Feeling Kilty

I'm starting to think about all things Festive, which always puts me in mind of Highland Dress.  Hogmanay is coming, after all, and I wouldn't want you to be caught unprepared.

So in honor of the spirit of my ancestors, I give you

"Kilt By Association"  CLICK HERE for the pattern.

These are big fun to knit, and the pattern includes lots of information on how to customize their fit.
 

Kilts and Kilt Hose are the exclusive domain of Gentlemen, in Scotland.  Ladies officially wear Kilt Skirts, which contain about half as much fabric, and fasten on the opposite side.  Their legs are covered by tights or stockings, rather than hose.  In Scotland.  But since I'm actually American, I break the rules.  My ancestors are dead, and even if they weren't, it would be a mighty long trip for them to come here just to slap my wrists for going in drag. 

The fact is, Kilt Hose are Dead Sexy, and cozy warm, to boot.  No wee lassie should be denied the luxury.  So I hereby give you ladies permission to make and wear your very own kilt hose, if you want to, and tradition be damned.  I'll take the rap for it when I meet up with my forefathers, at that great distillery in the sky (or wherever else we all end up).

Oh, and Bailey would like me to assure you; This Pattern is Scottish Terrier Approved.

Reverse Engineering a Frog

You remember this one:  Once Upon a Time, I made a tube of knitting, and cut it into panels, then appliqued them onto a boiled wool jacket.  I've been trying ever since to figure out how to make a knittable sweater pattern for you from it.
 

You might also remember that I completely finished said knitted sweater once, only to decide that it was a toad, and banish it to time out.  For around two years.

God love you, Gentle Readers; knitters have long memories.  I get reminded at least once a week that I promised to make this happen, and that I have not yet done so.  I'm so happy that you won't let me get away with giving up the Battle of the Frog.  I know that once I figure this one out, you'll be really proud of me.  And you have been SO patient.  I went back into the pond, so to speak, to think like a knitter, and try sorting it out a different way.

I decided to work out the best shape for every piece of the sweater, and then choose how to knit each piece most easily.  As for the original, the stranded colorwork part should be worked as a circular tube:

Then we should cut the three panels apart, and shape the neckline curve by cutting it:

Next, we can join the shoulder seams, then pick up and knit the collar around the neckline curve.  The collar is best worked circularly, too:

The collar will have a solid self-facing, (which I didn't draw) for stability, and we can shape the whole thing a little bit by changing needle sizes a few times to get a more funnel-, less cylindrical-shape .  After cutting the collar steek, we'd fold the facing inside and stitch it down. 

Other than the turn-back cuffs (which I'll get to), the rest of the piece is all solid black, which is one of the things I love about it - the stranded parts sort of stand alone, framed by their solid background.  Another thing I love about the original is its sexy, feminine shaping, both at the waist and gathered sleeve heads.  The best way to get those pieces right is to work them flat, like this:

But of course, the cuffs are stranded, so they should be worked together in a tube, then cut apart:

Then sleeves with gathered tops can be worked flat, up from those:

The whole thing would then be sewn together, with appliqued ribbons and whatever other gee-gaws I can't resist slapping on (Nothing in Moderation; except Moderation).

The only question left is:  Am I the only one crazy enough to make a sweater this way?  I imagine those of you who have been through my "Sexy, Shapely Steeks" class will see how it could work.  That's the class where we deconstruct different knitted shapes to see where steeks could be added to make easier, more fun, and sexier knitting.  But I'm worried the rest of the world might come after me with torches and pitchforks, once they read the pattern. 

What do the knitters think?  Is this mixture of construction techniques intimidating, or something you'd happily attempt? I could just simplify the whole thing by making a drop-shoulder, stranded-all-the-way-around cardigan. But that would be a completely different sweater than the original.  I'd never want to underestimate the power of knitters to make what they want to make.  But I don't want to cause anybody's hair to fall out, either.

Weigh in, won't you, O Friends With Opinions?

The 21st Century Called; I Finally Picked Up

Luddite that I am, I've finally succumbed to the pressure and made my first knitting video.  Many thanks, Gentle Readers, to those who have suggested that I do this.  I'm sorry it took me three years to come around.  Of course, the longer one postpones these things, the steeper the learning curve becomes.  My day:

7:30 - 9:00 AM:    Employ various household items to act as stands under the tripod holding my iphone (settle on upturned flowerpot); adjust lighting (change bulb in dining room chandelier); wait for dishwasher to finish running (ample ambient noise provided by scottish terriers slurping water loudly off-camera).

9:00 - 9:30 AM:    Video takes 1-5 recorded.  Hate them all.  Start over.

9:30 - 11:30 AM:   Import video.  Learn that Windows platform will in no way recognize iphone clips.  Download programs 1-3 for file conversion.  All fail.  Download program 4 and successfully upload video.  Realize it's 11:30 and I have 25 knitting kits to mail before the post office gets busy.

11:45 AM:            Remember that it's Christmas, and the post office is never not busy.

1:30 PM:              Begin teaching myself how to edit video

1:35 PM:              Retreat to kitchen for a snack.  Realize that learning to edit video is about as far from knitting as my avocation has ever taken me.  Remind myself that when your job is to play with string all day, there have to be some trade-offs in the fun department.

1:45 - 6:45 PM     Finally start to feel like I'm getting the hang of the video thing when Phillip announces that dinner is ready (thanks for throwing yourself on that grenade, Dear).

7:00 PM              Ask Lindsay what she's been doing up in her room.  "Making and trading videos online with my friends."  "Oh, really?  Videos?  Like, with a camera and everything?  When did you learn to do that?" I ask. "Oh, fourth grade, I think."

7:01 PM              Resolve to hire a 13-year-old Producer.

Ironic cruelties of the Universe notwithstanding, I did manage to get the thing online.  For those who are knitting the Wild Hare mittens, and for the merely curious, I present:  Knitting A Bobbled Cast On.  Enjoy!

Oh, and in case you're wondering, the Wild Hare knitters have raised over $700.00 for Judith Mackenzie's studio rebuilding effort.  Thank you all, sincerely.