Crazypants can be a good thing. Sometimes.

I have a particular fondness for crazypants, and now I can experience it vicariously through you. Thank you!

Yikes, you had to pick cables and a hood? You couldn't just pick something quick and easy? Good luck - I'm sure it will come out great!

Many times I have found that a yarn I consider hideous is beloved by a child in my life. It's now a bondfide stashbusting strategy for me!

I love that you're doing Rhinebeck knitting in your head! Heck, you've at least got the yarn.

I missed a week of knitting & cannot go to Rhinebeck because I'm oncall.... and I've just ordered yarn for a Rhinebeck inspired sweater.

I think it's the cool weather & the thought of wearing sassy wool products to an awesome event. It's either inspiring or insanity, the jury is still out.

All I can say is "good luck with that." Let us know how it goes.

I never get tired of your unreasonable self imposed knitting deadlines! Maybe a bit vexed that you usually actually meet them, which is the opposite of my own experience, but always entertained nonetheless!

The four-year-old lurking inside this almost-60 year old LOVES those socks!

Don't sweat it! I'm still considering finishing my Rhinebeck sweater from last year.

Most fantastic description of a yarn color I've ever seen! I think I'd have to agree.

LMAO! I think "like Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn" might be one of the best lines I've heard all week. =)

As for the sweater, if anyone can do it, I think it might be you.

1) Natalie is TOTALLY 4 years old on the inside. I've learned not to fight this.

2) I love you dearly, but um you're encouraging my customers to ask me to create completely insanely bright, eye-blinding and sugary-sweet colours. Which is totally messing with my life plan to build an image that is totally serious, sophisticated and you know, not-so-whimsical.

3) I keep talking to Natalie about designing stuff for us. Because of item #1, this is messing with my life plan.

My 5 year old Goddaughter is in the middle of her
"like Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn" phase.

This, too, shall pass.

I hope.

Absolutely love the description of the yarn color - fits it exactly. I hate that shade of hot pink with a passion, especially because someone requested it as a color in their wedding present afghan. So I bought the blasted yarn, started the afghan (wincing - all the more so because the other color requested was neon green), and then they broke up. Since my relationship was to the groom, not the bride (who was the one requesting the colors), I bundled the partial afghan and the yarn into a storage container until I could think of a way to dispose of it. Burning it came to mind, but it's acrylic, so it would just melt into an even more horrible mish-mash of colors. I'd donate it to a worthy cause, but why inflict it upon a worthy cause - or even an unworthy one?

Your socks are kind of cute, though - especially for a little girl. Yellow works SO much better in combination with that shade of pink than (wince again) neon green.

You GO Stephanie! My bet is on you for getting the sweater nearly wearable in 17 days. Besides - everyone knows that uniocorn barf is good luck!

Oh dear. That's a lot of cables in a short time. Do you need one of us to call the Doctor to bring his TARDIS so you can finish? Just remember that time is wibbly-wobbly and that it never wibbles or wobbles in your favor when you want it to.

I'd call that colour "Chestnut" or "Conker" rather than "Embers". That's not to say that you're nutty of course, no, certainly not.

You can do it Stephanie, I have every confidence in your flying fingers. I remember an amazing color work sweater during the Olympics!! Blessings!

nah, not at all crazypants. lurking inside that yarn is a Gwendolyn waiting to be freed! you can do it!

Well, if anybody can pull off "crazypants", and knit a cabled sweater in 17 days, you can. lol. good luck! :)

I bet you could FINISH WILD APPLES BOHUS in 17 days. Just trying to help. Cute socks!

Crazypants is good. Besides, I have deluded myself into thinking I can finish the Dogwood Blossom sweater between now and Rhinebeck. We'll ride the crazy train together, shall we?

You could always knit a pair of crazypants for rhinebeck:)

I'm on the same exact crazy train (well, except that one of my skeins has been wound into a ball). A cardigan in a (mostly) bulkyish weight yarn in 17 days is totally doable, right? Even though I just had to go have the doctor pull a splinter out from under my thumb nail today and said thumb is now bandaged and under orders to remain so for 3-5 days Right? RIGHT?

Please, everyone, just lie to me and nod.

SevenTEEN? I thought you said "seven" and was a little concerned. Seventeen's a walk in the park. Go for it. I'll just pull up a chair, and a drink, and my knitting and watch ... from over... here...(voice fades into distance.)

Barbie & My Little Pony are perfect for a 4 year old! She'll love the socks...
I wish I could go abra ca dabra and at least get yarn wound if not partially knit! ;)
You can get done in time...all you have to do is knit in your sleep...

Love the pattern! I just finished a hat in Shelter and the thought of spending a sweater's worth of time with that yarn sounds absolutely amazing...

Those socks are something else. The almost 4-year old girl will not take them off long enough to wash them. Looking forward to watching the sweater progress, if anyone can do it you can. I am currently working on a sweater out of Shelter and I just love it (Michele Wang's Bedford from BT Fall).

Stephanie, we LIVE to see you set yourself impossible challenges, again and again, and come out on top. It's a beautiful sweater, and as you've repeatedly noted, you're not all that tall. . . did you cast on yet?

The 17 days is including the time required for a quick ride to the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival, right? It's only a weekend.......

This 58 year old Amah (what my grandkids call me) likes the Pink Lemonade socks too. Love all the other Lolli colors too.

Dear lord, those socks! Those terrible socks! No one in my family will love them. Apart my ten-year old niece who squealed with joy when she saw them and wants to know if I can make them for her.

*sigh*

And that sweater. Really Steph? Really?? *louder sigh and shakes his head* But, I do love the yarn though. I need to get my hands on a skein or two. :D

I love that "Save" feature. Back-ups are what you do religiously once you have had the experience.

