What We’ve Been Up To

It’s been a while! I can’t believe I haven’t posted since the 8th of May. Though this may appear lazy, I have not been idle!

Forty episodes of the kid’s game show have been shot, scenery catalogued and stowed and, with any luck, the nice folks at Disney will sign us up to do a second season. In the meantime, I’ve managed to secure a spot for Pearl*s at Creativ Festival, Toronto’s Sewing and Needlework Festival, for the Fall 2013 show. It’s a big show in its 25th year and attracts a large, dedicated clientele. It’s a pretty expensive venture for me; although I’ve done smaller craft shows in the past, this will be my first big trade show. It’s important that I get it right!

I’ve been diligently researching the art and craft of designing a cohesive product line and drafting a detailed work-flow plan which, I hope, will ensure that I get everything done before the weekend of October 25, 26 & 27. Since this show caters largely to creative people, I thought my best approach would be to aim the product line at crafters. Last year, as I browsed row upon row of qiviut, possum, mink and cashmere, I noticed NOT ONE KNITTING BAG. Not one! Enter the Pearl*s bag. I’ve designed three knitting bags, each to a different purpose, two needle books, a tool kit and coordinating project bags. For those who like to sew, I’ve come up with three DIY handbag kits, blank kits and patterns. I’ve also done a couple of fashion bags…just for fun 😉 That oughta keep me out of mischief for a little while! 

Now, for the knitting…At last post, I think I’d just started the Highclere Cardigan. It is knit from the bottom up in the round. Stitches are then picked up around the armhole and the sleeves knitted downwards from there. Yuck. Hated it. I got all the way through the body and halfway down the first sleeve before I could honestly admit to myself that I hated it. Hated the fit. Hated knitting a stringy little sleeve on four needles while the body of the sweater hung limp and twisted in my lap. Also, I was disappointed in the pattern generally. It called for a lot of “creative interpretation”. I never did manage to get the cable pattern to line up properly at the shoulder seam and finally just…made something up. Being seriously in love with the yarn, KnitPicks Gloss DK in a gorgeous shade of blackberry, I really wanted a sweater that I would enjoy knitting and enjoy wearing. So….out she came. All 987,972,987,982,928 stitches.

I’ve started again using a pattern from a designer I love, Glenna C. over at Knitting To Stay Sane. I’m knitting her Dundurn Cardigan and have enjoyed every single stitch. Her work is so gorgeously detailed. We also share the same home town! In fact, this sweater is inspired by the architecture of historic Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, Ontario, which was the subject of many a childhood field trip for me. Good summer for knitting, too…cold and rainy.