so here's what happened...

Last Spring a customer, who happens to be a designer, at the store was looking for a sample knitter who could fair isle. Well, believe it or not, I fair-isle pretty well (in wool anyway, I am currently realizing that the act of fair isle combined with cotton and me are not as pretty on first try, or second...but that is another story).
So she offered me the one time chance to knit a sample for her and she liked it and the yarn company liked it and now is in print in the MISSION FALLS DUET pattern book!
I made the Indie Vest by Simona Merchant-Dest (rav link).
So here are my pictures of the vest:




BTW - I LOVED knitting with this yarn and knitting this pattern, there are plenty of ends to weave in, which was a bummer, BUT the pattern was simple (for me) and the yarn was a dream.

I am currently working on another sample for the same designer and company. And once it is approved and out in print, I will let you know about that one too :)

On the more personal side of life, still job hunting. Had a couple of very good interviews. One of which I did not get, but an impression was made and she passed my resume onto another department. So I am not certain where it all stands. Just keeping my fingers crossed since I really like this new opportunity and the characters involved :).

And on a Max note - we are debating between a cowboy or a pirate for Halloween 2009 :) I want pirate but I think he would rather be a cowboy. I am taking the day off from the store and Max and I are going Trick or Treat-ing in the Apartment bldg...maybe we will go to an event at a bookstore or something terribly stay-at-home mom like :) (I cannot wait!)

Swaps, gifts and other things that come in the mail

I have been meaning to blog about all of the above. But there is always that sad excuse of mine – LACK OF TIME!!!
And I think the baby excuse is getting old...no matter how cute!

So let us start with gifts:
As a birthday surprise (3 MONTHS AGO!!!!!) SewMad sent me the most wonderful birthday package:



The most fabulous seam ripper (fliegenpilz!), stitch markers made by herself, jack skelington buttons, beautiful fat quarters, a nifty piece of fabric from IKEA (that I am seriously considering turning into a shopping bag, or two), hot pink mohair, and the piece de-resistance (how do you spell that?):


My very own SewMad original, a Fliegenpilz wallet. I love it! And I use it all the time now. My cigarette case –turned- wallet is now living in the diaper bag with important Maxim info (insurance card etc).
I had to wait until she posted her fabulous pattern (which I also have a pattern for now – thank you Katrin) before I could post a pic of the wallet – of course i waited way past the time she posted it .

If you haven’t figured it by now I am not very punctual with much of anything.

As for the swaps – I joined 2 apron swaps this summer. The first one was over at Apronista.ning.com (because I need to join another on-line community). The apron I made went to Sue Ann of Giabella Designs and the apron I received was from Deb, the Crochetholic. I loved my apron from Deb! So cute! And it is already blessed by Rit Dye and Clorox Bleach from work.

The next swap was on Ravelry.com. The Sew Obsessed group decided to have its first swap this summer thanks to Carlitadee. We all took a vote and aprons won! SO I got the chance to make another apron – this time I copied an apron given to me by my MIL. I actually cut out 2 before I cut out a 3rd and finished it. Swaps are hard if you do not really know what the person likes. I realize that I had a fabric that I thought my swap partner had used in the past – so I changed my mind entirely – I also realized that one of the aprons was really for me (haven't finished it tho...of course)

Here it is modeled by my old boss: (little trinkets thrown in found here.)

Isn’t she cute? And she makes my new sewing room look good.

Here is a view of the room from where she was standing.


There is another swap – the Theatrical Crafters on Ravelry are also running a swap…i really need to get working on that one...but I have until the end of the month….

There is so much more to fill you all in on - all good news (and no, not pregnant). I will be taking some time off this and next week – so hopefully I will get some more knitting and crocheting along with a bit of blogging in :)

Tequila Sunrise Special

Having been inspired by all of the Chevron Scarves all over Ravelry, I decided to make my own Chevron Lace scarf. I loved the idea behind the original design in Last Minute Knitted Gifts, but I wanted something a little different - same concept just not the same :)

So I searched the wonderful world of the internet and found a stitch library at Knitting on the Net. I also searched my books but I had this particular pattern stuck in my head – probably from a sweater hanging in the store – and I was desperate to find it.

