Monomania

a single pathological preoccupation in an otherwise sound mind

In this case, chevrons and making them align. Making them align and working all the shaping for a set-in sleeve cardigan in five sizes was a challenge. According to my sister/layout department, making the lines of the pattern align was also a challenge. Monomania: ALIGN!

I've been working on this pattern for several months, and some of you have probably seen this sample. After test knits in every size, a tech edit, several rounds of proofreading, and a careful layout, it's time to  release this one!

Final pattern page count: 37.

Don't let the page count fool you--this is not a difficult pattern! Quite the opposite. The pattern is written out line by line for each size, so you just print the pages for your size and follow the instructions. Use a row counter and you'll be all set!

Monomania will initially be available exclusively as a kit from The Plucky Knitter. There will be at least 12 color combinations available, and they will go live at 9:00 a.m. EST this Friday, July 12, in The Plucky Knitter shop. The pattern will be available as an individual download in three months, at which point you can knit it in whatever you like (leftover skeins, mix and match skeins, anything!).

Here's the original: It's knit in Plucky Feet in Message in a Bottle, Essie, Wintry Mix, and Cider Mill. This is an elbow-length version, but the pattern includes instructions for both elbow-length and three-quarter-length sleeves.

In this photo, I'm wearing the 37-inch bust size, and I have a 32-inch bust. The reason it doesn't look gappy and too large on me is that the fabric is light and stretchy (fingering-weight yarn knit on US 6 needles). I'll be posting photos of me modeling the 31-inch bust size tomorrow.

Here's Ruth, intrepid 37-inch bust size sample knitter, modeling her version, which was knit in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock. Ruth has a 37-inch bust. This is the three-quarter-length sleeve version.

I tried to pick only the best photos of Ruth, but all the photos of Ruth are the best.

And here's Claudia, intrepid 43-inch bust size sample knitter, modeling her version, knit in Plucky Knitter Plucky Single (a single-ply silk/wool blend).

And here's Karida, the artist behind Neighborhood Fiber Co., modeling the 49-inch sample, which was knit by my lovely friend and intrepid sample knitter Pat. This sample is worked in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Rustic Fingering, a single-ply Merino wool. Again, this is the three-quarter-length sleeve version. 

I love the way the cardigan looks totally different when worked in a gradient.

Note: Better photos of this one are coming. I forced Karida to pose in front of the vacant house next to my house after we went to the farmers market.

So THIS is what I've been doing for the past few months, and I'm so happy to share. Comments? Questions? Let me know!

At Your Service!

I got a new gig as a waiter for a company that staffs banquets and other large events! (It's a slow time for copyediting, and Ann gots to get paid.) It's nice to know I can send out a resume and have work two days later. You can't freelance if you can't hustle.

I went to Burlington Coat Factory and purchased the smallest tux pants, vest, and shirt I could find. When Chris saw me trying these on when I got home, he cooed, "Who's my wittle man?" The vest is pinned in preparation for alterations in this photo.

I spent last night hemming the pants and altering the vest so I don't present a totally absurd spectacle at my first event tonight (check out how much I had to alter the vest! And it still doesn't look good on me!).

Meanwhile, our house is undergoing a nearly complete rewire. It's a construction site. The seller is paying for it, but our lives are unsettled by the dust and rubble.

Unexpected house remodeling before we fully moved in! The horror!

Off to shower and work a banquet!

Three New Projects in Dragonfly Fibers

As I've been moving and dealing with the logistics of my life, I've designed three new projects using Dragonfly Fibers yarns. Considering my life for the past few months, it makes sense that they're large, relaxing projects that were easily knit without full concentration.

First, Antrea, which was the May shipment for Club Dragonfly:

This shipment included TWO skeins of Dragon Sock, which was enough to make this very large cowl and have quite a bit left over. The cowl can be pulled down over your shoulders like a cape if you're chilly:

It stretches to about 44 inches around, but can easily be made larger to cover a larger bust (and you'll have plenty of yarn!), and it's nearly three feet long. If you're interested, you can still sign up for Club Dragonfly and get the May shipment; there's a month-to-month subscription option! Just contact Dragonfly here. The pattern will be released separately in six months.

