Blissful Knits and Dyeworks

Back to Basics

2012-01-29T16:27:00.000-08:00

Lately I spend an overwhelming amount of time dyeing sock yarn. Ever since Sock Summit it has become an obsession of mine, plus it seems like everyone around me wants socks socks socks and more socks!

Well this weekend I said socks no more! Okay that's not really true, I did dye 50 skeins for a wholesale client, but I decided to have some good old fashioned fun with lovely untreated worsted bases. That should make lots of mama knitters happy!
Here's a teeny speak peek at one of the colorways I will be listing on Hyenacart once everything is dry and ready to go.

Still unsure about what to call it. But I was very careful with the hot water and managed to do these two matching skeins using low immersion. <3

I finally bound off a large Secret Garden shawl I'd been working on. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a sample skein of 50/50 cashmere/silk. Its one of those luxury skeins that I've seen retailed for over $50. So I was certainly more than happy to get the undyed sample from a mill and dye it myself. The result is the softest and fluffiest shawl I'd ever made. It feels like air when I wear it, yet it keeps my neck amazingly warm.

I finally found a name for the shawl - Laurelwood. Now I just need to write up the pattern and have it tested.

Oh Fire!

2012-01-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Quite literally!

Singed the hairs on my right arm today while dyeing. I had the flame turned up too high... woopsie!

I rotated my yarn display at Goodness.

Took a mini impromptu vacation to the mountain over the weekend to give the kids a chance to enjoy the snow. It was very relaxing to sit in a hot tub while snow was falling on us.

Really excited about some of the semi-solids I have coming. I've also been doing some tonal dyes, where two colors blend into each other.

Semi-solid Indigo

Tonal Plum (Plum and Lilac)

Spring Fling

2012-01-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to release the first part of my newest spring colorway collection!

The last few weeks I noticed tiny bulb tips poking out of the ground, and that became the inspiration to my newest collection. I wanted to go with bright and bold colors, that can stand on their own, or in high-contrast designs.

and a closeup of the low immersion colorway

Winter Happenings

2011-12-21T17:15:00.000-08:00

The frenzy of the last few weeks is finally settling down and I once again have some time to sit down and write.
I've been desperately trying to get a pair of socks finished up for my sister and a vest for my husband (which won't be done).

The most recent project on the needles is this quick version of the Eoghan's Knot Sweater. This project is for a preschool mom that won an auction last year for a hand knit sweater by me. I am trying to be as quick as possible so I've omitted the cabled front, but the sweater still features the moss stitch on the front and back. The yarn is also a custom work for her. I wanted something bold and bright, and so far I've gotten approving comments from every girl that has seen me knitting it!

I also purchased some new needles that I am very excited about. I thought nothing could be better than my Hiya Hiya interchangeable set, but I recently purchased stainless steel needles made by ChiaGoo and wow I am in love!

Store Chatter

2011-12-04T07:42:00.001-08:00

Wondering what I've been up to lately?

Knit two shawls (pattern coming)
Knit a skirted soaker
Knit a newborn set
Finished a 191 skein order!
Managed to live through Black Friday and have nearly all of those orders shipped out by now
In my “free” time I have been working on a new website. But it is very slow going.

New Shawl Design

Growth

2011-11-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

Watching my dyeing expand and grow can be a bit overwhelming. This coming month I have several large orders that will be going out the door. I am dyeing yarn for a special holiday kit as well as fulfilling a co-op order. Should be busy but also fun!

I have a few new colorways in the works, and fun holiday "scrappy" kits. Except that my scraps aren't actually scraps. They are all hand wound lofty 33g skeins grouped together in packs of 4. The yarns come in a white box with a clear lid which makes gifting very convenient.

Toddler Feet

2011-10-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I think only a mom could say this, but there is nothing sweeter than toddler feet. I had some yarn bits that I didn't know what to do with so socks it was!

I think this picture shows the colors better

I also finished a pair of longies, a hat, and a shawl (boy am I behind on photos!)

And just so that Elliot doesn't feel left out, here's a picture of him wearing the Everyday Pullover (which he in fact does wear every day!)

In business news, I have pretty much every one of my usual bases in stock at this moment. I have a huge coop coming up so I am going to be busy with that soon. But before I start on the coop I hope I have some time to work with my most favorite base, the Ambrosia MCN. I have waited for two months for this yarn to come to me and its as lovely as I remember it from last time!

New Toys & Yarn Samples

2011-10-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

There is nothing I dislike more than having to drive down to the post office, wait in line, and pick up a package I've been waiting for for the last two weeks. This visit almost ended in a fist fight, I wasn't involved, but it was kind of scary. I guess the holidays are almost here...

But back to the pleasant news. I finally got my hands on some amazing luxury yarns I've been waiting on.

Yep, that's right, the package did come here all the way from China. Sometimes I have a hard time wrapping my head around this global market we live in. I regularly order from the US, Australia, Canada, and now China.

The four samples I ordered are (from left to right)

Silky Cashmere (55% silk, 45% Mongolian Cashmere)

Silky Merino (50%/50% silk merino)

Pure Cashmere (100% Cashmere)

Cashmerino (80% Merino, 20% Cashmere)

Now the trick is deciding what to get. Because what I didn't expect to come in the package is swatches for every single yarn the company carries! This is when I felt like I had just made it into paradise!!!

So yeah..... OH MY GOD! (I'm still not over the excitement)

For now I am probably going to focus on some of the silk bases as I have a large order of Ambrosia Sock MCN on the way here.

Now, I also picked up a new toy. I have been using my hand-crank swift for about a year now and it was definitely the time to make an upgrade. I happened upon a local dyer who was selling her two swifts and when I realized that the swifts were motorized I jumped on the deal. Were, more like I stalked the dyer until her other offer fell through and then I snabbed the swifts for myself!

I can now reskein two sock yarn skeins in 3 minutes! *happy dance*

Monster Mash

2011-10-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

A custom colorway on its way to Norway! I love love love how the colors pop.

New fun colorway. I've been on a black kick lately. I especially love how the colors blend with black.

A photo of the staging area. These are the skeins on their way to new loving homes. I'm getting to the point where I've almost outgrown this space. And to think that this is where I used to dye!

This week I'm working on a major project of setting up a new studio in the garage. I've been dyeing in that space for about a year now. But just now I've decided to make some serious renovations and make my space more functional.

2011-09-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

Had an electrician over today to give me a quote regarding getting a power hook up at the shed in our back yard. I would love to have my own dedicated studio space, the garage is very spacious and set up nicely for me, but it is also our storage space and I just don't want to share a room with our camping gear and tools. The garage studio gets the job done very well, but I want to feel inspired. I want to have beautiful art and painted walls. I want to make it mine.