My other reason for wanting to make this scarf was the fact that I had four balls of this crazy hot Koigu (now 3 after making the scarf) and wanted to make something fun but mindless. The pattern of inspiration used 2 contrasting Koigus. I could just not find another yarn either in my stash or in the stores that contrasted in just the right way. Basically, I was being ueber-picky. So I went with the cool version of the same colour and am thrilled with the result! Granted, it looks like I only used one colour but it is now a more toned down version of the original purchase. And it reminds me of one of my favourite drinks – the Tequila Sunrise (yes, the drink is usually more yellow or orange bu i happen to like more grenadine in the mix than most)

There was a bit of trial and error with the pattern – such as just plain casting on too many stitches and making the scarf ridiculously wide.

Without further ado - the pattern for my:

Tequila Sunrise Special

Materials:
1 skein hot pink/orange Koigu (A)
1 skein cool pink/burgundy Koigu (B)
needle size -3.75 mm/US 5
Stitch holder
Note: Scarf is worked in 2 separate pieces to allow for scalloped edges then sewn together with Kitchener stitch
Finished Measurements: total length - 60"/width of chevron section - approx 5"/width of garter - 3.5"/length of garter section - approx 28"

With Colour A, cast on 36 stitches (pattern repeat is Multiple of 13 + 1 +2 for selvedge stitches)

Row 1: Knit to the last stitch, bring yarn forward, and slip last stitch as if to purl
Row 2: Knit into the back of the first stitch, continue knitting to the last stitch, bring yarn forward, and slip last stitch as if to purl.
Row 3: repeat Row 2

You should have 2 Garter Ridges or 4 Knit Rows (cast on row counts as 1st Knit Row)

Begin pattern stitch:
Row 1 (RS): Knit into the back of the first stitch *k1, yo, k4, k2tog, Sl1, k1, psso, k4, yo; rep from *, to last 2 stitches, k1, bring yarn forward, slip last stitch as if to purl.
Row 2: Knit into the back of the first stitch, purl to last stitch, bring yarn forward, and slip last stitch as if to purl.

Rep Rows 1 and 2.

Change to Colour B, repeat rows 1 and 2, 2 times.
Change to Colour A, repeat rows 1 and 2, 2 times.

And keep on keeping on until you have reached approximately 13 inches from the cast on row AND have finished a 4 row repeat.

Decrease Rows:
With RS facing, Change colours and Knit 2 rows (one garter ridge).
Dec Row: (With same colour) Selvedge, *k1, k4, k2tog, Sl1, k1, psso, k4; rep from *, k1, selvedge. (36 stitches) - ###this is not a typo, this is the same as the pattern stitch Row 1 but without the YO’S###
Next Row: Knit

Change colours:
Dec row: selvedge, *k1, k3, k2tog, Sl1, k1, psso, k3; rep from *, k1, selvedge (30 stitches)
Next Row: Knit


Change colours:
Dec row: selvedge, *k1, k2, k2tog, Sl1, k1, psso, k2; rep from *, k1, selvedge (24 stitches)
Next Row: Knit

Change colours:
Dec row: selvedge, *k1, k2, k2tog, k2; rep from *, k1, selvedge (21 stitches)
Next Row: Knit

******Change colours:
Knit 2 Rows *******

Break Yarn leaving approximately 12 inches and place stitches on a stitch holder

And begin again - this time starting with Colour B.

Follow pattern, working your way through the decreases. Repeat from ****** to ******* working just in Garter, changing colour every 2 rows until you have almost run out of Yarn or until you have reached your desired length.

Sew the 2 halves together using your favourite directions for the Kitchener Stitch – don’t forget to have wrong sides together and the yarn needs to come form the back needle.
You could three-needle bind off with right sides together, but I think Kitchener is so much prettier.
Block – the edges will have a natural wave.

The end!


----The usual copyright rules apply to this pattern - personal use only - blah - blah - blah.
I have only written 2 other patterns before and those were crochet – so let me know how this goes if you make it.

a whole month!

Wow! Has it really been a whole month? Where have I been you might ask? Well no where really. Just at the theatre for most of May and June and trying to recoup during the month of July.

There has been limited personal crafting – but there have been a few things that I wanted to share with you for while but just haven’t had the chance to do so. That baby and that job have been getting in the way of fun sewing. And lack of space to craft at home have made it difficult.

