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So. I claimed Zombiecazz in the Ongoing Wish Swap for an earflap hat. It was both quick and fun to knit as I love colorwork but don’t really do a lot of it:

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Pattern: My own, which I may yet write up.
Yarn: Cascade Eco Wool in coffee left over from owls and some red Ella Rae Classic
Needles: US 8 bamboo dpns and 16″ circ (both are Clover, I think)

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So I sort of want to make another of these as I love how it came out and I have a serious love of rectangular spirals. I may yet make another for myself to wear (and it would also function as a test knit of the pattern, if I write it up). It’s a pretty simple pattern too, so I could basically write it from memory. Lovely.

I also sent some buttons:

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and this lovely card I whipped up:

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I’ve also claimed someone else for kitty toys and armwarmers, so that will be happening too. Plus the other test knitting hat. The hat is almost done, and then I’ll be doing the armwarmers and the toys (probably in reverse order though). I appear to be taking a break from knitting things for myself. : ) This is just fine with me as the next thing I want to knit involves lots of lace and as I can’t really do that in class, I’ll be working lots of lace over my winter break from school.

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Pattern: A Slouch for All Seasons from Classic Elite
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, almost exactly a skein and a half, in Amethyst Heather
Needles: US 6/4 mm metal dpns and Knit Picks 16″ circular.
Mods: Only CO 80 so I did fewer pattern repeats around. Because 100 is just way too many stitches.

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Another slouchy hat to add to my collection. And I’ve got plans for at least one more cause I’m test knitting for someone on Ravelry. : ) I love this one a lot: it’s the perfect amount of slouchy and it knit up super quickly. And used up stash yarn! Yay! I will definitely be getting a lot of wear out of this one.

In other knitting news: Still fiddling with the dino mittens. Finished a swap hat. Will soon be working on swap armwarmers in some awesome cable pattern cause sometimes I like things that aren’t just stockinette. Stay tuned.

The awesome new mittens I’ve been working on? They look like this:

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That’s right, folks, dinosaurs! I’ll be selling the pattern for these as well and will have several options for different dinos. The Triceratops is all written up, and I’ve got to figure out how to do the T-Rex so it actually looks like a T-Rex. I’ve yet to muddle out the stegosaurus, but that’s happening too. If you’ve got suggestions or requests for other dinos, just let me know! I want to have as many options as possible for these guys.

Like the sharks, the pattern will be in both adult and child sizes. I hope to get it up before the month is out, resulting in a pattern that will make perfect holiday gifts–I did the actual knitting of these (disregarding fiddling and figuring time) in like, three days.

These ones, in an adult size, are for the boyfriend, who love dinos and I’m sure will be noming on people all the time once I figure out the T-Rex. : )

I’m also knitting for me:

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That’s a Classic Elite pattern, A Slouch for All Seasons, done up in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes left over from the sweater vest. I should have enough yarn, but it’ll be close. I’d be more worried if I hadn’t cut out two pattern repeats and only cast on 80 instead of 100. This hat looks to be done tomorrowish.

I’ve thrown my hat back into the ring for the Ongoing Wish Swap and claimed someone for a knit hat, so that’s coming up on the radar. I’m not doing Christmas gifts this year (except for my sister, which is a story for a later date). Stay tuned!

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Pattern: My own, which will be available for purchase in both adult and child (like age 5-7 and 8-10) in the near future.
Yarn: A little of this and a little of that: Grey Cascade Ecological Wool, red Ella Rae wool, while Lily Sugar and Cream cotton, and random black crochet cotton from the thrift store. What I had around, basically.
Needles: US 6/4 mm for the main mitten bit and fin and US 7/4.5 mm for the red mouth parts.

I also made a little Samuel L. Jackson (like in the movie Deep Blue Sea) to go with them:

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(He’s bald cause I don’t actually know about doll hair.)

Samuel L. Jackson is also my own pattern, though that I basically just made up as I went. He’s made from brown and blue (I used the last couple of yards) of Lion Brand Wool and the same black crochet cotton used above.

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The sharks like to eat Samuel, especially when he’s making important speeches. : )

The pattern for these is currently being test knit and will be available for purchase through Ravelry soon. In other knitting news, I started more mittens. They are also awesome and I will be offering a pattern for them as well. What are they? You’ll see on Monday!

