All the Tote Bags.

Recently my friend Alex posted about CARROT, the "to-do list with an attitude", and I succumbed. I too must admit that empty points from an app instead of the inherent joy of a job well done. Because of CARROT's empty points, I've found everyone's addresses and wrote them by hand on our wedding invitations.
Because the printable labels for the return address have't arrived, I thought I'd tackle something else on the list: sort through and clean all tote bags.
What is it with tote-bags and being a knitter? Once a project is done, do I diligently return the yarn to my stash? Oh no. It stays in the bag. Eventually when the bag gets too full of scraps, it leaves rotation (translation: new tote-bag) along with all the receipts, lotion tubes, pens and pencils, notebooks, and magazines. Even, in the case of one tote-bag, other tote-bags.
So I did it! I went through all the tote-bags, purses, and back-packs! Want to see? I knew you did!

That's a lot of bags! I saved the best for last--my new Wool bag from my friend Grace. The cloth bags are all going straight into the laundry. I'm going to add that as a task on CARROT, now!
So lets have a look at what was hiding in my tote-bags (which I keeps piled in the basket next to the wicker basket):

Top left: Wedding magazines, books, pattern notes. Top center: Yarn! And all the stitch-markers and yarn needles in existence. Top right: receipts, wrappers, and other trash (even found some loose staples in my back-pack, back when I had a stapler about 3 years ago?). Middle right: ball bands, toiletries, office supplies, stickers, loose change. Bottom left: Anna Vogelzang and Neko Case CDs, and some loose shawls.
What a mess! Oh well, now I know what I have, it should be fairly easy to put away (toiletries go to the bathroom, yarn goes in the stash, wedding magazines...meh, they get recycled because after you've read one, you've read them all!

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Pro-Hats-ination!

I just noticed that I haven't posted in this blog for almost a month!  I will tell you why--Christmas orders!  Now that I'm almost done with my last order, I can start thinking about what my family and friends are going to receive!  This is what I call (since this morning when I thought of it) "pro-hats-ination," mainly because I'm going to be knitting at least one hat a day until (and through) the 25th!

Side note: it's kind of funny, knitting things semi-professionally, and a friend asks how you're doing.  "Oh, just tying up loose ends...literally.  That is what I'm doing.  I'm taking loose ends and tying them up."

So speaking of loose ends, and family you would like to knit for, I'd like to announce my 40% off pro-hats-ination sale!  If you enter the code "prohatsinate" when purchasing any of my hat patterns on Ravelry, you get 40% off, through Christmas day!

The eligible patterns are: 

Bon-Bonnet, Chopin Chapeau, Catalpa, Logan Boulevard, Wolcott, Paulina, and Foxversation Piece.

OK!  Get cracking!

Rattlebone

The Apocalypse has come, and the first question on everyone's mind is

"What should I knit?"

This is the premise to Alex Tinsley's upcoming book, Doomsday Knits (available for pre-order) from Cooperative Press.  When Alex came up with this idea, I had just the design!  I'd made up a stitch pattern while waiting at an airport that looked like an odd mix of a ridged backbone and a run in some stockings.  Either way, it looked creepy in a cool way.

Alex came up with the name Rattlebone (you can find it here on Ravelry) and I love the tribal, shamanistic styling that accompanied them in the photographs by Vivian Aubrey.

The book is separated into chapters that each depict a different apocalyptic situation.  Rattlebone is in the section named "Wasteland Vagabonds."  I love it!

I love the rusty color of the Malabrigo Arroyo colorway, Glitter.  Also, when you hold a rusty doughnut, it might come off on your hands.

These gloves look amazing with yesterday's pattern, Forager, by Alex herself.  They would also kick  punch ass with a tank and your favorite skinny pants.

Speaking of the previous patterns in the blog tour, let's give them a shout-out, OK?  These are some seriously formidable designs!

11/21 - Lunar Progression 

11/20 - Wayfarer 

11/19 - Oryx 

11/18 - Ditch the Tech 

11/17 - Bulletproof 

11/16 - Utility Corset 

11/15 - Oh Bondage! 

11/14 - Thrumivator 

11/13 - Ozone 

11/12 - Long Road Ahead 

11/11 - Fission 

11/10 - I Was A Teenage Mutant 

11/9 - Oxygenate 

11/8 - APOCKETMITTS 

11/7 - Ringmaster 

11/6 - Fennec 

11/5 - Alternating Current 

11/4 - Desert Warrior 

11/3 - Circuit 

11/2 - Grom-mitts 

11/1 - Fatigued 

10/31 - Fallout 

Foxversation Piece

After a long, patient wait, this pattern is now available on Ravelry!  Apparently one has to be speedier with these things, because the name "What Does The Fox Say?" was not used when I first started testing, but now a number of (adorable) patterns shows up in the search.

 Hense the name, "Foxversation Piece."  I must say that this hat has, indeed, sparked many a conversation in cafes, the train, and most recently, Vogue Knitting Live in Chicago.  Also, it inspired me to make my first-ever animated gif!  Yay!  (I love the Internet.)

So if you like it, make sure to  on Ravelry!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Jen Marek Photography who is the new name is knitwear design photography, according to me!

Design Binge Update

Whew!  I designed and knit and designed and knit and have come up with the following pieces:
First up is Kedzie, a mock-slouchy hat that can be worn and not blown off your head during this gusty October in Chicago:

 Next up is Altgeld, a sporty beanie that works equally well for men and women.  I love the sort-of art-deco feel I got from the texture!

The last hat of the mix is the Dearborn Cloche, with a pure silk lined brim and linen-stitch "ribbon", with a tweed alpaca-silk-merino blend for the body:

 For a fun little accessory, conceived by Grace and engineered by moi, the Bomber Collar using Skacel's new Caribou yarn!  Everyone who sees and touches this can not believe that it's knit, but they never want to stop touching it, either!

 And it wouldn't be a Sarah collection if it didn't involve at least one shawl!  This is a bottom-up shawl with a beaded picot cast-on and a simple lace stitch.  Oh yes, and it is a silk-cashmere blend, so it's amazing to wear!

None of these patterns are ready for publication, but if you'd like a free printed draft with your yarn purchase, come by booth 320!

Vogue Knitting Live: Making Samples!

Yesterday my friend Grace & I went through boxes of yarn for our booth (mostly hers, but I'm helping!) and we had a great time sorting, scheming, squealing, and sighing. I fully admit that the Art Yarns evoked involuntary yelps and giggles from my lips.

Upon sorting, we had to decide which yarns to create into samples, and what we could knit up (and design!) in two weeks out of this:

Over the next two weeks I'll be posting my progress and linking to the new designs as I finish them!  Because of the time constraint, the photos will be not-too-fancy, but hopefully good enough to give you the idea of what they would look like, knit up!  Then, after VKL, I'll bribe my trusty photographer to get some real, publish-worthy photos, now that she's spoiled me with what those actually look like!

Fire District

Fire District is a new shawl design that starts out with a short-row-shaped garter-stitch body which then fans out into lacy flames  with beaded tips.
The crescent shape drapes perfectly over the shoulders

Because of the long wingspan and garter-stitch body, it can also be worn as a scarf.

 It can also make you feel fancy!

 And people will always be touching it so they can see the details.

Thank you so much to Jen Marek Photography for these images!