worthwhile freebies

i've been doing lots of work today but have some across a few very worthwhile freebies you might want to dowload while they are available ....

7 Free Patterns for Men from Knitting Daily/Interweave Knits (i like the smoking jacket cardie)

Tatami Socks from Knitted Socks East and West - a freebie from publisher Stewart Tobori & Chang




Ballerina Teddy Bear from The Best-Dressed Knitted Bears by Emma King.

Mille Colori Big Cowl

i made a cowl for the store. it's a pretty big cowl, i wasn't sure if it was too big, but figured i'd just plough through and see what happened since it's for the store. i used 1 ball of Lang Mille Colori Big and 6mm/24" circular needles. i chose the muted colourway to go with the tuxedo coat in magnum for the front window. it looks really beautiful, i'll have to photograph it on a more neutal coloured sweater so it won't be dominated.

Mille Colori Big Cowl
shown in size large, which is a drapey, slightly oversized cowl. i haven't made it yet in a smaller size so i don't know how much taller it will be.  if you want something that will stay closer to your body but still be a cowl try the small size (and tell me how it goes). If you want a full on neck warmer that stays close to your body for blizzard conditions you should probably cast on 80 sts and 5.5mm needles.

Size 

• S/M (M/L)
• Circumference: 24"/61cm (28"/71cm)
• Length: ? (10.5cm/27cm)
  

Gauge
17 sts & 16 rows = 4"/10cm unstretched in K2xP2 rib


Materials

• 6mm-24" circular needles
• 1 ball of Mille Colori Big (757-70)

Directions

• Cast on 120 sts, join in the round being careful not to twist your sts.
  
• *K2, P2; repeat from * to end of round.
• Repeat the above instructions until piece measures approx 10.5"/26cm.
• Cast off loosely & weave in ends.

tulips x 2

i was sick all last week with a plague and i'm trying to catch up now (i also had an assignment due in the class i'm taking at night). please bear with me, i was productive while i was out of it.

finito! the display pic of tulips in mission falls wool, as close to their prescribed colourway as possible. it looks ok, but i prefer color combinations with some design sensibility.

this one is old news, the pic is a week old and the orange at the bottom is long gone. this is a Tulips baby cardigan in rusty colours of mission falls wool (rusty tulips). i had issues with the 8th colour. first it was orange, then basil green, then pistachio green, and finally i settled on dijon green. i don't have any good light for photography right now but i'll get it up for you soon. it's actually almost finished, it just needs to be blocked and gt it's label. it'll become a kit tomorrow. i'm actually really happy with it, it looks great and it's also received a lot of compliments too!

projects update

this is our Twinkle by Wenlan Chia Tuxedo Jacket Sweater in Cascade Magnum.  it was put on hold temporarily while we were waiting for our funky-large 15mm double pointed needles for the arms. it'll be back in action next week. the pattern was originally published in 'Twinkle's Big City Knits' but is also available for FREE from the LA Times. the yarn is sooooo soft and lovely! super snuggly for stupid cold, rainy fall weather.

while the magnum tuxedo was on hold we worked on a little cardie in the Malabrigo Chunky. the yarn looks goegeous and knits up beaitfully, but not in this pattern, it has too much body. i ripped it an it we will try again as this jacket with interesting collar. i have not yet told Liane that i ripped it, so lets keep it between us, i will let her know in good time. she will probably roll her eyes :-)

couldn't help my-elf

yes, the above are crocheted elf slippers via CRAFTzine.  CRAFT stopped publishing paper issues but their web site is going strong and i get several updates a day from them on facebook (which is turning out to be the best way for me to keep up on blogs)

anyway, the pattern is written as a crochet chart and it seems to be just a granny square that's been artfully seamed together. not that i expect most of you will be inclined to make crochet elf slippers (well, i think cindy from studioloo might be into them), but i hope you enjoy the whimsy. i think they might make a good Christmas decoration for the store this year.

