Flint Knits

Hard to believe summer is over — it was 90 degrees yesterday, and September 1 just came around without my even noticing.

But it’s true! Nights are getting cooler, leaves are getting drier, and those Country Time Lemonade commercials with the squeaky, empty porch swing are airing on network TV. Fall is in the air, and all I wanna do is make big, squishy sweaters.

Luckily, I spent a good part of my spring and summer designing a whole bunch of them, in cahoots with Caroline Fryar. Together, we made 14 colorwork designs for the new Juniper Moon Farm yarn, Herriot (100% alpaca sport weight; comes in 10 awesome undyed, natural colors — for more info about the yarn, see Caroline’s post).

And then, with the help of a whole lot of people, including test knitters, models, a brilliant graphic designer, an angelically patient tech editor, and the always-amazing photographer Caro Sheridan, we put them into a book.*

The book is organized in order, from simple to more challenging colorwork — from basic stripes to Caroline’s insane double-knit coat masterpiece. Caroline’s post does a thorough job of describing all the pieces and crediting all the contributors, and the whole thing is available to be ogled on Ravelry, but I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites.

Let’s start with some of the pullovers:

This is definitely my favorite photo, and my favorite design, in the whole book. Caroline created this badass ombre striped dress, which we named Hattie. Caro photographed it in a beautiful, creepy old graveyard in Virginia, and then we borrowed most of the book’s garment names from the hundred-year-old gravestones there.

Edie, a trompe l’oeil intarsia pullover, with little short-rowed cuffs and a keyhole back.

Bessie, a comfy, slouchy, stripey sweater that Caroline designed, and that I want to wear all winter long.

And Maeby, a stranded, seamless pullover with turned hems, a kangaroo pocket, and a drawstring funnel neck.

Oh, and also there are elbow patches!

Truly, that’s just the beginning! Check out all the rest on Ravelry.

You can find the book, and Herriot, wherever Juniper Moon Farm yarn is sold.

More exciting announcements in the next few days — in the meantime, I’ll be sitting on the porch swing whipping up an Edie.**

* If you want your own knitwear or other craft photography to look half as amazing as Caro’s, check out her Craftsy class on product photography, “Shoot It!“

** Not true. I do not have a porch swing. But I AM sitting on the porch, and the chair I’m using is not entirely stable, so it is somewhat swing-LIKE. So.

In the Season 3 finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, when contestant Raja was asked why she deserved to win the competition, she said:

 

I would love to leave a legacy for all those little boys who are teased, who are afraid, who don’t know how to express themselves creatively yet. And they don’t even know that they’re allowed to go against the grain … It’s okay to say “fuck you.” Do what you love to do, and express yourself thoroughly. I want to be an example of someone who is proud, someone who is accomplished, and someone who loves, loves what they do.

 

I might have some ambivalence about Raja, about Drag Race in general, and about Season 3 in particular, but OH MY GOD I sobbed like a tiny little baby when she made that speech. It’s far too rare that kids–and especially queer kids–get the message that being different might not be a bad thing. For me, that glimmer of hope came in 1993 when I saw RuPaul on television for the first time. I’m not exaggerating when I say that punk rock and RuPaul saved my life.

 

Cut to one cold February weekend, almost twenty years later, and I’m mainlining Season 2 of Drag Race while working on a handmade gift for my badass squirrel friend Heather. As I laughed, cried, and shouted at the screen (PANDOOORAAAA!!!), all of the glamour and all of the fame were lovingly, fiercely stitched into …

 

RuDoll

 

 

RuDoll posed for some glamour shots with noted fashion photographer Caro Sheridan,

giving us a glimpse at the Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent

it takes to be America’s Favorite Drag Superdoll.

 

We blasted Glamazon and Champion out Heather’s iphone, and RuDoll soon had us all boogying and gagging, as she served up Bratz-doll Realness and Barbie Eleganza.

 

 

RuDoll is crocheted with some super-shitty KnitPicks Palette yarn (seriously, that stuff is the worst),

shaped with armature wire and stuffed with polyester fiberfill.

 

I beat her beautiful mug with pearl cotton embroidery floss and a chenille needle.

 

 

RuDoll comes with two outfits and three wigs, all fully interchangeable.

With these tools, you can create such unique RuDoll looks as

 

GOLDA SHOWERS! 

 

and

 

PINK LEMONADE!

 

(Pink Lemonade inspired by this look from the Season 2 Drag Race episode “Country Queens.”)

 

 

And, if you’re lucky, you just might catch a peek at RuDoll untucking in the Interior Illusions Lounge!

 

 

Sassy, no?

 

But don’t be jealous of her boogie.

 

RuDoll has a plenty of love to go around.

 

 

For crafters and other interested parties, materials and construction details

are on my Ravelry project page.

 

 crochet rupaul doll

One of the best things I did this spring was go to a big-ass cabin in the middle of central Michigan with some of my favorite people and dearest friends, who also happen to be knitters. There’s about a dozen of us, we live all over the U.S., and this was the fifth time we’d (almost) all gathered in one place to spend a weekend together.

We loafed around, we drank tequila, we ate cheese, and we swapped hats.

Photo by Minty. Also pictured: Christy, Caro, Nova, Julia, Ashley, Diana, & Sarah.
So many hats!

I used the occasion of the Hat Swap to design a jaunty chapeau for Ms. Frick Knits, otherwise known as JulieFrick.

I give you, in keeping with the FlintKnits tradition of silly pattern names …

*** Frick Frick BERET! ***

(This and all subsequent FrickFrickBeret! photos were taken by the amazing Caro Sheridan.)

