Dumpling Bag by Me in Interweave Knits Fall 08

I am published in Interweave Knits. It's surreal and as wonderful as you might imagine.Here are my sweet little Dumplings. I told you they were sweet and quiet, not calling out for attention but rather shy and reserved but oh so clever. Below is the prototype (embroidery is different on the final) so you get a better idea of how they can close two ways that give them either a Dumpling look or a Crescent look. I hope everybody that likes them makes one all over the world. A world full of sweet little Dumplings, not bad.




Knitty rejected my Fall submission. Three strikes in a row.....AND I REFUSE TO BE OUT. One day Knitty, you will be mine. I'llllll be back! I am already workind on the winter submission ;)

Scroll down to the next post for the show #57 contest.

#57 Summer adventures....at least for me they are adventures!

Show # 57 is up in i-tunes or at Sheknits.mypodcast.com . I already am digressing in that I want to show you what is right inside my doorway on the floor as I welcome you into my home.


This is the Elsa Schaperelli Hat that I talked about that Issac Mizrahi wants.......should I write a pattern for him? Issac, are you out there, are you drooling?



So what excites you when you go to a fiber festival? I become instantly overwhelmed and it just looks like yarn and more yarn and more yarn and I don't feel excited when I walk around I feel ...kind of down and like ther is no air in the room (no I wasn't have an anxiety attack...at least not a big one)...not exactly sure why except there is a weird down kind of energy there, not necessarily from the shoppers but rather from the vendors. I was not a vendor however I was looking at it from the perspective of what it would be like to be a retail vendor.

I noticed that when I stepped into someones booth, more times then not people did not make eye contact or smile. Now again this was definitely not all, however it was enough that I noticed. I had never been to a festival before this one, and I went to this at the very end of last year when people were closing down and I felt the same thing. I assumed it was because they were focused elsewhere and the event was over. This time I went the last day early afternoon and felt that same feeling.

In case you are thinking I probably just felt that way because I wanted to feel that way so I could easily talk myself out of being a vendor in the future....well....I really tried to take "me" out of the equation and just really try to soak it in and of course there is a chance I couldn't separate myself enough out of it. Maybe my expectations of happy excited knitters....happy excited vendors was too much...this is really hard work for these vendors and they have probably seen it all and maybe its not their job to be too charming. While I was at TNNA I was so very excited to be there and be selling and see all the people that you couldn't hold my excited energy back! It really was different going to this fair.

Contest from #57 questions. Answer questions in the comments so we can all have some fun reading. I am not making this easy people...you have to work a little to win some knitting books. I know I am going to give away one however depending how many people actually enter I might give away up to 3. I think I will give away 1 for every 20 people that enter and be sure to include your e-mail or a way for me to track back to you in case you win the random drawing. Deep breath....You have to answer at least 7 questions. if you answer less you are not in...and you want to be in dontcha?

1.Do you go through a fiber festival looking for just the right color and weight of yarn to grab you?

2. When you are at a fiber festival or visit different yarn shops does everything yarn- wise kind of look the same eventually?

3. What is your favorite "newest thing" you have found about knitting (i.e. a new way of doing something, a new yarn, a new pattern)?

4. Do most of the sellers look happy and energetic or tired and depleted?

5. Do you look at the jewelry and pottery with purchasing in mind?

6. Do you EVER see an indie pattern designers sitting there just selling patterns or kits or do you only see patterns and kits in the booths that are small versions of the host of the booths knit shop?

7. Do you mostly go to just walk and be amongst the fibers and yarney people, not really to buy?

8. What do you think would be a helpful suggestion if I am to do a fiber fest that would help draw people into my booth 0' patterns and kits...besides the obvious (my dazzling beauty and effervescent outgoing personality)

9. What is your favorite guilty pleasure....it doesn't necessarily have to do with knitting!

10.Knowing what you know about me and my work, and if you have been to a Stitches event (you know what you like to see if you have gone before), do you imagine my patterns and kits would work there in terms of selling (and don't worry I won't hold you to it) ?? !

11. What is the meaning of life and what is your favorite color and what would you like to see from She-Knits next? At lease answer one part of this silly question...you will be given an extra entry if you make me laugh or actually come up with an idea I use!

Wow, one would think I drink a lot of coffee....when I actually drink zero caffiene (maybe it was the Krunchers I just ate)

Here is the Elsa Schalerelli Shoe Hat ...a must see.

Below are the people I mentioned that were interviewed on Jennifer Ackerman-Haywoods podcast Craftsanity

Fabric Desinger Anna Marie Horner

Felted Food Designer Hillary Seabolt

Let me know if I promised other links...seriously, hold me accountable. To finish I would like to show you a hysterical scarf pattern...am I the only one out here that didn't know about this?


Bacon Scarf

I don't know if anyone reads this, however .......

It's Monday....Monday are good days to start with an inspiring quote.

To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first.
Shakespeare

Take it easy. Try to do Monday like you are casting on your first row….doing the ribbing…which may be a chore, but it will help create the desired overall look and keep things in their place.

I went to Midwest Fiber and Folk Fair and found it overwhelming and sort of depressing....I can't write about it so I need to talk (aka podcast) about it.

We can do this…we can all do this. Make it a good day.

I am so into these 2 weeks of just having the big man (age 50) and the little man (age 6) around. I love my days of just being able to work on my business. I feel tremendously guilty that I feel relieved that my kids are happily occupied at their various places. I feel guilty I don't miss them more. I miss them, no doubt, however knowing that it is short lived makes it ok. I am also thrilled that my oldest will be living here (or downtown) now. I only have to have one away at college this year....and its so much fun to have a great place (Colorado) to visit.

It so inspires me when one of my students creates the Sharon Bag. I haven't even officially written up the pattern for sale because I have been so involved with other patterns. I now have two more people that are working on it from such a typo filled pattern...oh well, it doesn't seem to be getting in their way.

I'm in Knitscene Winter 08'

Like someone in my She-Knits cyber knitting circle said...I am off and running! I am thrilled that another design of mine will be in a Inteweave publication! Thing is , it is a bit of a mystery how you get yourpaws on Knitscene as it isn't by subscription, you just have to hope to snag it when you see it at your LYS or Borders. The preview of the Fall Knitscene was up in Knitting Daily last week and there were a couple things that looked really nice. I LOVE FALL/WINTER KNITTING!!!

#56 What's Up

I am way to happy with such things as swatching! I am having so much fun figuring out combinations of yarns and patterns and beading and felting swatches that, well...seriously, a person shouldn't be having this much fun swatching. Ther is nothing like being in the creative zone...one idea after the next. I don't even know why its happening, but am happy it is.
I posted a new pattern. Nothing earth shaking in terms of my slip stitch patterning love, but what I love about her is that you can create a nice sized bag in one piece, top down in a day, or weekend. She is kinda hot too!

Kiki