Thanks to everyone who made it out to my trunk show & runway event at Anty Shanty vintage shop last week. With a packed house (standing room only, people) I think the event was a huge success! Something went wrong with my camera, but fortunately my brother and SIL got some really fantastic shots. Thanks a mil' Nathan & Susannah!

[caption id="attachment_1419" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Me & Julia, co-owner of Anty Shanty, going over some final details before the show"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment1422" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="This is looking down the runway right before the show began. You can see me on the right standing with a microphone, trying not to seem nervous!"]<a href="http://www.knitdarling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RunwayAnnouncer.jpg">[/caption]

Julia was an absolute delight to work with. She put together 16 unique looks for the models, pairing my hand-knitted samples with pieces from her shop. Here are some of my favorites:

[caption id="attachment_1420" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="From left to right: Vera Cardigan, Bergen Street Cardigan, and Nora Sweater Dress"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1421" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="From left to right: Miss Myrtle Mitts, Delancey Cardigan, and Georgina Cardigan"][/caption]

A lot of my designs are inspired by vintage clothing, so everything worked together really well. Julia, who went to school at F.I.T in New York, focused on details in my designs and elaborated on them with the dresses and accessories she chose. Each look was stunning. I was very impressed!

Having never done anything like this before, I really didn't know what to expect. The event ended up being so much fun, and I even sold some patterns! I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks again to Julia and her husband Cory (who dj'd the show), all the models and make-up artists, and especially to Barb Hill who had the idea. Also I had a lot of help from my darling husband Brian, and his darling mother Kathe, so thanks to you guys as well.

[caption id="attachment1423" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Me, Barb Hill, and my mother-in-law Kathe after the show"]<a href="http://www.knitdarling.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/TheGirls.jpg">[/caption]

I spent New Year's Eve celebrating not only the beginning of 2012, but also the launch of a new web site, CharitySub.org. It's a new philanthropy site that my husband and I, along with our friends Jim and Amy, have been building for the last 6 months. Though this is a knitting blog, it behooves me to tell you all about this new project. Besides just being super cool, we need all the help we can get to spread the word!

CharitySub is basically a subscription for giving. Every month, we pick a new cause and three great charities working for that cause. As a subscriber, you donate $5 every month to one of these charities, that you choose. We're making it super easy to decide who gets you donation by breaking down the facts in videos, graphs, and interesting write-ups.

Here's a stop motion video we made to explain the site with my good buddy Jake Armstrong. Jake is incredibly talented, and we thank him so much!

Those are my hands on the bottom!

Here's a video we made for our featured cause in January, childhood obesity, with our buddies at Plywood Pictures.

We've been pouring our hearts into this project, and now that it's live, I couldn't be prouder! Please go check it out, and for goodness sake, sign-up!

You can also help us out by liking CharitySub on Facebook, tweeting, or blogging about us. Many thanks to all our supporters!

Also, I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment below.

Wednesday evening, (December 28, 6-9pm) I'll be in Norman, Oklahoma debuting my collection of individual printed knitting patterns for sale at a unique vintage fashion show event. If you're in the area, head on down to the coolest vintage shop this side of the Canadian River, Anty Shanty (318 E. Main St.), who along with L&B Yarn Company , will be hosting a trunk show and runway event featuring my designs.

The show will include 9 designs from Knitdarling.com as well as the original samples from Knitscene Magazine's "The Next Big Thing" feature collection, and two brand new pieces from Interweave Knits' special Accessories issue. Julia Gingerich, expert fashion stylist and owner of Anty Shanty Vintage, is putting together more than a dozen looks using my designs and pieces from her own vintage collection. The show is sure to dazzle, and should be a fun time even if you're not a knitter!

I'm so excited about this show, because I love seeing my designs reinterpreted through someone else's eyes. I think Julia's collection of vintage clothing is a great match for my design aesthetic, as many of my pieces have a bit of vintage flair.

The yarn mavens at L&B Yarn Shop have put together a beautiful selection of yarns for the show as well. Come see what these super talented ladies have picked out especially for my designs. I'm sure you'll be impressed!

If you're in the area, this event is a MUST! I'll be there wearing some of my hand-knits, and I encourage you to do so as well. Better yet, if you've knitted one of my designs before, wear that, and don't be too shy to come by and say hi!

 

One of the great things about knitting is that you don't need a lot to get started. However, there are an quite lot of fun gadgets that make the knitting experience that much better. Many of the knitting do-dads I've accumulated over the years have been the best Christmas presents. I'm sharing some of my favorites here, in the hopes that it will help out some poor husband type that may be desperately searching for a last minute holiday gift.

This list is ranked in order from beginner accessible, to the most advanced esoteric stuff you don't really need (but is still cool to have). Or in other words, from easy to awesome. They're all worth looking into. Click the links to get full details, I'm just here to hyperbolize!

1. Interchangeable Needle Set.
My dear husband, many moons ago, was an adorably clueless boyfriend. He knew nothing of my craft, but had sense enough to go to my favorite yarn shop and ask them what I might like. The nice lady there set him up with one of the best gifts I've ever received, the Denise Interchaneable Needle Set. This set has withstood years of abuse, and I can confidently endorse it's value and quality.

