something fishy...

Hello from summerland!

How, how did we get here?...and why is it that so many of my posts lately begin with my utter bewilderment at the rapid passage of time?  I've decided that it must just be the way of things in the middle of the middle of life...So much going on at any given time, my little birds not so little now and flying off in all different directions at once, and me watching in wonder, and most of the time in gratitude, that the curve balls life throws our way are so outweighed by the goodness that surrounds us and that is this life of ours.

Last post, way back in May (I know...I know...don't judge), I shared a little peek at some secret knitting that's been occupying my hands.  I will get to share the full reveal soon, but in the meantime I want to share someone else's knitting.  Way back last July I was introduced (albeit virtually) to a very talented knitter.  Talitha and I were paired up to do a pattern project for Malabrigo~so, SO exciting!  Talitha is a truly inspired designer (you can check out her designs here)and one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.  Her new ebook, The Great Deep was released earlier this month and I am anxious to share all of its loveliness with you.  All of the designs were inspired by the sea and the life contained therein.

For starters there's this fun headband...   

 

And these bright purses...

 

And then there are the sweaters~four in all!  One...a darling, goes with everything bolero, perfect for throwing over your shoulders on cool evenings...

  

Two and Three...theses bright and fun pieces...a vest and a beachy pullover...

Note:  June 26~I have just discovered that somehow the rest of this post has gone awol taking all of my links to Talitha, etc.  I was sure it posted originally but maybe not...harrumph!  I can't recall exactly what I said but I know it included this...
I am crazy for the color and stitch pattern of the turquoise sweater—so bright and fun! And last but not least there is one more vest.  Four garments and two accessories in all!...Want to see the last one?...check it!...

 

This is just the kind of sweater that is perfect for going right from spring and layered-up all the way through fall.  So fun!  See what I mean, this is one amazing designer! 

Back to the lost content of this post...I also probably mentioned that I was heading off to tnna for a few days.  I did and am back home again and it was wonderful.  I'll do the full recap soon but for now it's off to bed.  I just wanted to make sure I got the main ideas of the rest of the post to you as soon as I discovered it had gone missing.  So, so sorry for the confusion.  Let's try this again...

~xoxo~

alison 

Spring Stitches

Happy first of May!

I can't even begin to think of where April went to but here we are closing in on another school year and just on the edge of summer. Hard to believe! Actually, I guess I do know where April and March went...they were devoted to lots of secret knitting. Want a peek?

There was some of this...

And some of this....

This...

And that...

And a wee bit of this...

There is lots more to do, but things are coming together and I have to say I'm kind of excited~well excited and a little nervous~but am really enjoying watching these projects come together. And spring knitting is the best~one long string of lovely days for taking my knitting basket and getting out. Even if out is just as far as the back porch, it's so nice to stitch while the birds set up housekeeping and the baby squirrels chitter and scamper about...love!

I hope spring is finding you happy and healthy, and that it's bringing you enough pretty days to get out for some outdoor knitting, an explore, or for a proper putter in the garden, and enough cloudy shower-filled days for some good cozying up.

~xoxo~

alison

Hello Friends,
Today is a really exciting and busy day but I just had to pop in with a quick "hi" before the day got away from me.  What's so exciting about today?...well I'll tell you...My girl is on her way home from Africa!!!  I can't wait to see her and am counting the minutes until her sweet self turns the corner of the concourse and she is walking across that airport terminal and into our arms.  I am so full of joy, and pride, and gratitude at this moment that words are really hardly enough.  Her semester abroad has been unbelievable and incredible and everything that her father would have wished it to be and more.  We feel so fortunate and have spent the last three months smiling and pinching ourselves that our girl has gotten to have all of these wonderful experiences and that she's enjoyed them to the fullest and truly appreciated them.  Here is a glimpse of her Malian life...

Am I just a horribly doting mother if I say that I think that she is totally darling?

I am also feeling tremendously flattered and very happy about the fact that my Three Kittens Mittens were featured on the Spud and Chloe blog.  How exciting is that?!!  I love Spud and Chloe—it's one of my favorite yarn lines and it was so nice of them to mention my mitts.

 If you're interested in the Three Kittens Mittens pattern, you might want to pop on over to Ravelry or Craftsy.  The pattern is still being offered at the introductory price (10% off) through the end of today.

One final note...it meant so much to me that you guys got my referencing what I was doing when I made the kitten mitts. That's what I love about these spaces—that you get it, that everything we do and make is tied so closely to the life that is swirling around us and the people who are near us (either literally or are those that we are just holding close in our hearts).  Here is a picture of my lovely mother who kept me company while I knitted the kitten mitts and who I am holding close now that she's back home...

and the view of my lap as I knitted the kitten mittens.  Actually, this is, more often than not, the view I  see as I look at my knitting.  It's good to have a friend...

Thanks for indulging me ;) Like I said, it's a big day around here and I'm feeling very sentimental.

Well okay then...I'm off to fold laundry, tidy-up, hopefully get some pattern work done, and shower before I drive to the airport.  

Have a great day!

~xoxo~
alison

Three Kittens Mittens...

I have another little show and tell.  I recently added the Three Kittens Mittens to my Ravelry and Craftsy stores! 

I had so much fun knitting these little mitts.  I worked them up in three sample sizes...

~Large To Fit Children 8 Up to Adult Small~  

~Medium~To Fit Children 4-6~

and

 ~Small~To Fit Children Ages 2-4~

The inspiration for this pattern came from two different "literary" places—from the nursery rhyme "The Three Little Kittens" and from Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Tom Kitten.  I loved both of these as a child, and my children (especially my cat-loving daughter) grew up loving them as well.  Do you know the rhyme?...

