Hats!

OK. I have to admit it. I have always thought that the real purpose for knitting was to make SWEATERS. Especially for color work. Don't get me wrong, I've knit plenty of hats. But its just recently that I've discovered the JOY of knitting hats. What a great forum for working out design ideas! But the real joy is in seeing them worn/enjoyed by the recipients....

I'm calling this the Red and Black hat, but of course someone could knit it in whatever colors they choose.

My son has barely taken it off since it was finished. The tassel didn't last though. The hat is knit from bamboo and its a bit slippery.

Now I'm almost done with another hat for my older son. Based on my Stormy Sky patterns. Just a bit o weaving in. Hope he likes it as much....

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Fall Knit and Crochet Show

Here are a couple of photos of our booth./ During the Fall Knit and Crochet show, our business, Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design offered patterns, notions and "Double Bambu" yarn.

We had sample garments on display so people could get an idea of what the patterns produce.

With the conference/market being held in Portland, we were fortunate in being able to bring some of our own furniture to help showcase the items.

My sister, Dianne, brought her new small loom and had it warped and was weaving by the end of the show.

We ended up making a few minor changes in where everything was located. But mainly it was putting out the yarn where it could be more easily viewed. It was a lot of fun and I want to thank everyone that stopped by!

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Fall Knit and Crochet Show

Well, my sister and I are going to have a booth at the Fall Knit and Crochet show in Portland September 11-14. We are in the throes of preparations for our first ever show. We are really fortunate that our first show is also a local show-- so hopefully we can run out and grab things if we run out or forget it to begin with. Definitely a learning process!

Its kind of a guessing game how much product to bring, but we are planning on having a variety of goods there: knitting supplies, Double Bambu yarn, patterns, kits as well as some woven textiles, depending on how much we can really get done over the next couple of weeks.

I found some really cute containers for our Double Bambu sampler kits-- and they are pretty inexpensive and small enough for those out of towners to take on the airplane home.

On the down side, not enough people were signed up for the Designing class, so it has been cancelled. I'm still teaching the "Stranded Knitting Techniques" class on Sunday, September 14th, so thats good and will offset some of the expenses of having a booth.

So looking forward to seeing people there!

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YARN!!!

Well, we are entering a new era. Now I get to buy yarn to sell to other people! I didn't even think about how "enabling" that is. I do only have a limited amount of space to put it all.

Here is the yarn (Silk City Fiber's Bambu 7) all unpacked and laid out on the dining room table. All of the colors (except 2 that were missed in the original order) and the 6 that are part of the Stormy Sky patterns.

I'm taking the yarn and doubling it for hand knitters. The result is "Double Bambu" which knits up to a nice weight for sweaters and hats and the like. Not too fine, not too bulky.

The bamboo feels so nice, and the fabric is not too heavy for those of us that live in warmer climates.

I'll be making up "Sampler kits" for sale online and at the Fall Knit and Crochet Show that will be happening here in Portland, OR in September.

Pretty exciting!

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Jeans Bags!

I have two boys. 17 and 13 years old. I also have worn jeans since they changed the rules and allowed girls to wear pants to school. OK. None of the bags are from pants THAT old!

I started saving the old jeans. "I'll use them for something.... someday" I said to myself. The pile started getting larger. My husband started to ask about it. When we got a new couch for the family room and moved the old ones to the basement for a rec room, I thought "Maybe I'll sew them together and recover the couches"...

Needless to say, that never happened. Then last year my sister and I started a business. Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design. Since its our business, we get to decide what our product lines will be.

I started out with knitting patterns-- so many ideas, so little time to knit them all!

Then, I found myself needing more project bags. My totes were already overflowing with yarn and more yarn... Then I started thinking about those piles of jeans... and how the denim was the perfect weight for a nice sturdy project bag... and the rest, as they say... is history.

At any rate, I'm combining the old worn-out-in-the-knees jeans with other fabrics and creating these great project bags. Of course they all have pockets and all are sturdy and ready for work.

Right now I just have the three bags for sale. A smallish shoulder bag, a project clutch and an extra large project bag. As I continue to make more, I'll add more to the web site. Each will be unique, although some will follow the same general design (I really love the extra large project bag, for example)... but because they all use remnants-- we won't have lots of bags using the same fabrics.

More fun for everyone. No two alike. Enjoy!

