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.

The NEW Wintertime for Adriana mittens are on the loose!

If I'm not careful, I'm going to OD on mittens.
Hah! Who am I kidding?! I love them to bits, and these ones in particular!

My friend Adriana has an annual tradtion where she knits a strictly seasonal project every holidau season. Usually this project ends up being a pair of socks, but this year she decided that a pair of mittens was in order. More specifically, she decided that a pair of mittens designed by me for her was especially in order. I was only to happy to comply, and these are the result -- Wintertime for Adriana (Ravelry link): Mittens that are classic without being stuffy and seasonal without being cloying. These are the perfect mittens to wear while on your holiday visits or to give to the people you're visiting.

Here are some other things that you might like to know about Wintertime for Adriana:

The pattern is a clear, concise, 4-page .pdf file with large charts and images.

Size: Women’s Medium (or any hand that is 8” in circumference.)

Gauge: 10 stitches = 1 inch (2.5 cm) in Stockinette st.

Yarn: One ball of Knit Picks’ Palette (231yd / 50g) in each of the following colours: Spearmint (Main Colour -- MC,) and the following Contrast Colours (CC): Blush (CA,) Red (CB,) Garnet Heather (CD,) Ivy (CE) and Cream (CF.) Note – Knit Picks Palette in Red been discontinued. Please substitute with Knit Picks’ Palette in Pimento (CB,) if necessary to preserve the original colour scheme. Alternately, any other fingering yarn in these colours or colours of your choice may be used. A 15” piece of waste yarn of the same weight in a contrasting colour to hold the thumb stitches is also required.

Needles: One set of five (5) double pointed needles in US 0 (2 mm) or size necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions: A stitch marker to mark beginning of round (optional,) and a sewing needle to weave in ends.

Skills Needed: Knitting in the round, stranded knitting, twisted stitches, and chart reading.

Enjoy the new mittens! I'll be back soon, with yet another mitteny offering -- I'm just waiting for the yarn to arrive in the mail.

The Willistead mitten pattern is out!

Just in time to start your Xmas knitting, here's the Willistead pattern (Ravelry link,) ready to go! You can pick it up here on Etsy or over here on Ravelry.Colourwork mittens inspired by a walk in Willistead park in Windsor, Ontario past the lovely old Art Nouveau ironwork gates. Every motif on these mittens is an painstakingly accurate reproducton of the motifs on that gate.

Since this mitten only requires one to use two colours of yarn on every row it is an ideal project for those new to colourwork.

Here are some other things you might like to know about Willistead:

The pattern is a clear, concise, 4-page .pdf file with large charts and images.

Size: Women’s Medium (or any hand that is 8” in circumference.)

Gauge: 10 stitches = 1 inch (2.5 cm) in Stockinette st.

Yarn: One ball of Knit Picks’ Palette (231yd / 50g) in each of the following colours: Green Tea Heather (MC) and Calypso Heather (CC,) or any other fingering yarn in these colours or colours of your choice, and a 15” piece of waste yarn of the same weight in a contrasting colour to hold the thumb stitches.

Needles: One set of five (5) double pointed needles in US 0 (2 mm) or size necessary to obtain gauge.

Notions: A stitch marker to mark beginning of round (optional,) and a sewing needle to weave in ends.

Skills Needed: Knitting in the round, stranded knitting, twisted stitches, and chart reading.

Enjoy the mittens!

Waiting...

it's Friday morning and here i am, waiting for Clue 3 of Mystery Stole 3 to be released. i suspect that's why i didn't sleep as well as i could have last night...or it could've been that i was thinking of the Sea Mineral mittens that i finally started yesterday (pictures soon,) or it could've been this:


yet another colour palette for another hypothetical pair of mittens, or in this case, Magnificent Mittens. that's Knit Picks' Telemark in Delft Heather, Tidepool Heather, Garnet Heather and Burlap. sometimes colours get stuck in my brain and it's hard to do things like sleep.

on top of all this, i'm planning on casting on for Kew today, too--gotta keep that Xmas knitting on track.

EDIT: oh, now this is fun--check out my current colours of choice next to the cover of Devil Summoner (at present directly to the left of this post.) either i'm more obsessed than i ever knew or my poor neglected game is trying to tell me something.