Knititude

This is truly, probably my last post on Typepad.

If you haven't found it yet, please come on over to my new home at www.knititude.com.  Yes, I have my own eponymous website at last.  All of my patterns, future blog postings, and many of my blog archives are or will be available over there; although I will keep this site up for now, I won't be blogging or posting new patterns here.  To keep up with future patterns and blog posts, if you use Bloglines or another blog subscription service, please update your (my?) info accordingly.

And by the way, the pattern for the Rib & Braid Pullover or Jumper (the women's version of my Sherwood child's pattern) is finally available!

Presenting...knititudeDOTcom!

Presentando...knititudeDOTcom! 

After a couple of months of work with Susan Vertrees of Two Trees Media, I've managed to put together a new website at www.knititude.com.  While the focus of the new site is more on my patterns, my blog will still be there; most of my blog archives have already been moved over, and once I get the hang of posting new entries there, this site will become inactive. 

Dopo ne due mesi di lavoro con Susan Vertrees da Two Trees Media, ho riuscito da fare un sito nuovo a www.knititude.com.  Sebbene il fuoco del nuovo sito e' piu metto sui miei modelli, il mio blog sara' ancora li; la maggiorparte del mio archivio blog e' gia traslocata di la, e quando sono in grado di fare le nuove annotazioni li, questo sito diventera' inattivo.

I still need to write some copy for a few of the pages over there, but the pattern purchase and comment posting processes have already been tested-- so please, pay me a visit, look around, and tell me what you think!

Devo ancora scrivere qualcosa per un paio delle pagine di la, ma i processi per comprare i modelli e per fare i commenti sono gia provato-- allora per piacere, fammi una visita, guarda intorno, e dimmi che cosa pensi!

Twist Collective

Have you seen the new Twist Collective?  It is absolutely stunning:  one amazing pattern after another!  Check out Broderie by Connie Chang Chinchio; Stormsvale by Robin Melanson; Heroine by Jennifer Lippman-Bruno; Vivian by Ysolda Teague; Sylvi by Mari Muinonen; and on and on, I can't list them all!  (The above doesn't even include any of the lovely mitten, sock, or accessory patterns!)  I am really looking forward to being in such exciting designing company in the Spring and Summer 2009 issues! 

Avete visto la nuova "Twist Collective"?   E' proprio stordente:  un modello incredibile dopo l'altro!  Guardate Broderie da Connie Chang Chinchio; Stormsvale da Robin Melanson; Heroine da Jennifer Lippman-Bruno; Vivian da Ysolda Teague; Sylvi da Mari Muinonen; e cosi' via, non li posso elencare tutti!  (Oltre a quanto sopra detto ci sono tanti belli modelli di guantoni, calzini, sciarpe, cappelli...!)  Non vedo l'ora di essere in compagnia cosi' scelta nelle edizioni Primavera ed Estate 2009!

In addition, there's a really interesting article about the Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm, which I never did get to visit last summer, but which will definitely be on the schedule for next summer.

Anche c'e un' articolo molto interessante dell' azienda di fibra di Martha's Vineyard, la quale che non riuscivo di andare a trovare l' estate scorsa, ma sara' certamente sull' orario dell' estate prossima.

Carlotta Lace Beret

Pattern now available!

Look closely at the lace pattern on this beret, and you may see waterfalls, fountains, flowers, umbrellas, birds in flight...or whatever else your imagination can conjure.  I used an organic wool yarn in a natural color, but yarn choice is another area where your imagination can run free:  in the DK weight category, the possibilities are nearly endless!  Just a few:  Cascade Arcadia (80% cotton, 20% angora), Classic Elite Wool Bamboo (50% wool,50% bamboo), Filatura di Crosa Elen Cashmere (25% cashmere, 35% wool, 5% silk, 35% viscose), KnitPicks Swish DK (100% superwash wool), Rowan Purelife Cotton (100% organic Cotton) or Scottish Tweed (100% wool), Shibui Baby Alpaca DK (100% baby alpaca)....

Difficulty
Intermediate:  skills required include knitting in the round and lace knitting.  The beret is worked from the top down, with the option of beginning with Emily Ocker’s Cast On method, and directions are given in both charted and written form.

Sizes/Hat Measurements
Diameter at widest point:  10 1/2 inches (both sizes).
Band circumference:
S-M:  20”/51 cm unstretched; up to 24”/61 cm stretched.
M-L:  23”/58 cm unstretched; up to 27”/69 cm stretched.
(Size S-M should generally fit large child to medium adult; size M-L, medium to large adult.  Shown in Size S-M.)

 Materials
Yarn DK weight, 190 (220) yds. Shown in Rowan Purelife Organic Wool (100% organic wool; 137 yd [125 m]/50 gm), natural #00600, 2 (2) skeins.
Needles 1 set U.S. Size 6 (4 mm) double-pointed (dp) needles; 1 set U.S. Size 3 (3.25 mm) dp needles OR 16-inch circular needle, for ribbing.  Optional:  1 16-inch circular needle, U.S. Size 6 (4 mm).  Adjust needle sizes if necessary to obtain correct gauge.
Notions Crochet hook for Emily Ocker cast on; marker; tapestry needle. 

Gauge
22 sts and 30 rows = 4” in St st.
Check gauge on blocked swatch.

Pattern Notes
Sizes S-M (M- L) are identical except for ribbing.

Click here to buy pattern ($4.50); includes charts, photos and written instructions.  After purchase you will be provided with a link to download the pattern file, in pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format.  As always, please email me with any questions or comments.

(For more photos, see this post.)

Happy Halloween

I told you I was sick.

So many names...

Thank you all for some wonderful suggestions!  I saw so many new things in the lace motif after reading all of the comments:  umbrellas, cathedral windows, flying birds-- what fun!  The fact that I've decided to stick with the name "Carlotta" is more a reflection of how I've come to think of the pattern, and the memories I have of a day spent at Villa Carlotta, than a choice based on the merits of each suggested name.

So I've decided to give two free patterns away:  one to Jeanie, because I thought the name Azalee was especially beautiful, and one to Aimee, because after reading her comment, I could actually see the sandhill cranes in flight across the top of the beret (all on a collision course towards the center, but that's neither here nor there!).  I've finished the chart for the hat, but I'm thinking I will write out the directions as well-- I encourage the use of charts (and prefer them myself), but I realize that some knitters would rather follow written-out instructions.  So I would guess that the pattern will be finished within a week or two, and I will email it to the winners as soon as it's ready.

The nameless beret

I can't decide what to call this pattern.  I'm leaning toward "Poinsettia," because it reminds me of the star-like bracts of a poinsettia.  I can't call it "snowflake," because there are eight sections, not six (I'm picky that way)-- plus there are already lots of snowflake-related pattern names out there.  As well as flower petals, the lace motifs also remind me of cascading water, which is why I'm also considering "Carlotta," after Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, Italy, which has an abundance of both fountains and flowers.

If anyone has any other ideas for names, let me know; if I decide to use yours, I'll email you the pattern pdf free of charge (when it's finished!)-- and if I really love the name, I'll also send you the yarn to make it (Rowan Purelife Organic Wool*).

*Rowan Purelife Cotton knits up at the same gauge, and could be substituted for non-wool wearers.

I took some photos today...

because it was a gorgeous day, because I'm still waiting for yarn for a project for the spring 2009 issue of Twist Collective, because it was more appealing than the idea of sitting down and writing out the patterns for this jumper and that hat (although I did a little of that, too). 

It's kinda tricky using the self-timer and getting the right things in focus and the light levels in the right ballpark; it would be a lot easier with a shutter release cable, or a wireless remote control.  Or a photographer.  Or a model.  *Sigh*.  Jack (or Jill) of all trades, as they say....

Sherwood, transformed

I finally finished my grown-up version of Sherwood-- and it did turn out to be a sleeveless jumper/tunic.  I guess I was thinking of this little black number all along (can't believe I posted that picture from Harper's Bazaar over two years ago!).  I guess I need to find a big ol' hat for the modeled photo shoot.

Anyway, Sherwood has morphed into something quite different from the original; I guess I'd better name this jumper something else.  Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood, merry men, Maid Marion...how about "Marion"!?  Or maybe I should be practical and stick with something like "Rib & Braid Cable Sleeveless Jumper/Tunic"-- it sure would make it easier to find on Ravelry.

My friend Emily

For some reason I really enjoy figuring out how to work decreases and increases into stitch patterns:  witness all of my hats (Beaufort, Maple Seed, Rose of Sharon, Cinnabar, and Coin Cable) as well as the Chinese Lace Pullover and Wisteria child's dress (both based on the same stitch pattern), and the Dayflower Lace camisole.  Even so, I was getting sick of my latest hat by the time I had plotted out the crown increases maybe ten times and swatched them, oh, a half dozen times.  I'm going to look at the process I went through, in hopes of seeing how I might do it more efficiently in the future!

