What Fun It Is To Teach

On Friday I had my first class at Iron Horse.  Five knitters (two from my local knitting group) had signed up for my Fleckle Mitt class.  I never expected I would have as much fun as I did and the two hours just flew by!

In the first 20 minutes I had taught two people how to knit using magic loop - they were fantastic.  One knitter had a hurt finger and it was affecting her gauge and knitting but she totally had the right plan of wanting to learn the stitch and technique and she didn't worry about how her knitting looked.  Loved her positive, learning attitude.

I had fun sharing my little tricks and tips and seeing the "aha" moment when I shared them.  I can't wait for next week's class!

Here's a photo of us in action - no faces to preserve privacy.  You will notice though my next design on the table - the Fleckle Hat.  More on that later.

Another Title

The other title I talked about in my post a few days ago was one I couldn't talk about until announcements had been made.

You've heard me talk about my talented friend, Kimberly.  Well, she got a new job!

Kimberly had been writing and designing for these publications for a while and she had a regular technique article in Knit 123.  When she was promoted she came to me and asked me if I'd be interested in taking this position - not a difficult decision by any means!

What it entails is writing about a technique for three different skill levels (Beginner, Novice and Intermediate) and incorporating that technique into three patterns (one for each level).  I am responsible for the article, the photos, videos for the website, and of course the patterns.

I've already submitted my first article which will come out in the March/April timeframe with issue 10.   When it hits newstands, I'll fill you in on what I did.  I just got my marching orders for Issue 11.  It is a wonderful challenge to scale my knitting ability for three levels of experience and to come up with new designs.  I'm knitting things I've never thought of knitting before.

Thank you, Kimberly!  I love my new title!

Gotta love a quick knit

I was reading Leslie's blog and she had whipped up some super bulky cowls.  I then found a skein of Peruvia Quick on sale and decided I needed to design my own cowl.  I love it!  It only took a few hours and it is warm and cozy.

I went back to see if there was more yarn on sale and stumbled upon Berroco Kodiak which is so soft.  So I whipped another one and my daughter claimed it immediately.  I must get more yarn...this is such a gratifying knit!

I thanked Leslie for her inspiration by gifting her the pattern...can't wait to see her FOs!

Another Winner

I love the look of this cowl - it is easy to knit up and goes wonderful with the Fleckle Mitts.  I used A Hundred Ravens Iachos in the Tardis and Fantasia color ways.  I'm so glad fall is here and cosy knits like this can be part of my day!

Reinventing myself

I remember my husband proudly noting how I have reinvented myself a few times...I remember looking at him quizzically when he said this.  Then it dawned on me that my career has had several iterations during my life.  I started as a secretary, became an advertising account executive then ended up as a marketing and media manager at IBM.  All that was BC -"Before Children".

I then took on the job title of mother...which at times was complimented with other titles.  I sold clothes for Doncaster, toys for Discovery Toys, and kitchen products for Pampered Chef.  Necessity for a job during a bout of  unemployment for my husband landed me the title of preschool teacher and      stationery store sales person.

Then I took on the role of substitute teacher which I have continued for 6 years and am currently doing in our new town.

Here's where the knitting comes in...all these previous paying jobs did not involve a passion for me.  They were what I did for money and to help keep us afloat when necessary.  However, I now have a new title, a new job, that involves something for which I have a passion.  Yes, I am now a knitting instructor.

My first class at Iron Horse in Natick is at the end of the month!  I am so excited!  I love how the owner of Iron Horse used some of my titles in the description: We welcome Estella Haines, wife, mother, local designer, knitter, and now instructor to Iron Horse. 

I have one more title to add to my list - I'll fill you in on that next time.

Pink and Green and More Pink

My husband's nephew is expecting his first child - his wife is a Lilly Pulitzer fanatic (big day of mourning for her when Lilly died).  Fortunately, they are having a girl so the child can wear all these Lilly dresses she has been stockpiling for years.  Their wedding even reeked of pink and green stuff EVERYWHERE!

Her baby shower is Columbus Day weekend and I can't attend but I could send her something Pink and Green!  I whipped up this cardigan and finished it with a lovely polkadot button band inside and then I whipped up some booties (different yarn but still keeping with the pink and green theme).

They are in the mail and I'm all pink and greened out!

Sidebar Note

As you can see from my sidebar, I've been busy designing.

I met Kate, owner of A Hundred Ravens yarns, at a local farmers market and we struck up a working relationship.  I designed one hat for her and then she asked for some mitts which I told you about.  The pattern is released and the mitt kit is on Etsy.

