Shifting Stitches has Shifted....

Well, fellow blogosphere travellers,

this blog has moved

to

a New Home ~ http://purplesagedesigns.wordpress.com

All of the important content has been moved over. The beauty is that the Techniques and Patterns etc. can now each have their own page -- just love to organize!!

I also have a new page for Cable Knitting resources and a page of Nova Scotia LYS for those of you planning some yarn tourism. So, come on over and check it out.

Oh, and there's a new Celtic Child pattern up as well -- the Reishi Tam.

I will leave this blog up and will check for comments from time to time. Come join me at the new site :)

A neat little trick ...

if you can't get a ring off your finger...

This I learned yesterday from a clerk at a jewelry store -- the magic solution is Windex!

Newest Celtic Child pattern

The Forest Path baby blanket pattern was just published today. It's another design using Bernat's Soy blend yarn.

You can see all the pattern details on the PurpleSage website or if you're on Ravelry--here.

New KnitPicks 16" circulars

These needles are cute but take a little getting used to because the needle ends themselves are shorter -- 3.25"[8.25cm] instead of 4.5"[11.5cm] for the KnitPicks Options interchangeable tips.

Pattern Updates:

1) Little Mission Falls Hat
The little hat (using Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash) is coming along nicely with some very interesting design details. The sample is almost done.

2) Newest Off the Needles
A baby blanket pattern will be ready to go in about a week -- the sample is finished and so it's pattern editing time. This one has some nice cables and is knit in a worsted weight yarn.

Selling Pattern Collections
I am currently contemplating selling small pattern sets or collections (in addition to the individual patterns) to provide some different purchasing options. I'm reading through all of the Ravelry information so that I get everything in order and will let you know how it goes.

New Needles = march onward!

Little Hat Pattern:
So, the new little hat pattern (May 10 post) had to be put on hold just after I posted -- I had enough stitches that I was working with 4 dp's and a circular mainly because the circular was too long for the stitches but too short for magic loop. Then I discovered that I had made a (actually I suspected more than one) mistake when increasing stitches for the crown and had to go back about 8 rows; wasn't about to try and frog it while it was on 5 needles.

KnitPicks Interjection:
So, I ordered some 16" fixed circs from KnitPicks (they don't have 3mm needles in the interchangeable set, nor do they have the 16" cables because the regular needle tips are too long) and they arrived today! Yeah! Nothing as joyous as hearing the mailperson honking their horn :)

I already have some of the Options Interchangeable needles (love them! -- both the Harmony and the Nickel plated) and the little pockets to keep them in, but rather than pay the $20US for the case, I found a leather daytimer at a thrift shop and it's doing a very fine job of keeping everything organized.

In the mean time I finished the pattern for the baby blankets in the last post and am working on another baby blanket pattern.

Magazine Submission Update:
Today was the deadline for submissions! If I were a clever bear, I'd remember how long it took the last time. Ah well, time passes too quickly as it is.

Edit: last submission deadline was Feb 21 and I received my very kind "please play again" email on March 20.

I haven't really be just enjoying the black flies!

...they are pretty annoying, though. No going outside without a bug jacket on!

So, I've been knitting with cotton -- not really my favourite, so I'm glad that this pattern is finished. I've knit some cotton blends that I'm quite fond of, but this 100% cotton, while a soft yarn, is hard on the wrist for me.

The Lighthouse Magic and Nature's Child Baby Blanket pattern is well worth it though! :)

All 15 motifs are CHARTED ONLY.

There are 2 blanket designs included in this pattern Lighthouse Magic and Nature’s Child.

Yardage listed (612 yds[560m]) will make one blanket -- basically 1 ball of Bernat Handicrafters Ultrasoft Cotton for each square (the Prints will be all used up and there will be about 12 yds[11m] of the solid colour left over.

Lighthouse Magic features the following motifs: a lighthouse, seahorse, octopus, starfish, moon, dragonfly, sailboat and anchor.

Nature’s Child features the following motifs: a lighthouse, butterfly, dragonfly, tulip, apple, tree, maple leaf and heart.

The 15 reversible motifs included provide many other possible design combinations ~ create a tulip garden using only the Tulip square and the Double Moss square and perhaps a Butterfly or Dragonfly for the center; create an animal theme or maritime theme….

As well as mixing and matching the 15 motifs, here are some other ideas:
~ instead of using a soft cotton, like the samples on the cover, use a wool/blend when extra warmth is needed;
~ use colours to match the nursery or make all squares the same colour;
~ make the blanket smaller or larger just by changing the number of squares;
~ use one or more squares to make matching pillows or washcloths;
~ knit individual squares for an easy “travelling” project, or knit it as a one-piece item to avoid seaming later.

So, there are many ways to use this pattern over and over again with beautifully fresh results!

This pdf has 12 pages, 8 of which are the Motifs which are configured at 2 per 8.5”x11” page landscape.

If you're on Ravelry, you can see the pattern page here. If you're not, all the info is up on the PurpleSage Designs web site ; or, if you can't wait, I'll include a purchase button here:

Leaf Lace by Jenna Hurry

Thanks to Jenna for allowing me to post one of her "pre magazine" photos of her newly published Leaf Lace Cardi (Yarn Forward magazine: issue 13 -- scroll down to the 4th photo).

Lots more pics on her blog: Knits & Wovens