Chart Smarts

My amazing husband (of Hill Cantons fame) tirelessly researched to find me the perfect birthday gift. He immersed himself in various knitting discussions in cyberspace to find the best knitting design software.

And his efforts couldn’t have been more appropriately timed. I just finished my fourth design, and wouldn’t you know, it needs charts! It has been super-fun geeking out, charting my newest creation.

I hope that the charts are as easy to use as they were fun to make! I’m holding my breath as the test knit begins. Keep your fingers crossed!

Cozy Fire: a Kindle Cover - Free Pattern

Cozy Fire for Kindle Fire (left) and Kindle 2 (right)

As promised, here is Cozy Fire – A seamless, protective Cozy to protect your Kindle. It is knit like a toe-up sock on a magic loop, so you can try it on as you go. It has a simple flame lace pattern and a one-button closure. It is a quick knit and a perfect companion to your Kindle Fire, Kindle 2, or Kindle 3!

And you can get it here and now. Click it!  Cozy Fire

For handy links to technique tutorials and little extras for your Cozy Fire, visit Useful Goodies for Knitting Your Cozy Fire. Happy Knitting!

Ummmmmm, Honey? Don't Quit Your Day Job

My first check of quarterly gains from my pattern sales on Knit Picks. And the funniest part? This $1.99 is from the copy of the pattern that my Sweetie bought to test the system. (I am proud to say that four actual Knit Picks consumers have subsequently bought Sam Gus' School Bus Sweater.)

[Queue song: Easy Street]

Seriously, though. I’m having so much fun. This designing gig is rewarding, even if it won’t bring home the bacon.

Post-Holiday Design Inspiration

My  Sweetie (see Hill Cantons) gave me a Kindle Fire for Christmas/Hanukkah this year. I am in love (both with my Hubby and my new toy)! As I was browsing ebay for covers (on my new, amazing Fire), it came to me. Zap! I don’t need to buy a cover. I need to make one!

And so I did. Then I wrote up the pattern and put a call out in Ravelry’s Testing Pool forum. Soon, I will have a new design to share.

I confess, I’m having so much fun.

Stay tuned for the pattern!

Scrap Hatty - Free Pattern

Ta da! Here it is.


Scrap Hatty is a simple, seamless hat that is worked in the round. It has both texture and color but no complicated stitch or color work. It is written in toddler, small adult, and large adult sizes. Dig out those little balls of worsted-weight yarn and have fun!

Download the pdf here: Scrap Hatty.

Thanks for the love, feedback, and support. Happy Knitting!

The Creative Juices Flow

Spinning Sammy modeling Scrap Hatty

Crazily, I had so much fun designing a sweater that I continue my journey as a designer. I just created my first pattern that I will offer for free on Ravelry (and here, of course!).

It’s a simple hat, totally seamless. Scrap Hatty was born of the eternal question: what do I do with all these little random balls of left-over yarn? It has texture without cumbersome cabling and it has color without complicated stranding. It is in three sizes, ranging from toddler to adult male.

The predecessor to Scrap Happy was a hat I knit for my adorable nephew Max. Thus far, I don’t have any pictures of said adorable nephew in said hat.

So I shifted a few things around in my head and knit a toddler version – because Sammy, my son/indentured model has less of a say in whether he poses for pictures.

So hold on to your knit hats… Scrap Hatty is coming soon!