She Knits In The Loop

Gauge Swatch Purses

2010-02-27T09:15:00.010-05:00

In Designing Knitwear, Deborah Newton says that you should always find a way to incorporate your gauge swatch into your design. Her suggestion, was to use it as a pocket or a shoulder pad. (I think we can pretty much date the writing of her book!) At any rate, her suggestion has always stuck in the back of my mind, because what a waste to just toss those old swatches. And ripping and reusing a blocked gauge swatch just won't do!

I started rummaging through my big old bag of swatches filled with years of design ideas, and it was like trip back in time. Since most of the swatches are between 4-6 inches, I thought what about mini pouches? I also found old bits and pieces of felted swatches, perfect for adding accents as well. Luckily, whenever I'm out at vintage shops, I'm always on the lookout for interesting buttons and beads. I was lucky enough to find these 3 buttons at an LYS in my area.

The top orange and variegated pouch is made with Colinette Iona and Mi ssion Falls 1824 superwash wool. The second pouch with the brown button is made in Malabrigo worsted wool, with one pictured here to the right Schaefer Esperanza for the variegated front, and Malabrigo worsted wool for the front flap. The button loop is actually made with a felted piece of Plymouth Homestead. What a treasure I've found in my old swatches. I'm planning getting a little wild with more bits of felting pieces with embroider and beaded accents.

I just made these 3 mini pouches available in my Etsy shop. I'm excited about pumping out a few more today, and hopefully I'll find some time to be "crafty" this weekend!

Scarf Extravaganza is On!

2010-02-22T05:48:00.000-05:00

Winter isn't over yet, and it certainly doesn't feel like it in Florida! My electric bills have been sky-high, and I don't see an end in sight. Next week we're looking at temps in the 30's again! I dread the idea of going directly from using the heat, back to the AC on 24/7. Yuck!

So, since I've been doing a lot of scarf-wearing, which is of course a great way to easily spice up my wardrobe, I decided to "share some love" and offer FREE shipping until the of February in my Etsy shop. I've been having way too much fun making my chunky loopy scarves, and to my surprise not only has it been a popular ready to wear item, I've also had knitters request the pattern for this scarf, so now you can get it here. The thing that I love about this pattern is that it's "brilliantly simple." It's easy to make in one day--- really! I think the biggest challenge for me as a designer, is making that perfect pattern that is so incredibly simple and fashionable, that you could knit it in the dark and it would come out perfect! Once you get the hang of working the loops, that's exactly what this pattern offers. The main part of the scarf is knitted in garter stitch, with the 2 ends in a loopy edge that is created on the first end as newly-casted on stitches, and then on the opposite end, as bound-off stitches.

This scarf pattern, Gone Loopy, I fondly call a "neck shawl," is written to make this in a bulky weight yarn on a size 13 needle. The beauty of this pattern is that you can make this in a chunky or even worsted weight yarn too, the only difference is that it will not come out as wide, but it will still make a perfect scarf no matter what yarn you decide on. Oh, and you only need about 150 yards, so you'll probably only need one skein for this scarf, which is pretty cool. I'm sure if you rummage through your stash, I'll bet you could find the perfect skein right now!

SoopSee: Turning My Etsy Shop Into a Website

2010-01-31T11:16:00.008-05:00

This morning, my goal was to get up and really get my Etsy marketing in order. I'm very pleased with the amount of traffic I get, but I think it could be better, so I looked into this funky new place called soopsee. The way it works, is your Etsy page becomes a website! The thing I love about soopsee is that you can update all your listings with one push of a button. Pretty cool. I consider this an amazing feature since everything on my igottknits website needs to be added manually, which can take several hours of precious time. Integrating soopsee makes total sense because most of my traffic these days is coming from my Etsy page, so it's a no-brainer.

The Pros--Using soopsee is free for a basic account, and as I learned by playing and having lots of fun this morning, there's lots that you can do with just the basic account, so I won't delete igottknits just yet! I also found that with the basic templates they provide, some have more customizable features than others. The template that I chose seems to be the most flexible, and is called: "Rustic." This template allowed me to change my background color to an image, change my font style and colors, and add color blocks. I like to have the ability to strip a template down to a bare screen and add my own elements. Just having a great banner or logo, and good navigation is all you need.

The Cons-- The basic account does not allow you to use your own domain name, and if you already have an Etsy page, it automatically inserts your Avatar on the soopsee homepage, which I find slightly distracting, because it's too similar to my banner. The way I'm going to get around this is to change my Etsy Avatar to something that will really standout on my igottknits soopsee site. I'm thinking a funky little stylized knitting graphic, ball of yarn and needles....we'll play.

The bottom line is the free account seems to be the way to go, because the paid account does not offer too many other benefits other than allowing you to use your own domain, customize your navigation menu, and choose from 2 additional layout templates. So for now, I'm sticking with the free account, and at some point, most definitely move the igottknits domain.

To see the final result, you can check out my new soopsee site here, and feedback is always welcome!