But that is changing very soon:
Here is Fritz:


and here they are!!! My new cutting table, ironing table and sewing machine table all built to my specs! (read: really flippin' tall - 42" for the tall tables and 32" for the shorter)


It is still a work in progress. And it will probably take awhile. Nothing is in the ‘cute’ organizational style – old diaper boxes used for storage bins for magazines and single patterns, as well my sewing patterns and a few other random things. I plan on using baby formula tins for notions and trims – and some of those leftover baby jars and tupperwares. There will be one or two more trips to IKEA for better lighting and other organizational tools.

And while organizing the disaster that was our guest room soon to be my personal studio (imagine happy dance here), I started taking pics of my yarn stash to post on Ravelry.



If you cannot find me there (mafgreene) then check my stash out on Flickr: here and here and here


The sad part is that I found quite a few (read: a crap load) of unfinished projects. The first one will be 5 years old this fall. the 2nd is an on-again, off-again relationship for the last two years...it might grow up to be a lovely blanket someday



and let us not forget these lonely socks…..some day they will have a friend



And here is an adorable pic of my boy!

Also check me out over at Woolwinders– I was the guest blogger this week pushing the penguin!

Date night!

And Passover.

Fritz and I went on a date – a grown up date – no Max – just us.
Pretty impressive, I know. We even went to see a grown-up play. We saw THE GOOD WOMAN OF SZETCHUAN over at CONSTELLATION THEATRE. My friend, Yvette, designed the costumes for it (and they were fabulous), and I made one of the costumes for her – this equals free tickets. I love the complimentary ticket system. You work on the show and you get a few free tix. So nice and considerate.
The scary thing is that this is the first time in 5 years that I have taken advantage of my free tix earned elsewhere other than ISI. We really need to get out more. Really!

My mom came down and babysat and both she and the babe both survived! Max has new teeth (again!) coming in and has not been into too much food or sleeping.

It is also the Passover week – no Seders here. Not in the mood this year. We listened to PRARIE HOME COMPANION on the way into DC the other night and there were these Swedish guys singing “Putting on the Ritz” and the ShoeBand siniging a few Passover songs. It was both funny and sad at the same time for me. The Passover songs were in the 3rd segment for the night.


There has been some crafting in the world of KNIT OR GET OFF – well crocheting really. The wonderful world of Ravelry has led me to make these:



The pattern (in Japanese, of course) can be found here.

It is charted, so rather easy to follow but a bit awkward, due to weaving the circles around one another to create the centre. Once you’ve got that, you are good to go. These were just for practice. But I am thinking of making four of them (reversing the colours on 2 of them) and using that as the front of a bag (and maybe back?), and line it with some fab Asian print fabric – something on a geometric scale?

As for fabric, the latest banner is this fabric, in case you were wondering. I bought it at Capital Quilts, my local quilting shop (well, local to Woolwinders). Along with these guys here:








All of them are Alexander Henry prints and are from the Vienna or Gustav Klimt collections. The moment I saw them in the store i knew two things 1) they had to be alexander henry prints and 2) they had to be named after something from the Art Nouveau/Jugendstil period.


Skirt or aprons? Or bags? Or stash for now?

where does the time go?

Wow! 2 weeks already? Crazy I tell ya!
Well between the baby being sick and me being sick - not much has been going on.

Well that's not true becasue there has been crocheting and sewing happening and a bit of knitting. And of course there are always cute Max pictures that i need to upload at some point....so let's start with what i have sorted out



Yarn: Cascade 220 in a lovely camel shade, 2 skeins (I did have to break into a 3rd only because I threw out the yarn from the 3 times I started and failed)
Hook: G (4mm)
Pattern: Crochet Cable Bag, Family Circle Easy Crochet Spring 2007
Changes to Pattern: LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS.
I view this Bag as I do a rendering from a Costume Designer. Someone else designed the bag - came up with the end look. But I did all the technical work and created the pattern.
The original pattern was not charted and the wording was very complicated and very very difficult to follow, basically not well written. I could not find any links (when i started it in September) that might help.
I also lined the purse and added a pocket and magnet snap ( i am a sucker for a magnet snap).
It is currently sitting in my "sunshine box"*****

So what i have to say to crochet designers is CHART CHART CHART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, why all the back posting from the wrong side when the same texture can be created with front posting and having the correct side of the work facing you.

