NEW BLOG

Hi everyone!  I've moved my blog over here!  It's been a good run here at Blogger, but the time to move on was upon me.

Hope you like the new site!

A NEW DAY

Thanks to a Google + mishap which deleted most of my older photos from my posts, 

I'll be moving my blog over to a new provider... stay tuned for details!

Wool People, Vol. I

The cat's out of the bag!  I've been bursting at the seams to blog about the exciting opportunity to work with Jared Flood's company Brooklyn Tweed and his yarn, SHELTER.  Months ago, Jared contacted me via e-mail to see if I would be interested in such a thing.  To see if I would be INTERESTED?!?!  Before I could regain my composure, I did a snoopy dance of excitement, ran up to yell the good news to my husband (so confused, poor thing) and ran back down to sit in front of my laptop to reply.  It took all of my willpower to write something that didn't make me sound like a:

1.  Stalker
2.  Desperate-o
3.  Drooling idiot.

As things progressed and I started to think about what I would design, my thoughts shot all over the place.  Immediately, I thought cables.  This yarn just screams cables.  And then I thought, it would have to be an accessory, a cowl or tam of some sort.  Then, it was a jacket - tweed calls for a jacket, right?  Right?!  I was slowly losing it, and losing a lot of sleep.

Then, I started to inquire and learned about some of the other knitters who would be taking part in this project.  I don't think I have ever felt so insecure in my life.  I kept thinking that the company I would be in would surely dwarf any attempt at a design I could conjure up.

I sketched and swatched and slowly I realized I had to approach this design in a totally different way.  I had been used to being inspired by a yarn, or something I had seen on someone on the street.  I would just go and grab a yarn from my stash, and swatch away.  With SHELTER, I was not only representing myself and my thoughts on knitwear, but a company - Brooklyn Tweed.  I wanted not only my aesthetic to come through, but also what the company has always stood for, and what the yarn represented.  I suppose some artists would think that would be a compromise of their creative integrity.  For me, it was a way to focus my creative energy and conversely create outside of my usual box.  My boundaries and horizons had to shift.

So I made a list of what I thought were the similarities between Brooklyn Tweed and me.  This is what I came up with:

1.  Wearable
2.  Complimentary to a variety of sizes and figures
3.  Unintimidating to knit
4.  Fun to knit.

Voila, the Perry Cardigan was born. 

Since I had immediately thought of cables, I wanted to do something more unexpected, so I went with lace.  

 And since I immediately thought of something thick, dense and substantial, I wanted to make sure it was light and airy - again, something unexpected for this yarn.

I really love this cardigan.  It's nothing earth-shattering design-wise, but I think it's something that will turn into a favorite - the one you grab to run errands, meet friends on the weekend, or keep in your office to fight off that chill.

I hope you like it, and I hope you enjoy knitting it should you choose to.  I think I'll have to make one for myself in Sweatshirt - a great SHELTER gray.

Dabbling with color

I love using socks, baby sweaters and gifts as a way to knit with color I otherwise wouldn't use.  Yes, I love neutrals.  Yes, I'm made fun of by most of the people I know.  So when the occasional bright color(s) catches my eye (and literally falls off the shelf into my hands), the unending commentary from my buddies at Knitty City start swirling about.  "Wow, what are YOU going to use that for?"  "You're finally branching out!"  "It's about time - give up those grays!"  Most of the time, I don't have the heart to tell them it's for someone other than myself.  But here it goes:  those two skeins of Plaid Blanket I bought?  It was for a baby sweater.

My friend had a baby boy a few months ago, so I thought an Autumn sweater in Madelinetosh's Plaid Blanket colorway was appropriate.  The seemingly random colors in Plaid Blanket remind me of autumn leaves and come together perfectly.  I loved watching the colors go by as I knit away.  If you're madelinetosh-o-philes like myself, I just whispered the colors to myself as they slid over my fingers: glazed pecan, lettuce leaf, nebula, tern.  At least those are the colorways I saw combined in this beautiful yarn.

