And apparently I know the right people. Sugarbee stepped up to the plate and got pictures for me again with her gorgeous daughter as the model. So here it is, for sale and everything.

Just to let you know, I was never this pretty.  And she also got an even better picture on the details of the cowl.

Needles: Size 7 needles (4.5 mm) – 16 inch circulars

Yarn: 2 skeins Plymouth Mulberry Merino, 50g, 99 yards, 48% Merino, 52% silk in the color Eggplant

Sizes: 20″ circumference

Gauge: 20 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette

Notes: This cowl is worked in the round. The instructions are offered in written and charted form.

For sale on Ravelry. Only $4.50.

Well not today exactly. But a year ago, I blogged about Treaty Oak. It’s one of my favorite places in all of Jacksonville.

This year I’ve published a bag that was inspired by the tree – the aptly named Treaty Oak Bag. See how the swirls echo the patterning in the wood?

It’s a perfect beginner Fair Isle project. Some of the floats are long, but any mistakes you make will be covered up by felting. Plus with the big needles and bulky yarn the project goes fast. And for blocking, it fits perfectly over a gallon vinegar jug, so no worries there!

Treaty Oak is 250 plus year old oak tree that sits in a beautiful park in Jacksonville, Florida. Everything that is beautiful and right about old trees can be found in the benches that are built under its canopy. The knots and swirls of its mammoth branches are echoed in this felted bag worked up in three shades of woodsy brown. This is the perfect beginner fair-isle pattern. Although the floats are long, any mistakes you make will come out in the wash.

Needles: Size 13 (9.0 mm) 24″ circular and dpns (or size to get gauge

Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Bulky 113g, 125 yards – 1 ball each of Sable, Wild Oak, and Oatmeal.

Size: Finished bag measures approximately 10×5×11 inches

Gauge: 12 sts and 24 rows to 4 inches before felting, and 16 sts and 28 rows to 4 inches after felting

Ravelry Link

$4.75 USD

My brain is full. Anytime I learn something new, something old has got to go. But it’s always amusing the sorts of things that my brain chooses to hold onto. For example, I cannot remember the name of my first grade teacher, but I do remember this little ditty:

We will sing a song about women’s history
To learn about… great women in our past
We want to know the truth about the real herstory
Some knowledge that… we hope will last

I even remember the tune. I remember the older girl scout who taught it to me at camp while she strummed her guitar. I also remember the song about Stan the Lavatory Man, but it’s not quite as inspirational.

Like most things in knitting, I taught myself how to knit socks. I knit 2 pairs of socks on dpns. (I hate dpns.) One pair was superwash, but when the man accidentally machine washed them they shrank to teensy tiny. One pair the dog ate. (I’ve never forgiven the dog!) If you look at the picture below, it shows you all the socks currently in my possession. Of those there is only one pair – the pink and green ones. And they only reason there is a pair of those is because one sock was worked top-down, and one pair was worked toe-up. (Get the free pattern here!) The mauve sock in the lower left-hand corner is the Fancy Silk Sock by Nancy Bush, also knit on dpns. Every other sock on there I magic looped. I *lurve* magic loop. No, really. I would marry it if I could.

Every other single sock (and they are all singles) is my very own design. Three of the samples I knit in a size that would never fit me. But I’ve decided to stop doing that. I am going to knit my socks in my size. And even if I never knit two of the same sock ever again, at least I can wear my mismatched PicnicKnits originals with pride!

Broken Chocolate Bar Socks – A Sock Recipe

Once upon a time I tried to make some chocolate bar socks. I had the perfect yarn, and I actually measured a Hershey bar to make the blocks the right size and shape. (Yes I am that person). But it did not work out as I envisioned. I felt thwarted and dejected. But one fine day I was thumbing through one of those stitch-pattern-a-day type dealie-bobs and I saw it. It was perfect – it was simple, but interesting. And it looked like broken bars of chocolate.

The best part is that it’s only a 3-stitch pattern. So you can make socks of any size or shape. So I decided to do something different. Instead of telling you how many to cast-on and exactly when to do A, B, and C – you get to decide. This is a recipe, not a pattern.

I’m starting to think that free is like the most popular word on my blog nowadays. Free, free, free. Well it’s your lucky day. Because this pattern is free. Download now!!!

When life hands me lemons, I give you free shipping! From today until May 10th everything in my etsy shop qualifies for free shipping. So the price you see is the price you pay. No hidden charges, no shipping, no extra nothing. So…. come and buy stuff! Free shipping is good! Now is the time!

