At Last!

Some actual, real, genuine, bona fide knitting content! My secret projects are put away for now, and I'm working on a new design. When I need a rest, I always head for my favorite: mohair/silk lace weight yarn. Yummmmm. It fixes me right up. :)

This one is being knit from Elann.com's Silken Kydd in Raisin. It's a gorgeous deep brownish plum color and I am enjoying it thoroughly!

It's a triangle knit from the bottom tip up to the top, and when I write up the pattern, I will give measurements for 1, 2, 3 and perhaps 4 balls of yarn. So far I'm loving it! The pattern was fairly simple to memorize and it's proving to be very relaxing knitting, and great for swim practice, tv and other KIPping. It's garter stitch lace, but I think I'll also do a stockinette version.

This past weekend, I had a table at Knit-One-One in Berkeley for a craft show. I always have a great time with Síle. She's terrific! As a bonus, I got to meet Romy and Lisa and see Brooke! It was a great day.

Plus, check out this incredible silk fiber I got from Anzula.

Isn't it gorgeous?

So far, I've only been staring at it. Sooooooo yummy.

Monday's Musing

“Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

If there is one person (alive or dead) with whom you would love to have a cup of tea and conversation, who would it be? Eleanor Roosevelt is that person for me. Her philosophy always inspires me.

Have a great week!

Join me?

I'll be at the knit-one-one October Delight Craft sale this weekend in Berkeley with my pins, earrings, books and samples! There will be other great craftspeople there, as well, and it's right down the street from Sweet Adeline's Bakery. Yummmmmmm. Won't you join me? :)

When: Saturday October 24, 10 to 4

Where: The knit-one-one studio, 3360 Adeline Street, Berkeley CA 94603 (near Ashby BART) Directions

Exciting News!

I mentioned before that there probably would be a guest designer thrown in there for my Pins & Lace Club.... Well, I am thrilled to announce that Miriam Felton, designer of Icarus and other lovely lacy things, will be the guest designer for July!!! Squeeeeeeee! Welcome, Miriam! I'm so excited to be working with you! :D

If you haven't already checked out my club, please do! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the options available.

Remember that those who sign up before November 1st will receive a little extra holiday cheer! Club sign-ups are open through December 15th.

Monday's Musing

"Start where you are. Distant fields always look greener, but opportunity lies right where you are." - Robert Collier

Have a great week!

ETA: It looks like there's going to be a Queen Wil KAL over in my Ravelry group.

Come on over and join us! :D

Enchanting

Janel Laidman's new book, The Enchanted Sole, is here!

I just got my copy in the mail, and am one of several bloggers lucky to be participating in a virtual tour.

First of all, if you liked her first book, The Eclectic Sole, you will love this one even more. With 20 sock patterns based on legends, myths and fairy tales, this book has a pattern for everyone! I particularly loved the colorwork patterns - Janel is a master of painting with yarn - so I will concentrate on those.

My very favorite pattern? It's a toss up between Mirror Mirror and Firebird, although Tree of Life gives the other two a good run for their money! Both Mirror Mirror

and Firebird

are mismatched and I love that! Firebird has a particularly inventive chart. Look at the feathers! Fabulous.

Then there's the gorgeous Tree of Life

and the Labyrinth!

Even though it's not colorwork, Selkie also drew me in.

I'm just blown away by the beautiful job that Janel did on this book. I was lucky enough to hang out with her and Knitspot Anne at TNNA last January, and we talked into the wee hours about publishing and self-publishing in particular. It's so much work, and she did such an amazing job! Well done, Janel. You inspire me! :)

Thank you

Thank you all so much for the kind comments you've left on my post about anemia! You all buoy me up and have just made my day. :) I have a ton of energy today, and I am sooooo looking forward to feeling this way all the time! We're still trying to figure out if there is an underlying cause, and Celiac disease is a possibility (thank you, paisleyapron!), although not likely. You never know though!

ETA: just ordered some Hemavite. Thank you, Laura Sue!

Have a fabulous Friday everyone!

At least I have an excuse now!

