A new toy / Chiche nuevo...

Thanks to my good friend Ale, who brought it to me directly from the US, I am enjoying my new toy! I have a brand new cammera after my old one crashed on the floor and broke down...
So I attacked my models this morning, anxious to try it!

Gracias a mi amiga Ale, que me lo trajo directamente de USA, estoy disfrutando de chihe nuevo! Tengo camarita nueva después de que mi vieja cámara se estrellara contra el piso y se rompiera...
Así que hoy a la mañana ataqué a mis modelos ansiosa por probarla!





In the meantime, I am slowly but faithfully working on my Opposite Pole, a cabled version of an old pattern of mine. It is a very enjoyable knit... The trick about this one is that is is almost reversible. Since the collar needs to be folded over, I thought that regular cables would just look weird. So I used some "magic cables" that look equally well on both sides, and make this really warm and special... The garter stitch finishes the trick for a completely reversible piece.

Mientras tanto, trabajo despacito pero muy fielmente en mi Opposite Pole, una versión con trenzas de un viejo patrón mío. Es un tejido bien entretenido. El truquito con este es que es casi reversible. Como el cuello se usa doblado, pensé que las trenzas convencionales se iban a ver raras. Así que usé "trenzas mágicas", que se bien igual de bien en los dos lados, y lo hacen realmente calentito y especial... El punto Santa Clara termina el truco para hacer a esta pieza completamente reversible...

Get redy for fall... / Preparate para el otoño...

Two perfect cardigans for the upcoming fall (in the northern hemisphere)...

Dos cardigans perfectos para este Otoño...









Buy them together in Ravelry and get a 10% off both patterns! Enter coupon code: Fall2011 during checkout!


BUY THEM TOGETHER HERE

Compralos juntos y obtené un 10% de descuento en ambos patrones! Ingresá el código: Fall2011 en el checkout!

COMPRALOS JUNTOS ACÁ

Phew!
Are we already in July? Where did the rest of my year go????
I have not been able to knit that much this year. Mostly because I found that I really love to design… And writing up the patterns is taking most of my free time…
But I get such a great response everywhere that I decided it is now my new favorite thing to do… And after all, I do knit all my samples, so a little knitting gets done now and then…
I am currently working on a new project/design and I am traying a very famous yarn for the first time. I am working with Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light. Oh my God! This yarn is absolutely fabulous!
I have no idea how they do it, but the yarn sees to be dyed in a lighter shade in the inside, and a darker shade in the outside… Something like what is done with the indigo dyes and cotton… But in wool!
I’ve no idea how they make that, but it is aboslutely gorgeous. I have seen some other shades of this yarn and they are unbelievable.
So even though this was quite an investment for me (I don’t think I have ever spent this much money in yarn for a single project), I decided to buy some and waited patiently for 25 days until it arrived at my doorstep.
It took me a few days to decide what to make with it, but now I am finally on my way and it is flowing smoothly.
I am going to make a simple cardigan with draped lacy fronts and big collar. Something very feminine, and I really hope this turns out as I plan. I have a feeling this is going to be my new favorite cardigan…



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Faaaa!!!!!
Ya estamos en Julio? A dónde se fue el resto de mi año????
Este año no he podido tejer demasiado. Más que nada porque descubrí que me encanta diseñar… Y escribir mis patrones se está llevando la mayor parte de mi tiempo libre…
Pero recibo tan linda respuesta en todos lados que decidí que es mi nuevo hobby favorito…Y al final de cuentas, yo tejo todas mis muestras, así que algo de tejido hay por acá para ver también….
Ahora estoy trabajando en un nuevo proyecto/diseño y estoy probando un nuevo hilado por primera vez. Estoy trabajando con Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light. Por Dios! Este hilado es fabuloso!!!!
No tengo idea de cómo lo logran, pero este hilado parece tener un halo alrededor de un tono más oscuro. Y en el interior pareciera ser como de un tono más claro. Es increíble. Algo como lo que se logra con los tintes de índigo y el algodón…. Pero en lana!
Ni idea de cómo lo hacen, pero es absolutamente hermosa. Vi otros colores de este mismo hilado y son increíbles.
Así que aunque esta fue una inversión muy grande para mí (no creo haber gastado jamás tanto dinero en un solo proyecto), decidí comprarme un pco y esperé pacientemente por 25 días, hasta que la lana apareció en la puerta de casa.
Me llevó algunos días decidir qué iba a hacer con ella, pero ya estoy encaminada y está saliendo muy bien…
Voy a hacer un cardigan simple, con las delanteras caladas y drapeadas y un cuello grande. Algo bien femenino, y espero que salga como tengo planeado. Algo me dice que este va a ser mi nuevo cardigan favorito…

