Veil of Isis - Part II

Aeris's annoy-o-meter

Battle of the bips

Giving Kevin’s mom a lacy tablecloth made using thin crochet thread and the Veil of Isis pattern wasn’t happening.  I had forgotten that the table tends to feature into the epic skirmishes between Aeris (the tubby Tuxedo wearing boy) and Bündchen (the feline femme whose namesake is apparent in her hallway runway strut as well as when she poses reclining in a sunbeam).  These battlefield pictures were taken by Kevin recently.  In the first one you can clearly see Aeris’s “annoy-o-meter” (aka tail) swishing back and forth so fast that it is blurred.  The cold war stare-down quickly escalates into a volley of paw batting, with both attempting to “bip” the other.  From the second picture you can witness the speed of this exchange.  I imagine that they’re not only sparring for supremacy in the house, but also “bipping” and beating boredom.

Oops… Less on kitties, more on knitting; right, getting back on track.  As I progressed through the pattern, I became even more enamored with the project.  I liked the weight of the cotton thread while still being airy from the lace pattern.  For some reason I was extraordinarily pleased with it, regardless of the fact I had no idea of what to do with it once finished.  As the Veil of Isis became larger and larger I did have one point of anxiety, beads.  The pattern calls for using beads, and after seeing pictures, I agreed that it was a beautiful accent especially in this case.  It’s a shame I know next to nothing about beads.  I figured I had a while to mull things over and do research since I planned on using them only in the border.

Delving into the odd crafting area where beading and knitting intersect was a little intimidating.  Ultimately I got the most out of the free webzine/e-zine Knitty’s article Seduced by Beads.  Sivia Harding, the author of this instructional gem, lays out the abcs of beads, sizes and what weights of yarn, as well as how to incorporate the beads.  Armed with a general idea of what to look for I ended up purchasing some *cough cough* inexpensive seed beads (size E – or 6/0) to use on my size 10 crochet thread).   I attached the beads using  a ridiculously tiny crochet needle (which looked more like a sewing needle that had a funky bump at the tip)that to my delight and surprise worked amazingly well.

Since I had worked from the center outwards binding off was a much longer process than usual.  Still while binding off, I couldn’t resist occasionally spreading out the finished areas of the Veil of Isis to admire it.  After the knitting was complete and all the ends were woven in, I gave initial blocking the good ol’ college try (I don’t have any foam boards/large cardboard).  I just pinned it out on the floor and figured that it’d be good enough considering I still have no plans for the finished project.  That being said, I’m still oddly pleased and proud of it.

The Veil of Isis - Part I

Passing another knitting milestone, I recently finished my first major lace weight project.  People that know me can vouch that I have a hard time resisting a screaming deal.  That little quirk, coupled with my insatiable greed for yarn, led to a purchase of yet more yarn that I had no specific project in mind for.  Oh, and it wasn’t just a little bit of yarn.  This goliath ball of “Aunt Lydia’s Crochet Thread” (Jumbo I think they called it), advertises that it is over 1.5 miles long.  Now that, ladies and gents, is yarn gluttony.

After sitting in the corner for untold months it’s time had finally come.  For some reason my brain and fingers were itching to create something with it; but what?  After perusing finished projects using this yarn on Ravelry, I was struck by all the crocheted tablecloths.  Nostalgia had kicked in hardcore.  Growing up my mother had a few very special white lace tablecloths.  I have a hard time thinking about them and not having my mind immediately jump to the memories of pancakes and weekend mornings.  At that point it was just a matter of finding the right pattern.  Looking for a square pattern, and one that was knitted and not crocheted, oh yeah, and free was a bit of a tall order.  Yet lovely Ravelry came through again with their advanced search functions… have I mentioned recently how much I love Ravelry?  What a great marriage of programming and knitting/crocheting it is?  Anyway, what came up was the gorgeous pattern “Veil of Isis” by Andrea Jurgrau of Bad Cat Designs (gotta love the name).

Worked from the center outward it seemed to be a perfect combination of easy but not boring.  Well, easy after you get the idea of how the charts proceed (tip:  chart on page six was irreplaceable for understanding it).  Still, juggling my eensy weensy size 2 knitting needles and the thread wasn’t the easiest start.  I must say that the phrase “ham fisted” occurred to me at alarming frequency during the beginning rounds.  Once the project became large enough to put on circular needles and I had my “Eureka” moment about the pattern, it was a joy to work.  The audiobooks helped me eat through the rows and rows of delicate lace.