I followed the Gramps Cardigan pattern by Kate Oates.  It's a great little pattern with a wide size range.  But, in my humble opinion, the colors in the yarn really makes the little sweater sing. 

And maybe I was inspired by the color of my spinning wheel, but I just had to start spinning some red wool.  Bright red. 

I bought some Louet Corriedale Wool Top, and have been falling more and more in love with this red with every treadle.

Please don't tell anyone I said that.  I'll never hear the end of it.

Treats for Dad

Mr. Migglesworth is a cherry-holic.  He loves the real thing; he loves the fake thing.  He'll take cherry any which way he can have it.  (Out of context, that sounds incredibly wrong.)

Upon our return from a recent trip, I found a bag of very ripe cherries sitting in our refrigerator.

And thus, the cherry cobbler was born.

Mental note:  must pick up a cherry pitter.

Legacy

My heart broke yesterday morning.  I sat down at my laptop and started reading through my e-mails when I came to one from a dear friend.  Her mother had just passed away.  I met this friend through knitting.  We met at the back table at Knitty City and our friendship developed over the past year as we started talking yarn and fiber, and moved onto our careers and dreams.  Her mother had come to stay with her for a month late last year, and I was lucky enough to spend some quality time with her.  We talked knitting, shared found projects on ravelry and passed along tips to one another.  I had assumed that my friend's mother had taught my friend how to knit.  But, I had it wrong.  My friend had taught her mother, and she was instantly addicted.  She was known to finish lengthy projects in record time, and never a piece for herself.  She constantly passed along her beautiful knits to friends' newborns and her daughter.

I feel lucky to have been able to meet her, and even luckier to have been a recipient of one of her knitted gifts.

I will treasure it always.

Shame on me

Holy cow.  It's been over 3 months since my last post.  Time flies when you're trying to get in as much knitting as possible before the NYC Summer throws it hot, humid and muggy veil over the 5 boros.  The first sign of Spring for me?  Peonies.  I treated myself to a little bouquet from my favorite neighborhood florist, fLorEsta.

Once I see those beautiful blooms, I start to pack away the cashmere sweaters.

But, it's been a really exciting past few months.  I've made some great new friends!  (More to come on that.  I just love a good surprise!)  And, I've been doing so much knitting, that I felt I needed a hobby from my hobby.  So... enter Miss Ladybug.  She's a beauty.

 

Admittedly, I completely forgot how frustrating it is to learn something new.  I've bonded with her since, but that first night... we quarreled.  A lot.  And I said a few things to her that I probably shouldn't have.  But we've made up.

Every Ladybug Spinning Wheel comes with a little ladybug.  Schacht places it in a unique spot for each wheel, and I found mind right behind the wheel.  It has been so much fun learning a new aspect of knitting, fiber, wool and yarn.  And while knitting needs my undivided attention, spinning allows me to calmly let the time pass.  It's mesmerizing.  Here is my first ball of "yarn".  Unplyed.  It's completely unusable, but I'm going to keep it around as a reminder.

I just signed up for the Beginning Wheel Spinning class at Purl Soho.  It starts later on in May, and the class is taught on the Ladybug!  I'm very excited.  I feel like I could figure it out, but just want to make sure I've got a good foundation.

I also jumped on the Rock Island Shawl bandwagon.  What a great pattern!  It's gorgeous, simple enough for a knitter willing to try out a little lace.  And that Grand St. Ink color!  Whoa!!  Jared's done it again.

I had such a great time knitting this.  I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock instead of the Helen's Lace.  And for no other reason than it was sold out.  I had to "settle" for the sockweight.  I love it, but I would like to try it in the laceweight once Knitty City gets some in stock.  I think the color is darker in the sockweight too.  Gorgeous, nonetheless.

