my life in stitches

new pattern for sale : : marlo : : cable pullover

Marlo is a cool, cable sweater that can be dressed up or dressed down. i love mine and i can't wait to wear it this coming autumn and winter!

WARNING: if you feel put off by the idea of cables traveling directly over your breasts, this may not be the sweater for you!

specs:

skill level: intermediate
sizes: this sweater is sized for XS through XXL with finished sizes ranging from 32" - 42".
materials: 795 - 1075 yds of a dk/light worsted weight yarn that gives a lot of drape.
gauge: 19 sts and 30 rows over reverse stockinette
price: $6.00

PDF file will be sent by email (to the address that your payment was sent from) within 24 hours of receipt of payment.

knitting lots, posting little

i guess i've hit my summer blogging slump. i've been knitting lots, but i just haven't felt much like posting about it. i've been working on the baby sweater shown here. just a tiny little thing knit from leftover skeins and scraps. i've got so many leftover skeins and scraps that i could easily knit a couple dozen of these and still have yarn to spare! frankly, the yarn accumulation is a bit of a problem. if i can manage to muster up the motivation to go through my stash and take photos, i'll post some yarn for sale. i have a lot of great yarn on hand. unfortunately none of it is what i need to knit the items on my fall / winter knitting queue. my god! there are so many great designs for fall. i think the current issue of Rowan is the best ever. there are a good half dozen designs that i'm in love with. the one i'm mostly like to knit is the Alpine Shrug. the Norah Gaughan Collection for Berroco looks prety good, too. Justina is at the top of my list.

naturally, since i've been knitting a lot i've also been watching a lot of television. Californication is my new favorite show this season. i adore David Duchovny. it's great to see him back on television. what else? Weeds, though so far i'm not loving this season. it's becoming less and less believable. Big Love is phenomenal and i can't understand why absolutely everyone who has HBO isn't watching it. i was thrilled with the finale of Making The Band 4. all of the finalists were so good that i suspected that Diddy would go with a 5 man band. with the exception of Brian, all the others (including Donnie) were on my list. i was really thrilled for them. this was by far the best season of this show and i think he chose a really great group of guys. i find the Pick-Up Artist oddly compelling. i don't find Mystery the least bit appealing, but he's definitely fascinating to watch. i vacillate between loving and hating this show, and like watching a car wreck, i just can't turn away. Flight Of The Conchords is still a fave and every week I love Murray more and more. what a fantastic and completely original character! i just started watching Jekyll at the very end of the season. oh my god! i love this show. i can't wait to watch the entire season on DVD. see? i told you i've been watching loads of TV. it's far too hot to actually venture outdoors and do something. i can't wait to see Kirsten Bell (Veronica Mars) on Heroes! what are you watching these days and what shows are you looking forward to this season?

the pattern for Marlo (nee the cabled cashmere sweater) will be available for purchase on September 1st.

new pattern for sale : : jolie laide scarf

Beauty lies in imperfection and randomness...

jolie laide is elegant and easy to knit. it is almost impossible to screw this up!

WARNING: This pattern may cause considerable anxiety for knitters who are really into symmetry and order.

specs:

skill level: super easy
finished measurements: approximately 68" x 7"
materials: 360 yds of heavy worsted mohair
price: $2.95

PDF file will be sent by email within 24 hours of receipt of payment.

i made this...

for my friend, susan, in vermont. i don't knit a lot of scarves. mainly, because i find them boring to knit. and, like socks, i'm not interested in following a pattern that is so complicated that i could have knit a whole garment in the time that it takes me to knit it. hence, the few scarves that i've knit have been very simple. whenever i knit a gift for someone i want it to be really exquisite. finding the combo of yarn & design that would be both exquisite and simple to knit was not easy. after about 10 days of driving myself bananas trying to make a decision, i settled upon a freeform openwork pattern knit with some leftover Lorna's Laces Heaven in Pewter. i've been calling her Jolie Laide because for the first few rows or so i thought it was hideous. after, i made the decision to be a bit more free with the pattern her beauty began to emerge. i think the finished product is really elegant. i hope that susan thinks so, too.

and while the pattern was mostly freeform, i did write it down. i'll be putting some new patterns up for sale in september, so maybe Jolie Laide will make an appearance then.