Yesterday was a good day.

To start, the Boy and I officially started our first house hunting and went to our inaugural home showing! It's exciting and a bit overwhelming at the same time, but good.

Then I found out after a delayed wait that my pattern has been accepted by Debbie Stroller for her new Advanced Stitch n' Bitch book! I can't even pretend to be nonchalant - I'm soooo excited! My first knitting book and what I learned to knit from was the original SnB book. I just makes it extra cool to me that I'm now in one, kinda like full circle.

I'm also leaving today for a long needed trip to visit back home, yeay! See the fam, visit old friends, see some of the little things you just miss from your hometown, hang out with my sis and make a trip to the best haunted houses Ever. Bonus, I get 4 hours of knitting time each way while flying. I have managed to discipline myself into only taking current WIPs. I have reached that point where I'm working on all of them but don't seem to make any quantifiable progress.

Many thanks to everyone for the awesome comments about the Scralet Woman Tank and to those who have already preordered! As soon as I get back (the 5th), I'll be finishing up the pattern.
Now I'm off to go burn some CD's. I'm starting to see my husbands point about an iPod.

Posted by Jen at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)

So this is my latest, er, almost design. A felted cloche with an asymmetrical brim originally intended for a Knitty submission. The shaping is not quite right yet however, and I'll miss the deadline now since I'll need to order more yarn. This means no two month long wait for the pattern however (that and I can blog it, woohoo)! Really, I should've just bought the extra skein to begin with as I was trying to finish this with a partially used skein from the stash. Knowing I would be tight on yarn, I didn't make a swatch (I know! I know!) but I would need all the yarn I had, and alas, you can't unravel a felted swatch. I used Lamb's Pride Bulky and figured with the wealth of gauge info out there and the felting process's leeway on the finished size that I should be pretty accurate. I should've known I had displeased the knitting gods, thus ending in this "prototype".

However, it's really close and I'm pleased with a new iteration of the double knit technique (I <3 double knit!) I used to create the welted black band. Now I have the corrected pattern marked up and once I get a new skein in my hot little hands this will be whipped up in no time.

Posted by Jen at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Here she is, finally...

Pattern: My own, available soon
Yarn: Classic Elite Provence (100% Mercerized Egyptian Cotton) Color: #2627 French Red; 4 skeins
Needles: Denise US 5 & 6
Size: Medium (will be offered in sizes XS-3X (54" bust) along with optional short row bust shaping)
More background info here.

For a more casual fall look, this top also pairs well with a button up collared shirt underneath. My wedded photographer had been released from his duties so I snapped this classic 'in the mirror shot'.

Posted by Jen at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)

Well no actual knitting to show as I've been working on non-bloggable projects. In the meantime...

Check out what I won! A Stitch 'n Bitch calendar courtesy of the very generous Veronica of A Year in Stitches. She's doing a Freebie Friday on her blog and you can get free stuff- what's not to love? Also check out her awesome Yarn Clockwork Orange Girl stuff, great yarn art.

Also pictured is my recent find from pureknits - Kaalund Classic Two in Brushfire. I had been searching high and low for a fire like colorway in a laceweight that had only slight tonal variation. A red to yellow would produce too strong of a stripping affect for what I have in mind. I have to say Yahaira's beautiful packaging made me reluctant to even open it, feels like such a treat ordering from there.

Posted by Jen at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I have several deadline knits I should be working on. What am I knitting? The sock.

It's addictive. Turned the heel, past the gusset and starting on the foot section, me likey!

I have also discovered this, and ordered the pattern immediately.

Heere Be Dragone Shawl

I am so excited about starting this one, although I have several things to complete first. Love, love this design- I have a thing with pictorial lace. I'm sure it will be a somewhat dysfunctional relationship- with it kicking my ass and me loving it. *cough* Even if I didn't love the process knitting, I would make this regardless if it required knitting stitches while on my head.
Pattern by Sharon Winsauer of Aurora Alpacas. Currently it's only available by emailing her directly at web2@aurora-alpacas.com.
KAL over here and some more detailed info here and here.

Posted by Jen at 03:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Little pink tongue sticking out to the side, he just cracks me up.
Oh- you wanted to see the sock? Yeah, here's that too.

The yarn is just some inexpensive Bernat Sox in Jazz Hot colorway but I do like the colors. Like I said before, I don't feel like I'm wasting the good stuff if I screw up on my maiden attempt.

Pies Abound
Some more great versions of the Piece O' Cherry Pie up in the PieKnits Gallery. Check out YarnMaven's beautiful version over here. Velma of Velma's World has come up with an inventive use for the knitted pie- a thong! It is too awesome to not go have a lookie and read about the Lolita-Knit the Classics inspired project.

Posted by Jen at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Eve of Needle Exchange has put out the first issue of Yarnival! Go check it out, some good reads. You can also learn more about it and submit your blog for the next issue. I love finding new blogs.

Thanks to everyone for your nice comments about the last post! For any of you Texans out there the State Fair website has the entire creative arts competition handbook online here. There are several knitting categories if you want to start thinking about next year.

Current knitting
Scarlet Woman is seamed and only awaiting the crochet edging. Hopefully some photos this week! I tell you, no matter how much planning, calculating and measuring you do, pulling that garment over your head the first time is really the moment of truth. I always to get a bit nervous before that first glance in the mirror, but when you look, and it's really what you wanted- whoop!

With that basically finished I have immediately cast on three things. Heh, despite my promise to finish up some WIPs next, but one is another design swatch (surprise) and the other is for my MagKnits pattern and finally a sock. My first adult sized sock to be exact. Just a basic ribbed sock. Great TV knitting, but rather terminally boring blog material.

So I'll leave you with this little gem of photostyling

So. many. possible. comments. I think it's the fact that he's almost literally grabbing his ankles that makes my brain spasm with sarcasm overload.

Posted by Jen at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

My first handspun!
This was some "mystery wool" in rather uninspiring colors that was a free sample with my spindle. Just what I needed to start with- no worries of "screwing up" my pretty fiber! I know I'm learning but I can't help feeling like I'd be wasting it. The colors on this fiber ran lengthwise and I'm digging the lollipopesque swirling it created though. By the end of it I thought it was getting closer to looking more like the little online tutorial videos, the 'drafting triangle' and all. Now I just have to work up the mettle to move on to the good stuff.

In other news, my Aileen celtic cabled purse wins a prize!

I entered my purse in the State Fair of Texas under 'Knitting - Original Design' and just got the judging results. I placed! I received 3rd place, which I wasn't expecting to at all. I've been blown away by the awesome entries around blogsphere, so was more just entering it for the fact that I think it's a good thing to get involved with stuff like this. I fully plan on taking a cheesy photo with me and my ribbon come fair time!

Posted by Jen at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)