New design tuesday - a little love

I'm rushing to get this post done - our internet is dodgy again, so I'm going to have to contact the ISP, go through all of their silly steps (because no matter how often this happens, they blame our equipment first!) and then wait for them to fix it, so i'm using my iPhone as a wireless hotspot, however the 3G is dodgy too so I'm not sure how long I will have!

Cosset is finished, and I love her. I used the Skeinz chunky single, which is an absolute dream to knit, and am now knitting another in Lambs pride bulky, it would look great in Cascade Magnum, Debbie Bliss Como, or Blue Sky Alpacas bulky. 

The pattern is simple, a child who can knit in the round can knit her own sweater in a day or two. The sweater has a straight neckline, which sits nicely on the collarbones, short sleeves which are big enough to fit a long sleeved t shirt under, but not gapey and a sweet ribbon tie.

The pattern has been written, I'll probably put it up for testing on the weekend - when I am sure my internet is working.

My yarn order from Janette's arrived within a week of ordering, they have great service, and great prices on the yarns that I can't get locally.

These are for samples for a trunk show, I wanted antique-y colours which would work together as a collection, and I'm very happy with these.

That's my christmas holiday plan, sit outside on the deck under the sunshade and knit teeny baby samples!

New design tuesday - test knit frenzy

There has been test knit gold this past week, the Plum Blossom cardigan pattern is as close to complete as a pattern can get, my test knitters are a lovely industrious bunch and we have some finished objects to share.

I'll link to the first 3 as they are modelled on real little people.

Sarah's version is a beautiful shade of blue from our friends at Skeinz

and Marrianne chose a delightful shade of green, once again from Skeinz

Suzie's uses a Moda Dea yarn in another pretty blue

I will shamelessly exhibit Polly's photos though, as there are no little people in them, and they show the sweater with short sleeves (meaning that it in the small size it is a one skein project using the nommy Madeleine Tosh DK)

The test knitters caught a couple of issues, wrist width and buttonholes, which I have ironed out, so now the pattern is, well, ready to go.

I had considered running my first KAL  along with the launch of this pattern, however given the palaver I have made of hosting a test knit myself this week I've decided to give the KAL a miss, I will however set up a thread in the Just Jussi forum on Ravelry in case anyone needs help or wants to share their progress.

So, go get it! I've discounted the pattern by 50% until friday midnight my time only, tell your friends!

Plum Blossom Cardigan


Now, that palaver I was telling you about...you see I've had the flu for weeks now, everytime I get almost better I get sick again, anyway I got it into my head to run a test knit on the Just Jussi forum for the baby basics. Long story short I cocked up the gauge, when I finally figured out what I had done at least one person had finished! (they are fast these kiwi test knitters!) So I re-wrote the errant sections and hopefully all will be well from here on in. I still can't figure out wether a tech edit first, then a test knit, then tech edit check is best, or a test knit, then tech edit. I'm starting to err on the side of the former...I hate embarrassing myself in front my testers!


I do like having the test knit on my own forum though, and will continue to work this way, my testers are always such lovely people and I feel I can get to know them better when I am not clogging up a testing forum.


The Big Love sweaters are coming along nicely, I'm knitting them in colourways for boys and girls and having loads of fun doing it, and thats all I have for now, with this dreaded 'flu I have realised that it is best to keep my head away from calculating patterns for the time being, save myself a lot of hassles in the long run (and save myself lots of red faces in front of test knitters!)

In other news I have taught myself enough about how to use Freeway to be dangerous, the laptop where my website currently resides is almost dead, which means that there will be no way of updating the website in the near future, so I have forced myself to upskill enough to build a replacement...and I'm actually quite happy with how it is coming along, I'll show you guys in a few weeks.

Until then, stay warm , stay safe and tell your social media network about the Plum Blossom!

New design tuesday - working

I like it when a detour suddenly becomes the right road, when meandering (and let's face it...avoidance) leads us back to the path.