Why do some colors photograph well and even easy and some no matter what you do you can’t capture the color? I’m sure there is a nifty scientific explanation, but it sure is vexing. I’ve gotten pretty good at gimp so I can easily make simple color adjustments, but sometimes the true color just evades me. I have a gorgeous skein of deep turquoise Semi Precious yarn, but I can’t make the color right so I can’t list it.

And then we have these socks. Which are not icky gray brown, they are a rich, deep, chocolatey brown with hints of purple. But can I capture it? No. Not even with my lightbox or outdoor afternoon “golden hour” sun. So imagine chocolate when you look at these pictures…

On this photograph I can gimp it up so that the green is true and lush, but the socks still look greyish brown. I don’t get it!

And this one is for Sugarbee. Who yells at me for knitting my own patterns in the small sizes to save time, when I really should have a very nice wardrobe of socks. I made this one my size, and I actually plan to knit the second one. I love these socks that much.

And the good news for you, gentle reader? I’m working on the pattern for these Broken Chocolate Bar Socks and they are gonna be a freebie! So watch this space.

Stinky things seem to happen in February. 2 years ago big dude broke his arm. This year we have a repeat. This morning I fought with financial aid again. That was lovely. And other stinky smelly no good things have been happening all week. But I say no more! Tomorrow I will reclaim February for goodness and light. I will rescue it from the dark side.

Either that or I will hole up in my closet with some knitting and wait for it to pass.

But hey, this is pretty, yes? These are the January Socks from Sugarbee’s Naughty Girls Need Knit Socks Too Club. Yes the name is a mouthful. But if you were in it, you would get it. For the January installment we spent a lot of time mulling over a very important decision. And after much careful consideration we decided which picture of Bettie Page yielding a whip was the perfect one. Never a dull moment with Sugarbee.

And oh don’t forget. Do-over tomorrow!

But not borrowed or blue. A long time ago (feels like a lifetime ago actually) I had an idea for a felted bag. But it wasn’t the right time to make it. Rules, appearances, etc. So I didn’t. But I kept it in my sketchbook, and the other day I decided it was time. So I rummaged through my stash of Lamb’s Pride Bulky and pulled out the lime green and the pale pink. And I swatched. And I felted the swatch. And then I knitted. And after a short while I had this:

Which turned into this:

And I’m sorry, but don’t you just love it? I love it. I really do. I had all sorts of notes and ideas about the details (like the i-cord bind off for the edges) and it all just worked. I love it. I’m calling it Saltwater Taffy. Because of the colors and the twists. I’ll say it again. I love it!

At least being sick all week got me something.

I’ve been knitting. And cleaning. And school-supply shopping. Basically I’ve been busy. I tried to take some stash photographs today. Outside on the back bricks. It seemed like lovely light. I was wrong. The reds looked orange and the purples looked blue or brown. And I am not so savvy with the camera that I can fix really bad pictures like that. But these pictures, inside on my diningroom table in the morning sun, look nice, no?

This is a project that I’ve had in my sketch book for a bit, but then a call came out for a wood-themed project for a non-profit. A very interesting non-profit called the Nude Ewe (it’s yarn you goobers!) based in the UK. The coordinator gave me a gauge, which perfectly matched my Lamb’s Pride Worsted. I was just gonna do a swatch, but then I started knitting and couldn’t stop.

I do so love having a hat form. It makes things so much easier. Easier to tell when things look right. It needs a name. And while I love the Lord of the Rings as much as the next person (and own all three extended dvds) I don’t think I want an LOTR name. I’m not that geek. I’m other sorts of geek, but not that sort. So she needs a name. I’m thinking it looks like a crown for a woodland elf or sprite. But say sprite, and I think soda. Any suggestions?

Yes, again. My new sock pattern is up for sale on Ravelry and on the sidebar. Deaton. Here’s Deaton working the camera!

In other news of the blatant self-promotion variety, I’ve started plurking. I’m picnicknits over there as well. You can see that on my side bar also. It’s quite addictive and the whole instant gratification side of it all is quite intoxicating.

Today is a baking day! Yes, I know it’s hot as hades out there, but one of my husband’s friends requested my chocolate chip cookies and it relaxes me.

Still on the needles (and actually getting some love) are the squirmy wormy socks (the beautiful pink & orange ones) and a new 3/4 sleeve version of my Bonny Cardigan in black for me!

Not much to see yet, but I’ve already got more than 3of the needed 13 body inches done and I just cast on this Sunday. Hope your day is full of knitting and cookies too!