Confession:   I started out with the intention of giving the finished product to Kevin’s mother, Kathy.  She’s so colorful, welcoming, encouraging, feisty and sassy.  She also appreciates handcrafted items more than anyone else I know, which makes her a target for my endeavors in yarn.  When I’ve visited her, she’s served me a number of luscious homemade meals at this square table full of character and warmth.

While I recalled that it was square, I wasn’t sure exactly how large it was.  No worries, I was working it from the center outward.  In the meantime I asked Kevin to be my spy.  His mission was to measure the table and take a few pictures without her knowing.    Around the time the Veil of Isis was large enough to transition from double pointed needles to the circular, I received the pictures.  At that point I realized that I had overlooked not just one, but two problems.  You think I would have been smart enough to see the foreshadowing the blog name gave me.

Speaking of blogging; I'm registering with Technorati - CF9VJ66EXF93

These are a few of my favorite things

The Midwest thunderstorms are nothing to sneeze at, and I can finally understand why the Von Trapp kids were bolting to Maria’s beside.  While whiskers on kittens definitely calm me, I also have a few items that didn’t quite make it into that musical number:

My ball winder – how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways… you make me cakes; and yarn cakes are far less fattening than the red velvet kind.  Since they’re center pull I don’t have to worry about balls of yarn bouncing all over the apartment.  You’ve saved me countless hours by keeping my skeins untangled and organized.  The delicate wing nut which allows you to clamp to tables of so many widths; and your rubber foot caresses and keeps surfaces pristine.

Interchangeable circular needles – Your bright colors make my heart smile.  Flexible, adaptable; oh, if only people could be more like you!  Tucked away neatly in your case, I know you’re there waiting for me, ready to morph needle size so that my hat brims remain snug and the crown comfortable.  With your end caps and extenders, you make it so easy to knit a blanket in one fell swoop, instead of panel after panel with endless joining.

My mountains of bamboo dpns - I love the way you cling to my yarn, easing my anxiety of dropping stitches.  Be it socks, gloves or finishing a hat, you tempt me to make tubes, for feet, fingers, hands and heads.  Bringing stitches back and forth, thank you for being an ever ready cable needle of just the right size.  

Row Counters – You who watch over my project, who keep me focused and sane.  I admire how you gently guide me back into place after I’ve dealt with the mundane interruptions of life.   You congratulate me on every accomplished row by singing “click”, and tempt me to finish the perpetual "one more".

Magnetic Chart Keeper – so long did I lust after you.  Finally, this December you came into my life.  The attraction I feel to you is not just because of your magnetism; though I do appreciate not having to mar my patterns with holes or marks.   Propped open you handsomely display my complicated rows in elegant simplicity.  Closed, you keep my pattern safe in my knitting bag, with my place marked and ready whenever I am ready for more. 

Lana's Waves

The original from 2009

This is long overdue.  To give you an idea of how long overdue it is, I made the first incarnation of Lana's Waves in the summer of 2009.  If you're feeling curious, you can see my original blog post here.


So, after all this time, what was the catalyst for writing down the pattern (and adding a small touch or two)?  Well, in short, it's Kate.  I'm not sure if there's a quick way of saying how we're related, but she's my cousin Lori's daughter (Lana's granddaughter).  Barely into her teens, it's still pretty obvious that salt water runs in her veins; not surprising considering how much her family loves the ocean.  Already a seasoned traveler, Kate has been to the Galapagos Islands ( you know that place that "was inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory on Natural Selection"- from wikitravel).

The new one for Kate

Man, impressing a teen is hard enough; but one a passport stamp like that?  Forget about it!  Or so I thought.  Imagine my surprise, my glee when she emailed saying "I was at her house one day and noticed the quilt/blanket you knitted her. I fell in love with it. My mom told me that you were trying to earn money."  Damn, not only was she impressed, she was impressed enough for a commission!  So, while making this project for Kate, I took the time to write it down so that others can make it if they wish.  Anyway, here's the pattern for Lana's Waves (pdf format, thank you google docs).  Please email me at daniaerickson@gmail.com if you have any questions or find mistakes in the pattern.


* All rights to the design and pattern "Lana's Waves" are protected by copyright.  Dania Erickson 2012.