I began by looking at the stitch pattern (see first photo), which has two distinct motifs: a mini zigzag with eyelets (pattern #1 in all photos), and what I'll call a fountain lace panel (pattern #2).  Early on I decided I wanted the mini zigzag to begin as close to the crown as possible, and my first swatch reflected this, including beginning the purl stitch borders in the first few rounds.  Issues with the first swatch:  I felt that the patterns overall just didn't "read" very clearly, and I thought including the purl stitches early on was at least part of the problem.

In this swatch, I decided to wait until much later to begin the purl stitch columns which divide the two motifs in the final stitch pattern.  I also tried using more paired yarnovers for the increases, because the fountain lace pattern uses paired yarnovers.  Certainly the two stitch patterns would be harder to distinguish if I hadn't circled them (and these swatches are unblocked); nevertheless I felt the mini zigzag was clearly established early on in this swatch, and the fountain lace panel has a nice symmetrical look to it.

Unfortunately, the increases came on much too fast in the above swatch, yielding a pretty ruffled look completely unsuitable for a hat crown!  In looking back, maybe I should have been able to foresee this; although I've found that lace patterns in particular can be very forgiving of irregular increases and decreases, there is surely a point where blocking will not smooth things out.

I tried a couple of swatches with single yarnover increases (not pictured), but the problem was making the beginnings of the fountain lace panel look symmetrical.  I then went back to including purl stitches early on (next swatch), which helped define the mini zigzag, but didn't do much for the fountain lace.

Aargh!!

At this point I had also decided that one of the nice things about the fountain lace pattern was that the openwork was set off by solid panels, so I was afraid that the crown area would look too open in comparison; in the next swatches I tried using different types of increases to make portions of the fabric look more solid.

I found that increasing by knitting a stitch in the row below (see section "2" in the photo at left) was unattractive in a fabric that would be as stretched as a hat crown; this was made more obvious now that I had the rate of increases more or less figured out, and the fabric was lying flat as a result.

Finally  I was starting to get somewhere.  In the last swatch, I really cut down on yarnovers, increasing instead by lifting the running thread between stitches and twisting it to make a new stitch (M1).  I really liked the contrast between solid areas and the mini zigzag, and the areas that would segue into fountain lace were looking mostly symmetrical; for the final version of crown increases, the only change I made from this swatch was in one of the very early rounds, to make the point of the outlined triangle more symmetrical.

And Emily?  Well, up to now I had used Emily Ocker's Cast On for one project, with some difficulty, and when I decided to use it for this hat, I had to refresh my memory (using this web tutorial) on how it was done.  And it is a little fiddly.  But after doing it 7 or 8 times in a row, I think we're best buddies-- and it does create a lovely beginning for a top-down hat.

My hints for a happy EO's Cast On:  1)  When creating the first loop (the one pulled thru the finger loop for each stitch), make it nice and loose so you can pull the 2nd loop through it-- it will naturally tighten afterward.  2) Use a crochet hook smaller than your knitting needles; having the stitches tight will make it much harder for the needles to slip out of them for the first round or two, when you only have 2 or 3 stitches on each needle.

Hat craze

I've never been a sock knitter; my small projects of preference are hats and baby knits.  And fall, of course, is a fine time to think about hat knitting (and thus for designers, a fine time to think about creating some hat patterns).  I had noted the stitch pattern at left (from the Japanese book Knitting Patterns Book 250) back in the spring, and it struck me as something that could be adapted into an interesting hat.  I went so far as to work on adapting the leaf motif to fit within the limited number of rows possible on a hat (deciding on a sport weight yarn to get a few more rows in) and charting the crown decreases, and then shelved that project over the summer to work on other things.

 Non sono stata mai una maglierista dei calzini; i miei progetti piccoli preferiti sono i cappelli e le maglie dei bambini.   Certo che l'autunno e un bel periodo per pensare di lavorare a maglia dei cappelli!  Ho visto quello disegno (dal libro giapponese Knitting Patterns Book 250) nella primavera, e pensavo di usarlo per un cappello.

I went back to that hat project last week, but after a bit of swatching, I wasn't happy with the result, and returned to my Japanese stitch pattern books for more inspiration.  I found the second stitch pattern in the same book as the first, and the final one in the book Knitting Patterns Book 300.  I imagined using the second one in a top-down design, so I then started figuring out a series of crown increases that would segue nicely into the main stitch pattern. 

Sono ritornata la settimana scorsa a quello progetto del cappello; pero', dopo un po' di swatching, non ero contenta, e sono tornata ai miei libri di modelli giapponesi per l'inspirazione.   Ho trovato il  disegno secondo nello stesso libro come il primo, e l'ultimo nel libro Knitting Patterns Book 300.  Ho immaginato di usare il secondo in un modello top-down, quindi ho cominciato di calcolare gli aumenti,  i quali progredirebbero nel disegno proprio. 

This turned out to be a several-days-long process!  More on that later.
Diventava un processo di parecchi giorni!  Piu a piu tardi.

Coin Cable Hat

Pattern now ready for purchase!  Although I originally intended this hat to coordinate with the Florin Child's Vest, the decreases create a flower effect at the crown, so my masculine models felt that it was a little more suited for, well, girls.  Personally I think of both it and the vest as unisex patterns (and I do think they coordinate), but in the end the wearer must decide, so I decided to at least give this hat its own name.

The unusual Coin Cable plays a starring role on this hat, running not only around the bottom edge, but in vertical columns; simple ribbed sections set off the coin cables. Crown decreases are worked mostly within the plain ribbed sections, allowing the coin columns to extend almost to the very top of the crown. Worked in the round, this hat knits up quickly in a heavy worsted yarn.  I used Adrienne Vittadini “Trina,” a wool/microfiber/cashmere blend, on needles one size smaller than suggested for a tighter fabric; possible yarn substitutions include Malabrigo Worsted (wool); Blue Sky Cotton; Cascade 200 (wool); or if you feel like splurging,  Lobster Pot Yarns hand-dyed cashmere.

Difficulty is intermediate:  skills required include knitting in the round, cable knitting, decreases, and reading chart.

Sizes/Hat Measurements
Note:  Coin Cable stitch pattern looks best when not overstretched; thus “stretched” measurements below represent not maximum diameter possible, but maximum diameter without distorting stitch pattern. 
S:  16”/41 cm unstretched; up to 18.5”/47 cm stretched; approx 6.5”/17 cm deep
M:  19”/48 cm unstretched; up to 22”/56 cm stretched; approx 7.5”/19 cm deep
L:  22”/56 cm unstretched; up to 25.5”/65 cm stretched; approx 8.5”/22 cm deep
(Size S should generally fit small-med child; size M large child to med adult; size L large adult.  Shown in Size M.)

Materials
Heavy worsted weight yarn, 100 (125, 160) yds.  Shown in Adrienne Vittadini Trina (55% merino wool, 35% microfiber, 10% cashmere; 71 yd [65 m]/50 gm), red #112, 2 (2, 3) skeins.
Needles: 1 set U.S. Size 8 (5 mm) double-pointed (dp) needles
Optional:  1 16-inch circular needle, U.S. Size 8 (5 mm)
Notions: Marker; tapestry needle

Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4” in St st.
Approx 23 sts and 24 rows = 4” in Coin Cable (unstretched). 
Check gauge on blocked swatch.

Click here to purchase ($4.00)!  After payment, a link to download the pattern pdf will be emailed to you.  Pattern includes all written instructions, chart and photos. As always, please email me with any questions or comments about the download process or about the pattern itself.

Raiding Junior's Closet

 Razziando l'armadio dei figli!

With two sons*, I always thought I would miss out on the joys of having daughters "borrow" items from my closet-- and perhaps returning the favor.

Con due figli maschi*, pensavo sempre di perdere le gioie di avere figlie, coloro che potrebbero prendere a prestito le cose dal mio armadio-- ed anche di perdere la possibilita' di prendere a prestito le loro cose.

 But maybe I was too quick to call Florin a "child's" vest; I was looking at it the other day, and thought, "I wonder if that would fit me."  And the result?  Not bad; not bad at all!

Pero', forse ero troppo affrettata quando chiamavo il Florin un gile' dei bambini; lo stavo guardando l'altro giorno, e pensavo, "Mi chiedo se quello mi starebbe bene."  Niente male; niente male affatto!

