Slow Going

I've been working on a sweater pattern, it will be my first adult sized garment and it's been a very challenging process.  Mostly my challenges have to do with math but I seem to have conquered those.  I've also been working on how to have someone work raglan increases at the same time as neck increases at the same time as irregular stripes without just providing three lists, it seems like combining three sets of instructions while knitting is asking for situations that require frogging.  I've finally hit upon a solution to that one and there are three more things to do standing between me and getting this document to my tech editor.  I plan to do one of those today and one Wednesday (Tuesdays are busy for me).  The third is a formatting thing that isn't challenging but can't be done until I've filled in the text, I'm looking forward to that step.

Wish me luck.

Every month I sit down and make a list of goals for the month, usually I'm done them pretty early in the month but this month I still have a number of things do to in the next week.  Partly because I've been really busy, partly because I've been really sick, partly because the kids have been tag teaming me by waking each other up during nap time, and partly because in order to get things done you have to actually do them (this is a reoccurring theme for me).  The good news for me is that the things I have left are probably doable, also that the to do list is largely self imposed.  Although the list was made with some particular goals in mind.

In other news I got the responses from the 6 design submissions I sent out to magazines in October, 5 rejections and 1 acceptance!  I'm pretty pleased about that, I'll self publish a few of the other five and let a couple die, maybe to be submitted elsewhere in the future.

A Sweater

I've released patterns for kids' garments before but never an adult one, I'm working on one now.  I'm thrilled at how the sample's turned out and I'm almost done typing up the pattern, I just need to figure out how to explain one last thing in a way that's not clunky and add the basic information like gauge, needles, yardage, etc then it's off for tech editing.

It's been a really challenging process and I'm so thankful to be close to the end.  I *think* I've hit all the major hurdles already.  It's nap time and I have about 15 minutes before my son emerges from his room, then we're going to shovel the snow.  This will be delightful for him.  I like doing stuff with him and the driveway needs to be done.

I do this way too often

I started a hat.  It was lovely, it was working out, I was a ways in, then I realized I forgot to switch needles after the ribbing, and it's going to be at a different gauge than I had anticipated.

I'm trying to figure out whether it will still fit a man, clearly the thing to do is to measure my husband's head but I can't right now because he's at work.  I'll need to adjust the size in the pattern to fit larger but if I can get it on Joshua at least I won't have to reknit the thing for the photoshoot.

Gift A Long

So there's this big sale that about 300 independent knitting designers come together for each year, it's called the Gift A Long and I wanted to participate this year.  I was all ready the second sign ups opened but being the first year I'm participating I was a bit slow and it took me an entire three minutes to put my post together, and guys, I was the 57th designer to sign up.  There are some amazing people in it all offering at least 5 designs 25% off and they are stunning.  There's a Ravelry group here where all the details will be and the entire thing kicks off on Nov 22, I'm super excited, there are a bunch of KALs and such and it is generally going to be awesome.  You should check it out.

Photoshoot!

My dad always does the photos for my designs, he has a great eye and this morning we got together to do a huge number of patterns.  Bootcuffs, coffee cozies, a sweater, a hat, and some other things were all photographed while my mom entertained the kids.  She tuckered them out and they both seem to be asleep, which is glorious.

I'm really excited that we got the photos because this means I can actually wear some of the items we worked on.  I'm always so worried that if I wear something before it's photographed it will get stained, or snagged on something, or lost (I have two little kids, these things seem inevitable), but now that the photos are done I'm working away, wearing my new sweater without worrying about it.  It's pretty awesome.  I'll have a new pattern out in a couple weeks, it's just being tested now and I'm really excited about it.

Size up

I'm still working on the photoshoot stuff, it's going pretty well.  Slogging through the last little bits of projects that have nothing wrong with them other than there being more exciting things to knit.  I'm happy with them though.

I'm waiting to hear back from a batch of submissions, the responses should come any time now and it's driving me nuts.  There are a couple of other magazines I'd submit designs to but I don't want to suddenly have too much work at all once and... waiting is not easy.  It's fine.  I have lots to do and this is good self discipline.  I've been planning the next year and which releases will happen which month and, guys, what seemed impossible and scary and hard years ago has suddenly fallen into the category of totally doable so long as I do the work.  Time to dream bigger dreams.

That crept up

I've been planning a November photoshoot for a while, there are a number of designs that are ready to go that just need photos.  There's been a ton happening over here, all good things with friends and family and parties and get-togethers but it hit me yesterday that the photoshoot is a week today.  There are a bunch of things that are almost done; one with ends to weave in, one only short a few rows of ribbing (and of course the ends), a towel that needs a matching dishcloth that's easy and quick, a sweater that only needs buttons.  But man, if I don't actually get on those things this is not going to go well.  So I'm off to knit and weave in ends and I'm sure it will be fine if I only work on it,.