Pointless

I had my first Japanese lesson last night.  It was really fun! I knew a few words before I went there so there wasn't too much that was new for me which was good because I was nervous of meeting new people.  There were 11 students (one didn't turn up) and the teacher seemed very nice. 

After my trauma with my sock last week, I have abandoned it to my bedroom floor. I don't expect it will heal itself but at least it will have time to think about what it's done and I will expect an apology before I tackle trying to fix it.  It has reminded me that I have two more pairs of purple socks on the needles at the moment so I should perhaps finish them soon.  It doesn't really matter at the moment because the weather has turned  from autumn back to late summer so I'll be wearing cotton ankle socks this weekend.

I'm working on a new project for next year and I am so excited about it.  It's using a new yarn which is my new favourite yarn ever and it's making me feel really Christmassy, which is a shame in a way as I will have to send the project off to the magazine for photography this month and I don't expect it will return before Christmas.  It's also making me want to buy up as many balls of this yarn as I can when it is released to the public but that would be in strict violation of the economic diet I'm on.  The diet seems to be going well but I'm coming to a point when I will need to buy some things but I've begun to enjoy having tiny credit card bills.  Unfortunately, the never ending toiletries cupboard is running out of conditioner and my hair will not manage without it. Now, one conditioner is not going to break the bank but I'm worried I won't be able to buy just one thing. I'll come up with excuses or phantom presents that need buying and boom, accidentally spend a fortune.  Or I'll just buy the conditioner and then resent not being able to enjoy it.  I need to buy a textbook for Japanese soon aswell and Amazon is one of my major downfalls.  This morning I caught myself compiling a list of other items I'd slip in the basket - a book I saw reviewed on tv, a cd and a computer game were all sneaking in. I suppose this is the real test of whether I've learnt any restraint. I joke that I have no self control but it has always been easier for me to buy nothing than to only buy one thing. I'm also a bit sick of my ancient laptop taking forever to start up. I did say a little while ago that I would buy a new one but then I thought I can't just make a budget and then treat a laptop as entirely separate from the budget. Wouldn't that render the budget completely pointless? So I've hung back from buying it but I really want to blog more. Is blogging more really worth the extra expense?

Happy birthday to me

I've a had a lovely birthday weekend with more junk food than I've probably eaten this year. I watched some tennis, opened some presents, was taken to the cinema to see Lil Smith in the Karate Kid (really enjoyable). I've finished the pattern that was hanging on and sent that off so now I can tidy my house and watch lots of dvds until bedtime.

What to do next?
The christening gown - I'm losing confidence on that already but will block the front and then see if it's too small.

My mum's Xmas, I mean, Birthday socks - oh the shame, these were supposed to be for Christmas but then the toes didn't fit and I bought her something else. They won't take long but equally they won't knit themselves.

Some more sketching of new ideas - I have a few but they need deveolping before I can present them to anyone to try to blag some more yarn.

Update this website - I've been meaning to do it for a while. The projects list is quite old and the layout is a bit odd. Maybe I should start from scratch instead of trying to recreate and improve it.

Plenty to do then and I've a holiday looming so I'll be nice and busy.

At last, at last

I've sent the patterns off. At last, I am a free woman again. I've rewarded myself with a CD and some books which I hope will arrice on Wednesday and then I can show you them.

I don't think it's giving too much away to show you this picture


I'm not even sure when the patterns will be published but I think it will be around Christmas.

Now for a little knitting.

A bag of mouldy bagels

I was very hungry on Wednesday but my lunch was a disappointment. All my own fault - I knew I should have frozen some of the bagels and put the rest in the fridge. I was cheered up by the parcel that I had been waiting nearly 5 weeks for:

A huge bundle of Biggan Design DK Merino First Cross for some commissions which will be published in the winter. Well, they'll be published as long as I've actually committed the pattern to paper and had a sample knitted and the idea that is idling in my brain actually works out well.

