Work in Progress: Pomotomus

I love this sock so much: the yarn, Ella Rae Lace Merino, is perfectly suited for this pattern, Pomatomus by Cookie A.  It's sculptural, almost tear-inducingly beautiful in its precision.  But alas, sometimes the best laid plans, the best yarn, and the best patterns just don't mesh.  I cast on with size 1s the other day, and after a couple of silly mistakes, I finally got moving on it last night.  Once I had about four inches of the cuff, I tried it on, and...

Let's just say it didn't fit.  Let's not use the words "obviously" or "completely wrong" or "stuck on instep".  If only I knew someone with smaller feet.  Actually, scratch that - if only I wasn't selfish enough to want to keep these instead of finding a friend with smaller feet.  Despite the setback, I'm fairly sure that this pattern is what this yarn wants to be, so I'm going to pull it out and try again on size 1.5s.  It'll give me a good excuse to try out one of my graduation presents, which I'll be sharing shortly!

Pattern Review: Knitty First Fall 2011

So the new Knitty is out! And, predictably, my favorites are the socks and lace, 'cause that's how I roll.

The above pattern is a new one by Elizabeth Freeman, called Rhodion.  One of the girls I work with brought in her nearly-completed Aeolian to cast off, and I fell in love with the pattern all over again.  Lace patterns sometimes look thrown together, without much attention paid to the dimensions and balance of the different motifs.  Elizabeth Freeman's lace designs always have a certain something - a lovely juxtaposition of shapes, or some interest at the hem - and this one is no exception.

The second is this pair of socks called Lingerie, by Maria Näslund.  I've been really loving socks that come to a point on the top of the foot - it really does feel like a retro lingerie detail.  Maybe I'm also thinking of sewn fagoting, as seen on Colette Patterns' tutorial?  In either case, I am highly likely to knit these, although probably not in white.

Annnd another pair of socks, these ones called Inlay and designed by Hunter Hammersen of Silk Road Socks fame.  (Which, by the way, is an absolutely stunning collection of socks, if you haven't seen them yet.  It's totally on my to-buy list.)  These socks are just detailed enough to be interesting, but built on the most basic of architectures.  I think that, done in a neutral or dark blue, that these would be excellent man socks.

So these are my favorites!  And what about the rest of the issue?  Well... I wasn't in love with this one, I have to say.  It seemed like there was less variety than usual, and although the socks and lace certainly delivered as per usual, the garments held little to no interest for me.  These last few are designs that I like in principle, but which I absolutely know would not work for me.

I like a lot of things about this one, called Date Night by Nikol Lohr, but my overall reaction is rather mixed.  I like the neckline, and I like the color, and I like the lace.  But the cut of the sleeves and the cropped length would totally not work for me.  As I may have mentioned before, I'm top heavy, so I don't need any more help looking broad in the shoulders and chest.  The broad line that the cap sleeve creates for the overall silhouette would not be so good on my figure.

This is (yet another) gorgeous Stephen West design.  Seriously, this guy is not only insanely talented, but also prolific!  This one is called Creekbed and features his signature colorblocking and interesting construction.  Sadly, I am not a colorblocking sort of lady.  I knit Akimbo and enjoyed it, but tried it on and it just... wasn't me.  Which is sad, because as a young designer, I really root for him.

The last is a Laura Chau pattern called Darrin.  This looks super comfortable, and I really enjoy the sleeve details, but it's another issue of personal style.  I can't pull off self-belted sweaters, and tunics are iffy.  But I will just say, it's knit in Fiber Company yarn, so putting it on is probably like being covered in kittens.  Sigh.

What did you guys think of the new issue?  Which designs wouldn't you knit, and which ones are you currently scheming to cast on ASAP?

All photos copyright knitty.com and the respective designers.

Outfit Post: Heidi Goes to Work

So, since I last wrote, I started my new job as a yarn store clerk.  It's been really fun, and a fun challenge for making outfits!  There's a mild dress code - no jeans, no open-toed shoes - and I spend 6-8 hours on my feet at a time, so comfy clothes and shoes are a must.  I've started wearing skirts pretty much every day, but luckily the dress code doesn't exclude my weird style.

This morning I decided to go for Heidi braids, this awesome mustard yellow industrial-chic German pullover I got from Etsy seller pinguim, who has provided some of my favorite pieces in my closet.  I love how badass this shirt makes me feel.

The shoes are a recent purchase - new Fluevogs!  When I started work, all of my clothes were packed away in a storage unit, so I had to scramble to get something appropriate to wear on my feet.  Lumberjack and I took the bus to Seattle and went to the Fluevog store, where I tried on a gratuitous amount of shoes and finally decided on these relatively simple black Mary Janes.  Excuse the scuffing - I've been wearing them constantly!  They're insanely comfortable and great for showcasing hand-knit socks, which is one of my favorite things.

Hope you've all been well!

Yellow corduroy shirt: pinguim
Black lace skirt with cream lining: New York and Company, from Oberlin's Free Store
Pink petal belt: elizabethkelly
Shoes: Fellowship Kathy by John Fluevog
Socks: Hand-knit, probably On-Line sock yarn

Quick update!

Lots of exciting things are happening over here, and faster than I had thought they would!  I had a job interview and was hired on Friday, looked at apartments on Saturday, and turned in the application for a really great place today.  The knitting has been nonexistent, but lots of other things have been getting moving.  Stay tuned for updates!  In the meantime, here is a lumberjack yarn pirate to stand in for your regular programming.  Because every lumberjack needs a lace hat.