Almost a year since I posted.  Embarrasing to say the least. 

I did have to take most of the year off from knitting & crochet due to a pesky injury in my right wrist.  All is healed and I am back at it.

Some of my first attempts at designing are above, some aren’t.  The colorful vest that is supposed to be a jacket photographs well from the back but the front is a nightmare.  First circular jacket that I loosely based off of a free pattern.  Problem is it was WAY too loosely based and it doesn’t drape correctly in the front and is too heavy at the bottom back.  When I had 700 stitches on my hook, decided it was time to stop.  It is supposed to be longer and go over the elbows, but I had enough when I saw it wasn’t going to work.  Photographed it and now it will be ripped and eventually re-worked.  It used a few skeins of Prism Stuff, starting in the center with a lighter skein of Harvest, moving to a darker skein of Harvest and into Autumn.

My first attempt at “Flashing” color is done in the round using Prism Lotus in Freesia.  This is a VERY special lot of Lotus Freesia…..think it was one of Prism’s first.  Beautiful colors.  I was inspired to try this process with all of the helpful postings on the Ravelry Prism Group.  It started off being a sweater but will end up being a freeform surprise XMas gift for a friend.  

One of my favorite holiday projects are the knitted bracelets.  I purchased a few kits from www.earthfaire.com and am totally in love.  I have now completed 8 bracelets and am still stringing and knitting.  Once you understand the concept, a bracelet can easily be strung and knitted within a few hours.  It is a great project to carry with you anywhere.  The customer service at Earthfaire is wonderful!

Hopefully the next post will be less than a year away!

My few items pale in comparison to some of the large projects I’ve seen others complete for the season, but they were enough to keep me away from the sparkly things I want to work on. 

Left to right, top photos:

1.  Holiday Scarves being modeled by recipients

2.  Angora Ruffle Scarf before its demise the Monday before XMas.  Angora + Euculan = Catastrophy.  I had another Angora Ruffle Scarf in my stash to replace it with, but it wasn’t in this color combination.  Yarns Used:  Great Adirondack Angora, colorway “Southwest” along with Tess Designer Yarns 50/50 Merino/Angora, color unknown.  Pattern:  Angora Ruffle Scarf from Prism Pattern Book #38.

3.  Danica scarf from Knitty.com:  http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTdanica.html  Yarns used:  Prism Symphony in Shadow (2 skeins), Prism Symphony in color #807/ light grey color (2 skeins), Prism Lotus in an unknown color (1 skein) on # 6 needle.  This yarn is soft, but after I handwashed it in Euculan it became really soft.  Not an ounce of dye was in the sink after washing….Prism really knows how to set their dyes properly.

Left to Right, bottom photos:

4.  Detail of #3 above

5.  Yarns for # 2 above

6.  Sheep in the City “My So Called Scarf” pattern http://www.sheepinthecity.prettyposies.com/archives/000079.html  Yarn used:  Fiesta Swoon, color: “Surf”, 1 and 1/2 skeins on #11 needle.  Swoon is a perfect name for this yarn that melts in your hands.

  

 

  

         

      

The ”Beach Sarong Pattern” has been revised to include shawl instructions and photos.  This pattern has been on the site for some time and is by far the most viewed pattern.    If you have previously purchased the pattern and would like the revised copy, please feel free to ask.  The “Cantina Jacket” has also been on the site for awhile, but now there is a pattern attached to it!

I am so happy to announce that the owner of my LYS is sponsoring a three day event for my designs .  If you live in the Dallas area, I would love to meet you!  It will be held at Desert Designs Knitz, 5100 Beltline Road, Suite 716, Dallas, TX 75254.  972-392-9276.

She is starting the event with wine & hors d’oeuvres the evening of September 25.  If you can’t make it that night, I will be at the store as much as possible September 26 and 27th.

I am releasing quite a few more patterns on the website after the event (including the LaBoheme Peplum Jacket Pattern!), so please check back soon! 

