My sewing room is sometimes a family gathering place. I like to think that is because everyone is interested in seeing the progress on my latest project. It is more probably because our computer is on my desk which is also in my sewing room. As a result, I often get suggestions on what to do with my current sewing project.Earlier this week M came in and saw the HST piles. He commented that I make a lot of quilts with white background. M often has good artistic instinct so I listened to him and tried putting a row of the HSTs on a different color background - the charcoal kona that I had purchased for my "zinnia quilt" - (I had tried a few different designs for this zinnia inspired quilt but was not happy with any of them) ANYWAY, I like the charcoal but not with the white of the HST blocks. Next, I made a few HST blocks with the charcoal ground.
After making a few of those, I remembered the fabrics that I had pulled together at the start of the zinnia project. So I made more HSTs with all of those fabrics.Now, in a round about fashion, I am finally making a plan for my Zinnia Quilt.
I am still deciding how I want the single strip of color to look but so far I'm pleased with how this is progressing. I tried a single strip of triangles, and also a double strip with the triangles side by side oriented the same way but both of those layouts seemed boring compared to these.
Perhaps I should wait to ask M's opinion before I go any further.I can always work on the big pile of white half square triangles until I make up my mind.
Beach Glass and Seaweed Socks
My Beach Glass and Seaweed Sock pattern is available in my shop.This is the first time I have written out a pattern in an official way for others to purchase. Coming up with the design was the easy part.
I had fun with the design and was pleased to get the ribbing to transition into the easy-to-memorize four row pattern repeat. 
Putting the pattern into words so that other knitters can repeat the design came next. The biggest challenge, however, seemed to be getting the pattern into PDF format for easy download.Thanks to Adele, who test knit the pattern and helped with the technical writing and D for making the PDF conversion after I spent hours on it and couldn't get the formatting the way I wanted. Thanks to M for taking the great photos for the pattern and Barb for the name.
Thanks also to P and B who helped with the first photo shoot that really didn't work out very well.
And while I'm at it I should thank my mother and grandmother for teaching me the love of needlework.
Photo shoots can be fun!
Actually, I enjoyed the process so much that another design is already under way.
Potholders!
I find I am always working on something. Little bits of time here and there and things get finished. The latest of my finished objects are the five potholders for the 2010 potholder swap.
I had fun making these. P helped; she advised me on when to change colors and which color to use. Here are the backs.
She likes to watch me crochet and wants to learn that next. I suggested that she finish the six stitch wide scarf she is knitting for her doll first.So, we sit next to each other and make things. There is not much better than that.I have started a file of her design ideas. Yesterday she designed hats.
Stripes, swirls, pompoms, braids, tassels, fringe, it's all there.
Designing
My sewing room is directly under our bathroom reconstruction zone. Without a ceiling, plaster debris and sawdust often rain down onto my desk from the work area above. I have resorted to keeping my laptop closed most of the time and vacuuming my desk and the computer key board several times a day. It is difficult to work in this environment so I have been spending some time writing down a few knitting designs. I have several sock and hat designs swimming around in my head.P has watched as I try to work the patterns out on graph paper. This is the first she has seen of graph paper. She was so intrigued that she wanted to try it herself and has designed her own sock. She has moved on to planning out a few doll quilts
and even a dress she wants me to make. It has pompoms on the bottom, sides, and even the sleeves!
My designs seem to take longer. I figure, knit, pull out, knit some more, make more notes... my mind races. While I am knitting on one idea my mind is working on another. I think I'll start knitting another sock tomorrow just to get the design out of my head so that I can knit on one or the other peacefully!
I 'll be sure to let you know when I have a pattern written out. In the mean time it's back to the drawing board for me.
