Passing on the love......

I found this on Sarah Peasley's blog- a person I have never ever met but think I would really enjoy talking to. (you can check her out here- http://www.handknitter.sarahpeasley.com/) Anyhow, I jumped in, and here you go-





The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.

- What I create will be just for you.

- It'll be done in the next 12 months.

- You have no clue what it's going to be.

- I reserve the right to do something unusual.

The catch? You have to put this in your blog as well. Pass on the love!

Designing

As some of you are aware, I dabble a bit in designing knits. At first, it was out of necessity-I like to dress a particular way, but many of those designs (say, fifteen years ago) were out of reach for those with (ahem) a more Rubinesque figure. So, in order to get what I wanted, I learned a whole lot about fit and drape and design (lots of failures along the way, too).

Occasionally, one of my designs gets published (which is really a big thrill- it is like a big gold star on that English essay- a confirmation, one might say). And I do realize that there are times when designers think alike. I remember a few fiascos when it was hard to determine who created first. But I do have a question-but first, a few details. A few years ago, I came up with "Big Blue". I had some Fleece Artist Silk Stream (which is still my all time favourite yarn to design with), and not a clue as to what to do with it. Soooo- I started playing, and came up with this-

This is the picture I have in Ravelry-not the greatest pic, but I didn't want to give away all my secrets, since this is a design I might try to flog.

Although this particular picture doesn't show it as clearly, the jacket is a tunic length modular knit, with a contrasting pink diamond on the back, and the same pink diamonds all around the bottom (you can see just the tip of one near the bottom edge of the photo).

So, this morning, I was looking around, and found this picture, from a well known company. True, it is a full length coat, as opposed to a tunic length. I can't see the sleeves- I used a chevron stitch all the way down each sleeve. I felt the diamonds would look too heavy. But it is possible this designer figured out a way to make it work. i just can't see the sleeves to make out that detail.

Anyhow, whoever thought about it first is not going to be answered here. But the question is- just how much does one share on Ravelry? You want people to notice your designs. And it is a point of fact- there are only so many things you can put into a design, so some features might repeat themselves over and over again (for example- high waisted sweaters are everywhere these days-I wouldn't be able to come up with who thought of them first). It wouldn't surprise me to hear that designers use Ravelry as a "source book" of designs and trends. The question then is- has the line been crossed? Does such a line even exist (the "line" being that point at which a design is distinctive and unique). I don't know. And I also don't know if the commercial design is the first or if "Big Blue" is the first. Ravelry can certainly show what is perceived to be your intellectual property (based, I guess, on how long one has a posted design).

There are differences between my coat and this one. It looks like there might be two blue colourways and two pink colourways in the commercial design, for example.

What do you think?

NAH!

I had to go to school on the bday. There WAS some freezing rain- just enough to cause an annoying "indoor recess" kind of a day, but it was all cleared for the end of the day. Oh well.
But when I went out to the car that morning (to go to school), there was a card on my car from one of the neighbours. How nice- I thought. And when I got home after school, another set of neighbours were there with a card and a $50 certificate for a local restaurant ($50 for 50 years!). Extra nice! And then yet another neighbour came by with a handpainted scarf for me (with a POODLE on it, of course!). All extra special because they were totally unexpected. These neighbours really made my day.
And the day was made even more special because of all of the birthday wishes from my web friends.(thank you, all of you)
Way cool.

What are the chances?????

Hey- I just checked out the weather forecast for tomorrow. It seems to suggest that freezing rain is on the way. Hmmm- what are the chances- a snow day on my birthday??????

I leave my car alone for a minute........

And the next thing you know I am getting an email from a friend's computer. This would be my husband (in the passenger seat) and his buddy touring around the backroads with the top down!!!!!!!! (they look like they're having fun, though, don't they?)

We went out for Sunday morning breakfast with the Flying Club gang- and we took the convertible (we are thinking of calling it Sammy- it is like a sleek black seal). A number of people actually thought we were joking around when we told them that this is what I got for my birthday (which is actually on Tuesday, Feb. 10). We took the top down for the ride home. Got a few looks from other drivers, but MAN! was it ever cool. (and not just cool in temperature) I do love that car!!! And I can hardly wait for the warm temperatures to go and drive around!

On to other news- knitting type news-I have been working on Mom's domino wrap- I have about 46 squares, so I am well on my way. I am teaching an entrelac workshop on the 18th of April. It is meant to be a workshop for people who are quite comfortable knitting (as in everything from an adventurous beginner and up) who would like to learn entrelac. I thought I would make up some samples with self striping yarns (I have a sweater made out of Noro Silk Garden), as well as gradient type yarns and solids with each square knit with a textured patterns. But I wonder what people would like to make? A scarf?

I've got this started- it is a rayon that was dyed in rainbow- "parrot" I think was the colourway). I thought I would show that knitting in straight stockingnette with this yarn yields something that isn't very attractive, but it looks great in entrelac. I figure a scarf would be the best bet, or else make a facecloth/handtowel in entrelac, as the class project. It isn't very hard to learn, but it does help if you can purl backwards. We'll see if there are enough people interested. Let me know if you want more details!

I need to go and mark papers now-drek, I tell ya- so I had better be off. Mother is cooking me my favourite meal of all time for my birthday (roast turkey with all the trimmings, and graham cracker crumb cake with seven minute frosting-HEAVEN!) so I don't even have to worry about what to make tonight.

See ya!

It's here!!!

I came home from work this week, and noticed that my driveway had an extra "somethin' somethin" in it!!!! My new car!!!!!!! I love it. I really really do. It is all black, inside and out (hubby thinks we should call it Sammy, as in Sammy Seal) and very slick. I still can't take it to school- it needs to get licensed and safetied and all that stuff. But with the weather these days- holy cow- snow city!!!!!!

But we did take some pictures.........................................

And I did drive it around a bit on its trip permit- just to make sure everything worked and all. It did (AND HOW). I have never had a car with leather seats before. And they are even HEATED! (How I love heated seats) And it has a 6 CD disc changer, and an awesome sound system, and just everything is perfect. I figured, in the spring, we can put Bear ( a white standard poodle) and William (a neighbour's black standard) in the back seat and see how many times we can get our picture in the local paper!!!!!!!!

I really love it. Thank you, Sean.

And on to the dilemma about mother's present-I have decided to make her something. To tell you the truth- because we both knit, I usually give her yarn, not finished items. So, I have decided to make her a wrap/shawl, out of Noro Silk Garden Lite, (colour 2013 B)using domino knitting. The tie in to her birthday is that I will make it out of 80 squares. Some squares will be bigger, of course, but it's a start. I will post a picture when there is more to show.

edited later: I added a poor picture- the colours are true in the swatch (above) I don't know what happened to the colour in this picture.

It gives you an idea of what I am up to. Whaddya think?

And now for a gratuitous Bear pic- This is what I think he was dreaming about, night before last. The old legs were just flying, and the face muscles were twitching, but he was fast asleep.

Funny thing- when we first got Bear (he was a neglected animal), he didn't dream like that. Now he does. In fact, one night, he even got his howler working- and yes, he was fast asleep.