Knotty Nancys

I've been very fortunate as an independent crafter/knitter to have the support of friends and family as I look to build a brand - Knotty Nancy's. I have no intention of turning this cottage business into an enterprise, as I fear it would lose the simple charm that is central to it's success. That being said, one lone knitter may not be able to keep up with demand. My goods are sold in a local golf shop (Jim Sheerin's Golf Shop at the Abenaqui Golf Course in Rye, NH) that also sell great crafts and gifts. I am proud that the owner appreciates my work so as to feature it in her shop. Even more so, that she likes practically everything I make and buys all the pieces that I present to her. This is great in that I sell everything, but it leaves me with nothing to offer outside of that venue. The owner of the shop has been even kinder in offering me some space on her table at a fine arts festival at the golf club this fall. The first thought that occurred to me, with e...

I apologize for being Bloggy McBlog-A-Not as I confess it's been 4 months since my last post. Oh the shame! I will be sure to poke myself with my knitting needles or some such nonsense for adequate penance. Although I am currently without a great WIP and it seems punishment enough not to have that "calling" you get when there is a fun project just waiting for you to have free time to work on it. Why do I not have a project over which I can be manic? Because I just finished up one project and don't have the color/yarn picked out for the next project (a shawl/cape for a friend's sister.)  I do have a blanket that I am meant to be doing intermittently between projects, so I suppose now is that time.. but it doesn't have the same calling. Probably because it is 6x6" squares of the same knit pattern over and over and over again.  I suspect it will all be worthwhile in the long run as it's a great, modern pattern (which I find uncommon in knitting.)  A...

The pattern I found on Ravelry called FOR THE BOYS CARDIGAN puzzled me to begin with; the stitch pattern was wrong on the first instructions for the hooded version. Aside from that it appeared to be very thorough, well organized and offered up many variations on the pattern so you could customize it to your liking. I didn't have a baby/toddler/child in mind for this - it was "on spec" you might say. So, I found some yarn in my stash that was fitting for the gauge (Berroco Remix) and went for it. I can't even begin to describe how pleased I am with the results. Although I am still missing the closures (facebook votes unanimously for toggles), it still shows you what the end results will look like. Cute and cozy - perfect for a snowy winter day in New England. May you be cozy on this winter day!

To swatch or not to swatch? I am a terrible example. I don't swatch and rarely gauge. Tough to do one without the other though, truly. I can and sometimes do check my gauge from the actual project I am working on.. just so I know if the size I am making is on target, smaller or larger. To be honest, size hasn't been truly important as most of my work is on spec. I knit for the sake of knitting and learning new techniques or designs. If you're knitting FOR someone, something that has a specific fit, you should be more concerned about the gauge, and swatching to get a gauge. Right now I am working on a delightful baby frock and am not using a yarn that knits to the same gauge as the designer's yarn. I'm meant to get 14 stitches to 4" .. and my gauge was 18-20 stitches on 7-9US. Just like how I guesstimate my long tail case on yarn length, I guesstimated that I would need a 10.5 or 11US needle to get to gauge. Since I didn't have addi tips for my circular ne...

Just a little update to provide an image of the finished product. I think it has a lot of charm and character, even without it being worn by a little person!

I found a pattern on ravelry that was born out of the writer's experiences with fertility treatments.  It was a one-of-a-kind story and this is a great pattern. I was struggling with one section of the collar (and am still not convinced I got it right), but I know that I am getting there. And just tonight, I can 'see' the finished project coming to life - hatching, if you will.

For me, knitting is meditative. I find myself being absorbed in the rhythm of the pattern, the order of the stitches. Knit, Purl, YO, k2tog, ssk, whatever the order, whatever the direction. The more elaborate the pattern, the more focused and concentrated. At times, this can be like zen. Rarely, but sometimes, it is stressful. More often then not, stress knitting is frogged and I begin something else. This hobby is about the pleasure, not the pain. I endure the challenges but only if in the long-run, I have fun. Another long-run benefit is the pride we can feel in our accomplishments. I like the projects that I select so I am eager to see my needles, my stitches and my hands create that pattern. It is a sort of magic that a few lines of writing can lead you to make somethings that are so intricate and special. My boss at my real work is always in awe that people are capable of making anything handmade, and I too still have that awe, even though I myself am a knitter.  I had ...

If you're a crafter that knits or crochets, you may know about Ravelry . I describe it as Facebook for knitters; you can connect with friends, join groups, find patterns, record your collection of yarns (stash) and needles and keep an on-going log of your projects and progress. A friend of mine asked about me making her a sweater to gift her sister who just welcomed a peanut of a baby girl.  The trick is they live in Hawaii so a wool project isn't going to go over very well. She knew she wanted something yellow though, so when I came upon the BlueSky Yarns Worsted Cotton in a lemon yellow color, I was sure that would be a great fit. Ravelry allows you to plug in your yarn and yardage and it spits back out what patterns would work - genuis! Sure enough, a cute cardigan sweater came up called the Abagail. I've had a tricky time choosing the needle size and such, as this was a first pattern for the designer, but so far the size (6 US) is working out - that is, provided ...

It has been far too long since I last wrote and my entries are few and far between. I'm not sure who even reads this, as it isn't as much a knitting blog as much as it is a blog about my knitting. Small but critical difference. So, I am hopeful to start this year with more success maintaining a log of the projects I do and the progress I make. I was inspired to return here after a call I received from a friend who commissioned me to work out some slippers for her this past holiday season. It wasn't a difficult project except that I had to learn some more crocheting in order to make the decorative flowers to adorn said slippers. This all while I was finishing up a much loved and labored poncho for my mother's Christmas present. It was a lot all at once, but isn't that always the way? Pocket Slippers with Crochet Flowers Vogue Cabled Poncho So the slippers were a hit with her friends and family, who incidentally are my one retail shop - the Pro Shop at ...