Fire on the Waves

Remember this blanket from last September?



Since you've probably slept since then, you may not. It was based on the water rescue scene in Stephenie Meyer's bookNew Moon, the second book of the Twilight series. Bella Swan had previously taken a header off a cliff just to hear the disembodied voice of her beloved Edward, and Jacob Black--a teen werewolf and Bella's long-suffering friend with a whole muzzle full of unrequited love for our heroine--had just rescued her. For a brief and horrible moment, Bella realizes later that she glimpsed on the waves the firey red hair of her most recent vampiric nemisis, Victoria.

There. That's the background for the inspiration of the blanket. The purpose of the blanket was to be included in a book of Twilight-based knitting patterns. Alas, it's inclusion ain't gonna happen, and neither is book. (Yes, the socks from the last post was meant for this book, too.) So now I get to publish the pattern myself.

Gotta love the ease of vanity publishing.

Here is the .pdf download for Fire on the Waves. It's also listed in the blog's margin under Needle Knitting How To's. If you're on Ravelry, the pattern page with its download is here.

A few specs for the blanket:

Finished Measurements
Approx. 46” x 58”, unblocked

Yarn
Bernat Satin, 100% acrylic, 163 yds (149m) per 100g,
19 skeins of #04111, Denim Mist Heather
(The yarn is held double-stranded. It can be substituted with about 1890 yds of a bulky weight yarn.)

Tools
40” US 11 (8mm) circular needle
Cable Needle
Stitch Markers
Tapestry Needle

Gauge
12 sts/16 rows = 4” stockinette stitch

The pattern has been through the needles of a few test knitters. If you find a problem with it, however, please let me know.

Off Road Socks

Awhile back, I designed a pair of socks based on the Emmett Cullen character in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. Why, you may ask. Well, because inspiration, provocation, and opportunity collided serendipitously in my corner of the Bermuda Triangle. My initial hope for publication of this pattern fizzled recently, but my local yarn shop's WONDERFUL proprietor asked to make the pattern her October Sock of the Month. I could tell you how thrilled I am about this, but I'd use up my lifetime supply of exclamation points.

Instead, I'll show you a big picture of the sock and share a link to the pattern.



Off Road Socks (.pdf link)
My Ravelry project page

The yarn I used for the sock pictured above, Maizy, feels great, but the Bittersweet color leeched dye horribly. It stained my fingers as I knit with it. It turned the wash water a shade of rancid grape juice. It inspired a limerick.

There once was a knitter with Maizy
whose yarn color drove quite crazy.
The Bittersweet bruises
on her fingers and toesies
provoked a more colorful phrase, see?