Worldwide Splendor

Such exciting things are happening over here! You may remember our previous post in which we mentioned some of the exposure and love we'd gotten by getting mentioned in other blogs & forums. Well, it's just! Getting! Better!

The Wild Thing hoodie has recently been featured on WeLoveYouSo.com--a fanblog dedicated to the Where the Wild Things Are book & movie. It was incredibly flattering to discover this, somehow. I think the extra flattery (for me) lies in the fact that, since this is a fan site, the interest & excitement are coming from fellow nerdy fans--and I mean that in the most becoming way possible. I mean, I definitely count myself as part of that group!

In addition to this, we've been getting visitors from a couple of websites that appear to be Japanese (http://bbs1.nazca.co.jp/ and http://p2.2ch.net/), which is also flattering and very curious. Neither of us is able to read any Asian language, so if you can help us discover how we're mentioned on these sites, we'd be most appreciative. Regardless, though, it's incredibly nifty to know that there is interest in our little blog all over the World!

Speaking of global interest, a Francophone reader recently offered to translate the pattern for The Natural into French, and this translation is now available here! Many thanks to Mélusine for this translation! I also hear that an Italian translation of the pattern is in the works. HOW COOL IS THAT!?

We'd both like to extend a warm Thank You to all of our readers for showing us love in all the ways that you do. Stay tuned; there's more super fun knitting in the works!

Visual Texture

I'm not gonna play; I'm one of those guys that knitters complain about: I unabashedly enjoy stockinette sweaters in grey, blue, or black...maybe with a stripe across the chest? [full disclosure: I mostly choose greys or black, which means that most of my 'sweater quantities' of yarn are varying shades of grey, with an occasional bundle of black yarn]

However, I don't believe that stockinette fabric needs to be boring to look at, so I bring you examples of yarn with what I call Visual Texture. These are just a few examples of swatches I've been playing with that use yarns which create interest without a complex stitch pattern.

Yarn: Fibra Natura 'Mermaid' in colorway 'Turkish Tile'

The interest in this yarn is the result, in part, of its composition. The blend of pima cotton, superwash Merino wool, seacell, and silk creates subtle variances in tone, as the different fibers absorb dye to varying degrees. On top of that, the silk and seacell give it a really yummy sheen. Seacell is made from cellulose (read: wood pulp) and seaweed, and the buzz is that the seaweed content transfers nutrients when worn against the skin (osmosis FTW!!!). Between that and the lovely feel of the yarn and fabric, I'm bent on uncovering the manly accessory that I'm sure is hidden in a ball or two of this fab yarn.

Yarn: Universal Yarn Classic Worsted Holiday in colorway 'Silver Bells'

Ok, I give! I'm easily distracted by shiny objects! I don't know that there's anything guy-friendly waiting to happen with this yarn, but I do enjoy the challenge of looking for it. This machine-washable (79% Acrylic, 19 % Wool, 2% Glitter) yarn has a metallic element with a shine that's hard to resist. That, alone, is really enough to give some 'oomph' to a piece of "plain knitting". I'm showing the Reverse Stockinette side of this ribbed-border swatch to demonstrate how simply displaying the side of the fabric that we don't normally see can create some intrigue. What is that pebbley fabric, anyway? Right?

Yarn: KnitPicks City Tweed Heavy Weight in colorway 'Orca'

Here is another yarn whose mixed fiber content (Merino wool, superfine alpaca, & Donegal tweed) contributes to multi-tone appeal. Tweedy yarns, in general, are great for visual interest, as the tweedy bits--usually multicolored, and typically brightly-hued--break up what might be an otherwise-solid (or -semisolid) fabric. In this case, though, I really appreciate that the 'tweeds' are neutral tones. Davitron and I are of two minds on this one, but I truly enjoy the visual appeal of tweed without the distraction of bright colors amidst grey or black yarn.

