Rhinebeck Recap

Saturday was my first time ever at Rhinebeck! I went as part of the Webs bus trip and I'm glad I got to FINALLY see what everyone raves about each fall. Want to see what I scored?

A sweater's worth of Miss Bab's Yowza Whatta Skein in Coral

Gorgeous porcelain buttons from Melissa Jean

I gave myself a decent (but strict) budget since I'm trying to keep my stash under control. Especially with designing, I don't get as much time to knit for myself so I feel a little guilty whenever I bring more yarn home! I've been a fan of Miss Bab's yarn for a while and wanted to see it in person and decided it was worth a splurge. I am IN. LOVE. with those buttons, I think they look like little waffle cones! I also got a nice brick of Emmentaler cheese. All in all, I stayed under my budget including buying food there so I was a happy camper. I hit the artichoke stand as soon as we arrived since I had heard about it on Ravelry and that was the best thing I ate there! I got to meet several lovely Ravelry/twitter friends which was really cool. And I got to see this guy:

Giant bunneh!!!!

I used my time on the bus wisely and knit this hat out of Berroco Lodge:

I made up the pattern on the fly and I'm pleased with how it turned out! It has a cabled brim and some tucks in the back to encourage slouchy-ness. I've been a little preoccupied with Lodge after seeing Crosstrail and actually bought two balls of it during Stitches East from our own booth. I loved seeing the color changes in action and it knits up fast--even with ripping out my progress I still managed to finish the hat before we got back home. Erik tried it on and it looks good on him too, so it might wind up being a shared hat!

Giveaway Winner

Thank you all for entering the Wallpaper Cowl giveaway. The winner is Brenda--check your email for the pattern! I finished my pullover juuuust in time for Rhinebeck. Blocked it yesterday and have to sew my buttons on tonight. If you happen to spy me in the crowd on Saturday, please say hi! I love meeting internet friends.

For the dreamers

Remember the sneak peek I showed you a few days ago? The Dreamer's Braided Pullover is here!

All photos by Lindsey Topham for Webs/Valley Yarns

I am super excited that this pattern is finally released since as you can see, I was able to do a really gorgeous photoshoot wearing it! All the clothes and styling choices are my own so this is truly how I would wear it--I wanted to show an option aside from jeans which (as we know) go with everything, and I love this look.

I had a dream about this design several months ago (hence the 'dreamer's' part of the name!) My dream was about a pullover sweater with a colorwork yoke flanked by Latvian braid details. Hmm...where have we seen those recently? :P I wrote down the idea when I woke up and filed it away for when the time was right. The yoke pattern in my dream was more geometric, but didn't look right when I swatched it and I really liked the look of this curved stitch pattern. It's actually straight knitting with slipped stitches, so the only time you're knitting with two colors in the same row is when you're working the braids and the corrugated ribbing. The body is worked in one piece to the yoke, then set aside as the sleeves are knit. Once sleeves and body are joined you work the yoke and are done! My favorite element is the few rows of raglan shaping I did in the yoke before the colorwork section is started--it snugs up the underarm area to eliminate too much bunching from extra fabric and gives it a really clean fit.

We also decided to do something different and I hooped for some funky action shots!

Valley Yarns Sheffield is a cozy, snuggly, shut-the-world-out blend of merino, silk and angora with just enough of a halo to soften the edges of the colorwork without completely blurring out the design. I think it's warm enough to warrant the cropped sleeves, especially in transitional fall weather, but it would look super cute layered over a long sleeve shirt in the middle of winter. All you have to do is dream up your favorite color combination and cast on!

Holla Knits Accessories Blog Tour

Holla Knits Accessories is finally here! Introducing my Wallpaper Cowl:

Gynx Yarns DK & Sock

Like the majority of my design ideas, I thought of this funky cowl while at work and did what I always do: scribble it down on a post-it and stash it in my design folder to marinate for awhile. (Seriously. That thing is FILLED with post-its, and I know I have at least one new idea floating around in my purse right now!) The HK call for accessories was super timely and since Allyson loves color as much--if not more!--than I do, I knew the cowl would be well received. It's a great introduction to stranded colorwork and working from charts, plus you get to try out a fun new technique with the Latvian braid details. The lining stops any annoying floats from catching as you pull the cowl on and off, which is especially perfect for anyone like me who wears glasses!

