Month: June 2024

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The Cozy Suzette Pattern

The Cozy Suzette Pattern is available in the designbcb Etsy shop!

I’ve already written about the spa cloth here. There are yarn reviews for the fiber. I sold some wash cloths at the last craft show last week. Kinda vindicates my making them and the scrubbies. The scrubbies were the big hit of the day!

I’ve been thinking about making a garment. I have done sweaters for other folks but nothing for me and nothing I put into the shop. I don’t want to make fitted clothing for sale because that just seems like pain waiting to be inflicted but a poncho – maybe?

I’m still in love with this poncho I made for a friend and want to make one for myself.  Or this one seems like a good choice. I don’t know what the hesitation is. I may have to conquer it just to get it out the way. 

I easily imagine myself in a poncho or a sweater – usually I’m walking into a church meeting. Don’t know the connection there but I don’t fight it.

The thing that might push me over the edge is if Caron comes out with new Anniversary colors. I have fallen in love with that yarn and though I don’t love it enough to buy it full price, I do love it enough to know that when new colors come, despite the stash busting that will probably be going on, I am going to splurge and put down a good chunk of change to get some. They are bound to have some colors I like. 

Stop over to the shop and pick up the pattern for the spa cloth. Or drop over to the GoImagine shop for ready to ship!

 

 

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The Dacia Scarf Pattern

The Dacia scarf pattern is now done! The pattern is now available at designbcb.

This scarf went through a couple of designs before In settled on this one.

I first thought I would put in a cable and that became a more of a stressed that I was looking to do. Then it went though a couple more stitches. I finally settled and what happened was a mixture of stitches that went in different directions. The more I knit, the more I liked what I saw. There was a BoHo coed vibe that I really like. As it got to the end, I knew I wanted to do fringe but I didn’t think it should be at the end. It just wouldn’t work. So, I sent it down the side.

I’m not one for blocking but this would look a lot better if it was flattened out a little and blocked. I didn’t bother with this because it is the sample and it is going to be donated as there is a three stitch flaw I didn’t take out. My first thought was that I would only make the sample and not sell final product. I think I have changed my mind. I had some Caron Big Cake left over from an Ayrshire Beanie and my thought was this scarf would look great with a bold self striping fiber.

I used Big Twist worsted weight in Varsity Green. I’m not sure this would look good in a bulkier or thinner yarn. 

This was a fu design, easy to memorize. Hope you all enjoy it!

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Moonlight and Animals

Moonlight and Animals is the first product in my new Cottage Core collection in Abbey & Lincoln.

This is a sweatshirt I would buy – and I probably will. I love the graphic. The woodland is vibe is something I can really get with.

In knitting news: the stash busting continues. The Dacia pattern is done and although I wasn’t thinking of making the actual scarf to sell in the shop, that decision seems to be more fluid than I thought. There’s also another Ayrshire Beanie on the needles and the next project up is a baby hat!

We had a craft show over the weekend and even though we were under a tent, the heat was above 90 and one can get exhausted doing almost nothing. The good thing: made more than double my table fee. The really good thing: the only thing I sold were scrubbies and washcloths. I feel vindicated making them now. 

We were situated by the food trucks and Mr. Honey opted for the monster gyros. That thing was $17 and between the two of us, we still couldn’t finish it and never touched the pita. It was piled with meat and delish! There was also a spot called the Lovely Lemon. We tired the lemonade which was very goo, but the blue raspberry lemonade had me praising God! It was $7 for a generous 24 ounces. 

It was the first time North Aurora Park District put on the craft show and I would probably do it again. The weather was probably the main reason the crowd was not that big but the time went fairly quickly. We definitely got our exercise in with loading and unloading. The next thing on my list to buy is a wagon. We had one but someone lifted it. 