Yarn: Fibra Natura 'Oak' in colorway 'Pewter'

This swatch (that looks like it's on its way to becoming a scarf, no?) illustrates that very complicated stitch patterns are not necessary to create very interesting fabric. You can see in the ball (background...a little bit) that the yarn itself (a blend of linen, silk and superwash Merino wool) has a respectable amount of color variation going on in it. Here you can see seed stitch (center), sandwiched between ol' reliable garter stitch (above & below the seed stitch sections), and at the top and bottom there's a very simple stitch pattern that I've been thinking of a lot lately. It's a variation on the Mistake Rib stitch that might actually have a name, though I'm unaware of it. The stitch pattern repeats over a multiple of 3 stitches, and you just knit 2, purl 1 on both sides of back-and-forth knitting. I added a slipped-stitch edge to my swatch, though, cuz I'm fancy like that! :o)

Yarn: Dream In Color Classy in colorway 'Cocoa Kiss'

Just when it's starting to seem like the only way to get visual interest is to blend some fibers, here's an example that is pure, delicious superwash Merino wool. Dream In Color's Veil Dying process and color palette create some pretty freakin' amazing yarns! Cocoa Kiss is an example of one of their yarns that combines different hues artfully to create a pleasing color combination, but you can bet your biddy that I have a sweater quantity of yarn stashed in their newer 'Grey Tabby Cat' colorway! Whether you're talking about one of their semisolids or multi-hued colorways, though, the gorgeously subtle variations in color create a lovely 'textured' fabric out of plain ol' stockinette fabric.

Sakura

Hullo there!

Wow, it's been quite a month. TricotChico and myself have been hard at work writing patterns and preparing info for test knitters! (also, if you're interested in test knitting, comment below with your e-mail address, or find one of us through the ravelry links on the sidebar)

First I need to say a huge thanks to all of you find folks who visit us regularly, or send your friends over here or just find us randomly, some how, through the magick of the Internet. You may have noticed an interruption in the presence of our blog recently. You see, thanks to all of you lovely readers, we exceeded our monthly bandwidth for the first time! In all the excitement, I forgot to buy the next hosting package up, and VOILA - interruption. But we're back up and running! Thanks for sticking in there!

A couple months ago, a good friend of mine at Knit Picks, Kate, offered me an opportunity to be part of their new Independent Designer Program. Their format was incredibly unique, and frankly, groundbreaking. Their program puts 100% of pattern revenue in the hands of the designers. If you're at all familiar with how a lot of magazines work, I'm not going to sugar coat it for you - a lot of them don't look out for the designer's interests (lots of other designers, like Annie Modesitt, have written fantastic blog posts explaining this situation) You can understand why i was excited and wanted to be a part of this program.

Pattern: Sakura by David Castillo
$1.99 on the Knit Picks Pattern Store
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss HW in 'Aegean'
Needle: US8

This hat was knit from an idea I've had kicking around in my head for a while. It was nice to finally take some time and work it out. I have also knit a very serviceable prototype out of Cascade 220 that is equally fabulous.

Let me talk for a second about the yarn used in this pattern, though. A lot of people tend to associate inexpensive yarn with low quality, which i can understand but I'm always saddened by this dismissal. Gloss is an incredibly affordable yarn while maintaining an excellent quality! I had no issues with this ball of yarn, it was spun nicely and evenly, no excessive knots (I'm not sure if there was any knots, actually). On top of that, the fiber blend is delightful! It's 80% Merino 20% Silk. Absolutely fantastic.

That little gush-session/commercial aside, This hat is a great, quick knit - Excellent for all that Christmas knitting you need to get done! The decreases include a few twisted-stitch cables, which provide you with the chance to try out some cabling without the daunting task of knitting an all-over cable pattern. On top of that, when you finish of this hat you're going to feel like a super clever knitting rock star!

Again folks, thanks for all the visits! It's been so exciting to watch the blog stats and see so many people enjoying what we put out there.

Happy Stitching!
Davitron

Dia de los Muertos!

Happy Halloween and Feliz Dia de los Muertos to everyone! There are lots of reasons these holidays are among my favorites, but do you really need a reason to love a holiday centered around playing dress-up and eating candy!? True, Dia de los Muertos isn't quite like that, but nosotros Americanos get the best of both, que no?

There are lots of Dia de los Muertos Festivities in NYC this year (as, I'm assuming, there are every year), not to mention the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village and general mayhem that will undoubtedly ensue (and I use 'mayhem' in the most endearing of ways--Witch's Honor!), so I decided it would be fun to make myself a Dia de los Muertos-style Mexican Sugar Skull Tote to carry the sundries that I'll need with me for these celebrations.


I thought it would be fun to use Calavera (one of my Living Dead Dolls, pictured in the first photo) as the inspiration for my tote, though the project sort of led itself after a while, as creative projects are wont to do. I started with a plain white canvas tote bag, some black kraft felt, & some Aleene's Tacky Glue, then went stash-mining for other bits that could be used for decoration.