And something I failed to mention in my last post: I've thrown another pattern up onto Ravelry for sale.  It's a cabled hat, which spotlights a really interesting yarn - Lana Grossa's Chiara.  I don't usually knit with yarn so slinky, but I couldn't resist.  The sample is at Knitty City and the pattern has been flying off the shelves there.  I don't think the pictures do it justice, but I named it Tortillon because of the sort of smeared-charcoal effect the yarn ends up having in the cables.  It's really pretty cool.  If you're interested, you can pick up the pattern here.  It only takes one ball, and is a super quick knit.

Last but not least, I just had to share some pics of my last vacation.  I spent a long weekend in Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos.  This was my second time there, and I think it was better than the first.  It is absolute paradise. 

I'll leave you on that note.

Bonding

I'm a huge fan of swatching.  I'm always surprised when I hear other knitters talk about either not swatching all together, or just flat-out detesting it.  For me, it gives me the time to practice a stitch pattern, get to know the yarn and develop a little bit of muscle memory for a particular match-up between needles, yarn and pattern.  I call it bonding time.  Sometimes it's hard for me to leave bonding time and actually move into the project.  I have a whole bag full of swatches which I try to remember to label with what yarn it is and what needle size I used, and whether or not I used a stitch pattern from a particular book.  

I'm not always successful, and I find myself treasure hunting for all the missing information.  I pull them out of the bag every once in awhile and lay them out on my table, like puzzle pieces.  Turning them right side up and positioning them correctly, I remember back to what I thought a particular yarn would be good for, or where I bought it.  They're like little bits of memory for me.

So when I finally finished my poncho design from VK Holiday 2010, I had quite enough bonding time with Cascade 128 Superwash.  Quite. Enough.  But, I do love it and wear around the house all the time.  When I sit on the couch, it sort of lays out like a blanket and I've started referring to it as my Snuggie.  It's just better 'cause it's got a hood too.

 

Speaking of bonding, I had a lot of extra bonding time with Cascade 128 Superwash.  The design I have in VK Winter 2010/11 is knit in the same yarn.

 

I do love it.  It's a bulky weight workhorse'uva yarn.  I had such a great time knitting up this particular design.  The cabling becomes mindless, and the switch-up towards the top with the lace keeps it fun.  Annie Maloney, the author of Aran Lace, the book where I got the stitch pattern from, gave me a shout-out on Ravelry and is knitting it up herself!  I was so flattered when she e-mailed me.

And, what better way to bond with your fellow knitters than at VK LIVE!!!  I was there yesterday helping out at the Pro Lab with one of their technical editors (Hi Lori!), and what a blast!  I've had good and bad experiences when it comes to conventions, and this one was done right.  Very organized, great venue, plenty of space and just enough to see, hear and talk about.  Amidst all the yarn, I came across the most adorable knitted and felted dolls from ak traditions.  I'm not a huge fan of knitting and sewing little things.  I always lose interest by the time I have to put all the little pieces together.  But, I couldn't resist these little cuties!  So I bought one of their pattern books and am going to make a "Huggable".  The little huggable bodies are like pillows.  So adorable.

At The Last Hour

Lately it feels like I'm either rushing to finish something, or something is catching me off guard.  Like, say, sub-freezing weather and Christmas shopping.  I know.  It happens every single year.  Winter comes in December and Christmas comes on the 25th.  I KNOW.  And with online shopping, I think I procrastinate even further with all the "order by the 23rd to receive by the 24th" promises.

And then the guilt starts to settle in.  "I knit... I'm a knitter," I start thinking to myself wondering why I'm purchasing gifts when I could be knitting up something nicer and more special for my loved ones.  Well, let's just say I'm a material girl living in a material world.  I actually enjoy shopping (aka gathering and consuming).  But that little voice... knit something nice... keeps popping up in my head.  It's like my very own Ghost of Knitted Christmas Gifts.

So, alas, I finally got around to writing up the pattern for a hat I knit last winter.  I knit it last winter in some last-minute knitting frenzy when I realized the weather was about to warm up.  Yup, more of that procrastination thrown in with some last-minute rushing around.  I completed it mid-March, and was able to wear it for about a week.

