wip : ski bonnet

This ski bonnet is a stash-busting project using up my remaining Ease yarn. Lacey Volk’s striking neon hat caught me, and I wanted to try my hand at making one of my own.

I managed to make it as far as the first section, having loads of fun in the process. The last real cable project I worked on were those Charcoal Angler’s Loop Socks, so this little repeating cabling pattern was exactly what I needed to feel giddy again about the neat things knit fabric can do.

But after finishing that first portion? I got stuck. I was intimidated by the ‘pick up stitches except for 5, evenly distributed’ direction. So I left this project sitting in time-out. I plan to unearth this project this weekend to tackle that silly fear—really, they’re just a hundred or so stitches, what’s the big deal? The math? There’s hardly any!

I’m thinking, if picking up 102 stitches is scary, maybe I shouldn’t have taken on the hue shift, right? I will need to get to the massive border of that blanket eventually. So what’s the deal?

wip: hue shift, bt beanie

Less talking, more knitting, right? A wip post, at long last.

On the circular needle was (was! finished it recently and haven't taken it off yet!) an improvised beanie using the Brooklyn Tweed loft yarn Nick bought me at Knit Purl..back when we braved unsalted Portland roads last winter for some yarn tourism.

The yarn is lofty and fluffy. The crunchy bits of dry grass between the plies add a touch of..authenticity I guess. I would consider shelling out for a sweater quantity someday, when I think I'm worth it.

I've had the yarn for this Hue Shift Afghan project for almost a year now. It's nice to finally cast-on and see what the fuss was about. This is my first mitred square project and I'm happy to know that I had little reason to feel as intimidated by the method as I was all this time.

My concern currently? Mostly, running out of yarn before I make it all the way through this blanket. A lot of knitters on Ravelry have complained that knitpicks cut it a little too close to the yardage for comfort. I'm doing what I can by avoiding breaking the yarn as much as possible but we'll see.

shop update: The Synapse

I announced this a little while ago already on facebook, but there’s something about blogging that makes me anxious. It is the relatively formal format? Maybe. It is my inability to explain something that I feel more comfortable designing visually or discussing one-on-one? Pretty much entirely exactly absolutely. But I’ll feel the fear and try anyway.

I call this new design Synapse (from synaptein "to clasp," from syn- "together" and haptein "to fasten”.)

I remember (admittedly only vaguely) studying about this in high school. I responded a little emotionally to the importance of this part of your nervous system.

It takes a large amount of effort for a signal to make it for the first time from one brain cell to another. but having made that connection for the first time it eventually gets easier to do. With time, that message or signal can take next to no effort at all to get across. The bond’s been strengthened.

Now, I have it totally wrong about this bit of neuroscience here (my class notebooks were more sketchbooks than anything else oops), but it wasn’t hard to immediately connect my understanding of the concept to the initial difficulty of making that first connection to another person and to begin a relationship.

The thought of your first “hello” becomes this massive ravine that gets wider and wider the more you think about it, but after you manage to cross it, things get a little easier don’t they?

Over time that metaphorical line you bravely threw across the ravine becomes a solid bridge, and now you have a good friend you can share just anything with. It’s almost like not sharing is the unnatural thing to do. That space between you and everyone you connect with is always a very important thing.

The gap helps remind you that even if you’re connected to someone else you still are your own whole thing. That little separation makes sure that there’s always news to receive and to give and always a discovery to make. But the gap also makes it easy to lost touch if and when that bridge collapses from neglect. I can go on about that but my focus here is on the magic of that connection as it happens. :D

I made this design synapse because I’m just so enamored with that little space between you/me and the world that I think is a necessary and beautiful thing.

I wrangled with garter ribbing to give the impression of spaces getting gradually smaller as you reach the brim (or gradually larger if that’s your perspective). My long-time readers will know that I love ribbed knitting—it’s stretchy and plushy, and offers a sleek line along the length of your head when its worn.

The Synapse in 100% Fisherman’s Wool is currently available in the shop, and this lovely design will also soon be available in my wool-acrylic blend once I get to editing the photos I took back home. (Some wool-blend synapses are already out and about, as I’ve sort of secretly debuted them in last year’s craft shows. :D)

I had a lot of fun seeing this come together on paper and the needles. Every new knit design I make further cements my love for knitting and sharing handmade, and I’m excited to see Synapse and other Bapsicrafts designs become a part of someone’s slow-fashion closet/lifestyle.