Calculus of knitting design

Designing patterns is akin to going on a roadtrip. You have a destination in mind, plan your route and stops along the way. All the while knowing something will come up that requires immediate change of plans and should something happen along the way you may end up somewhere completely unexpected.
Ever been to Manny, Iowa? That town is the definition of the unexpected location of a roadtrip detour!
Designing: published two designed recently. Both were monumental roadtrips and full of surprises.

Flores Gloria: uffda!

Two years in the planning, knitting, reknitting, frogging, redesigning, etc.
Tragically, my math was incorrect in the beginning and several test knitters ran out of yarn before the end of knitting size large. The wonderful women went on with different yarn and tracked down the correct dye lots like real troopers.
So, the roadblocks included: figuring out how to design with lace stitches on right and wrong side, picking the right complimentary lace pattern for the morning glory flowers, and picking a different overall design layout to maximize the flower stitch and not overwhelm the knitter/viewer with complicated lace. Thank you Elemental 2D design from college, but it took awhile.
And IT'S DONE!

Velociraptor sweater

 

The Christmas sweater. Someday my husband will have enough sweaters, but not this year. His response is that he never needs another sweater, but he is always so incredible pleased and excited, and then he'll wear the sweater for days. 

This year I set the bar high.

1. I learned a new technique, bottom up seamless yoke sweater. I will never knit a sweater another way.

2. Design charts of velociraptors - tweak stitches across to fit his size.
3. Knit forever without husband knowing about the project - but show everyone I know the pieces.
The sweater turned out fabulously. I surprised myself!
The first night my husband wore the sweater he was offered $100 by one woman and informed by the bouncer of a bar that a girl offered the bouncer $50 to rip off the sweater and give it to her. Seriously.
The charts are available for free in my ravelry store.
I foresee more nerdy sweaters.

No sooner were the above patterns released when I started work on another shawl.
Crescent shaped shawl with simple lace and cables, named after another flower of course.
The new lesson is design: stitch markers are my friend. I may scoff and avoid them for any other project - but goodness they are helpful when I have to plan the next change to the repeat!

Plus, I bought some super plush yarn to do my second knit while I write the pattern. Mmm...

Buttery goodness imminent

Let's explain the day in pictures ...

I started up the pressure cooker this afternoon with the leftover chicken bones and vegetable bits from the week. Mmm ... a glorious stock.

Then started boiling some potatoes - to rice them! Tomorrow is the annual winter Lefse making event with my mother's siblings. We gather at my aunt's house to grill Lefse, which is the most fabulous thing in the world. Then we eat some. Package others in ziplock and freeze. Or, if we are feeling enormously generous, we share (which is very rare).
Store bought just don't compare to the light soft goodness of homemade. And, I admit, I'm a little judgmental of people who put anything other than butter on their Lefse. It's a personal failing. I'm trying to become open minded. But that doesn't extend to nutella. That's awful.

The afternoon is finishing with an ice bath for my hands. I only took 4 days off ice dunking. And back on the band-wagon. It does indeed work for reducing the slight ache feeling in the joints of my left fingers and the tenderness in my right wrist - but at the price of frozen hands for 1 hour after and the knowledge that the ice cold water is way less than comfortable and you have to keep doing it.
I would say the knitting calls - but actually its the bucket of water calling my name.

Be excellent to each other!

Healing the breach

A breach in the local yarn store network has occurred - Borealis Yarns is closing in December.
Each store has a vibe - created by the staff and patrons - and Borealis had a great vibe. I shall miss the store and staff immensely - not only because of the great selection of yarns carried - but because of time shared.


Update on the cupboard:
Yesterday I finished blocking another shawl. I think that brings the total to, maybe, 25? Since last year? It might be more.

Here is the latest - Bubbles and Baubles by Tori Gurbisz. Fun - fairly quick knit. The shawl itself was easy on my hands, lace on the right side and purl the wrong side. But that bubble edge - argh! A combination of CO and BO that create chains and attach to the live stitches of the edge. Took forever and was brutal on the tendonitis.

So now all knitting projects must be knit/purl-only for ease on the hands. Plus I'm still ice dipping 10 times over the course of 2 hours. I've done it twice and I've noticed less stiffness in my left fingers. I'm going to finish the 7days of ice dips, take a week off, and then dip another 7 days. 
And while icing I'm designing a sweater, finishing a shawl design, and trying to motivate myself to find a project for all the brown yarn I just bought!
Hands - cooperate for awhile, please.

Be excellent to each other!

The cupboard

A group of pandas is known as a "cupboard." A cupboard of pandas sleep with me every night.

In the form of a fleece blanket. 

That's more than my cat. He'll sleep with me when he's good and ready for some cuddles. 

But I'm digressing.

I create cakes, pies, brownies (not to share), shawls, sweaters, cards, knit patterns, piano, and yes ... Tummy scratches. 

And I just made something that will help me keep creating ... An ice bath. I have tendinitis in my right wrist and left fingers - and I type at work, knit at home, scratch the tummy. 

Today has been a good day for the hands. I didn't need my gloves (I have two kinds of compression gloves) and I didn't take any meds. I've iced, massaged, strengthened muscles, avoided my favorite activities ... And it naturally bums me out. I create. But don't cut the hands off yet. I'm ready to try this:

1. Fill your kitchen sink with cold water. Drop in a few ice packs or frozen water bottles.

2. Cover hands and arms in lotion - prevent chapped hands.

3. Dip your arms (up to elbow) in for 5 seconds only,

4. Remove and dry.

5. Repeat 10 times in one hour.

I'm currently on time number 5? I won't make it to ten this first night. And the sensation is weird. Whe pulling my hands from the water they instantly feel way colder in the air than the water and then begin to tingle as the tissue warms. 

I'm interested to see how this works. 

Be excellent to each other.