Second, Karelia. It's my first DRESS pattern, although I think of it as a tunic to be worn over jeans or leggings. My sister was nice enough to model it for me:

It's knit in one piece from the top down, so you can stop knitting whenever you like and have a top, a short tunic, or a full-on dress. I used Pixie in Black is Black (yoke) and Firecraker (body).

Third, a new mystery KAL called 5, inspired by Jasper Johns and Bauhaus weaving.

5 colors, 5 clues.

Easy, modular, colorblocking. The first clue will be released on June 24. You can get kits here (I chose the four combinations with the help of Dragonfly color experts), or purchase the pattern only and use any five colors of fingering-weight yarn; you'll need about 230 yards of each.

Obviously I love Dragonfly yarn and have been knitting my way through miles of it.

What's next? How about this? Chevrons, cardigan, set-in sleeves.

"So you're living in a fantasy land of ponies, children, and free fruit?"

My sister asked me this last night after I told her that we had just purchased a big bag of fruit from an arabber who came down our street, and that someone was giving out as many free watermelons as you could carry from a truck just around the corner (I MISSED it, but every child on my street was eating watermelon last night).

So yeah, ponies, children, free fruit. And so much to see. These are photos of North Avenue right around the corner:

And here are a few photos of our unbelievable house.

Chris has a bike shop in the basement.

We have dining room for the first time (not that we have any furniture for it).

Stairs. Everything seems so distant. In our last apartment, the coffee pot was about 10 feet from my bed, now it's ALL THE WAY DOWNSTAIRS.

We have a microwave now! The foil-covered plate on the stove is bbq chicken that one of our neighbors gave us the night we moved in.

Here's the living room with bike nook.

I pulled something in my back during the move, so when we were done I lay on the living room floor and looked out the windows.

Fantasy land.

We are homeowners in Baltimore!

As of Wednesday evening!

101

Today I published my 101st knitting pattern. I fell into designing in 2007 with the publication of Neiman. And it kept going. I never made a choice to design, I never had a moment where I decided to be, or felt that I was, a professional. Now I have an Employer Identification Number and an LLC, but it's just me in a messy apartment (soon to be a messy office in an otherwise organized home, KNOCK WOOD), plus a great tech editor, my sister, and some amazing test and sample knitters.

Pattern number 101 is Shante, an art yarn cowl that, to quote Karida of Neighborhood Fiber Co., is "a little bit drag queen, a little bit rock and roll." You can use the Ozark Handspun, or sub another art yarn or your own handspun.

You can purchase the pattern for $5:



To celebrate the 101 mark, I'm giving 50% off all my self-published patterns until I publish pattern number 102 (probably in about two weeks). You can find the patterns here. Use the coupon code 101 at checkout. Enjoy, and pass it on! And THANK YOU!

(Oh, and about the house: CLOSING THIS WEEK!!!!)

Weaverknits Yellow Pages Search FAILS!

Nope, don't have a house yet, but I feel like we're getting closer. Last week I got an email from the mortgage people that said "CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

But then it said, "you have been approved with these remaining conditions," followed by a list. The list was short, but one of the requests was for an explanation of why the Yellow Pages search for my two businesses, Weaverknits and Ann Weaver the freelance copyeditor, failed to produce any results.

Short answer: Because it is not 1970. This is my office at home (also the only three pieces of furniture in our current apartment, a table and two chairs):

But this is also my office in a hotel room (note the shockingly not bad Wine Cube in the foreground; I was unwinding):

Look closely at the knitting on the left. It's a new design some of you may have seen this weekend. Coming soon!!!

I replicate this office wherever I go: family and friends' houses, hotels, coffee shops. My businesses consist of me, at least one computer, and a few knitting projects. Where would I list such a thing in the yellow pages?

Also not in the yellow pages: The Baltimore Satellite Reef! The opening was Friday, and the exhibition is up through June 28.

The bleached reef plus angry painted turtle:

Blues and greens (a few pieces from me are in this shot; I ended up crocheting like crazy the week before the show. It's addictive and cathartic):

 Purples:

Check it out if you're in the Baltimore area! And cross your fingers for me and the home buying nightmare!!!