New Year! New Pattern! More Knitting Fun!

I hope everyone's New Year is off to a fabulous start! Mine has been enjoyable and productive so far, as well as cold!!! Of course all this cold weather makes knitting even more enjoyable! It's fun making pretty things to keep me, my family, and friends warm, don't you agree? And speaking of knitting, I want to introduce you to my newest pattern: the Berkley Beret!

This pattern is especially dear to my heart, as it is named after my beloved four-legged fur brother, Berkley, a toy poodle. My family had to say goodbye to him in August. He was almost 12 years old. It was, I think, the hardest day of my 31 years of life, and I still miss him so much every day and I know I always will. Here is a picture of that dear boy! I believe in my heart that one day in Heaven he will be running into my arms again, healthy and full of life, to give me his kisses!

The Berkley Beret pattern is great for beginners with some experience and a quick knit for the more advanced. The stitch pattern is great for solids and a contrasting yarn bow or button add just the perfect touch to it!

The pattern includes directions for five sizes and instructions on how to make and add the contrasting yarn bow. My next pattern, which has already been sent to testers, is the Berkley Cowl which coordinates perfectly with this hat to make a cozy matching set! (You can see a glimpse of the cowl in the pictures above and below. 

Pattern is currently available on my Etsy, Ravelry, and Craftsy shops at an introductory price, which will end tonight. I hope you love the Berkley Beret as much as I do!


Happy New Year and Happy Knitting!

Second Pattern Release: The Cozy Cable Knitted Warmer

I released my second pattern yesterday: The Cozy Cable Knitted Warmer. For over a year, I have been selling these in my shop and have always received positive feedback from happy customers. I actually released this pattern at the request of one of those happy customers. 

I only sell one size in my shop and it fits most individuals from the ages of 5 up to adults. However, for the pattern, I included directions for a toddler/child size, which I recommend for 2-4 year olds or any younger petite child.
 

The image above shows my 3.5-year-old niece modeling the toddler/child size and the image below shows my five-year-old niece modeling the adult size. 

 

The cozy cable knitted warmer can also be worn as a small neck warmer. Some of my customers have started wearing theirs this way and they love how soft and cozy it feels.

This is an intermediate level pattern, due to the cabeling required, but the cabeling is basic and nothing to fear. This warmer makes for a quick project. I can make one in just a little over an hour. You might find yourself making one for every day of the week or for all your family and friends.

The pattern is available on etsy or craftsy! If you make one, please share! I would love to see your work!

New Year, New Goals, First Knit Pattern

Hello to a new year, a new look, and a new (or renewed) determination to blog this year! Last year was such a busy year, with more home remodeling projects, new sewing endeavors, shop growth, and new adventures. This year my desire is to faithfully share the new projects of 2016 here, even if only for myself. I used to be an avid journal keeper as a teen, but in the techno world of today, blogging is a great way to record the memories and adventures of a year. 

Today I want to share with you my first goal of the new year, which I have, in part, already achieved or at least started. And that is pattern designing. When I first learned to sew, which was about 3.5 years ago, I discovered the world of PDF patterns. Thanks to them, learning to sew was such a quick and rewarding process. I never would have learned so quickly with store bought patterns that back then looked to be written in a foreign language. Anyways (fast forward to this past year), I more recently discovered PDF knit and crochet patterns. Knitting and crocheting were really my foundations for crafting, as I have been knitting since I was 16 or 17 and crocheting since I was around 10 or 12.

I have always been a pattern follower, never really daring to branch out on my own, until a few months ago when a friend first put the thought in my mind by asking me if the crochet project I was working on was my own pattern. When I responded by saying "no," they asked why I had never tried to make my own thing. My response was "I don't know," which was immediately followed by my own mental challenge of "Why not???"

Anyways, long story short, this past Friday, I released my first knit PDF pattern!!! The Striped Infinity Scarf!

The Striped Infinity Scarf

When I first sat down to draft a pattern, I thought I needed to come up with something great, something complex that would wow! And then it hit me that what people really want, at least I know it is what I often look for in a pattern, is something that looks "wow!" but is NOT complicated. It was from this thought that the Striped Infinity Scarf was birthed. For an expert knitter, this scarf could be made with closed eyes, but for the beginner or newbie knitter, this scarf is approachable and will produce the most satisfying feeling of creating something that looks "wow!" without the hair pulling.

Additionally, in this fast paced world, we all like instant gratification. We often don't have the time or patience to spend weeks on a project. That is why I love working with Super Bulky yarn! Projects go much quicker.

Lastly, though I love handmade items, I don't really like something I make to look "homemade" at least in the sense that it looks like something my grandma knitted me in the last century. Of course, that is not to knock such items! I love the history and unique beauty of those things; you just won't find me wearing them. So my goal with this scarf was to create a modern, chic look, hence the stripes and toggle button cuff addition.

When I look at the end result, I feel that I accomplished these three goals of simplicity, relative quickness, and fashionable style. Hopefully, you will agree with me on that. :)

The Striped Infinity Scarf pattern is available both on etsy and craftsy. If you purchase the pattern, I hope you will share your creations with me! The pattern gives instructions for both adult and child sizes, with notes on further size customization.

Thanks for following my first design journey. Another knit pattern will be releasing in about a week. My tentative goal is for two patterns a month. Now that I have written that I hope it will hold me accountable!

Happy Crafting all!