2. Needle Roll. (Etsy is the place for this)
Do you often see your favorite knitter riffling through their needle collection like a crazy person, throwing long pointy things aside without regard to nearby eyeballs or kittens? This person may be afflicted by a disturbing state of disorganization that is disrupting your happy home! Don't worry. I've got the solution: Get your lady an attractive needle roll and all will be well. Sunshine and crocheted flowers.

3. Double Pointed Needle Set (in a range of sizes).
 To the untrained eye, this item may look an awful lot like #1 on this list, but don't be fooled. Both sets will end up saving your knitter hundreds of dollars, but this set will yield many more hats, mittens and gloves. So if you'd prefer to receive hand knitted gifts on the smaller side, go with this option. I'd recommend a mid-range of sizes (US 5 to US 11, perhaps).

4. Scale
Now here's a multifunctional tool that's fun for everyone! A scale is useful for any knitter, especially if your recipient meets any of the following criteria: 1. She is meticulous. 2. She is not a robot with extra special sensors in her hands. 3. Or, most likely, if she's got an unusually large stash of half used balls of yarn. A scale can help her figure out how much yarn she'll need for her projects. My husband, Brian, knows that I've been touched with a bit of inspiration when the scale comes out and my stash erupts all over the living room (sorry about that, hun!) Another cool thing about a scale is that it is useful in the kitchen, or in Brian's case, for measuring home brewing ingredients (everyone wins!)

5.Yarn Swift.
Now this is some serious business! Aside from looking like the coolest thing that ever to happened to yarn, the swift will also improve your life! Has your knitter ever asked for your assistance in winding a ball of yarn? If she has, you know how boring holding that stupid loop of yarn can be. The yarn swift will make your hands obsolete, freeing you up for much more important things, like head scratching and nose picking.

6. Ball Winder.
The ball winder, like the yarn swift, is another super cool fast moving gadget. Be warned though, the ball winder is almost useless without a swift, so either get them together (advisable), or just go for the swift if your knitter doesn't already have one. Both of these gifts are perfect for the zealot knitter types that have really latched on to the craft and are never looking back!<!--more-->

7. Big Heavy Old-Man Calculator.
I've always had a special love for calculators. It is most certainly a little bit of my inner mathlete shining through. Earlier this year, I wore out my calculator, and thought I could get by with the calculator app on my iPhone. WRONG! How annoying is it to always be unlocking your calculator every minute? Admittedly, this isn't just for any knitter. It is one reserved for the few dorky knitter nerds like me that see every creative challenge as just another math problem to be solved. This is only appropriate for the budding designer types, if she's that, she'll love you forever when you get this for her!

8. Blocking Wires and Board.
These are super useful, and should probably be a little higher on this list. Actually, I have a little confession about this. I've never owned these items, but really REALLY want them. I'm adding this to my list in the hopes that someone will buy them for me this Christmas (hint, hint, Brian!).

Gift Certificate to a Local Yarn Shop.
When in doubt, a little mad money to spend (guilt free) on some yarn is NEVER a bad idea. If she's like me, the yarn shop is her favorite place, and she'd love any excuse to spend some time there. Though this is only a gift certificate, it is still extremely thoughtful, and she will appreciate that you're supporting her hobby.

10. Massage. The best gift of all! Your knitter works so hard to produce beautiful hand-made gifts. These things are made with care for people that probably don't even know or appreciate that she spent an entire weekend making a tiny little hat, or weeks of her free time on that fuzzy scarf. She's stiff and could use a little pampering, so go ahead and treat her to something she could really use!

Now, don't I look happy with my new calculator?!

People ask me all the time where I get the inspiration for my designs. I hesitate to reply with the same old cliche, "I'm inspired by everything around me," because it's so much more than that! A more appropriate answer would include everything I've seen, done, or heard of-- ever.

I'm amazed sometimes how little bits of this and that from my past will creep into my work. Even if I didn't correlate the relationship at the moment of inspiration, I think it's important to try to recognize the connection. Knowing where my inspiration comes from, helps me better talk about my work.

When I started designing the collection for my knitscene feature (pictured above), I didn't think about a source of inspiration. I just started to draw. Looking back with a little perspective, it's plain for me to see that this collection draws inspiration in part from the bold design aesthetics of Navajo rugs and Native American pottery. Thinking about this, I realize that these strong geometric and linear motifs have been present in much of my work, often with an added vintage flair.

Being from Oklahoma, it was an easy family vacation to drive out to New Mexico. My parents began collecting Navajo rugs and Native American pottery on our trips. I remember visiting the rug shops in the outskirts of Santa Fe and Taos. The rooms had that New Mexico smell; pinion or cedar or something woodsy like that, mixed with that dusty old wool scent. I'd walk through the aisles, grazing my hands along the waist high stacks of rugs, feeling the channels of coarse wool under my fingertips.

This is my adorable mother, posing with a painted portrait of me as a child by artist Kathleen Jardine. You can see in the scene she chose to include part of her rug and pottery collection. Also interesting to note, I'm seated in a chair that was designed by my father, cutting out hand-drawn paper dolls.

