Tax and Hotpad Successes

I did it! I filed my taxes to nearly-broke-even results (better than expected for someone who gets a lot of 1099s for random work) AND successfully participated in the POTHOLDER SWAP 2011!

5 hotpads, double-sided. What's odd is that I had to force myself to create something that wasn't at all "work" related. I don't think I would have completed them without my grandma's death, which both rendered me incapable of working on new designs and inspired me to crochet, because she taught me. She was the queen of afghans and taught me to make granny squares when I was 7 or 8. I think she'd be proud.

The pattern: Knowing that I might struggle with the deadline, I went simple with Maurice's Modern Vintage Potholder pattern. However, I did do tiny stitches with a US 1 crochet hook and size 3 crochet cotton! Here they are:

The obverses: Pastels reminiscent of bathrooms with embroidered towels that are not at all absorbent and color stories from recent issues of Interweave Knits.


The reverses: Op art! Eyeballs!


The rings: something Bicycle Boy dug up out of his tool/supply box. Back cog ring spacers or something.


Tags so you know they're from me.


And it's all in the mail, in a repurposed Interweave rejection envelope. Turn that frown upside down, right???

Black hoodie, orange, scotch.

I have a new profile illustration, thanks to Andrew Kolb. Be sure to check out his stuff, but only if you like FUN. I traded Andrew a customized hat for the illustration, a hat that, because the pattern will be published this fall, I cannot yet show you. Craft for craft barter, hooray!

And hey, if you want to read more about me, or want to read thoughtful, informative reviews of new knitting books, check out The Knitting Scholar. I had a chance to meet Deb in New Jersey, and she reviewed my book (and was kind enough to include my lengthy responses to the a list of questions she sent me).

Knitting for love

My dud is the latest recipient of a handknit sweater. I think he's been wearing it for the last week, nonstop.

It's about a million stitches, knit in worsted weight at a pretty tight gauge. I've made three sweaters using this pattern, Easy Raglan from Green Mountain Spinnery, all in Greenwood Hill Farm Merino worsted weight. Something about this combination makes it irresistible to men. Chris, sitting next to me as I write this, says "it's a sweater made out of tiger blood and Adonis DNA" (he was the recipient of the first one I made).


Hey Dud, at least take it off to sleep, okay?

Interim Activity

Thanks to all of you who expressed your sympathy about my grandma. I just returned from Michigan and am attempting to return to some sort of routine, which is not easy.

While I take stock of all the copyediting and designing work that needs to be done, here are a few photos from the new book, Simply Circular, which includes a new design and a re-issue of one of my earlier designs.

The Aurora Shrug: Super easy; includes underarm gussets for ease of movement. I'll be wearing this one a LOT this spring. Worked in Manos Silk Blend, niiiiiice. The editor picked the colors, which are even more dramatic than what I suggested in my submission--I love that!

Here's a photo of me wearing it:


Bohemian Rhapsody: Originally published in Circular Knitting Redefined, this version is also worked in Berroco Peruvia, a warm, durable wool available in a fabulous range of colors. It's the same yarn I used for the Johnny Rotten Jacket, and, interestingly, I knit these two within weeks of each other. For two different publishers. Peruvia: The Yarn for Jackets with Lapels.

Grandma

My grandma died last night, after a day filled with her favorite activities: shopping and going out for lunch. She got home, and her heart stopped. She was 88 (mom, correct me if she wasn't 88).

As a tribute to Grandma Snapper, I've created a flickr set of just a few of the pairs of socks I've knit for her over the past few years: Grandma Socks. No matter how busy I've been, Grandma has received a handknit pair of socks every Mother's Day and every Christmas since I was able to knit socks. Every time I saw her, she would explain that she deliberately walked around her retirement community shoeless, fishing for compliments on the socks. I'm certain that if the compliments were not forthcoming, she actively drew attention to the socks.

When I published Craft Work Knit in September, I gave Grandma a copy. Wait, no, she INSISTED on paying for a copy and put a check in the mail. Again, I'm fairly certain she used her socks to lure her friends and neighbors into her apartment to show it off.

Grandma was an elementary school teacher, in the family tradition. She had a long, fabulous life. I miss her already.

Shame

Shame
Shame

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It's not designing, its...

knitting for love!


Behold, a giant project for a loved one that I am attempting to finish before the yarn for my next few designs starts landing on my doorstep. Such tight gauge. So many stitches. Causing some cramping in the left thumb.

Knitting for fun!


BEHOLD! The Lobby Dishcloth, from Mason-Dixon Knitting, which I finally found the time to make. The color scheme reminds me of Batman, which is cool. It goes in the future gifts box; it was such a pleasure to make that I see a pile of these in the future, as time permits.

Knitting for a purpose!


My armband for the One Hundred and Forty Six+ project, commemorating a victim of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911. I chose number one, Abraham Binevitz, and found myself wondering who he was, what country he came from, what job he did in the factory, and also thinking about this tragedy and the resulting reforms in light of the movements for democracy and workers' rights all over the world. I suppose it made me feel less powerless in the face of this rush of historical events. If you have about 1.5 hours to make an armband, consider participating; there are a few numbers left.

Now, time to get dressed and walk down to the spanking new yarn store right around the corner from my house (!!!!!!), JP Knit & Stitch.