Tag Archives: Knitting & Spinning

I’ve always loved Kate & Courtney’s yarns and designs, so I’m excited to be a part of their blog tour celebrating their new collection, Kelbourne Woolens Volume 1.

This is a compilation of their older patterns, including several that are available as free downloads on Ravelry (such as my favorite, Selbu Modern).  However, in this collection, per the book notes on Ravelry, all of the patterns have been “re-edited, rehashed and improved upon your knitting enjoyment”.

They’re doing something a bit different with the blog tour:  we’re supposed to create an outfit around our favorite pattern.  Fun!  I’ve not really played with Polyvore, but here goes an outfit that you could wear with your Selbu Modern hat.  I’m going for a comfy, classic feel, which is what I think the hat is all about.

Here’s a full pic of the hat, in a different colorway:

What is your favorite pattern from the book?  Leave your comment on this post, by midnight PST March 7 2013, for a chance to win a signed hardcopy of the book!  Make sure you leave me a way to contact you.  US addresses only, thanks!

Visit the other blogs on the tour:

• 2/21 Jimmy Beans
• 2/22 Rohn Strong
• 2/25 Jane Richmond
• 2/28 me!
• 3/1 Carrie Bostik Hodge
• 3/4 Fancy Tiger
• 3/5 Never Not Knitting
• 3/7 Dull Roar

Cast On, Bind Off by Cap Sease, Martingale, 2012, 160pp.

Last year technique junkies like me were blessed with, count ‘em, two books on cast ons and bind offs.

This one, by Cap Sease, is a spiral bound, large, hardcover book.  It contains 211 cast ons or bind offs (as compared to the other book’s 54).

Though you’re unlikely to want to toss this into your knitting bag, it’s the perfect size for when you’re at home, gathering up your yarn, supplies, etc for your next project, and you want to research what cast on and bind off would be best for your project.

At the very beginning of the book are several quick-reference tables:  Cast Ons (with headers “Purpose” and “Methods”), Bind Offs (ditto), and Cast On and Bind Off Pairs.

After that you dive into the Cast On section, divided into separate subcategories.  Each cast on or variation of the cast on includes a summary, other names by which the cast on is known if applicable, pertinent features, a photo, and illustrated step by step instructions.  The Bind Off section is arranged similarly.

One small critique:  It’d be nice if each cast on or bind off had its own page(s). Most do, just not all.  I totally understand, however, that the page count would be an issue.

All the cast ons & bind offs are indexed, both by name, use (i.e. Socks, casting ons for toe up includes a list of the recommended cast ons & pages), which is extremely useful.

Highly recommended for your reference library!

I purchased my original copy and received, later, a review PDF from the publisher.

Winter TNNA was great for me.  I didn’t have many expectations (I’m not sourcing yarn for any upcoming projects;  it’s nice to not have to ask folks for yarn!) and not a lot on my to do list.

I did have a few folks I needed to meet up with, and that all went fantastic.   I showed off my Achillea Cowl pattern to the folks at Dream in Color and Lorna’s Laces.

For the most part, though, I was able to touch base with other designers, see some new yarns and colorways, and help my pal Michelle.

I did pick up a few things:  a gorgeous new bag from Namaste (below, center) that I’d been coveting since TNNA last summer, some of the sharp needles from Hiya Hiya (below, right), a new interchangeables needle holder from Offhand Designs (below, right) for my new set of ChiaoGoo interchangeables that I ordered…and a selection of really nice reading glasses (to be delivered as well).

I had a lovely chat with the folks at Koigu.  They gave me a couple lovely skeins that are just crying out for colorwork (above, left).  Michelle gave me two skeins of Tilli Tomas sock (above, right) that are also due for some serious colorworking.  The little swatching skeins are from Swans Island.

I had a serious fangirl moment with Erika Knight.  She’s gracious and funny and elegant and ever so nice — she liked my designs!  and made me swear to come back on Monday to get yarn to play with!  I got chills when she told me how much she liked California Revival Knits.  In all seriousness, I think getting validation and praise from someone you don’t know, who’s so established in the field, is one of the best things to experience and to give you a big confidence boost.

Her new yarn, British Blue Wool, distributed by Blue Water Fibers, is lovely — I’m already plotting some accessory patterns that will take advantage of the yarn’s subtle luster, softness, and colorways.

The Achillea Cowl pattern is live!

