Foot Steps

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Jen

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Mid day sun streams through the canopy, and I am feeling the presence of vernal influences…

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The blissful places I have been missing for a while beckon to me…

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All winter we have had pelting rain storms one after another, and Northern California is officially declared over the drought while reservoir spillways gush furiously!

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Something about the approach of the equinox softens nature to a sweetness indescribable…

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So I will leave off and show you the latest I’ve made,

a pair of trail socks!

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…with my recent discovery of the snugger heel stitch foot, these socks are now ready for adventure!

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Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll sock yarn, in Merlot Heather and Navy

Pattern: Wild Wool Trail Socks , with recent update option of colossally snug heel stitch foot section, my pattern is now completely ‘dialed in’.

Project Details: on Ravelry HERE.

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Yarn-scape

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Jen

I’m up to something again. Here, winding off skeins of Shibui & Madelinetosh sock yarns. I’m drowning myself in skinny yarn. I did mention something about knitting socks with it however, a few posts back . . .

Which I am doing.

My nieces are coming in a few days, and I am going to rewrite my original Penny Candy Socks pattern completely different ~~ very soon~~ so , I’m madly knitting the above pair (in Malabrigo Sock) for another fun photo session with them !

Then there’s this madness , heaps of skinny Knit Picks Stroll sock yarn (which by the way, like Shibui and Malabrigo, is from Peru) and very fine Lana Grossa (from Italy) . . . over-dyed and drying still . . .

I nearly spent a mint on some fancy hand-dyed superwash Malabrigo Arroyo (I sooo wanted to) , which is a sport weight, for I am erupting with ideas already for Autumnal Equinox sweaters, but decided instead to over-dye a mess o’ sock yarn I had on hand which was bound for nowhere. Was 4 balls of light blue Stroll — now cayenne red, 4 balls of light grey Stroll –now mustard yellow, 1 ball of hot pink Lana Grossa, — now deep garnet. All now a very lovely array of Autumn tones, achieved with Dharma Trading acid dyes in colors “cayenne” , “mustard” , & “maroon” .

I had spent hours going color crazy at the kitchen last night ~ while cooking dinner (a habit I always seem to get into ). Today all is calm, and quiet, winding off like a busy bee hive, immersed in this lovely yarn-scape.

Pretty Little Things Socks ~ The Pattern

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Jen

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Words that describe these socks are ~ darling, dainty, delightful, durable. More words are practical, comfortable & completely reminiscent of the bygone era of bobby socks. (I still have yet to make a fresh white pair, with powder blue or blush tones for contrast trim). They’re smart and tough too, evoking for me a very pretty tomboy girl of sixteen. Yes, definitely and understatedly pretty, from the frilly top down to the sturdy toe.

And now . . . to celebrate !

I am offering a free gift of my new pattern to all who leave a comment below, and as it is my 7th pattern submitted so far, this offer will last for 7 days. (Don’t be shy!)

* * Day 7 , Oct. 23, 2013 ~~ will be the last day of promotional pattern give-away.* *

Thank you everybody for being a colossal support, I really feel I couldn’t have done it without your lovely comments & personal messages along the way ~~ xoxoxo!!!

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Pretty Little Things Socks pattern on Yarnings right HERE.

on Ravelry HERE

And if you fancy a gloves in a matching set, see Pretty Little Things Gloves !!

Pretty Little Things In Blue

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Jen

I’ve been test-knitting a size run of my Pretty Little Things , and writing up & refining the pattern as I go. Technical writing is a very interesting thing, and really I never thought it would appeal to me. Yet now that I’ve done a few relatively simple patterns and relaxed a little since the last one , and now that it’s already into Autumn, I’m beginning to ‘chill out’ as they say. Its really not a very big deal if I decided to write my patterns my way.

After all, I’m not competing with anybody but myself. As thoughtfully and as precisely as possible, and in as standardized words as necessary, I’ll convey the instruction, however, I will allow my own voice to speak through the technical. I can’t even begin to know if an idea that came to me is completely original or even a little, or not at all. Degrees of originality don’t factor in, nor can they be measured.

I must be simply be in my own skin, and focus on communicating my idea and not worry and fret how others have done it, or said it, or written it before. My only wish for myself is that I communicate well and am artful.

There is suddenly in this Age of Indie Knit Design, a refreshing lack hard-core rules and so a wonderful freedom abounds. Especially so with indie design which bleeds over into creative writing. Oh, yeah, and lately I’ve been enjoying the creative writing style of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee immensely, reading-while-knitting I might add ! Her comedic book “Knitting Rules” has given me so much more confidence within myself to soldier on, in my own style, knowing that its okay to be different. I will learn one fine day at a time, and one design at a time.

Okay folks,

here’s a second pair of “Pretty Little Things” socks !

It’s almost ready to go, so you can expect pattern to pop up in the days ahead!

( Forgive me the unavoidable clinging dog hair in the photos, if you have noticed even at all. We, and the yarn, and All Things Knitted, share hermitage here with a German Shedder Dog, and the hair being all over the house, hiding in every shadow ready to ambush any and all dog-hair-magnets. We have had to just surrender to it. )

Pretty Little Things

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Jen

A nice pretty little pair of socks I’ve been working on here and there while knit-walking the mountain. Pretty Little Things were so much fun to make ! I managed to make a knitted hemmed folded cuff, nearly three inches wide, lined, knitted back into the work, added a darling picot edge, and one tiny wee peerie to make it just pretty enough !

Did I say pretty? I might add plain, basic, sturdy, utilitarian, old-fashioned looking, and as sleek as porpoises because there’s no ribbing. Oh, and they are very, very warm !

The ‘legs’ are two layers thick of stockinette stitch, lined, so they actually hug my ankles snugly.

My little feet feel so pretty and are very happy indeed to have their first socks knitted custom, just for them !

I used stash yarn of fine fingering 75% Superwash Merino/ 25% nylon sock yarn, with US#0 (2mm) needles, and the fabric is thick & dense, though very soft. I am sure they will wear very well. Anyway, I think they are different, and I’m quite taken with them !

You can bet on a pattern for these popping up here sometime soon , so hang around !

Penny Candy Socks ~ The Pattern

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Jen

Remember these?

Well, I’ve been crunching numbers for a few days, and though I’ve lacked actual test-knitting of all the sizes, they seem correct to me from a mathematical perspective. Written in sizes from Little Kid to Big Kid, and I will be test-knitting all the sizes I haven’t already, as the summer blossoms and wilts, and intending to have a lot of fun doing so !

So folks, the Penny Candy Socks pattern can be found HERE , and less than one week into summer, which is pretty good, as my goal was to post them on the actual Summer Solstice. Not bad at all.

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Just a little hello from my sister-in-law Pam’s feet & her dog Peggy !

Pin-Striped Sweater Tee ~ The Pattern

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Jen

Pin-Striped Tee https://jenjoycedesign.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/a-well-mannered-sweater-tee/

click to go to post about this project

I just wanted to get over this hump and submit this pattern today, though I only decided to get down to it, and polish the draft at noon. Its now 4 o’ clock and Emma is quite gloomy because we haven’t walked since Wednesday, and that was two days ago.

Okay, so where is this pattern you might ask???

Why on my pattern page right up there in the patterns menu, or just click right here

But also you can see it on Ravelry in my pattern store here.

So, whats all this exhausting business of knitting pattern prototypes, and writing patterns? I have had little rest, you’d think I’m obsessed ! ( I guess I can’t hide the fact very well. ) I am actually looking forward to posting about something mundane again, like a picture post of a lovely walk in the woods, or something from my garden (which is doing quite well, with more tomato plants than I’ve ever had before), or just some knitting related Object d’ Arte about the house. But for now, if you’ll excuse me, Emma and I have a walk to do !

Summer Sky

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Jen

What a day it is today !

Actually, quite warm out, and the sun high in the sky, 1 o’clock p.m… perfect time to finish the first sock of two , and have it drying out on the line . . .

The blue summer sky with whispy clouds (clouds not in this photo) . Summer Sky socks for my sister-in-law (the one in Vancouver, who didn’t mention it , but I sensed a little bit of sock envy as I knit her father a pair the whole time I was there a couple of weeks ago ). I hope to have these on her feet by the Summer Soltice coming up.

Not just any sock, but once again, in my unrelenting quest for improvisation I went and striped everything, the heel flap , the everything ! And, did not follow a pattern folks . . .

I think I finally get sock knitting !

Okay, I’ve cast on and have started the second sock, so I better get busy !

