Well, my pattern and item sales donation period is over, so I made another donation to the Red Cross this morning. Many thanks to everyone who participated!
The Mother's Day promotions for 20% off in my Etsy and Ravelry stores will continue through next Sunday, 8 May 2011, if you use the code "mother20" at checkout.
I'm working away on a pattern and sample due 1 June. When that one is complete, I should be able to get back to more bloggable knitting. Plus, I need to take some photographs so I can release some new patterns. Soon!
02 May 2011
20 April 2011
Excitement
As you probably noticed, I'm experimenting with the coupon code features on Etsy and Ravelry. Virtual shopkeeping is interesting. I have a lot to learn about turning my personal passion into a "proper" career.
In other news, my pattern proposal for Jane Austen Knits, an Interweave "bookazine" to be published in November, was accepted! I'm anxiously awaiting my contract and yarn, so I can get knitting on the sample garment. This is exciting for me on a number of levels. First, it's Jane Austen. And my proposal is based upon my favorite of her novels, Persuasion
. No more on that, or I'll give it away! Second, of course, is that this is an Interweave publication, and I am beyond happy to be working with Amy Moore and the Interweave staff. I think very highly of the Interweave needlework publications (Knits
, KnitScene
, Crochet
, PieceWork
, Spin-off
). As far as I'm concerned, this is the "big leagues" of print publications.
And I just finished my re-knit for KnitPicks in their Comfy yarn, which was a pleasure to knit. Can't wait to show it to you, but we must find a day with some sunlight for pictures. Isobel will be my model, and we all know how she loves the camera. The weather forecast for tomorrow looks promising.
I'm working on some other things "behind the scenes", so I'm afraid there are no pictures in this post. Exciting to work on but boring blog fodder. I'm sorry! I'd like to do a little knitting soon that's just for fun.
In other news, my pattern proposal for Jane Austen Knits, an Interweave "bookazine" to be published in November, was accepted! I'm anxiously awaiting my contract and yarn, so I can get knitting on the sample garment. This is exciting for me on a number of levels. First, it's Jane Austen. And my proposal is based upon my favorite of her novels, Persuasion
. No more on that, or I'll give it away! Second, of course, is that this is an Interweave publication, and I am beyond happy to be working with Amy Moore and the Interweave staff. I think very highly of the Interweave needlework publications (Knits, KnitScene, Crochet, PieceWork, Spin-off). As far as I'm concerned, this is the "big leagues" of print publications.And I just finished my re-knit for KnitPicks in their Comfy yarn, which was a pleasure to knit. Can't wait to show it to you, but we must find a day with some sunlight for pictures. Isobel will be my model, and we all know how she loves the camera. The weather forecast for tomorrow looks promising.
I'm working on some other things "behind the scenes", so I'm afraid there are no pictures in this post. Exciting to work on but boring blog fodder. I'm sorry! I'd like to do a little knitting soon that's just for fun.
Mother's Day (Ravelry)
Continuing the Mother's Day love, use the code "mother20" on Ravelry to receive 20% off all patterns. Now through 8 May, so you can even wait until the last minute!
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is coming up, and what better occasion to offer a coupon in my Etsy shop than that? Now through May 8th use the code "mother20" (no quotes) and receive 20% off any purchase, including my handknitted Matryoshka doll sets. As always, shipping is free.
04 April 2011
Fell off the wagon
Well, I kind of lost my momentum at the end of the month of March, didn't I? I thought signing up for the Knit & Crochet Blog Week would give me the chance to spring to the finish line and then keep going, but I got distracted by the Infinite Variety quilt show, and then my parents came to visit Thursday through Sunday. We had a great time with them, but between grandparents and kids there wasn't much time to blog.
I also finished writing up (and charting) a pattern. Now I just need to find a baby to photograph (it's a blankie), since the pictures I took of my nephew with the blanket, using my cameraphone, just won't cut it.
I also finished writing up (and charting) a pattern. Now I just need to find a baby to photograph (it's a blankie), since the pictures I took of my nephew with the blanket, using my cameraphone, just won't cut it.