It’s a gorgeous combination of stitches that can be worked in DK or worsted weight yarn.  There are two versions included in the pattern.

The small cowl is just the main chart worked twice around.

The large cowl includes a top & bottom cabled lace border.  The main chart is worked three times around.

Although the small is written for worsted, and the large DK, you can definitely use the charts and instructions as a starting point and, say, work the small in DK with three repetitions of the main chart.

I use this pattern (the small version) in my Aran Lace class. Between the different stitch patterns I chose, you get to practice the various types of lace cables.

After you get comfortable working the various increases, decreases, and yarnovers at the same time as moving cables, it’s not any more difficult than cabling itself.

Look at how pretty the details are!

Above is a detail of the small cowl, worked in Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted in Campbell.

I worked the large cowl in Dream in Color Everlasting in Jeans.  Here’s a closeup of it.  You can see how the top & bottom borders nicely frame the main chart.

Enjoy!

Wow, TNNA is next week (Feb 2-4)! Time flies, all that. This will be my third winter TNNA, and my fourth TNNA over all.

I often get questions from other designers who’ve not yet gone to TNNA regarding what’s okay/what’s not okay.

There are several threads on Ravelry worth reading.

• TNNA Etiquette for Designers
• Show Off Your Portfolio
• Join TNNA as an Affiliate Member
• Trade Show Etiquette for Non-Retailers

What NOT to do

It’s against the rules, as well as etiquette, for you, as an affiliate walking the floor, to actively promote yourself and your patterns &/or book(s). Wholesalers spend a ton of money on their membership, booth, travel, etc. There’s no fair or legal way to do business with LYS folks on the show floor unless you have a booth. If you make a contact with a LYS, get their business card and contact them after the show.

If you are affiliated with a wholesaler who has a booth, you can carry around a copy of your book, samples of your patterns etc, but the place to do business is really in your booth or area. Note: If you are a wholesaler, you’re not supposed to go into other wholesaler’s booths. Ask first, and respect their wishes.

Keep in mind, this is a small industry, and everyone seems to know everyone. If you behave badly, word will get around.

How to Act

• Be professional. Be polite. Don’t interrupt. Don’t hover. Don’t block entrance to the booth.
• Identify yourself immediately as a designer and what the purpose of your visit is to the booth. Don’t waste the exhibitor’s time – don’t make them go through their sale pitch!
• If a buyer comes up to the booth, politely excuse yourself. Quickly. And leave.
• Only take yarn or samples if you genuinely can use it. The day to ask is Monday.
• Keep in mind networking occurs all over, not just on the floor show. Convention center lobby, hotel lobby, hotel bar, elevators, etc etc. Yes, Big Brother may be watching you.

What to Do

• Meet other designers.
• Meet yarn companies. Check out their yarn. See what’s new. Inquire about their designer program/ yarn support. Source yarn. Compare colors, textures, blends in real life as opposed to on your computer screen. Emailing ahead of time is a good idea.
• Source other things: buttons, beads.
• Meet publishers & distributors. I’d definitely recommend setting up a meeting.
• Scout out booth layouts, that sort of thing, if you’re interested in becoming a wholesale member or will get booth space via your distributor.

What to Bring

• Business cards. Don’t shove them at everyone.
• Pen. Use to take notes on business cards you collect.
• Portfolio: You can bring a portfolio of sorts, but don’t expect to show it that much (if at all). I have mine on my iPad.
• Proposals: Hm. If you’re seeking yarn support, I think the best thing to do is to touch base with the yarn company and then, if they were interested, follow up with an email with your proposal.
• Namaste badge holder. I got mine a couple shows ago and love, love, love it. Room for business cards, a pen, lip balm.
• Bag/purse. The less you have to carry around in it, the better. Do bring a bottle for water. Bring a few snacks.

What to Wear

• Your handknit designs. But don’t be obnoxious about them.
• Comfy shoes.
• Comfy but professional clothes*.
• *Are you working on your marketing/branding? Your clothing is part of that. Keep that in mind. You can tend towards artsy/quirky as a designer.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a bit of time, you’ll remember that sewing was on my list of goals. I’ll have to admit that I’ve not really done as much with it as I thought I wanted. However, it’s still on my list of things to do.

One of the great ways to develop some skills is through the free Block of the Month course. New blocks, designed to teach different techniques, are released each month. By the end of the year you have enough blocks for a quilt.

