Showing posts with label Ravelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ravelry. Show all posts

14 October 2015

Rhinebeck? Rhinebeck. Rhinebeck!

It's that time of year - the last big fiber festival is this weekend up in Duchess County, New York! New York Sheep & Wool Festival is an annual get-together of fiber folks from the farmers who tend the lovely creatures giving us wool, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, etc. to the dyers and spinners who turn fiber into yarn to all of us fiber lovers, whether we "just" knit or crochet or weave or are designers and "industry" folk.

I wasn't able to go last year (due to some not-fun stuff) so am extra excited to get up there this year for cider donuts, turning leaves, staring at sheep, and trying to decide which yarn HAS to come home with me (um, all of it).

My plan is to drive up Saturday morning and do the Ravelry meetup at noon. I'll be at that meetup on Sunday, too, because it's so much fun to see all the knitters. The rest of the time I plan to visit the sheep, fondle the yarn, hang with my dear friend/former roomie, and hug all the people I don't see often enough. I'm also going to talk with a small group of knitters my friend is bringing up on Sunday morning.

If you will be there, I'd love to see you! I will try to do a Periscope broadcast or two, if Verizon puts out a decent signal. Otherwise, I'll take some videos and post them on YouTube.

Now to just decide what to wear to what someone on the Rhinebeck Ravelry forum called "Yarn Prom"! Here's what I'm thinking...

Saturday: Benwick

Hoping I will have finished my Benwick cardigan (working on the shoulder shaping now) to wear on Saturday. It should be cool and sunny according to my weather app, so a fitted, worsted-weight sweater seems like it will work. And once the sample is knitted up, I'll be able to publish my version of the pattern for you!

Hoping the me-sized Benwick will be ready for Saturday
This is the original from Jane Austen Knits 2013

Sunday: Caught in the Rigging

It's supposed to be chilly on Sunday, so something like Wavelette with Caught in the Rigging on top. "Layers" is always a good game plan for things like this. Plus, it will be fun to take Caught in the Rigging back to where she originated (I bought the yarn from Miss Babs in 2013). Wavelette is a fingering-weight pullover, which seems like it will give me the right amount of wool with some ventilation from the lace. Thistle Leaf Pullover is my other thought, though its shorter sleeves might leave me chilly, or maybe Bloc Pulli with those orange cuffs peeking out.

I'm thinking Caught in the Rigging cape for Sunday (high of 48F!)
I'll probably bring my red boots, too, since there's a chance of rain :)

Will I see you this weekend? Let me know in the comments or just say "hi!" on the Fairgrounds. I can hardly wait!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

04 July 2014

Happy July! 20% off all accessory patterns

To celebrate July and summer and all things hot in the Northern Hemisphere, you get 20% off all accessory patterns in my Ravelry store - no coupon necessary!

While I may have a pile of wool in my lap, you should definitely choose something smaller :)

Maybe get a head start on holiday gifts? My JOY garland is a great stash buster, as are the Matryoshkas, and I bet there is someone who could use a lovingly handknit tie - Dennis, anyone?

I'm off to Germany on Saturday to visit my dear sister, so there will be a shawl in my future. They really are the perfect travel knitting: one skein laceweight or fingering yarn + one needle (maybe a set of DPNs) + one pattern = one souvenir FO. Hap-py was a vacation knit that has enough going on to keep your interest, but not so much that you need to lock yourself away.

To be the first to hear about such sales, join my newsletter mailing list here. I promise never to sell your information (ew) or pester you too often (it's been once every couple of months, but things are picking up, and I plan to share something with you once or twice a month).

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen

13 November 2012

Pattern: Hap-py

Hap-py Shawl
Hap-py shawl by Kathleen Dames
A new-world homage to the Shetland Hap shawls of old. Worked all in one piece with one needle and one skein of yarn, this makes a perfect travel project, whether you’re waiting on a park bench, soaring above the clouds, or sailing the high seas. Plus, the Crest of the Wave pattern (written out and charted), an interesting variant on the traditional Feather and Fan, is easy to master with spectacular results. What are you waiting for? It’s time to get Hap-py!


