Midnightsky Fibers

First Snow!

2012-01-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

We had the first snow of the season here in Mukilteo! We don't get much snow, so even a few inches is quite novel (and cause of quite a bit of panic!)

It is perfect weather to wear all of my favorite hand knit items all at once.

Joey has been quite busy birdwatching! We have dozens of birds on normal days, many many more when it snows. All the cats have been glued to the windows, chirping.

Interview with Liberty- Better Know a Designer Series

2012-01-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

(my current fave wrist warmers)

Check out the interview I did with Liberty as part of her Better Know a Fiber Artist series interviewing designers. Thanks for interviewing me, Liberty!

Cables & Garter

2012-01-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

I am so so close to finishing my sweater in Stonehedge Shepard's Wool...just another couple inches on the sleeve until I am done!

I won't make it with this ball of yarn though- I will have to wind another just for a few yards. The skeins are 250 yards, and I got enough to make a sweater plus hat and scarf or mittens if I wanted, so I am thinking I might need a hat in the cable pattern as well.

There are a LOT of button holes. Spaced about an inch and a half apart, since I hate it when the front gaps when there is zero or negative ease. I ordered shell buttons in a variety of shapes, 20 (or more) of each to try them out.

The sleeves are straight and untapered since they are 3/4 sleeves that are fairly fitted.

How to Use the Kindle App on Your Computer for Knitting Patterns

2012-01-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of my kindle- take it everywhere from the beaches of Costa Rica to remote inlets of British Columbia. But if you don't have a kindle, not to worry- you can use an app for your computer to read kindle patterns! (In fact, most of my knitting patterns are available as kindle versions!)

Using the kindle app is much like reading a PDF version of a pattern on your computer- but with the added bonus that it is easy to add notes to yourself!

Download the kindle app for your computer on the App page of Amazon.

To mark my location I use one (or more of the following):

Highlight. For directions I am only working once, I highlight them to show I have completed the directions. To highlight, right click and select highlight, or click and drag before clicking highlight to highlight a section.
For repeats, I make faux hatch marks by typing in "1" as a note. This works well either every row or every repeat. If I do it for every repeat I add to the note which row I stopped on mid repeat.
Charts- it is easiest to just use a sticky note on my screen. I know, I know, cheating. But hey, it works for me. Since I can't note on the chart what row I stopped on easily (since it is an image), I make a note nearby.

PS- the pattern shown is the Bokeh Hat Knitting Pattern

PPS- highlighting and using notes to mark rows works just as well on a Kindle. I am just losing my voice to much thanks to a nasty cold to make another video!

New Camera Bag

2011-12-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

I have a new camera bag- so I can carry my camera in my purse and still keep my knitting separate.

My old camera bag is a vintage leather one that belonged to my grandpa. It is a great bag- big enough for camera, lens(s), mini tripod, my ginormous wallet, phone, knitting...but ultimately, I have to carry the camera bag instead of a purse. And sometimes I want it to not be so obvious I am carrying a rather large and expensive (to me) camera. I also didn't want to just get a purse style camera bag- though I probably will someday- since they serve basically the same function of my camera bag I already have.

Enter Roma. Canvas. Leather. Just enough padding to keep my camera from getting scratched or poked with knitting needles.

Just big enough to fit my camera, a lens, and a few accessories (or knitting gear) in the outside pocket. And it can fit my kindle or paperwork in the bag. Just large enough to still fit in my larger purses along with the latest sweater or shawl project.

Between the two bags I can store almost all of my camera gear- excluding sundries like the large tripod and light tent. Very handy for keeping everything all in one place and keeping me from mixing filters and other small pieces in with the knitting tools in my desk*.

*But who are we kidding? Too late for that. There are already stitch markers in my brown camera bag (and maybe a few needles to- what can I say, I padded bag is a great knitting project bag too!)

What a Difference My New Camera Makes!

2011-12-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

I got a new camera a few weeks ago...

...so much better than my old point and shoot! These were taken on Auto, standing at the same distance (though I did zoom in for the dog).

Pattern photography just got 10x better (and faster).

Have a New eReader? Get knitting patterns on it!

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Have a new Kindle, Fire, Nook, or Ipad? Midnightsky Fibers patterns are available right on your reader for download, from everywhere from Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, and more. You can find a list of places to buy Midnightsky Fibers knitting patterns on the retailer page.

Happy knitting!

Grandma's 90th Birthday

2011-12-24T16:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (Christmas eve eve) my grandma turned 90. We brought her her favorite dessert- cake with lots and lots of frosting. Happy birthday grandma!

Knitting the Cat Toy

2011-12-24T13:48:00.000-08:00

Whoops. v 1.0 is carried off by Joey before I can get pictures. Let's try that again.

You can get the cat toy pattern here.

Knit a Last Minute Toy for Your Cat

2011-12-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays from Midnightsky Fibers! I hope you are having a lovely holiday full of knitting and fibery goodness! Right now you can download the new Cat Toy Pattern for free- just in case you need to knit a last minute gift for your feline friend. You can get it on Midnightsky Fibers or the Cat Toy page on Ravelry.

PS- if you want to be notified of when new patterns are released you should sign up for the newsletter. You get free patterns for signing up!

Winter Night Knits

2011-12-22T19:40:00.000-08:00

Knitting on cold nights calls for peppermint hot cocoa- with plenty of whipped cream, of course!

My obsession with cables and garter stitch and cables continues. A single cable edged in garter stitch makes the perfect button band for a simple everyday sweater (with details like bust shaping and waist shaping!). A simple YO buttonhole will fit nicely with over a dozen small shell buttons- exact shape of the buttons still TBD (oval? square? rectangle? flower?)

Winter knitting calls for quick food- sprouted grains mixed with fit the bill swimmingly (the sprouted beans cook in 15-20 minutes, 10 of which is just sitting)

Knit a Funky Icord Hat Topper

2011-12-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

Knitting a last minute hat that needs just a little something to be more interesting? Try some funky Icord on the top!

Co 3 sts provisionally.

Work 15 rows icord. Set aside needle. Do not break yarn.

With 3^rd needle, pick up sts from provisionalcast on. Work 15 rows icord. Set aside needle. Do not break yarn.

Set the 3^rd needles aside stitches aside and moveyarn back to first needle. Work 15 rows icord. Icord topper is now finished. When you weave in the tail, use it to tackdown the icord as needed.

(Sorry photo colors are a bit off and grainy, these were taken in the dark and before I got my new camera!)

PS- if you want to work a pointy top like shown above, this is how it was done:

Join in the round. K3, pm, k3, pm. [2 markers placed, 6 sts]

Inc Round: *Kfb, k to m, sm** around. [2 sts inc per round.]

Rep Inc Round until 60 sts (less for smaller sizes…)

Then place m halfway between each marker (15 sts between m, 4 markers)

Inc Round:* Kfb, k to m, sm** around. [4 sts inc per round.]

Repeat Inc Round until desired number of stitches.

Hint: You can find out how many total stitches you need by multiplying the number of stitches per inch by the desired size. I.e. if I wanted a hat that was 20 inches around and was getting 4 stitches/inch: 20*4=80, so I would keep increasing until I had 80 stitches.

Good Things: Winter Walk on the Beach

2011-12-17T19:01:00.000-08:00

Good Things

Cloud cakes (pancakes made with cottage cheese) with strawberry sauce

The chance to practice impromptu portraits (in front of the lighthouse!) while taking a walk on the beach

Visiting a friend who works at the only surviving bookstore in town (which belongs to a friend of mine)

Sparkly sparkly nails thanks to a heavy dose of glitter and shellac polish

I took my new camera down to the beach to practice white it is finally light out (weekends seem to be the only time I am home when it it light out in the winter!).

Mukilteo ferry

Barnacled rocks are my favorite (as long as I a not walking barefoot on them!)

Matching dogs...Maggie and Mickie I think!

A seaweed Christmas tree!

Can you see the starfish in the seagull's mouth? Seagulls will eat starfish MUCH bigger than this one- but it is always surprising (can't believe they don't choke!).

My new wrist warmers! Doing their job quite nicely, I might add!

Who Wears it Better? Max Versus Joey

2011-12-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

This cat toy is wildly popular in my house- so much so that I had to make 2 before I finally could keep the cats from stealing the cat toy before I could get pictures! I've written up a mini pattern for it...but need to know who wears it better? Come let me know over on google +, and whichever one people like more will be the cover picture for the pattern!

(Yes I know, I have very patient cats! And yes, it did take a ridiculous amount of time to get them to let me balance a cat toy on their heads! )

Wordless Wednesday: Cat Edition

2011-12-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

Swatching by Firelight

2011-12-13T22:13:00.000-08:00

Cables and garter stitch continue to be one of my favorite stitch combinations this month!

