And about time, too! This project, Mélodies, has been in my daydreams since December of last year, though Le Soir has been a picture in my mind since September of 2018. It’s finally here! This is going to be a longish ride; so if you’d like to cut to the chase and get to the …
Shiny New Things
I have two major bits of news today, one almost completely spur-of-the-moment and another that’s been a long time in coming. First, Red Earth Designs is getting a new logo! It’s been niggling at me for some time that I needed to do a redesign; as fun as it is, the old logo is a …
Announcing Muntins
Me oh my, am I glad this day has come—now I don’t have to keep this a secret anymore! Meet the Muntins Scarf, part of the September 2020 portal-themed issue of Knotions webzine. As you can see, it features cables and lace, as well as a fun picot edging. It’s a decorative scarf and knit …
Needle News
Remember this project from a few weeks ago? As you can see, it’s gotten bigger. A lot bigger. Last time, this project was living on a Knit Picks Sunstruck 32″ circular needle; I’ve been using Knit Picks circulars exclusively for years and have been a happy camper. However, the more the project grew the more …
Announcing Mélodies
Finally we can talk about what this pile of yarn is for! (And why it’s inside a piano…) What It’s All About The notion of a shawl collection inspired by music has been kicking around in my head for at least a year now. Originally the idea was to use general musical terms (obbligato, allegro, …
July Show-and-Tell
Despite the fact that it seems to barely get squeezed in around the more important parts of life (laundry! vacuuming! puppy training!), quite a lot of knitting has been happening hereabouts and it’s time for an update! The Tourist Shawl is progressing nicely, in spite of only coming out for an hour or two a …
What’s Old is New
Some things never get old. Of all the knitting books in my library, Romi Hill’s New Lace Knitting is my absolute favorite; my absolute favorite design from it (and it’s chock-full of beauties) is her Crystal Bay Shawl. I knitted myself one years ago out of some black merino/silk laceweight yarn, playing a white-knuckled game …
Looking Ahead
As you may have noticed, I missed a few blog posts last month. Unfortunately for my gracious friends and relations, I’m a bit of a chatterbox; this uncharacteristic silence isn’t because there’s nothing to talk about, but because there’s too much that I can’t talk about—yet! I hope no one is getting tired of teaser …
Designer Tip #4: Watch Those Swatches!
Yarn crafts are not instant-gratification enterprises (okay, maybe they can be), and neither is knit/crochet design. And, as discussed in Designer Tip #3, rejection happens. If you’ve been at the designing game for a little while, chances are you’ve got a pile of swatches in your closet or at the bottom of your yarn bin. …
Something Fresh
No, I have not been recruited to nab a rare Egyptian scarab from the collection of an absent-minded English Earl; but I am indeed trying something completely new to me. I’ve been hearing about brioche knitting for many years, even before entering the knitting industry. Most of the projects I ran across in those early …