OMG!!! I Know I'm a Loser Blogger Too!

Okay, to my credit, I am terribly busy with the my students during the school year.  Maybe someday, I will figure out a way to teach, knit, and blog.  (Yes, I just used an Oxford Comma.)

Anyway, I have a ton to catch up on.  Hmmm....let's start with knitting.

My knitting escapades have been amazing.  First, I have two new patterns published with Knit Picks.  The first is in this lovely book.

It's a nice collection of patterns that require 100 grams of yarn or less.  This is my contribution, Selbu Tulip Mittens, being expertly modeled by my teaching partner, Brooke.  Isn't she awesome!!

I think that these are super cool mittens.  I was in total retro mode when I came up with this design.  I think they look like something my grandmothers would have worn in the 1940s.

I'm a HUGE fan of colour work.  I think it's my favourite; although, I still do love lace knitting.  Actually, I'm sorta torn between the two.  However, making a seamless fair isle sweater is totally the bomb.  I find it fascinating how worked up people get about seamless fair isle sweaters.  The general perception is that they are difficult.  Personally, I find them to be much easier than piece work.  First, they are done  in the round.  How FAB is that!  Second, you see the piece as a whole rather than bits of a pattern that is to be sewn together at a later date.  Third, steeks are a gift from God.  Seriously, they are BRILLIANT!  Fourth, you get to make cool patterns with colour all done on the right side of your knitting.

I'm always looking to work patterns into ones in which they can be knit in the round in one piece.  Someday, I may even put lace and steeks together in the same piece, HAHA!  I'll be blowing some minds then.

Speaking of lace, here is my other Knit Picks pattern, Water Lily Stole.

Yes, that's it on the front cover.  I was so excited when I saw my piece on the front cover that I screamed like a middle school girl.  Remember, I know how to do that as I spend the majority of my time with them.  It's okay if you want to feel sorry for me.

Here is a close up image.

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I'm super happy with the way it turned out.  There are two Estonian lace patterns involved here.  The entire stole is worked in one piece on US 4 making a beautiful light airy stole.

Of course there are a few other items in the hopper but I have been sworn to secrecy.  Well, at least until the bad boys are published.

As for my exploration of Barbara Walker's works, I will be on that real soon.