Sowing

Last year we had a seriously kickin' garden. At least for tomatoes. We had a few other things but the tomatoes did the best and I am not complaining! We have enjoyed spaghetti sauce and canned tomatoes for the past few months. I'm disappointed because I've finally used up all the tomatoes themselves and have had to resort back to the store-bought. There is something incredibly rewarding (and tasty!) about being able to use one's own crops.

Last weekend we got started for this year's garden. Not only is is that time of year, but the kids and I had just returned from a trip to visit our good friends in Atlanta who are always ahead of the game in these terms. So Andres' led by example and I hurried home to start some planting.

Then comes the waiting! This is my least favorite part. Keeping my fingers crossed that seeds will sprout...but luckily for me, I didn't have to wait long!

Carrots popped up after only 3 days. Another part of growing that I don't like is having to pull out the weaker seedlings. Darwinian or not, I feel so wrong punishing the little sprouts. This has gotten me into trouble in the past because if you don't weed out then you end up with stunted growth for all of them. Really, I should just plant ONE seed per box and then I'd never have this problem. Not sure why right now is the first time I'm thinking of this. Oops.

Anyway, you can see that I got a little carried away with the carrots. Carrot seeds are super small and they just kept sticking to my fingers so it looks like I probably put significantly more than the suggested 3-4 seeds per box. More weeding :( But not just yet! But the carrots are not the only things to have popped up. Cilantro and Dill have also appeared.

Speaking of herbs. I cut my Rosemary back for new growth and here is my harvest. Its drying out in the really neat hanging buckets I got from Ikea last week. I won't be wasting the buckets on herb-drying normally. I'll be putting some indoor herbs in them once my seedlings are ready for transplant! But right now, it looks pretty to have the Rosemary in them and the house smells amazing.

Back to my trays for a minute, I've got all sorts of yumminess inside them! I made myself a little chart for reference. Sorry my picture isn't the best and you can't read every box, but there are 72 boxes, + an 18 carton egg tray (all cucumber because I'm crazy for cucumber) + a 12 carton egg tray (2 varieties of pepper plus parsley). I've got several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, herbs, several varieties of broccoli. Its probably a little late for the broccoli but I'm going to give it a shot. You never know.

Most of these seeds I got from WinterSown. This is a wonderful site with heirloom seeds. Best of all, you can actually get them free! The tomato seeds I planted were the very few that I had left over from last year, this year they sent some broccoli and a lot of flowers. I did plant some of the flower seeds directly outside so here's hoping it makes my yard pretty.

Also outside, strawberries! I got lots of runners from last years strawberry plants. There were only two in the very corner and take a look now (above). The fresh dirt around them is where I planted some flower seeds. My problem now is actually how I'm going to contain the strawberries so they don't take over the whole garden.

And last but not least, here are my blueberry plants. They have lots of red and I'm hopeful that this year we'll get some fruit. Last year they were fresh seedlings and they grew a lot, but no berries. We've been pretty good about keeping the soil acidic.

I hope you'll excuse the non-knitting related post. But I'm pretty proud of the work we did this week and had to show somebody.

Sand Vest

Warmth is upon us! In South Carolina at least... We had this photo shoot several weeks ago and I was thrilled that Jesse didn't even have to be cold while modeling this vest. My very own wannabe Ralph Lauren model (don't ya think?), photographed by Jordan.

Sand Vest is another broadly sized design worked seamlessly. Sizes 2-12 are included in the pattern, as is a full schematic so that you can make adjustments where needed. You'll work from the bottom up in a Texture Pattern which is written out in the round, flat (where you'll use it for the front and back), AND charted for those that prefer. This pattern really includes a ton of information for you to work it exactly as you like!

When I initially envisioned the vest, it actually was striped in color. In fact, I knit up an entire sample this way. It was super cute, however, once I got to the top of the vest the color changes were just insane and I got to thinking I might actually prefer it in a solid.

Thus, I started over with some Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton (love!) and that's how the design became the Sand Vest. I love how the texture is pebbly, and I knew exactly what Jesse was going to wear it with after working only a few rounds. Perhaps I should have given a little more thought to his crazy head of hair before the photo shoot?

Boys beware, mama's gonna spiff you up with this one.

Knitter's information
Size: 2(4, 6, 8, 10, 12)
Finished Chest Measurements: 23(25, 27, 28, 30, 32) inches
Gauge: 16 sts and 25 rows per 4 inches in Texture Pattern
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton [100% cotton; 99 yards/91 meters per 1.8 ounce/50 gram skein] 3(3, 4, 4, 5, 5) skeins each #605 "Beige" or 230(265, 320, 365, 425, 475) yards
Tools: Size 7(4.5 mm) 24" circular needles and set of 5 DPNs, Size 6(4.0 mm) 16" circular needles, stitch marker

This pattern is available online exclusively at Patternfish! You can get it here or click on any of the pictures above.