29 March 2011
Skill + 1UP (2KCBWDAY2)
This post is part of Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.
The past year has been more about gaining skills and confidence in knitwear design and pattern writing than about gaining any one knitting skill (I'm pretty good with cables, lace, and my stranded work improves, but I have yet to tackle entrelac, and socks just don't drive me wild). And I think it's safe to say I hit my big goal of getting published. Having Knitty publish Turn of the Glass hasn't changed my life in an obvious way (no one is beating at my door with a big contract to sign, hehe), but it affirmed my decision (alright, my falling into this) to pursue knitwear design, to even think it was an option. It's also so exciting to know other people like your work, and I love seeing everyone else's version of the sweater, since knitting is such a personal hobby.
This was pretty huge for me. For years and years I introduced myself as a whatever-my-current-title-in-publishing was, and then for a while it was as a "temporarily retired person". Since reaching adulthood I've worked, and worked hard, to make things (and make them more appealing). I've liked doing it, and it was difficult to let that go when I had to. But knitting was a saving grace there.
And now I usually say I'm a knitwear designer and waggle a shawl in their face!
As for my skills, pattern writing has been an interesting challenge. The other day I was working on the hat that's coming soon and just before I sent it off to my tech editor I realized that I hadn't mentioned the two different needles called for in the materials list at all. So, what would a new knitter do? "Why did she make me get those two different kinds of needles? I've never used one of those before. Ack!" These are the kinds of things I have to remember. An experienced knitter would probably know to cast on with the circular needle and then switch to the DPNs as decreases make it difficult to move the stitches around. But a newer knitter, perhaps one who had never knit anything in the round before, would be stumped. Just as in my days in academic publishing I had to learn about the different ways people take in information (fascinating stuff, seriously), now I have to remember that knitters may come to my patterns from all different levels of experience and skills.
I've also become more willing to rip things out (see my recent frogging post) when they're not right, re-knit, drop stitches and repair things on the needles, and just plain being confident that I can manipulate the stitches and fabric to become what I envision. I'm also working on my vision being realistic as far as what the yarn/fabric can do.
The past year has been more about gaining skills and confidence in knitwear design and pattern writing than about gaining any one knitting skill (I'm pretty good with cables, lace, and my stranded work improves, but I have yet to tackle entrelac, and socks just don't drive me wild). And I think it's safe to say I hit my big goal of getting published. Having Knitty publish Turn of the Glass hasn't changed my life in an obvious way (no one is beating at my door with a big contract to sign, hehe), but it affirmed my decision (alright, my falling into this) to pursue knitwear design, to even think it was an option. It's also so exciting to know other people like your work, and I love seeing everyone else's version of the sweater, since knitting is such a personal hobby.
This was pretty huge for me. For years and years I introduced myself as a whatever-my-current-title-in-publishing was, and then for a while it was as a "temporarily retired person". Since reaching adulthood I've worked, and worked hard, to make things (and make them more appealing). I've liked doing it, and it was difficult to let that go when I had to. But knitting was a saving grace there.
And now I usually say I'm a knitwear designer and waggle a shawl in their face!
As for my skills, pattern writing has been an interesting challenge. The other day I was working on the hat that's coming soon and just before I sent it off to my tech editor I realized that I hadn't mentioned the two different needles called for in the materials list at all. So, what would a new knitter do? "Why did she make me get those two different kinds of needles? I've never used one of those before. Ack!" These are the kinds of things I have to remember. An experienced knitter would probably know to cast on with the circular needle and then switch to the DPNs as decreases make it difficult to move the stitches around. But a newer knitter, perhaps one who had never knit anything in the round before, would be stumped. Just as in my days in academic publishing I had to learn about the different ways people take in information (fascinating stuff, seriously), now I have to remember that knitters may come to my patterns from all different levels of experience and skills.
I've also become more willing to rip things out (see my recent frogging post) when they're not right, re-knit, drop stitches and repair things on the needles, and just plain being confident that I can manipulate the stitches and fabric to become what I envision. I'm also working on my vision being realistic as far as what the yarn/fabric can do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)