Keep On Knitting In The Free World

A place for knitting and spinning and some other things too!

Monday, March 01, 2010

Ides of March

The first pattern for the Socks For All Seasons club has dropped! I'm excited to tell you about it right now.

Ides of March

The Ides of March was once a festive day dedicated to the Roman god Mars. In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date that Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C. This sock design was inspired by ancient Roman tile. Just go ahead and jump in - there is nothing to beware of here!

Sizes available: Women’s Small, Medium, Large

Foot circumference: 7 (8, 9) inches 17.5 (20, 23 cm) unstretched. Will stretch to fit 8 (9, 10) inches 20 (23, 25.5 cm).

Gauge: 32 sts/48 rows = 4" in st st

Needles: 1 set US #1/2.25mm 32” circular needles (magic loop) OR 2 sets of 24” circulars (two circulars) OR double pointed needles, or size to get gauge.

Ides of March

Yarn: Two contrasting colors of fingering-weight yarn that gives you proper gauge. You’ll need approx 50 (70, 90) grams of the Main Color and 30 (35, 40) grams of a Contrasting Color. Sample shown is knit with Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock (100% SUPERWASH Merino wool; 450 yd per 4 oz skein), color: cayenne; 1 skein and Dream in Color Smooshy (100% SUPERWASH Merino wool; 450yd per 4oz skein), color: purple rain; 1 skein.

Notions: Cable needle, Tapestry needle, and (optional) a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

Ides of March

NOTES: This advanced sock pattern is worked from the cuff down with two colors. It includes a sideways cabled cuff, mosaic knitting, a heel flap, and a grafted toe. The slipped stitches create a fabric that is slightly less stretchy than standard stockinette stitch. Keep this in mind when choosing yarn and sock size.

Ides of March

Oh yeah, the pattern comes with a word seek puzzle at the end, just for fun!

Buy this pattern now here: $3.99 (Only available for individual purchase now through the end of March)


OR

Read all about the club and maybe even sign up for the whole year of sock patterns here.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Ides of February

It's been quite a week here in the free world...

1. Today is my mom's birthday - happy birthday mama!

2. Working on top-secret projects for Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting... So cool!

3. I'm pretty excited about the Socks For All Seasons club!

I just finished knitting up the first pattern for March, it's being checked out by the test knitter right now. All I can say is that it's um, you know what? I can't say anything about it yet. No spoilers here!

It's not too late to sign up. Details here.

In fact, I finally started a Ravelry group! It's called Keep on Knitting in the Free World and it will be a pace to post pictures of your club projects, chat, get help, whatever! The Ravelry group is here. I hope you'll join me!

Freshman Cabled Socks

4. Hey! Interweave is selling the Freshman Cable Sock Pattern I designed for Knitscene Fall 2009! It's available here, exclusively.

5. Tomorrow is my pal Lee's birthday. Go on and wish her a happy one, and while you're there, check out her connect the dots stitching kits!

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Dorothy's Basket, now available

This pattern was on lock-out for about 8 months - I'm happy to say it is now available to the public!

Dorothy's Basket

While daydreaming of a world over the rainbow, a farming girl from Kansas would have to also be practical. She would need a light shawl to wear while walking her dog to the mercantile. This project was inspired by something a young Dorothy Gale might sport to coordinate with her gingham dress and hand basket.

Dorothy's Basket

Because this project is worked side to side, it is a great way to jump into lace knitting without the casting on or binding off of hundreds of stitches.

How about a pic of the shawl in action? Thanks to my work buddy, all around foxy moxington and hairspirational BFF Vivian for always having a good attitude about posing with my hand knits!

Vivian wearing Dorothy's Basket

Size: One size

Measurements:
Elongated triangle. 70” long, 24” deep at center, blocked.

Gauge: 24 sts/32 rows = 4" [10cm] in Stockinette stitch

Yarn: About 525 yards of any lace-weight (or fingering, really) yarn of your choice. I used Fresh From the Cauldron MCN Lace (80% Merino, 10% Cashmere 10% Nylon; 565 yards [517 m] / 4.06oz [115 g]), 1 skein.

