Happy Pi Day To You

Today is Pi Day (3/14 in places that put the month first). You could celebrate by having a piece of pie at 3:14 this afternoon (which I may very well do). Or you could bake conundrum cookies. (They're cookies! But they're also pi!) Or just maybe you could create something science-y with yarn. To facilitate, I'm having a PI Day sale from now until midnight Friday, March 19. There's a 31 percent discount on all my science-inspired patterns shown below. They're all knit except for Cuddly Chem Lab, which is crochet.

These are the patterns that are included, with no minimum or maximum to buy. Enter the code PIDAY314 at checkout.

You can purchase the patterns directly through this site by clicking the links below. Remember, you get 31% off when you enter the code PIDAY314 at checkout.

	Cuddly Chem Lab- $6.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	"Diagonally Parked In A Parallel Universe" Socks - $5.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	Gorignak Hat - $5.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	Lepton Flange Fingerless Gloves - $5.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	Miss Sakamoto Sash / Headwrap / Belt - $4.99 Coordinates with "She Blinded Me With Science" Bag buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry | KnitPicks
	Selenite Shawl - $5.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	"She Blinded Me With Science" Bag- $6.99 Coordinates with Miss Sakamoto Sash / Headwrap / Belt buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry | KnitPicks
	Temporal Wingnut Hat - $6.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	Tesla's Lightning - $5.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	Time Tunnel Scarf / Cowl - $6.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry
	The Technobabble Collection - $12.95 buy now | add to cart | show cart View details at Ravelry

And as always, the Dongle USB sock keychain is my free gift to you. Click here to download PDF.

Happy knitting / crochet!

~ Caroline

PSA: Stay warm

Are you affected by the giant cold front / blizzard that hit the US east coast this week? I am. We didn't get nearly as much snow out of this thing as I would have expected, but man, is it cold! Here's the view from my kitchen the morning of the storm:

So what is this thing? Livescience.com describes "bombogenesis" as "when [a storm's] central low pressure drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours." The FEMA website also has a great explanation of what a "bomb cyclone" is.  If that's TLDR, it's basically a severe storm that intensifies very, very rapidly.

So, how do we stay warm? If you follow @FEMA on Twitter, they have some very practical suggestions, even infographics. From a knitter's point of view, here's the best advice I can offer you:

• Stay inside if possible. If you can't, be sure to dress warmly.
• Cover your head. Though it's not technically true that we lose more heat through our head than the rest of our body, we do lose heat where we are not covered. If we have a coat, scarf, gloves, etc. but not a hat, that means the heat is escaping through our head. So wear a hat or 2. I like to layer an earband under a warm hat, or a thin hat under a thicker one.
• Layer. Several thin layers are more effective than one thick layer, since warm air gets trapped between them. Don't feel silly if you want to layer multiple hats, pairs of socks, or gloves. Do what it takes.
• Keep your core warm with a tank top or vest.
• Cover pulse points where the veins are extra close to the skin at the wrists and throat. Wristwarmers and cowls are especially good for this.
• Natural fibers, particularly wool, will keep you warmer than synthetics. Unlike many fibers, wool keeps its thermal properties even when wet. This means wearing wool or wool-blend socks rather than cotton.

Stay warm, everyone. Knit something for yourself or a loved one. :)

A hat really does keep you warmer

You know the old saying that we lose 80% of our body heat through our head? Many sources now say it's a myth. We lose the same amount of heat through every part of our body, and since we're warm-blooded creatures, as long as we're alive, our bodies maintain their temperature.

I think the real issue is semantic, though - all in the words. When our mothers told us to cover our heads, they didn't really think we'd turn into a kid-sicle if we didn't. They meant we'd be warmer if we kept our body heat in. When the weather is cold, we bundle up in coats and gloves and boots, which keep body heat from escaping through the majority of our skin. If we don't cover our head, heat will still escape through our scalp. BUt iif we do wear a hat, it keeps that heat in and we stay warmer.

Have you ever looked at a road in the summer and seen wavy air above it where the rising heat is causing distortion? I was standing at a door once on a very cold day with the light shining from behind me. The door was white and my shadow was very clear. I wasn't wearing a hat. Above the shadow of my head, I could see that very same ripple effect where the heat was rising out of my head. From that day on, I've been a believer - when it's cold, I wear a hat.

