And...I am back!

Sorry for my absence, I was on vacation! I would have posted to let you guys know, but I had planned on scheduling posts while I was gone. Obviously that did not work out  >_< I did get all of the photos taken at least! To be honest, I am not sure why I thought I would have time to edit photos, write and schedule posts all while preparing for a week-long, multi-stop road trip!

I did enjoy my vacation...I still bear the bruises! First we stopped up at my sister's so I could have a joint birthday party with my nephew...he turned three and I turned...a lot more than that (like +29)! I am happy to report that he loved his little monster and promptly named him "Shark."

After our stop there we headed about 2.5 hours SW (well it actually took a lot longer than that because there was fog thicker than pea soup on winding mountain roads!) to Wintergreen, VA. There, Ken and I skied for the first time...of course he took to it like a duck to water and I took to it like a duck about to be flambeed!
Why yes, I do have video evidence:

This brilliant bit of skiing was after 2.5 days on the slopes, one group lesson and about an hour into a 3 hour private lesson. Even better, we are going to Utah in a few weeks, maybe by then I will progress to actually using poles ;P

Here are some shots on the mountain, Eagles' Swoop:



And The Plunge tubing park (I was really good at this, heh):

OPP's...Other People's Patterns

Occasionally, I make the time to knit other designer's patterns.  It is very rare though, since I feel guilty that I am not working on my own designs.  But, sometimes...I just need a break, or I want to try something new or I just want to knit without all the preamble that designing requires.  

Yesterday I made a Monster Chunk, these guys are so cute and so quick! I do have Rebecca Danger's The Big Book of Knitted Monsters and I love the monsters in the book, but I wanted something super-fast...so the Chunks won out! This weekend I am heading up to VA to have a little joint birthday party with my adorable nephew and this a little present for him.



Isn't he cute?! I used Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Apple Green and Blue Surf, the safety eyes are from 6060 on Etsy and I grabbed the felt at A.C. Moore.

How I Wore It: Ovate

Hey guys! Here's me, wearing my Ovate (large)...

Black jeans (which is totally branching out for me!) and a white turtleneck, nothing exciting, but I love wearing the large version of Ovate like this.  I attach the toggles along one edge and the pull the end of the other side through the "loop" it makes. It is easy, looks great and won't slide off the shoulders!

Sneak Peek: Cordate

Here is a better look at Cordate for you guys! I finished up the draft today, shot the pictures and got it out to my testers.  I do need to re-shoot the photos, because I didn't get the detail that I wanted, but there was a storm rolling in. Plus, I realized that the wrong side of the scarf was showing in about half of the pictures and I was making ridiculous faces in some of the others >_< Anyway, enough talking, here are the pics:


 










See...wrong side, at least it doesn't look that bad!  I did have a ton of fun editing these in photoshop (got it for Christmas, a nice upgrade from elements!) and RadLab, which really is quite rad! If you have photoshop and are looking for a way to make editing really simple and awesome you should check it out (no, they don't pay me, I just love it)!

Swatch It!

I am sure everyone knows the importance of swatching...but I admit that I am still amazed when I hear people say that they don't swatch.  It is such a small thing, that right off the bat, can determine the success or failure of a project.  It is a lovely "first date" with your yarn (without all that awkwardness and sweaty palms!), where you get to know each other and can determine if you two will work well together in the long term.  You get to learn what needles your yarn works well with and how well behaved it is after an introduction to water.  Sometimes it just doesn't work out, or you may find that yarn is better suited to another project down the road.

Me, I love swatching, if you can't tell from that lead in! It wasn't always this way, but after many hours and a couple of ill-fitting sweaters in my early knitting career, lesson learned.  Now, sometimes I am more excited about swatching than any other part of the project. I love trying new yarns and stitch patterns and also trying out different needles (bamboo, hardwood, stainless steel) to see which will be most comfortable and easiest to work with.

All of my designs are based off of the gauge on my swatch. Before I got into designing I didn't realize all the math involved and that the key numbers that rule everything are the stitches and rows per inch.  All of the stitch counts, finished measurements and grading starts with those numbers, so it really is important!   I can guarantee that in most instances, if you do not obtain pattern gauge, it will not come out the size stated in the pattern...size and gauge go hand in hand. By simply taking a little extra time before you start, you can ensure an awesome FO!



So after my little ode to swatching, I will try to offer a weekly piece wherein I feature a swatch that I am working on.  Heck I could probably feature a swatch a day with the number I have hanging around here ;)

Gamine is DONE!

Hello! Just a quick little post today to let you know that Gamine is now available for download!  I finally got my act together and finished it up this week, along with the help of my editor and a lovely group of test knitters. 

It has been a long process with this one...this was actually the first design I sketched out in my little notebook.  Hoping at the time, that one day I would have the ability to turn it into a wearable garment. Here it is, at long last, and I am pretty pleased with the results ;)



$6.00

How I Wore It...

Now, I am definitely not the most fashionable girl on the block...my self-consciousness and need for comfort tend to get in the way. Plus, I don't really do a lot of exciting stuff.  I don't find myself out having cocktails multiple times a week at swanky venues, so my wardrobe doesn't extend far beyond casual.  I base my designs around my lifestyle and what I like to wear...which is how I came up with this idea.  I plan on showing how I wear my knits...there will be a lengthy hiatus once it heats up down here (in a couple of months), though! But I thought this might be a fun way to see the design beyond the "pattern page" photos.

Here I am in my large Belmondo, getting ready to go shopping:

I wear this shawl all the time, usually wrapped as a scarf or around my shoulders when it is a little chilly. Jeans and t-shirts are usually the order of the day for me, so hopefully this won't get too boring as the weeks go on ;)