Hello to my faithful followers! If you're still following me, you've probably come to realize just as I have that selling hand-knits isn't my passion. :)
For a long time I've been wanting to work more on designing hand-knits. And that includes writing patterns for the items I design. Well, I've started! And along with this new direction I've started a new blog. In a month or two I plan to delete this blog. So if you want to continue following me and my adventures in knitting, please stop by my new blog: http://perfectioknits.com
Blessings,
Stephanie
P.S. Right now I'm holding a blog launch...with a giveaway from now until May 2! Come check it out!
4.25.2013
12.19.2012
December: update, news, and a question for you!
I've been busy getting ready for Christmas! Six days to go and I'm not done with all my gift shopping yet, but I will be! I'm looking forward to spending time with my family and celebrating the birth of Jesus, my Savior.
For those of you who follow my Facebook page, my sister-in-law's sale at the end of November went well. I sold a few things and got to see which of my items sold best. I had considered reopening my Etsy shop right away after we got back home--to try and sell the rest of my ready-made items so folks could give them as gifts--but it didn't work out due to my very busy homeschooling schedule.
Since then I've had an idea work its way into my brain...to do an "occasional sale" with my Etsy shop. {I got the idea from a little home decor shop I know of that is only open for a day or two every few months.}
How it might work: when I have ready-made items to sell, I send out advance notice on Facebook and here on the blog stating the dates for the sale. I would open shop for a weekend and sell what I can in that time. I'd ship all the items out on the Monday after the sale and close shop until the next sale. So instead of having to watch my shop like a hawk--which is a huge distraction to me, I could just take one weekend every so often to focus on selling the items I've made.
So....what do you think of the idea?
Is it pure genius? Or just plain crazy?
Leave me comment here or on my Facebook page to let me know...yay or nay?
For those of you who follow my Facebook page, my sister-in-law's sale at the end of November went well. I sold a few things and got to see which of my items sold best. I had considered reopening my Etsy shop right away after we got back home--to try and sell the rest of my ready-made items so folks could give them as gifts--but it didn't work out due to my very busy homeschooling schedule.
Since then I've had an idea work its way into my brain...to do an "occasional sale" with my Etsy shop. {I got the idea from a little home decor shop I know of that is only open for a day or two every few months.}
How it might work: when I have ready-made items to sell, I send out advance notice on Facebook and here on the blog stating the dates for the sale. I would open shop for a weekend and sell what I can in that time. I'd ship all the items out on the Monday after the sale and close shop until the next sale. So instead of having to watch my shop like a hawk--which is a huge distraction to me, I could just take one weekend every so often to focus on selling the items I've made.
So....what do you think of the idea?
Is it pure genius? Or just plain crazy?
Leave me comment here or on my Facebook page to let me know...yay or nay?
8.12.2012
ravellenic games 2012: final events
The Summer Olympics are officially done. A final congrats to all the Olympic athletes who did their very
best! Whether they brought home a medal or not, they are all winners in
my mind. Super job!
We watched the Closing Ceremony live online {this afternoon here in the Midwest}, so we would be able to all go to bed at a more normal time. Tomorrow is a big day for the kids and I, so we definitely need a good night's rest! Do you know I homeschool my kiddos? Is that crazy? Sometimes I think so! It's most definitely a lot of work, but I know in the end it's worth it!
Tomorrow is the first day of Kindergarten for my youngest, Caleb. The first day of Seventh Grade for my eldest, Thomas. And of course, the first day of teaching for me. Yikes! But I'm ready--at least I think I am!
I decided to go ahead and make a couple more of my crochet baby hats for the Ravellenic Games. The photos are again not very good quality (especially the coloring) since I took these with the iPad with poor lighting, but you can sort of see what they look like:
Here are my "medals" from Ravelry:
That's a total of 8 medals! Hip hip hooray! I feel like I've accomplished something in the past couple weeks!
As you might have noticed, some items can be entered into more than one category! Thus, my hats each gave me two medals. <insert cheesy grin>
If you are a knitter or crocheter and aren't on Ravelry yet, I highly recommend you do so! It's a fabulous site: lots of great patterns to browse, people to "meet", and I especially love that I can post photos and info from the projects I make. It helps me keep track of what I've done and when, and what yarns and needles I used too! So helpful!
And now, I must get myself to bed. I need a good night's rest so I can be a happy teacher tomorrow.
Good night and thanks for stopping by!
We watched the Closing Ceremony live online {this afternoon here in the Midwest}, so we would be able to all go to bed at a more normal time. Tomorrow is a big day for the kids and I, so we definitely need a good night's rest! Do you know I homeschool my kiddos? Is that crazy? Sometimes I think so! It's most definitely a lot of work, but I know in the end it's worth it!
