Stash and Geekery

Okay, only three pieces of it are actually stash, since the rest of it is earmarked for specific projects. My HUGE BOX from KnitPicks (which cost less than my Clapotis) included:

- 18 balls of Merino Style in Vanilla for Zig Zag

- 1 ball of Merino Style in tidepool, for hefty swatching in preparation for a design project (I already have a batch of this for the sweater proper, but got nervous about the amount needed for prep)

- 2 hanks of sock weight Color Your Own, for my first try at hand-dyeing

- 9 balls of Pallete in: black, blue, pool, and sky for Snowflakes and Arrows (which is very stinkfully photographed, both flat and on the model, to imply shaping, but actually has none. I'll take that as a challenge.)

- a bottle of Eucalan

- The pattern for Snowflakes and Arrows

- The book Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy, which totally rocks. It's all about understanding construction, rather than following patterns.


That reminds me. I've been meaning to start an Amazon book list, and maybe a series of articlettes called Knitting for Engineers. The more I think about it, the geekier knitting seems to me. Yes, it's about beauty and drape and the way the fiber feels in your hands. But if you think about it, there's so much more to each of those things. What makes a design beautiful? Why does one swatch drape differently than another? Why does one fiber feel different? These can all be understood, at least to some degree, and that adds another layer of pleasure to seeing a beautiful design, admiring how it drapes, and enjoying the feel of Alpaca in your hands. Plus, the process of coming to understand them is incredibly fun.

Woohoo. (and owie)

So, once again, my secret pal rocks. She sent me my February package EARLY, and not only was it beautifully decorated:



it was full of wonderful things:


The pictures are unfortunately dark, but here's what was in there:
- a pretty postcard
- a ball of Trekking sock yarn (in a lovely dark color that seems to be a mix of black, burgundy, and dark green: subtle and neutral, but still interesting!)
- a set of gorgeous Brittany size 1 double points in birch. (lux-ur-y)
- Knitter's Little Helper hand balm from Blue Sky Alpacas (and was there anything on the questionnaire about having the world's driest skin? No. Maybe they should rename this Psychic Pal. Seriously, SP: when I was a kid, my skin used to get so dry that it would literally _bleed_ in the winter. Even with 2-3 lotionings a day, it still gets pretty dry. This is so very much appreciated!)
- oolong tea candy (at 3g of sugar for the average piece of hard candy, these are just the right amount for special-occasion treats, since I can only handle one at a time, but these are so special that just one is enough to savor)
- pretty beads
- brass pin stitch markers
- finally (and this is the most tickles me most with its sillines and usefulness) a postal-style stamp saying "certified work of art"



On a less-unexpected note, my color cards from Beaverslide Dry Goods came today, and boy, oh boy.

Almost every color they have is one of my colors. They have a nice mix of brights and more muted colors, but they're all fairly cool in undertone, and just plain pretty. Considering the quality, price, and personal and eco-friendly production, what's not to like? I'd say they complement KnitPicks nicely within that price range: both have basic, classic yarns at excellent prices, but KnitPicks goes for smoother, more polishes looks, while Beaverslide goes for a more organic, slightly rustic look, both at similar (and very low, particularly for the quality) prices. Wow-e-wow.


Finally, and lest I collapse in paroxysms of joy, two big ouches:

