Inevitable.

gah.

I noticed two slightly tweaky things with the Springtime in Philadelphia pattern.

Row A should read : *K1 f&b, pm; rep from * 6 times. (12 sts)
(omit the initial pm -- you only need 6, as the last marker designates the start of row).

On row 10 of the chart, there is 1 knit stitch missing. (the stitch count is 12 as written, not 11 as charted). It should belong right under the column of 2 knit stitches in rows 11 and 12 on the far left of the pattern.

I am going to wait a few days to see if anything else pops out -- I think I have a case of over-analysis -- and then re-update the .pdf. If anyone decides to knit it and finds any other errors, by all means let me know!

Check it out!

Download your very own Springtime in Philadelphia beret pattern.

Get it Here.

Springtime in Philadelphia

There is something especially beautiful about this time of year in Philadelphia. While the winters here do not even come close to what I experienced prior, there is still something really magical about spring: the cherry blossoms, Maryland Sheep and Wool*, the end of school, the promise of fresh, readily available local fruits and vegetables (in my backyard -- crosses fingers -- and out in the world) and warmer weather. Especially the warmer weather.

This spring, though, has been a finicky, elusive and seductive mistress. She has come and gone without a word or explanation, requiring winter jackets, flirty dresses and flipflops, a scarf always at hand, tank tops and wool socks all in the same week. One day, I am layering (one of my favorite activities) shirts and cardigans and scarves, another I am frantically trying to peel off as many layers as quickly as possible in order to avoid heat stroke.

There are still days where I still need a hat, scarf or jacket just in case, and so I knit Springtime in Philadelphia**, a lacey beret knit out of the new koigu silk blend, Mori. The combination of yarn, color and stitch pattern give it a springier feel, while the warmth and function still acknowledge the potential for colder weather.

I consider myself to be someone who understands how to knit lace well -- I am much more of a lace knitter then, say, a cable knitter (why? I have no idea -- something about too many cabled polo cardigans growing up in New England) yet I am pretty confident in my ability to chart a cable pattern with no problem. Designing and charting lace, on the other hand -- especially when the number of stitches is increasing -- was something I had never done.
I started this beret at a time I usually reserve for stockinette (finals), but somehow the intellectual and knitting challenge of designing and charting as I went was soothing and comforting when I was feeling out of control at school and gave me a great sense of accomplishment.
I knit it from the top down and the only thing I wish was different was the yarn requirement: I had to dip into a second skein for the last few rows of the body and ribbing, so it was no longer a 1 skein project to try out the Mori. Other than that, it came out pretty much exactly as I had envisioned and the yarn is flipping great. It is shiny, drapey, warm without being stifling (I wore it today!) and my first time using a speckled koigu. It has been a long time since I finished something!

***
*Sheep and Wool: I went, was gluttonous, had the pleasure of meeting some localish bloggers and officially decided I would never wake up at 5 a.m. for anything else. It is too late for a real post (and I didn't take a single photo) but it was great fun.

**Second actual real name for a finished self-designed knit!
***
Thanks for the kind words re: the website. It feels good to be done (and I am pretty sure I know have the wherewithal to switch the blog over someday)

Megan, I swear I tried to smile for you. But, as you can plainly see, I look like I am Crazypants.

Bonafide.

Kate Osborn Design

There are still some slightly tweaky things (my email address and resume have no link, for example, and some of the pages shift every so slightly which makes me want to scream) but for the most part, she is done!