aka the Frou-Frou Problem

I’ve been making significant progress on the Swashbuckler Leg Warmers. Actually, make that leg warmer. So far only one has been knitted and I finally like the fold-over top (not pictured) which is key to the Swashbuckler feel.

My first attempt at  the top was too frou-frou (pictured below). Too fluffy and girly. It could be heightened by the fact I am knitting in bubble gum pink. Maybe it wouldn’t have seemed as girly-girl if I had knitted a sample in brown.

[Left: First take buttoned-up using my skull buttons. You can see the frou-frou frills on top fold-over. On right you can see it opened with the elastic pocket–the real key to keep the leg warmers from slipping down.]

My decision to use pink was based on two things. One: I wanted to easily see and count my stitches and compare them against my notes. Two: I like the idea of knitting these leg warmers in a color you wouldn’t expect.

I’m basing the design off of those over-the-top boots worn in the sixteenth century by those loud sword carrying flamboyent swordsmen. It’s certainly the romanticized version seen in movies with the likes of Errol Flynn … but in pink! I thought it seemed like an interesting challenge. After I finalize the pattern I will make it in a rich chocolate brown organic cotton I recently snagged.

I will vehemently write that I do not like the frilly nature at all. The pink and ruffles upsets the careful balance of kick-ass-leather boot vs. woolly accessory to keep my legs warm. So, I ripped it out, redesigned the fold-over, reknitted, and kept immaculate notes on each row. Pictures to come very very soon of the new look.

Next step: See if I can knit a matching second using my pattern notes. That’s the real goal; can I actually write a functioning pattern.

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“Tim Burton’s wardrobe department called and they want their clothes back!” — Ryan R.

[In truth, a fairly accurate comment made about my obsession with mixing and matching stripes (head-to-toe) and wearing lots of layers, by a member of my creative team during our morning meeting. I took it as a compliment and I think it was given as one. It made me smile and chuckle inside all week.]

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I’m making some significant progress on my attempt to write a knitting pattern for some leg warmers with a high seas flare I’ve designed. I’ve scribbled tons of notes and made several attempts at coherent pattern. I tend to be an intuitive knitter, so writing down my exact process is unnatural.

I’ve been persistent and knitted one leg warmer a few times trying to get the the pattern and shaping just right. It fits fabulously, but the ends need to be sewn in and buttons attached, then we’ll really see. What’s done is fairly promising though. Pictures to come soon.

I’ve been asked for my hat pattern seen in the previous post, but it’s not written down either. I have plans to document it, so hopefully when I’ve gotten the leg warmers complete I’ll tackle that one. It should be significantly easier.

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It’s New Years Day 2008 and I’m ready for a fresh start.

I’m always energized for a new year as I get pretty run down feeling as the year wears on.

I’m trying something new to me and actually writing a pattern before jumping into the knitting. I often knit from my own designs which have most often started from an established pattern that I’ve modified to my desires. A couple months ago I knit a hat based on a non-knitted one I purchased at a fabulous hat shop on Granville Island, BC. I didn’t write down the pattern (or I’m ashamed to say, knit a guage swatch); I just worked intuitively. Needless to say I did A LOT of frogging, but ended up with a cute hat. I intended to write the pattern after I completed the project, but a few months have passed and it’s still not written down.

[Blue Sky Alpaca chunky weight yarn in a powder blue.]

So, I’m trying something new and writing the pattern ahead of time for a new knitting project I’ve designed based around these super fun buttons I found.

[Handmade skull buttons from NW Handspun in Bellingham, WA. Designer unknown.]

I’m calling it Swashbuckler Leg Warmers. For those of you have written patterns before, you know what I mean when I write, it’s one gigantic word problem. Word problems were never my strength in math class, but my left brain is attacking it relentlessly while my right brain taunts it with thoughts of just getting stitches on the needles and going for it. “Who needs a pattern?!”, it says.

Currently, I have 4 pages of scribbles, sketches, math problems, and several attempts at writing something understandable based on the afore-mentioned scribbles, sketches, and math problems. You would think leg warmers wouldn’t be that complex; however, I’ve decided to do a bit of calf shaping and at the same time create a series of buttonholes. Instead of knitting in the round on dpn’s, these will be knitted flat (from the bottom up) and then buttoned closed. I’m making good progress and hope to cast-on in a couple hours.

Apparently my left brain is having a blast because as I was falling asleep last night, I considered taking the same design and knitting it lengthwise. This would mean that the calf shaping would done with short rows which could look interesting. I’ll finish my initial idea first though.

When my brain needs a break, I just head over to the knitting machine where my mesh nightgown is in progress and I do a few rows there. You can see pictures in the Knitting Gallery.

Happy New Year and I hope you are motivated to tackle some projects in 2008 that expand your abilities and task your current knitting level. Cheers!

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