Noro Silk Garden Sock: A Year Later

2011-12-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

Noro Silk Garden Sock is a lovely yarn- silk and wool, tweed, and lovely color variations. The only hesitation? It is just 1 ply (aka a single). Singles sometimes don't wear as well for knitted items that receive heavy wear. That didn't stop me from knitting a pair awhile back. So often you only see the pretty, stylized item right after it is knit. So I thought I would show you how well these socks held up.

For a single ply yarn, the socks have held up quite well. I have a small, 1 cm hole in the bottom of the sock. Probably where I caught a strand of yarn on something and it broke. The good news? Even though the yarn doesn't wear nearly as well as a multi ply yarn would, it is wool, so the hole felted and stopped unravelling (one of the reasons I prefer regular wool to superwash!). Edges and the back of the heel have also felted slightly, which will help keep any future holes from unravelling much.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

We Are So Ready for Christmas Around Here

2011-12-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

We have the tree up.

Many

Many ornaments!

I might have gotten myself a new Christmas present early!

A brand new camera. It takes pretty awesome photos- even in the near dark (as these all are).

The small boy on the goose is one of my favorite ornaments.

The angels are me and my brother :)

Of course, Joey is planted under the tree.

He surprisingly hasn't knocked any ornaments off the tree...yet. This is the first time he has seen a tree, so it is surprising he hasn't tried to climb it!

Let's just cross our fingers we don't get snow here, eh? I hate the cold (even with lots of handknits to keep me warm!) I prefer the sparkly version on ornaments!

Sweater Sleeves

2011-11-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

Almost done! The only downside of leaving the sleeves until last? Having to turn your knitting around and around (and around and around) as you knit. Or maybe that is just me!

Sleeve stitches are picked up all around the edge- 1 stitch for every row.

Then knit to match the bottom ribbing.

The bottom ribbing helps keep the tunic from ridding up, but the ribbing is not right (don't want to create an unflattering bulge at hip level!).

New House, New Sweater (in Progress)

2011-11-25T08:03:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed my pictures are suddenly looking much more traditional- and yes, I am no longer in Seattle! I am in a little town up north now (more on that later!), up at my parent's house while I wait for a condo to close- short sales can really take their time! In the meantime, I am enjoying being able to cook for multiple people (not not have to eat leftovers) for dinner and taking full advantage of their fireplaces- I never knew how much I missed having one!

Joey has been adjusting well- he is still getting used to the other cats, and doesn't quite know what to do in so much space. But he loves the birdwatching and watching the outdoor kitties here, and has been learning to play nicely with one of my parent's cats- the other cat still hides from him (joey is a bit of a Napoleon, strutting about like he owns the place and thinks he is top cat!).

I have been making fast progress on my new sweater from the Woolpak yarn. The only downside is that it is knit back and forth to get the effect I want- not a big deal, but just a tiny bit slower to knit.

I am too lazy to ever find stitch holders, so I end up just changing the needles on my Addi Clicks and keeping the cord in place. Works really well- I haven't lost any stitches yet, and not having to transfer the stitches back and forth from stitch holders or spare yarn means I am not accidentally stretching out stitches. I've had my clicks (with lace tips) for about a year now, and use them almost exclusively for needle sizes in their range- I still have to use regular old circulars for the smaller sizes though of course.

I was a bit worried the reverse st st side wouldn't look as nice as I would like, but the stitch definition is good enough (but just a tiny bit fuzzy, hiding some imperfections in gauge) that the somewhat sleek lines of the sweater are not interrupted. Phew!

New Yarn! Stonehedge and New Zealand WOOLPAK

2011-11-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

I have been getting lovely new yarn in the mail lately! New Zealand Woolpak scored from Chic Knits studio stashout. Rustic looking, but not too scratchy, the 8 ply has over 500 yards in each skein, making it possible to knit a small sized garment in just 2 skeins.

I am knitting a pullover- short sleeved, since I only have 1000 yards, but tunic length. I am taking advantage of the slightly rustic but good stitch definition to show off the reverse st st side of the fabric.

And enough Stonehedge Worsted to make a sweater. The color is "beaches", which is much more heathered and gray than many of the pictures would lead you to believe (many of the pictures look more tan than gray). If you haven't felt Stonehedge before, you will probably be surprised. It is much softer than expected. it feels like a merino superwash. This yarn is probably one of the best kept secrets for a basic sweater yarn. Super soft. Great stitch definition. with crisp, clear stitches- perfect for cable heavy sweaters.

I think this yarn will be for my next everyday sweater- a sweater soft but sturdy enough to wear every day, outside or in, that will hold up to pilling, snagging, and stretching, one with all the details that make a sweater easy to wear. Neckline not to high, but not too low. Not cropped. Shaping at the waist, but not overly so. Wearable under a coat. Sleeves that won't get in the way. Nice enough to wear with business casual clothes (in a semi casual environment). Classic lines.

I haven't decided if it will have cables or not (but it seems a shame not to!), but I am hoping the sweater will compliment my current everyday sweater.

Wordless Wednesday Max

2011-11-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

Site Update

2011-11-17T18:12:00.001-08:00

Just an FYI- my site is undergoing a HUGE update (changing the shopping cart!!). So it may look wonky right now- or be totally down! Not to worry, it will be back up soon!

Wordless Wednesday: Rain Edition

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Blocking Pins

2011-11-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

Some days...I just go through a TON of blocking pins. Especially annoying when I can't find my actual T pins and have to resort to regular (thinner, bendable, ack!) pins. I always count it a victory if I manage to not drop and lose any pins about the house in the process of blocking- at least these pins make them more obvious when they fall!

Pumpkiny Cowl

2011-11-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

Ella Rae Bamboo Silk in Pumpkin- I had leftovers from the baby sweater I was playing around with knitting, so went ahead and made a small cowl with the leftover two skeins. Just simple almost mindless knitting to show off such a bright orange.

I like the cowl so much I am thinking of ripping out the baby sweater and knitting the cowl even wider (so it is even warmer!). But that would mean undoing the bind off I just did, so I am trying to talk myself out of it and tell myself the cowl is plenty tall!

Happy 11.11.11 From Midnightsky Fibers!

2011-11-11T11:20:00.001-08:00

You can get $1.11 off any pattern in my Ravelry store today! See the newsletter for more info!

Cables + Baby Sweaters = Win

2011-11-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

I have been having fun knitting a cheery orange sweater with simple cables. Current obsession? Garter stitch and cables. It makes the knitting vastly more interesting- and bonus, keeps the edges from curling.

The pattern is really quite simple- Vneck, raglan, 4 stitch cables spaced about. I am loving it thus far. I might love it even more though in a slightly fuzzy, wooly yarn.

Good Things

2011-11-07T20:40:00.001-08:00

Loving:
1. Pushing a button and my site sends me an email with the site's theme files. Just in case I mess up. No FTP involved.
2. Editing metadata.
3. Local CSA- and local carrots. Sorry, baby carrots just don't compare.
4. Joey cat hasn't chased the other cats today...yet. And he has been out most of the day!
5. Coffee from the coffee stand near my house- faster than the other drive through options :)

Rainy Sundays

2011-10-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Lovely lazy Sunday here- buttermilk waffles for me, and lots of bird watching for the cat. Mr. Meowsters has an excellent view of the bird feeders.

Last weekend (when it was much nicer out!) we took the Packard for a drive.

The hood ornament is the goddess of speed.

There is no stopping the cat. He learned to drink out of the sink a few days ago (after 10 years of not "getting it!"). Now he has us trained to give him water from the sink every time we are near the sink!

How I Choose My Sock Yarn

2011-10-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

(click to make bigger)

Ribbed Socks in Progress

2011-10-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Simple ribbed socks are one of my favorite carry along projects. Not so boring as plain socks, but I can pick them up and knit without losing where I am in a chart. This is a fun sock yarn by Zauberball, with 2 strands of yarn that have been dyed then plied together to make a tweedy stripe. Very fun! I am loving the fall shades in this particular skein.

Garter Stitch Fail

2011-10-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

If I wasn't knitting this late at night and in the dark I might have noticed sooner how BAD an idea garter stitch in the round is. Especially in a project where the seam will be obvious no matter where I put it. Good thing I haven't woven in ends!

Too bad- I love the short rows + garter stitch (still unblocked here, and in the dark since I have yet to be home near knitting while it is light out for the last week + ).

Ahh well, back to the drawing board. The lace at lease can stay.

4 Good Things (#4goodthings) 8/21- Road Cake Edition

2011-10-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

1. Road cake for breakfast. Road cake is this awesome moist chocolate cake that a friend of mine makes, and we always eat almost the entire cake in one game night.

2. An awesome game night with friends. We get together and grill tons of veggie burgers and veggies on my roof, then go downstairs and play board games- currently we are obsessed with Dominion, which is a card game, but don't let that scare you away- it actually isn't hard to learn, and each person doesn't need to have their own cards.