There were some lovely comments on Ravelry by some even lovelier ravelers which encouraged me to write it up for this season.  And for all you folks procrastinating out there, it's a great quick knit.

I chose Malabrigo Worsted yarn for its softness and for the subtle beauty of the Pearl color.  I love how the grey color has just a hint of blush.

I'm thinking for a man, sans pom-pom and in a navy or olive green color would make a lovely addition to their wardrobe.

The cabled stitch pattern is a multiple of 10, so downsizing for a child's cap is easy math.  The cartridge rib makes up the band of the hat and is a multiple of 5 so that works out mathematically for downsizing as well.  The cartridge rib is a flatter, less elastic rib than most so I would change to a 1x1 rib if you want something more snug.  Or maybe try a smaller needle.

The pattern is for sale here.  Check it out and if you decide to make it, start the project in Ravelry!

Inspiration?

The owner of Knitty City, Pearl, has asked me to say a few words at the store when Trisha Malcolm, Vogue Knitting's Editor-in-Chief, makes an appearance in a few weeks.  I told her I wouldn't have much to say and if she wanted me to say anything in particular to let me know.  Pearl, the sweetest woman to ever live, just replied with a nonchalant, "Anything you say will be great.  We're so proud of you."

As sweet as her reply was, I had no idea what to say.  I still don't know what to say.  I asked around and my knitting friends replied over and over with, "What's your inspiration?"  And, "Where do you get your ideas?"  My first response was a shrug.  I honestly didn't know.  It's a question I've had to think about long and hard.  What is my inspiration.  Can any of us answer that question?  What ignites that initial spark of an idea.  I think it's rare to have the lightbulb flash on from being off.  Mine is always sort of flickering like an old neon tube.  Sometimes brighter, sometimes darker.  Occasionally, it will flash on for certain solutions - like - getting the symmetry right for a stitch pattern across a certain amount of stitches.

But as I started to breakdown my own process, I realized that I'm overloaded with inspiration.  I'm not walking through life completely void of inspiration, and pow! there's one inspiring thing in front of me, staring me down, daring me to use it.  Instead, it's everywhere and constantly flitting about.

So to not bore you with a list of every little thing I come across in my daily life, I've decided the question I should answer is, "What is your starting point?"  This may mean the same thing to some, but not to me.  Inspiration is rare.  Inspiration can be seen through many creations, not just one.  A muse inspires, and muses usually stick around for many seasons.

My starting point ends up being the swatch.  I don't think this is very special nor very insightful.  I would guess that most designers start there.  And not just handknitwear designers, but most designers that use fabric as their medium.  I had started to write that yarn was my starting point.  And I guess you can take it back that far.  But, really it's the fabric.  And it's so easy to forget that what we're creating is fabric, and simply forming it as we go.  I read an interview with the Olsen Twins (yes, I love them) and they were talking about their clothing line "The Row".  It's a beautiful collection with impeccable tailoring and clean lines.  All they could talk about was the fabric as they passed swatches back and forth between one another.

It's not that clean and simple for a hand knitter, because that fabric consists of a stitch pattern, and is made up of a particular yarn.  But, if I had to say what my "inspiration" is, I would have to say it all starts with that fabric.  And, that fabric starts for us with a swatch.

With that said, it has been incredibly interesting to design for a publication.  They have a business and partnerships to protect.  So, after spending so much time and energy creating swatches, it is sometimes challenging to use the yarn they've chosen for your design.  I like experimenting, being challenged and playing around with yarns I otherwise wouldn't given a second glance.  It has been a growing experience for me.  The Zealana Tui that was given to me for the Cabled Poncho that appears in the Holiday issue is the perfect example.  

I don't usually have time to figure out whether or not they made a better choice for my design.  But I happen to have some free knitting time at the moment.  So, I couldn't resist trying out the Poncho myself in the yarn I had envisioned it in.

So far, I've completed the back of the poncho in Cascade 128 Superwash Chunky.  I can't wait to compare the final result.

