tentenknits

The Tomten Jacket

Pattern: Tomten Jacket from EZ's Opinionated Knitter
Yarn: Manos 113 & W (5 balls, 1 ball)
Needles: Addi Turbos Size 9

Had it not been a sample for my friend's shop I would never have truly appreciated the great knit Goddess that Elizabeth Zimmermann is.  I mean I did a bit with the Norwegian Mittens but now I'm a true loyal devotee. What a cool freakin' pattern!  I mean it was all knit stitches which at first I thought would make me be bored to tears BUT NO! I was enthralled up to the last bit of I-cord.  Oh sure, The beautiful colorway of Manos 113 also helps.  I knew from the cast on that a gold border would just pull it together and boy,  it really did!  However it was so easy to change your mind to a pink or a blue border because the colors in that yarn just allow so much creativity.

Of course knitting this jacket in a little over 7 days would not have entirely been possible without me being off from work. (although we all know what happened when HP came out - a girl's gotta read too you know!)  I also decided against making the hood because I just loved the the look of the 'popped collar' - it's the Jcrew prepster in me.

The applied I-cord was a first time for me. I couldn't quite picture the concept at first but once I got it going there was no turning back.  I'm surprised I haven't i-corded the couch cushions yet!

I must thank my model for being too cute for words while enjoying her lollipop.  She is my friend Patricia's niece and just such a good sport for wearing the coat in 90 degree weather - even though we did put her in front of the air conditioner.  ETA: Her sister also got in to it by sporting the jacket

Also a huge thanks to J a r e d for posting his gorgeous adult version which sparked the inspiration.
This humble knitter truly wonders where she would be without the knit blogs... they have proven time again to be such a source of energy, inspiration and support!  Thank you a million times over.

I'll be vacationing in LBI next week and therefore won't have much connection to the internet! See you all in about  a week :-)

M

If it wasn't for Potter

this jacket would be done already!

It was a truly rainy Monday here. One that was perfect for curling up on the couch knitting, drinking a nice iced tea not really feeling guilty once getting off the couch.  I  had obtained my copy of the last HP the day before and had told myself that I would read a few chapters, knit, and read a few more chapters. 

Are you all following what happens when I tell myself, when I Give myself a plan?  Oh right - I never can seem to follow it.  I ended up spending most of the whole day reading and page turning - finishing the book last night.  I find the HP books completely entertaining. I mean yeah, they're no great feat in literature writing BUT they tell a great story.

Now I am back to normal, I'm no longer a page turning fiend with Goldfish cracker crumbs on my shirt.  I showered,  brushed my teeth (flossed!), gave my hair a little tossle, took a deep breath and got back into knitting mode.  I have just an I-cord border and some buttons to sew and this puppy can be slapped onto the FO list. 

It's my first almost completed EZ project. (I never did complete the Norwegian Mitts, I will be giving that another go this fall).  To be quiet honest at first I thought she was so wordy and I didn't really give her patterns much thought.   But now having truly sinked my teeth into this project, my taste buds are craving for more.  Oh that beautiful Norwegian Yolk sweater will be mine, and maybe one day so will the Aran Coat and a few of those Hybrid Sweaters... Oh,  EZ's infected me and infected me good and I'm glad that there's no spell or potion out there to cure me!

Imitation is a form of flattery*

So, I've started a new project that was so off the charts and off the lists that this thing has no business being on my needles.   However when one has access to a huge internet full of knitting blogs your mind can go from one direction to the next faster than Lindsey Lohan can get from club to diner to club.

It, my friends and wonderful readers, is the Tomten Jacket from EZ's The Opinionated Knitter.   I am fulling and utterly ensconced in this pattern - I want to finish it like yesterday.  I was sitting at Patricia's yesterday just hanging out when she asked me what she should make with her beautiful Manos 113.  At first we were thinking a little Mac & Me blanket, which was winning until I went to my Bloglines.

Enter one the most influential and prolific knitters who has a fantastic blog, Brooklyntweed. (hi j a r e d!)  He just finished his Adult Tomten jacket - so gorgeous and yet so simplistic and stylistic it just was screaming to be knitted (kid size, of course) in Manos 113.  I grabbed her copy of  EZ's OK and casted on that very moment and haven't looked back since.  I thought maybe after the first shot of new knit project adrenaline I would be tired of it, but Oh No.  I'm burning down my Addis Turbos!

My mind is a Buzz with all the trim colors I can choose by using with 113.  Right now I'm thinking a beautiful yellow-gold for the i-cord trim and cuffs - but who knows things might change.  I've also decided to do it sans hood and just rock it with the collar.  We'll see as I go what transpires... hee hee!

My other almost done project, Cherry is now blocking and will be seamed this weekend.  I'm making a trip to M&J Trimmings on Friday to get some buttons and ribbon.  I am also indulging in NYC's restaurant week.  I've been click happy at Opentable.com making lunch and dinner dates.   That is such a dangerous website - I could book my heart out around New York if I could!  Perhaps you'll see me working my Tomten at a table in Maloney and Porcelli's or maybe Salute, or Trattoria del Arte, or.. well,  if I got a huge smile on my face it may be the food - be we all know it might be the knitting ;-)

*Other considered title "I want to do everything that Brooklyntweed does"