The Scrumble Project: Project #1- Sweet Baby Jane's Scarf

2010-01-08T09:40:00.013-05:00

Now that the New Year is here, the first thing that comes to my mind is cleaning and reorganizing my work studio. I usually do this every 6 months, and it takes lots of discipline on my part to finally do it! I was preparing to "clean house," I came across an old bag of swatching yarns that I always seem to move to a different shelf, often wondering what do with them. The idea of tossing perfectly exquisite pieces of 4 x 4 inch swatches of yarn seems sinful. I've often thought- just hang onto them to use them to make one big Afghan-- yeah sure. I've got lots of extra time on my hands for that and making small pieces is so much more appealing! So, instead of something such as an afghan that will lose my interest in a minute, I came up with my "Scrumble Project." What is scrumbling you ask? Well, it's knitting or crocheting in a free form way, allowing whatever flows off the needle to be part of the project. Also, using various other materials or methods are allowed too! Basically, the idea is to treat your projects like little works of art. In this case, my leftover swatches being the paint palette!

My first project will be a dainty scarf, which will be a spin off of one of my best-selling igottknits patterns: Sweet Baby Jane, pictured to the right. I used Colinette Tao Silk, 100% silk, color #67 Copper Beach. I also used Rowan Wool Cotton, color #SH965 as an accent yarn in the wave edging and eyelet band as you can see in the photo to the left. Since designing this pattern and making the sample, I've had little bits of yarn and several large swatches hanging around. How could I possibly get rid of these delicate little gems?

As I was digging around in my old swatch bag, I hit the jackpot! I found an old Ziploc bag filled with various stockinette swatches, and pattern stitch swatches, with the wavy pattern piece below, calling out- "Make me a scarf!"

The generously-sized swatch measures 7" x 18" making this a perfect primer for a scarf. My plan is to pick up stitches on each end and create a wave pattern and knit and purl ruffle, echoing the Sweet Baby Jane Skirt Edging.

Luckily, with the collection of swatches I found, it looks like I'll have just enough Tao Silk to work the larger knit and purl rib sections as shown in the Sweet Baby Jane skirt, and just enough of the Wool Cotton to use and an accent for the wave pattern.

Hopefully my calculations are correct, and there will be enough yarn to complete Baby Jane's Scarf!

Next Post...

--catch me picking up stitches along with rectangular scarf to create the knit purl and wave edging.

Time to get busy!

A Little Daily Dharma

2009-12-27T14:43:00.003-05:00

For years I've been receiving Daily Dharma emails from Tricycle Magazine, and over the course of time, they've ended in my Junk Mail folder. As a result, I will admit with all the overwhelming emails that I receive each day, I've let them go by the wayside.

For whatever reason, I decided to open up today's Daily Dharma, which I think we can all relate to every now and again- ANGER. It addresses real "freedom," which means being able to CHOOSE how we react in the face of anger. I like that, because it's very empowering to know that we have the ability to react or NOT react. Truly understanding this is where the freedom part comes in, and it puts the ball back in our court. Yeah!

So, here's today's Daily Dharma which I'd like to share....

Real Freedom

Freedom means being able to choose how we respond to things. When wisdom is not well developed, it can be easily obscured by the provocations of others. In such cases we may as well be animals or robots. If there is no space between an insulting stimulus and its immediate conditioned response—anger—then we are in fact under the control of others. Mindfulness opens up such a space, and when wisdom is there to fill it one is capable of responding with forbearance. It’s not that anger is repressed; anger never arises in the first place.

-Andrew Olendzki, "Calm in the Face of Anger," from the Fall 2006 Tricycle

You can read the entire article here.

Let Them Eat Pie

2009-12-24T14:46:00.008-05:00

I think the secret to making the perfect apple pie comes down to 2 very important things-

1. Homemade butter crust

2. Lots of ooey gooey brown sugar

Aside from these two things, of course the apples and only the best ingredients will make your pie the best tasting. Using either Rome, Empire or Red Delicious apples are always the best, so don't use just any old apple. Believe me, because I learned the hard way! I couldn't get good in-season apples, so I once used Macintosh. Bad idea. The pie came out mushy and slightly bitter.

So, I thought in the spirit of Christmas, I'd share my apple pie recipe. It's evolved a bit over the years, because I used to make it with a top layer of crust, but have since done away with that, thanks to my father who once asked me to make it with a brown sugar crumble top. I gave it a whirl, and have been doing that way ever since.

Here's my recipe below, but I will admit, when I make it I don't do too much measuring. My preference to to "feel my way" through the process, but it all works out in the end!

Pie Filling:

2-3 lbs of Rome, Empire or Red Delicious apples. (I lean more toward 3 lbs for a nice hearty pie)
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2- 1 cup of brown sugar (the more the better!)
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
3-4 tablespoons of flour
Cinnamon (optional)

Pie Crust:

1 stick of cold butter (taken right out of the fridge-- it should be very cold)
1 cup of flour
a few tablespoons of water with ice cubes (this should also be very cold)

(An important aspect to a perfect butter crust is to make sure the butter and the water are very cold)

Crumb Top:

1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 stick butter
about 3 tablespoons of flour

Prepare the crust:

1. Place 1 cup of flour in large bowl and cut 1/4 inch slices of 1 stick of butter into bowl. With your fingers break up the butter and blend into the flour until the mixture resembles corn meal.

2. Add a very small amount of the cold water into mixture, working the dough with your hands. Keep adding very small amounts of the water until the dough stops sticking. Form into a flat disk, and cover with clear wrap or place in a baggie. Place in freezer for about 5 minutes to chill.