 

 

I can’t believe it, but I did manage to finish and post two of many new patterns I have designed!  You can see the pattern details under the “Patterns for Sale” green tab at the top of the website.  More photos are shown below on the previous post and also within each pattern’s description.

 

I can not believe how long it has been since I’ve updated the blog.  I just either want to laugh or cry everytime I read a past posting that says “I promise I’ll blog again really soon” and “really soon” turns into a black hole in space.

What I can really promise and keep this time is that I do have a few designs that are done and the patterns are very close to being complete….hopefully within two weeks.  The majority of the patterns are typed out, so the hard part is done.  I just need to put the finishing touches on them and will notify everyone that has subscribed to the newsletter when they are on the site for sale.

The LaBoheme Jacket is not included in this bunch, but if you are one of the folks that email me every few weeks about this pattern, please do know I have a draft done and will be happy to send it to you if you would like to get started.

The new patterns coming out include the ones pictured here.  The “Freesia Freeform Jacket” is a knit pattern that used the great yarns Laura from Prism gave me over the holidays.  I wore this jacket to my LYS and a few people loved it enough to purchase the yarns for it even though I had not finished the written pattern.   The shawl is a crochet pattern, shown here in Prism Slique and the second version in Great Adironack’s Allure.  I have one more new design that I have not photographed yet as I am still jacking around with the trim, but I do hope to get that completed sooner than later.

Laura from Prism came into town a few weeks ago for her annual visit and class.  As always, I obtained a years worth of knowledge in 8 hours!  Her model garments are outstanding in person.  If you are a Prism fan, please keep your eyes open for the next Prism pattern book to be released in July.  Everyone in class had convusions over the sample garments that will be in this new pattern book. 

I am currently working on Prism’s graduated jacket pattern (model garment bottom right) along with a fantastic shawl from her new Gossmer yarn.  Photos of my versions coming soon…or eventually…. depending on what time planet you live on! 

    

I haven’t dropped off the face of the knitting earth!  So sorry for the delay, and once again I really appreciate everyone that has emailed to check in with me.

I have once again started more designs without finishing current ones.  Whenever I get stumped on something I’m working on, I find it a lot easier to start something else than to work out the current issue.  Most of the time the answer comes to me during the next project, but that also leads me to more UFOs.  It does appear I will have quite a few new patterns released all at the same time, but when that exact time is I’m not sure.  I hope within 4 to 6 weeks.  Yes, the LaBoheme jacket pattern is almost ready.  I do have a rough draft for anyone that is chomping at the bit and wants to start on it!  Just email me and I’ll be happy to send it to you.

Lots going on here as I’m sure there is in your world.  I had another missing animal issue that fortunately was solved.  The most tragic recent event happened to my best girlfriend with one of her dogs that was attacked by a bobcat and seriously injured.  She lives in the city but backs up to a creek.  A bobcat came out of nowhere.  Here is the video link to what happened:

http://www.wfaa.com/video/index.html?nvid=237955

In knitting news, the photos are just some of my recent projects in the works.  The light colored fabric is a jacket that I am extremely excited to finish…..once I figure out what I’m doing with the trim.  The silver photo is a shawl I am also really excited about.  It is turning into a large piece of jewelry!  The blue scarf is a fantastic pattern that I have had a lot of fun working on.  I mixed 4 different colors of KPPPM.  The pattern can be found here:

http://www.ellenewarren.com/eboutique/home.php?cat=1

Barry Klein from Trendsetter was in town last week and brought an incredible rack full of fantastic new model garments.  I can not express in words how outstanding these new designs are in person.  I ordered quite a few of them and am very anxious for them to arrive so I can get started on yet another batch of stuff. 

http://www.trendsetteryarns.com/patterns.htm

I have recently been accepted as a member of both The Knitting Guild Association and the Association of Knitwear Designers.   I’m really glad their criteria isn’t based on how often I update my blog or I would never be accepted anywhere!

I promise not to be out of touch for so long again….really, I promise!  Please stop by again soon.

                                    

Remember your New Years Resolutions?  Me neither.

