Here are some more items from my List.

3.    Get pictures taken of new BGK hat design....pending, photographer is super busy building a secret plane and is hard to schedule.







and...

2.    Get a baby to agree to have pictures taken in new baby sweater design for BGK...half check...lighting was bad and pictures did not come out great, so reschedule with baby to get new pictures...pending.




Author: bluegirl -  Visits: 15Comments: 1

Test knitters are an essential component of designing knitwear. After I work up a pattern, which includes knitting it myself, I have test knitters take the pattern out for a spin. I am so lucky to have an amazing group of talented knitters to test my designs.

Here is the result of one of those test knits, knit by my friend Janice:


This is the Little Miss Sunshine pattern, which comes in sizes 6 mos (1 yr, 2 yrs, 4 yrs, 6 yrs, 8-10 yrs).
Janice hates to finish, so I do some of her finishing for her. This sweater has a bit of sewing due to the picot turned hems and the ribbon, so I finally finished it for her last week and I just love the color!

Thank You Janice for the great feedback on this pattern and thank you to my other test knitters (you know who you are) for all the knitting and comments and help that you supply to me in the process.

Author: bluegirl -  Visits: 82No Comments

One day I decided that it would be a good idea to design some knitted lederhosen fashioned after mancake's Austrian Lederhosen from when he was a little boy. My mother-in-law, who is Austrian saved these little leather shorts and thanks to her, I was able to use these adorable, well-worn and well-loved lederhosen to come up with a pattern.

So, about 9 months later and after much work, test knitting and tech editing, the pattern is complete and here it is:

          




Author: bluegirl -  Visits: 373Comments: 1

One of my favorite patterns is the Double Trouble Hat. Is that boasty since it is one of my patterns? Here's why.  It is a fast and fun knit and has the bonus feature of using up sock yarn! Yup, that's right another great use for sock yarn that does not require knitting socks on 1's or 2's. The yarn is doubled to make DK and the pattern is knit on size US 6 needles.

I am lucky to have so many friends with such great babies and kids. I love being a part of their lives and getting to watch them grow up and become the people they are going to be. This is one of my favorite baby gifts to knit and I am flattered to say that many have asked for updated sizing as their heads have grown. Of course I want to make sure those little heads are warm and stylish, so I do my best to keep up with production.

I thought it would be fun to put together a little photomontage of all the wee ones in their most recent round of DTs. The middle bottom picture is of Jill’s niece in her Double Trouble hat printed on the back of an M&M candy. Jill, who is a friend and co-worker at Knot Another Hat, was so sweet to save me this M&M!


Author: bluegirl -  Visits: 162No Comments

I have been working on 2 new patterns for my pattern line in the middle of working on tax return extension deadlines. I have emerged with my brain in tact, I think!

The first new pattern, Rainy Day Socks must be accompanied by a confession of sorts. I do not love to knit socks. Wait, what was that? I repeat I do not love to knit socks. With that said, I love to wear hand knit socks and I don't mind terribly knitting them in sport weight, hence the creation of the Rainy Day Socks. I really like the weight of these socks here in the Northwest, when it starts to rain and I need my feet to be happy and cozy.

I also love these socks, because they take just 2 skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and I can abuse them in the washing machine and have abused them in the dryer without a disaster! This is good news, because I have "accidentally" felted several pairs of mancake's socks that his mother made for him. She is an amazing sock knitter and can just whip socks up in no time and I help her by creating more demand by felting them soon after they are finished! Luckily, the socks do not go to waste, because apparently, felted mancake socks fit me perfectly! I do not felt mancake's sock on purpose. I repeat I do not felt mancake's socks on purpose.

 

Pattern:    Rainy Day Socks
Yarn:         Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 2 skeins
                 Small Shown in #204 Aquamarine (MC) & #503 Pea (CC)
                 Large Shown in #9 Med Grey (MC) & #19 Moss (CC)
Needles:   US 3 (3.25mm)

Now for a special surprise, my friend Sarah and I own a Knitting Events Company together, called purlaway and this weekend we are hosting a workshop with Terri Shea, the Author of Selbuvotter. We will be learning all about how to knit the most beautiful mittens from her book. I am really looking forward to this as we have been planning it for over a year.

Several months ago, I decided that I should create a special mitten in our purlaway colors (green, orange and brown) to give to the participants of the event in our swag bags. We always have a gift bag for everyone that attends full of knitting goodies and I thought a mitten pattern would be fun. Of course, in classic form, I did not start the pattern several months ago when I had the idea. Nope, I decided to wait and start working on it during a very stressful tax deadline! MMMMM, math, I love math! Thank goodness for great tech editing and gracious test knitters!

The mittens are done, the patterns printed and I can take a deep breath and enjoy the weekend.

Here are the purlaway Mittens!


Pattern:   purlaway Mittens
Yarn:        Cascade Cash Vero, 2 sks  #006 Orange
                Crystal Palace Mochi Plus, 1 sk #554 Fern Rainbow
Needle:    US Size 6 (4.0mm)

Here they are in the men's size.

I am really excited about how these mittens turned out and hope that everyone at the workshop enjoys their pattern.

Off to the workshop.

Author: bluegirl -  Visits: 250No Comments