Category: Updates

Designing, Teaching, Updates

Checking In!

Heather

Hello all!

So sorry it’s been so long – a lot has happened, and I’ve been super busy! But I’ve reached a bit of a breather in my schedule (albeit not a very long one) so I figured I should post to catch you up!

If you remember, I told you all about our house selling and buying in my last post. Well, we bought our new house at the beginning of August, and sold our old house a couple of days later, and basically it has been chaos ever since! It’s only just now settling down – although I still have boxes upon boxes in my bedroom, but the kitchen is unpacked, and the living room is being decorated, so at least we can “live” in the house a bit. (And we are loving it!)

And at the same time I had more deadline knitting for Cast On (look for the Stitch Anatomy article and two patterns from me, plus the ‘On Your Way to the Masters’ article in the upcoming issue) – and I have stacks of Master Knitting submissions to review as well (I apologize profusely for the delay in reviewing your work if I am your Co-Chair!) Basically, it’s been a whirlwind couple of months.

So, on to what’s happening now!

Rhinebeck is in just a couple short weeks!! All four of my classes are sold out – how crazy is that!!?? I’m beyond excited. If you are signed up for one of my classes, look for an email from me later today! I’m looking forward to meeting new folks, and experiencing my first Rhinebeck, too.

SAFF registration is still going strong! There is still space in all of my classes as of the last update I received, but a few of my classes are filling up fast, so don’t wait if there’s a particular class you had your eye on! I’m teaching 9 classes in all: the workshops are all listed here.

Also, registration for Kanuga is open now! I’ll be teaching cables — with my Harmonious Echo sweater as the project, or a cowl instead if you don’t want to knit the whole sweater. Come join us at this wonderful retreat!

Now that my deadline knitting has died down for the time being, I have picked back up my Rhinebeck sweater vest! I just bound off the back neck a day or two ago, and am almost done with the body. Next it will be time to cut the steeks (I’ll try to film a video when I do – watch Instagram and/or Youtube for that) and do the neckline and armholes. Fingers crossed I actually have it done in time to wear at Rhinebeck! (I have a swing skirt and a 40s style blouse to wear with it already!)

I’m writing the pattern up and have it almost complete as well, I just have to figure out the charts for the neckline/armhole – it’s a bit tricky with like 10+ sizes and all different decrease rates. I’ll be getting it tech edited and then put out a call for test knitters – but most likely not until after Rhinebeck and SAFF are over!

Oh! And I’ve filmed a few videos that have been posted on YouTube – they go along with my articles that will be published in the upcoming Cast On, but you can view them now. One each on the Chinese Waitress CO and BO, and a couple videos of my tips for entrelac knitting – one on picking up stitches and one on color peek. I hope they are helpful!

So, whew! That was a long update! I’ll post periodically from Rhinebeck on Instagram (be sure to follow me there!) and I will be sure to post a recap here when I’m back!

Until next time, Happy Knitting!!

 

Updates, WiP Posts

Happy New Year!

Heather

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and I want to wish you all a happy, healthy, wonderful 2019!

My 2018 was pretty good, so I’m hopeful that my 2019 will be even better!

In 2018 I published 11 new patterns – 7 in publications and 4 as self published. As well as converting another 6 patterns into self published designs from previously published. Not too bad! I also taught at Masters Day in Dallas, at Unwind Getaway, and 15 different classes at my ‘home’ LYS, Cheers to Ewe!

I finally joined TNNA, I became a certified Knitting Instructor, I was appointed as a Co-Chair on the Master Hand Knitting Committee, and I became the editor of the K2TOG newsletter. When I spell it all out like that it makes me realize how much I actually accomplished this year!

2019 looks to be just as exciting! I’m teaching at Kanuga in a couple of weeks, and then I’ll be teaching at the Dallas Fort Worth Fiber Festival in April – not only on Masters Day but two other classes as well. This will be my first ‘non-regional’ teaching gig (aside from teaching at Masters Day there last year), and I’m pretty excited about it! I’ll be at Unwind Getaway again (mostly as a participant this time – but I will be doing a little bit of teaching.) And I have class proposals in to several other events throughout the year. (Fingers crossed!) I’m thinking of tackling the TKGA Knitting Judge certification this year, and I want to grow the Tech Editing side of my business as well, in addition to more designing too (of course.)