I wordprocess through most of my days. You don't need to ask how I came to have this life-saving knowledge. (Though perhaps we won't talk about 'renaming a file' and losing the lot two days ago.) Computers are so wonderful when they work, shame about the humans that operate them.

You have greater perseverance than I. I couldn't bring myself to knit 'that' colour wool.

I thought a twisted sweater race would be your favourite!

Maybe you could do knit that sweater if you didn't have to shop, cook, clean and sleep. Or write books!

Just have to say I am in love with Shelter and am knitting with it in Embers right now! Glad you are crazypants - it is what makes you fun :)

If anybody can get the sweater done, it will be you!

With a hoodie! Crazypants! (Because without the hoodie it's totally doable)

So, you're following in Barbie's footsteps and going on a sweater bender? For 17 days? Right on!! At least you won't have a nasty cream soda headache when you're done.

"Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn" - the best colour description, ever!

That is a Rhinebeck sweater if I ever saw one...

You always do it and you always pull it off gracefully.

As for those socks, ouch! Blinding

Sorry, after I got to "17 Days to Rhinebeck" part my brain got all tingly and excited and I couldn't really read the rest.

But I'm certain you are correct! Damn squirrels! Adorable baby! Whatever you say!

17 DAYS TO RHINEBECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think someone slipped some acid into my chili, because I think I just read that you were going to have a complicated cabled sweater done in 17, 16 days. You must have "a little friend" helping you with the knitting. Hunter S. Thompson with sticks perhaps?

I'my crying with laughter too hard to see the screen.... "Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn."
BEST LINE EVER!

Best. Colorway. Name. Ever.

Yup, she'll love the socks.
And also, I'm putting on a pot of coffee and kicking back to watch the knitting race. (actually, yea, I'm pretty sure you can do it, having watched a lot of knitting Olympics.)

if anyone can knit a sweater, it is you. I'll be rooting for you!

Sorry, I'm back. Hadn't clicked the link to the sweater. Heh. (It's gorgeous.) Heh. This is going to be more fun than I though. Going out for wine and popcorn. Pulling up a chair.

Yes. Yes, you are indeed insane. It's one of the things we love most about you. It also makes us feel better about our own levels of insanity.

And the colourway? Barbie and her Little Pony were accompanied, I think, by a Troll. The pink one with green hair. ;-) Hugs and good luck!

Practice makes perfect, right? The more crazypants sweater races you do, the better you'll be...right? Have fun! Super cute socks, too.

Beautiful choice for the sweater pattern & the yarn!

I am profoundly jealous of your mad knitting speed. That yarn and pattern are such a great representation of Rhinebeck. Can't wait to see it!

Of course it will. It's what you live for, and what we find entertaining.

Not to be snide or anything, but maybe you could take another picture with those skeins of yarn (lovely yarn, by the way) kind of spread out so we can see how many there are. Just because, well, remember the last time when you thought you had more yarn than you really had, and looking at the picture of how much yarn you really bought was kind of helpful. Now I'm going to click to see how beautiful that sweater is going to be. And I believe you can do it.

Hey Steph - you are out of your f-in mind to think you're going to knit THAT sweater in 17 days. As good as you are.

i'm sure you can knit a sweater in two weeks. just maybe not that sweater.

I had the craving to knit a cabled sweater in almost that exact color (though not as awesome of a yarn) the other day. I just put all the yarn in my wishlist to satiate it though.

And I know I would have loved those socks when I was four.

It would take me three years to make that sweater!

Good luck on your sweater, you can do it! Show that sweater who's boss.

What cute socks, I wanna make them!!

Thanks for the laugh. You could be hired to name yarn colors....Although I'm not sure "Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn." would fit on a ball band!

Don't kill yourself on the sweater. Make it "Trip Knitting" instead!

Steph, best of luck on the sweater. It is a beauty. I've had Shelter on my mind today, and your pairing of yarn and pattern is spot on. Carry on!!

You can do it! You can do it!

ooo- good sweater choice! i've always wanted one of those and the embers will be perfect. are you going with contrasting hems? and the B&MLPWOAAB&BUCSOAU colorway is exquisite, isn't it? ;)

Anyone who can knit Catkin in FOUR FREAKING DAYS
can do Gwendolyn in 17. (Can we see Catkin? Please? Mine's just off the needles after six weeks.)

I did this http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/swing-dress in approx 8 days in time for VogueLive, so I have total faith you can pull off that sweater

Good luck with the Shelter. There is so much to love about it, but I'm making a sweater with it right now and it's FULL of VM. You may need to factor in extra time for stick-picking.

Snort. OOOOOkay. (Of course, you knit circles around the rest of of us lowly normal knitters, but still!) Great colorway, by the way. Not as good as my Three Irish Girls rhubarb colored worsted I just bought (I really am obssesed with it), but really lovely. Oh, and I tried bribing your editor for a trip to Minneapolis. She is way too polite. You are clearly not coming to Minneapolis! :)

If I had planned to knit that hooded sweater in 17 days, that would certainly be crazy pants thought. But you knitting that sweater in 17 days? That's your "normal", and you'll be wearing it at Rhinebeck (even if it's still damp from blocking).

I await the photos of the finished product.

If it makes you feel better- it's been terribly hot and muggy in the NE US this fall so that sweater might feel a little more comfortable without sleeves!

Perfect description of those socks. And I see no reason why you won't have that sweater to wear at Rhinebeck. You perform miracles every day, and so what if the sleeves are still on the needles, as long as the sleeves are attached to the body, it counts and can be considered a design element.