Okay, who remembers sweater number 12 of the knit-12-sweaters-in-a-year challenge? Anyone? Well, it looks like this:

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Yes, Lilith. Well, I spent some time writing things out and getting things test-knitted, and now it’s a free pattern, for all to enjoy!

(Mini copyright notice: Don’t be a jerk. You didn’t write the pattern, so don’t say you did. Link people back to the blog if you want to share it. Don’t sell the pattern anywhere.)

LILITH
(Ravel it here!)

An original design by Breeanna Sveum
http://adulterouswhoresclub.wordpress.com
bsveum@gmail.com

Notes:
1. This is less of a pattern and more of a general guideline. The sweater is basically a top-down raglan with some modifications for the wrap front.
2. Because of this, there are no sizes and there will not be row by row directions. Knit each section (like the arms) until it fits you.
3. All increases occur in right-side (knit) rows.

Materials:
– Yarn. For a small, I used about 200 g of worsted weight (about four skeins of Knit Picks Comfy Worsted). For the short sleeves, the whole thing takes probably the same amount as a cami or tank top. Longer sleeves will require more yarn.
– US 7/4.5 mm 24” circular needle and dpns or size to achieve gauge you like.
– Four stitch markers
– Waste yarn
– Four 1” buttons plus one smaller one

Abbreviations:
CO: Cast on
K: Knit
P: Purl
pm: Place marker
kfb: Knit into the front and back, increasing by one
k2tog: Knit two together
p2tog: Purl two together
BO: Bind off
2×2 Ribbing: Knit 2, purl 2 across.

Instructions:

Body:
CO 61 stitches. (for a wider neckline, you may want to cast on a few more and adjust below)
K7, pm, K11, pm, K25, pm, K11, pm, K7
Purl across.
You will now begin the raglan increases for the sleeves. kfb before and after each marker on each right side row until the second section and the fourth sections (between markers one and two and between three and four) are large enough to fit around your arms.

AT THE SAME TIME: Increase one by lifting the bar between two stitches (m1) after the first stitch and right before the last stitch of the first right side row and every tenth row. For a wider front (for a larger bust), increase every eight or six rows.

When arm sections are long enough*, knit to first marker, remove marker, and place the next section of stitches (before the next marker) on scrap yarn. Remove the next marker. Knit across back to next marker. Remove it, then place next set of stitches on scrap yarn. Remove the last marker and knit to end of row, including any increases for the front that are necessary.

*Instead of trying to get the sleeve around your arm, you can measure it will GAUGE! Take your stitch gauge over four inches (we’ll say 12) and your arm measurement around your upper arm, including desired ease, (we’ll say 12” for simplicity) and multiply them (144), then divide by four (36). This will give you the number of stitches for your sleeve. When you have, say, 36 stitches in your sleeve sections, put them on scrap yarn and continue below.

Continue in stockinette, increasing at the beginning and end of each row every four rows (more often if you’re busty) until the fronts meet (it should be just under your bust).

Increase at the beginning and end of every other row until fronts overlap at least one inch. Continue in stockinette until desired length is reached.
Knit 1.5 inches of 2×2 ribbing. BO loosely.

Sleeves:
Transfer stitches on scrap yarn to dpns, distributing as comfortable. Pick up and knit 3 to 5 stitches in the gap underneath the sleeve. Join in the round and knit one row in stockinette. Decrease one stitch (k2tog) per round until you have a multiple of four stitches (if you already have a multiple of four, decrease four stitches). Continue knitting in stockinette (knit every row) until sleeve reaches an inch above elbow.. Knit 1.5 inches of 2×2 ribbing and BO loosely. Repeat for other sleeve.

Neckline/Button band:
Starting at lower right corner of cardigan, pick up and knit stitches all the way up the front, around the back of the neck and down the other side of the left front. Pick up about four stitches for every five rows/stitches you see.

Knit two rows of 2×2 ribbing.
Knit in ribbing to last 28 stitches (where fronts overlap). K2, yo, p2tog, *K2, P2, K2, yo, p2tog, Repeat from * twice more (or more for more button holes). K2.
Knit two more rows of 2×2 ribbing.
BO loosely.