I took an idea that I liked with that Grellow, and turned it into something that I am only just starting to like again, it's a fair few weeks away from being finished at this rate, so I decided to turn my energy into improving something I like very much, the Nikau sweater...the pattern needed updating (I am so much better at writing patterns now) the yarn didn't work for most people and the motif wasn't doing it for me.

Here is a photo of the old Nikau and the New Nikau (top)

Not too much difference overall...everything has changed, but everything has remained the same.

the yarn is thicker (took me 2 days to knit...with plenty of breaks, and work) but still organic, the motif much more clearly defined, and the hood....SO much easier, so much easier.

and a few options for those who aren't so much into Nikau palms...this will look lovely when blocked, there is a polar bear motif to come and there will be a funnel neck option as well...for those who like hats more than hoods.

The Plum blossom cardigan has been revised by the Tech editor, now I have to make my changes and send it back to her...not too much longer.

New design tuesday - old design tuesday!

Hopefully this incarnation will be the last for the Grellow (working title) I completely ripped the Koigu one!

This is how I work, I refine and change elements that aren't working, I get ideas along the way and suddenly the reason I came up with the pattern in the first place (3 colour slip st) has disappeared from the design altogether!

I'm knitting this version with Wollemeise, initially I thought the yarn maybe too firm for babywear, however it knits up beautifully and gives real bounce to the stitch patterns, and even though I have only been knitting Grellows for weeks, I have been frantically sketching whilst doing so, and now have an entire e-books worth of 4ply (fingering) weight designs ready to take their place in the line up...hopefully the process will not be as torturous as this has been.

Who knows what will be here next tuesday...maybe I will have finished...maybe I will decide to add a hood...c'est la vie!

finishing up

Like my friend Ailsa I decided to spend some time just knitting accessories, nothing too taxing on my poor sick brain (unlike Ailsa I chose particularly simple projects - that woman is a lace legend)

Blaise's hats:

 Ysolda Teague's "Verity"

homage to a hat seen online - couldn't get off the couch to buy new yarn, so used what I had - Lambs pride in Charcoal.

 Panda hat - made up on the needles, better with the brim tucked under (need to get a photo of that!)

Socks for Flash (Ravelry is keeping me honest, the last socks I knitted for him were finished more than 2 years ago)

he has huuuuuge feet,  so I always have to augment the 100g ball with contrast colours at heel and toe, this time I decided to make this the contrast the feature of the socks, so I have a lovely Koigu kpppm in a camo colourway and Patonyle in a dark donkey grey. I'm knitting the socks as 1 sock on 2 circs but knitting 2 at a time (my brain was too addled to work 2 socks on 2 circs) I knit the rib on one sock first, then on the other sock, and continue in this way alternating between them as each component is finished so that at the end I have 2 finished socks! I will immediately cast on another pair when these are finished, I have some lovely Subeam St Ives in a heathered cocoa colourway which will suit the remaining Koigu.

The sock pattern I use has evolved over the years, I worked a 4 x 2 rib pattern in this one, which extends down the top of the foot, this works best for a business sock as it stays up (and the contrast parts are hidden by his shoes!)

My infinity scarf from the previous post, you can't see the sparkles in the photos - but they are there!

The Mister Man pattern is not far away now, boy has that been a long time coming! and I'm still working away at the Plum blossom, I've had a change of heart about the child's size, have decided to work it in a DK weight yarn now...just waiting for the yummy yarn to arrive.

In family news: Holly and Nick (and a bunch of friends) have had to dig their driveway up in order to lay a new water main, as the old one kept bursting for earthquake related reasons. Nick has had to email EQNZ as their house was assessed as "no structural damage"  when it actually has demonstrable structural damage - the assessor wouldn't look at the photos they took after the September quake which show the difference between then and now, which is extremely distressing for them. I do worry about them - this was supposed to be the time of their lives - newlyweds with a lovely old house to renovate, Holly was about to retrain as a teacher as it is much more family friendly than winemaking, and they were planning to start a family. The retraining has been put off for a year due to intakes being cancelled and as for the baby - it's not a sensible option in light of the instability in the land and their lives. I know they will be fine, and there are many people much worse off, I just want them to have a nice life, they are good kids, they deserve it.

