3 failed attempts to start the first design this afternoon. Roughly 2 hours spent knitting, ripping, knitting, ripping, knitting, ripping.

I’m having visualization and translation issues. I know what I want it to look like. I can sketch it out. But I can’t make it work in stitches.

I’m putting it on hold until tomorrow, my knit night, and maybe I’ll pick it back up and give it another shot.

We’ll see if this actually ever gets done.

If you haven’t read this amazing book (and the rest in the series: Catching Fire, and Mockingjay) GET ON IT. IMMEDIATELY.

Recently, I’ve also been thinking about designing a shawl pattern. At my weekly knit group meeting, a friend suggested I design a Hunger Games shawl. I latched onto the idea immediately, and it’s been rolling around in my silly little head ever since.

This morning, though, it took on a new intensity. I spent a good 30 minutes sketching out two different designs for the shawl. One will be triangle-shaped, the other more a semi-circle, both with cables and a candle flame stitch pattern, to signify Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire.

I made a Ravelry project page to gather my ideas into one place, because this is the current status of all my plans:

scattered out over little scraps of paper.

I need to start working on them right away, because I can’t get the ideas out of my head!

Also, for 2012, I made an unconscious resolution to post here at least once a month. SOMEONE HOLD ME TO THAT, PLEASE.

For the past 11 months, I’ve been participating in the most challenging, and the most rewarding, knit-along! We’re knitting all 19 patterns from Cookie A‘s newest book, Knit. Sock. Love.

Here are my projects from the last 11 months! (The last 2 are WIP photos. I’m plugging along, but October and November have been rough knitting months, so I’m a little behind.)

Hedera (January 11)

Monkey (February 11)

Thelonious (March 11)

Mona (April 11)

Kai-Mei (May 11 – substitute for Rhombus)

Stricken (June 11)

BFF (July 11 – matching with Christina! Also, I won a prize for these!)

Twisted Flower (August 11)

In and Out (September 11)

Lissajous (October 11)

Angee (November 11 – substitute for Gothic Spire)

There are 2 pictures of In And Out, because they are quite possibly my FAVORITES. Such a joy to knit, and such a lovely finished product. Tied with BFF (orange) for my favorite pattern from this book.

So, yes. I love all these socks! And I’m so excited to continue into August 2012!

LONG TIME, NO SEE. AMIRIGHT?

Okay. Anyway.

I have a new pattern! Just a simple cowl, knit in super luxurious Madelinetosh.

I was balling some of the Malabrigo Sock I mentioned in the previous post, and it wasn’t doing what I wanted it to do, so I got frustrated, hit it a few times, and then, when I tried to use it again, the handle snapped off.

I did what any other frustrated knitter would do, and immediately unclamped it from my desk and threw it across the room.

(Okay, maybe that was just MY reaction, but I’d like to think that other frustrated knitters would have done the same.)

I initially felt horrible (because this ballwinder was a Christmas present from my parents) and called my mom all upset and apologized for breaking something that was a gift. My mom just said, “Well, now you get to get something new!”

So, devoted (read: nonexistent) blog readers, which ballwinder should I get?

I had a used Royal ballwinder before I got the KnitPicks one for Christmas, and despite being slightly busted (I got it as a hand-me-down from Dani when she got her super-monster of a baller) it worked well. I’ve run across Lacis ballwinders that seem comparable, but for half the price of a Royal.

I am 100% NOT interested in one of the Nancy’s Knit Knacks winders. I don’t need a giant wood contraption. Plastic is cool with me.

Leave me a comment with your preferred ballwinder!

ps: I’ve had a super-crafty-failure weekend. Give me some ideas for instant-gratification-super-easy projects to shake me out of this funk!

This point comes in, like, 4 bullet points:

• I recently bought 4 skeins of Malabrigo sock. (One is already spoken for – I bought it with a project in mind, so it is not eligible in this poll. I’ll post pictures of the eligible ones at the bottom.)
• I WILL BE RESTARTING THE AZURES SOMETIME SOON.
• I will not be using the Araucania Ranco I used before, even though I unraveled it all and it’s in 2 separate balls already. (I think it has a different destiny.)
• I want to use one of the 3 eligible Malabrigo Sock skeins for the Azures.

The one skein that is spoken for is in Tiziano Red. Oh lordy, it is GORGEOUS. I’m going to use it to make another set of my Untitled Mitts.

The original pair were knit in KnitPicks Palette. There are some changes I need to make to the pattern, so I’m going to make another pair, and they’re going to be awesome.

So, on to the poll! The 3 skeins I have available are Turner, Stonechat, and Impressionist Sky.

Each colorway is gorgeous and would make an amazing pair of socks (and probably will someday) but I can’t decide!

