Celebrations of sorts (free pattern copy--today only)

Fat Tuesday, a free pattern giveaway, a St. Patrick's Day project...Puff, puff, puff, and an announcement at the end.

You might have heard this already from yesterday evening's post, but I am gifting all of my readers a free copy of my Mardi Gras-inspired socks called "Carnival Socks" (Fat Tuesday was known as "the Carnival" in the Medieval age--you can read up about it on the pattern page) TODAY ONLY, so hurry onto Ravelry and redeem the pattern HERE. Type in the coupon code: MardiGras2014. You can even gift this to your sock knitting friends. Enjoy!

For those who observe this day, it is a day filled with little celebration things like food, drink, beads or just wacky clothing because the day after Fat Tuesday marks a solemn or reflective period of time for Christians.

I also want to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with you as well, for reasons that will be discussed at the end of the post.

 I filled the weaving loom with a wee bit of fun.

I finally get to try out my mammoth shuttle sticks that I ordered a while back. It's not that much larger than my 15'' Cricket loom. I think it was 20'' long?

I never tire of these types of photos. I love the intricate details that variegated yarn gives off while woven with another color. I used Hobby Lobby's "I love This Cotton" in Irish colors.

Warps (59): 13 white, 5 Irish, 9 white, 5 Irish, 9 white, 5 Irish, 13 white.

Originally, I meant for it to be a decorative hanging towel.

But it looks so cute as a placemat. I plan on weaving another one because I still have another skein left.

So, on for the announcement. I know I have been really good about posting more regularily now, and it's great for me to be back in the blogging world (I enjoy sharing my adventures with you), but the reason why I am posting about St. Patrick's Day this early is because of what I have decided as my Lenten meditation or goal, if you will: to go the whole Lenten season away from social media. I really feel like (at least Facebook) social media has been consuming my time, and has distracted me from various things in life. Unfortunately, blogging is a form of social media, so I can't give up one without the other. Consider this a fasting of technology to be refreshed. It's a small glimpse of how it used to be in the early 90's. The most internet I will be getting now until Easter is checking my email once in a while (I can't ignore it as a teacher) and paying my bills (that would have been a good excuse for an extension of time, right?). Feel free to email me if something is dire, but don't message me through Ravelry, since I won't be on.

In the meantime, I will be finishing up my shawl, I have yarn on the way for Ysolda's Pumpkin Ale Sweater that I can't wait to get my hands on, I will be spinning a little, and doing bits of things in the background. I plan on refocusing my energies on my family and away from my phone and laptop which is so easy to be on all the time as a stay-at-home mother.

Please feel free to browse older posts, podcasts, tutorials or leave me *happy thoughts* while I'm gone. When I return, it better be Spring! I promise I will be back in April. There will be so much to share. :)

Enjoy the free pattern.

Sincerely,
Anna Maliszewski

WIP: Forget Me Not Shawl (lace border underway)

The "Forget Me Not" (a.k.a Amore Shawl) is undergoing border control. I have labored for a few days to come up with the perfect border, but no matter how I tweaked it on excel, and a zillion swatches later...sometimes you just have to face the cold, hard facts: yarn weight can turn something beautiful into something distorted. I'll just save the border for another shawl project. It obviously prefers something with a heftier weight.

I was so excited to get the provisional cast-on off after years of it waiting patiently to release that first row. I'm not sure if I'm just plain weird for getting giddy at this sort of thing, but it's an odd and pleasant sight to see it gone, and I was getting nostalgic with every unraveled stitch. It's been with me at various important occasions.

I plan on doing something simplier for the border. Actually, the same thing I envisioned in the first place before I got all excel-happy on something that didn't pan out. The pattern is so recognizable, and simple, but beautiful in it's simplicity and a breeze to remember. Who wants fuge a 724+ stitch border anyways? You heard me right.

I decided to go steal from my own store stockpile since I needed 8 stitch markers, and I wanted them to all match because I was in such a good mood. They haven't been on Etsy in a while anyways.

Choices, choices.

 I think the hearts were a good choice for a heart shawl. I love the vintage green beads. :)

I have a small weaving project that is finished and will be posted tomorrow, and for all of my loyal readers, I am gifting a *free pattern* of mine to you at the start of tomorrow to kick off Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)! It's only valid tomorrow. The coupon code will be revealed in tomorrow's post. ;)
Off to write tomorrow's post early. . .

The quest for a border

 

I've completed the main body of my lacy heart shawl (previously called "Amore Shawl" when I mentioned it on this blog) that I believe will be coined "Forget Me Not" for sentimental reasons mentioned in my Podcast episode #1. With that reason, the quest for a suitable border is all the more important to get "just right." 

