Pattern: Knit Slouch Socks by Cindy Myska Colbert

Cute, right? And clever! The slouchy part of the sock is knit with a luxurious cashmere-angora-wool blend yarn (As payment for the photoshoot, I got a skein – it’s Noro Shiraito. Mmmmm.) and the foot is any old sock yarn you have around.

A while ago, I mentioned to Cindy that my goal was to write two patterns a month. That clicked with her, and she’s been designing really great things these last few months. Obvi, the same can’t be said for me, but I’m excited to see all the new designs she has come up with.

I guess I have news of my own, but nothing as exciting as slouchy socks. I just yesterday finished my first semester of school, and my prerequisites are officially done! When I start classes in the Fall it will be all photography, all the time.

I am knitting socks.

Pointelle from Knit. Sock. Love by Cookie A. My mom bought me some gorgeous yarn, String Theory Merino DK, and on a US 2 over 60 sts, they fit. The socks look big, they are big, and they fit me. ERGO I have boats for feet. I’m over it.

Lastly, I had a second engagement shoot with my cousin and her fiance in downtown Greensboro.

Much like the first time, they were adorable.  Actually even more so!

Check out the two latest patterns from my partner in crime, Cindy Myska Colbert!

Above is the Versa Vest modeled, of course, by our Mallory. I say that like she’s partly mine. Mallory is leaving next fall to go to college and I don’t want to talk about it because then I’ll cry. But they’re partly tears of joy because I know she’ll have the time of her life. I’ll miss her. Maybe she’ll still tweet at me every once in a while.

Enough about that. Let’s look at Mallory’s feet, shall we? The other pattern is for the Tanzine Aura Socks!

Cindy wrote this sock pattern for her knitting students, and it is a perfect pattern if you’re a first time sock knitter. Lotsa great tips and tricks.

Remember, these are Cindy’s patterns, not mine. I just take the pictures and do the layout for her patterns. Cindy has recently started blogging, and you can read her knitfocused blog, Knit Happens. It’s a good read because she is a shaman, trust me.

Find the Tanzine Aura Socks pattern on Ravelry here!

And a few more pictures of the Versa Vest:

Last but not least, the designer herself, in her own design! I think she did a hair flip right before this picture.

I’m working on a Granny Square afghan. I consider this a swatch even though it’s rather large. Each square is 5.25″ (the nine squares above are about 16×16″). I had to stop here and block it because I wasn’t sure it was working. But now I realize it is working and I love it. I’m using a mishmash of heavy worsted/bulky yarns (mostly) from my stash. It was wonky before blocking, but a warm bath helped to even all that out.

I’m making it to “match” my living room. Which is hilarious because there’s already a crocheted afghan there (a big ass granny) but it’s blue and it must go.

The pattern I settled on is Flowers in the Snow by Solveig Grimstad. Free! I like it because of the circular centers in the squares. And you join them as you go! It’s tricky, but you can see quick progress if you want. And I definitely need to see the quick progress for a big project like this.

These pictures were taken in a dark room near the end of the day. Sorry. I’ll get better pics soon, but this should do for now!

I mentioned a while ago that I was going to be making some behind the scenes changes around here. One of the biggies, and the first that I’m getting around to, is that I’m changing how I offer my book, The Red Collection. In an effort to streamline my business before I really start school full time next fall, I’m simplifying things for myself. The bad news is that the book will no longer be offered in print. The good news is that I have a few copies left that I can sell to you. The other good news is that if you buy it from me, you’ll get the digital version, too, which has been updated to include the full text of the print copy.

If you’re interested in purchasing a copy before the book goes out of print, you can find all the information on The Red Collection page. I’ll be offering the last copies for one week, until March 15th. Thank you!

The Red Collection is now available exclusively in digital format! Find more information on The Red Collection page.

First Birthday (in her Pea Pod Baby sweater…I no longer have the pattern, so please don’t ask.):

Second Birthday:

Near her Third Birthday (I Heart You sweater) (wtf why can’t I find actual birthday party pictures?):

The day she turned Four:

Fifth Birthday:

And yesterday, at her 6th Birthday Party:

She did not get this bike for her birthday. It was the training wheels that were new, and she was beyond excited. There was also a new horn for the bike. We all went out last night to ride her bike for the first time. She was amazing, until she fell off; then she was forlorn.

My favorite picture I took of her yesterday was a knitting-related one. I’ve been meaning to get a picture of this sweater, because every once in a while she puts it on.

The sweater is the February Baby Sweater that I knit for her when she was one. ONE. And it looks better on her now than ever before. Although I do love this picture from April 2007, shortly after her 1st birthday.

It has been fun, if a bit teary, looking back at all these old pictures. But I need to stop so I can get ready to go to her classroom with cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Maggie!

Check out my newest pattern! It’s the Water Street Cap, knit with two balls of Rowan Lima (luscious yarn) in a simple twisted stitch rib. The hat has a bit of slouch and is extremely stretchy. The finished size is 18.5″ (47 cm), and because of the ribbing, it will fit many sizes of heads. The hat pictured fits me (with my big old head) and Mallory (normal adult head).

Water Street Cap – $5.00

See the Water Street Cap on Ravelry, too, where you can queue, fave or share!

Why is it called the Water Street Cap? For almost a year I lived on Water Street in downtown NYC in a dorm room while I attended NYU. It was a good dorm. Actually, considering what most dorms across the country probably look like, it was a freaking amazing dorm. The room was so big you probably could have run the 50 yard dash in there, though we never tried. The first year I lived there, on the fourth floor I think, my window looked over the South Street Seaport. The next year I got to choose my room, and I was on the 28th floor.  And then the world changed and I left Water Street forever. But I have fond memories of the place nonetheless, and also? I think it’s a good name for a hat.