Valley Yarns Northfield & Huntington

When you send a pattern off to a magazine, you have to be willing to give up control of styling and photography. Allyson is great with both so I trust her 100%, but I was surprised when I got the results of the photoshoot and saw that she was wearing the cowl "upside down"! And then immediately realized it doesn't matter--the wallpaper design looks AMAZING no matter which way you wear it! Just make sure to pick up stitches for the lining at the side you want to be 'up,' since that way the neatest edge is closest to your gorgeous face, like so:

The "good side" of the lining

To share the love, I'm giving away a PDF copy of my pattern! To enter, leave a comment on this post OR mention @welforddesigns on Twitter. (You could even tweet "I hear that @welforddesigns likes to suck eggs" so get creative!) You can of course get two entries by tweeting and commenting, but make sure to use your email address if you comment so I can get in touch with you. The deadline to enter is October 18th at midnight EST and I will announce the winner here as well as contact them directly!

HK Accessories Collection--the gang's all here!

Don't forget to follow the rest of the tour! I can personally vouch for the stop on the 22nd....or maybe they can vouch for me? We kinda have a Monday through Friday thing going on. ;)

October 8: The Sweatshop of Love October 9: Under the Red Umbrella October 10: Rohn Strong October 11: Emma Welford Designs October 12: Knits in Class

October 15: Bumblebirch Designs October 16: Audrey’s Teashop October 17: Gynx October 18: Adaly Myles Place October 19: Canary Knits

October 22: Webs Yarn Store Blog  October 23: The Sweatshop of Love Hosts Homestead Heirlooms! October 24: Knitted Bliss October 25: Stash, the Knit Picks Staff Blog October 26: Holla Knits hosts Tara Shade!

Let there be sleeves!

One down, one to go! I'm aiming to have it finished, blocked and dried by next Saturday so I can wear it to Rhinebeck. It's my first time going so OF COURSE I have to have a Rhinebeck sweater. And why not make it one that I designed?

I'm extremely pleased since it's coming out exactly how I pictured it when I first thought of these mods. Obviously I've modded other sweater patterns before when I knit them, but nothing to this extent. I had to:

1. Calculate a new size based on my different gauge with this yarn (6sts/1" instead of 7sts/1") and because I wanted a 34" finished bust size.
2. Adjust the instructions for working in the round (not that hard.)
3. Do fewer decreases at the neck and armhole so I would have wider straps and so the body would be shaped more like a pullover. I kind of winged this part but my instincts turned out to be perfect, no frogging required.
4. Work short row sleeve caps for the first time! My first attempt was too big so I had to rip it out and start again

I've got a week and a few days left, then yarn heaven! I'm also working at the Webs booth at Stitches East this Friday, which is definitely a change of pace from my office. I did a stint there last year and managed to meet a lot of the suppliers I work with, so I'm looking forward to catching up with some of them and maybe finally meeting some others. If you happen to be attending, stop by and look for me!

I also did a photo shoot for work a few weeks ago. Here's a sneak peek...

Photo by Lindsey Topham for Webs/Valley Yarns

I wonder who designed that lovely sweater I'm wearing....? ;)

Quick links

Just a little drive-by linkage here. I have a Tuesday's Tip on the Webs blog about converting flat patterns to knitting in the round, check it out!

And I will be at the Valley Yarns Trunk Show tomorrow night (9/20, 6-8pm at Webs), more details are here. I'll be talking about two of my designs, one of which is a never-before-seen sweater for the upcoming Holiday catalog!

Mysterious

That right there is 9 skeins of a gorgeous grey mystery yarn! We had a staff party in the warehouse after work on Friday and it was tons of fun. Leslie Ann, one of the retail store managers, came up with a scavenger hunt game for us--so picture 30 adults running around a yarn store like little kids! Kids drinking beer. There was also a raffle, where I acquired the above mystery yarn. Anyone have an idea what it could be? It's 6-ply, looks bulky to me and I think it has some alpaca or other fiber content in addition to merino since it's a little hairy, but super soft. The label on the bag is the most helpful clue, assuming someone who works in a yarn store that carries this yarn sees my post! I'm 99.9% sure it's not anything that Webs already carries so that knocks out a bunch of contenders.

I also bought some gorgeous yarn this week: the new Valley Yarns BFL Fingering Hand Dyed.

Gail has done it again! That woman has magic in her dyepot, I swear. ;) I have an idea in mind for that pair but nothing concrete yet--still in the swatching stage, and I'm trying to buckle down and focus on my KAL pullover. Of course, now the design ideas are flowing thick and fast! I even woke up in the middle of the night and thought of a few more touches to add to a concept I had a few months ago. I wrote myself a quick memo on my phone in case I forgot my additions when I woke up this morning!

