The easiest hand warmers

This is a pair of ridiculously easy crochet handwarmers.

They used just under a skein (approx 200m) of DK weight yarn and a 4mm crochet hook.

Instructions (make 2 the same):

Make 46 chain.

Base Row: Starting in the second chain from the hook, work 1 double crochet (US term: Single crochet) into each chain (45 sts)

Row 1: 1ch, work 1 dc (US term sc) into the back loop of each stitch.

Repeat row 1 until 34 rows have been worked in total.

Sew up, leaving a gap for the thumb.

Told you it was easy!

Second published pattern for KAL Media

Super excited!



This period of activity is a fluke, and after this there will be a gap before anything else is in print, but I'm in another publication this week!




The entrelac edge idea came to me during the first half of last year (also looks great in two colours) but I wasn't sure what to do with it.


My non-knitting husband is actually surprisingly good, when I ask him "what shall I do with this stitch pattern?"


I think that this one was my idea, however, and I'm really pleased how it looks on. Because I am bigger than the average bear, I can never make mag pieces for my size. Plus, to be honest, by the time this little beauty went into the post, I was glad to see that back of it.


Delighted with how it looks, however, so just searching for inspiration now, for the next project.

Muse, where art thou?

First published pattern for KAL Media

Very excited.

I love Let's Knit, as we all know. But it's nice to think that more than one editor likes my designs.

I've been rejected this morning by Inside Crochet for a second proposal (it happens, I may be able to improve it and suggest it elsewhere), but that doesn't mean that I wasn't really excited to see this - my first design for them.

Of course, since the preview's been up, I've been obsessively watching the comments on Ravelry, to see what folks think. Generally the response has been positive. Some ladies like it, but showed it to their men, who didn't. Some ladies wanted a female version (perhaps.....). One person didn't like it, thinking it was a bit 70s. Well, it is a tank top.

However, in the end, we can't pander to our audience. I liked the stitch pattern, and I feel that it's come out okay as a finished garment. Now I've just got to keep coming up with ideas that the editors like, too!

Further publications

Considering my last post was about buying new yarn, it amuses me that my most recent publications are about using up the scraps and burning the stash.

The wonderful people at Let's Knit even had me on their "designer profile" page at the front this time!

The designs stem from ideas I had a while ago about putting brights against black for a stained glass effect. I've tried this in tapestry crochet, which works okay, but the pattern turned out to be a knitted hat and mitts set.

It's about scraps, Russian joins and magic balls and although the end result would look great in wool (and would be fab in felted pattern) my scraps are all nasty from the stash, so that's what we used.

I liked the name "Tracery", but I know nothing about magazines or marketing, so figure that those who do are best placed to chose the names.

May I introduce Amelie.....

....and Isabelle

My Bad

After a year of considerable restraint,

I went mad,

Well, it was half price, and I know that I shouldn't have but

PRETTY!

Forgive me all for I have sinned.

It's a marshmallow world in the winter...

...which means that it's bliddy cold and impossible to get anywhere.

Sorry to be a misery about it, but not being a labrador puppy, the appeal of snow is somewhat lost on me.

This is the view from my window.






Bleak, huh?

So, it strikes me that it's hat weather.

As we're hoping to run an "introduction to crochet" workshop at the end of this month, in which we will learn different stitches, it seemed sensible to use them in a pattern.

By using a combination of dc, htr and tr, a "wave" pattern" is produced.

There, ain't that perty?

Tried to deliver said hat to the shop but they weren't around (don't blame them), so I popped it through the door. On my way, I'd fallen over on the damned ice, so now have aches and pains, but we must all suffer for our art!

In the unlikely event that any of your kind folks would like the pattern, it's here.

Stay upright folks, unless you're with someone gorgeous!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to whoever is kind enough to read this.

Another year gone, eh? No point in looking backwards; I've done some things well (sold a few designs, not bought too much yarn) and other things not so well (have read far fewer books than I would have liked, and my time management occasionally went to pot).

So what does 2010 hold? Who knows. I'm not a fan of new year's resolutions - if you're going to change something, do it NOW, don't wait for a point on a calendar and give it a significance it doesn't deserve. So I'm not going to say "I'll knit X items, or I'll stop biting my nails".

Instead, I prefer to have plans. I would like to finish Scattering (the working title of book two). I will try to update this blog more often (hope springs eternal). I will try to keep my accounts up to date, and not assume that I'll remember stuff.

However, I don't believe in planning too closely. This time last year I hadn't had the ideas for designs that I've sold. So who knows what my little brain will come up with this year? Will I come up with the idea for a novel that I must write, putting book two on the back burner? Will I crack some knitting or crochet holy grail and be hailed as a yarn genius? Or will I be sitting here in a year's time thinking "well, that was pants"?

I've just discovered the predictions that I don't even remember writing! How did we do?

1) Will forget to add to the blog. - So yes.
2) Won't read as much as I would like - Absolutely
3) Will finish second draft and send it out - Actually, did it! Got an agent! Have been rejected by some of the finest publishing houses in the country!
4) Will make more knitted items and not buy yarn. Okay, did the latter, pretty much and also the former. Beginning to feel quite smug!
5) Will probably not lose weight - largely correct. (Largely being the best word, here)
6) Must save money - didn't do too badly (see not buying yarn, above)
7) Train for new job and be self employed. - I did it - and that is still scary.


We can't predict the future (although it looks as though I know myself better than I realised...), so I'm just going to work hard, treat others with respect, and keep an open mind.

Peace out.