Tomorrow is the first day of Kindergarten for my youngest, Caleb. The first day of Seventh Grade for my eldest, Thomas. And of course, the first day of teaching for me. Yikes! But I'm ready--at least I think I am!
I decided to go ahead and make a couple more of my crochet baby hats for the Ravellenic Games. The photos are again not very good quality (especially the coloring) since I took these with the iPad with poor lighting, but you can sort of see what they look like:
I did not quite finish the lace scarf, but I have a great start on it and should be able to get it done this week if I have time to work on it. Here it is at the end of the Games:
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| Earned for finishing my Swift Sak |
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| Earned for making my Sweet Little Shrug |
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| Earned 3 times for making my crochet baby hats: one, two, three |
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| Also earned 3 times for making my crochet baby hats: one, two, three |
That's a total of 8 medals! Hip hip hooray! I feel like I've accomplished something in the past couple weeks!
As you might have noticed, some items can be entered into more than one category! Thus, my hats each gave me two medals. <insert cheesy grin>
If you are a knitter or crocheter and aren't on Ravelry yet, I highly recommend you do so! It's a fabulous site: lots of great patterns to browse, people to "meet", and I especially love that I can post photos and info from the projects I make. It helps me keep track of what I've done and when, and what yarns and needles I used too! So helpful!
And now, I must get myself to bed. I need a good night's rest so I can be a happy teacher tomorrow.
Good night and thanks for stopping by!
8.07.2012
ravellenic games 2012: 3rd event
Are you enjoying the London Summer Olympics as much as I am? My favorite sport to watch has been fencing! I also love watching gymnastics, swimming, diving, volleyball, track and field, and equestrian events! Do you have a favorite Summer Olympics sport?
Last night I finished another project. This time it was a crocheted baby hat. And yes, this is one that will find itself in my Etsy shop someday soon! I want to make some interchangeable/removable flowers for it first though.
I also have been working on a knitted scarf the past few days. It's going to take me a bit longer to finish since 1) it's a scarf, 2) I'm using lace weight yarn (skinnier yarns tend to take longer to knit), and 3) I need to follow the lace pattern which takes a bit more concentration.
I have 5 days to finish! Hopefully, I can get it done! And I may take a few knitting breaks to make another baby hat or two as well.
Well, that's my update for now...
Go Team USA!
8.04.2012
ravellenic games 2012: 2nd event
This morning I finished my second project:
Pattern: Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet by Julia Allen
Yarn: Cascade 128 Superwash (2 skeins)
Needles: US 11
Pattern: Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet by Julia Allen
Yarn: Cascade 128 Superwash (2 skeins)
Needles: US 11
It just needs to be blocked so the front doesn't roll back.
I love that this little shrug is reversible! So cute and a quick knit too!
7.31.2012
ravellenic games 2012: 1st event
As I promised in my last post, here's an update on my "events" for the 2012 Ravellenic Games!
My first project to cross the finish line is my Swift Sak!
Entered in the event WIPS WRESTLING (WIP is the acronym for Work In Progress), I finally finished this project last night at 11:25pm. The main rule for this event is to work on and finish a project already started, but it must be something that you haven't worked on since May 15, 2012. I dug out a project that has been hibernating for over a year!
You can see I left a stitch marker there...that's approximately the point where I had originally stopped working on it. I really didn't have all that much left to go on the bag itself, but the 54" i-cord was rather tedious to knit! Despite that, I persevered and got it done! Once the knitting was finished, I just had a few ends to weave in and the i-cord needed to be sewn to the bottom of the bag. Seeing the end in sight, I kept working last night until it was done! It's a nifty design and I'm thankful to Kris Carlson who designed and shared her pattern. Thanks, Kris!
It's all done now and I'm happy to be using my Swift Sak! My yarn swift is happy to have it's own little storage/carry bag now too! Yay!
So I have finished my first event for the 2012 Ravellenic Games!
Now which project/event to do next?
7.26.2012
summer update
Greetings! How's your summer going? Mine has been going WAY TOO FAST! I can hardly believe July is almost gone! How about you? Is your summer flying away from you as well?
Here in Northern Minnesota we've been having a hot and dry summer. Something we're not really all that accustomed to, I might add. I love the warm days and lack of mosquitoes, but 90 plus degrees is a bit much for even me. Today is finally a bit more normal and a blessed relief. Now, if only we'd get a little rain too. We really need it.