I sketched out the 'framework' of my design on the totebag (it didn't erase very cleanly, and you can see it if you look closely; I probably should have used fabric chalk), then traced stencils for the felt bits onto some paper. After using these to cut the eyes, nose, and forehead medallion out of black felt, I glued them into place, then began gluing yarn in place for the features, and embellished with silver-lined glass seed beads. Don't the red ones look like pomegranate seeds? Mmmmmmm, pomegranate....!


This was definitely a very last-minute project, as I just thought of it today, and I wouldn't really have time to work on it again before these holidays start. If I were to make another, though, I think it would be a good opportunity to give couching a go, and it's definitely a good start for some actual beading. I understand that using glue is rather persona non grata in the beading world; hopefully my naivete will save my future reputation in this case!

Aside from the out-and-out radness of being a fun crafty project, I liked this one because I was able to do it for so cheaply! The yarn is Red Heart Sport yarn that I bought on clearance as a dewy-eyed newbie--before I realised I don't like knitting with acrylic yarn--and it's been sitting in my stash since. I inherited the seed beads from a friend who was cleaning out some of her craft stash. I initially had another use for them, but that project has fallen by the wayside, so they were more than available for this one.

In all, the only purchases I made specifically for this project were the blank tote bag ($3.99) and the kraft felt ($0.30 per sheet--I bought two, but ultimately used only one). Really, there are only so many ways to have hours of fun for less than $5.oo, and I just discovered another!

Now there's just one question on Calaverita's mind: Trick? Or treat?

The Natural

The Splendor Boys are on a roll! It's exciting to have so much in the way of new knitting projects and patterns to show you, and it's really exciting to think about what we have in store. I can gleefully assure you that there are more than hats on the way, and more than a few things that are as exciting to knit as they are to look at!

Pattern: The Natural -- a Splendor Knitting pattern by Homero Luna
Yarn: Jamieson's Shetland Heather in Charcoal
Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars in Size US7

This hat combines basic cabling and great yarn for a look that is classic, wearable, and satisfying to knit. It's pretty much a natural progression from your first hat to something a little more challenging, but not so much so that it's completely overwhelming. The Shetland wool--much heralded for its durability by Knitting Demigod Elizabeth Zimmerman--is definitely sturdy, though it softens considerably into "I could wear this on my head" comfort with a gentle wash. I personally really enjoy heathered yarns for the way they add visual texture and interest while still being 'calm' enough to not overwhelm or obscure a cable or lace pattern. You can pretty much bank on seeing more use of heathered yarn from this knit-whit. But back to the hat...


As mentioned above, this hat was envisioned as a transition between basic stockinette or ribbed patterns and cabling, and it uses one of the simplest cable patterns around. There are actually three 'versions' of the cable used (all explained in the pattern notes), as the decreases are done 'in pattern' and the cabled sections become narrower in the crown shaping.

I enjoy knitting in the round to the extent that I don't knit flat unless there really is no other way to accomplish what I want by knitting in the round--obsessive a bit, I know. The good news, though, is that hats are perfect for round knitting. I'm also an avid proponent of Magick Loop knitting, so naturally the sample shown was knit with that method. Some early versions of this hat were knit on double-pointed needles, though, and the cable pattern repeats over eight sections, so it could easily be divided over some DPN's, if that's your preferred method of round knitting.


This version is, naturally, written to cover my rather-large head (and my super-thick curly hair. I'm not bragging, I promise; it's kind of a pain to deal with, but I digress...), though the ribbing and cabling make it comfortable for a range of head sizes. The un-stretched circumference is approximately 14", and it fits my 24" head, so it will comfortably conform to any size in between. The pattern also includes an option and instructions to make the hat a bit shorter--which is a consideration for smaller head circumferences. In short, this hat will most definitely fit you--and look great!!!

You can download the pattern PDF for The Natural free from the Splendor Knitting Ravelry Store, or by clicking the download button below. As always, you don't need to be a Ravelry member to download here, from our blog.


Happy knitting, everyone, and stay tuned for more good stuff coming soon!

UPDATE 11.12.2009: We've posted a revised version of the pattern. The updated pattern includes some clarification on the cable repeats and we fixed a bit of errata in the crown shaping section. When you download now, your document name should be "Splendor Knitting THE NATURAL V2.1"; this is the updated copy.

