UXBRIDGE SHAWL
This sweet shawlette is perfect for that special skein of sock yarn you’ve been holding onto. The rick-rack lace pattern looks great on both sides, and doesn’t compete with variegated yarns. The fact that it’s cashmere is just the icing on the cake!

SIZE
One; 56” / 142cm from tip to tip, 20” / 51cm deep at center

MATERIALS
Yarn
1 skein Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label (400 yds / 385m per 4 oz/115g skein; 70% merino wool, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon) in ‘autumn sun’ colourway

Needles and Notions
US 6 / 4mm circular needles, 32” / 80cm or longer
2 stitch markers
tapestry needle

MORE INFO
The Ravelry page is here.

3 page PDF pattern includes both charted and row-by-row directions. Payment through Paypal, download through Ravelry (no accounts required).

After I sent the original off to Tanis, I knit another one for myself out of Dream in Color Starry – so fun with the sparkles, and just one skein is plenty!

Pattern: Escargot from knitty
Yarn: Jill Draper Makes Stuff Hudson in Steel, leftover Malabrigo Rios and Tanis Fiber Arts fingering weight

I found the brim a bit roll-y and insubstantial as written, so I picked up stitches on the inside with a smaller needle and knit a bit of a brim lining. It’s super cozy, and while I normally have a really hard time actually wearing hats I think this one will get a lot of use.

2011 seemed to be a bad year for a lot of people I know – and I had my share of ups and downs too. Focusing on the “ups” though, I got a great new apartment, a wonderful boyfriend, and I finished lots of great knits!

This one came off the needles way back in November, but I don’t think I ever blogged finished photos of it! I just love this cardigan. It’s knit out of Ultra Alpaca, and it’s a bit fuzzy after some wear but it’s sooo warm and cozy.

The pattern is my own, and will be coming out for sale soon! I have some big hopes and plans for 2012, and while lots of other people are doing the “12 sweaters in 2012″ thing, I have a bit of a challenge set for myself – to design and release 12 sweater patterns in 2012!

I’m cheating a bit – some of the sweaters have already been knit up, and are nearly ready to be released anyway. But hey, the final few steps are the hard ones – photographing, editing, general tidying up before a pattern can be sent out into the world.

I’ve decided not to do this as a pattern club or anything, since I like the idea of being able to decide what you want to purchased based on each pattern alone. The other thing I’d like to do more of this year is blog, so I’ll be writing lots of posts along the way! (I hope.)

Anyway, I hope you all had a great holiday, and thanks for supporting me in 2011 – here’s to a bright new year!

I saw this pattern ages ago, and since we’re both big fans of Futurama I decided I just had to make one for Christmas.

Presenting…Bender Bending Rodriguez!

I super-sized him by using Berroco Vintage Chunky, though I did have to go down to a 3.25mm hook – apparently I crochet pretty loosely! The fabric is really nice and solid though, which is what I was going for. I’m not a big crocheter but I do know my way around pretty well, and I found the pattern pretty easy to follow despite the lack of actual instructions!

I made a pile of pieces.

I also decided to make a wire armature for inside him, so that the arms and legs would be posable – it didn’t turn out THAT amazing, but it’s pretty good for my first one! I made a skeleton out of thick beading wire, then wrapped it with some fiberfill and masking tape.

I cut circles of cardboard and laminated them with packing tape, and also taped down some little bags of decorative floral sand to make weights for the bottom of the feet.

He looked a little weird with a finished body but no arms or legs!

I crocheted the footcups and weighted them, then wrapped the wire legs in roving before sewing the top of the legs to the body. Pretty much the same thing with the arms. A bit of embroidery for his door, and the segments of his arms and legs, and I was pretty much done! Not that it wasn’t a lot of work – it was. But the end result was totally worth it!

He got into a lot of trouble around my apartment. I think he discovered the whisky shelf.

He can be pretty helpful though!

And he dressed up really nicely for Christmas!

And the reaction when the boyfriend opened his present? Amazing. He had no idea! Of course, he was appropriately impressed by my mad crafting skills. I’m a little impressed with myself!

A little print pattern will be available at lettuce knit starting this weekend – we have lots of Handmaiden 4-ply cashmere too!

P.S. Since several people have asked about the ornaments – the sweaters are based on the pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and the little Santa hat and stocking are my own. I’ll put up a wee pattern for them this weekend!

TURBULENCE COWL

This fun and funky cowl makes the most of small amounts of yarn. Short row wedges and stripes combine to form wonderfully sculptural and eye-catching waves, while keeping the knitting fun! This will fly off your needles. The rustic, tweedy wool has gorgeous flecks of colour and lots of body, for a cowl that will really keep you warm.

Technical Editing by Alexandra Virgiel.

SIZE
One; 25” / 61cm in circumference, 11” / 28cm deep

YARN
Brooklyn Tweed Shelter (100% wool; 140 yds / 128m per 1.75 oz / 50g skein)
1 skein in Woodsmoke (MC)
1 skein in Hayloft (CC)

or Worsted or aran weight yarn,
120 yds / 110m of MC
90 yds / 82m of CC

NEEDLES AND NOTIONS
US 9 / 5.5mm circular needles, 24” / 61cm long
stitch marker
tapestry needle

GAUGE
18 sts and 36 rnds = 4” / 10cm square in Garter Stitch

MORE INFO
The Ravelry page is here.

Suitable for an adventurous beginner. 3 page pattern PDF includes photos and abbreviations list.
Available through Ravelry, payment through Paypal (no accounts required).

$5.00 CAD