3. Trying Kombucha for the first time.

I tried a cherry and lemon flavor. I wasn't brave enough to try it in the traditional flavor (which I thought wouldn't be as sweet). It is pretty good, though it might be offputing if you don't like drinks with a bit of a tang. The aftertaste is a bit like drinking vinegar- i.e. a slight burning- not bad, I enjoy it, but it is not like drinking soda- natural or otherwise. Will I be drinking more of it? Yes and no. I am not going to go out of my way to make it (the idea of the mother freaks me out a bit, I admit, and I it has more sweetener than I like in my typical everyday drinks, even when flavored with fruit juice), but do like it from the fermented foods aspect of it.

4. Foam board for white backgrounds. I usually use regular old thick white paper. But this is working better- at least for applications where I don't need it to bend (so as not to have a seam at back). The foam board is thick enough to stand up (with several pieces taped together at the back), making it great for getting a white background:

The one one the left is as is, no cropping or photoshop. The one on the right is cropped, also no photoshopping. I need to get more and bigger pieces of foam board (so I can avoid the seam as much as possible), but for me it is a great alternative to having to get a more elaborate background setup, and I can set it up on my deck where the light is best (also nice, since I don't really want to have to get lights just for product photos!).

failed bag

2011-09-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

It seemed like such a good idea...

Whoops. Right up until I sewed and cut the corners wrong.

Some Days the Hours of Tech Support is Useful

2011-09-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

I've been dealing with computer tech support so much in the last couple days that I knit an entire hat waiting for them to fix my computer. Again.

After having to have my hard drive replaced I spent about 14 hours just reinstalling and setting up my programs. I'm not done yet.

To keep myself entertained while waiting to fix yet one more thing that should have been already installed (not terribly reassuring when basic programs and drivers are not installed that are supposed to be).

So I created some pretty swirling curves with decreases while I waited. And a funny top knot.

Oh, and a hem. Hems really make st st hats "pop". The seam line won't be so obvious once it is blocked though!

Only downside to the hat? I have amazing hat hair after putting it on to try it on so often while I was finishing it. My hair needs very little encouragement to stick straight up!

Self Portrait

2011-09-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

Some days, instead of taking pictures of knitting...

...I take pictures of the amazing light outside the house.

Other days I just take silly self portraits (yes that is a drum carder n the background). Hub caps as mirrors create some unfortunate distortion effects though!

Boating Trip: Westview, Prideux Haven, and Cortes

2011-09-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Westview/Powell River is a pretty uneventful place (sorry Westview, but you do have potential!). I finished one sock and started the second.

These socks are in Cascade Heritage Silk (pattern as yet unpublished, but someday!)

I love socks with easy to memorize patterns and basic ribbing at the top.

I really REALLY love the texture of these socks. They also have an unusual heel construction to incorporate the texture in the heel (part of why there isn't a pattern yet).

See? The heel is so SO pretty!

From Westview we went to Prideux Haven- another very popular spot for boaters where we always seem to know a ridiculous amount of people (not that I am complaining! That makes it interesting).

More kayaking- the one in the back that I am in is foot pedal powered!

Boat kitchen- yep it is small, but it works better than you would think! I am making flat bread to go with lentils.

A kindle was the #1 choice for reading on the boat- and had way better (and free!) internet in many places than phones.

From Prideux we went to Cortes...

...and family members picked a huge amount of huckleberries. They were everywhere!

Can you guess what I am knitting here? Hint- it is from a new garter stitch book.

The beaches on Cortes are small and rocky.

...but the side walls are easy enough to climb up (about 30 feet up here!).

And yes, I am knitting socks. Back and forth. But with modifications to the pattern to add the toe in at the same time.

(See the rest of the boating pictures here)

My Everyday Sweater

2011-09-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Few sweaters in my house get as much wear as this one. It's modified from the baby sweater 1290 Rutelilje from the book Dalegarn #8101, Favorite Baby Designs. I used Dalegarn Baby Ull to make the sweater, and it has held up beautifully- a bit pilled now after several years, but considering that this is one of the few sweaters that goes in both the washer and dryer in my house, I don't mind the slight pilling. Hard to believe I made it so long ago- back when I still worked in a yarn store!

This sweater is the perfect everyday sweater for me. The gauge is small enough it is light weight, but not so small (like many commercial cardigans) to show cat claw marks, knitting needle gouges, or holes from where I pin locking stitch markers to the edge of a sweater while I am working. It has 3/4 sleeves so I don't have to push sleeves up out of the way, and is light enough that I can wear it indoors. The yarn is dark and washable. While I don't mind most non superwash yarns (in fact, prefer them to most washable ones), it is handy to have a sweater I can throw in with the rest of the laundry when I spill coffee on it (again).

The fit of the sweater works well for me too. There is 4 inches or so of ease in the body and 1-2 in the sleeves, so I can wear it with a variety of Tshirts and layers underneath. Yoke shaping works well for me (and I love the simple design). Waist shaping placed 1 inch away from each side seam give it a more tailored fit, while picot hems line all the borders- I even made buttonholes that go through 2 layers of fabric so I could have a picot button band. Lots of buttons so the sweater doesn't get distorted when it is closed.

In other words, perfection in sweater form. For now anyways!

Princess Louisa Inlet

2011-09-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

Princess Louisa is one of the most stunning places in the Pacific NW. It is a popular place with boaters, despite the utter lack of cell phone or radio reception. It is the location where the pictures were taken for the Louisa Hat knitting pattern were taken. We stayed here for several days so we could enjoy kayaking along the sheer rock walls- and the dozens of waterfalls.

I of course had my knitting with me!

This is one of my favorite places to kayak- you can kayak right up to the waterfalls.

Chatterbox Falls in the rain....starts off "small"...

...getting bigger....

(this is with only a bit of rain too!)

All the trees that you can normally see below the falls are covered by water!

...but the water goes back down quickly. Since we were here late in the year, you can imagine how big the falls must be in the spring! There are also hundreds instead of just dozens of waterfalls around the edges of the inlet.

Huge amounts of moss and lichens (good! means the area is healthy!). Also mosquitoes though- and mosquitoes LOVE me.

There is so much mist you can see it wafting towards the boats.

(See the rest of the boating pictures here)

Little Red in the City Review

2011-09-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

Little Red in the City is a new knitting book that is half design and half patterns. The layout and design is absolutely beautiful in both the hard cover and ebook.

There are 2 video reviews below- with text and videos following if you prefer to read a shorter version.

Hardcopy:

Ebook:

What you need to know:

The book is long- over 250 pages, and the patterns are best for people who want to customize their knitting to their size.
Hardcover books come with a free ebook version of the book.
There are only 7 patterns- great patterns!- but if you are expecting a 250 page book full of patterns, that is not the case- most of the book is devoted to technique.
The patterns are not the typical “book layout” of patterns- shoved in to as small a space as possible. The patterns are longer (10+ pages), with all the information you need to make the pattern right there.

Who this book is NOT for:

If you don’t want to do a fair bit of reading, or prefer really short (2-3 page) patterns, this may not be the best book for you.
Knitters who don’t want to spend the time finding their own perfect size.

Who this book is for:

Intermediate+ level knitters who have a good idea of their size (or want to).
People interested in designing their own patterns.

The layout has lots of great photos throughout!

Includes very (very!) detailed instructions for techniques- especially waist and bust shaping.

Schematics aren't the usual boring old black and white line drawing.

You can get the book at your LYS or online: Little Red in the City. Remember that with the hardcover book you get a free copy of the ebook.

Boat Trip- Cabbage Island, BC, and Casting of For the First Pair of Socks for the Trip

2011-09-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

This summer we headed from Seattle to Canada for 3 weeks on the boat. As usual, I packed more knitting than clothes. I turned my phone off, checked my email only occasionally (instead of the usual 12+ times a day!), and read more books than should be humanely possible. For most of the trip we were in or near Desolation Sound.

(See the rest of the boating pictures here)

The first stop on the boat trip was to Cabbage Island, just on the other side of the border. We are lucky we have Nexus cards, which allow us to go between the US and Canada (even with cats on board) with just a phone call.

We took my parent's cats with us- they are Max and Snip, and are both Ragdolls. My cat doesn't get to come- he doesn't travel well, and the loud boat engines would scare him. Max (above) and Snip just spend most of the day sleeping- don't even try and escape off the boat.

Starting a hat, and yes a dinghy lives on top of the boat (in the back behind my knitting). For longer trips like this one we also tow a larger (non inflatable) dinghy as well, since 4 people is a tight fit on the small one.

Casting on for socks in Cascade Heritage Silk. This is also the setup for the video on how to prevent twists when you join to knit in the round.