*I do have two grown stepdaughters, but somehow I doubt that raiding their closets would do anything to endear me to them (hi Carmen!).

*Ho due figliastre grandi, ma dubito che di razziare i loro armadi mi renderebbe caro a loro.

Florin Child's Sleeveless Vest

Pattern now available for purchase!

The unusual Coin Cable forms the lower hem and the back neck of this cabled sleeveless vest; the “coins” flow into the ribbed panels of elongated Firefly Cable which form the body. The cable twists are not only decorative; they also reinforce the point of the “V” neck and the bottoms of the armholes. Worked in the round to the armholes, this vest knits up quickly in a heavy worsted yarn—especially since finishing is minimal. Although the intended ease is 2 to 4”, the ribbed fabric skims the body contours, so the vest will not look baggy if you opt to knit a garment with 5 to 6” of ease. The refined details, handsome fit and coin trim earned the name “Florin,” from the gold coins minted in Florence, Italy in the Middle Ages.

Difficulty
Adventurous beginner to intermediate: skills required include working in the round, increases and decreases, reading charts, cable knitting, keeping accurate count of rows, short row shoulder shaping, and three-needle bind off. Skills NOT needed include picking up  stitches for edgings and sewing seams! There are no seams to sew (shoulders are seamed using three-needle bind off) and all edgings are worked along with the body of the vest! 

Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4” in St st.
Approx 21 sts and 24 rows = 4” in Firefly cable. 
Check gauge on blocked swatch.

Sizes/Garment Measurements
                    XS     S      M       L        XL
Chest           19    23    26.5    30.5    34.5 inches
                   48    58    67       77       88 cm
Length         12    14    17       19       21.5 inches
                   30    36    43       48       55 cm
Cross back   7.5   8.5   9.5     10.5    11.5 inches
                   19    22    24       27      29 cm
Armhole       4      5     5.5      6       6.5 inches
   depth       10    13    14       15      16 cm

Materials
Heavy worsted weight yarn: 250 (325, 425, 550, 650) yds.  Shown in Adrienne Vittadini Trina (55% merino wool, 35% microfiber, 10%  cashmere; 71 yd (65 m)/50 gm): 4 (5, 6, 8, 9) skeins red #112 (size S) or orange #100 (size L)

Needles: U.S. Size 8 (5mm) circular needle, 24-30” long depending on size worked. Optional: straight needles for working back and forth after dividing for front and back. 
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions: Markers; cable needle; stitch holders (1 small, 1 med); tapestry needle

Click here to buy pattern ($6.50), including charts, schematic, photos and written instructions.  After purchase you will be provided with a link to download the pattern file, in pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format.  As always, please email me with any questions or comments.

(For more photos, see here and here.)

Vest, anyone?

Thanks to my wonderful test knitter (hi Terry!) I now have Florins to fit both of my boys, and plan to have the pattern finished and ready for purchase by the end of the week!  For the first time I've also had the pattern tech edited (she didn't find any math errors, I'm pleased to say), and I'm really happy with the results.  Hopefully pattern purchasers will be too!

Sailboat Knitting: The Sequel

Last August during our annual sailboat trip I was working on Sorelle; this year, the as-yet-to-be-named top-down raglan pullover (Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer) is still torturing me, although I have finally got the sleeve worked out, and hope to finish soon.   As you can see from the calm water and lack of sails (and the fact that I am letting $$ worth of yarn and hours of labor sit there untethered), there was very little wind the day I took this photo.

 I saw this gorgeous swift at the Nantucket Whaling Museum-- while at sea, whalers apparently spent their ample free time creating gifts for their womenfolk out of whalebone.  Note the carved fist that forms the base-- with wedding ring, no less!  (Was this a message to the wife to remember her marriage vows during her husband's long absences?!)

And below, a little fellow we met on the beach (no worries, he was returned safely to the water).

Errata and Notes for Aran Wrap, Vogue Knitting Fall 2008

1)  The wrap is really a big rectangle with sleeves, and when worn, the ends of the top of the rectangle and the ends of the rectangle drape into folds to form the fronts-- or wrap and overlap across the front of the body.  Thus the usual knitted measurements are a bit hard to determine exactly:  for instance the "bust" measurement depends on how the wrap is, well, wrapped.  The shoulder to hem length is less variable, because the sleeves control the placement of the wrap on the body; however, note that this length does NOT include the fold-over part of the collar.  Thus the actual length of the short side of the rectangle, from top of collar to hem, is about 31".  The long side of the rectangle-- the top or bottom edge of the wrap-- for the M/L size is about 49". If you look at the photos you can also see that if left open and allowed to drape, the fronts end up being longer than the back (and longer than the 25" shoulder to hem length given, which is probably most accurate for the back).

2)  In the original pattern I called for the zigzag rib sections to be worked in K1, p1 rib for 7 sts (WS:  (P1, k1) 3 times, p1; RS:  (K1, p1) 3 times, k1) for the 1st 5 rows, then inc 1 in each section as directed in the VK pattern, and THEN begin with Row 1 of the zigzag rib charts (continuing all other charts as established).  The VK directions have you work the first 5 rows of the zigzag charts on only 7 of 8 sts (??).  Okay...but the major problem with their directions is that the zigs and zags will not line up with the cable crosses in the double braided cable DBC) and reversible rib cable (RRC), as I intended (see photos of the back here), if you don't work Row 1 of the zigzag charts with Row 7 of the DBC and RRC charts.

Edited 9/4/08 to add:  You must also decrease in these sections to work the k1, p1 rib at the Right Front edge, shortly before binding off:  after completing Rows 1-24 of the Left and Right Zig Zag Rib charts 11 (14) times, on the next (WS) row: 
Left: p2tog, [k1, p1] X 3
Right: [p1, k1] X 3, p2tog. 
Cont k1, p1 rib as est until bindoff.

3)  Sleeve decreases:  Under "Dec rnd 2" the term "armhole edge" is introduced:  "Work 3 sts tog at armhole edge."  I find this confusing, because by now you are a number of rnds down the sleeve and away from the armhole edge.  Anyway, here I would have said, "Work to 3 sts at center of moss st panel at center underside of sleeve and work these 3 sts tog-- 2 sts dec'd."  Under "Dec rnd 4" I would have said, "Work to 3 sts at center underside of sleeve and work SK2P over these 3 (not 13!) sts.

4)  Edited 8/12/08 to add:  Row 21 of the double-braided cable chart should be the same as row 19, and Row 23 should be the same as Row 13.

Florin Friday

Say hello to "Florin," the child's vest I've been working on!  I named it after the gold coin minted in Florence, Italy during the Middle Ages, both because of the "Coin Cable" trimming the hem and the back neck, and because of the vest's refined details-- to me, Florence conjures images of finely wrought gold, handmade marbled and printed paper, frescoes and bas reliefs...okay, so I'm getting a little carried away.  But this little knit is great fun, because the Coin Cable is not your average cable; and because the armhole and neck edgings are worked with the body, meaning very little finishing time; and because the heavy worsted yarn and in-the-round construction mean rapid progress!  I'm having a second sample knit up, and the pattern tech-edited (and I'm SO happy not to be doing all of that by myself!), and plan to have the pattern available for sale in September-- in plenty of time for holiday knitting.  Look for a coordinating hat pattern too!

Birthday Loot

I don't tend to get a lot of knitterly gifts-- not to worry, I purchase plenty of yarn and needles and books and knotions for myself!  I did get this cool T-shirt from my sister last year....   Anyway, this year for my birthday I was lucky enough to receive two skeins of this lovely cashmere yarn, in colorway "Cape Sky," hand dyed in a lobster pot, no less!!  And with them came the cutest birthday card ever; AND, a couple of days later, I received a "Daily Dose of Fiber" Ravelry shirt in the mail (haven't yet gotten a photo of that).  Thanks Carmen!

Yarn substitutions for Aran Wrap

I've had several questions on this topic, so I've decided to list a number of yarn substitutions for the Trendsetter Journey yarn which was used for my Aran Wrap in Vogue Knitting Fall 2008.   This is a lovely, 100% alpaca yarn in beautiful heathered colors, but it does have the disadvantage of being quite heavy.  I'm not talking about heavy as in yarn thickness, i.e. heavy worsted (which this yarn is, at a ball band gauge of 16 sts to 4"), but heavy as in just plain heavy, at only 55 yards to 50 grams.  The construction and fit of the Aran Wrap means that it is really just a large rectangle of knitted fabric with sleeves, and the fronts either fall in folds or are overlapped.  While this makes it a cozy layer on an autumn day, it also makes it potentially quite weighty.