3. While the crust is chilling peel and core the apples and slice. Place into large bowl and add lemon to apples so they do not brown. Add the sugars, flour and cinnamon. Mix until combined.

4. Grease a 9 inch pie pan. When crust is chilled, place on floured surface and carefully roll out into a circle, slightly larger than pan, being careful not to crack the dough. If that happens, add a touch of water and re-roll. Place into pie pan. Shape crust into pan, and cut excess dough off with scissors, or if you want to get fancy, make "bear claws," which I especially love to do.

5. Prepare the topping by placing 3-4 tbs of flour and 1/2 cup of brown sugar into bowl, and cut in butter the same way as for pie crust. (see picture to the left) When the topping resembles corn meal, it's ready. Drizzle on top of pie. Place a few pats of butter on top, place pie on cookie sheet and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take pie out of oven and "tent" the edge as shown with foil. The crust on the edge of the pie can tend to cook faster, so in order to make sure it does not burn, it's a good idea to do this. Place back in oven for another 25 minutes.

Serve warm of course, and to add even more decadence, some vanilla Hagen Daz on the side!

Have a wonderful holiday!

Blogging 101 for Artists & Designers

2009-12-23T14:53:00.003-05:00

I happened along a great article today, thanks to one of my fellow Etstians. The subject is how to use your blog to promote yourself as an artist by Michael Marine, on his blog: Remarkablogger. Martine states--it’s not the object you’re selling at the end of the day… it’s the stories behind the object. It's one thing to smack up a photo of a finished design, but it's also important along the way.

You may think that documenting your work might make the process a bit more tedious, but in reality it doesn't at all. It's just one extra step. It's so easy to take a digital image and upload it within minutes. When I think back to the days of carting around my cumbersome 35mm camera, and spending a fortune on processing photos that I hoped would come out to my liking. All of that is now a thing of the past. So when you think of it from this perspective, it's easier than ever to document your work. All you have to do is keep your camera permanently attached to your hip....better yet, why not make it into a pretty necklace so it's always on the ready :)

Why not add that extra bit of value and give what your readers are hungry for?

If you want to check out the full story, you can read it here on Remarkablogger.

Quit Your Day Job

2009-12-14T00:05:00.004-05:00

I love reading the inspiring stories about Etsy sellers who were able to Quit Their Day Job and go it solo. I also love to see the little tips and tricks they use and how they market themselves. I especially found this week's story inspiring. When I read Michelle of Cicada Studio's story, my first thought was: Finally, there's someone out there like me trying the time to be mom, run a business and everything else in between! I also loved this little piece of honesty that Michelle shares in her story:

Mostly, I act on impulse — everything is done when the mood strikes: shipping, designing, sewing, emailing, ordering, marketing, etc. I have from 9:30-2:45 to get as much done as possible. When there's a deadline, I make it, but I'm definitely not one to be done with a comfortable time buffer — I always seem to be working up to the last minute.

Oh, thank goodness I'm not the only one like this! It feels so good to know that I'm not alone, and it's ok to NOT be perfect. I beat myself up because I try so darn hard to compartmentalize everything, as if that's possible with a 16 month old running the show! I recently shared my dilemma with a friend about my desire to find the time to focus dedicated and undisturbed amounts of time on my work, and she said "just integrate." You know, it can actually be that easy. Prep London's lunch.... send a quicky email. Stir the oatmeal....knit a stitch. I find that when I don't think about things too much, or ruminate over how to fit it all in, everything works out perfectly without effort. So maybe it's just time for me to let go of the oars, because all will work out as it should anyway. Every day is different, and there is nothing inherently existent in my day to day business activities. When I finally embrace that reality and learn to roll with it, then all will be blissful in Kara land.

Anyway, you can read Cicada Studio's story here.

I love to spend lots of time on Etsy, and have discovered some of the little tricks to getting others to see your work-- and that is to always list new items. A great example of how true this is- yesterday I posted 3 new items, and I sold 3 items! 1 of them not, even an hour after listing! The green scarf the the left is the piece that was snatched up before I could even review my listing. And get this-- when I post a new item, I share it on Facebook, and wouldn't you know it, one of my friends wanted the scarf too, and when they tried to buy it-- GONE! So guess what? I made another just last night, and fast! I like to call these moments "insansknitting."

I'm feeling a little anxious right now because I haven't posted any items to my shop yet, so I'll do things a little opposite, and share a little preview of what I'm about to post hopefully before I doze off.

This little number to the right, is a short neck "shawl" as I fondly call this scarf because it nicely rests on the neck and keeps you toasty warm and very haute couture. I love using interesting shapes and different combinations of fiber in one design. I'm really into knit-on fringe, and loops so you'll be seeing lots of that in my work these days.

I've really come back "full circle" to my free forming roots to create for the sake of creating. I've learned recently that this way of working only paves the way for more creative and expressive knitting patterns later!

Off to get my Etsy fix!

Thanks For The Nudge-- Here's Your Post

2009-12-11T21:04:00.010-05:00

Thanks for the little kick in the--- Here's the long awaited post. Thanks anonymous whoever you are. Ever since the It's In the Bag Blog Tour, it seems that time has escaped me. Yikes, last post November? So much to do, so little.....well, you know how it goes.

