Russet Lodge Custom Knits

 I've been absent for a while now.  I haven't felt like saying much of anything. I've had a lot of personal challenges, but I'm trying very hard to come out the other side of them, so it's time for an update.  Here's what's in the works. Vacillate shawl is done! It needs to be blocked and photographed, but I used nearly every scrap of that yarn and the product is lovely and soft. I decided to frog the Someday Baby Blanket.  I'm just not in love with it any more.  I may even get rid of the yarn.  I feel the need for a purge. Lizard ridge socks are done and were well-received.  See? The Scrappy Stripes socks are done too.  I enjoyed this pattern a lot and foresee myself knitting it again. Best yet, the Argyle kilt hose are also done.  I was reminded of how much of a pain argyle is.  I'll get a decent finished pic before I send them to the recipient, but here's a progress shot from when I was getting close. The Scatterby socks are also frog...

 Hi friends. Life has been really tough for the last few months.  The late winter/early spring slog is tough for a lot of us, and mine has come with illness, family drama, relationship ups and downs, mental health stuff, work stuff, travel, etc.  Life just keeps happening.  I have finished some projects and I have some more in progress, but I do want to refocus myself on finishing (or frogging) UFOs, organizing my stash (there's always more yarn to log and organize and catalog), and continuing to finish projects.  I also took on some commissions during the holidays and got a reminder that they're not my favorites, but I do have one more to finish before I'll be free of them. Here are the finished cabled aran kilt hose for a bagpiper who found my Etsy: Here's my current UFO list, those in bold are new since my last entry: Outlander MKAL shawl: will probably frog it but would like to knit eventually Kelley's Ski Sweater: will frog, no longer the right size Woolly ...

Hi!  I hope y'all survived the holidays like I did.  I've been crafting up a storm, so I have lots to share.   1. I made a pint-sized Kaanteinen for my nephew out of some knit picks merino from my stash, along with a coordinating pair of mittens, improvised from the Margot Mittens pattern I've used before. 2. My daughter got a Dean Street Hat and matching mittens using the No Swatch No Gauge mittens pattern.  The yarn is some variety of mystery wool that was given to me by a friend. 3. My mom got the Swirl Socks I'd been working on, she's definitely sock-worthy. 4. I gifted my daughter's dad some sock yarn for a pair of socks that are in progress, so that's a new WIP that I need to get set up in Ravelry. 5. I finished the green spindle spun yarn which was a gift for my friend M.  The color is so hard to capture. 6. I started a new spindle spun project which also needs to go in Ravelry, it's some Paradise Fibers merino in the colorway Granada.  It's g...

 It's been a long time since I've sat down to write here.  I've felt swamped at work, I've felt swamped at home.  I've felt obligated to work on things that didn't bring me joy.  I made little progress and got sick of saying so.  But I'm shaking the dust off today with a few updates.  Hopefully it'll help my momentum continue.  Here's how my art has been going lately. UGH - I finished all the knitting on the Miss BB cardigan, and was heartbroken to realize that the sleeves are too small.  The project has been in time out for a while before I decide if I rip out and reknit the sleeves, which would be faster but I'm already knitting the largest size (hello body dysmorphia), rip out and reknit the whole thing (because at one time I really liked this pattern) or rip out and find another use for the yarn, either a more size-inclusive pattern or something I customize myself.  I've had little experience with sweaters and I've never made one I ac...

It seems people like free things, and they like knitting socks, because my toe-up hose have now been downloaded 1766 times.  I am now on the main ravelry pattern page in the number 1 spot of "Designs that Ravelers are looking at today."  I never expected this pattern to do any better than my others did.  None of my other free or purchase patterns have been made more than a few dozen times.  I've also sold about five of my for-pay patterns since offering the temporary freebie, so I guess that's a bit of spillover interest.  Time will tell if this giveaway helps my pattern sales in the long run (i.e. if it gets enough buzz while it's free to make people want it after it's not). For now, here's another gratuitous screen shot with yours truly in that coveted spot...

I made the "hot right now" list of patterns in Ravelry's pattern database, and as of 8:30 this morning my kilt hose pattern has been downloaded a massive 499 times! I guess people like free stuff, and it looks like it's been shared in lots of different groups around Ravelry. Thanks to everyone for getting the word out. This has also seemed to generate a lot of interest in my other patterns too. For a free copy, visit yesterday's blog post and click the "buy now" button.  Discount applies automatically at checkout through 10/31.  Here's a screen shot, since this will probably never happen again...