When I swatched for this design, I actually used a worsted weight wool (Classic Elite Skye Tweed, if anyone is curious), but the VK editors chose to substitute a heavier (in both senses of the word) yarn.  Personally, with careful swatching, I think one could go back to a medium worsted weight yarn, meaning a gauge of 17-19 sts to 4"-- but I'm not going to get into making recommendations for that here.

So here are some possibilities which have the same (or very nearly so) ball band gauge as the Journey.  I've listed all of their weights per 50 grams to make them easy to compare, but if they are supplied in different sized skeins, the actual skein yardage and weight is also noted.

Adrienne Vittadini Trina, a merino wool/ microfiber/cashmere blend, 71 yds/50 gms.  I'm currently using this for another project and like it a lot; I've had to frog small sections a couple of times and resurrect some of it once, and it has held up well.  Shows stitches very nicely.
Valley Yarns Berkshire, 85% wool/15% alpaca, 71 yds/50 gm (141 yds/100 gms).
Reynolds Candide, 100% wool, approx 86 yds/50 gm (170 yds/3.5oz).
Berroco Peruvia, 100% wool, 87 yds/50 gm (174 yds/100 gm).
Cascade Eco Wool, 96 yds/50 gm (478 yds/250 gm).
And the lightest heavy worsted of them all:  GGH/Rebecca Bel Air, 90% merino wool/10% nylon, at a whopping 143 yds/50 gm!  Produced using "new spinning technology!!"  If anyone uses this, I'd be very curious to see how it turns out; for a project like this, it certainly sounds good in theory.

Sideways Aran Wrap, Vogue Knitting Fall 2008

How sweet it is to have my first pattern published in Vogue Knitting magazine!  I'm certainly keeping good company, with my #30 Aran wrap alongside Mary Lynn Patrick's #29 cabled jacket in VK's "English Garden" story.  A pause while I say "Aahh," and bask in the moment I've been waiting for since I first learned my design was accepted, more than nine months ago (photo at left courtesy of Soho Publishing). 

Ah, yes.  Dare I admit a few thorny details which are marring my rosy day?  First, the prickliest:  the text on the photo page states, "...the sleeves are worked separately and sewn in."  Um, NO THEY'RE NOT!  At first I thought the editors had radically altered my original pattern, but no, the pattern still calls for the sleeve stitches to be picked up around the armhole and then worked down to the cuff.  Maybe this is my inner neurotic designer speaking, but that seems like a fairly important bit of information regarding the sweater construction.  It's also a fun way to work the sleeve (secondo me) and nicely maintains the continuity of the cables across the back and down the sleeve.  Another cool thing about the design is that the front edge (which is really the top edge) cable is reversible, meaning it can be folded back and still looks like, well, the right side instead of the wrong side of the fabric--something which is not mentioned.  And finally, I guess I never really noticed this before, but with only one photo of each design, it's not possible to get a good idea of how it looks from various angles, which I think is a problem for anything with an unusual construction or special detailing on the back or the sleeves.  After considering this, I thought to myself, "At least knitters can look at the schematic and get a better idea of the construction,"-- but again, no, there is no schematic for my design.  So, if you look carefully at the 2nd photo, at least it gives a good idea of the construction:  you work the upper part side to side, binding off stitches and then casting on again to form the armholes; pick up stitches around the armholes and knit down to the cuff for the sleeves; and then pick up stitches along the lower edge and knit down to form the wide vertical ribbed hem.  Simple?  Maybe not.  Fun?  Yes.  (But be warned, it is the size of a lap blanket, and quite heavy if worked in the suggested alpaca yarn.)

And now, please indulge me as I post a few more photos; the top of my son's head managed to find its way into the last one.

Wyvern Wrap V2

From pattern introduction:

Don’t worry, no wyverns were harmed to create this jacket!  Instead, the “Dragon Skin” pattern from Barbara Walker’s 2nd Treasury of Knitting Patterns embellishes a simple wrap with a tie closure.  The fronts (including sleeves and front edging) are worked from hem to shoulders, then joined with cast-on stitches at the back of the neck, and from there, back plus sleeves are worked in one piece to the hem.  Finishing:  edge the back neck, seam sides and underarms, and add ties and snap (for the inner wrap edge) at the waist.  The kimono-style sleeves do not taper, so directions for Dramatic (full-length or longer), Practical (just above wrist length) and ¾-length sleeves are included.  (Recommended:  Practical or 3/4-length, unless you have strong diva-like tendencies.)  Measured ease is standard (2-4”), but may seem greater when worn, due to the wrap style; those who prefer a more fitted look may want to make one size smaller than usual.  Length is just above the hip (though length from waist to hem is easily altered), and side decreases and increases gently shape the waist.

Difficulty is intermediate; skills include chart reading, casting on mid-row, modified I-cord ties, and keeping accurate track of row #s.

Sizes/Garment Measurements
                  XS     S     M     L     1X    2X    3X
Bust/hips    32     36    40    44    48    52    56 inches
                  81     91   102   112  122  132   142 cm
Waist         29     33    37    41    45    49     53 inches
                  74     84   94    104  114   124   135 cm
Length        21     22   22    22.5   23    23    23 inches
                  53     56   56    57     58     58    58 cm
Sleeve circ  15   16.5  16.5  18    19.5  19.5  21 inches
                  38    42    42    46     50     50    53 cm
Sleeve length (from body side seam, not necessarily from underarm):
Dramatic     18    19    18    19.5  18.5  19.5  18.5 inches
                  46    48    46    50     47     50     47 cm
Practical     13.5  15   14    15     14     15     14 inches
                  34    38    36    38     36     38     36 cm
3/4 length     9     11   10    11     10      11    10 inches
                  23    28    25    28     25     28     25 cm
Shown in Size S with Practical Sleeves and with 3” ease at bust.

Gauge
24 sts and 32 rows = 4” in Dragon Skin patt st; count rows along 2-st strip of st st between panels of “scales.”  Check gauge on blocked swatch.

Yarn
DK-weight yarn (approx 22 sts/28 rows to 4” in st st on U.S. Size 6 (4 mm) needles).  With Dramatic sleeves:  1500 [1800, 1800, 2100, 2250, 2400, 2550] yds.  With Practical sleeves:  1350 [1650, 1650, 1950, 2100, 2250, 2250] yds.  With 3/4-length sleeves:  1200 [1500, 1500, 1800, 1950, 2100, 2100] yds.  Pictured in RYC Silk Wool DK (50% merino wool, 50% silk; 109 yds [100 m]/50 gm), color #SH 305 Clay.

Needles
U.S. Size 6 (4mm) circular needle, 40-60” long depending on size worked (total of sleeves + back = 34-65”!).  Optional:  2nd circular for working Right Front (at least 24” long); straight needles for working front and back without sleeves.  Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions
Stitch markers; row counter; stitch holders or waste yarn; tapestry needle; med or large snap closure.

Suggested Yarn Substitutions*
*Substitute at your own risk!
Kollage Yarns Yummy (80% bamboo, 20% merino wool; 150 yd [137 m]/70 gm).  RYC Cashsoft DK (merino wool/ microfiber/ cashmere; 142 yd [130 m]/50 gm).  Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo (wool/bamboo; 118 yds [108 m]/50 gm).

Yarn Weight
Take note of yarn weight, in this case meaning actual weight (yds/m per gm), not thickness (DK).  Sleeves are wide and will be quite heavy in a heavier yarn (compare RYC Silk Wool DK at 109 yds/50 gm to RYC Cashsoft DK at 142 yds/50 gm).  If you choose a heavier yarn, 3/4 or at most Practical sleeves are recommended.

If you have already purchased this pattern, I will be emailing you the updated version:  no need to contact me unless you don't receive it within the next 2 days.  If you are already partway through the original pattern, I do NOT recommend you switch to the newer version; the order of some instructions has been changed and could be confusing, and there are no errata in addition to those already published back in February 2008.

Click here to purchase pattern (price:  $6.50).  After payment, the pattern will be emailed to you in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.

A Dragon Skin of her own

Until now,  the Wyvern pattern has been lacking photos of its own sample garment, instead substituting a photo of the Dragon Skin child's sweater-- a less-than-satisfactory alternative, I admit.  No longer!  My first attempt at hiring a test knitter has proven a success:  not only do I now have a Wyvern in Size Small, but I have several insightful suggestions for improving the clarity and knitter-friendliness of the pattern (thanks, Terry!).  Happily, I have no further errata to report, but I have already modified the pattern text slightly, and as soon as I can get some modeled photos, I will be emailing an updated version of the pattern to all those who have previously purchased it.     