Block/wash if desired and sew on four larger buttons to match buttonholes. Sew on smaller button on inside of right front where fronts cross. The button should fit in the stitches to straighten out the overlap so the front left that’s underneath doesn’t fall/get wrinkled up.

Lilith pattern is protected by a Creative Commons copyright: You may print the pattern for personal use, but please do not sell the pattern or items made from the pattern without express, written permission from the author, Breeanna Sveum, who can be reached at bsveum@gmail.com. Please do not pass off the pattern as your own. Print as many copies as you like, but the copywrite information, as well as contact information MUST appear on all copies. In other words, don’t be a jerk..

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Pattern: Hilja Vest
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Amethyst Heather, 3.5 skeins (way less than I budgeted)
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm Knit Picks Options circular needle
Mods: Only CO 144 to make it smaller. Probably added length. Did fewer pairs of shaping. Basically, I made it up as I went until I started the V/arm holes. Then sort of made that up as well.

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Serious moderation went into this vest. Basically, I didn’t know how to construct a v-neck or a vest, and the pattern taught me how. So now I can make up my own vests. Awesome, considering I fancy myself a budding designer (which you’ll see more of on Thursday).

Anyway, I think the vest came out super cute. I love the deep v (the depth is just about perfect, I think), and the fit is great for me basically making it up as I went along. I think the arm things/straps/not sleeves/shoulders could stand to be a bit narrower, but they’re mostly fine and I’m not really complaining.

I used less yarn than I thought I would, as I said. When I ordered a bunch of things from Knit Picks a while ago, I randomly threw into my cart five skeins of purple Wool of the Andes. I meant to use much of it here, but instead I only used three and a half. So now I have a skein and a half of Wool of the Andes, which will most likely end up in a cowl of some sort because I love cowls and they are quite quick to knit.

Coming up on The Adulterous Whore Club: a surprise, as I said, plus another super awesome thing. It will be awesome, trust me.

Thanks, Demetri Martin for that big of comedic gold. I think it’s funny at least.

Anyway, as the title suggests, I am knitting a sweater vest. Currently, it looks like this:

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(sorry for the crappy photo–I wanted a post for today but was going to be too busy to write one, so picture and post writing happened Tuesday night.)

It’s this free pattern on Ravelry. I’ve had to make a lot of modifications because it only comes in a size large, and I am quite small. So I’ve basically disregarded the pattern except for basic directions for making a v-neck and where to cast off the sleeves.

In other knitting news, I’ve had a brilliant idea for both a knitted thing and a pattern that will be available with it. The pattern is largely knit up, I think, I just have to test a few things to make sure it will work. Trust me, it will be AWESOME.

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Pattern: Esme by Amy Pickard
Yarn: Cascade Eco Wool in coffee, left over from owls.
Needles: US 10/6 mm, which I did not realize until just this moment is a needle size UP from the pattern rather than DOWN, as I originally thought. Fail.
Modifications: Tightened the brim a bit, probably lengthened the bit before the decreases. Mostly, I knit as is.

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I think this hat came out quite nice. Despite my fuck-up with gauge, the hat fits and (provided I arrange my hair just right) actually looks kind of cute on me. I like it, and I will actually wear it out as the temperature drops but isn’t quite fuck-appearances-I-just-want-warm-ears cold. It’s a fall hat. Lovely. AND I used up one of the two balls of Cascade Eco I had left over from owls. I have another large one, and I’m not sure what I’ll do with that (felted slippers, maybe). But stash busting is always good in my book, especially when it results in hats. : )

Coming up: A sewing thing. Probably some knitting things (I just started a vest) and maybe another (better) surprise later along the way. Stay tuned!

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Pattern: Srsly, it’s a toe-up sock with a short row heel. And some increases to fit my calves.
Yarn: Lion Wool in Cadet Blue (bout a quarter of a skein) and Ocean Blues (two FULL skeins)
Needles: US 6/4 mm dpns

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So I wanted socks to wear in my rain boots to keep my toes warm in the snow. These definitely fit the bill. They come up to my knees (actually, a bit over) and are super warm. Because they are wool, my feet will still be able to breathe, but even if snow gets into my shoe, my feet will stay (mostly) warm and dry. Win.