My 4 year old granddaughter would LOVE those socks (even if she is almost 5). Far as that goes, I kinda like them myself but they I did come of age in the Carnaby Street 60's. I had a very plain, round necked princes A-line mini-dress I made for myself in a blinding large flower print in those colors plus orange. Neon bright colors were all the rage in the mid-60's.

KNIT A VEST.

Don't know anything about Rhinebeck (please resume breathing) but Laura just posted the need to start a sweater for it too...

http://www.cosmicpluto.com/blog/rhinebeck-sweaters-2011/

You can totally do this sweater. Look at the sweater you knit for the Knit Olympics a couple of years ago.

I seem to recall you finished a sweater for the last Knitting Olympics. You can do this!

That Shelter is just your color.

As for the Barbie/My Little Pony acid trip socks, there's no doubt they are the perfect little girl colorway. My question is--what do I do with all the stash yarn in colorways like that now that my little girl has outgrown them and will wear only black????

Barbie and My Little Pony on an acid bender and barf up on a unicorn\

equals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsGYh8AacgY

Totally.

What I really like is that when someone offered this yarn to you, you didn't say, "Oh no thanks, that's really just not to my taste- why don't you save it for someone who really loves it?" or "Hmmm... I should give this to so-and-so who might know what to do with it." nope, you just stashed it.

For the record, I sort of love it, too. I suppose women in their 20s are still a little bit 4 years old inside. Although I do suppose the Shelter is more "you". I've also heard that the Shelter is yummy & I covet it deeply. But I'm still in the Wool-of-the-Andes-is-perfectly-good-yarn-and-costs-less-than-two-dollars-a-ball phase of my knitting career.

I hope you have better luck with the little-girl socks than I did with the ones I made for my grand-daughter when she turned 4. The yarn was hand-dyed bright yellow with rainbow stripes by her aunt, hand-knit by yours truly, lovingly wrapped and presented on her birthday. She ripped open the package, took one look, rolled her eyes, and declared,"Grammy, you KNOW I don't like yarn-y socks!" and threw them over her shoulder! I may give her another chance after she grows up, but for now, I'm reserving my hand-knitted socks for a more appreciative audience.

at least you have yarn! i'm still spinning mine.

I'm back again, having taken a look at the sweater. It's beautiful. The amount of cables is kind of scary, though, because I've never done a cable in my life. But for you, it'll be a breeze.

Dude. You have to get it done because that pattern and that yarn will be incredible together.

If it was anyone else, the idea of a sweater in 17 days would be totally crazypants. You? Can totally do that.

You are the Yarn Harlot! Of course you can do that sweater in 17 days. And I can't wait to see it because I love that design!

You've done it before. You'll do it again. Your self seems to thrive on this sort of challenge. Go self!

Hey, good luck with that. It is an awesome sweater though. I hope to see it (and you) at Rhinebeck. I love the socks by the way. I would totally wear that colorway. Does that mean I am a 4 year old girl at heart? Happy Knitting!

Thanks for making me laugh so hard at your wonderful description of that sock color combo. That sweater looks very challenging, good luck finishing in 17 days! I look forward to the updates but hope you choose a simpler sweater for your own peace of mind and to ensure time for more walks in the woods, petting your cat, keeping up with the dreaded laundry, etc.!

Back in May, you had an Acer cardigan nearing completion. Did you finish? If not, you probably could have that one done in 17 days. But I can also see it's going to be really hard to keep your hands off that beautiful shelter yarn.

I think what you meant to say was "Because I am full of crazy talent"
I'm confident that if you really wanted to, you could so make that deadline.

You can totally start (and finish) that sweater in time for Rhinebeck. Me? I've been trying to finish a sweater that I started in 2008. Still going to count it as a Rhinebeck sweater though!

I followed the link to the sweater. You are a flippin' mad woman. And I mean that in the most awestruck way. That would take me about 2 years to do. You are "crazy pants"!

Heh. I'm kind of with rams on this one. It's going to be fun watching you from afar. The pattern is gorgeous for sure, but all those cables in 17 days? All the best! Good thing you're not knitting it in XL.

17 days huh? I think it will be kinda like watching a train wreck, i won't be able to turn away. Except that's it you, so there will be no yucky wreck part, and you'll actually have a really nice sweater in the end.

I think it could maybe be done in 17 days. I knit on the sleeves over a pint or two of guineas at Dora keoghs and managed not to miss cross the cables- so see my post on the Twist blog for tips on how to do this.
Will be watching your progress from across the pond...you go GF.
Btw Gwendolyn is one of my personal faces, named after my beloved aunt who just passed away.

I've knit those socks in a similar colourway by Lorna's Laces. A sweater in 17 days??????? "Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me". I need 17 months.

Cheers and red wine, Hazel.

I wish I had 10 skeins of Shelter in Ember staring at me right now. How inspiring! Fan those embers into knitting flames!

Love love love the name of the colorway. Right now I want to start spinning so I can give people yarn with names like that! I used to knit scarves of fun fur (neon orange) combined with purple-red-yellow acrylic yarn; I think I knit 12 of them at least. Why? Because I have a troop of 2nd grade girl scouts who went ga-ga over them and each begged to have one. I don't think my eyes have recovered.

Oh and 17 days? Totally, dude! You'll nail it. (makes room on the crazy train for Steph)

Control S, Control S!!! All writers need to get into the habit of hitting control S as they work... I do it so often that I even do it on scrap documents I don't plan on saving, or online forms, for that matter. : )

And, I would grovel at your feet if you finished that sweater in 17 days. GROVEL.

Kelly @ Creating a Family Home

That yarn will look fabulous in that fantastic Fiona Ellis sweater - she is such in inventive designer, always with the interesting cables. Totally doable in 17 days as there's likely nothing much else on your schedule. (ha!)