I have another great pattern available now, and best of all it is FREE through 10/31/13!  I published my top-down kilt hose calculator pattern a little over a year ago, but I didn't have anything available for those who like to knit toe-up (as I often do).   This pattern is all you need to make toe-up kilt hose from any yarn for any size body from baby to big-and-tall. The pattern includes information on how to measure and fit kilt hose, choosing yarn and needle sizes, and how to plug in any cables, color work, stitch patterns, or intarsia your heart desires. This is an intermediate pattern.  Basic knowledge of toe-up sock construction and working short row heels and toes is helpful. Click the button below to get your free download any time until 10/31/13.  After that date it is available for $6.50  No Ravelry membership is required.

I have to admit, today I am as pleased as the cat that got the cream.  For all the years I've been making custom kilt hose for sale I have had the idea rattling around to make a universal pattern calculator for kilt hose.  I am a knitter who loves the freedom of knitting without a pattern to make something unique and well-fitted.  There is something thrilling in sitting down with paper and pencil and working it out every step of the way.  That said, I know not everyone's mind has the degree of math geekery and OCD that mine does, and I wanted to find a relatively simple way to help people who don't daydream about becoming an engineer to create something fully customized.  I've avoided this project for a long time because, well, pattern design is complicated.  It requires a lot of time and thought, even when you're not doing algebra that includes nineteen different variables (yes, really). I would first like to say a huge thank you to the kind folks over a...

I've made some good progress since the last time I shared my projects in progress, and I even took the time to take decent photos this week, or at least better than the phone pics from a couple weeks ago.  You can click on the photos for a larger view if you like! The Targee wool from Crown Mountain Farms is coming along nicely.  This bobbin plus the ball of unspun roving is the first half of the 4 oz I got.  I haven't focused much on spinning since I'm currently on a knitting deadline, but once in a while when my hands/wrists are too sore to knit I get out the wheel for a relaxing spin. The kilt hose have come a long way since the last time I shared them too!  I've included a picture of the chart I made as well.  The pattern is from the much-sought Knitting Scottish Kilt Hose and Hiking Socks by Joanne Gibson Hinmon .  The book is really popular, but honestly I'm not sure why.  There are no charts, the patterns are full of typos, and the hose...

It's that time again, WiP Wednesday, where I show off the things I'm working on.  I've got crummy pictures this week because i used my phone, but I wanted to make sure I had something to share, so just imagine they're as lovely as Franklin Habit's photos . First, I've got a pair of kilt hose on the needles.  They've progressed a bit since this photo, but not by nearly as much as I'd like.  The pattern is mostly from my head, with input from several toe-up sock calculators and books of kilt hose patterns.  I'll try to share these again once they look a little more like socks. I'm also spinning some hand-dyed Targhee pencil roving from Crown Mountain Fibers.  Targhee sheep were developed right here in Idaho (and named for Targhee National Forest) at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in eastern Idaho.  The fleece is very soft and a nice length, and they are raised for meat too.  I don't have a lot so far, but it spins quickly since it was...

I have had an upsurge in purchases of my basic knitted kilt hose pattern lately. The pattern has some notes on customizing the hose by using different stitch patterns in the leg, and I thought I'd share a few favorites. Please be aware that the calf shaping will mean you'll need to be careful about pattern repeats and read your knitting to make sure everything lines up correctly. That said, here are a few nice (and relatively easy) stitch patterns you can use to spruce up a pair of hose (all of these are in the round): Herringbone Stitch Multiple of 4 stitches. Round 1: k all Round 2: *k2, sl 1 purlwise, k1, yo, pass slipped stitch over these two stitches* Mistake Rib Multiple of 3 stitches. Round 1: *k2, p1* Round 2: *k1, p2* Double Rib Multiple of 6 stitches. Round 1: *k3, p3* Round 2: *k1, p1* These are all nice stretchy stitches that look lovely on hose, and I'll try to get photos up soon. I will be posting a new washcloth pattern this week, and the stitch pattern fr...