Tomorrow! the London Olympics begin and my family is excitedly anticipating the kick off! We even signed up for Satellite TV (after many years with just a few local channels) so we can watch as many events as possible! As a knitter, I'm pleased that Ravelry (despite needing to make a few minor changes because of this) is once again holding their Ravelympics. Renamed the Ravellenic Games for 2012 (see above link to learn why), I see this as an opportunity to set myself some knitting (and/or crocheting) goals and then see whether I can accomplish the goal(s) during the time frame of the Olympic games. There are even some Teams set up that, like Olympic Teams, work together and/or cheer each other on to accomplish their goals. So far, I have chosen not to join a team, since working on one's own is fine too, but perhaps I'll consider joining one next time around just to see what it's like. It might be fun! Either way, it's wonderful to challenge oneself and to have a plethora of possible projects to pursue while watching and cheering on athletes from all over the world as they challenge themselves to do their very best and maybe even bring home a medal or two.
I have quite a few projects (Events, that is) that I'm already planning to work on and can't wait until I get to cast on tomorrow (at 3 pm here in the Central time zone which = 9 pm London time)! I intend to share my Ravellenic Games accomplishments with you so be watching for updates on all the things I make/do. I might even find a little time for designing something new too!
So as we watch the Olympic athletes as they compete, I'll be knitting as I cheer "GO TEAM USA!"
As for my perfectioKnits business, I'm seriously struggling with procrastination issues. {Anyone out there a procrastinator too? Perhaps you'll understand.} If you follow me on Facebook, then you may have seen my posting--back in May--about my plans to work this summer on getting some patterns ready to sell instead of reopening my shop right away. I must confess, I haven't even started! I still have hopes and dreams of getting myself in gear and getting some patterns finished before we start homeschooling again in just a couple short weeks (and this year Ihave to get to teach both boys--a Kindergartener and a 7th Grader!), but if I don't get make time to write up my patterns at this point in time, I hope you won't give up on me and know that I will get to it...eventually! I do have a few fall-to-winter items that are ready-to-sell and will get those listed in my Etsy shop as soon as I can get some good photos of them!
Thanks for being loyal "fans" and sticking with me!
Here in Northern Minnesota we've been having a hot and dry summer. Something we're not really all that accustomed to, I might add. I love the warm days and lack of mosquitoes, but 90 plus degrees is a bit much for even me. Today is finally a bit more normal and a blessed relief. Now, if only we'd get a little rain too. We really need it.
Tomorrow! the London Olympics begin and my family is excitedly anticipating the kick off! We even signed up for Satellite TV (after many years with just a few local channels) so we can watch as many events as possible! As a knitter, I'm pleased that Ravelry (despite needing to make a few minor changes because of this) is once again holding their Ravelympics. Renamed the Ravellenic Games for 2012 (see above link to learn why), I see this as an opportunity to set myself some knitting (and/or crocheting) goals and then see whether I can accomplish the goal(s) during the time frame of the Olympic games. There are even some Teams set up that, like Olympic Teams, work together and/or cheer each other on to accomplish their goals. So far, I have chosen not to join a team, since working on one's own is fine too, but perhaps I'll consider joining one next time around just to see what it's like. It might be fun! Either way, it's wonderful to challenge oneself and to have a plethora of possible projects to pursue while watching and cheering on athletes from all over the world as they challenge themselves to do their very best and maybe even bring home a medal or two.
I have quite a few projects (Events, that is) that I'm already planning to work on and can't wait until I get to cast on tomorrow (at 3 pm here in the Central time zone which = 9 pm London time)! I intend to share my Ravellenic Games accomplishments with you so be watching for updates on all the things I make/do. I might even find a little time for designing something new too!
So as we watch the Olympic athletes as they compete, I'll be knitting as I cheer "GO TEAM USA!"
As for my perfectioKnits business, I'm seriously struggling with procrastination issues. {Anyone out there a procrastinator too? Perhaps you'll understand.} If you follow me on Facebook, then you may have seen my posting--back in May--about my plans to work this summer on getting some patterns ready to sell instead of reopening my shop right away. I must confess, I haven't even started! I still have hopes and dreams of getting myself in gear and getting some patterns finished before we start homeschooling again in just a couple short weeks (and this year I
Thanks for being loyal "fans" and sticking with me!
12.02.2011
taking a break
Hi there! If you stop by my Etsy shop now, you'll see this message:
I've come to the conclusion that right now I need to relieve as much stress from my life as I can. I cannot control the stress of my Dad's cancer or the stresses my husband is under at work, but I can control the stress that comes from having an Etsy shop open. So for the time being, perfectioKnits will be closed. I really do need to focus on my family. From a business standpoint it's probably not the smartest time to take a break, but this is what I feel is best for me and my family.
I plan to be open for business again in just a few short months. In the meantime, I may take the occasional special order, so contact me through my Etsy shop and I'll let you know if I'm able to make your requested item at that time. Thank you for understanding and for all the support!
Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year! God Bless!
