Monday... Monday...

Weekends go so fast don't they? Wish Monday through Friday went as fast!

Spent this past weekend attending a Knitting Retreat with Annie Modesitt at the Bug Bee Hive Resort in Paynesville Minnesota. It was beautiful weather and the resort was wonderful. There were 16 women attending. It was a weekend of good company, good food, knitting and relaxation. Came home rested, inspired and now have 15 new friends!

It is amazing how much you can learn by sitting with a large group of women and bonding over your knitting. Things you learn about knitting and life in general. It was so wonderful to have someone else preparing all the meals and cleaning up afterwards. I really needed a weekend like this - where I could eat, sleep and knit and not worry about dinner and dishes. It was a new experience for me and one I will definitely do again.

Master Knitter Level III

Today my box will arrive at TKGA with my binder, sweater and hat submissions for Level III of the Master Knitter Course. I am nervous as I wait for the review to be completed!

My MK Level III requirements have been submitted!

I have wanted to say that for so long! On Saturday July 30th the box with my Master Level III requirements was officially mailed to the review committee. It takes about 2 to 3 months for the committee to complete their review. For now I will work on coming up with some new designs to submit to magazines and yarn companies. Swatching sounds like fun after all the work that went into getting my sweater done!

Close....so very close...

I am SO very close to having my work done on the Master Knitter Program.

My sweater is knit, blocked and awaiting to be assembled. My fair isle hat is done once I finish weaving in the ends and blocking it. WOW I didn't ever think I would get to this point. Hoping to work on sewing the sweater together this weekend.

Most of the paperwork is done. The only thing left on that is to polish up the written pattern for the sweater. I am close...so very close...to being done! : )

Progress...continued....

The fronts and back of my sweater are done. The sleeves were almost done and I decided I didn't like how they looked so I ripped them out and started over. Made good progress over the weekend on the sleeves and they are turning out much better. Glad I started over! My DH is away this weekend so will have the weekend to myself and plan to work on the sleeves. Hoping to be able to finish them up. Looking forward to that big block of knitting time!

Progress!!

I have been working very hard on finishing up the Master Knitter Level III course work. As of last night the fronts and back of my Aran sweater are done. Tonight I will cast on for the sleeves. I am soooo excited at my progress!

MK Level III - Aran Sweater

It has taken me waaaaay longer than I had wanted to finish up the Master Knitter Program through TKGA. The last couple of weeks I seem to have found my mojo for this project. I have been working several hours a week on my Aran Cardigan and have been making great progress. The back of the sweater is done and the 2 front pieces have about a dozen rows to go and they will be done. Then on to the sleeves and it will be completed knitted with just the blocking and seams left. The cable pattern is turning out beautiful and the tweed light brown yarn really shows off the cable work. Woohoo the end is in sight!!

Winter Blues

This has become a long tiresome winter. It seems like it will never end!

I have been working hard on my Master Knitter Sweater since January 1st. I have made very good progress. The back is done and I am half done with the 2 front pieces. I have dedicated Tuesday nights to working on my sweater and a few hours every weekend. I am extremely pleased with my progress and how the sweater is turning out.

Holiday Issue of WEBS catalog

My Emma Cardigan is in the Holiday Issue of the WEBS catalog... page 1! I opened the cover of the catalog and there it was!!! I was so surprised and thrilled!

I am working on some Christmas knitting now and contemplating some new designs to submit to WEBS. Designing for WEBS has been so much fun!!!

Emma Cardigan

WEBS America's Yarn Store has accepted another design from me! This one I call Emma after my Great Aunt Emma. This is a short sleeve semi-fitted lace jacket. I hope Aunt Emma is smiling down from heaven about this! Started working on the calculations for the pattern last night. Need to have it shipped to WEBS by the end of August.

Rockwell Cardigan

My second design has been published by WEBS America's Yarn Store. It is called the 'Rockwell Cardigan'. In my records it is called 'Jeanne' after my Aunt Jeanne who taught me so much needlework - much of which was knitting.

Thank you Aunt Jeanne!!

Update

My Textile Studio has turned out so nice. I love being in my room. Currently waiting for a gift package that the Organizer is putting together to send to me. I can't wait to see what they send.

My first design is up for sale at WEBS now. I have heard from a few people interested in the pattern. They have all had high compliments on the pattern. At this writing, 158 people have saved my design to their favorites. I am so thrilled at all of the positive feedback!

Working hard on my second design for WEBS. It is coming along nicely. Making better progress using my knitting software with this design. The software was a great investment. There is so mmuch to learn. This next design is simpler than my first design and is lovely. Can't wait to see what knitters think of it.

I've been working on a sweater coat design to submit to a magazine. Need to get the design finalized this week and ready to be mailed by Saturday or Monday to get there in time. Still working out some final details on the button closure.

Watered Steel Cardigan

My sweater design 'Louise' was re-named to 'Watered Steel Cardigan' and is now for sale at WEBS America's Yarn Store. As of today 145 people have flagged the design in their favorites on Ravelry! I am SO thrilled!!

WEBS has accepted a second design from me and I am getting started on it. It will be completed and sent to them by mid-April.

I am having so much fun! This is very exciting!!

I am so excited!

My sweater design called 'Louise' will be available very soon at WEBS.

They have selected another of my designs for publication. This design will be called 'Jeanne'. The yarn has been received and my gauge swatch is currently pinned out drying. Hoping to get started on this design this weekend.

I am so thrilled that WEBS likes my work!!

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!