We're having a KAL!

"Life is what happens while you're making other plans."

John Lennon

The cast is off! Yay! I still have to wear a brace, but can type and knit again! The last 6 weeks have been interesting, to say the least. Had I known life was going to force me to slow down, I would not have taken my sabbatical in the Fall.

I have now hit the ground running. Finished pattern for Helm's Deep is heading to the proofreader tomorrow, Rohan is close behind, and Ringwraith will head into testing this coming week (drop me an email if you are interested in test knitting).

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and most especially your patience with me. I promise to fulfill your faith in me & my designs as quickly and efficiently as possible from here on out.

More about Helm's Deep, Rohan, & Ringwraith in a later post; this one is about the next KAL.

As I have not yet finished all the patterns in the Two Towers series, I am not able to devote adequate design time for another mystery shawl until later this year, after the other patterns are complete.

What to do with all that free time, you say?

We're going to do a Knit-a-long for the Mithril Vest!

While the pattern is no mystery to most of you, the pattern is a challenging one that will benefit from the additional support & guidance a KAL provides, from both myself & other knitters.

Details on the pattern can be found here & here

MITHRIL VEST KAL

You will have from now till June 10th (3 months) to complete your vest. That should be enough time for everybody, even those getting a late start.

I will set up 2 new threads on the Ravelry Lord of the Rings Project board: one for pattern questions, which I will check & respond to daily (scout's honor) and one for WIP & FO pictures. We'll keep general chatter in the Mithril KAL thread, OK?

There will be Lord of the Rings prizes in June:

LotR themed Gradiance yarn sets from Unique Sheep in



Mirkwood &



Arwen's Cloak



Socks Inspired by Lord of the Rings (books One & Two) from Unique Sheep & Lobug Designs


fiber batts from Inglenook Fibers



Goldberry



Smaug



The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films: A Comprehensive Account of Howard Shore's Scores

and a full set of Return of the King patterns from me!

All winners will be chosen randomly from those who have completed their vests, save the grand prize which will be determined by popular vote on Ravelry.

As in previous KALs, I want to make this a charitable effort, so $2 out of every $10 Mithril vest pattern sale during these months will go to Doctors Without Borders.

Ready?

Set?

GO!

Perseverence

"Men perish because they cannot join the beginning with the end."

-Alcmaeon

We are coming to the end of the 0ne year and the beginning of the next, so the above quote seems particularly apt this time of year.

I was actually looking for a quote on persistence.

I have spent the last two days immersed in Herbert Niebling's wonderful designs, along with those of other German lace doily & tablecloth knitters. Yes, I know most of them are not available in English, but they are charted and they are such masterpieces, I wanted to learn from them.

With the aid of an on line translator and a lot of patience, I am swatching and learning oh so much. the charts look nothing like the final piece. They are complex, visually exciting, and intimidating.

When I saw this motif in a set of curtains, I knew I had to adapt it for Mithril.

This is the yarn I am using for my model: Filature Di Crosa Giolello: a lovely laceweight mohair with a gold filament. You can also get it in silver if you prefer.

Originally repeated as an edging, I split it in half and subdivided it. By flipping it diagonally, I designed a really special closure panel for the vest. Beading will be concentrated in this area.

I added to the lace openwork to curve upward into a neckline & added a placket that curves around the front and top. This might seem easy, but figuring out where to add the stitches to achieve this result took twelve hours & three different swatches in some stash yarn I had. (I didn't want to waste any more of the real yarn in experimenting)


You can really see the diagonal nature of the motif in this yarn. The diagonal line will continue in stockinette for the front opening & round its way to the back.

Now that this part is done, I am moving on to designing a complementary design for the back, either at the hem or yoke (haven't decided yet- weigh in through the comments if you have an opinion)

This is the final design for the Fellowship of the Ring Series. Even as I am finishing this final design, I am firmly ensconced in initial design work for the next leg of our journey.