I've been dyeing up a storm the last few days. Life is back into a routine and I now have a lot of time in the day for dyeing. I got all of my customs out of the way and even managed to dye lots of new colorways for the store. I'm working on a new sock yarn line, should be awesome once I'm finished. I'm using an over-dyeing technique to get some really cool color effects.

The last few customs had all asked for red (must be time that of year!) I have to admit red is my least favorite dye to work with. Its so finicky and I feel like I have to baby it every step of the way.

Here's one of the colorways, called 'Pacific Holiday'.

Hello Etsy PDX Recap

2011-09-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

Almost by chance I came across an advertising for a local conference targeting artists and small business owners. I thought what the heck, and went for it.
I can only rate this as an A+ experience!

Hello Etsy is a hands-on gathering for small business owners who want to connect with their peers, learn the skills to find success and independence, and be part of the movement to build human-scale economies.

Some of the highlights included listening to the owner of Queen Bee Creations and Stumptown Coffee Roasters. I found both to be inspiring and approachable. Duane from Stumptown is downright hilarious, totally made me want to work for him!

I attended three workshop sessions; branding, money management, and business management.

At the moment my brain is exploding with information and ideas.

Thank you to everyone who was involved in putting together this awesome conference!

A secret

2011-09-11T18:40:00.001-07:00

I'm so giddy with excitement because I have a secret I can't share yet (no, I'm not pregnant). It is actually 100% business related. I will say it involves a box. Preplexed yet?

Everyday Pullover

2011-09-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

Finally I got around to writing up the pattern for this incredibly easy and cozy pullover. It is my shortest pattern to date! Oh and the best part? Its free!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/everyday-pullover-sweater

Eoghan's Knot Vest

2011-09-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

New pattern has been released this week!

It is a femenine vest for babies and girls, instructions go up to size 8, although the pattern is easy to modify for any size. I have an adult version in the works and a sweater version targeting to release next week.

You can purchase the pattern through Ravelry.

Vacation Knits & More

2011-08-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

August is usually my slowest month, I put the business on simmer and enjoy the sunshine. I spent the last two weeks in Sunriver, OR, climbed a mountain, hiked, canoed, camped, and ate lots of ice cream!

But now it is back to business. I have 2 patterns just about ready to come out the door, as well as two more patterns waiting for final details.

I am really excited about this design. It is a combination of very stretchy and open eyelets with sections of solid stockinette. It does a great job at showcasing immersion dyed yarns. I didn't know what to name it at first. But after a visit to the Painted Hills I knew I had found my match!

One Last Post

2011-08-04T20:33:00.002-07:00

Okay I swear this is the last time I mention Sock Summit!

But here are the photos of my booth... I just had to share these....

Sock Summit 2011 Recap

2011-08-02T16:37:00.001-07:00

Sorry for such an abrupt post last time. I just ran out of time and had to prioritize other things over blogging.

Sock Summit 2011 was I N S A N E !

- Met repeat customers
- Met lots of new customers
- Sold out of 95% of my sock yarn
- Lots of networking
- Never saw so much yarn in my life!
- Approached by several local stores regarding wholesale/consignment

All in all it was a huge success and I can't wait to do another show!

I think my low point was dragging grid-wall across the convention center 15 minutes before the doors opened for the first buyers. Nothing like doing things in the last minute.... Of course that wasn't by choice, I had to drop the kids off with a friend, switch cars with the husband, and then pickup more show equipment.

Its HERE!

2011-07-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Wow how did it happen so quickly? Time just flew by and tonight I unloaded my boxes of yarn at the convention center.

At home before driving over

Apologies for the photo quality, I forgot to grab my real camera....

Stehekin

2011-07-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Vacation was incredible. We stayed at http://stehekinvalleyranch.com/

An all inclusive rustic ranch resort. As a work at home mom it was nice to take a week off of cooking, doing the dishes, and cleaning.

I've never been good about writing. Here's an excerpt from an article about Stehekin

You can do it all, sample one or two of the activities, or simply do nothing but curl up with a book and doze off in one of the conveniently situated hammocks or Adirondacks at the Ranch. As you breathe in the fresh air and feast your eyes on the glorious scenery, you‘ll realize just how much you needed to disconnect and disengage from that rat race you call life. Your senses will come alive in this natural, unspoiled piece of paradise and you’ll understand why so many folks make Stehekin their annual pilgrimage.

http://www.nwnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4655%3Astehekin-the-jewel-of-the-north-cascades&catid=90%3Atravel&Itemid=125

And the pie was to die for! mmmmmmmmmm pie

Here's my "captain's chair". The Adirondack chair I called home every evening.

And if you're curious about the knitting project. It is the "Dark and Stormy" cardigan, knit with my own yarn.

I hope we can return again next year....

Summer Happenings

2011-06-29T08:31:00.001-07:00

Wow has it really been a month since my last blog post??? Summer is here in full force and I am finding myself juggling children, activities and the business.

This past month I finished another coop, and went through several bags of sock yarn for sock summit, finished two more designs (patterns not out yet), and have done several store stockings. I've also spent way too much time watching the first 6 seasons of "The Office" and putting together a last minute vegetable garden.

Here's Eoghan's Knot in the vest style, pattern includes a sweater version as well.

Drawstrings in 3 minutes or less!

2011-05-30T19:02:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the i-cord or twist string is the only thing standing between me and a finished project. For some reason I just hate working on the cords as they seem to take so long. One day I thought of using the drill to speed up the process and the results were fantastic!

So what you'll need for this tutorial is: yarn and a drill. You will also need some sort of a peg, like a door knob, or a chair knob; anything that you can loop the yarn over.

Step 1: Cut a strip of yarn, about 6 times longer than your desired drawstring length.

Step 2: Fold yarn in half and tie off the cut ends.

Step 3: Wrap the center fold over a door handle, peg, or chair top. I like to use the top of my son's rocking chair.

Step 4: Stuff the tied off end into the tip of the drill. Make sure the drill is open all the way.

Step 5: Change the drill into forward direction and support yarn and knot while you close off the chuck. This will ensure that the yarn doesn't come out while twisting.

Step 6: Take a few steps back away from the chair/knob so that the yarn is gently stretched. Step up on the trigger and let the drill do all the work. I let mine go for a good 30-60 seconds. The yarn will start to twist on itself.

Step 7: Free the yarn from the drill. Pry the ends open to create a loop, and loop this over the same place where the other end of the cord was looped.

