Knitting and then some...

While blogging has been neglected of late, there has been a great deal of knitting and designing going on, not to mention test knitting.

First up, the above is my basket of working yarns, as in stuff that is either ready to go or in progress.  I get excited just looking at it, so full of possibilities.

Secondly, my very first design has just been published.  On a Sunday afternoon in February I was inspired by a skein of Yarn Daze Prairie, a sport weight, in Currant.

I had come across a nice eyelet pattern in a sweater that seemed to call out that it wanted to be sock.  Flipping through one of my stitch dictionaries, I found a little twisted cable pattern that I thought would make a nice cuff.  Combining the two, the Black Currant sock was born:

(Warning:  Spoiler alert if you are part of the Woolgirl Wizard of Oz series - We're not in Kansas Anymore)

On a whim, I decided to send the pictures to Jen of Woolgirl, in the event she was in need of a pattern for one of her many wonderful kits or clubs.

Her response was positive and enthusiastic and resulted in Black Currant being renamed Kansas as part of her Wizard of Oz series.  As such, this pattern was featured in the kit:  We're Not in Kansas Anymore.

This was shipped out early last week and seems to have been received by all participants at this point, so I think it safe to share.

While Woolgirl holds the copyright license at the moment, that will expire in the next couple of months, then I will be able to offer the pattern to the general public.

This is a quick knit and the original sock took about five hours to complete.  I have also test knitted it in a more variegated yarn and was quite pleased with the results:

All this, of course, sparked a wave of creativity resulting in three additional sock patterns, a lace scarf, and a worsted weight wrap.  With Lolly's tech-editing support, all five patterns are written and ready to go.  I have sold two more sock patterns and the lace scarf and am waiting to hear about the last sock pattern and wrap; however, at some point, all of the patterns will be cropping up here, as well.

This has been wildly exciting and personally satisfying, but without the support and encouragement of my dear friends, I have no doubt none of this would have ever come to pass.

Thank you, ladies!