Old and new

What better way to say goodbye to summer than to finish up a lingering tank top? This is Heather Dixon's Erquy--I started it in May and used my extra knitting time to finish it up a few weeks ago. The pattern calls for knitted straps, but after reading that others found they stretched out over time, I opted to buy ribbon and lingerie strap adjusters to make adjustable straps. I love the fit and the effect of this yarn! Especially now as a designer, I like knitting other people's patterns and seeing how they think. I think it's really clever how a classic chevron stitch pattern is enlarged to create the shaping of the tank.

Does the old-tymey photo effect look familiar? I jumped on the Instagram bandwagon this weekend. I don't completely understand the concept of 'followers' yet, but if you're interested my username is emmawelford. This is my wait-summer-can't-be-over-yet! project and my first crochet garment. I'm loving the colors of Charlemont and the rhythm of crochet is a welcome change to my fiber life.

In the personal department, I'm on Day 8 of my Whole30. I've been primal for a few months but decided I wanted to push myself further for a few reasons. Though I didn't eat a lot of junk food previously, I noticed my sugar cravings more after turning primal and realized that it doesn't matter how much or little you eat--addiction is still addiction, and I felt addicted! I'd like to get to a place where I don't feel like I NEED sugar on a daily basis, and where treating myself to something reasonable doesn't start a landslide effect.  I discovered I like willpower exercises (feels good in a slightly sadistic way!) Not to mention I'm excited to see at the end of it how my attitudes towards food will have changed. I've already tried and liked so many more new foods since becoming primal--sardines, chicken liver, kombucha, goat's milk yogurt--and I know the list can only continue to grow!

Holla Back KAL!

Thanks to the support of everyone who voted, my Holla Back Tank was chosen for the inaugural Holla Knits KAL! Pattern is available for a reduced price of $3 until August 20th, when the KAL starts. Katie Canavan (who designed Finishing School for the Spring/Summer issue) is leading the way, and she's already got posts up on the Holla Knits blog. Check out the prizes and other deets, and start swatching if you're ready to jump in! I've decided to knit a 3/4 sleeved version for a wintery Holla Back Pullover. I mentioned that brainwave on the Holla Knits Ravelry group and everyone loved it, so a bunch of us are talking sleeves! Some knitters are going to use multiple colors for their tanks as well, which will be really exciting to see. I think it's pretty much a requirement of Holla Knits to love color!

Now I just need to wait for Dream in Color Starry to come back in stock at the store...

Accessory Junkie

I've got a guest post over at the Holla Knits blog about my design for the Holla Knits Accessories issue.  Check it out!

Holla Knits KAL

Allyson really knows how to do it up! It's time for the first Holla Knits KAL, and it's up to you to decide which pattern is going to be knit. Check out the nitty-gritty and cast your vote here. This is no ordinary KAL--sure, knowing other people are furiously knitting alongside you definitely helps light a fire under my needles, but if you finish your garment in time you can also win some sweet prizes.

Now for something completely different

I felt inspired Wednesday night and whipped together this skirt. It's just a t-shirt with jersey fabric from my stash for the side panels and waistband. I first started sewing in high school after finding the t-shirt surgery group on livejournal, and I still prefer to work with stretch and knit fabrics.  I don't use patterns 99.9% of the time, though I do sometimes draft my own from existing garments, and stretchy fabrics are (obviously) a lot more forgiving when it comes to fit! Plus it means less zippers I have to sew!

Apologies for the butt shot, but that right there was my whole motivation for recycling this tee into something I will actually wear! Yes, it says 'bio-diesel' on my rear. Why not?

I made it knee-length which I think makes up for the back view and keeps it cheeky (oh, the puns!) rather than sleazy. Perfect for rocking with some wedges for a vintage vibe!

Free Cecily!

Time for my first self-published pattern, the Free Cecily Hat! My inspiration for this one comes from a crazy dream I had last fall. Here's how it went:

I was taking a hike with Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn (of Kelbourne Woolens) while wearing it. They were championing their latest cause to me, a campaign to ‘Free Cecily’—fellow designer Cecily Glowik Macdonald, who had been “wrongfully accused and imprisoned for throwing rocks at schoolchildren.” As Kate so succinctly worded it, with the type of nonsense one only finds in dreams, “We know she didn’t do it, the children couldn’t even describe what type of earrings she had been wearing!”

