Secret Project: Revealed!

It has been so hard NOT talking about this project.  Back in October, Jimmy Beans Wool contacted me about dyeing up a yarn for their 12 days of Yarnmas collection, and I dove right in. 

You can find the yarn HERE.

I had to think hard about how I could possibly interpret the 12th day of Christmas - Twelve Drummers Drumming.  I went and looked at a ton of kids' picture books with the song in them, and other children's books with Christmas themes (we have a lovely version of The Tin Soldier that helped along the way).  I wanted to dye with the uniforms, the instrument, the music and rhythm in mind.  What a lot of choices to make! I finally landed on a very vibrant red combined with a pale silver splashed with a bold blue.  I let them know what I had planned:

 "I wanted the yarn to reflect both the drummer - the uniform a brilliant blue with silver trim, and the drum - a splash of vibrant cheering red to ward off the cold nights of winter. I also thought about the drumming, the rhythm of the drums reflected in the colors - the steady, deep beat of the red against the counterpoint of the silver, punctuated with the bright blue tapping a solo across the yarn."

I hope you check it out and enjoy!

Ana

New patterns and new pursuits!

My goodness!  It has been forever!

Just a heads up  - I've got a bunch of new patterns out and ones I am currently working on.  Here's a fun one.  Orange Crush Market Bag.  One skein of yarn, expands like crazy.  I seriously put a whole shelf full of yarn into it with room for more.  And then I emptied it and folded it up and put it in my pocket. It is specially designed to expand sideways instead of down, so that it doesn't drag.  Nifty, eh?

Lookie!

You can get it here on Ravelry. 

Also check out Desert Marigold here on Ravelry - a Delta crochet infinity loop scarf, also in less than one skein of Yarn Carnival High Wire 3-Ply.

Yarn Carnival is my new pursuit, and what has been keeping me incredibly busy. It is an Austin, TX based indy-dye yarn company, but I also have my own line of knitting accessories as well.  Currently, the yarn and accessories can be bought at Hill Country Weavers and The Knitting Nest in Austin, TX, and the accessories can also be found at The Lucky Ewe in New Braunfels, TX. I just bought the domain name for my own website www.yarncarnival.com.  I'm building the site now, but it will be up and running soon!

I get to guest blog!

Now, I know I've been less than loquacious on this little blog of mine, but I'm here to apologize.  To mark my return to blogging (hopefully), I am this weekend's guest blogger on the UK Crochet Addicts blog.  Please go check out my post and see all of the lovely things that Sue writes about!
http://crochetaddictcfs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/guest-blogger-week-38-ocean-of-stitches.html

Solar Flare

 While teaching my summer away, I have designed this simple market tote - Solar Flare.  Made in Noro Taiyo (2 balls), the granny square front and back are done in continuous rounds - only 2 ends to weave in per square!  The bottom, sides, and handle are all one long piece done in long rows - only 6 of them - and use the leftovers from each of the 2 balls of yarn.  The top of the handle is tapered to fit on your shoulder well.  It is bright, lightweight, strong, and fast to make.  A couple of afternoons, really.  Three handle lengths - long to go across the body, medium to hang off the shoulder, and short to hang off an arm.  Only $4, and a lot of fun to make.  Enjoy!  You can buy it on Ravelry with the button below.

I Love the Letter P

 I have been working on a little e-book of children's sundresses.  The previous dress I did, Poesie, will be included, and there will be an additional crocheted dress as well as 2 knit ones.  The first of these new ones is Perhaps - A Smallish Sundress.  (All the patterns in this e-book begin with the letter P.  It is my favorite letter.)  It is for advanced beginners (ones that know simple increases and decreases as well as knitting in the round.)

It has a little button closure in the back.  Because I love little buttons on little girls.  Well, on anything really.  Knitted top, fabric skirt.  Easy peasy.  Sizes 18 months - 8 years.  With full instructions on sewing it all up.  You can buy it on Ravelry for $5 here:

A quick hello!

Just a quick little hello!

I've been crazy busy writing and whipping up a lovely crochet shawl pattern that will debuting  (in a collection that I also helped edit) this Friday at Vogue Live.  As soon as it is live, I will be hooting up a storm about it, but I've been trying to not say anything about it.  You don't know how difficult it has been!  I can't shut up at the best of times.

Anyhow, I just got a little thrill today when a friend let me know that one of my patterns was mentioned in Alana Dakos' blog Never Not Knitting as one she used for making a gift for a friend.  Check out the little knitted owl on her post here.  The pattern (seen above) is Owls Two Ways, and both the crochet version and the knitted version are on the same pattern.  Yay for little owls!

Crafty Little Day of the Dead Needle Case

Crafty Little Needle Case - Knit Version

OPEN, SESAME!

 Here is my latest little pattern - the Crafty Little Needle Case.  It will hold a lot of yarn needles and pins.  This one is knit, and I chose a Day of the Dead theme for embellishing.  It lends itself to lots of embellishing, I'll warn you.  Available here on Ravelry.com FOR FREE!  Enjoy!

Plain little needle case

Getting an applied I-cord makeover