Business, both old and new

First, the Old Business:

I'm so thrilled that so many of you took advantage of the free Guardian (Ravelry link) mitten patterns offered in yesterday's post! I can't wait to see the mittens and fingerless gloves that you come up with -- be sure to let me know (either here or on Ravelry) when you have pictures.

If you'd requested one of the patterns in time you should have it by now. Go check your email! Which reminds me, nestra, Jeanne and maitai, I didn't receive your email addresses. Either leave them in a comment, or send them to spillyjaneknits {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll get your copies out to you right away.

Which also reminds me...

I have one copy of Guardian left to send out! First commenter who requests it gets it (please remember to give me your email address!)

And now for the New Business:

The New House festivities continue! Some of you might be aware that the new place has been lovingly named Pittsworth Manor (some of you might even recall the origins of the moniker.) In any event, to commemorate the event even further, I'm in the process of working on a sock pattern called (logically,) Pittsworth. Here's what I've got so far:

Yes, there is a lot going on on the legs of these ones, but if you know how to cable and twist stitches you'll be just fine. The foot will be a bit more sedate, I promise. This is what happens when I sit down and "doodle" with yarn. The last time I went into a pattern with no set plan and just let the sock "happen" we ended up with the Naive Socks (Ravelry link.)

That's not the only thing that they'll have in common with the Naive Socks...these are also going to be offered as a free pattern (and I swear you'll like this heel better!) Watch for these soon -- I have three other sock patterns on the way that want out of my brain and off my needles!

I've moved! Free mitten pattern up for grabs!

As some of you know, I have recently moved house (into an actual house!) and so the unpacking and settling-in process has totally overtaken everything else. I'm trying to make time for knitting, but it's hard to justify sitting down when there's so much work to be done.

It's totally worth it though, since I am madly in love with my new place! It's an 85 year old 2.5 level with wonderful vintage features like a clawfoot bathtub and gorgeous register covers.

Irontail and Snugglebunny enjoying their new digs.
The dishwasher, while not a vintage feature, is nonetheless also ranking high on the "good things about the house" list.

So! To celebrate my big move into this treasure from the 1920s, I'd like to offer you a little something. You might recall Guardian (Ravelry link) the mitten I designed that was inspired by the Guardian Building in Detroit? I'm making the somewhat tenuous connection between the building and my house since they were both built during the same decade, and you get to reap the rewards!The Guardian mitten pattern comes in two different colourways, Building (orange and yellow with white and green) and Deco (black and cream with pastel accents.) Instructions are provided for making both mittens and fingerless gloves.

The first 25 people to comment here requesting the pattern will be sent a free copy! Please remember to leave your email address in the comment, or, if you don't feel comfortable doing that, send it to spillyjaneknits {at} gmail {dot} com. I solemnly swear that I will mostly likely promptly forget your email address entirely and that I will not abuse it in any way. All I want it for is to send 25 of you nice (and quick) people a free Art Deco mitten pattern.

Now I'd better go unpack something...

ETA: Oh wow, thanks so much everyone for the rapid repsonse! I'm sending out the patterns in smallish groups in between unpacking things (someone deliver me from all the boxes!)

There are still a few patterns up for grabs...and Nestra, if you're reading this, I need your email address so I can send you your copy of the pattern! ~j

Xmas knitting ate my life

Yes, in the mad dash to finish my of Xmas knitting (some of which I can now actually show you,) these two new pattern releases fell by the wayside. You might have even been watching for them, wondering where they got to. Well, here they are: Trestle, and Guardian, available for purchase when you click their respective links...or grab them over in the sidebar to the right.

In case you've forgotten about them (or just don't feel like scrolling down,) I am happy to provide you with some visual aids:

One more time, Guardian...

...and Trestle.

Onto the Xmas knitting! The pattern is Ysolda's gorgeous Rose Red. This went to live with Adriana earlier this week.

Right-side up...

...and the equally-attractive underbelly.

Patons Classic Merino comes through for me once more. Also, considering that I knit the entire thing on entirely too-short dpns (circs and I tend not to play well together,) I think it came out ok.

I should also mention that there are new things in the works. When are there not new things in the works?! Recent correspodence with the aforementioned Adriana over the past couple of days has set things in motion. There will be things to see soon!

That's how I roll.

If only you could've seen me this past Saturday -- driving around downtown Detroit, my neck craned at an odd angle, twisted up under the windshield (on the passenger side, of course,) all to get a better view of this:A seemingly innocent Art Deco tilework detail on a poor, unsuspecting skyscraper. Little did it know that the deed had already been done! Gee, this is starting to just sound dirty.

In any event, the building in question is Detroit's Art Deco masterpiece, the Guardian Building. Built in 1928, it is a remarkable building and the jewel of the Detroit skyline...and now it's been immortalized as a Latvian-style colourwork mitten.These are the Guardian Mittens (Ravelry link.) That's the tilework motif there on the cuff, and the palm motif is taken from a diamond pattern on an ironwork grill closer to ground level. Yes, the cuff features three "terrifying" rows of three-colour knitting, but it's not so bad (and totally worth it -- I am in LOVE with the cuff.)

The pattern should be out any time now, and it will include instructions detailing how to knit these as fingerless gloves (handy for those who are also in love with the cuff motif,) as well as an alternate (but equally Art Deco) colourway for those who don't want to sport the exact colours of the actual building on their hands (yes, I do understand that not everyone wants to look like a building from the 1920s.)

Taking something huge, public, gorgeous and built of brick and tile 80 years ago and turning it into something small, wearable, gorgeous and made of wool in 2008 -- that's how I roll.