- I had to write a check to the Commonwealth for $715 yesterday. Stinky tax software that shall not be named didn't include income I earned at an internship in Texas in 2002 towards my Massachusetts taxes, and I got audited. Now, I have no problem paying my share. However I absolutely hate finding out several years later that I owe money, and not only taxes, but a good $100+ in interest, and ESPECIALLY because software that claims expertise screwed up. I'm hoping that I can get that refunded, in accordance with their accuracy guarantee. The other thing that really bothers me is that this whole thing was caused by the fact that my employer at that internship (which shall remain nameless) overpaid me, through their mistake. When I noticed that (back in the fall of 2002, just after I returned to Boston) they had given me an extra paycheck, I called them and asked what to do, and they said to send them a check for the extra money. So I did, right away. Then, in 2003, they sent me a letter, saying that I owed them more money. Apparently, my second-to-last paycheck had the wrong end date, so I had a few days more pay than I was entitled to. So I agreed to send them the wages for the days I had mistakenly been paid for A YEAR EARLIER. But then they wanted me to reimburse them for the federal taxes on the extra wages they had paid me. Now, I did not have, and had never had, this money in my possession, and they had paid it because of their own mistake. It took me several phone calls to convince them that getting that money (which, again, I had never even seen) back from the federal government was their problem. And then, quite some time later, I got corrected W-2s. Which prompted an audit, which prompted the bill for $700+. Once again, I have no problem paying what I rightfully owe, but G*D D*MN IT! I wish this would just END. Sigh.

- I have two large blisters on each foot. I've been walking to and/or from work (3 miles each way) several days a week lately, to plump up my stats for the MIT Fitness Challenge. Today, I forgot to bring my proximity card (which lets me leave my office building after 7pm without setting off the alarm). I realized this at 6:58, and had to rush to get out before the alarm was activated, and, in the process, forgot to put on my athletic socks. As a result, I walked home in sneakers and kneehighs, which, let me tell you, don't do much to reduce friction. The real problem, though, was that I didn't start feeling it until I was five minutes from home. Now I have blisters the size of dimes on my heels. So, while I may have logged 120 minutes today, I may be laid up for the next day or two while I heal. :(

But I do have kickass presents to keep me company. :)

Poop.

Well, darn it. I lost my individual templates. Oh well. I guess you'll have to survive without knowing what I had on my ipod at the time, or which projects I was working on concurrently.

That said, it was for a noble cause. You see, ladies and gentlemen, I am a reformed bandwidth thief. Some of the images on this blog were hotlinked to other sites (meaning that when you viewed my blog, you were downloading images from someone else's site). I always gave the image credit and a link to the original site, and thought that I was doing the right thing copyright-wise by referring to the original image, rather than making a copy of it in my own space. I didn't realize, however, that this cost the other site's owner bandwith, which they sometimes have to pay extra for. To all of you out there whose bandwidth I may have stolen: I thought I was respecting your copyright, but I was wrong, and I'm sorry I hurt you.

If you've done the same, it's not too late to repent. Click here to read more:

(and no, don't hotlink the button)


So what does this have to do with my blog? Well, I spent a few hours on Saturday going through my posts to identify hotlinked images, download and upload them to my own web space, and update the image references. In the process, I accidentally chose "republish blog" instead of "republish index", so I've lost my post-by-post modifications.



On a few happier notes:

- I have some Tubey progress. I'm finished with the back, and almost done with the first sleeve.


This is going S-L-O-W-ly, probably because I'm using the 2-circulars method. I have nothing against double-points, except that they tend to fall out of my knitting bag. Plus, I didn't have a set of size 5 circs, but did have two sets of size 5 Denise points (I bought an extra pair, since I use 5s or 6s most often). I find that pulling the neeedle through kills some time. Plus, I'm changing balls of yarn every row, which also eats some time. That said, this yarn is so beautiful, I'm drooling at every stitch.


- I gave spinning my first try, using the drop spindle and blue-faced leicester my fabulous secret pal gave me. I didn't do too well, but did manage to make quite a fun cat toy:


I'll be taking a lesson at Mind's Eye, my most L of LYSes, in the near future, whose owner is quite a talented spinner.

No, Wait! Go Team Cable!

Hrm. I'm thinking about laming out of the vest in favor of Zig Zag.


