Fall has arrived here in New Mexico. Well, it has actually been here for a couple of weeks. But the trees are in the middle of changing. It's nice to see fall here verses Texas. It is cooler and will continue to get cooler (like tomorrow, super cold). But in any case it's nice to be enjoying this weather. My favorite part of fall is the red leaves. Which I somehow I've always missed in Texas but I haven't missed it here.
See I told ya! :)
But anyways, on the knitting front this past weekend I became an extremely busy knitter. I have been, wait for it, designing (Gasp!) purses and headbands. It all started on a walk. I went walking with a hat that I had made recently and found my head to be hot but when I took my hat off my ears were cold. So this first design was made.
A very large headband. The pattern I used from my pink hat that I made earlier called Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson. I am kind of in love with this pattern. Really kind of in love. :)
After I made that I thought, you know it would be fun to make stuff and then sell it right? Especially these easy to finish in a day patterns. I have tried to start many different kinds of patterns that I have found on Ravelry but have gotten extremely frustrated with the project and gave up (I think I just like instant gratification but who doesn't?) So I pulled out my new stitch book, Super Stitches Knitting by Karen Hemingway ( I am also in love with this book!) and came up with this smaller headband.
The stitch that I used is called asymmetric cable. I really enjoy this cable cause it's not normal, it's a little off but pretty in it's offness. :) This headband ended up coming out a little too thick and too loose. I am thinking about adding some elastic to the inside so it will fit better but I think I will wait. I was about to make another headband when I thought well what about a purse.
Now, a side story. I am not a purse person. When we moved I packed up my purses and well about 6 months later. They are still in the box and I think they will stay there. Why you ask? Well since college I haven't carried a purse out of simplicity. I didn't want to carry around a purse and a bag of school stuff in the inevitable event that I would forget my purse and freak out. So I found ways of keeping my keys and wallet attached. I have now graduated to a very small 'clutch' that even holds my phone. It's like ten times easier to keep up with everything when it's all together. But on occasion a purse is needed. Especially when you go out on a grown up date, which I now occasionally go on. So my first version of a purse ended up like this.
Very cute right?
Again I used the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret pattern and am really pleased with the knitting end result. So right after I casted off I casted on another purse. Now this purse has it's definite problems.
It is a pretty wide purse and since it is knitted it's pretty flimsy. I have conversed with my engineering husband about options to make it not so flimsy but I'm kind of stuck right now. I think I might just put this one to the side and think about it later. I do love this idea and the pattern in the middle is called Twin Leaf Pattern from my fav book super stitches knitting.
I have started on another purse that is bigger than the first but smaller than the second and has the asymmetric cable involved. I have only made like three rows so no pic for you!
This morning I made a trip to Hobby Lobby and bought some fabric to line the purses that I have made and purses that are yet to be made.
Since the purses I have been making are all black and made out of one of my favorite yarns Caron Simply Soft. I wanted to add a little pop to the inside. These choice were kind of held back. I love, love, love color and wanted to add an awesome print on the inside but most of the fabric that I saw needed brown or I thought maybe someone else wouldn't want to buy.
So a busy weekend and week behind and ahead. I am really excited about being in the experimental phase right now. I have not sold anything yet and I still have lots of things to try and also research.
Research? why research? Well the star crossed pattern's designer has asked that if we use the pattern for profit to buy the rights to the pattern. I haven't done it yet since I am still in the experimental stages of this project but that pattern would be easy to sell without the worry of being sued if I bought the rights from her. But some of my purses are based off of patterns that I have found in a book. So the question looms, do I have the right to sell a product with another person's pattern in it? Because I bought the book did I buy the rights to the pattern? I want this to be an enjoyable experiment and possible journey for me and getting sued well would not be enjoyable for anyone. I searched some on Ravelry but I didn't quite get the answer I wanted. So I will do some more research and see if I feel comfortable putting a product out on the internet for the world to find (Scary!).
Basically, a very large Pandora box has been opened on this quest for an activity to do. As an artist, I completely understand a person's need and want to reap the benefits of their creativity. I would want the same. But in this day and age, it's easier to get ahold of patterns from people that you may never really meet and it is especially easy to just put something out there. Which makes it easier for someone else to find it and go, "Hey that's mine! I'm gonna sue."
SOOOO to end this post a pic of Whit.
Eating grass. In the cool weather. Nice.
See y'all next time!!!
