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My 2012

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In looking ahead to the new year, I've also been looking back a little. I was thinking about all the things I did for the first time (or first time in a very  long time) in 2012. Let's be honest, most of them are pretty insignificant, but that's okay. Firsts in 2012: Ran a mile (for the first time in over 10 years!)  Drove most of the way across the country (towing a trailer) Ate an oyster (raw!) Had a helicopter flying lesson That last one was on New Year's Eve and I am still pretty excited about it. As part of family Christmas, my sister-in-law offered all the family members a very brief flying lesson in a Robinson R22 - a very small helicopter. I was a little nervous but I know that she is very experienced and very safe. We had ground school and then I (in my geekiness) read more about the history of helicopter development and the controls.  Taking off - hovering is the hardest part Off we go! Coming in for a landing I got to control the cy
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Liquorice Allsorts Socks

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New socks yay! These have been my 'boring purse knitting' for a while and they are finally done! I had to re-knit the first sock, which was a major bummer, but serves me right for knitting all the way to the tip of the toe before trying it on. The yarn is Regia in one of the Kaffe Fassett designed stripe patterns. These are just basic 3x1 rib socks, 72 sts around, on US#1s. The colors reminded me of liquorice allsorts (not that allsorts have THAT much blue in them, but you get the idea) hence the name. I love the mismatched stripes Now to find my next easy socks to carry around!
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New Free Pattern: the Denver Cowl

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We've all been there. Maybe it’s wool fumes, maybe it’s a color (or three) that calls your name, but suddenly you end up with a big skein of variegated yarn and you have no idea what to do with it. Here’s something to try - a big cozy cowl that you can wear wrapped once or twice. The stitch pattern grabs on to short stretches of color and turns them into little starbursts all over the fabric. Laughing photos are the best photos The Denver Cowl is a new FREE pattern, born of a collaboration between Miss Babs and myself. It's designed to make the most of the always-changing, no-two-alike, fun and funky "Babettes" that Babs dyes. There's a secret to the process that I can't reveal, but it means that there are always super-saturated flashes of fantastic colors all over the skein. Denver Cowl, worn as a scarf The yarn is the fabulous Miss Babs Yowza . If you've never worked with this stuff, you're missing out. It's 8 oz. of superwash meri
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Something's Cooking

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...and it's not turkey. What could it be? Stay tuned!
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New Goodies

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Last weekend I headed to the marketplace at Interweave Knitting Lab in San Mateo and came away with some new goodies. I got a box project bag and a wee tiny little triangle bag... Project bags And I couldn't resist a little yarn from Alpenglow and Knitted Wit. New yarn! I am busy whipping up a couple new things, which I hope to be able to share with you soon! And then of course there's the standard super-sekrit sample knitting and super-sekrit Christmas knitting going on, but I suppose all will be revealed in due time.
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Pointelle Socks

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I'm back to the Sock Knitters Anonymous challenges this year. So far... so good - although it's only been one month (the annual challenges start in September). One of September's challenges was "All knit with the same color - red" and I just happened to have some red Knit Picks Stroll laying around. It's not what I would ordinarily choose for socks - it seems too flimsy - but it worked up OK. We'll see how they wear. The pattern is Pointelle by Cookie A. It looks complex but the pattern is just lace patterning on every other round - there's a lot of plain knitting in these. In between all my other knitting, these went very quickly! Pointelle socks Next month's challenge includes a 'holiday stocking' option - which is great, because I still haven't finished my Christmas stocking from last year . I've ripped it all the way out because I got the color dominance wrong, so it's fresh for a new challenge. Starting over
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Sample roundup

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Miss Babs has been keeping me busy (as usual!) working on some samples. Erica Shawl This is the Erica Shawl , knit up in Miss Babs Tierno (the alpaca-silk blend also known as the 'kitten yarn') in Coventry - my favorite green. It's an easy bottom-up pattern that involves a giant cast-on, the lace pattern, and then short rows in stockinette stitch to complete the body. To ensure the greatest possible flexibility on the bottom, I went looking for a new cast-on. I discovered that Jeny - she of super-stretchy bind-off fame - had found a very stretchy cast-on . However, I found her method a bit awkward and used the method described in this video instead. It's definitely worth a try if you have a large number of stitches to cast on (no long tail) and need great elasticity. It requires a little more attention than the standard long-tail cast on, but is well worth the effort. Boyfriend Cardigan I knit up a quick  Boyfriend cardigan for Stitches Midwest in
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