coiled

MOVED

2009-06-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

OMG, I've moved the blog to a new address. woohoo!
c'mon over!! update RSS feeds!!!
www.katcoyle.com

good day

2009-05-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

The sale, last Sunday, to benefit the Wisdom Arts Laboratory, went well.
I snapped a couple of photos of things towards the end of the day.

Wisdom Arts Laboratory set on my flickr page.

art sale

2009-05-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

click to see big

Fund raising art sale for the Wisdom Arts Lab this Sunday 1:00 to 5:00!
Participating artists: Gordon Henderson, Abira Ali, Eliza Henderson and me.

barn raising square

2009-05-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Knitalong author Larissa Brown is organizing a fund raiser for Doctors without Borders and needs volunteers to knit barn raising squares. Barn raising quilts will be auctioned at Sock Summit 2009. All the info you need is here.

Ethnic Knitting Exploration

2009-04-15T01:42:00.001-07:00

I'm pleased to be a part of the blog book tour for Ethnic Knitting Exploration, the new book by author Donna Druchunas published by Nomad Press. The tour is going on all month. You can find the schedule here.

The book covers three areas of sweater knitting, raglan style sweaters from Lithuania, round yoke sweaters from Iceland and Saddle Shoulder sweaters from Ireland. Donna has created three methods for showing knitters how to make the garment of their dreams.

Option one is the visual plan which offers a schematic with indicators to all the key measurements, after you knit your swatch and decide on what size you want to make you fill in the information. This option works best for me because it is so easy to understand.

Option 2 uses planning worksheets, for those who like to plan everything in advance. Sometimes I plan everything in advance, but I do it in a more visual way. This option organizes, in a worksheet format, all the calculations needed and also explains how to do it.

Option 3 is the step-by-step project sheet; this method explains each step in the sweater making process. I like this option too because it's soothing and relaxing to have each step explained.
Overall, I found all the information given very straightforward and encouraging.

General knitting basics are covered, like how to do short row shaping and why, the different types of seaming, increasing and decreasing, how to center motifs, and knitting with two circulars. Donna includes some very useful charts: standard sizes for children, women and men, ease information, needle sizes, yarn guidelines, yarn quantities, and a few fractions to decimals to help with calculations. This is the kind of reference material needed when designing sweaters, so it’s great to have it all included in the book.

While reading the book I was inspired to start knitting a yoke sweater using yarn in my stash. It's a project that I've wanted to make for a while and Donna's book gave me the impetus to start. Instead of making a gauge swatch, I cast on stitches for a sleeve and set to knitting. I knew I wanted wide sleeves without shaping, so it seemed logical to just go ahead. There was no pre-planning with this sweater. But, that’s okay! It’s all about knitting, letting my instincts lead me while learning something new. All of this is in keeping with the spirit of Ethnic Knitting Exploration.

Around the same time I started knitting my sleeve, I received a few beautiful hand woven shirts from Guatemala. The color schemes, textures and patch together patterns are really inspiring. I don’t know if anything of those shirts will come through in my final sweater but they are a part of the creative process.

yoke sweater sketch, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

The last chapter in the book is all about cardigans. Good news for me, since I live in cardigans. This will be my first steek, and after reading about how to do it, Donna makes it sound simple. I like her style!
Check out Donna's website Sheep to Shawl, and other books here.

hats!

2009-03-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was an exciting day over at the Wisdom Arts Club. Two of my students, Eliza and Ruby, finished knitting their hats!

I love all the colors in these hats. They learned how to knit in the round and how to decrease, and how to stick to a project even though it felt like it took forever. Patience! Rewards!

Eliza, did all her funky embellishments as she knit. So, the braids and flowers you see were worked in the first week. She had a story to tell about her design. It's about a magical land.

And, isn't it great how the girls wore such pretty flowery dresses on the same day.
Happy Spring!

All photos were taken by Laura Cooper. Thank you!

flowers

2009-03-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is the new pattern I'm teaching to the kids to make at the Wisdom Arts Club. At first, they were intimidated, but after thirty minutes or so, they were all getting it. It's interesting how anxious students get when faced with a new challenge. I'm seeing myself in their reactions. Teaching is such a learning process for me.

The combination of red and aqua is making me so happy.

Edited to add that on this day, in 2006, I wrote my first post. It has a photo of Felix running with the wind.

buttons

2009-03-08T14:03:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I found a box full of buttons in my mom's basement!

lucky day

exquisite

fun

infinity loop done

2009-02-26T13:11:00.001-08:00

The mobius, infinity loop, is done!

The lace edging is worked in Colinette Jitterbug. The stripes leading up to it are alternating rows of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn and Jitterbug.

In the center, where the cast on begins, is Lorna's Laces followed by Brown Sheep WIldefoote.

I used a US#3, 40" needle and cast on a bazillion stitches. Originally, I imagined it as a wrap, but it's too long so I've been wearing it doubled as a cowl.
I love it; wear it all the time, and mysteriously, it goes with everything!

P.S. Twist Collective Spring 2009 is live and I have a pattern, the Ardent Jacket, for sale....check it out!

Valentine

2009-02-14T08:22:00.001-08:00

Mama bird and baby bird. tweet tweet. "Will you be my valentine?"
I painted this when I was pregnant with Felix. I painted through the morning sickness and wondered about my baby. "Who are you, my love?"

Felix painted this the other day and declared it a Valentine flower. He banned me from the room while he worked, since I kept making suggestions. Good boy!

infinity continued

2009-02-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

Knitting on the infinity loop stopped for a week or more while I was busy with a deadline....
So, when I picked up the loop I couldn't remember what stitch pattern I had used on the lace edging.

By the way, I did add the aqua/purple saturated Colinette Jitterbug to the mix. Gay said I should, and that's all I needed to go for it. I'm glad I did because for some reason all the reds and purples were depressing me. I might be too sensitive to color but anyway I feel better now that there's aqua in there.

I spent a long time reverse engineering the lace pattern. It's not complicated, but I was tired. Eventually, I figured it out and at that same moment remembered the source pattern book. I consoled myself by telling myself that now, I would never forget the stitch pattern. yeah right. Save Time, Take Notes!

One more confession, when I cast on for this project I did not count my stitches. Crazy? Yes.
Since the stitches go around both ends, knitting the lace edging is taking FOREVER. It literally feels like infinity. I tried to count the stitches but there were too many...

infinity

2009-01-26T13:16:00.001-08:00

the mobius mind blower...
can't stop knitting this magical infinity loop...

I needed help with the cast on, so i went to the master: cat bordhi demonstrates the cast on, on YouTube.

Yarns in use, so far: Lorna’s Laces shepherd sock in the Amish color way, Noro Kureyon sock, and brown sheep wildfoote in red and purple...laying in wait is some wild Colinette Jitterbug but I don't know it's got a lot of aqua which might be too much.

key key

2009-01-21T13:19:00.001-08:00

This was a really fun project that Felix and I worked on together. He picked out the project he wanted to make (we also made a frog but I can't find it). I drew the key on the felt and Felix cut it out. He had a hard time with the little turns on the key so I helped out with my sharp scissors. Then, he glued the pieces together and drew the face. I showed him how to sew. He did pretty good with some guidance but he got tired quickly so I finished it. We were able to complete the project quickly and he's been wearing the key as a necklace ever since.
The pattern, or directions are in the book Cute Stuff by Aranzi Aronzo.

Next, he wants to make a bag and decorate it with cute faces. I wish I had a good stash of wool felt. We used the cheap craft felt from Michaels and it's not holding up. I'm having a hard time (it's expensive) ordering the good stuff. On the other hand, I'm sure it's worth it, since the projects will be made with the best materials...something I believe in.

radiant sun cuff

2009-01-20T13:17:00.001-08:00

What do you think, should I add spiral fringe to this cuff?

p.s. Happy Inauguration Day!

dog house

2009-01-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, I knit Felix a little dog toy. The pattern is (ravelry link): little black dog by Suvi S. (blog) 50 villabeikkoa (flickr) little black dog
yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock yarn #S188

He LOVES this little pup, and named him Shaggy. Only problem was he kept misplacing Shaggy, so he and his dad made a dog house. They used a cardboard box, glue and paint.

Shaggy's house has a handle for easy carrying. We took him to lunch the other day. Felix is playing a video game with Casey. Casey from Ravelry.

And, here is Shaggy hanging out in the garden at home.

crochet cuffs

2009-01-15T13:14:00.001-08:00

This piece is one of my favorites. I'm going to make more pieces with this motif, a pin, hair clip, another cuff. Part of me wants to tell you about the inspiration for it but it's such a sad, true story that I am at a loss for words.