The Two Towers

Mystery KAL
In Dreams
triangular shawl based on Galadriel's Crown
in Unique Sheep Gradience


$9

(one dollar of each purchase goes to Knitters Without Borders)

February 2011 - Sign ups open December 15th

Series
$45
Coming April 2011 - Sign ups open March 1st

eight patterns, cost $56, if purchased separately

Helm's Deep (shoulder warmer in Rowan Lima)
Emyn Muil ( cabled lace kerchief in MadelineTosh Lace)



Ringwraith (lace stole in Blue Moon Geisha)



Tree Beard (lace smoke ring in Filatura's Giollelo)
Balrog (mosaic cowl in String Theory Caper Sock)



Rohan (fair isle cape in Knit Picks Pallete)



Eowyn (twisted stitch. lace up gauntlets in Woolen Rabbit sock )



Elven Woods (lace ruana in Unique Sheep Gradience)

Sign ups for the Mystery Shawl KAL open on December 15th. And though sign ups for the series won't open until March 1st, I am offering through Christmas, at the request of some of my knitters...

Sunflower Designs gift certificate
good for the entire Two Towers series
$52
includes In Dreams Mystery KAL

Purchasers will receive a gift certificate in the form of a pdf, which can be printed out for wrapping & placing under the tree.

So, those of you who wish to put an entire year's worth of happy knitting on your Christmas list, can now do so. Button is on the sidebar, and I will try to get something up on RAV in the next few days.

And now I had better skedaddle; time's a wastin' & I need to get Mithril & In Dreams out to my test knitters.

Later gators...

One Series to Rule Them All

When the cold of Winter comes

Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain

But in dreams
I still hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again

When the seas and mountains fall
And we come, to end of days
In the dark I hear a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And back again

Words and music by Fran Walsh and Howard Shore,
Based on the song for the Entwives by Tolkien.

I have finally pulled this whole mess into a semblance of order. So many ideas...I haven't been this excited in ages!

I have decided to divide the patterns by the book/movie they come from; a trilogy of knitting!

LORD OF THE RINGS PROJECT

Fellowship of the Ring
Evenstar (circular mystery shawl KAL)
Argonath (cabled stole)
Dwarrowdelf (lace shawl)
Lothlorien (cabled stole)
Strider (cowl)
Bombadil(fair isle tam)
Mithril (beaded vest)

The Two Towers
One Ring (mystery shawl KAL)
Balrog (mosaic cowl)
Rohan (fair isle cape)
Ringwraith (lace stole)
Eowyn (tw st. gloves)
Tree Beard (lace scarf)
Legolas (lace ruana)

Return of the King
Elessar (triangular mystery shawl KAL)
Minas Tirith (mosaic hat)
Into the west (lace)
Samwise (cabled cowl)
Arwen (lace)
Gimli (mod. stole)
Green Dragon (intars mittens)
Requiem (hood)

I have tried, whenever possible, to include both a variety of techniques and a variety of accessory types within each cycle. Wouldn't want anyone to feel bogged down or bored!

I do not have a firm schedule for the patterns, beyond a commitment to thee first coming out May 1st and the others following every 6-8 weeks. Some will obviously take longer than others.

I want to be flexible - if a pattern is ready to release in four weeks, I don't want to hold it until a certain date. Conversely, if a pattern takes eight weeks to complete, I don't want to be pushed into release before it is truly ready. I hope you will understand my reluctance to place firm dates upon the series. Creativity is hard to structure.

I can promise you we will be done within the year (or sooner) and then we will move on to the next installment - The Two Towers - and the next mystery shawl pattern.

Sign ups begin March 1st, 2010.

Patterns will be available individually as they are issued for $8 each. Those who purchase in advance get a price break - $40 for the Fellowship of the Rings series (first six patterns).

First pattern will be released May 1st, with others following every 6 to 8 weeks until complete.

Here's some preliminary pics to whet your appetite.

Argonath (cable & lace stole - String Theory DK weight)

Mithril (beaded vest - Handmaiden Silk Twist)

Bombaldil (fair isle hat - String Theory Caper sock fingering weight)

Dwarrowdelf (lace shawl - Tanis Fibers lace weight)

Strider (cowl - worsted weight)
Bag End (mosaic bag - fingering weight)
Lothlorien (cabled stole w/ gradient colors- DK weight)

*****

A word to those who are waiting on other designs:

I know for every pattern on which I have begun the design process, there are avid knitters wanting to cast on. I know I design far more than I have time to knit. I know there are knitters out there who are disappointed in this new development and what it means to my other projects, which have been tabled for the current moment.

I beg you forgiveness and your patience. All things happen for a reason and all in our world works towards the good. I believe I am meant to follow this muse, where ever she may lead. I will get back to these projects, I promise. Like Isildur's heir, I shall return.