We had a show in September but it was just cancelled so that leaves the one in November and the one in December. I think that’s probably enough. If the Oak Park Chamber of Commerce does another one, I’ll probably do that but otherwise, it’s create city over here. My list of things to make is now up to 30. No idle hands here. The devil will just have to play somewhere else.

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The Ayrshire Beanie

The Ayrshire Beanie is complete.

 

 I don’t know if I even told you guys about this hat. It’s really fun and easy to make. It’s a long tube that gets turned in on itself. So, it’s a double knit and reversible! It isn’t an original pattern and it was called Ayrshire when I saw it on television oh so many years ago on Knitting Daily. (Is that show still on?) The pattern is now behind a paywall – guess I waited too long – but I did my best with what info I could gather.

I’ve sold a couple of these and that makes the worth making again. I have a show coming at the end of this week that is going to focus mainly on the summer stuff but I am on a roll for the fall and winter for the shops and for the shows I have coming during holiday season.  The beanies will be available in person but also at designbcb online.

 

 

The beanie isn’t the only thing completed! I will post the Dacia scarf in a little bit. The pattern has been complete for some time. I just needed the sample to catch up. Last night I added the fringe which added a great BoHo vibe for me. I photographed it on my new mannequin. It would look better if I steam it – but I ain’t about that life.

What I will do is make variations of the hat with lighter colors. The original was made with 3 weight which I might try one time. I don’t have much  dk weight in the stash so I will have to see what comes up. It’s a definite keeper and fun to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Nurses Pack

The Nurses Pack is my first digital pack in a minute.  Nurse Life is a short pack of graphics and svgs that can be used on mugs, shirts, anything that printable. Take a closer look and download it here.  

I have some other goodies in the Abbey & Lincoln store. There are more shirt offerings and mugs. The goal is to have a place where you can find gifts for everyone on whatever list there is.

Speaking of gifts – there is a new section on the blog called Gift Guides. I am pulling some great offerings from Chicago and Illinois based creators from Etsy and GoImagine. The Nurses pack itself would make a great gift for that nurse who likes to journal or does sublimination for a hobby or a side hustle. 

I have to say, there is a great deal of fun to be had when creating is your job. There are so many areas to explore. I believe becoming more creative in my work is what lead me to becoming more creative in baking bread. I expanded from biscuits – and now even the biscuits are better. I had a second attempt at gingerbread after leaving the first one in too long. The second came out really well and it was a hit at the book club.

In the meantime, it is a little over 70 degrees and I have my personal heater on. I now run cold. Where 73 was just about right; it is now a little chilly. Where I used to think 80 was the suffocation index, I now find it pleasant. I could move to Florida or Arizona right now and my blood would be all set for the climate. We’re not moving any time soon. Ok, we’re not moving at all. Thank goodness for personal heaters. I will survive.

 

 

 

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Storage Wars

Storage Wars…I am having my own little storage wars.  I had to get a storage space to put the yarn for a little bit. It is relatively inexpensive and I have such a greater sense of relief because the room isn’t filled up. But I don’t want to have to rent it forever.

The idea I have is to create OOAK scarves that can go into the Etsy shop and some OOAK blankets that can go in the GoImagine shop.

I would like to not have to rent a space in 2025 so that means the next eight months will have a lot of knittin’ and crochetin’ going on. It also means another yarn giveaway starting with yarn this weekend that could go to the charity event the knit group goes to twice a year.

I have my maker’s groove going on. I have placed items in both Etsy shops and the one on GoImagine. I am on a creativity roll and I like it. I have a show coming up in two weeks. I will once again focus on the crochet towels and bags but the hats and scarves will be there. There are new digital items: patterns and POD items up as well.

Loving it when the plan works.

There’s a pork tenderloin and some apple celery slaw waiting to be made for dinner. The choir is on hiatus so I don’t have to go anywhere this evening. The days are warmer and longer. A perfect set up for making it and shaking it. My Darcia scarf pattern is complete just need to finish the sample. I’m going to a twist to the fringe. Wait. You’ll see.