When I found myself with nothing to do on New Year's Eve, I got to thinking about all the projects and ideas I'd been putting off. I was learning new knitting techniques in order to write patterns for items that I wanted make, but never doing anything with them. For some reason, I was inspired to change all that on New Year's Eve. I sat down with my laptop, some measurements for different infant and toddler sizes and jumped into my first formal pattern writing process.
I designed a yoked baby cardigan. I opted to make it striped to add texture to the product. Several hours and recalculations later, I had a finished pattern available for me to test. While knitting, I did realize that I didn't account for some simple things, like decreased stitches and such and did a re-write mid construction. In the end I came up with the finished project shown at the right.I initially botched some of the blocking, but it was easy to start over. I then attached the buttons and it was done. It is now listed on etsy for $35.
I will be selling the pattern on Ravelry.com soon. I'm working on making it a full outfit that includes a hat and pants (maybe shorts since spring is coming up). I plan to have the pattern posted by the end of the month for somewhere around $7-$10. I'm leaning toward the lower end since it is my first pattern to post to Ravelry.
I am making the full yoke cardigan set for my husband's boss, who's wife is due in February. That will be in a spring green, tan, and off white with brown buttons. It will include a hat and pants, all size 0-3 months in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. It's so fun doing these designs and I hope to increase my pattern library quickly this year.
My parents have also wanted me to design them a Groundhog Day hat since they own a Bed and Breakfast that was filmed in the movie "Groundhog Day". I came up with the idea to deconstruct the idea of the groundhog and make it more like a hat with pom-pom ears in wool that was the color of a groundhog. Peanut modeled my mock up design.
Other news...
I posted before the end of the year about our sick fur baby, Baby Buddy. Although he was not diagnosed with cancer, he took a turn for the worse shortly after the new year. He wasn't able to digest food anymore, his growth had noticeably increased in size, and he lost more than 2 pounds in less than two weeks. At the recommendation of our vet, who just like me could tell he was starting to go, we decided to end his suffering. I'm sad to report that on January 7th, he passed away peacfully in my arms. He was tremendously loved and will be missed terribly.
Knitting Madness
I've been working on getting in contact with yarn sales reps in order to jump start the yarn shop. But after a poignant conversation with my mother, I'm having second thoughts. Will owning a yarn shop take away from my love of knitting? Will I still have the opportunity to design as much as I want to? Will the costs of owning the yarn shop outweigh the benefits?
These are some tough questions I will have to deal with as I get in touch with the yarn distributors. Mainly because it will be a stretch to fund the start-up of the shop. I don't want to have to take out any loans, but I don't want to blow my savings on something that won't pan out. I'll be thinking about this more as I talk with other yarnies out there. Please, let me know what you think, the uncertainty is killing me!
Coming soon
Spring designs. Even though I have limited drawing ability, I've been working on some sketches. Liking what I see so far. :)