The Atlantic ate my brain

That's my only explanation for why I have had to knit the set up row on Dev's sweater five times. Five times people. All because I seem to be incapable of counting to 10. The first couple of times, I'll admit, I had been on a plane for six hours knitting the entire time, so it's not that hard to imagine that my mental capacities were a bit diminished. But still...

I finally solved the problem by putting in stitch markers for every repeat and snapping at people not to bother me because I'M COUNTING! And voila, four rows into the chart and all seems to be going well.

I did manage to knit 85% of a cowl on the plane (thanks to The Hunger Games and Avengers Assemble). Now it needs the ends woven in and a good blocking.

Since I'm posting from my phone, I don't know where the photos will end up. I'll replace with better once I get to a computer. Hope everyone's holiday crafting is proceeding according to plan!

The state of the holiday knitting

When last I updated you, this was the state of my Christmas crafting list:

• One hat (already done) - still the case, but I've realized that I need to make the lining a bit longer, so that needs to happen.
• One scarf (weaving) - probably 6 inches from being done. This needs to happen tonight.
• A set of felted clogs (which will be delivered unfelted) - I pulled the yarn out of the attic, but this is plane/post-Christmas knitting (since they won't be delivered until later)
• Another cowl (already done) - I'm re-thinking this one, and I think I won't be gifting this particular cowl.
• Two kid-sized sweaters - One done and blocked (albeit with 3/4 length sleeves due to yarn shortage), second is done down to the underarms and I've designed/charted the stitch pattern for the hem. Hopefully to be done with the knitting before we get underway, but I'm not holding out for blocking.
• A Color Affection (done) - still done, and I'm hoping the gloves will be done to go with it by the post-Christmas events.

However, more things have been added to the list:

• A hat for Himself - after seeing the Copenhagen Hat, he decided it was pretty nice, and he'd like one, only less gnome-like. This hat is done, but only because I ripped out and reknit the sample hat to his more close-fitting specifications. It's blocked and waiting for a tassel, which I might hold off on until he tries it on, in case there need to be more modifications done.
• Spindles for the girls - I have the whorls, but now they need shafts and hooks (and balancing!). I was going to sew up little bags for them, but given the time crunch, I may just go to Devil's Favorite Store TM and get a couple of spindle-sized bags for them. I've already got piles of scraps from dyeing for them to play with...
• The Royal Alpaca cowl has been cast on, and is going to be the main airplane knitting - totally mindless and straightforward. Should be done by the time we land.

I keep catching myself thinking "Oh, maybe I could just cast on that and finish it off quickly..." but it's totally insane to even contemplate such a thing. Unless I'm also planning on giving up sleeping between now and Christmas. Not. Bloody. Likely.

Order quick

I'll be holding off on shipping out products for the next couple of weeks because of the holidays (and the fact that my children are now out of school!), so if you want any fluff to see you through to the New Year, order it before tomorrow night, and I'll get it in the post to you on Wednesday morning.

Happy holidays, and happy spinning to you all!

Rachel

Post-release bliss

I've spent the last week or so working on other people's projects. Which is to say, working on patterns that I didn't write/am not currently writing/am not planning on writing up and publishing. It's been very enjoyable!

I've been doing some spinning...

I ran out of yarn with one row and ten stitches left in the third chart of Jane's Ubiquitous Shawl, so over the weekend I spun up 8 more ounces, and last night I plied it all (in less then 2 hours - love the miniSpinner for plying!). It's now having a bit of a soak, and it should be dry by tomorrow, so I can motor on with that project.

I've been working on Ruth's Mystery KAL, a pair of gloves in Botany Lace.

I'm almost done with last week's clue on glove #2, which is good because the last clue was released this morning. I think these are going to end up as a Christmas present.

And I've been cranking along on Boo's Christmas sweater.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, she is not colorblind. She simply wants to look like a green and purple bumblebee. We had a mini-P3 reunion lunch last week, and the general consensus was "Did you talk to her about the color wheel at all??!!!"* and "You should probably do some kind of slip stitch when you change colors..."

The end result is a slip stitch color change row of which I am becoming increasingly enamoured. If I hadn't put a mental moratorium on designing projects** until after the new year, I would be starting a steeked fingering weight cardigan using this switch over. But in some more appealing colors, to be fair...maybe I can just do a bit of swatching?

* The girl is not yet six, but she has pretty definite ideas of what she wants. Color wheel, shmolor wheel. Green and purple it is.
** Note: this does not mean I'm not going to buy yarn for it. Knitpicks doesn't deliver to the UK, but they do deliver to my parents' house! Hello Christmas present to myself.

Travelling Hats are on the road

I am very pleased to announce that, after must consternation and fretting on my part, my new collection of designs is now available. Meet Travelling Hats,

This is a group of five hat patterns, all available seperately, or in a single pdf download. All of the designs are inspired by cities that we've visited in the last three and a half years while we've been in the UK. There's the Delhi Beanie,

the Copenhagen Hat (which can be done in two colors or in a knit-purl textured motif),

the double-thickness, lined-with-alpaca-goodness Boston Toque,

a slouchy, reverse-stockinette cap inspired by the London Eye,

and finally, a lace-knitting-on-every-round beret worked in worsted weight yarn, inspired by the cafes of Paris.

The hats are all sized from baby-adult large (specific measurements are included on the Ravelry pages for each pattern), and are all pretty quick, covering a wide range of difficulties. There really is something for everyone. Most of them use less the 200 yds of yarn (ranging from DK to aran weight), and can be whipped up in a couple of evenings, so they're perfect for last minute holiday gifts.

The Ravelry page for the collection is here, and I'll be adding the patterns to my Patterns for Sale page in the next little while, if you're interested. Individual patterns are $5.00 each, or you can buy the e-book, with all five patterns and additional schematics, for $20.00.

I need to thank my fabulous test knitters, once again from the Ravelry Free Pattern Testers group, who this time around were many and eagle-eyed. In alphabetical order: BrindleviewFarm, catdragon, CatSaysKnit, CrafteeWitch, GiddyCrafter, iammo, JenAus0524, jhandmade, kimkat, KnitterBeth, Kokolat, kyorei, LionesseM, maineknitter1975, MandyzMoon, maperkei, Momto3boys, neddhead, peggylaine, Ravelling, sandyvar, shortbusmom, siro2, SnookiesOz, TosaGirl, yofed and yukachan08.

And I have to thank Alli, and Devil and Boo for their enthusiastic (and not-so) modelling of these babies. Mwah!