Translating Tiles into Knitting Patterns

When I was in Portugal at the beginning of October, I took a lot of pictures of the tiles that cover the houses there. Now I have finally started my project to translate the tile patterns into fair isle knitting patterns. I give myself about three years to design the patterns and knit a sweater. Might be a cool book idea. Here's a picture showing the first iterations of the first pattern.

The lower right corner is just a drawing of the tile pattern. The other three are potential versions of the same pattern. To be continued!

New Pattern (sort of)

I'm just publishing a new pattern to Ravelry (trying to figure out how to do it again. It is not easy!). This is a pattern I designed last year for Heather's baby. Unfortunately, by the time all the test knitting was done, it was March, so I decided to save it for publishing this winter, more toward the beginning of knitting season.

Also, unfortunately, the care package I sent to Heather, including all the prototype and test knit booties, was lost in the mail.

The great thing about these booties is that they are fast to knit and there is no sewing. NO SEWING. They're knit in the round and the shaping is done with some simple short rows. Sizes go from 0-24 months. You can find the pattern in my Ravelry store if I ever figure out how to upload it.

buy now

Finally Finished Last Year's Christmas Presents

At long last! The felted sit-upons that I planned for Iris's Christmas present last year are finally finished.



I actually had sort of finished these a couple months ago, but after knitting and felting the two rectangles, I had the idea to make them even more comfy by adding just a little bit of stuffing. Of course, it then took me ages to get the canvas for the backing, and finally yesterday I did the sewing and finished them up.



I hope that these will improve the lives of all people who sit on Iris's kitchen bench.

On Needles

I just packed up most of my yarn and knitting supplies for my upcoming move. While doing so, I found some unfinished--and in some cases almost forgotten--projects. I decided to keep a few of them out to work on over the next month or so. No new projects until these are done! Or I get sick of them!

cable cozy

I knit one of these before. Takes forever. Super fucking boring.



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ugly slippers
Saartje-Inspired Bigger Slippers, by me
free pattern on Ravelry

You can tell by looking at the garish color scheme of the finished slipper why I haven't finished this project. Sometimes using up the odds and ends isn't such a great idea after all. It'll only take me a couple hours. Guest slippers... I guess.



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making it up as I go along
no pattern
Ravelry link

According to Ravely, I started this project in July, 2009. Not quite two years ago. It was supposed to be my first sweater design. The pattern notes are in a shambles. They're all crossed out and scribbled, on multiple pieces of paper, post-it notes, napkins, and sketchbook pages. Still, I think this project has potential. I picked it up again a couple weeks ago and I've got the back mostly done, as well as the start of both sleeves. It might end up being a one-off, though. I'm not sure I will have the energy to try to pull the pattern notes into a real pattern, let alone try knitting the damn thing again to check the pattern.

This is knit on US #2 (2.75mm) needles with sock-weight yarn. I love small needles and fine yarn, but it takes a long time to finish.



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the first sweater I ever started to knit
Short Sleeve Pullover by Mari Lynn Patrick
Published in Vogue Knitting, Spring/Summer 2006
Ravelry link

April 2006. Five years ago. That's when I started knitting this complicated sweater from a Vogue Knitting pattern. I've worked on it a bit this year. Some day I'll finish it. I'm not sure I will want to wear it when it's done, but I will finish it...