Danielle kindly pointed out that there seem to be pattern errata (including a complete absence of shaping in the instructions). Add that to:

- captaining (and, if necessary, co-anchoring) the MIT Relay Team
- sisters visiting over the long weekend
- a sweater to partially reknit for one visiting sister while she's here
- a dance performance
- not one but TWO birthday parties (for me) in two different cities

and all of a sudden trying a new technique on tiny needles with a not-completely-trustworthy pattern that may require redesigning to add the shaping I BOUGHT IT FOR sounds less "noble challenge", and more "what the hell are you thinking?"


Behold the power of blogs. You can vacillate about something in your head for hours, but once you put your thoughts out there, everything becomes clear. I'm defecting to Team Cable.

Go Team Fair Isle!

After much consideration, and with my thanks to everybody who voted in my poll;, I'm choosing the Snowflakes and Arrows Vest for my Knitting Olympics entry:


I think the learn-a-new-technique-and-produce-something-in-16-days goal fits in nicely with the Olympic spirit. Plus it reminds me of the Dale of Norway Olympic sweaters. :)


That makes me a part of USA Team Fair Isle. Woo Hoo!




Go TEAM!


I may also be joining the soon-to-be-formed MIT Relay Team

Wow.

My goodness. As of this post, 31 people have voted in my knitting olympics poll. I didn't think that 31 people had actually read my blog. You have all been holding out on me! (The poll is still open, by the way.)

I still haven't decided what to knit for the Knitting Olympics, although I think that I will have to pass on Sweet Mary Jane. I will definitely make it someday soon, but I think that making a lace cardigan in 16 days is a recipe for some serious hand cramping.

I've ordered the yarn for Zig Zag and the Snowflakes and Arrows vest, and I already have the yarn for my cable project, so that's not going to be a factor in my decision. They all have their merits.

Zig Zag: This is really beautiful, the stitch pattern is fun, and I really want to have this sweater. And having it soon would be nice. At the same time, I feel very confident about the stitch pattern (I swatched a few repeats of it earlier in the fall), and the construction makes sense to me. So while it certainly isn't mindless, most of the challenge in this would be in completing it on time.

Snowflakes and Arrows: I'm interested in this mostly because I really want to try fair isle. I think learning a new techique and completing a garment in 16 days fits nicely with the Olympic spirit. I think I'd wear the finished product, but I'm not sure. I like the look of it (fitted and kind of corset-ey), but I don't know if I have anything to wear under it. I'm a process knitter, and the yarn cost under $15 so it's not a huge deal if I don't wear it myself. Plus, I really like the USA Fair Isle Knit Team button. :)

Self-Designed Cable Project: I love cables and have been meaning to give design another try. Plus, I think I'd get serious guts points for this. Then again, this is something I want to do really well, so I'm not sure that giving myself a (very tight) time limit would be respectful of the project.


Sigh. I'm leaning towards Snowflakes and Arrows at the moment, but maybe I should let it percolate for another day or two. Or at least until my yarn arrives.


In other news, I finally got around to blocking the Blissful Jacket. I've sewn the shoulders, and am about half-way through the collar. Has anyone else come to love that wet sheep smell? I'm not sure if I should be proud or if its a sign that things have gone too far...

Stitch Pattern Video for My So-Called Scarf

For Roxann and the other members of the Clapotis Knit-Along:

A video tutorial on the stitch pattern from My So-Called Scarf.

Small Version (6.3 MB)
Larger Version(16 MB)

You'll need Quicktime to view it. The larger version is much easier to watch, but is a fairly large file. You may have better luck downloading it to your computer, rather than watching it directly in your browser. If you do watch it in the browser, it may take a minute or two before the viewer even appears, so be patient. Or cast on a few stitches while you wait, so you can follow along!

The stitch pattern I'm demonstrating here looks like:



The yarn used in the picture is Manos del Uruguay, which Stacey's pattern calls for, in the Granite colorway.

The yarn used in the video is McTaggart Tweed, a fisherman-weight (heavy worsted) wool from Beaverslide Dry Goods.

