Clown barf
Clown barf is a highly technical term I use to describe what a project looks like when it is knit out of brightly colored variegated yarn.
This is the thing: I freaking hate clowns. They creep me out and bring to mind the sort of desperate alcoholism that results in passing out in a puddle of your own vomit in the gutter. Yeah, I don’t know why either. And you’re welcome for that imagery. Just remember that the vomit is rainbow colored so it’s fine.
When I decided a cowl in clown barf yarn was just the thing I needed, I was hit with a dilemma: do I go with my first instinct, and name my cowl Clown Barf, or do I go with another name, one that doesn’t make me think of someone who will either make me a balloon animal or kill me in a back alley?
In the end I compromised, and came up with the name Unicorn Barf. It’s certainly friendlier, but it still appeals to the 12 year old boy inside me. Which I think we can all agree is really important.
It turned out pretty long – enough that I can wrap it around my neck twice. I’m going to block it soon, and then I’ll post real pictures. I don’t have any plans to release a pattern for it, but if any of you are interested I can write something up.
A perfectly legitimate reason for needing to knit all the things
Before moving to Houston I wondered how my knitting would change in a hot climate. I imagined a sad life, giving up my beloved wool for cooler, more summer-appropriate fibers like cotton and bamboo. Instead, I wore woolen handknits three times last week even though Houston is nearing 40 days this summer with temperatures at or above 100.
Handknits in 100+ degree temps? Sounds…sweaty. This was the forecast for the last weekend in August. It actually got hotter than that.
This town is SRS BSNS about their air conditioning. On multiple occasions I’ve lamented my lack of fingerless mitts while at work because my fingers are nearing frostbite levels. I work out of two offices, one on the lowest level of the museum, which is always cold, and one on the top floor, which is like spending my day in a walk-in freezer.
I need hats. I need armwarmers and cowls and worsted weight shawls to help keep me warm. This? Is a problem I can get behind.
Because obviously I don’t have enough.
A big week
This is just a quick post to say thank you to all of you who purchased Taos this week or left me comments on the blog/Ravelry/Twitter, letting me know how much you liked it.
Another exciting thing happened this week – the 5000th project of Multnomah was added to Ravelry! Two years, 5000 projects. So amazing, so unexpected.
Thank you for all of your support. It means the world to me.
Taos
This sweater is a love letter to New Mexico, in knitted form.
The idea for this cardigan came to me after a day spent in Taos. The yarn and buttons, which were purchased in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, were chosen because bright yellow and turquoise remind me of this special place. The pictures were taken on a back road near Dixon, New Mexico, and near downtown Santa Fe.
Taos is a top-down cardigan with an eyelet and garter stitch yoke, thick bands of ribbing along the bottom and cuffs, and three-quarter length sleeves.
Sizes
32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52) bust circumference
Materials
Yarn
680 (750, 830, 920, 1000, 1085) yards DK weight yarn. Sample knitted in MadelineTosh DK in Candlewick
Needles
US 4 / 3.5 mm 36″ circular needles
US 5 / 3.75 mm 36″ circular needles
or sizes needed to obtain gauge
Notions
Waste yarn
Tapestry needle
Buttons
Gauge
20 sts and 26 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch with larger needles
Taos is available for $5.95.
Northern New Mexico
This is what most people think of when New Mexico is mentioned. Dry, unforgiving. Cactus and red earth.
But a short distance away there are trees as far as the eye can see.
You can go hiking in an aspen forest in the mountains.
And at the bottom of the mountain everything abruptly changes and there is desert, with pine and juniper and scattered cactus.
Every time I visit here I find new places that make me fall in love with this state more and more.
It’s the home I’ve never lived in.
On Wednesday I will have a new pattern coming out. It’s inspired by New Mexico, by the landscape and colors I love.
I hope you love it too.
And the winner is…
So just how many inches of yarn was I holding?
The answer? Way more than any of you thought!
Switching from stockinette to garter stitch, and going down a needle size, took 138 fewer inches! The closest guess was The Clumsy Knitter, who guessed 17″. I will be emailing you later today.
Busting out the calculator
I have a full day of pattern math ahead of me to get ready for this to be sent off to the tech editor:
Don’t tell anyone, but I secretly find pattern math fun.