I've searched through all of my stitchonaries, checked out additional books from the library to merge a couple of ideas together for what  I envisioned for this shawl. It hasn't been easy, but I think that I have come up with a game plan. I've been mulling over this for quite some time now.

My challenge now is that I have to fit this 16 row border perfectly with the row and stitch count of this shawl. I'm working with an excel chart to (visually) help me turn the corners accurately in this border so that all corners look the same because I haven't done a rectangular shawl border before. Triangular  borders-yes, at least three times, but not a rectangle. If you've never done this either, you normally need to knit into certain stitches more than once around the corner area, so that the edging bends with the curve. I'll show and explain more about that later, but in the meantime, wish me luck!

FO: Frozen River Slouch

Another hibernated project off the needles! You're looking at a cabled slouchy hat that resembles frost marks on a pool of water. I've named the pattern "Frozen River Slouch" and it was started in 2010. 

Pattern: Frozen River Slouch by Anna Maliszewski (KUAS original)

Yarn: 1 ball Wool-ease in a blue heathered colorway

Needles: Size US9 circular (16'')

Started: 2010 (hibernation)   Completed: February 20, 2014

On the base of the slouch is a cabled braid, and other finishing touches is a crochet slip stitch border above the braid edging for a nice, clean finishing touch, and also a little cute I-Cord nub at the top.

Optional little I-Cord adornment

 It's a very slouchy hat. I'm thinking of making another version that is less slouchy and with a different type of yarn that is less fuzzy for better stitch definition. I was destashing before, but this might lend itself nicely to be published? No?

KUAS Podcast Episode #2: Saucy

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This is the podcast that was recorded yesterday, but I ran out of time to post it the same day. Let me know if I'm doing something right, because it is a little time-consuming.

Podcast & music by Anna Maliszewski. Copyright 2014.

Episode #2: Saucy
1. Work-in-progress knit: Frozen River Slouch by Anna Maliszewski (KUAS Designs).

2. Tutorial on how to cable without cable needles using the stitch "2-st RPC (tbl)" and "2-st LPC (tbl)". Materials needed: 1 plastic stitch marker with a slit in it + your project that you will cable on.
You can find a video of just this tutorial under my tab "Video Tutorials."

3. Frogging & spring cleaning of WIP's.

4. Hot Sauce: Wing Master Buffalo Wing Sauce in the "Garlic Parmesan" flavor from the Pepper Palace (www.pepperpalace.com). $7.99.

For more podcasts or tutorials, please visit my tab "KUAS Podcasts" on my blog or SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube page.

Give me a shout-out if this no-cable trick has been handy!
Sorry for the haziness, this was done at night!

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KUAS Tutorial: Knitting without cable needles

Here I will demonstrate how to do the 2-st RPC(tbl) cable* and 2-st LPC(tbl) cable using a stitch marker with a slit in it, instead of using a cable needle because it is faster and easier.
         *TBL= knit through the back of the loop

Tools needed: a stitch marker with a slip in it, plus your knitting work.

Row 7 example: P1, RPC (tbl)-2x, LPC (tbl)-2x, p1

Project demonstrated on:
Frozen River Slouch by Anna Maliszewski (KUAS Designs).

My computer is slug-slow right now from making these podcasts and tutorials today. I have a podcast from today all but compiled into one video, but it is darn late...it will have to wait! Come back tomorrow!

A Bientot!

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KUAS Podcast: Episode 1 (Valentine's Day)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
OMG, made it! I'm literally just getting done with this podcast episode, having started it yesterday (while working all day on it) only to have to redo the whole thing (and it still gave me trouble). Basically, the files were too large and I had to find a program to compress them. The good news: I compressed and edited them. The bad news: it left their company watermark on it (which is annoying) because they want you to buy the program, and I would have to scrub the whole V-Day thing because there's just not enough time to redo it all. Hopefully this episode is enjoyable. Let me know what you think. Working in front of a camera makes me feel a little silly. :)


Podcast Episode 1: Valentine's Day
Holy Toledo, there are a  lot of FO's shown!     * denotes KUAS pattern

Throwback knit outfit: Punk Rock Tunic*

FO's as seen on Podcast:
1. Large Pink Scarf*
2. Vintage Plum Sweater*
3. Amore Tanktop*
4. Cabled Hat*
5. Ear Warmer*
6.  Pink 3X1 Cap*
7. Snuggles Fingerless Mitt*
8. Candied Hearts Socks V.1*
9. Candied Hearts Socks V.2*
10. Sweet As Candy Baby Cardigan*
11. Wedding Shrug*
12. Berry Clutch*
13. Rose Shrug*
14. LT sock *

WIP's as seen on the Podcast:
1. Purple LT sweater with Paton's Lacette*
2. Ysolda's "Follow Your Arrow" shawl KAL
3. Hi Low Sweater*with Berroco Ultra Light Alpaca yarn
4. Amore Shawl*

Dyed KUAS Yarn:
1. Candied Hearts (fingering weight yarn)
2. Twilight Colorways in various yarn weights

Question on the podcast:
What have you knit for Valentine's day, or like to knit for people for Valentine's Day?