On that note, here's a picture of Una snuggling with the Beaverslide yarns:



If you haven't already, please vote in my poll.

Knitting Olympics! (A POLL)

So, I'm thinking about joining the Yarn Harlot'sKnitting Olympics. The goal is to pick a knitting project that would be difficult to complete between the opening and closing of the Olympic Games (16 days), but to do it anyway. I am all over this. Hell, I made Sitcom Chic in 10 days!

So here are the contenders:

1- Zig-Zag:

This is beautiful and the stitch pattern is fun.

2- Snowflakes and Arrows Vest:

This would be my first fair isle. I've never worn a vest, but this one has nice shaping and has an almost corset-like look to it. Plus, the yarn is CHEAP. ($11 or $12 for the entire project)

3- Sweet Mary Jane:

This would be my first lace project, and I already have the yarn.

4- A self-designed jacket with some fair-isle-style colorwork.

5- A self-designed cabled something-or-other. Probably a fitted pullover.



Let me know what you think:

Which Project should I knit for the Knitting Olympics?
	Zig-Zag
	Snowflakes and Arrows
	Sweet Mary Jane
	Self-Designed Jacket with Colorwork
	Self-Designed Cabled Thingy
Free polls from Pollhost.com

More tasties

In all the secret pal and pattern publishing excitement, I completely forgot to mention:

I got a good chunk of the back of the shrug portion of Tubey done:


I made two hats for Afghans for afghans:

Although I didn't get them finished in time to get them to San Francisco for the January 20th shipment.

And I got a shipment from Beaverslide Dry Goods


On the right is the worsted-weight Wool/Mohair blend in Whitetail Fawn. On the left is the fisherman weight (heavy worsted) wool tweed in Snowberry.

Markerless Instructions for Steamed Bun Cat Toys

(This is a rewrite of the steamed bun pattern for those who prefer not to use stitch markers on double-points. If you are comfortable using them, you may want to try the markered version here)

My first pattern!



INTRODUCTION:

This pattern was inspired by the fabulous, precious, hysterical Feline Dim Sum cat toys by Julie Falatko, found in the Spring 03 issue of Knitty. Julie wrote patterns for spring rolls and wontons.

My favorite dim sum dish is steamed buns (bao zi), hands-down. Plus, the swirly ridges you sometimes see on the buns (especially the pork-filled ones that my favorite restaurant serves) where they are pinched together reminded me of the swirly ridges you get at the top of some hats. So when I decided to make Julie's toys as a Christmas gift for my Step-aunt (loving owner of four cats), I couldn't resist designing my own.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

- A great big thanks to Christine of the bliu blog for test-knitting, for her extremely helpful feedback, and for lots of ideas for different filling flavors.

- Thanks also to Rudbeckia Hurta, for her treatment of knitted circles on her blog, Learning Curves.


NOTES:

These instructions may seem long, but don't be daunted! I included a lot of pictures and notes because it’s the little details that make this pattern work.

This is knit in the round, from the bottom up. You start by knitting a circular base. Next, you do a purl row to help turn the edge between the base and the sides. The sides are knit straight upwards in stockinette. Blocking at this point is optional, but helpful if your base looks squarish (mine certainly did). It also helps keep the bottom of the bun relatively flat. The top is just a set of decreases, placed so that they swirl around in a spiral pattern. There is a pause for stuffing after two decrease rows. (This is important: if you stuff too early, you won't be able to keep it all in there. If you stuff too late, you won't be able to place the stuffing and catnip properly.) The last stitches are cinched closed, and voila!

This pattern is for the pinch-topped, pork-filled buns. Also included is a variation for buns filled with red bean paste, which often have a red spot on top:

Check out the "variations" section for other filling ideas.


