Housekeeping

"Perhaps all artists were, in a sense, housewives: tenders of the earth household."

- Erica Jong

I am a lousy housekeeper.

No ifs, ands or buts. I would rather be creating something new, than maintaining something old.

My house is a pit, my lacework impeccable - sigh...

Which is why it has taken me this long to put my house in order.

Now that all of the patterns in the Fellowship of the Ring series (first of the Lord of the Rings Collection) are out, I have compiled them into both a comprehensive E-book of all 13 patterns (including Evenstar) for $60. This is a $12 savings over purchasing them individually.

I have also separated them into three"mini-collections" of four patterns each.

Wee Wonders $18

four small accessory patterns

Bag End, Goldberry, Rivindell, & Bombadil

Traveling Togs $22

four cabled patterns

Argonath, Dwarrowdelf, Lothlorien, & Strider

Elven Delicacies $25

four lace patterns

Evenstar, Galadriel's Mirror, Legolas, & Mithril

This way, those of you who love lace, or cables, or small projects can purchase a selection that includes only your favorites and still take advantage of a reduced price.

You can purchase here on the sidebar, or on Ravelry's website. Either way, you will download through Ravelry, so can keep the patterns in your library if you so desire.

You do NOT have to be a member of Ravelry to use their download provider.

I have also made another page that features the Fellowship Patterns.

*****

Now, anybody do windows?

Sneak Peek Saturday

"Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."
- Jean Petit-Senn (1792-1870, French poet)

It's been a while since we've had a sneak peek Saturday. Each week, time would roll around to the weekend and I would say to myself, "Well, I really want to get to this that or the other point before sharing my recent work."

And the weeks just seemed to fold seamlessly into one another and here it is a month later.

My bad...

It has been an abundant month at Sunflower Designs.

Before vacation, I was sort of burned out on designing, but the 10 days of rest, relaxation, reading (the 3 Rs) and NO KNITTING (gasp) worked their magic on this worn down middle aged knitter.

Well, since vacation, I have come roaring back with a vengeance.

WARNING: picture heavy post!!!

First off, some old business:

Many of you have requested modeled shots of my creations. I roped DH into taking some shots a week or two ago, so here goes...

Barad Dur

Lothlorien - front...

and back

and last, but most certainly NOT least!

In Dreams

I will be compiling the Mystery Shawl clues into one pattern next week, which all KAL participants will receive. This pattern will include all charts, written directions, & corrections. I will post more pictures then.

On to new business:



The Mere is coming along - mine is 1/3 complete and my test knitters have made good progress with their knits. As soon as I get her a little further along and vett the directions for attaching the final edging, I will write her up & get her out to your hot little hands.

REMEMBER: Barad Dur & Mere were added to the Two Towers Series AFTER the Christmas gift certificate promotion. THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE $52 GIFT CERTIFICATE.

They are part of the $15 add-on package. THEY ARE INCLUDED FOR THOSE PURCHASING THE SERIES AFTER MARCH 1 FOR $60.

Those of you forgoing the extra 3 patterns, your first pattern will be Treebeard, which I finished this morning and shot out to my test knitters.




This shoulder wrap features a twist at front and an unblocked lace pattern to evoke the look of moss on the side of the Ents in Fangorn Forest. The yarn is Alchemy's Silken Straw in Forest Waltz.

It is not too late to subscribe to the Two Towers Series. This gets you benefits such as a reduced price, wonderfully warm & witty (HAH!) missives from yours truly, automatic pattern updates, and a surprise pattern somewhere down the line (SHHHH!!!)

Sign up is on the left hand sidebar - scroll down a bit...

I also have one other new pattern in development that has nothing to do with the Lord of the Rings.




This is the Three Angels Shawl: my first dedicated pattern. It is a fundraiser for the Three Angels Children's Home in Haiti, which includes a school and a hospital. The shawl is knit with Crystal Palace's Mini-Mochi and will be edged with a lace border in alpaca that looks like angel wings.

Here is a shot of the shawl stretched out a bit to show the stitch pattern better.

These spring days are abundant indeed. Even as new life springs from the earth and our pulses quicken with the scent of fresh possibilities, we move into the summer months with hope in our hearts and joy in our own backyards.

Lothlorien Errata

The numbering on chart 2 begins on the wrong number. It should begin with row 105, not 125.

PS - did not forget about sneak peek Saturday - just worked on nothing but In Dreams last week, so couldn't show you pics...

