tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1350418828780606822024-03-14T05:45:47.383-04:00MayBea CraftedTanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-3184060630826963162017-03-30T09:00:00.000-04:002017-03-30T09:00:06.100-04:00On the Road!Last April was my first time shopping and vending at <a href="https://www.yarncon.com/">YarnCon </a>in Chicago. It nearly instantly became my favorite show. The organizers are organized and kind, the other vendors are talented and friendly, and the customers are excited to be there. I've never been a vendor at a show where their customers LINE UP to get into the venue! <br />
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Well, guess where I'm headed this weekend? You've got it. Chicago. YarnCon. I've been sewing up a storm to create many, MANY new bags just ripe for your spring projects. Lots are in gender neutral, yet funky prints, but there are about thirty one of a kind bags made with fabric printed at Spoonflower, or piece like heirloom quilts. These "Special Snowflake" bags were so fun to knit, I can't wait to see how people respond to them at YarnCon and Ann Arbor Spring Fiber Expo over the next couple of weekends. I'll be doing an Etsy shop update just prior to puling out of my driveway, so you can shop in advance of the crowds in case you're unable to join me at either event.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8K1rHm_3C6HMfAkJdDCzUcVZd5BtgGeX_pyqKu7WrPfYHxfT6MvKrpCttXPx49TosAjXo8sX64XBSKPFer1LLpEp6XUlZateMA1idzBcNtygC94Ya1p2j91Lmdp8UPU6qrV40JOq6-E/s1600/IMG_7451+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8K1rHm_3C6HMfAkJdDCzUcVZd5BtgGeX_pyqKu7WrPfYHxfT6MvKrpCttXPx49TosAjXo8sX64XBSKPFer1LLpEp6XUlZateMA1idzBcNtygC94Ya1p2j91Lmdp8UPU6qrV40JOq6-E/s640/IMG_7451+2.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">knitting bags</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpUyL9N3jXZXn9lpOR82dAdKsyNivNsGPq-UUvR2W3P-nADUOB50jzz5vL5YBZ16udgfX1AsenVw1nP6cpzaINwcQ3EFfq8NW5iRK3SMV_n-Xll870CQKh3A43lBmPU8H5RXi7y9jNzI/s1600/IMG_6487+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpUyL9N3jXZXn9lpOR82dAdKsyNivNsGPq-UUvR2W3P-nADUOB50jzz5vL5YBZ16udgfX1AsenVw1nP6cpzaINwcQ3EFfq8NW5iRK3SMV_n-Xll870CQKh3A43lBmPU8H5RXi7y9jNzI/s200/IMG_6487+4.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">close up of Fennville</td></tr>
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I'm also giving a lecture with Carla of cjkoho Designs about developing and collaborating on our line of Welcome Home kits. The lecture is free, but you will need to pop over to the YarnCon website to register.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7SWhyphenhyphenM1j9lnjZtufVJTGqFjpfsqvM1Z4eC6JtfVQMPhglVqGdNAbIj1NJ0Da0Udw3j6Ik6Tgf0r53O1jLY5exYZ6VwbiAXuZ1Gz0Q_ZM0mdseTtQ2VNqWRtOxfGb4B5BH7kakF-0Ixk/s1600/IMG_7201+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7SWhyphenhyphenM1j9lnjZtufVJTGqFjpfsqvM1Z4eC6JtfVQMPhglVqGdNAbIj1NJ0Da0Udw3j6Ik6Tgf0r53O1jLY5exYZ6VwbiAXuZ1Gz0Q_ZM0mdseTtQ2VNqWRtOxfGb4B5BH7kakF-0Ixk/s640/IMG_7201+3.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2017 Welcome Home kit sample</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79P5L97O94mhEQb2dOMB-pZOmyvHRyh0AsUAkxnmy5TGA2RlNvOZIJw8Cke9i_s5-EsYZsQEhErUfvz-Hq9rn1oBRrtXdEC-Tm7TkcIs1dqMmMAAkMgfrh6c1f-ZV43eZ391iHxG3PQ4/s1600/FullSizeRender+80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79P5L97O94mhEQb2dOMB-pZOmyvHRyh0AsUAkxnmy5TGA2RlNvOZIJw8Cke9i_s5-EsYZsQEhErUfvz-Hq9rn1oBRrtXdEC-Tm7TkcIs1dqMmMAAkMgfrh6c1f-ZV43eZ391iHxG3PQ4/s320/FullSizeRender+80.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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I've also updated my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/tanya-thomann">Ravelry shop</a> with a handful of new knitting patterns. If you're looking for a quick accessory to knit as the weather gets warm, there are a few fun patterns that are sure to inspire. One of my favorites is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tawas">Tawas hat and cowl</a>. Like my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gratiot">Gratiot</a> pattern, the hat is one size fits many, but written to accommodate many different weights of yarn. Perfect for knitting out of what you have in stash. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1NbE6e4y53aBc9Fz0T6NWmJSVUnn9ct84L_lsht6HMOBopYY3btW5zMgVhUhvJp4oenfDus-NwpAN82_rN-_verbrrW31rWzhyMuf7ZrqQsuiW_FUyewfCsvrTTjmY4fZ7XDyphNW00/s1600/IMG_6181+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1NbE6e4y53aBc9Fz0T6NWmJSVUnn9ct84L_lsht6HMOBopYY3btW5zMgVhUhvJp4oenfDus-NwpAN82_rN-_verbrrW31rWzhyMuf7ZrqQsuiW_FUyewfCsvrTTjmY4fZ7XDyphNW00/s320/IMG_6181+2.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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What knitting do YOU have planned for the warmer weather? I love hearing what other creatives are up to.Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-37561283227995138012016-04-01T08:00:00.000-04:002016-04-07T23:46:09.587-04:00My Box of "Crayons"<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re just landing here, you’ve got some catching up to
do. Check out the previous two posts to get up to speed!<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the things that I love about <a href="http://cjkoho.com/">Carla</a> is her love of
color. She puts beautiful colors
together onto yarn, and then when knitters purchase her hand painted yarns,
they can effortlessly watch the beauty flow past their fingertips as they knit
or crochet. I love that, but am a bit
more of a control freak when it comes to how color works in my projects.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I love to plan exactly where each bit of color goes, and
place it specifically in my projects.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’ve decided to marry my love of Fair Isle knitting with
the colors that we created in the studio.
