New Pattern Published!

Andrea Mitts Pattern Published!

Today I’m happy to announce that I’ve finished writing (and re-writing!) my Andrea Mitts pattern! It’s so exciting having a new pattern published!

I finished my test-knit of the smaller size last night. (If I ever want to actually wear them, I’ll need to weave in my yarn ends though!)

My Andrea Mitts pattern can be found for sale on Ravelry, just like my Katelyn Mitts pattern.  I’m also looking into other pattern selling sites…Etsy being top of my list since I still have my Etsy shop.  I read a while back that they’ve made it easier for those of us selling “digital downloads” so I’m thinking I should look into it.  Etsy may once again be a selling venue for me!

Thanks to my test knitters who helped me tweak my original pattern so that it makes sense.  I especially appreciated getting feedback from Lisa who knit a pair using my pattern.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And since it’s Friday and I’ve finished this project, I’m linking up with Tami’s blog again for FO Friday!  Edit: It’s Saturday morning and while perusing a few more blogs via Tami’s link-up, I found another Friday link-up to add my post to–Fiber Arts Friday.  Be sure to pop over to these blogs and check out some of the great projects.

Happy knitting!

 

 

 

 

 

On My Needles: Andrea Mitts {again}

Hello, dear Readers!  It’s Wednesday again and you know what that means: another WIP Wednesday/Yarn Along link-up post!  After you’ve finished reading today’s post, feel free to check out the other great projects being worked on this week by clicking the link-up images below.

Sock Knitting Fail

So last time around (June 5) I had started a pair of socks from Sock Knitting Master Class.  I knew from the start that they were a little snug, but I could get them over my heel so I thought it was no problem.  As the leg portion of my sock grew, however, it became obvious the socks were just a wee bit too small.  So close. But not a perfect fit.  So….. I frogged them.  {rip it. rip it.}

I don’t know how many hours I’d already put into them, but, quite frankly, it doesn’t matter to me.  I much prefer starting again and getting them to fit properly.  I suppose I could have continued and made them for someone else–a child perhaps–but my hubby even said he really liked the yarn I’m using and thought I should start over too. So I will just have to try again.

Pattern Work: re-sizing Andrea Mitts

In the meantime (since I haven’t gotten around to casting them on again) I’ve been working on my blog–how do you like the new look?   I’ve also been spending some quality time working on my patterns.  My Andrea Mitts pattern needed a smaller size. {I personally have petite hands and, although beautiful, the original size was quite looser than I like to wear my mitts.} So I’m making myself a pair in my size.  Seeing my math work out has been fun. Especially since for me math is typically more of an estimation/guess than actually figuring it out. {When my math doesn’t work, I enlist the help of my mathematically-minded man to figure it out.}

Working on resizing

Once I get this smaller size tested and am sure my pattern’s written correctly, I will publish it in my Ravelry pattern store. If all goes well, it will be ready by Friday!

Currently Reading

I’ve been reading Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke this week. It’s the 3rd book in the Hannah Swenson Mystery series.  My local library has the series available as e-books which works wonderfully for me: I check out my book online and read it on my Kindle! I like a good whodunnit and this one is sure keeping me guessing!

Have you read any good mystery books lately? I’m always looking for new books to check out so leave me a recommendation in the comments. Thanks!

As always, happy knitting!

 

A new look for my blog!

Summer Blogathon Bash update

I’ve been working for about 7 HOURS on my blog today! Wow!  I don’t know the last time I had a block of time like that devoted to–more or less–just one thing!

And I’ve finished my first 5 goals already!

My 2013 Summer Blogathon Bash Goals

Here’s my initial set of goals:

1. Backup my blog! (I need to learn how…)
2. Update blog design.  (I’m not satisfied with the look and layout of it yet.)
3. Design a new blog header.  (Something a little more professional looking.)
4. Write up my disclosure policy.
5. Add my affiliate links! 😀
6. Finish pattern for my Early Morning Mitts and publish it.
7. Write a few posts and schedule them.
8. Maybe learn a little about CSS code…

I think it’s time for a much-needed knitting or reading break.  Then I really want to get that pattern published!