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Jingle

I made an official post earlier today, but I was too giddy with excitement to wait another day to announce that I have decided to make knitting podcasts for this blog, and knowing me, I had to make my own little opening jingle...which I wrote while the boys were napping. My computer isn't recognizing my Yeti recorder device for some reason, so you'll have to wait until the first podcast to get the full experience. What do you think?   :)

Verdict time

I finally got the chance to slip half of the sweater onto a second circular needle to formulate my verdict for this sweater. As I suspected, the sweater is too large already, and the sleeves are the main culprit.

May the sleeves step up and declare it's innocence?

Just as I suspected. Too large.

From the front view, it pretends to drape nicely. However, the proof is in the pudding, er, back-view photo.

Frogging time. The sleeves have to be reduced, unless puffy sleeves are the fashion again? No? Didn't think so. I'm going to mull over whether or not I like the three panels of lace in the front. I was considering reducing the number (but two might look odd above the bust, and one will look just as odd) because even the front can stand to loose a couple of stitches and the 3 lace panels require that many stitches. Maybe I should change the whole front design altogether, with no lace? What I do know is that this panel looks good on the sleeve.

I'm feeling a little bit indecisive. What do you think?

Designing in the works

The past week, I've been playing around with an idea for a Hi Low sweater. I've tackled the main design, and started looking up short row shaping for a hi low back, and even have been looking in to bust darts to give this sweater extra shaping.

However, I casted on too much for the sleeves, and now I have to frog the project and start fresh. It's always a hard thing to do when working that far with sport weight yarn. I was up to around 230 stitches at that point where I left off, so I'm glad that next time should go a little faster.

The yoke will have a lacy panel, and will stop at the bust, and the sleeves will continue the pattern all the way down.

Unfortunately, my camera could not capture the beauty of the colorway;  it's almost a teal color. I'm using Berocco's Ultra Alpaca Light yarn that I have been saving for some years.

Sam photo-bombed the shoot at the end. Milk mustache and all. :)

FO: Quickie Yoga Bag

I sort have forgotten that I haven't shared this finished project. Whoops.
I have a thick yoga mat that I wanted to make a bag for because I use it every Jazzercise class. The little strappy thing that it came with is a little flimsy, but apparently, I made a yoga bag for an extra-extra thick mat, so I can't tell which is the lesser of the two evils.

 

Pattern: KUAS' Quickie Yoga Mat

Yarn: 2 skeins of LionBrand Cotton Ease, in Lime Green

Needles: Size US 8 and US17

I was going to make a nice strap for the bag, but I was so close to running out, even with two skeins, that I just made a simple chain string to close it up. Gee, I wonder why I ran out of yarn? The whole thing could actually be reduced by 25%.

See kids, this is what happens when you mess with fate and rely on memory for the overall circumference of the mat while perpetually sleep-deprived. Doesn't produce amazingly accurate results.

Oh well, maybe I'll use it for storing rolled up blankets while traveling. 

Cheers from Antarctica, er, Chicago. The boys and I have this cold right now, and they are at the age where they are really aware of their nose and throat bothering them. I think I'm going to put on a thick hat or ear warmers to block out the constant sub-zero weather and/or crying from the boys. Welcome to hotel miserable. :(  Bah Humbug. Hurry up Spring!

Re-release & give-away: Be Speckled

What better way to get over a case of the Wednesday Humps than to throw a re-release bash! Whoot Whoot!

I've completely re-written this 2007 pattern and added new sizes (Small to X-Large) to fit the smallest to even the largest women's hand.

You know me. I love creating simple patterns that newer knitters (and even more experienced knitters) will enjoy.

The yarn I used is sadly discontinued, so I've provided some suggestion for yarns that work because quite honestly, isn't it all about the striping?

For mine, it surprised me with a sunrise & twilight effect.

What's this bash you talk about?
I supply the (eye) candy here in this post, you get out a glass of wine, or make a "case-of-the-Wednesdays" cocktail...and hurry onto your computer because the first THREE commenters in this post will receive the pattern in their email or Ravelry box for FREE! That's it. Yay! 

The pattern is now live on Ravelry for $1.99.

This is one of my first KUAS patterns.  *Feeling nostalgic*
What do you get nostalgic about?

