Sketch & Slouch

Hi Knitters,

The Collector painted this egg for the season. I love the over-sized egg, the metallic paint stripes and the one lonely egg.
Well, here it is. That's my next book, right there, held in those two sketchbooks. There are over 40 projects with the patterns completely written out on the pages inside. That's over 2 years worth of work handwritten onto those pages.
I have such a love for sketchbooks. Through the years I have become somewhat particular about the types of sketchbooks I use. I have a new one going but I am not happy with it so I have been on the look-out for something new. Two weeks ago The Collector and I went down to State Street to bum around and look in the shops. We had to pop into one of our favorites, Anthology. We spent a lot of time in this shop. It is one of those stores where the more you dig, the more you find. We love that. The Collector's egg and paints were purchased at Anthology.

Way in the back of the store, kind of tucked away, I discovered these:
These are the coolest sketchbooks I have ever owned. Let me tell you about them. They are vintage 1968 books that have been altered into sketchbooks. The binding has been cut off and replaced with a spiral, which I love in a sketchbook. Then some of the pages from the original book are left intact but are interspersed with blank pages for your own writing, sketching, etc. There were about 6 different books to choose from and I had a tough time making a decision about which I would like to buy.
Being the self-titled Queen of Chicken and a forever fan of old cookbooks, the Family Circle Great Chicken Recipes seemed a good choice. How can you resist the chicken recipe photos with the weirdest coloration ever. Fluorescent chicken, anyone?
Then I decided the book for "beginning beginners" had to be my second choice. The insert about the journal has some interesting information. The journals are handmade, all from recycled books. Each journal has 75 sheets of acid free blank paper and are made by "artists and book lovers who believe in sustainable business practices."
The books are a little banged up which makes it even more fun. Can't wait to fill up the blank pages with my next knitting ideas, patterns, sketches, watercolors, tear sheets, lengths of yarn and yarn labels. A fresh sketchbook is a pretty good thing in my book.
I finally found the chance to finish up a new design. Here's introducing Baby Slouch. I have had so much fun this winter knitting adult slouch hats, I think I made at least four or five different versions. Awhile ago I started thinking how fun it would be to have a baby/child version of the slouch hat. And here it is!

I made mine in Mini Mochi, color #101, which is a fingering weight/sock weight yarn. You can use any sock weight yarn to make Baby Slouch. You need 1 skein, 195 yards. I worked on US size 3 needles at 6.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch. 

The pattern for Baby Slouch will be available in a few days if you are interested. It is sized for newborn to child. More details coming soon.

Off to pack lunches and brush hair for school. Got to make sure everyone is slicked up and packed up before heading out the door.

Have a good Tuesday, sweet Knitters.

best, susie