New Blog Look

So what do you think of the new look?  I changed to a different WordPress theme–Suffusion. I’ve heard lots of good reviews for it from other bloggers and wanted to give it a try. I like it. But the theme has SO many options–it’s almost too much! I think I’ve got the blog looking the way I want it to for now at least. I still need to test it on my iPad and hubby’s iPhone to be sure it works on mobile devices too, but am hoping my settings are all correct for that. If not, I’ll dive back into those settings and try to figure it out.

Hope your Saturday is proving to be a good one!  Mine’s sure turning out to be blog-productive!

2013 Summer Biannual Blogathon Bash

What’s the Biannual Blogathon Bash?

I *just* found out about the Biannual Blogathon Bash this morning as I was reading my Bloglovin’ feed. The summer 2013 event for bloggers actually started yesterday, but I’m hopping on board anyways.  In a nutshell, the Blogathon is a weekend spent focusing on improving your blog.  I’ll be doing some goal setting for the rest of the weekend and see how much I can accomplish. I like that they offer suggestions for blogging tasks to work on.

My 2013 Summer Blogathon Bash Goals

Here’s my initial set of goals:

1. Backup my blog! (I need to learn how…)
2. Update blog design.  (I’m not satisfied with the look and layout of it yet.)
3. Design a new blog header.  (Something a little more professional looking.)
4. Write up my disclosure policy.
5. Add my affiliate links! 😀
6. Finish pattern for my Early Morning Mitts and publish it.
7. Write a few posts and schedule them.
8. Maybe learn a little about CSS code…

I’m sure I’ll think of more things to add to the list, but I think this will be a good place to start.  In fact, with all that’s been going on here lately, if I can do all this in the next few days, I’ll feel pretty good about what I’ve accomplished!

Join the 2013 Summer Biannual Blogathon Bash!

Do you have a blog?  Does it need a little extra TLC from you?  Join up HERE!  It’s not too late!

And be sure to reward yourself for all your hard work with something fun too:  maybe a little knitting, crocheting, &/or read a good book!

Have a great Saturday!

Just a note of thanks.

No new posts?

I thought maybe a quick post to explain my absence last week was in order.  First off, it’s the beginning of summer and I’m still trying to get my summer schedule figured out.  We homeschool and are going to continue schooling through the summer (albeit at a slightly more relaxed pace).  The boys also had swim lessons for the past couple weeks (and they both passed on to the next level!) And then to top it all off, my dad had brain surgery on Friday.  So, yeah.  It’s been a little crazy around here lately and blogging hasn’t been a priority.

Brain surgery?

So now you’re most likely wondering about my dad’s surgery.  A brief explanation for those of you who don’t already know:  Dad was diagnosed with non-smokers lung cancer about a year and a half ago.  He’s been through chemo and was down to just a “maintenance” chemo that was unfortunately still causing yucky side-effects. So they took a short break from it, but then Dad started having some trouble with his right leg and was stumbling a bit more than normal. The MRI showed that the cancer had spread and he had 2 small tumors on the brain.  The one that was causing his stumbling was operable, hence his surgery.  The surgery went well, and we are praising God for that.  He is still in the hospital recovering, but will likely be home in a couple days. There will be need for physical therapy and they’re also going to do radiation treatments to “zap”–as my mom like to say–the other brain tumor as well as all the other places where the cancer has been to try and make it go away.  They haven’t said for sure whether they will do more chemo too, but it’s possible.  So, please bear with me if I don’t post much.  I want to get this blog going and do well with it, but my family is more important.

Happy Father’s Day!

If you follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed I posted a couple of things for Father’s Day. But I wasn’t sure how personal to get. I’ve decided it’s an important part of what’s going on in my life though, so I shouldn’t hide it.  (Nor will I focus on it here, either.)  But I do want you to know. I’m a real person, dealing with real stuff.  I am truly thankful that Dad made it through the surgery.  If the surgery had gone poorly, we would have had a very different Father’s Day.  Even though I couldn’t hug my dad on Father’s Day, I am so glad that I could chat with him on the phone and know he’s recovering from his surgery.

