Thursday, February 16, 2012

Ride the Flaxen Wave

Over in the Colorsong Yarn Ravelry Group we have just started a Flaxen and Lino Knit A Long. They are fantastic yarns (65% silk and 35% Flax or Linen) and since you get to choose your own pattern, and there's a discount coupon code for the yarns, you really don't have any excuse not to join.

I have decided to start (yes I did say START) with Flaxen in Glacier. It's the perfect yarn and color for my trip to Florida in April and I just have to knit a tank top out of it to wear at the beach. I knit up my swatch (23sts in 4" on size 4's) and I am knitting the Razor Cami. This tank was written in 1 size but gives you easy instructions for modification. I cast on for a slightly larger size, hoping for a 34-36" bust. After knitting the first couple of inches I realized that it was just a little to big (my gauge was a little looser than the pattern called for), so I'm recasting on to follow the pattern as it's written.

The KAL is going to be great fun and runs until April 14th. Head on over to Ravelry and join the fun!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

BohoKnitterChic Spins 3rd Anniversary Celebration!



In February 2009 I officially opened an Etsy Shop. I started small: a few hand spun yarns, a few hand dyed yarns, a knitting pattern, some stitch markers, and a few hand knits. I don't think I really had a vision or idea of what I wanted to the shop to become. I just wanted a place to sell the things that I made, and hopefully fund my hobby so that my poor husband didn't have to stress and worry about what I was spending our money on.

3 years, over 2200 sales, and many, many pounds of wool later BohoKnitterChic Spins has evolved into a wonderful place to be and I am so proud to have created it, and so thankful for those who have supported me and helped it grow.

All the month of February I will be adding new items every single day. There will be items for knitters and spinners alike. I have already added armfuls of yarn and fibers since the 1st, and we still have 3 and a half weeks left in the month. Check the shop every day at 3pm central time for at least 3 new items.

Thank you so much! I could not have done this all without you!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

New Home, New Outlook

Surprise, Surprise! We moved again! Since getting married in January 2007 we have lived in Oregon, Utah, California, Arizona, back to California, Colorado, back to Oregon and now: Montana! My husband Brian received a wonderful job opportunity in Polson, MT, right at the base of Flathead Lake and to the west of the Mission Mountains. It's gorgeous here, seriously. I've always wanted to live in Montana and have the opportunity to be closer to my dad and step mom so when the job popped up it just seemed like the right thing to do. It was hard to leave Oregon, we had been there for 2 years, and we did love it, but we both agreed it was time for a change.

(The skirt in the image is my new Citrus Skirt knit out of Fleece Artist Woolie Silk 3-Ply with the Mission Mountains in the background)

I've been a knitter now since June of 2007. I started spinning in January of 2009 (and opened an etsy shop in February 2009). I had (and still have) a whole room devoted to my crafting, which is in no way limited to knitting and spinning. I had drawers and cabinets for painting, resin casting, sewing, embroidery, shrinky dinks. You name it, I probably had a way to make it.

Then I was faced with an enormous task; pack all of my stuff to move from Oregon to Montana. I will admit, at times, I wanted to just throw it all away and start over. There was so much stuff! I carefully sorted through everything and eventually made a promise to myself: stop dabbling in everything and just focus on my absolute favorites. I gave away all of my random crafting supplies for painting, drop spindle making, lots of fabric scraps, ribbon, buttons, books, etc. I even gave away yarn and fiber. I decided to focus on knitting, spinning, sewing, and embroidery. In that order. And I only wanted to focus on the projects I was really excited about creating.

BUT- then I got to Montana; it's colder here, I'm no longer going to work everyday, and my creative juices really got flowing. I spun over 20 yarns in 2 weeks. I've finished more knitting projects in 2 months than I did all of 2011. That also means that I've been buying yarn for more projects. There are so many things I want to knit, so many things I want to design, and so many patterns I've written that I think I could make better. It's getting out of control again. I created a Ravelry project page for almost every project I have the yarn and pattern for: THERE ARE 30 OF THEM! and about 10 others that I should create project pages for. I am OUT OF CONTROL.

It's time to set limits for myself, and here is the first one: No more yarn shopping! Not for a very, very long time. I think I need to finish at least 15 projects before I even consider looking at a skein of yarn I don't already own. And you all need to hold me accountable for this! I give you permission to inspect my stash, and scold me when I cheat. Hold me ladies, it's going to be a rough ride.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Sastrugi Cowl Pattern

I may have fallen behind on Blogging, but I have in no way fallen behind on knitting and spinning. I have a new pattern out, the Sastrugi Cowl.


You can purchase it in my Etsy Shop or on Ravelry:




Sastrugi is snow that has been eroded by wind, leaving it rippled and textured. When the weather is cold and windy, all I want to do is bundle up with something warm and cozy. Peter Rabbit is just that. It’s fuzzy and warm and deserves to be close to you face when you need extra snuggles. The texture of this cowl makes it fun to knit and intriguing to look at.

Notes on techniques for this pattern:

Mattress Stitch- a way to seam two edges together. Knitting Daily has a tutorial here: http://bit.ly/9m3Cew and a video can be found on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0thcLro8RI

ABBREVIATIONS USED:
CO- cast on
RS- right side
WS- wrong side
STS- stitches
SSK- slip, slip, knit 2 together
K2TOG- knit 2 together
M1- Make 1
BO- Bind Off