MATERIALS:
- MC: about 30 yards of Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, (shown in natural), or any cream-colored worsted-weight yarn. You can use any fiber you like, but if you use synthetics, be sure to let the catnip spray dry at each step, since it won't breathe!
- CC: about 2 yards of Wool of the Andes in red (red bean variation only)
- a packed double-handful of batting, cotton balls or fabric scraps for stuffing
- 1-3 Tbsp catnip, to taste
- catnip spray (optional)

NOTIONS AND TOOLS:
- a set of double-pointed needles, size 6 US (4mm)
- yarn needle

GAUGE:
The gauge is not that important. Mine was about 5st/in. Choose a needle size that gives you a nice tight fabric.

VARIATIONS:
You can represent different fillings for your steamed buns by selecting a different CC. Here are some ideas by Christine.
- pickled vegetables: variegated greens
- bbq pork: variegated burgundy/pink/brown
- lotus seed paste: dull tan
- sesame seed paste: shiny black


INSTRUCTIONS:

- co 6, distribute stitches on needles. Join.


Base:
(NOTE: you will be increasing on each round. The goal is to distribute the increases irregularly so that you don't get distinct lines of increases, but evenly enough that it doesn't become lopsided. I used the distribution below, but you can do it however you'd like, using the number of stitches added as a guide.)

1st Row:
- k1, kfb, k1, *kfb 3 times*
[4 st added, 10 st. on needles]

2nd Row:
- kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k1
[4 st added, 14 st on needles]

3rd Row:
- k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2
[4 st added, 18 st on needles]

4th Row:
- k2, kfb, k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3, kfb, k2
[4 st added, 22 st on needles]

5th Row:
- kfb, k4, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3
[5 st added, 27 st on needles]

6th Row:
- k5, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb
[4 st added, 31 st on needles]

7th Row:
- k7, kfb, k7, kfb, k6, kfb, k7, kfb
[4 st added, 35 st on needles]

8th Row:
- k8, kfb, k8, kfb, k7, kfb, k8, kfb
[4 st added, 39 st on needles]

9th Row:
- k9, kfb, k9, kfb, k9, kfb, k8, kfb
[4 st added, 43 st on needles]

10th Row:
- k8, kfb, k7, kfb, k8, kfb, k8, kfb, k7, kfb
[5 st added, 48 st on needles]



- p around [48 st on needles]
(NOTE: This row creates the purl ridge that creates a nice corner on the bottom)


Sides:

- slip the first stitch of the next row.
(NOTE: This creates a smooth join at the purl ridge)

- k around in stockinette until work measures 1.5 inches



Blocking: (optional, but useful if your base still looks squarish)

- Stretch your bun-in-progress over a cylinder of suitable size. You can either leave it on the needles, as I did, or put the live stitches on some waste yarn. Mine really benefited from some tension, which I added by looping yarn around the needles and around the mouth of the jar to keep it taut.


- Spritz generously with water, and let dry


Top Setup:

- * k6, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 42 st on needles]
- * k5, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 36 st on needles]


Stuffing:

The goal here is to make a two-layer stuffing. The inner layer is extra-tasty catnip. The outer layer is batting that gives it bounce and keeps the catnip firmly inside.

- Form a disk of batting, and place in the bottom of the bun.


- Form a rectangle of batting as wide as the bun is high, and as long as the circumference of the bun. Place along the inside walls of the bun. You should now have a nice little well. Spritz with catnip spray, if desired.


- Fill the well most of the way with catnip, then add a little plug of batting. Spritz with catnip spray again!


- Form another disk of batting and place on top. The batting should be a little taller than the sides; you want it to be stuffed in there with a little tension, and you'll still be knitting a little more height onto the bun.



Top:

- * k4, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 30 st on needles]
- * k3, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 24 st on needles]
- * k2, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 18 st on needles]
(NOTE: If you want to do the red bean variation with a red spot on top, switch to red yarn at this point.)
- * k1, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 12 st on needles]
- * k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 6 st on needles]


- Draw yarn through the live stitches, and secure.