I’ve already signed up for this year’s Block of the Month course, which is taught by Laura Nownes, author of Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!!.

If you’ve not signed up yet, here’s some added incentive:  If you sign up for the (free!) class via an affiliate link (like the banner above, or any of the text links in this post) by Jan 31st, you’re entered to win a course kit with 11.5 yards of Robert Kaufman fabric worth about $100.

So check it out!

In case you weren’t lucky enough to get one of the gorgeous club kits from Dragonfly Fibers, you can now get the Byzantine Cowl pattern by itself!

This gorgeously soft indulgent cowl was inspired by the geometric motifs and colors present in Middle Eastern architecture. Wear it with either side showing; it’s completely reversible.

If you’d like a cowl with a larger circumference, increase in repeats of 42 sts (which works out to be about 5.5”/14cm) and increase your yarn requirements proportionately.

Guidelines (pink lines) are shown on the larger chart (Chart 1) to assist with stitch counts and patterning.

Plans, not goals, not resolutions!

Book Deux:  Last year the plan was to have it ready for Spring 2013 TNNA (at the time, there was talk of TNNA just having one big knitting orientated conference, combining Winter & Summer into Spring).

Now I’m shooting for Fall 2013 publication date.  That means all the knitting should be done by Summer TNNA, and I’ll be able to put together a look book, but obviously the time line has been pushed back.

Regardless, I have more designs completed & some partially completed.  Folks in my testers group have seen (and tested!) a few of the accessories.

I can say this book will be similar to CRK in many ways.

The skill level of the projects ranges from advanced beginner to intermediate plus.  Projects include garments, hats, mitts, stoles, shawls, cowls & socks.  Techniques include stranding (one of my favorites — and everyone who sees it –is a stranded hat done in Sunday Knits yarn), cables (lots of cables), textured stitch patterns, lace, beading, & nifty bicolored cables.

Also like CRK, the next book has a theme and related color palette.  I can say, though, that architecture is not a consideration in this one.  Flora, fauna, geology, and history are the subthemes.

Tempted?  Teased?  I hope so!

Hitch: As noted in the last post, Hitch grew.  And grew.  My goal is to have this in print prior to Summer 2013 TNNA, with the PDF coming out sooner.   The last patterns are being tech edited (thank you KT!), some are awaiting tweaks by the designers, and then it all will go to layout.

Here’s a list of the designers:

Dani Berg, Jill Bigelow Suttell, Rebecca Blair, Brenda Castiel, Rachel Coopey, Jennette Cross, Anna Dalvi,  Elizabeth Green Musselman, Kristen Hanley Cardozo, Glenna Harris, Becky Herrick, Elanor King, Nina Machlin Dayton, Triona Murphy, Carolyn Noyes, Luise O’Neill, Heather Ordover, Anne Podlesak, Stefanie Pollmeier, Nadya Stallings, Katherine Vaughan, Christina Wall, Christina Werge, Linda Wilgus, Karin Wilmoth, & of course  yours truly (me)

And here’s a list of the yarns being used:

Anzula, Bijou Basin, Blue Sky Alpacas, Brooklyn Tweed, Cephalopod, Drachenwolle, Fyberspates, Harrisville, Hazel Knits, Hedgehog Fibers, Indigo Dragonfly, Knit Picks, Little Red Bicycle,  Madeline Tosh, Old Maiden Aunt, Posh, Quince & Co, Shibui Knits, Sincere Sheep, Springtree Road, Socks that Rock (Blue Moon Fiber Arts), String Theory, Sunday Knits, Sweet Georgia, Tactile, Verdant Gryphon, Woolen Rabbit, Wooly Wonka, Zen Yarn Garden

I’m really excited about the collection!  I’m hoping we can do some KAL & movie-a-thons.  We’ll be starting a Hitch group on Ravelry specifically for KALs, etc.

Self published patterns

Right now nearly all my self published patterns are available on Ravelry.  I have a few on Knit Picks not on Ravelry, and am planning an e book compilation of those to release on Ravelry & elsewhere.

I’d like to get all of those on Ravelry on Craftsy & Patternfish (sorry, no direct link for my patterns on Patternfish!).  I’m also getting patterns uploaded to Deep South for wholesale (single patterns, not e books).  As I’m updating formats, etc, and uploading to Deep South I’m updating the Ravelry (and Craftsy & Patternfish) listings.

