Live on Ravelry!

Announcing the return to the stage of  Isadora Duncan...

Ok, not really. But my new pattern, Isadora Duncan, is available on Ravelry this afternoon :)

That's my big news :) My first for sale pattern is up and I'm feeling pretty good about it. In fact, I think I'll celebrate with a Pepsi and a few rippled chips ;) I'm a classy gal afterall

TTFN :)

New Year and new things happening!!

Happy 2015, everyone :) Hope the new year is treating everyone well.

So today's my first day off of the new year and I figured it's high time I got my patterns more exposure. I've been thinking on this for quite a while to be honest. And in December I started having some major doubts, thanks in no small part to the VATMOSS deal happening in the EU. It's not a great time to be thinking about jumping into designing patterns for sale, especially since the... he individuals who put this mess in place didn't have the foggiest clue they were potentially harming microbusinesses around the globe. I digress. We'll leave it at: the whole confused and quite frankly scares me a bit.

But I have 3 lovely patterns available already. All of them free, so not in any danger from VATMOSS or Darth Vader or whatever other baddie might be lurking. And they're on the blog here, linked to pattern pages on Ravelry and that's all good. But, and isn't that a word of great meaning for only being 3 letters long?, what of the wonderful piece I came up with this past summer that has yet to see the light of day? And the other little nuggets in my head?

I put a simple query out to the twitterverse this morning: what app(s) do you recommend for turning patterns into PDFs? I was answered fairly quickly but the lovely @plutoniummuffin :) And after a bit of fiddling and tweaking, I had Anchors and Ropes into a PDF and into my "store" on Ravelry. Both MVP and Pyewacket followed suit. My whole collection is available to the Ravelry masses.

I admit, I used a copy, cut and paste method with these three. The text is a bit wonky from page to page, I admit. But everything is there that should be and I included pictures.

Today I launched Knit-Dance-Repeat designs :) And I hope once things have become clearer with regards to VATMESS, I'll be adding to the collection!

2015 is going to be a year of changes. They're already starting :)

TTFN
Síle

MVP: a hat pattern

We all know a sports fan. I knit this hat for a guy who lives & breathes for his team; he even had the elastics for his braces in his team colors! (and that tells you I've known him awhile, too)
I've used a DK superwash merino for warmth & acknowledging that this is going to a guy who will not handwash ;) Stripes that don't look like stripes are easy to substitute the proper colors for your MVP's team.
**The original was knit for a Calgary Flames man**
Onto the fun part!

DK weight yarn as follows:
100yds MC (black)
25yds C1 (red)
15yds C2 (yellow)
2yds C3 (white)
*I used Diamond Luxury Collection Fine Merino Superwash DK*

needles: 16" 4.0mm circular, set of 5 4.0 dpns

gauge: 26sts/28rnds = 4" in Linen Stitch

abbreviations:
sl1wyif- bring yarn to front of work as if to purl, slip next st purlwise, return yarn to back of work


PATTERN:
Cast on 120 sts with MC. Join in the round & work 3" in K2, P2 ribbing. Continuing with MC, start Linen Stitch.
Rnd 1: *K1, sl1wyif; repeat from * around
Rnd 2: K
Rnd 3: *Sl1wyif, K1; repeat from * around
Rnd 4: K
Change to C1 and work 8 rnds in Linen stitch.
Change to C2 and work 4 rnds in Linen stitch.
Change to C3 and work 2 rnds in Linen stitch.
Change to C2 and work 4 rnds in Linen stitch.
Change to C1 and work 8 rnds in Linen stitch.
Change to MC and work 4 rnds in Linen stitch.
Continuing with MC, work 6 rnds of K2, P2 ribbing.

Dec section- (switch to dpns whenthere are not enough sts to comfortable knit with the circular needle)
Rnd 1: *K2, P2tog, K2, P2; repeat from * around (105sts)
Rnd 2: *K2, P1, K2, P2; repeat from * around
Rnd 3: *K2, P1, K2, P2tog; repeat from * around (90sts)
Rnd 4: *K2, P1; repeat from * around
Rnd 5: *K2tog, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * around (75sts)
Rnd 6: *K1, P1, K2, P1; repeat from * around
Rnd 7: *K1, P1, K2tog, P1; repeat from * around (60sts)
Rnd 8: *K1, P1; repeat from * around
Rnd 9: *SSK; repeat from * around (30sts)
Rnd 10: K around
Rnd 11: *K2tog; repeat from * around (15sts)
Rnd 12: *K2tog; repeat from * to last st: K1 (8sts)
Cut yarn & draw through remaining sts 1 or 2 times, secure on inside of hat. Finish in ends. Give to your favorite MVP.