Tot Toppers Cottage Licensing

Knitters take note! I am now offering cottage licenses for my original designs. A cottage license gives you the right to use Tot Toppers patterns for profit. There are so many different ways to work cottage licensing. To keep it simple, I came up with two options. Both options are lifetime in nature. Once you are licensed for a particular pattern, you will not have to renew it. As someone who has worked selling handknits, I know how hard it is to be profitable!

1) Limited License for $30 that covers 4 patterns of your choice; additional patterns can be added for $8 each at any time. 4 is the minimum to start.

2) Unlimited License for $200 that not only covers my 30+ currently published patterns, but also includes patterns I publish in the future. FYI, I'm 26 years old and just getting started :)

Please note that these licenses DO NOT include pattern purchase and you are not given license to produce any design for which you have not shown record of purchase. For patterns that are available free of charge (this currently includes Tiger Stamped and the Cheery Scrap Cap), you DO need a license to sell these knits but the pattern is of course still free of charge.

If this is of interest you, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail and we'll talk and get the paperwork started.

FYI-I think my best seller was probably ROAR! But the Ruffled Stripe Hat was close, followed by Checkered Square Cap and Trail Cap.

   

Grrrrrrrrreen Eyed Monster Hat

Its March. Its time to think happy *spring* thoughts and therefore fun and funky hats to brighten up winter days, right?

Well, here you have it. This is such a unique and whimsical hat. So many ways to make it your own too. The pattern, of course, shows you how to make exactly what I did, but it also gives some pointers on ideas where you can play around. One clever designer friend, Carey, suggested that you make this Monster hat a pillow by simply seaming the bottom together and using a little stufffing. Now that sounds like fun to me!

For as many compliments as I get when one of my boys are wearing Roar, I can imagine this one is going to be received just as well, if not better. Monsters are all the rage.

Photography by Sara Parker


(At this particular photo shoot, Jesse had to be bribed constantly with fruit snacks to not take off the hat! What can I say, some shoots go better than others.)















Knitter's information
Size: Newborn(0-6 months, 6-12 months, Toddler, Child)
Finished Head Circumference: 12 (14, 16, 17.5, 19.5) inches
Gauge: 20 sts and 30 rows per 4 inches in stockinette
Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Bunny Hop Solid [50% micro acrylic, 42% micro nylon, 8% rabbit angora; 113 yd/103 meters per 1.8 ounce/50 gram skein] 1(1, 1, 2, 2) skeins #2201 or 75(95, 110, 130, 150) yards MC; scraps for A(shown brown), B(shown orange), C(shown green)
Tools: Size 5(3.75 mm) 16" circular needles and set of 5 DPNs, stitch markers, crochet hook

On this funky hat each spike is knit in the round at the top of the hat, one after the other. Eye pieces are knit separately and stitched to the front of the hat. A crocheted edge accents the brim and several of the spikes. Moms at the park will be green eyed over this one!

Vintage Petti Set

This dress has been floating around in my head for months. Its one of the few things that I thoroughly sketched prior to casting on. I made a few changes as the knitting progressed, but all in all its what I was hoping for! I entered the design in Ravelympics as part of the Designer Biathlon event. This meant that I wasn't allowed to cast on for the project until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, and I did all the knitting and pattern publishing within these past (just under) 2 weeks. I like a challenge!

Sweet, girly girl, ruffled, springy, vintage...all pretty accurate descriptions I would say. I got to work with a guest photographer! Her name is Jordan, and she is part of Landon Jacob Productions. She was so nice and great with the kids. I really enjoyed meeting her! And little Miss Addison was the perfect model! Check out this pose:



The dress is knit from the bottom up in the round.


Sleeves are worked in the round too, until you work the shaping for the sleeve cap. Setting in the sleeves is the only seaming required for the garment!


Full schematics are included in the pattern, I think the dress would look really cute with the skirt a little shorter.


And really, how could you not knit the matching hat!



Knitter's information
DRESS
Size: 0-6 months(6-12 months, 12-18 months, 2)
Finished Chest Measurements: 18(19.25, 20.25, 21.5) inches
Gauge: 19 sts and 25 rows per 4 inches in stockinette on size 7 needles with MC
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Worsted [75% pima cotton, 25% acrylic; 109 yards/100 meters per 1.8 ounce/50 gram skein] 4(5, 6, 6) skeins Flamingo and Knit Picks Shine Worsted [60% pima cotton, 40% modal natural beech wood fiber; 75 yards/69 meters per 1.8 ounce/50 gram skein] 3 skeins Serenade or 375(475, 550, 640) yards MC and 180(190, 200, 210) yards CC
Tools: Size 7(4.5 mm) and Size 8(5 mm) 24" circular needles and set of 5 DPNs in both sizes, stitch markers

HAT
Size: Newborn(3-6 months, 6-12 months, Toddler, Child)
Finished Head Circumference: 11.75(13.5, 15.25, 16.75, 18.5) inches
Gauge: 19 sts and 25 rows per 4 inches in stockinette on size 7 needles with MC
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Worsted [75% pima cotton, 25% acrylic; 109 yards/100 meters per 1.8 ounce/50 gram skein] 1(1, 2, 2, 2) skeins Flamingo and Knit Picks Shine Worsted [60% pima cotton, 40% modal natural beech wood fiber; 75 yards/69 meters per 1.8 ounce/50 gram skein] 1(1, 1, 2, 2) skeins each Serenade, or 75(95, 120, 140, 170) yards MC and 60(70, 75, 85, 95) yards CC
Tools: Size 7(4.5 mm) and Size 8(5 mm) 24" circular needles and set of 5 DPNs in both sizes, stitch markers

So where can you get these patterns? Both the hat and the dress patterns are available (separately) from Knit Picks as part of their independent designer program.