On your mark!
Get set!

I believe that was Rams firing the starting pistol. Or a cork popping. Whatever.

Love you, crazypants!!! you make me realize I can do more. Thanks, now start that sweater.

I am going to be laughing about the Barbie/My Little Pony color way ALL WEEK! Thanks for the belly laugh :)

Of course you can do this in 17 days...it's worsted after all. I just knit my Rhinebeck sweater (after thinking I didn't need one)in 8 days. Anne Hanson's Leaving, in Madelinetosh Pashmina. I have complete and utter faith in you. You'll probably knock off some mittens or a shawl too.

I am running the same race!

Maybe if you pretend that you are knitting it for a baby you will have it finished in mere hours! That worked for you once before as I recall...

I like that I am commenting right after another Dorothy. Unless someone sneaks one in there before I hit post.

Your computer seems to crash quite often. You need more juice in it.

Good luck with the sweater. You're going to need it!

My Dear Ms Harlot, it is kinda crazypants. But that's okay, because it's you and you do crazypants well...

Totally possible. Just turn your back on laundry and housework for the next 17 days and do nothing but knit beautiful cables. You know you want to!

And if your family members say anything about your refusal to so anything but knit, just say it was advice you read somewhere on the internet so it must be a good idea. I'll back you up all the way. Just don't let our families meet because then we'd be totally outnumbered.

I might be able to do a sweater in 17 days...if it were top-down, stockinette all the way. Bulky yarn would help. That's why we love you. And, by the way, my granddaughters (ages 3-1/2 and 5) want those socks. We're deep into all that Barbie/unicorn/barfing lore. We'll be watching your progress with each stitch. No pressure.

1) in your universe, crazypants knitting is just another day in the park. go for it, and good knitting!
2) apparently, I am a 57 year old going on 4 myself. My personal favorite is Hard Candy, because it reminds me of Good and Plenty licorice candy, which is one of my favorites. I want socks made out of that yarn...and I want them now!
3) Barbie and My little Pony line almost made me snort tea....perfect!!!

Oddly enough I have complete faith that the cabled sweater will get done in time for Rhinebeck. I based this leap of faith on that huge production of one massive baby blanket and assorted goodies. Ps I love the colorway of those socks and I am 46 years old. Take care ! Michele

#8.... laughing out loud
#10..... still laughing out loud.....

Great phrase....

I checked out the link to the sweater. You can totally whip out that many cables in 17 days. Really. Are you crying?
Seriously, best of luck!

This is my kind of crazy!! Right there with you. Good luck. I have faith that while it may be finished in the car on the way it will be finished.

Totally nutsy idea. Love it.

17 days. Easy as cupcakes. I'm also kind of shocked by the fact that absolutely 0 Bronies have commented on this witty (as per usual) post that contains PONIES. Maybe there aren't many knitting bronies.

#1 You have the yarn.

#2 You have the pattern.

#3 You have 2 weeks.

You'll definitely have it done,, and I wish I could say the same for the simple simple vest I'm working on. I'm still on the back. 2 fronts and banding,,, sigh.

At least I'll know who to look for/what sweater to look for. Just like your Bohus sweater a few years ago. I saw you and that sweater everywhere at Rhinebeck. From the backside tho. I didn't want to Kinnear you.

I've heard that if you do enough acid with Barbie and My Little Pony you can bend the Space/Time continuum. That would mean, you'd be able to wear the sweater while puking up cream soda....at Rhinebeck.
God Speed Harlot, God Speed.

I've heard that if you do enough acid with Barbie and My Little Pony you can bend the Space/Time continuum. That would mean, you'd be able to wear the sweater while puking up cream soda....at Rhinebeck.
God Speed Harlot, God Speed.

Oh you're making Gwendolyn! In Shelter! Piece of cake.

No, really. The cables have a lovely flow to them that give you that "JUST ONE MORE ROW AND I'LL GO TO BED NO JUST ONE MORE " feeling rather than the bogged-down-by-endless-cables remorse.

The sponginess of the Shelter is going to give you great definition.

I totally want to knit that sweater for Rhinebeck.

Oh. I suppose that would be kind of creepy. Especially if I had a prayer of finishing. Which I don't. Never mind.

My almost 4 year old would love those socks. She was super happy today to have her first ever ballet class, wearing a pink leotard, pink tights and pink slippers. She asked me if she could bring her pink daisy bunny allong. All the little pink 3 and 4 year olds were so cute! But I still can't believe that *my* daughter could love pink so much.

And I really need to knit her more pink socks... she outgrew all of last year's.

And just saw the comment from Fiona about her managing not to mis-cross the cables while into her pints.

What does that say about my sobriety level that I did mis-cross the cables on the sleeves? At least I did them both at once so they were symmetrical.....

Hey! I made that sweater too! (My Ravelry name is ArtsyReader, you can admire it on my projects page.) It is everything I wanted in a sweater and then some.

It took me three months to knit. BUT I am the world's slowest knitter, and you are the Harlot and you are invincible.

For Amy S. at September 28, 2011 6:29 PM
I'm a 71 year old 'kid' and I love those colors! Have totally made socks for myself like that. Make socks for yourself and drive your kid carazy. It's fun!
Love ya Stephanie! All knitters are (should be) crazy at least a little bit. More is better!
Paula in Iowa

Thank you for my LOL!! moment.
Perfect description of that colour!

"Barbie and my little pony went on an acid bender...." too too funny. Stephanie, this is why I cannot read your books on the bus ... even though i think they're awesome. The nice men in white coats would come along and take me away.
I wonder if Blue moon fiber arts would dare to call one of their colourways something like that. They seem like people who like to live dangerously.