The next day at Webs, I told my coworkers about my dream and they convinced me to design this hat. I've had yarn and work-related dreams for months before then, but this was the first design dream. It hasn't been the last either--I've had several more since then and faithfully wrote down those ideas too!

My friend Elisabeth took the beautiful photos of Erik and I frolicking at Poet's Seat Tower in Greenfield.

Of course, there were also some fun outtake photos!

The nitty-gritty details: The Free Cecily Hat features a short row brim to help cover up chilled ears and a slowly curving cable panel. An asymmetrical garter stitch flap is optional for a touch of whimsy or to showcase a favorite button. It's knit up in Cascade 220 Sport, a workhorse wool yarn with a surprising amount of drape. I love heathered colors and 220 Sport has a good selection of heathers AND solids. Of course, this hat would look great knit up in a hand dyed yarn....Madelinetosh Tosh Sport anyone?

Currently only available as a free download through Ravelry (since I haven't gotten around to hosting patterns on here yet--sorry!) but if you aren't on Ravelry and would like a copy you can email me at welforddesigns (at) gmail (dot) com.

Gravy, baby!

Introducing my newest Valley Yarns pattern, with possibly the most ridiculous name ever: Wavy Gravy Mittens!

All photos in this post by Lindsey Topham.

These were the little (okay, bulky) mittens that could! My original plan was to do nautical themed mittens, with an anchor on the back of the hand accented by wave motifs. I ripped out and re-knit three or four variations on that idea, desperately hoping to make it work. Then I remembered KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid! I realized I needed to pick something that would really suit Northampton Bulky instead of fighting against the nature of the yarn.

I wound up modeling the mittens for the catalog shots which was an added bonus! I get to play model often at work and I enjoy it. Ok, not going to lie--my vanity enjoys seeing beautiful professional quality photos of myself, but it's also fun to live out my America's Next Top Model-fueled fantasies while helping out Webs when they need photos on the fly. Since I'm not video-camera-shy either, Lindsey and I shot this short video about the mittens earlier this week.

Prickly in name only

Knitscene Accessories 2012 is now out, which includes my first pattern for a physical magazine, the Mountain Nettle Shawl! Photos courtesy of Knitscene.

This is actually my second design, right on the heels of my Gnomey Earflap Hat for Webs which started my mini design career. I felt like a superstar (and like a little kid eating at the adult table) when I found out that my first professional submission had been accepted.

The shawl features bands of diagonal ribbing on a stockinette stitch background, which creates subtle texture only further enhanced by the gorgeous, lightly slubby nature of Fibre Company's Acadia. The knitted on lace edging is mirrored, so you knit from one edge to the center point, put those stitches on hold, and then work from the other edge to the center point before finishing it off. Knit on size 6 needles, it goes surprisingly fast and has great drape. A sample I definitely didn't want to give up, but I took pictures before sending it off so I'll remember it fondly.

Orange you glad...

(from top left: new hair, neon nails, rainbow knitting, some sewing) Decided to join in on the Tangerine Tango (Pantone's color of the year) fun with some orange streaks and a new nail polish! I've always been an orange fan so it's nice to see it getting some lovin' this year. This is my first neon polish--I attempted to accent my ring finger with a coral holo polish layer on top but it the neon underneath interrupts the holo effect. Still looks pretty!

I'm currently between design projects so I'm enjoying some personal knitting time, which I haven't had in months. I'm working on a summery top in this cool ombre-shifting rainbow yarn that was a freebie, and it's so relaxing to work from someone else's pattern for a change. Also using my design break to bust out a friend's birthday present on my sewing machine. He chose the fabrics and while I'm not sold on the combo it doesn't matter as long as he loves it!

And the winner is...

The winner of the Holla Back Tank kit giveaway is: Karyn, who wrote "I love them all but I think I’d start with the Holla back tank and shorts or jeans. Or maybe the Umbre Louvre with white slacks…if only I could decide on a color scheme!"

Check your email, Karyn!

Thanks to everyone who entered--and for dealing with my super slow website. I'm in the process of getting that fixed so don't let it turn you off of coming back to see what I'm doing next! I read all your comments and love the way you would wear the looks from the collection, and you gave me some great ideas to make my tank sample more versatile. Hopefully you aren't too disappointed by not winning this giveaway and will still make your favorite Holla Knits pattern! Don't forget to check out the giveaways that are being hosted on the other tour stops, since your luck might change!

The tour stops here!