Step 8: Starting with the the end of the drawstring that is looped over the chair begin tugging and pulling on the two cords and help them twist onto each other. Due to the twist in the strings they "want" to do this on their own. So just guide them to twist neatly onto each other.

Step 9: Hold cord with one hand while with the other pull the loops off the chair. Tie off the two loops together and cut off excess yarn. To make the ends match, tie the off the other end of the drawstring and cut the tip.

Voila!

To make a thicker drawstring you can add several strands together.

Honeymustard

2011-05-30T18:34:00.001-07:00

I am taking dyeing to the next level (for myself). I started experimenting with mixing custom colors!

They can't all be winner....

2011-05-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

I ruined my first dye job. Really, majorly, ruined it. I want to cry. It was a whole pound of yarn too.

I'm going to over-dye it black and make some sweaters for the boys. But it doesn't take away from the sadness, especially since the yarn was for a customer.

But to make myself happy again I'm going to post of some pretties from earlier this week.

aaaaahhhhh I feel better already!

Low Immersion Dyeing

2011-05-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

Busy morning. The kids are in school/childcare and I finally have a whole morning to focus on doing what I love best; low immersion dyeing. At first I wasn't a fan of kettle dyeing. My first experiments ended with terrible results and lots of brown and black over-dyeing to salvage the disaster.
But when I discovered the low immersion off-shoot of the kettle technique I was hooked. You might think to yourself, how hard can it be? Fill a pot with water, throw some dye, and voila! But learning how to control water levels, dye application, distribution and concentration, as well as yarn placement is a real form of art.
As much as I enjoy variegated colorways, I find much greater freedom of expression when using some form of an immersion technique.

Can't wait to see how all of these skeins get wound up!

Secret Garden

2011-05-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

We built an elf house today under the old grape vine. I can't wait for the leaves to grow in and cover it up. The boys are going to love hiding in there when the summer finally comes.

Working in the garden and getting my hand dirty inspired me to create a 'Secret Garden' colorway. I really love how the colors distributed and how well the cloud cashmere (MCN) took the dye. This MCN is from a different supplier and I am trying to make sense of how I could carry both lines of cashmere in my store. They are different enough that I can't just call them both Cloud MCN, but on the other hand I just don't know if it makes any sense to carry two different types of a luxury cashmere base.

In other news KnitPicks accepted one of my patterns to their IDP program. The pattern is almost written and I just need to finish my final sample.

Lullaby

2011-04-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

I am taking my commitment to only knit with my own yarns pretty seriously. What I am discovering is just how much I love using my own yarns, talk about a "farm to table" approach. Now if only I could have my own sheep, and spin my own yarn - a girl can dream right?

This is a colorway that I did using a low immersion technique. What I like about it is that colors maintained their integrity but still mixed to give a random color distribution. This dye was done on a tester skein of organic merino. I am considering adding a supplier to my repertoire but I wanted to test the yarn prior to committing to it. This organic merino is not the same as what many know as "Gaia". I would say the strand is fluffier and reminds me much more of a cashmere/merino blend than a merino. Yes, its that nice.
Since I only had one skein, all I could make was a newborn set.

In other news, I am thoroughly enjoying my first co-op. I was very anxious as I was waiting for the group order to come in. But once the order was in I just settled into a hyper dyeing mode and now two weeks later the 60 skein order is more than 50% finished. I'm a little sad that I am taking the summer off, dyeing is quite an addiction.

Newbie Fluff

2011-04-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Really love how this set turned out!

Made with handspun Mosaic Moon's Selah colorway on merino top.

The Comrade Scarf

2011-04-02T18:17:00.001-07:00

This scarf is perfect for worsted/aran/bulky yarns. I chose my Inspire SW base for this project and it is absolutely perfect. The pattern is super easy and uses just one skein.

The scarf creates a very slight triangular shape by making increases and then decreases on every other right side row.

I recommend weighing your skein prior to starting, this will make life a little easier if you want to use up an entire skein.

CO 4 sts using long tail cast on.

All WS rows: K all sts.

Simple Row: K1, yo, k2tog, k to end of row.

Repeat 'Simple Row' 2 more times.

Increase Row 1: K1, yo, k2tog, k to 1 st before end of row, m1, k1.

Increase Row 2: K1, yo, k2tog, k to end of row

Repeat Increase Rows 1-2 for a total of 27 times, or until you are half way through skein.

Work 'Increase Row 1' once more.

Decrease Row 1: K1, yo, k2tog, k to 3 sts before end of row, k2tog, k1.

Decrease Row 2: K1, yo, k2tog, k to end of row

Repeat Decrease Rows 1-2 until 4 sts remain on needles.

Repeat 'Simple Row' 3 times.

Bind off.

Well that was a crazy week!

2011-03-29T17:38:00.001-07:00

I have a new goal for 2011 - do better long-term planning! I forgot about spring break and the fact that I would have both kids at home and not have any time to work on custom orders. Then on top of that we left for a weekend getaway, again preventing me from doing any dyeing.

Somehow I still managed to keep my schedule and get everything done, but it was certainly hectic.

At least I have something to show for all this stress. Actually, it wasn't that bad, it was just strange because I didn't have my usual dedicated work time slots. But this week we're mostly back to normal and life is good.

I absolutely love this March club. It came out absolutely drool worthy and of course now I am sad that all of this yarn is going to live somewhere else.

Thinking out loud

2011-03-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

So I'm toying with the idea of offering some kind of a small business incentive to other small businesses, specifically other knitters who knit for pay.
When I was predominantly knitting for others I felt the "ouch" of retail cost yarn to my bottom line. Sure I could have raised my prices, but then that would have put woolies out of reach for many. That was of course until I discovered yarn purchasing through co-ops. That made yarn purchasing more bearable on the pocket book and the bottom line, but co-ops took forever to fill and then I had to wait for my items to ship.
- A certain discount on yarn purchases, but also a minimum requirement of some sort.
- No waiting, no co-op fees, ships direct.
- I would require a proof of business in a form of a license or tax EIN.

Sometimes mistakes are meant to happen....

2011-03-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

....or why Raya should be labeling her dyes....

Over the weekend I had some spare yarn I wanted to dye up. I had the colorway in mind, I had the name picked out and the dyes that were going to go on it. Well imagine my surprise that as I started rinsing the yarn after the dye has been set when I realized that something wasn't right. My black wasn't black at all, instead it had turned a silvery blue gray. I thought I had made some kind of a mistake, or that perhaps I forgot to set the dye properly. But a closer examination of the dye bottle made me realized that I was never using black, but instead something called "gunmetal" which is exactly what I got. So, silly mistake, but gorgeous results.