I have two different methods when it comes to having patterns published in a magazine*. Method 1 was used for Miho and is my preferred method although it is not the most practical and is not always possible. This is when I have some yarn and an idea for the yarn and I actually make the item, taking notes as I go. Then I write up the notes, make any relevant alterations and give the pattern to someone, usually my mum or my sister, to test knit. I take a few photos and send them to a magazine saying please publish my pattern. All being well, they say yes, I make any corrections that are needed and send off the finished garments and complete pattern for their official photography and editing. This can all be done at my own pace but is also at my initial expense.

Here is my striped version. Notice it's a bit short.

Here is my sister's version with a modified length and a lovely crochet and bead edging. My sister is my crochet consultant.

I'll also own up to my sister being a neater knitter than me. We had to buy the yarn ourselves and take the risk that we wouldn't have this pattern published at all. Fortunately, it all worked out.

The other method I use, which I find quite stressful, is that I suggest an idea to the magazine and ask for the yarn to be sent to me. I have to make a guess at how much I need, so I always over-estimate because running short would be as much fun as a poke in the eye. I then get given a deadline to translate the idea into a real item, such as Aster.

I do love this pattern now. There was a time when I did not. It began as an idea for a blanket made with three colours and one large, detailed, illusion pattern. It then had several versions until it ended as a 4 panelled, two colour blanket, with a slightly demonic looking flower and a colour scheme that wasn't 100% what I first imagined. You see, it's all very well designing something in your head but if the colours aren't available you have to adapt. And if the pattern doesn't do what you want it to then you have to adapt again. My sister-the-crochet-consultant was a bit mean about the scary flowers (she said they should be smiling) but by this stage I was committed and the deadline was looming. My mum did a great job knitting this up, combining chart reading and intarsia techniques and knitting it up in super quick time. I'm so relieved to see someone else on Ravelry is knitting this pattern using their own colour scheme and it looks fab.

Is it okay to be pleased with my own designs? I hope so. I don't have that many ideas so the ones I do have are important to me. Like these little chaps:

This was another joint project with the crochet consultant - mine on the right, hers on the left. I was very hurt on their behalf when they were rejected from the first place they were submitted to but I learnt a lesson. Each publication has its own style so it's worth familiarising yourself with a magazine before you approach them. If you make a mistake the first time, then have a another try somewhere else. Present you design with a little bit of self-promoting blurb ("A whimsical, stash-busting, fun knit" works better than "well, it might appeal to someone but I'm not sure I'd have it on my Christmas Tree). If you still can't find someone, then Ravelry are a fantastic resource for publishing your own work and (hopefully) getting paid for it.

I love knitting and I love the fact that I can share it with so many other like-minded people. I also love chocolate but I don't share that so easily.

*ok, so it's only really been Let's Knit but I'm really please to be working with them.

On a whim

On Monday the 23rd June, I noticed that the Inside Loop had a 30th June submissions deadline. Perfect! I thought. I'll just whizz up a simple design idea and send it along and see how things go. One week is plenty of time to think of an idea. So last week, my sister, Elfyn, and I went shopping to the lovely Barsleys in Paddock Wood and bought the only nice yarn in the shop. Seriously, it's so fabulous even having a department store with a yarn section nearby that I spend ages just looking at this one yarn and designing in my head with it. We bought enough for two of the design and for fun enough for several scarves (more about them another day I hope). I gave Elfyn a brief rundown of my idea and we met up again later to go to KniTWells. We soon discovered that what I had described and what I was thinking of were very different so we had a brief discussion over whose design to use* and some teasing and sulking and then we were ready to cast on. Fast forward to a week later and I have spent the whole day writing up the pattern because the submission isn't just for the idea, it's for the whole thang! So, I'm here in one piece, slightly glassy eyed from being in front of the computer all day. I have my fingers crossed that they'll like it and publish it in August but if not, at least I'll be able to show you lots of photos before then.




*my design, obviously.