The woman who goes for a Rainbow goth look is the inspiration for these two. I might fall into that category (this week).

close up

2009-01-15T10:02:00.001-08:00

...of the leaf pendant and button on the long crochet necklace from the previous post.

the button closure

the whole piece
Click on the photos to see them bigger.

2009!!!

2009-01-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

We're having a heat wave this week and look who came to visit, a wee tomato with a few tomato friends.

It's almost too warm this afternoon, to wear this long necklace! Ah, California winter so brief, so sweet.

My son took the blurry photo. It's better than the ones in focus. The fuzzy mood fits the post.
Below is a collection of chokers and a pair of wrist cuffs.

Once, I started making these I couldn't stop. I still have enough yarn from one skein of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn to make more. woohoo!

easy socks

2008-12-10T13:20:00.001-08:00

This might be my new favorite sock yarn, Regia Design Line by Kaffe Fassett in color # 4259. These socks were so easy to knit and never boring because of the beautiful colors and varied stripes. Another gift is ready for wrapping!

Who fits these?

2008-12-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

I like to imagine what kind of creature could fit into this tiny sweater and these long socks.

Felix has wanted a magnifying glass for ages, we found one yesterday at the swap meet. I called him an inspector; he corrected me by saying "NO, I'm a scientist!"

He doesn't like to wear socks, or shoes, but he really wants these pink socks. Sorry, son, these are for some one else. I promise to knit you a pair soon.

a few of the things that I'm working on and looking at...

2008-11-25T13:25:00.000-08:00

I took this photo yesterday when the sun was shining. Today we have rain! Coincidentally, today I'm working with an entirely different palette, pale blue gray.

The shocking pink socks are my first pair of toe up socks.
I'm embracing the pool of this yarn but have to say I'm in no hurry to work a knit 2 purl 2 sock in the near future! Except of course for the mate. Darn, the mate!
Other objects in the photo are a magic treasures bag that I'm hoping my little students will make, garter stitch and felted coasters, a birthday invitation, and some vibrant yarns.
Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate the holiday.

thank you

2008-11-19T21:38:00.001-08:00

Thank you for all the nice comments this past week. I've been busy knitting and taking care of this little guy.....

He had a touch of the flu this week while I was finishing a knitting project. One night, he woke up crying and asking for all his toys that I've made him. The ones that I couldn't find, he described in detail and made me promise that I would find them later, or make them again. It was so sweet. I feel like all the toys I've made for my son were really made for me because I love to knit so much; but knowing that he loves them too is the best feeling of all.

knit ring

2008-11-14T14:17:00.001-08:00

It’s mid November and 90 degrees outside! With the fan blowing, I knit up some sweater-y rings...just in case my bracelets got lonely.

sock yarn bracelets

2008-11-13T12:56:00.001-08:00

These bracelets are worked with scraps of sock yarn. The other bracelets I made were designed to teach the purl stitch to children, but these recent ones are worked in the round and should be a great project to teach knitting in the round on 4 needles. Besides, they are fun to knit and only take a few minutes.... half an hour maybe.

motif mania

2008-11-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

I'm in that kind of mood where I could make pins all day, every day!
If you're interested in details there's more on my flickr site.

candy

2008-11-07T10:51:00.001-08:00

While my mom cooked dinner last night, I did some laundry and finished knitting the motif. On such a small piece of work, weaving in all the ends really wasn't such a big deal. I decided to toss it into the washing machine and felt it. What the heck.

This morning, Johnny stopped by the house with three lollipops.
Felix already ate all his Halloween candy, so this was a big treat. Oh, and inside each lollipop is a bug!

color and inspiration

2008-11-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

Working with the kids at the Wisdom Arts Club has been such an inspiration. I've been drawn to bright colors all week.

intarsia motif

2008-11-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

The motif is fromIcelandic Knitting Using Rose Patterns by Helene Magnusson.

The colors are inspired by the kids I've been working with at the Wisdom Arts Club.

I don't know if I have the fortitude to knit one of Helene's magnificent sweaters, but the small motif is a lot of fun to play with. We'll see about all those ends and how I'll deal with them. Something tells me I might just sew some fabric to the back of it.
A friend on flickr mentioned wouldn't it be great if the ends wove themselves in during the night. Isn't that a great idea for a knitters fairy tale?

knitting his way

2008-10-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

While I knit something conventional and wearable, Felix occupied himself with creating an intricate web all over the house.

He told me that he was knitting a trap for his artist Dad. He also declared himself a top designer. "I am Top Designer!"

And, "I am the best knitter!" I was really proud of him, and didn't mind at all that he used an entire cone of fine mercerized cotton or that we spent 48 hours trying to navigate the web and tripping through the house.

Finally, he had to finish his homework. You can tell he wasn't that excited about it. Yeah, coloring in circles isn't necessarily as interesting as being a spider.

free pattern

2008-10-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

I've made the Knit Bracelet pattern available as a free download through ravelry.

If you're not on ravelry and would like a copy of the pattern, leave me a message and please include your email address. Thank you!

knitting fingers

2008-10-11T12:46:00.001-07:00

knitting fingers, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

After the Learn to Knit class, Grace continues to knit. The sight of little, knitting fingers warms my heart.

knit bracelets

2008-10-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

An easy learn to knit project for teaching the purl stitch are these knit bangle bracelets, worked in two colors in reverse stockinet stitch.

Learn to knit class starts this Friday at the Wisdom Arts Club. Details here!

Edited to add, I've made the pattern available as a free download on ravelry. Enjoy!

puppet and shrug

2008-09-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm wearing the Alpine Shrug from Rowan 42. It's knit at a smaller gauge than the pattern. I saw Celtic Cast On's shrug on flickr and loved the snug fit. Lately, Felix has been taking photographs. Some of them look really good. I asked him to take a photo of me in the new shrug. Not bad, right?
I'm pretty happy that I have a helper!

The puppy puppet is from JudyKits by Judy Head. I made it for Felix to help get us through these tough first days of school. He has a habit of being mad at me when I pick him up. Instead of running towards me and giving me a big hug, he yells at me! Yesterday, he started in on me and I pulled out the puppet and soon he was laughing and we were making up stories for the puppy to tell us. Felix named the puppet “Vulture”.
I don’t know where that name came from, but he seems very sure of it.

Anyway, I think it’s one of the cutest toys ever! One thing I didn’t take into consideration is that I would have to be a puppeteer, and come up with a Vulture personality. At breakfast this morning, I coaxed Felix into eating by having Vulture tell him how yummy the food was. Felix said, “hm, mom that’s not Vulture’s voice.”

back to school

2008-09-18T12:49:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy, and emotional week with the first days of school; rocky for both of us, but after a couple of tearful days, we are now easily saying "see you later".

The night before school, father and son did some serious doodling with brand new markers and notebook. When I think back to my school days, most of what I remember is doodling while dimly listening to the teacher.

To ease the separation anxiety, I knit Felix a little cat toy. He named him Captain America after a friend's darling black cat. I gave him the cat first thing in the morning on his second day. He was so happy; it helped getting him off to school that day.

The pattern for the cat came from Invisible Threads in Knitting by Annemor Sundbo. A knitter's bliss: a project that heals the nerves of two people and uses small left over bits of sock yarn.

yellow bird

2008-09-08T09:40:00.001-07:00

Here's my first attempt at a bird toy. I'm pretty happy with her! The next one will have a wider tail and then I want to make some with color work. She's an easy knit for a knitter, but maybe too much for a beginning knitter. I tried a couple of super super easy bird shapes but they didn't please me. One attempt was a finger puppet that I think would work in finer yarn.

The alley cat that protects us from other critters is eyeing us very suspiciously! I tried to get the bird closer to kitty but she wouldn't allow it. Oh well.

And check out these moon jellies that we saw this weekend at the aquarium. Amazing! Ethereal! Mysterious!

more projects for knitting class

2008-09-03T08:34:00.001-07:00

Hello, meet two friendly snakes, Scarlet and Grellow, these garter stitch fellows are another project idea for my kids learn to knit class to be held at the Wisdom Art Club this fall!

And, ta da, the sporty wristband!

memories

2008-09-01T12:23:00.001-07:00

memories 4/365, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Drawing is a way to create memories. Dreaming up hat designs, I imagined a sweet summer day, where two kids in whimsical hats played by the shore with paper boats. I wonder will their memories be the same?