Thanks for stopping by my shop! I've decided I need a break from Etsy--there's just too much stress in my life right now and I need to focus on my family for a while. I don't know exactly how long this "vacation" will be, but I will probably reopen sometime in Late Winter/Early Spring 2012. I plan to use the time to add to my inventory too. Come back and check out my new items in 2012! Thank you!
I've come to the conclusion that right now I need to relieve as much stress from my life as I can. I cannot control the stress of my Dad's cancer or the stresses my husband is under at work, but I can control the stress that comes from having an Etsy shop open. So for the time being, perfectioKnits will be closed. I really do need to focus on my family. From a business standpoint it's probably not the smartest time to take a break, but this is what I feel is best for me and my family.
I plan to be open for business again in just a few short months. In the meantime, I may take the occasional special order, so contact me through my Etsy shop and I'll let you know if I'm able to make your requested item at that time. Thank you for understanding and for all the support!
Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year! God Bless!
11.29.2011
Help me, Obi-wan Kenobi...
...you're my only hope!
Ha! That's one of our favorite Star Wars quotes around here. Anytime things don't go quite the way we want, someone's sure to say it.
So what am I needing help with? Why would I feel like quoting that today? Well, my items just aren't selling. I'm trying to figure out whether my Etsy store is just not getting enough exposure, or if my items aren't what folks are looking for. Despite offering a sales coupon last week, I still have most of the same items left in my shop. (Whereas I had really hoped to sell more.)
Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas? Please let me know what you think!
Anyways, now that my Thanksgiving Sale has ended, I'm trying to decide (besides wondering what I can do to make my Etsy experience better) whether I will leave my shop open for a while or if I need to take time off from checking Etsy daily and instead focus on making items for my shop. I've read how it's important to list new items frequently--that alone will increase your shop's exposure. But I just don't seem to have time to make new items to list all that often. (Do I really knit that slowly? I don't think so. But I just don't have 8 or more hours a day to "work" like some Etsy shop owners. In fact, I'm happy if I happen to have 1 hour of knitting time and that's definitely not every day!)
So, for now at least, my shop is open and I'll consider any good business advice that comes my way.
Ha! That's one of our favorite Star Wars quotes around here. Anytime things don't go quite the way we want, someone's sure to say it.
So what am I needing help with? Why would I feel like quoting that today? Well, my items just aren't selling. I'm trying to figure out whether my Etsy store is just not getting enough exposure, or if my items aren't what folks are looking for. Despite offering a sales coupon last week, I still have most of the same items left in my shop. (Whereas I had really hoped to sell more.)
Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas? Please let me know what you think!
Anyways, now that my Thanksgiving Sale has ended, I'm trying to decide (besides wondering what I can do to make my Etsy experience better) whether I will leave my shop open for a while or if I need to take time off from checking Etsy daily and instead focus on making items for my shop. I've read how it's important to list new items frequently--that alone will increase your shop's exposure. But I just don't seem to have time to make new items to list all that often. (Do I really knit that slowly? I don't think so. But I just don't have 8 or more hours a day to "work" like some Etsy shop owners. In fact, I'm happy if I happen to have 1 hour of knitting time and that's definitely not every day!)
So, for now at least, my shop is open and I'll consider any good business advice that comes my way.
11.21.2011
Thanksgiving SALE
Well, I don't have a ton of items in my shop, but I've decided to have a sale anyways.
My Dad was recently diagnosed with cancer and I may end up putting my shop on vacation mode for a while so I can help Mom and Dad out. But I'd like to sell as much of my ready-made items as I can first. So if you make a purchase from my Etsy shop this week, be sure to use the coupon code THANKFUL15 to get 15% off! Sale will go through Saturday the 26th!
Happy shopping!
And have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
My Dad was recently diagnosed with cancer and I may end up putting my shop on vacation mode for a while so I can help Mom and Dad out. But I'd like to sell as much of my ready-made items as I can first. So if you make a purchase from my Etsy shop this week, be sure to use the coupon code THANKFUL15 to get 15% off! Sale will go through Saturday the 26th!
Happy shopping!
And have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
11.18.2011
Treasury Friday
Well, maybe that title doesn't roll off the tongue quite as nicely as Treasury Tuesday or even Treasury Thursday, but today I'm sharing my latest treasury collection with you.
Novem-brrr!!!
A November collection.
It's cold here in Northern Minnesota. So I've found some items that would warm a person up...or at least give you a warm fuzzy feeling!
Enjoy!
Novem-brrr!!!
A November collection.
It's cold here in Northern Minnesota. So I've found some items that would warm a person up...or at least give you a warm fuzzy feeling!
Enjoy!
10.14.2011
7.23.2011
ch-ch-changes...
I couldn't help but think of the song "Changes" by David Bowie when I started writing this post! Seriously though, it was just the ch-ch-changes part that kept repeating itself over and over in my head. Nice, huh?! :)
Anyways, I just learned about some pretty BIG NEWS. The photographer I've been working with has a major life-change happening in the next couple of weeks.