Twilight Plum blossom*

I've told you about my lackadasical design style before, it's an organic, evolving thing...oh yes I can get stuck in, work like billy-o and produce designs in short order, but I prefer to let things flow.

I have been the former for the past month or so, and while I was working on a set commission, my brain was overflowing with ideas, this one just had to come out first - with a string of friends expecting daughters this cardi was inevitable. The moment I sent the last parcel off to my delightful employers I set to finding the perfect yarn...then realising I had the perfect yarn, and I could dye it to the perfect colour.

The yarn is a sportweight merino/silk, the caridgan is plain jane round neck, set in sleeves (with a twist, they are knitted from the top down, with the sts being picked up around the armhole, then a bit of short row shaping and it's done, easy peasy and very fulfilling. The embellishments are embroidered and crocheted, but once again simple-as.

The blossom branch needs to be slightly larger, that's easily fixed, the fact Blaise wants me to knit one for...not so easy in sportweight...we will see, Christmas is coming.

I have a job for you Ravellers - if you think this pattern should be available for sale let me know on this thread in the JustJussi group. If I do decide to offer it for sale, the charts will be larger with each size.

*no vampire connection at all!

Catch up time

Less posting generally means lot's of working around here.

Flash has been in China all week, so I have been staying up until 2 am getting things done - and the results have been fantastic! I have almost finished the 12 designs I promised an Australian company, and theres a lot more to come from that partnership.

next project is to look at the idea of self-publishing hard copies of my patterns to wholesale to yarn shops, but I'm trying not to think about that yet, I still have my current job to finish!

The Free Friday promotion over at Ravelry is going well! join my group and if you are the first person to reply to my post each friday, you win a free copy of that weeks pattern - easy!

The 50% off promotion wraps up today at 23.59  USA Eastern Daylight time, and I'll start thinking of how next to use this fantastic Ravelry tool

The Rhinebeck Aviatrix contest seems to have run away with itself, the number of people queueing and downloading the pattern has increased substantially  - and remember we have agreed that the Aviatrix wearer does NOT have to be a baby!

Roaring Meg pattern owners will have received a note from me saying that the pattern has been updated, don't worry! the numbers haven't changed, but the instructions and layout are improved...it's one of those things about pattern writing - as with all things...you get better with practice.

The next pattern to receive this treatment will be Riverstone, I've improved the neckline and will give another neckline option - you will get a note from me when it is updated.

here is a teaser!

Have a lovely weekend everyone

Contest!

I have finally finished writing this pattern in 20 sizes!!! yes it will fit your new baby right through to his Big Daddy!

To celebrate I have decided to run a contest - the prize being 1 skein of the extremely nummy Fleece Artist Somoko in the Ebony colourway which I used on both of the vests in the photo.

What do you have to do??

Come up with a name for this vest pattern - something memorable, catchy, geeky whatever - I will know it when I see it, if more than one person comes up with the same winning name there will be a draw.

Winner will be announced in 2 weeks time - by which time the tech editing will be finished and the pattern will be ready to go!

Leave your answer in the comments section with your email address or blog address, or include your Ravelry id.

Specs: fingering weight yarn, simple 4 row cable pattern, v-neck, sleeveless, designed for use with handpainted yarns - to make the most of the colour changes.

Ember

so that pattern which I designed in a frenzy 2 days before being admitted to hospital and leaving my poor test knitters unattended (they pulled together and did me proud!) is now for sale on Ravelry and my ETSY page (where you can also purchase a cottage licence if you so desire)

I tried to stay away from licences in the past, however the custom knitting contingent is large and well organised - so after a few emails I have relented.
The cottage licence style I have decided to run with is very simple - no follow ups, nothing more to pay, and a lifetime of use and looks like this:

- you have a lifetime license to use the pattern/ebook  to produce garments for sale, so long as they are handmade and not commercially produced (i.e. not made by outworkers or in a factory)

- you will never have to pay any additional charges or fees in relation to this license

- this license is for garments only – you may not sell the patterns.