*****

Tomorrow at 6:00 PM EST the first clue comes out for the Evenstar Mystery Shawl KAL , however we are still taking sign-ups till February 19th.

Yesterday I signed up with an automated email service to better manage the large number of people involved. The business has officially outgrown my home server.

You should have received an email from Aweber on my behalf, requesting you to confirm your membership in the KAL by clicking on the link at the bottom. Make sure you have done this before 6:00 tomorrow or your first clue will be delayed.

And now, if you will excuse me, I am off to make final corrections to tomorrow's clue.

Until we meet tomorrow in dreams...

How Dat?

"Life is a perpetual instruction in cause and effect."

_Ralph Waldo Emerson

First Off: I owe you all an apology. Can't believe it had been over a week since my last post!

Gulp!

It would appear that cooking & cleaning aren;t the only casualties of my new-found addiction, ahem, obsession, ahem, focus...yeah, that's it...

I never intended to go so long; have just been incredibly busy with the knitting of the Evenstar as well as the design work of the rest of the Lord of the Rings collection.

But it has been a truly joyful period as well as busy. My creative muse no longer sits on my shoulder. She has moved in and taken over my house. She has interrupted my sleep, tickled me during my daily shower, and invaded every corner of my life (except for my familial relationships - girl's gotta draw the line someplace, y'know?)

The other great passion in my life right now is football. My beloved Indianapolis Colts are back in the Super Bowl and ready to take on the NO Saints. Or as someone on Plurk put it: Who dat? meets Been there, done dat...

"Who dat?" is a worthwhile question. I remember my days with the Indianapolis Arts Chorale. They wanted me to raise money, not do publicity, but I found the two to be joined at the hip. You can't raise money if no one knows who you are. Who dat comes before Why dat, Where dat, When dat, & How dat.

I am informed by other knitters that I have moved past the Who dat stage. Apparently people have heard of me and that is no small feat. It takes a lot of waving your hands around and yelling, as Horton's Whos did, "I am HERE! I am HERE! I am HERE!" It takes perseverance, and dedication, and hard work, and no little amount of hubris to get to that point.

These days, I am more consumed with How dat.

• How do I get direct download for my patterns?
• How do I program a web store?
• How do I communicate effectively with everyone?
• How do I keep up with all the questions?
• How do I find time to knit in all the hubbub of over 700 people knitting at once?
• How do I make the yarn look the way I want it to?
• How do I work with new software & get it to do what I want?
• How do I release a pattern in stages rather than all at once?

How dat.

And most importantly, how do I answer your "How dat"?

That is the essence of being a designer. The best designer in the world is useless if he or she can't figure out how to tell others how to complete a pattern.

I am a firm believer in the power of How dat to change the world. The answers are out there waiting to be discovered. Whether those answers teach us how to knit a shawl or build a hydro electric dam.

Or feed a world.

Who dat is one of the first questions we ask: as babies, as newlyweds, as we meet new people every day. It introduces us, one to another, and helps us to form the connections that sustain us in our daily lives.

How dat moves beyond introduction to instruction. It teaches us new skills, new ideas, new ways at looking at our world and the people in it. It takes us to places we haven't been before. How dat invented the wheel, and the light bulb, and landed us on the moon.

Who dat aquaints us. How dat enlightens us, excites us, energizes and delights us.

How dat compels us to step beyond our known limitations and grow. It propels us along the journey's path.

Frodo knew What dat - what he had to do: take the ring to Mordor. And he soon learned Who dat, as the fellowship formed.

Frodo was just a Hobbit from the Shire. He did not know the way. But he knew his own limitaions. He knew the importance of asking the questions.

How dat took over from there, took him beyond his neighborhood, his home, all the way to Mount Doom & back.

How dat is an amazingly powerful question and , I would argue, the force that shapes the world.

Or at least, my small part in it.

So... I bet you want to know how dat with regards to the Evenstar KAL...

Here is everything I know (about this anyway):

The shawl will be a full sized round one inspired by Arwen’s Evenstar from Lord of the Rings. Shawl will take 1700 yards of laceweight, and require an intermediate level of skill; no expertise required, just patience. Written & charted directions. Every other row is straight knitting (circular equivalent of purled wrong side rows)

I am doing mine in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silk Thread II in Winter Solstice. There will be optional beading on the outside edge of the piece. Bead count is 2900 - size 8/0 seed beads - get extra so you have wiggle (or jeez, did I just dump those on the floor?) room.

