Incoming!

I released another piece of Xmas knitting into the wild the other night! This means I can show you this specimen:This is the Interlocking Balloons scarf from Scarf Style, a scarf I had previously totally overlooked. It's the perfect guy-gift scarf! It's not boring and repetitive like some of the other guy-scarves out there, and it kept me busy for the better part of two weeks. I'm also pleased to say that it was very well-received, which makes me really happy.

Once this bit of Xmas knititng was out of the way, I decided that a small "break" was in order. In the interest of preserving my sanity I decided to start a sock pattern that didn't originate in the depths of my brain. Yep, with Red Bird Socks' Bird Foot, I'm just sitting back and enjoying the ride.Sure, I stalled around the beginning of the heel flap, but I'll pick them up soon, mainly because I just want to wear these socks. The extremely tacky (and annoyingly inescapable) working title -- The Richest Socks in Babylon -- stems from the combination of listening to too much Thievery Corporation and the "exotic" colour choices (KP Essential Sock Yarn in Pumpkin and KP Essential Kettle Dyed Sock Yarn in Bourdeaux Kettle.) I know, I know. Anyway.

So where does this leave me? Oh, with three mitten patterns in the works (technically four, if you want to be picky about it,) and a couple of sock patterns that also want out of my brain. It's getting crowded in here.

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.