So what's up you ask? I just had lots of fun redesigning my Etsy store. Lots of fun new stuff. No patterns lately, just lots of free-forming it, one-of-a-kind designs! It's nice to take a break from pattern writing, and just let my new creations flow right off the needles. I'm gearing up for a craft show next Saturday, 12/19. If you're in St. Pete, stop by ARTpool gallery for lots of fun and meet other Etsians too.

It's amazing what you can get done when you put your mind to it-- Today, while L was napping, I managed to take a ton of pictures of two new scarves as well as redesign my Etsy logo. Woo hoo.

Thanks for the nudge anonymous....promise to keep those posts coming.

We Have A Winner!

2009-11-29T17:45:00.004-05:00

Ms Yarn is the winner of the Molly Bag by DellaQ!

The bag on the front cover of It's In the Bag is Calypso by Lantern Moon. Thanks to everyone who took part in the tour, and I hope it was a fun ride for everyone!

Ms Yarn, your bag is on its way!

It's In The Bag Blog Tour -- Last Change to Win The Molly Bag by DellaQ!

2009-11-24T20:19:00.005-05:00

I can't believe we're nearing the end of the It's In The Bag blog tour already. Where has the time gone? I've thouroghly enjoyed reading all of the posts, and the in-depth interviews with a few of the designers. I feel very fortunate to have found some great bloggers willing to take part in this tour and to review the book for everyone to enjoy!

Even though the tour ends tomorrow, there are still a few contests that you can enter. It seems that my contest for the Molly Bag by DellaQ is my best kept secret! I've decided to be even more generous, and extend this contest until after Thanksgiving. So enjoy your turkey and leave me a comment here.

If you're catching the tail end of the tour, you can still start from the beginning. Get the full schedule here.

Tomorrow's stop: Faina Goberstein's blog-Faina's Knitting Mode Don't miss Faina's review: "What's in the Bag for Kids," where she emphasizes great projects for kids, and great tips for knitting on short trips! Don't forget to leave Faina a comment about what kinds of traveling tips you use with your kids. They don't even need be about knitting...but of course we love that! If you still want another chance to win the book, your tip will be entered in a drawing for another chance to win a free copy!

Day 6: It's In The Bag Blog Tour- Yeah for Knitting Bags! Laura Nelkin of Nelkin Designs, Great Travel Tips & Namaste Knitting Needle Case Giveaway!

2009-11-21T21:23:00.005-05:00

Yeah Laura! More knitting bags and some awesome tips too! It's great to make your knitting look pretty with just the right bag. Laura Nelkin of Nelkin Designs shares a few traveling tips and is holding a contest too! Don't miss on your chance to win a Namaste Needle Case.

Check out Laura's post here, and don't miss tomorrow's stop: Day 7- Cindy, The Fitter Knitter will chat with Colleen Smitherman about her It's a Wrap shrug. Colleen will share some of her inspiration behind this fashion-forward design!

DellaQ Bag Giveaway!

2009-11-20T20:26:00.004-05:00

Good news! You still have a chance to win this awesome Molly bag by DellaQ. The contest will run through the last day of the It's In The Bag Blog tour. Check out my post with Laura Bryant here to get all the details. All you have to do is guess who made the bag on the cover of It's In The Bag, and your name will be entered to win.

Here's a little bonus for you-- if you can also guess the NAME of the bag along with the manufacturer, you're name will be entered twice!

Leave your comment here!

It's In The Bag Blog Tour- Day 5: I'm Knitting As Fast As I Can

2009-11-20T20:16:00.005-05:00

On today's stop, Susan Lawrence of Knitting As Fast As I Can interviews Colleen Smitherman about her Knit, Then Weave Placemats. I appreciate how Susan has taken things a step further by sharing a weaving tutorial. If you wan to catch the full interview, you can read it here. You can also take part in Susan's contest to win a free copy of It's In the Bag.

Tomorrow, Day 6- make sure you visit Laura Nelkin's blog: Nelkin Designs Laura will discuss some fun and innovative ways for you to make traveling with your knitting a breeze! Leave Laura a comment with your own tips and you can get another chance to win a free copy of It's In The Bag and a Namaste Needle Case!

It's In The Bag Blog Tour- Day 4: Inteview With Laura Bryant of Prism Yarn & Contest to Win a Free Knitting Bag!!

2009-11-19T06:30:00.006-05:00

As promised, today's the day to enter your comment to win this Molly Bag by DellaQ! All you need to do is leave a comment on this post. But here's the catch -- you need to answer this trivia question- What company designed the knitting bag on the front cover of It's In the Bag? If you guess correctly, your name will be entered to win the Molly bag!

Today, I'm chatting with Laura Bryant of Prism Yarn about her two designs in It's In the Bag, and Laura has also generously shared some insight about how she got her start in the knitting industry.

Kara: What was the inspiration behind your Gossamer Capelet and Simply Stripes Scarf?