Also, when it's cold, I knit hats. They're quick and cozy, they don't use much yarn, and they make good gifts. They're fun to design, too. Sometimes a cooperative snowstorm will even pop up to provide the perfect backdrop for photos! Depending on your preferences, there are lots of patterns available to knit or crochet your own. But since it's not possible to have too many choices, I've added a few to the list:

Tesla's Lightning - $5.95- includes 4 sizes (Baby, Child, Woman, Man)
buy now | add to cart | show cart
View details at Ravelry | Patternfish



Candace's Cables - $6.95 - includes instructions for a matching cowl
buy now | add to cart | show cart
View details at Ravelry | Patternfish 



Red Dog Blues - $6.99- includes instructions for a matching scarf
buy now | add to cart | show cart
View details at Ravelry | Patternfish




Duchesse - $6.99 - includes instructions for a matching scarflet
buy now | add to cart | show cart
View details at Ravelry | Patternfish
 Everyone stay warm and safe in the snow, and happy knitting!

A taste of the tropics

Well my dears, I'll be in flight between today and tomorrow. I've been in the tropics for a few weeks and will be going home to cold weather. It's true that heat leaves the body through the head, so a hat is an essential; fingerless gloves don't hurt, either. So here's a new set: Campanulata. It's made from sockweight yarn, so the whole set fits into a quart-size baggie for easy transport in a purse or carry-on

It's named for Spathodia campanulata, also known as African Tulip Tree, Fireball, and Flame of the Forest. There was one blooming next door; you can see a photo of it in the background. The tree can be found in warm climates from India to South America. It was such a treat to see the hummingbirds, mockingbirds and parakeets that came to feed at the flowers each morning! The orange splashes in the yarn are the exact color of the flowers.

The yarn, if you were wondering, is Regia Galaxy Color in colorway 1559 “Jupiter Red.” I've had it for awhile, and it's been the start of several projects. I always frogged them, though; they just never worked out. Apparently this set is what the yarn wanted to be, and I'm thoroughly pleased with it. :) The hat is knit partly flat and partly in the round; the gloves are knit entirely in the round. All stitch patterns are provided in both charted and written form.

Campanulata Cloche and Fingerless Gloves, $6.95 at Ravelry & Patternfish

An obsession with cloches

Remember this Target commercial? "I could wear hats - if I partook in hat-like things..."

In the end, she determined that she 'totally wears hats.' I agree; I totally wear hats too. Over the last two weeks, I went through a bit of an obsession with hats, cloches in particular. Cloche (French for “bell”) hats were invented by French milliner Caroline Reboux in 1908 and were especially popular during the 1920’s and early 1930’s. Hatshapers.com has an interesting slideshow demonstrating how a felt cloche is made, starting from scratch with a wool batt and a hat form. It's very hands-on, and also a bit messy - kind of like an adult version of fingerpainting with an extremely cool hat as the end product.

Since it's January and I had a nasty cold, I didn't think working with that much water would be good for me. I did have knitting needles and lots of yarn, though, so I decided to knit one. First up: Escargot, from Knitty. It was such fun to knit, and it's so cute! Apparently cloches are like potato chips; I couldn't knit just one. Enter three new patterns: Nefret, La Bonita, and Cloche Encounter. They're all variations on the cloche theme, but each has details that makes it unique. All three are shown at left, with two versions each of Nefret and Cloche Encounter. You can see how different color combinations give each hat personality.

The Nefret Cloche was named for the daughter in the Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. Nefret, accented on the second syllable, is an Egyptian name meaning "beautiful." You may recognize some similarity to the name of Queen Nefertiti, meaning "the beautiful one comes." The Nefret Cloche is a versatile beauty which can be knit in a solid color or using contrasting yarn for the picot edges. Several embellishment options are included in the pattern: a blooming rose, an I-cord rosette, I-cord bow, and double bow.

Nefret Cloche, $5.95 from Ravelry and Patternfish

The La Bonita Cloche has a welted hem and ridges. The sunburst / flower accent is knit separately and is reversible. It can be sewn or pinned on. As shown, it's attached with a coilless safety pin which passes through both the shank of the button and the fabric of the hat.

La Bonita Cloche, $5.95 from Ravelry and Patternfish

Cloche Encounter is, believe it or not, the simplest knit of the three. The hem is formed of welts, then the rest of the hat is plain stockinette stitch. The hat is finally embroidered. It looks complex, but don't be afraid - it's not hard, and a full-size diagram is included in the pattern. Watch this space for a how-to post in the near future.


