My stars are in line!

WEBS liked my sweater design called 'Louise'. They are interested in seeing more of my work! Received a box of 18 different yarns from WEBS to swatch and see what other ideas I can come up with. I have several swatches in the works that I think they will like. I am having a blast playing!!

My Textile Studio is coming together very nicely. My oldest helped me put up book shelves over Thanksgiving weekend. He is home now for Christmas and helped to put the shelves up in the closet this past weekend and hang my bulletin board.

My husband bought me a new table and desk lamp for Christmas. We put the table in the room and pulled out the 8 foot table this past weekend. We switched out the rocking chair and my husband carried down my glider rocking chair for the room instead. It is bigger and takes up more room but is much more comfortable to sit in.

I am still shopping for a different sewing machine table. The room is really looking great! I am so thrilled.

My stars are in line for all the good things happening for me these last couple of months!!!

Happy Holidays!!!!!

'Louise' Sweater Design to be published!

My sweater design is called 'Louise' and will be published by WEBS America's Yarn Store (www.yarn.com). They have reviewed the pattern and found NO math errors. They feel it will be a good seller. The next step is that WEBS will have the sample sweater professionally photographed in preparation to list it on the web site and in the catalog. They estimate the spring or summer catalog will carry the pattern.

This sweater pattern is named 'Louise' after my Grandma Louiae and my sister Louise. My Grandma Louise taught me to knit (along with other crafts) and was always encouraging. My sister Louise is very supportive, always telling me to pursue this dream and does photography work for me (for free) whenever she is home from Arizona. Two important ladies in my life!

WEBS is interested in seeing more of my work! It is hard to concnetrate at work because my mind is busy contemplating new ideas. This has and continues to be so exciitng for me!!

Opportunities, Tenacity and Positive Thinking

So many wonderful things have happened to me in the last couple of weeks.

First, I have finished writing my Aran Sweater Pattern and am now ready to cast on and get it knitted up. After all these years of working on this course, the end is in sight!

A couple of weeks ago, I had submitted 3 sweater proposals to a company out East - 1 women's sweater and 2 men's sweater patterns. They liked the women's pattern and I am now working on writing the pattern, swatching in some other yarns to decide which one to use and then will be making the sweater. My first Pattern is going to be published!! This is a big step for me. A fabulous opportunity. I am so excited!!!

Last winter, I saw in a magazine that I was reading, a call for people interested in having a room make over. I submitted pictures of my sewing/hobby room and completed the necessary paperwork. This week I heard from them and they are interested in doing my room! This is a dream come true - to work with a professional organizer and get this room in order. I am so excited (a little embarrassed to show off my mess but hey...) what an opportunity!

The dream of having a pattern published, the dream of working with a professional organizer, the dream of getting certified as a Master Knitter...so many wonderful things are coming my way. Pinch me - am I dreaming?! NO this is for real!!!

Progress!!

My swathes for the Level III Aran Sweater that I am working on, are now blocked and photos have been loaded to Ravelry. I can now write out the pattern calculating with my gauge from the swatches. It is hard to believe I am finally at this point!

Got a lot of work done over the weekend, blocking and finishing up projects. It was great! I have a couple of more items it would be nice to finish up in the next couple of months. Need to finish up some projects before I bring home my new purchases from the Stitches Convention in September!

I have started gathering the patterns I want to shop for yarn for at the Stitches Midwest Convention. I am getting really excited to be going. The classes are great and shopping at Stitches with my friend V is fantastic. I LOVE visiting Webs at the Market.

Back from Fort Lauderdale

I got home from Fort Lauderdale last Saturday night. This has been a long week. It is hard to come back to work after a week of sunbathing and shopping! I found a lot of good deals at the Sawgrass Outlet Mall in Fort Lauderdale. Didn't work on my knitting as much as I thought I would but it was a very relaxing vacation.

Have been working on a swatch on and off all week for my Master Level III sweater. I will finish it today on my lunch hour. I will hopefully be able to block my swatches this Sunday and start writing out my pattern. (We have a family reunion on Saturday or I would do it then!)

My youngest son thinks the yarn color is 'lame'. My oldest son thinks it is 'O.K.' I really like the brown color. For all the work going into this sweater I wanted it to be a conservative color and style so that I would be able to wear it for a long time. I still really like the color. I like how my swatches are turning out. Things are moving along nicely on my sweater for the Master Level III course. Woohoo!!

I ordered the Luxury Yarns Grab Bag from Webs Yarn Store in neutral colors. I have been swatching one of the colors for a sweater design. I hope to have that completed to submit the design for publication consideration somewhere. I really really like how that swatch has turned out. The people I have shown it to have given very positive feedback as well.

Level III Sweater Design Progress!

