Cathy in MN! Cathy, you’ve won the winter 06/07 issue of Vogue Knitting. I’ll contact you via e-mail to get your address. This contest was fun. Let’s do it again sometime!

Here are photos of the official drawing:

Ben Picks a Winner from the pile of folded-up stickies artfully tossed on the floor. Yes, that’s my husband’s foot.

Ben quickly tosses that one away, making me retrieve it. Yes, that’s a training potty in our kitchen. No, he doesn’t use it and isn’t really interested. But he does enjoy pushing it around the house.

And the winner is Cathy in MN!

Ben takes it back. Nobody messes with baby’s stickies!

Thank you to everyone for playing! I really enjoyed reading your comments and am so happy about the positive feedback on this blog. I feel like I’m doing the ‘right thing’.

A lot of you have blogs as well. Check ‘em out.

Your Blogs

• Brodaigh runs Modiste, a sewing wiki.
• livelongsewhard has some new pillows and made a skirt in 30 minutes. She also has a private livejournal, Crafty A.D.D. (I like the name!)
• Needle to Needle just finished some mittens, a circle hat, and a collar.
• Earthwhisper Fiber Arts is doing some gardening and went to Stitches West.
• Knit for joy! is doing some stash enhancement.
• Forward Motion finished some happy fun socks for her daughter Grace.
• Knitting for Health and Sanity just got back from New Zealand and is knitting socks and leg warmers for her sisters.
• More than Mediocre is knitting some lovely lace. “Harebell Lace Fichu”
• Decisions Decisions Decisions made a sweater for her husband from Vermont Fiber Designs, who she says has many nice patterns up to size 6x.

Vogue, Vogue, Vogue, you have so many pretty patterns but you only did the plus-size math on three of them in your latest issue. Is it really that difficult? Better Homes and Gardens doesn’t seem to have any trouble doing the math for Knit It. They have seven plus-size patterns in their latest issue.

I will forgive you this time since at least two of the three patterns are mighty nice. The fair isle sweater is refreshing and that bell sleeved coat is perfect for curvy figures. I don’t know what you were thinking about the third pattern, a floral mini dress over leggings. Leggings? Please spare me the humility of even thinking about wearing leggings.

Here are the details for my dear readers.

If you would like to see the high quality photos, check out their magazine preview here.

Plus-Size Patterns from Vogue Knitting Winter 2006/07

Fair Isle Pullover, pattern no. 6, page 73

“Close-fitting pullover with Fair Isle and solid stockinette stitch blocks, set-in sleeves and mohair ribbed sleeve cuffs and turtleneck.”

Difficulty: 3 out of 4
Sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X
Knitted Measurements:

• Bust: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52)”/81.5 (91.5, 101.5, 111.5, 122, 132)cm
• Length: 27 (28, 28, 28 1/2, 28 1/2, 29)”/68.5 (71, 71, 72.5, 72.5, 73.5)cm
• Upper arm: 12 (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)”/30.5 (33, 35.5, 38, 40.5, 43)cm

Ruffled Jacket, pattern no. 14, page 85

“Close-fitting stockinette stitch jacket with shaped side seams, bell sleeves and ruffled edges.”

Difficulty: 4 out of 4
Sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X
Knitted Measurements:

• Bust (closed): 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52)”/81 (91.5, 101.5, 112, 122, 132)cm
• Length: 31 1/2 (32, 32 1/2, 33, 33 1/2, 34)”/80 (81.5, 82.5, 84, 85, 86.5)cm
• Upper arm: 11 (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)”/28 (30.5, 33, 35.5, 38, 40.5)cm

Floral Dress, pattern no. 26, page 98

“Very close-fitting long dress with intarsia knit floral designs and embroidered embellishments”

Difficulty: 4 out of 4
Sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, 1X, 2X
Knitted Measurements:

• Bust: 33 (36 1/2, 40 1/2, 44, 47 1/2, 51 1/2)”/83.5 (92.5, 103, 111.5, 120.5, 130.5)cm
• Length: 41 1/2 (42, 42 1/2, 43 1/2, 44 1/2, 45)”/105.5 (106.5, 107.5, 110.5, 112.5, 114)cm
• Upper arm: 14 (15, 15 1/2, 16 1/4, 17, 18)”/35.5 (38, 39.5, 41, 43, 45.5)cm

Coming tomorrow morning: Places to find free patterns online! And the lowdown on plus-size patterns in Vogue’s knit.1. Thank you and good hump day and Ash Wednesday to you.

Contest over, thanks for playing! Don’t forget to leave your comments on this post for a chance to win a copy of this issue! Cat got your tongue? Here are some things I’d like to know: What do you think of these patterns? Would you make them? What’s your favorite knitting magazine or site? How much info should I post about each pattern? Do you want materials information too with links to online shops and manufacturers? How often do you buy knitting magazines or do you subscribe? (I’m terrible about buying them at the bookstore and not subscribing.)

I slipped out to Borders for lunch today and picked up the latest Vogue Knitting and Knit.1 magazines. There were a few good patterns in each. I’ll post the details tonight or tomorrow morning.

Would you like to win a free copy of the latest Vogue Knitting magazine? I have one to give away!

You: What do I have to do to win the magazine?

Me: Just leave a comment when I post about the Vogue Knitting patterns. I’ll pick someone from the comments randomly on the morning of Monday, Feb. 25th and e-mail you to get the details on where to ship the magazine.

You: Why are you doing this? Are you crazy? Is this a trick?

Me: Whoa, one question at a time.
1. I have too many magazines and not enough time to knit all the stuff in them. They stress me out when they’re laying around my house calling to me with their someday-maybe projects. Also, I am not a very experienced knitter - I’m more of a crochet person - and most of the stuff in Vogue looks to be above my skill level for now.
2. I have been called crazy on occasion and I’m proud of it.
3. No trick. I’m giving away a magazine for free. No strings attached. I’ve wanted to start this blog for over 6 months. I fretted and stalled and thought about how foolish I might look and didn’t do anything. Then one day I just did it. And I love it. And I want to share the love with you. That’s it.

You: You really are crazy noob. I mean look at this…you’re having an imaginary conversation.

Me: …

You: …

Me: Just leave a comment. If you’re the only one then you win automatically! Please don’t make me get my brother to leave a comment. He’s too busy playing World of Warcraft anyway.