introducing...my designs!

i've been knitting for a long time.  and all this time i have frequently knit things as they came off my needles, with little planning or researching or following of directions.  along the way i've created my own basic patterns, for hats and scarves and basic raglan sweaters.  in some ways, i consider this being lazy: i just knit the same hat over and over again, mixing things up only by adding stripes or changing the ribbing or stitch pattern.

well, after much prodding from my b-f, and an opportunity with twisted (the most amazing lys ever, which i may have mentioned once or twice before), i decided to actually start writing some of my patterns, and, well, ta da!

Old Faithful:

(picture by shannon, modeling by star)

and Hooligan:

(picture by shannon, modeling by star)

My patterns are for sale at twisted, at the store, via their on-line store, or via ravelry. 

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wednesday's poems

birthday by may swenson

What am I dong here?
What are the waves doing running? -
the grass doing growing?
What is the worm doing making its hole? -
the sun glowing? - the stone
sitting unmoving.  Remove
the stone: A shadow is missing.

The moon is making its circle.
A moth is emerging.
A mountain is shifting.  A forest
is burning.  A snake
 is leaving its skin.  A fig tree
is hearing.  What am I doing here -
the waves running and hissing?

Dawn is doing its breaking.
The grass is growing.
A buttercup fills with light.
What am I doing?  What am I making?
What is the stone doing?  Making
its shadow.  The worm is making its hole.

arctic blast

i realize that it is in the middle of the summer.  here in portland, we have just now begun to feel summer.  it was grey and rainy until just after the fourth of july, and since then, it has been hot.  like, this is the fundamental reason i left the mid-west hot.  100 degrees.  no a/c.  not the best knitting weather.

luckily, i managed to finish these lovely mitts while the skies were still grey, but i won't actually get to wear them until next year (don't worry, it'll be cold and rainy before we know it):

these mitts were the very first pattern for the twisted single skein club, designed by the talented star athena.

this patten includes a perfect harmony of a simple, but lovely lace pattern and a simple, but lovely yarn.  the lace is perfect for a beginning lace knitter, or something quick and easy for an experienced lace knitter.  as for the yarn, any guesses?  ...   ...   ...  malabrigo silky merino.  a single skein is all it takes.  i think i might also have to make them in blue.  and purple.

dear yearn, where have you been?

what have i been doing since april, you would like to know?  well, thinking a lot about posting and thinking a lot about knitting, but not doing as much as i'd like of either:

may: 14 court deadlines followed by a week-long conference.

june: trial followed by wedding (my cousin's) followed by deep breath.

july:  visiting with friends in bend

and, oh yes, every possible other free minute has been spent in front of the tv, watching the blessed WORLD CUP.

and so, with that, as the second half of the final game begins, i promise to be back shortly, with much to say.

wednesday's poems

here are some knitting poems (haikus?  kinda...) that i found

Knitting 

by Theresa Ann Moore

Knitting needles sing

Connecting soft looping notes

Compose sweater song

Sitting and Knitting

by Pisapia Gina

Sitting and knitting

allured by its yellow hue

bees sit beside me.

when in doubt, bsj

i was looking through my flickr account the other day and realized that there is always one knitting pattern that i can count on:  elizabeth zimmermann's baby surprise jacket.

now, of course, i shouldn't make this sounds like some big revelation, because it's no news at all that i have made this pattern so many times i can probably do it in my sleep.  it is also no news at all that i've taught this pattern so many times, i could probably walk someone through it in my sleep.  BUT, no matter how familiar i am with the pattern, it still amazes me every time!

After knitting the pattern, you end up with this floppy looking square type of thing.  

Then you just fold it up and it becomes this darling little sweater!

and FINALLY:  sew on some buttons and you are done!

some other pretty neat-o things about this pattern are (1) you can use the same pattern for a wide range of yarns:  fingering, dk, or worsted.  its the same pattern no matter what, you just get a different size sweater!  (2) in anticipation of a mystery baby, you can pick a gender-neutral color and you make button holes on both sides of the sweater, so when the baby is born, you can pick some buttons, sew them on the correct side (buttons go on the right for girls, buttons go on the left for boys)* (3) the entire thing is done in garter stitch!  no purling!  and (4) once you get the hang of ms. zimmermann's minimalist pattern-writing style, this is quick, quick, quick!

here are some more BSJs for your viewing pleasure:

and one more!

*don't ask me why, i don't make this stuff up.  if you are an anarchist, feel free to f*** it and put your buttons wherever you damn well please.  

footprints

i just finished (well, last week) the most magical and lovely socks.  have you tried knitting a personal footprint a la Cat Bordhi?

here are my very own personal footprints and they fit like a glove!  or, well, er, a footprint, actually...

this is a quite brilliant way to knit socks.  you start at the toe, increase until it is wide enough for your very own foot, knit straight, increasing as needed to fit your instep, knit straight again,  all the way until you're ready to start decreasing for the heel, which is a basically just the same as the toe (in reverse!).

along the way you make a nifty notation with some scrap yarn:

and THEN, both bravely and magically, you get out your scissors, cut that little marked row open, hold your breath, catch those stitches on your needles, and knit up a leg!  voi la!  socks: