That's What Friends Are For

Like most knitters, I have non-knitter friends who want to experience the delight of handknits (aka asking you continually when you're going to make them a scarf, a hat, gloves, a hammock, etc.) I must admit that I'm lucky because my group of non-knitter friends make fantastic, though sometimes impatient, guinea pigs. They also challenge me in more ways than just knitting.

In September, a friend sent me an email with this link http://thefashionisto.com/blog/index.php?s=headband and an order for 3 headbands. Look at it! People are charging money for this???? It's super simple....or it should have been, but I was trying to use leftover Cascade Fixation which was too elastic-y. Once I switched yarn to Stacy Charles Victoria (which I randomly found on sale) and realized that everyone else’s heads were smaller than mine, BlackLikeOurSouls Headbands were born.

Around the same time, another friend's hands got cold. She begged and begged and even went with me on a trip to Austin, TX, so she got Progressive Gloves in Steinbach Wolle Strapaz. I'd been wanting to knit this pattern for forever. Both the pattern & yarn were delightful. If I make them again, I may change the thumb placement though. It just kind of comes out of nowhere & I think I prefer a gusset-y type thumb.

Luckily, I had a chance to test that thought because the cold was catching & another pair of gloves was needed. I was feeling all inspired by Stitches East so I designed a pair of gloves for yet another friend. I went stash diving & found Grignasco Nature in a goes-with-anything camel color. Then I just decided what I liked in a pair of gloves/handwarmers and made that. I must admit that they almost designed themselves. I'm delighted with them. I call them I'm a Little Bit Cold, I'm a Little Bit Rock & Roll.