A New Member of the Family

Okay -- so it is an inanimate object, so it can't really be a new member of the family. But it is just as welcome -- more so than some of the living things around here (talkin' spiders here). This weekend we added this to our home!



If you can't tell, it is a brand new Maytag Dishwasher. We have been handwashing dishes for well over a year now. Not insurmountable when there is only two of us, but when we entertain, it becomes a bigger deal. I always forget the joy of a dishwasher when it is missing. So I guess I am ready to have one again, because I TRULY appreciate it. One more improvement on the house!

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Is Knitting Really Work?

So you would think after two and half years that I would be used to the fact that I knit for a living. But the fact is, so much of my time during the "early" years was not spent knitting that now that I have some time to knit, it seems, well...it doesn't seem like work. Which I guess is a good thing. So many folks who take a hobby and make it a business end up ruining their love of their craft. But this has definitely not been the case for me.

I have started making a focused effort on writing a book about knitting, and that requires a great deal more knitting than I have done over the past few years and so all this knitting seems a bit foreign. Combine that with the fact that so much of the knitting business has little to do with knitting and you can begin to see my point. So now that we are finally getting organized as a business, I have time (and need) to design more and knit more. But I feel almost guilty. Shouldn't I be doing something for the business that doesn't have anything to do with knitting...like accounting or inventory or something!

So I just have to get it into my mind that knitting is working to. How is anyone else ever going to take me seriously if I can't even take myself seriously. Quite a quandary, but I think I can get over it. Hand over the knitting needles!

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Faithful Students

I promised earlier that I would share the work of my students, but instead I will share a picture of my students working.



Also, after sending out a few more invites, several more folks have joined the Knit Biz Bloggers web ring. Hop over and visit some of their adventures in the knitting business.

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I love finding this stuff!

While cruising around looking for folks to invite to Knit Biz Bloggers, I found this at Indigirl. So here we go:
A - Age: 39
B - Band listening to right now: A mix of classical
C - Career future: B&B owner.
D - Dad's name: Lloyd
E - Easiest person to talk to: Kat
F - Favorite song: Take on Me -- Ah Ha
G - Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms: Cinnamon Gummy Bears
H - Hometown: Merced, CA.
I - Instruments: hand bells, voice
J - Job: Owner of Knitability
K - Kids: three large dogs
L - Longest car ride ever: across the country and back
M - Mom's name: Donna
N - Number of people you slept with: why do you need to know?
P - Phobia[s]: snakes
Q - Quote: Don't worry, it will felt out!
R - Reason to smile: My life is good
S - Song you sang last: I sing a lot -- can't remember what was last
T - Time you wake up: When I am through sleeping
U - Unknown fact about me: I'd love to do glasswork
V - Vegetable you hate: brussel sprouts
W - Worst habit: not exercising.
X - X-rays you've had:dental, wrist & ankle.
Y - Yummy food: Sushi
Z - Zodiac sign: Aries

More than you probably wanted to know!

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Two for One

Finally, two used for one design. One of my "regular" classes at Stitches Events is Knitting with Alternative Fibers. The only consistent negative comment is that some students would like specific, defined projects. So over the past few weeks I have been teaching another series of classes (Gifts on the Go) that utilize some of the "alternative" fibers. Solution, designs from one can be used for the other!! This makes me happier than it probably should, but happy none the less! I will try to have pictures of the items on Monday or Tuesday (after class).

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OOPS!! Scrubbie Correction

As I feared, I made a mistake in the original pattern for the scrubbie. A small mistake, but thanks to Stacy for catching it! (This is why I have test knitters and proof readers for my business). So if you downloaded your copy before May 13, grab a new copy of the pattern!

It also has the nicer picture with a note about using acrylic yarn for extra scrubbing power. So a few improvements come with the fix of the error. Happy Knitting!

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My Knitter's Geek Code

I have found this on a couple of blogs and being an former full-time geek, I couldn't resist. You can get all the gruesome details here.

My geek code is:

KE++ Exp+++ SPM++ Bam++ Wood++ Addi@ Nov(-) Cot+(+) Wool++(+) Lux++(+) Stash(+) Scale++(-) Fin++(+) Ent+++$ FI+ Int Tex++$ Lace++$ Felt+++$ Flat++(--) Circ+++ DPN++ ML! Swatch++(+) KIP+++$ Blog+ FO++ WIP++ GaugeW++ ALTSWv

At least I think that is it!!!!

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Guess What Mom Got?

Yes, with all the, shall we say excitement, about the dish scrubby pattern guess what Mom got for Mother's Day. Surprise!! It is dishcloths and scrubbies!



Now this may not seem like the greatest gift, but until the throwing of the gauntlet, I had never (yes, NEVER) made a dishcloth of any sort before. So my husband got a set too -- he washes, I dry. He is very happy with his, hopefully Mom will love her set too!

Happy Mother's Day!

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Dishcloth Duo

Once again I am amazed at the power of blogs. Just a few days ago Mariko posted a challenge to find (or create) a pattern for dish cloth scrubbies. Within a day, one of her faithful readers had commented they found this pattern in Japanese. Knowing NOTHING about Japanese, I took a stab at based on the pictures. So now I have a free pattern available for those interested. It also includes my version of the old faithful dishcloth pattern. Two for the price of one (well, actually none). Have fun and let me know if you have questions.

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Missin' My Honey

Arlis has been working out of town since Monday and I am totally missing him. This probably sounds normal enough, but it is very unusual for me. I think this marriage thing is really starting to stick. That combined with the fact that I am a HUGE extrovert and need interaction with other people for energy (actual definition of extrovert) results in a loss of energy and a bit of a depression. I used to love it when Arlis travelled, but now it is different -- it just makes me feel weird! I will ponder it and let you know what I discover.

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Next Color Way

So the little sweater is also going to be an adult sweater. Today I worked up the color way for the adult sample. I really like it and it will look great with jeans.



One or two more color ways and we will be ready to go for Fall on this one.

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Demolition (Wo)Man

Any one with an old house can tell you, at some point, you have to tear it down and start fresh! Thus what we have decided to do with our bedroom. Primarily because it was the only room never touched (as far as we can tell) from when it was first finished in 1902. Hard to believe, but it was treated a bit like a shrine, most of my life and before and didn't get much use before that. So, we figured we couldn't do THAT much damage.

Long story short, we decide to take it down to the bones and build it back up. In the process upgrading a few things that desperately need upgrading like adding insulation to the walls, rewiring and putting in windows that actually seal, let alone being double paned.

So I have been taking pictures, but it is with actual film which needs to get developed. You will love us in the HazMat looking suits! So stay tuned -- our deadline is just 6 weeks away!

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A Little FO

Yes, for the first time in a long time I have a FO (finished object for those of you unfamiliar with internet abbreviations). Yesterday was a very weird day. It was going along great when I had a HUGE attack of the hives (for no particular reason) for which the "cure" is a significant amount of antihistimine. So, then I slept for several hours and always wake up with a swollen face. Now, if I just sleep until the next day -- I am swollen most of the next day as well, so I have to get up and stay vertical for several hours to minimize the effect the next day.

So Arlis and I decided it was time to finish up some of our favorite video games. While he played, I coached and worked on the sideways sweater (yet to be give a cool name) until at 1:30AM Arlis was tired and I was DONE! See:



I think it is very cute -- even if I do say so myself. Now I just need to finish writing up the pattern so one of the test knitters can work it up in a different color combination for an adult size!! Yes -- it is part of the Fall 2004 line for Knitability, which puts me way ahead of last year's schedule -- a very good thing!!

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