New Beginnings

     I thoroughly enjoy starting new adventures in my life. Last year was the start of many new beginnings and adventures. Starting with the birth of our son Henry, later moving into our new home, and then my daughter Gwen starting pre-school. It hasn't always been smooth sailing and there were too many bumps in the road to count. One such time my husband was working late and my kids were testing every ounce of my patience. I took a "Mommy Time-Out" and sat down with my knitting. As I sat there thinking while my fingers worked,  I started to visualize designs. Shaping something lovely out of just needles and wool was a comforting thought. And as the chaos in my mind subsided, I managed to come up with about a dozen different ideas for cowls, hats, fingerless mitts and a handful of shawls.
   
     Now I will say that this wasn't my first time visualizing a design. For years I didn't knit from patterns and I just made things up as I went along as part of my creative process. But after my daughter was born I became obsessed with furthering my skills as a knitter. I learned how to knit socks, lace, cables, color work and baby sweaters. During that time I designed the Gull Wing French Press Cozy for a friend's yarn business. It was a nice looking design and pattern but now I think it needs to be updated and re-knit. =)

     So, later that evening I decided to design a cowl; mostly for it's simplicity but also because it was getting cold! I wanted texture, clean lines, wear-ability and above all a use for tonal and multi-color hand painted yarns. About two weeks later I had my first "prototype" for the construction of the Slip & Slide Cowl. It wasn't a finished or as clean as I wanted it to be. But I felt that it had promise. After lots of cursing and frogging I figured out how to get the results I was looking for, then I took my time writing up the pattern. Luckily I had a number of friends and fellow knitters from Ravelry jump in and help with test knitting and tech editing. I cannot express how grateful I am for their help. =D 

     And now I am so happy to have a finished pattern called the Slip & Slide Cowl. It has instructions for two sizes, long and short. I used Dragonfly Fibers Traveller yarn which can be knit up as a DK to a light worsted weight yarn. It is super squishy and is dyed by my friend Kate. The long version (pictured left) is meant to be wrapped up to three times around your neck for added warmth and the short version (below to the right) you just slip on and head out the door! My daughter is constantly wearing the short one to school. I think I may have to knit her one of her own now that I think about it. lol

     

     After going through the entire process from concept to self-published pattern, I decided that this was something I wanted to do. Maybe not "full-time" as I am a stay-at-home-mom but I think working on patterns in my spare time will be enjoyable. It would be wonderful to one day be able to say that this is my full-time job while my children are at school. A lady can dream can't she? 

     Hopefully as 2012 goes on I will perfect my pattern writing process and I will be able to churn out designs in a more timely manner. I am excited about the designs and opportunities I have on the horizon to share with you all. One such opportunity is that I am designing a pattern for a yarn club run by Kate of Dragonfly Fibers. I cannot show photos or give specifics but I will talk about it over the next month very cryptically. =D I really look forward to seeing what the other designers for Club Dragonfly come up with using Kate's yarn. It truly is a wonderful opportunity and I am so pleased that Kate thought to include me.

     Aside from Club Dragonfly, I have two designs that I am in the middle of the knit-concept stage. One of which I am hoping to self-publish before Valentine's Day. The other will have to wait until the middle of March. But what I can say for now is that they're both cowls knit using Kate's yarn and eventually I plan to design coordinating fingerless mitts/wristers.
  
     Overall, I am just happy with the promise of  new beginnings with every new design idea. And even happier knowing that with each new yarn I come across, it is waiting to be knit into something loved and cherished by someone. Even if some of my designs don't work out, it is comforting that there is such a large community of knitters and designers to look to for renewed inspiration.
   
     I look forward to the chance to share my designs, thoughts and bits of my life with you all. =D

    Happy Knitting!
           Kate