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And as for the yarn: The variegated has been marinating in my stash almost since I started knitting–I bought it on sale at Micheal’s before I knew I didn’t like variegated yarn and I hadn’t been able to find a use for it. When I decided to make the socks, I knew I didn’t want to have ANY left, so I knit until I had just enough yarn left for the cast off. This resulted in a left over length of yarn (after weaving in) of about a foot on one sock and about two inches on the other sock. WIN.

The blue in the heel and the toe I was a little more worried about. I knew I wanted contrasting heels and toes (because I really love that look) and I only had about a quarter of a skein. I thought it was going to be close and I would run out on the second toe. Fortunately, I had plenty and I even have a couple of yards left. Not sure what I’ll do with them though—Maybe I’ll make a scrap hat one of these days. OH, or, I have some purple that would look lovely in a hat with a blue stripe. : )

In other knitting news: I started (and finished, actually, except for blocking) a hat from some left over Cascade Eco. Featherweight, as I said, is on the back burner and in the mean time, I’ve been working up small projects to burn through some stash. I’ve recently decided that I can’t buy more yarn until everything (or at least, all my good non-acrylic) yarn fits in the bin I have at school. This includes a whole skein of Cascade Eco, four balls of Valley Northampton, and most of a cone of Jaggerspun lace weight. We’ll see how that goes. At the very least, I’ll have lots of hats and mittens and things.

Or: The Surprise I’ve Been Mentioning/Promising My Readers

With cold and flu season upon us, it’s wise to carry tissues on your person at all times. If you don’t use them, at the very least, someone will ask you for one. For those of us with large purses, this usually means digging around for five minutes, only to come up with a handful of disintegrated tissue fragments, and no one wants to blow their nose on that.

This is where I come in! For your knitting pleasure, I’ve designed a cozy to hold your tissues in place for easy access and to avoid fragments. It holds either a small pocket-size package of tissue or 6-10 tissues that you fold yourself.

BUT WAIT, you say. AREN’T THERE ALREADY A MILLION OF THESE PATTERNS?

Well, yes, there are quite a few. What do those patterns have that mine doesn’t have anyway? Well, I’ll tell you. Seams. That’s right folks, my tissue cozy pattern is COMPLETELY SEAMLESS. No side seams at all. WIN.

And, out of the goodness of my heart, I’ve decided to offer this lovely pattern for the low, low price of FREE. That’s right, boys and girls, totally free! (Well, there’s copyright information and whatnot.)

I know, I know. GET ON WITH IT ALREADY. I’m getting.

TISSUE COZY
A free pattern courtesy of Breeanna Sveum and The Adulterous Whores Club
(Ravel it here!)

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You will need to know how to:

– Knit.
– Purl.
– Bind off (regular kind)
– Kitchener Stitch BO
– Figure 8 Cast On

Note: Excellent instructions for the figure eight cast on are here (scroll down a bit).

Materials:

— Worsted weight yarn (~30-40 yards)
— Set of 5 US 7/4.5 mm dpns
— A stitch marker
— A button, any size really.

Abbreviations:

K – Knit
P – Purl
CO – Cast on
BO – Bind off

Directions:

Using a figure eight cast on, CO 36 stitches, 18 on each needle. Knit one round and divide onto four dpns (9 stitches on each needle), marking the beginning of the round.

Knit eight rounds even.

K4, BO 10, K around.

Knit four rows in stockinette, back and forth (Purl across, turn, knit across, turn, purl across, turn, knit across.).

K4. Using a backwards loop, CO 10. K to the end of the round.

Work even for eight rounds.

Using the Kitchener stitch, BO all stitches.

Weave in ends. Sew button on one side of opening and make a button loop on the other side. Insert tissues and fasten closed.

How to fold tissues to fit:

— Fold in thirds hot dog style (long ways)
— Fold in half hamburger style (short ways)
–Alternatively, just get a pocket pack and stick that in there.

Copyright: Don’t be a jerk. Don’t sell the pattern, don’t claim you wrote the pattern, and please point people to the blog, adulterouswhoreclub.wordpress.com, when showing people the pattern.

Don’t want to make your own? Probably these will be making an appearance in my Artfire studio (link on the right) soon. Shoot me a comment/email if you don’t want to wait!