P.S- Join my KUAS group on Facebook to upload your project photos, chat or come to FB events!

2013 Top Blogger

I just made a post today about the Follow Your Arrow mystery shawl, but I couldn't wait until another day to share what I got in an email just now. Just like last year, when they sent me a 2012 Favorite badge, they told me that my Doubled Looped Scarf and Dummy Clap Shawl still makes their top 100 free patterns on the AllFreeKnitting Site.  :) Smiles.

Follow Your Arrow: Clue 1

I was intrigued by the idea of doing a "choose your own adventure" shawl KAL. It reminds me of those books where you turn to either page 12 or 35 and hope that you enjoy the outcome. It's always a risk to buy a pattern with blind faith that you will enjoy what it looks like without even seeing a single photo of it, but it's Ysolda, so how bad could it be?

You get 5 clues, a set of new clue directions delivered through Ravelry each week. Each clue will have two choices, "A" or "B." So, when you tally up how many choices to weeks, you get 32 shawl possibilities by the end.

This is the yarn that I choose. I dyed it up a while back with pink, plum and light brown tones using a bamboo base. I'm not sure how many yards it has. I know it has more than your standard sock yardage, and if I run out, I have another skein that is almost identical. I would guess this is in the 500+ yds.

 Which route did I choose?

Hey, it's a "mystery shawl." I can't very well blow it for you, can I?

I'm on to Clue 2 today. Which route will I choose?

Angel

I wanted to share this cute jewelry project called "Almost Angels Earrings" that I saw on YouTube. I used to wear earrings in the past, but I eventually had to close them up every time because my ears have always been too sensitive to wear any type of metal or plastic, so it bums me a little that this couldn't be worn on my ears. I could hang this on a chain though.

I think it's darling. It's not perfect, but whatever. I'm new to beading & wire-working.

P.S- I'm still waiting on my yarn to arrive so I can start working on the lacy border on my large WIP, and the yoga bag is completed except for the shoulder strap.

Cheers for now,
Anna

Collossal Woven Pink Scarf

I planned ahead for this scarf. The last scarf was great, but a little shorter than I wanted. So, I placed my loom on the far end of the island and put the the warping peg across from the island and onto the adjacent counter. That gave me an extra 30 or so inches for the additional scarf length and all the extra yarn in the world for fringe.

Somehow I managed to forget along the way that I left myself 30 extra inches for scarf length & fringe. I think I have a "slight" crafter OCD illness that brought this "slight" oversight into play and "forced" me to end on purple, because I started on purple, and that gave me probably 10'' more than I really needed for a long scarf.

Remember me mentioning that these scarves are generally warped and finished within a day? Well, on day 2.5 I was starting to think something sneaky was going on that made this scarf take so long. Maybe yarn elves sprinkling on more length during the dead of night? Me just taking my time for once?

However, I'd rather have a scarf that is mammoth-sized than too short. Look at today's weather, for instance: -40 degrees (real-feel). There's no shame in having a scarf that you can wrap twice around your neck.

 

Scarf Length: a whopping 92'' long
Woven on my 15'' Schacht Cricket Loom 

  Woven Scarf #4 
Have you seen the other three? Scarf #1 (Blue) Scarf #2 (Greens w/ Stripes) Scarf #3 (Hawkeye)

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Solids in "Pink" and a slightly darker shade of  "pink"(I know, real helpful. I dumped those labels year ago", and a beautiful almost heathered "Plum." For the middle accent warp and wefts, I used "Candy Stripes" from Bernat Baby Coordinates.

Warps: 35

5-dark pink-5 lighter pink-5 dark purple-5 Candy Stripes-5 darker pink-5 purple- 5 lighter pink

Wefts: 5'' of each color (Plum, Lighter Pink, Darker Pink), segregated by 8 wefting rows of the Bernat "Candy Stripes"

I'm not a huge pink fanatic, but I do like to wear it from time to time to get in touch with my girlie side. I realize how crazy that just sounded. As a mother and, well, the person that I am, I don't devote a lot of time looking or feeling incredibly girlie. Too much sneaker-wearing (orthodics), not a lot of time for hair-doing, or hair-cuts or manicures, massages, etc.

I decided to do something different for the fringe, since it was going to be short anyways (*shakes fists*). I tied the yarn together in pairs and then grouped 5 threads at a time together into a knot in the middle of the fringe.

This pattern will look great in any color, whether you want to go stir-crazy making it feminine or masculine.

I think it's beautiful. Maybe one of my best yet? You really can use the cheapest of yarns (as long as it's soft) and produce something magnificent. This whole weaving thing is a great stash-buster! Hmm, towels and placemats next?

Stay warm, stay safe & stay crafting with yarnie goodness!