Instructions are given for a swatch, which will make a perfect little shawl for an 18” doll, plus the full-size shawl, which measures 32” square. Swatch and shawl do use all of the skein of Madeline Tosh Prairie, so be aware that not achieving gauge may lead to your needing more yarn.
Hap-py shawl
Hap-py shawl by Kathleen Dames
Materials 
Madeline Tosh Prairie 100% Superwash Merino; 840 yards/768 meters per 114 gram skein; color: Plaid Blanket; 1 skein 
Note: With swatch, entire skein was used. 
One US6/4.0mm 40-inch circular needle 
Stitch markers, including one different to mark end-of-round 
Tapestry needle
Skills Needed 
Casting on 
Binding off 
Knitting 
Purling 
Increasing 
Decreasing 
Picking up stitches 
Working in the round
Technical editing by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud.
Pattern available on Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy, or by using the button below.

11 May 2012

"It's the best day ever!"

Many thanks to Spongebob Squarepants (and consequently, my children and in-laws, for acquainting me with the porous fellow and his song--there will be ear-worm-ish music at that link--you've been warned!) for today's post title. Actually, it was yesterday that was the best day ever for me, at least as far as notice on Ravelry goes. Check it:
SQUEE!!!! After Veera's lovely Color Affection, which is blowing up right now thanks to the Yarn Harlot's latest FO, my two sweaters were "hot right now" all day yesterday. As of this writing Sotherton has 540 hearts, and An Aran for Anne 144. That's in, like, one day. I've never had a day like that, and it feels so very, very nice.

To be honest I've been moping around a little this spring. After banging out two sweaters and three patterns in a month-and-a-half, I was pretty fried, mentally and physically (my hip is still kind of wonky from sitting in my "groove" on the couch knitting away for such long stretches--clearly I need to follow Rebecca Watson's advice in the Summer 2012 issue of Interweave Knits). That's on top of all the usual family wrangling and presiding over the PA at Penelope's preschool and my ex's father passing away and, just, life. Then I had to whip my existing patterns and Avast No. 1 into shape for print to do the trunk show in March, which reacquainted me with my Art Director muscles.

The dreaming-up and knitting-up portion of this job I'm creating for myself are the parts I love, and the wrestling with spreadsheets and numbers gets my inner geek going, but the sales and marketing parts are challenging for me, so I'm working on that. I purchased Tara Swiger's Market Yourself the other day (though I'm having a problem with the download that has yet to be resolved) and am exploring all the ways to get myself out there more (for a homebody like me, that's more challenging than you might think).

So, thank you so much to everyone who hearted and queued Sotherton and An Aran for Anne! And extra thanks to those of you who discovered one of my older patterns. This is the kind of marketing I like best :)

07 September 2011

Group!

I know you're dying for the August trip report (ha!), but I just shoved my superego out of the way and created a group on Ravelry for people interested in my designs. So, if you read this here blog and are a member of Ravelry, come join us (me) here! Don't leave me all by myself over there, people. Mwah.

20 April 2011

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!

Japan

Through 30 April, 50% of all purchase prices in my Etsy and Ravelry shops will be donated to the Red Cross to aid Japan in their time of need, as well as everyone else who ever needs help from the Red Cross.

02 July 2009

Ravelry Eye Candy

I may have lost a day (or five) to this Project search. I *know* that Ravelry is filled with tons of creative knitters and crocheters, but the amount of original stuff is pretty amazing.

I have four almost-FOs to share, but the BSJ needs its buttons, the (original design) sweater is rolling at the bottom hem and *something* must be done about it before sharing, the socks need to be picot-ed (right now they have a ribbed top, which is bleah), and Dad's belated Father's Day present needs it's ends woven in and some thought given to its photo.

So, I'm about to start the charts on Ishbel. I love the Malabrigo Lace (now called Baby Lace, apparently) and hope to squeak a large one out of this skein as other Ravelers have done.

Go check out that eye candy, and if you're not a Raveler yet, what are you waiting for? Apparently, sign-ups are being processed on the same day now, so no waiting.