APR 14 2008

I cast off this men's pullover on Ethan's birthday last month. So it's a little funny that we finally head out for a photo shoot on the hottest day we've had yet this year. Oh, how models suffer!

I started knitting Doppler the week before heading to Minneapolis for KnitOut 2008. The weather there was nothing short of frigid, so it just seemed right to be knitting a bulky wool pullover, now, with the breath of Spring hot on our necks in San Francisco, not so much. This sweater starts off at the saddle shoulder, with only 8 stitches, then widens into the sleeve. The graduated intarsia stripe design is worked the length of the sleeve, then the body is picked up at the saddle shoulders and worked down. I used KnitPicks Cadena for this sample and will try another bulky for the next. Here is one more photo where you can see the design a bit more clearly. Speaking of KnitPicks - turn to page 14 of your new catalog to see my L'il Red Riding Hoodie and Diva Halter knit up in their yarns. The Diva is a quick and charming knit for warm spring and summer days.

APR 7 2008

Where does the time go? The days have been flying by here at Chez Domiknitrix, with much knitting content in my life, I can't seem to find time to post about any of it!

A growing puppy (Otto!) at home is certainly one factor, but the office has been a bit frantic too. I've just survived a layoff, but others on my team were not so lucky. We're now doing just as much work with fewer people, a common refrain if you look around at the US jobs numbers. Bummer.

But in the background, I've knit a new design (for which my model hasn't yet scheduled a photo shoot) - a men's pullover you are going to love! And two new babies coming along demanded a Tomten jacket and Saartje's booties. I made a video of the Tomten garter seaming techniques, but it still needs to be edited before I post it.

FEB 26 2008

There's so much to tell you, Kitten. Yet finding a spare moment to do so is a struggle. Who's to blame? You may ask.

It's all Otto's fault. I'm being held hostage by a standard Schnauzer puppy! But you can't possibly hold him accountable, since I know you just disintegrate into a squealing pile of giggles and baby talk when you see such cuteness.

Sigh. Me too, Sweetie, but if you've been watching Dog Whisperer, you know that's exactly the wrong thing to do. Cesar's phrase "calm, assertive energy" is my new mantra, and not just when dog training.

Otto arrived home a bit ahead of schedule just before my trip to KnitOut 2008 over Presidents' Day weekend. I'd already made plans to go and witness the Olympics of knitting, the Craft Yarn Council's speed knitting trials, held in frigid Minneapolis. I enjoyed meeting these 5 women who have perfected the art of knitting damned fast. Hazel Tindall of the Shetland Islands, UK held her title by knitting 262 sts in 3 minutes, while my dear friend Miriam Tegels from Holland took second with 243 stitches. I was also inspired and charmed by Lisa Gentry (US fastest crocheter - 218 sts in the knitting contest), Wannietta Prescod (Canada's fastest - 231 sts) and Arielle Le Cuyer (France's fastest - unknown stitch count). It was a thrill to watch all 5 of them knit simultaneously; Hazel and Miriam's styles were characterized by small efficient movements, though others who were (relatively) flapping their arms and throwing their yarn still probably knit faster than anyone you know. There's a cute pic of Miriam and myself here with her Guinness certificate (118 sts in ONE minute), a title she still holds regardless of the results at the KnitOut. Miriam knit the lovely shawl you see wrapped around me. I enjoyed the blow-by-blow at kmkat's blog, so read there for more detail.

The high point of the event for me was visiting with old friends and making new ones, including the wonderful Annie Modesitt. It was a real treat to witness so many wonderful people bent on improving the art and their own skills. Ravelry has certainly improved how connected we all are, and it was so cool to recognized in public by excited fans. That made me feel like a real superstar!

FEB 15 2008

YO!See you at KnitOut 2008 in Minneapolis! I'm on my way... Look for me there, I'm very tall.

 

Feb 7 2008

Valentine's Day is almost upon us, with its promises of chocolates and kisses. There are many other sentiments to be expressed on this special day: BITE ME, for example.