Molly’s Montreal

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Jen

She knit up so springy, and wadded up into such a condensed fluffy pet-like thing I couldn’t imagine to fit a woman. But to my fascination and surprise, when under the water she went, when into the warm bath she melted and mellowed and soaked, hidden under the crackling shampoo bubbles, and collapsed into her true self… she transformed. Ah, but then I rinsed her thrice in clear water, and pressed her against the porcelain sink wall as the water trickled out…. and out… and out.

And then, you know that moment when you first lift the wet heavy lump of smooshedness from the porcelain… that moment… when you feel how the wet yarn becomes weak against gravity, and you then know just how strong and sturdy, or just how delicate she is going to be? Well, let me tell you ! She rose up from the porcelain no longer a springy wad of sassy puffy loops, but now fully sprung loops, alluring, glistening with wet color, and completely relaxed into her full length and width. No question she will be the right size enough now. How could I have doubted?

What measured barely 28″ in the bust, just off the needles, slightly crumply, tighter gauge, is now loosely blocked out (just shaped, no pins) to the exact measure I wanted of 33″ . Magically when swinging about off of the flat blocking towel, I’m sure she will bounce back to about 31″ and have just the right amount of negative ease in the bust that a fitted tee ought to have for a modern young woman. Her true nature blossomed before my eyes into that wonderfully delicate, almost lacy creature I knew she’d be, yet a rugged one to marvel. She is indeed a most lightweight summery knitted top to behold.

Her sleeves are not fitted, but something like the pant legs of sailors trousers ~~~ wide and airy. A breeze can blow through this three-quarter sleeved tee and be dried like freshly scrubbed ship deck in the sun out at sea, in all of about ten minutes. Refined , yet rugged, and wouldn’t completely die if she accidentally went through the wash. Yet she prefers the handwash treatment, and loves to dry fast out in the sun. I’ve had a lot of education with these pin-striped tees, I’ve learned what a versatile thing which is skinny sock yarn, knit on tiny needles or big ones ! Once upon a time I thought I wouldn’t like knitting tops with it, but I love it now !!!

Molly is actually the young lady to whom this lucky tee will belong. I am soon to parcel up this wee tee and post it to her, off to Montreal. (( ” Off to Montreal ” sounds like a fast-paced French Canadian reel or something. )) It is cropped a lot in the waist length from the original tee, and then longer sleeves (which skirt-wearing Molly requested)… a bit loose in fit and knit in the opposite direction from the live loops of provisional cast-on, to just past the elbow. Though it looks bigger & boxier than the original, I assure you, it is smaller all around.

The perfect top for a visit to the beach on bicycles, for a picnic. Molly’s Montreal is a modified version of Jenjoyce’s Pin-Striped Sweater Tee , the previous post and the pattern prototype, (which got sent off to her younger sister Maya a week ago). The pattern is at the moment, undergoing editing, and will be available very soon !!!

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Details on Ravelry HERE

Edit in : I am convinced the decreases in the rib at the neckline need an overhaul… so am presently working on that to write into the pattern.

A Well-Mannered Sweater Tee

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Jen

Presenting Jenjoyce’s Pin-Striped Sweater Tee !

If you cast your mind back to these posts , you’ll understand that I’ve been brewing & stewing, writing, test-knitting and refining this design for several months now, having knit one after another. I’ve been having some major knitting epiphanies and feeling very excited about it all.

Notice how it drapes so well on the chair ? That is because it is a fairly delicate creature, with polite, well-mannered and refined character ~~ yet rugged , made of durable sock yarn, and ready for adventure !

This tee is knit with fingering weight sock yarn on size #6 needles, and it has created an exquisite sheer quality one doesn’t see unless it is held up against back-lighting.

And it is a very fine fabric indeed, so when it is folded, it lays in a discreet , low-profile sort of way. It just screams springtime! And summer too!

Pour yourself a cold drink, and pour yourself into this delightful knitted top, it has just the right amount of negative ease, as it possesses impressive resilience. Not to mention cheerfulness unique about itself, what with all those tiny stripes melting into one another. It just invites compliments from every angle !

It has raglan decreases at the shoulders (even through the neck ribbing), is totally seamless as it is knit in-the-round, has single row color changes (pin-stripes as I call them) , provisional cast-on bottom and sleeves, and . . .