New Year, New Goals

I can't believe that it is 2011 already!  Where has all of the time flown?

With the way things are looking 2011 may be the best year ever for our family.  My pattern for the Hermione sweater has now been published and is available for sale through Ravelry.  For those interested in the pattern, you are able to buy now.  I have a better work space for making my crafts, and we are also looking into the distinct possibility of purchasing a home this year.

I also hope to start traveling to more conventions through out the year, but my current focus is on Anime Central this coming May.  Amber and I have confirmed tables, and I'm also excited about possible joint ventures between her Lolita clothing and accessories and my amigurumis.

Almost There!

It's hard to imagine that another year is nearly done!  So much has changed this year, but it's all been for the better.  Not only was my son born just over 6 months ago, but I've really started to focus on my business.

I had a huge success at Anime Central, and I'm working on getting ready for it again in 2011.  I'm waiting to hear from my friend that we did secure the tables that we requested, but I'm sure we did.  I also have plans to reopen my Etsy shop in the new year.  And if all goes well and I can get some pictures taken today I should be able to publish my pattern for the Of Hallows and Horcruxes pattern and offer it for sale.  My goal is to start 2011 off with a bang and publish it on the 1st.  I will first only publish it on Ravelry, but I will also make it available for sale on my Etsy.

So Many Projects, So Little Time

After seeing the new Harry Potter movie and a little bit more hunting for pictures I have perfected the fair isle pattern on the Hermione sweater.  I've also noticed and corrected little details like the number of buttons, the pockets, and the ribbing on both the sleeves and the hem of the sweater.  Of course that means that my sweater will have some imperfections, but I love it so much that it really doesn't matter.  And I can always go back and knit myself another one in the future.

My test knitters have the pattern and several have ordered their yarn already.  I just need to send out the updated pattern so that they don't have to look in several different places to find the changes that have been made.

I also just finished up spinning a pound of fiber on my Kromski Fantasia spinning wheel.  Because of it I am completely and totally obsessed with alpaca!

I have several more projects to finish (and in some cases still start) by the end of the month, and then comes a few more projects for Christmas knitting.  My son is playing in his excersaucer right now, but once he's down for his afternoon nap I'll try to get as much done on projects before we head out for some last minute grocery shopping when my husband gets off of work.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Finally!

Over a month and a half after I first started the process of writing down and formatting my pattern for Navi, I am done!

The pattern is now available for sale on Ravelry under the name "Hey! Listen!"

Pattern Designing

I've always enjoyed making up my own designs and creations, regardless of which craft I'm currently working in. I designed a small stained glass window for my younger brother, I've created my own quilt designs (with the help of my husband), and I've made up plenty of crochet and knitting projects along the way.

It's been an interesting challenge to turn those made up creations into patterns because I know how I created each item, but I have to find a way to write the instructions so that someone else can follow them to create the same object. Sometimes I get it right, but other times I've only made the process more complicated.

My current love is for creating amigurumi items. I love the near instant gratification and how cute each one is. The current pattern that I am working on writing the pattern out for is for Navi, the fairy found in several Legend of Zelda video games.



The biggest challenge so far has been the wings, but I have the lower wings figured out, so I'm halfway there! Look for a notice here that the pattern is available in the next week.

The bottomless pit...

That is my crafting supplies is slowly being conquered!

I've been working on a couple of orders, while starting to design my next new pattern. The new pattern will also be the first amigurumi I've designed, and I love making amis!

Another part of the cleaning and reorganizing is to find all of my knitting needles and crochet hooks and to account for all of them in the handy dandy table in my Ravelry database. So far I only have the crochet hooks properly accounted for. It is slightly sad to realize that there are a couple of sizes of hooks that I have three hooks in the same size.

Back to work I go!

Progress!

Things are moving right along. I'm probably going to finish up my grandma's birthday present tonight, and then I'll be working on two sets of dishcloths that have been ordered, plus a surprise gift for a friend.

I'm also getting a good handle on what I want to do for my part of the table at ACen's Artist Alley next year. There are a few details to work out, but I'm well on my way to not only get a pattern designed but also working on building up my inventory of products.

I'm also getting better at being a stay at home wife. While it's not always easy, and our money situation is difficult, we're doing the best we can.

Simple Summer Kerchief

Earlier this month my younger brother, my husband and I carpooled together to attend the wedding of a family friend in our hometown. My brother offered to drive both ways, so I had plenty of time to knit. With my hair the shortest it's been in over a year and a half (I cut off 14 inches in May) I decided to knit a simple kerchief to help hold my hair back while working around the apartment.

The basic design of this kerchief follows the pattern for diagonal dishcloths.

And now on to the pattern!

Simple Summer Kerchief


Materials:
Size 6 knitting needles (I used both a 16" circular and 2 DPN's
Approximately .75 ounces of cotton yarn (With one ball of most dishcloth cotton you can make 2 kerchiefs)
Yarn needle to weave in ends

Instructions:
Cast on 3 stitches
Row 1: K1, Kfb, K1 (4 stitches)
Row 2: K2, Kfb, K1 (5 stitches)
Row 3: K2, YO, k to the end of the row
Repeat row 3 until there are 80 stitches on the needle, or as wide as you would like for the kerchief to be

Break yarn, leaving live stitches on needle

CO 3 stitches on separate needles and work an I-cord for approximately 9-12 inches, depending on how long you would like the ties to be.

I-Cord bind off:
*K2, knit last stitch of I-cord and 1 stitch of live stitches together. Slide stitches to right side of needle
Repeat from * until all 80 stitches are bound off.

Continue working I-cord until it measures the same as the first tie.
Bind off.
Weave in ends.

Basic Crocheted Dice Bag

This is the first free pattern I have to offer. I have made two of these so far - one for my husband (Ryan) and one for our friend JJ. This is so super easy that I'm surprised I haven't found directions for it online. That's okay - means I can write it out and "officially" become a designer.

Basic Crocheted Dice Bag

Materials Needed:
Size I (5.5mm) crochet hook
1 skein of yarn - your choice (you only use about 1/4 of the skein for this project)
Yarn needle

Techniques used:
Chain stitch
Single Crochet
Creating Eyelets

Instructions:
Chain 56
Slip stitch to join into circle. Place stitch marker if desired to mark beginning of round.
Rounds 1-24: Single crochet in back loop of each single crochet.
Round 25: *Chain 3, skip 3 single crochet, 4 single crochet in the next 4 single crochets, repeat from * until the end of the round.
Rounds 26-28: Single crochet in back loop of each single crochet.
Finish off.

Sew bottom edge closed with either whipstitching or a running stitch and weave in ends. Turn bag right side out (sewing is now on the inside).

Drawstrings:
Either purchase cording or make two braids measuring 18" long.
Weave one cord through the eyelet loops. Tie ends together
Starting on the other side, weave the other cord through the eyelet holes in the opposite direction. Tie ends together.

And you are finished! Just pull on the ends to keep your roleplaying dice or other small trinkets safe. Happy gaming!

Pattern Edit: After getting some feedback about this pattern (especially with crocheting it in the round and then seaming the bottom), another way to start the dice bag would be to chain 28 and to work both sides of the chain to create an oval with a total of 56 chains. This would eliminate the need for seaming.