You will also need size 3 US needles (or to obtain gauge)in both dpns and several circular lengths (at least a 24” & 40”) 30 stitch markers (if you want to place marker between each repeat) and a small crochet hook for beading

Sign ups run through Friday February 19th. Cost is $8, $1 of which is donated to Doctors Without Borders for relief in Haiti. You can sign up here on Rav or on the sidebar of my blog

I have released a swatch to be used for both determining gauge & practicing your lace knitting skills. Swatch directions are available on Ravelry as a free pattern download, or you can wait until I email it to you.

First clue will come out on February 12th at 6:00 PM EST, just in time for the Ravelympics. Subsequent clues will come out every other Friday through May 7th, for a total of seven clues. Right now I am emailing communications, but I am working on getting direct downloads in place. You will get an email with the password to unlock the download.

IF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY EMAILS FROM ME & HAVE SIGNED UP MORE THAN 36 HOURS AGO, PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AT susanpandorf@comcast.net so we can resolve any email issues prior to Friday's clue release

If you keep up, by Memorial Day you will have a stunning shawl, perfect for any and all summer events. The entire pattern will be available for purchase in June.

But that’s not all…

This shawl will kick off a new series.

Eighteen additional patterns in the collection will come out every 6-8 weeks and be available both individually or as 8 pattern subscriptions (at a discounted price). Sign ups for the series open March 1st.

There will be three Mystery KAL’s (counting this one) and 15 (so far) additional stand alone pieces in the collection. The KAL’s will run independently of the other patterns in the series. KAL patterns will be available for purchase after the completion of each KAL (June for Evenstar)

Here is the series as it currently stands - I have not finalized the order yet:

Evenstar Mystery Shawl (duh)

Ringwraith Stole: lace/twisted stitch stole in BMFA Geisha in Raven Clan
Argonath: cabled wrap in String Theory DK
Arwen’s Requiem Hood in BMFA Luscious Single Silk
Lasgalen (or Greenwood) Ruana: gradated lace in Unique Sheep Luxe
Eowyn’s Riding Gauntlets: twisted stitch fingerless gloves
Lothlorien Wrap: cabled wrap in special custom dye gradiance DK by Unique Sheep
Dwarrowdelf Shawl: triangular lace shawl in Tanis Fiber Arts lace
Bag’s End: mosaic stitch mushroom bag (but you will probably keep other things in it)in Unique Sheep tinsel toes
Mithril Vest: in Handmaiden Silk Twist
Gimli Scarf : modular knit (unisex) in Noro Kureyon Worsted
Green Dragon Mittens: color-work mittens in Tanis Fiber Arts fingering (kit)
Samwise Gamgee Neckwarmer: (unisex) in (too cool) yarn from the mill that made the cloaks for the movie
Strider Cowl (unisex) in BMFA Peru Ravenscroft
Rohan fair-isle capelet in KnitPicks Palette
Bombadil Hat fair-isle in String Theory Caper Sock
Into the West stole or shawl in Unique Sheep Eos Custom Gradiance

and two more mystery KAL’s

Elessar Triangular Mystery Shawl in Woolen Rabbit alpaca lace
One Ring Mystery Shawl: circular in Unique Sheep Mordor gradience

This is now officially a trilogy! 1st Mystery shawl - series of 8 patterns - 2nd Mystery shawl - series of 8 patterns - 3rd & final Mystery shawl.

I have decided to keep the KAL group on Ravelry to simplify matters. If you want the very latest scoop on the entire LOTR project (spoiler alert) you can follow along with my progress on Plurk

I am so excited about this project. I hope you will all sign up and tell your friends. There will definitely be pattern giveaways throughout the project, and possibly yarn & merchandies also, if I can find someone to coordinate those. Any volunteers?

Thank you for your participation, your inspiration, and, most of all, your patient assistance and answers to my eternal question:

HOW DAT?

Formation

"To find a form that accommodates the mess, that is the task of the artist now." -Samuel Beckett

I found this quote under the heading of "Chaos." and it struck me that most of what we do in life is formation.

On a personal note, I am still searching for the form that accommodates my house mess, but let's just agree not to go there...

Knitting is all about formation. How do we take a length of string and form it into something beautiful? How do we bring order out of chaos?

