Well, the chaos of moving and the demands of holiday knitting took over. I've finally conceded that if I keep holding out until I solve the third (and fourth?) size riddle, then I may never get the Thames Street Mittens republished. And that just would be fair to buyers, who seem to be mostly interested in the smaller size anyhow.
Therefore, instructions for both small and medium sizes are now available on Ravelry. Anybody who wants additional sizes and doesn't feel confident to make changes themselves can still feel free to contact me for assistance. Or, if you do make changes on your own, please tell me about how you adapted and overcame! Then, perhaps in the new year, when things around here calm down a bit, I'll get back to it. (That's much more likely if I get specific requests...)
19 December 2011
06 December 2011
Mittens - More Sizes Coming Soon
I published the Thames Street Mittens as a single size pattern. And then I immediately received requests for additional sizes. Fairly so, certainly. Hands come in different sizes.
Writing a pattern in multiple sizes is not something I've ever done before. Unfortunately, it's not so straightforward with this particular pattern, because of the asymmetrical decrease. I guess the easy way around it would be to eliminate the asymmetry. But I started out pursuing the less easy way.
I accepted a commission for a second pair of mittens, and I used the opportunity to work up a smaller size and wrote the pattern adjustments as I went. Cut to - that pair of mittens finished and sent to the recipient, small size added to written pattern, and all that's left is to write out the large size (because, let's face it, if you're putting in the effort to do multiple sizes, you need to have three). I cast on with my leftover yarn, 8 additional stitches for one more repeat of the stitch pattern, to work through the decrease section and make sure I got everything right as I wrote the additional changes.. but the sample is way, way, way too large for actual human hands.
Time to give up? Not quite. I think maybe if I adjust the stitch pattern slightly, I can make an interim size. I'm getting close to the point of just plan having too many pages for what should be a simple mitten pattern. Perhaps getting rid of the asymmetry is the way to go after all...
Writing a pattern in multiple sizes is not something I've ever done before. Unfortunately, it's not so straightforward with this particular pattern, because of the asymmetrical decrease. I guess the easy way around it would be to eliminate the asymmetry. But I started out pursuing the less easy way.
I accepted a commission for a second pair of mittens, and I used the opportunity to work up a smaller size and wrote the pattern adjustments as I went. Cut to - that pair of mittens finished and sent to the recipient, small size added to written pattern, and all that's left is to write out the large size (because, let's face it, if you're putting in the effort to do multiple sizes, you need to have three). I cast on with my leftover yarn, 8 additional stitches for one more repeat of the stitch pattern, to work through the decrease section and make sure I got everything right as I wrote the additional changes.. but the sample is way, way, way too large for actual human hands.
Time to give up? Not quite. I think maybe if I adjust the stitch pattern slightly, I can make an interim size. I'm getting close to the point of just plan having too many pages for what should be a simple mitten pattern. Perhaps getting rid of the asymmetry is the way to go after all...
18 November 2011
Thames Street Mittens
These cozy textured mittens are just the thing to show off that single skein of gorgeous variegated worsted weight wool that you just couldn’t resist at your yarn shop. The pattern motif, reminiscent of those quirky cobblestones, is created with a repeat of just one stitch that’s easy to master. Depending on your color choice, they could be a great gift for ladies or gentlemen. The mittens have a ribbed cuff and a gusset thumb, and the fingertips follow the asymmetry of your digits.
Yarn: I used less than one skein of Mountain Colors' River Twist in a colorway called "Rock Creek." Just about any worsted weight natural fiber will probably work, keeping in mind that your fingers want to be spoiled with softness.
Needles: The cuff is knitted on US # 3 DPNs, the rest of the mittens on US # 5 DPNs. They could easily be adapted for magic loop or two circs.
Pattern: Available for $2 on Ravelry! (Buy with one click right here.)
06 November 2011
Revive
A few months have gone by since I declared this blog dead. By far, it is not the longest amount of time that was allowed to pass in between postings. I suppose there's some irony there.
A lot has happened in my life since then, and a lot of plans have shifted. My new plan for the next few years involves moving overseas, as the Navy sends B to Japan for a year and a half. The move will happen in February. As opposed to my former plan, which was going to slash my knitting time to, well, none, the new plan is pretty likely to leave me both under- or unemployed as well as home alone for weeks on end. Therefore, knitting time galore.
Because of the expected lack of employment, I am thinking ambitiously about designing patterns and selling them through Ravelry to fill some of that income gap. Animal friends, socks, other things here and there. I have a couple of things in various stages of development already.
