a pattern emerges...

you know how i've been mentioning a pullip hat pattern forever? yeah. well, since having my wisdom teeth taken out i've had a little more computer time. hi! i now present to you...

arietta: basic pullip beanie
the knitting pattern!



size: pullip
finished measurement: 8.5 in (21 cm), stretches to 10.25 in (27 cm)
yarn: any worsted weight. shown here in red heart super saver, in monet
needles: size us 5 dpns

gauge: 4.5 sts/in in stockinette.

cast on 48 stitches, join and begin working in the round.
knit 1, purl 1 for 5 rows.
k until hat measures 2 in (5 cm), or 2.5 in (6.5 cm) if you want it a little longer.

decrease rounds:
1. k6, k2tog across
2. (and all following even-numbered rows) k
3. k5, k2tog across
5. k4, k2tog across
7. k3, k2tog across
9. k2tog across

now cut yarn, leaving about a 6 inch (15.5 cm) tail. pull through remaining stitches and tighten. now with a tapestry needle or crochet hook, pull yarn end through to inside of hat and weave in. done!

so what do you think? please let me know if you try it out!

(but please do not distribute this pattern or sell items made from it. for personal use only, etc. (: )

look who's here!

guess who arrived a few days ago?



friendly freckles! i finally found one secondhand, and for a decent price. yayy! i can't wait to knit for her. also, i've discovered that the little sweater i made for type 3 pullips fits her even better.



i'm now intrigued by the new dolls being announced. beatrice vest, cassiopeia spice, baby's breath (omg cherry merry muffin??)... does that mean i've been bitten?

also, i tinkered with the blog layout. better, you think? (:

what i've been doing...

* not enough knitting. i did just finish up a new hat for the shop though.. i'm reworking my stocking cap pattern, and came up with this nice roomy stretchy one that should be big enough for blythes!



my quest for blythe herself has not been going so well, however. still looking for the right one (that i can justify spending the money on right now...). i thought the prima dollies were supposed to be cheaper??

* typing up my basic pullip hat pattern.. anyone want to try it out?

* hackling! i put together a diy hackle and blended some of the tan wool/black wool/white mohair roving that i got from the sheep shed. ta da...



before, after, and yarn!



so much better. and here it is on ravelry. i would like it to become these lovely legwarmers but the gauge is slightly different. will require tinkering.

*losing knitting needles left and right. seriously, what is the deal here?

recipes i want to try...

mattar paneer, from manjula's kitchen

5 minute chocolate mug cake, from twinklyspangle (i am tempted to start it up now.. hmm)

homemade oreos, from with sprinkles on top

nutella-stuffed sugar cookies, from nibbledish

spicy roasted cauliflour, from chez cayenne

i have an entire folder of these in my bookmarks. we really need to get cooking over here...

yarnage

so here is the stuff i mentioned in my last post. four ounces of superwash merino/tencel blend...



which i spun into this!



(here it is in my ravelry stash.) i didn't trust my instincts and it came out thicker than i meant it to, more like sport-weight. still going to try for socks though. i'd never spun anything with tencel in it before and i have to say, it is tasty. i have to resist ordering some more. okay, so i did put in another order with susan's spinning bunny. got some alpaca/merino/silk, which i have been admiring and not spinning. this must be remedied. anyway, they are supernice there and i kind of want everything in their shop.

other spinnings: i dyed up some of my plain wool from the sheep shed, threw in some easter grass and got:



this was one of the few times the boyfriend took notice of my spinning, and said it reminded him of ecto cooler. i really can't wait to knit it up, but other things must be finished first. (sigh) here it is on ravelry!

i've also been crocheting:



these are new in the shop. i like the contrasting textures.. it's hard to tell but there's some velvety, fluffy, and sparkly yarns mixed in with the plain stuff. your dollies will dig it too. (=

i also listed some more strawberry shortcakes: lem 'n ada. it's been crappy and rainy here lately, so the pictures are not great. some re-photo-ing is on the list, along with hoping for better weather.

the fiber fest!

this year, at last, i made it to the rhode island fiber festival. it's held at coggeshall farm in bristol, inside colt state park.



it's a working historical farm, with people cooking and weaving and raising sheep... i had never been there before, and it is gorgeous.




and now i wish i had brought along my film camera. bah! it was a really lovely, perfect day for the festival. there were lots of vendors and demonstrations, and food.. i should have photographed the super-greasy freshly fried clam cakes i got because damn, they were good.



i was very good and only bought four ounces of superwash merino/tencel from susan's spinning bunny, who sell socially and environmentally conscious yarn and fiber (which is totally yummy). it is already spun, plied, and looking for an appropriate sock pattern. (photos soon...)

of course there was also sheep shearing!





it was lots of fun, and i'm so glad we got to go this year! yarny pictures soon.

also... alpacas!

adventures in dyeing, part 2

since i am having trouble getting into my flickr account (grr, yahoo.), i'll use ipernity to share some yarny photos with you. it's a community-type site, similar to flickr, but smaller and european-based. a pretty nice alternative, and there's an etsy group! so now i can share the results of my yarn-dyeing semi-disaster...



not quite what i was going for. the second ply took the dye much better, but... at least it feels nice! (here it is on ravelry.) i have had better luck lately using the oven method. there will be some blindingly-bright pictures soon, once the rain lets up...