Textures

2011-08-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

Prideux Haven

2011-08-31T16:05:00.000-07:00

Prideux Haven 2

Refuge Cove

Gorge

How to Join in the Round- Preventing Twists

2011-08-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

You know how knitting instructions always tell you (hopefully, anyways!) to “join in the round, being careful not to twist”? Not sure what that means? This video shows you:
• What it looks like when you are ready to join in the round, and how to know your knitting isn’t twisted.
• What your knitting looks like if it IS twisted
• Knitting the first stitch(es) being sure we don’t accidentally ADD twist in the first round.

Why we want to avoid twists in the knitting:

We don't want to have to fix it later.
The twist WILL show up (your knitting won't be round, it will be a faux moebius)

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Slip 1 With the Yarn Held in Back- s1wyib (slip 1 with yarn in back)

2011-08-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Abbreviation: S1wyib

Used for: many, many of the slipped stitches are slipped with the yarn held in the back (instead of in the front).

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Knit 2 Together (k2tog)

2011-08-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

Knit 2 Together

Abbreviation: K2tog, k2g, k2 together. Most common is k2tog.
Knit 2 together is a RIGHT SLANTING decrease, and the one you probably learned (or are learning) as you first learned to knit.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Slip a Stitch Knitwise

2011-08-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

Slipping a stitch knitwise (as if to knit).

You may also want to check out the difference between slipping stitches knitwise and purlwise!

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Slip 1 With the Yarn Held in Front- s1wyif (slip 1 with yarn in front)

2011-08-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Abbreviation: S1wyif

Slipping a stitch with the yarn held in front is a common technique in double knitting, or when you want an obvious “bump” in the front of the knitting.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to: Horizontal Rib

2011-08-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Garter Stitch Variation: Horizontal Rib 1

Horizontal Rib looks like thick, plush garter stitch- or when turned, looks like ribbing.

Skill Level: beginner. Need to know how to knit and purl

Directions

(multiple of 4 rows)

Row 1: K.

Row 2: K.

Row 3: P.

Row 4: P.

(so, knit 2 rows, purl 2 rows)

Great For: scarves, yokes of sweaters, projects using yarn with lots of texture or variation where you want something “fancier” than garter stitch that is still super easy to keep track of.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Knit a Twisted Stitch- How to Knit Through the Back Loop

2011-08-24T18:49:00.000-07:00

Twisted stitches are also often known as through back loop- tbl. The video shows the difference in twisted stiches (knit through the back loop of every stitch, every row) compared to garter stitch.

Abbreviation: tbl (through back loop). You might also see it as knit tbl, ktbl, or ptbl (knit through back loop, purl through back loop).

Twisted stitches are formed by knitting in to the back of the stitch. This is often most obvious when done on stockinette stitch- it is not nearly so noticeable when done in garter stitch. The stitch looks like a tiny “cross” is formed in the stitch, and the twisting pulls the yarn tighter.

Twisted stitches can be a great way to really make stitches stand out- useful for making cables “pop”, since it pulls in the edges of the stitches.

Why do twisted stitches?

Twisted stitches are usually a variation to that is decorative- i.e. more for looks than necessity. However, some people may knit a row of twisted stitches after pickup up stitches (usually for socks after the heel) to tighten up the stitches and prevent holes.

Most of the time though, twisted stitches are just a nice way to make your fabric look more dynamic. If you knit through the back loops in st st, for example, your fabric will have some “twist” to it- it won’t want to lay quite so flat as regular st st.

Especially useful for: 1x1 and small cables, since the twisted stitch pulls in the edge. To make plain fabric look more interesting (I like a fabric where I knit a row of twisted stitches, then purl back in the usual way with no twisted stitches). For ribbing, twisting all or some (i.e. I often do just the purls in 1x1 or just the knits) helps keep the ribbing from “puffing” out as it is sometimes prone to doing.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to SSK- Slip, Slip, Knit

2011-08-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

Abbreviation: SSK

Important: Most videos and instructions won’t tell you that you need to slip the stitches as if to KNIT. If you slip the stitches purlwise instead the stitch will turn out wonky!

SSK is a left leaning decrease … it leans the opposite direction of a k2tog, and is often used as the “opposite” decrease of a k2tog- which is important in lace and when you want decreases to appear mirror image or seamlessly.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Slipping Stitchess Knitwise vs Purlwise- What's the DIfference?

2011-08-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

The difference between slipping stitches knitwise (as if to knit) and purlwise (as if to purl).

Learn the stitches:

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Handmade Yarn Goodies Bags

2011-08-22T20:46:00.003-07:00

I needed some smaller bags for holding dpn's and smaller projects, but really wanted matching bags in several different sizes- so made some. I actually finished these over a month ago, and they have been holding up quite well! I based them off this boxy bag tutorial.

I used vintage zippers from my collection and upholstery weight fabric so dpns and tapestry needles can't poke through easily.

What the bags look like before sewing and cutting the corners...I have a bag like this for holding dpns in another fabric that I have been using for years- advantage of one like this being that it is flat so it stacks well with my Addi Clicks in the drawer.

I added handles for easier carrying- though next time I will sew the handle on the other side so when the zipper is closed the handle will be at the top.

In one of the large bags I sewed elastic straps (with cloth backing to help keep things in place). They are sized so I can slip dpns with a sock in and not lose stitches. The bag is big enough to hold the sock yarn, sock in progress, and a finished sock.

Fitting two shawls and a pair of socks in progress in the larger bag...

A flat pouch to use up the last bit of the fabric and to hold some smaller notions.

SSK vs K2tog Decreases

2011-08-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

The difference between ssk and k2tog.

Learn the stitches:

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Slip a Stitch Purlwise

2011-08-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Slip a stitch purlwise (or slip a stitch as if to purl).
This is typically the way you will be asked to slip stitches for things like heels of socks. BUT this is NOT how you slip stitches for an ssk (see slip a stitch knitwise for that).

Slipped stitches can be used to create patterns in one or more colors, are frequently used at the start of a row, and are used for double knitting.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Reentry in 3...2...1... My 3 Week Media Fast Is Over!

2011-08-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Ok first- an admission. I cheated on the media fast I was doing and checked my email. But only a couple times, and only once per day when I did check it (ahem, I have checked my email at least a dozen times today, by compassion. So much for killing THAT habit). I did NOT want to come back to thousands (and thousands) of junk emails. I did at least leave my phone off though!

Even if I had wanted to check my email more, it would have been difficult- even when I was in a place that actually had reception (and I was in a couple places where there was no reception for even radio due to high walls). My kindle works in a pinch for checking email (but not for replying, the typing is too slow). It actually worked a LOT better than my mom's phone, so much so that she also used her Kindle to check her email. Near the end of the 3 weeks I was actually finally near internet again- but most of it was so horribly slow I it was a huge pain to do anything (exception being yacht club outstation docks).

Will I be doing it again? Only if I am on vacation (and clearly I can't even manage that, ha!). I would like to get down to checking email only once a day. Eventually (not possible just yet due to time sensitive projects unrelated to yarn!).

Ok. Ya got me. I wasn't just on a media fast- I was on vacation. On the boat. That above is Max, btw. He (and his cohort Snip) are Ragdolls like Wendy's cat. More specifically, we went from Seattle up to Canada for 3 weeks, most to areas around Desolation Sound. My parent's cats came with. My cat stayed home since he doesn't like their cats... or loud motors.

We had a lot of fun- I got way more reading done that I did knitting though, probably because I perfected my knitting-and-reading-at-the-same-time technique.

More on the boat trip, what I knit, and what knitting stuff I travel with later! I didn't bring my wheel this year, just lots of yarn!

After being gone for 3 weeks my cat was super happy I was back- despite having an awesome pet sitter. He was surprisingly uninterested in my bags, and was far more interested in the flowers from my mom's garden. He also was really impressed by the peas I picked.

My "walking around" socks. I prefer to knit on dpns, but use a single circ when there is the risk of dropping needles in to the water! This is yarn from Sweet Georgia, which is dyed in Canada. Only halfway through the first sock since I started them just a couple days before coming home.

I am making them just as I normally do for basic socks- 60 sts, size 0 (or 00 in this case since I am on a circ- I have to go up to ) when I use dpns since I break or bend the smaller ones too easily when I travel). Yea I knit loose, I know!

Whoops, you can see a mistake in the double knit cuff- I pulled the yarn to the front instead of back to start the round, and didn't notice it until I was knitting the heel. Loving the double knit cuff/hem- a nice change from ribbing, and top down means I just start it on the cast on, so no worrying about a neat bind off.

I am a little surprised it isn't pooling more- which is fine by me! I don't mind pooling, but I like it when it is at least sorta striped.

I don't use stitch markers when I knit socks on dpns, but often do when I knit on a circ- but just for the heel.

How to Block Ruffles

2011-08-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

Blocking ruffles- sample is the Baby Ruffle Dress knitting pattern.

The most important part of blocking ruffles is making sure that the ruffles are evenly spaced, which is easily accomplished by "pinching" the ruffles in to place, then leaving them in place while they dry. For ruffled items blocking is the difference between a piece that just looks poorly knit and a piece that is stunning (or ridiculously cute, in the case of the baby dress).