We should have some more pictures I think.

I’ve been knitting more in that last few weeks than I have in a while, and it feels so good! There will be patterns to show for it! I think I might even do an eBook that will have a small collection of – surprise! – hats and mittens. I have finally admitted to myself that I am NOT a sweater designer. I will leave that to the experts and stick with what I’m good at. Expect a bevy of hats and mittens that, unlike this new pattern, are colorwork.

I longingly remember the cold days of winter, when we put on every possible handknit that we could find, and headed out in the morning light to sled down the hill. That was Monday! What a winter, right?

Look closely at this first one. Grandpa made Maggie into a mermaid and it was The Best.

Grandma was the best bucket flipper.

Maggie played and played. She loves the beach.

Grandpa was the best paddle-baller (sorry, Grandma!).

But Jerry’s getting better and better.

Warm enough to be barefoot, but cold enough to cover up with the blanket. My Mom and I both had jeans and fleeces on!

So that was Saturday, four hours east of here. We came home Sunday and on Sunday night it snowed! Even just a little bit of snow here usually means school is cancelled! And it was, yay! We went out bright and early on Monday morning because I knew it wouldn’t last very long. I took lots of pictures.

And you know why I took so many pictures (other than avoiding snow balls by having a camera around my neck)? Well, if you’re a knitter you know. These are the days I live for. Children begging for more wool to put on before they go out? Warms my heart. I love how the snow got stuck all over them. LOVE.

Jerry’s wearing this seamless EZ sweater, knit nearly three years ago.  The sleeves were really long on him then, but that was easy enough to deal with. The fact is, he never wore it. Not even once.  But I asked him to try it on recently and was surprised to find that it fit! It’s not quite wide enough for him since he prefers his shirts loose, but I think it looks awesome. I like a slim fitting sweater on a boy.

The mittens all caked in snow?!?!?! And no complaints of cold fingers!?!?!?! WOOL!

They sled down the hill in the backyard. Straight at the chicken coop. There was clucking.

Oh my gosh. This kills me, the way the snow is caked on her bum.

Maggie was master of the sled. It was hilarious.

Eventually they did get cold. Jerry was on his way inside about five milliseconds after this picture.

But what fun we had! In the sand and in the snow.

What they Wore
(all links to Ravelry)

Jerry: sweater, scarf, mittens, hat
Maggie: sweater, scarf, mittens, hat (and a classic sweater underneath that also fits her better now than when I knit it)

They both had on their SmartWool socks from Santa at Christmas.

It was over a year ago now that I designed the Girdwood Mittens. At the time I started working on the design of the matching hat. Writing a pattern for multiple sizes in varying yarns, though, got the best of me. Even though I knit this hat five different times, I never was able to pull the pattern together. UNTIL NOW.

When you buy this pattern, you are literally* getting six hat patterns, because depending on your yarn and your gauge, the hat will fit your newborn, your toddler, your teenager, and even your husband with that abnormally large head of his. Maggie is shown wearing the Small Kid size (and actually, Jerry’s wearing the same one, but it is definitely too small on him). Below you’ll see Mallory in the Small Adult size.

*literally: please pronounce it like Chris Traeger

The hat Mallory is wearing was knit all those many months ago when I released the mitten pattern. It is one of my favorite hats to wear.

Since there are many sizes of the hat included in the pattern, you’ll need to consult the chart above (click for big) to determine which yarn to use. Needle sizes are suggested, but the most important thing is to get the correct gauge. Which I didn’t need to tell you because you’re so smart. The size chart also appears in the pattern.

If you would like to buy the Girdwood Hat pattern, you can find it on Ravelry here, or click the button below.

Girdwood Hat – $6

There’s more! If you have already purchased the Girdwood Mittens, you should automatically see a $3 discount when you buy the Girdwood Hat. (Let me know if the discount is not applied, those Ravelry promotions can be a bit tricky!)

But wait, there’s even more! If you do not yet own the Girdwood Mittens, you can buy the Girdwood eBook! It’s on Ravelry here, or use the next button.

Girdwood Hat & Mittens eBook – $9

Here’s a refresher for the mittens, a pattern that like the hat, comes in all sizes. Yes, you heard that right.

I finished my challenge. It’s funny how during these past two weeks I’ve wondered 1) why I chose such an easy challenge, and 2) OMG HOW AM I EVER GOING TO FINISH THIS IS TOO MUCH KNITTING TO DO IN SUCH A SHORT TIME PERIOD WITH ALL OF LIFE’S OTHER COMMITMENTS AND PRIORITIES. Yeah.

Actually, the hardest thing was getting everyone on board for the group picture. But I have a tripod! And a remote! So it wasn’t that bad. The kids like the one with the cat.

And I like the close up shot, even if it is out of focus.

When we did this in 2008, I had my little point and shoot camera balancing on a pile of things on top of the picnic table. It’s really a miracle that this picture exists at all. But I love it, and I’m glad we have an updated family picture. Nothing like a superbowl knitting challenge to bring us together in front of the camera.

My mitts were the last ones that I knit and I finished them yesterday morning. I was so angry at the weather for raining and therefore extending the time required for them to dry after blocking. But I am glad I blocked them because holy wow, Ultra Alpaca knit at such a tight gauge needed to be blocked.

All that’s left is to watch the game! GO GIANTS!