Having spent the last three days swatching and working out the design nitpickies on Evenstar, I am all about the formation.

I want so badly for all of you to find something magical in this design. It is a big challenge.

It needs to be special. It needs to be beautiful. It needs to be art.

The form needs to communicate the message.

I have completed the first section (clue) and am moving into the second and I love how it is developing. You have no idea how hard it is not to show pictures.

Something else has been forming out of the mess: our community of knitters.

I broached the prospect of fellowship in my welcome message and I believe it to be coming true.

I have never seen such a devoted, enthusiastic and generous group of people in all my days as a designer. The KAL on Rav is bustling with ideas and helpful opinions. Plurk is full of peekers & helpers. The comments here are a wealth of inspiration.

Are we having fun yet? I know I am...


I have decided to send you a small portion of the first clue to the finished pattern in advance. This will serve as both a gauge swatch and a tutorial in lace knitting.

If you can knit this swatch, you can feel confident of your abilities to knit the shawl.

And if you struggle, well... just unravel it and try again.

And ask for help.

I will try my best to be standing by in the chat room from 12:00 noon to 12:30 pm and again from 7:30 to 8:00 pm to answer any questions you have.

And I invite (encourage) other experienced lace knitters to help me out.

If you can't wait until one of those times, there will be a HELP ME!!! thread on the board at Rav. You can also email or pm me and I will do my best to get back with you, as time permits.

Between all 400 of us, I guarantee SOMEBODY will know the answer to your particular problem.

Unless you want Legolas' home phone number. Sorry. Can't help ya there.

And even if I could, I'm not sharin'... (waggles eyebrows suggestively)

If enough people are struggling with an area, I'll rope in DH to take some pics for a tutorial here on the blog (another first!)

I want YOU to succeed - I want ALL of you to succeed.

I want this to be as much fun for you as it is for me.

This way, when the first clue comes out on Feb. 12th, you can all feel confident in your abilities to find the form and avoid the mess.

So put on your thinking caps and ready your needles - ES101 is about to start...

Oh, The Places We'll Go...

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

Dr. Suess

Well it has certainly been busy out here on the sunflower farm, since I announced the new Lord of the Rings project!

We are already up to 268 people strong, and they are still coming in from all over the world: Germany, Finland, Norway, Australia, France, Great Britain, Korea, & I'm probably missing a couple.

Wow!

I don't know what else to say...

Just wow!

One of the themes that I really love in LOTR is the message that we must all work together to accomplish great things. Whether dwarfs, men, elves, eagles, ents, or hobbitses.

It would appear that our own fellowship may turn out to be every bit as diverse.

That is so exciting to me! (kindly forgive the liberal sprinkling of exclamation points throughout - sometimes periods just don't suffice)

I have been contacted by someone who has volunteered to translate the clues for Evenstar into German and would be pleased if anyone else wishes to do so for knitters in their country. the more, the merrier. Don't want anyone to feel left out.

DH is worried this is going to change our quiet little lives. I told him not to worry. A friend told me, "As long as they don;t show up on your doorstep, eyeing your stash, and whispering, 'My Preciousssssssss,' you're probably okay."

But DH is right; it has already changed our lives.

My email has tripled; my Plurk account is blossoming with new friends; the KAL on Ravelry is going on with great enthusiasm, & I have lots of new bookmarks on my browser: LOTR lyrics, LOTR dictionary, LOTR characters, LOTR chat rooms, LOTR jewelry...

You get the picture.

I am worried that the pupils will surpass the teacher, Hell, I think know they already have!

It is time for this designer to take out her trilogy and start boning up.

A few words about the Evenstar KAL:

This will truly be a Knit-a-long in the truest sense of the word. I will be knitting along with y'all. I have swatched and done all the design work in another yarn, but am awaiting delivery from Blue Moon on the final yarn I selected for the project: silk thread II, which is both lighter and has a great deal of sheen to it. The Geisha is a beautiful fiber, but it just didn't seem ethereal enough for Arwen. So I have bitten the bullet and will begin again.

I will, of course, be working ahead of you by about 2 weeks. No progress pictures allowed (that is part of the fun) but know that I will be thinking of you and taking copious notes as I knit, so that I can adequately address any questions that arise throughout the project.

