Can we pretend? (spoiler!)

I suppose I could have back-dated this post and no one would ever have known, but that would have been lying and, quite honestly, I doubt anyone would have believed it. So let's pretend instead that I actually updated the blog on Thursday and that we're right back on schedule.

First off: last Wednesday Patrick came in to finish up his unbelievable Seamless Yoke Sweater:

The pattern is in Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Without Tears, Knitting Around and Knitting Workshop. Patrick adapted the pattern from his copy of Knitting Around. He and his "wife" made up a different Fair Isle pattern for the yoke and changed the ribbing to a 1x2 instead of a 2x2 but other than those teeny tiny details, it's the same pattern. Here's a shot of the yoke:

It kind of makes me think of a technicolor zebra*. Or, strangely, 1970s wallpaper. When Patrick came in he was already onto the neck ribbing and only had some minor finishing to do after that. I managed to drag it away from him to get a picture of it flat:

Do you see what I see? It's something indicative of extreme OCD or insanity or both. The sleeves match. Considering the fact that he is (probably "was" by now) knitting with Kauni, the odds of managing that are very difficult. The color of yarn, btw, is Kauni W-EH. I forgot to ask how many grams he'd needed. Sorry.

All madness put aside, I'm sure we all want to see it finished and modeled (hint, hint, Patrick). So maybe some cajoling will get him to wear it into the store.

Second: we have Wendy's recently completed Kauni mitts. I'm sure you remember Wendy and her EAT hat - if you don't, check this post out. The latest creative creation to come off her needles are a pair of Fair Isle and lace gauntlet-like mitts:

Admit it, they're awesome.

Made with Kauni W-EJ as the MC and W-EG as the CC. Wendy has told me that Kauni is her new favorite to work with, so we might be seeing many more improvised designs in coming months.

This is a Kauni-centric post, isn't it? It's interesting how projects can be tied together.

Third: Gratis Knits, please! The next Gratis Knits pattern is overdue. We're still looking for submissions. Seriously, if you have an original pattern for something springy click the link above and consider it.

Lastly, a bit of silliness. The photoshoot for the May Sock Club's pattern was last week, held at a super-secret location down the street. Hah. Here's Liz:

Who was this month's sock model. Thank you, Liz. And, just because you can already see it on ravelry by might not have yet, here's a SPOILER:

...

(feel free to skip this if you want to be surprised)

...

... our designer for May is none other than the reknowned and revered Cookie A. I've seen the pattern and it is lovely.

And I think that's everything that needed to be caught up. Cheers!

*It could happen.

end of week round-up

Let's pretend it's Thursday, eh? Yesterday was New Year's Day and I can't remember why I couldn't post on Tuesday, but it's been that kind of week.

First and foremost, the promised "Gina's socks" (modeled by Gina on Monday):

Made out of ShibuiKnits Sock in ManBlue. Knit on size 1.5 (2.5mm) Addi Turbo circs at a gauge of 8 sts & 12 rows per inch. The pattern was something I made up, but am rewriting because I like it so much.

Next, we have Trish and her awesome self-designed funky hat:

Made with ShibuiKnits Merino Worsted in "Spectrum". I'm afraid we didn't get any more details than that, sorry!

Then, let's see, we had a visit from da babies:

Which I had to share because of the gratuitous cuteness factor.

It should be mentioned that they came by with their daddy to pick up this year's OFB Food Drive donation box (to drop off at the OFB):

Which, I am told, weighed in at 90lbs. A fact I find rather disheartening as we collected over 130lbs last year during a food drive that lasted less than a week. Maybe we'll do better next time.

In less depressing news, we have the whatsit prototypes:

The Whatsit (once it is properly named) will be a Knit Purl pattern, which is worn like this:

(modeled by Darcy)

Cool, huh?

But I can't tell you too much about it yet, as the patterns aren't finished and it still doesn't have a name.

Moving on, to... sock club SPOILERS. Before proceeding, let it be know that you were warned.

The January 2009 kit is available for members to pick up in the store:

Out-of-town members' packages have already been shipped.

Whoo, what a week!

Regular blogging schedule should resume next Tuesday, I promise. It should also be mentioned that my New Year's resolution for the blog is to get more coworkers involved, so expect (or hope) to see posts from knitters other than myself here... eventually.

Sock-centric

Sock knitting seems to be taking over the world.

Well, the knitting world, anyway. Aside from a truly exceptional "No Mean Feet!" last night (record turnout!), we've just got word of a new limited edition series from Schaefer Yarns, Sock The Vote...

If you're not allergic to mohair, you can get a skein (or two!) of sock yarn dyed for your favorite politician/ politician's wife in the Presidential race. I'm not bitter that it only comes in Anne, no, not at all. Grr.