I have made some very good progress on my swatching for my Master Level III Sweater Design. Some of the stitch patterns I originally thought I would use I didn't care for when swatched so new stitches have been selected. Still swatching but have decided on the main cable and the saddle sleeve design. Swatching out 2 more stitches to see how they work up in my yarn and if they compliment my main cable nicely. So far I like how they are turning out. I am very excited about my progress!

Leaving for vacation this Friday so will probably not work on this while I am gone. Will be taking a couple of smaller projects that are easier to pack. Will have my notebook along for jotting down thoughts just in case I get a brain storm!

Master Level III Sweater Design

The Stashology Class I had hoped to attend yesterday was cancelled. This proved to be a good thing. I gathered up my information and sat down and started the first gauge swatch for my Aran Sweater for the Master Level III Course requirement. The yarn is beautiful - silk and wool. It feels great in my hands. It will make a beautiful sweater. Today, I will write up the instructions for the gauge swatches I will knit to determine the gauge and measurements for the sweater pattern. I have found my Knitting Mojo!

Progress...

I finally made a decision on yarn and purchased the yarn for my Level III Fair Isle Hat. It is going to be in the Boy Scout colors so I bought two tans, two greens and a red. I also ordered the yarn for my Aran Sweater. It should at the store to be picked up in a few more days. Wow!! I am just amazed that I am finally at this point.

I have several projects almost done - just need to weave in ends and block. Would like to get these finished up. I could really use a day when my husband and boys are gone so I can focus on this!

Have a great weekend!

Progress...

It has been awhile since I updated my blog. I have been so busy lately.

I am making good progress on my Level III knitting requirements. Finished up 2 swatches this past weekend. There are 2 swatches left to knit and my 2 projects - the sweater and hat. The hat has been designed - just need to purchase the yarn. Is it possible that the end is in site?!

I have signed up for Stitches Midwest and am excited to say that I will be staying at V's house and will not have the hotel expense this year. I am starting to research and gather patterns for items I would like to purchase yarn for. I LOVE shopping at Market at Stitches. There are some fabulous booths.

V and I are on the waiting list to attend the Minnesota Knitters Days retreat this fall. We are hoping that there are 2 cancellations so we can meet up there and attend this knitting retreat. I think it would be a very fun weekend.

My boys are home from college for the summer. The house suddenly seems crowded! I have to pick up several knitting projects because I had definitely 'spread out' after the 2 went to college last fall. I am at a bit of a loss on how to organize all my knitting! I wish I could afford to hire an organizer...

My birthday is less than a month away. I wonder if my husband will remember my birthday this year. He FORGOT my birthday last year and it was my 50th! What a crappy memory for such a milestone in my life... I do have a massage scheduled for myself. That is going to feel soooo good!

Changes to my job have added a lot of stress to my life. My upcoming massage will do me wonders... I have taken 2 days off to just relax and KNIT!

Christmas Eve is 8 months from today!

I have boughten some beautiful Trekking Hand Art yarn from the Webs sale to make my husband a scarf for Christmas. The yarn color is called 'Caribbean' and is a varigated yarn of blues. It is going to look wonderful in a herringbone stitch pattern. I'm going to work on the scarf when he's not home so it is a surprise. That won't be difficult because he has so many commitments to Scouts he is gone a LOT!

The Stitches Midwest Class list is finally available. I was getting very impatient and then I reviewed the list and was disappointed at seeing so many of the same classes offered. They really need to come up with some new class offerings. I am still looking forward to spending time with V and shopping at the Market - especially Webs!

My boys will be home soon from college for the summer. It will be nice to have them home. I really do miss them at times. It will be an adjustment to have them back home also!

I have started looking at stitch patterns and trying to make some decisions for the Aran Sweater I need to make for Level III. I have several selected and need to start swatching to see how I like them in my yarn. I pulled out the ball of yarn I had boughten to swatch with and saw I had bought it in December of 2006! Yikes I don't know if it is still available - I'm going to buy a new ball of yarn.

Taxes Deadline

Well I mailed our state tax payment this morning on the way to work. Glad that is done and I don't have to think about it anymore other than where is my Federal refund check? I thought I would have had that by now - it's been over a month since we mailed that return in!

The boys liked their Easter Bunnies that I made them. Still need to get the pictures uploaded to my Ravelry site. They did turn out cute - especially the pink bunny!

Back to my Level III requirements now. I need to make some headway on these last requirements. I REALLY want to move on to 'regular' knitting projects. My schedule has become so busy I don't seem to be able to get a good block of time to sit down and make headway.

This Saturday I am attending the Japanese Knitting Class being offereed through the Minnesota Knitters Guild's annual Yarnover Knitting Convention. It should be very exciting class. I hope to come away from this with something to incorporate into my Aran Sweater for Level III.

