You can find the Team Germany Hat pattern here!

(Although, after watching the Vancouver Olympics, don't you just want be Canadian?!)

Just in time for the Tricot-along, you asked for it, you (finally!) got it, upsized numbers for Tricot! Go get 'em here.

And I'll let you in on a secret - shhhh... I'm working on a mini-sized Tricot, something to fit my little guys. (Be sure you sign up for the Magknits newsletter so you can get the pattern when I'm done!)

Anyone out there thinking about knitting Rosebud, I've got a few new ideas for you.

The Rosebud Tank:

Yarn: I'll be making a tank myself sometime this summer (for the Belly Time Knitalong). I haven't decided what yarn I'll use - not quite sure about wool/cotton for real summerwear. On my list of possible substitutes are Dale Svale, Rowan Cotton Glace, Patons Grace. You all have any other ideas?

Edging: I'm thinking of doing a picot, flower or bobble edge at the bottom to add a little something special to the tank (gotta make up for the loss of those lovely sleeves!).

Waist: And another nice feminine addition would be a drawstring tie slipped through an eyelet round in the ribbing under the bust (see instructions below), that could be tied to make a little bow in front.

Pattern Change: Remember to shorten the armholes about half an inch. That should keep the bra line nicely covered.

The Rosebud Maternity Top:

Edging: First, I'd probably change the rolled stockinette edging to garter or seed stitch (6 rows maybe), so that you're not losing any length there. You could do matching garter/seed stitch on the sleeves as well.

Pattern Change: You might also consider knitting the first three inches of the front and back separately, joining to knit in the round afterwards, so that there are side slits giving you even more room to grow. I'd do the edges of those panels (first and last 5 stitches perhaps) in a matching garter/seed stitch as well, so they lay nice and flat.

Pattern Change: Maternity tops often have a curved front panel to compensate for that round belly requiring more fabric in the middle than on the sides. You could accomplish this by doing short rows on the front half. You can do this even if you haven't separated the front and back sections.

I'd recommend knitting your edging and then one more round/row, then beginning the short rows by knitting 3/4 of the stitches of the front (= 76[80, 84, 88, 92] stitches), wrapping the next stitch and turning. (If you've never done short rows before, check out the short row primer in Knitty or the tutorial at Borealis Sweaterscapes). Next row: Purl one half of your stitches for the front (= 50[54, 56, 58, 60] stitches), wrap the next stitch and turn. Next row: Knit to the wrapped stitch, knit stitch and its wrap together, knit another three stitches, wrap the next stitch and turn. Next row: Purl to the wrapped stitch, purl stitch and its wrap together, purl another three stitches, wrap the next stitch and turn. Continue in this manner, knitting or purling four more stitches (the wrapped stitch plus the three following it) each row until you have reincorporated all the front stitches. Then follow pattern normally.

Waist: A drawstring tie would also be a nice touch here, keeping the top of the top sitting nicely over your bust and not stretched out over your belly. Do an eyelet round on the third round of your ribbing (*K2tog, yo* around). Crochet a chain about 12"-18" longer than needed to go around your torso. Slip the tie through the eyelet round and tie with a bow in back.

All these changes are also posted on my free pattern page. Contact me if you have any questions about these suggestions or the pattern in general. Happy knitting!

With the NYC trip and the Easter holiday, it seems like I've been out of the knitalong loop for ages! Here are a few things that I can't miss pointing out...

The spring fling is going strong. Julia has kicked off her own blog with her finished star sweater. Jackie has finished her awesome eyelet skirt from last summer's Knitty. And Melanie has completed her beautiful salsa verde tank. Way to bring the spring, ladies!

Elsewhere in knitalong-land, Loobylou has started up a Tricot-along!

I'm so in! I've got another Tricot in the works myself. How fun to have others to knit along with. And if any of you were thinking about knitting Tricot and would like a larger sized version, stay tuned - I hope to post some (long-overdue) upsized numbers next week.

And Stacy has started up a Rosebud knitalong! Well, actually it's a belly-along for any pattern that celebrates or bares your belly.