New pattern! / Nuevo patrón! - ECUADOR

After a long time without finishing any project, I finally published a new pattern, Ecuador.

I hope you like it!!!





Ecuador is a very light and drapey cardigan, worked with fingering yarn (Malabrigo Sock) at a fairly loose gauge. It features an A-line shape, with draped fronts and a very simple lace pattern in the body. This pattern is absolutely seamless and it includes directions for a short-sleeved and a long-sleeved version.
It is based on another pattern of mine: Pole. So if you are familiar with that pattern, you will find the instructions very similar to it. Changes include:

* Different gauge
* Different collar
* Lace pattern in the body
* Set-in sleeves with short row shaping

Sizes
To fit chest:
30/32 (34/36, 38/40, 42/44, 46/48, 50/52, 54/56, 58/60) inches; 75/80 (85/90, 95/100, 105/110, 115/120, 125/130, 135/140, 145/150) cm.

Materials

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Sock (440 yd /100g), or any other fingering weight yarn that knits to the gauge.
Short sleeved version: 3 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7) skeins
Long sleeved version: 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) skeins

Needles: 3.5mm (US 4) straight or circular needles for the back piece and body. 3.5mm (US 4) and 3.0mm (US 2 ½) double pointed needles or a long circular needle (for magic loop) for the sleeves.

Gauge (in Stockinette Stitch)
22 stitches and 40 rows to 4 inches (10 cm) on US 4 (3.5mm) needles, after blocking. It is very important that you get a loose fabric!





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Ecuador es un cardigan muy liviano, realizado con hilado fino, como para medias (Malabrigo Sock), en una tensión bien flojita. Tiene forma evasée, con frentes que caen sobre el busto delicadamente. En el cuerpo, lleva un diseño calado muy simple y sencillito. Este patrón no tiene ni una sola costura e incluye las instrucciones para hacerlo con mangas cortas o largas.



Está basado en otro de mis patrones: Pole. Así que si ya lo conocen, van a encontrar que son muy similares. Las diferencias entre ambos incluyen:

* Lana más finita
* Cuello diferente (cae como un chal)
* Diseño calado en el cuerpo
* Mangas con copa de manga trabajada con hileras acortadas



Talles
PAra medida de busto:
30/32 (34/36, 38/40, 42/44, 46/48, 50/52, 54/56, 58/60) pulgadas; 75/80 (85/90, 95/100, 105/110, 115/120, 125/130, 135/140, 145/150) cm.

Materiales

Hilado: Malabrigo Yarn Sock (440 yd /100g), o cualquier otro hilado de grosor similar.
Versión mangas cortas: 3 (3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7) madejas
Versión mangas largas: 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) madejas

Agujas: 3.5mm (US 4) rectas o circulare para la espalda y el cuerpo. 3.5mm (US 4) y 3.0mm (US 2 ½) de doble punta o circulares largas para las mangas.

Tensión
22 puntos y 40 hileras para 10 cm en agujas 3.5mm, después de dar forma y estirar.

Pole Pattern!

I know, I know!
So long without posting! But it has been a wonderful, wonderful year for me! Full of work and new projects.
I am taking some time to post today because I wanted to share my new pattern, Pole!