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One of our concerns about Welcome home is that it is an
artisanal yarn, and is a bit pricier than yarns you can easily find in a big
box store. It is priced at $26 for the
undyed skeins and $29 for the dyed skeins putting it right where it should be
compared to other yarns that have been created with a similar process. My concern for the pricing was that I’d want
to use MANY colors, and that a simple accessory project would require a
significant investment to get the colors I’d want.<br />
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Carla and I talked it over, chatted with some friends about
our concerns and decided to do things a little bit different for this run of
yarn.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re pairing a pattern with a kit that has lots of bits of
color. . .they’ll be priced competitively, and for now only available in person
at the shows we have this spring. Any
extra skeins left over after we’ve kitted things up the way we like will be
sold individually, and we think they’re going to go quickly. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first kit we’ll have is of a pattern I released several
years ago, and have just re-named and will be re-released.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbM9t4qu5eZD3pz8p4oe808dBz9DXSfbi46w0ZnbMn98exIcNaclsn06PhBhIbBc-iczHzpmM32dNW9nOzk3OAjLDWt6UvOx04E8Z5yEeH89QUulGbNcpuZasqlQiFjW7dWBfbS6oQuc/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbM9t4qu5eZD3pz8p4oe808dBz9DXSfbi46w0ZnbMn98exIcNaclsn06PhBhIbBc-iczHzpmM32dNW9nOzk3OAjLDWt6UvOx04E8Z5yEeH89QUulGbNcpuZasqlQiFjW7dWBfbS6oQuc/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/i-heart-fair-isle">Marquette</a> (formerly I Heart Fair Isle) is a more advanced Fair Isle pattern that keeps a
knitter quite chart dependent, as the motifs in the hat don’t have short
repeats that can easily be memorized.
This is not a project for social knitting, but the results are
incredible. When I wrote the pattern, I
used only a few colors of yarn, but for our kit, we’ll be using seven different
colors to give you a full rainbow to top off even the greyest of winter days. I've even added an extra chart to the kit to help you know where to change colors for the best effect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Are you looking for a full box of crayons? This is the pattern for you. I love the way the natural brown plays
against the kettle dyed colors. For our
sample, I knit it in the rainbow order that would have made my
thirteen-year-old self extra happy, but there is enough yarn in the kit to put
the colors in whatever order makes your heart sing. I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with
color placement here. Carla’s attention
to color values makes this kit a home run.
Plan your colors, or surprise yourself by choosing a color randomly, and
you’ll have a hat that makes you look and feel like a color superstar.<br />
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There are a few other kits up our sleeve that I’ll share
with you later this spring that are a little bit simpler in their knitting and
less complex in their color choices, but this one? This one is my favorite. I hope you love it as much as we do.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I mentioned, for now, these kits will be available at
<a href="https://www.yarncon.com/">Yarn Con</a>, <a href="http://www.fiberexpo.com/page/page/4831882.htm">Ann Arbor Fiber Expo</a>, and Carla will take some to the <a href="http://www.plyaway.com/">Ply Away</a>
Retreat. We will also have some in
person (assuming we can keep them in stock) at the <a href="http://www.bskg.blogspot.com/">Black Sheep Knitting Guild</a>
meeting in early April where we’ll be sharing more about this sheep to skein
project.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We didn’t intend for this to be a limited run, but we’re
testing the waters with Welcome Home this year.
Our suspicion is that you’re going to love it as much as we do, and
we’ll buy Mary’s entire clip of fleece next year. For now, mark your calendars, and make a plan
to come and see us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you haven’t signed up for my email newsletter yet, and
you’re thinking you’re going to want a kit, you may want to take a second and
do that now. Any kits we have left over
will be listed on etsy, and my newsletter will let you know exactly when that’s
going to happen. If you're a newsletter subscriber, you'll also see a coupon code for a new pattern this spring. You won't want to miss out.<br />
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I'm headed today to Chicago, I look forward to seeing some of you this weekend!<br />
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P.S. Head over to <a href="http://craftsanity.com/">CraftSanity</a>, I was told there'd be a video about Welcome Home that I'll bet you'd like to listen to! <br />
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Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-84181727732164801482016-03-30T08:00:00.000-04:002016-03-30T08:00:26.422-04:00Trust the Process<div class="MsoNormal">
Where were we? Inigo Montoya would say, “Let me
Explain. No, there is too much, let me sum
up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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We sourced fleece, had it spun into yarn, and then set about
dyeing it in <a href="http://cjkoho.com/">cjkoho Design’s</a> studio.
(For the longer version, look at Monday's post.)<br />
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Carla and I talked about the colors we wanted, and decided
on a palatte of kettle dyed semi-solids to go along with the natural grey and
dark brown. We thought six colors that
worked with each other would be perfect.
The natural colors would round that out and we’d have a full spectrum to
knit with.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m going to be honest here.
With the tie dye that Princess Monkey Toes has made for her scholarship
fundraiser, we’ve purchased dyes, mixed them up, and dyed according to the
directions. She did a pretty great job
of things, and her mom and I felt proud to help her achieve so much last
summer. She made beautiful items that
sold across the country and she was able to send a girl to MichFest with her
earnings. (There are still a few pieces
in <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MayBeaCrafted?section_id=17479619&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1">my etsy shop</a> if the thought of spring and tie dye has you looking for a
fresh piece for your wardrobe.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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This, my friends, is not how professional fiber artists
roll.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a PROCESS.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is mixing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dark blue does not come right out of the powder, it is
CREATED by the fiber artist by mixing just the right amount of this, with the
right amount of that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Much like with knitting, where we swatch to see if we like a
stitch pattern, in dyeing there is sampling too. Carla carefully measures and mixes and drops
just a touch of color on a filter to see if it matches her expectations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I kid you not, folks.
She is particular about her colors.
Do you see the slight differences in the reds here?<br />
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None of them met her expectations. We started all over again when these didn’t
work out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once the colors were determined, Carla used her formulas to
measure just the right amount of dye for the number of skeins we planned to
dye. I wouldn’t be that far off in
comparing her to a scientist at this point.