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

How to Seam to Edges of Knitting Together

2011-07-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

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How to seam two knit edges together- this is seaming for how to sew up the back of a slipper, especially handy for seaming up basic knit slippers.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Media Fast

2011-07-22T10:47:00.001-07:00

3 week media fast starting today! No phone, email, internet. I'll see you on the other side! Hope you are having a great summer!

Summer Reading List: Knitting and Travel Edition

2011-07-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

I've been combing book reviews lately to find some good books for upcoming travel- I've been on a roll the last few days since I am planning a media fast (no phone, internet, or email) for 3 weeks, starting today!

What I am reading this summer:

Knitting Books
Knit One Knit All the book I am most excited about. I told myself I wouldn't peek in it until my media fast started...ten minutes later I was leafing through it (the excuse of needing to know what tools I might need is a good one, ha). I ussually bring Knitting Workshopwith me and trips (it is nice and small, and I have knit the baby surprise jacket more times than is healthy), and I am looking forward bringing both along and to knitting some of the smaller project in the book on upcoming trips. One look at the star booties and I was sold. I am also super excited about the V Vest (and several of the other vest patterns) in the book, most of which don't seem to have pics up on Ravelry quite yet.

Fantasy

The book I am probably the most excited about is A Dance with Dragons. I read/listened to the rest of the series a couple months ago*, so I am pretty excited to read the book. I did make the mistake of reading a few of the reviews on Amazon, which has me a bit worried. I don't think my expectations are as high as many though (and I haven't watched the TV show), so I am hoping it will be good vacation reading. This is the 5th book in the series A Song of Ice and Fire, a fantasy series complete with medieval knights, exotic locales, and plenty of (dark) intrigue.

Non Fiction
The Optimism Bias and The Compass of Pleasure both are recommended in this NPR book review.

My Korean Deli- the reviews for it make it sound hilarious.

The Pirates of Somalia. How can I not read a book that has been reviewed on NPR but has no reviews on Amazon (as of 7/21/2011).

*The audio versions of the previous books in the series are pretty good, better than the usual audio books at any rate (voice of the reader isn't grating or sans inflection).

Studio/Office and House Tour @ Midnightsky Fibers- July 2011

2011-07-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Time for another update on what my studio/office space is looking like! You will notice that compared to the last tour that there are a lot less books out, and a lot more cords hanging around.

All my projects (in progress and in various stages of publishing) currently fit in to the boxes on my desk, which is nice.

While we are at it, we might as well take a look at the rest!

The light through my windows- even with the blinds closed- is the bane of my mornings. 6 am? Not when I want to be waking up.

Floors are so shiny they reflect the kitchen apron. Yea, I know, not the usual state of affairs at my house. Housecleaners do a way better job of it than I can ever hope to. Also shocking- I can actually fit almost everything (even my giant rice cooker and espresso machine) in my cupboards again! The only things on my kitchen counter are dishsoap, a knife block with more knives than a vegetarian should even own, and the ever requisite French press.

Notice something funny about the TV? Yea, it isn't plugged in. It gets plugged in when I need it to do work where I need a larger screen...almost never.

Joey is unimpressed by the massive decluttering and clearing of surfaces though.

From the desk.

By the window.

New! Sky Baby Kimono Knitting Pattern

2011-07-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

I have a new baby pattern available! The Sky Baby Kimono Knitting Pattern is a quick knit in DK weight yarn- perfect for weekend and travel knitting!

The closures are simple for the fronts- just 2 buttons, one on each side.

Seed stitch details work well with both solid and multi color yarns.

The kimono is knit top down with raglan sleeves Seed stitch details add a delicate touch to the hems. The short sleeves are perfect for spring and summer, or pair with leggings and a long sleeve shirt in the winter. The kimono is designed to be loose fitting and comfortable to wear, and is fast enough to knit for a quick baby gift.

Sizes 3 to 24 months.

Slight increases at the underarm give the kimono an A-line shape.

The pattern is pretty easy- you need to know how to increase and knit in the round (on double pointed needles).

You can open a preview of the knitting pattern on the Sky Baby Kimono page.

Pattern Info:
Short Sleeves with Seed Stitch Details and Button Closures

This kimono top is a captivating take on the classic kimono! The simple lines and seed stitch details make this sure to be a favorite pattern for gift knitting- 3 month size knits up in a weekend!

Knit top down with raglan sleeves, this cute but easy kimono style top knits up quickly in both solid and multi color yarns. Seed stitch details add a delicate touch to the hems. Sizes 3 to 24 months. The short sleeves are perfect for spring and summer, or pair with leggings and a long sleeve shirt in the winter. The kimono is designed to be loose fitting and comfortable to wear, and is fast enough to knit for a quick baby gift. With just two buttons the top is easy to put on- no fussing with zippers, ties, or lots of buttons.

Level
Intermediate- Increase, work in the round

Size
Size 3 (6, 12, 18, 24) months
Actual chest size 16 (17, 18, 19, 20) inches/ 41 (43, 46, 48, 51) cm
Finished Chest Size: 17 (18, 20, 22, 23) inches/ 43 (47, 52, 57, 58) cm around (1-3 inches of ease)
Length: 8.75 (9.25, 10.25, 11.5, 12.25)”/ 22 (23.5, 26, 29, 31) cm from shoulder to hem
See schematic at end of pattern for more sizing info. Shown in size 3 months.

Yarn
280 (360, 450, 550, 600) yards/ 256 (330, 411, 503, 549) meters DK weight yarn

Materials
-US #4/3.5 mm circular needle, or size to get gauge
- US #4/3.5 mm double pointed needles (dpn’s), or size to get gauge
-Tapestry needle
-Needle and matching thread (to sew on buttons)
-Buttons-1/2 inch- 2
-Stitch markers (6)
-Stitch holder or waste yarn (2)

Gauge
6 st and 8 rows per inch in stockinette stitch.

Available on Midnightsky Fibers and on Ravelry:

Have a great weekend, and happy knitting!

Knitters- on Google+, Now What? 10 Things to Do Now That You Have Joined

2011-07-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

First, you can find me on Google Plus as Jenn Wisbeck. You should add me, cause G+ is awesome.

Seems like everyone on twitter is wondering- now what? So knitters, here it is. There still aren't a ton of people on G+, and it is still hard to find crafty people there.

1. Add your real name on twitter, so other people can find you on g+.
Unless people happen to be able to guess your first and last name (from facebook), it is hard to find you- assuming they even know you exist.

2. Start posting pics of knitting
Unlike twitter, it is easier to track a conversation about knitting, techniques, etc.

3. Make a circle for knitting/crochet people

4. Ask questions- it is easier to follow discussions here than on twitter
Bonus, easier to post pics, video, etc of your question.

5. Test out the chat functions
Cause they are pretty awesome! Love that I can chat with people without having to be on Skype. (Feel free to test out chat with me- although I may not answer in video if I am in pajamas!)

6. Sparks
You can add knitting (or other hobbies, spinning, crochet, knitting, weaving, etc) and it will give you updates on that topic. Kind of like crossing a google search with google reader.

7. Customize your links
Some of them probably show up already (or at least did for me). But make sure to add your twitter, facebook, blog, website, etc (especially if you are a business).

8. Your images are already there to add
If you use blogger, the images you upload on Google Plus are in your images folder (Images> From Picasa Web Albums). Likewise, you can add your blogger photos to your Google Plus albums.

9. The tagline
...that shows up under your name when people hover on your profile pic is usually the place you work (i.e. Midnightsky Fibers in my case). So put your actually biz name, not just "self employed". If you don't have that filled in, sometimes it will revert to where you live as the tagline (Seattle, WA)

10. You can make a shorter link for your google+ page (thanks Jake for the idea)
The usual link on google plus looks like this: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115558165321588976909 You can use http://gplus.to/ to make a shorter link. So my gibberish name becomes: http://gplus.to/midnightskyfibers

Happy knitting!

Help me Choose a Button?

2011-07-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

Help me choose a button for a baby kimono I am knitting (pretty please? the survey takes 30 seconds or less!)

PS- yes it will be a pattern I have up for sale, in the next couple days. Sign up for the newsletter if you want to be notified when it is available. Hope you had a lovely 4th of July!

San Juan Boating Adventure

2011-06-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

I took a break from work to head up to a marine park in the San Juans for a long weekend. No internet. Barely any phone reception. The boat generates power (enough for 3 other boats to plug in to ours while the generator runs) that we can run the LED lights and fridge with no problem though- my favorite way to vacation.

Sandpiper nest with eggs on a teeny tiny island- they blend right in to the beach!

The brown water behind me is brown because of algae. In this case it is bioluminescent dinoflagellates, which lights up when disturbed at night. Not to be confused with Red Tide, which looks similar and is also in effect now.