A dear friend of mine has requested a Gwendolyn. I could only hope to finish it in 17 months, 17 weeks is crazypants, 17 days is unfathomable.

I saw the larger picture of the socks and thought, Oh, that's not THAT bad. Then I saw the closeup and thought, Oh. It really is.

I love the sweater! Cables, mmmm. Also, I'm not sure what it says about me that I'm looking forward to the crazypants will-not-be-a-twisted-sweater-race...but I am.

Have fun :)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE those socks. They make me happy!!!! If you can knit a Dale of Norway sweater in 17 days I think you will have no problem knitting Gwendolyn in 17 days. Can't wait to see the finished sweater, unless you get sidetracked by some other wonderful project.

I'm making a vest. I also have a demanding job--I'm a middle school librarian and that doesn't leave a lot of time for knitting. Although being a middle school librarian means I need a LOT of knitting time to calm down. If I don't finish the vest, I'll wear a sweater that I finished this summer. No one will know that I didn't make the sweater specifically for Rhinebeck--unless you tell them!!

I anticipate crazy twisted sweater race - which, given the pattern, is quite appropriate.

You'll do it ... as long as you have massive amounts of caffeine. I just know it.

And it will be awesome.

Gorgeous sox!! Much more fun that a hoodie. Yay for you for giving them to a young and hip girl!!!

Crazypants. It's why we keep coming back.

Totally doable. Plus, you knit a size small as fast as you can.

My friend in college decorated her room at home in barf on unicorn colours. It was stripes and polka dots. I like it better in socks.

My resolve is continuing to crumble...I've had the yarn for that sweater out and waiting for me to finish the Christmas knitting for oh, a month, maybe two months now. These socks better hurry themselves up so I can move on to that sweater!

Regia had a line of colourways for the World Cup; "Amsterdam" is remarkably similar to that, and I just finished a pair of socks in that colour for a fellow teacher. She loves them.

My browser is still thinking American and doesn't like the way I spelled colour. But since I'm writing from Kenya to Canada about a pair of socks given to a friend from Australia, it shall stay. And to think before I moved here I had never heard of the Commonwealth...

Gwendolyn is my daughter's name. I hope your sweater doesn't throw as many tantrums as mine does lol. Good Luck! It looks gorgeous!!

I am also knitting for a little girl. She requested a "Rainbow Scarf" made with a multi coloured yarn. As I have been knitting, I am thinking how much I appreciated your ancient (2006) blog about the One Row Handspun Scarf. That pattern has become my go-to pattern for scarf requests. It makes an attractive scarf in just about any yarn, and the pattern is a no-brainer to remember. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Ah...yet another vocation if all else fails "namer of colorways". I love those socks!

Hey, I remember an earlier Rhinebeck when you finished a sweater in time - in about the same amount of time if I remember right, and you designed it, too! (I LOVED that sweater - gorgeous color, sleeve cables that started down in the cuffs...)
I absolutely know you can do it.

Wow! Love that sweater pattern! Also, I have a hot pink/purple/white baby blanket made by a friend. Her small child chose the yarn:"The brightest thing at eye-level!"

My granddaughter Laura will be 4 tomorrow and she would *love* those socks! I guess I should be a good grandma and do something about that.

Fun little socks for a little girl. Absolutely! And that sweater in 17 days? Knit like a ninja!

Awwwww, I wanna be four years old and have Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn socks...

Beautiful colour, reminds me of a favourite sweater I bought from a charity shop years ago, and lost some where along the way too. Might have to re-visit the idea....

adevise to all who have to knit colourways that scream: put on sunglasses. I realised when knitting outside the colours were acceptable, sunglasses on. Really, it helps, even indoors, maybe you have to buy some cheap ones with blue or yellow glasses for your colours but it really chases away the Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds effects to your eyes and brain. Lovely sweater, if knitted without a cable needle I think you will make it.

I have an addiction to the Twist Collective, it started with Wisteria and has gone on from there. A sweater race against time is a good time to be grateful for being on the less tall side, less knitting. Us 6 footers wouldn't stand a chance. Godspeed.

sigh....sometimes it is very hard being named 'Barbie'.I promise it wasn't me who did all that stuff with My Little Pony... I never had one...sigh....and I've never met a unicorn....lol

Mmmmmm 17 days you say?? Piece of cake for you. Total doddle. Walk in the park. So long as you ignore the cooking, cleaning, family, don't shower & just have Joe push a beer or three under your nose every now & then. Yep. No problem.
Maybe rethink the colour change & the hoodie part but really, no problem.
Me?? I would be up the shops & purchase a sweater but you can totes do this. We are all rooting for you.
Really looking forward to the blog posts for the next 17 days. Mind you, you may have to skip those too. We will understand.
Love your work.
Lush
London, UK
Via Sydney

I'm so jealous you have a sweater's-worth of Shelter. I love, love, love that yarn. Those socks are adorable too.

Sure it's crazypants. But then you do seem to knit freakishly fast so who knows.

I made that exact sweater. It took me less than a week to do so I bet you can too. Just a warning though the sweater is incredibly heavy. I wear it in the winter alot without another coat on.

Funny, I've pulled out yarn to knit a sweater for Rhinebeck too. Glad someone else has no problem with the crazy time frame. With any luck we'll both be sporting new sweaters.

It might be crazypants but that's why we love you!!

Do we need to do an intervention? JOE???? GET OUT OF THERE....save yourself!!

I just clicked on the Ravelry link to the sweater - it's BEAUTIFUL. Having just bought my first cable needle, planning on learning on a scarf/hat/mitten set, I may have to rethink that. Ravelry says that pattern is only medium difficult.... And seeing the picture of Natalie posing with the socks, I think I see mittens in "Pink Lemonade" in her future.