UPDATE 12.29.2009: Les explications sont aussi disponibles en français. Merci beaucoup a Marina Orry pour faire et oufrir cette traduction sur son blog!

EDIT: Visit TricotChico.blogspot.com for more knitting patterns by Homero Luna.

Props for Splendor & Updates

Hello to all of you out there in the blog-o-verse! The past few weeks have been serendipitous and exciting and BAM! Here I am to tell you about it!

Firstly, Splendor has gotten a couple of mentions in other blogs. Here we are featured with several other fun knits in Discovery Channel's Nerdabout NY blog. The post is about DIY Knitted Halloween costumes, so they shared our Swine Flu Masque and the Viking Toque I knitted for my friend Corey.

More recently, we got some English luv when Simply Knitting--a UK-based knitting magazine--shared a review of our blog. It's mildly amusing that they have Davitron and I both living in NYC, but I understand that it's not really clearly stated anywhere that this isn't the case. Just to clarify: Davitron lives in Portland, Oregon (a.k.a. 'PDX'), which is where all the knitting began. Well, not all the knitting, but the knitting related to Splendor, anyway.

Finally, we wanted to give you an update on Peppermint Patrick. We've been considering varied options for making this pattern available, and are pleased to announce it will be available as a kit soon! Stay tuned for more details on this, and other Splendor patterns slated for release soon.

Yay knitting!

32,000 & Then Some

Some of my favorite crafty moments are when I get to use a technique in a way other than the way it's typically used. This one isn't really earth-shattering--it will, decidedly, not rock the knitting world--but it was enjoyable, shows the benefits of the techniques used, and it's probably not the way projects like these are typically executed.

Pattern: Gryffindor House Scarf by Lauren Kent (also published in Charmed Knits, edited by Alison Hansel)
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Red (color #2413) and Gold (color #7827)
Needles: Addi Turbo Circulars in size US7

It's true, I already have such a scarf--it was my first "real" knitting project, and it does its duty by being easily recognisable as a Gryffindor House Scarf, but I just needed a new one. See, when I knit that first scarf, I wasn't used to wearing scarves, so I didn't yet realise what makes a good, wearable, comfortable scarf. My first one is a cotton/angora blend, chosen mostly because it was the only yarn the shop had that came in both the colors I needed. After wearing the cotton scarf for a couple of seasons, I've come to realise that cotton is heavy (relatively speaking) & not very warm (yay wool!), ergo I obviously needed the same scarf, but in a wooly variety!


I like the wide-striped version because I think of it as the 'original' version. Truly, it is; even before the movies, etc, this is the style used in the art for the books and other fan paraphernalia. Nerdy, I know, but what can you do? Knit a new wool scarf, that's what! Conveniently enough, I needed a project to work on while I watched Lost (which I had never watched before and decided to view from the very beginning this summer), and few things are more perfect for something like this than stockinette in the round. I mean, really, isn't that the definition of "mindless knitting"?

a close-up view of the Magick Cast-On edge

The 'unconventional parts of this project are really only the beginning and end. I used Judy's Magick Cast-On for the beginning, and then grafted the end closed. It might seem superfluous to make such an effort for the beginning and end of a scarf that will have tassels on it (yet to be added), but sometimes 'can' most definitely means 'should'! Besides that, it really was good practice for these techniques, and gives me an opportunity to show how great they are at doing what they are meant to do, which is to make a seam all but disappear. You can see in the pictures that my grafting technique (at the time) could use a wee bit of practice, but this will likely resolve itself with a nice, gentle wash anyway.

a view of the Cast-On edge (r) and the grafted "finished" end (l)

I had every intention of making this according to pattern other than not using long-tail cast-on and the usual bind-off method (I'm sure you can appreciate how difficult that was for me), but decided to knit 21 stripes, rather than the recommended 19. The curious, and slightly bored, part of my brain that wonders about such things decided to calculate how many stitches this would represent, and the answer was 32,340 (=70 sts x 22 rounds of each color per stripe x 21 stripes). Ultimately, though, I decided I wanted an even longer scarf, and didn't stop knitting until I had completed 23 stripes. Oops.

Until next time, friends, remember: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

busted! my fancy fake light-box setup is really
a chair next to the kitchen window!