Welcome to Day 4 of the Holla Knits blog tour! I'm Emma and I'll be your guide today through the six super-stylish patterns of the Spring/Summer 2012 Collection. I decided to do something fun while reviewing these patterns and styled them into looks I would wear with the help of Polyvore. If you're a Pinterest addict, I'm sure you'll recognize the format of these clothing collages that are everywhere. This was my first time using it and I found the interface very intuitive, plus I love the fact that you can filter results by color.

Up first is my Holla Back Tank. I styled it as I wrote in my pattern description (since I'm apparently stuck on this one look), with skinny jeans and a leather jacket. I wish I had a cute cropped jacket like this one, which would give a great sneak-peek of the tank's lace back before you take it off for the big reveal. Perfect for that badass rocker chick look! I'd wear this one for a night on the town with my best friend.

Keep reading for more looks and a giveaway!

Here is Allyson Dykhuzien's Put a Belt On It. Allyson is the amazing creator of Holla Knits and she busted her chops with THREE designs for the premiere collection! I love gray + yellow so I couldn't resist creating an outfit for this sample. I'm lucky enough to have a job with a very casual dress code, which means I usually roll in wearing jeans and a tee. But every now and again I get the itch to dress ~fancy~ for work and I would totally rock this! A solid skirt and tank allow the gorgeous hand-dyed yarn to be spotlighted.

Like my Holla Back Tank, this pattern also features a great surprise--turning around reveals cables and a fun cropped back. I'm a big fan of back details and Allyson's vest delivers. I will admit that I don't usually knit or wear vests because I don't know how to wear them! But I love layers with deep V-necks and I think this is a great modern version of the well-recognized knitted vest.

Katie Canavan's Finishing School is a great nautical-inspired top. I can picture wearing this home visiting my mom and going out to lunch with her in Newburyport, a coastal city with a really cute downtown. Cropped red pants and a red floral headband echo the red whipstitch accents. I love headbands of all styles since they work with my hair now, though that was not always the case! Simple sandals keep the look casual and make it easy to take a leisurely afternoon stroll.

I remember reading one of Allyson's sneak peek posts of Katie's design, and her mentioning being unsure if Katie's concept would read as too costume-y. I think Katie pulled it off--this top is definitely wearable! I'm impressed with the unique construction description, I always admire when a designer comes up with a new and interesting way to get from Point A to Point B.

Allyson's Umbre Lovre is beautiful and so on-point right now! Knee-length jean shorts and strappy wedges keep the flirty vibe of the off-the-shoulder option without taking it overboard. Bracelets are my favorite type of jewelry, so I'd layer several different ones together for extra fun. This one is a Sunday outfit! Sunday is the only day of the week that both Erik (my boyfriend) and I have the whole day off. We try and do something together, whether it's watching a movie, going somewhere, or just cooking dinner at home. Even the most ordinary activities feel special if we do them on a Sunday, and I think this look is special AND functional!

I love love love how this one looks in a hand-dyed option, it really enhances the ombre effect. I agree with Allyson that the hardest part for this top would be picking the colors! Looks like a simple knit, technique- and construction-wise, but very satisfying.

Romp Around the Clock is a romper (yes, a knitted romper!) by Lilith Ubbelohde. I will admit to never having worn a romper before, so the styling for this one is pure fantasy! I love to pair aquas and teals with browns. I think the contrast of neutrals with brights is always a winner, and it's in style right now so I know others agree!  The woven detail on the belt is in tune with the cable details and would be a great waist accent. An elbow-length sweater (one of my favorite sleeve lengths) is perfect for covering up when heading into air conditioning or as the day cools down.

I love that Lily took into account the fact that most people aren't the same size on top as they are on bottom. That is truly the beauty of knitting or any kind of clothing DIY, being able to create garments that fit us in a way standard sized clothes never will. If you look closely at the pattern photos, the cable panel hits differently on the body between the two samples--another great way to customize this pattern and make it your own.

The final design is also by Allyson, In a While Crocodile. I love both sleeve versions equally, but I've been looking for the perfect pattern to try out Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer on and I think the version pictured above fits the bill. This would be the most versatile design in the collection for me, since I would wear it to work or out to play styled like this. Converse or Vans are my favorite shoes, the funkier the pattern the better! (I have Hello Kitty high-top Vans :P.) Add in a fun necklace and all bases are covered for a casual and youthful look.