Three little kittens they lost their mittens,

And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear

Our mittens we have lost. What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie. 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

No, you shall have no pie.

The three little kittens they found their mittens,

And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,

Our mittens we have found! Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,

And you shall have some pie. 

Purrr, purrr, purrr, 

Oh, let us have some pie.

The three little kittens put on their mittens,

And soon ate up the pie; Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear

Our mittens we have soiled. What! Soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then they began to sigh, 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. 

Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens they washed their mittens,

And hung them out to dry; Oh! mother dear, do you not hear,

Our mittens we have washed! What! Washed your mittens, then you’re good kittens,

But I smell a rat close by. 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.We smell a rat close by.

So fun!  And if you haven't read The Tale of Tom Kitten, I highly recommend it!  We read it so much when our big kids were little that the entire family had it memorized :)

I am offering these mittens at an introductory price of $4.95 (10% off) until March 15, 2012.   You can purchase them through Ravelry or Craftsy.

On a side note...My mom was visiting while I was working on this pattern and we spent our January days chatting, sipping tea, and eating gingerbread while I knitted away on kitten mittens.  It was delightful!...and now she will forever be a part of this patten for me.  Her presence is knitted into them :) This is one of my favorite things about hand knitting, that the people you are with, your location and what's around you becomes a part of the knitting and the finished knitted piece.  Makes me no end of happy.  Have a great weekend!

~xoxo~
alison

Roving knitters...

Popping in for a quick "hi!" and to share some silliness from this weekend. A couple of us from the shop got our knit on with these enormous display needles. They were actually designed for decorative purposes but clearly they were begging to be used otherwise. Here you can see MaryAnn and Shanti setting them up...

We all took a turn...

It was tons of fun, and I have to say I am smitten with results...

I might need to fashion my own set of ginormous needles (these were about as big as my arm~crazy!!). I think stepping out of bed onto a soft roving rug would be a heavenly way to start the day, don't you? And the making of it would be full of smiles...

Hope your weekend has been a happy one!

~xox~

alison

 

 

Rascal Raccoon Mitts...

Hello friends,
There are some new faces at our house...

Meet Rascal and Rapscallion—raccoon friends to keep fingers toasty warm and put a smile on your face.

I'm very excited to announce that this is my first pattern published for sale for Knitting by Hand.  I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to make this leap. Sometimes you just need to have a friendly face along when embarking upon a new venture. These guys were just right for that.  The patten pdf for these mittens is being offered for $5.50.  You can purchase the pattern by clicking the button below

Here they are with my friend's adorable daughter.  Isn't she the cutest?!  Love that shy smile.

And here, making friends with her equally cute brother...

As you can see, they are already becoming favorites around here.

The details:
Rascal Raccoon Mitts are offered in sizes from 2 years to Adult Small.
These mittens are knitted in Spud and Chloe Fine—a fingering weight yarn that I love—such a joy to knit with this lovely yarn.  They are worked in the round from cuff to fingertips.  The face offers a double layer of knitting to keep chilly fingers warm.  They are a fun, portable little project—my favorite kind—just right for tossing in my bag when I'm on the go.  

More details of this pattern can be found on Craftsy and Ravelry.

Happy knitting and happy weekending everyone!

~alison

Sly like a fox...

I am so happy to finally share a little secret that I've been keeping all fall...I have a design in the new Winter Issue of Petite Purls!  I may now present The Fantastic Mittster Fox...

He is based on Roald Dahl's title character from the book The Fantastic Mister Fox {a wonderful and beloved book in our house}.  If you haven't read it, you definitely should.  Like all of Roald Dahl's books, it's smart, funny, clever, and playful and was the lad's first favorite read.  Can you tell he's kind of happy to have Mittster Fox around? 

You'll notice that Mittster Fox can be worn on either hand, with his face on the palm or on the back of the hand—completely ambidextrous...crafty ole fox that he is.

This pattern was so much fun for me—both the designing and the knitting.  I could see him so clearly in my mind, and then after some stitching and just a bit of fretting, there he was just as I had imagined him.  Now, I will say that there was a point where I was a little unsure of him. Do you ever get that minor panic when you're working on something and think...cute or just totally ridiculous?  But that was before he got his eyes and nose.  I stopped mid-mitten and decided that I couldn't knit another stitch until this fellow had all of his facial features.  And you know what?...after that he totally stole my heart. So if you decide Mittster Fox is for you, may I make just a tiny suggestion?...As soon as the face is done, give him his eyes and nose.  He will chat with you for the rest of your knitting and the two of you will have ever so much more fun.

All the details for Mittster Fox can be found here.  He is worked in the round, seamlessly (you knew that, right?...do I ever not knit seamlessly?) in Spud and Chloe's Fine, and I cannot say enough nice things about this yarn.  It is delicious...let's just leave it at that.

This is my third design with Petite Purls.  And let me just say that the three lovely ladies who put this magazine together are a really special group.  It is always a pleasure and an honor to get to work with them.  This issue is just gorgeous—full of lovely knits, projects and articles.  Anne's Stitched Thank You Notes are especially dear.  So off you go dear friends...go check out all the loveliness that is the new issue. 

Happy knitting!...

~xoxo~
alison

ps~Oh I almost forgot...Mittster Fox has some friends who will be joining him soon, so keep in touch :)