Okay enough complaing - I LOVE THE END RESULT. I will make more I am sure.
Once i had that chart, it was so easy to make.

I would love to find out how to have a link to the chart i created - it was done on graph paper since there does not seem to be a program for charting crochet - if you know of one, please let me know. People link to PDF's for their personal patterns and i was wondering how I do this. Is it possible with Blogger? Do I need to have a proper server? More research is involved on my part I am sure.


*** A SUNSHINE BOX is a box full of gifts - sort of. When we were little, my Nana had her Sunshine Box (big box with a sun on it) and in it were little gifts. More like the gifts you get out of the bubble gum machine - small toys, stuffed animals, doilies whatever little kids would think were fun. When you visisted you were allowed to pick out one item from the Sunshine Box. So I have always had a drawer or a box in the closet with random little gifts in it - instead of letting someone else pick - i use my Sunshine Box as a place to keep gifts for a future date - for birthdays, holidays, house warming gifts, going out to dinner etc. Some are actually lableed for people and some are just plain random weird things...

Gobble...gobble!

Let's just assume i am greatful...and thankful and all that. I know. It is Thanksgiving here in the USA and everyone is writing something beautiful and poetic about how they are greatful for all they have in their lives......Like! Gag me with with a spoon!

No. Really. I AM thankful for many things.

• The cuteness that is Max.
• The latest show is open (and no actors were harmed in the process, or babies - Max is so lucky that Nana came down to babysitt, and sew costumes)
• I am not at work.
• I will bake a pie that will not taste terrible.
• I am not spending this day with anyone other than my new immediate family...oh? Did I type that? :)
• This.

And now i can return to the knitting! There are always 80 million projects in the works. But the one that seems to be getting the most time and energy from me is a Log Cabin Blanket. Which i completley blame on Ravelry for the inspiration. This started as a crocheted afghan for Fritz awhile back and it was not a success. AT ALL! To be honest with myself, it was U-G-L-Y! BUt the knitted version is looking sooo much prettier.

Here is just the beginning.

I hope to get it done by the end of the decade....hmmmm...don't hold your breath Fritz! He is lucky that i don't have to mail it to him...that's all i 'm saying.

Gratuitous nekked baby post!

PIF:
Thank you Amelie and K(n)ittything - you are on the list - now i must figure it all out - thank goodness i have a year! There is a 3rd slot if anyone is interested :)

Cleaning house...

So the idea of this whole Ravelry thing is organization...well that is how i see it anyway. And boy does it want you to be organized. Pictures of my stash? Needle count? how many projects are ACTUALLY on the needles and then those that are stashed with needles and books hiding elsewhere?

Time to face the music!
And a scary piece of music is that.

I have been uploading projects and some yarn pics to my ravelry notebook - and i cannot believe i did not post about this adorable sweater:


You can view a closup of the little back view here.

Yarn: Regia Jacquard 4 ply in Oslo and Rowan 4ply soft in dark gray (soot?)
Needles: 2.5 for edging and 3mm for the body
Pattern: Candace Baby Cardigan by Holli Yeoh (pattern a day calendar 2005)
Size: 6month to 12 month
Notes: I had all but one sleeve done before the baby was born - but it took me until July to get that last sleeve done. I knit the sleeves in the round instead of flat ( I hate purling).
Since I did not have the perfect gray until after I waned to start this project, I picked up the hem edging once the whole project was sewn together. Also - I purposely did not match the stripes -I like when they match hardly at all or when they are absolutley perfect. I knew I couldn't get absolutley perfect :)

And now to the gratuitous baby pictures:





and one more here!!!


Also - here is a better shot of my Gala dress.

I'm IN!!!!!

frecklegirl has invited you to Ravelry!
Here you go! Thanks for your interest in our little site.

Did you see that? She said LITTLE site! So funny! Little! HA! HA!

Now this means I need more time to organize my stuff - virtually and in reality! Scary thought - I was thinking about scanning my patterns into the computer and putting them into PDF files and getting rid of the paper-trail (you know, fantasies of moving overseas and all...need less stuff to move)

Also I need to create an on line design portfolio. This is is it - sort of. I need something on a more professional level....another flickr account?

Fritz and me at this year's gala! Aren't we cute - It was the end of the night when this was taken. Hopefully I will post better pics of the dress (finished minutes before the show ended and the party started) when other people send them to me :)