These are a few pieces from my miniature pot collection. As a child, my parents encouraged this odd little hobby. I think this was mostly to keep me from totally losing-it on the long, torturous car rides in the back seat with my menace of a big brother (don't worry, we're friends now!).

If you think about these adorable little pots, they are not unlike a knitted hat, turned upside-down. Looking at my Arbuckle hat, it's easy to see the relationship, don't you think?

 

How could I possibly describe how excited I am? "Very" would be an understatement. "Extremely", doesn't quite cut it either. Something more like "titanically" or "colossally" seems more apropos. Okay, so I'm gargantuanly excited about Knitscene Magazine's winter 2011 issue which profiles YOURS TRULY and features a 4 piece collection of my original designs! I'm still not sure that "gargantuan" aptly captures this, but oh well.

So the whole thing started about 9 months ago when I got an email from Lisa Shroyer, Knitscene's editor, asking if maybe, possibly, would i perhaps be interested in such a thing. I remember reading this several times thinking, is this email really for me? Is this a prank orchestrated by international association of jerk-faces?  I quickly replied YES, before she had a chance to change her mind!

I think I squealed, I know I danced, and though it was a long time ago, I'm pretty sure I made jazz hands.

I immediately began designing. Here are some of the drawings I sent for my proposals:

I remember being so excited when I sent-in my proposals. I knew it would be a big job with a tight deadline, but I'm nothing if not enthusiastic and ambitious!  It is with equal enthusiasm that I share these designs with you now! The Canyon Mitts, The Zelda Cloche, The Vera Cardigan, and The Nora Sweater Dress.

With all those stripes, flattering design details, and contrasting color choices, I feel that this collection really captures my design aesthetic. I'm so proud of each piece!

I'll be doing a blog post for each of the designs over the next week. Stay tuned for my design inspiration, and extra photos of each design. I'd love to hear what you all think, so please leave a comment in the section below!

Last week I published my latest pattern, the Georgina Cardigan.

I was inspired to design Georgina by my dear friend Sascha. I offered to knit something for her wedding, and she requested a lacy little bolero to wear with her dress. After a bit of discussion (Sascha is the opposite of a bride-zilla, perhaps a bride-chinchilla) she decided on something a bit more like a cardigan, with 3/4 sleeves and waist length with buttons.

As some of you may gave noticed, I am a bit of a cardiganaholic. It is an affliction that plagues many a knitter, and I am nearly defenseless to its powers. The moment the syllables card-i-guuuh left Sascha's pretty little lips, I already knew what I wanted to do!

Here is one of the sketches I did when I was working out my idea:

I think it turned out pretty close to my idea!

We've just picked the yarn for Sascha's Georgina. It's Louisa Harding Yarns Willow Tweed in color 1. It is knitting up so gorgeously and will really compliment the antique lace in Sascha's dress. I'll be sure to share pictures after the big day.

The pattern is available for sale here at KnitDarling, and on Ravelry. I'd love to hear what you think, so please leave a comment below!

Look at what hand-made cuteness I got in the mail this week:

(Card and friendship bracelet made by my awesome sister-in-law, Susannah)

Multiple Choice Question: How adorable is Susannah?

A.  Cuter than a puppy wearing a bow-tie sitting in an upside-down top-hat?

B. More darling than a teddybear wearing a pink dress carrying a parasol?

C. Sweeter than a caramel covered, powdered-sugar dusted, doughnut eaten in the sunshine?

Answer: All of the above! (Thanks so much, Susannah!) You can envy more of Susannah's  work and bask in her stunning style at her blog, My Grammer of Ornament.

In other news, this exciting little package also came in the mail this week. What's in there has been absolutely dominating my weekend (in the most delightful way, of course):

I won't reveal its contents, but I will say that you should be on the lookout for my next delicious wooly design in the upcoming Wool People 2!

Wow, what a busy week! So much has happened that I don't even know where to start.

Last Thursday my husband and I went to San Juan, Puerto Rico for our first ever beach vacation. That same day I released my newest pattern, the Georgina Cardigan. Also this week, my feature spread in Knitscene magazine came out! I'll have more on both of those later. I also visited the Lion Brand Yarn Studio where I got a personal tour of the company's entire line.

I didn't get much knitting done in Puerto Rico. Being a beach babe and a knit darling don't really go together, but I did manage to fit in a few stitches!

The air was crisp and carried all the old wonderful and sentimental scents of fall on it's many gusts and howls; apple cider, pumpkin pie, and the cooking smells of some hearty, savory delight.

Photographs taken by my surprisingly eager and interested husband, Brian:

Me with Sabina, who is wearing her beautifully hand knitted Delancey Cardigan. She did a lovely job and I sepecially like her color choices. She was delightful, and I'm so happy I ran into her!

The sheep were fascinating and sometimes hilarious!

Laura and Mehgan holding an angora rabbit. What fun!

An alpaca parade! Go ahead, say it out loud. ALPACA PARADE! ALPACA PARADE! If it doesn't make you smile, I don't want to know you.

I had the best time at the sheep and wool festival! You can bet on seeing me there again next year.