Tag Archives: thrumbelina

January is selfish knitting month: cast on with me!

Posted on January 2, 2014 | 14 comments

After the frenzy of gift knitting (which I don’t do…), January is traditionally selfish knitting month. (And I’m using the term selfish in the most positive way: for your SELF!) What are you going to knit? Are you casting on something new, or trying to finish something already on the needles? I need to finish something to clear my needles before this.

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I’m planning to knit the Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery KAL, so I can have this shawlette for myself. My original will be a sample somewhere for the next year, and I want one for me NOW. Will you be knitting along with me? You’re invited! Check out the RCYC group on Ravelry for ongoing details.

I’m also having a Thrumbelina KAL. If you were lucky enough to register for Lantern Moon’s April retreat, you’ll be knitting your own Thrumbelinas along with me before the retreat so you’ll have cozy toes when you go to Timberline Lodge. No kick off date yet; we’re working out details. But you don’t have to be going on this retreat to knit along. The more the merrier for the KAL, as far as I’m concerned. More thrums for everyone!

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And I need to get started on a new design, due in March.

All three of these upcoming knits are fun, but technically for me they’re work, so they’re not really selfish knitting. What about something that’s just for me? I guess finishing the current knit is all about me (my own knit of my new shawl design debuting in February), so that counts. But I’m also dreaming of casting on Lempster from Knitty. While I’ve been dreaming, my friend Sarah has knit two of them! I received some gift cards to Twisted for Christmas, so they may kick start my Lempster. Am I crazy? Can I get all these knits done in a timely manner? There’s only one way to find out!

What’s your selfish knitting for January? If you need some inspiration, go look through the Doomsday Knits and Under 100 Knit Collection sets. And don’t forget, I’m having a giveaway of the Under 100 ebook. Leave a comment on the previous post to enter to win. Happy new year!

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Posted in KAL, Knit

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the week that was

Posted on December 9, 2012 | 13 comments

When I was jamming and knitting at Vickie’s house last week, she showed me a couple yarns that she had picked up. She wanted to make some cabled fingerless mitts with a bulky yarn, but the pattern she had chosen didn’t work at that gauge. Hmmmm. I have a free fingerless mitt pattern at that gauge, but no cable. (Also, that pattern needs a revamp for the thumb, so don’t count on it right now.)

So I thought about how to add that cable, jotted down some notes for her, and voila! Her cabled fingerless mitt.


Do you want to knit these? I’m planning on re-writing the (very brief) pattern, which was more of a dashed off recipe at the time. It’s on the to-do list…

What else happened this last week? I finished this Snowflake Christmas Stocking at knit nite.

green stocking

I started it a long time ago when I was teaching a class. I found it in my UFOs (unfinished objects!). All it needed was an i-cord hanging loop and weaving in all the ends. It’s actually a quick knit in heavy worsted weight yarn; I had just forgotten all about it. Now it’s done, and it’s going to be a gift.

I’m also working a Webfoot scarf for my Silver and Gold Filigree KAL. It’s Webfoot instead of Filigree, but it’s definitely gold! I was planning to knit Filigree in silver, but it turns out that I need this particular scarf for someone. Are you knitting along? I know that there have been some KAL sales through Ravelry, but I haven’t heard from KAL knitters. I’d love to know how you’re doing. Don’t forget, there’s a drawing after December 25 for a skein of fingering weight yarn for KAL finishers.

And last but not least?

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A bunch of thrums, waiting for a knitting project. It’s a lot easier to thrum when the thrums are made up ahead of time. I think a lot of people are knitting Thrumbelina right now; I’m seeing patterns fly out the digital door! ‘Tis the season for the gift of warm feet. This just makes me want to thrum some more. I was wearing my Thrumbelina slippers today, and they are still very cozy. I like wearing them with socks, because they’re slightly more cushy that way, and it puts off having to launder them.

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(old pic, just so you know what I’m talking about)

I haven’t done any Christmas shopping yet! And we are celebrating Hanukkah, too.

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Are you gift knitting? How’s it going?

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Posted in Knit, pattern design

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The Thrill of the Thrum…for you!

Posted on February 22, 2012 | 4 comments

I’m still thrilled with thrumming. I hope you’ll want to thrum, too! My pattern for Thrumbelina thrummed slippers is now available.

These cozy slippers are really posh! They remind me of slippers that I knit as a teen, with one very important difference.

They’re extra cushy inside due to thrums, bits of fiber knit into the fabric. The thrums eventually felt down for a custom fit for your foot. Until then, they make you feel like you’re stepping into a sheep. And I mean that in the nicest way.

The slippers are knit with less than 100g of worsted weight wool, and one ounce of merino roving. If you’re lucky enough to be attending Stitches West next weekend, you can buy a Thrumbelina kit from Knitted Wit at her booth #1041. Or you can just purchase the pattern here. As a special treat, I’m having a Thrumbelina Kickoff sale. The pattern is $1 off from now through the end of February.

I’m also thrilled to tell you that I’ll be teaching the Thrill of the Thrum at three different shops in March. Contact the shop to register. Class includes either Thrumbelina or Thrumster pattern, and there’s a little homework before class begins because you’ll want to spend time thrumming, not casting on!

March 15 at Twisted in Portland, from 6 to 8 p.m.
March 24 at Stash in Corvallis, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
March 31 at Wool N’ Wares in West Linn, from 1 to 3 p.m.

I hope that you, too, will be thrilled with thrumming!

PS: Thanks to Shannon & Emily at Twisted, for giving me the opportunity to design for their Single Skein Club!