Finishing:

- If you want to do the pork-stuffed version, weave the yarn in and out of the row below and tighten. You're trying to get a puckered effect; steamed buns often have a pucker where the dough was pinched together!

If you want the red bean version, go for a smoother effect as you weave it in.



- Weave in (or otherwise secure) the loose end on the bottom.

- Spritz with catnip spray if desired, and let dry.



Serving:

Best served in a steamer basket, with Julie's spring rolls and wontons:




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

That means you can make copies to share or derivative works for non-commercial purposes, as long as you give me credit, and license any derivative works under the same terms. Contact me if you'd like permission for other uses.

Feline Dim Sum Variation: Steamed Bun

This pattern has been moved. It's now here. Sorry for the inconvenience, and enjoy!


Jess

Free Pattern: Steamed Bun Cat Toys

Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of All Ages, I present to you...
(drum roll, please)

My first pattern!


(NOTE: if you'd rather work without stitch markers, try this version)

INTRODUCTION:

This pattern was inspired by the fabulous, precious, hysterical Feline Dim Sum cat toys by Julie Falatko, found in the Spring 03 issue of Knitty. Julie wrote patterns for spring rolls and wontons.

My favorite dim sum dish is steamed buns (bao zi), hands-down. Plus, the swirly ridges you sometimes see on the buns (especially the pork-filled ones that my favorite restaurant serves) where they are pinched together reminded me of the swirly ridges you get at the top of some hats. So when I decided to make Julie's toys as a Christmas gift for my Step-aunt (loving owner of four cats), I couldn't resist designing my own.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

- A great big thanks to Christine of the bliu blog for test-knitting, for her extremely helpful feedback, and for lots of ideas for different fillings.

- Thanks also to Rudbeckia Hurta, for her treatment of knitted circles on her blog, Learning Curves.


NOTES:

These instructions may seem long, but don't be daunted! I included a lot of pictures and notes because it’s the little details that make this pattern work.

This is knit in the round, from the bottom up. You start by knitting a circular base. Next, you do a purl row to help turn the edge between the base and the sides. The sides are knit straight upwards in stockinette. Blocking at this point is optional, but helpful if your base looks squarish (mine certainly did). It also helps keep the bottom of the bun relatively flat. The top is just a set of decreases, placed so that they swirl around in a spiral pattern. There is a pause for stuffing after two decrease rows. (This is important: if you stuff too early, you won't be able to keep it all in there. If you stuff too late, you won't be able to place the stuffing and catnip properly.) The last stitches are cinched closed, and voila!

This pattern is for the pinch-topped, pork-filled buns. Also included is a variation for buns filled with red bean paste, which often have a red spot on top:

Check out the "variations" section for other filling ideas.


MATERIALS:
- MC: about 30 yards of Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, (shown in natural), or any cream-colored worsted-weight yarn. You can use any fiber you like, but if you use synthetics, be sure to let the catnip spray dry at each step, since it won't breathe!
- CC: about 2 yards of Wool of the Andes in red (for red bean variation only)
- a packed double-handful of batting, cotton balls or fabric scraps for stuffing
- 1-3 Tbsp catnip, to taste
- catnip spray (optional)

NOTIONS AND TOOLS:
- a set of double-pointed needles, size 6 US (4mm)
- 6 stitch markers
- yarn needle

GAUGE:
The gauge is not that important. Mine was about 5st/in. Choose a needle size that gives you a nice tight fabric.

VARIATIONS:
You can represent different fillings for your steamed buns by selecting a different CC. Here are some ideas by Christine.
- pickled vegetables: variegated greens
- bbq pork: variegated burgundy/pink/brown
- lotus seed paste: dull tan
- sesame seed paste: shiny black


INSTRUCTIONS:

- co 6, distribute stitches on needles. Join.
(NOTE: Christine found it easier to distribute the stitches evenly on three needles, or in groups of 8-16-8-16 on four needles. These configurations put most of the markers away from the ends of the needles, so they're less likely to fall off.)