Goodbye summer!

red shoe bird

2008-08-30T22:10:00.001-07:00

PICT0007, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

I took my knitting with me to the park but decided to enjoy the lake instead. Funny, but my knitting bag was packed with yarn to make birds. In the car on the way over I wasn’t feeling any bird vibes, but now, I have some inspiration for making birds with personality; as well as some fashion ideas. Maybe red shoes and a yellow hat will remind me of this duck when ever I need to remember a very good day.

Happy Weekend!

smiles

2008-08-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hey do you feel like smiling? Then take a look at this book! Sock Monkey is page after page of sock monkey portraits. Guaranteed to make you smile!

felting, and super heroes

2008-08-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

I’m happy to report that fulling the potholders was the right thing to do. Since, I don’t have a washing machine it was easy to not over do the felting process. It’s pretty tiring to mimic the agitation of a washing machine with your own two arms. As you can see the stitch definition is still there but what you might not be able to see is that the fabric is considerably more dense and substantial.
All I did was fill a small tub with hot tap water and some dish soap. Put the potholders in and sloshed the mix with a spatula. Every few minutes I would add more water since most of the water splashed all over the countertop. When I needed a rest I’d empty the tub and fill it with cold tap water. I repeated the hot, cold bath a few times until the knitting started to look dense.
I wrapped them in a towel and then pinned them to dry.

This funny blue elephant, Oliphaunt, is from a free pattern, on Cristina Shiffman’s blog phila * craft!

Felix loves him and named him Helli.

A couple of nights ago he had a dream about a super hero named Super Kitty. Super Kitty is orange and has a green light hand and a red light hand so he can help direct traffic. His hands also change into a broom and a mop so he can help keep the streets clean.
Felix wants me to make a Super Kitty. We’re going to work on that today but in the mean time, I made a wrist band which I thought would be a great first project for the kids learn to knit class.

This is what I found this morning, Felix wearing his super hero wristband. Could it help him dream super hero dreams?

garter stitch and inspiration

2008-08-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm knitting simple garter stitch projects for the kids learn to knit class I'm going to teach. These will be hand felted but I haven't gotten to it yet. There's a part of me reluctant to felt knitting!

Garter stitch and short rows make a circle shape; and garter stitch worked straight for twice as many rows as stitches for a square shape.

The pot holders and lot's of project ideas are in this amazing, delightful knitting book, Invisible Threads by Annemor Sundbo available from Schoolhouse Press. If you love knitting, love to read about knitting, and knitting history you will love this book. It's definitely a favorite of mine, with the author's personal style of relating history through knitting and traditional craft.

When I'm working I always gather piles and piles of reference material for inspiration. I thought it would be grand to gather lots of exciting imagery for the kids to enjoy.

Endless inspiration is to be found in The Quilts of Gee's Bend.

And a new book that I'm really enjoying is Vera Textiles Add Color To Everyday Fashion. Indeed! Loads of beautiful color combinations and diverse pattern design on every page.

magical tree of everything

2008-08-20T23:06:00.001-07:00

-click the photo for bigger magic trees!

Here are a few of the paintings that were done in the Magical Tree of Everything class.

edited to add: teacher abira ali's flickr set with all the paintings from her wonderful class.

favorite color

2008-08-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

All the yarn looks so cute in a big pile!
Thanks to Mary Jane for suggesting to full the pot holder. I'm going to make one tonight.

I asked Felix what was his favorite color. I knew he would go for the dark pink. It's the most vibrant in the bunch.

winding

2008-08-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not mad just tired. I finished my knitting marathon and mailed off a couple of projects that I'm really happy with. The serious look, is all about my aching hands and how much I want to start knitting something new. Next month I'm going to teach a kids learn to knit class, so I started preparing by winding small bits of yarn so that the kids can easily use lots of colors. I'm thinking of all kinds of fun projects but most probably we'll start with the basics: a striped garter stitch scarf.

Here's a question, does anyone use WOOL HAND KNIT POT HOLDERS?
I like the size, and how they are a good way to learn how to miter and practice short rows and stitch patterns, but I'm wondering if they are useful.

There are Nineteen colors here but Still I think maybe we could use some more bright ones.

Bright like Pink! and Orange!
meow >''<

family photo

2008-08-16T09:36:00.001-07:00

Egad! We took over fifty of these crazy photos.

It was a good break in a day full of knitting. I stayed up past two in the morning knitting and listening to The Age of Innocence read by Brenda Dayne. She has a really beautiful voice. I had to force myself to turn it off.

I want to show you what I've been knitting but it will have to wait. I have other designs that have been published that I never showed on the blog, the spring and summer stuff and now it's already fall! Okay, it's not quite fall but soon!

painting together

2008-08-15T16:34:00.001-07:00

painting together, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Felix and I have been painting together. We’re taking a class called "the magical tree of everything" and last Wednesday we painted trees that were very different yet looked so harmonious and connected. I was inspired and Felix said he had a lot of fun. This morning he wanted to paint together. It’s so hot outside I was grateful to stay inside.

doll design sketch

2008-08-10T14:19:00.001-07:00

doll design sketch, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Happy Sunday everyone! This drawing is for one of my fantasy dolls that I've yet to make. I thought she could be made with hand knit pieces and fancy fabrics dotted with embroidery.

Mexican candleholder

2008-08-07T14:01:00.001-07:00

mexican candle holder, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

I'm still not knitting. This morning, I did this painting of a candleholder that decorates my desk. Afterwards, I realized she had no hands, but flowers and then flames where hands might be.

wedding socks

2008-08-04T11:47:00.001-07:00

wedding socks, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Due to sore wrists and a numb thumb! I’ve taken to drawing socks instead of knitting them. Enjoy.
For inspiration I drew these from a pamphlet printed in 1931 from the Hispanic Society of America.

poof

2008-08-03T23:05:00.001-07:00

poof, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

"Now where was I?"

new sweater

2008-07-26T10:37:00.001-07:00

Wool Bam Boo Rickrack Rib Pullover, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

Hey what happened to July?!
I've been busy knitting new things for Classic Elite. In the mean time, this sweater pattern, that I designed a few months ago, can be found in the #9092 Autumn, Book 1.

The modeled shot:

If you're on ravelry the details can be found here.

Other ravelry news: There is some voting going on at the Sexy Knitters Club. Gay nominated me as the designer for their next KAL. The voting period starts today and ends July 30. If you're interested you can vote here!

happy 4th

2008-07-02T20:27:00.001-07:00

sleeping, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

That's Mabel sleeping next to Felix. She came home with us a couple of days ago and we love her!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and holiday. We're taking off for a few days of vacation at the beach; where I hope to get lots of rest and relaxation.

blankets

2008-07-02T09:43:00.001-07:00

During the heat wave last month I spent a fair amount of time knitting blankets. Working on them was kind of like taking a sauna. The weather is milder now, and all the blankets are done.

The patch blanket was for Julia!
She is expecting her baby in a couple of months - !!!!!!!!!!! -

It's a nice carry-along-project since it's made of small, manageable squares. I like this method of working. The finishing is a little tedious but not so bad since there are only 16 squares. Next time I make one I will weave in the ends as I go, then all the finishing that has to be done is seaming, and knitting the border.

The next three blankets are fast knits. The pattern is basically the Fluffiest Baby Blanket from Greetings from Knit Cafe. I went through my stash and found lots of odd balls of GGH Espirit, Trendsetter Zucca and Austermann Piuma. A friend of mine is having twins. eek!

I was on a roll and decided to knit a fluffy blanket for us. I didn't realize how well it would match our living room.

living room, originally uploaded by kat coyle.

summer goodness

2008-06-26T14:02:00.001-07:00

Painted, Bright flowers for a bright day.

And, a Super, fantastic gift to make a summer day brighter, and better! Habu yarn, a silk boucle, indigo, hand dyed by Michele!

Thank you. I’ve been knitting blankets in the heat and am pleased to have something small and silky to hold and create with.
I got started on a new scarf, something with enough stockinet to show off the crunchy, slippery texture and a little lace (worked on right and wrong side rows). It’s just enough action to keep the knitter awake.

This knitter is awake, well rested and very pleased.

Knit So Fine

2008-06-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

Today is day 4 of the Knit So Fine blog tour and I’m chatting with one of the authors, Laura Grutzeck. Her coauthors are Carol Sulcoski of Black Bunny Fibers and Lisa R. Meyers of Rosie’s Yarn Cellar.

Knit So Fine Designs with Skinny Yarn is a collection of twenty-one designs all worked in fine yarns. The designs are grouped into chapters titled: Simplicity, Speed, Style and Shine. The collection includes a wide selection of long sleeve sweaters, and also a stunning wrap dress, a skirt worked sideways, a ruffle scarf, a lace stole, and a beret; it’s a great collection of classic, wearable designs.