The yarn is soaked, raised to a certain temperature, color added, heat
added, then it needs to cool, be rinsed and washed, and dried, and put into
skeins.<br />
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It is a very precise and labor intensive process.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Those of you who know me personally, know that I’m not
especially patient. I pushed the process
a bit and put the kettles out on the porch to cool in the cold February
afternoon. Carla rolled her eyes a bit
at me, but allowed me to feed my impatient curiosity at seeing the yarn in its
final state.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After the end of three long days on our feet, here is what
we ended up with.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqRRd01oOVBzvCovkeMS5xTGdRY1ZjmC8mrVdVJQHw0Gow4SvJg0ZFajhc6UoHuAOUMM8ciZeeoFO6NSeL3J0kdbyrhNNKuvltUhWNBk6Nx1q4lca992wL3L4zj35yHu-ZYGPXkqy5SY/s1600/IMG_3592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqRRd01oOVBzvCovkeMS5xTGdRY1ZjmC8mrVdVJQHw0Gow4SvJg0ZFajhc6UoHuAOUMM8ciZeeoFO6NSeL3J0kdbyrhNNKuvltUhWNBk6Nx1q4lca992wL3L4zj35yHu-ZYGPXkqy5SY/s320/IMG_3592.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
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You can see that we’ve got a few more than the six colors we
intended.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Carla tells me that part of the magic of dyeing is in what
happens in the dye pot. In spite of her
meticulous measuring and our sampling, the dye absorbs and attaches to fiber in
unique ways. Some of the colors, while
not what we expected were colors we fell in love with, so we kept them.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
We will have this lovely yarn at <a href="https://www.yarncon.com/">Yarn Con</a> on Friday (that's only a couple of days from now!!) and (if there is any left) at the <a href="http://www.fiberexpo.com/page/page/4831882.htm">Spring Ann Arbor Fiber Expo</a> April 9-10. Come out and see me!<br />
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If you’ve been paying attention, you know the next part is
pattern support. I’ll tell you more
about that next time.<br />
<br />
P.S. Pattern updates are happening soon! Now's your chance to grab <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/stores/maybea-crafted">previously published patterns</a> at a lower rate. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-61002395608271284982016-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:002016-03-28T13:48:22.006-04:00Welcome Home<br />
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I wrote almost a couple of weeks ago about the lists I’ve
been making and trying to finish up before <a href="https://www.yarncon.com/">Yarn Con</a>, but what I haven’t written
about are some of the things I’ve already finished.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
During my last school vacation, I spent some time working
with Carla of <a href="http://cjkoho.com/">cjkoho Designs</a> on a project that we’ve been collaborating on
since August.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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A dear friend, Mary, cares for a small flock of sheep on the
west side of Michigan. I’ve purchased a
few fleeces from her in the past, and love the Blue Faced Leister/Romney cross sheep
that she has in her flock. It’s truly a
dream to spin, and I love that I know the shepherd, and feel connected to her
flock as though they are somehow friends by extension.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Carla and I visited with Mary this fall at the Michigan
Fiber Festival, and Carla, too, fell in love with the fleece. So much so, that we grabbed up all eight that
Mary brought to show us. . .and we fought off people in the parking lot who
were eager to see the beautiful wool and take it home themselves. Our vision was to have all of this Michigan
grown fleece processed into yarn, right here in Michigan, dyed in Carla’s
studio, and then supported with patterns designed by yours truly. The vision is to welcome our customers to the
good parts of Michigan; we’ve called the yarn Welcome Home. The process has been awesome in the way that
only projects that push you to grow can be.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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This labor of love, from the state we love is being released
to the public at Yarn Con in just a few days, and we were interviewed about it
by Jennifer at <a href="http://craftsanity.com/">CraftSanity</a> when we met up at <a href="https://midwestcraftcon.wordpress.com/">MidWest CraftCon</a> in Columbus. .
.but I’m getting ahead of myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m one of those “shop local” people. I love to go to locally owned stores. I don’t mind paying a bit more for ethically
produced products. We buy organic when
we can. . .you get the idea. I don’t
snub big box stores completely, there are certainly reasons to shop with larger
corporations too, but I have bought into the idea that my local dollars spent
locally help my neighbors and friends who own businesses locally.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s another reason I love going to fiber festivals. I can meet the artists who dyed the yarn, I
can see photos of the sheep that grew the fleece, and maybe meet the farmers
who raised them. Even if the dyers don’t
live in my little town just outside of Detroit, that connection is important to
me. Friends in fiber. Knit from the same cloth. (Yes, that horrible
pun was intentional. Go with me.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve never really complained much about the cost of hand
dyed yarn, but know it’s pricier. An
artist touched it. Worked her magic on
it. Thoughtfully created something
beautiful for me to use. It’s worth the
extra cost.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What I had never done for any length of time is to spend time
in the studio with one of those artists.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Holy Crow. Is that a
lot of work. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll tell you more about that in the next blog post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzkQl-XQf0-gv6eImhE1m-zt9mXRMVrr_vpuJkdKO9lJeHAJMDHSjZlxj4tozW4cp1eQfN3TkebNuiLSEhSXNCf6loYRPyRuRZiyBoCYElf7_sMgn2-Wpg3f_J04KxG5-x_jCNk63nUA/s1600/IMG_3564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzkQl-XQf0-gv6eImhE1m-zt9mXRMVrr_vpuJkdKO9lJeHAJMDHSjZlxj4tozW4cp1eQfN3TkebNuiLSEhSXNCf6loYRPyRuRZiyBoCYElf7_sMgn2-Wpg3f_J04KxG5-x_jCNk63nUA/s320/IMG_3564.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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P.S. I've got a batch of patterns to look at in my inbox fresh from the tech editor and graphic artist I'm working with. Some of which are refreshed patterns already in my Ravelry library. If you've been thinking about one of them, now is the time to add them. Next week, all customers will get an update, and the price will go up. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/stores/maybea-crafted">Take a look!</a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-72685359400436098312016-03-07T10:00:00.000-05:002016-03-14T14:49:09.673-04:00Guest Blog: Erica Owens<div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
<i>Even though Erica and I live less than a mile apart, we don't see much of each other, and our interactions are primarily online these days. There has been a flurry of email and text messages lately as we approach St. Patrick's Day. We've collectively watched the response to Saint Padriag's re-release, and I thought you might enjoy hearing from Erica what her thoughts about the design are. Enjoy!</i></div>
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My son adores shamrocks. I'm sure it's somewhat forced on him, because I love them too. St Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays - I love the food, happy family time and explosion of green and white decorations. Last year I wanted to surprise my son Padraig with a shamrock-themed handknit. Tanya and I put our heads together and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saint-padraig">Saint Padraig</a> was born. </div>
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We cranked out a bunch of samples and my family donned hats for the Detroit St. Patrick's Day 2015 parade. Padraig loved that we all had different versions. </div>
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We wore them a lot last spring and dusted them off again in September for...you guessed it..HALFWAY to St. Patrick's Day. The last month I definitely have shamrock fever all over again. I had Tanya make custom knitting bags for me and my mom and we took them for a spin at Pints and Purls, a knit night at Patrick J's Irish Pub in Berkley.</div>
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The fever doesn't stop there. I'm knitting a cowl in Wooly Worsted by Ewe Ewe Yarns </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcVLXMpD_F9kOoukJrAVkQPr89GurLXcsfudarRcgQbyRo3qEZhyphenhyphenHEUhvBTNI3Uv3jNxioeHxByM67OpCec0nwVu8162n3sp94NN973namIxxmrvpmURfOMYyMRID2RQerLxrFVE9Cc0/s1600/EweEwe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcVLXMpD_F9kOoukJrAVkQPr89GurLXcsfudarRcgQbyRo3qEZhyphenhyphenHEUhvBTNI3Uv3jNxioeHxByM67OpCec0nwVu8162n3sp94NN973namIxxmrvpmURfOMYyMRID2RQerLxrFVE9Cc0/s320/EweEwe.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and another shamrock cowl in For Better or Worsted by Anzula Luxury Fibers.</div>
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I love how both are knitting up! It seems like every couple days a friend is texting me a pic of a recent finished object. </div>
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Cathy knit this for her grandson</div>
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and has cast one on for herself.</div>
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And how cute is Kathy's version in two purples!? I love how it looks like violets. So Springy!</div>
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Jane knit a wee one for her niece and has already cast one on for herself.</div>
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Tanya and I can't thank you all enough for the kind words about our Saint Padraig pattern. It's a great "my first fair isle" project and your positive feedback shows that! To show our extreme gratitude, we're having a CONTEST! Leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered in the drawing for a custom shamrock bag!</div>
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Buy the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saint-padraig">Saint Padraig pattern</a> and you get TWO entries into the drawing (don't worry, we're throwing your name into the hat if you already purchased one). <a href="http://eepurl.com/bQ8O49">Sign up for the newsletter</a> , and follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maybeacrafted/">MaybeaCrafted on Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MayBeaCrafted/">Facebook</a>, to earn <i><b>additional</b> </i>chances! We'll draw a winner on March 11, 2016. </div>
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Keep those pics coming on social media. We love it! Tag them with #maybeacrafted and #saintpadraig to be sure we find them. </div>
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Happy Knitting, </div>
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Erica</div>
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<b>Thanks for the purchases, comments and follows. . .from 181 entries, we used a random number generator to select a winner. Number 156, Beth H, has been notified and will have a small Poppins bag headed her way soon. </b></div>
Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-52100070456247219442016-03-02T16:00:00.000-05:002016-03-02T19:40:07.993-05:00Crunch Time<div class="MsoNormal">
This week has been racing past me, and has been filled with
list upon list, with no beautiful photos or inspirational thoughts. Ever had a week like that? The work in my sewing room has my trash can
looking interesting, but that’s about it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Saturday I had a good sit down with myself, and really
looked at the calendar and what needed to be done. It was a bit shocking.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For those of you who haven’t signed up for my newsletter, (<a href="http://eepurl.com/bQ8O49">here's a link</a> if you haven't) the exciting news is that I’ve been accepted to vend at <a href="https://www.yarncon.com/">Yarn Con</a> in Chicago on
April 2-3. This is great news, is
<i>very</i> exciting, but it also comes with lists.