On the knitting front, I just wrapped up my two pillow designs that will be in the next issue of Cast On magazine – along with the article to go with them. I really need to not commit to designing over the holiday break – I really stressed out this year – there was so much going on! (Which is 90% of why I haven’t posted since Thanksgiving!) But I’ve finished everything ahead of my deadline, so I call that a win! 🙂

I’ve finished one sock and have started the second – these are my plain ‘waiting room’ knitting. Cuff down, short row heel.

I really need to go through my WiP pile and dig some stuff out to finish. My Vitamin D cardi is still sitting near my desk asking to be finished, so I think I may dig that back out and finally finish it soon!

I’m not going to really do any ‘resolutions’ this year, but I did pick a word for my year – this year it is ‘mindful’. I’d like to be more mindful of how I spend my time, and how I spend my money, and what I spend my precious knitting time on. And also work on being mindful of living in the moment. Do you have any resolutions for 2019, or do you also pick a word of the year to focus on? I’d love to know what knitting resolutions you have – drop me a comment with them below!

Until next time – Happy Knitting! Here’s to a wonderful, knitting-filled 2019!

Updates

Sorry for the radio silence!

Heather

I’m still here, I promise!  Life has been busy, but I’m still knitting away.  Right now I’m working on a gift knit, so I can’t show you that until it’s done and gifted.  And as soon as that’s done I have another magazine design – so I won’t be able to show you that either!  I have lots of ‘secret’ stuff I’m working on.  Sorry – I know that makes things less than interesting here!

We just got back from a trip to Walt Disney World – we stayed for 10 days – that’s the longest we’ve ever stayed!  It was so much fun, but very tiring.

Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom

And I got very little knitting done while we were gone!!

Back on a fiber related note – I’m teaching a Fiber Arts class for my homeschooling group – I’m planning on covering spinning, weaving, crochet and knitting.  I already had the first class, and the kids really seemed to enjoy learning how to spin on a drop spindle!  I’m looking forward to the rest of the classes. 🙂  The moms keep asking me for a class for them, so I need to try to set one up. 🙂

Anyway, not much else going on here!  I’m enjoying reviewing Master Knitting notebooks – (got one right after we got back from Disney!) – and I’m learning a lot while doing so!  I’ll get my first level 2 notebook to review this week – I’m really excited about that!

I’ll try to do a bit better about posting, but it’s hard when there really isn’t anything to show you! 😉

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

Updates

Roses from my Garden

Heather

My roses have been blooming for a few weeks now – they make me so happy.

My lilac roses (I don’t know the cultivars of my roses, but I’m pretty sure the lilac one is a tea rose) is so fragrant – it has a powerful and quite lovely scent to it.  I just love it.

If only my cat wouldn’t eat any flower that’s brought into the house!  I still try to bring some in now and then, but it’s hard finding a spot that he can’t get to (he’s an accomplished jumper!)  I guess I’ll just have to make sure to get outside to enjoy them while they’re here. 🙂 (And brave the allergies…)

Updates

Happy Mother’s Day!

Heather

We went strawberry picking at a nearby ‘pick-your-own’ farm, and, um, came home with not just one gallon of strawberries, but TWO. So now I’m trying to come up with ways to eat all these strawberries before they go bad!! (I don’t have canning equipment, or else I’d make some jam!)

Here’s what I did with some of them this morning:

Yummy!

(I love chocolate covered strawberries!)

And I’m baking two loaves of strawberry bread as we speak. I’ll let you know how it turns out and share the recipe if we end up liking it.

We plan on making strawberry popsicles today as well. Any other ideas???

I hope all you mothers out there have a lovely Mother’s Day today. My boys brought me breakfast in bed this morning, and my oldest brought me a ‘bouquet’ a little while ago:

My Mother’s Day bouquet. 🙂

Enjoy your day!