Radio Silence

Whenever I get too busy, there is radio silence on this blog.  I apologize for that but know that being busy is a good thing for me.

Right now I'm working on 4 new designs for Knit 123.  The projects and knitting have taken over the family room!  There is a side table under that knitting - all my tools out and about - note writing, calculator, and of course some hand balm to protect my dry, busy hands!

I also will be releasing a new pattern as soon as I can get some photos - here's a sneak peak of it in progress.

Two Steps Forward

I have been working on my Rocky Coast Cardigan and had a two steps forward, one step back experience.  I finished the body of the sweater and when I took it to knitting group I tried it on for the first time and found it was MUCH TOO SMALL.  I had made some modifications based on everything I read on Ravelry.  Then when I went to separate the sleeves I didn't have the full stitch count…I carried on thinking it wouldn't be a problem…well it was.  How stupid of me to think that 20 stitches wouldn't make a difference when that's 4" of the sweater!

So, I ripped it out to the underarms…I'm think I need to totally start over.  So, I've put it in a timeout and will look at it another day.

Sorry no photos - who wants to see a ripped out cardigan?

This Totally Made My Day

When I logged onto Facebook the other day, this post popped up on the Berroco Yarn Page.  It totally made my day!

In honor of National Hat Day, they featured my Hat In The Hat!  I was so excited!

The Hat In The Hat

While at my LYS the other day, the owner showed me a hat that was no longer available on Ravelry.  The store sample was knit very tightly and was a brain squeezer of a hat.  So, I took the hat home, deconstructed it, cast on at the same gauge and made a few modifications.  The result is what I am calling The Hat In The Hat.  The pattern isn't quite done yet as I need to work up a larger size and check yarn amounts but I wanted to share it with you all so you could see it.

It is warm (Berroco Ultra Alpaca), it is lined, and most important it is reversible!  I love this hat!

Toasty Warm

A few weeks ago I picked up a single skein of Classic Elite's Portland Tweed which has been discontinued but was in the 30% off bin at my LYS.  After consulting with Debbie, the owner, and another co-worker at the LYS, I knew I could whip up a pair of Toasty mitts with just one skein.

My mods included:

After casting on, I knit through back of each stitch on the first row. Worked for 6 inches. Then did thumb gusset as per napkinpoem’s notes.

12 rounds after I put aside thumb sts, I knit 1 row through the back loops; then 1 row purl; then cast off knit-wise. There is no rolling at the fingers - it worked!

Pick up 3 sts for thumb. Work 8 rounds, k 1 round through back of stitch, p 1 round, bind off knit wise.

I posted these mitts on FB in an album I have of 2013 knitting (as they were finished in 2013).  A friend (who is sadly in a similar situation as we are with unemployment hanging over their heads) said she loved them.  So I put them in an envelope and mailed them to her - I told her they were hugs for her hands and I figured she needed something to give her a smile.  Mission accomplished - she was so surprised and was smiling.

Here's how they looked before I mailed them off.  It's a great pattern and I highly recommend it as a quick satisfying knit.

If Only It Were This Easy

If I could erase parts of 2013 like this wave erases it…boy would that be nice and easy.

But no…that's not the case.  Instead of focusing on all that went wrong this year, I will focus on what went right with my knitting.  I did a lot more designing this year and it really has paid off.  Between my Fleckle Mitts and Just One More Cowl, I've had small successes (both patterns helped pay for Christmas in a lean year).

I also am writing and designing for Knit 123.  While my patterns haven't appeared in an issue yet, it's something to look forward to next year (I think April?).

I also started working in my LYS, Iron Horse.  It has been fun, interesting and has let me feel like part of a knitting community.  I get to knit samples for them and and I get to teach!

Some of my favorite projects that I knit this year (not my designs) are:

Warriston

Bedford

Asilomar

Last year I posted this line:
 I wish you a Happy New Year - 2012 is one that I don't care to repeat and I do hope that 2013 will be much kinder.  Happy New Year!

So here I go for this year:
I wish you a Happy New Year - 2013 is one that I don't care to repeat (in fact - GOOD RIDDANCE 2013) and I do hope that 2014 will be much kinder.  Happy New Year!

Schoonheid

One of the advantages of working in a LYS is you sometimes get to knit store samples.  When Berroco pre-released their newest free pattern, I volunteered to knit the store sample of Schoonheid.  All it takes are four skeins of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light.  The pattern is easy and quick to remember.  I knit this up in a week and loved how it looked.  I definitely recommend this one!