Frondly Yours, now Charted territory

Remember how I mentioned my nervousness on publishing the "Frondly Yours" pattern?  Everytime I looked at  the long lines of knitting abbreviations I felt my anxiety steadily increase.  It's rather silly, but I like this pattern and want it to be accessible to anyone that wants to try it.  I imagine that for knitters that are more visually inclined, this chart method will be easier.  Click here for a link to the pdf version of "Frondly Yours Lace Chart".  Want the longer version that's written out instead of charted?  It's still available here.

Oh, now would be a good time for me to publicly acknowledge that my boyfriend is all sorts of wonderful.  Why you ask?  Geez, put down those knitting needles and I'll tell you!  Well, although it looked like Wingdings, dear Daniel downloaded the knitting font and set it up for me.  I loved the point at which he turned to me and asked hesitantly, "do these symbols mean anything to you?"  Oh, if you're curious, we ended up using Aire River Knitting Font, which we selected after looking at some of the other options mentioned in this knitty article.

As always, if you find a mistake, please please email me at daniaerickson@gmail.com. (updated 1/17/12 at 12:10 pst)

**All rights to the design and pattern "Frondly Yours" are protected by copyright. Dania Erickson 2012.

Frondly Yours

People that know me shouldn't be surprised the pun.  Yes, it's groan worthy, and I'm almost sorry.  Still, the look of pained resignation and anguish from my boyfriend when I suggested the name really decided it for me.

I confess that this time I'm really having mixed feelings about publishing this.  I've been tinkering with it since October, when I realized how completely impractical "Secretive Storms" was for Southern California.  I've knitted it up four times already, making subtle adjustments.  For some reason I'm having a huge case of the blogger's version of stage fright; so I'm hoping you'll be as understanding as parents at a toddler's ballet recital.

Click here for a link to a pdf of the pattern: Frondly Yours*.  I hope you enjoy making and wearing this hat that can be somewhere between a beanie and a beret.  As with my other patterns that I offer for free, please do not directly repost the pattern.  I ask instead that you link people to this blog post; watching the number of page views increase is one of the biggest warm fuzzies I have.  And if you like the pattern, cough cough... it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if you clicked on a link; unfortunately, it's one of my only sources of income these days.  Also, if you find any issues with the pattern, please email me at daniaerickson@gmail.com and I'll fix it.  

If you're wondering about the lovely model in the pictures, it's my dear friend Lexi.  She was kind enough not only to let me use her as my mannequin, but also let me use her faboo camera.  Did I mention she was sweet enough not to compare the pictures she would have taken (she has the most amazing eye), with the ones I did get.

*All rights to the design and pattern "Frondly Yours" are protected by copyright.  Dania Erickson 2012.  Updated at 11:45 am pst on 1/19/12.

Imagine a Green Lantern crocheted baby blanket

BrandXsketch

A friend of mine is expecting a son sometime in the VERY near future.  His love of comics, and is astonishing ability to create them (just check out some of the things he does on his blog:  Brand X Blog, where he is a smokin' pencil for hire).  Not only is he exceptionally talented in creating images with pencil, ink and paper; he also delves into the digital arts.  Here's sort of a self portrait he created (I love it):

This seemed like the perfect opportunity to create a project for one of my favorite audiences:  BABIES!  They can't tell you they don't want to wear it, they are at the mercy of their parents sense of style.  If an infant doesn't like wearing something you've knitted, the crying exhibited can be easily blamed on 1) gas, 2) dirty diapers -perhaps an active display of displeasure towards a project that no sane person would considering wearing- 3) general fussiness.  In short, you can torture small humans with knitted and crocheted gifts and there is nearly nothing they can do about it.  Meanwhile, if they happen to smile while wearing or touching one of these handcrafted disasters, it is clearly as sign that they adore what you made for them... nevermind the dancing stuffed animal that they're looking at.



Considering the source of the new bundle, I started to look for something with the Green Lantern logo.  I found a chart for a tunisian crochet (and interesting technique that I have yet to try) by Maria Merleno on Ravelry.  It cited that the pattern was available on associated content website, but I couldn't find it.  After some tedious counting on the image they provided I duplicated it and have posted it here (with some graph lines).  Still, I wanted to do single stitches, but my gauge wasn't exactly 1:1.   I decided to double all of the numbers, so that it was twice as high and twice as wide.  I had to tweak the rows between for a smoother transistion on the curves, and it seems to have come out pretty decently. The finished project, complete with scalloped edging, and slip stitch finishing where color changes take place has already been shipped!  I'm such a procrastinator, it is astonishing to think that this blanket will be delivered before the little man is!

Click here for link to google doc graph