Getting Sunstruck

Sometimes my job is really awesome. OK, a lot of times my job is awesome, but some days I get really great mail without even asking. Thanks to the wonderful folks at Knit Picks (thanks, Jenny!) I received a sample set of their new Sunstruck interchangeable knitting needles over the weekend.

Almost immediately I cast on an knit a little swatch (that’s in the luscious Berroco Vintage, if you want to know) and I have to say I really enjoyed working with them. That’s no surprise, because the Knit Picks Harmony needles, which have the same birchwood base, have been some of my favorites for a long time. The Sunstruck needles are blond instead of multicolored, which makes them even nicer for knitting with dark yarn because it’s easier to see the stitches than it might be on the darker Harmony base.

These needles are lightweight, nice and smooth, easy to work with and pretty, too. I zipped through my swatch on these size 7 US needles (4.5 mm) and am eager to take them for another spin soon.

I think I’m going to be wanting this whole set really soon! If you’re not an interchangeable fan, these needles are also available as straights and fixed circulars. Tips start at $6.99, straights at $5.99 and fixed circs at $7.49. Go getcha some!

Next Pattern:

Not too long ago I was seeing a crochet pattern for a glasses holder shaped like a bear all over the Internet. It was super cute, and also useful as a place to put your glasses on your bedside table instead of just throwing them somewhere random.

This project stewed in my brain for a little while and I decided I needed to make a knit version, but I didn’t want to make a bear. If you know anything about me you might know that I’m a cat person, so of course my version had to be a cat.

The base is just a basic little basic worked from the center out to the desired size, then up the sides as long as you want them. Knit some ears and add embellishments to make it whatever kind of animal you want.

The way I figured out to work the base from the center out was to use a crochet cast on, which gives you an easier way to pick up stitches from the back of the cast on than if you worked a more traditional cast on for a knitting project. It’s kind of fun to do things in a different way from time to time.

This little project is adorable if I do say so myself, and even as a plain little basket not made into an animal it’s a cute way to keep your glasses or other little things in one place. I’m tempted to make one for my desk to hold pens or even little little scissors and sewing needles that are always on my desk but somehow always seem to get lost on my desk.

If you need a little holder for your glasses on your table, check out the pattern at Our Daily Craft.

[Photo: Our Daily Craft]

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