Kat: Laura, have you always been primarily a fine yarn knitter?

Laura: No, when I first started knitting I rarely used yarn finer than worsted weight. It was actually kind of hard to find thin yarns in the stores back then. I remember going into a yarn store a long time ago (BK: Before Koigu) with a vintage knitting pattern from the 40s. I think it called for fingering weight yarn knit on 3mm needles. The store owner told me that they didn’t carry such fine yarn, and besides, “no one knits like THAT anymore.” She made it sound impossible!

Kat: Was there a bulky knit disaster in your knitting past that sent you over the edge?

Laura: Ha, no, I don’t think I ever had a disaster. I was infatuated with the bulky yarns just like everyone else, but I eventually realized that I never used the bulky yarn in my stash. Every time I swatched with it, I wasn’t happy with the way it looked, so back it went to the stash. I guess we just grew apart. J

Kat: Having worked in a yarn store did you get frustrated when people would shy away from the skinny yarns?

Laura: Yes. It can be very frustrating when people wont even consider using a yarn just because it is thin. Even when customers loved a pattern that called for fine yarn, some of them would either refuse to knit it, or ask us to re-write the entire pattern for a thicker yarn! Luckily most of our current customers have seen the light, and have no fear of thin yarns. I think Koigu convinced a lot of people to try fingering weight yarn, and after that, there was no turning back.

Kat: Do you have a favorite design in the book?

Laura: I don’t have a favorite, but I really want to knit Lisa’s legwarmers, Carol’s Bohus sweater and either my asymmetrical cardigan or the lace stole.

Kat: Was there a particular yarn that really spoke to you?

Laura: We got to use a lot of nice yarns for the book; I really enjoyed working with the Blackberry Ridge Cotton Blend, the Regia Silk and the RYC Cashcotton 4-ply.

I noticed that you do a lot of fine gauge knitting yourself, like the beautiful Gossamer Stars scarf in the Summer 08 Interweave Knits. What are some of your favorite thin yarns to work with?

Kat: The other day, I started knitting a lace triangle shawl with
Black Bunny Fiber Laceweight and have to say, that the night I cast on, I stayed up past three in the morning. I couldn’t put it down. Is there magic mixed into those skeins? The colors really made me happy! I did that obsessed knitter thing, talking to myself, and saying, “oh I have to go to sleep, I’ll knit just one more row, just one more row…” Good times! It brought me back to those fun days when I was just catching on to knitting lace and that great feeling of being so excited by the rhythm of the stitch work.

Laura: I’m so glad you liked it!! Carol’s colors really are amazing. I am lucky to know her, because otherwise I don’t think I would be able to get my hands on any of her yarn; she always sells out so quickly. The Lace Stole was knit with the Black Bunny Laceweight, and I think it turned out really well. The yarn has some toothiness to it that I really like. The lace pattern in the stole has a lot of garter stitch in it, and in a drapier, more slippery yarn I don’t think the garter would have worked as well.

Kat: True, the yarn does have a little grip but not at the expense of softness.
I like a lot of the designs but I especially favor the Asymmetric Cardigan. I admit I’m a little obsessed with it. How does it look unbuttoned? I’m imagining that the right front falls dramatically open.

Laura: You are correct; the right front falls forward when you unbutton it. It also looks good with just a few of the buttons buttoned. It is very wearable, I think!

Kat: Moss stitch is a great choice for this sweater. It's hard to not cast on for this immediately. Hmmm I wonder if I have enough yarn in the stash for this one? And, at a gauge of 22 sts and 32 rows to 4” it’s entirely doable.

Laura: Yes, I think this sweater has the largest stitch gauge in the book. I am thinking of knitting one for myself, is one of the projects that I was sad to send off to Interweave.

Kat: Another favorite are those amazing over the knee leg warmers by Lisa. Wow, what a beautiful display of traveling stitches!

Laura: I know, aren’t they beautiful? They are on my Must Knit list.

Kat: Can you briefly describe your design process? Do you start with the yarn, a sketch, an idea of what you want to knit, or a stitch pattern?

Laura: I almost always start with an idea. I get ideas at random times, like when I am walking the dog. Then I start sketching, because sometimes my idea is only for one part of a garment, say a sleeve or a stitch pattern, and I have to figure out what the rest of it should look like. Once I manage to get a nice clear sketch that I am happy with, I start writing the pattern. How about you?

Kat: Sometimes I get an idea and sketch it first, and then swatch for stitch pattern and yarn. Or sometimes, like when I’m designing for a yarn company I will do random swatching, which will generate an idea.

A few years ago when knitting became a popular rediscovered craft it seemed that everyone was knitting chunky scarves. I think that the people that stuck with knitting have moved on and have discovered their knitting styles. The exciting thing is that this is the kind of craft with so many possibilities for exploration.
In the chapter, The Skinny on Fine Yarns, the authors offer arguments for knitting with thin yarn. Among them, the wide range of hand dyed yarns, better fit, more flattering, less bulk, thinner seams, more economical, and the feel.

For me, the feel, is really important and I would add that the knitting experience is more comfortable, since the yarn weighs less; there is less stress on the wrists.
I sometimes dabble with bulky yarns but I always pay the price with wrist pain. So, knitting with fine yarns is good for your health!
If you love knitting at a fine gauge, it won’t take as long as you think because the process will be more enjoyable.

Laura: I completely agree! Thanks again Kat for letting me visit your lovely blog, and asking me such interesting questions!

Kat: Thank you too. It was fun!
For the blog tour schedule click here.

things

2008-05-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

This Saul Steinberg drawing (from 1971) says it all. Is there anything else? I have (books), here are some images that inspire me.

Embroidered coverlet, Mexican dated 1786, image from American Quilts and Coverlets in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Wouldn't these characters make charming dolls?

The next few are from Knot ISBN978-4-07-257058-6. Click the photos to see them bigger.

ETA: Sources for Japanese craft books Kinokuniya. I shop at the store in Los Angeles. Here is a link to Knot on Amazon Japan. I haven't ordered from them before so I don't have advice on how to navigate the site. I also found Knot listed on Yes Asia. I have ordered books from Yes Asia before. It's pretty straightforward.

Mother's Day

2008-05-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

Abi sent this photo that she took of my mom and me on Mother's Day. We really were that happy! By the looks of that empty cup in my hand, I just finished drinking a very strong margarita.

These are my presents for being a mom. It's not bad having another gift holiday. I love my new books!

Knot. Crochet jewelry and embellishments that are photographed and styled beautifully. ISBN978-4-07-257058-6

Aran Knit. It's hard to resist these lovely cabled sweaters and accessories. ISBN978-4-277-11401-1

American Quilts and Coverlets

doll

2008-05-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend we helped to celebrate our friend’s 7th birthday!
We made her a doll as a gift. I employed Johnny’s help. He was the master stuffer; the parts I stuffed he re-stuffed to look better. There is an art to stuffing. After trial and error we discovered that a size 19 Daisy knitting needle was the best tool for getting to the bottoms of the arms and legs. The needle nose pliers helped in extracting stuffing that had gotten packed too tightly.
Felix tentatively named her Marcia but the naming is entirely up to the recipient.
I dug through my swatch stash and found an exact replica in doll size of my Knitty skirt. And, the best part is that the knitty skirt belongs to our friend’s mom.

Her blouse is made from two swatches I knit for the lace dress in Greetings from Knit Café. I crocheted them together with some bright pink mohair. Her necklace is a string of sequins and her hair is Donegal tweed.

Gossamer Stars Scarf

2008-05-10T10:10:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, the mailman delivered my Summer ’08 issue of Interweave Knits. I designed two patterns, Gossamer Stars Scarf and the Tapestry Skirt. Living in L.A. summer knitting is a natural fit for me. I can wear knitted skirts year round and I’ve always been a scarf girl. Today, I’ll talk about the Gossamer Stars Scarf. I noticed that the photograph in the magazine shows the wrong side of the scarf. Not that it matters, I mean both sides are pretty, but if you’re reading the chart you might see the difference.

For once, I managed to take a couple of photos of my project before sending it off. Maybe you can see some of the details in my backyard, knitting photo studio!
The yarn is Fiesta La Luz, luscious to knit with and touch, and the needle size is US 7 (4.5 mm).

I wanted to show my submission swatch. I don’t have the original but a scan of what I sent in. It’s worked in Fiddlesticks Knitting Zephyr Lace Weight Wool-Silk (50% Merino Wool, 50% Tussah Silk); 630 yds [576 m] / 2 ounces; Aegean Blue. I used needle size US 5 (3.75 mm).
If you’re looking for lace weight yarn I highly recommend this one. It is wonderful to work with and comes in a wide range of beautiful colors.