Needles: 1 set US #4/3.5mm circular needles or straight needles, or size to get proper gauge.

Skill level: Intermediate. You will need to know how to cast on, increase, decrease, work simple lace, and follow written or charted instructions.

Pattern PDF = $4.99

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Juliet

Another finished sweater?

Juliet

Juliet

Juliet

Yarn: De-Vine by Blue Moon Fiber Arts in color Jasper

Pattern: Juliet by Sarah Johnson (Zephyr Style)

Buttons: Spalted oak hand-made by etsy seller wooden treasures.

I love it!

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Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Opal Creek Cowl and Mitts











Living in Portland, Oregon, I am surrounded by countless expanses and pockets of overwhelming beauty. Opal Creek is a wilderness area located in the Willamette National Forest on the border of the Mount Hood National Forest. It has the largest uncut watershed in Oregon. Early prospectors waded in Opal Pool and remarked on the natural glory of the crystal water. The stitch pattern in this cowl suggests gentle currents and leaves, inspired by Opal Creek.




It's the February Installment of Twisted’s Single Skein Club 2010!
(Available to the public May 1st, 2010.)

This new pattern set also includes a crossword puzzle. Check out Twisted here.

Thanks to Vivian for the lovely photos!

Monday, February 01, 2010

Arctic Blast Mitts

It's been a long wait, but this pattern is finally available!

Despite illusions of spring arriving, we are very much in the heart of winter. It was this time last year I put together a pair of armwarmers for Twisted's Single Skein Club.

Backstory: December 2008, Portland. A snow storm hit our town hard. Some called it Snowpocalypse. It was offically named Arctic Blast. So too are these fingerless gloves I was knitting at the time.

Arctic Blast Mitts

(Thanks to Vivian for being such a fun hand model!)

Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino (50% Silk, 50% Merino; 50 grams,150 yards/137 m) 1 skein

Arctic Blast Mitts

Some people live in towns that expect two feet of snow. These towns have snow plows and salt and intrepid spirits that function despite the challenges.

I live in a town that panicked. We had some plowing of the major streets, with sand instead of salt. But if you didn't have chains, you weren't driving anywhere.

I did what I had to do... I stayed at home with some hot tea, bad movies, and knit some armwarmers. And now I get to brag that I officially survived the Arctic Blast of Ought Eight.

Arctic Blast Mitts

This intermediate level pattern includes instructions to make a pair of lacy wrist warmers. You’ll need to know how to read a pattern, cast on, work simple lace, and work in the round. The lace pattern is charted as well as written; take your pick.

$4.99

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Socks For All Seasons 2010 Pattern Club!

I'm really excited to share with you (finally!) a pattern club I've been working on for a while: Socks For All Seasons!

Monkey sock cast on

What is Socks For All Seasons?

Socks for All Seasons is a modern almanac of sock knitting!

This club will take a knitter through an entire year with different techniques, skills and patterns to learn along the way. Each month will feature one original sock pattern that will celebrate the season or highlight a special holiday. (or maybe one you didn't know existed?)

The club starts March 1st, 2010. It runs for 12 months, and has 12 patterns. Each pattern will also contain one extra, like a recipe, word game or crossword puzzle, just for fun! The PDF file will be sent to your email address on the first of the month. I have no spoilers for you, the patterns will be a surprise for now.

Patterns are exclusive to the club for the duration of the year. When the club is over, the patterns will all be available to purchase individually, or together as an e-book (downloadable PDF collection).

Club Details:

You can join the club with different options, your choice:

1. Just sign on for one month, any month. You choose. $3.99

2. Sign on for three months. Any three months, you choose. $9.99

3. Sign on for six months. Any six months, you choose. $12.99

4. Sign on for the whole year! Yay! $14.99

The E-Book (available March 2011) will cost $15.99. It will be a complete collection of all 12 patterns plus a bonus secret pattern!

The good news: If you join a club, the price you pay will be deducted from the e-book if you wish to purchase it. Meaning, if you sign on for three months, for example, the e-book will only cost you $5.00 ($15.99 minus $9.99). Get it?

Questions? Leave a comment here. What are you waiting for? Go for it! Make your selection from the drop-down menu and I'll handle the rest.






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