A few peeks...

So I did promise a few peeks at what else has been going on in my knitting world. Super happy news...the rough draft of Zephyr is now with the tech editor! I thought I might go all Scanners there for awhile with all the convoluted math that I had going on. Let's hope it actually makes sense and that I won't have a ton of edits to do before it goes out for test knitting!

While working on it, I actually learned to do a lot more math with the help of Excel.  I have been anti-Excel forever, just because I never had the patience to sit down and figure out formulas and whatnot.  Since Zephyr was already taking forever...an extra day or two working in Excel was nothing. A big plus on that is I will have a nifty spreadsheet to include in the pattern with stitch counts by section and size to make it easier for those unfamiliar with the construction method to keep their place.

Yeah enough technical talk...here's the fun stuff!



This is Ellington. I looove the stitch pattern...I used it because it is great with variegated yarns such as this (madelinetosh 80/10/10 sport in Charred-grey). Also I am going to work up a stranded version in regular tosh sport (Coastal Hoodie leftovers). I had a modeled pic, but it looked kind of funky because I blocked the hat flat. So once I re-block it, I'll have more pics to show!



This is my awesome stockinette and Norwegian star manicure! This knitting image (plate M69) is the cause of my recent Konad obsession. Oh, that yarn...it is madelinetosh 80/10/10 worsted in Gossamer, such a hard color to capture accurately, but this comes pretty close. I am using it to make a cable and lace vest that I have been imagining for close to 2 years now. It is definitely time to get it out of the head, off the paper and into yarn!

Ovate

ovateback, a photo by LachesisandCo. on Flickr.

Hello loves!

Ovate is now available! The one-skein version is ready now and the 2-skein version is in progress. Purchase now at $1.50 off the full price and get the one-skein version now and the 2-skein version when it is released. Price will then increase to $5.50. Also, my fall promotion expires tonight at midnight...enter the code fallstockpile2011 in the "promo code" box and receive an additional 20% off the already discounted price!

I will get some updates on my current designs up in the next few days...right now I am still wrestling with Zephyr. It seems to be a Herculean task. Making a sweater look simple and artless is no easy endeavor...especially when writing it up in 8 sizes! I know it will be worth it, because it is such a great and timeless cardi.

On a Roll...

So I have another design that is almost done, Ovate.  This was inspired by a skein of Rasta I won in Eat.Sleep.Knit's Yarn Lotto. I hadn't worked with Rasta before, because I really wasn't sure what to do with it.  I decided to approach it like I did Twist with my Belmondo Shawl...really big needles and lace!





The one-skein version of Ovate is in the final stages of testing and should be ready to go this week or next.  It will be available as an "early-release" version at a discount, while I finish up the larger two-skein version.  All "early-release" buyers will receive the larger version at no additional charge! I would normally wait until the whole pattern is ready to go, but I was actually inspired by my testers to add an additional size and I want to get those Junkies working on their October Stockpile projects a shot at this pattern before my October promotion is over.

Just in case you hadn't heard, all patterns and eBooks in my Ravelry store are 20% off through October 17, 2011...just enter the code fallstockpile2011 in the coupon code box at checkout! Caliper should be ready to go this week, too, and will be eligible for the discount as well!

(I think) I have finished all of the math for Zephyr.  It is being offered in 8 sizes, ranging from 31.25" to 55.25." It was definitely a lot of math for my poor brain, now I just need to take all of those numbers and get them into a coherent set of instructions! I am hoping I can get it done within the next week or two, and out to my testers so I can release it sometime in November.

Gettin' it Done!

Zephyr is done, and I absolutely love it! I really enjoyed learning a new construction method (Contiguous) and can't wait to start (or more accurately, rip and restart) another contiguous sweater!



There is a definite learning curve that comes with doing anything new, of course raglans are easy for me now, but the first one certainly wasn't.  And I hadn't a clue what adjustments to make to the fit on that first one.  I already tried a few alterations on Zephyr, just based on recommendations from other contiguous knitters...back neck increases and I also tried a couple body and sleeve increases to curve the armscye a bit where it meets the body.



Hopefully I will have a bit of free time soon to really concentrate and get the pattern rolling on this.  I had hoped to get going on it today, but I am not sure if I have the mental fortitude.  Plus, Caliper is in the final stages of testing, so there are a lot of little edits that need to be done and hopefully I can get that off to my editor soon.  I also have three other hat and winter accessory patterns and samples that I would like to get done so I can release them as an eBook in plenty of time for everyone's holiday knitting...but if the clamor for Zephyr continues, I may just have to put the eBook on the back burner for now.