Do I have enough bags made? What
should I add to the goodie bag? Will all
of my patterns be ready to print? Do I have a good way to display everything? Do I have enough samples? What supplies do I need to purchase to make
sure that everything is priced and ready to go?
How will I fit it all into my vehicle?
Have I made the hotel reservations?
Do I know where my fast pass is for tolls?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sleep has been eluding me and the lists continue to get more
specific each day. While I like specific
lists because it means I can check things off as I go, they can also be
daunting. . .because they get intensely long.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I actually think I’m in good shape, but the lists. . .oh the
lists. I’ll have some long days and
weekends between now and April 1 when I head west with my car loaded to the
hilt with all sorts of good things to share.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ever wonder what 2000 stitch markers looks like? These arrived this week for me to use in a
special treat for people shopping in my booth this spring. Yes, that’s another thing on my list.<o:p></o:p><br />
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If you haven’t been to Yarn Con (I haven’t!) you should
totally check out their site. They are
consistent about sharing bios about their teachers, info about their vendors (I
was <a href="https://www.yarncon.com/vendor-spotlight-daizie-knits-maybea-crafted/">featured on Monday</a> in case you missed it.)
A friend local to the area says that it’s the best FREE event in the
area. A couple of friends who’ve vended
and taught at previous events have it on their “must attend” list. I’m excited to be included in the list of
vendors, as there are some stellar small businesses and teachers included in
the event. I suspect it's going to be tough not to spend all of my profits while I'm there!<o:p></o:p></div>
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My excitement about my debut at Yarn Con has me almost
forgetting about the <a href="http://www.fiberexpo.com/page/page/4831882.htm">Ann Arbor Spring Fiber Expo</a>. I’ve been a vendor at the Fall Fiber Expo
more than once, but this will be my first time at the spring event. I’ll be camping in “Betty” our 1956 Comet camper at the fairgrounds, so you could say it’ll be my first camping trip of
2016 too. (And if you're not a camper, camping comes with a completely different set of lists that can be a bit shocking when you see them written out.)<br />
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I’ll bet you’re wondering when the Spring Fiber Expo is. .
.April 9-10. Yes, the weekend
immediately following Yarn Con.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Are you starting to understand my lists now? I’m not really prepping for one big show, but
TWO, right in a row. Add to that a
teaching engagement at my local guild in April, and you’ve got a recipe for a
busy, busy March. Still, I'm trying to remember this:<o:p></o:p><br />
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I'm wondering. . .what do you do to manage things when your lists get overwhelming? And what is it that brings you joy? In spite of the crazy making, the things on my lists? They do bring me joy.</div>
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Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-5619088879702985882016-02-26T09:00:00.000-05:002016-02-26T09:00:56.664-05:00Who's Your Community?<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a handful of students who join me in a knitting class
on Thursday nights. We’ve evolved a bit
from being an instructional group into being a group of women who care about
one another, who also knit. I’m still a
support to them when they get stuck, but our group has become less instructional over
the years. And while this doesn’t really
bug me, I do miss the problem solving and watching the lights go on as people
figure out something they have never done before. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the things I truly love about knitting is just how
clever it makes me feel. There is no end
to the delight I feel when I turn the heel on a sock, or figure out a
particularly difficult stitch pattern, or put together strange colors and
create something that is truly amazing.<br />
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<o:p></o:p><br />
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(Sock is a plain ole stockinette sock in 64 sts on a size 2.25mm needle, and the yarn is Socks That Rock lightweight in Bait-a, acquired at Erica's de-stash sale last year.)</div>
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I love that part of knitting. But I tend to see it more in my own work than
in others lately.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I posted earlier this week how much the comments from others
about Saint Padraig meant to me. I am
genuinely humbled and excited by how much people have enjoyed that
pattern. Often, I’ll send something out
into the world and never hear back about it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I teach at a metro Detroit high school during the day, and
one of my colleagues has sponsored a knitting club for many years. My students know that I knit, but a different club that I
sponsor has always prevented me from participating in the knitting club. Knitting club attendance has waned and she was looking for
a depository for the supplies. . .and I agreed to take them on, thinking that
maybe next year, I’ll sponsor the club and be all set.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was a LARGE box of donated yarn, needles, books and
goodies that showed up one day. “These
are from Ms. Hearne,” I was told, and then the student disappeared. What was I going to do with all of this? Where would I find room for it?<br />
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The box sat on my counter for a week as I pondered.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And then one student said she’d like to learn to knit. She pulled a book of instructions out, found
a yarn that she loved the color of, and I showed her how to cast on during
passing time one day. She tells me she
knits obsessively at home. (Oh, how I
can relate.) However she hasn’t brought anything in to show me, so I’m not sure
where she’s at with her obsessing. . .<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another told me she was into felting, and asked if there
were felting supplies in the box. There
weren’t, but I brought in some roving donated by a <a href="http://cjkoho.com/">Carla</a>, and a few needles and
a block of foam. This student tells me
she has been painting with yarn, and creating some lovely images. . .and was so
thankful for the supplies to encourage her along. I haven’t seen evidence of this, but I trust
that it’s true.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet another told me that she learned how to knit when
she was little, and asked if I could help her a little.
