One of my favorite features on Ravelry is that you can search for a pattern, and then see all of the finished projects that other knitters have made. For instance, I looked up Mr Foster, and there were 115 projects! Here is a sample of some really wonderful finished Mr Fosters. I’ve credited each knitter with their Ravelry screen name under each picture.

Typeknit

IBAmyB

Sheepsocks

NoKnitSherlock

PAKnitWit
This is just a sample, there are a lot of really great Mr Foster monkeys posted to Ravelry!
Also, don’t forget to enter in the Mr Foster Halloween costume contest! All that you need to do is create a handmade Halloween costume for Mr Foster using yarn or fabric. You can use store bought accessories. The deadline is August 31st, 2009 and you just need to take a photo of Mr Foster wearing his …

I just spent a week at the Knit Picks warehouse in Ohio. Heaven. Really nice folks, and a huge building bursting with yarn (and fabric and paint!). What a fun job I have! I got to see the staff making the Carmen Bananas Kits, and the holiday ornaments kits. I had packed light, since the warehouse is definitely dress casual, so I had room to buy a Carmen Bananas kit, and some of the hand-painted stroll yarns. And I got some duller green yarn to make my DH some socks (he has some trousers that color). I had to restrain myself, though! I’m a terrible string addict. I really wanted the Holiday Ornaments kit – I think those knitted strings of colored lights are about the cleverest things I’ve ever seen. But I’ve committed to making snowmen this year, so I just couldn’t justify getting the ornaments kit. Sigh. Don’t …

I just started knitting Frankie Brown’s Ten Stitch Twist Blanket. She has the neatest charity concept – she’s selected a charity close to her heart – the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, and offers her patterns free on Ravelry, hoping that those who use her patterns will donate to the charity. This is a great way to support a charity when you select a pattern, then you can also give the finished product away to another charity if you like.
I’m using Palette yarn double stranded, two colors at a time. And, I’m alternating when the colors switch so it has a somewhat gradated look. I’m going to keep knitting until the blanket is 60″ across. Alison commented that this construction technique is as close to crochet as knitting will ever get because you only have 10 stitches on your needles at any one time.

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We have released the Montavilla Market Tote as a free pattern on the Knit Picks website. This was a very popular pattern, and I hope that more people knit this bag! I have knit several totes, and they are very handy to carry groceries, but they are small enough to fit several inside a pocket on my messenger bag.
Here is a gallery of finished Montavilla Market Totes from Ravelry users. I have credited each knitter by including their Ravelry user name underneath their photo. I hope that this inspires you to knit a tote of your own!

And here’s a picture of alexck filling her Montavilla tote up with apples.

MissRancher’s tote is strong enough to carry three bottles.


JLP knit both bags from the kit!

lategrape filled her bag up with yarn

Great minds think alike! …

It’s almost the end of the summer, and we need to clear out a little room in our warehouse for the heavier winter yarns, so we’re having a one-week-only lace yarn sale! Lots and lots of colors are on sale in all of our lace yarn lines – Shimmer, Alpaca Cloud, Shadow, Shadow Kettle Dyed and Gloss Lace.
Do you knit lace in the fall and winter? I do – year round! I love knitting lace because it is very interesting – you can choose a pattern that is relatively easy or very intricate. And, lace knitting takes up hardly any room. I have a vacation including a plane flight coming up, and I’m already planning which lace project to take because I know the lace will keep me occupied during the long flight, but it’s compact enough that I can knit away without annoying my seat neighbors …