I’ve been asked for yarn substitution suggestions. I think it looks beautiful in both yarns and I say choose a yarn that is pretty, has drape and is monochromatic. It would probably detract from the stitches if you use a variegated yarn.

meme

2008-05-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

Gudrun from the Shetland Trader tagged me. I was also tagged awhile back by creative yarn but I never got around to doing it. Both memes are kind of the same, one is answer these questions and the other is, list 7 random facts.

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?
Hmmm, 1997 was a big transition year for me. I broke up with my then boyfriend and moved to an apartment by myself, started a new job and met my current boyfriend. Phew. Oops! Ten years ago would’ve been 1998, not 1997. Duh. I can’t recall 1998, so it must have been okay. I was working retail in Beverly Hills, thinking about being a schoolteacher, and painting a lot.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
Answer emails, take the kid to have his TB test checked (needs to be done for entry into public school), return the book I bought my mom for mother’s day since she already owns it (I knew she would love it!), get my ass in gear with submissions looming ever so close, and work on a doll for a present (needs to be finished by Sunday).

3) Snacks I enjoy:
Rice pudding, Pinkberry – original flavor with chocolate chips, (sounds like all I eat is dessert), a little cheese with my white wine, suddenly I love white wine but not like a connoisseur, no, I like it watered down with ice cubes, but is that a snack? I like fruit, fresh strawberries, crisp apples, and sweet oranges; and trail mix with walnuts and raisons.
Want to hear a Pinkberry story? You do! Felix and I went the other day. The day he wore his poncho. While I was daydreaming and relishing every bite, he jammed his finger into a little tiny hole (cut-out) in the chair. He says to me, “mommy my finger is stuck. It’s been there a long times.” He had crammed his ring finger at a weird angle so how ever I tried to pull it out he would scream “IT HURTS”.
So, consequently the manager heard us, ran over with lotion and I desperately squirted lotion all over the top and bottom of the chair. Finally, I got the finger out but not before I had visions of firemen and rescue workers sawing the chair in half.
Needless to say, we left hugging each other and very tired from the drama.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Hahaha. I don’t know! The typical things that people do when they suddenly have money SPEND IT.

5) Places I have lived:
Okay, I started to write down the places I lived but it is so incredibly long. I deleted it at the point where I would have been a teenager because I couldn’t deal with walking down memory lane. Let’s just say I have moved A LOT. It’s too much!

So here is the random facts part: As you may have noticed I don't follow directions very well. It's not for lack of trying. I went to therapy once and the therapist told me I was an airhead. I didn't like that!

I like to be alone but only with people around me. Doesn’t make sense? I like having the choice to be alone otherwise, I get lonely; I know I know, I sound like an airhead!

Do you want to play along? Tag, You're it!

poncho style

2008-05-06T22:07:00.001-07:00

This is hand-knit wearing in action. My kid won’t wear a sweater for five minutes but he wore a poncho all day.
He asked me in the morning, “Mommy, you made this? Did it take a lot of times?”
“Yes. I made it and it took a while.”
“Oh, mommy it’s beautiful. What’s it called?"
"A poncho. It's pretty cool, you look like you're ready to ride a horse in the old days".

Then, a few minutes later I overheard him telling our little three-year-old neighbor, when asked what he was wearing, “it’s just a dress. My mom made it and it’s beautiful.”

We ran around town today like two kids on vacation. On a weekday afternoon, we were the only riders on the train.

ETA: The pattern is Prankster Poncho from Boho Baby Knits and the yarn is Filatura Di Crosa 127 Print (#36 Teal).

squares

2008-05-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

I’ve been knitting squares. It means more stash busting and some much-needed mindless knitting. I really do knit to relax but I also use it to challenge my abilities to use math creatively as in writing patterns in multiple sizes.
I guess I need a little bit of both and like to alternate between challenging and relaxation projects.

Also, last week I taught a class on embroidering knits. It was great fun but a lot of work to prepare for. I knit quite a few squares for the class and had square fever afterwards.
For the class, the squares are done in stockinet stitch. I had the students work a sampler using the face from the beatnik doll found in Boho Baby Knits.

I also had the owl face ready, but we didn’t have time to get to that one. The owl face is one of the decorations on the bonnets from Boho Baby.

All these other squares are for a blanket. They are garter stitch. Ah, lovely, easy, textural, lays flat, garter stitch I love you.

I got on a kick with planning patchwork blankets and can’t stop. Right now, I’m working with what’s in the stash, Brown Sheep Nature Spun sport weight in a variety of colors that I used to make my dolls. I’ve been studying the color card and feel tempted to buy more colors. This is how THE STASH gets to be so huge, there’s always a need for more!

tangled yoke and carnival

2008-04-14T00:13:00.000-07:00

If I look like I'm wilting while wearing my new sweater, the Tangled Yoke Cardigan it's because of the heat wave. Many cups of coffee helped me through the weekend and a visit to the fair that parked across the street from our house. And I was determined to finish my sweater, maybe the heat will go away and cool air will prevail a little while longer if I get all the ends woven in and the buttons sewn on. Yes, magical thinking is my friend.

Part of me wanted an oversized, comfy cardigan but I'm glad I decided to make it more fitted. The yoke feels roomy even with the snug fit through the body. I like the finishing on the neck, how it is doubled over and bound off together with picked up stitches along the base of the neck. It feels sturdy and I like the look of the rolled edge uninterrupted by a chained bind off finish. Of course, my favorite part of the sweater is the unique, tangled cable stitch and for me it's just the right amount of cable.

I made a couple of modifications to the pattern. The yarn is Rowan Scottish Tweed and my gauge: 20 sts and 30 rows = 4 inches. Needle size US 4/ 3.5 mm for main body, US 3/ 3.25 mm for button bands and collar.
I cast on enough stitches to make a 35 1/2 inch finished bust circumference. After 2 1/2 inches of ribbing I switched to stockinet. The yoke has 20 sts less than the smallest size in the pattern.

C'mon who doesn't love a house of mirrors...

and smiley faced lady bugs going around and around?

These are the pretty buttons I bought for the Tangled yoke. They have weight and I like the burnished metal color with the tweed. If you're in L.A. and need buttons, I got these at The Button Store, a wonderful place for button lovers.

boys do knit

2008-04-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Felix helped his dad make a wood box for my sewing machine. It was a surprise. My sewing machine came with a flimsy plastic cover and I think Johnny was tired of looking at it on the shelf. I didn't want to store it on the floor in the closet. But, now I can. Anyway. Felix helped make this box. He hammered nails, and sanded the wood and other stuff too; and he was so proud of himself. We were all proud.

The little striped toy is named Tiny and he made it out of a sock filled with stuffing, eyes are glued on and a string is tied at the “neck”. It’s a great project for a four year old. He’s been carrying Tiny around all week.

I got to thinking, if Felix can work with wood, why couldn’t he start learning to knit? My mom taught me to knit when I was eight so I had that age in mind for teaching my child to knit. Nevertheless I already own a great book for kids knitting appropriately titled Kids Knitting by Melanie Falick.

I asked Felix is he wanted to learn knitting. “YES Mommy!”
Off to a good start, I handed him knitting needles and yarn, I cast on a few stitches and started to show him the motions.

“Now I’m a granny momma.”
What?! Not that I have anything against grannies, but where did that come from? Must have been TV. So, I said, “Boys knit too, and I knit everyday and I’m not a granny”.
He giggled and said, “BOYS DON’T KNIT”.
Yes they do! I showed him the pictures of boys knitting from the kids knitting book. It helped my case a lot to see boys knitting, and lots of kids knitting too. He was excited.

The first lesson ended shortly after that when frustration set in, that his sticks weren’t going to be immediately flying through the yarn. He gave it a good try.
I asked him the next day if he wanted to knit. He did but said he wanted to do it "by myself" and when that didn’t work out he ran out of the room.

babette blanket begins

2008-04-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

You've seen my stash, now see it at work. The Babette Blanket by Kathy Merrick (available to purchase from the Knitting Daily site) is a perfect pattern for all my Tahki Cotton Classic and Gedifra St. Tropez leftovers. Crocheting around and around is addicting. Just one more square, just one more square….
What will these two colors look like together, and then this one too? What will happen if I combine these together?

An embroidered Spanish shawl guides some choices.

The blanket’s explosion of color compliments my painting of two skunks kissing.