With that in the works, here's what I'm thinking as far as the blog goes. I still feel the same way about how Ravelry fulfills a lot of the purpose this blog used to have for me, and therefore I don't see myself bringing it back in its original sense. But I think there is some potential content pertaining to the design process, ideas, challenges, lessons learned - that sort of thing. For designing? Ravelry seems great to capture the outcome, but lacking as far as the process goes.
So? I suppose this means I'm back. I think I'll do some trimming and remodeling around here in my digital space. Time for a makeover.
A lot has happened in my life since then, and a lot of plans have shifted. My new plan for the next few years involves moving overseas, as the Navy sends B to Japan for a year and a half. The move will happen in February. As opposed to my former plan, which was going to slash my knitting time to, well, none, the new plan is pretty likely to leave me both under- or unemployed as well as home alone for weeks on end. Therefore, knitting time galore.
Because of the expected lack of employment, I am thinking ambitiously about designing patterns and selling them through Ravelry to fill some of that income gap. Animal friends, socks, other things here and there. I have a couple of things in various stages of development already.
With that in the works, here's what I'm thinking as far as the blog goes. I still feel the same way about how Ravelry fulfills a lot of the purpose this blog used to have for me, and therefore I don't see myself bringing it back in its original sense. But I think there is some potential content pertaining to the design process, ideas, challenges, lessons learned - that sort of thing. For designing? Ravelry seems great to capture the outcome, but lacking as far as the process goes.
So? I suppose this means I'm back. I think I'll do some trimming and remodeling around here in my digital space. Time for a makeover.
16 March 2011
Permanent UFO
Anybody still check to see if I post updates here? It's been a few days shy of a year since the last time I posted. It's not news to say that this blog has been basically abandoned. Well, now I'm making it official.
***For the foreseeable future, I have no plans to continue this blog.***
I'm not taking it offline, since I have several free patterns available here, with links from Knitting Pattern Central and other places, and I still get considerable traffic because of them. I'll even keep moderating comments and responding to any emails sent in regards to content. I won't, however, be writing new posts; and the biggest difference is that I'm going to quit feeling guilty about this negligence.
Quite frankly, I think the reason things got slack around here is Ravelry. I don't mean to disrespect Ravelry, because I think it's one of the greatest things to happen to knitting... well, since cables were invented. Looking back on it, though, it was approximately when I became a member that my blogging frequency began to collapse. It makes sense. I mean, probably the biggest reason I started the Chronicles here was to document my knitting for my own purposes. That plus a little bit of showing off, and sharing an occasional pattern with the world. Ravelry makes all that available plus so much more, and in such a more organized and useable fashion than the basic blog format. The blog became a redundant formality and didn't have much new content to offer. I go through cycles of varying degrees of diligence on Ravelry but I do try not to let my completed projects get too far behind. So if you really want to keep up with my knitting endeavors, you can find me there: my username is Caramcb. If you send me a message I will probably even friend you.
*******Edited on 11/6/11: content deleted. I wrote about a big upheaval that was coming in my life, but things changed and it no longer applies. Because of the nature of this event, it is sort of awkward for me to keep the announcement thereof as a post on this blog. It just isn't the place for rehashing all of that.
Thanks to everyone for reading. Happy knitting to all.
~Cara
***For the foreseeable future, I have no plans to continue this blog.***
I'm not taking it offline, since I have several free patterns available here, with links from Knitting Pattern Central and other places, and I still get considerable traffic because of them. I'll even keep moderating comments and responding to any emails sent in regards to content. I won't, however, be writing new posts; and the biggest difference is that I'm going to quit feeling guilty about this negligence.
Quite frankly, I think the reason things got slack around here is Ravelry. I don't mean to disrespect Ravelry, because I think it's one of the greatest things to happen to knitting... well, since cables were invented. Looking back on it, though, it was approximately when I became a member that my blogging frequency began to collapse. It makes sense. I mean, probably the biggest reason I started the Chronicles here was to document my knitting for my own purposes. That plus a little bit of showing off, and sharing an occasional pattern with the world. Ravelry makes all that available plus so much more, and in such a more organized and useable fashion than the basic blog format. The blog became a redundant formality and didn't have much new content to offer. I go through cycles of varying degrees of diligence on Ravelry but I do try not to let my completed projects get too far behind. So if you really want to keep up with my knitting endeavors, you can find me there: my username is Caramcb. If you send me a message I will probably even friend you.
*******Edited on 11/6/11: content deleted. I wrote about a big upheaval that was coming in my life, but things changed and it no longer applies. Because of the nature of this event, it is sort of awkward for me to keep the announcement thereof as a post on this blog. It just isn't the place for rehashing all of that.
Thanks to everyone for reading. Happy knitting to all.
~Cara
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