So... here is "Fenrir" on Mountain Meadow Rambouillet

Getting ready for sock summit

2011-03-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

I could not be more excited when the postman dropped a huge box at my doorstep. My 50/50 silk merino blend finally arrived. It took it about two weeks to get here from Australia.

Can't wait to get started on dyeing this, its going to be so amazing!

Yarn yarn yarn and more yarn!

2011-03-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

I have been dyeing up a storm this past week. I try to commit myself to dyeing nightly once the kids are in bed. I have been able to streamline the dyeing process and make myself a little more efficient. Once I can get the sink hooked up in the studio it will make life even easier!

I have been on a girl kick lately with lots of pinks and purples. I discovered an unopened box of magenta dye and I just went crazy with it. How did I ever live without magenta???

Here presenting Novela Rosa

And Very Berry

But no worries, the boys have some fun new colorways too!

Muir

Madrona Fiber Arts Festival 2011

2011-02-25T16:18:00.001-08:00

Last week was my first night away from the kids. Well not totally true. Back when I was doing doula work I did have a few nights that I spent at the hospital while others watched Elliot, but somehow that doesn't count ;)
It was certainly the first time away from Reid.

The kids did great, and I wished I could have stayed another day or two. Since I made the reservations in the last minute I couldn't find lodging at the conference hotel and so I had to drive 8mi to the nearest non-slum location.

I spent most of the time knitting by the hotel's fire place and listening to the knitting chatter around. I talked to a lot of interesting people and got some great booth setup ideas from the marketplace.

In other business news, I have 5kg of sock silk coming, as well as a good amount of BFL (finally!), and I have recently opened another wholesale account for some specialty yarns and organic merino.

Vagabond Sweater - Cable Patterns

2011-02-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Hope to continue expanding this entry and offer a variety of modifications to the vagabond sweater!

Cable #1
Round 1-3: P2, k10, p2.
Round 4: P2, k 2, sl 3 sts to dpn and hold in back, k3, k from dpn, k2, p2.
Round 5 - 7: P2, k 10, p 2.
Round 8: P2, sl 2 sts to dpn and hold in front, k2, k from dpn, k2, sl 2 sts to dpn and hold in front, k2, k from dpn, p2.

Cable #2

Round 3: P2, k4, p2, k4, p2.
Round 2: P2, sl 2 sts to dpn and hold in front, k2, k from dpn, k2, sl 2 sts to dpn and hold in
Round 1: P2, k10, p2.
Round 3: P2, k4, p2, k4, p2.
Round 4: P2, k3, p4, k3, p2.
Round 5: P2, k2, p6, k2, p2.
Round 6: Same as Round 4.
Round 7: Same as Round 5.

And the finished result!

Bee Mine

2011-02-08T12:14:00.001-08:00

I can't get over how cute this set is! Knit with my Chickadee Overalls pattern. I striped yellow and black cestari (the yellow was dyed by me). On the chest panel I embroidered two flying bees. The hat has little antennas and I'm working on some matching black leg warmers that will have little bees embroidered on them too.

I swear I'm not procrastinating!

2011-02-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy working on patterns that I have forgotten to give myself a few extra minutes to write in the blog.

This past week I released the Charlotte Collection pattern, the pattern can be knit as either a tank or a sleeved dress, tunic or sweater. I've been told that it has very modern and stylish lines. I am pretty sure I've shown it off before when I knit up the samples, but here it is anyway.

Tank:

Sleeved:

Both were knit with my Rhea Silk blend yarn.

Of course in parallel I have also been working on a new cardigan design, here's Reid modeling :)

As usual I'm playing catch up

2011-01-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

Things have finally settled down around here and I am no longer feeling the pain of saying goodbye to our beloved sitter. The baby is now in childcare twice a week for a total of 6 hours. I have also had the husband help me clear out the garage and now I can officially say I have a studio! It was so much fun moving everything out of the kitchen and into the garage. The biggest perk is that I now have a new microwave and kettle!

My first dye project was Koi Pond, along with other vivid girly colors. I also dyed Princess Buttercup, Wildflowers, Full Bloom, and Spring Delight. I must have hit the spot with these colorways as most sold out within minutes of stocking!

Knitting wise I am an effort to only knit up with my own yarns. So I used Rogue on Licorice Twist to make a super cute pair of overalls.

Weekend update

2011-01-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

With so much going on and with me back to dyeing strong I don't even know where to begin.

Last week I stocked a series of sock yarns on MainStreet.

After a nice holiday break I went on a dyeing spree. Here is 'Woodhaven' (it does not actually contain any red). Lots of browns, golds and green. This one is done on a superwash DK yarn and should be stocked sometime next week.

I have probably a gazillion (not really) more colorways coming. I just need to get them all photographed and edited.

On the business side of things there has been much progress done.

I have been putting together a sample package to take to local yarn stores.
The Charlotte and Vagabond patterns are now being tested.
The Wildwood pattern is almost ready for release.
A third romper pattern is in the works (eventually the patterns will be released together as an e-book).
A cardigan idea has been born
I have a new wool supplier of amazing 2 and 3 ply USA grown and spun yarns. They take dye like a dream and are incredibly soft
I ordered a professional book on size grading for men, women and children. I hope it comes with baby grading too. It cost me a pretty penny but I think its really going to make a huge difference in the way I design patterns.

I feel like I am at a point where I need to "go back to work" one day a week. or a few half or even third days. Right now I am working _all the time_ I try to be efficient with my time. So when I'm playing with the boys I'm knitting, when the boys are asleep I'm dyeing, and when I get "mommy time" I work on patterns.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T21:50:00.001-08:00

Well its certainly has been a while since my last entry. The holidays came at me with full swing and sadly I had no time to dye, though I did get some knitting in.

I got two large scrappy rompers done. I thought they were going to be the end of me! Its been a long time since I had to weave in so many loose ends. But all the hard work was worth it, they came out super adorable.

Size 6M, Tessa Ann buttons, lots of scraps!

Wildwood romper pattern!

Cascade

2010-12-13T10:54:00.001-08:00

In the turmoil of the last week I have forgotten to post the big news: a pattern of mine has been released by the Petite Purls magazine.

Beach Knits

2010-12-06T10:33:00.001-08:00

Had a wonderful time at the coast with the family last week. Didn't get as much knitting done as I was hoping, but I did manage to finish a sweater for Mr. Elliot :)
Its a new pattern I'm working on, very easy top down with a lovely cable work down the chest. Hopefully I can publish it in the coming weeks.

It was my second time knitting with Eos superwash merino. The two ply yarn is thick and soft with a great twist to it. I was concerned that the sweater would pill on my active kiddo, but so far its holding up amazingly well with practically no piling.