Who am I kidding; it’s pretty psychedelic over here at my house.

tangled sleeve, arctic diamond and stash

2008-03-31T11:11:00.001-07:00

Thanks for the encouragement to knit on with the Tangled Yoke. It is such a great pattern and design. I finished most of the five balls, leaving some to transition to the next batch of yarn on order of a different dye lot - 6 more is what I settled on. Hopefully, the colors won’t be too dissimilar.

Progress has been made on the Arctic Diamond as well. I ripped quite a few rows back to the armhole shaping and then went bonkers staying up all night knitting like a person possessed. Here you see my little helper holding up three repeats of the pattern. I think six repeats will be just right to finish and use up what yarn I have on hand.

Speaking of yarn. Something else that kept me busy this weekend. Organizing the old stash. Yikes! What isn’t shown here are the coned yarns, mostly denim and crochet cotton.

Perusing Ravelry the other night I stumbled upon the Babette Blanket. Some of these projects are amazing. And, brilliant for stash busting. It should make a miniscule dent in mine.

more knitting

2008-03-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I really can't stop knitting. I finished the Lace Ribbon Scarf last week. Blocked it and sent it on it's way without a taking a picture. No time to do so. So, many pretty finished knits leave without a farewell photo session. I work well with a deadline but always to the last minute. With only one hank of yarn the scarf ended at 57" in length, it's a decent length for wearing with a jacket and not getting all tangled up.

Speaking of tangled up. That green expanse above is my Tangled Yoke Cardigan that I started two nights ago in a frenzy. The yarn is Rowan Scottish Tweed dk and I only have 5 balls. Hmmmmm, will definitely need more, but how much more? I'm guessing 7. Still, I'm waiting until all 5 are knit to place an order. It's a risky move because it means putting the project down and whenever I do that it usually takes me YEARS to finish. I need to work obsessively on one thing until it's done or else it will languish.

Witness, above, the product of a knitting frenzy from last December, it's the Arctic Diamond Stole. Oh, how I love this; but I had to put it away to work on work knitting and this is the first chance I've had to reevaluate it. At some point, I thought it would make a great pullover so I worked some decreases for arm shaping. But, now I'm not so sure because the idea of knitting the rest of this piece, then a front and TWO sleeves does not sound interesting. Better to just frog down to the shaping and continue working it as a stole.

must keep knitting

2008-03-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

Impulse yarn purchase left on display for weeks taunting me, turned into an impulse project.

Earlier this week I finished working on several projects that have kept me really busy these last two months. I felt so relieved, and tired, yet also restless. A friend’s birthday is approaching so why not knit something for her? Right now at midnight even though my wrists hurt, I need sleep and there might not be enough time to finish?

Must keep knitting, that’s why.

The pattern is Lace Ribbon by Veronik Avery in the latest issue of Knitty.
Years ago I made a shawl with a variation of this same stitch. The only photo I have of it is ridiculously blurred but I remember loving the stitch and finished shawl.

Hmmm, why not use this sock yarn on display. Yes, it will be pretty.

Little bunny says to the big fish "Happy Easter!"

Weird craft project to do with a four year old: thread together last nights popcorn, sequins and a chick, then hang from orchid.

p.s. meet my new crush: Noro Kureyon Sock yarn #S95

2008-02-29T22:23:00.000-08:00

OKAY BECAUSE SILLINESS is good:

2008-02-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

The books are in place, the floors redone and walls painted. It's time to break back into blogging. I'm saying a glad farewell to February, and welcome March with open arms.

2008-01-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

My scarf hat pattern, Nomad Hat from the Interweave Knits Fall 2007 issue is now available to purchase from the knitting daily online store.

Here is a mohair version I made (different gauge, different look), and another post I wrote about the hat that includes my submission sketch.

Also, here is a link to a finished hat that looks stunning!

2008-01-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

This is I, cat adrift. We're painting the walls in my room. Everything is topsy-turvy. Good-bye pea green, hello butter yellow!

Last night I was restless and didn’t have the right mind for math. I’m writing a pattern and cursing my slacker teenage self who never paid attention to Ms. Masaki in 7th grade algebra.

Making some drawings always helps ha ha, here’s one with some hand stitching.

ATTENTION: If you’re in the Los Angeles area this weekend, run over to the Knit Café for their fabulous sale through this Sunday!

2008-01-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a new hat pattern allow me to direct you to the RedLipstick Webshop: Katie Cap designed by Staceyjoy Elkin!
I made this on the last day of December and wore it to a New Year's Eve party that night and felt chic while staying warm. Nothing like a quick and stylish knitting project to make you feel satisfied.
The yarn I used is Cascade Yarns Ecological Wool. I bought one skein of this yarn and let me tell you it never ends, it's huge.

2008-01-24T10:04:00.001-08:00

Crochet has infiltrated my desk. Little baskets are cropping up to help me gather my goods as I work on organizing my stuff.
Do you spy the bob sticker? Last week I met the Ravelry folks. I love this sticker, what to put it on that will last? I'll just keep it propped up in this basket for now because that face makes me smile.

And on my dresser, a basket or is it a bowl, to hold more random bits. The photograph is of my mom when she was a teenager. I've been going through everything and I found this photo in a box full of momentos, notes from my grandmother, a toy car, vintage sequined patches, lots of beads, a broken necklace...you get the idea.

The new me - nice and tidy.

Another odd treasure, the fabric doll face a friend brought back from India.

And, to finish, another pin, this one knit on a crochet base.

2008-01-23T12:18:00.001-08:00

Felix and I have been walking to the park to feed the ducks.

The floating, soaking process gets the kinks out. I need to do this myself.

Pins are falling from the sky.

papillon

2008-01-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Papillon top in the latest issue of Knitscene (spring 2008)

and my own dimly lit photo of the stitch detail taken seconds before running to the post office to mail the finished garment.

The issue also has an article by Grumperina on how to seam your knits and I was kind of flattered that they used this top to illustrate the mattress stitch. You get to see a little bit of the inside of the sweater and where I wove the end into the seam. Seeing that tail end does something to me... I don't know it reveals something about hand made. I'm not sure what it is.

This design is very simple and is marked as a project ideal to make for your first sweater. The front and back are identical with a boat neck, modified drop sleeve and waist shaping from changing needles sizes.
Thinking about first sweaters led me to reminisce about my first sweater. It might have been 1982; I got the yarn from a designers stash after I helped organize her workroom (maybe I'm making this part up? I'm feeling old trying think back this far)...anyway it was orange bulky cotton, front and backs were the same. And it was an oversized (but short) square necked vest that I made up as I went. I gave it to my friend and she claims to still have it! One of these days I'll have to check and maybe take a picture.

motifs and inspiration

2008-01-09T17:49:00.001-08:00

Most of the crochet pins from the last post are made of multiple motifs that I found in this gem: Mini Motif crochet pattern ISBN978-4-02-190416-5. I bought the book at the local Kinokuniya bookstore a few days ago. Dangerous place for me as I saw SO MANY books I wanted. I will be returning soon. There was a paper cut out craft book that I swooned over, maybe next time.

I spent some time pouring over this Karl Blossfeldt book which shows flowers in beautiful, graphic,

stark simplicity but also with a dark edge that highlights their graceful shapes.

The pieces grow motif by motif and have inspired a few simple drawings.

Inspiration everywhere, even in this crowded corner of the yard.

flowers

2008-01-07T13:34:00.001-08:00

I mentioned in the last post that I spent the weekend crocheting. I had a blast of inspiration. In my mind I kept seeing large flower pins. Do people still wear these? I don't know but they sure were fun to make! Some of the materials used: lace weight mohair, orange thrifted button, and star sequins.

The tender heart back of the yellow flower. Red wool felt sewn to blue/green/yellow silk yarn. It looks nice without the pin but how will it stay up without it?

Mohair, alpaca, sequins, bead, ochre felt

mohair, wool, sequins, felt, button

cashmere, button, tweed, mohair, sequins

angora, tweed, button, sequins

All pins are about 4".

yellow

2008-01-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

Beautiful, bright yellow silk yarn from sweetgeorgia yarns. This burst of sunshine yarn was a gift from Mandy and I've wondered about what to knit with it. Finally, something utterly simple knit with good intentions, meaning, I consciously tried to work in a meditative state focusing on optimism, love and peace. It sounds really corny but there you have it.

The yellow diamond drawing was done with much the same thing in mind. I worked a few drawings like this with all my new colored pencils. This is the kind of thing that makes me really happy: lots of sharpened pencils.

My desk in its usual working state. No resolutions this year to tidy it up. Why bother? I'm always working so things have to be out at the ready.
I spent the last three days crocheting and really enjoying it. It's been raining all weekend so I don't have pictures. Maybe tomorrow.

