Showing posts with label socks that rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label socks that rock. Show all posts

Friday, March 20, 2009

Roll Over

Rollover Gloves, in Socks that Rock Medium Weight (Colorway: Philosopher's Stone)

I've been working on a few things lately, in between long spells of "resting up" and trying to up my energy level. I'm excited about two designs I've done for two terrific sock clubs. And there's always more in the works...

In terms of "my own designs," or designs I came up with for no one in particular, these fingerless gloves sum up my primary goal over the past several weeks: Seek warmth! Our house is on the old side, and gets drafty and chilly when the temperature drops below 50 degrees.

Sometimes, though, I just don't feel like bundling up in bulky clothes. Enter the wrist warmers/fingerless gloves. They really do keep you warm! And, importantly, this pair allows enough finger and thumb dexterity to let you knit/crochet/spin your little heart out.

Wear 'em while you knit!

The semi-random cable pattern and little details like the purl rounds at the fingers make this a quick-to-knit project with enough interest to keep you awake, but not so much that it interferes with your enjoyment of Entourage reruns.

This pattern will be available soon, with some thumb and finger options. That way you can make one pair to wear when you're snuggling up indoors on cold days, and another pair with more coverage to wear when you run out to your LYS for more yarn.

***

Speaking of which: Please shop at your LYS as often as you can. Michael's and AC Moore don't need your business to stay alive. Your LYS does. Let's all pitch in and help the little guys!

Need the new issue of Interweave Knits or Spin Off? Head to your LYS.
Need an invigorating shot of new yarn in your stash? Head to your LYS.
Just want a little company while you knit? By all means, head to your LYS...then consider picking up a tiny, little gizmo, gadget, or gewgaw while you're there.

After all, wouldn't it suck to live in a world without independent yarn stores? Yes, it would.

***

And now, to thank you for enabling me to get on my soapbox for a few lines, I'll share a little treat I threw together a while ago:

Gorgeous hot pads from Karin Birch:: Sewn (Check out her Etsy shop!)

After a quiche-making session, I found myself with an extra (refrigerated) crust. One evening (one? hah!) my sweet tooth was acting up. So I grabbed a couple of reasonably-tasty apples that had been languishing in a bowl on my table, and chopped them up into one-inch cubes. Then I rolled the crust into circles and mounded the apples on top.

A couple of tablespoons of sugar (both white and brown), some cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and numerous "dots" of butter rounded out the filling. I folded the edges in, poked some holes in them with a fork, and baked them at 350 until the apples were tender.

The result: Pretty little apple pockets.
The verdict: Very tasty...especially with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. Yum.

Happy knitting!


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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

New Patterns and Projects

Curious about what I may have in my project bags? (I always love seeing what others have on and off their needles/hooks!) Here are a few little items for you...


Nadia Fingerless Mitts

Knitted up for a friend who lives nearby, who needs her hands free when running errands or playing with her little son.

They're simple 2x2 ribbing with a little cable twist on the back of each hand. Quick (and thus satisfying) to knit for yourself or a friend.


Secret Project #1
I've been working on this little project over the course of several months (with delays from celebrating holidays, catching a virus, visiting family, etc.). What is it? Well, that's a secret for now, but I do have to say that knitting with Three Irish Girls' Wexford Merino & Silk (shown in "Roan," above and below) is absolute bliss.

A plump, worsted-weight yarn, it behaves well on a variety of needle sizes. Stitch definition, when knitting with singles yarns, is always a treat. And the color? Simply luminous. Sharon (AKA: The Yarnista) really knows how to make colors and fibers work together.


Secret Project #2
Noro Silver Thaw...it's wonderful stuff.


Secret Project #3
A taste of spring in the middle of winter: Shalimar Yarns' Superwash Sock in Sweet Pea. It's gloomy as can be outside today, but looking at these colors makes me happy.

Too many of us, on the Atlantic Coast, anyway, resort to drab colors in winter. So I thought I'd create a little garden-hued something to:
- Combat any Seasonal Affective Disorder lurking in the cold, damp, grayness
- Support my own (and maybe other sun-lovers') conviction that spring is just around the corner ;-)


Secret Project #4
Hmmm...I wonder what these little goodies will become?


Socks, anyone?
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock (medium weight) is just scrumptious. It's so bouncy, soft, and round that I find myself squeezing it all the time. This gorgeous colorway is Philosopher's Stone.

Bea's Hat
I liked Sleepy Eyes Knits' Amanda Hat so much I thought I'd knit one up for my mother in law. She has the most beautiful black-coffee colored eyes -- really striking -- so I decided on this plummy Manos del Uruguay yarn with a few pale lavender highlights. (For those wondering what I'm talking about: Purple-ish colors bring out brown eyes.)

And, last but not least:

The Kitty Donut!
Shaped like a jelly donut and filled with garden-grown catnip, this little toy practically demands that Charley play with it. Honestly, he was sleeping soundly when I finished crocheting it last night, and when we placed it near him, he woke up and sleepily knocked it off the sofa. It was all downhill from there...

The end result of a morning "on the 'nip."

I'll write up some patterns this week, and will keep you posted on the others. Happy knitting!


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