Worth a thousand words

One-sleeved bolero

I'm thinking I'm done!  Just bind off, and...just kidding.  But mostly so far, so good, although I'm going to rework the sleeve cuff; I was thinking I would do a fairly snug ribbed cuff that would be best worn pushed up on the forearm, but this one is too tight and unyielding.

The color of the yarn is better represented in the second photo.  I reworked the neck four times using various edge treatments, including a twisted cable rib, but in the end I decided simpler is better.  I also blocked right after casting on stitches for the underarms, to make sure I wasn't misjudging the final gauge; if you look carefully, you can see the transition between the blocked and unblocked fabric.

Picking yarn in person

I buy the great majority of my yarn online, and to try to get an accurate idea of the color, I will often find the same yarn on several websites and compare the colors in the photos.  There can be a lot of variation!  WEBS and purlsoho.com usually have large and luscious photos of yarns (not always a guarantee of color accuracy, however).  I should probably buy a selection of color cards; at this time the only ones I have are for Louet yarns. 

Anyhoo, I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to visit one of my go-to LYSs, Elissa's Creative Warehouse in Needham, MA.  I had my orders:  one son wanted red, the other, orange.  I was thinking something like Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece:  a wool blend, relatively durable and easy to care for-- since we're talking about a designing a vest for a 5- and an 11-year-old boy.  The Cotton Fleece was there, along with many, many other choices, but this is what I ended up with:  Adrienne Vittadini "Trina", a hand- or machine-washable heavy-worsted blend of merino, microfiber and cashmere.  Certainly not the cheapest, nor the most durable yarn available; I chose this simply because I loved the colors, both the red and the orange (the colors in the photo above are pretty close to the real thing).  The red is a vibrant true red, shading neither into pink nor purple, and the orange is a deep, crisp orange, without a hint of sherbet or neon.  One of the great advantages of buying yarn face-to-face!  (Oh yes, and it's also very soft.)     

Breaking radio silence

I think this has been the longest time I've gone without posting since starting this blog.  The time just slipped away:  somewhere between leaving Italy for the summer, arriving back in the U.S., and taking care of various home- and family-related needs, suddenly, it became July.  I haven't done a great deal of knitting either, although I have made an important step in regard to my future designing and knitting (or perhaps non-knitting) life:  I've hired a test knitter.  I'm anxiously awaiting the results, but in fact there's probably no turning back:  I just want to design more things than I can possibly knit with my own two hands.

Near future plans:  by the time the kids are back in school, there are several things I want to accomplish, design-wise.  I want to write up designs for a hat or two; and for a child's vest with which I hope to kill two birds with one stone (surely there's a kinder way to express this sentiment!), namely create something personal for my two sons, for whom I've neither knit nor designed in the past almost-two-years, and create a design which will be relatively quick and fun to knit.  I want to work up various submissions including one for Twist Collective, which to me is an intriguing and exciting twist on the online knitting magazine.  I want to finish my top-down raglan sweater using Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer, on which I am slowly progressing; I didn't take any photos of the four different neckline treatments I tried, or the three different sleeve cuff ideas I had, but next post:  photos of what still remains. 

Niente male...?

(Not bad...?) 

(Oggi ho fatto un esercizio:  ho fatto la traduzione senza dei dizionari.  Chiedo scusa per tutti i sbagli!)

While waiting in the Milano Centrale train station to make a connection to Venice, I spotted several Italian knitting and crochet magazines in a newsstand.  I chose one based only on the cover; these stands display their less-popular magazines behind locked glass doors, so you can't flip though them, and it takes a braver person than me to riffle through all the pages while the newsstand proprietor is standing there waiting, key in hand, glaring at you as his other customers shuffle their feet impatiently.

 Mentre stavo aspettando un treno nella stazione Milano Centrale, ho visto alcune riviste lavorare a maglia ed uncinetto italiane in edicola.  Ne ho scelto una usando solamente il coperto; queste edicole hanno tante riviste dentro vetrine chiuse, quindi non si puo vedere le pagine, e ci vuole qualcono piu coraggioso di me di vederle con calmo mentre il commesso (e gli altri in coda) stanno aspettando.

 So I had no idea of what I would find inside this magazine, and I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and creativity of styles.  Altogether there are 38 patterns, and pictured are my favorites.

Ecco, non sapevo per niente che cosa trovarei dentro questa rivista, e non aspettavo cosi tanti modelli diversi.   Sono 38 modelli, e queste foto sono di miei preferiti.

When would I ever find the time to knit these?  No idea, to be honest.  But I took a look at the directions anyway, and very quickly I noticed a few things:

1)  All yarns called for are Lana Grossa.  Yes, this magazine is in fact published by Lana Grossa.
2)  It was published in Germany (and translated into Italian), thus cannot really be called an Italian knitting magazine.
3)  For most of the styles, directions are given for only one size; for 13 of them, directions are given for 2 sizes.

Quando avrei il tempo per fare questi?  Non lo so.  Pero', li guardavo attentamente, e subito ho scoperto alcune cose:

1)  Tutti i filati sono Lana Grossa.  E' vero, questa rivista e pubblicata da Lana Grossa.
2)  Era pubblicata in tedesco (e tradotto in italiano), quindi non si puo chiamarla veramente una rivista italiana.
3)  Per la maggiorparta dei modelli, le istruzioni sono per soltanto una taglia; per ne 13 di loro, le istruzioni ne sono per due.

 I had read that most Japanese patterns are written for only one size, and it is up to knitters to resize if they are unlucky enough to fall in love with a pattern that doesn't happen to be written in their size.  I'm bemused by this:  on the one hand, the Japanese patterns I've seen tend to be quite complex and would probably be difficult to write in a range of sizes; on the other hand, that complexity would make it hard for the average knitter to resize a pattern for her (or him) self.   On the other hand, every pattern doesn't have to be written for lots of sizes; a complex stitch or color pattern might work with only a certain number of stitches (some of Alice Starmore's work comes to mind), and could probably be resized somewhat by changing gauge.

But I digress.  The patterns in this booklet are not that complex.  So out of curiosity, I got out my calculator to see how many of these 37 patterns (1 of 38 was for a cap, in one size) a knitter of a certain size could make.  I've changed European sizes of 38 to 50 to CYCA standard sizes; note that XS-S, S-M and M-L are in-between sizes, NOT inclusive of both.

Causa di curiosita', volevo capire quanti modelli qualcuno di qualche taglia (CYCA taglie) potrebbe fare.  Ed eccoci qua:

XS-S:  0
S:  10
S-M:  21
M:  12
M-L:  8
L and up:  0

Now, I know that this is not because all women in Germany are between a size S (bust circumference 33 to 34 1/2 inches) and a size "M-L", (bust circ. of 38 to 39 1/2 inches)!  I've been told that Italian knitting patterns tend to be written in only one size; is this typical of European patterns in general?

Allora, ben so che questo non e' perche' tutte le donne in Germania sono fra taglie "S" (84-88 cm) e "M-L" per una taglia; e' anche generalmente normale per modelli europei? (96-100 cm)!  Ho sentito che le modelli maglie italiane sono solitamente scritti

Mi sto divertendo un sacco

 (I'm having a blast!)

In spite of the fact that I've ripped back the sleeve I'm working on twice already, I find this working from the top down to be somehow more magical than from the bottom up.  Maybe it's because I just finished reading the last two Harry Potter installments (late to the party, indeed), or maybe it's just something about being able to pull on a sweater and see it growing from the shoulders down.... 

Growing slowly, unfortunately.  As intriguing as I find this stitch pattern, it just doesn't want to cooperate with any of the other stitch patterns I've put next to it.  I was originally planning a slightly belled cuff with a stitch pattern with an arched effect, but it just didn't work.  I think the combination of the wavy cable and the slight openwork is complicating matters-- I want to keep this pullover solid enough that it can be worn without an underlayer, so I've been avoiding any lace with too many eyelets.  I'm running out of ideas, but I do still have one or two up my sleeve (ha ha).

(These photos are all of unblocked work, by the way; judging from the swatch, I think the effect will be quite different after blocking.)

Too much of a good thing

I can find colors I like within every hue of the rainbow-- but that doesn't mean I want to wear them all at once.  So unfortunately my enthusiasm for this Filatura di Crosa "Dusk" yarn, colorway #5, waned as I knit along and revealed color after color which had been hidden inside the skein.  You may have guessed (since I'm showing a photo here) that this will not be one of the swatches I will be sending along with a design submission to a magazine.  It's oriented this way because I had the idea of working the piece sideways so that the stripes of color would be slimmingly vertical.  (Maybe this concept would work better with a different yarn; it doesn't seem fully successful to me in this case.) 

