Ok…I’ve been a big bad slacker with my blog lately. Like massively slack. Big bad slacky blogger. Pfft. So here I am to tell you why I’ve been slacking and what I’m gonna do about it. That’s if anyone really cares anymore… Anyhoo, here’s what’s happened since the last time I blogged which was like 6 or 7 months ago apart from the measly happy birthday blog cop-out post.
Since March and my last free pattern release, Pearl, I have released lots of patterns through Let’s Knit magazine. It’s been going pretty well actually. I think I stopped blogging because everything for Let’s Knit is secret. It’s kinda hard to blog about secrets, but what I’ve decided to do is tell you all about the patterns once they’ve been released and show you the process. That way, I can still tell you stuff.
First though, let me run down all the things I’ve released since March 2013.
First there was Anais, my first Kindle cosy from issue 65 of Let’s Knit. This pattern is now available free!
Anais Kindle Cosy
Followed by the Ceres market bag and the Azealia wide-brimmed hat, both in issue 68.
Ceres Market BagAzealia Wide Brimmed Summer Hat
After those I had another two patterns in issue 69 of Let’s Knit. Kelsey – a little girls pinafore dress in sizes 12 months to 6 years, Plus Hyades, a lace work slouchy beanie.
Kelsey Pinafore DressHyades Lace Slouch Beanie
These two were followed by Monroe from issue 71. Monroe is a hat, gloves and cowl set. The cowl pattern is available for free.
Monroe Hat and GlovesMonroe Cowl
Next I was accepted for the designer challenge in Knit Now issue 25. Détour is a French feel Fair Isle beanie with bow to the side.
Détour Fair Isle Beanie Hat
And finally, my first ever garment was selected for issue 72 of Let’s Knit! Carmen is a lace topped cardigan for sizes 8 to 22 (UK sizing).
Carmen Cardigan
Busy busy busy few months and not once did I blog. Wow I’m bad!
So I will tell you all about the design process of these soon – I mean it! And I have a few other things I’d like to start to do. I promise to sort out my blog once and for all.
Ooh also, since March, I have moved house and this also happened:
I got Engaged!
Wedding in 2015 (or never if we can’t save up enough after the house move)
And this happened:
Sansa
Along with our family of 3 cats we now have Sansa. She is a Japanese Akita with a tiny bit of Staffordshire Bull Terrier crossed (Her mum was a Staffy crossed with an Akita, her dad was all Akita). She is now 7 months old and a huge beast! More photos later. I’ll just leave you with the cute.
Yes I am still alive and kicking. I’ve just been so crammed full of stuff to do that this is the first chance I’ve had to do this.
Last year I wrote a post in the New Year about all the patterns I’d achieved over the previous year (2011) and told you all my resolutions for 2012.
So I’ve decided to do the same and to look back at those resolutions and see what I accomplished… (it’s not good, I can tell you!)
So first, here are the patterns I released last year:
That’s fifteen patterns in total this year. There are 3 included in there that were in magazines too so Yay!
All the patterns are available from the pattern link above, except the magazine ones. You would need to buy Let’s Knit magazine for those.
So last years resolutions…let’s have a look:
Resolutions
Lose weight. Every year I have to shift some Xmas fattage.
Continue to write patterns while studying into knitwear design more.
Train myself up properly. I will complete my Knitting workshop and get more handy with the needles.
Blog better. I need to tell you more knitting things. I keep a lot of secrets from you!
Finally,
Get a pattern in a magazine, whether that’s online like Knitty.com or a paper magazine. Maybe make an E-Book or something.
Well, I have recently started a diet about 3 weeks ago, so obviously it didn’t work to well last year.
I did continue to write patterns! I did 15!
I never did work through that knitters workshop thing but I really still should. There is a lot I don’t know, but I learn something new all the time.
I’m a terrible blogger. I admit it. I’ve actually got worse recently since I’ve been too busy with other things. I will try my hardest to blog more though. Honest!
And finally, get a patter in a magazine. I managed that! I got my first pattern in Let’s Knit mag in October 2012 and I have been in every month since. I have designs going in right up to the April issue so far so things are going well on that front. I also released an eBook of five hat designs. You can see it on my pattern page.
This year, I decided:
Lose weight (again! I’ve been dieting 3 weeks though so we’ll see!)
Blog more. (I’m really going to try!)
Get into some other magazines.
Get something on Knitty.com
Design some garments as well as accessories. (I’ve started with that already)
I hope you are all good and ready ready ready for the up coming gift giving! However, I know some of you will still be scratching your heads wondering what the hell to get cousin Jane or your sister Kate. I know I am! And I don’t even have a sister!
So I thought I would help a little with the pinch this season carries with it and give you a snazzy little quick fix SALE! Hoorah!
All the items pictured above are now reduced by 25%! I know what you’re thinking… Woot!
So head on over to my Etsy.com store or Folksy.com store and get your shop on.