Yarn on the House

2010-11-27T22:05:00.000-08:00

How could I have missed mentioning this in my blog before! I was featured in Veronika's blog AND we did a video interview together. I haven't watched the video yet, but everyone says I did great!

http://yarnonthehouse.blogspot.com/2010/11/giveaway-43.html

There are still a few days before the drawing. I am giving away lots of yarn and the Julian Vest pattern.

Ruffled Sunhat Pattern

2010-11-27T21:50:00.000-08:00

Before packaging up the romper and hat to be shipped off this afternoon I just had to do a quick photoshoot with Reid in the hat. I'm going to hang on to these until his senior yearbook >:) Doesn't he look just darling.

I also wrote up the pattern for the hat and its now up for sale on Ravelry

Reid's Romper in the Pheobe Colorway

2010-11-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

Gosh I just love how this colorway has knit up. I always like knitting my own colorways as it gives me good insight into my color placement and repeat.

The hat is a top down pattern I made up, maybe one day I will write it out. Its super easy. The hat is going to be a surprise. I had a bunch of yarn left over and I just thought it would look totally adorable on the little girl.

Top down view of the hat

New and Exciting

2010-11-22T10:42:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been a complete whirlwind. I finished knitting two versions of the Charlotte Collection; a tunic and a sweater. I wrote up the pattern for said collection and have sent out copies for testers to work on.

For the sweater option I went with a 50/50 silk merino blend dyed in shades of lilac. The yarn has incredible sheen and drape and is baby soft. Perfect for a holiday dress. I think the satin ribbon ties the look together.

For the tunic I went with the same yarn base but in a different color. The emerald green is absolutely stunning.

I hope that the testers can get through the pattern in the coming few weeks and then the pattern will be up for sale on Ravelry. I have also began working on two additional patterns. One is a modification to the romper, and another is a quick and easy cabled sweater.

New Colorway!

2010-11-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited how this colorway turned it, I envisioned something bright bold and beautiful and I got exactly that! I'm calling it 'Electric Rainbow' and its fantastic.

I have so many ideas and so many things in the works. I wish I had more time and more hands to get it all done.
The dress pattern is coming along nicely. I have sent it off to my testers this week. I imagine that there will be many revisions in the coming weeks. I still need to finish the sweater option, but sadly I cannot find my size 5DPNs and magic looping is not working well with the teeny sleeves. So hopefully today I can pickup some new needles for myself.

Weekend Knits

2010-11-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

What a busy and fun filled weekend we had.

Saturday we ran from a birthday party to a lantern walk at Elliot's preschool. I managed to finish one glove on Friday day, then the next glove was done on Saturday. To my dismay I realized that the gauge on my second glove was much tighter than on my first, so I had to redo the first glove to make it snugger.
Then on Sunday we went hiking and I cast on for the lacy Julian hat. I got most of the hat done during the drive to and from the hike and then finished it off Sunday night.

The yarn was absolutely amazing to knit with and has reignited my love for handspun yarn. Last week I also made a matching feather and fan cowl/scarf but haven't had a chance to photograph it yet.

Chickadee Overalls

2010-11-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

Here is another pattern I have been asked about over and over again and so I finally decided to write up the instructions.
These overalls are knit in a top-down fashion, starting with the chest panel/bib, when the panel is finished additional stitches are cast on for the body of the overalls.
The pattern features back straps, buttonholes, a pocket option, and a gathered area in the back.
Perfect for all times of year, just change the inseam and you can go from shorts to long pants.

The body features ample short rows to accommodate diaper bulk.

A wide range of sizes from newborn to 2T makes this a versatile and great fitting pattern.

Here comes another coffee infused post from yours truly

2010-10-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm having a lot of fun photographing yarn. Here is what I'm putting up this week for the Wonderland congo. Its really too bad that calendars are becoming obsolete, I would love to do a yarnie calendar.

I've been putting a lot of effort into the Chickadee Overalls pattern. In fact just as I felt it was finished up I made a major design change and now will need to have the pattern tested again.
I've also knit two samples now, using the same traveling stitch design as the Julian vest. Hopefully during our Seattle getaway this week I can write up the instructions. Here I am modeling the hat. I really wish I had used a different yarn, something I could actually wear. But I'm a total snob and find plain wool to be too scratchy. And red, I am not a fan of red!

Apple Orchard

2010-10-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

I tried a new dyeing technique and I am very pleased with the results. I love the control hand painting gives me, but dyeing yarn in repetitive sections can cause pooling in stacking. Of course the best way to create random repeats is to use the kettle dyeing methodology. The downside to kettle dyeing is that it can lead to unintended color mixes and is very difficult to control the final results. So I've been working on a scatter dyeing technique which blends kettle dyeing with hand painting to give myself the control I need while still maintaining random color repeats.

As busy as ever and new colorways!

2010-10-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

The Julian vest pattern comes out tomorrow. I'm crazy busy getting ready for the release. I still need to review the pattern one last time and then publish it on Ravelry. I was going to wait until tomorrow morning, but with us having to leave for preschool in the morning I really should have everything ready to go.

I had a very busy day and then I still managed to dye up some yarn after the kids were in bed. I did a new "apple orchard" kettle dyed colorway, a fairly solid "cinnamon" and the ever popular "full bloom". Too bad I won't have time to dry and photograph the yarns for tomorrow's stocking. I seem to do a lot of mini stockings rather than bigger ones. Maybe my new goal will be to wait until I have a whole bunch of stuff saved up.

I have worked with all of the new bases now and I am really enjoying the process of learning how different yarns take up dye. I do have some new things coming up tomorrow, "bewitched" "Esmeralda" and "Phoebe".

Playing catch up

2010-10-13T21:44:00.001-07:00

Naughty me forgot to take my laptop along this Monday and so I missed my regularly scheduled Monday morning blog updates.

I've have been knee deep in pattern design and yarn dyeing. I had a really fun time doing a custom job for my auction winner. She settled on bright red, turquoise, brown, orange, pink and white. I did a shorter than normal color repeat to help reduce pooling. I really hope she likes it!

But because of the custom work and other little things (such as horrible tangled skeins that took hours to untangle) I did not get a chance to dye up as much yarn as I was hoping to for tomorrow's stocking. Plus the battery on my scale ran out of juice and I couldn't prep any more yarn.
I must have been in a very green mood as I've realized that 3/4 of the stuff I have listed has some form of green in it!

I am especially fond of my silk skeins. I actually carry the yarn around and pat it every once in a while. I might be addicted to luxury yarns.

