Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Knit Explosion


Hi Knitters,
We've got a knitting explosion of sorts over here lately. Loads and loads of knitting has been going on over the last few days. Yesterday I found myself surrounded by girls and their knitting. TC has been going nuts with her hat knitting. Our neighbor has been going crazy on her sock knitting. My son's girlfriend learned to knit last night. I started her on a baby hat. Boy, did she catch on fast. I keep giving away my addi turbo circs and my dpns so I will need to replace all of those very soon. I give away yarn, too. I have too much anyway and I just love to see these young girls knitting away. It gives me great joy.

I am doing a ton of knitting and I have been loving the good company. Okay, above is the stripe-y top-down raglan I am knitting for TC over on the Spud says! blog. I am having a huge raglan knitalong over there. Please join me over at Spud says! to join in or to follow along. It is very casual. We are off to a great start. I have the first 2 parts of the custom fit "recipe" posted so far.

Click here for the Ravelry Top-Down Knitalong Project Page.
Here is the chair in my living room right now. I know, it's a mess. I am cleaning it up today. Even I can't take it. You can't see the entire scene of books, knitting magazines, needles, pencils, calculators, post-its, yarn labels, glasses, yarn scraps, scissors, yarn bags, etc. It is bad.

The tweedy hat is the Bella's Eclipse Hat (free pattern) that I am working up for Peachy. She is very excited about it and closely watching my progress.
Now for a TC knitting update. Over the last four days (not kidding) she has knitted three hats and has a fourth hat on the needles. Something has lit a fire under her and I like it. The hat above is knit in a Crystal Palace Yarn called Puffin. It is an stretchy tape-like yarn that has a super soft suede-like feeling to it. TC loves it and asked me to make a flower to add. I knitted that little flower up in a jiffy and stitched it on. It's a very sweet and tiny newborn-size hat.
She made this one out of some pink heathered Encore that we bought at Stitchers Crossing. She finished it late one night. When I came downstairs in the morning I found the hat on the hat stand and sitting on my chair. I couldn't stop smiling. What a sweet way to wake up.
This last completed hat is made out of one ball (48 yards) of Crystal Palace Chunky Mochi in the Baby Face colorway. TC is so crazy about this hat. She just loves this yarn and this hat. She made this entire hat in a couple of hours at most, start to finish.

I am seeing if TC would like to put out a mini-collection of her own baby hat patterns (with my help of course). She already has another hat on the needles so maybe when that one is done we'll pull together her body of work in pattern form. She says she just might be interested. Wouldn't that be fun? We'll see where the wind takes her...
Lastly, I have some new cloth designs going for the next installment of the Summer Camp Series. The next set is all based on a simple rib pattern with variations. Isn't that the best blue ever? It is sort of like a fresh burst of cool air. The color is called Glacier. Perfection. That is the Blue Sky Skinny Cotton.

That's it for now.
best, susie

19 comments:

marlie said...

I love TC's baby hats! I would absolutely buy her collection!

And I think it's so, so wonderful how she's such a creative, interesting girl, and you're such a great mom for helping to cultivate all of her artistic endeavors!

Megan said...

TC's hats are the bomb!!
I am teaching my 12-13 year olds from church to knit in a few weeks. (Their idea!)
I can't wait!!

What a nice mommy you are to whip up a flower with such a busy schedule!

paws said...

Holy Hannah, I love the stripes! Those knitters are lucky ducks to be starting out on Addi turbos. I'm dying to upgrade my collection.

scoobie2 said...

Lucky girls to learn from the best and get all those goodies.

Rhonda said...

My 14 yr old daughter is as into knitting as I am. Sometimes, when I think about how much it costs to buy yarn for BOTH of us, I remind myself that there are a lot worse things she could be getting into instead of knitting!
Plus, I've decided that there's nothing better in the world than knitting with your daughter.

Just let us know when TC is ready to release her patterns. We'll be here anxiously waiting for them!

Kar said...

TC has been working hard on all that knitting. She's getting more done than me. :) I also love the colors that you are using for her sweater for the knit along. Very bright and cheery!

Thanks for sharing all the creativeness that is going on around you.

:)

Stefanie said...

You are such an inspiration, Susan! Awesome how you're giving the bug to others around you. I hope to do that some day also.

Kate (KnitsInClass) said...

I can tell it's getting closer to fall - I've been doing a lot more knitting lately, too.
I love TC's hats - wow, is she a fast knitter!

Anonymous said...

I would love to see TC's hat patterns! I'm busy knitting away on my raglan. What a great pattern! It's hard for me to just follow along a pattern and not change things "for the better". Glad I didn't with this one. The neckline is genius! samm @ rav

Teresa said...

I love your blog! I bought your ITTY-BITTY TOYS book a couple of weeks ago and made the frog for my niece. I also just started reading your blog and had to comment that I use to go by TC when I was younger. My real name is Teresa and I just didn't like it, until I started 9th grade...I wanted to be more "Mature" and use my real name :) I've never came across another TC who was a girl until now :) I'm excited to see young knitters! I just learned and I'm 26 and people think it's weird! TC..Keep it up, your hats are super cute!!!

Miss Julep said...

Aww, how cute and fun!! I love these hats! Great work TC.

Unknown said...

Hi Susie,
Wow! Your sofa looks just like mine! :-)

My 27-year old daughter is a knitting fiend, and much more accomplished than I am. My 5-year old wants to learn, but I am waiting another year or two.

Your TC is so creative, just like her mom!

Debbie

Liz Monroe said...

I adore the thought of all these girls knitting in your family room....My daughter is 8 and not yet shown an interest. I can't wait. My friend's nana taught me to knit in 4th grade and I cherish her taking the time to do that for us....it is a gift to teach someone to knit.

Thanks for sharing. I LOVE TC's hats.

Unknown said...

She's going to be a good designer like her mom!

Lulu said...

wow, her hats are so adorable..I wish i could knit a hat..
take care,

--Lindsay-- said...

Susan, I love your stories about your daughter. My own baby girl is 13 months old and I can't wait to share my love of knitting with her. I suppose learning to eat with a fork should come before holding the knitting needles ;o)

Ally Jay said...

Got to love it when knitting just takes over for a while.

Unknown said...

What a great idea. Her own little knitting book. I know you have your own publisher but you can now publish with barns & noble in e format really quickly.

Anonymous said...

I love TC's baby hats. You two should do a Mother/Daughter book, what a great inspiration to younger girls. I am wanting the pattern used with the Crystal Palace Chunky Mochi yarn so badly! Too stinkin' cute!
ptstamper, n ga mountains