She shows up to see me every day or so to show off her progress. She chose a carmely-tan yarn for the scarf
she wanted to make, and never expecting her to be so committed; I didn’t put
her off by telling her that it probably wasn’t enough yarn for what she
wanted. I just helped her cast on, and
sent her on her way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So often, I feel like that’s what I do as a learner. Take a chunk of information back to my quiet
space and then try to figure things out on my own. Sort of like the first two girls. I’ve got this, I think, and
sometimes I actually do. Other times, it’s
a bit less successful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What I’ve admired about girl three, is that she keeps
showing up. Every few days she’ll show
me where she’s at. I’ll give her a tip
or two, and she’ll keep motoring on.
Then one day she told me she wanted to try something different. I thought that meant she was giving up on
knitting, and scrapping the scarf project.
(Aha! I was RIGHT! or so I
thought. . .) <o:p></o:p></div>
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But what she wanted was to learn a new stitch. Her vision for her scarf was that it would be
a sampler. She wanted to try out new
stitch patterns that would help her feel more confident, and learn more. What a smart girl! She’s moved through garter stitch, 2x2
ribbing, moss stitch and is now working a 1x1 rib. I checked in with her about length and colors
and coached her to turn it in to an infinity scarf when she’s done. I think that the 220 or so yards in her skein
will be perfect for that application.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrf7ScVo07L5y9aiRF_khHQ9WzEH0ZPJUHeYVZRDeEWvGGSuYQoWoiefPNPCVWWHM3rH35JyENQn6btMhracQhdiyGB53f5k8J1vABmRpOf5mr_Lbg7oV2zjiixX7calbznHaPo_Ia6M/s1600/File+Feb+24%252C+2+16+51+PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrf7ScVo07L5y9aiRF_khHQ9WzEH0ZPJUHeYVZRDeEWvGGSuYQoWoiefPNPCVWWHM3rH35JyENQn6btMhracQhdiyGB53f5k8J1vABmRpOf5mr_Lbg7oV2zjiixX7calbznHaPo_Ia6M/s320/File+Feb+24%252C+2+16+51+PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
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She has dodged the boring first scarf, and turned it in to
something that she can learn from. Something
practical. Something that’ll make her
feel clever when she puts it around her neck.
All that knitting should be. She likes the undulating width of the project, and thinks it's going to look smashing when it's done. I agree.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All of this made me curious.
What was YOUR first knitting project?
What do you use as a teaching tool when someone you love wants to learn
to knit? And what are you doing NOW to
keep growing your skills?<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’re looking for a sampler-like project, I adapted Danielle LaFramboise’s windmill bag pattern a few years ago into a multi stitch sampler
bag called the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sassy-summer-satchel/people">Sassy Summer Satchel</a>. It’s a fun knit, and you can use colors that make
your heart sing, and choose the stitch patterns that are most intriguing. Best of all?
It’s a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sassy-summer-satchel">free download on Ravelry</a>, and well tested by the 1,841 of
unique downloads it’s had over the years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you do decide to cast on, don’t be afraid to let me know
about it. It’s a great bag.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And if you're struggling with your knitting? Show up. Ask for help. Knitters make for great community, and your LYS or community center is bound to have classes--and if they're full and you live locally? Let's chat. It'll be fun to grow my community again. You can never have too many knitting friends in your life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRBxtpauMEsXaNvDlHDrGCzMICbMNM-S-BJ9ic35vrszNXFWpmawBY-wIRGmM5TYVyrIcUIy34v4LQRYc6Op1u8m95sU-p5rRboTypm9Xn6en7ffEx_iK_ZXpQUN8Gza6C2JoEWQdDs4/s1600/File+Feb+26%252C+7+48+03+AM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRBxtpauMEsXaNvDlHDrGCzMICbMNM-S-BJ9ic35vrszNXFWpmawBY-wIRGmM5TYVyrIcUIy34v4LQRYc6Op1u8m95sU-p5rRboTypm9Xn6en7ffEx_iK_ZXpQUN8Gza6C2JoEWQdDs4/s320/File+Feb+26%252C+7+48+03+AM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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P.S. I just saw that <a href="http://www.haveyouanywoolmi.com/Knitting_Crocheting_Classes.php">. . .Have You Any Wool?</a> in Berkley has added another Fair Isle class if you're still itching to try casting on a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saint-padraig">Saint Padraig</a> before St. Patrick's Day!<br />
<br />
. . .and if you haven't signed up for my newsletter, <a href="http://eepurl.com/bQ8O49">here's a link</a>!</div>
Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-72724091649059569282016-02-23T08:30:00.000-05:002016-02-23T08:30:13.856-05:00It's nice to be loved!When Erica and I re-released Saint Padraig last Monday, we expected that some of our customers would be thrilled, they'd been asking us for the update for a long time.<br />
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What we didn't expect was the overwhelmingly positive response we got. You guys! Thanks for the love! <br />
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Knittingally says:<i> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Thank you so much - I love the cowl!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span></i><br />
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Don't you just love the pink edge that she's included on the hat that she's working on?<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Janedu says: <i> </i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic;">SO excited. Completed the hat this a.m. and LOVE it. Cannot wait to make the cowl for myself.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">IndoMary says:</span> <i>I love this hat pattern I have made 2 baby 1 toddler 1 small adult and 1 large adult. Easy pattern to follow and so cute. Can not wait to try this [cowl].
