An amazing brain.

Some people have amazing brains.  I do not pretend to be one of them.

Some people's brains can learn six languages effortlessly, or allow them to see exactly how a steam locomotive is assembled, or how to take pictures of objects that are millions of light years away.

Marjan from Yarnissima has a cool brain.  Out of her brain has come arguably one of the best collections of sock designs in the world -- certainly some of the most original and architecturally challenging.

If I could keep Marjan on staff, I would. I would like to move her from the Netherlands, along with her family of course, and give her a lovely office with a window and some yarn. I would make her a cup of tea and come back and check on her a while later.


I know she would come up with patterns like this, because she already has:



When you put them on, it looks like your ankle is wearing a necklace.  I've had the very good fortune of getting to know Marjan -- and her personality is just as lovely as her designs.

Today, I give you something new from one of the great creative brains of the world, an exclusive pattern called The Portland Gussets.



Look at those amazing, curved lines.



I would love to have one of these kinds of brains.



I would love to have a pair of these socks.  They speak to me.

This pattern was inspired by Marjan's trip from the Netherlands to Portland, OR. We met at the Sock Summit -- some of you were probably lucky enough to take one of her classes. Her pattern writing skills are also second to none -- everything is beautifully illustrated, clearly explained, and edited to the Nth degree.

So, support one the great (independent) brains of the world. You can click on this link and buy one of her patterns. and perhaps a pattern from some of the other creative greats of the knitting world. If you do, be sure to choose the Download shipping option, so you won't be charged anything. When you're done clicking through all the screens, you'll be taken to a link for the PDF, and you'll also be emailed a copy, just in case you aren't able to download it immediately.

You get started knitting up some ankle necklaces or some Portland Gussets. I'm off to use my comparatively average brain to think up a way to retain Marjan on staff...

Nifty project idea: Sunny Side of the Street Bag

I love this little project bag. It's a quick knit, made from worsted weight yarn, and you can probably finish it in one and a half movies.

Unless you're watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which case you'll probably be done by the time the hobbits reach Mordor.



Five great reasons to knit this bag:

1. It's fun and functional. Every design feature on this bag has a purpose. The wrist strap is perhaps my favorite -- you could easily knit on the train, or waiting in line at the post office, or at a party where you're supposed to mingle around. (Knitting makes mingling infinitely better. You can pretend to be engrossed in your work if no one wants to talk to you.)

2. It protects your yarn and needles. Sometimes I throw a project in my purse, and I often knit in the car. This bag is small enough to still allow me to do these things, but it keeps purse debris and car crumbs off my cashmere.

3. It's a lovely gift. Knit it, pair it with a skein of yarn (or tuck some knitting notions inside), and the recipient will want to kiss you.



4. It's a great stash buster. It takes less than 100g of yarn to make. I had two skeins waiting to be used, and used the darker color like wainscotting.

5. When you buy the pattern (which is reasonably priced, I might add), you're supporting an independent designer. And that's always a nifty thing to do.

I made a couple of modifications to the pattern to make it my own -- the pattern is forgiving that way. A little bigger than anticipated? Oh well, you can just fit more yarn inside. Smaller than you thought? It'll stretch.



You can get your bag pattern here. Be sure and let us know if you make one!

Just in time.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who finishes gifts at the last minute.

Tell me I'm not the only person who finishes gifts at 7:00 on Christmas Eve. And that I'm not a total loser who fails to leave adequate time between the actual day the gifts are to be given and the day the gifts are completed.



It's a scarf. For my hubs.



I love these gift tags from Knitterella.  I love that they say things like, "Yes I did make it, and no you can't return it."  They just add a certain amount of cheekiness to an otherwise stately gift.

It only took me eleven months to knit this scarf. Eleven months of knitting this scarf almost entirely in the car. (At stoplights! At stoplights!) Knitting at stoplights doesn't make sense unless you live in an area like mine, where it takes 25 minutes to drive seven miles because of the traffic and stoplights. (Sadly, I do not exaggerate. One Saturday in December it took me one hour and forty minutes to go twelve miles.)

I knit it from two skeins of Charlotte Bronte Worsted in the Bella colorway.  The pattern is the Irish Hiking Scarf by Hello Yarn.  The resulting combination is warm and easy on the eyes. (See my previous blog post about this scarf here.) Two skeins of worsted weight yarn made this scarf about eight feet long, which is perfect for a guy who will never fuss with fancy scarf tying methods and prefers to just double the scarf, thread the ends through the loop, and go.



I washed this scarf and laid it out on clean white towels on the floor of the studio to block and dry, and it was ready just in time to wrap and give to my kind and generous husband, who makes all of my yarny shenanigans possible.

Because my husband is kind and generous and deserving of handknit items, does that make the person who steals this scarf to wear as their own because they love it so much and it matches everything a really bad person?

Don't answer that.