It is the first time I publish a pattern for sale on Ravelry and it is already a huge success!!!!
Price is USD 6.00
and it is available through PayPal!








USD 6.00

This sweater is designed so that it will fit and suit your body even if the measurements are not “exact”. The only thing you need to pay attention to is to your shoulder span and the sleeve circumference. The rest of the sweater is just a circle and will adapt to your body shape, no matter if you have big or small hips, broad shoulders, or even if you are pregnant and showing a big belly!

Sizes
To fit chest:
30/32 (34/36-38/40-42/44-46/48-50/52-54/56-58/60) inches
75/80 (85/90-95/100-105/110-115/120-125/130-135/140-145/150) cm
Shown in size 34/36 with no ease.

Yarn
Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted (210 yds /100g) -5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7) skeins

Gauge (in Stockinette Stitch)
14.5 stitches and 24 rows to 4 inches on 5.5mm needles
12 stitches and 20 rows to 4 inches on 6mm needles after blocking
16 stitches and 26 rows to 4 inches on 5mm needles in the round

Note on Yarn Choice:
You REALLY need to use a yarn that can be blocked to make this cardigan. The circular piece of the body is built using short rows to form wedges that won’t look good unless you really block them out. So I strongly recommend you use a yarn that hasn’t got any acrylic in its content!

USD 6.00

Where am I? / En dónde estoy?

Wow. Over 2 months without posting! That IS REALLY a lot. I honestly opened blogger a couple of times in a shameful attempt to post something, but I just couldn't find the time or the courage to write everything that has happened in this time. And then I got some comments asking if I was OK, because I wasn't posting in the blog and I didn't want anybody to be worried. Thank you! Everything is OK! I just got too lazy to post!

So here I am. I will try to write down some things... Others will come to my mind surely as soon as I finish this post, but won't probably write about them until next week... I will follow my Ravelry notes to keep sort of an order...

First comes my work as a designer. Do you remember that in May we received the people from Pagewood Farm at the shop where I work at? I wrote about it in this post.
Well, it turns out that Robin, the owner, asked me to design some patterns for them to sell as pattern support for the yarns they are buying from us. Designing patterns is something that I haven't done much, but I just love it! So I went ahead and designed a bunch of simple patterns using different materials. I won't bother you with the details, you can check them out in Ravelry, and they will be available to purchase from Pagewood Farm next month!
Here some pictures!

Cocoon Vest


Envelope Bag



Lace Wrap Cardigan



Rasta Scarf



Tartan Style Rug


Do you like them??? I hope you do! Did I tire you yet?

Also, my sister Leti came to visit from Holland! She was here 10 days and took back to Holland another suitcase full of knitted sweaters my mom and I made for her...
I gave her a Tunic I had knit a couple of months ago and I also knit this capelet for her.



Specs:
Pattern: Poncho Two Birds, by Gabriela Ordenes, who asked me to test-knit this for her.
Yarn: Milama Paloma, 3 skeins
Needles: Circular, 8mm needles.

What else? I finished a jumper for my eldest son, Nano, which I love, love love! It is a heavily modified version of a hoodie published in a Phildar Pitchoun magazine.
Here some pictures of my boy, who is about to become a professional model!





Specs
Pattern: Pull a Capuche 022-T9-109, published in Phildar Pitchoun No. 022
Yarn: Shetland Cardada (Carded Shetland Wool) from Moussa.
Needles: 3 and 3.5mm
Mods: Too many to remember! This sweater took me a lot of time to complete! The biggest one was to make it a round neck sweater instead of a hoodie.

Come on! Didn't I bore you yet!?

OK, then I will show you this other little thingie I finished last week.





Specs:
Pattern: Watershed, by Amy Swenson
Yarn: Amore, a cotton/acrylic blend my mom bought for me at Moussa.
Needles: 4.5mm. How much? Only 150g!!! Can you believe it?

This pattern is adorable. It is so lovely and well written! The designer is one of my favorites lately and I am completely in love with the finished piece. Let the spring come!