We don't have very many white sand beaches in the PNW- this is about as close as it gets- rocky, with lots of oyster shells (though it is still pretty!).

The best time for wandering on tiny islands is low tide- otherwise it can be hard to get to the other side of some of the small islands- they can be quite steep (formed by glaciers coming through)!

Lichen and moss cover all the rock surfaces of the islands.

The trip was a medical conference- so there were lots of doctors also there, enough that we all shared a small dock. In between hiking around the larger island people gave lectures. Since many people did power point presentations, we had to pile on our boat where there was a TV with a larger screen- enough people that the dogs were not allowed on with us (and they were quite sad about it!).

How to Tie a Slip Knot

2011-06-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

Tying a slip knot for the start of casting on.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Shawl Progress

2011-06-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with shawls that have edging all the way around- knit in as you widen the shawl.

Makes for a really fun top edge!

The turning has to be charted carefully though, same as for turning at the bottom of a triangle shawl.

Joey has taken over my knitting basket in the meantime. He is cute enough I haven't kicked him out...yet!

I knit a bunch of the edging walking to and from the grocery store (I go almost daily). This edging is easy enough- no charts needed as I walk along.

I like to pause at the park near my house and knit for a bit.

Ugh, it is always dark when I am taking photos of blocking- and my camera really does not handle dark well at all.

Infographics- Pattern Sales and Pricing: Looking at Popular Patterns on Ravelry

2011-06-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

A few infographics to look at the popular patterns on Ravelry- both overall and by month

(Full Sized available here: Popular Pattern Prices)

Ok. Pattern pricing is a hugely debated topic on all sides- from customers complaining about $$ patterns, to people worrying about if they would be charging too little or too much for a pattern. I don't really want to jump headfirst in to that debate (I think my position is probably pretty clear), but I did want to know how popular patterns are priced. Plus I wanted to know if shawls were actually as popular as I suspected- and yep, they are.

(full sized version: Top 10 Patterns)

Why it Matters

Designers: Don't let this discourage you from selling patterns that are not the most popular categories- there is something to be said for niche patterns. Likewise, don't be afraid to price higher than the average (my bestselling patterns are $8) but please really consider if it is worth your time to sell patterns for less than $4! However- if you are trying to diversify the type of patterns you sell (assuming you don’t sell only in one niche, like baby patterns), take note of the popular pattern categories.

Yarn Stores: Gives you an idea of what popular projects are online. How you use it will vary with your customer base of course, but if you don’t already have lace classes (or lace yarn), now might be the time to start! Checking out the popular patterns on Ravelry should also be something you do frequently- even if your customers don’t use Ravelry (since you can order many of the patterns or magazines for your shop).

Yarnies: These give you an idea of what is really popular that people are making. For example, shawls are super popular- do you have a great yarn (or two) in awesome colors that work well for lace? Do you make yarn in dyelots large enough for people to make the popular sweaters? It also never hurts to knit up a sample of a popular pattern in your yarn (especially for smaller projects) - people will flip through finished projects and see your yarn.

And you should know- these are just for fun, a way of distilling info on average prices. Unless otherwise noted, it does not include free patterns. Everything was converted to $US. And so on. Also please realize that I take this with a (big!) grain of salt- I charge more for many of my patterns ($6-8) and have no plans of changing it- I would have to sell double the patterns if I only charged $4 per pattern for example (actually more, since credit card or paypal fees are a bigger % at lower cost).

(link to fullsize: Top New Patterns)

Why/What I Wanted to Know

a.) What popular prices were. There is a lot of discussion about pricing on Ravelry, and how low/high people should price. with people complaining about "high" prices. I wanted to show myself that charging .99, 2, $4, etc was NOT average for popular patterns.

b.) A table of popular pattern prices exists (from this thread), but that just shows how people price their patterns- not what sells. There are quite a few patterns in the $2-4 range. But very few in that $ range in the popular patterns- in fact 85% of popular patterns are priced $4-6.50 while only 60% of all patterns are priced $4-6.50. 85%! Over 50% of the popular patterns on Ravelry are priced at $5 or $6 compared to 30% overall. To beat it over the head a bit more- 38% of popular patterns were priced $6 compared to 11% overall, and 22% were priced at $5 compared to 19% overall.

(Full sized link: Top 10 June)

What You Should Change

If your patterns aren't already priced in the popular pattern range, please really consider raising your prices.Think about why you don't raise prices. Is it because you wouldn't pay more? Keep in mind that you probably have more knitting skills and can figure out the techniques in your pattern for yourself. Other people can't or don't want to. I would make a strong argument that most people are not nearly as price sensitive (within a few dollars) as you think- the difference between a $4 and $6 pattern for a sweater isn't going to be that much them if they are already spending $100 on yarn to make the sweater.

What do you think? Are your patterns priced more or less than average? Any plans on changing? Does looking at what is popular make you want to design more of those patterns or go more niche (where there is less competition)?

Knitting Tools: Locking Stitch Markers, Tapestry Needles, and More

2011-06-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

Reviews of the knitting tools I use on a daily basis:

My favorite locking stitch markers- locking stitch markers can be subbed with saftey pins, but I like the plastic ones for travel (and because they are not sharp). I find them much more versatile than plain round markers since they can be placed anywhere in your knitting or crochet.
Bent tapestry needles- the slight bend at the tip makes it easy to get in between the stitches without catching extra threads of the yarn.
T-Pins- a must have for blocking lace

Transcript:

Transcript of Video

Hey everyone it’s Jenn from Midnightsky Fibers and I wanted to show you some of the knitting tools that I actually use. I mean most of you know I do a lot of sample knitting and production knitting so I am knitting both for myself and for sale and for other people everyday 365 days a year. So I use a lot of knitting tools and I… but there’s really only very few that I actually use everyday. I’m not a big collector of knitting tools that are really unusual or take up a lot of space or literally fancy.

Most of the tools that I like are really utilitarian. They have to be able to knit long hard work and not get stuck on my stitches and in a lot of cases, they have to have multiple uses. So here are the tools that I actually use. First, locking stitch markers. I love these. These are my absolute favorite stitch markers when I’m not using small pieces of thread, safety pins or paper clips which I am very prone to doing even though I have a truly obscene number of stitch markers in all varieties. I actually really don’t like most of the fancy stitch markers with beads on them. The only time when I think they’re handy is when you need to tell apart different sections of a pattern and that tends to be something with lace in which cases I get caught. I really like locking stitch markers because not only can you stick them in your knitting and on knitting needle but you can also use them as stitch holders to hold a few stitches.

You can use them instead of safety pins or pins to hold things in place while you’re seaming together or sewing together your finished pieces. They work in crochet and in knitting and so a lot… you can hook them into your crochet to mark stitch places. Really all around there my favorite stitch marker. They’re the only stitch markers I’ve bought. For all the other plain round circular ones or ring ones, I don’t buy those. I have some of those ones, I never use them. I only use the locking stitch markers. Love them.

Next, tapestry needles. I really like the tapestry needles. I have the blunt but bent edge as you can see in the photo on this one. It makes… the blunt bent tip makes it much easier to really get into the stitches without catching a little bit of yarn or fabric as you run along which is handy when you’re seaming or weaving an end ‘coz you don’t want it to show on the front. Straight tip is fine. Sharp ones depending on what you need to weave in and how you need to weave the ends are also okay. But these are also my absolute favorite. You can usually get them in a pack or two at a yarn store. I really…that’s my primary one today. I always use…I usually have one stuck somewhere in my wallet and I’m always buying these because I’m losing some of my wallets constantly and I like them enough that I’m willing to pay for them even though I have tons of other tapestry and also they work okay. I prefer the shape these ones fast.

T pins of course come in all sorts of different lengths and thicknesses. I like the thick, longer ones better ‘coz they both work 4 ways and for all other pieces while you’re seaming if you’re not using locking stitch markers. And I also use mine for blocking lace which means that the thick longer ones are handy because it means that the lace isn’t going to get caught in them or to go fall off of them when you’re blocking. I block heavily and thoroughly and I pin lace objects out within an inch of their life, pulling them very, very taut and small T pins just don’t stand up to that and just go flying off. Likewise, I don’t use regular pins unless I’m sewing. But these ones show up in your knitting so that you can really see where you’re pinning them and they’re thick enough to hold their place and to hold their own against yarn distorting it too badly which is important when you’re trying to pin things in place and create even seams ‘coz you don’t…the really fine, small T pins just tend to not be big enough when you’re trying to seam together a worsted weight sweater or when you are trying to make sure the edges line up perfectly.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

#SampleSunday Baby Ruffle Dress Preview

2011-06-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

Ruffle Dress is by far one of the favorite patterns here on Midnightsky Fibers- and no surprise, it is easy to knit, doesn't require too much yarn, and it has fun ruffley details. O, and DK weight yarn is my fave for baby and kids knits- faster than fingering, but produces a drapey fabric that using even light worsted doesn't really give you.

