New Year, New Opportunities

Design
When I found myself with nothing to do on New Year's Eve, I got to thinking about all the projects and ideas I'd been putting off.  I was learning new knitting techniques in order to write patterns for items that I wanted make, but never doing anything with them.  For some reason, I was inspired to change all that on New Year's Eve.  I sat down with my laptop, some measurements for different infant and toddler sizes and jumped into my first formal pattern writing process.

I designed a yoked baby cardigan.  I opted to make it striped to add texture to the product.  Several hours and recalculations later, I had a finished pattern available for me to test.  While knitting, I did realize that I didn't account for some simple things, like decreased stitches and such and did a re-write mid construction.  In the end I came up with the finished project shown at the right.

I initially botched some of the blocking, but it was easy to start over.  I then attached the buttons and it was done.  It is now listed on etsy for $35.

I will be selling the pattern on Ravelry.com soon.  I'm working on making it a full outfit that includes a hat and pants (maybe shorts since spring is coming up).  I plan to have the pattern posted by the end of the month for somewhere around $7-$10.  I'm leaning toward the lower end since it is my first pattern to post to Ravelry.

I am making the full yoke cardigan set for my husband's boss, who's wife is due in February.  That will be in a spring green, tan, and off white with brown buttons.  It will include a hat and pants, all size 0-3 months in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.  It's so fun doing these designs and I hope to increase my pattern library quickly this year.

My parents have also wanted me to design them a Groundhog Day hat since they own a Bed and Breakfast that was filmed in the movie "Groundhog Day".  I came up with the idea to deconstruct the idea of the groundhog and make it more like a hat with pom-pom ears in wool that was the color of a groundhog.  Peanut modeled my mock up design.

Other news...

I posted before the end of the year about our sick fur baby, Baby Buddy.  Although he was not diagnosed with cancer, he took a turn for the worse shortly after the new year.  He wasn't able to digest food anymore, his growth had noticeably increased in size, and he lost more than 2 pounds in less than two weeks.  At the recommendation of our vet, who just like me could tell he was starting to go, we decided to end his suffering.  I'm sad to report that on January 7th, he passed away peacfully in my arms.  He was tremendously loved and will be missed terribly. 

Knitting Madness

I've been working on getting in contact with yarn sales reps in order to jump start the yarn shop.  But after a poignant conversation with my mother, I'm having second thoughts.  Will owning a yarn shop take away from my love of knitting?  Will I still have the opportunity to design as much as I want to?  Will the costs of owning the yarn shop outweigh the benefits?

These are some tough questions I will have to deal with as I get in touch with the yarn distributors.  Mainly because it will be a stretch to fund the start-up of the shop.  I don't want to have to take out any loans, but I don't want to blow my savings on something that won't pan out.  I'll be thinking about this more as I talk with other yarnies out there.  Please, let me know what you think, the uncertainty is killing me!

Coming soon

Spring designs.  Even though I have limited drawing ability, I've been working on some sketches.  Liking what I see so far.  :)

Fur Baby Christmas

Baby Buddy loved watching over newborn Peanut.
He would peek into his bassinet and watch him sleep for
hours at a time.  He's a good big brother.

If there was anything I could learn this holiday season, it is humility, because you may have so many things to be thankful for, but you could lose them at any time.  Today, I am thankful for my four fur babies.  Especially now that one of them, whom we lovingly call Baby Buddy, has been diagnosed with a tennis ball-sized growth in his abdomen.

Although his growth may be benign, he has lost a significant amount of weight for a cat.  To put it another way, it'd be like a human losing 50 pounds.  His illness could be cystic kidneys or a carcinoma according to the vet, but we have to wait for the biopsy results before we take a course of action.  In the mean time, I'm spoiling him rotten and celebrating all the fun times we had together.

Baby Buddy finds the funniest places to sleep.
His favorite two places: under the Christmas tree and curled up
next to the cable router.

He came to our home as a rescue pet back in 2006 at age one and a half.  He's a kitten at heart and is always in a good mood, no matter what.  When I got pregnant with Peanut, Baby Buddy stayed by my side while I was on strict bed rest.  He even massaged my belly and aching bones during my rough pregnancy.  Once Peanut arrived, he took on the role of big brother.  He was the first to examine the new baby and would always stay perched over Peanut's crib and would come get me if Peanut started crying. 

We got our kitten, Q, because he looked just like Baby Buddy and had a very similar personality.  Baby Buddy and Q act like they were litter mates.  Q doles out loving kisses and Baby Buddy runs around the house happily, knowing that he has another cat who loves to play with him.

Underneath the Christmas tree, waiting for Santa.

Please send loving thoughts and prayers to Baby Buddy during this holiday season.  Although it could be his last holiday with us, he will have a permanent place in my heart.  He's taken great care of me and my family during some life changing events and I will always love him like a child.

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Current Projects
I feel overwhelmingly lucky that I get to spend my days doing a lot of things that I enjoy and taking pride in some of my greatest accomplishments.

1. I get to spend time with the most adorable two year old I know,
2. I can knit for as long as I want,
3. and I can do all of this in the comfort of my own home.

I dream of the yarn store and I dream of expanding this little business, after all, I did get an MBA and I want to know that it was worth the time and the effort.

"Suboscillator"

 I've got an order for 10 hats from my brother-in-law and hat #3 is under way.  Peanut modeled one hat for me, so that I could show that the hats would fit almost anyone, from a kid to an adult.  I think he's pretty much used to me snapping pictures of him, so he poses for the camera without prompting now.

I'm also experimenting with different yarns and knitting stitches.  I've been stocking up on more of the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (thanks to Fiddlehead Yarns), which I've decided is my favorite yarn right now.  I've also been researching patterns that contain measurements for the different sizes and looking at industry standards for design and sizes.

I do all of this so that I can start the task of getting my own designs and patterns out there and finally start earning money with the business.  I plan to post some free patterns here soon!  In the mean time, I'll be sharing some easy project ideas.

For those who read regularly, what would you like to see more of?


Coming Soon
More winter items to get us through these cold months!

My Darling Baby

I just thought I'd share about my little family tonight since I don't have any pictures of my current projects.

"Peanut"

Hubby and Son: Aren't they cute?

My son is an intelligent 22-month old who, last night, woke up at 3:00am screaming.  I happened to still be awake, so I went to check on him (he has been sleeping through the night since 2 months old, except when he is severely ill).  He actually was ok last night, but he would not stop crying, especially when I would answer his "where daddy?" with "daddy's nigh nigh" (daddy's sleeping).  When he hadn't fallen asleep by 4:00am, I brought him into our room and put him in bed with us ("us" meaning: husband and 2 of our cats).  Peanut stayed awake until about 5:00am, talking to himself and occasionally seeing that I was asleep and would wake me up by poking me in the eye.  He also started to pat me on the back and stroking my hair, which I do for him to calm him down.  Needless to say, I did not get much sleep or knitting done as a result.  But, I can't complain because who's heart wouldn't melt seeing such a cute face?  Peanut is even cute when he's fussy, which isn't often.  :)

Coming Soon
More project progress!