I also designed another hat by my daughter's request, not Kate's, out of A Hundred Ravens Danu...as you can see in the sidebar, I called it Cabobbles Hat.  Lots of cables and bobbles cover this cozy hat.

More designs to come but I have to keep them secret for now...

Check THIS out!

Look at the wonderful A Hundred Ravens Mitt Kit!

Yes, that is my design all packaged up in a wonderful kit...now available on Etsy!  Don't walk, run your fingers over there and order one!

Christmas on the Brain

So, it's football season and for me that means hours of knitting on Sundays.  Hooray!  After finishing the stocking for my nephew, I decided to use some of the leftover yarn to whip up some mini Santa Hat ornaments.

I referred back to a pattern I've used before and adapted heavily for worsted weight.  This time I even added little jingle bells.

Here's what I got done in one and half football games yesterday - the most time consuming part is making the pom-poms.  I was covered in white fuzz and lint!

Already Thinking About Christmas

Back in April or May, my sister told me her husband had a knitting request.  He wanted me to knit a stocking for their youngest child.  It was a reasonable request as a dear friend of my mom had knit stockings for every grandchild in the family (9 stockings are a labor of love!) but was unable to knit the last 10th grandchild stocking due to health reasons.  So, I was honored to be asked and happy to do so. I purchased the Cascade 220 back in the annual Webs sale and it sat there.

Fast forward to an August visit with my sister and her family and my BIL asked how the stocking was coming along - well I told him I had the yarn and that's a step in the right direction.

I cast on for the stocking on 9/4 and it was done by 9/7.  I realized how much my mom's friend, Bird, loved her and all of her girls as they are a bit of a labor of love.  So, James will have his own stocking - not as beautiful as the ones Bird knit - but made with love.

Fleckles Round 2

I love how these colors work together - A Hundred Ravens Iachos in the Nimue and Catherine of Aragon colorways.

Pattern is almost done - ready for a late August/early September release.

Fleckles

I recently met with Kate at A Hundred Ravens Yarn and she asked me to design a pair of fingerless mitts using her Iachos yarn.  She picked out two colorways - Cherrywood and That Infernal Machine.  She wanted something that we could put in a kit and that would highlight her variegated yarn (in this case That Infernal Machine).

I had shown her a swatch using two yarns I had in my stash and she gave me the okay to start the project.

Here are the skeins in all their glory:

So lovely and so fun to knit with - in fact this pattern was a bit of potato chip knitting - I just had to keep going and see what color worked in next.

Here are the mitts - the pattern isn't final yet but Kate gave me the okay to share them.

I am so in love with this pattern - now I'll be sizing it up...and I get to try a different color combination...Nimue and Catherine of Aragon.  I can't wait - I'm off to wind yarn!

So Very True!

I saw this on FB and had to share it and then had to share it here...this is so very true.  You've heard me say that when I knit for someone I think about that person while I'm knitting and my love is in what I make for them.

What was I thinking?????

My sweet Swedish godfather asked me to make him a sweater...we discussed yarn, color and style.  He wanted a turtleneck "fishermans" sweater...his words.  I showed him the fisherman's rib and that's what he wanted in a natural white.  He paid for the yarn, Cascade 220, and gave me a turtleneck to use for measurements and I set to work.

What was I thinking to knit a whole sweater in this rib?  I will be stark raving mad by the end of it!

I even sent him Michele Wang's newest sweater - Squall - to see if I could zing it up a bit but he wants his simple sweater.  So here it is so far...

It's a vanilla sweater which I realized is perfect for him because every time my godmother and I went to Baskin Robins for ice cream he would ask for vanilla - seriously, who has all those flavors in front of them and wants vanilla?  My godfather - that's who!  So onward with the vanilla sweater - I think I'll have to find something tangier to knit in between.

Custom Fit Installment #1

Over the next month or so I'll be giving you updates on my Custom Fit beta testing for Amy Herzog.  This is a huge undertaking for her and I'm so excited to be part of it.  I am in the 5th group to be testing and should be starting my sweater in mid-August.

I swatched - probably not to the entire specs she wanted of 6"x6"...I did plain stockinette and realized I didn't want a stockinette sweater so I found a lovely textured pattern called "Dimples" and swatched that partway through the swatch.  It gives a denser fabric with some interest.

Here's my swatch:

On other fronts, I dropped of my Do You Like My Hat? to the owner of A Hundred Ravens and she loved it...we've started brainstorming for my next design.  Swatch is done and I hope to pick up some yarn this week and get creating.  Stay tuned!