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!

Sweater Update

Well, I did it!

I ended up with a couple of blisters, but I finished my sweater!

Now begins the long process to translate my notes into a pattern for multiple sizes.  So far this isn't as easy as it sounds because I'm having to do a lot of extra calculations to make certain everything is increasing evenly.

I really hope to have the pattern ready to be test knit by the end of the week.

Big Project in the Works

I first saw this picture from the new Deathly Hallows movie on September 23rd, and I became a woman possessed to create it:

Today I cast on for the sweater, only to find that part of it might not be correct based on the newest movie posters just released.  I will keep updating with my progress because I hope to have this completed and ready to wear by Halloween.

Success and Future Plans

ACen was a huge success for me, and as a result I will be working towards having even more available next year.  As Munchkin gets older I might even start traveling to other conventions, but that's a bit further than I'd like to plan right now seeing as my due date is 3 days away.

It also looks like my presence at ACen will be leading to a custom order of 80 Soot Sprites!  I was contacted yesterday, and need to get back to her today, but we will see!

For now though, I will be focusing most of my time and energy on developing new amigurumi toys and to see which ones I may choose to add to my list of products.

ACen Artist Alley

It has been confirmed and set in stone that I will be attending Anime Central this coming May in Rosemont, IL and I will have a table in the Artist's Alley!

If you happen to come, look for me there - I will have several "Hey! Listen!" Fairies with me along with other wonderful creations - possibly items that will become a new free pattern.

I apologize for the delay in posting the TriForce Pillow pattern.  In cleaning my computer desk (which ironically is still computer-less) I found the notes that I made while knitting it, so I can flesh that out and turn it into a real pattern within the next week.  Maybe today if I complete enough fairies!

Update!

Well, things have certainly changed since I last posted.  My husband and I are expecting our first baby, due in June, which has kept me away from crafting and pattern designing.  But never fear - the next post I make will have a pattern for a Triforce pillow based off of Legend of Zelda video games.

Off to take pictures and to type up the pattern!

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!"

Almost there...

I am 90% of the way done with the pattern for Navi. All I need to do is create a chart for the wings to offer both the chart and written instructions so that the directions will hopefully be as easy as possible for others to understand.

I hope by tomorrow afternoon (Saturday the 12th) the pattern will be ready.

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.

New Yarn!

Well, not new exactly, but new for me. Ryan and I went to one of the thrift stores not too far from our apartment, and I found four sweaters to pull apart and reclaim the yarn. Two of the sweaters are very similar shades of gray that I hope to turn into a Gryffindor sweater for myself before the Deathly Hallows movie premiere in November 2010. I've unraveled two of them so far today, and I might get to the others later, or by next Tuesday at the latest.

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.

New Toys!

Okay, not really new toys, but a new technique that I learned at my Local Yarn Store this past weekend. I had always wanted to try hand dyeing yarn, but I was never confident enough in myself to try it on my own. So, when I saw that there would be a class I jumped at the opportunity, and I am so glad that I did!

This class was focused on dyeing with ingredients you might already have in your home, primarily unsweetened Kool-Aid, food coloring, and Easter Egg dye. I dyed my skein a beautiful shade of blue with purple and green spots. I have no clue what to knit with it now, but I'll find something.

I'm putting a call out to anyone who reads this - what color combinations (colorways) would you like to see and what would you call it?

Sorry it's been so long

My job at the bank was getting in the way of keeping up with this blog, but no longer. I left my job at the end of April (it was quit or get fired), and I have now been working from home on my little craft business for nearly two months.

An essential part of this business is my knitting machine. It allows me to knit large blocks of stockinette stitch in a short amount of time, usually for scarves or afghans. Usually I love it, but right now it's really giving me a headache. I was having some problems with it, but hopefully those issues have been resolved - meaning I can finish up the projects I'm working on.

Once I'm finished with these current projects I hope to develop new patterns and update this blog on a more regular basis.