- you may use my name when you sell these garments (e.g. “as designed by Justine Turner of JustJussi”) or not at your discretion, however the garments are not to be marketed as your own design

- this license also gives you the right to produce garments for sale (under these same conditions) using any of my previously published patterns (published prior to 01 May 2010) that you purchase or download – yes even the free ones!
Who knows what I will be doing in the next few years, I am not interested in chasing licensees with a multitude of rules - I sum this up as a "play nice" ethic.
 
Anyway - back to my darling Ember - very quick, not absolutely simple - but once you have knitted one and understand the construction they become addictive - I made my latest one in 4 hours! The pattern works well with the Aviatrix hat - with it's garter ridges, so leftover yarn can be put to good use. I used Cleckheaton Folklore which is a thick/thin yarn which knits up as a bulky - however it is listed on Rav as a super bulky - which I just don't agree with, I got the same gauge with Cleckheaton kaleidoscope and Malabrigo worsted which are both singles yarns and work beautifully with this design.
 
Thank you to everyone who commented and emailed me about my illness, I'm on the mend and determined not to let it happen again, sometimes we just have to slow down and listen to our bodies (ok, I have to slow down and lsiten!) I'm back at work, and oh so lucky that I work part time, I couldn't have managed otherwise. Flash and Blaise are doing most of the housework, I just pop dinner into the crockpot while I am active in the morning, so that I can just fall into my chair and knit or read when I get home in the afternoon - the daggy old crockpot is an absolute lifesaver!
 
Baby update: due on saturday  5th June - saw Maria yesterday, she looks as though if you poked her she would pop! unfortunately his head is still not engaged - so I ordered her to squat while watching tv and to take lots of long walks, here's hoping this child arrives this week as Grandad is off to China next monday!

time to breathe

the past year has gone by in a bit of a blur, I have felt so unwell for most of it and I don't funtion well in that state.

Since my operation I have felt "normal" again, felt like my old self and the brain is once again firing on all cylinders - amazing the difference having that ovary removed has made - my system is no longer being poisoned on a daily basis.

I also have so much more energy! I can work much longer now, and am no longer making the silly mistakes I had been constantly making up until recently, I feel I can trust my brain again!

While I have been recuperating I have been finishing my WIPs - here is Flash's sweater-vest which I started almost a year ago and have finally finished! I have no photos of him wearing it yet, and will knit a newborn version in the same colours for him and his Grandson-to-be to wear together, then there will be gorgeous photos and a pattern in a multitude of sizes from newborn to great big man! link to Ravelry page here (anyone can view)

This weekend Flash and I went away for a mini-trip - 3 days in New Plymouth, about 5.5 hrs drive south of Auckland, we visited the glow worm caves at Waitomo and even saw an angora rabbit being shorn!

Petite Purls - Spring issue

I kept this one a secret didn't I!

When I first saw Brandy and Allegra's online magazine startup "Petite Purls" last year, I was very impressed by their organisational abilities, drive and passion, and when they sent out a call for green patterns I had just the right project incubating.

Here it is - The Tea party frock, knitted in Forever Green Elan organic yarn, wonderfully soft, soft organic wool spun and dyed with plant dyes in New Zealand and available from Knitworld in NZ and by (fast, efficient and friendly!) mail order from Mel Clark at South Seas knitting for those of you based elsewhere in the world.

The top is based on the fluffy party dresses of the 1950's - frothy layers of chiffon and bright silk sashes - too restricting for today's little girl so a cute practical option was in order. The rippled skirt is a quick knit in the round, the garter st top has simple shaping with angel sleeves and a square neck and the sash with it's embroidered daisies sets the garment off simply.

The Forever Green yarn works up nicely - but the real magic comes when you block the garment after knitting I have never seen a yarn bloom so beautifully - it is absolutely luscious- to get the full effect handwash your newly knitted garment in warm water with some woolwash, then squeeze excess water out by wrapping in a towel (and standing on it!) pat into shape on a blocking board, and finally pin in strategic places to ensure crisp seamlines.