P.S.  I could only smile to myself when my next design was assigned this Cascade 128 yarn.

Turning Red

My next published design is set to appear in Vogue Knitting's Holiday Issue.  I'm so excited for this one!  I love the way it turned out, how it looks in the shot, and how the editors decided to size it - up to 3X!  But, most of all, I think it's flattering even though it's shapeless.

photo by Rose Callahan

Starting last year, I started to see a resurgence of capes and ponchos, and they seem to have really taken off this season.  My original plan was to knit this in Cascade 128 Superwash, but I got Zealana's Aspire Tui for the project.  I was hesitant at first, but the color is great and the yarn actually surprised me.  Even though I felt punished for having to knit this in the summertime, the yarn was easy to knit with, light in the hand, but the resulting fabric is surprisingly weighty...  which is a great thing when knitting an outer layer.

This was the first hood I ever knit, so I studied all the different ways hoods could be incorporated into the neckline.  Picked up, or sewn on afterwards.  I decided to knit straight up from the neck opening and increased from there.  Everyone I asked about hoods told me to make sure it was big enough.  I took that to mean to make sure it's deep enough.  That always seemed to be my problem with hoods too.  They never really stay on; they always seemed too shallow, slipping and falling off with just a turn of my head.  I may have overdone it, but I just love the big hood on this poncho's silhouette.

And lastly, I threw in some pockets.  This was not part of my original design, but since it's "outerwear" I thought pockets would work out really well.  I have to admit:  I'm still on the fence about the pockets.  I think the yarn may be a bit too thick for pockets.  So if you're more into aesthetics than practicality, I'd skip the pockets.

Vogue Knitting has thrown up a preview of this issue on their site, and it looks great!  One of the biggest influences in my knitting life is Shirley Paden, and her design is on the cover, and the first piece in the spread that I'm featured in - Rhapsody in Red.  I'm so humbled to be in her company along with Mari Tobita whose red dress is so stunning, it's breathtaking.

The issue is on the newsstands November 9th.  I hope you check it out!

photo by Rose Callahan

Sans Sleeves

When I was given the thumbs-up for my design submission for VK's Winter 2010/11 issue, I was thrilled!  My lazier side (more like a large portion of self) was even more thrilled to learn that they wanted my submission, but without the sleeves.  "Sure thing," I thought.  Why not?  It would make for a more interesting silhouette, and less knitting!  My devious side thought I was getting one over on them.

Huh.  I thought wrong.  Sitting down, I used the swatches I had knit-up for the submissions.  They even wanted me to use the same yarn I swatched in.  What could be better?!  Well.  Blah blah blah, long story short, my first attempt at the sweater was a big fat failure.  OMG.  Basically, it looked like a sweater missing its sleeves.  You simply cannot design a sweater with sleeves, and then knit up that same sweater, forget the sleeves and expect it to look normal.  No no no no no.  Let's just put an end to that nonsense right here, right now.

So, I had to knit it again.  But different.  The same, but different proportions.  Whatever.  Here's a sneak peek:

I'm so happy that I did it again and with the final outcome.  But honestly?  I'm over it.  Next!

Flying Time

I can't believe it's already August.  How time flies!  As they say, it flies when you're having fun.  And I can't say it's been different for me.  I just got back from a quick weekender to Montreal.  I had never been, and had only thought of it in terms of Celine Dion.  It is such a gem of a city.  Beautiful and pleasant.  I really couldn't ask for more from our neighbors to the north.  And while this city has been baking all summer, the temperature when we landed was around 50F.  I let out a little hoppity skippty jump when we exited the airport and promptly threw on a sweater!

Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures.  I thought taking along my new Holga 135BC would be a great idea.  Well, I was wrong.  I got through to the end of the roll and somehow, the film had broken out of it's little canister.  So when I opened the back to check if I had rewound it all the way, all the film was exposed.  I'll have to see if it's recoverable at all.  Wah. :(  I'm such a dufus.