Here's a cute little project you can whip up in a day or two. This pattern is now available for sale here on the site. It includes a tutorial on accomplishing the crewel-style embroidery.

No time to knit this? Buy this completed heart from my Etsy shop instead.

Jan 29 2008

If you have an opportunity to see Madeleine Albright speak and sign her new book, just go!

I was very lucky to have such a chance, and it was exciting to be in the presence of such a powerful woman.

She's a great speaker, so intelligent, witty and observant. I particularly enjoyed a remark she made which I'll misquote here: "I don't care whether you read it in Batman or the Bible, but 'With great power comes great responsibility.'" I, of course, only remember the wording of the Batman quote, but she used the words found in the Bible and I don't have one handy, hence my misquote.

I've been sinking my teeth into her new book, Memo to the President Electand enjoy the premise that she's queueing up the top foreign policy concerns facing our next president, and boy they are some doozies; but I didn't have to tell you that, did I?

However, I must digress to the knitting content. While Madame Secretary was signing my copy, I bravely asked her, "Do you knit?" Her answer? “Yes, I love to knit!� She told me she likes to use self-patterning yarns and finds knitting very relaxing. How cool is that?!?

I ran and fetched her a copy of the DomiKNITrix book for her so fast I broke a sweat. Madame Secretary has my book!

Jan 14 2008

Read more about this patchwork comforter that I renovated over the holiday break here at the permalink.

[NOTE: This story has moved to a page of its own. That's the plan for the site going forward: stories, articles, instruction!]

Jan 8 2008

Hey, everyone. Look what I got for Christmas! It's domiKNITrix 3.0. My man manages to outdo himself time after time, no?

No time for a blog right now, let's get this baby launched! However, there will be less blogging around here and more stories, articles and instruction. Yeah!

Dec 25, 2007

Merry Christmas.

I wish you the best, good friends and dear readers, on this holiday. To you: winter cheer and all the tidings of the season!

Have you read Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters yet? Her novel sock architectures are fascinating! I like the way she thinks. Her open source approach explains all the logic going into each sock and her love for the craft runs richly through the text. If you are into socks, you owe it to yourself to buy this book.

Can you believe I've never knit a pair of socks?! Here's the closest I've come: this pair of Elf slippers, knit from the heel up. Really, you could put these toes on any pair of top down socks (bulky weight), they're just devil horns repurposed for an altogether different kind of mischief - the Elvish kind!

Dec 9, 2007

The craziest thing is happening to me this Christmas season. It's alarming, I know, but I have got the Christmas spirit! Usually I'm Grinchy McScrooge here, but I found myself giving away a scarf to a perfect stranger on a train platform last week. It was cold, I was warm and the perfect stranger was shivering. What a lovely feeling, to do something nice for someone you may never meet again.

Holiday knitting is a funny thing. I want to tell you all about it, dear readers, but if you are a relative or friend checking the site, I don't want to ruin your surprise (or get you thinking that I'm knitting for you if I'm not!). I suppose my need to share is greater than the need for surprise, so here is a photo of the brioche two-color scarf I just cast off last week. The alpaca yarns (KnitPicks Andean Silk is lovely!) and fluffy brioche stitch means this scarf is light as a cloud. And I'm going to give it away! Ho ho ho! Watch this site for another holiday treat coming this week!

Nov 27, 2007

I'm happy to report that our move to South City went well. We've been here two short weeks and I already feel my hard City shell falling away as I learn once again how to look people in the eye and smile.

I delayed this move for a couple of years, thinking that leaving the City would mean leaving cool behind. Well, yaknow, things out here in the 'burbs are pretty cool too, and I still know the City like the back of my hand, so win-win! Everyone is so friendly, it's making me friendly too.

I am ecstatic about finally having a room all to myself for my creative endeavors. Seeing all my yarn in one place together and sorted by weight was so inspiring, my needles have been clicking away fiendishly since I got unpacked. As I was wrapping up my book, I was told in no uncertain terms that I could not write another book in the living room. Well, no risk of that now!