Cherry Tree Hill Yarns has announced their annual design contest and I have been doodling with some ideas to make something to submit. The yarn is so beautiful. My mind just starting running with ideas of what I could make. It is so easy to find a distraction to avoid doing the last couple of Level III requirements!

Spring is around the corner...

This has been a very loooong week and I am so thankful it is finally Friday.

I started knitting some felted Easter Bunnies which need to be finished this weekend in order to ship them to my sons in time for Easter. Neither of them will be home for Easter - it is too far to travel for the weekend with end of the year projects, papers and finals looming. The bunnies knit up quick and then need to be felted. The pattern is by Marie Mayhew. The bunnies are so cute!

I hope to work on completing another swatch for Level III this weekend. I re-worked my twisted traveling stitch swatch and like this new swatch better.

I don't know where the time goes but I haven't been able to sit down and have a good block of time lately to knit. For being 'empty nesters' we are never home! Maybe I should take an afternoon off to just focus on knitting? It would be great to get a bit of swatching done for my hat or my sweater.

Tomorrow I am going to the Swedish Institute to see the Bohus Knitting show. It should be very exciting. The show has been getting rave reviews and I was so glad that the show was extended through this weekend!

I am just itching to get outside and work in the yard and gardens. I am so ready for warm weather - this chilly weather needs to blow out of here!

What should I make with this yarn?

I bought this yarn 3 years ago at the first Stitches Midwest that I attended. I still think the colors are fabulous but still have not figured out what to make with it. Anyone have suggestions?

March Madness!

It is already mid-March - where has the month gone?! This week has been so busy at the office I am exhausted.

My boys are home visiting for Spring Break and it is wonderful to see them. I had hoped to take an afternoon off to spend with each of them but demands at my job didn't allow this. It is frustrating.

I have been working on my Master Level III and making progress! In order to learn the traveling twisted stitches I found a hat pattern and completed it last week. It turned out really nice. A picture is posted on ravelry. I want to make more hats using traveling stitches they are easier than I thought - especially working in the round. Working them flat is another challenge. I am practicing my swatch this weekend. I understand what the process is to knit flat but need to practice to get my gauge even. It is WAY easier to work in the round.

Have started my last report and have it about half written. Reading other ravelers comments about what needs to be included in magazine and book reviews has caused me to doubt what I have written and I plan to review those reports to see if changes might be needed.

I have signed up for Yarnover in April and will be taking the class on Japanese knitting stitches. This class looks incredible - I can't wait!

I have made hotel reservations for Stitches Midwest in September. I know it is early but I just wanted to get it on my calendar - it gives me something to lool forward to. This winter is getting long and I am anxious to see what courses will be offered this year. Stitches Conventions are so much fun!!

Mexico was fabulous!

We have been back from Mexico for two weeks now. We had such a fantastic time!! It was 80 degrees when we left the Mayan Riviera in Mexico and today started out with snow. I want to go to the warm weather! We are definitely going to be taking some winter vactions to warm places in the coming years! Security for the AeroMexico Airlines is strict. At the Cancun Airport on the way home they pulled my knitting needle out of the Clapotis I was working on and said they weren't allowed. I was shocked! I got on the plane and quick pulled out a needle and scrap yarn and picked up the stitches as best I could. After we got home I bought some new needles and only had to rip back a couple of rows to get the scarf back on track. I hope to finish it this weekend.

Plans to teach a class on the Clapotis Scarf are moving along. I want to have a couple of scarves done to show as examples. I am excited to have this opportunity to try teaching. I have talked about it for years!

I have been working on my Master Level III work. Have completed the Fiber research project, one magazine review and one book review. Still have another magazine review, book review and techniques research report to complete besides the two main projects and a couple of swatches. I'm getting back in the groove though and things are getting done slowly but surely!

The boys will be home from college next month for spring break. I can't wait to see them. I love spending time with them and talking. Their views on things are always interesting. Their college stories bring back memories of when I was in college.

Have to get back to work. My desk job still gets in the way of my knitting!!

Christmas Knitting is done!

It took me until the first couple of days of 2009 to finish the sweaters for my boys but they are done. They turned out nice. Now my knitting is focussed on more personal areas: working to finish up my Master Level III work; preparing to teach a class on Kate Gilbert's Clapotis Scarf and knitting some things for myself. I have a couple of sweaters and a vest started for myself and would like to finish them up soon so I can wear them before spring!

My husband and I leave for a winter vacation to Mexico for a week very soon. I am looking forward to time away for just the two of us and warm weather! My knitting will be coming along. I promised I would bring a smaller project - something not to bulky. I am going to make another Clapotis Scarf. That should be easy to work on durin the plane ride and can be tucked away easily for transporation. We have never been to Mexico and are very excited to be taking this trip.