Laura: Simply Stripes grew out of a desire to use really luscious yarns in a project easy enough for a beginner. Hand dyed yarns often look better when the stripes are stretched out, so working the scarf long-ways allows those long color runs to really shine. Also, Angora is a dear yarn where a little goes a long way, and working stripes with plainer yarns allows it to be prominent without breaking the bank. Definitely a case where less is more…the Angora becomes more important when contrasted with a plainer yarn. The Gossamer Capelet grew out of a class I teach called “Flounces, Frills & Fichus”. It explores making lacy fabric that has built in arcs (the Capelet is a circle when you lay it flat). Usually that kind of shaping is achieved with short rows, a technique I also work with, but that drives some people crazy. Again, this is a project that even an inexperienced knitter can make, and opening up the gauge on the lace weight kid mohair is really economical.

Kara: Can you share a little about the yarns you used for each of these projects? The color combinations are so vibrant and beautiful. How do you decide on what colors to use each time you create a new collection? What kind of inspiration do you draw from?

Laura: Of course, color is what I do all day long every day. 35 years of working as an artist, teaching color and designing color combinations for Prism, my hand dyed yarn company, sort of makes it pervasive! I love wacky combinations: acid greens functioning as neutrals, as they do in Simply Stripes, and soft glimmers of pastels accented by beige, like the Gelato colorway (mint, blueberry, raspberry & mocha—just imagine!) of the Gossamer Capelet. As I said, a little bit of angora goes a long way, so pairing Prism Angora with Lotus, a lovely merino/silk/bamboo blend, allows the Angora to create a soft fuzz while the Lotus anchors it and stretches the value. Lace weight kid mohair, Gossamer, is perfect for the Capelet and for the general technique of using long stitches to create shape as mohair’s long brushed nap causes the air spaces to be filled with fiber, keeping the stitches in their place. Really, just a kiss of warmth on your shoulders. I kind of look at the world with wide-eyed wonder, noticing color all the time and gaining inspiration from color combinations I see in the world. I have a large file of things I’ve torn from magazines: fashion, landscape, ads, science photos—you name it. If I don’t have a strong sense of a season’s color direction, I go to the file for inspiration.

Kara: You provide a great tip with your Simply Stripes Scarf to “fringe as you work.” How might a knitter traveling with this project use something they have handy to make fringe on the go?

Laura: Interesting to me how many knitters are also avid readers! A paperback book is the perfect size to measure the tails as you cut them. I also find that the distance between the tip of my outstretched thumb and middle finger is just about 8”, a perfect length for fringe. Once you have measured one tail, you can continue to measure against it for new rows, remembering that no matter how good you are at measuring, you’ll still have to even the ends up when it’s done.

Kara: I love the use of the loose garter stitch on your Gossamer Capelet. The use of large needles with skinny-gauge yarn makes for a such a unique look. What inspired you to do this? Why did you choose a lace-weight yarn and a size 8 needle for this design?

Laura: Not quite as radical as it seems, as the Gossamer is doubled. That particular construction requires a needle small enough to hold the tighter end tightly, and allow the double and triple wraps to blossom out. I love thinking outside of the tradition box, and this is just one example.

Kara: Can you share a little about the construction process of this Capelet?

Laura: The idea is that bigger and bigger stitches cause the fabric to flare out. If you look at how a flounce is created when sewing with fabric, a long circular piece is straightened out and the inside curve is sewn along a straight line. The capelet, and a long scarf that is available as a free pattern the Prism Yarn website. Take advantage of the fact that you can create the same kind of arcs by knitting tightly at one end of a row and using double and triple wraps to make bigger stitches at the other end of the row. Then it’s reversed, first working triple, then double, then regular wraps. This isn’t the same as making a yarn over between stitches; it is actually wrapping the yarn two or three times around the needle as the stitch is made. A little awkward at first, but really fun and quick to knit (thus economical!) once you get into it.

Kara: Can you tell me what first attracted you to knitting? When did you start designing and producing yarn? Prism Yarn is quite popular in the industry. How did you first get the company off the ground?

Laura: Mom taught my Brownie troop how to knit and it just stuck. I was always a busy kid, much happier when I was engaged in creating something. Prism Arts began in 1984 as a side interest to my art weaving career, when I discovered that selling artwork was an unpredictable business and I needed a more reliable way to earn a living. While clerking in a local yarn shop, I realized there were such positions as manufacturer’s representatives: sales reps that traveled from store to store showing the season’s yarn lines. I talked my way into a rep position for several better yarn lines, including Tahki Stacy Charles, and began traveling through upstate New York. While visiting stores and attending national trade shows, I had a “V-8” moment when I realized that there existed a market for hand dyed yarns. Having trained extensively in color and dyeing while in art school, I thought “I can do that!”, and approached Diane Friedman at Tahki Stacy Charles about hand dyeing their Designer Tweed line of wool. Thus Prism was born. It started in my basement in Buffalo, migrated to a garage at my husband Matt’s machine shop, and then really got going in 1992 when we moved from Buffalo to Florida.

Kara: You also design patterns under your Prism label. Can you tell me a little about your current collection. What kind of projects can we expect to see?

Laura: I am doing a lot of work with interesting silhouettes and colors—I just finished a booklet for Prism called Hoodinis! They are a take-off on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s moebius hoods, but I updated them with fashion yarns and made them bigger and longer so they can be worn a multitude of ways: as a scarf, wrap, hood, collar and even a shrug. For spring we have a great new chunky cotton/rayon yarn with thick slubs that we are using for shrugs and hoodies, like a beach cover-up. I am more and more interested in using sand washed solid colors together in things like subtle stripes and simple fair isle patterns.