Lothlorien

"That is the fairest of all the dwellings of my people. There are no trees like the trees of that land. For in the autumn their leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers; and the floor of the wood is golden, and golden is the roof, and its pillars are of silver, for the bark of the trees is smooth and grey."
- Legolas



This forest, originally known by its Silvan names Laurelindórinan (Land of the Valley of Singing Gold) and Lórinand (Golden Valley), was renamed Lothlórien (Lórien of the Blossom) in memory of the Lórien the Ñoldor left behind; but the name was often shortened to Lórien ("Land of Gold", although it carried within it also the meaning of "dream"). Galadriel's magic, later revealed as the power of her Ring, enriched the land and made it a magic forest into which evil cannot enter. The only way that Lothlórien could have been conquered by the armies of Mordor is if Sauron had come there himself, for against his power the elves could not triumph. Other names given to the land include the Rohirric name Dwimordene (from dwimor "phantom", an allusion to the perceived magic of the Elves), and the Westron name The Golden Wood.

LOTHLORIEN CAPE
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING COLLECTION

Size: 21 inches long; 92 inches around at bottom edge
Materials: 1250 yds Unique Sheep Wild Thing
(color: Naturewalk Gradience) or other DK weight yarn
size 6 (US) needles or to obtain gauge
cable needle
Gauge (in pattern): 4.5 st = 1 inch
charted pattern - advanced intermediate

This stunning cabled cape’s design flows organically from the trees of the Golden wood at the bottom of the cape into an intricate twisted stitch pattern, sure to grace the wearer.

Eight twisted stitch panels are separated by a repeating cable motif.

Pattern includes directions for a frog closure and color blending with Gradience yarns.

Time Warp

It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust
that really drives you insane,
Let's do the Time Warp again!

- Rocky Horror Picture Show

Again I must apologize for being an indifferent blogger. I have also been a sporadic plurker and a casual Ravelry ignorer - embarrassed look - sheesh!

But it is really not my fault, you see...

I have been ambushed by a time warp.

I returned from North Carolina at the end of September, rested, ready to begin my fall knitting projects, eager to get Argonath out, and with an additional skein of yarn I had Unique Sheep dye for Lothlorien.

And I realized that, while Argonath only needs one repeat and the end panel test knit (piece of cake) Lothlorien was going to require knitting the entire kit & caboodle. Cuz just the kit without the caboodle wouldn't test all of the pattern. besides, who wants a kit without a caboodle. It just wouldn't be proper...

So I cast on for Lothlorien and along the way, she morphed from a stole to a shawl to her final form as a cape.

TA-DA!

I finished her up last week and she is into the test knitting process. Now I can time warp back to Argonath, which is the next release in the Fellowship Series. Argonath heads into testing this week, but, because of its repetitive nature, will be out in a couple weeks.

My test knitter for Galadriel's Mirror was also caught in a time warp, as work demands, home renovation, & illness set her back on her heels temporarily. But I remain hopeful, GM will see market by the end of the month.

Another thing adding to the time warp factor, is the fast approaching holidays with their attendant knitting. I try to get a few free patterns out in November as my gift to y'all. Things that aren't too complicated or knit in a looser gauge so you can make gifts.

Today, in the spirit of this post, because it jumps to the left, & looks like the warp of a woven object, I present...

TIME WARP

This little 4 st, 4 row slip stitch pattern has become my favorite discovery this autumn. The yarn is Berroco Jasper in Mohica Blue, a very affordable and widely available self striping single ply worsted. It gives a closely knit fabric that feels and looks woven. No need to block. No curling. No fancy stitches, beyond knitting, purling, & slipping. Just perfection.

I was going to make a cowl with 2 skeins, but loved it so much I went back and purchased 12 more skeins for a large wrap. I think it looks like the colors of the sea & shore (I call it my "Surf N Turf - giggle)

I am letting the yarn do all the work, not even bothering to match up the skeins' differing start places on the color run.

I'm making mine 24 inches wide by 72 inches long - that takes 14 skeins. If you want, you can easily make it shorter or narrower. Just think in multiples of 4 plus 2 for the stitch count and multiples of 4 for the rows.

The pattern results in the slipped stitches migrating to the left on a diagonal line. So easy & cool.

It's just a jump to the left...

So... here are the directions:

Using size 11 needles, cast on 126 st (or any multiple of 4 plus 2 st).

Row 1: *k2, slip 2 w/ yarn in front; rep from * to last 2 st, k2
Row 2: p1, *slip 2 w/ yarn in back, p2; rep from * to last st, p1
Row 3: *slip 2 w/ yarn in front, k2; rep from * to last 2 st, slip 2 w/ yarn in front
Row 4: p3, *slip 2 w/ yarn in back, p2; rep from * to last 3 st, slip 2 w/ yarn in back, p1

Repeat these four rows until desired length & bind off.

That's all there is to it - easy, huh?

If you want to make a cowl, simply join after cast on & work in the round. In this case, your 2nd & 4th rows will be:

Row 2: k3, slip 2 w/ yarn in front; rep from * to last st, k1
Row 4: k1, *slip 2 w/ yarn in front, k2; rep from * to last 3 st, k3

Make a scarf, make a cowl, make place mats or a table runner. Whatever you make, you won;t be disappointed.

Let's do the Time Warp again....

and again...

and again...

and again...

You know you want to...