Personally, I am leaning towards Turner. BUT. “Azure” means blue, so Impressionist Sky is a close second.

HERE COMES YOUR PART. Vote in this handy-dandy little poll for which colorway YOU think I should use. I can’t guarantee I’ll go with the results of the poll, but let’s just see what happens.

Tonight I started swatching for Magic Mirror Socks with Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball (both Ravelry links). Um, REALLY EXCITED about it.

And lastly, I designed the Firebending Hat. Pattern forthcoming.

EARTHBENDER HAT

Yarn: Cascade 220 – Forest Green (MC), Yellow (CC)
Needles: US 9 Circular (40″+ for Magic Loop)
Gauge: 4.5 sts/inch in stockinette stitch
Notions: 2-3 stitch markers, yarn needle

SOLID COIN:

CO 92 sts.
Join for Magic Loop, being careful not to twist.

Work 2×2 rib for 8 rounds (or 1 inch, whichever you prefer.)

K 1 round.

Switch to CC and knit until hat measures 4-5 inches from cast on.

Begin decreases as follows:
Setup: K23, Place Marker (PM), K23, PM, K23, PM, K23
Round 1: K2tog, *K to 2 before marker, SSK, slip marker, K2tog* 3 times, K to last 2, SSK
Round 2: Knit all sts.

Repeat these 2 rounds 4 times in CC.

Switch back to MC and continue decreasing until 9 sts remain between markers.

Next round: K2tog, *K to 2 before marker, SSK, slip marker, K2tog* 3 times, K to last 2, SSK
Repeat this round until 3 sts remain between markers.

Next round: *K2tog, K1* around

8 sts left. Thread yarn onto yarn needle and draw through remaining stitches, closing top of hat.

OUTLINED COIN:

Follow instructions for SOLID COIN for Cast On and ribbing.

K 1 round.

Switch to CC and K 3 rounds.

Switch back to MC and K until hat measures 4-5 inches from CO.

Begin decreases as follows:
Setup: K23, Place Marker (PM), K23, PM, K23, PM, K23
Round 1: K2tog, *K to 2 before marker, SSK, slip marker, K2tog* 3 times, K to last 2, SSK
Round 2: Knit all sts.

Knit decreases in MC for 4 rounds.

Switch to CC for 3 rounds.

Switch back to MC and continue decreasing to end. When 8 sts remain between markers, thread yarn through remaining stitches, closing top of hat.

Wear the version of your choice while practicing your Earthbending Skillz.

My friend Dani (who, in addition to being a great friend, is also an excellent designer, dyer, tea-blender, and sock-club-runner) has turned my Waterbender Hat pattern into a handy-dandy PDF file for your downloading enjoyment. (Also, go check of Dani’s blog and shop. Buy things from her, because she is awesome.)

You can download it from the Patterns Page! (I’m working on putting it on Ravelry, and it should be up sometime soon.)

Also, in design news: I’m working up 2 versions of the Earthbender Hat for a class in the HPKCHC. Those patterns will be posted (if not in PDF form, then definitely in a blog post) before the end of the month!

(Download the PDF!)

Size: One size fits most adult heads

Yarn: 1 ball each of Wisdom Yarns Poems #558 (MC) and #517 (CC)

Needles: US9 Circular (I did Magic Loop on a 40” circular set, but you can use a shorter circular set and switch to DPNs for the crown)

Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch (row gauge is not crucial)

CO 112

Join for working in the round. Work in 2×2 ribbing for 1 – 1.5 inches

K 1 row even, decreasing 2 stitches evenly. You should now have 110 stitches.

BEGIN CHART:

After working the 8 rows of the chart, switch back to MC. Knit in MC for 4 – 5 inches (measure from bottom of ribbing.)

Begin decreasing.

1: *K9, k2tog* around

2 and all even-numbered rows: K around

3: *K8, k2tog* around

5: *K7, k2tog* around

7: *K6, k2tog* around

9: *K5, k2tog* around

11: *K4, k2tog* around

13: *K3, k2tog* around

15: *K2, k2tog* around

17: *K1, k2tog* around

19: K2tog around (You can repeat this row if you like.)

Cut yarn, leaving a generous tail, and thread yarn needle. Draw yarn through remaining stitches to close top of hat. Weave in ends.

Wear with pride when you’re practicing your Waterbending skillz.

New design I’m working on. It will be published on this blog as soon as I get it typed up and prepared.

I think it’s going to be my first pattern for sale, instead of offered free. My lovely friend Dani suggested that I sell the pattern, and when I said I didn’t even know where to begin with selling patterns, she offered to help me. I’m excited about it! It’s been fun to knit so far, and I can’t wait to finish the pair and release the pattern!

(PS: BIIIG Christmas Knits FO Roundup coming soon!)