Thursday 29 September 2016

Oops

I've been working on a pattern for a slouchy hat, I was really proud of how I had everything together and was almost at the end and just realized that I failed to correct a silly mistake I made really early on and I have to fix the charts and all the written instructions.  At least I caught the mistake before I sent the pattern out for testing.  I finally came up with a good name for it and sizing it is the last major step, aside from having photos taken.  Photos are a bit different since I usually do about 5 patterns a photoshoot, so my goal is to geteverything but the photos ready.  Shouldn't be too much of a setback though.  I've been super-productive since I got back from vacation, it really is amazing how much of a difference it made.

Monday 26 September 2016

Texture Block

 I just released Texture Block, a pattern I'm super-excited about.  I love cowls, and this one has triangles and diamonds of different textures.  I wanted something a bit different, something that was modern and had interesting lines, and this is what I came up with.  It's a bit smaller at the top than the bottom which means that a breeze doesn't go down my neck at the top but it still fits nicely into my coat.  Both written instructions and charts are included.  It will be 25% off for the next two weeks so check it out here at Ravelry.


Friday 23 September 2016

Surprise

I designed a cowl I was quite taken with and started knitting it while I was away.  I didn't get a lot of knitting done because the kids needed a lot of direct supervision (direct enough to need my hands) but we had an awesome time as a family.

I have discovered, much to my surprise, that I'm not knitting a cowl but a slouchy hat.  The ribbing pulls in more than I expected and a cowl really should be wider than I first thought.  I'm happy with the hat though, I think the entire thing is really funny.  I explained this to my family, they said it was funny too, I think they're humouring me.  I'm okay with that.

Monday 19 September 2016

Getting Ready

We're going out of town for a few days and I am so ready with my knitting.  I've got three projects, they are swatched, charted, and everything each needs is in a ziplock bag with all of the notions, needles, and yarn that project needs.  I've cast on and knit the first two rounds with all three and placed stitch markers, which means that the antisocial part of the projects are done, I don't want to have to be like "I am counting!  No talking!" while away with family.  Also my three year old likes to "help" count and having someone sitting beside me saying "one, two, three, eleven, twelve, eleven, twelve, eleven, twelve, eleven...." is not going to put anyone in a good mood.

Thursday 15 September 2016

Cashmere

The yarn for my sample knitting has arrived.  It's cashmere.

I had no idea what the yarn was when I volunteered but this is like knitting with butter, it's completely and totally amazing and the softest thing I've ever had and it is taking a lot of willpower not to order some for myself because I really don't need any because I don't have any projects planned that need it, and I do have a bunch of projects planned that use yarn I already have.

It is amazing though.  Just saying.

Monday 12 September 2016

Sample Knitting

I have a bunch of design projects that  are in the planning stage.  I have the yarn and the pattern charted out and for three different projects I'm waiting for the swatches to dry so I can do math so I can write the pattern so I can start knitting. I like this stage but it can feel like knitting limbo where I can't start anything and don't want to start anything boring while I wait so I work on the blanket, which I like but after a while it gets a bit tedious.  Luckily for me a designer whose work I adore needed another sample knit and I'm going too be making her a hat.  A friend recently asked why I don't usually knit things for money and after explaining how long it takes to knit things and why it would be ridiculously expensive or result in me making about $2 an hour he got it.

Someone recently pointed out that sample knitting was illogical then, since it's still knitting for almost nothing an hour.  I've been thinking about that, because it is different but couldn't immediately put my finger on why, but I think I've figured it out.

1.  If I was knitting for a craft fair I'd be stuck doing a bunch of what sells, I'd find that boring, with sample knitting you generally knit one of something and move on.

2.  Usually I learn something while sample knitting, it's subtle, something like "oh, that's a smart way to divide the chart up" or "the way this section is formatted makes it a lot easier to read."  I find this sort of knitting in particular makes me a better designer.  (To be perfectly clear I'm not talking about copying anyone's design but seeing how someone else making it in the business runs their ship makes me run mine better.)

3.  I'd be knitting something anyways and this saves me the time of picking out a project, it also means I don't have to buy yarn for the project, it's basically free entertainment.

4.  I can knit a 20th hat without the guilt of not wanting to give it away while knowing that if anyone knew how many winter accessories I have they might consider an intervention.  I have to send the sample back, that's part of the deal.

The pattern's really pretty, I'm looking forward to it.

Thursday 8 September 2016

Surprisingly Productive

I've had a really productive day, partly because all of the things on my to do list are fun so I'm procrastinating less and partly because the kids have been super cooperative and have had long naps (it is amazing, let me tell you).

I've been trying to plan my knitting for our upcoming vacation, and I need to do a bunch of swatching.  I picked yarn and came up with ideas the other day and today I made all the charts I need and printed everything and picked out appropriate needles for everything and put them in the ziplock bags with everything else for each project.  I haven't actually swatched most of them yet, but I have this evening where we have a friend of Joshua's coming over so I'll end up sitting and knitting and tomorrow night is a knitting night with friends.  I originally was thinking I wouldn't be able to get this done well because I didn't have time and their realized I had two nights where a lot of knitting would be done and if I did all the prep work I could swatch then.  It's brilliant.

The one odd thing I've noticed about today is I kind of feel like I'm not getting anything done because of all the fun things, like maybe it would actually be productive if I went and scrubbed toilets or something because to do lists aren't supposed to be this fun.  I need to work on that.

Monday 5 September 2016

Lattice

I am really excited!  My first third party publication is live!  I Like Knitting, which is an online magazine based out of the States commissioned me earlier in the year to design some boot cuffs for them, and I'm thrilled to announce that their September issue is live and contains my pattern!  It also contains some other really cute patterns that I'd highly suggest you go check out, their website is here.

Four years ago the idea that any individual would buy one of my patterns was just starting to seem like a reality and it's so cool to have my first publication. Going to go have some ice cream to celebrate.

Thursday 1 September 2016

This Yarn Was Not The Yarn I Was Looking For

A while ago I went to a yarn store, there was a crazy sale, it was shoulder to shoulder knitters, people were buying garbage bags full of yarn.  I was there with two toddlers and grabbed a bad of yarn that looked perfect for a sweater.  I thought it was worsted, I discovered yesterday that it's about 14 sts/4" rather than around the 22 I was expecting.  I'm not entirely sure there's enough for a sweater.  I'll have to do some research.  I'm hoping there is enough because I do love the colours.

Things have been going really well with designing, I haven't sold a lot of patterns lately but it's summer and the test for my pattern that's coming out in September is going really well and I'm happy with that.