I started another design without finishing any other garment, and this weekend I am ready to start yet another new jacket design.  I did however finally finish the Blanket/Shawl pattern  and you can find it here:

http://yarnoverlounge.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

The additional photos of the blanket may not be on the “Pattern for Sale” page yet, but I am working on getting the bugs out of the program so that the additional photos will load.  In the meantime you can find additional photos for it on the blog posts below this one. This blanket lived in the yarn store for about a month and the owner sold quite a few kits for it.  It is so amazing in person and drapes like you just wouldn’t believe.

I haven’t started the sleeves for either jacket but I am really excited about how the LaBoheme Jacket is coming along.  The peplum hits perfectly around the waste and so far it is really figure flattering. The green/pink jacket is one that I am designing inspired by the holiday gift of Prism Freesia yarn.

I’ve been messing around with freeform but haven’t put anything together yet.  I am really trying to get myself on some type of real schedule that keeps me working on the written part of the patterns as I go along so there will not be such a delay in pattern releases.  I truly appreciate all of you who have written me wanting the patterns of garments I have photographed for the blog.  They will be available one day soon!  Thanks so much for your patience.

               

This year I am going to try and not create such a large pile of UFOs.  Famous last words.  I’m also going to try and complete more written patterns this year. 

So, to start the new year I’m already working on two new projects instead of finishing what I have on the needles. One of which I am really excited about and will share with everyone as soon as it is close to completion.

Above is a gorgeous gift from a friend that includes a new Alchemy color called “Limeade”which I adore.  For those that are Alchemy color followers, Limeade (at least in the Bamboo yarn) is a great green color that is a little less intense than their “Sour Grass” colorway.  I love Sour Grass, but it is a bit of a neon eye-bleeding color.

I did finish the second version of the Fern blanket in Periwinkle for a holiday gift that was well received.  I really will get this pattern written very soon.  The white version of this blanket was on display at my local LYS and received many compliments and quite a few orders from customers wanting to make it.  I can’t describe in words how soft and elegant this throw is.

I also made a dog scarf for my friend’s dog.  It turned out okay, but did not end up being what I initially envisioned.  I wanted to do a freeform type dog scarf but just couldn’t get it to look the way that I wanted it to.

After a request from my cousins for a scarf for next Christmas, I started on one that I am making out of Fiesta’s “Swoon” in Surf which is just an outstanding yarn.  If you haven’t worked with it I highly suggest it.  It just melts in your hands. I’m using the infamous “So Called Scarf” pattern from the “Sheep in the City” blog.

      

This holiday season has started off with a real bang with people going above and beyond with the gift giving.

Prism and the owner of my LYS dropped this present bomb on me Saturday.  I almost fainted when I opened the box full of Prism’s new yarn color “Freesia”. It is sitting on my dining room table where it will live indefinately so I can drool and paw over it every time I walk by.

 I haven’t been able to buy yarns this year in any quantity that is any where close to what I have in the past, so this was an extra large suprise.  Freesia is beautiful….full of greens, pinks and purples.  I can’t wait to get my needles into them.  I am still way too far behind with what is on my needles for the holidays, but the second those are cleared off I’m tearing into these.  Lotus is one of my favorite Prism yarns, and it is dying out especially well in Freesia.  I think Lotus  would be a perfect sock yarn although I haven’t made a pair out of it yet.  Lotus is the middle yarn in the photo below.

On of my best customers made this gorgeous bracelet for me!  I was so incredibly touched when I opened it.

The cup was actually a present to myself when I purchased a few of them for my knitting friends.  My girlfriend Courtney sent me the link originally, and you can find yours at:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/browse/store/madknitter.22691165

Barry from Trendsetter was in this week for a class and he stayed in town for a few days.  I was called out of class for what turned out to not be a household emergency, but I had to leave suddenly and didn’t get any photos.  I did purchase one of his new yarns that I love called “Love”.    He also brought some incredible samples of his new patterns that are well worth you checking out:

http://www.trendsetteryarns.com/patterns.htm