I loved knitting this hat so much that I immediately made a second one for a swap with Chawne (she, like Julie, looks smashing in red). The second version is slightly less slouchy – un soupçon de slouch, more of a classic tam shape.

Sarah was kind enough to model it before I blocked it and sent it off to Chawne.

The angular leaf lace ends in star-shaped crown decreases.

A closer look at the two sizes, side by side.

---

About the pattern: The Frick Frick BERET! pattern includes instructions for two sizes; options for either plain or rolled-edge brims; and both charts and written instructions for the lace pattern and crown decreases.

Skills needed: Knitting and purling in the round, increases and decreases, yarn-overs.

Materials:

• 1/2 skein Little Red Bicycle Hipster Sock (430 yards; 80% merino/20% nylon), or about 215 yards of another fingering weight yarn
• US 3 (3.25mm) circular or double-pointed needles (or size needed to get gauge) for your preferred method of knitting in the round
• US 2 (2.75mm) circular or double-pointed needles, for brim (or one size smaller than main needles)
• stitch marker
• tapestry needle

Sizes:

• un soupçon de slouch (a hint of slouch, pictured on Sarah)
• un petit peu plus de slouch (a little bit more slouch, pictured on Julia)

Brim circumference for both sizes measures 17″ unstretched, and up to 24″ stretched.

Gauge: 8 sts and 8 rows per inch in main lace pattern

Cost: $5 US

Let’s hear it — Frick, Frick, BERET!

 

About a year ago, my friend Allison hosted a bitchin holiday party (mulled wine, anyone?), and I noticed that her house shoes (socks + flip-flops) were kind of … well, sad. So I obvs offered to knit her some slippers. I don’t think she recognized the irresistible power of the Craft Challenge when she haltingly asked whether I could, maybe, make the slippers look like elf shoes?

Fuck yes, Allison. I surely can.

12 months later,  I give you: Elf Shoes.

[ravelry link]

Liberate your inner pixie, sprite, jester, imp or grinch! These puckish slippers are knit in the round and fulled to fit. They feature turn-down cuffs, short-row heels, and a curly elfin toe shaped with short rows and i-cord (Yvon of Storm in the Attic invented this super-clever toe construction, which can be applied to any sock or slipper).

The pattern comes in sizes from infant to adult wide. Foot length and cuff height are customizable.

Baby Elf Shoe - photo ©Adrian Bizilia

MATERIALS:

• 1 skein Cascade 220 (100% wool, 220 yards) in Main Color (MC) (Larger adult sizes may require a second skein)
• ½ skein Cascade 220 (100% wool, 220 yards) in Contrasting Color (CC)
• Set of five US size 10.5 (6.5mm) double-pointed needles
• tapestry needle

Would you like to make Elf Shoes for yourself and/or your loved ones?
DOWNLOAD THE FREE PATTERN!

Adult Elf Shoe - photo ©Adrian Bizilia

Big, big, heartfelt thanks to the knitters who tested this pattern and provided valuable feedback; to Adrian for her sweet stump shots and for figuring out the infant math; and most of all to Yvon for her badass toe innovation.

It turns out nothing welcomes Fall like Rhinebeck. I went to my first New York Sheep and Wool Festival last week, and not only did I have a great time with good friends, but I also met some new folks, saw loads of lovely handknits, and got to hang out with Caro’s kitties.

I also got the chance to take advantage of Caro’s superior photo skills — along with the crisp New England weather, striking Fall scenery, and gorgeous afternoon light — to document Pickadilly, a sweater I designed and finished knitting just in time for Rhinebeck. (Literally. I made my carmates stop at WEBS on the way to the fairgrounds so I could buy buttons.)

Pickadilly will be for sale here, and on Ravelry, starting November 1.

In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek:

 
[RAVELRY LINK]

All of which fun has lead up nicely to what is clearly the bestest thing about Fall: Halloween. And while I’ll be playing a music fest in Florida over Halloween weekend, I had a chance to get crafty all the same — on behalf of my niece, who (with no encourgement or intervention from me) has decided to dress up as a lamb this year.

 

Lamb Ears tutorial (Ravelry link)

MATERIALS:

• chunky boucle yarn
• approx 20 yards of pink sport or fingering weight yarn
• small amount of pink flannel fabric
• tapestry needle
• embroidery needle

STEP 1: KNIT AN EARFLAP HAT! (Use the chunky/bulky boucle yarn. Thorpe is a great pattern for adults; Sandi’s Ear Flap Hat is good for kids 2 and up.)

STEP 2: EARS (make 2)

Cast on 16 stitches.
Work 5 rows in stockinette stitch.
Row 6: k1, ssk, k 10, k2tog, k1 (14 sts)
Rows 7-13: stockinette stitch
Row 14: k1, ssk, k8, k2tog, k1 (12 sts)
Rows 15-21: stockinette stitch
Row 22: ssk, ssk, k4, k2tog, k2tog (8 sts)
Bind off all stitches purlwise.

STEP 3: FINISHING:

Cut 2 matching pieces of pink flannel large enough to cover the ears, with about 1/2 inch of white showing around the edges.

Using the embroidering needle and pink yarn, affix the flannel to the wrong (purl) side of the left ear with a blanket stitch or whip stitch.

Using a tapestry needle and an 18-inch length of the main yarn, tack together the two bottom corners of left ear. Sew the ear to the hat as pictured.

Repeat the two previous steps for the right ear.

Happy Halloween!