Friday, May 14, 2010

Sneak Peek

The dishtowel frenzy has not abated (I'm on #8, but the last 4 and the next one will all be for friends, so they don't count as being crazy), but I promised you a sneak peek at the next Momogus Knits pattern coming down the pike. And I keep my promises!!

My patterns tend to come in waves - Mary at the Tangled Web asked for a baby hat with cables a few years ago, and that led to a veritable tsunami of cable patterns. Then I did the American Girl doll Chestnut Hill Gansey, and that led to another slew of CH Gansey patterns. I love knit/purl combinations and texture, but I also wanted to write a pattern that was an easy introduction to colorwork.

So here we go, Easy Colorwork Headbands, perfect for skiing, walking the dog, a good snowball fight, or just styling in the 'hood. These are two-color headbands, knit in the round with a double layer of fabric for warmth, in a manly check or classic snowflake:

Cats love 'em!!

Pay no attention to the fact that there seems to be a 2" difference between them (that's just me and my customary gauge issues...) Once I knit up a Manly Checked Pattern sample that's a normal size, we will be photographing and putting into final form.

Colorwork is so much fun, and like cables, looks more difficult than it is. I hope these introduce a whole bunch of knitters to the fun and wonder that is colorwork!!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Perhaps A Dishtowel Intervention is Needed....

Well, with the long pause between posts, you're probably thinking that Momogus Knits Industries, Inc. has been cranking out new patterns and samples left and right. That steam cloud in the air - why that must be that new cabled beret pattern she's been talking about for a year, now! That clanging and whirring - that must be the cardigan version of the Chestnut Hill Gansey, right?

Hmmm....yes, the factory has been cranking out products, but unfortunately they have nothing to do with Momogus Knits. I have become consumed with the Hanging Dishtowel from Mason-Dixon Knitting. Like many addicts, I have no idea how I got to this place. I don't like knitting with cotton, I don't like buying yarn from big box stores, I have dishtowels that work just fine. But first this happened:


Then this:


Then this:


Here they are, adorning my ker-AZY circa 1960 stove/oven:


I am plum crazy in love with this pattern. And yes, not only do I have another one on the needles, but I went back and bought more yarn yesterday for some more. I even showed a picture from my cellphone to another mom at Gus's baseball game and she politely admired it, so of course now I have to make her one! HELP!

So yes I am crazy, but here's the thing. In all my knitting life I can't remember knitting something that actually cost less ($1.79 for yarn, 1 day to knit) than the thing that I could have bought at the store. Plus I think they're awful spiffy, as far as dishtowels go.

(Don't worry - I actually finished a Momogus pattern this week. Will post a preview with pictures next. That was the tiny little clang that could barely be heard over the dishtowel clamor.)