As someone who doesn't use much variegated yarn, this specimen was interesting for me because the color is not a simple repeat; several strands of yarn which change colors at different rates have been twisted together, so that the overall color effect is ever-changing, with more heathered hues giving way to brighter sections.  I personally would have been happier with a much narrower range of colors, such as those shown in these two snippets of the photo above.

However, I didn't give up on finding a way to use this stuff:  I then tried combining it with a solid color yarn, the idea being to "tame" all those rowdy colors.  Perhaps it was largely the stitch pattern that left me saying "beh"*, but once again, running the entire ROYGBV gamut (this time with colorway #4 and a greenish instead of pinkish background) struck me as, I don't know, overly exuberant.  The colors pictured below are quite muted compared to the real thing, by the way.  As you can see from the photo below, I was still looking for a way to use those color changes in a vertical direction.

(If anyone is interested, the stitch pattern is "String of Purls"-- cute, eh?-- from Barbara Walker's 2nd Treasury.)

*"Well?" in Italian.  Gotta play Scrabble in Italian sometime, so I can use "beh," along with "boh" (who knows, I don't know), "ni" (neither yes nor no), "ne" (some of, of them), "ci" (us, there), "voi" (you plural), "noi" (we)....

LYS Venezia!

When I first saw this store window, I thought it was a yarn shop, but then I realized that those rainbow-colored displays on the back wall are made up of scarves, not balls of yarn.  Disappointing!

Quando ho visto questa vetrina, pensavo che fosse un negozio dei filati, ma poi mi sono accorto che quelle esibizioni colorate sul muro sono sciarpe, non gomitoli.  Che delusione!

But then, the next day, we were winding our way from the Accademia Bridge towards the Rialto Bridge, when we passed another colorful shop window, and this time, the window did indeed contain yarn.  With a little encouragement from the husband (who remained outside with his cigar), I went in and found that the shop had a much larger selection of yarns than anything I've found in Como.  So if you find yourself in Venice, drop by Lellabella, on Calla della Mandola (della Cortesia), where you will find wool, cashmere, silk, cotton, linen and blended yarns, a few handknit sweaters, and Lella and Monica, who were very nice.

Pero', il prossimo giorno, stavamo andando dal Ponte dell' Accademia  al Ponte Di Rialto quando passavamo davanti ad un' altra vetrina pittoresca, e questa volta, la vetrina infatti ha contenuto dei filati.  Con un po' di incoraggiamento da mio marito (che rimanava fuori con il suo sigarro), sono andata dentro e ho saputo che il negozio aveva una selezione di filati piu grande come i negozi a Como.  Quindi, se ti trovi a Venezia, va' a Lellabella, a Calle della Mandola (della Cortesia), dove troverai i filati di lana, casimiro, seta, cotone, lino e mescolanze, alcune maglie fatte a mano, e Lella e monica, che erano molto simpatiche. 

I found this Filatura di Crosa "Dusk," cotton and acrylic, with colors gorgeous enough to make me forget my general lack of success with variegated yarns; I have enough of the one on the left to make a sweater, while the other two are for submissions I'm working on.

Ho trovato questo FIlatura di Crosa "Dusk," cotone e acrilico, con colori bellissimi; ho abbastanza del colore sinistro per fare una maglia, ma invece l' altri due sono per sottomissione cio che sto lavorando.  

(I thought the colors lovely enough to deserve a portrait.)

(Pensavo i colori cosi' belli di meritare un ritratto.)

A few things you may not have known about Italy

(having nothing to do with the food, and very little to do with the scenery).

(Se sia Italiana/o, immagino che gia sappia queste cose.)

1)  Radio stations do the traffic report for the entire country at once.   In Como, where we are within shouting distance of Switzerland, not only do we hear about the traffic on the autostrada from the south Como exit to the Swiss border:  we also find out about accidents and traffic jams in Rome and in Naples.

2)  There is no word for "jaywalker"; in Italian those socks would be called "coloro che attraversano la strada all'infuori dei passaggi pedonali," or "those who cross the street outside of the pedestrian crosswalk."  Actually, they would just be called "Jaywalkers."

3)  According to an Italian women's magazine I read recently, Italian women are more concerned with cellulite than with wrinkles (no wonder, considering all the underwear stores displaying thongs and those funny little panties that only cover the top two-thirds of the butt cheeks)-- hence all of the anti-cellulite products advertised in pharmacy windows.  I thought this ad was especially eye-catching (ouch!).

Math twice, knit once:

I think this should be the knitter's counterpoint to the carpenter's mantra of "measure twice, cut once."   The reason the photos show an item with the bottom edge of loose stitches hanging free is that I didn't math twice-- not even once, really.  I followed the somewhat unspecific advice given by Barbara Walker in Knitting From the Top for a "classic raglan pullover," not stopping to think that I was planning to make a pullover with a wider and deeper neck than the one she describes as "classic."  So I cast on stitches so the back neck width would be around 10 inches, and then increased at the raglan seams every other row.  Once I reached the point where it was time to divide for front, back and sleeves, I realized that I was going to have a sleeve circumference of somewhere around 13 inches at the upper arm (about right for my purposes), and a bust circumference of around 41 inches (about 6 inches too many).  Oops.

Well, Barbara does mention that it may "be necessary to depart from the standard rate of increasing."  Unfortunately for me, if I had decreased the frequency of raglan increases for all sections (back, front and sleeves), then the sleeves would have ended up being too tight, and if I had only decreased the frequency of increases for front and back, then the stitch pattern would not have mitered nicely at the raglan seam.  So it quickly became clear that I would have to frog and start over from the beginning, and the only way to keep the basic idea and use the same stitch pattern would be to make the back and front narrower at the neck, and the sleeve sections wider.

To be honest, I'm not sure I am loving this idea, although I will give it another chance before I move onto something else.  When I swatched for this project, I really liked the stitch pattern, which is a four-stitch cable with eyelets; the decreases move from side to side with each cable section, causing the cable to wave back and forth.  I wonder why I like non-symmetrical wavy patterns so much (see here, and here, and here), and why I keep trying to make them work with raglan seams.... 

Yarn subs for Roped Shell and Wakame Lace Tunic

LeeAnn posted a comment asking about yarn substitutions for the Roped Shell in the Summer 2008 IK, and as I had been thinking about this subject, I decided to stick my neck out and offer a few possibilities (bear in mind that unless otherwise noted, I do not have personal experience with these yarns, and am basing my opinion mainly on fiber content and yarn weight/gauge).  Remember that swatching is very important when switching yarns, and that you may need to try several different needle sizes to get the correct gauge.  I do feel strongly that since the Filatura di Crosa Luxury (Roped Shell) and Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer (Wakame Lace Tunic) are both very expensive ($18-20 per skein), suggesting more reasonably priced alternatives is something somebody should do, and since that somebody is not IK (ahem), I guess next in line would be me.  I will say that I felt both of these yarns were excellent choices for their projects; the Luxury drapes very nicely, which is important for the look of the Roped Shell (and much less yarn is required for the shell than for the tunic), and I really love the subtle color variations and the texture of the Fil de la Mer.  So if you can afford them, great.  If not:

Roped Shell:   LeeAnn had asked if I thought KnitPicks Elegance might work.  I think KnitPicks Shine Sport would be a better choice, because the gauge is closer to the Luxury, and although the alpaca/silk combo in the Elegance might drape nicely (alpaca tends to have less resilience than wool), I think the modal/cotton in the Shine Sport would probably also drape quite well.  Another alternative which is still rather expensive is Louet Euroflax sport weight, 100% linen.  This is around $21-22 per skein, but each skein is 100 grams (or you can buy 1/2 lb cones), meaning it ends up costing around half as much as the Luxury or Fil de la Mer, and I have swatched with it for other projects, and like it a lot.  Other possibilities:  Classic Elite Cotton Bamboo (around $8), Reynolds Rise & Shine (cotton, $7-8), or Reynolds Saucy Sport (cotton, $3-4). 

Wakame Tunic:  KnitPicks CotLin might work nicely for this.  Like the Shine Sport, it is very economical at $2.49 per 50 gram ball!  Classic Elite Classic Silk (cotton, silk, nylon, ~$8), Ella Rae Silkience (cotton, modal, silk, rayon, $5-6), RYC Bamboo Soft (bamboo, ~$9) and Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy (hemp, cotton, modal, ~$6) are other possibilities; I have some Classic Silk and Hempathy in my stash and have swatched with both for other projects.

I haven't included any wool, alpaca or cashmere blends; certainly you could use one of these for a dressy-ish cool weather layering piece (the shell) or a more all-seasons tunic, but I would recommend keeping wool and nylon content on the low side for a nicely draping fabric.

