Jane Austin, Zombies, and Ginny's Yarn Along

This week, again, I'm joining Miss Ginny over at Small things sharing what I've been reading and knitting. There are always some really inspiring links, so you should go over and check out the whole list...

Now we all know about my latest pattern book obsession, Jane Austin Knits Summer 2012. But did you know about this book? Pride and Prejiduce and Zombies. It's amazing. So, I've been knitting out of Jane Austin Knits, reading a Jane Austin inspired zombie book, and drinking tons and tons of Organic Darjeeling Tea out of my very fancy tea pot with matching cup and saucer. Enjoy...

Knitting needs more access to Zombies. When the zombie apocalypse comes, I will be prepared to knit you warm garments and gracefully behead the unmentionables.

This book is rad. Much of the dialogue remains the same as in the actual Pride and Prejudice and a lot of the plot points are the same, but there is awesome dialogue about unmentionables and samurai training and then zombies bust in in the middle of the ball at the beginning of the book and oh my goddess, I can't wait to get further in the book. 

My beautiful hand spun, hand knit, lace collar, shown here with with the handspun silk I'm hoping to use to make the matching...

Mitts! I totally love this pattern, but there is a huge problem. Massive. The stitch gauge for the mitts and the gauge for the yarn are different by 10 stitches. So since there are no thumb holes in this pattern, I was thinking I'd just remove 1 of the 12 stitch lace repeats and go from there...? Maybe maybe?

Here's the Hat. It's done. It's wonderful. It makes me head look like a Penis. But the girls at knit night were all nice enough to say it doesn't. But it does. They can't fool me.

This pretty pretty lace weight yarn will become that beautiful shawl which for some reason they designed in the horrible horrible orange. Problem with this pattern? It calls for beads, and I'm not sure I have enough yarn, or even the needles I need to get started. 

Pretty, yeah?

My reading stack, it includes Elizabeth Zimmermann for good knitting measure.

So Shoot Me

I cast on another project. The Martinmas Shawl in Mushishi, in 3 and 5... because that's what I have dammit.

The cast on edge has 418 stitches... more than I've ever cast on in one go. ever. This is my second attempt at casting on this shawl, yesterday I cast on and knit the first row only to realize that I cannot count that high. awesome. Today, I'm placing markers ever 25, and I took a break at the first pattern-called-for-place-marker... 74 stitches in... pray for me.

Here's the yarn, all balled up, with no place to go...

Trust me, that shit is beautiful.

Ha! I Sooo Knitted a Bumble Bee!

So, I have to make a few tweaks before I can start to sell them but he sure is cute!

Here is his little body, the yellow is really really bright. Can't you tell?

Here is his head, it is a little too small so the next time I make one his head will be a  bit bigger.

Wings! and an one antenna... I only did one but the finished product will have 2 on a bigger head.

4 Binky Straps

They all have buttons and they're sewn up, the only thing missing is the damn clip that will attach them to the baby's clothes. And I've started on another flower. Prices will be posted soon.