Even more exciting is that I returned home to find some proper pictures of my VK design sent to me from the Yarn Editor.  My anticipation is growing and growing awaiting the arrival of this issue.  Here's a picture of my design that will appear in the magazine:

photo by Paul Amato

And, this issue's cover:

  

photo by Paul Amato

Doesn't she look like Kristin Stewart?  I think they did that on purpose... I was hoping for some Twilight-inspired spread.  hehe

Anyway, more to come on this issue's design, as I still can't believe it's almost here!  Favorite and queue it on Ravelry, and post about it if you like it!  I'd love to hear your feedback!

Preview is here!!

Wa-hoo!! Vogue Knitting has updated their site to feature their Fall 2010 Preview! I'm so excited! My first design is in their "Force of Nature" spread.

It's the last picture in the bunch:

I also was given great news when I handed in my Noro project:  They've accepted another design of mine which will appear in VK's Winter issue.  I was very happily surprised!  And, the yarn will be the same yarn I swatched in - how often does THAT happen?!?

I'm a happy camper.

You win some; you lose some

I am so grateful for the opportunities Vogue Knitting has given me. My first project for VK will be on the newsstands soon. My second one, soon thereafter. And one of my more recent submissions was accepted into a book they'll be publishing featuring Noro yarn.

I had never knit with Noro yarn before, but its reputation preceded itself. I think Noro is known for its rainbow of colors. And for my austere color sensibilities, I was anxious about what yarn I would receive for my project. I was pleasantly surprised when an earthy range of browns greeted me when I opened up the FedEx box. (I think they took pity on me, probably imagining me faint if faced with greens, reds, yellows and purples.)

While the texture of the Noro Kureyon was fairly different from the yarn I imagined my design in, it worked out well. I altered the pattern ever-so-slightly to compensate for the difference. I think it was good practice.

Here's a sneak peek:



I really love this design. Easy knit, fun to knit, not boring and I think it's fashionable!

While finishing up this project, I read my rejection e-mail from Twist Collective. My design submissions didn't make it into their winter edition. And I haven't heard back regarding my next submission to VK for their Winter issue. I'm thinking it's a no-go. Oh well - you win some; you lose some. So, I think my next course of action will be to self-publish. I'll keep you posted!

Quince & Co. + Me = Happiness

As far as knitters go, I can safely say that we're all pretty f'ing excited when a new yarn company hits the market.

So I'm sure you've all heard about Quince & Co. Headed up by Pam Allen and a super small team, it was launched last week.

Love at first sight. Their site is gorgeous, and so American... so New England... so dreamy. Knowing nothing about the company, I was so impressed by their story. Selling directly, they can keep their retail price point low and they use American sheep. I can't think of a better combination.

And then I checked out the options. Four weights, and a ton of colorways. It sort of reminded me of Blue Sky Alpacas' colors. Subtle and gorgeous.

I ordered two skeins to get me started.



I haven't knit with them yet, but they have a soft hand and very slight fuzziness to them. Stay tuned for some swatches. I have a feeling these will knit up beautifully.

Productive Procrastination

I am a very goal-oriented person. I like being able to cross things off of my list. (Said list being all in my head, as I'm not organized enough to actually write it down.) And with a goal in my line of sight, I rarely deviate from it. But every so often, I procrastinate. I take little detours. And these detours usually turn out to be quite productive. Reorganizing yarn stash, surfing ravelry and my latest friends' activities, checking out yarn sales, setting aside yarn to donate... quite productive. Yes yes, quite productive.

Well, during my last project, I procrastinated. I was able to turn in my project early, thankfully, but I was antsy. I don't know - maybe it was knitting with bulky yarn in 90 degree weather. Maybe it was the fact that it wasn't portable. Maybe I needed something easy to knit whilst watching the World Cup. In any case, I procrastinated with this Mara Shawl. A free pattern from madelinetosh. I like its simplicity with the touch of femininity at the edge.