I also have patterns from Sanguine Gryphon & Knitcircus that need to be reformatted & uploaded.

Okay, that’s old stuff, what about new?

I’m working on a couple cowl patterns to be used for class patterns.  The goal is to design some super pretty patterns that are quite sneakily great for learning the techniques.

Otherwise, there will likely be a few more here & there, but my focus is the next book.

Teaching

I’ll be teaching at Madrona in February.  I’m starting to set up more LYS & guild classes & talks, and would like to start teaching at other conferences.

If you’d like to see me teach a class at your local guild or LYS, let them know to contact me!

I’ve stated before I’m not a big fan of resolutions.  That said, I do like looking back over the year and seeing what I have accomplished (or not!).

The biggest news, for me:  California Revival Knits came out!

I’m so proud of it.  It’s garnered some really wonderful reviews — Knitty, Vogue, various podcasts to include Knit 1, ♡ Too & The Knit Girllls.  Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see some of the reviews.

Kathy Cadigan did absolutely gorgeous photography (that’s her lovely daughter Morgan on the cover).  Kathy is just so talented, and I’m so lucky she did the photography.

And as I’ve learned this year, the work doesn’t stop once it’s in print, lol.  I’ve done a few trunk shows and book signings (everywhere from here in Los Angeles to Chicago!), and am planning more for 2013.  For example, I’ll be doing demos and displaying projects from the book Saturday February 1th  at Madrona.

I also published Autumn Nostalgia for the MFPP in September.  It’s a nice mix of projects – stranded mitts (TailGate Mitts), cabled cowl (Applejack, shown on the cover, left), and textured cardi & hat (Farewell Summer).

Fresh Designs: Men came out — my Abalone Cove hat pattern, a fun honeycomb cable variation hat (which can be worn by women and kids as well!), is included.  I’ll be posting a few more pics when I get the sample back to really show off the cables.

I did the Byzantine Cowl for Kate at Dragonfly Fibers.  It’ll be coming out this year in my Ravelry store & through Deep South Fibers.

The Lagniappe Mitts & Cuff pattern is the pattern I use for my beading class.

One more new pattern this year was published — the fingerless version of Ravens in Snow.  I don’t really like to go back & redo patterns (too many new things to work on!), but I wasn’t done with the Ravens stitch pattern.  I love how these fingerless mitts turned out!

What I can’t show are the designs for the next book;  the four designs I did myself for Hitch; the design I did for an upcoming DeFarge book;  the socks & mitts for the Cooperative Press sock club (coming soon!); and the designs to be released later this year for a yarn company (two of which I finished, the third I’m still working on).

Oh, and Hitch?  It morphed from being a small ebook done by yours truly, to a 30 pattern collection created by a plethora of incredibly talented designers, curated by me.  We’re in the final bits of tech editing before it all goes to layout.

I also taught at Madrona; taught beading at Knitculture here in Los Angeles; visited Rhinebeck, Stitches West, & Stitches Midwest for book signings; and attended TNNA in the winter in Phoenix and summer in Columbus.

Shawl Design in Plain English by Julia Riede, 2012, 122pp.

I’m always on the lookout for good self published books. Julia’s book contains a ton of good info, as well as nine different patterns, lovely in their own right, that illustrate the design concepts.  (The patterns are all available individually as well.)

She walks you through the initial number crunching (swatching, blocking, measuring gauge, repeat dimensions, and so on).  Subsequent chapters apply these principles to specific shawl shapes.

What are the shapes covered?

• Rectanglular shawls
• Triangular
• Circular and semicircular (including crescent)
• Faroese

Within each shape chapter she covers the specific ways of constructing each shape.  For rectangular shawls, for example, she covers from hem to hem, each half worked from center out with a provisional cast on, and diagonally from one corner.  She also discusses borders and edgings.

Her book is one of the most complete I’ve seen for teaching how to design different shapes.  It’s a wonderful complement to Anna Dalvi’s Shaping Shawls, which I also love.

The patterns are all charted.  I think Callie, shown left, is one of my favorites.

There’s also a small stitch dictionary with a very nice collection of stitches;  each page has a photo of the stitch pattern and its chart.

Julia has a Ravelry group.  She has a website, too.

Note: My review copy was given to me by the author.  All opinions are my own.