Happy Thursday!

Steph,

Ypu will be in excellent company on this Rhinebeck sweater race. The blogger of Knitting To Stay Sane is also in the race. She began last week though...if you want to catch her you had better hurry!

OOOh fun! I get to keep track of both of you and see who wins!.

Very ambitious, all those cables, but we have seen what you can do and how fast you get things done--I bet you can do it!!

Didn't you do this before or am I imagining knitting (again)?

You can do it! (provided those troublesome things like your job or your family or dishes don't get in the way)

Talk about crazypants, I am hoping against all odds that it will be way too warm at Rhinebeck for you to wear that sweater (as much as I'd love to see you succeed and get the sweater done by then).

Like my daddy used to say, "You gotta do what you do best." Rock on, crazypants.

about that sweater? keep the dream alive....

We've come to expect crazypants from you; you do it so much better than the rest of us, too.

No laundry, no meals, no sleep, red wine in quantity and I MIGHT finish a very small sweater in 17 days. Cables? Hmmm! Not a hope. "You're a better man than I, Gunga Din".

Ah, c'mon. You know you love it. The crazy pants thing.

You can do it! The pattern is beautiful. It would take me a few months.

Laughing . . . laughing . . . laughing . . . laughing . . .

Responding to your twitter question...... last week's L&O:SVU season opener said Stabler put in his papers for retirement. Good show so watch if you can. Some new cast members who seem that they will fit in. In reality, I read somewhere that he wanted too much money and the show wasn't going to pay it. Love the pumpkin colored yarn.

I am curious to see what your Embers turn into. That is my favorite color of Shelter. I just bought some Pumpkin Spice Cascade 220 to turn in to Levinwick ( http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/levenwick )someday when I get up the nerve to start knitting a sweater =D

If anyone can turn that lovely pile of yarn into a sweater Stephanie, it would be you! Look forward to seeing you in it at Rhinebeck!

Well, at least knit the hood. It is ultracool. The sweater is nice, but it's just another sweater. Just a suggestion. But dude, you know you ARE the Crazypants Knitting Queen, so go for it.

Thanks for this! I always wondered what the true description of that color was! lol..

I look forward to seeing progress on the sweater, whether it's completed in 17 days or not! Speedy knitting to you!

d

Crazypants or not you can do it! I love that yarn and that color can't wait to see the sweater.

Thank you for that perfect description of the yarn color, Stephanie! I haven't laughed so hard in weeks. :-D

Wow! Gwendolyn is a great pattern. My fingers start to twitch just looking at it. Hope you'll wear it at the color workshop! :-))))))))))

Oops! Colour Workshop!

Thanks for that comment on the colorway(I know, spelled it different - I'm American). You just made my very boring day looming ahead of me at work bearable. Thank you!

It's a cabled sweater. Cables are addictive. You'll have it done with time to spare. ; )

Love the socks (but not for me). They're perfect for a 4-year-old!

And good luck with that sweater! I love that pattern, but would never attempt it in 17 days. I really hope you (once again) prove that the impossible isn't.

Whoa! Crazy socks. Good luck with that sweater. If you finish that in time, I will give you a prize.

You know 4-year-olds! She will TOTALLY LOVE those socks!

That is one heck of a gorgeous sweater! Hope you can get it done. It would take me 2 years at my current knitting pace.

Well, a child's sweater in a wild color always takes precedence over a sedate adult one. Btw, be prepared to make child sweater no. 2. No. 1 will be loved to death!

Since Fiona said you can get it done, and because you are a fast and determined knitter with a small personage to cover, and because 17 days actually means a little longer because you can always knit during the travel time--GO FOR IT! We'll be rooting for you.

I'm late to this party, but, yeah ... what Rams said. Sweater on a deadline: always good entertainment value.

Worth the overuse of full stops:
Best. Colorway. Name. Ever!

laundry? dirty dishes? supper? it can all wait. the clock is ticking and crazypants has a sweater to knit. you can do it, crazypants. we're rooting for you ;)

You can do it - I have faith. I can't wait to see how it goes over the next 17 days!

Maybe you could just knit the back, hood and sleeves and talk to everyone over your shoulder? Nobody need ever know they were gaffer taped to your t-shirt...

All stations normal then?

I know you can do these things, you have posted pictures before of the miraculous, even pictures of sweaters from past Rhinebecks. But when I clicked the link to your sweater, I laughed out loud. I am still laughing. You're such a Dreamer!!! Loveable, but a Dreamer.

Ready... Set... GO!!!

good luck on that sweater.... I think from reading your blog in the past, you are going to need all the luck you can get!

YOU CAN DOOOOOOOOO ITTTTTTT!!! 17 days? You'll have like a week left over! Race on Steph!! And I agree w/ Mary G...it may still be damp but you'll be wearing it!

You put making other people happy first: the giver of the yarn and especially that little four-year-old. (As I remember Hank's adorable pink dragon mittens, which would probably embarrass the heck out of him now.) If the sweater gets done, that's ganache on the chocolate torte, but if not--you spent your time well.

I do love that Embers SHELTER. Good luck with the sweater! I know you'll finish, but I wonder what will happen on the way...

Your creative license in the yarn name gave me a good laugh today :-) thanks

In case you didn't know, today (Sept. 29th) is NATIONAL COFFEE DAY!

I made socks from similar yarn for an afghans 4 Afghans campaign a few years ago. I enjoyed the colors, but as someone else noted, we children of the 60's thought combinations of hot pink, acid green, orange and teal were the grooviest.

I can't make it to Rhinebeck this year and am looking forward to the pictures of what you wear. It really was exciting to see the Kauni up close.