Boobies!

why didn't i think of it sooner, they are 'Boobie' Dolls! thank you kristen.  on the left is wonder woman in an outfit made my michelle kissoore, the centre is one of liane's childhood boobie dolls, and on the right is curly sue, a chick i picked up at value village. i have taken to posing them around the store on fixtures and in the yarn.

so it turns out that i am actually playing with dolls. while i was at my aunt & uncle's house i pulled wonder woman out the try on the sweater below for fit, and it felt very awkward. i explained what i was up to, but i still felt weird to be dressing boobie dolls in public on my uncle's porch in suburban toronto. now, my family is fully used to my eccentric ways and a boobie doll didn't throw them, but i felt like a kid who's a bit too old to be playing with dolls but still does it on the sly. for years, whenever i find myself in a toy store or a store with a toy department i make a b-line to the boobie section to sublimate my affection. the real question is, now that i have a socially acceptable boobie outlet will i devolve into waylan smithers, editing boobie magazine and living in a boobie panorama?

this chick doesn't have  name yet, but she's sporting a brand new little cardie in koigu kpppm.  i'm very much enjoying making the boobie sweaters in nice merino sock yarn, if you have bits & bobs i would very much appreciate donations. I doubt it takes 10g of sock yarn. 

Dress The Boobies
c/o Knit-O-Matic
1378 Bathurst St
Toronto ON
M5R 3J1
Canada

if you would like to make clothes for my boobies i would be much obliged, i've got a few girls and boys who are nekkid and the chilly weather is almost upon us.  i'm going to restrict the outfits to natural fibres, so if you need some yarn just ask me. info (at) knitomatic (dot) com

i finished a tulips baby cardie in mission falls 1824 wool. i'll take a better photo on Wednesday, for now you'll have to settle for the blocking pic.  i decided to try the mission falls because i know a dream in colour kit might feel a bit costly for some people. the mission falls is soooooo soft, i could bury myself in it.

dress the dolls

have you ever noticed the dolls at the goodwill or value village? the 12"dolls (brand name omitted because it is proprietary, but you know the type, she's been involved with Ken for years) are strung up naked, in clear plastic bags, looking like they've been raped and dumped in the river.  it just makes me want to save them and knit little cardigans for them (well, at least the ones who still possess nice hair and all of their limbs).

this lady came with all her clothes, but she wasn't dressed for an interminable canadian winter. i originally got her for my friend's daughter (not to worry, i am not THAT cheap, they are down with second hand toys and this one had barely been touched), but her hair was so nice and curly that i was not able to let her go.

i am thinking about making this into a window display and then an art exhibition. a dress the dolls project.

dear me, after all these years, have i finally found a rationale to play with dolls again. jeepers, this could be bad ....

by the way, if anyone can come up for a euphemism for the doll's brand name, please let me know. every time i avoid using it i feel like i'm writing a CSIS (like the CIA, except Canadian and therefore it is also doll sized) report. she was Malibu Stacey on the Simpsons, but i don't know if that will work ... "dress the maibu stacey project".



Doll pullover, knit in one piece, in Dream in Color Classy. everyone needs a cozy sweater to get them through a long canadian winter.

Doll booties, knit in 1 piece, dream in color classy (spring tickle). the advantage of knitted boots is that they are not as easily lost as the more more traditional Manolo Blahniks.

ma belle & etc

Liane finished the Ma Belle child's cardigan in Dream in Color Classy and it looks great! it only took 2 skeins, not bad.

here is a better picture of the baby cardie i made in Regia 6ply Kaffe Fasset Design Line. Supah cute! the buttons are vintage, dug out of my little hoard. they are an iridescent black. the yarn's colours are so sophisticated, love it!

the bulky shrug on display sprouted arms, so now i guess it's a bulky jacket/cardie.  it just wasn't compelling without sleeves.

P.S.
i give in, i ordered a dark coloured cover for the sofa. people are responding very positively to this particular piece of furniture and there is no way it will stay clean otherwise.