Base:
(NOTE: you will be increasing on each round. The goal is to distribute the increases irregularly so that you don't get distinct lines of increases, but evenly enough that it doesn't become lopsided. I used the distribution below, but you can do it however you'd like, using the number of stitches added as a guide.)

1st Row:
- k1, kfb, k1, *kfb 3 times*
[4 st added, 10 st. on needles]

2nd Row:
- kfb, k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k1
[4 st added, 14 st on needles]

3rd Row:
- k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2
[4 st added, 18 st on needles]

4th Row:
- k2, kfb, k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3, kfb, k2
[4 st added, 22 st on needles]

5th Row:
- kfb, k4, kfb, k3, kfb, k3, kfb, k4, kfb, k3
[5 st added, 27 st on needles]

6th Row:
- k5, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb, k6, kfb
[4 st added, 31 st on needles]

7th Row:
- k7, kfb, k7, kfb, k6, kfb, k7, kfb
[4 st added, 35 st on needles]

8th Row:
- k8, kfb, k8, kfb, k7, kfb, k8, kfb
[4 st added, 39 st on needles]

9th Row:
- k9, kfb, k9, kfb, k9, kfb, k8, kfb
[4 st added, 43 st on needles]

10th Row:
- k8, kfb, k7, kfb, k8, kfb, k8, kfb, k7, kfb
[5 st added, 48 st on needles]



- p around [48 st on needles]
(NOTE: This row creates the purl ridge that creates a nice corner on the bottom)


Sides:

- slip the first stitch of the next row.
(NOTE: This creates a smooth join at the purl ridge)

- k around in stockinette until work measures 1.5 inches



Blocking: (optional, but useful if your base still looks squarish)

- Stretch your bun-in-progress over a cylinder of suitable size. You can either leave it on the needles, as I did, or put the live stitches on some waste yarn. Mine really benefited from some tension, which I added by looping yarn around the needles and around the mouth of the jar to keep it taut.


- Spritz generously with water, and let dry


Top Setup:

- *pm, k6, k2tog* to the end of the row [6 st. decreased, 42 st and 6 markers on needles]

- *slip marker, knit to last 2 st before next marker, k2tog* around. [6 st. decreased, 36 st on needles]


Stuffing:

The goal here is to make a two-layer stuffing. The inner layer is extra-tasty catnip. The outer layer is batting that gives it bounce and keeps the catnip firmly inside.

- Form a disk of batting, and place in the bottom of the bun.


- Form a rectangle of batting as wide as the bun is high, and as long as the circumference of the bun. Place along the inside walls of the bun. You should now have a nice little well. Spritz with catnip spray, if desired.


- Fill the well most of the way with catnip, then add a little plug of batting. Spritz with catnip spray again!


- Form another disk of batting and place on top. The batting should be a little taller than the sides; you want it to be stuffed in there with a little tension, and you'll still be knitting a little more height onto the bun.



Top:

- *slip marker, knit to last 2 st before next marker, k2tog* around. Repeat until 6 st. remain on the needles [decreasing 30 st. over 5 rounds] Squish the stuffing down as you go, and add more if desired.
(NOTE: If you want to do the red bean variation with a red spot on top, switch to red yarn when 18 st. remain on the needles, then continue in the decrease pattern until 6 st. remain on the needles.)


- Draw yarn through the live stitches, and secure.


Finishing:

- If you want to do the pork-stuffed version, weave the yarn in and out of the row below and tighten. You're trying to get a puckered effect; steamed buns often have a pucker where the dough was pinched together!

If you want the red bean version, go for a smoother effect as you weave it in.



- Weave in (or otherwise secure) the loose end on the bottom.

- Spritz with catnip spray if desired, and let dry.



Serving:

Best served in a steamer basket, with Julie's spring rolls and wontons:




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