Anchors & Ropes: a hat pattern

Here goes! My first foray into having a pattern available to others.
First the boring bits: please do not sell this pattern or the finished items as your design.
This hat is pretty simple & features an anchor on front & back. I knit the original for the 2008 WinterAngels exchange on greatbigsea.com . Andi was the happy recipient :)
Materials:
1 ball Bernat Wool Blend Natural Blends (I used soft denim)
set of 5 4.5mm dpns

Abbreviations:
-cn: cable needle
-LC (Left Cable): sl 2 sts to cn at front, K2, K2 from cn
-M1 (Make 1): insert left needle into strand between st just worked and next st, front to back; K into back of loop to twist the new st
-SKP: sl next st k-wise, K next st, pass sl st over & off
-3 from 1: K into back then front of next st. Now K into "bar" at base of this. You've added 2sts to your work
-pm: place marker
-B (bobble): K into (f,b,f) of next st; turn, P1, (P1, yo, P1) in next st, P1; turn, K5; turn, P2tog, P1, P2tog; turn, sl2tog-kwise, K1, P2SSO; done!
-LT (Left Twist): K into 2nd st on left needle through back of loop, K skipped st, sl both sts from needle.
-RT (Right Twist): K2tog but leave both sts on left needle, K first st again & sl both sts from needle.
-5stT (5 st Twist): sl 2 tocn @ F, sl 1 to cn @ B, K2, P1 from B cn, K2 from F cn.
-Dec5: with yarn in back, sl3 to right needle, *pass 2nd st over first st & off needle; sl first st back to left needle; pass 2nd st over first st & off needle**; sl first st to right needle; rep from * to **; K rem st through back of loop.
**A note on my cable notations: I write cables this way a/b BC or a/b FC. a is the # put on hold, b is the # worked straight, BC is Back cable: those held sts go to the back of the work, FC is Front Cable: held sts stay in front. If I've got FPC or BPC, the sts going behind will be purled (these may be the sts on the cable needle or the work straight sts) Make sense? I hope so!

Pattern:
CO 96sts.
Work in rnds of K2, P2 rib for 4".
Set-up Rnd:*K4, P1, P2tog, P1, K4, P3, K4, P3, pm, P23, pm, P3; rep from * once. -94sts.(Instead of pm, it eases the work if you split the work at these points. Then the ropes are on 2 dpns & the anchors are on the other 2; if you're using a circular needle place the markers & move them up every rnd))
Rnd1: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, sl m, P11, M1, 3from 1, M1, P11, sl m, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd2: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P11, K2, [K1, yo, K1] in next st, K2, P11, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd3: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P10, 1/3FC, P1tbl, 3/1BC, P10, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd4: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P10, K9, P10, P3;rep from * once.
Rnd5: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P8, 2/3BPC, K3, 3/2FPC, P8, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd6: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P8, K3, P2, K3, P2, K3, P8, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd7: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P6, 2/3BPC, P2, K3, P2, 3/2FPC, P6, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd8: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P6, K3, P4, K3, P4, K3, P6, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd9: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P4, 2/3BPC, P4, K3, P4, 3/2FPC, P4, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd10: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P4, K3, P6, K3, P6, K3, P4, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd11: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P3, 1/3BPC, P6, K3, P6, 3/1FPC, P3, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd12: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P3, K3, P7, K3, P7, K3, P3, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd13: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P4, K3, P4, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd14: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P4, K3, P4, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd15: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, 1/1FPC, P1, K3, P1, 1/1BPC, P4, K3, P4, 1/1FPC, P1, K3, P1, 1/1BPC, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd16: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P1, K1, P1, K3, P1, K1, P5, K3, P5, K1, P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd17: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P1, 1/1FPC, K3, 1/1BPC, P5, K3, P5, 1/1FPC, K3, 1/1BPC, P1, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd18: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P2, K5, P6, K3, P6, K5, P2, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd19: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P2, 1/1FPC, K1, 1/1BPC, P6, K3, P6, 1/1FPC, K1, 1/1BPC, P2, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd20: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P3, K3, P7, K3, P7, K3, P3, P3;rep from * once.
Rnd21: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P3, 1/1FPC, K1, P7, K3, P7, K1, 1/1BPC, P3, P3; rep from *once.
Rnd22: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P4, K2tog, P7, K3, P7, K2tog, P4, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd23: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P12, K3, P12, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd24: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P12, K3, P12, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd25: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P9, B, P2, K3, P2, B, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd26: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P9, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd27: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P9, LT, P1, K3, P1, RT, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd28: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P9, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd29: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P9, 2/1FPC, K3, 1/2BPC, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd30: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P10, K7, P10, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd31: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P10, 2/1FPC, K1, 1/2BPC, P10, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd32: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P11, K5, P11, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd33: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P11, 5stT, P11, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd34: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P11, K2, P1, K2, P11, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd35: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P9, 2/2BPC, P1, 2/2FPC, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd36: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P9, K2, P5, K2, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd37: *LC, P3, LC, P3, LC, P3, P9, 2/2FPC, P1, 2/2BPC, P9, P3; rep from * once.
Rnd38: *K4, P3, K4, P3, K4, P3, P11, Dec5, P11, P3; rep from * once.
Work 1 rnd even, maintaining rope cables & purling in the "Anchor" sections.
Next Rnd: *K1, ssk; rep from * arnd - 64sts
Next Rnd: *K1, ssk; rep from * arnd - 42sts
Next Rnd: *K1, ssk; rep from * arnd - 28sts
Next Rnd: *K1, ssk; rep from * arnd - 19sts
Next Rnd: *K1, ssk; rep from * arnd - 10sts
Clip yarn leaving a long tail for finishing. Thread tail onto tapestry needle & run through rem sts a couple times to secure. Fasten off and finish in ends.

That's it! It was quick & easy. Even better my exchange pal loved it! :)