HVD

Happy VD to everyone. (Once, when my sister and her husband got their first VCR, my grandmother said, "Oh, those poor kids. They should see the doctor." She wasn't kidding. I love my family).

Our Valentine gifts to you, dear reader, follow. And you won't even need a shot of penicillin....

Lucy Jane models our newest LusciousGracious design. She designed it herself!!! Here is a page from our Big Red Book of Knitting (and poetry, and grocery lists).

Notice that she wanted the cables to be "more sporty", which means, "less girly" than what I had originally suggested. Also notice that I wish I could find that color of Phildar in a lipstick. Ahhhh, the superficiality of being a girl sometimes.....

By the way, in case you are foaming at the mouth to make your own LG/VD sweater, just make up some cables, or find a stitch encyclopedia, and apply to your favorite raglan method sweater. This is a one-of-a-kind project, which means that there will be no official pattern available. But you can do it! We know you can! After all, each one should be an individual work of art, one that fits you, or everyone in your family.

Back view, with more cables. The big ones are from a bunch of different sources, a basic horseshoe cable, and the smaller ones with holes in the middle are the ones that I designed to travel up the back of a pair of silky wool stockings that I made for Letoya in December.

The plan was to make a sweater that the three LG girls could share. After casting on the first time, I started to panic that 12 skeins was not going to be enough yarn (Eleni and Ippolyti sent us a dozen perfect skeins of Phildar "Laine et Cachemire", which is 85% wool, 15% cashmere....with only 65 yards per skein). But then I tried it on, and realized that it would fit us all....at the same time!!! With Stephen included!

Whew!

So, I started over, and made it more fitted, and less wasteful. Turns out that I had very little to worry about, as we have quite a bit over 3 skeins left. Socks seem like a very nice match....but I have seen Stephen eyeing it, and know that he's going to felt it into something before I get around to casting on for socks or gloves.

I was determined to finish in time for VDay, so I knit only this project for a couple of days solid. We stayed up late Friday (thank you, International Knit Circle members, for keeping me company, and keeping me awake), so I was able to finish it in time for City Bakery Saturday!

Good thing it is a reversible design, because I like it better this way, on me, that is.


I especially like the way that the middle cable makes a second "spine" up my back.

Lucy really likes the twisted rib (Knit one stitch in the back of the stitch, Purl one stitch) that I put on some other sweaters, and we thought it would be a good way to add stretch, since three girls, even in the same family, are likely to be shaped in different ways.

We echoed the use of the twisted rib sides by ribbing the collar and the sleeve cuffs in the same way. I really like the cap sleeves, and plan to use them often. Also, the pattern worked well with raglan decreases, but only because I used about 30 stitch markers to help me keep my place.

Ms. Lily Grace, our youngest Valentine, can wear our new sweater as a layering piece. Here she models it over a long-sleeved black tee, rock and roll style.

She couldn't resist what she called the "magazine pose". Not sure what magazine she's been reading, but we are pretty sure it must be Rebecca.

As a further gift to you, some more drawings on Connor's Cards, including a fiber-worthy sheep. These are the last in the series, so make sure to check out the rest on previous posts.




I really, really love the way that Tom is standing. I would be a little frightened if I saw one in the wild like that....even with a smile. Maybe, especially with that smile!

And now, an important message from our sponsor, Steve the Valentine Fairy (a name that he has come to love.....how can you resist something that your babies called you when they could barely speak?). He even has a Valentine Fairy Crown that some of you lucky winners saw on Friday. LusciousGraciousStudios is big on crowns...

Happy VD to you all, and keep knitting (and loving),

kiki

If you've read the LG's, you probably already know how much we love color. For Valentine's we've decided to give you a pair of free patterns that celebrate color. The first, Kate, is the perfect pattern to learn Fair Isle knitting. That's how I learned, Illanna too. If you already know how, it is still a fun pocketbook to knit.

Free, for now.

The second one, Crazy 8's, is actually 2 patterns in one! So if you are still too chicken* to try Fair Isle, give these felted bags a try. They call for outrageously extravagant felting yarns, but if you are unlike us, and prefer groceries over yarn, feel free to substitute.

Free, for now.

These patterns will remain free for as short or as long as we feel like, Gosh! It probably won't be forever, which means it isn't part of The Official Luscious Gracious Studios Complete Organizational System. Feeling bad because you paid full price, and now these are free? Consider it a late fee for not sending us photos yet (because I'm sure you've knit them already).

So, enjoy our little gift and send us pictures of your colorful creations!

TVF (a.k.a. Steve)

*When our children were little, we saw an episode of Sesame Street in which a child wondered what would happen if we used chickens instead of hearts to celebrate Valentine's Day. Would we say "I love you with all my chicken"? Of course, now we say just that in our family.