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A mis lectoras en Español:
Intentaré postear la traducción al español esta semana!!!!!! Promesa!!!!!!!
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The nicest shawl ever / El chal más lindo que hice jamás!

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SI NO LEÉS INGLÉS, VAS A ENCONTRAR LA VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL MÁS ABAJO
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It's done! And it's OH so beautiful! Nothing else to say. I love, love, love it.



Specs:
Pattern: Seaphim Shawl, by Miriam Felton - 2005
Yarn: Milana Angora Lace - 180g (2 skeins). I loved the Eggplant colorway of Malabrigo Sock so much, that I tried to dye this yarn in a similar shade, and I love the result!
Needles: 4mm (straight!)
Mods: None. Beautiful pattern!



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Está listo! Y es taaaaan hermoso! No tengo nada más para decir. Estoy E-NA-MO-RA-DA de mi nuevo shawl!



Specs:
Patrón: Seraphim Shawl, de Miriam Felton (2005)
Hilado: Angora Lace, de Milana, 180g (2 madejas). Tengo una madeja de Malabrigo Sock en color berenjena que me encanta! Y traté de copiar ese color en el teñido. El resultado me gustó mucho!
Agujas: 4mm (rectas!)
Modificaciones: Ninguna. El patrón es hermoso!

An adictive project / Un proyecto adictivo

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SI NO LEÉS INGLÉS, VAS A ENCONTRAR LA VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL MÁS ABAJO
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As you may have read in my previous post, last wednesday I received 3 skeins of wonderful Araucania Aysen as a gift from a swap I took part in.
I fell in love with the color immediately. Every time I need to pick a color when buying yarn I look towards the grays... But sometimes it happens that I see colors on others and I love them, and I find it hard to pick colors for myself!
And so this lovely lady in Chile picked themost amazing colors for me and made me happy.
The very same afternoon that I received this yarn I spent a whole hour browsing my patterns trying to decide which one could suit the yarn better and give it the greater use... I didn't wnat to have yarn left over, but most of the patterns called for more yarn...
So at last I decided to knit a short-sleeved version of a design I had been longing to knit for some time...



Specs:
Pattern: Elsewhere, by Amy Swenson
Yarn: Araucanía Aysén, 3 skeins, 2 grams left!
Needles: 6mm
Mods: Some little mods, like casting on fewer stitches in the armhole and therefore, a few less stitches corresponding to the sleeve. Shorter sleeves, just 8 rows of garter stitch.

I love it! And it only took one week!
Check out also Amy's new design. Isn't it just gorgeous???

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SPANISH
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Como pueden haber leído en mi post anterior, el miércoles pasado recibí 3 madejas de la maravillosa Araucanía Aysén como regalo de mi amiga en un intercambio en el que participé.
Me enamoré del color inmediatamente. Siempre que tengo que elegir un color al comprar hilados para mí, miro hacia los grises... Pero a veces sucede que veo un color en otra persona, o prendas super coloridas y me encantan, pero me resulta tan difícil elegir colores para mí!
Así que esta chica amorosa de Chile eligió este color de lo más maravilloso y me hizo feliz.
La misma tarde que recibí el paquete me pasé una hora entera revisando mis patrones tratando de decidir cuál podría ir mejor con este hilado y aprovecharlo al máximo... No quería que me sobrara hilado, pero la mayoría de los patrones pedían más lana de lo que yo tenía...
Así que al final decidí hacer una versión con mangas cortas de un diseño que estaba deseando hacer hace rato...



Specs:
Patrón: Elsewhere, de Amy Swenson
Hilado: Araucanía Aysén, 3 madejas, me sobraron sólo 2 gr!
Agujas: 6mm
Modificaciones: Sólo algunas chiquititas, como montar menos puntos en la sisa y por lo tanto menos puntos correspondientes a la manga. Mangas cortas, simplemente tejiendo 8 hileras de Santa Clara.