Vi raccomando una visita

(Or:  what I did on my vacation.) 

(Oppure:  che cosa ho fatto durante la festa della Liberazione.)

Last week I finally got around to visiting Villa Carlotta, further down the lake in Tremezzo.  The garden is renowned, in particular for its azaleas and rhododendrons-- and right now they are in full bloom!  Azaleas the size of tour buses and  rhododendrons as tall as houses-- unbelievable.  With Lake Como and Bellagio as a backdrop, and behind them a line of snow-capped mountains-- you must go there. Go there now. 

La settimana scorsa sono finalmente andata a Villa Carlotta, piu lontano sul lago a Tremezzo.  Il giardino e famoso, innanzitutto per le azalea e i rhododendri-- ed adesso sono in piena fioritura!   Azalea grandi come  pullman e rhododendri alti come case-- incredibile.  Con Lago di Como e Bellagio in sfondo, e dietro le montagne nevose-- dovete andarci.  Ci andate ora.

And then go to Venice, but not to Venice itself (yes, okay, go, it's a must, even though Piazza San Marco is chock-a-block with pigeon shit and tourists):  take a water taxi across the Venetian lagoon to the island of Torcello, have lunch at the Locanda Cipriani, and gaze across their garden at the centuries-old churches of Santa Fosca and Santa Maria Assunta.  Mamma mia.

E poi andate a Venezia, ma non proprio Venezia  (va bene, si deve andarci, anche se Piazza San Marco e piena di guano di piccione e turisti):  prendete un vaporetto attraverso la laguna veneziana all' isola di Torcello, pranzate alla Locanda Cipriani, e guardate le chiese antiche Santa Fosca e Santa Maria Assunta attraverso il suo giardino.  Caspita.

Of seaweed and slipped stitches

Now that the Interweave Knits Summer 2008 preview is up, I think it's finally safe to show a detail of my Wakame Lace Tunic.  I found the lace pattern in a Japanese book of stitch patterns and fell in love with it; the undulating curves of the cables and the foamy effect created by the eyelets immediately reminded me of breaking waves.  And since the yarn (Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer) contains seaweed fiber, I thought "wakame" would be a good name; I'm glad IK saw fit to keep it!  (By the way, the fabric in the photo is doubled; I draped the tunic over a chair to get the picture.)

As for the Roped Shell, the design was originally for a sort of tube top with cable straps, and the yarn originally chosen was Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, but when they were reluctant to ship their yarn to Italy,the IK editors chose Filatura di Crosa Luxury instead.  This silk yarn has a lovely drape but very little stretch, which seemed to me to be an unforgiving (and very difficult to fit) combination for a knit tube top!  In addition, the slipped stitch pattern loses its nice curvy effect if it is stretched much, so I suggested that we change the design to a sleeveless shell instead; the Cotton Fleece would have suited the more casual style of a tube top, but I thought that this finer silk yarn would work better in a somewhat dressier top.  I also wanted to find a way to hide the jog in the stripes at the beginning of each round, so I took advantage of the slipped stitch pattern to create a vertical stripe at each side "seam."  Not the best photo, but at least you can see how light and drapey the fabric turned out to be.

Etrusca errata

For patterns purchased before today:  On Row 8 of the Lace Chart, stitches #22 and #30 should be "P on RS, k on WS"; as this is a WS row, you will knit, not purl these stitches.

Seaside Gloves

If you’re like many knitters, during the height of summer you may find yourself impatient for the brisk days of fall and even winter, when you can pull out those woollen items created with long hours of pleasant labor.  And yet-- human nature being what it is-- during those wintry periods, even knitters may find themselves remembering with longing those lazy hours on the beach in July or August:  the penetrating heat of the sand, the glints of light off the water, the cooling salt spray flying off the crests of the waves.  That’s why these gloves are a perfect anytime project:  during the warmer months, they’ll augur frosty days to come, and once those days arrive, the wavy stitches, deep ocean teal and crystal bead droplets will remind you of those carefree seaside afternoons.

Sizes
Women’s S-M (M-L)
Circumference (unstretched):  7”/18 cm (8”/20.5 cm); to fit hand circumference of 7-8”/18-20.5 cm (8-9”/20.5-23 cm)
Length:  10”/25.5 cm (11”/28 cm)

Difficulty
Intermediate knitter/beginning beader; skills required include reading chart and working in the round.

Materials
Alchemy Yarns Synchronicity (50% silk, 50% wool; 118 yds/108 m per 50 g skein); 30W: Spruce; 2 (2) skeins.
Size S-M:  1 set US #5/3.75 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gauge
Size M-L:  1 set US #7/4.5 mm double-point needles OR size to obtain gauge
tapestry needle; waste yarn or stitch holders
bead needle for threading beads (I used The Big “Eye”)
Clear glass beads, size 6/0 (4 mm), 52

Suggested Yarn Substitutes
Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Superwash or Karabella Aurora 8

Gauge
Size S-M:  24 sts/ 32 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch (st st)
Size M-L:  21 sts/ 28 rows measured over 10cm (4 inches) in st st

Pattern Notes
See attached charts.  The original stitch pattern (“Seaweed” from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns) is used for the left glove only, while the pattern for the right glove is its mirror image.

Both left and right gloves are fully charted to show the position of beads and construction of thumb gusset and fingers.  Directions are the same for S-M and M-L; altering gauge by using different size needles results in two finished sizes.  Follow written directions as well as charts!  Picked up and knit on stitches for upper hand and fingers are not shown on charts, but are worked following chart for stitches adjacent to each part.   

Thread beads onto yarn before casting on, pushing beads down along yarn until they are needed.  Beads actually sit between 2 purl stitches; to place bead, purl first stitch, push bead into place, and purl second stitch.

Click here to purchase pattern pdf ($3.50)!  Includes written directions, photos and full charts for both hands.  By the way, if your fingertips prefer to be covered, instead of binding off each glove finger, just continue the stitch pattern as established until each finger is slightly longer than your own, and then do not bind off:  instead break the yarn, thread it through all stitches, pull to close, and then fasten on the inside of the finger. 

The Invasion of the Tomas Swatches

With each of my last few projects, the number of swatches I have done has steadily increased (I hope this trend doesn't continue!).  I've done multiple swatches for different reasons; for my project for an upcoming issue of Vogue Knitting, it was to find different stitch patterns that played well together, while for Etrusca, it was to find an assortment of yarns in different gauges that could be substituted for the Karabella Empire Silk I used-- and to choose among several stitch patterns.  The swatches pictured here are for the next project I hope to turn into a pattern for sale:  a top-down* (my first!!) raglan pullover using Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer, a lovely, lovely yarn.  By the way, I'm NOT planning to incorporate all of these stitch patterns into one garment.

On a COMPLETELY different topic, I read in some trashy magazine at the gym that various actresses have "girl crushes" on Angelina Jolie, and I thought, "Hmm.  To each her own, I guess."  Then I wondered who my girl crush would be, and having recently seen A Bridge to Terabithia, Zooey Deschanel came to mind.  Then I saw this article about her recent CD release; in the article she is called a "crafty girl" who knits and crochets.  OK, found my girl crush.  Who's yours?!

*Knitting From the Top by Barbara Walker is a great book, but I kinda wish they'd update that cover photo.

Reader knit: Fern Fitted Shell

Many thanks to Terry for allowing me to post this great photo of a beautiful Fern!  (She used KnitPicks Shine and was very happy with the result.)

Another day in the sun for Seaside

I'm really quite fond of these gloves...but no, I don't normally wear them to the beach.  I dug up this photo from my archives of almost exactly two years ago, when I was planning to submit Seaside to Magknits for publication.

Ever wonder how I decided where to place the beads?  (They are not spaced regularly, after all, but are supposed to look randomly scattered like droplets of water.)  No?  Well, I'll tell you anyway.  After trying to place a few of them as I progressed, and ripping back more than once because I didn't like the spacing, I considered charting them all before knitting, but decided it would be very difficult to tell from the chart exactly where they would fall on the hand.

So I knit the first glove, and then sewed the beads on.  When I was happy with their placement, I charted them, created a mirror image of the chart, and then knit them in on the second glove.

   

Get your Cinnabar and Rose-of-Sharon here!

Sadly, the Magknits site has been abruptly shut down; I will always be grateful to them for the chance to showcase several of my early designs to a wide web audience, and it's unfortunate that the same opportunity won't be available to other new designers--nor the library of free patterns to all knitters.