Kara: Martingale recently re-issued a book that you co-authored with Barry Klein of Trendsetter Yarns called: A New Knitter’s Template. I would love to hear more about this book. What kind of designs are featured? Are the projects approachable for knitters of every level?

Laura: Actually, we just finished the re-writes and the book will be released next June. Tentatively titled A New Knitter’s Template, the book no longer features patterns for specific sweaters. Rather, it is a work-horse handbook of nine different gauges across thirty different sizes, with many style options for necklines, armholes and length. Chapters move step by step through taking proper measurements, matching yarn to project, deciding on style details and ease, and then actually pulling numbers from our templates and plugging them into the pattern blank so that you have exactly what you want every time. Any knitter with this book will no longer be searching for a shawl collared sweater in XXL at a 5 ½ per inch gauge. You simply plug the numbers in and voila! A custom pattern. We have written it in a very approachable, conversational style that is accessible to even advanced beginner knitters.

Kara: Please share a little about your one-of-a-kind pursuits. You also are a weaver. Can you share a little about that?

Laura: I started life after college (art school to be exact) wanting nothing more than to be an artist. The realities of selling art reliably enough to live hurt my artwork, and my search to make only “saleable” work took its toll. As a result, I decided to keep my artwork part of my soul, and make a living with more commercial work. Prism has been so busy over the last few years that I haven’t had much time for artwork, but I am very fortunate to sell most everything I manage to make. I had a show 18 months ago here in St. Petersburg, and you can view that work here. It is interesting how much my knitting and weaving/painting influence each other. They are very different processes: my weavings are made with very fine, plain yarns and the images have a lot of geometric structure, while knitting often entails lots of texture. Nonetheless, they both involve color, color, color, which really is at the center of my life.

A colorful life indeed! I can clearly see how your love for weaving and color have such a strong influence over how you design your unique yarn collection.

Thanks again for sharing such an inspiring interview Laura, and for taking some time out of your busy schedule to chat with me today!

Tomorrow's stop-- Day 5: Susan Lawrence's blog- Knitting As Fast As I Can Susan will be interviewing Colleen Smitherman about her Knit, Then Weave Placemats, and hosting a weaving tutorial. Also- don't miss out on another contest to win a free copy of It's In The Bag. Don't miss this post!

It's In The Bag Blog Tour- Day 3: Knitting Knoobie "A Newer Knitter's Perspective"

2009-11-18T14:12:00.004-05:00

I really like how Knitting Knoobie took the angle of the "new knitter" because I made sure that many of the projects in It's In The Bag would be approachable for beginners, and I think I've accomplished that. Susie Gauguan has provided a very nice overview of many of the projects that are perfect for someone just heading into the unknown waters of starting their first sweater, and the Take It On The Road Tank, pictured below, is the perfect project to jump in with.

So, instead of giving away too much, jump on over to Knitting Knoobie and check out the full review here.

Tomorrow, don't miss my in-depth interview with Laura Bryant of Prism Yarn about her Gossamer Capelet and Simply Stripes Scarf. Laura will also share will also chat with me about how she became a success in the needle arts industry.

It's In The Bag Blog Tour: Day 2- Kat Coyle with Laura Nelkin

2009-11-18T12:48:00.005-05:00

Here we are, already on Day 3 of the It's In the Bag Blog Tour, and now I must play a little catch up after few days of mommy duty and play dates!

What a treat it was to read Kat Coyle's Interview with Laura Nelkin. Laura, what a Renaissance woman you are! The first part of Kat's interview opens with an introduction to Laura's gorgeous Andrea Cuffs, made in Schaefer Andrea, 100% cultivated silk. When Laura sent me her design concept for these cuffs, it was a no-brainer too feature them in the book. They're easy enough to make in a few days, and you don't need to invest lots of $$ to make them either. If you're a fan of Laura's work, you know that she designs some beautiful little gems using small quantities of many of Schaefer's beautiful yarns, making the purchase of just a skein per project won't hurt anyone's pocket book.

So now, without further ado, you can read Kat Coyle's full interview here with Laura Nelkin of Nelkin Designs. When you're done reading this inspiring interview, don't forget to hop on over to check out Laura's very informative beading tutorial here.

Thanks Kat & Laura!

Stay tuned for my mini review of today's post: Knitting Knoobie's review from a "Newer Knitter's Perspective."

It's In The Blog Tour- Day 1: Hook and Needle Girl

2009-11-16T15:54:00.004-05:00

Hook and Needle Girl kicked off the blog tour yesterday with her great introduction to many of the projects in It's In the Bag. Holly shares bits and pieces of many of the projects, which is a great way to give you a little "primer" of what to expect! You can view the full book review here. Thanks for a great review Holly!

If you want the full tour schedule, you can get it here here.

Also...stay tuned for more info about today's stop- Kat Coyle's blog, where she interviews Laura Nelkin about her Andrea Beaded Cuffs.

Fiber Artist Friday Interview- Part 2

2009-11-15T07:25:00.004-05:00

Gosh, I only have like 5 minutes to write this, and then start getting ready for my craft show today in Safety Harbor. It's been about 10 years since I last did a craft show. This one should be lots of fun because lots of other Etsian's will there too! It's so nice to treat myself to doing shows, which allows me to sell one-of-a-kind designs. It's nice to be able to just make something that just flows right off the needle. It's definitely a nice contrast to all the technical pattern writing and proofreading. Being able to jump into a project without writing down a single thing can be REALLY liberating!