If we're lucky, this yarn will be in stock soon (it's on order).

But, back to "No Mean Feet!", we got pictures proving that sock knitters are indeed on the rise. We had to enlarge our knitting circle twice last night - welcoming several new visitors:

It was, as always, lots of fun. I wish I could go add more to this post, but a Newsletter went out on Friday and we are just drowning in web orders. Until Thursday, happy knitting!

September Sock released... spoiler alert!

Beware, beware! There art spoilers in this here post, that might catch the unwary most fiendishly...

Okay, they're not huge spoilers (my one photo is pathetically blurry and the other one I'm borrowing doesn't show the pattern in detail, mwahaha), but I don't want to ruin the surprise for those of you who are waiting patiently for your package in the mail. Which, incidentally, we sent out this morning:

Pity our mail carrier, Gina. She took the shock well, it must be said.

In other news, before we get to the spoilers, Tami came in to show off her Deep Blue Sea Sinuate Scarf (say that 3x fast) which she finished just over a week ago. She used Marnie MacLean's pattern and her own handspun yarn. The yarn was spun using two hanks of Fleece Artist Blue-faced Leicester, I think (the same stuff I made my muffin cap with). Seem to remember her buying them a while back. I'm sure we can all agree that the finished scarf is gorgeous:

I hope Tami will forgive us for the blurriness of the photo, we've been having technical difficulties with the camera again.

And, finally, last but not least...

I bring you SPOILERS...

Let's see, let's see. I don't want to ruin too much of the surprise, but also know that some of you are sitting on the fence waiting for the release to decide whether you want to join in the fun or not.

The September kit (both the yarn and the pattern) was designed around the popular Portland neighborhood, "The Pearl". The yarn was specially commissioned from Koigu and the pattern was designed by Portland local Sarah Pope. And I'll admit right now that my picture to the right isn't much of a spoiler, since it's so blurry you can barely see either the sock or the kit... but, hey, it gives all y'all an idea of what we're sending out this month.

Kim, a.k.a. akimbo on ravelry, has lent us the use of her photos, which are much nicer than mine (she used a photobox and everything).

(Bless her.)

I think that's everything important that's happened in the past couple days. If not, it'll pop up in the next post. Also, I'm going to corner our two new employees Leslie and Nancy for a nice photo and introduction.

skif sweaters, wicked plans, and spoilers

Let's see, let's see... so much has been happening in the past fortnight, it's hard to keep it all organized. Starting in order with the title:

1. Skif sweaters.
I finished mine (little happy dance) and was overjoyed to see WrenSu's super-spiffy Mateo in the Knit Purl flickr group's photo pool. And because so many people (including my coworkers) were enamored with the thought of a finished skif sweater, it was relatively easy to get a couple of modeled shots for the blog...

Project specs:

• Pattern: Neptune/ Button-back Pullover by Skif.
• Yarn: Joseph Galler Inca Cotton in "Ecru", 4 skeins.
• Needle: 4.5mm/ US 7 32" circulars.
• Idiosyncrasies: the sleeves are 3" longer than specified in the pattern.
• Review: loved the pattern and ADORED the yarn.

Of course, all y'all already know that I bought yarn for a second skif sweater before I finished the first. But I was good and persevered and only just CO last night (honest). I'm finding the second one just as hard to put down as the first was... This is looking like it's going to be a dangerous trend.

2. Wicked Plans.
Oh, there are so many, really. Leaving this many slightly crazy knitters alone together always makes for interesting results. We've got, upcoming:

• a Tips & Tricks column by Judy Wilcox
• the SKIF KAL will resume in September with a yarn sampling and emergency aid class to follow through December(ish).
• a Getting Raveled party & meetup (info forthcoming)
• and, finally, a Sock Club KAL group on ravelry
  

3. Spoilers. I promised you spoilers... and here are two we're willing to part with:

• LavenderSheep's Sock Club yarn, clicky here for a little spoiler.
• Koigu is going to lead as planned. You have no idea (unless you've heard us panicking in the shop) how worried we were just a week ago. It had seemed that Koigu wouldn't have their yarn ready in time for the Club, but it's been shipped and should arrive at the store soon. And, while these are neither the pattern nor the colorway we've commissioned for the Club, I'm even more excited by this news because of the Fortress Of Solitude socks I just finished:

I enjoyed working with the yarn so much, I'm really looking forward to getting my own Sock Club September kit.* And I suppose it's not too much to tell you that there just might be speckles (like those seen above) on our soon-to-arrive yarn, too. Ooh!, there's another spoiler.

And now I've got to go... we've got a rowdy Sip'n'Stitch group up there tonight and a newsletter to get out tomorrow.

*Did you honestly think that half the staff here weren't the first people to sign up?