Small print: pfft, I hate small print, but I do have to warn those of you that are not sharing the UK with me, I cannot guarantee you will receive your item before Christmas at this late stage. There is a possibility… but I can’t promise you since it is out of my hands and up to how fast the plane is to your part of the world.
Since this blog is actually supposed to be about knitting and not my crap kitchen skills, I have decided to tell you all what I’m up to knit wise.
Not my knitting basket
It’s been quite quiet on the knit front lately since I’m back preparing for a craft fair on the 6th November and have no time to create anything new, which sucks cos I have lots of ideas but I just have to put them on the back burner until this is done.
The other thing I’ve decided to do is train myself up a bit. Although I know some stuff about knitting I don’t know everything…honestly, I don’t. I know it looks like I have mad skillz but I’m a novice compared to Eunny Jang, Ann Kingstone or Amy Hall to name a few. So, since I am el skinto and can’t afford to do any knitting masters (it honestly exists here look…see), I’m going to train myself. I know of other knitters who have done the same and it seems to have helped so here is my lengthy list of knitting training…
Long-Tail Cast-On, Single Cast-On (backward loop method), Cable Cast-On, Knitting-On
Personally I almost always use the knitting on method. I don’t like Single Cast on that much since I find the first row difficult to knit since I have to do the cast on tight to get it even. I only really use it between a thumb gusset.
M1A (Make One Away), M1T (Make One Towards), M1R (Make One Right), M1L (Make One Left), KRL (Knit Right Loop) (KLL (Knit Left Loop), KFB (Knit Front and Back) *, Moss Increase, Afterthought Yarnover, YO (Yarn Over)*
* the ones I’ve done and know well. It seems I have much to learn even with the basics 😦
Once that crap is out the way I’ll start on the real stuff, the stuff that I actually want to learn…
Cables:
I found a nice pdf on cables from this site.
The pdf link is here if you would like it too.
Apparently: A one-cable serpentine is simply a cable that moves sinusoidally left and right as it progresses. Higher-order braids are often made with such serpentines crossing over and under each other.
A two-cable braid can look like a rope, if the cables always cross in the same way (e.g., left over right). Alternatively, it can look like two serpentines, one on top of the other.
A three-cable braid is usually a simple plait (as often seen styled in long hair), but can also be made to look like the links in a chain, or as three independent serpentines.
A four-cable braid allows for several crossing patterns.
The five-cable braid is sometimes called the Celtic princess braid, and is visually interesting because one side is cresting while the other side is in a trough. Thus, it has a shimmering quality, similar to a kris dagger.
The six-cable braid is called a Saxon braid, and looks square and solid. This is a large motif, often used as a centerpiece of an aran sweater or along the neckline and hemlines.
The seven-cable braid is rarely used, possibly because it is very wide.
So there you go. You will sleep better tonight for knowing that…if you haven’t nodded off already.
Palindrome is a reversible cabled scarf so I might give that a go too. Closed Loop too. Little cables cos I would love to be able to do that properly.
Finally this will probably help too from Eunny Jang.
Colour Work: 2 colour flat: I’ve done a bit of before but these are cool. 2 colour round: I have done too but would like to try socks and I love these Multi colour round:This is cute. Multi colour flat: If you can do it in the round, you can do it flat as far as I am concerned. I might look for something later though, it depends how much I want to punish myself.
Diagonal Knitting
I’m not going to go overboard with this because I’ve already done some diagonal knitting but I’m going to do this Scarf and leave it as that.
Shirring:
I’ve done shirring before so I don’t think I’ll bother with it in this excersise. If you are interested in shirring though, Shirred Hat by Cla ra Masessa is a good place to start.
Finishing: Seams: Matress Stitch, Kitchener Stitch and Three-Needle Bind Off both from knittinghelp.com Steeking: I hadn’t even heard of steeking until a few months ago. Apparently it’s a Norweigen thing, knitting jumpers in the round and then cutting a gap for the arm holes…. okaaay…. Lets give it a go. Eunny Jang again. Bad Oyster by Alexandra Tinsley. I already bought this pattern a while back but haven’t had chance to do it yet. It will be part of my training. Hems:Sewing shut and facings and again plus Beyond the basics with Vogue darling.
I know how to do picot so I won’t bother with that one.
Entrelac
Flat: Quant Round: Entrelac hat which also deals with shaping a bit. Shaping: looks fiddly
And I just love these Entrelac Socks by Eunny Jang so I need to get good and make them.
Raglan Shaping Top Down: Something small like this and then something bigger like this or this. Bottom Up:This which could also work for colour work so two birds 1 stone and all that.
Intarsia Argyle: I love these Socks Selbu Modern by Kate Gagnon Osborn.
Possibly this character scarf because Terry loves Mario and when I told him about this he was like a 5 year old wanting me to make cakes.
Illusion Knitting
I don’t want to do anything massive with this. I just want to see how it works. Illusion Tulips Pattern by MuseSusan. I like tulips.
and Christmas dishcloths Yay!
Kelly menzies designs 