'Emerald City'

Rainbow Overalls

2010-10-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

I did a super fun trade with a customer. She sent me a box full of really nice kid clothes and I knit a pair of overalls for her!

The Life of a WAHM

2010-10-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Its minutes before the store goes live and I have a few last changes to make. But the baby is fussing and I simply cannot get anything accomplished. I've been up since 6am and coffee is still an hour away and I want to squeeze in a shower.
The three year old is bouncing off the wall, insisting on aggravating the baby over and over again despite my desperate pleas for him to be gentle with his baby brother.
Yes its one of those mornings.... And did I mention I'm trying to get a pattern out?

Finally, 8:50am and I hear a knock on the door. I breathe a deep breath and let the sitter in. Today she's my saving grace and I escape the chaos. Three hours of peace. I sit and sip my coffee. Finishing up patterns and updating the blog. I hear a screaming child at the coffee shop and for once I smile.

Pattern Release Party

2010-10-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

So Reid's Romper is ready to be released. I have gone over it with a fine tooth comb, over and over again. I think its ready. Monday is the big day and I'm really excited. I decided to post a last minute $3 off yarn coupon for that day too, plus an auction for a custom dye job, and two pattern giveaways. I admit its kind of fun to watch the store traffic spike.

I'm slowly starting to dye up the new bases. I tried the Dolce BFL first, and dyed "Full Bloom" which is a really gorgeous colorway everyone seems to like. I also tried dyeing twice as much yarn, probably shouldn't experiment so much all at once in the future. But it worked out fine. I changed the color repeat a bit though, and so it has less brown than usual.

Also the new image reflect the change in my yarn photography. I'm really enjoying taking the round bowl shots.

Next I dyed 3 skeins of Eos Merino for my husband's vest gift. He doesn't follow the blog (though he should :P) its going to be his holiday gift. I'm going to attempt at reworking the Julian vest pattern to fit adults. It was my first time working with Eos and wow it did not disappoint. The yarn is as soft as clouds. I kettle dyed it with shades of moss green, going all the way from very dark to very light and some silver. Hopefully I will have some pictures to show soon.

Julian Vest Debut

2010-09-26T19:56:00.001-07:00

This vest is a debut of a new pattern I have been working on. This vest is knit in a bottom-up fashion; starting with a rib stitch detail on the bottom and a lovely "V" design down the front. The vest also features a V-neck, and a two button closure across the left shoulder (which makes it really easy to get the vest over a baby's head).

The yarn used is a semi-solid teal colorway dyed by me on Mountain Meadow Rambouillet.

A new project bag

2010-09-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

I've been ogling and drooling over project bags for quite some time now. I just never could make the commitment and get one. Well last week I just couldn't take it anymore and decided to get one for myself.
I searched and searched on Hyenacart and finally stumbled upon a bag from "Made by Maria"
The fabric was beautiful and so I went for it.

This is what the packaging looked like when I took it out of the protective plastic bag.

And an action shot

I have to say I am really impressed with the craftsmanship of the bag. The stitches are perfect, the straps are double stitched, and just overall the bag is very professionally done.

I feel like I'm going to become a crazy project bag lady, I could have one bag for each project I am knitting. Oh that would be marvelous.

Yarnie Heaven

2010-09-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

I opened a new wholesale account. I just about had a heart attack as I was sorting through all of the available bases. I picked five new bases to add to my offerings, I am still drooling over the cashmere blend base but the pocketbook just couldn't handle it.

- Dolce BFL (available in Aran, DK, sock)
- Aura Merino (Worsted, DK, sock)
- Sol Merino Superwash (Worsted, DK, sock)
- Rhea 50/50 Merino Silk blend (Worsted, DK, sock)
- Eos Merino (Worsted, DK, sock)

Amazing News

2010-09-15T10:42:00.001-07:00

Just heard back from the Petite Purls magazine, they have accepted my pattern proposal for their 2010/2011 winter edition.
I am thrilled!!!

Coastal Susnet Hat

2010-09-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Elliot was in love with this hat. So I promised him I will make him one just like it. I have two more customs coming up, but after that I hope to make something for my sweetie. I'm thinking I will make him a scrappy hat.
Knit with Mosaic Moon's Coastal Sunset on Mountain Meadow Rambouillet. YUM!

Gotta love his undies!

Black Rainbow Custom Longies

2010-09-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

I am really excited about these longies. They are 100% me from beginning to end. I dyed the yarn and then knit it up!
The colorway is a custom request, a customer requested a black rainbow with black trim. I have done a similar colorway before called 'Pink Floyd' but in that case I muted the colors to give them all a slightly gray feel.

I can't wait to see some action shots!

A few finished projects

2010-08-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to go in reverse order, from newest to oldest. Mostly because I am looking for an excuse to show off my new shawl.

Before I dive into photos I wanted to note that I am almost finished with the Reid's Romper pattern. I've been working on the pattern for many months now (with a big break in the middle) but I think I am finally ready to work with some testers and hash out the final details.

It took me about 4 days to knit this up, gotta love worsted weight yarn ;)
When the yarn came in the mail I just knew I had to make something for myself. Amazingly soft organic merino was just begging to be a shawl. The colorway is called Gypsy Love and it was dyed by Becoming Art.

The pattern is my own pattern which (typical) I did not write down. It has such a long wingspan that it was really difficult to photograph. The only place I found big enough was the patio floor.
It was so nice wrapping myself in my new cozy shawl tonight.

Then there was the custom knit of some overalls. The colorway is Coastal Sunset, probably one of my all time favorite colorways and I am just a touch sad that I don't get to keep the yarn. But given the size of my exploding stash its probably a good thing that it is going to a new loving home.

Scrappy Romper

2010-08-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Finally finished the custom romper I was working on. I always forget how long bigger sizes take to knit up! I also had to be the one driving out to Sunriver (5 hours away) so that cut out 10 hours of work for me. Very unfortunate (only a knitter would understand) but the vacation was amazing and we had a great time.
We did all that Central Oregon has to offer. Biking, hiking, swimming, caving, and of course eating! My husband and sister climbed Souther Sister. I am very proud of my lil sis for making it to the summit. Hopefully next year I can join them.

The romper will be adorned with wooden buttons as soon as those arrive here! But I simply could not sit on these any longer, I just had to share.

I present the scrappy romper. Three colorways and two trims give an amazing color combination. I believe the colorways are Mosaic Moon's Woodland Tale, Isode & Tristan, and Shallot. Scrappies are a great way to use up left over yarn. Knitting wise they are not much different to do, but oh boy I had a lot of loose ends to weave!

