Baby Steps

Aren’t these adorable?  I whipped them up while waiting for the world to cool off enough that I could go to bed.  Thanks to the incomparable Saartje de Bruijn’s pattern (free!), they couldn’t be easier.  I’m going to make a bunch of them and have them stashed away for unexpected baby gifts–which seem to come [...]

Read Full Post »

Bella Mittens

I’m not a Twilight person.  I don’t particularly mind if you are, but I’m just not interested.  But these mittens, as worn by Kristen Stewart in the movie, and as reverse engineered by the talented and generous Marielle Henault, are pretty darned nice.  I’m on pair #2–the first will go to Lauren, my assistant, who [...]

Read Full Post »

Tweetcret Santa

One of the blogs I follow is the terrific I Like, a design and coolness kind of blog which first caught my attention with its great pictures of British tearooms and cafes in decline, and its love for Tunnock’s.  Now she’s hosting a Tweetcret Santa. 
I have Secret Santa trauma.  Once upon a time, I went into [...]

Read Full Post »

Little Sunshine’s new winter ensemble

Little Sunshine has outgrown her winter coat from 4 years ago–both physically and spiritually.  A trip to the Ross Dress for Less revealed her hitherto hidden talent for ferreting out high-end fashion.  We traded down from Calvin Klein (a bargain at $130 marked down from $300) to this very elegant Kenneth Cole pea coat.  But [...]

Read Full Post »

Hunkering Down

As long as it looks like this outside, and it feels as bleak as it does inside, I’m going to be spending a lot more time doing two things:  reading books I already know I love, and knitting red cotton dishcloths.  So, in case you’re in an equally needy space, I offer you a pattern for [...]

Read Full Post »

Totoro, Totoro!

My very dear former colleague Karen–from whom I learned more than anyone else I have ever worked with, hands down–is now a proud grandmother.  So I’ve finally gotten a chance to try this completely irresistable bonnet from the incomparable Hello Yarn.  It worked up in a hurry, has some extra-nice shaping in the back, to [...]

Read Full Post »

Another New Hat

Hat madness still prevails . . . this is my new hat, a cloche by MK Carroll which gave me a fair amount of trouble in getting the gauge just right (3 tries on the brim, 4 tries on the crown!), and which doesn’t look as nice in my leftover wool from the back of my [...]

Read Full Post »

Quaker Mittens

Here are the promised mittens–Quaker mittens because they’re “plain, but of the best,” you know?  Wool, in a Quakerly black–although gray or khaki would also be suitable–with a nice long rib, thumb gusset, and Nordic-style decreases.  They’re knitted in Heel Stitch*, a sturdy, long-wearing slip stitch pattern that gives the mittens a little texture and some extra [...]

Read Full Post »

Sleeveless

Behold, my gallery of shame.  These are knitting projects I have had on the needles for too long, often for very poor reasons.

This is a cardigan for Sofie, with hugs-and-kisses and wishbone cables.  All that’s left is the sleeves and the button band.

This is possibly the most superbly-designed sweater I’ve ever knit:  the Eris pullover, [...]

Read Full Post »

Pincushions! Prizes! Competition!

pear factory
Originally uploaded by Loobylu

Piecework magazine is sponsoring an Excellence in Needlework pincushion competition, with a $500 prize. Tell me you’re not dying to come up with the Platonic ideal of pincushionery and scoop that magic cash–not to mention the exhibition in the National NeedleArts Association conference, and the photospread in Piecework. The adorable pincushions [...]

Read Full Post »