No time to knit these days....

It's all about Witches this month!

No time to knit these days....Disneyland called to say they missed me, then school called to make sure the 3 amigas were still working the cake walk booth...now I have a family wedding tonight about 3 hours away.  I'll be able to at least knit in the car for the trip up.

I'm sure next week will look more promising....

New Winter Hat...photoshoot

What a great day!  I managed to convince my neighbor to allow me to take her picture with my new hat.  She had 1 baby down for a nap, another youngster due home from school and according to her, a messy house to boot.  And yes, she was kind enough to take time out of her very busy "mom" day to let me snap a few pictures.  I literally took about 5 minutes - I only needed 5 minutes.  She was remarkable!

Gearing up for Winter Designs 2011

Fall designs have been launched, classes at Northwest Needle Market have been taught and I have pretty much wrapped up 3rd quarter.  I always take a break between the seasonal designs and try to wrap my head around organizing the desk (again), sketching the new designs and checking on all of my on-line accounts to be sure they've received and uploaded the fall designs.

I go over my list of "submission proposals" - much which has been missed.  My deadlines and their deadlines don't seem to match well so I miss more proposals then I actually submit.  In fact, I haven't sent out any proposals this fall which means I've missed them all for the next 6 months.  Oh well...I probably needed the break.

So this week I think I'll try and conquer my list.

1-sketch design for Madrona Fiber Arts this February
2-swatch sock for Sock Hop club (due this November- better put an alert on this one)
3-post an iddy biddy winter trio errata (2 sentences were transposed)
4-finish a new design for Allyn Knit and Spin
5-print 4 old patterns in the new template (Faux baby hat, happy hallo-twining, spring gauntlets, unisex vest)
6-check on student count for upcoming class at Yorkshire Yarns (October 16)
7-finish Zealana yarns winter hat and create a You-Tube instructional for the hat
8-sketch a non-sock design using Frog Tree Yarns in Pediboo sock yarn for TNNA, Long Beach (January)
9-check website for improvements and updates
10-finish cowl neck on flattering summer shell for Frog Tree Yarns, Long Beach (January)
11-keep checking for new book on How to Knit Mittens, House of White Birches (I have 2 designs in the book) and new winter edition of Love of Knitting magazine (I have 2 designs)

This should keep me busy through the week....

Got me some sample/test knitters

I have been on the search for some fabulous test and sample knitters.  It's hard to find good sample knitters.  First of all, the pay is lousy.  Second of all, I keep the knitted pieces.  Third of all, we are going into the holiday knitting season so everyone is trying to crank out their own knitting first.

I finally got up the nerve to search for sample knitters on Ravelry.  The response was enormous!  Not only did I get a good response, many of them gave me a run down of big time designers that they regularily test knit for.  Once you throw out a recognizable name, I'm convinced you gotta be good.

I sent out 3 socks, 1 hat, 1 cowl and 1 XL sweater ....all to be sample knit.  I am working with one yarn company that buys all of the samples for their booth displays and will sell them as well to the yarn shop owners.

In the past, I've only had most of my patterns test knit by 1 person per project.  Now that I have 4 different knitters on 1 pattern sock, I am noticing that each knitter brings new comments, suggestions and even questions that the others didn't.  These knitters are truly perfecting the pattern for me in more ways than you would realize.  It's not so much that I am looking for errors in the pattern but I am also wanting feedback.  Did you enjoy knitting it?  Did it fit you just right?  Do you like the reversible look?  Would you knit it again?  Do you like the look of it?  If I can't get positive feedback on the questions, then the pattern it too hoo hum to print.

A design is not successful without the tech editors, test knitters and sample knitters behind it.

Winter gauntlets

Finally got a better picture of the gauntlet.

2-handed Fair Isle Class

The 2 handed Fair Isle class is next weekend and I'm just finishing up the photography, writing of the pattern, and re-doing the matching sock!  I still need to get it off to the tech editor and then off to the printers....yikes, how do I get myself into these terrible deadlines?!  It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for me wanting to change everything after the fact - and working on size 2 needles.   Like for instance, on this hat, the trim was supposed to be a hem.  Once I did the hem, I didn't like it.  It was too bulky.  So I changed it to a tiny roll which I like.  But then I thought that I would prefer if all 3 projects start and look the same.  So now I want to rewrite the pattern to begin with a 2 row seed stitch.  Also - I think the hat is just a tad snug - by say half an inch.  I can easily change the pattern but I don't have time to re-knit it so I think I'll have to write out the 2 trim options.  As for the gauntlets, love the look - but need to tweek the pattern.  The cuff was a tad tight on a few of my friends so want to work it up in 2 sizes.  Then the hand part of the gauntlet was a tad loose so I need to take out the increased darts.  Lastly, the socks.  I ripped it back because they feel an inch too big around the ankle.  Crunch time ...gotta go

Hats by the dozen....

Okay, so I kinda loved this no  thinking hat making.  All you do is go in the round, no charts to follow, no lace to work up - just plain old knitting.  I got carried away with this project.  I couldn't help myself with the color options.  I only had 4 colors to work - and only 4 skeins of 100 yds as well.  I was knitting them down to their last hair!  I so enjoyed this project.  I just hope that my students at Northwest Needle Market enjoy it as well.