years to come!

Shalimar Yarns Missy Bulky

Speaking of the weekend, I stopped by Stitches East in Baltimore on Saturday to see how my designs for Shalimar Yarns were doing. I created the following five patterns for the Frederick, Md.-based company:

• Shenandoah Capelet
• Clover Honey Shawlette
• Freesia Socks
• Rotunda Baby Blanket
• Heart in Hand Fingerless Gloves

Shalimar Yarns is owned and operated by the delightful Kristi, who also owns Eleganza Yarns, in Frederick, Md. Her line of hand-dyed yarns includes some of the softest bulky-weight Merino I've ever had the pleasure of knitting.

The worsted-weight knits up with a nice drape on US #6 - 7 needles, and is next-to-the-skin gentle. Then there's the new Zoe Sock, a fingering-weight from a terrific source. It's not only soft, it "has tooth," if you know what I mean. The colors are fab, and the yarn just plain feels good to knit with.

Apparently, the Clover Honey Shawlette (see a photo of the yarn and the very beginning of the shawl in last Tuesday's post) was the hit pattern of the show for Shalimar. I have to say I was happy with the final product: a lace and garter stitch shoulder shawl with a sweet beaded edge.

Kristi tells me my other patterns also generated a good amount of interest. This is SO exciting to me!!! As I learn more, I'll share any info that might be of interest -- including photos of the garments.

Chris and I also chatted with Kristin Nicholas, who is so down to Earth you couldn't be star-struck if you wanted to, met tons of yarn vendors, and went for a walk around the market.

At one point, I stopped in to say hello to my friend Karida, owner of Neighborhood Fiber Co., in D.C. Along with her yarn, she had some gorgeous roving, which she was generous enough to share. Thank you, Karida! So here are some initial photos of my Stitches loot...

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Silk-Merino Roving (above and below)

We also spent a few minutes with Sharon, owner of Three Irish Girls and co-owner of Yarn Love. I was glad to introduce her to Chris, so he could put a face with the name when I mention her. She's lovely, as is her yarn...Check out her online stores!

By necessity, I was very good and didn't splurge, but I did come home with a few goodies. Photos are awaiting editing, and will arrive shortly. As will links to my patterns, which will be on sale soon at Shalimar Yarns' new Web site.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Knittin' and Kitten

UFOs: Knitting Project Purgatory...

See all those bags on my doorknob? It's a lot, right? But wait--the door has a knob on the back, too. And we have more than one door in our house. Each with its own little assembly of UFO "cocoons." So I guess the question of the day is: Will these butterflies ever emerge?

There's a reason, of course, why I have so many projects going at once. Some may call it an excuse... You see, I design knitting (and crochet!) patterns. Not so good about taking the time to put them in a nice PDF format, but I do create the patterns.

When you're designing, if you're like me, the time it takes to finish a pair of socks, say, can feel uncomfortably unproductive. I've succumbed to the just-knit-one-sock-and-take-a-photo habit lately. Not one of my more admirable traits, but at least it allows me to get more done in a given day, week, or month.

Another aspect of my dilemma is the simple fact that the creative process is self-propelling. In other words, the more I create, the more ideas I get.

So I often cast on while my enthusiasm for the new idea is high, making notes as I go. Then I might get another idea and, if I'm feeling totally crazy, will cast THAT one on, too. A never-ending cycle of creativity-gone-wild.

I'm not complaining about the fact that I have ideas, and certainly I'm not complaining about having the TIME to follow up on my ideas and get them to some form of completion...some day. It's just that these projects add up, and eventually make me feel more than a bit guilty.

There are exceptions, of course. Recently, I cast on the Freesia socks with some gorgeous Shalimar hand-dyed sock yarn from Eleganza Yarns. If you scroll down a little, you'll see a photo -- a blue and yellow puffy, lacy confection with a heel that allows the pattern to continue all the way down to the sole. THESE socks will be completed. I love them, love how they look, how they feel, and how much fun they are to knit.

But the Freesia socks really are an exception. I LOVE all of my patterns and my projects. Time is limited, though, and I can only do so much knitting, crocheting, and spinning (don't get me started on the latter...I've been in fleece heaven lately!).

For every problem, there must be an answer. What will mine be? Rip out some of my older projects (the ones knit from book or magazine patterns that I might be feeling bored with)? Or should I try working with a test knitter?

Ahh....a test knitter. Wouldn't that be marvelous? Writing up the patterns would be a must, obviously, since even the best test knitters are unable to produce exactly the designer intends via mind-reading.

But maybe that's the kick in the ass I need. Cast on, swatch, get it right, write up a draft pattern, and send to test knitter. It's a process I could get used to pretty quickly.

Needless to say, at this point, I can't afford to pay anyone, except by offering free versions of my final patterns. But maybe there are people willing to knit new patterns just for the challenge (read: finding mistakes) and enjoyment of knitting. One would have to be a process knitter to be a test knitter, don't you think?

Let's get back to the bags-o-knitting above, though. In my next post, I'm going to list my UFOs, with photos when possible. Anyone interested in joining me, talking about your own unfinished projects?

I know, many of us already list them on Ravelry. But here in blog-land, we can TALK about our WIPs (and WNIPs...works NOT in progress) in-depth, explore their nuances, and share new ideas.

And, who knows, maybe we'll even find a way to lighten our doorknob loads along the way...

UFOs: Knitting Project Purgatory...