</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">SharonRoseZ says: <i> </i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic;">Thanks so much; I have yarn left from my hat so may make the cowl as well!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">And she's right. . .if you start with two full skeins of Cascade 220, you can make an adult hat, and reverse the colors for the cowl, and might still be able to sneak out a baby hat with the left overs. When we were knitting the samples last year, we had a skein of Bare Naked Wools Ghillie that we couldn't believe how many hats we were able to knit with!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Take a look at how cute<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sh<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">aron's </span>hat is! It's just about to be sent off t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">o the recipient. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I think if you <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saint-padraig/people">poke around on Ravelry</a> for a bit, you'll be inspired by all of the yarn and color choices you'll find. I'll bet you even have the perfect yarn just waiting in your stash.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I talked last week about what a great pattern this is for a beginning fair isle knitter, and it truly is. My local yarn shop, <a href="http://haveyouanywoolmi.com/">Have You Any Wool</a> has used the Saint Padraig pattern as a intro to color work class more than once. Even if you've never knit with two colors before, you'll still have time to cast one on and get it finished before the holiday. I swear.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">If you've got one on the needles, or one you'd like to share on Instagram, tag us with #saintpadraig or #maybeacrafted so we can seek you out.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Wait.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">You don't have the pattern yet?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I'll make it easy.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/maybea-crafted/263871"><img border="0" src="http://www.ravelry.com/images/shopping/buy-now.gif" /></a>Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-88496822443831294542016-02-19T11:00:00.000-05:002016-02-19T11:00:05.200-05:00Updates!I'm at CraftCon in Columbus this weekend, but before I left town, I added quite a few items to my Etsy shop. If you're looking for a new knitting bag, or a fun key fob to keep you organized, there are many to choose from if you head <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MayBeaCrafted?ref=hdr_shop_menu">over there</a> to take a look. I've added both sizes of Poppins bags, but the colors are limited, so act quickly if there is one that you think you've got to have. <br />
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Remember, these bags aren't just for knitters. . .you can keep your small bits organized in your larger bag, backpack or luggage too. . .My wife has about six in rotation and she keeps all sorts of goodies from landing at the bottom of her work bag.<br />
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The key fobs make great teacher gifts, and conferences are fast approaching in our district. What a nice way to show your child's teacher how much you appreciate the work that they are doing.<br />
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Also, if you take a look over to the right of the page, you'll see a link to sign up for a newsletter. I promise to only use the list for sending out updates when new things are happening--and there are a lot of new things that are ready to explode! I've got a handful of patterns that are being updated and re-released, and there are new fiber shows being added to the calendar, and there might be a coupon or two hidden up my sleeve. Sign up to stay in the loop. I promise not to share your information with anyone!<br />
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Picture me learning a lot this weekend. . .I plan to come home inspired, enthused and excited to take on the next bit of my adventure with MayBea Crafted. I hope you'll join me.Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-54577259048528495062016-02-15T16:47:00.000-05:002016-02-15T16:47:15.704-05:00Saint Padraig<br />
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<img height="400" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/kzooerica/290957497/227_small.JPG" width="300" /><br />
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Last winter, Erica Owens and I spent many a frantic night test knitting, photographing, reknitting, revising, and rewriting what has turned out to be one of MayBea Crafted's more popular patterns on Ravelry. Saint Padraig is the perfect knit for someone who is itching to try two color knitting, but has a little bit of fear standing in their way. <br />
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The hat starts out with a contrast cast on, and moves into simple ribbing that will feel familiar to anyone who's knit a hat before. Easy. Peasy. After switching to a larger needle you head to the chart, only to learn that you're only adding a contrast stripe. Totally doable. Before you know it, you'll be knitting one stitch of the main color and one of the contrast. . .and just when you're ready to let your brain rest, the chart adds a little bit of rest in it for you. By the time you get to the shamrocks? You're ready for them. They move quickly and have easy to memorize repeats. Your confidence is soaring by the time you hit the crown, and the quick decreases have you finishing a hat before you know it!<br />
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We have one customer who recently wrote that she's casting on number four in the past ten days. Four hats in ten days? Yup. And she says she's not ready to stop anytime soon, St. Patrick's Day is a few weeks away and she's hoping to have a hat for everyone in the family in a rainbow of greens in time for the special day. She's unstoppable.<br />
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Honestly, that would be enough to love the pattern. A quick, easy entry into fair isle knitting, with fantastic results. Oh, did I mention that it's sized for babies through adults? It is. A size for everyone. But we didn't want to stop there. . .<br />
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This weekend Erica spent some time adding what we'd always hoped we could add to the pattern, but somehow hadn't found the time to add. A cowl.<br />
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How adorable is this? You can show your Irish pride without getting hat head! We think the addition of the cowl makes this an even better value at $6, and once you try your hand at knitting with two colors, a whole new world opens up to you.<br />
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If you've already purchased the pattern, check your Ravelry library for the update.<br />
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If you haven't bought it yet? What are you waiting for?<br />
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Here's a link to help you out. We;ll be looking for your projects on Ravelry and Instagram. Tag us with #saintpadraig or #maybeacrafted so that everyone can find you!<br />
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<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/purchase/maybea-crafted/263871"><img border="0" src="http://www.ravelry.com/images/shopping/buy-now.gif" /></a>Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-45070810879751208782016-02-08T09:23:00.004-05:002016-02-08T09:23:54.881-05:00The Upside of Social MediaWhen I first created a Facebook account, it was primarily to
be able to check in on others who were more active on the site. I did the same with Twitter, and then
eventually, last year, succumbed to Instagram.
I’ve slowly begun to add personal posts to each of those accounts,
punctuated sporadically with MayBea Crafted photos and updates.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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For many of my friends, near and far, they’ve enjoyed seeing
the posts of the piles of Poppins bags that I’ve made, and learning about the
patterns that I’m working on and sending to publication, but I suspect for
others of my friends, it’s been a bit annoying to be spammed with news of the
craftapalooza that is my personal and sometimes professional life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today, Facebook reminded me of a hat that I remember
knitting, but that I thought I didn’t have any nice pictures of. I knit it and gave it to a friend so quickly
that I never added it to my Ravelry page.
Honestly? I had forgotten how
beautiful this hat was, and now I want to knit a similar one for myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><img src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/l/t1.0-9/62952_10152347792057741_804780200_n.jpg?oh=3b33a4ab42c568e7266a993d2271fd81&oe=57295141" /></div>
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This comes at a pretty good time, as the<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/i-heart-fair-isle"> I Heart Fair Isle pattern</a> is set to be revamped with a new layout, new name (Hart, Michigan is in the running) and
added notes. Until it comes back from
the tech editor and layout team at <a href="http://www.stitchdefinition.org/2014/12/23/logo-for-yarns-from-the-plain-indie-dyer">Stitch Definition</a>, it’ll continue to be sold
for $4 on Ravelry. (Get your copy now,
and the newer version will be sent your way when it is uploaded.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m hopeful that by the beginning of April, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/tanya-thomann">my Ravelrypattern page</a> is going to see a lot of action.
I’ve got a dozen patterns that are either being refreshed or added to my
portfolio. I hope you’ll stay tuned and
see what is new. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve also added a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MayBeaCrafted/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel">MayBea Crafted Facebook page</a> to hopefully
engage those who want to be engaged, and keep my friends, well, friendly. <o:p></o:p></div>
Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-57357907289142739472016-02-01T19:10:00.001-05:002016-02-01T19:10:55.395-05:00Knitting Just Got Geeky<b>Guest Teacher!</b><br />
Jeanna Parks has been experimenting with adding conductive thread to her knitting. Since we've all got questions, and can't wait until the summer to see her table at the Maker Faire at the Henry Ford, she's offered to teach for us in Berkley this spring.<br />
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<b>Light Up Your Knitting:</b><br />
Fiber fun got you down? Want to electrify your geek friends with your
recent technologic advances? Join us and electrify your knitting! Don't
phone it in - making tech gloves is fun, but let's go light years
beyond...LED light years! Our session will include some soldering
basics, as well as some experimenting in the basics of adding LED lights
to your projects.<br />
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Some homework prior to class is required. Bring a WOOL stockinette swatch 6"x6" to the first class, and we will choose a simple hat pattern to knit for your second class project.<br />
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Class meets from 6-8pm on Wednesday, March 2 and Wednesday March 15 from 6-8:30pm $55 includes materials fee.<br />
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<b>Techie Gloves:</b><br />
You just knit an amazing pair of gloves!
You chose the pattern, shopped for just the right yarn, knit for ages.
And now? Now you can't answer your phone without taking them off.