I have based my yarn estimate on a shawl of similar size, shape, and design then added a hefty cushion onto that figure to allow for missteps and gauge variations along the way.

We have a beginner's thread going over on the Rav KAL board called "Bag's End." I named it that because that is where the adventure begins. It seemed appropriate. Bag's End is a welcoming place with lots of newbies and just enough more experienced folk dropping in to keep things moving along.

There is also a thread for your ideas as to future projects in the series. I refer to this as the "ooh ahh I wanna" thread. So many good ideas & only one designer. You guys are an amazing font of inspiration.

And I have entered my first chat room ---ever. (Yes...I know I am a troglodyte. What can I say?) I will try to visit the Evenstar Chat room on Rav at least once every evening and once during the day. Already had a good chat with some folks there this morning. I will post a message on the boards when I am entering. Hope to see some of you there.

I am wondering if I should push back the start date by a week or two to allow the yarn dyers time to fill all these orders - don't want anyone to get left behind. Most people are having to order yarn rather than pick it up at the LYS, due to the size of the project. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

I have been thinking much this past week on divisions within the fiber community. We all know they are there.

Some knit, some crochet, some spin. Some use charts and others swear by written directions (Evenstar will have both, thanks to nifty new software I am testing.) Some throw their yarn; others pick. Some use metal needles; others like bamboo.

We are divided into nations, states, cities, towns, neighborhoods, cliques, knitting circles. And with these divisions come the temptation to define ourselves by them. Not only by where we belong, but by where we don't.

I like this, but I don't like that. I believe this, but I doubt that. I AM this, but not that.

It is a short and tragic step from there to: I am right and you are wrong.

And then we start keeping score, like Gimli & Legolas, of all those whom we have shot and killed with our arrows.

I believe what binds us together is stronger than what tears us apart. I believe we can move forward faster, if we don't waste our time moving away from each other. We have places to go.

I believe in fellowships, like the one we are beginning to form here.

I believe together we can change the world...

one Orc at a time.

*****

Speaking of which, I hope you all will donate to Knitters without Borders today. Yarn Harlot is running a drive here for the residents of Haiti who have been devastated by the earthquake yesterday.

All proceeds go to Doctors without Borders, a wonderful organization that has done much good around the world. I am trying to set up something so we can donate $1 for every Evenstar sign up, but don't really know how to do that. Have left a message for Stephanie, so we will see...

Evenstar Mystery Shawl

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by frost.

-Tolkein

Announcing the Evenstar Mystery Shawl from Sunflower Designs

Big Excitement around the Sunflower Farm. I am going to kick off the new decade with my first mystery shawl project!

The lace shawl will be a full sized round one (again a first) inspired by Arwen's Evenstar from Lord of the Rings. Shawl will take 1700 yards of laceweight, and require an intermediate level of skill; no expertise required, just patience. Written & charted directions.

I am doing mine in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silk Thread II in Winter Solstice. There will be optional beading on the outside edge of the piece.I don't have a bead count yet. I'll have to get back to you on that asap...

Sign ups begin today and run through Friday February 5th. Cost is $8. First clue will come out one week later on the 12th, just in time for the Ravelympics. Subsequent clues will come out every other Friday throughout February, March & April. By May you will have a stunning shawl, perfect for any and all summer events.

But that's not all...

This shawl will kick off a new series. I know you have all enjoyed the Garden Variety Collection, but I need a little break from it. There may well be more coming down the pike in the future, but for now, I am turning my creativity in a new direction.

Evenstar will serve as the first project in an entire Lord of the Rings Collection. I am still finalizing plans, but pieces will definitely include a Ringwraith stole in Blue Moon's Raven Clan colors, a Samwise Gamgee neckwarmer and mittens (he''s my favorite Hobbit), a beaded mithril vest, and a woodland piece inspired by the Shire. a sixth [pattern is yet to be determined.

The six additional patterns in the collection will come out every other month and be available both individually or as a subscription (at a discounted price).

I will close out the project with another circular mystery shawl, based on (what else) the One ring to rule them all.

There will be a KAL on Rav, as well as a Yahoo group. And if you want the very latest scoop on the entire LOTR project (spoiler alert) you can follow along with my progress on Plurk

I am so excited about this project. I hope you will all sign up and tell your friends. There will be pattern giveaways throughout the project.

sings "And we'll have fun, fun, fun till Gandalf takes the palantir away!"