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.

Sneak Peek: Caliper

I got the yarn for my Zephyr cardi and I really lucked out on that one! The skeins I bought from a friendly Raveler matched 3 of my 4.  Unfortunately I still had to rip back an entire skeins worth, but it wasn't all bad since I had wanted to try altering the shaping slightly.  It should be ready for a peek soon, just a sleeve and a half to go...and no finishing. After the Coastal Hoodie, I wanted something to be finished easily...no stitches to pick up, no pockets just sew on a few toggles and buttonloops then DONE!

Anyway, here is that look at my newest hat, Caliper.  It comes in two versions: a worsted weight beanie and a DK weight scrunchy toque with a fun draw cord loop and toggle (the same toggles that will probably end up on Zephyr, heh).  I am just finishing up the pattern now, hopefully it will be off to my testers in a few days :)



DK version.



Worsted version.


Currently I am trying to decide if I want to offer a hat eBook all at once, or release the patterns as they are ready and then create the eBook. Of course anyone that purchases one of the individual patterns before the eBook is released will get a discount off the whole kit n' kaboodle ;D

Oh, and I finally got a Lachesis and Co. facebook page (you can find the link in the upper right corner of this page)...it isn't really that exciting, I just post the blog updates there for now.  Hopefully I will get something exciting going there soon!

Disaster Averted.

After all of my rambling on last week about my wonderful rustic wool...I encountered an issue. My skeins looked pretty well matched so I didn't take the time to compare them in strong natural light. So as I was working in the second skein I noticed it was a bit lighter than the first...I am an old hat at alternating so I happily continued on.

Now the horrible part...I was adding the third skein when it finally hits me that the last 2 are quite a bit darker than the first 2.  I was so mad at myself, because I could've probably blended them fine if I had taken the time before I started, but NOOOOOOO...not me! I like to make my life difficult.

Anyway, I was completely crushed...start over >_< ...start over in a different yarn :*( ....or search the stashes in rav :) Oh yeah, I was so lucky to find a wonderful person that had the same color in their stash and was willing to sell me a couple skeins!  I ♥ Ravelry!

The yarn should arrive tomorrow and I am hoping that it will either be closer to my lighter skein or be in between the 2 shades so I won't have to rip a lot.  Said sweater has both RS and WS 2 stitch twists...not the most fun to rip and redo! Fingers crossed!

This and That.

Here I am, back again so soon!  I just wanted to share a few things that are making me so incredibly happy lately!

1. All the Coastal Hoodie WIPs! I adore going through and looking at all of the wonderful color combinations.  It is taking all of my self control not to go through and favorite and comment multiple times on everyone's project.  I don't want to scare anyone, but I am stalking and admiring all of your lovely projects. This happened too:

It only stayed at #5 for a few hours, but out of all the patterns and amazingly talented designers on Ravelry, I was in awe.  And...I squeed, loud enough that the dogs ran and hid in the other room.

2. Wooly wool.  I have been working with a lot of superwash and silk blends lately, so I am psyched to have some really rustic, domestically sourced (and spun!) wool back on the needles.  Here is the yarn (no WIP pics yet!):



This is Imperial Stock Ranch's Erin hand-dyed by Madelinetosh.  Really lovely stuff with super subtle color variations and wait til you see the stitch definition! I have already separated the sleeves on my prototype sweater in this yarn so I will try to grab some shots soon.

3. Books. I am making myself read more, as knitting and spinning and dyeing and running have taken over every second of free time that I have! So now I am trying to read for at least 45 minutes to an hour everyday.  I am starting with Harry Potter, because I started a few times, but then the movies were coming out and well...it was easier to watch than read >_<  I also got the new MochiMochi book, abso-freaking-lutely ADORABLE!!! Maybe I should make time to make a teeny-tiny everyday, too!