What??!? Inconceivable! Don't worry...we have you covered. Come learn
how easy it is to incorporate conductive thread into your knitting
project, and next time you can make your own tech gloves and wow your
fiber friends!<br />
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Knit all but the fingers on your chosen gloves prior to class. A pattern with simple stockinette or garter fingers will give you the best results.<br />
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One class meets on Wednesday, March 9 from 6-8:30pm $30 includes materials fee.<br />
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To register for classes, send an email to Tanya at MayBeaCrafted dot com to register your space. You'll receive an email with an invoice and confirmation upon receipt. Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-80794256047722922962014-12-14T23:02:00.002-05:002014-12-14T23:03:22.694-05:00Coming Out of the Dark<div class="MsoNormal">
Our family had a particularly challenging 15 months or so,
and I guess I didn’t realize how much it had impacted my creativity and ability
to juggle multiple tasks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems like
I checked out of an awful<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> lot for quite a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I talked with some friends recently
about blogging, I was surprised at how long it’s been since I’ve visited this
space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I’m here for now, and may be
more regularly appearing to check in and share what’s going on in my corner of
the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for holding this space
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good to know that there is
a place where everybody knows my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hope you’ve been well.</div>
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Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-16453015799842369062013-04-14T23:32:00.001-04:002013-04-14T23:32:50.592-04:00Two Steps Forward<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/04/14/3037.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/04/14/s_3037.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Good News: This pile of bags means I can move some fabric stash OUT of the sewing room and into the box of "stock" awaiting the opportunity to be sold. <br /><br />Bad News: There may have been a stack of fabric rescued from my Gram's attic that is currently in the washer that will soon be housed in my sewing room. <br /><br />So I guess the real question is, what kind of project bags do YOU like? I see a lot of sewing in my future...<br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-64963116576186127542013-03-04T21:44:00.001-05:002013-03-04T21:46:33.394-05:00March ForthIt's time to do exactly that. My last, and favorite, grandparent passed away in early February, and it has thrown me for a loop. Yesterday was her memorial service, and I think we did her proud and sent her off in style. I cannot begin to express how loved I felt by the friends, neighbors, and coworkers of mine that attended the service and luncheon. I sometimes forget how lucky I am to be surrounded by such a great group of people. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/03/04/2603.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/03/04/s_2603.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />But today is March fourth. It is time to get on with the act of life. There has been knitting, and planning...all of which I hope to share with you soon. <br /><br />Thanks for hanging in there with me. <br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-69833400287688785722013-02-01T20:44:00.001-05:002013-02-01T20:44:13.454-05:00Lloie's Big Night Out. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/02/01/2326.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/02/01/s_2326.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Working the short rows as I wait for Angelique Kidjo to come on stage. <br /><br />Hope your Friday night is just as fun. Actually, it's a big weekend. Tomorrow I'll be at Knit Michigan. Hope to see friends and spend the day shopping and knitting. <br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-59319957279249889112013-01-28T22:16:00.001-05:002013-01-28T22:16:07.111-05:00Found TimeI began the day hoping for a snow day, then was sure we weren't going to get one, then surprised that we were called off. I like to think I use found time well, but this morning found me napping. <br /><br />As I continue to work through my UFO pile, I find myself both excited about discarded projects and disgusted at myself for leaving them incomplete. My weekend was spent determining how I increased for sleeves on a Lloie's cardigan I began nearly three years ago, and pleased that the notes I left for myself actually make sense. I'd hoped to join the sleeves with the body today but indecision kept me from commitment. I've been uncertain about sleeve length, and now became worried I wasn't choosing the right length for the body. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/28/2665.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/28/s_2665.jpg' border='0' width='299' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />After a quick consult with a friend on twitter, where I was told that more grey stockinette stitch would not ACTUALLY kill me, I made the body longer. Not really long ENOUGH, because I needed some color in my life. <br /><br />I cast on a headband for a colleague. Nearly finished but for the edging, and I hope to do that tomorrow. <br /><br />Apparently I found time to create a new UFO. <br /><br />Isn't that what I've been trying to avoid?<br /><br />My day ended with a productive meeting with friends from my guild. Amidst the conversations, I do think we hammered out all that we needed to as we prep to host a teacher in March. <br /><br />All in all a good day, but I always feel like I should be so much more productive when I find myself with so much unscheduled free time. Tomorrow it's back to the real world. <br /><br />And more grey stockinette stitch. Hopefully the headband was a good vaccine for the boredom. After all, I do have the color work yoke ahead, that should keep me focused, right?<br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-63431885898250025692013-01-25T00:04:00.001-05:002013-01-25T00:04:02.516-05:00Pinch MeI can't believe it's at this point. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/24/2570.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/24/s_2570.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />And with the completion of Cloud Chaser, I'm in the single digits with my UFOs. <br /><br />Seems like some good photos should be up here soon. I have several things to share. I'm realizing I never got good shots of the Philosopher's Wool sweater I finished, and I was so excited to show off Matlie's Birthmas vest yesterday that I didn't show you mine. <br /><br />Here's a peek. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/24/2571.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/24/s_2571.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-36161462458561020562013-01-23T21:55:00.001-05:002013-01-23T21:55:57.995-05:00BirthmasIt's a long story...<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/23/2556.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/23/s_2556.jpg' border='0' width='299' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/23/2557.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/23/s_2557.jpg' border='0' width='299' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-12001307776202605392013-01-22T23:54:00.000-05:002013-01-22T23:54:00.017-05:00KarmaWhen I found out that my Sunday plans were to be thrown out the window because J was sick, I have to admit to feeling a tiny bit of joy to know that I could spend all day doing whatever I wanted. I was eager to make a dent in my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cloud-chaser">Cloud Chaser</a>. I stayed far away from the germs and knit on another floor than where the sickness was. I dutifully checked in every hour to be sure that there was plenty of Gatorade, blankets, bananas and brown rice available. I thought, under the circumstances, that I was being a pretty good wife. And I did get some serious knitting done.<br />
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Then came Monday. I was sure that my stomach was making every effort to leave my body by any means necessary. I can't really fault my friend Matlie for her lack of sympathy and lust for my knitting stash and finished sweaters when I told her I was near death. After all, it was my secret joy on Sunday that got me into this mess. Karma can really do a number on you.<br />
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Watch out Matlie, it may be coming to you next.<br />
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I muddled through school today, and took a four hour nap when I got home. Truly, I think we've been lucky as this bug seems to be only of the 24 hour sort. We're on the mend, but not completely ourselves yet. With a long week ahead, we're both trying to put off all but the necessities. I've sanitized much of the house, and tomorrow plan to wash all blankets and sheets that may have been missed in our cleaning on Monday night.<br />
