Introducing.........

Dumpling Bags - Interweave Knits Fall '08!! (by Me!!)
(Ring information for the Dumpling bags is towards the bottom of this post)

I am so excited that I have been published for the first time in Interweave Knits Fall '08! Dumpling makers are taking over the world as evidenced by this - update as of Oct'09 there are over 900 Dumplings on Ravelry and it is in second place as far as the most popular bags of all time. I had no expectations, so to say this has exceeded my expectations wouldn't be the truth. What would be the truth is that I am thrilled and delighted to see everyone's creativity!





I have just finished Stitches Midwest '08 and am happy to say that the Dumpling won many many new fans !!! Believe it or not (and believe me I was thrilled to death and speechless when this was happening) people were waiting in line to "Make there own" Dumpling Buffet I had set up!


To find out about the Dumpling Kits that are available either as standard which is a wristlet size bag or Double Dumpling which is a shoulder bag go to my She-Knits.com page which will give you a link to my shop HERE .

The standard Dumpling Kit (black Dumpling pictured to the left) comes in Onyx (black) for the bag body, with a celery vine, garnet berries, deep plum lucite rings rings and a magnetic snap plus grosgrain ribbon for mounting the snap. The cost is $19.00 without the pattern (if you already own it) and $25.00 with the pattern+ shipping.





IMPORTANT PATTERN MODIFICATION - The standard Dumpling pattern is written holding two strands of a worsted weight yarn, for the kit you receive bulky weight yarn so therefore you need only use a single strand for the standard Dumpling however you use a double strand for the Double Dumpling.


The rings that come standard with the regular Dumpling Kit is a deep plum Lucite ring that has the look and feel of wood or porcelain. If you are looking for rings ONLY there is more information regarding purchasing rings below. Below is a picture of them, the regular wristlet Dumpling uses the smaller sized ring and the Double Dumpling shoulder bag kit I use the larger sized ring which is available in a warm brown, or deep purple. Prices for rings only is below, underneath the information about the Double Dumpling Kits.
















THE DOUBLE DUMPLING
The Double Dumpling Kit(above) comes in either oatmeal with an oak vine and orange berries, or in aubergine with green/brown vine and bright purple berries. The Oatmeal kit comes with large brown rings and the Aubergine kit comes with large deep plum rings. Both kits come with a snap set-up. If you would like the Double Dumpling in a different color see the above link under COLOR OPTIONS. The Double Dumpling kit is $30.00 plus shipping without the pattern and $37.00 with the pattern + shipping.


IMPORTANT PATTERN MODIFICATION -The Double Dumpling is a modification of the regular Dumpling in that you hold two strands of bulky yarn to knit, knit the body until 8' and the handle until 40" if you want it to sit on your shoulder

PRICING INFORMATION FOR SMALLER AND LARGER RINGS ONLY
The rings are sold as pairs -
Small sized rings (set of two) for the regular Dumpling are pictured above and come in dark purple only - approx. 2 cm.- $2.90 + shipping, which I charge from order to order depending on your shipping address (typically about $2.00- $3.00 total...sorry this can't be sent in a normal envelope it has to be charge as a package because of thickness..I have tried to send in envelope and it was returned for insufficient funds!)

Large sized rings (set of two) for the Double Dumpling (below) - are approx 6 cm. ( pictured below)- the larger rings come in either dark purple or warm browns and are both $3.70 (for a set of 2) + shipping.

Contact me through She-Knits.com and let me know which rings you would like and your mailing address and I will then get back to you with the total. After you ok the total I will bill you through a Paypal money request or give you my number for you to call in a charge card to me.

RING ATTACHMENT TUTORIAL
Here are the four photos that show how to attach rings properly


Snap mounting tutorial (click to enlarge)












More about Stitches-
I still am in recovery mode and truly (and gratefully) busy with kitting up many orders (I ran out of some kits and am ordering yarns and shipping) but while the emotion is there I have to state that this was one of the most incredible experiences of my knitting life. Not only was it validating as a designer (you know me in my cave with my kids and husband...there is only so much feedback one can expect here!) ...as Sally Field said at the Oscars, they liked me, they really really liked me! But meeting my She-Knits cyber knitting circle members blew me away....it was incredibly surreal to meet real breathing people instead of just seeing their lovely keyboard strokes, or in some cases hearing their Skype voices. Also I just somehow felt so taken care of..everyone was so positive and helpful and CARING...I don't think i have ever had such a nice handful of people that were somehow watching my back too.

Stitches Midwest, you are so ON!

I am so incredibly excited and pleased that I decided to do Stitches. It has been endless days of preparation and the little ankle biters are being very much left to their own devices...(they aren't such ankle biters being that they are 6, 11,13,15,17,19, and 22...they can do much for themselves, I just have mothers guilt)however I feel very much like I am as prepared as I can be and at set-up today I think my booth will look good and i can't wait to start tomorrow night! I am going to have a Make your own Dumpling station...and we are not talking the edible kind!!!!

Speaking of Dumplings my local bead shop dug around and found a bunch more rings and I bought them all (feels like) I will post pictures after Stitches of the new varieties. Here are some Dumplings I found in the projects on Raverly. Last week their were 13...this week their are 40! Prolific little buggers


Its the best feeling to know people are having fun with their knitting and loving the end result and I am in part the reason why!


I can't wait to feel the energy of the people, I am so incredibly excited to actually meet some of my cyber knitting circle..it is surreal!

Note to self (et al.) when you decide last minute to get the streaks in your hair freshened up, and the colorist you have used and trust for a while is out of town, don't use just any other colorist at the hair salon. I haven't been this light blonde streaked in ...well....ever. Its weird. Oh well, this should be my worst problem.

Pictures to come!

#59 My shoe is full!

They're ba-ack! All my ankle bitting blood sucking wonderful fabulous so different yet all mine .....well sort of mine (are your kids really "your's"?). Man oh man I like having them all here so much it hurts. It hurts because its no longer the norm, 5 here is the norm , no longer seven. It is something that happens, I am telling you, your children will grow up and leave you...at least leave physically living in your house 24/7......sigh. But listen, I am not going to stew about it or feel sad even one second longer because the reality is it is the way it is and it is for the most part a positive thing. When kids can't launch , usually something is going on that is difficult.

I will announce winners of the contest in which you so kindly answered all my fiber festival questions a bit later today when I let kiddo's randomly pick you winers out. Check back to see if it is you and THANK YOU to all that entered!

Later.....

37 people entered so since I said i would pick1 winner per 15 people I am letting one of my children pick 2 winners by asking her to chose 2 numbers between 1 and 37. She picked 6 + 11 and so the winners are:
Anita
Feminist Knitter

I also gave an extra prize to CoggieTM because of her really brilliant suggestion about bringing a standing mirror because we women like to see ourselves! I think the mirror will help sell! Again thank you for all of you that took the time to enter, I appreciated reading through all of your answers.

Sharon