I am sure you will either have access to lazy daisy instructions either from a basic needlecrafts book or online - here are some links:

• a video on youtube



• on a crochet background



• diagram

thanks to Brandy, Allegra and Joan for their enthusiasm and support - well done!

Soda pop

I've been working away on a group of sweaters for boys and girls - concentrating on the tweenagers but still in sizes 0-10yrs.

There are some chunky sweaters, a couple of fine ribs and some in between, all simple lines and structures so they can be put aside and worked on when time permits.

This design is a special favourite, I love this fairisle, it's quick, easy to memorise and striking, I'm waiting for some yummy yarn to arrive so that I can tweak the design a little more, I think you will love the final effect.

It's still hot and humid in Auckland, but some of the leaves on the liquidamber outside are just starting to turn, Autumn won't be long - the start of good knitting weather!

Boys

Boys are a subject I have little knowledge of - having given birth to 3 girls, and raised 5 girls - the only boys I had contact with are those of my friends, and my nephew who is bright, thoughtful and so bouncy he would make Tigger tired!

Now that we know that Maria's baby is almost certainly going to be a boy, I have invested more time in thinking about designing for boys - I know from talking to Mums of boys that their tastes (in general!!!) tend more to the conservative, that society conforms boys just as it does girls.

I'm all for flouting conformity, but sometimes a little guy just needs a warm sweater to throw on - so here we go:

sweater one:

loving the rib pattern (it's my favourite) loving the funnel neck big time, not loving the stocking stitch on the edges of the raglans, not sure what to do here as the rib makes things messy...will keep trying.

I have a few more ideas on the same theme, let's see where they take me!

Here's a gratuitous photo of Frasier - he is my favourite boy, I haven't included Flash because he's a man not a boy (there is a difference)

Patterns available now

Garter stitch plain and simple patterns - all 8 in one booklet for $10.00 US - only available as a .pdf (file which you store on your computer and print out as required)

(put it on your Ravelry wishlist - the wishlist fairy visits occasionally!)

Christmas is getting closer and closer - today I have to tidy up the studio, as guests usually end up hanging out up here anyway, capture the perfect photo for our Christmas cards...I have one in mind, we'll see how it pans out, and finish sewing the felt gingerbread man ornamentsI am making for the girls - I really should have thought it through - 10 gingerbread men = 20 little button eyes and 30 buttons on tummies...and all sewn by hand...but hey, that's what Christmas is about isn't it?

Pants

Finally - a picture is up for the snuggly shorts
A long sleeved merino t-shirt and merino leggings would complete this ensemble - oh and a babe of course!

Kits are going live!

Yes I know it has taken a while (thanks for the reminders Deb!)

but I have finally got it together with the kits.

I have combined the "garter stitch plain and simple" patterns you have seen recently with my own handdyed yarn (the yummy wool/bamboo/silk "Biba" sportweight yarn) and packaged them together with knitting needles, stitch markers, a label and basic notions.

Hat kits are $15.00 US and Garment kits start at $24.00 US

Garment kits are available in 2 size groups to keep everything simple, I have included the hat patterns free of charge, in case you have leftover yarn.

New Zealander's pay $5.00 postage, everyone else pays $12.00

The first 25 garment kit purchasers will get a handprinted calico tote to keep their project in.

Ok so - perfect Christmas gift for a new knitter, pregnant mum on bedrest or anyone wanting to knit something simple, elegant and quick for their favourite little person!

Click on the little deer for the link

Life keeps on slipping, slipping into the future

bad blogger!

I have had good reasons - spring has sprung in New Zealand - so full of renewed excitement for life, Flash and I sat down and did our 1yr/5 yr plan - this one is a lot tamer than the past couple - looks like we will be staying put for a while. We have chosen to be more grounded - to focus on family and home, we will still travel - but a overseas postings are way down on the list.