M encanta! Y sólo me llevó una semana!
Y ya que están, fíjense en el nuevo diseño de Amy. No es hermoso?

Already 2... / Ya tiene 2...

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SI NO LEÉS INGLÉS VAS A ENCONTRAR EL TEXTO EN CASTELLANO MÁS ABAJO
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My baby boy, Sebi, turned 2 years old on Friday. I can't believe it, it two different ways... Sometimes I can't believe it's been already two years since he was born. And sometimes I think he is bigger than he is... He is so independent and fearless!

He is a really sweet boy and he melts my heart every time he calls me "Mamá". I'm very proud and happy with my job at Milana, but I tell you, being a mom is sure the thing I did and will ever do best.



So this saturday we threw him a little party where he got to model a Little Textured Vest my mom made for him. It fitted a little bit tight, but it looked great on him anyways. :D



It is the design that I published a little time ago, remember?
A Little Textured Vest

Also, on saturday afternoon I finished some vests for the boys that I made using chunky yarn I brought home from work. So home vests for everybody!





Specs:
Yarn: Etno, by Pinori Filati, purchased at Milana in skeins. Colorway beige + green
Needles: 7,5mm, which made for a very light and loose fabric.
Pattern: No pattern, just plains stockinette stitch vests

And this is the one I made for myself, using a different colorway.




These vests are now in great use. They are easy to wear, very warm, and the best of all is that they were made in little time, which makes them great stashbusting projects!

Now on the needles we have some great stuff. On wednesday I received an exchange gift from an incredibly generous girl frm Chile, who sent me 3 skeins of Araucania Aysen, and I'm using them to make a sleeveless version of this pattern:
ELSEWHERE
This yarn is so yummy that I had to cast on the very first night after the yarn arrived, so I have a big part of the sweater already done and it will be tight... I'm not really sure I have enough yarn for this, but I loved the design and I had to give it a try.



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Mi bebé Sebi cumplió 2 años este viernes. No lo puedo creer, de dos maneras diferentes... Por un lado, no puedo creer que ya pasaron dos años desde que nació. Y por otro lado, a veces creo que es más grande de lo que es... Es tan independiente y temerario! ;D

Es un bebé re dulce y me derrite el corazón cada vez que me llama "Ma-má". Estoy re contenta y orgullosa de mi trabajo en Milana, pero la verdad es que ser mamá es lo que hice y habré hecho mejor siempre.



Así que este sábado le festejamos con una pequeña fiestita y pudo modelar un "A Little Textured vest" que le hizo su abuelita. Le quedaba medio apretadito, pero igual estaba hermoso!



Es el diseño que publiqué hace poquito, se acuerdan?
A Little Textured Vest

También, el sábado terminé unos chalequitos para los chicos que hice usando hilado bien grueso que traje del trabajo. Así que chalecos de entrecasa para todos!!!!





Specs:
Hilado: Etno, de Pinori Filati, comprado en Milana en Madejas. Color beige + verde.
Agujas: 7,5mm que hacen un tejido ligero y flojito
Patrón: Simplemente unos chalecos en jersey, sin patrón.

Y esta es la versión que hice para mí, usando otro color:




Estos chalecos ya están siendo muy usados. Son fáciles de usar, muuuuuy calentitos, y lo mejor de todo es que los hice en muy poquitísimo tiempo, lo que los hace un proyecto ideal para deshacerse de un poco de stash!

Ahora en las agujas tengo algunas cosas maravillosas. El miércoles recibí un paquete de intercambio de una chica generosísima de Chile, que me envió 3 madejas de
Araucania Aysen, y las estoy usando para tejerme una versión sin mangas de este patrón:
ELSEWHERE
Esta lana es tan rica que tuce que empezar la mismísima noche luego de recibir el paquete, así que ya tengo una parte grande del sweater terminada. Y les digo que va a estar muy justito...
No estoy segura de tener suficiente hilado para este proyecto, pero me encantó el diseño y tenía que al menos intentarlo!