Moonstruck

You know those moments that life likes to present us with? The ones where we have to do a complete 180, change our idea or plan or heaven help us, both?
Yup those moments.
And you know after I get over my usual initial knee jerk, “are you flippin’ kidding me?” or my current fav, “ I don’t believe it.” which is really funny after all of this time and experience that I get still gobsmacked over this kind of thing going down. Nonetheless here I am. I mostly appreciate these quirky gifts life gives us, especially as a creative sort of person.  I feel that they usually push me to expand my boundaries, challenging the way I see or think about a colour, a design, a yarn, a fiber type, really all kinds of little parts of my process.
Thanks to the mill and my own unwillingness to believe that they don’t think as I do, that we’re a team, the design Moonstruck has given us such an opportunity.  The yarn ( Flopsy a lovely wool/angora blend) that we designed Moonstruck for has been discontinued. It was not a yarn I designed but one offered so this kind of thing can and does happen. Usually we’re notified when this sort of thing happens. Not the case this time.
What to do? Well, after a big ol’ hissy fit. I’m not proud but I do find that if I don’t get rid of this energy it impedes the creative problem solving process.  So we just make more right? No.  Now of course, it is too cost prohibitive, at least for this mill. So I check out other mills I work with and find that I can have it made and to my specs this time. The only drawback is it won’t be here until October at the earliest.  So that is a good long term solution but right now I also need a short term one.
Here I am in full steam ahead problem solving mode and I have one of those well… duh, moments. 
Isn’t it a good thing to have a design that can be implemented in more than one yarn? Well… of course it is. So I take myself out to the barn and snagged every yarn we had and we played one of my favourite games, fabric design by yarn combining second only to fabric design by colour combining and right up there with fabric design by yarn making.  We came up with some really wonderful fabrics. The one we like the best for Moonstruck is Woobu/Peru .  This dynamic duo make a lofty, kinda silky, warm fabric with a lovely light halo much like the original fabric. 
See

Opening the door to this problem gave us a whole realm of possibilities. We have a great fabric for this design we love by the ever charming and talented Karen Alfke. We have a new yarn due in October that we can also use for this and many other design and projects. In our search we discovered a lovely organic bulky wool we are probably going to add to our line up. I just love it when it does all come together.
The only thing I would change about this scenario is my waiting knitters and for that I’m truly sorry.
So dearest knitters, Debbi is almost done with this new sample. If we stay on track the pattern will be here next week.
I’ll keep you posted.
While you’re waitng here are the specs:

materials |
* yarn will be Woobu and Peru and those are the specs we’re waiting for.
* US size 9 (5.5 mm) needles, or size to obtain gauge
* 5 buttons, 1” (2.5cm) in diameter
* Tapestry needle
gauge | 16 sts and 23 rows = 4” (10cm) over k4, p2 rib pattern after blocking
20 sts and 22 rows = 4” (10cm) over k4, p2 rib pattern unstretched and before blocked)
sizes | women’s small (medium, large, extra large)
finished measurements |
37 (41, 45, 49)” [94 (104, 114.5, 124.5)cm] bust, buttoned
22 (22½, 23, 23½)” [56 (57, 58.5, 59.5)cm] length

Thanks for your patience!

Oh and the colourway is Downpour.

Going to go make some lemonade now!

Dear Marcy

I’m so sorry. I know that I promised you that the new fibers would be up on Friday. Obviously I didn’y have it together enough to make that happen. I wasn’t really happy with the photo work so I redid them and then when I was all ready Paula had too much orders to get out and then we were short a person because of that whole I want a vacation thing. I still don’t understand what the hell that’s about.

Anyway Marcy the fibers are all going up on the site today.  In a hope to apologize and appease there are also a few new colours.

I finally came up with a Bumbleberry that I really really love. Although I have to say my current absolute this colourway makes me weak in the knees is CopperTree.

It will probably take all day to get this all up on the site so wait until this evening to peruse at your hearts content.

I hope you forgive me.

yours in yarn,

tina

Knitquest @ Twisted

Come with me and we’ll take a small glimpse at the design joy of Sam Roshak along the wonderful goodness that is Twisted.

Hmmm… Sam: “What do you think Shannon? Good?” Shannon: “ Oh yeah! Great even.”

Snacks are ready too! And Alex and Vivian are ready to serve with their usual jovial knit goodness.

And then of course the knits, the stars of the show.

I’ve known and worked with Sam for awhile now and it was really wonderful to sit back and listen to her talk about her designs. What inspires her, how she works, the pattern writing and making, photography of knits. All of it. It’s always inspiring to hear what inspires other knit wise. 
Practically speaking it’s really helpful to put your hands on the designs themselves.
I think a great time was had by all.
I know I did. What’s really not to love? Everyone is there because of their passion.

If I had 10 more minutes I would give you links to all of these. I’m a little afraid of my accountant so I really have to scoot.  Go here and you’ll find them and more.