Looking Back

Heading into 2021, I was sure that it would be an easier year than 2020 was...and I ate those words fairly early in the year. While there were certainly bigger and different challenges than I had in 2020 I did accomplish a few things.

 

11 new patterns published through either third party publishers or in my own stores meant I broke the 100 published patterns mark.  Here's a few of them.

 

The kitchen, hallway, powder room and TDQ's bedroom all got redecorated and gardening got done.

 

The deck got repaired before anyone got hurt walking on it.

All in all, more got accomplished than it felt like when I started writing this post.  So maybe 2021 wasn't so bad after all.

See you on the other side of 2021 when I look forward to what might happen in 2022.

~M

Where Time, Again, Gets Away From Me

I wish I could say that my absence for more than a month now, meant that I had been highly productive and that today, after that long absence there would be lots of things to talk about with you.  But, while there are a couple of new pattern releases and a MKAL...really life has just been a series of driving around in giant circles; with each day feeling like "rinse and repeat" of the prior day.

First Up...More Starry Lights has been published to Ravelry and Payhip.  Sister to Starry, Starry Lights, I again used some battery operated lights to add a twist to a traditionally shaped doily.

Buy on Ravelry

Buy on Payhip

 

Secondly, I am (again!) honored to be featured in this month's issue of Knotions...Brioche and Mythology.

 

Ladon is a top down, capelette that features a serpent dragon on the back and the front (or the sleeves if you prefer).   

Buy now on Ravelry

Buy now from Knotions

 

The Fourth Annual APGALSXMAS MKAL is in full swing.  As usual clues are released on Instagram, follow the hashtag apgalsxmas2021 to find all the clues or sign up for the newsletter to get an email listing all the clues. 

At the same time I am a participating designer and participant in the Indie Designers Gift Along, held on Ravelry.  So far, it has been a much quieter event than in the past, with fewer people chatting in the chat threads...it is possible to keep up with all the posts!  Although I am sure that will change during the New Years Eve Party.

 

The family and I decided to be a bit more restrained in our Christmas decorating than we usually are, so this year there are only 4 trees, 5 wreaths and one holly swag.

As a joke we keep moving the weeping angel tree topper to one side and the other...so far none of the neighbors have backed away, not blinking!

There is another thing that has started taking up some of my time, I've become a technical editor for a couple of designers and a publication.

At first I wasn't sure if I would really be good at it, or even like doing it, but it turns out that I am and I do!

I think that is really all I have to talk about today...maybe I will be able to get myself back into a more regular schedule of posting here.  We'll see in the days and weeks to come.

Until next time...Knit Happy and Stay Safe.

~M

Sunflowers on a Snowy Day

 

Available now in all the usual places...Ravelry, Payhip and LoveCrafts.

They had to come in...

 I wish the internet came with smell-o-vision.

And I also wish I could send some of that lovely scent your way as it is a bit strong in here!

~M

Fingerless Mitts...Love Them? Hate Them? Don't Understand Them?

People seem to fall into one of three camps when it comes to fingerless mitts.  They either love them and use them all the time, hate them and would never consider making or buying them or just don't understand why anyone would want them.

I fall firmly in the love them group.

During the transitional weather of spring and autumn, or in office spaces where the air conditioning is on just a little too much, I wear them alone.  I find that keeping my palms and wrists warm really does help keep my fingertips warm as well, and I can still do things like type or knit while wearing them.

When the winter weather rolls in I will wear them over the thin "magic gloves" that can be picked up at many a dollar store, and when it is really cold will add a pair of thick cozy mittens over the other two layers.

The ones pictured above are my latest new release knitting pattern.  Available for purchase through Ravelry, Payhip and LoveCrafts these mitts have a, rather nifty if I do say so myself, cable that snugs up the wrist a bit for a good fit but also uses rather stretchy ribbing to allow them to fit a wide range of hand sizes.

 

I don't usually offer discounts on new releases to anyone that isn't a subscriber to my newsletter, but I am offering a discount on this one to help cover the cost of my insurance deductible having unfortunately had a head on encounter with a deer this past week.  Use coupon code Deduct25 on either Ravelry or Payhip to get a special 25% off the normal price through November 7th, 2021.

 

Until next time...Happy Knitting!

 

~M

In times to come

 

Time Won't Get Me Time....Not Silent

I think I mentioned that TDQ's workplace changed locations...while it adds 23 miles per day to our carpooling with TOB because of the route it actually gets us home between 8 and 12 minutes earlier each day.

Which might not sound like a lot, but, as any knitter knows those minutes stacked together can add up to a blanket, sweater, shawl or pair of socks before you know it.

But what I have done with those minutes?  Thought about doing things and not actually done any of the things!

What things? You might ask...first questioned if anyone is listening or if I am just talking into the void. And if I am just talking into the void do I want to change that?

Second, if I want to change that...what would anyone be interested in?

A conversation that I had with one of my friends about garter tab starts to shawls, and her saying that newer knitters didn't like them because of "humpitis" could be one thing...seriously it is not the garter tab that causes the hump in many shawls, it's the increase rate and where the increases are placed that causes the problem!  Or they are "hard to do"...I have a simple solution, a provisional cast on without waste yarn, just a single circular needle (which in most cases you will need due to the number of stitches in a shawl).

Pattern repeats that involve moving markers...this is more for the designers than the knitters...in many cases that can be avoided by changing where the pattern repeat happens...would anyone care about that?

Or books I am reading? I just finished This Poison Heart by Kaylnn Bayron and  am anxiously awaiting the sequel...I wonder if my Angel's Trumpets are in her poison garden?

And while TDQ didn't notice..as a knitter the fact that it is set in Rhinebeck!?!?

Or real life stuff?  Like what's for dinner?  Veggie Kababs, thanks for asking!

 

I think that part of the reason blogging fell off my radar is...so much of it is putting on a good face when, let's face it, the world is on fire and none of us is really all right!  Me no less than anyone else.

So let me know...am I just talking to myself (and a stalker or two...yeah I see you) or should I actually put relevant content here?

~M

Wip Wednesday

 

Just a few things on my needles...

But none of them are being worked on today, today was all about a swatch.  A swatch, that unfortunately did not behave so it is back to charting and "mathing" for me!

How's your Wednesday?

~M

Time is an Illusion, doubly so at lunchtime!

I started this post on Thursday, fully intending to publish it at the same time as I published a new pattern on Friday...and somehow time got away from me!

Introducing...Sudden Down Pour.

This generously sized, heart shaped, shawl is another piece inspired by rain.  Her sister piece, I am the Storm, was supposed to be the last in a series but jumped the queue and ended up being published first; which I supposed makes this one the second in the series.

Starting with a small garter tab, this shawl gains most of her size in a twisted garter stitch body, then ends with a "sudden down pour" of lace raindrops and beads.

Available all the usual places...Ravelry, Payhip, and Love Crafts this shawl combines a simple to knit body, suitable for working on anywhere and any-when (Zoom meetings was a favorite for one of my test knitters), the beaded lace does require a bit more attention, and the beaded bind off adds plenty of weight to the piece so it doesn't fly off your shoulders.

As always, my newsletter subscribers got a special discount on the pattern, so if patterns like this are ones that you would love, sign up for my newsletter here and you'll sporadically get an email with a special discount code!

In other news, lots of gardening and more importantly garden clean up has been happening.  That's probably where all the time I am missing ran off to!

And some knitting happened, too!

Until next time...

Knit Happy!

~M