Sometimes those wildly bright colours are just the thing to cheer up the knitter and the sock wearer. Besides, when you only see a sliver of sock between jeans and shoes, they are not so bright.

Regarding Save, I am on a different end of the spectrum. I can hardly remember to not Save if I want to change the title of the document first. Do you use the keyboard commands? It's faster than the drop-down menus.

Did you post them on your Rav projects page as "YarnHarlot's Barbie and My Little Pony went on an acid bender and barfed up cream soda on a unicorn socks"?!

I hope you are keeping that very descriptive colourway name a closely guarded secret from said four year old - wouldn't want one of those awkward moments where you have to explain what an "acid bender" is.

The socks are awesome; the colourway should make them easy to find in the laundry basket.

I'm sure Rhinebeck would not be the same without a sweater race!

I know that I would be unable to knit a sweater in 17 days but I totally believe that you will be able to do so. I have seen some of the tremendous knitting you have accomplished. I think that, perhaps, you just may wear a tight blue spandex suit, short red skirt and red cape with a large "K" embroidered to the front - leaping large baskets of wool in a single bound. By the way, hoping to find out which sweater you are considering. Looking forward to finding out more.

Can't wait to see it at Rhinebeck!

A sweater in two weeks, maybe if I had at least 5 people knitting the pieces!!! More like 2 years for me...Good luck it is a beautifully designed sweater, the color is lovely. Can't wait to see it done.
The leaf your daughter is holding from the weekend trip is very similar to the socks you knit....hmmmm?

I think you are going to make it with the sweater. Maybe 4 hours a day or so...

I'm with Natalie. Let's all stay 4 forever. However many times it takes...
Julie

Maybe I could come watch you knit? I knit real slow, maybe you could teach me how to knit fast-er. Meanwhile I will become a smaller size!!! That is the real key to knitting faster. LOL !!!

I needed that laugh this evening! Thank you :)

From reading your blog you do not strike me as someone who backs down from a knitting challange. Show father time where he can shove his minutes. I see a gorgeous cabled hoodie in your very near future. In love with that sweater design!

As a 30 yr old woman I can proudly say that part of me hasn't matured past loving rainbows. And I can dig a little acid pony-corn color way. It's the Barbie that makes me barf.

Regards,
Pony Princess Sparkles

Go Harlot, Go!

I'm pretty sure it won't be cold at Rhinebeck this year. I'm saying that with no knowledge of weather conditions. BUT I think this year is the one year when this California girl doesn't need to freeze her arse off in NY. So take a break and knit the sweater in a leisurely manner. It'll be warm.

Crazypants pullover version or zipper version? Cuz zipper is way crazier, unless we're talking steek. Enjoy the ride ~~~~

I hope the reason we haven't heard from her today is that she is too busy knitting!! Even if it leaves us blogless. Trish

I love those socks. I would so wear that color. And can't wait to see your sweater-racing. Seeing your speed knitting makes me think my meager knitting goals are attainable.

How's the sweater coming? I want to try the shelter yarn. The colors are fantastic. Do you like it? I want to make a cardigan. Plain, not tight, just right. I spent an hour on ravelry yesterday and couldn't come up with one. Any suggestions?

Grrr. Gwendolyn is next up in my queue, and I had already decided to use some yarn in the stash. Now I have to seriously reconsider since you flashed that picture of Shelter. There goes the yarn diet!

Can't you just pretend it's Knitting Olympics time, and Gwendolyn is your event? Even if you're... oh, wait. I just clicked on the link to see what Gwendolyn looks like. Well, if anyone can make a sweater with 8 gazillion cables in 17 days, it's you.

I think you're right about what color a 4-year old girl would like. Uncanny.

I seem to remember a similar race for a rhinebeck sweater several years ago. And as I recall that was a very complex cabled cardi...that you designed yourself.Granted I don't remember how much time you had then, but at least you have a head start this time, the pattern is already written.

Thank you for the Barbie's-acid-trip-vomit line. I haven't laughed so hard for days, and I *really* needed a laugh today. Thank you!

The hoodie would absolutely be do-able in 17 days, even with cables, IF they didn't travel all over the place, requiring constant checking with the pattern. What you need is someone to read to you while you speed knit. Boy, if I could double-wish upon a star, I'd get me a reader AND a chauffer.

By the way, Happy Anniversary! It's my birthday so it's easy to remember :D

Oh good. A sweater race. Just the thing as the weather turns cold.

Oh, yeah, crazypants.

But that sweater is totally gorgeous! I am SURE you can do it!

Whatever happened to Joe's gansey? It seems like years since you've worked on it?

Like everyone else, I love the description of the colorway, I so admire the fact that you made the socks for the little girl [I CELEBRATE kindness!], but my absolute fav-o-rite thing you said in this post ( and for me, any post in recent memory, and I am a super HUGE fan of yours btw) was this:

"I have no time for self-loathing today."

A truly profound statement, and something I need to be reminded of....frequently.

If I ever get a tattoo (VERY unlikely I must say....), but if I ever do, I will now get THREE: a dotted line on the base of my big toe where sock decreases should start (useful), a line on my midriff with an arrow that says "Must be this tall to ride" (humourous), AND now on the inside of my right forearm in lovely script, "I have no time for self-loathing today." It's useful, humorous and profound.

Thanks.

Doesn't Rhinebeck have to wait to "deliver" until you are done with the sweater? ;-)

Hi, Yarn Harlot. I started reading your blog a few months ago, starting with your very first post. Seriously, I adore you. I love how you talk about your adventures and the way you are funny in each and every post. Can you answer one teeny question for me?
Is it weird that I knit and I stay in a country that technically has summer all year round?