Nov 14, 2007

I'll be offline for a day or two while we MOVE! We've finally succumbed to the siren song of the suburbs (South San Francisco, "the Industrial City" to be precise). Expect photos of my new studio in a day or two. Finally, a room of one's own.

Nov 5, 2007

I had a great time at the Tiger Army show last night. But my feet are sore after a little romp through the mosh pit. Am I getting too old for this? Hell no! It's liberating to no longer worry about losing my glasses, which almost happened at the Social Distortion show 2 years ago. WTF is up with the Fillmore no longer offering a poster after the show?! I was counting on a sexy Tiger Army poster for my collection. <pout>

Here's a super easy scarf I made from a few balls of 127 Print. That yarn just does all the work, but I did micromanage it to get the colors to move this consistently. If you let the yarn do its own thing, it moves more randomly than what you see here. I wrote up a pattern, though I'm not sure why. It's as easy as cast on 360 stitches with knitted cast on, knit in garter stitch, slipping first st of every row with yarn in back. Bind off loosely.

Oct 18, 2007 (edited 10/25)

I've been on a cloche hat knitting kick lately - I've cranked out 3 variations on this cloche in the last month. I'm plowing through my single skein stash and it's gratifying to finish projects so quickly! Here's the first and here's the last.

This simple hat is knit in garter stitch, very similar to how the Jughead Hat was made, but without the points at the crown. Instead a gradually widening band is folded up and anchored with an attractive button and ribbon accent that contrasts nicely with this simple yarn (Patons Wool Classic worsted). I selected this vintage brown leather button out of my Grandma Dona's button box on the day my family gathered to grieve her in 2001. The leather glows with warmth just like she did.

Remembering that day, we all shared at the podium about her, mostly family members and a few friends. We were all floored when a soft spoken woman named Geraldine took the podium. She was familiar to all of us, but no one really knew her. We had seen her at Grandma's parties over the years and they were good friends. Geraldine told us that she had met Dona 25 years ago when she was rooting around in her trash bins for cans.

Dona had said, "Well, who are you? Why don't you come in and have coffee with me?" They struck up a friendship that day and Grandma suggested that she would leave anything of value for Geraldine beside the trash so she wouldn't need to dig through it, and that she was welcome to take those things and sell them. Over the years they became very close and Geraldine lifted herself up out of poverty. Grandma was never one to give a hand out (even to her grand kids); we all worked for what she gave us. When I went to her for help in buying the fabric for my senior prom dress, she loaned me $200 that I repaid on the installment plan. At the time I thought it was selfish that she didn't just give it to me, but through the lens of time I seem more clearly that she taught me an important lesson that anything dear must be earned.

Sept 26, 2007

Pssst! Wanna buy a Snow devil hat? Click link at end of page to e-mail me. I've got 3 made of wool and one cotton poly blend. Just add a red unitard, optional cape and make-up and your Halloween devil costume is complete! I've also knit up a Gray devil which is based on the mohawk hat, but with horns instead of hair. It's less warm on the face than the snow devil flaps. Will post as soon as I find the pics. If you'd prefer to make your own devil, find the pattern here, or in your copy of the DomiKNITrix book.

Sept 10, 2007

Here's a quick note on the Big Bad Wolf pullover yarn requirements: The Wolf sample in the DomiKNITrix book was definitely knit from Lamb's pride bulky, NOT worsted, but the worsted yardage was included in error.   I revisited the yardage estimates and double checked all the math to confirm that the number of skeins is correct at 125 yards per skein, NOT the 190 yards per skein  given in the pattern.

Sorry about this. I'll get it into the errata file tonight. (done)

Sept 7, 2007

Yo! Update on the skull chart page, including new photos of reader knits. Check it! Please look for an update soon to include reader knits for Che Guevara and Bruce Lee, and an unexpected bonus: Rosie the Riveter in needlepoint! Find all these charts here.

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