Here's the blog post she wrote about it.
I'm happy for them.
But I'm sad that Sarah's photography business will have to be put on hold for now. This also affects me personally since she won't be taking any new photos that I will be able to use in my Etsy shop. And she won't be needing any new props either. At least not for a while. Yeah, I'm a wee bit bummed.
So as I process this information, I see that I'm either going to have to figure out a way to set up my own "photo sessions" with local friends who have babies that are willing to be models for me (since my baby is 4 years old) or I'm going to have to stop making mostly baby items and work on primarily kid and/or adult-sized items instead.
I'm leaning toward the latter option.
There are so many items I really enjoy making--fingerless mitts, cowls, scarves, and shawls to name just a few. I could also focus on designing more and start selling my patterns instead of just selling items. I do so love sock-knitting too, but would never consider selling hand-knit socks. (The cost would be about $120 a pair because I use sock yarn which is rather skinny and it takes a lot of time to knit a pair.) But a sock pattern might be a very real possibility!
Well, have a lovely Saturday y'all! I'm off to contemplate life, the universe, and new designs! :)
Anyways, I just learned about some pretty BIG NEWS. The photographer I've been working with has a major life-change happening in the next couple of weeks.
Here's the blog post she wrote about it.
I'm happy for them.
But I'm sad that Sarah's photography business will have to be put on hold for now. This also affects me personally since she won't be taking any new photos that I will be able to use in my Etsy shop. And she won't be needing any new props either. At least not for a while. Yeah, I'm a wee bit bummed.
So as I process this information, I see that I'm either going to have to figure out a way to set up my own "photo sessions" with local friends who have babies that are willing to be models for me (since my baby is 4 years old) or I'm going to have to stop making mostly baby items and work on primarily kid and/or adult-sized items instead.
I'm leaning toward the latter option.
There are so many items I really enjoy making--fingerless mitts, cowls, scarves, and shawls to name just a few. I could also focus on designing more and start selling my patterns instead of just selling items. I do so love sock-knitting too, but would never consider selling hand-knit socks. (The cost would be about $120 a pair because I use sock yarn which is rather skinny and it takes a lot of time to knit a pair.) But a sock pattern might be a very real possibility!
Well, have a lovely Saturday y'all! I'm off to contemplate life, the universe, and new designs! :)
7.17.2011
yarn art
I've been seeing a lot of articles and photos on the web about a relatively new knitting craze...YARN BOMBING! It's amazing! (And technically illegal because the places that are "bombed" happen to be public places.)
Maybe one day I'll get bored and knit a cozy for my kids' swing set. Or something pretty for one or more of the lovely old oaks in my front yard. That way it wouldn't be illegal. Hee.
Here's a link to a site dedicated to Yarn Bombing. They've evidently even written a book about it!
Int. Yarn Bombing Day – Recap 7 (Updated)
It seems that June 11th was International Yarn Bombing Day. If only I had known...
Maybe one day I'll get bored and knit a cozy for my kids' swing set. Or something pretty for one or more of the lovely old oaks in my front yard. That way it wouldn't be illegal. Hee.
Here's a link to a site dedicated to Yarn Bombing. They've evidently even written a book about it!
Int. Yarn Bombing Day – Recap 7 (Updated)
It seems that June 11th was International Yarn Bombing Day. If only I had known...
6.28.2011
Independence Day
Happy Fourth of July! Did you see the July treasury I put together? If not, you'll want to check it out here.
Or you can check out this fantastic blog right here where my treasury list and one of my items were featured today! Sweet! By the way, I LOVE the "Treasury Tuesday" idea...maybe I'll do that myself sometime too!
Today, I listed a couple of long-tailed patriotic newborn hats (photo props) that I had beenfighting with working on for quite some time. They knitted up just fine. So what took me so long? Well, the plan was to go back and stitch stars onto the blue to give them the U.S. flag look. I thought it would be a ton easier to do than it actually was. After many failed attempts (on a swatch of the blue yarn that I had knitted for testing my embroidery ideas), I finally had the solution.
Waste fabric.
I knew there was a reason I bought that waste canvas stuff ages ago. It was just sitting there, patiently waiting for the day when I realized what I needed it for. I'd never used waste fabric before, but I have done a bit of cross-stitch in the past. The instructions on using the waste cloth were clear and so I tested it out on my knitted swatch to see how it would look. Both my husband and eldest son agreed with me that it looked good, and so my cross-stitched stars came to be. Although my initial design had multiple stars stitched on the blue background, I decided to just stitch one star on each hat since the cross-stitching technique is rather time-consuming and I really wanted to get these hats finished before the Fourth of July. I'm pleased with the results and like the "lone star" look.