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T17:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone for visiting my blog, and Happy New Year! Felix took this picture of me the other day when we went for a walk in the park. My mom gave me the pink scarf for Christmas. She didn't think I would wear it. Is she crazy? I love it! Though, I do think I might be wearing a few too many handknits at once.

Here's Felix from the same day:

We'll see you all next year!

a few gift knits

2007-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

I managed to eek out a couple of hand knit gifts this year. For our little artist friend Eliza Bee I made this Unicorn from Dream Toys by Claire Garland. I started knitting this toy months ago but put it away until two days before Christmas. I was feeling kind of stressed out about finishing it in time but the stars were aligned and I happened upon the movie The Science of Sleep and was totally inspired by the characters to finish my dream toy. A whimsical grey felt pony features prominently in the film. This is my new favorite movie!

With most toys I find the finishing touches the most enjoyable. The eyes are antique jet buttons that sparkle slightly. The mane and tale are two shades of white kid silk mohair. I imagined that Eliza Bee would braid the mane and sure enough she did shortly after opening the package. I guess that's what I would do. The blanket came from my swatch pile. It's kid silk mohair with a strand of gold thread with an eyelet pattern that I was playing around with for the Pretty Pink Dress pattern in Greetings from Knit Cafe. I always feel good when I can reuse my swatches.

These golden autumnal socks were made for my mom. I was supposed to give them to her for her birthday in November but instead she got a card with a pair of socks drawn in pencil with a giant skein of sock yarn taped to them with the note "coming soon" attached. I feel I owe her another pair since these are birthday socks, so I'm busy making those right now while I have some free time. She picked out the yarn for these and loves pooling so I had a lot of fun watching the colors change instead of worrying about how they were changing. I was going to make them a simple k4 p2 rib but I got bored after a couple of rows and threw in some cables. She loves them so we're all happy.

I asked Felix to model Johnny's new hat. I used my basic Johnny Cap pattern with some stranded colorwork and (what you can't see) a ribbed top that spirals nicely. Whipped it out in one night of fun tv watching. Saw a movie with Robert Duvall infatuated with tango. Tango is good entertainment.

Book Signing

2007-12-17T13:42:00.001-08:00

Felix in the Painter's Smock, one of the patterns in Boho Baby Knits. I took this photo last year before I sent the sweater to be photographed for the book. Felix looks so young to me here. TIme really does fly. He still likes his shoes untied.

I love the yarn I used for the Painter's Smock, it's Crystal Palace Merino Frappe. This is one of those kid sweaters that I wouldn't mind making for myself.

I'll be signing books tomorrow December 18 at the Redondo Beach Main Library from 7 pm to 8 pm. 2nd Floor Meeting Room, 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway. (310) 318-0675,

Please come by! The event is called Knit and Chat. I'll have my current sock project with me and more importantly all the cute samples from the book.

Wave Skirt

2007-12-10T21:15:00.001-08:00

This one is from Interweave Knits Spring 2005. It was my first pattern with IK so I remember it well. Felix was just a few months old when I knit it. He would nap in the car after I drove around for a while so I did a lot of knitting parked in the car listening to the radio. The pattern is now available for purchase at the Knitting Daily store. The Knitting Daily blog is pretty great, I love when they have everyone in the office try on the same sweater to show how one size fits most; it helps to see what size you might want to make for yourself.

Here is the original swatch that I sent in with my design proposal. I was thinking of surfer t-shirts from the sixties and seventies.

happenings

2007-12-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

Meet Bobbi and Mimi my beatnik dolls from Boho Baby Knits. We had a great time last weekend at the Knit Cafe book signing. It was cool to see all the knits from the book out of storage and in the world. And it’s always fun to meet knitters and hang out in a yarn shop, especially one as beautiful as the Knit Café.
In other happening news:
The new Knitty is up and I'm so happy that they reviewed my book!

god's eyes

2007-11-30T10:34:00.001-08:00

Collecting the sticks was really fun. Felix and I took a long walk in the park. We saw a lot of dogs, ran into old friends, listened to the birds and looked at the view from the top of the hill. In one direction was the downtown skyline, in the other direction was the 5 freeway. Cars driving on the freeway look pretty when seen from above.

Our stick gathering expedition had a purpse. We want to make god's eyes to decorate the house for Christmas.

Click the picture above to see it BIGGER.

Here are the ones we have made so far. WOW I have a huge yarn stash. So far I dipped into my Brown Sheep Nature Spun bags because I like the bright colors and the weight of the yarn. I also used some lace weight mohair and a sequined carry along thread.

Johnny wants to make a multidimensional star. I'll write another post after we have more and the tree is up.

color

2007-11-28T11:04:00.000-08:00

Kristin Nicholas has a new book filled with patterns inspired by color. Her designs are playful and happy and the book has useful information on how to use color and detailed, illustrated, explanations on how to embellish your knits with embroidery.
All her patterns use her Julia yarn and right now she is having a yarn giveaway contest. Go check it out!

book signing

2007-11-27T11:04:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, December 2 I'll be at the lovely Knit Cafe in West Hollywood signing copies of my book Boho Baby Knits. Please come on by! I'll have all the pretty sample pieces from the book with me.

alpaca ascot

2007-10-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Last year I was gifted with two skeins of hand spun alpaca from England. I love the earthy, oily feel of handspun yarn; and the slight unevenness and the occasional straw bits.

Playing around with the yarn told me that garter stitch was its friend. Naturally, I made a scarf. This is the first incarnation of what I later modified as the Huckleberry Ascot.

As you can see, this one has grand eyelets forming daisies across the length of the fabric. I like the daisy motif but ultimately I think the scarf is better without them. It's more refined.

The sunset hour is my favorite time of day.

knitting lesson

2007-10-23T21:46:00.001-07:00

We Call Them Pirates
done!

One thing I've learned about knitting is that if you haven't quite mastered a certain technique or stitch pattern, you will eventually; and for me it happens after many hours of practice.
I let all my mistakes and sloppy tension remain in the hat because if I had ripped and re knit something as small as a hat my patience would wear out and the joy of process would drain. If that happens I’ll not keep trying to get better at stranded knitting.
I have to enjoy the process to practice and in the learning phase it’s more in my nature to just keep going rather than re do.
Coincidentally, this topic came up last weekend when a beginning knitter asked me how to get an even tension on her garter stitch. I told her to keep knitting eventually it will happen. So, I listened to my own advice while making the pirates.

I goofed a few times with the sequence of light and dark, my tension isn't very even and my hem stinks. But it's done and I’m pleased anyway.

Good news bad news: while soaking the hat in a tub of water (at midnight) Johnny got up for a glass of water. When he came back into the room he said, “Did you knit that hat with skulls?”
“Uh, no, why?” awkward lying moment
“Oh, cause it’s pretty cool”.
So, it won’t be too much of a surprise but I know he’ll like it.

in progress

2007-10-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not spring cleaning, or fall cleaning rather I'm procrastinating and finding all sorts of personal knitting projects that need finishing or beginning...
this one's from Rowan #38 (2005)
Pattern: Knotty
Yarn: Elann.com Peruvian Collection Highland wool color #2519
held together with
Louet Sales Kid Mohair, color Fuchsia

For some reason I can't seem to stick with it, after a few days I have to walk away. So far the walking away period has stretched to two and a half years.
I thought I had finished the back, two fronts and one sleeve, alas no sleeves yet! Started one a few days ago but put it down when I got distracted by the allure of the pirates.

free pattern from hello yarn
yarn: Jamieson & Smith
2-ply jumper weight
MC #36, CC #203

Boyfriend's birthday is coming soon and this is definitely Johnny's style.

I'm still daydreaming about the December Lights Tam but when I went into my stash for the yarn I found all the colors I had were somber blues and grays. I'm tempted by the assortment of bright colorshere. When I look at the design on the tam I'm reminded of pomegranates. Seems to be a theme for me this month.

slouchy cardigan

2007-10-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Slouchy Cardigan
Source: Greetings from Knit Cafe
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight 100% Alpaca color #30, 10 skeins
US size 7(4.5 mm) needle

I modified this one by omitting the hood and adding a collar. I didn't exactly plan to do this, though I had it in mind that I might not wear a hood and then decided not to change the pattern since I liked it a lot as is. Wishy washy moment.
Then during the knitting I made an error with my math as I had to rework the numbers to fit my gauge, and ended with front pieces too narrow to wear. Hmmm, the subconscious once again steps in for me and makes up my mind.