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I did finish much of the collar I was fretting about on Friday, but this vest may forever be tainted in my mind as the one I knit while I was near death. Hopefully I can make some new memories when I wear it.Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-45547633105383490662013-01-18T22:43:00.001-05:002013-01-18T22:43:00.870-05:00And Miles to Go Before I SleepI finished the left front of my vest. I felt like it was a pretty big accomplishment until I realized one thing. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/18/2183.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/18/s_2183.jpg' border='0' width='390' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />This is one repeat of the collar. I have fifteen, 63 stitch, 24 row repeats to go plus a 14 rows of ribbing. That's 23,562 stitches to go. But who's counting?<br /><br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-4010646365050071042013-01-17T22:44:00.001-05:002013-01-17T22:44:31.956-05:00A MilestoneI have finished the body of my Cloud Chaser vest, now it's on to the collar. If I get my act together at school tomorrow, I be able to use my three day weekend to make a pretty big dent in it. My goal is to wear it to Knit Michigan in a few weeks. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/17/2373.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/17/s_2373.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/17/2374.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/17/s_2374.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-8906804425197808652013-01-16T21:33:00.001-05:002013-01-16T21:33:50.548-05:00Taking Time to PlanI'm lucky to have a student teacher in my room this semester. I think I've mentioned that I'm concerned that I may not be the best model for her, but it's been nice for me to think carefully about what I do in my classroom and to see things through different eyes. She's working on creating units to teach after our students take finals. So far, she's been watching us finish the semester and getting to know my students. I've been sort of envious of the time she's able to spend planning out her work. Actually, not sort of. Really envious would be more like it. Everything goes so much smoother when you have a roadmap to guide you along the way. I'm hopeful that my students will respond well to all that she brings to the classroom when she eventually becomes the lead teacher. I suspect they will. I truly have a great group of students this year. <br /><br />Tonight in my knitting class we did some planning too. One student is knitting a Knit Swirl sweater and the construction is more than a little atypical. When she started, we talked about writing out the plan row by row, or welt by welt. Having a linear, well written guide to follow as you read the designers instructions can sometimes be a big help. <br /><br />I know knitters who put the directions into a spread sheet, some copy the pattern and highlight and make notes, and I even made multiple copies one time cut it apart and put each line of the directions onto a 3x5 card and flipped through the stack as I knit. Some use sticky notes and others highlighter tape...Knit Companion is an app that you can use for an electronic map through the pattern, and I currently use my iPad and the Good Reader app to make digital notes and move through charts. <br /><br />For this knitter, we have a plan. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/16/1911.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/16/s_1911.jpg' border='0' width='299' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />A welt by welt, and for this section of the sleeves, a row by row plan that she can check off as she goes. Someday soon she's going to have a gorgeous sweater made from Madeline Tosh, and she'll be certain she made no mistakes because she'll be following a plan. <br /><br />It got me wondering. How do you plan your knitting? What tips and tricks help you through the tricky bits?<br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-29050528869484691952013-01-15T22:02:00.001-05:002013-01-15T22:02:13.456-05:00Remind Me I Like to KnitTwo and a half hours until I can begin the endless collar. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/01/15/2300.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/01/15/s_2300.jpg' border='0' width='299' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I do love it, but am so eager to be working on something else. Every pattern on Ravelry looks better to me than this one does right now. I keep reminding myself that when I finish this, it will be my third adult garment that I've finished this year, fourth if you want to count the child sized Tomten. <br /><br />That's not too shabby, 'eh? If you're wondering what I'm up to for the next few days, I'll be knitting this vest...because I LIKE to knit. <br />Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135041882878060682.post-35684280355856200602013-01-14T22:51:00.001-05:002013-01-14T22:51:46.350-05:00Is Resistance Futile?I had a major case of startitis this weekend. I have been diligently working through my list of UFOs and want to cast on something new. To be fair, I've knit a couple of small little projects in the past couple of weeks. I've made two cowls and two hats, but those don't really count, do they? They were fun little knits that didn't really hold much allure. They were almost cast off as soon as they were cast on.<br />
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My friend Kim came over to knit on Saturday, and having spent Friday in my new Philosopher's Wool sweater, I felt pretty darn good about myself, and thought I'd reward myself with a new sweater. But I don't have my swatch knit for the one I think I can finish quickly. I do have swatches done for two other sweaters. (Ignore the fact that both sweaters will be knit from the same yarn. . .and that I only have enough to make one sweater from that quantity of yarn. . .those details aren't really important.) Kim had the perfect social knitting project with her. A simple 1x1 ribbed scarf made with self striping yarn. Enough interest in the color changes, but simple enough to talk and watch movies while knitting. I needed such a project. Since I STILL can't find my elusive skein of sock yarn, I thought maybe I'd cast on a new pair. (rejected because in spite of how quickly I knit, they are not quick projects and would be bound to be a new UFO) I thought I might cast on a Jacobus Monkey (also rejected because I don't know what color to knit, and I'd have to wind sock yarn) I thought I might knit a hat for my uncle (rejected because I need to find a pattern, and I'm not actually sure he'll wear it) Maybe that sweater out of the Greenfield Village yarn? (rejected because of the no swatching issue stated above) I downloaded a couple of new patterns from Ravelry, and began to pick out the yarn to knit some significant garter stitch wraps (rejected because I have the good sense not to start a massive undertaking without support, and Jennie says she can't KAL until much later this year) I thought about a bog jacket and began to plan colors (rejected because my pattern is at my aunt's house) With a sigh, I grabbed my basket with the Cloud Chaser Vest I started last year some time. I'd already knit the back and most of the right front. This surely wouldn't take long, would it?<br />
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Let's just say that I hate UFOs. They suck the life out of you. I knit all day Saturday, and a few hours on Sunday. I've got the right front done, and am only eight repeats and some ribbing from finishing the left. To be fair, it's a lot of knitting on size 4 needles, and I added a significant amount of length to the fronts to account for how I think it should drape and my very tall frame. Matlie was getting row by row updates all weekend. . .I think she'll tell you I'm at around 74 rows remaining to the fronts (but seriously, who's counting?) This all sounds well and good, but take a look at that pattern on Ravelry. Have you seen the collar? I'm in knitting Purgatory.<br />
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When I was out on Sunday, I almost succumbed to the lure of new sock yarn. I had two really pretty skeins in my hands and was ready to check out. . .and then I put them back.<br />
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I did not cast on anything new.<br />
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I kept on knitting on my UFO, but it's still a long way from being finished. I think maybe I'll reward myself with some swatching and a new sweater when it's done, but then I think about my Lloie's cardigan that is waiting for me. I'll probably be complaining about that in a few weeks, and skipping the new sweater. I'm imagining the freedom that must come to those knitters who are monogamous to one project at a time. The idea I could cast on anything I wanted without guilt and forget about the shame that comes with knowing I have so many projects I love that sit unfinished. I think I may want to be that knitter. So for now I'm doing my penance. I'll keep working on these long forgotten loves.<br />
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But today? I couldn't take it. I only knit two rows. Not really enough to call progress, but still a teeny bit of forward momentum. And then I sat down and my sewing machine and made myself a pair of pants. Take that. A new project cut out, sewn and ready to wear to school tomorrow if I want. A balm for my startitis, and a useful way to work through that fabric stash that I typically pretend I don't have since it fits inside the closet so neatly. I almost walked away from them when the elastic wasn't the right length, thinking I could fix them later. . .but then I got out my seam ripper and made them perfect. <br />
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I think I may be turning over a new leaf.Tanyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12815290764923764269noreply@blogger.com0