These hats will make a special addition to any photographer's newborn prop bag--especially considering that besides the Fourth of July holiday season, there are a lot of wonderful military families who would truly appreciate having a patriotic hat used for their newborn's first photos.
These two hats are basically the same, but I noticed they do have a few minor variances. They're a couple inches different in overall length and the blue portions are just a row or two different in height as well. I've listed them as the individuals that they are.
More hats are in the works! I have two new long-tailed elf hats in bright summer colors--that are going to be listed either tomorrow or the next day! And here are a couple sneak peeks of a newsboy set--I have plans to make more of these soon!
Or you can check out this fantastic blog right here where my treasury list and one of my items were featured today! Sweet! By the way, I LOVE the "Treasury Tuesday" idea...maybe I'll do that myself sometime too!
Today, I listed a couple of long-tailed patriotic newborn hats (photo props) that I had been
Waste fabric.
I knew there was a reason I bought that waste canvas stuff ages ago. It was just sitting there, patiently waiting for the day when I realized what I needed it for. I'd never used waste fabric before, but I have done a bit of cross-stitch in the past. The instructions on using the waste cloth were clear and so I tested it out on my knitted swatch to see how it would look. Both my husband and eldest son agreed with me that it looked good, and so my cross-stitched stars came to be. Although my initial design had multiple stars stitched on the blue background, I decided to just stitch one star on each hat since the cross-stitching technique is rather time-consuming and I really wanted to get these hats finished before the Fourth of July. I'm pleased with the results and like the "lone star" look.
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| my cross-stitched star! |
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| patriotic hat #1 |
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| patriotic hat #2 |
More hats are in the works! I have two new long-tailed elf hats in bright summer colors--that are going to be listed either tomorrow or the next day! And here are a couple sneak peeks of a newsboy set--I have plans to make more of these soon!
6.17.2011
shawlette blocking
The following questions were posted in the comments to my last post. I thought I'd go ahead and answer by writing up a new post!
No, there's no magical method of blocking that I know of. I suppose you could try steam block it in smaller sections, but you'd still need to pin it and it would ultimately take more time and effort. Not sure if you could get the sides evenly stretched either. So I think it'd be near impossible to make a shawl like this look right any other way than wet blocking. That being said, don't be afraid of projects that require blocking!!!
This shawlette is only the second project I've had to properly block. Most of the time I will just wash and then shape the item, laying it flat or hanging it to dry. But when it comes to a lace project where you really want to open up the lacework, the best way to accomplish this is wet blocking. For any non-knitters reading this, that basically means you need to get the item wet, remove excess water (you don't want it dripping!), carefully shape it, pin it in place, and leave it until it's dry. When you take the pins out, the item will keep its new {stretched} shape and you can see the lovely lace you knitted.
The first project I wet blocked was this lace scarf that I finished back in January 2010.
I have a large enough house that's it's not too difficult to find a corner for blocking. To block the shawlette, I put down a couple towels in a corner of our living room/computer room and just started pinning it, shaping and stretching it as I did so. The towels keep the carpet from getting wet and the carpet and its foam backing are easy to push the pins down into--sort of like pinning into a cushion. I should have taken a photo of this so I could show you what I mean! I'll try and remember to the next time I block an item.
It took some time to get it blocked just right--I think I re-pinned and/or adjusted it at least 2 or 3 times to stretch it a little more or shape it a little more evenly, but it was worth it to get it to look as nice as I did.
I had only to leave it overnight to dry, so I just told the kids to stay away from it and I sort of blockaded the area too. The next day I checked to see if it was dry {it was!}, unpinned it and took some photos!
If I had a small house or apartment with limited space, I'd block a project like this on a bed first thing in the morning. Most projects like this one would be dry by bedtime. However, an item made with thicker/heavier yarn would take longer to dry. A fan in the room would help circulate the air and might quicken the evaporation process a tad too.
I did find the process a bit trying because I have such a tendency towards perfection! For a perfectionist like myself, I think I'd recommend getting a blocking board with grid-lines and maybe blocking wires too. Here's a blocking cloth that might be made into a DIY blocking board! These blocking mats look useful too! Someday I will invest in these tools and blocking will {hopefully!} be a bit easier and the end result even more perfectly beautiful!
Hope this answers your questions!
So I have a technical question for you...how do you block something that large? Where do you find a space big enough to spread it out, where you can leave it pinned until it dries? Or is there some other magical method of blocking that I'm not familiar with that allows you to block it instantly in small sections? Blocking is one of the things that keeps me from certain projects and fibers.
No, there's no magical method of blocking that I know of. I suppose you could try steam block it in smaller sections, but you'd still need to pin it and it would ultimately take more time and effort. Not sure if you could get the sides evenly stretched either. So I think it'd be near impossible to make a shawl like this look right any other way than wet blocking. That being said, don't be afraid of projects that require blocking!!!