Rock Star Inspirations

2010-07-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

This past week was very busy for me. We are headed out for an extended vacation on Monday and I needed to have all of my yarns finished before then. This coming August the Main Street congo is doing a rock start themed stocking. I was a bit stumped at first, but once I started talking to everyone about their favorite bands and musicians I was able to create this rock start collection.

'Bono' - Love love love loooooooove how this turned out. Brown and aqua with some green and white

'Purple Rain' - A scatter dyed colorway. Lots of purples with a touch of yellow gold

'Pink Floyd' - A black rainbow colorway, black with muted rainbow colors

'Discotheque' - A main colorway with four semi-solid skeins

'Yellow Submarine' - A main colorway matched together with three mini-skeins

'Harajuku Girl' - Two scatter dyed mini skeins combined with three semi solid skein

What I've been up to

2010-07-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

With family in town visiting from half way across the world I have not had as much time to dye or knit. But I still managed to build up quite the collection of skeins. Here's about half of what I have. Most of these are going to be split up into 2-3oz skeins for stripy sets.

Witches Brew

2010-07-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Spent the evening last night playing with kettle dyeing. I have to admit its not going so well and I will need a lot more experimentation before I can develop a proper technique.

In more positive news I am developing a new pattern for an online knitting magazine. All I can say that its going to be a sweater, everything else has to stay under wraps. I do need to figure out where to get some cute wooden buttons.

Lots more dyeing tonight. Somehow Hyenacart oversold several colorways during the last stocking and so I'm trying to catch up on those orders. Plus I have a few awesome ideas for our "rock star" stocking over at Main Street.

New Colorways

2010-07-08T13:53:00.001-07:00

Its raining yarn! A whole bunch of new colorways from yours truly...

Eternal Sunshine - teal, green, gold, gray

Betelgeuse - red, turquoise, green, yellow

Simone - purples, greens, oranges, white

Brody - greens, blues, pecan brown and a touch of orange

Custom Romper

2010-07-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

Still needs to be lanolized and blocked, but soon this romper will be on its way to a very lucky baby in Florida.
Knit with Mosaic Moon's Sea Glass on Gaia bulky merino. The yarn is to die for (or should I say dye for) the colors are just gorgeous and so soft and cuddly. It was a good experience knitting with bulky weight yarn, I got a good idea of how to modify the romper pattern.

Baby Chick Overalls

2010-07-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love how these turned out. Unfortunately this is a one of a kind colorway and my attempt at reproducing it tonight was a big failure. What I like is the combination of different shades of green and blues and then the contrasting golden orange. It makes the colors pop.

The plain yellow buttons were made by me. I find it quick and easy to make some polymer buttons to go with anything I'm knitting. They really make the outfit.
The big button on the pocket is made by Tessa Ann. I love her work, I think it really pulls everything together.

It must be summer

2010-07-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

First camping trip of the year was a mixed success. Within a few hours of us setting up camp the rain started, it forced us into an early bedtime, and we woke up to a leaky tent. Both kids had a rough time adjusting, Reid was up crying at 4am and would not go back to sleep. Elliot woke up multiple times, I think because he was confused. With all of our gear soaking wet, we decided to make the drive back to town to get some breakfast.

From that point on things started improving, the kids slept better, and the rain stopped. We got to soak in some natural hot springs, eat yummy fire cooked food, hang out by the fire, fish, and hike.

I'm not a big fan of knitting by the fire, mostly because I don't want to have to worry about getting that campfire smell out. But I did do lots of knitting in the car. I started working on a new pattern for a leafy lace shawl. Its a pretty intricate pattern requiring a lot of complicated stitch combinations on both sides of the shawl.

I'm having technical difficulties with the photos from this trip. Hopefully I will have some new pictures soon.

Baby Overalls

2010-06-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

I had several skeins of the spring delight colorway that I was planning on selling. But I loved the color combination so much I decided to knit something up. The overalls are pretty basic. Just shorties with a front panel and back straps added.

I used purple trim to bring out that particular color. Well everyone I talked to said that they overalls are way too girly and I can't dress Reid in them. I don't particularly care about gender type stuff, but I don't want to keep getting hassled about it.

And this is the official photo

The overalls are adorned with hand made polymer clay buttons.

2010-06-18T18:00:00.001-07:00

I just had to share this family picture, it was our first hike of the season and the boys loved it. Of course we just had to go and pick a trail rated "most difficult", before having kids we used to power walk up the incredibly steep switch backs and beat everyone to the top. This time I made it about 1/2 way to the top, not too bad for carrying a baby on my front. Hopefully we'll be back again and make it all the way to the top of the mountain.

Spring Delight

2010-06-17T21:35:00.001-07:00

Spring Delight, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

The hardest thing about dyeing is the naming of new colorways....
I've been thinking all day what to call this one. Looking outside at the gray, dreary, skies, I just had to name it after the spring we never got this year.

Dear Oregon, PLEASE bring spring back, we are less than a week away from official summer and I am yet to wear shorts outside.

Reid Romper

2010-06-16T21:29:00.001-07:00

Reid Romper, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

I am really enjoying knitting these rompers, they are quick and easy. I started this last week but wasn't able to finish because I didn't have any of the natural colored trim. The main colorway is my original 'Alpine Meadow'
The big box of undyed yarn finally arrived and I have been knitting and dyeing like a mad woman.
The buttons really add that special touch to it. I couldn't decide on a specific color so I just used all of them!

Wildwood Romper Sneak Peek

2010-06-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Wildwood Romper, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

This romper isn't finished yet. I ran out of yarn and simply have not had the time to drive over to the local shop that carries it. I tried a shop that is closer to my house but they don't carry this particular brand. I'm hoping to make it to my mom's neighborhood this Friday and pickup some more.
Life with two kiddos is certainly keeping me busy.

Summer Leaf Romper

2010-06-07T16:07:00.001-07:00

Summer Leaf Romper, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

Hot off the needles, a yummy and squishy romper. I used cotton yarn for this project just to be sure a baby doesn't overheat in the summer. I love how bright the colors are and the yarn was a pleasure to work with.
The buttons were made by Tessa Ann. I'm so impressed with their quality. And they really add that extra dimension to the outfit.

Poor Reid, I knit this in a 0-3M size and he's a bit too big and I really had to squeeze him into the romper for the pictures. I have another romper in the works and I'll be sure to add extra length to it!

Yummy Semisolid Love

2010-05-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

All Together, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

I was excited when my co-op dyes finally came in. But I didn't know what to do with all of them all at once. I wasn't sure how the colors will actually dye up on the wool. So what better thing to do than to make a bunch of semi-solid skeins.
The results were incredible; a new line of gorgeous, bright, and lively yarns dyed in semi-solid colorways. I love semi-solids, they are the best ways to show off complex knitting patterns, lace, and cables.

