I knit because I love it.  Cool.  And?

Why do I love it?  I love it because I get to create the shape and the fabric, and to feel beautiful fibers glide through my fingers. It is also a lovely repetitive motion that keeps me calm, makes my brain quiet down, and allows me to believe I am doing something good, not just watching TV!

I end up with lovely things, which I admire, and photograph, and frequently wear, but I have to say that doesn't drive me.  I knit for the knitting, the creative expression it affords me, and all the other things; finished product is pretty low on the list.

Jamie and I have been working on a third-party project.  We have created a workbook so a designer can literally put in her gauge numbers, put in the ending measurements she wants, and almost all of the pattern is figured out for her.  Today we presented it and it was pretty cool to watch Jamie lay it out and see what we have created.

I say we, but my primary role was helping Jamie figure out what needed to be calculated, consider the way the designer works, and the inputs she could do without understanding the underlying magic (Excel formulas).  Oh, and troubleshooting. Jamie spent a solid month figuring out how to calculate what we need out of the workbook, and often alternatives, and how to organize it so that someone else could use it.

I see big pictures. I saw potential. I gave Jamie what she needed so she could figure out how to make Excel do our bidding!  Fortunately she has friends who could help her with the technical stuff because  I'm still stuck on IF statements!  Jamie sees things logically, and can follow through step-by-step.  We are really a great team.  We speak the same language, but I am definitely smarter with her doing the detail work I hate!

Based on Jamie's work, I made a much simpler workbook for Sorrento which will release on February 25.  It uses her methodology of asking for some inputs, then calculating everything and spitting out simple numbers! 

I would love it if you bought Sorrento and gave me feedback!  I'll let you know how to get it. Sorrento has 10 sizes and a written pattern for DK/sport/fingering yarn.  The calculator turns it into an Any Size. Any Gauge. pattern and there is a pattern with blanks to be filled in.  Go here to see photos.

Beginning now, you can go here on Slack (my favorite communication platform) to ask me questions from my patterns or ask me anything.  I'm an open book, or I will tell you I don't want to answer something.

I watch so I can knit. 

 Mitch celebrates all national holidays with hot dogs and potato chips, so I made hot dog and hamburger buns.  He did the kneading for me, which was awesome as he has a whole lot better technique than I do, and although nearly 100% again, I do have tendonitis.  A good hot dog is pretty tasty.  We eat them with onion, mustard (Mitch does yellow, I do Grey Poupon), and sauerkraut.  I eat mine open face because I can't eat that much bun anymore.  Boo.

The game ended up being pretty good, but I did comment to Mitch that I had thoroughly enjoyed the basketball game called by two women. OMG. No gas-bagging about things. There was actual silence so you could just enjoy the game, and no guys showing off.

The Amalfi Collection

I was knitting the first version of Ischia while I was on the Amalfi Coast of Italy in 2018.  I know, I work slowly.  

I have knit three versions of it (two are worn by Mitch), and farmed out the last one for knitting.  

Naples was the next piece to be released.  Again, I knit some of the samples: Cowls in dk and bulky. Judy of Handiworks Ltd did the rest. I knitted the bulky version in Paris.

Positano & Steps to Positano was an early Any Size. Any Gauge pattern, already due for an upgrade.  I knit the sample and other versions of it.

Sorrento (that's the written pattern version above) and Piano del Sorrento will release on February 25!  I have lined up the other five pattern to release monthly following that.

There are pricing options for the Collection, but they may not be live for a few days.

I have actually gotten donations so you don't have to be the first! Thank you to Karen LePage of Gentle Clothing. You could do it too! Think how good we will both feel!

You can read the information under Description on the purchase page to find out more.

Big Sur will release when the weather starts to get warmer! Let me know if you want to be part of the Test Knit when it starts.  This is an Any Size. Any Gauge. design, but has written instructions in 19 sizes.

Are you sensing a theme here? I am interested in fitting everyone, but it is too hard to write the patterns for every conceivable shape, so I am doing patterns this way.  You get a written pattern, and a pattern with blanks to be filled in for your size.  

This makes the patterns incredibly versatile!  Due to that, prices are increasing.  You get a pattern that can literally be made in Any Size. Any Gauge.