The Teacher's Wife Rocks

This, my friends, is big fun.  There's a reason everyone and their dog is knitting this pattern right now:  It's wicked cool!

Here's me in it:
 

And the rear view:

I promised it would be trapeze-y, and it is.  I promised there would be ribbons, and there are.  Aside from a slight delay in finishing brought about by a diamond ring and three dismantled sinks, which I hope I never have to tell you about, I finished it pretty quickly.  
 

Gotta love ribbons.  Foofy is as foofy does, I always say.  Okay, I don't always say that, but I might start saying it.  I love the swing and drape of the lower body, the texture of the top and sleeves, the squareness of the neckline.  Hey Teach looks so great on everyone (go check out Ravelry to see lots of different bodies sporting lots of different versions) because it highlights the good bits and downplays the dubious ones.  I would wear this to work, out to dinner, to teach a class, pretty much anywhere except to muck out the stalls.  Think of the possibilities with different ribbon/button combinations and the mind will surely boggle. 

Check back here soon for my pattern modifications.
 

The Teacher's Wife

How cool is this!  My first post-book recreational knitting project is a variation on Hey Teach!, from last summer's Knitty.com.  Since I am getting around to making this when it is no longer Summer, I decided to make mine with more sleevage.  

I am using Lion (told ya I'm not a yarn snob!) Cotton Ease for the first time, and it's really a nice surprise.  Pretty darn springy as bast blends go (50% Cotton/50% Acrylic), and I really dig the "muddy" color palette.  This is called "Lime", although I think it has enough yellow in it to be called "Pear".

 I did a provisional cast-on for the bodice pieces, then seamed them and picked up to work down for the waist and lower body.  I love Helene's idea of running ribbon through the lace, so I made some extra eyelets in the waist area, and twisted the ribbing into little cables.  The sleeves are just like the original pattern, only long and with a cuff ruffle.  Would that be a Cuffle? 
 

 The lower body is going to be a little more trapeezy than the original, and is being worked upside down because I don't yet know how flared/long it should be, nor how much yarn I need/will use.
I can't wait to see what kind of ribbon and buttons go with this! 

I am planning post my addenda to Hey Teach! here, if I can get permission from the author to do so.  Since I am not a "Teach" myself, but married to one, I'm calling my version The Teacher's Wife.  

Next Time:  Buttons and Ribbons!
 

Burn Baby Burn

Well, my friends, the time has come:  Tonight I'm putting 5 months worth of knitting patterns, schematics, charts and introductions onto this 21st-century version of the manuscript box.  The samples (oh man - what a pile of knitting - all 24 pieces!) are going into a wheely suitcase (the big one I took to Europe) for their journey to Interweave Press.  We (the knitting and I) are going to Colorado tomorrow to make the drop.  I can't wait to meet my editor and see where all the magic happens.

In the meantime, other than packing up my yarn children, and washing something to wear (I hope I don't accidentally get any extra laundry done - might break my perfect record) I am going to take it easy tonight.  And speaking of unparalleled delights, guess what I'm doing!

That's right people!  It's recreational knitting!! 

Now, I don't want to give the impression that working on my own projects is unenjoyable.  It's just the phenomenon that as soon as you have been paid to do something, it's no longer your own thing; it's work.  I don't care if your job was lounging poolside with a box of Godivas, as soon as you got that first paycheck, you'd be like "Awww, man - those flip-flops are so dead to me now..."

This is my first non-book-related project in 5 months.  Phillip caught me casting on and said "So, let me understand this:  you are celebrating the completion of your knitting by...knitting?"

Duh!  Of course!  And this is cotton.  It's not even remotely the same.  Actually, it's going to be my version of Helene Rush's "Hey Teach" , which I have been coveting ever since last spring.  In a nod to the fact that it's no longer spring, I am putting long sleeves on it, which you see above.  I am using Cotton Ease, which is so inexpensive when it's on sale (most of the time) that it barely even counts as yarn, at least in terms of the budget.  I love the way the lace looks like artichoke leaves. 

{Insert Sigh of Contentment Here}