therapy knitting

I realize it's strangely contradictory to write a post on my blog all "wah wah I'm so stressed out and burnt out and I can't knit anymore" and then only a few days later post a new FO and a brand new design, but you know ... there's just not really an explanation. Despite the fact that I'm studying for about 13 hours a day right now and not sleeping a whole lot I still need to do something besides read right before I right into bed. So for the past few days Peter and I have been watched Arrested Development for the umpteenth time and I've been knitting a beret. At any rate, I mentioned my crush on grumperina's new pattern, Yulie, in my last post, and here I present photographic proof of my obsession. (also! follow that link to grumperina's blog and for a little while longer you can enter a contest to win some yarn! just leave her a comment on that post!)

But there you have it. Just a few episodes of good old AD and I've got myself an new beret. And thank the gods we're finally seeing some brisk fall weather in Chicago and I can wear it! The stitch pattern is lacey, but the fabric is still rather thick - I think it'll be a good midweight hat for someone like me who gets unbelievably hot what my head is completely covered in wool. The dark green yarn is malabrigo worsted and the white is classic elite temptation, which is 100% silk! Temptation has been discontinued, but I inherited the yarn just the other day from a librarian knitting buddy at school.

And in other news, the preview for this year's Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts issue went live today and I have a pattern in it called the Baker Street Mittens! (Seriously - check out that second link. IK got some really cute shots of my mittens!)

The Baker Street Mittens have a houndstooth check pattern knit in stranded colorwork. The yarn called for is Bergere de France Berlaine, which is a DK weight washable wool. Let me tell you, I was so glad this yarn wouldn't felt when I was knitting these samples and it was 400 degrees out in Chicago. So these were also therapy knitting in that it was like handling wool yarn in a freaking sweat lodge the whole time I was knitting them. If you're curious about appropriate yarn substitutions any light worsted or DK weight yarn would work great, like cascade 220, berocco ultra alpaca, knit picks wool of the andes... those are just a few of the classics. If you're curious what the mittens may look like in a darker and less contrasting color combo, head on over to ravelry and check out this pair I've been working on more recently. (Sorry, rav members only can follow that link - that pair is a gift! They're also hastily photographed so I don't to slap that crappy picture up on my blog.) If you'd like to see more details on gauge, techniques, etc, check out the pattern page on ravelry.

I'm so pleased the details of this design, like those Latvian braids, gusseted thumbs (a must on any slim-fitting mittens I make!), and purl "seams." I hope you all them as well, and can pick up a copy of the magazine when it hits newsstands. It looks like a fantastic (and HUGE) collection of patterns!