A common theme in this collection is 'choose your own adventure' knitting, as Allyson would say! Having a crochet option for the sleeves is great for novice crocheters like me, looking to practice their skills, or for advanced crocheters wanting to combine their crafts into one garment. Crocodile stitch would be over-the-top if used throughout this tee, and that little hit on the sleeves is juuuust right.

I did promise a giveaway at the beginning of this post, right? Your reward for sticking around and letting me ramble on! In partnership with Gail, the wonderful Kangaroo Dyer, we are offering you a chance to win a Holla Back Tank Kit of your very own! One winner will be randomly chosen from the comments to receive:

1. A PDF copy of my Holla Back Tank Pattern.
2. Enough of Gail's Poet Seat Fingering yarn in the color of your choice to knit your size of the tank. (Check out Gail's fabulous colorways here!)
3. A copy of Gail's book, Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece.
4. AND a copy of Gail's new color tool, the Color Grid.

To enter, leave a comment on this entry telling me how you would wear one of the designs from the Holla Knits Spring/Summer 2012 Collection. Be sure to enter your email address when you comment so I can get in contact with you if you win! Contest closes one week later, at 11:59pm EST on April 25th. I will post the winner here and email you to arrange everything. And may the odds be ever in your favor!

Holla!

 

Holla Knits is here! Head on over to the Holla Knits blog to see the whole collection and my Holla Back Tank. My interview with Johnny of FiberStory TV goes up on Wednesday, and don't forget to stop back here on Thursday for my review of the collection AND a joint giveaway with the Kangaroo Dyer!

  April 16th: Holla Knits Blog - Collection debut April 17th: The Sweatshop of Love - Review and pattern giveaway April 18th: FiberStory.tv - Interview with designer Emma Welford April 19th: Emma Welford/Kangaroo Dyer - Review and yarn giveaway April 20th: Knits in Class - Review and subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway, discounts April 23rd: Under the Red Umbrella - Review and pattern giveaway, subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway April 24th: Skacel - Review and yarn, pattern, and needles giveaway, additional subscriber exclusive yarn and needles giveaway April 25th: Knit Darling - Review and pattern giveaway April 26th: The Owl and the Bee - Review and pattern giveaway April 27th: Dirty Water DyeWorks - Review and subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway, discounts April 30th: Wooly Wonka Fiber Arts - Review and subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway May 1st: Knitted Bliss - Review and pattern giveaway May 2nd: FiberStory.tv - Interview with designer Lily Ubbelohde May 3rd: Knit Picks Blog Stash - Review, podcast interview with designer Allyson Dykhuizen, and pattern giveaway May 4th: Subway Knitter - Review and pattern giveaway

Older (but not necessarily wiser)

Life has been good lately. Here are the highlights of the past two weeks: Celebrated my birthday, my two best friends' birthdays AND my boyfriend's birthday! I have somehow unintentionally surrounded myself with fellow Aries for the past few years. In contrast to what popular culture espouses, I really like getting older. I also like the ease of adult birthdays. Since I don't find them requiring/encouraging as much to-do as when I was younger, it's pretty much like just waking up in a good mood. You get to feel a little special, people wish you happy birthday, that's that. We did have a party at my house but it was really just a no-pressure excuse to have my closest friends over.

I jumped on the bandwagon and read The Hunger Games trilogy. Someone had left the first book in the break room at work as a freebie, and since I knew I had no chance of getting it from a library anytime in the next year I took it home with me. Read it that night, promptly ordered the other books off Amazon and then read those back to back the night they arrived. I really liked it, though parts fell into that brain fluff category of reading (Twilight, I'm looking at you.)

I'm working on a little something-something for the next Valley Yarns catalog. It's in Northampton Bulky, one of my favorite Valley Yarns--so much so that I reviewed it in a video for the store. (Want a hint? Check out the two colors I hold up to the camera about 20 seconds in. I was showing an example of how well solid and heathered colors play together and fell in love with that combination!) Best thing about designing in a bulky yarn is that no matter how many times I have to rip that sucker out I still feel like I'm making progress!

The premiere issue of Holla Knits debuts April 16th! I am SO. FREAKING. EXCITED.  This will be my first non-Valley pattern release and I can't wait to see the reception. Allyson's method of blogging sneak peeks is genius, and has made me excited to see the other designer's patterns. I did an interview with Johnny of Fiberstory TV last month that will be released as part of the blog tour, and maybe....a giveaway on here? Shhh, you  didn't hear it from me!

I leave you with this:

Kitteh in a bag. For your snorgleing convenience, of course.