Nothing feels better than weaving that last thread

2010-05-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

My god weaving loose ends can be used as a form of torture. I apparently enjoy torture as I let my "to be finished" pile get really big before I start chipping away at it. The only way I have been able to get through weaving all those loose ends is with a pint of beer at knit night (lately I've been loving Alameda's Klickitat).

So here it is... Reid's Romper (already on its way to Alaska)! I hope it keeps one lucky baby very very warm and cozy.

And here is Reid's Romper done in the iced giraffes colorway by Nurturing Threads. It came out absolutely gorgeous. I have to admit I was not hot about the colors at first. But add a cute baby to the mix and its all good :)

Baby Romper WIP

2010-05-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been working on the last few days. A new pattern for a baby romper. I was knitting the 0-3M size but as you can see Reid has outgrown that size. I had to squeeze the poor little guy into the romper. So I'm working on another one in the 3-6M size.
The pattern is mostly done. I just need to go through it with a fine comb and make sure the instructions are clear. I guess its time to start thinking about testers and such.

Now I just need to stop by the store and pick out some cute buttons.

The yarn is Mosaic Moon's Selah on Mountain Meadow worsted.

Aaaaaand we are live!

2010-05-09T14:36:00.000-07:00

I am beyond excited. Tia of Juliebeans did an amazing design job and I absolutely love my new storefront.

Blissful Knits

Grand stocking is this Friday at 11am PST.

Spring time in Hollis

2010-04-29T20:39:00.001-07:00

IMG_0524, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

I bought this pattern a few weeks a go. I just knew the perfect yarn to knit this up. Mosaic Moon's Grandma's Garden on Cestari. It came out really well. I made a few modifications by making bell sleeves and giving it a ruffled bottom..

Still hunting for the perfect buttons to go with this top... I will have to hold off on listing it for sale until they are found.

Braided Sides View

2010-04-27T16:15:00.001-07:00

IMG_0498, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

Handspun Love

2010-04-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

IMG_0507, originally uploaded by blissfulknits.

Beautiful colorway and beautiful shorties.

Alpine Meadow

2010-04-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

I love how vivid the colors turned out.

Handspun and braided

2010-04-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

This yarn has been sitting in my box for a long time now, it was just too beautiful to knit up. I finally thought of the perfect project for it. I will make summer time shorties and braid the sides using a braid pattern. I have been working on it all day yesterday and it is almost ready to be split into the leg section.
Kristie of Cherry Tart is an amazing artist, she is the one who dyed and spun this fiber. I can't wait to get my hands on more of her yarn!

October Morning

2010-04-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Quick progress report on the cabled longies. One leg down, one leg left to go. The colors are incredible and now I'm sad that I didn't buy any of this colorway for myself. I love the lack of pooling, the colors are mixing really nicely together.

Weekend knits

2010-04-21T08:45:00.001-07:00

No photos... sorry!

This weekend I started (and almost finished) a shawl for my sister. Her birthday is in June, as is her graduation from high school. So its going to be a double gift. I'm amazed how quickly this shawl came together considering that my first, the Ishbel, took me around 3 weeks to complete. I'm doing my own pattern with this shawl, I might even turn it into a real written up pattern if it comes out nice enough.

The other knit is something that I'm doing for a knit exchange; cabled longies using Mosaic Moon's October Morning colorway.

Bloomers Preview

2010-04-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

The new store and logo design are chugging along so I decided to do a little sneak preview of what is coming in the first stocking once the store is up and running. This is a 12-18M bloomers set with a matching Gymboree shirt and headband. I think Selah is my new all time favorite Mosaic Moon colorway. I just love the brightness of the colors and the mixture of orange and purple.

2010-04-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

This is by far one of my new favorites, too bad I cannot think of an approriate name. My obsession with pink is taking me in all kinds of creative directions. I keep trying different color combinations just to see what they will look like. Anyone have ideas about the name? I'm thinking of going with Full Bloom

Pixie Hat

2010-04-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

Baby Reid modeling a pixie hat, I think some people also refer to these as helmet hats or viking hats. The design is pretty basic; two increases and one decrease create the forehead and ear covers.
Knit on Malabrigo in bright red. So soft and cuddly.

Cherry Blossom

2010-04-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

Looking outside at the beautiful cherry blossoms this time of year was the inspiration for this colorway on Cestari superfine. A lovely combination of pinks and grays.

Getting Ready for Baby Part II

2010-01-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

Another fun Malabrigo project. Worsted weight emerald colorway with coordinating brown trim.
The hat is a modified Thorpe hat pattern, I had to adjust sizing to account for worsted weight yarn.

Getting Ready for Baby

2009-12-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

With the holiday craze behind me I started working on baby stuff for our own bundle of joy coming in January.
This set is made with a gorgeous cherry red Malabrigo merino yarn. Very soft and cuddly.

Hooded Sweater

2009-12-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

This was a fun weekend project, I combined Cestari's Thistle Pod solid colorway with one of my own hand dyed yarns. The sweater is really warm and cozy and Elliot loves it.

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12 Days of Christmas

2009-11-12T16:47:00.000-08:00

The congo I belong to is getting ready for the holidays with a very special 12 day stocking ending on Thanksgiving. I have a few very special hand knit sets I'm going to be listing.

First is a Cestari and BFL mix kimono and longies set. The sweater is a Mosaic Moon Pixie Dust colorway on BFL, and the longies are a Cestari solid black.

The other set is a newborn combination of longies, hat, and a matching reversible organic bamboo velour top.

I've got babies on my mind

2009-10-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

With January peeking just around the corner I've had a lot of newborn knitting on my mind. Here are a few of my latest projects.

Knee Patch Longies

2009-09-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Finished up another set this afternoon.

This is one of my own colorways, Fernwood on cestari. I added the knee patches for added durability in a stop that can be a weak spot, especially for crawlers and toddlers.
Comes with a matching American Apparel shirt with owl applique.

Every good pair of pants needs a dress

2009-09-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

I felt the pants needed something more... So I made a little matching dress.

Birthday Girl

2009-09-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

I took a little break over the summer, mostly focusing on knitting my own newborn stash (pictures soon), learning how to dye interlock, and just enjoying the amazing weather!

I have to admit, I think I have outdone myself this time. I was thinking what to do with some of the yarn I have sitting around here and this is what came out of it.
Black fine merino cestari, with Mosaic Moon's Birthday Girl ruffles and hand embroidered flowers.