I have a blog?

The other day I received a message from someone mentioning that they had read my blog!  Sadly, because I am old and the mind is slipping....I didn't remember that I had a blog.  That was the first shock, the next was "Holy Cow!! Someone actually read my blog!"  I wonder if anyone else has??  It was cause for great rumination as I have not typed a single word in this said blog for about 2 years.  A lot has happened in two years!  So many knitting patterns, so much growth in myself and my family.  I'm not sure I could sum it all up! I'm quite proud of the knitting patterns and designs that I've put out in the last while. I've learned a ton about knitting and my "product" over the past two years.  Here's what I would say are the game changers:

1. I've learned that swatches are NOT for babies!  It saves a ton of time and effort (and math) if you are sure of your gauge.  Swatch in stockinette stitch first, then in the pattern or texture stitch you are going to use.  Then wash and block it!  This is the foundation that the whole design rests on!

2. Test knitters are amazing!  I was hesitant to use test knitters because I was worried (mostly) about confidentiality.  For my self published work, I would say that test knitting is essential.  These wonderful ladies are thoughtful and insightful.  They find errors and passages that are confusing and make sensible suggestions as to how to make the pattern the best it can be.  It feels wonderful to release a pattern and be really confident that it's an error free, enjoyable pattern.  Also, it's nice to have their projects linked!

3. Rejection is ok.  It really is!  It just means that you roll that project on to something new.  I have yet to have a pattern actually die.  Sometimes it takes three or more submission trips before it finds a new home. Plus there's always the option to just self publish!


4. I am learning all the time.  There will never be a time when a new design doesn't add something new to my skill set.  That's what makes it fun.  I don't want to just produce lots and lots of patterns.  I want to try something I haven't done before and share that new skill with other people who maybe haven't tried it either! It makes the whole thing exciting!  Believe me when I say there are a few skills that have changed my knitting life!


Here's a free sock pattern, it's a slip stitch or mosaic stitch (there is some debate). So you can achieve colorwork but only use one color at a time...it's kind of like magic!
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sock-feat