As for my own Magknits patterns, the Cinnabar scarf pattern was already available on my site (and I've now updated the formatting to be more consistent with my self-published designs), and the Rose-of-Sharon hat and purse is now also available in pdf form:  just click on the link below.

Download rose_of_sharon_hat_and_purse.pdf

I started to reformat the Seaside glove pattern, and realized that the charts will need to be redrawn; as both gloves are fully charted, this will require a significant amount of time, so I've decided that this pattern (when ready) will not be free, but will cost $3.50.  If it's any consolation, I promise that the pattern pdf, and especially the charts, will be clearer and more prettily presented than the Magknits version!

Etrusca Sleeveless Top

The intricate ornamentation of ancient Etruscan jewelry was the inspiration for this top, in which a lustrous gold-colored yarn and the varied surfaces of garter stitch, a simple lace border, and slipped stitches combine to create a richly textured fabric.

To keep the border stitch pattern complete, no partial repeats were used, limiting the number of sizes to four; to fit a wider range of measurements, dimensions are given below for these sizes worked in four different yarn gauges, and a number of yarn substitutions are suggested (some of which I have swatched).  Knitting progress is given both in inches and in rows, so that a yarn of a different gauge than that pictured can be easily substituted.  Note that if yarn is substituted, yarn requirements are a rough guide only! 

The pictured top has staggered waist decreases and increases; all slipped stitch columns curve slightly in and then out at the waist.  But since the decreases and increases show slightly (look closely at photos), directions are also given for working all waist shaping at the sides only, if desired.  Front and back are worked flat to take advantage of the garter stitch base (knit every row!).

DIFFICULTY
Intermediate:  skills include reading chart, increases/decreases, three needle bindoff, and picking up stitches for neckband and armhole trim.

GAUGE
20 sts/26 rows to 4” in st st; 19 sts/30 rows to 4” in EG (Embellished Garter) and charted lace patterns.  EG and lace patt row gauges are different from that of st st (st st gauge given mainly to make yarn substitution easier); to calculate garment length you will need your EG row gauge.  Check gauge on blocked swatch.

SIZES & MEASUREMENTS for gauges 21 (20, 19, 18) sts to 4” in EG patt.
Note that sizes S-XL do NOT necessarily correspond to the sizes given in the CYC standards.  Bold #s are for gauge as given above; if only one # appears, it applies to all gauges.
                         S                              M                               L                           XL       
Bust/  31 (32½, 34, 36)       37 (39, 41, 43)        43 (45, 47½, 50)        49 (51 ½, 54½, 57)”             
Hem      79 (83, 86, 91)     94 (99, 104, 109)    109 (114, 121, 127)     124 (131, 138, 145)cm
Waist  27 (28½, 30, 31½)    33 (35, 36½, 38 )     39 (41, 43½, 45 ½)     45 ½ (47½, 50, 53)”
             69 (72, 76, 80)         84 (89, 93, 98)      99 (104, 110, 116)     116 (121, 127, 135)cm
Length             20                                 21                                22                            23”
                       51                                 53                                56                           58 cm
Armhole depth 5½                                6                                6½                            7”
(approx)          14                                15                                17                           18 cm
Armhole circ    14                                15½                             17                           19”
(approx)           36                                39                                43                          48 cm
Shown in size S and gauge 19 sts/4”, with bust circumference of 34” and 1” ease.

The top is shown with a deep scooped neck in front and medium scooped neck in back:  it can also be worn backwards, OR worked as two “fronts” or two “backs.”

MATERIALS
Karabella Empire Silk (100% silk), color 504 deep gold, 6 (7, 9, 10) skeins, or 540 (630, 810, 900) yds.
US size 7/4.5 mm circular needle, 24” US size 7/4.5 mm straight knitting needles.  Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.
Stitch holders, tapestry needle

SUGGESTED YARN SUBSTITUTIONS
(Same gauge/needle size as above):
Berroco Touche’ (cotton/rayon), suggested color 7912 Dijon; Classic Elite Premiere (cotton/Tencel), suggested color 6212 Mimosa.

FOR OTHER GAUGES:
Tilli Tomas Fil de la Mer (silk/seacell) on US size 6 needles for 21 sts to 4” in EG patt, suggested color Goldenrod; Berroco Touche’ on US size 8 needles for 18 sts to 4” in EG patt.

Or try these (not swatched by me):
Louet Euroflax on US size 5-7 for 18-22 sts to 4” in st st, color Mustard; Berroco Ultra Silk (rayon/nylon/silk) on US size 10 for 19 sts to 4” in st st, suggested color 6113 Dijon.

Click here to purchase pattern pdf!  Includes all written instructions, chart, schematic and photos.

Bentornata a Como, Primavera!

(Welcome back to Como, Spring!)

Proofreading

I've finished the pattern for Etrusca, but in pursuit of perfection, I'm giving myself a few days to proofread it.  Not that I mind giving out a few free patterns, but I do so hate to make mistakes (ask my husband!), and I hate even more to think of how annoying it is to have to troubleshoot a pattern you're in the midst of knitting.

Ho finito il modello per Etrusca, ma nella ricerca della perfezione, mi sto concedendo alcuni giorni per correggerlo.  Sono disposto a dare alcuni modelli gratuiti, pero' odio di fare sbagli (chiedi mio marito!), e odio di piu di pensare come si da fastidio di dovere riparare il modello mentre si lavora a maglia.

By the way, the similarity in color between Etrusca and the No Gap Wrap is mostly coincidence; I sent the NGW sample off to the publisher of More Big Girl Knits back in August of 2006.  (I say mostly because I do count among my long list of preferred colors that deep gold that almost shades into orange.)

No fooling

Seriously-- today you can rush out and buy your copy of More Big Girl Knits, which contains my pattern for the "No Gap Wrap"-- catchy, eh?  (Unfortunately I can't take credit for the name.)  I haven't seen the book myself yet, but if the first one is any indication, this one will be full of creative and wearable patterns, as well as lots of hints for how to choose and customize them to flatter various body types.

It's a little hard to tell from the photos, but the body of the sweater is not straight stockinette--it has a simple purl texture stitch which helps keep the knitting from being super boring (but not so complicated you can't multi task!).  The diagonal lace band is meant to mimic the flattering line of a wrap-style sweater while eliminating gapping and that double layer of fabric right over the ol' belly.  I swatched in Elsbeth Lavold Silky Tweed, which was replaced for the pattern with Garnstudio Silke-Tweed-- similar, but to be honest I prefer the former.  I think my favorite details are the way the lace trim turned out at the back of the neck (left) and on the sleeves.

Edited to add:  Knitpicks has images from inside the book: go here and then click on "view more images."  I love #s 1-4 in addition to the NGW!

Deflating the ol' ego

I hadn't heard from many knitters about errors in my patterns, and so I have to admit I was feeling rather smug about my proofreading and tech editing abilities.  As it turns out, what probably was happening was that many knitters purchased one of my patterns, and then after some period of time-- finding the right yarn, finishing up other projects, etc.-- actually started knitting from it!  Whatever the reason(s), in the last few months I've been notified of errata for the Dragon-Skin Wrap, Wyvern Wrap, Fern Fitted Shell, and now the Sorelle Pullover.

Ah well.  At least Interweave Knits has decided to add the Dragon-Skin Wrap to their patterns available for purchase (hope they fixed that chart before they republished it).

Correction for Sorelle Lace-Edged Pullover

Under the heading "Raglan Decreases" for sleeves, the directions for the first RS row state, "...k to X* sts before end...," when they should state "...work to X sts before end," because the Four Sisters stitch pattern continues up to the top of the sleeve.

Patterns purchased after 3/22/08 have been corrected.

*X = 4 or 5 sts depending on size worked and place in pattern.

Hiding in plain sight

When I started plotting Etrusca, I thought that I would hide the waist shaping decreases in the sections between two of the slip stitch columns, the ones closest to the sides, so that the adjacent slip stitch lines would curve in and then out at the waist.  But I didn't like the way this looked, with some lines curving in and others staying straight, so what I ended up doing was staggering the decreases, one in each garter stitch section (between the slip stitch lines), starting at the sides and moving toward the center, and then staggering the increases in the opposite direction, from the center out.

The resulting curves in the slip stitch lines are very subtle (but nice, I think), but I find it slightly problematic that the decreases and increases are not invisible-- not completely.  They show up in the photo as slight aberrations in the garter ridges.  To a bothersome degree?  Is it better to have the decreases (as in stockinette stitch) be plainly visible, rather than trying and failing to hide them completely?  I can't answer that question for all knitters...which is why I'm also including directions in the pattern for doing all decreases and increases in the side garter sections only. 

Nice day for a photo shoot

(More photos and pattern coming soon!)