I used about three skeins of madelinetosh's DK yarn. It's so soft, with just the perfect amount of springiness. The color is Victorian Gothic. It's the deepest purple and since it's hand-dyed there is a beautiful subtlety in its unevenness. I absolutely love the yarn, the color and the finished product. How often can you say that?! It's still way too warm for this piece, but it'll be great come Fall.

Little Rewards

As a little reward for finishing up my project before the deadline, I hit Barnes & Noble yesterday with my dear friend Jen. It's been a ritual of ours. We'll meet up, check out Barnes & Noble and then grab some dinner. I used to live a few blocks away from one, but not anymore. So now, it's really a treat for me.

Since buying my beloved Kindle, I don't have much use for buying bestsellers, but I don't think there's any substitution for craft books. There's too much flipping back and forth between the picture, pattern, abbreviations and definitions. Who knows... maybe one day.

Well, much to our dismay, our Barnes & Noble was rearranging and reorganizing the "Crafts & Hobbies" section at the exact same time we decided to go. So, we decided to check out the periodicals. No luck - we both had all of the latest issues of everything. We turned to look at each other and the lightbulb went off. Without uttering any words, we intuitively started to make our way to the Cookbooks section.



We picked up copies of Whoopie Pies and today I made my first batch of Oatmeal Whoopie Pies with classic buttercream filling. YUM-MY IN MY TUMMY!!!!!! Best reward ever!

Winter in Summer

I just finished knitting my design for Vogue Knitting's Holiday issue. I'm so in love with it. I love that it's just so darn wearable. I know with every idea that pops into my head, it's hard to really know how it's going to turn out. From the sketch, to the swatches, to working out the pattern, to the final product... there are a lot of variables.

And the one thing you don't have much control over when working with a big magazine like VK is the yarn. They choose it for you. And I love that it forces me to work outside of my comfort zone. And that's an important part of growing and learning - working outside of that comfort zone.

So you'll see with this next design that I was dragged kicking and screaming into the wide world of color. They choose a very festive red. For the past month, it's been the one splash of color in my sea of beige and gray. And, I'm going to miss it.

Here's a very small sneak peek:



And now, back to the drawing board for Spring... any thoughts?

Beyond Flattered

People don't usually surprise me anymore. In Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, he talks about the 10,000 hour rule. It takes 10,000 hours to master something. I think if you've ridden 10,000 hours on the subway, you've pretty much mastered The Person. You've seen it all. I have ridden at least 10,000 hours on the subway. I won't list all the erratic human behavior I've been witness to during those 10,000 hours. And anyone who's reading this and has ridden the subway is probably just nodding their head and praying I don't start a bulleted list. I think you get me here.

So when I posted my first pattern on Ravelry, I found myself surprised. Surprised with people! People were actually buying it and making it! But honestly, I was, least of all, surprised and, most of all, flattered. We all know the knitting community is a caring one. But, I didn't recognize how nurturing it is. Maybe it's just me that hasn't seen something so obvious until now. But with every finished Eternity Scarf posted onto Ravelry, I am encouraged little by little to continue down this designing path.

Below are a few pictures of some finished Eternity Scarves. Something I've tried to improve upon is my photography, and I owe it all to knitting, this blog and the wide world of the Internet. A picture says a thousand words, right? It's obvious I'm not the only one out there. Look at how gorgeous these photos are! I am so humbled, and so proud to be a part of this always-growing knitting world.



by Elaine



by Mary



by Catrina



by Knitterella®



by Linda :: photo by Gabrielle

I work with Linda, by the way. She's based in our San Francisco office, and though we've never met, we've become close knitting buds. I was cyberally introduced to the knitting group that gathers in the SF office. And thinking back, it was a passing conversation I had with Linda that gave me the motivation and encouragement to write this pattern.

Aren't the scarves incredible?! The colors take my breath away. I really need to start knitting with more color - she says as she stares at her pile of gray yarn.

Click here for more Eternity Scarves on ravelry.com. Thank you everyone for purchasing this pattern. I am beyond flattered.