Sunday, September 23, 2012

Bicycle Fingerless Mitts



If you thought the next pattern I would publish would be the vest/cardigan (still needing a name) from the last podcast, you would be wrong!  My life was hi-jacked by the Peto Studio Museum and my involvement in the latest exhibit.  If you are local I encourage you to visit.  We are only open on the weekends from 1-4 but it is worth making room on your calendar to see the show.  You can check out their website at www.petomuseum.org.  We have 31 original John F. Peto paintings, the largest showing since his show at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. in 1983.  We also have on display an extensive family tree, family photos and artifacts.  You will feel transported to another period of time, guarenteed.  As a friend, you are welcome to contact me directly if you cannot fit that time into your schedule and I will arrange for a private tour.  
The John F. Peto Studio Museum in Island Height, NJ



I have actually just published a pattern for fingerless mitts.  My working title was Bicycle Fingerless Mitts but I used an even more functional name of Fingerless Mitts with Pockets for the published title.  The reason they are Bicycle Fingerless Mitts is because my daughter wanted fingerless gloves to wear while she biking in the cool weather when she was training for a marathon.  After not being able to find a pattern I decided to design a pair myself.  I thought something unusual like this might be good for the Knitty online publication.  It takes a long time to submit something and wait for the answer.  Well, they did not accept it, so I sat on it for awhile thinking I might submit the pattern somewhere else.  However, that takes time and concentration that I don't have at this time so I decided to just publish it myself.  I used Plymouth Happy Feet sock yarn for the green mitts.  I love working with this yarn, it is durable, washable and a joy to knit with, and it has great color choices.  The blue mitts are made from a self patterning sock yarn, sorry I forget which yarn I made them so long ago from my stash.
My son had fun taking and editing this photo for me.
A handwarmer fits perfectly into the pocket.
 
Does this look like some kind of animal to you?





 
Knitterly news:
 
  • I also wanted to let you know I was interviewed for the podcast, the Apocalyptic Diner.  Yes, it is a knitting podcast, but she throws in some vegan cooking and book reviews.  She is also in New Jersey, so we met and she introduced me to delicious vegan pizza at the Coal House in Sea Girt, NJ.  It is my first live interview, I have had a few written interviews, and it wasn't so bad!  Please check out her podcast here
  •  
  • I will be teaching a class at Woolbearers in Mt. Holly, NJ.  The class is Saturday October 13,   1-4.  I am teaching the moebius cast on.  This is a technique that will completely blow your mind.  Once you master it though, you will feel like you have really accomplished something.  If you want to know more about the moebius, look up Cat Bhordhi, she wrote two books on the moebius and many applications of the technique.  Check out Woolbearers for their classes at woolbearers.com.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Photography

In order to "sell" your pattern to someone they have to want to "buy" it.  You want to grab them with a photo, especially on the internet.  You don't have the benefit of the actual garment hanging in the store. 
Just look at the difference between the various knitting magazines and how they photograph and present their projects.  Which magazine is your favorite?  Of course there are various online magazines to choose from, Knitty and Twist Collective for example.  A lot of people check out the Ravelry patterns page and see the designs that are hot today.  I was lucky enough to have my shawl pattern, Adirondack, show up on that list.  I don't know why, was it the photo that first caught a few people's eyes? 
The intitial photograph is your first impression. 
Of course word of mouth is a big reason why we knit something, we want to knit what others are knitting, just look at the popularity of the pattern Wingspan.
I decided to ask a friend of mine who is an amateur photographer (so far) if he would like to take some photographs of my latest project.  Good practice for him and free photos for me!  A win win situation.  Next comes the selection process.  Which photo would you choose to be the cover photo, the one that would be the first impression on Ravelry, Etsy or Craftsy? 
Thanks to my friend Frank Parisi for taking the photographs and always to Lena for modeling for me.






Oh and I am trying to decide what to name the project.  I have to admit I waffle between names like  Bulky Cable Vest and Adirondack, you can check them out on my patterns pages.  Obviously with Adirondack you have no idea as to what the pattern is, but there is a story behind the name.
Some facts about the sweater:
Yarn used called Grass, cotton and hemp fiber content
Top down, circular yoke construction
Drawstring closure
Drop stitch and eyelet detail
One piece, seamless