Hook and Needle Girl posted Part 2 to my interview with her for Fiber Artist Friday. Once again, I feel so flattered that she referred to me as a Renaissance woman. Hardly, but what a nice gesture! Sure, I do lots of things, but my floors could sure use some cleaning!

So now on to packing for the show!

Don't miss Hook and Needle Girl tomorrow! She's kicking off the It's In the Bag Blog Tour!!

Fiber Artist Friday Feature on Hook & Needle Girl

2009-11-13T12:41:00.003-05:00

I want to share my interview with Holly Barcelo,on her blog: Hook and Needle Girl. She has invited me to be in the spotlight today for her Fiber Artist Friday feature today! I'm blushing a bit too because I'm listed right at the top of her "People In The Know" links along with Yarn Harlot and The Panopticon. Woo hoo! I was surprised to read that Holly will be adding a little bonus post tomorrow, featuring Part 2 of our interview.

Hook and Needle Girl will also be the first blogger to jump-start the It's In The Bag Blog Tour scheduled to start on 11/16. You can grab the schedule here. The tour will run for 10 days, ending 11/25 right before Turkey Day. Can't wait to get started!

It's In The Bag Blog Tour- The Tour Schedule & Contests

2009-11-09T15:28:00.032-05:00

We're finally ready to make this tour happen, and I promise it's going to be lots of fun, so don't miss out because not only will you get an inside peek at the projects in the book, but you'll also get a chance to win some pretty cool knitting bags and free copies of It's In the Bag too!

SAVE THE DATES!
When: 11/16-11/25
Where: 10 Really Cool Blogs

Tour Itinerary:
Day 1- 11/16: Holly Barcelo's blog- Hook and Needle Girl
Don't miss Holly's introduction to many of the exciting designs in the book. Holly will also chat with me about the editing process, and a behind-the-scenes look into how this book was created.

Day 2- 11/17: Kat Coyle's blog- www.katcoyle.com/blog/. Kat will spend some time with Laura Nelkin discussing her Andrea Beaded Cuffs. Also- Don't miss Laura's beading tutorial at Nelkin Designs.

Day 3- 11/18: Susie Gaughan's blog- Knitting Knoobie Don't miss Susie's review of many of the easy and beginner projects as she discusses them from a "newer knitter's" perspective.

Day 4- 11/19: Kara Gott Warner's blog- She Knits In The Loop I will talk with Laura Bryant of Prism Yarn about her two designs in It's In the Bag: Simply Stripes Scarf and Gossamer Capelet. Laura will also discuss how she got her start, and how she became a sensation in the knitwear world. I will also be holding a contest to win this really cool Molly Bag by DellaQ.

Day 5- 11/20: Susan Lawrence's blog- Knitting As Fast As I Can Susan will be interviewing Colleen Smitherman about her Knit, Then Weave Placemats, and hosting a weaving tutorial. Also- don't miss out on another contest to win a free copy of It's In The Bag. Don't miss this post!
Day 6- 11/21: Laura Nelkin's blog: Nelkin Designs Laura will discuss some fun and innovative ways for you to make traveling with your knitting a breeze! Leave Laura a comment with your own tips and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a free copy of It's In The Bag and a Namaste Needle Case!

Day 7- 11/22: Cindy Moore's blog- The Fitter Knitter Cindy will chat with Colleen Smitherman about her It's a Wrap shrug. Colleen will share some of her inspiration behind this fashion-forward design.

Day 8- 11/23: Glenna C's blog- Knitting to Stay Sane Don't miss Glenna's post, because she'll be holding a contest for you to win the sweetest DellaQ drawstring bag! Also in store is an interview with Cecily Glowick MacDonald about her Uptown Chic Satchel.

Day 9- 11/24: Lynn Hershberger's blog- Color Joy. Lynn will chat with Melissa Leapman about her 3 designs in the book: Dual Texture Tunic, Outback Basket Weave Pullover and Saucy Stripes Pullover.

Day 10- 11/25: Faina Goberstein's blog-Faina's Knitting Mode Don't miss Faina's review: "What's in the Bag for Kids," where she emphasizes great projects for kids, and great tips for knitting on short trips! Don't forget to leave Faina a comment about what kinds of traveling tips you use with your kids. They don't even need be about knitting...but of course we love that! If you still want another chance to win the book, your tip will be entered in a drawing for another chance to win a free copy!

See you on the 16th!

21 Day Challenge: Day 19- The Target Incident

2009-11-09T14:25:00.005-05:00

It's amazing how 21 days can fly by! As I write this, we're now on Day 20 of my 21 Day Challenge. I've been sharing bits and pieces of this challenge, and it's been a great way to remain accountable. It was so nice to receive private emails from a few of you about how my little "Jewel Moments" have inspired you. Thanks for following along!