So just a reminder that you can see a preview of the pattern here: Ruffle Dress Preview.

O, and it is now available in print, on Amazon, AND on Patternfish.

Print version is printed to order by Magcloud. Ruffle Dress Knitting Pattern in Print. (PS- when you order print copies you get a digital version as well so you can get started right away!)
For Kindle and Ipad, you can download the pattern from Amazon- Kindle Knitting Pattern version of Ruffle Dress. All my patterns are formatted so directions and pictures show up properly on Kindle, even patterns with charts (don't worry, this pattern doesn't have charts).
And finally, Midnightsky Fibers is now on Patternfish- well, some of the patterns are anyways- I am working on listing them slowly. But the Ruffle Dress was the first pattern I added!

And now to go enjoy more of the Fremont Solstice- naked bikers (nsfw!!)? check. My favorite taco place right by all the action? Check. Interesting people watching while I knit? Heck yes.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

Remaking a Silk Shirt

2011-06-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Ugh, it is kind of unflattering right? Not terrible, but pointed collars sometimes look really terrible and dated on drapey fabrics (especially if you are like me and hate to iron)! That's ok though, since the elements of a work shirt are there: some waist shaping, sleeves that can be rolled up, normal color, and soft fabric-100% silk from Banana Republic in this case. Seriously, I might have an obsession with wearing silk shirts! They also make great work shirts since they tend to pill less than cotton, and I don't feel *too* bad about ruining them since I can get them at thrift stores pretty cheap.

Anyways. The pointed collar and ties at the wrist had to go.

It is actually really easy to make a mandarin style collar from the typical dress shirt collar- just *carefully!* seam rip out the upper pointy section (the pic above is after seam ripping action). You are left with a collar that just needs to be restitched closed- the turned in seam is already there for you. I use what I think is called ladder stitch to join the sides invisibly. I wish I had a better way to explain it- I am a lot better at explaining knitting than I am sewing!

Tada! 15 minutes late and it has a "new" collar. This of course works on button downs too.

The ties from the sleeves (which would otherwise get caught in knitting) become ties on the front.

And the edges of the sleeves are sewn slightly together to help them roll up better- not all the way though, since it would bunch up at the top of the seam.

Much better! Some days I amaze myself :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

Cat + Knitting Bag

2011-06-15T00:57:00.000-07:00

Joey Cat has been working very hard to fit himself in my knitting bag!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

Knitting + a Quarter Century = Awesomeness

2011-06-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hey- it’s my birthday, so I am going to keep it short since I am trying to not work on my bday! Use the code "quartercenturybday” to get $2 off any pattern on Midnightsky Fibers.

Details:
-The coupon also works for my Ravelry shop.
-Expires June 10th, 2011.
-You can use it for any pattern or pattern collection.
Big huge changes are coming, but I will save those (and the new patterns) for a day when I am actually working- for now, I am going to go treat myself to some yarn and spend the day knitting!

Happy knitting,
Jenn

PS- in case you didn't guess, a quarter century means I am 25 :)

PJ Pants from a Silk Dress

2011-06-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

Almost all my pajama pants are long flannel, making them wayyyy too warm under the pile of blankets I like to sleep under. And silk pajamas are my favorite (no surprise there!). Since I have been going through my closet and getting rid of piles of clothes, I decided to sacrifice a silk dress to make a new pair of capri length pants- in the time it took to drink my coffee this am.

The dress was lined and had ties. I left the lining in place- hey, might as well have extra fancy pj's! The ties I sewed together to make the waistband ties since I was too lazy to see if I had elastic hidden in my craft bins- a super awesome decision since the ties are super long and even knotted reach almost to my knees. The pj's turned out well- if I had wanted to spend more time I would have cute the fabric down to make it less wide- while the super wide fabric is fine once it hits the knees, it could be more flattering at the waist if I had gone to the trouble of removing an extra inch or two.

Don't feel bad for the dress. It had a horrible wardrobe malfunction built in. The front crosses over the other side- which is a great drape, but gaps open super high up the leg when I sat down- not good, I need NO help from clothing on the wardrobe malfunctioning front!

Yea, the normal sewing of pajama pants, just like if I were sewing them from any other fabric. I did go to the effort of turning under and stitching seams for the waistband to make it extra sturdy though!

Fancy! Complete with lining. And fancy stitching at the waist. Now I don't want to get dressed for the day! Maybe I won't :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

Farmboats, Friday Harbor, and New Yarn

2011-05-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

Finished the 3rd shawl for a shawl pattern I am making- it will be in 3 yarn weights (plus I wanted to see how much yarn the edging took up!).

Amazing weather has *ahem* been somewhat lacking in Seattle of late- but at least it was sunny for the opening of the farmers market on the Virginia V. In South Lake Union/Westlake and in several other locations they are starting famer's markets by boat (called appropriately, farmboat). It was a pretty small opening, I am hoping they will get more people and more produce soon, this is way too cool not to last.

Boats with food and produce used to be a common site- though they do still exist. In some of the semi remote (reachable by boat and float plane but not always by car) areas of Canada where we go on the boat it is common to see people selling fresh baked goods from their boats, and barges are converted to small shops and restaurants, often with docks lashed on so you can tie up your dinghy to them.

Not very remote, but we visited Friday Harbor on the boat last weekend. The weather wasn't expected to be great, so tourists were minimal. We dock on a private dock out a bit from the town, so it is quite quiet where we are- though not without people we knew- almost impossible not to find people you know (which is even more true, interestingly, when up further north where there aren't many people, since the same people are there every year, and many are part of the same yacht club). PS- there is a yarn shop in Friday Harbor!

Spinning scraps- I save up all the "stuff" I heave left when I am done carding a colorway and save it up, then spin it all together. This is just a teeny skein...

...but enough that I should probably plied it differently. Especially since I ended up chatting on the phone in the middle of both winding the yarn on to my hand and spinning it- and once it is on your wrist you are kinda stuck!

Hmm...a bit rustic looking- but I am hoping it will be semi stripey when I knit it up- this is just yarn to play with after all!

Plotting garments in laceweight yarn (but knit on slightly larger needles).

There is always catgrass (aka wheatgrass) in the house. My cat LOVES it. I tend to buy it more than grow it, but either way Joey cat goes to great lengths to get to the wheat grass- even if I were to say try and use it as decoration (let's just sat that didn't end well).

Ok- one last boat picture- this is the Norene, which is a wooden tug boat. It was docked at the docks in SLU park the other day. Yes, I know I am boat obsessed currently! I am looking forward to a summer filled with boating adventures.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

What are Single Ply Yarns

2011-05-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

About single ply (1 ply) yarns.

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Travel Knitting

2011-05-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

I am leaving for the boat in just a minute- a totally last minute weekend boating trip*. Don't worry, I have another entire sack full of secret knitting. For longer trips I also often pack my spinning wheel too- I pack for more craft supplies than I do clothes.

*I don't think it should really be a surprise that my phone plays I'm on a Boat as a ringtone when certain family members call!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

WIndows as Dry Erase Board? Check.

2011-05-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Some days, the windows function as a dry erase board…one with a very nice view.

Sneak Peek

2011-05-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

A sneak peek of what I am working on...eep! You will hear more about it later!

There's a super yummy new pie place in Fremont called...pie. (and it is really good!)

Some Days You Just Need to Read a Manifesto...

2011-05-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

...I suggest Do the Work*. Actually I only got halfway through before setting it aside- not that it wasn't good, but because it got me to actually pick up and do some work (lots of super exciting stuff coming soon as a result!)

*kindle version is free, if you don't have a kindle you can read it on your computer.

Studio Tour- Spring 2011

2011-05-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

The last time you saw my office it was probably much more yarn and fiber centric, with roving and drying racks all over! I've been trying to reign in the fibery bits the last few months- corralling dyes to the kitchen cupboard above the fridge, making sure yarn is actually in the closet not spread about the living room, getting knit samples in sealed and labelled bags, and so on.

The mannequin is usually covered in a lot more knit items that have just finished blocking and are waiting for photos though!

My desk/studio space sits along to only wall space in my living room without windows. File containers and boxes hold all of my paperwork, swatches, electronics, and in progress work. My knitting supplies all live in a bedside table to the right, and larger pieces (drum carder and spinning wheel, plus the plethora of stuff that goes with) live in a closet when not in use, as do finished samples and yarn.

The big downside of my workspace is that there is not a place for the cat to sit at desk level! This means he spends a lot time trying to jump up to sit on my lap- which is not really possible in the side chair I use with my desk!