While Rosebud wasn't designed as maternity wear (see, I don't look pregnant!), there are several pregnant knitters who are interested in making it to wear over their growing bellies. Such a neat idea and a pleasant surprise! I love the idea of celebrating bellies (covered or uncovered). So for fun, I picked up a small pillow and tried on my Rosebud maternity style. Of course, this is not what I looked like pregnant. I looked more like this, which explains why I didn't get to wear my red maternity top for very long!

The Rosebud maternity try-on gave me an idea for those of you thinking about Rosebud as maternity wear: you might consider doing some short rows on the front edge to make it curved and give yourself more belly coverage. I can try to work out some numbers for you and add them to my Rosebud pattern page if you think that sounds like an interesting idea. You might also do an eyelet row in the middle of the ribbing on the body. Then you could make a crochet chain and thread it through the eyelets for a tie that ties in the back.

But you don't have to be pregnant to join the knitalong or knit Rosebud! I'm not expecting and I love my Rosebud. It's fun, light and swingy and makes me feel light and feminine. I love it so much, I even joined the knitalong to make a tank version for summer. Can I help it if I like my own patterns? (Blush.)

Somehow between catching up on all my daily reads and knitalongers' progress and signing up for more knitalongs than I could ever possibly fit on my knitalong sidebar (hee, hee), I actually managed to get some knitting done. The first cardi raye sleeve is finished.

All caught up yet?

And it's brought more flowsies. Well, buds at least.

So I started the armholes and sleeves of the spring fling top and went to slip it on to be sure I'd gotten the fit right, and gosh darnit if it didn't look cute as a tank. So I finished it up and wrote up the pattern to share the fluffy goodness.

I've got lots of yarn left over and still plan on making a version with sleeves and collar of some sort, but hubby liked the tank so much, I had to do it. And as a tank, I can really enjoy how soft the Esprit yarn is against the skin. It feels fabulous on. Even if you don't make a tank, you all have got to make yourselves something fabulous with this yarn. 'Cause it's spring and we're worth it!

What's this?

Visit Magknits tomorrow and you'll see!

My top secret contribution in Johanna's Men-along....

Wait, are those socks?? Why yes, they are. But aren't you always saying that you hate knitting socks?? Why yes, I am. Let me 'splain. These socks were a surprise anniversary gift for my husband, pretty much the only person I'd be willing to pick up those annoying double-pointed needles for. Luckily, he likes really warm, bulky socks so I got to use US6s and (here's the best part) Rowan Magpie yarn! I knit the socks in secret for a couple of weeks at Knitsmiths (see Dava's post about my socks-in-progress) and the whole way on our recent knitbloggers' trip to Halcyon in Maine.

In another moment of double-pointed madness, I let Sandy talk me into knitting a pair of mittens. Give me a free ball of yarn, and I'll do anything!

I couldn't find a pattern in my books that matched the large gauge of the Rowan Plaid, so I altered the basic mitten pattern from Ann Budd's book to suit my needs. Got some bulky yarn and want to make mittens? Here you go! Got any other gauged yarn and want to make mittens, gloves, hats, socks, a vest, a sweater? Get her book!

Amidst all the ripping last week, I finished my neckwarmer. As usual, I had to add some stripes. But now it matches my winter coat just perfectly. Pattern, anyone??

And I guess we're not done ripping after all. I found another project in my wip basket that needed a good frogging - the cowl that I started knitting as a Christmas gift. I had second thoughts about using up so much of this fabulous alpaca and decided to save the yarn for something else.

And spotted elsewhere in rip-city: Carrie (who ripped several projects last week) was knitting away Sunday at Knitsmiths with some beautiful homespun yarn reclaimed from an old project. And several more rippers have joined the list over the weekend. Check out all the projects Stacy is planning on ripping!

It's pattern day at the blue blog! My way of saying thanks to all of you fine people who stop by and support me and my knitting every day.

The abc beginners' hat and doubleknitski double-knit ski cap patterns are up along with a bonus guide to making your own hot water bottle jumper.

Happy Thanksgiving and happy knitting!