Though I reserve this blog mostly for publicizing my patterns and sharing information on some of my products which are available, I thought I would make a quick post to let people know I currently have no waiting list for custom-made knitwear, including kilt hose and bonnets. I am always working on personal projects, and I can't guarantee a time frame, but it's likely to be closer to 6-8 weeks than the year plus wait I've had in the past. I also offer other services including hand-dyed fibers and yarns, handspun yarns, pattern design, tech editing, pattern translation French/English, charting, writing out charted patterns, test knitting, and article writing/editing. Drop me a line at russetlodgeknits at gmail dot com if you're interested. You can also visit my design page on ravelry or my facebook fan page (links on the left) and check out my latest items for sale at http://shekure.etsy.com. My personal blog ramblings are availble at http://unaspenser.livejournal....

I've just put my Sweetheart Kilt Hose pattern up on Ravelry. I designed this pattern for my husband for Valentine's Day 2008 (finished them over a year later), and now, here it is!

I realized there isn't anywhere specific on this blog where you can find the patterns I have available for sale. Both these patterns are $5 and come as a PDF. Here is my Bonnet/Tam Pattern: And my Basic Knitted Kilt Hose:

Due to requests for more specifics than I gave in my last post, here are my prices for hand-made, custom-sized kilt hose. Standard kilt hose: ribbed cuff and knit body in any single color - $65 Cabled hose: ribbed cuff and cable work in any single color (my design choice) - $85 Simplified Balmoral hose: three-color entrelac cuff and single-color body in any colors(pics coming soon) - $110 Argyle kilt hose: ribbed cuff and three-color argyle body in any colors- $140 Balmoral hose: two-color entrelac with two small stripes and single-color body in any colors- $140 Any other custom work priced based on time and complexity (contact me) Prices updated to reflect yarn costs, etc.

Well, kilt hose have been consuming my life lately. Firstly, I am SO thrilled that I have finally finished and mailed the Isle of Skye Argyle hose. Here are reviews on X Marks the Scot , Brotherhood of the Kilt , and The Kilt Forum . Isn't my customer dashing in them? Right now I'm also working on The Endless Bonnet, in addition to my first knitted doily (from a book of 1940s doily patterns courtesy of a friend), and also repairing two pairs of kilt hose for a friend of mine who happens to do piping and Scottish Country Dance. The hose appear to be hand-made (though why anybody would make 100% acrylic hose by hand is beyond me) and look like someone blew the ends out of the toes with dynamite. They won't be perfect, but they'll be strong and they don't look nearly as bad as how he'd tried to repair them with thread. In short, I can rescue those kilt hose you can't bear to part with. I've updated my waiting list and I really am trying to plough thro...

I know I haven't been posting or knitting much lately, and I apologize to everybody for being slow. I am currently working two jobs, planning a wedding, and trying to orchestrate a move back to Scotland (again). I haven't forgotten about any of you, though, and to prove it here's the first of a pair of argyle kilt hose made to match the Isle of Skye tartan. The yarn's a bit thicker than the previous kilt hose I posted about, but it's very soft, and the hose have been a fun and challenging project.

Here is a link to a review of my simplified Balmoral hose over on X Marks the Scot . I'm glad they were so well-received and the pictures are much nicer than mine. Also, the waiting list has been recently updated for all my pending customers. :)

I just wanted to share some photos of the pair of kilt hose I'm currently working on. The cuff is similar to Balmoral hose, but my customer wanted something a tad less fancy and formal, so instead of a two-color entrelac cuff with about six rows of entrelac bordered by several different colored stripes, we did a few rows of the entrelac in three colors and left it at that. The result is, I must say, very pleasing. If you're interested in purchasing something like these (or anything else) please scroll down for more info or contact me at russetlodgeknits@gmail.com.

These are very bad and rudimentary photographs of the kilt hose I finished months ago, but I thought I'd get them up on the site.  The construction time was about a week all together, and I did design the pattern myself so it's available to interested parties as a PDF download for $4.00.  The pattern takes about 600 yards of worsted weight yarn (you will probably have extra left over) and size US 6 double pointed needles.  The pattern has small, medium, and large sizes.  For pics of other hose made from this pattern see I'm currently working on a simple pair of entrelac hose and I'll share photos of those too. For now, please enjoy these low-quality pics of what is undoubtedly a high-quality pair of hose, modeled by my very own rather shapely Scottish Country Dance calves.