Wondering where all my books are? I went through and got rid of over half my books awhile back, even knitting/spinning/weaving books and magazines. I have space to add new favorites now (if I can't get them as digital versions), and am left with just the books I actually use. You will notice the large percentage of business and law textbooks if you take a close look (and everything else is knitting/spinning/weaving books), and the distinct lack of fiction- I don't keep any book that I will only read once, and I read almost everything on my Kindle or computer now. (I also got rid of a huge quantity of yarn- more even than I did books- mostly the leftovers from before I worked at the yarn store, stuff I really was never going to use.)

I store swatches for secret projects and ideas in the file containers, plus yarn labels with a bit of each yarn so I have the yarn label handy when I am pattern writing.

Happy knitting!

Knitting with Stainless Steel Yarn (and Other Metal Yarns too!)

2011-05-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Knitting with Metal Yarns

Metal yarns make beautiful projects- dynamic, full of a movement a life all their own. Most metal yarns sold for knitting are wrapped in a wool or silk core, which helps make them feel softer than a plain metal wire would be- and trust me, as someone who has knit a scawl out of metal wire, it is both hard on the hand and not very comfortable to wear! The downside of metal yarns is that they can twist up and break easily if not handled properly, but not to worry, these tips will help your project be a success!

(SS Fern Knitting Pattern in Habu Silk Stainless Steel)

Tips for knitting with metal yarns:

Make sure to let the yarn untwist from the side of the cone or roll, not off the top (which will add more twist). I find it easiest to lay the cone next to me and unroll several yards at a time to work with.
Hold up the project to let it untwist occasionally. Do this every time you see the yarn starting to kink up and twist in on itself- some twist is inevitable, but the less twisting, the less issues you will have with breaking and tangling.
Don’t tug hard on the yarn- especially if it is tangled! Unlike most yarns, metal yarns tend to not untangle nicely with a light tug, because that will often cause a kink in the yarn, making the tangle harder to undo.
Plan on not ripping out (frogging) your work. Metal yarns are hard to frog, and sometimes will break. Obviously you will need to unravel if you have a mistake, but swatch in a similar weight of yarn if possible instead of your metal yarn, or work a very small swatch in case it cannot be undone.
Needles- I found addi lace needles to be my favorite for knitting with metal yarns. Addi lace needles are sharp, but not as slippery as regular addi turbos. The metal yarn is both very fine and somewhat slippery, so you want to use a knitting needle with enough of a point that you can knit the lace easily, but you also don’t want the needle to be slippery, you don’t want your stitches flying off! I prefer a 32 inch circular, but any circular between 24 and 40 inches will be easy enough to move (smaller can make the needles harder to manipulate, larger and the cord gets tangled with the yarn)
Metal yarns tend to stay how to put them- so to make it easier to knit, tug down on the knitting very lightly at the end of every row (or do it as you go along, like I do). This makes the stitches elongated and easier to get the knitting needles through.
Stitch patterns- metal yarns don’t need to be blocked, but they look especially nice when a pattern is fairly simple- something that looks good when the stitches are distorted from being stretched (simple lace tends to work well, very complex lace is pretty but the effect just isn’t the same as with plain yarn). I like reversible lace- where I can knit garter stitch every other row, so the lace looks good for both sides.

Projects using stainless steel and metal yarns:

SS Fern Knitting Pattern (see post on it here: SS Fern Pattern)
Kusha Kusha Scarf from Purl Bee
Coralie on Knitty

Stainless Steel Yarns:

There are 2 main places that make stainless steel yarn- Habu, and more recently, Lion Brand.

Videos:
Stainless Steel Yarn for Knitting (you can read the blog post that goes with the video here: Stainless Steel Knitting)

This is part of Knit School on Midnightsky Fibers! If you found it helpful, it would be great if you shared it!

Tacos for Cinco de Mayo! And a New Scarf Pattern

2011-05-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo! But first- there is a new scarf pattern- SS Fern.

Knit in stainless steel yarn, the scarf uses a simple reversible lace pattern so it looks great on both sides. Stainless steel yarn is fascinating- it is super lightweight and holds shape it is stretched in to (it's all pretty inexpensive even in silk and stainless blend- you can knit this scarf for $10-$15 of yarn).

Pattern

On Midnightsky Fibers: SS Fern Knitting Pattern (pattern preview also available on this page). On Ravelry: SS Fern

Yarn

310 yards lace weight stainless steel yarn. Sample knit in Silk Stainless Steel by Habu (69% silk, 31% stainless steel [core]; ½ ounce/14 grams; 311 yards/280 meters) in Navy.

Knitting with stainless steel yarn: see the pattern preview on the Midnightsky Fibers shop page for SS Fern for tips on knitting with metal yarns.

And finally...new yarn and tacos for Cinco de Mayo!

Finally found the perfect yellow yarn- no green tones, from light to medium yellow, but not "gold", more modern than vintage toned.

The perfect lemonade for drinking in quantity- strawberries and lemon juice, no sugar, and left to sit overnight in the fridge.

A secret mother's day gift...

And salsa- no chunks, please.

I make my basic salsa with a medium tomato, and equal amount of white onion, several cloves of garlic, a couple handfuls cilantro, lime juice or vinegar (though current batch has lemon and orange juice, and that is good too), and a jalapeno or two, all blended until it is fairly smooth- I don't really like chunky salsa (or tomatoes!). I've been known to leave out the tomato. I like it really quite spicy since I only use a small amount of salsa for tacos or a bit for flavoring rice.

Actually it is kind of a taco factory in my house- so easy to eat them daily (sometimes multiple times a day), and I can do so many variations. I have been eating tacos every day at least once for at least a month now, maybe longer! I almost always do soft corn tortillas (or half corn half wheat if I can find them0 Ken's Market in Greenwood has them, but neither WholeFoods or PCC seem to). A bit of blackbeans (homemade in my ricecooker), some onion, and other toppings depending on what I have in the fridge.

Right now in rotation for tacos:
Black beans- from rice cooker, cooked with chilies and onion. I prefer black to pinto, but do mix it up sometimes. I usually make some of the batch in to refried beans.
Onions- pickled, fresh (works best with sweet or white), or carmelized
Guacamole
Rice- cooked with salasa (blended so there are no chunks!)
Cabbage- fresh or Salvadorian style (I use either pickled onions or curdito, not both- I like pickles, but don't want too much liquid or pickle in my tacos!). I prefer cabbage to lettuce in my tacos- holds up better and doesn't wilt (blech)
Salsas- a homemade spicy salsa and a salsa verde are both almost always in rotation
Lime, or in a pinch, lemons

I have had a couple fails- I found I really didn't like vegan cheeses or sour cream (tastes too much like tofu i most cases), 100% flour tortillas are pretty meh-in part because they are larger so the tortilla to filling ratio is off since the flour tortillas are bigger- though I probably wouldn't mind as much for burritos. Vegetarian taco meat tastes much better if heated on the stove than in the microwave- though if it is frozen it doesn't seem to matter as much. I also don't like to make my pickled onions super thinly sliced- makes them too soft, I want my onions to have some crispness.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

2011-05-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

I am on a semi-news fast, as the hatred and jubilant celebration of death makes me feel a bit ill, especially when many of the comments I see are directed more against types of people based on race or country. I would like to suggest a short book that takes place in Afghanistan, a reminder of how similar we all are. Don't worry, it's not overly political in nature, it reads like a fiction, but is true.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana. I finished it a day before Bin Laden died. Takes place in Afghanistan as the Taliban is taking over, and the struggles that women go through trying to keep both their family and their country together. Point of view is from the woman's side, struggling against the Taliban rule while trying to keep siblings fed in a war devastated city (but in an uplifting way!), a point of view that often get overlooked or only shown in negativity. It's not a long read, and the audio book version is good as well- I listened to it while I was working. It's not a book that is trying to be super political, but rather I think does a good job showing how everyone in the world has the same goals- safety, shelter, happiness.

Spring Lace Knitting

2011-04-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

As always, I am obsessed with lace shawls for spring. This spring it seems I am especially obsessed with bottom up lace shawls and lace I can knit in 400 yards (maybe 450) or less- a typical skein of sock or lace weight yarn.

I even broke down and knit the same shawl twice! Though not by choice, my charting software deleted the entire pattern AND charts for the white shawl, so I had to recreate it from scratch and knit a second version to be sure it worked. Sigh. I am NOT happy with my charting software right now (it deleted/saved over several other items as well, losing multiple days of work, not to mention knitting time).

I took a break to play with knitting shortrows!

And finished the stainless steel scarf I was working on (turned out even better than I hoped, pattern coming soon!)

Joey has been quite "helpful" in the process- I have been working more at my desk than my couch (when not coworking, more on that later), with the unfortunate result that he jumps up and knocks things over or gets tangled in the yarn. He has been very interested in my hula hoop though (and no, I am not very good at it!), to bad cats can't learn to hula hoop!

And one more shawl...the bind off took forever, even though it was only a couple hundred stitches!

Even just getting ready to be blocked, the picot border already looks much (much!) better than it did straight off the needles. Blocking makes all the difference in lace!