A collar had to be made now so that the sweater would stay on. I picked up stitches and worked a stockinet, reverse stockinet collar with short row shaping and kind of just winged it. The general rule for picking up stitches is approx 3 sts for every 4 rows or some ratio there about. The buttonholes are worked on a diagonal to accommodate my bust and I put in four buttonholes but after trying it on two seemed sufficient. I had already ripped and knit the collar a few times to get the shaping and bind off right so the unused button holes are there for good and don't show up too badly.

After binding off the collar twice and hating how the chain bind off looked I worked a sewn bind off. That's the first time I've felt the need to use a sewn bind off and it did take quite a while to complete but it's the perfect edge for this particular yarn and collar because it doesn't draw attention to itself and folds quietly not competing with the stitch texture.

Since my gauge was off from the pattern gauge and I didn't feel like thinking too hard I decided to work set in sleeves in the round, top down with short row shaping. Also, I wasn't exactly sure how long to make the sleeves and this way it would be very easy to adjust the length. I'm trying to remember where I learned how to do this...(quick trip to the bookshelf) Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti.

I found these buttons in a little shop where they were inside a box hidden in a drawer and they've been sitting in my stash for a few years. They're quite heavy but I love the warmth of all that shell, luckily they're not too heavy for the alpaca.

Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight alpaca is a DREAM to work with. Before blocking the stockinet stitch had a kind of crunchy look, after blocking the stitches even out and the drape is wonderful. The color is most like the top photo but I think this shade might be discontinued. Anyway, all their colors are gorgeous.
On a side note, yarn ends were joined by splicing as needed. I recommend doing this when possible, especially with this kind of knit where weaving ends mid row shows through to the public side.

sock talk

2007-10-18T12:02:00.001-07:00

Tuesday night after a feverish knitting spree I grafted the 28 toe stitches and studied my work. Hmmm, the foot looked very small. I'm making these for a friend with small feet (US size 6 1/2 shoe), but the length from heel to toe was around 7 3/4". For myself, socks fit well at about 9 1/2" in length, I wear a US size 8 1/2 shoe.
I took out the graft, undid the short rows and knit another 3/4", then worked the toe (heel and toe measure 1 3/4” each). The sock now measures 8 3/4" and is too small and narrow on me but I'm guessing it will work for the recipient. I think another reason why the sock seemed child sized is because it only has 56 sts at a gauge of 8.3 sts per inch. So, it's narrow too.

I guess my point is: how do you like your socks to fit? Snug or not?
I prefer a negative ease all around otherwise when I wear closed shoes the sock heel gets pulled up.

Also, for knee socks do you sew in elastic at the top?

Okay, other thoughts: about stripes in this yarn (Lorna Laces Shepherd Sock)...on this particular sock with leg shaping and a change in needle size for the foot you get a wide variety of stripes. The top of the leg has 64 sts US size 2 needle, stripes look good if a little narrow, after the shaping down to 56 sts I like the stripes less, until the foot part and then I think the stripes work really well, especially at the heel and toes. These are random observations on striping. You're never too sure what you're going to get.

Here’s a finished sock from last year knit from Koigu. I’ve only hand washed them, but have worn them a lot. They’re holding up pretty well. I used the bluebell rib stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks and worked a picot hem.

SPC

2007-10-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

Pomegranate plucked from a friend's tree a couple of days ago. As soon as I cut it open and saw the garnet seeds my appetite awakened. I love the taste of sweet juice with a bitter core. And, the thought of people enjoying this food for centuries, just as it is off the tree, inspires. Is there any food more beautiful than a pomegranate?

more self portraits here

some knitting love

2007-10-15T21:12:00.001-07:00

I got a new book, just because it is pretty but also because it has good information; though the sock I'm knitting isn't from the book, it's a reworking of the greenish knee socks. The yarn is Lorna Laces in Bee Stripe #202 colorway but don't you want to call it Absolutely Halloweeney?

Finally, finished the Pimlico Shrug and have barely taken it off since Saturday night. Wow, I really like this so much more than I thought I would. It's hard to tell what the heck it looks like with this self-portrait-with-arm-extended shot but for some reason I can't get my act together to figure out the self timer. I modified the pattern a bit by shortening the main body to 28" (from 34) and working 3/4" less of collar ribbing. These changes were made because I didn't have enough yarn, but I think it's fine not being any bigger. I substituted the yarn in the pattern for Rio de La Plata Yarn in the cigar colorway and used almost 7 full skeins. I only have a teeny little bit left. The yarn is super soft. It feels very cozy against the skin which makes up for the fact that I was getting cranky knitting with heavy wool. It's my wrists, they're very tempermental!

I thought the weather would NEVER get cool enough to wear all this wool but it did and I'm enjoying the sweater weather because it feels like knitting weather and that makes me Happy!

Holiday knitting

2007-10-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have two scarf patterns in the Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2007 issue. Candy Stripes Kerchief is made up with luscious angora in fun stripes and the

Huckleberry Ascot is worked in Blue Sky Alpacas melange.

There are a lot of great designs in this issue. I'm going to try to find the time to knit the hat on the cover (December Lights Tam) by Mary Jane Mucklestone. Ages ago I bought yarn for a stranded tam but I still haven't done anything about it. Maybe now's the time.

And, thank you everyone for all the warm congratulations on my book!

Edited to add: Both patterns, The Huckleberry Ascot and the Candy Stripes Kerchief are available for purchase at the Knitting Daily online shop.

my book!

2007-10-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

Last week my advance copy of Boho Baby Knits arrived at my doorstep in a beat up box. I was so nervous to look inside. But was thrilled to find what I did. A beautiful, real book.

Here are some peeks at the back cover and inside.

A good friend of mine said when she saw the Woodland Fairy Wings, "classic Coyle"; she's familiar with my love of lace and mohair.

These darling knee socks were designed by Julia Trice. There's also a baby footie version.

Mimi and Bobbi, my beatnik dolls enjoying a day at the cafe.

Of course, there's much more! The other designers that contributed designs are Edna Hart, Mary-Heather Cogar, Beth Abaravich, Marnie MacLean and Julia Trice.

stranded

2007-10-03T15:33:00.001-07:00

Pattern: Socks from Ivo from Andean Folk Knits.

After I finished the Fancy Silk Socks I thought for sure I was done with socks. I loved them but was tired of tiny stitches going around and around. So, I picked up an old project I had started before the summer heat made it difficult to have a heap of wool in my lap. And after a few days of feverish knitting I realized that I wasn't on deadline and I didn't need to finish a shrug for myself in less than a week. Suddenly, socks seemed like a relief.
I found that I was feeling angry and resentful towards the thick yarn (heavy work hurts my wrists) -so I went back to socks.
All these emotions about knitting and projects. It's funny. I find myself drawn to projects and I try to follow my whims since one thing leads to another and sometimes a brain storming session of new ideas will strike as I knit on something mindless.

The main yarn is Lang Jawoll and the contrast yarn is Paca-Peds. I love how the stranded knitting with a monochromatic variegate yarn looks. I really really like these socks! This pair is for a friend who has a birthday coming soon. But, I'm pretty sure I'll be making another pair in different colors soon.
Has anyone used the yarn Paca-Peds-from the Alpaca Yarn Company? I tried looking for finished socks but didn't see any out there (except for the ones on the yarn companys site).

gifts

2007-09-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

While on vacation we stayed with my aunts who lavished us with love, food and gifts. I love my new blouse with Mexican embroidery insert and trimmed with navy rickrack. My great grandmother made blouses like this to sell back in the day, way back.

I mentioned to my aunt that I had been making dolls. She told me that my great great grandmother used to sew cloth dolls and sell them door-to-door. I never met her but I did know my great grandmother and remember working on a doll with her. I feel really lucky to have had that experience and that I can still recall the magic of making something with her.

My aunt happily offered me a beautiful assortment of buttons and beads to use as decoration for dolls.

Felix came home with presents too. But, here’s something he picked up on his own: a polka dot tan on his feet.

vacation days

2007-09-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

We planned on a two day vacation but stayed five. It was wonderful. I forgot my camera, and didn't pack the laptop. My friend took these snaps for me. We went swimming,

ate junkfood and lounged by the sea.

Went for walks, did some sightseeing, forgot about cartoons, and knitting;

went to sleep by nine o'clock and spent most of everyday out doors in the fresh air.

We were gone long enough to get home sick. I'll upload some photos later of some goodies I got from my aunt.

friday

2007-09-14T13:40:00.001-07:00

I spent a scattered week hobbling together my projects, slowly; one sock (Fancy Silk Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks) managed to get finished. It’s a sweet old-fashioned lace sock. Or, what I imagine old-fashioned socks to have been like.

My head is elsewhere, looking forward to the weekend and our get away to the beach.

Another sock may get knit in the next two days, or not!