This shawlette is only the second project I've had to properly block. Most of the time I will just wash and then shape the item, laying it flat or hanging it to dry. But when it comes to a lace project where you really want to open up the lacework, the best way to accomplish this is wet blocking. For any non-knitters reading this, that basically means you need to get the item wet, remove excess water (you don't want it dripping!), carefully shape it, pin it in place, and leave it until it's dry. When you take the pins out, the item will keep its new {stretched} shape and you can see the lovely lace you knitted.
The first project I wet blocked was this lace scarf that I finished back in January 2010.
Pattern: Haruha scarf by Mari Muinonen
Yarn: Winterside Farm 100% wool sport
Needle size: US 8
I have a large enough house that's it's not too difficult to find a corner for blocking. To block the shawlette, I put down a couple towels in a corner of our living room/computer room and just started pinning it, shaping and stretching it as I did so. The towels keep the carpet from getting wet and the carpet and its foam backing are easy to push the pins down into--sort of like pinning into a cushion. I should have taken a photo of this so I could show you what I mean! I'll try and remember to the next time I block an item.
Pattern: Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy {sock/fingering weight}
Needle Size: US 6
It took some time to get it blocked just right--I think I re-pinned and/or adjusted it at least 2 or 3 times to stretch it a little more or shape it a little more evenly, but it was worth it to get it to look as nice as I did.
I had only to leave it overnight to dry, so I just told the kids to stay away from it and I sort of blockaded the area too. The next day I checked to see if it was dry {it was!}, unpinned it and took some photos!
If I had a small house or apartment with limited space, I'd block a project like this on a bed first thing in the morning. Most projects like this one would be dry by bedtime. However, an item made with thicker/heavier yarn would take longer to dry. A fan in the room would help circulate the air and might quicken the evaporation process a tad too.
I did find the process a bit trying because I have such a tendency towards perfection! For a perfectionist like myself, I think I'd recommend getting a blocking board with grid-lines and maybe blocking wires too. Here's a blocking cloth that might be made into a DIY blocking board! These blocking mats look useful too! Someday I will invest in these tools and blocking will {hopefully!} be a bit easier and the end result even more perfectly beautiful!
Hope this answers your questions!
6.15.2011
mystery knit along--shawlette complete!
I've been taking [some] photos of my shawl's progress, but haven't been online enough to post updates.
I seem to be missing photos--did I forget to take them or are they on our other camera? I did complete Part 3. And I was sure I had taken photos too! But since they weren't on my camera, here's a photo from my Memorial Day weekend trip--a late anniversary getaway for my hubby and me.
At 54" wide, it's difficult to get a decent photo of the whole shawl. I'll have to wear it someday and get a photo of it so you can see how it looks when worn too. It's truly a gorgeous piece and I've totally fallen in love with lace shawl knitting. It's my dream to someday be skilled enough that I might be able to design items like this myself.
 |
| Part 2 is done! |
 |
| Split Rock Lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior |
 | |||
| Part four completed! Only a little bit to go! |
And
now
for
the
finished
shawl.
Drum roll, please!!!!!
 |
| Blocked and beautiful! |
|
| Lovely lace! |
At 54" wide, it's difficult to get a decent photo of the whole shawl. I'll have to wear it someday and get a photo of it so you can see how it looks when worn too. It's truly a gorgeous piece and I've totally fallen in love with lace shawl knitting. It's my dream to someday be skilled enough that I might be able to design items like this myself.
5.25.2011
mystery knit along {continued)
Well, I finished Part One of the Summer Mystery Shawl on Sunday. I *thought* I had it finished on Saturday, but then I realized I hadn't done the last purl row of Part One.
You can see what it looked like after I completed Part One of the pattern. I'm so glad I chose to use my size 6 needles after all--I think it's going to be just perfect as long as I don't run out of yarn! I really love the varied blues in this yarn too. So pretty! And if you're wondering what all those little purple and green thingies are--they're stitch markers to help me keep track of the pattern repeats as I knit. I'd be utterly lost without them!
Part Two (aka the second chart) was posted to Wendy Knits Sunday and I got right to work after taking a few photos of my progress. I made it through 8 of the 12 rows Sunday! Doesn't seem like that's much to be excited about? Well, consider that each row has over 200 stitches and maybe you'll see why I'm happy I got that much knitting completed. Sadly, I haven't had any time to work on it since Sunday but I hope to get Part Two done before Wendy posts the next chart on Thursday (aaack! that's tomorrow!).
I'd best get knitting!
