BIG needles and another free pattern

I’ve had the link in my sidebar for a while…I guess no one looks there! Anyway, since I have to do what the cool kids do, please visit my Frappr Map. I’d love to see where everyone is from!

I started knitting a sweater last night with US size 35 needles. It is INSANE how quickly a sweater goes with this big yarn and needles that size. I cast on about 5:30 and finished at 9:30 and even ate dinner and cleaned the kitchen in the same time frame. If you want to make something quickly, this is definitely the way to go. About the yarn…at the risk of bragging (ok, I guess I am) the yarn is a fabulous wool that I purchased in Florence, Italy. I found (well, not literally found, but saw on a forum) the address to the “holy grail” of yarn stores. If you’re ever there you absolutely must go. It’s near the Duomo and the name is Filati Campolmi at Via Portinari Folco, 19/R Prices were unbelievably inexpensive, even with the crappy exchange rate. About 1.5 euro per certain # grams though the price varied by fiber. I got all 100% wool, 20-100g balls, 800g purple and 800g variegated for 124.00 USD! About $3.60/100g of fabulous Italian wool…seems like a bargain to me and doubles as a wonderful souvenir. In retrospect, I should’ve bought a giant suitcase so I could’ve brought home even more. Considering the gauge, the fabric drapes especially well. It’s not stiff at all and VERY soft. I can’t wait to wear this sweater. Since I still haven’t received the yarn for my design projects, I should be able to finish it today!

Tuesday night I knocked off the rest of Jayne’s scarf and another hat for my Dad. Glad the Christmas projects are somewhat under control since I now have two design assignments (YAY). The yarn is in the mail but I’m still not divulging any more details. I don’t want to end up embarrassing myself when said design assignment assigner gets my stuff and decides she must’ve been on crack when she agreed to let me design these projects! In the meantime, I did go ahead and write up the Simple Stocking Hat pattern, just to get my designerly vibes flowing. (Does anyone wonder how it is that I can post all my family/friend knit projects? I tell NO ONE about my blog. Goes back to that whole insecurity thing.)

Lastly, I’m so jealous. Four, yes FOUR of my favorite bloggers are all hanging out together this weekend. First there are Drew and Laurie gettin’ their knit on in sunny Los Angeles and Jen and La hanging out at the new Casa de Jen aka future alpaca farm in Georgia. Be sure to check out their blogs this weekend as I am sure there will be many amusing tales of their fiber adventures.