Christmas 2012: Mom and Dad and me

Thank you!

For those of you who knew all this and have been praying:  thanks for the prayers and support.

For those of you who are just reading and learning this: thanks for understanding.

And for all my wonderful followers: I appreciate each and every one of you.

 

June 7: FO Friday Downton Pullover

My Downton Pullover is finally DONE!

(And there was much rejoicing…)

I finished it Saturday night. Just in time for summer. But we’ve had a cool spring, so I might even get to wear it before the summer heat arrives here in Northern Minnesota.

I’ve been waiting almost a week to show my finally finished sweater off here on the blog. Needless to say, I’m pretty happy with the finished results. I didn’t even end up shortening the sleeves.  Once I got the buttons attached, they look and feel just fine. If anything, the Downton Pullover fits a tad wide in my shoulders and chest.  I know it was fitting me rather snugly back in January and February, so I think it must be because I’ve lost a little weight in the last couple months.  Despite that, I’m pleased with it and therefore it must be good enough even for the perfectionist in me.

Never stop learning

I know I still have lots to learn about sweater construction.  Maybe by the end of summer I’ll be ready to tackle another sweater project–especially since I just purchased The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters by Ann Budd.  And until I’m a bit more comfortable with sweater-making, I think I’ll stick to child-sized sweaters.  My 6 year old son will love that.  🙂

A huge thanks to my fabulous photographer. Who just happens to be my 13 year old son.  🙂  Didn’t he get some nice shots today?  As you can see our kitties were looking for lots of attention while we were out doing the photo shoot. And yes, there were several cat-only pictures. And a few of the 6 year old being silly too. Of course.

Anyways, thanks for stopping by and letting me brag a bit today!

And if you’ve got a little time, be sure to check out the FO Friday link up on Tami’s blog to see what other great projects were completed this week!

As always… I’d love for you to leave me a comment and tell me what you think of today’s FO!

Happy knitting and have a great weekend!

 

June 5: Sock Knitting Master Class

Book: Sock Knitting Master Class by Ann Budd
WIP: Almondine socks

It’s Wednesday again…time to show off my most recently started work in progress:  a pair of socks!

Sock Knitting Master Class

I’ve been reading through my copy of Ann Budd’s Sock Knitting Master Class a little here and there for the past month or so.  I even watched the included instructional DVD. But I haven’t wanted to start another project until my Downton Pullover was finished.  I’m happy to say that the Downton is done! (But you’ll have to wait until Friday’s post to see photos!)  After making a sweater, a pair of socks was the perfect choice for my next project. Socks are small and portable. And with summer swim lessons starting this week, it’s nice to have a project to take along with me.

I bought this skein of Cascade Heritage Paints a couple months ago and have been really looking forward to some serious sock knitting ever since. After looking over the various patterns in the book, I finally decided on Almondine.

Almondine Pattern by Anne Hanson

Although a part of me really wanted to learn something new, I really liked the look of the Almondine lace pattern and knew I could easily adapt this pattern to my favorite sock-knitting method:  knitting them 2-at-a-time on one long (40″) circular needle. So, no new techniques for me this time around, but with all the other excellent patterns in this book, I’m sure to learn something new eventually!

Books books books

I’m still in the middle of Dragons of the Valley (see last week’s post here), but I also finished another book I’d been reading on my Kindle:  Stepping into Sunlight by Sharon Hinck.  It’s an interesting and insightful story of a woman who witnesses a shooting and is struggling with post traumatic stress disorder. Everyday things suddenly become challenges and she has a hard time even leaving her home. While not a super-fun read, I’m glad I read it and believe I’ve learned a little about PTSD and facing one’s fears because I did.

Have you read any good books lately?  Leave a comment below to tell me about it! My summer reading list is a mile long, but I’m always on the look-out for good reads!

And be sure to check out Ginny’s Yarn Along and Tami’s WIP Wednesday link ups.

Happy knitting! And good reading too!