Jewel Moment: Caused a shopping cart collision at Target.
Emotion(s): Panic, fear, worry, embarrassment.
A funny thing happened on the way to Target..... well, actually leaving. As usual, I was multi-tasking trying to fit everything on my daily to do list. I guess I was a little absent minded, and definitely in a rush, and so I did some stupid things on my way out of the store. The first- forgetting the London's diapers. (Now, how could I miss a box of 96 Huggies!) The second, was leaving my cart near the entrance of the store, thinking I would be doing them a "favor" so they would not have to retrieve it from the parking lot. As you read on, you'll soon see that had to be done anyway. So, as I was walking toward my car, guess what was going the other way right into traffic- my shopping cart. I tried to run to get it before it could do any damage, but it was too late! It hit, head on collision with a car heading out of the lot.

My first impulse was to rush up to this very angry woman to apologize and to let her know that I would take care of any damage this caused. Just as I decided to head her way, off she sped angrily in her car. My first thought was relief, but I kinda felt guilty about that, because I was glad I didn't have to deal with her! But then, this other emotion came over me- sadness, because MY action made someone else angry. I don't know if I caused any damage to her car, but that's not the point. Of course I didn't mean for this to happen, but I could have been a little more careful by placing the cart back inside the store.

So, I got back in my car, forgetting that the diapers were nowhere in sight, until a sales associate came rushing out of the store trying flag me down. She displayed a nervous smile when I said-- "I'm surprised you gave these to me since I just created some heavy Karma out here in this parking lot."

Action: As I drove away, I tried to go easy on myself because hey, this is water under the bridge, she's gone. But how could I make up for this? How can I make this experience positive? From that point on, I decided that my goal for the rest of the day was to I make sure that I found a way to make everyone that crossed my path happy, and maybe in some small way the woman in the parking lot may have received some of my good merit through "osmosis" perhaps.

Life can sure have a funny way to teaching us lessons, and to find happiness can sometimes come out of uncomfortable experiences too. This little lesson taught me that there is always a silver lining if you look for it, and just because something may seem negative, there's always potential for a positive on the other side.

Funny how, in a crazy roundabout way, the woman in the Target parking lot was my Buddha-in-Disguise today and she didn't even know it.

21 Day Challegne: Day 18- Taking The Time To Practice

2009-11-07T06:46:00.003-05:00

As I was trying to come up with a snappy and inspiring post title for this 18th day on my 21 Day Challenge, I decided to keep it straight to the point. Over the past week or so I've lost my practice of spending time in the morning to meditate and to contemplate my day ahead. Whenever I experience this kind of laziness I like to compare it to going to the gym. The bottom line is, everything good and worthwhile thing we want to accomplish take EFFORT. We all need to put in time for our spiritual "workout" even if for just 5 minutes. But why is this the last thing I end up doing? Why is it human nature to get caught up with our daily tasks?

So today, I've made a strong determination to apply effort and remain mindful of every action I take today, and to not become complacent by focusing on the tiny mundane details. My plan is to completely focus on compassion, wisdom, concentration and how I can be of service to others in everything I do. Let's see if this girl can do it!

21 Day Challenge: Day 13- The Morning Cup of Coffee

2009-11-02T07:00:00.006-05:00

Jewel Moment: The Morning Cup of Coffee

Emotion(s): Excitement, Happiness, Joy, Comfort

Action: Having that cup of Joe of course! Yes, this is my morning ritual, and I wonder is it so bad that I'm attached to wanting this experience first thing in the morning? It's one nice big cup. No harm in that, right? In reality, I admit to drinking about 12 ounces, which is twice the recommended "6oz cup" that is considered"acceptable," as stated in Caffeine Blues. Isn't it funny though, 6 oz is NOT a cup, and no coffee drinker drinks just 6 ounces. In reality, it's a nice little trick to keep us thinking it's ok to keep on drinking it. So now I shall correct myself by calling this my morning "drug" perhaps? These Ten Reasons To Avoid Caffeine state it plainly. Talk about ruining my morning experience!

So, let's get into the "attachment" part of it- nothing wrong with the the "cup of coffee" itself, but maybe the attachment to the expectation of having it? In reality, weather I have that cup or not, should not matter either way. But in reality, If I were to wake up and realize that we were out of coffee, I'd run out in jammies for more! So there in lies the problem my friends. WHY oh why can't I be attached to this one little thing each morning? The simple truth is, it makes me happy. Well, maybe just for just a little while.......

Last Minute Halloween Miracles Can Happen!

2009-10-30T22:29:00.005-04:00

Today was spent frantically trying to find just the right Halloween costume for our little London. A casual outing turned into a fiasco. I was so frustrated with myself that we went at the last minute. (it was on last week's To Do List by the way!) What a ridiculous flurry of frantic people running around Party City trying to find just the right $30 rubber mask, only to wear it once and toss in the garage.

As Jay and I desperately searched for the perfect costume, we were totally at a loss- nothing but baby bumble bee buntings, wigs made of dreadlocks and head-to-toe outfits that would make our poor little baby sweat like the dickens.

We finally left Party City feeling defeated, and headed over to Toys R' Us. Mind you, we had no great expectations, but from the moment we walked in, there was London's costume pulling us to it like a magnet. It was the most perfect, cutest dinosaur costume ever! Woo hoo, and we were outa there in 5 minutes flat.

Little last-minute costume shopping perk: Going last minute isn't always advisable, but the getting 50% off ain't too shabby baby!