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Just in the nick of time

Posted on December 27, 2011 | 5 comments

I finished this pair of Thrumbelina slippers at 3:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Daylight was fading, and I wanted to get a quick picture, so I put my log cabin blanket on the floor for a background.

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Some cats can’t resist things on the floor. Mookie will sit on a sheet of paper, just for the novelty value.

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A better picture of the slippers, but not quite what I was looking for.

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I finally just put the slippers on the piano. Good enough! I love how Knitted Wit‘s merino roving coordinated perfectly with the purples in the Madeline Tosh Merino. Carole called me to tell me the slippers are a perfect fit. Twice! She’s such an appreciative knit recipient, because she knows how much time and effort go into a knit gift. She’s not a knitter, but she makes beautiful things, including the necklace I wore on Christmas morning.

Did you knit gifts this year? How were your handknits received?

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Thrum-pa-pum-pum

Posted on December 21, 2011 | 5 comments

I’m doing one Christmas knitting project. Just one. It’s under control; I’ll have it done tonight. It’s Thrumbelina for a friend. I took it on vacation with me, but I wasn’t sure how it would do on a plane. Big hint: Turn off the overhead air vent when making thrums; they like to fly!

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There was also a little breeze here, but it was pretty manageable. And the birds didn’t try to steal the thrums.

I’ll tell you about the trip in the next post, but here’s my obligatory Lantern Moon sheep tape measure vacay pic:

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How is *your* Christmas knitting? Almost done? Only four knitting days left!

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Posted in Knit, travel

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knitchat, and selfish knitting

Posted on December 12, 2011 | 5 comments

Are you on twitter? Do you know about #knitchat? It’s a twitter chat that’s usually on Thursday evenings, 6:30 p.m. PST. I drop in when I can. (I’m @pdxknitterati on twitter; follow me!) Natalie Kilkenny (@cloudynatknit) is the organizing force behind #knitchat; you can read more on how it works here. Last Saturday, we had the first ever US/UK knitchat. It was fast moving and fun! One of the topics was “What’s on your needles,” and the conversation veered to gift knitting and selfish knitting. Apparently December is all about gift knitting, and January is Selfish Knitting Month.

Apparently, I’m ahead of my time. I’ve always been precocious! The siren call of the thrum was strong; I had to have Thrumbelina slippers for myself, right now! The pattern isn’t available outside the Single Skein Club until March 1, but it’s my design, so I already have it. I cast on a week ago Saturday at Twisted, and finished Wednesday night. It’s a quick knit.

I love this combination, Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Velvet Grapes, and Knitted Wit merino roving in Beaujolais. It’s a little more subtle than the sample pair. These are really soft and cushy!

I also want to knit some as a gift. I chose this Madeline Tosh merino, not realizing it was superwash. I don’t think it matters, because I’m not planning to felt the slippers.

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I may have also bought another color, because it was so hard to choose between them.

tosh kale

I also have one more selfish knitting project lined up. Lorajean gave me some of her DK Polwarth/silk in Beaujolais for some of my Hugs and Kisses Fingerless Mitts. Lorajean was knitting a sample last Saturday, and it was a perfect combination. I’m currently having a love affair with deep winey red purple, and I need some new mitts!

dk beaujolais

It may have to wait until January, the traditional Selfish Knitting Month for those who spend December frantically gift knitting. But since I only have one quick gift to knit, I may get to it sooner. Should I feel guilty about my selfish knitting? I definitely know that my recipient will appreciate my work, and I won’t felt it, either!

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Thrumbelina

Posted on December 2, 2011 | 5 comments

It’s December! And I have something to show you. If you’re a member of Twisted‘s Single Skein Club, you may not want to look until you’ve picked up/received your package. I’m throwing in a gratuitous kitty picture so you can avert your eyes and not scroll down.

Ready for the real deal?

This is Thrumbelina, my design for Twisted’s Single Skein Club this month. Thrumbelina is a thrummed slipper, filled with fluffy woolly goodness. These babies are cushy, comfy, and warm! The thrums will eventually felt down and be a custom fit for your foot.

I love how these are all business on the outside

And a party on the inside!

Wouldn’t you love to put your foot in these?

You can, if you’re a member of this year’s Single Skein Club. If not, the pattern will be for sale March 1 here through PDXKnitterati and also through Twisted. The purple pair you see in the pictures are knit with Malabrigo worsted in Velvet Grapes, and they went to Twisted as the sample. The SSC offering is black Malabrigo worsted with either beaujolais or wintergreen roving for the thrums, dyed by my friend Lorajean Kelley of Knitted Wit. I think I’ll knit myself a pair, too. I have a skein of Velvet Grapes and a merino knot of beaujolais, and I think they’ll make a delicious pairing.

This is the last year of Twisted’s Single Skein Club, but fear not! Next year they are offering a new club in its place, the Mad About Tosh Club. All yarns are from MadelineTosh, including an exclusive Twisted color one month.

I’m really pleased to have had two designs in Twisted’s Single Skein Club, my Thrumbelina Slippers and my Breezy Market Tote last year. Shannon & Emily are absolute loves to work with. I enjoy teaching in their sweet shop, too. Speaking of which, I’m teaching a class on thrumming next Saturday, December 10, from 10 to noon. We’ll be starting Thrumster earbands or cowls. If you’re a SSC member that wants a little extra help, or just want to learn how to thrum because it’s chilly out and you want to add that special pizazz to your knitting, contact the shop to sign up!

I’ll be in the shop before then, though. There’s a Knitted Wit trunk show through Sunday, and Lorajean will be there from 1 to 3 tomorrow (Saturday, Dec. 3). Stop by and say howdy. I will!

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