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.

time for a WIP and FO dump

Now miiight be a good time to make a round-up post of what’s been on(and freshly off!) the needles lately. A hell of a lot's happened in my knitting world!

One bit of bad news is that a friend with good intentions put some of our knits in the dryer and shrunk them. Not fun stuff. Thankfully my wool-blend socks weren’t ruined. In fact, I felt a little better about putting those blended socks in the dryer now that I see how well they hold up, so it’s not all bad. My mourning time was short and replacement knitting time had to happen immediately, what with freezing winter cold on the horizon for Jason and me. So..an FO first!

pattern : Hunter Socks by Freshisle Fibers
yarn : Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Oxford Grey and Mustard
needle : US 3[3.25 mm]
size : 10

(I have a feeling the Hunter Socks pattern is becoming a favorite, do you?) This pair of socks was a much needed gift for Jason--my plan was to create some easy-care socks that he can keep in rotation for the everyday. Given the accident with the dryer it was awesome that I finished these when I did!

I'm sure you other knitters understand the difficulty of knitting for the more color-reserved types. I didn't think he'd be convinced when I said I was going to make him something yellow, but my little strategy of working color into the toe and high up on the cuff-edge worked out. Grey works beautifully with simple color accents and I'm so in love with this FO that I might just make it a part of a series of 'rainbow' socks.

That is, right after I repair these. It's clear he loves them just as much, so I know any new additions to the series will be much appreciated.

This WIP is part of my brand new effort to replace what shrunk in the dryer before. I'm planning to make two or three pairs from this MASSIVE skein of Hayfield Bonus Aran ordered from Wool Warehouse. The pattern used is, you guessed it, Fresh-Isle Fibers' Hunter socks. It's been a really therapeutic thing to work on while reading or watching shows, so I'll just go ahead and embrace the Hunters as a staple-pattern instead of feeling my knee-jerk embarassment for crowding the project section of this pattern's ravelry page. haha.

By the way! It's been a real wild ride figuring out yarn weight equivalents and coping with yarn price differences (*sob*, no knitpicks here..)! I'm giving myself one hard pat on the back for making it this far without accidentally ordering a fingering weight when I want bulky or something worse! Huge thanks to Ravelry and people like Megan Goodacre for making it simpler for me!

This next one's kind of a surprise, but I don't think the recipient reads my blog so why the hell not, here it is. It's a Pebble pullover for a special little baby girl who's due any day now! I still can't wrap my mind around how something so small and precious is going to fit on a real life human being. How weird. If I play my cards right with international postage, this juuuust might arrive at the new family's house in time for, oh, a day of it fitting their rapidly growing baby. If it fits for a week, I'll be satisfied, really.

I’ve also just finished some sock designing recently~ These were made using a toe-up method similar to Rachel Roue's TDTU Socks, with a simple flap heel along the back as well.  There’s still a lot of ironing out left for the pattern itself but I’m hoping to release it soon. The world of pattern-writing seems really daunting but I’m taking the challenge on a little at a time.

Ha! Now that I've caught up with you all, do share what you've been up to! I'd love to hear any tips or advice you have in way of knitwear design and pattern-writing if you've got any.

fo: her hunter socks

And they're finally done! These are probably the quickest mid-calf socks I've finished, clocking in at two and a half days. I'm so proud!

pattern : Hunter Socks by Freshisle Fibers
yarn : Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted in Grey Mix, Dark Grey Mix, and Mercury
needle : US 3[3.25 mm]
size : 9.5

These are my "her" Hunter Socks, the second half of my set of two--the first part made about eight (!) months ago for Jason. The socks are meant to hold a meaning to me in how and with what they're made, and I'm happy to see that my plan worked out.

The socks were made with three shades of grey (grey being our agreed-upon favorite er, non-color to wear): Mercury, out of the skein used to knit his fingerless gloves and used as an accent color for both our socks, with Grey Mix and Dark Grey Mix bought and used as main colors for our socks.

I matched the minimal cuff striping as well as the accented toe for each pair, though there are a few differences between his and mine:

• His has a reinforced heel and toe, both accented, while

• My socks have a plain toe without the contrasted heel (mostly because I didn't have enough accent yarn left over x:)

• Also my cuff stripe and toe yarns are two different shades of the grey, which looks quite cute, despite it being done because I was working with the tiniest wads of leftover yarn and a worry that I'd run out.

We can go ahead and pretend this was all done on purpose and not half-improvised like, let's face, most of my projects are. Anyway, still proud, and still excited with how these socks look and feel. I'm another pair closer to a fully handmade sock drawer, for my love Jason and me both. :]

This will definitely not be the last time I work with this pattern. The directions are perfectly simple, easy to follow and hits just the right balance between plain and interesting to keep around. If you want a bit of a break from knitting plain vanilla socks, find some worsted weight yarn in your stash (if you have one) and cast on a pair for yourself or a loved one for the cold months ahead.

..augh it's so beautiful guys! KNITTING IS SO AWESOME!

fo: john's short footies

I took so long to blog about this mini sock project because I was just too damn busy wearing them around the house. Now they're all pilly and extra wooly and a little felted, just how they should be.

pattern : John's Short Footies by Rosemary Chapman
yarn : Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted in Dark Grey Mix
needle : US 4[3.5 mm]
size : 9.5

I am definitely planning to make about a billion more pairs of these. The pattern is clear and easy to follow, the project itself very quick and satisfying. Patons Classic Wool is a FANTASTIC yarn for warm socks and other accessories. So awesome in fact that I bought two more skeins for my "her" pair of Hunter's Socks to go with the ones I made for my boyfriend. :]

There's gonna be a whole lot of sock knitting going on this season. I've got 2013 resolutions to achieve!