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Announcing a Golf Cap knit-a-long

Are you looking for something special for Father's Day?

We are starting a knit-a-long for any of the golf caps from Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design. We have enough time between now and Father's day to finish one (or two).

The knit along will officially start on May 15th, 2008.

We have a Yahoo group (Fiber_Rhythm_KAL) as well as a Ravelry group (Fiber Rhythm KAL) for you to follow along with.

Sign up on one of the two and we'll get started!

I'll be knitting a pair of the Aran Golf Cap s one for my mother-in-law (her birthday is the end of May) and one for my father-in-law. For those who aren't ready to do all the cables (or the intended wearer wants something less fancy), the Fabric Stitch Cap can be used instead.

For those who don't already have one of the patterns, they are available through the following sites:

http://www.woolworks.com/Shop/Knitting/Patterns/Fiber-Rhythm
http://www.blackwaterabbeyyarns.com/
http://shop.FiberRhythm.com/FRCDshop/

The caps take 2 skeins of Galway Worsted weight (100 gm each) or similar weight yarn.

Hope to see you knitting along!

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The Yarn Harlot

Oh what FUN! Over 400 people packed into the Forestry Center tonight to hear Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot. Almost everyone knitting. Wish I'd brought my camera!

The PDX Knit bloggers were there in full force. My sister also came-- and got me a seat -- so I ended up on the other side of the room. But I saw several familiar faces-- including MonicaPDX! I'll have to go blog hopping tomorrow just to see who all made it there and maybe see some photos from those who were more on the ball than I was.

I saw Peggy McMullen and Mims (K2tog bloggers for the Oregonian). What great energy was in the room. Blue Moon Fiber Arts really put on a great event. Their yarn was lovely, although I resisted since I'm not doing sock-weight anything right now. I did buy the new book (proceeds to go to Drs w/out Borders).

Stephanie was extremely entertaining (as expected) and so a lot of laughter as well as a lot of knitting was accomplished.

At the end of the Q&A session, Duffy got up and sang her song-- 'My travelling Socks' to the tune of "My little Deuce Coupe" it was a Hoot! and received a standing ovation. You could tell that Stephanie really enjoyed it too!

Afterwards while Stephanie was signing books I got an extra treat. One of the students from my Fair Isle/Scandinavian Knitting class at Twisted showed up with an absolutely gorgeous fair isle project she was working in Jamieson's spindrift. She'd even steeked some already! Very nice and so good to see people persisting! (Proud teacher, I am, and REALLY sad I didn't have my camera for that beauty!)

All in all a good time and I'll definitely go the next time she's in town.

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Viking Weave Jewelry

I recently took a class at Norse Hall in Viking Weave Jewelry. This necklace is the result. It was a lot of fun and not that hard to do. A very forgiving process. Hard to see in this photo, because its on the black turtleneck, but it is made of silver that has been blackened after the necklace was finished. Awesome. Thanks to teacher Shawna Job ! Great job and thanks for sharing this technique.



I did the double stitch (looping in the one above) which makes the object denser. Most everyone else did the single stitch which creates a more open weave.

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It's done!

Stormy Sky II is done!

This is the wool cardigan version of the original Bamboo. It is more close-fit and cropped rather than over-sized as the original was. Its a good style for those younger gals who are fueling the new knitting boom. I'm very happy with the way it turned out and will use it as a teaching aide and sample (I'm very happy wearing my oversized Bamboo version).

Good news is this doesn't take nearly the yarn by weight as the original so it will be much cheaper for everyone to make themselves.

I'm also very happy with the buttons I found at Mill End Store here in Portland. The clasp I was able to find at Josephine's dry goods downtown. Yarn Garden had them before, but they were out.

All my patterns are available at my website, Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design!

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Well, Blue is my favorite color

It is true. Blue is my favorite color. And this is my new car. I traded in my beloved Saturn which was starting to feel its age (and getting lower on the gas mileage in the low 30s from the low 40s I used to get). They don't make 'em like they used to at Saturn--none of their current cars get the mileage I got on mine--so the next logical step was to follow in my sister and my mom's footsteps and get a Toyota Prius. Ain't she lovely? I only waited a few days to get the color I wanted. Thanks Mo!

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Stormy Sky II update

Well, things are moving along! I was able to get quite a bit of the sleeves done during a class I took the first week in February.