You can see what it looked like after I completed Part One of the pattern. I'm so glad I chose to use my size 6 needles after all--I think it's going to be just perfect as long as I don't run out of yarn! I really love the varied blues in this yarn too. So pretty! And if you're wondering what all those little purple and green thingies are--they're stitch markers to help me keep track of the pattern repeats as I knit. I'd be utterly lost without them!
Part Two (aka the second chart) was posted to Wendy Knits Sunday and I got right to work after taking a few photos of my progress. I made it through 8 of the 12 rows Sunday! Doesn't seem like that's much to be excited about? Well, consider that each row has over 200 stitches and maybe you'll see why I'm happy I got that much knitting completed. Sadly, I haven't had any time to work on it since Sunday but I hope to get Part Two done before Wendy posts the next chart on Thursday (aaack! that's tomorrow!).
I'd best get knitting!
5.17.2011
mystery knit along: take 2
Part One of the Summer Mystery Shawlette has been posted on Wendy Knits (that's the next section after the Preliminary Info)!
I've been reading the Ravelry discussion board again and found that there was a mistake in the prelim. Wrong number to cast on! Of course, for those who have already done the prelim and don't want to start over, there's a relatively easy fix. But for people like me, who feel that they've chosen the wrong needles (after reading those posts and seeing what experienced lace knitters say about it), it might just be better to start over. Which is what I've decided to do. Thankfully, I don't have much to re-do. And I still should be able to keep up with the others in the KAL (that's the knitting abbreviation for knit-along ☺). Going to rip it out and start over so I'm using those US6s even though my gauge was way off. And I'm going to add another repeat. Since I have 450 yards of my Smooshy yarn, I *think* I should have enough. And if not, it'll be another lesson learned.
I've been reading the Ravelry discussion board again and found that there was a mistake in the prelim. Wrong number to cast on! Of course, for those who have already done the prelim and don't want to start over, there's a relatively easy fix. But for people like me, who feel that they've chosen the wrong needles (after reading those posts and seeing what experienced lace knitters say about it), it might just be better to start over. Which is what I've decided to do. Thankfully, I don't have much to re-do. And I still should be able to keep up with the others in the KAL (that's the knitting abbreviation for knit-along ☺). Going to rip it out and start over so I'm using those US6s even though my gauge was way off. And I'm going to add another repeat. Since I have 450 yards of my Smooshy yarn, I *think* I should have enough. And if not, it'll be another lesson learned.
mystery knit along
Yesterday I was reading one of my favorite knitting blogs, Wendy Knits, {of knit designer/author Wendy Johnson} and found out she's hosting a mystery knit-along! Woohoo! Count me in!
 |
| (Image from Summer Mystery Shawlette's pattern page on Ravelry.) |
Anyways, I've been following Wendy's blog for some time now and have been in love with the lace shawls she's been knitting up lately like no one's business. So knowing I love her other lace shawls, I'm confident that this summer mystery shawlette is going to be just what I need for a personal {read non-business} summer knitting project.
[Just don't tell the 2 pairs of socks I've already got on the needles that they'll be in hibernation for the summer. They might get jealous that I'm knitting my first lace shawl with...yup, that's right...sock yarn.]
<<< giggles >>>
So right away I dug out some Dream in Color Smooshy that's been ever-so-patiently waiting in my stash for the past couple of years.
I also grabbed some circular needles size US 6 and began by making a gauge swatch.
Um. Houston, we have a problem...
According to the pattern, we're supposed to get somewhere around 5 stitches to the inch. Wendy admits that she tend to knit with a looser tension, so I decide I'd best go up a needle. But my gauge on 6s was 7 stitches to the inch!!!!
If you knit, you know that's a far cry from 5 st/in.
How on earth does she get 5 stitches to the inch on US 5s with sock yarn???? Sorry, Wendy, but I just can't figure that one out.
Since my gauge was so far off, I went online to check out the Ravelry discussion about the project and saw that, indeed, I am not alone. A few others out there were dealing with the same issue. Some said they'd be okay with their shawlette being smaller, some said they changed the cast on number, and some were undecided whether or not they'd use the needle they got gauge with (size US8) or a smaller one.
So now with my US 8s in hand, I knitted another swatch and found my gauge ended up about 5.5 stitches to the inch. It's definitely not perfect, but I'm petite and I don't mind if my shawl is a tad smaller than the pattern's. I'm really not sure whether the 8s are going to work, but my only other choice is to cast on extra stitches with smaller needles which ultimately means the project would require more yarn too. And I just don't know how to figure out much extra yarn it would take, so I've decided to go ahead with my 8s and see what happens.
My version of winging it, I guess!
I cast on my stitches and and finished knitting the 2 set-up rows last night.
I'm ready for more of the pattern now. It's supposed to be up on Wendy Knits sometime today.
It'll be fun to see how it turns out, won't it?!
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