Twenty Pounds Foolish

I have been plagued with indecision this week. This doesn't happen often, but I just don't know what to do. The cashmere yarn I have been fawning over recently is now available for a special offer that I don't know if I can pass up. The offer applies to six gorgeous colors (including the almost-neon green you see here), and with the addition of just a few colors I would have a complete palette to work with. The catch, of course, is that I have to purchase twenty pounds, which is like buying a years supply of cereal or something. The initial investment would be huge, but the change would be exciting and the yarn is really special. The average sweater takes about one pound of yarn to make, but I am thinking I would lean more towards hats and scarves if I go through with this, for a little holiday glitz. I have two weeks to decide...what to do...what to do...

For Faythe

Cashmere

I have been working with cashmere for the past few days, and it is so exciting. Since my return from Miami, I have been thinking about what my project is going to be for the Jerome Fiber Art Show at the Textile Center of MN. I started by deciding on what colors I wanted to use, completely open to the fiber type, and ended up choosing cashmere because the colors are just right and I have been waiting for the opportunity to properly experiment with a luxury yarn. I'm waiting to get the full cones but I was able to do a few trials with the samples I received in the mail. Crystal tried a pom pom (a crucial part of the sweater design) and it is one of the most plush things I have ever touched. When I was leaving Miami, Jim sent a few cones of a synthetic thread he likes to use with other yarns and I tried mixing the orange with a single strand of pink cashmere (last photo) and it creates a sort of subtle space-dyed effect. It does this because the thread alternates whether it appears on the front or back of the knitted piece. It's too bad this yarn is so expensive because I really could get used to working with it. Would you buy a 100% cashmere sweater?

ALL From Memory

ALL From Memory is a commemorative game set and booklet designed by Sarah Kissell and Joel Evey, and it is now available in the ALL Shop! It contains 10 pairs of cards using symbols and names to describe favorite patterns from the first year of ALL Knitwear, along with a book detailing gameplay and showcasing the original pieces in full color. Printed on a RISO V8000, Xante & Epson PRO 9880 in an edition of 30. Each set is numbered and includes a 20 page booklet and a pack of 21 cards (includes a bonus emoticon joker). Available in four limited edition colors. Printed and assembled by Sarah and Joel in Philadelphia.

Sarah and I have been friends for a long time and I was happy to oblige when she offered to design a print piece for my online store. This was originally planned to be part of the Annie-Versary a couple months ago but it didn't quite arrive in time and I was just finally able to get it up online today. We'll just call this the after-party. Thanks to Sarah and Joel for everything!

Moving Along

I don't have much to say about this week. It has been very pleasant with a few fun interruptions including my very first "Lady Dice" night. I have been working on some new pieces for a special project and keeping up with the day to day. I'm looking forward to attending the Ina Grau open house this weekend, a collaborative shoe-making endeavor by my friends Crystal and Luisa.

Keenan-Longley

I attended a baby shower over the weekend! There were wonderful snacks, drinks, and friends. It was a co-ed event with no games or organized events besides painting baby clothes, so it was more like hanging out than anything else, with the added excitement of bringing a baby gift. I made a pair of booties for the baby, a unisex style that can hopefully be passed on to a younger brother or sister in the future. I can't wait to meet the feet that will rest in these plump little things.

I also did a little web updating over the weekend, including the addition of the Custom Library to the ALL Knitwear site, where I have posted a selection of custom styles I have made in the last year. If you follow this blog you will have seen all of the items on view, but I think it's nice to see them all together.

Summer Special

I worked on a few custom orders this week, a welcomed change of pace from the regular. A few days were spent backpedaling as I made the royal mistake of completely knitting the wrong sweater for an order. I've never done that before (come close), but I really didn't notice my error until I was sliding the sweater into a mailing envelope. It took until yesterday to fully recover but the rest of the week and weekend should be smooth sailing. This is a sweater I just shipped off to Australia. Is it daggy?

Good Weekend

While I was in Miami, I found out that I had recently been printed in the Sydney Morning Herald's weekend publication, Good Weekend. I appreciate the intimacy of being recognized in only one city, but enjoy being spotlighted in a regular, democratic vessel like the Sunday paper. I have a copy in my hands now, thanks to Ping who brought the article to my attention and later sent me a copy with Aussie chocolates and a sweet note. By the way, does anybody know what "footy" or "dag-tastic" means? I'm slowly building up my Australian vocabulary bank, and I literally have no idea what these words could mean. Thank you to GW and Ping from the other side of the Earth.

Before They Were Hats

Catching Up

I am finally feeling like I am back in the swing of things, one week after returning from Miami. It has been pretty hectic catching up on orders and trying to organize a few other projects looming overhead. In the last week I have made 8 hats, 1 scarf, and 7 sweaters, and will be visiting the post office for the third time later today. There are a few exciting things on the horizon and my summer is filling up fast, but I won't let it go by without me this year! I'm still learning how to manage my time quite right and I hope to work a little less in the future, but for now everything is okay. I still had time to BBQ, eat Cuban breakfast, dance at the Honeycomb, play softball, paint tiny fingernails, and make brownies. I'm losing my tan, but it's good to be home.