The first photo shows the more fitted version in wool (soon to be a cropped cardi) on top of the original Bamboo version. The Bamboo was oversized XL, the wool is a bit more fitted L. Also the Bamboo tends to stretch some with wear (and goes back to size when washed).

The second photo shows the sleeves in progress. I knit the cuffs separately and then joined and am working in the round-- two sleeves at once, one set of yarn. At the end, I will cut the steeks and sew an underarm seam. This is pretty sticky wool, so I'm not sure how much sewing I really "have" to do.

So the end is really in sight!

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Valentines Roses

Aren't they gorgeous? Valentine's flowers are a tradition. From my hubby. In the background some of my knitting book collection.

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Home office standing workstation

I really wish I had photographed the "before". But let me describe it. The tables/desks were arranged in a "U" shape from left wall, around past the window and down the right wall. The two computer workstations were next to each other facing the window. All desktop heights were approximately the same. This first photo shows my home office in my new arrangement. (I've since rearranged the wall hangings). After having read about the walkstation (where a treadmill is incorporated with an adjustable standing computer desk, and all the health benefits that that is supposed to derive, based on studies by Dr James Levine of the Mayo Clinic), I did a bit of measuring and figured out that I really didn't have the room.
However, I had made my tables using adjustable legs and decided that maybe I could just modify my layout to include one standing workstation (used for my day-job) and one sitting workstation (shared with the rest of the family).

So I set about re-arranging and here is what I came up with. On the right is the standing workstation. I made it a height which would put my keyboad and monitor the same in relation to my elbows and eyes as they were when it was a regular sitting workstation. (I had spent time previously making sure these were relatively ergonomic.) And to accomplish it, I shortened both adjustable tables so that that table on top is about 42" off the ground.

Then to make a bit more room for standing, I moved another adjustable table on top on the other side of the room, leaving the underneath at the normal height. This gives me a bit more writing/desk space, for when I need that. There is an under-counter type light there as well (not turned on in the photo).

I just moved the desk with the home computer in it since we share this with the kids and my adjustable legs are not dynamically adjustable, I decided it was best to keep this a sitting workstation.

So all part of the New Year's resolution to keep moving! Hope it works. So far, I really like it. Still have filing and recycling to do (you can't see that half of the room, by design ).

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Stormy Sky II

Well-- thought I'd try to motivate myself by posting my WIP. This is Stormy Sky II, the wool version of "Stormy Sky" which was done in 100% Bamboo. This one is done in Jamieson's Spindrift. The color work in the X O section is slightly altered due to the heathered colors I chose. The combination of dark grey and light blue didn't have enough contrast for my taste, so I switched them around somewhat.

Will be writing up the pattern and it will be available on the website as soon as I'm done knitting this up. Not too much farther on the body, then the sleeves, then steeking for the cardigan and knitting the front bands. Not sure how long that will take me.

Any wagers ?

(You can just see a corner of my Stormy Sky bag on the left. I'm using it as my project bag)

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2008

Happy New Year!!!

It's been a pretty good year so far. We started out with the entire family making it to midnight on New Year's Eve. A first for many years, and nice. I've been working on the CYCA Teachers Certification program, and got the package for Phase I sent off on New Year's Eve too. So my interview is soon. Then onto the 2nd portion. That is one of the things I have planned to finish up in 2008.




I also want to make progress on the knitting machine front. I was gently prodded from a Ravelry user (thankyou!) and have finished writing up the Bouclé Swing Cape pattern. I designed it and knit it in 2006. Good thing I took great notes (and could find them again). So that pattern is also now available on our Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design shopping cart site. It was designed for a Shetland Wool Bouclé yarn and is knit on the Vario Big Knitting machine.

On the hand knitting from, I'm still working on Stormy Sky II -- a Jamieson Spindrift wool version of the Norwegian Style Bamboo Sweater that I made for TKGA's Master Knitter program. Its coming along nicely. I'm up to the yoke, so the knitting takes more concentration right now.

Also on the teaching front, I'll be teaching an Entrelac class at Twisted again this month, and the Stranded knitting there next month. I've submitted ideas for the TKGA program, but haven't heard anything back from them.

On the design front, I'm hoping to send some off to other people's publications this year. Much of that depends on how much time I have left over after the day job. I'm hoping it starts off slow this year, but its not looking that way yet. Lots of projects were pushed into 2008... But its all good.

Here's hoping everyone has a peaceful 2008

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