Go straight to the DRESS

Go straight to the HAT

Seriously, does she have the model pose down to a science or what? This girl's got a future ahead of her... :)

Excuses, excuses

Its been quiet on the blog for the past couple of weeks! I apologize for that, but I assure you, its because I've been keeping really busy. I'm getting ready for a photo shoot tomorrow after which I will have so much to share!

My Ravelympics project is all completed, and the pattern is 90% ready to go. After we get the pictures done...I'll have successfully completed the Designer Biathlon event! In addition, I'm entering the matching hat in the Designer Pattern event. I have had the sample knit since last fall but hadn't done any of the other work involved to get the pattern ready for everyone to see. So, this week you will get to see both this cute little dress and the matching hat. Sneak peek:

In addition, I've got a new Tot Topper for boys. (Well, as with most "boy" things, I'm sure it could be done in girly fashion too!) If you liked Roar, you will LOVE this new design. Sneak peek:

Currently being test knit is a warm weather little man garment. Sneak peek:

Other things are of course in the works, but I wouldn't want you to get too excited about them, as they are still a few weeks away. So sit tight and prepare your needles for new Tot Toppers' delights :)

Interview

Robin's got a neat blog where she interviews knitting designers and offers fun food for thought!

She just posted an interview with me, take a look!

Wordless Wednesday-Is Dindy Unisex? You tell me.

Mary Swanson Cardi-Vest

When this project was on the needles, I just couldn't help but think of Ms. Mary Swanson from one of my husband's favorite movies. It just seemed like something she would have worn on the slopes (or in the lodge). I debated on whether to include the character in the design's name, but ultimately (obviously!) decided to because like I said, I just kept thinking it. Anyway, first person to post a comment with the name of the movie reference wins a free electronic copy of the pattern! Edited to add-This did not take long, soooo, leave a general comment and I'll pick a random winner 24 hours from now to send a free pattern.

Brand new for When I Grow Up, I present to you a new sweater design. Its fast, its fun, and its go so many options for you to choose from! This is an almost-seamless design. Its knit from the bottom up (back and forth) all in one piece. The only seaming is at the top of the shoulders. The crossover rib is really fun to do (I just can't stop including it in my designs!)

Let me show you your options, a journey in beautiful pictures snapped by Wes Parker.

You can knit a short and spunky waist-length cardigan:

Or, you can knit a hip length version:

You can knit the colorwork:

Or, you can skip it and make it solid:

You can knit a hood (either ostentatious as shown, or a little more wearable--instructions provided for both):

Or, you can knit a shawl collar:

You can knit a straight waist (shown in grey) or include the waist shaping:

Are you getting the idea that in this one pattern, you can do a lot of different things? Now, I don't take it this far, but, I bet you could even add sleeves.

We also had a little guest at the photo shoot, Oliver is an experienced doggie model since his mom & pop have trained him well.

I've included 5 sizes, but also provided a schematic so that you can alter it to fit yourself perfectly:

You can also take this opportunity to get to know my photographer, Sara Parker, who was kind enough to get in front of the camera as one of my models!

And meet Paige, a friend of mine from my LYS. Look at how beautiful her eyes are!

And buttons, buttons, what WONDERFUL buttons! I was thrilled to find a fellow raveler/etsian who sells handmade, custom wooden buttons. They were made and shipped so quickly, I got the buttons faster than I could knit the sweater. I hate waiting on notions when I'm finished, so it was great to take care of things beforehand!

Knitter's information
Finished Chest: 37(40.5, 43.75, 47.25, 50.75) inches, to fit: 34(37,41, 44, 48) inches
Gauge: 14 sts and 16 rows per 4 inches in stockinette
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica [100% Wool; 138 yards/126 meters per 3.5 ounce/100 gram skein] 5(5, 6, 6, 7) skeins #T “Flannel”, 1 skein each #55 “Olive” and #58 “Mustard” or approx 550(625, 700, 775, 850) yards MC (addt’l 40 yards for hip length sweater) and approx 20 yards each CC1 and CC2
Tools: Size 9 (5.5 mm) needles and set of 5 DPNs or 16" circulars (for armhole ribbing), stitch markers
Notions: 5 1-inch buttons

Here's a screen shot of the pattern as you'd receive it at your LYS (hint hint, tell them they should stock Tot Toppers & When I Grow Up patterns!), its a folded brochure format. Those that purchase the pattern online have access to downloading this version, or more easily printable letter sized format (4 pages).