Designs by KN blog

I lost track of time (again) and had my Christmas cards & newsletter ready to pop in the mail two days before Thanksgiving, so I did.  Of course, family and friends in the local area received their cards the next day, one day before Thanksgiving.  I did get razzed at dinner for being ahead-of-the-game! This is the first year I actually had the tree up, the living & family rooms and mantel decorated, and a wreath on the front door before Thanksgiving, so the cards were attended to while I was still in a holiday mood. The next step was to relax with a little holiday-color crocheting.

I dug through my stash and a small drawer to locate a supply of yarn in red, green and white, and started by crocheting one Holiday Motif.  Since this was one of my earliest written patterns (2004) I took some time to revise and update it:

One motif led to another … and another … and another.  I started assembling them in a join-as-you-go method, with no clear plan as to the final result. But after completing ten motifs and arranging them in rows of 3-4-3 I realized I had created a cute little Christmas mini-ghan!  It measures approximately 32″ wide by 21″ long.

I may add more motifs depending on how long the stash yarn supply holds out.

This little piece could be used as a chair-back decoration, as a baby blanket, or even as a pet pad (knowing my cats, if I set it down anywhere they will find it and make it their own.)  But I think I’ll use its cheerful, festive color scheme to accent the living room, somewhere near the tree for the next few weeks until Christmas arrives.

And that’s my little tale of before & after …

Before

After

Here’s to the festive season with some time out to knit and crochet.  Stay tuned for a new holiday-themed pattern scheduled to appear in the CEY Web-letter on December 11. I think you might like it!

ETA 11/27/2012:  A little size #10 thread + a little size 5 steel hook + a little iron-on/glue-on applique + Holiday Motif pattern = one Christmas ornament!

It’s Tuesday publication day, and the first of three new DBKN patterns to be offered in the Classic Elite Yarns Web-letter is available now in Issue 268:

Crocheted Slouch Hat in Majestic Tweed

Photos copyright Classic Elite Yarns

Such a beautiful model, setting, and photo-quality to highlight the hat in this beautiful yarn. I absolutely loved working with it!

In addition to the pattern being published, I was exceedingly honored to have been the focus of a “designer spotlight” interview-style piece for the CEY blog.  Being the shy, retiring (& retired!) person that I am, it was a surprise to be invited to answer questions that tell my story as a designer.  You may find some of the answers unconventional, but I hope it gives those of you who are interested in designing for publication one viewpoint of what it entails.  Believe me, I never dreamed that teaching myself to crochet and knit over 30 years ago would lead to the adventures I’ve had so far!

Hope you enjoy today’s easy-crochet pattern.  Projects Two and Three for the CEY Web-letter will be appearing in December and sometime in the new year.  Thanks to all at Classic Elite for making even simple designs look stunning!

Design fever has been burning and submissions have been flying out to various destinations, due to a lot of deadlines this week.   If and when decisions are made by various publishers (positive, negative or unknown) eventually an idea will either make it to publication in print or online, or be relegated to my “decide what to do with it later” stack.  I just love the fun of coming up with new ideas, sending them “out there” and waiting to see what happens. You never know!

One thing I do know is that any day now (Nov. 20 if all goes as scheduled) a new project will be appearing in the Classic Elite Yarns Web-letter (the latest DBKN design published was Firefly Diaphanous Shawl) along with a “designer spotlight” blog piece.  I was honored to be invited to respond to several questions that tell my story as a designer. If and when it’s published, you may be surprised at some of the answers!

I’m glad to report that all the shipments of donations I sent to the northeast for superstorm Sandy relief reached their destinations (see previous post.)   The “Make It Better: Craftalong for Sandy Relief” Facebook page has been active with updates about the thousands of items they received and how they are distributing them.  Knitters and crocheters are always generous in their response to calls for help, so I’m not surprised to learn that “Make It Better” was inundated with donations.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Christmas is not far behind. I’ve seen a number of requests for holiday decoration ideas so this week on the Designs by KN Facebook page some patterns for knit and crochet items are being featured. If you’re not on Facebook or would like to see them all collected in one place, here they are:

Crocheted Ornaments

Holiday Decorations (knit)

Bells & Shells Stocking

Ruffled Lace Christmas Stocking

“Miss Kitty” Christmas Stocking

Knitted Elf Doll

Christmas Capelet Cuff

Holiday Dog Capelet

Hope these pattern ideas keep your hooks & needles busy this holiday season.  For me, it’s back to design brainstorm mode — more deadlines coming up.  Funny story:  I got up way early one day this week to create an idea to fit a specific design call, with a deadline of November 12 (at least that’s what I thought.)  I frantically knit and puzzled and came up with an idea I was really excited about. Finished up the submission and was ready to send it out on deadline day, when I double-checked the design call one last time. Alas, the deadline was OCTOBER 12!  Never mind, it fit a call somewhere else, and any day now I hope to know the result.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Some new information became available today on ways to help with superstorm Sandy relief, thanks to a posting on Facebook and a link to information on the Bev’s Country Cottage site. I was pleased to learn of some agencies that are accepting donations of handmade blankets, hats, and baby things.  Upstairs I went to my storage tubs to see what was on hand.  I was able to fill two boxes with items that hopefully will aid someone in need:

As I posted on my Facebook & Ravelry projects pages, the boxes contained an assortment, including Rippling Waves Baby Blanket, Bunny-Ear Blankie, Thinking of You Lapghan, “The Point” Wrap, a couple hats, a baby sweater and various blankets from the Berroco book ”Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans.”  I sent these to one of the listings on Bev’s site.  When dispatching them at the post office this afternoon, I was informed that mail is getting through, although more slowly, and that these boxes should arrive in New York City from Colorado in about a week:

Thanks to Bev’s Country Cottage for putting together this helpful information for knitters and crocheters who would like to assist the relief effort by donating the work of their hands!

11/6/2012 This just in!  Learned of another opportunity to help with superstorm Sandy relief through a Facebook page:  Make It Better: Craftalong for Sandy Relief.

I went back to my storage tubs and gathered together these items, which are packed up for shipping off to that effort today:

Included in this shipment are Cozy Comfort Prayer Shawl, Hooded Soft Scarf, Shortie Combo Cap, Acorn Bobble Hat, #16 Basketweave Pocket Scarf, Winter in Aspen, Vintage Wheel Square Scarf, Shaded Collar and the Trapper afghan from the Berroco book ”Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans”.

Help spread the word about these opportunities to assist superstorm Sandy victims by providing much-needed warm winter comforts!

It’s FO Friday again. I do have a finished object to report, however, it must remain invisible for a time. It was made to fulfill a New York publisher’s commission for a future publication. Unfortunately Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on the Northeast this week, so more important things like disaster recovery, water, food, shelter, power, etc. take precedence over getting my little FO to its intended destination right now. I will wait until news is received about power restoration at offices in lower Manhattan and the safety and well-being of the staff there. The images of devastation and people trying to cope with such an overwhelming shock sadden us out here in the arid West, yet stories of neighbors, strangers and shop owners helping each other in the midst of tragedy are uplifting and encouraging.

As posted on the Designs by KN Facebook page a few minutes ago, I feel like wrapping the Northeast in a giant Cozy Comfort Shawl right now:

I think I will spend today working on another one or two, that may be donated to relief efforts and make their way to someone who has lost everything and is in need of comfort.

Some day the invisible FO will be visible in print but at this critical time people’s lives are the priority.  To friends and acquaintances in the disaster zone:  you are in our thoughts and prayers.  We hope you are safe.  Hugs to all.

Time to start another Cozy Comfort Shawl. Here are a few from the past …

Take care, everyone.