He Understands

My Christmas gift from my DH shows he totally understands me and my knitting.  Check out this wonderful storage unit he gave me for organizing my yarn and knitting stuff.  The needle case and yarn were a gift from my parents and don't they look fantastic in this storage unit?  The cool thing is it fits in this odd space in our family room which must have been a fireplace originally or it was used to store firewood.  I can't wait to remove the Christmas decorations and put my yarn nook to use!  The other great thing is he got me 2 of these so I can put one upstairs for more storage.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

For the past few years I have sent my parents one of my hand knit ornaments.  This year when my mom saw the mini Santa Hats I knit up she quickly asked if she could have one.  So I kept one aside for her and mailed it to her - here's her Christmas tree.  What made me smile is seeing the mini stocking I sent her a few years ago too.  Hmmm, what will next year's mini knit be?

Merry Christmas all!

I Love Contests!

The other day I was reading Kristen's blog and she had a post about peg people ornaments with a contest to win an angel ornament.  Well, a few days later, I got an email from her saying I won!  Friday's mail brought this adorable ornament which I promptly hung next to two angels that my godmother gave me.   What I love most is the Swedish feel to this angel and that it goes perfectly with the angel that my godmother gave me which came from Sweden.  I can feel her smiling down from heaven as she sees this little section on my Christmas tree.

Thank You

I have been blogging for a while now and I must admit there are days I ask "why bother?"  It is a good outlet for me and I do enjoy sharing what I've done/learned/observed.  However, sometimes I still think that I am talking to no one THEN I get a comment like this from  Eileen:

Thanks in part to your blog, I've taken up knitting after many years. I was in Micheals a month or so ago and came across some gorgeous teal wool on sale (my daughter's favorite color!) 

I found a pattern for a cowl and made it up for her, and like your daughter she loves it!

Just the other day I was in a store and saw something similar on sale (on sale!) for $30. I paid less than $10 for the yarn which made me feel even more thrilled.

Your daughter looks lovely! Thanks for sharing.

It was the opening line that got to me - my blog got someone back into knitting.  That is what blogging is about - sharing a passion.  Thank you, Eileen, for reminding me why I blog.  While I may not post on a consistent basis, I do try to write about things that share my passion for knitting.

A You're Adorable

When I saw a bunch of Berroco Comfort Chunky in the sale bin at my LYS, I got an idea.  I was going to make matching sweaters for my husband's great niece and his newest great niece to be born in January.  Chances are that they will be together sometime and can wear their matching tops.

I found this pattern - it is well worth the $5.  I made the coat length version and trust me this knits up in no time.  The smaller one took 3 days and the bigger one took 6 days.  Can't beat that!  I think they are adorable and I know the moms will love them.

Favorite Knit in Action

I truly wondered when our daughter claimed this cowl how often she would wear it.  I figured it was a phase and it would live in her closet.  Well, I am glad to report I was wrong.  She wears it a lot!  I had to share these wonderful photos of her wearing it yesterday - of course, styled in her own wonderful fashion.

Pinch Me!

I knew this was in the works but to have it come to fruition and be so beautifully done had me thinking it was surreal.  Pinch me now!

I had been in contact with Ashley at Berroco about my Just One More Cowl pattern and she decided it belonged on the blog in their Designer Spotlight which appears on Fridays.  Yesterday, my cowl was featured.  I was working at Iron Horse when a customer came in and said "Estella, you are famous!".  I hadn't seen it and didn't get to see it until I got home.

Just last week when I received payment for another design, I realized this is real.  I am a designer.  This blog post made it real for everyone else.  It may not pay all the bills, but my designing is making Christmas happen for our family and for that I'm thrilled and thankful!

Thank you Berroco, thank you Ashley, thank you Andra for giving me the push to contact Berroco, hmmm should I say I'd like to thank the Acadamy?  Thanks to my lovely daughter for making this pattern shine.

Loving Statistics

Ravelry is amazing for so many reasons but as a designer you can track a lot about your patterns and designs.  You can see who has queued or favorited patterns and you can see how many downloads are made of your individual patterns.  Ever since I put my mini Santa Hats pattern on Ravelry, I've had at least one download ever day for a month!  The Santa Hat pattern is my most popular one from a download perspective with over 300 downloads in the past month.  It is a free pattern so that helps.  I neglected to put my free Farfalle pattern in Ravelry until last month - it has only 21 downloads in the past month but I do know via Craftsy it has been downloaded 445 times on their website.

I am loving these statistics and tracking them…I know it seems a bit boring but it is a small sign that things are beginning to click on the designing front.