I sat in my studio and had a good think about who I am and where I am heading...and then sold 2 of the knitting machines and put the rest in storage, cleared out the yarn I will never use and the books I will never read and put them on Trademe too...from the proceeds I bought a very nice couch (on Trademe) for which the cat will be eternally grateful in that "thank you for buying me such a comfy bed" way, and cleared the clutter (and it isn't just hidden...it is gone!) my current wip (a cardiganised adult version of Kikkie) has been put aside while I whip up some cushions (more info soon) and I'm scouting for just the right rug.

Flash kindly moved the wine fridge and antique spirits collection into the dining room where they belong - giving me even more space, but we are still in negotiations about the tv and lazyboy... still it means we can be together in the evenings, while he watches and I potter, and pottering is how I came up with this cute pincushion...which could also be used as an oversize button (very now) if made smaller.

This started with me wondering how to make a flower pincushion in knitting, then realising that my Aviatrix hat provides the perfect leaping off point.

I am not writing a flash pattern for this - think EZ.

Kina Pincushion

Get some feltable wool, preferably 2 or 3ply and 3mm or 3.25mm needles (fabric needs to be reasonably loose)

(you can use any thickness yarn you like - the flower will be larger or smaller - you can also cast on less sts and work to less sts from the ends to make it smaller)

Cast on 34 sts using a provisonal cast on, then work as follows:

Row 1:(right side) slip the 1st st, knit to 5 sts from the end, wrap and turn

Row 2: purl to 5 sts from the end, wrap and turn

Row 3: knit to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 4: purl to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 5: knit to 15 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 6: purl to 15 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 7: knit to 10 sts from end, wrap and and turn

Row 8: purl to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 9: knit to 5 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 10: purl to 5 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 11: knit to end

Row 12: slip the first st, purl to end.

repeat 9 x

graft these sts to cast on sts, close up one end using a running stitch then pulling it tight. Using polyfill stuff the flower firmly, then close the other end. You now have a flattish ball shaped like a Kina (sea urchin)

Felt using your favourite method.

When dry, use embroidery thread to seperate the "petals" start in the centre, then take the thread over and through to the front centre, pull tightly, then take thread back to the back centre at a 180 degree angle to the first, divide the flower into 8 sections, ensuring the thread is pulled tightly each time, then secure firmly and sew a button into the centre to hide the knot.

Garter plain and simple

since there is so much secret knitting going on, I thought it only fair to let you know where the knitting kit idea is up to...

I still gasp at this utter cuteness, the little cap sleeves are a joy to knit, and oh so simple.

the same idea gave me this darling little front opening for a sweater which pops over big baby heads no problems at all

a cardigan was required...but it needed something else

yep - that's it!

Now, I have to finish something special before moving onto the next kit step

Patterns for pants, hats and a few extras, testing of yarns to find something perfect, then playing with dyes to get a pleasing palette

hmmm - maybe a few more weeks...

Production knitter

I'm having a great run

the patterns for Clipper and the Elann cardigan have been graded and finished.

Atlante from Naturally is a 2nd generation bamboo yarn with incredible drape (by 2nd generation I mean that the things that used to annoy me about bamboo yarn - bittiness and splitting are not present in this one) this looks like a dress because I do not have a 2 year old to display it on - but it is actually a thigh length top, the hem is weighted slightly with beads and the deep points are irresistible. The ribbon can be pulled tight to ruche the bodice or left loose with a bow. The pattern has been written, just need to organise testing.

Flash's vest is coming along nicely - I'm still loving that yarn, I have to stop every couple of rows and admire it - very enjoyable.

Machine knitting a jacket for myself, we're off to Christchurch on friday for Holly's graduation and apparently it is VERY cold already, saddle shoulder, simple stocking st with hems and a scarf style collar, maybe some stitch detail on the hems...not sure yet.

Stay warm!

Victoria

Victoria's tardiness was caused entirely by my seeming inability to knit 20 simple rows to ensure that something I have knitted 40 odd times, does actually work.

It does.

6 sizes from newborn to 6 years

instructions for DK and 4 ply (fingering) yarn

instructions for stripes or plain

Victoria now for sale at my website via Ravelry