I like when you go all "crazypants" because then I don't feel so crazypants myself!

Very, very pretty sweater pattern. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but it may be a bit of a stetch. Lots of coffee, some good beer, snappy music, start thinking about sleep in abstact terms, get those crazy pants on, you could do it. Best of luck!

Suzy-Q

Cute socks & I like the colourway too although I'm not 4 years old either, (Put a 2 behind the 4 and you're there).

If anyone can knit a cable sweater in 17 days it's you. go for it. Looking forward to reading about the sweater race.

17 days? NO WAY! Challenge set....

OK. Whenever I have seen you at Rhinebeck (twice to be exact), you were wearing something that you had finished well in advance. The shawl and sweater were quite beautiful as I recall. Because I, too, feel required to create something Rhinebeck-worthy, I can well understand your situation. Additionally, I have a 4-year-old grand-daughter who is now demanding knitwear in pink and purple colorways. My solution was to crochet ( sorry, I know your views on this ) a mohair and silk shawl for my Rhinebeck garment. I am interested to see what you come up with between now and then.

You sure do have a way with word pictures.. I laughed at that description!

I'm planning on making two sweaters for my husband by his birthday. (Nov. 1) I've gotten barely started on the first one. Basically, I bought a huge amount of Malabrigo Rios and I'm working top down from Barbara Walker's book (for the first time) and I needed to figure out what the heck I'm doing while keeping the surprise sweater secret. So naturally I went and bought a bunch of cheap, but still passingly good yarn (Wool-Ease) so that I could make the first sweater to fit and have fittings and everything and then work on it in front of him, saying it's his birthday present, while secretly and madly (in secret) making a whole other sweater that is his REAL birthday present. It's the super secret sweater swap. I'm not entirely sure why I felt compelled to share this. I'm not trying to one-up you or anything. (I hate it when people do that.) I think I just read this post and thought, "She'd understand..." Imagine how amazing it will be for him to think he's gotten a present and have me pull out a WHOLE OTHER SWEATER and say, "Surprise! This is your real present!" The perfection of this moment is all that's keeping me going right now on the miles and miles of plain stockinette I'm about to have to knit.

YOu make me laugh. Again and again....love barbie and my little pony references...
I dont have anyone little in the house anymore, but I remember the colors well

Forget the Rhinebeck sweater.

It's time to start the holiday knitting. Think about how happy you'll be if your holiday knitting isn't quite as crazy as usual.

Of course, if you're like me, you'll just knit for more people because you think you have more time.

I LOVE that someone as cool as YOU has "self loathing days." That just makes me so damn happy and feeling normal. I may just go and take a bath to clean up my nasty stay-at-home-mom, homeschooling, not-bathing-in-days self. Here's to you Steph..for making My world a better place.

I once made my husband an aran sweater in 15 days - so it can be done - mind you, I did almost nothing else for those days. Good luck, Stephanie - you can do it! By the way, this 66 yr old Nana loves the socks!

Just pretend that the sweater is really a baby blanket for an overdue mum, and I'm sure you'll finish it up on time. ;)

Harlot, I forgot to tell you to be sure to let us know how you like the Shelter. I have been wanting to order some, but I am such an alpaca lover, that I wanted to get someone elses opinion first before I spent a ton of $$$...I love Jared's colorways...superb!

I think you should be a colourway namer

Echos from sock summit:

I read a magazine called Linux Format - hard-core tech magazine. On page 14 of the 2011 November issue, there's an article called OSCON 2011, a review of the open source conference that took place in Portland Oregon. Here's one of the opening paragraphs:

"The Knitty Gritty"

...

"But anyway. Eventually we got to OSCON, which ran from July 25-29 and was held in the Oregon Convention Center. Excellently, part of the centre was devoted to an entirely different show, the Sock Summit 2011, which was all about knitting socks. No, really. It wasn't uncommon to see sandal-wearing Debian-cap-adorning ThinkPad-toting geeks standing shoulder to shoulder with gossiping power-knitters in the coffee shop lines."

Heh. Two of my favourite groups ... if I was there, I would have been torn in two (or 5 or more) trying to decide which sessions to attend at any one time.

Snort.

When YOU say something is "crazy pants" it's like seeing the manic gleam in a two-year-old's eyes as she aims her Big Wheel trike down a really big hill.

You know she's gonna do it even if it's a really, really bad idea and there's gonna be tears at the end. Ain't no sense in trying to talk you out of it so I'll just stand here with the bandaids and try not to watch. >:-)

Got my pre order message from Amazon today for your new book-I'm in!

I'm sorry, but I have to say this is what draws me to your blog. Love it when the deadlines start. You usually beat them too! Not to mention Christmas being right around the corner. You are going to be so much fun!

:D

It's been a week since you. Getting worried. Is all okay up there in harlot land?

OK. Lemme guess, you are so busy knitting on your Rhinebeck sweater that you can't blog.....:)

The socks are cute. I am not a fan of that color pink either, but I have a 7 year old niece who would be thrilled with a pair of socks that look like that. Speaking of socks... I am a new sock knitter myself, everything goes well until it is time to turn the heel. Then it all goes haywire. I am following the directions.. but what the directions say, and what appears on my needles do not match. Any suggestions?...

Love the Barbie/My Little Pony socks! I know you can knit the sweater in time. You are the Yarn Harlot for goodness sakes. (Just no sleep or alcohol and LOTS of coffee!) :)

You are not alone.

My Rhinebeck sweater for LAST year (which had been started in plenty of time - but didn't get very far) has become the Rhinebeck sweater for THIS year. To be completed with 4 other items that MUST be done by then.

You are not alone.

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