Cloche Encounter, $5.95 from Ravelry and Patternfish


Happy knitting!

A vest to go with the socks

After that little venture into sock patterns last month, I decided that it was time for a change and that a vest would be a good project. Presenting Daughter of the Sea, knit in Cascade 220 Heathers, color 2422 (lavender) with trim in Cascade 220 Wool, color 8010 (cream). The lavender yarn is the same color that was used in the Larkspur Lane socks; they'd make a good set, don't you think?

The pattern name is the translation of the Latin name Cordelia, much favored by Anne of Green Gables. I originally intended to call the vest Cordelia, but there were already a number of patterns with that name, and confusion isn't such a good thing. Enter the translation "Daughter of the Sea," which seemed appropriate because of the mother of pearl buttons used to fasten the vest. Matching buttons are used on a small decorative belt used to accent the back.

Main yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers, 100% Peruvian highland wool, 220 yd / 200 m, color 2422 (lavender) - 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) 5 skeins or about 560 (650, 800, 880, 1000) 1200 yd / 515 (600, 735, 805, 915) 1100 m of any worsted weight yarn.

Contrast yarn: Cascade 220, 100% Peruvian highland wool,
220 yd / 200 m, color 8010 (cream) - 1 (1, 1, 1, 1) 1 skein or about 105 (110, 115, 115, 120) 130 yd / 96 (100, 105, 105, 110) 120 m of any worsted weight yarn.

Notions: Stitch holder, yarn needle for weaving in ends, 7 buttons (shown: Favorite Findings “Shellz,” 5/8”, #1801), sewing needle & thread for attaching buttons.

Construction: Worked flat from the bottom up, then seamed. Stitches are picked up for armhole ribbing, which is worked in the round. Attached I-cord is worked around the hem and front openings.

Skills: Knitted cast-on, knit, purl, increasing, decreasing, stranded colorwork, following a chart, picking up stitches, I-cord.

Notes: The vest is designed to be worn with zero or negative ease. Choose the size nearest your actual bust measurement. Read through the pattern before beginning; neck shaping and armhole shaping are worked at the same time. For a less fitted silhouette, waist shaping may be omitted. Photos show size Medium.

Daughter of the Sea: $6.95 from Ravelry or Patternfish

Harmonic Curves

As you may have guessed by now, I like (and play) the harp. As of today, I've designed, knit and released into the wild two new coordinating patterns: the Harmonic Curves Tam and Harmonic Curves Wristwarmers.

“Harmonic curve” is a mathematical term describing a parabola, or a U-shaped curve formed by the intersection of a plane and a cone. Musically, it is the term for the shape of a harp’s neck (the piece across the top). A curve is necessary so the harp’s strings can change in length rapidly as the notes get higher. The exact shape of this piece varies depending on the luthier (harpmaker). On both pedal and lever harps, the harmonic curve will resemble the design depicted in the new patterns.

One of my favorite things about the design is the difference made by a change in fiber and color. The tam is very floppy, so choose your size accordingly. The brown and white hat is size medium, the black/multi tam is small. Blocked over a bowl, it would be a regular slouchy hat; blocked over a dinner plate (as these were), it becomes a tam. The wristwarmers have a finger loop that keeps them in place without getting in the way of the fingers.

Harmonic Curves Tam: $6.95 at Ravelry
Harmonic Curves Wristwarmers: $5.95 at Ravelry

You may be wondering about that book I mentioned in my last post, The Bride of Newgate by John Dickson Carr. I wouldn't rank it among the great literature, but I did rather enjoy it. There was lots of swashbuckling, and I did not see the ending coming. Set in Napoleonic England, it is considered to be the one of the first historical mysteries. The author includes an afterword of explanation as to how much of the novel is fiction and how much is fact. While the main characters are all fiction, there are quite a few historical personages who make appearances in the background. He also researched speech patterns of the time to make the dialogue as realistic as possible. There's a good no-spoiler summary of the mystery at classicmystery.wordpress.com, and I mostly agree with the reviewer's opinions of it. Wikipedia also has a page about the book. The book reminded me on a very small scale of The Count of Monte Cristo, a massive and sweeping historical novel which I much enjoyed. As thick as it was, I couldn't put it down.