I've been feeling very very tired for some time. Those who have read my blog for awhile might remember that I found out I am Vitamin D deficient. The mega doses of D helped a lot, but I am still dragging and kind of fuzzy headed. It now turns out that I'm also anemic! It came on so gradually that I don't think I realized how exhausted I really am. No wonder! Well, I'm looking forward to having more energy. Yes...yes, I am.

Monday's Musing

“We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

I love this quote. It has so many levels and applies to so many situations!

Have a fabulous week, everyone. :)

Happy Friday!

First things first? Remember my give-away connected with the Pins & Lace Club? It's honeybee33 for the win! She was randomly chosen through the random.org website. She wins six lacy patterns from Designs by Romi: three socks, two scarves and one shawl. Many thanks to all of those who entered! There will be others, so stay tuned!

I have a little special for you all this week!

Through Wednesday, October 14th, take 15% off my copper swirl clip, item # el_75! Just enter CLIPPY at checkout.

It's been a crazy week, and I have a ton of pictures to share but I don't know when I'll get them uploaded. This weekend is a swim meet and both kids are swimming, so not much else gets done! We're still trying to get the local pool re-opened soon. It's been a real uphill battle. Here's the story according to the local newspaper. To understand more of the story, you need to read the comments as well. The whole thing was political and the City has been very resistant to offers of help from interested swimmers. But we're still fighting!

And here's a cool article to read about Vitamin D. I was diagnosed with a Vit D deficiency and have been taking mega doses for three months. I thought it was depression, because I could barely drag myself up the stairs or out of bed. It was horrible. But now I feel almost human again!

Pins & Lace Club FAQs

I'm getting pretty excited about the response so far on my 2010 Pins & Lace Club! Many thanks to all of you who have joined and written to ask about the club. This club is a bit of a different animal. There are many options for you to choose, and you can build your own club as far as yarn (or lack thereof) choices and metal choices.

I've gotten quite a few questions, so I'm going to try to answer everything!

What is the skill level of the patterns?
The pattens will require intermediate lace knitting skills. If you have knit my designs Muir, Liquid Silver, Waves of Grain and Bluebird, you will be fine!

What if I want only the pin and pattern and want to knit from stash?
The club has a pin and pattern only option, and you can choose the type of metal you would like.

My budget is really tight, but I still want to participate. Can I do fewer than four shipments?
Yes! There is also a two shipment option. You have all the same options available to you, but just for two shipments: January and July.

I'm allergic to nickel. Can I get two shipments of copper and two shipments of sterling pins?
Yes! Just choose two of the two shipment pin/pattern options to make up your own 4 shipment club.

I'm allergic to wool and alpaca. Do you have a yarn choice that I can wear?
There is a silk only option!

Warm (cool) colors look terrible on me! How can I make sure that I will like the color choices?
You can choose either a warm or a cool color option! I am very sensitive to this, myself, since cool colors look awful on me.

There are too many choices! Can't I just sign up for two or four shipments and have you choose everything?
You betcha. :) I also have a "Romi's Choice" option available in two or four shipments. The two shipment option includes 1 silk/sterling and 1 merino/nickel. The four shipment option adds 1 alpaca/copper and 1 alpaca/nickel.

Is shipping included?
Ground shipping to the US and Canada is included in the club price. If you would like to add priority mail shipping, you may select that option in the shipping pull-down menu on the lace club page. International shipping is extra, but not that much more! You can also select your preferred method in the international shipping pull down-menu when ordering.

Will your patterns be in pdf format? I like to have them so I can print a copy to mark up.
Yes!

Will your patterns be written out as well as charted?
Yes!

I just wanted to add that Pins & Lace Club sign-ups go through December 15th, 2009 and if you sign up before November 1st, you will receive some extra holiday cheer.

I hope I have answered everything! If not, please ask away. :)

Monday's Musing

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill

An absolutely amazing man. Have a great week everyone! Be determined! :)

Open Studio

Studios Magazine is putting on a great studio tour to kick off their fall issue about open studios.

Interweave asked their authors to participate, so I thought it would be fun to show you where I work! :)

Here's the view of my studio looking down from the stairs. I have a nice window and lots of books. To the right, you can see the work table where I make shawl pins.

Here's a close-up of jewelry area.

There are copious quantities of yarn, but most of it is hidden away in bins and a cedar chest. I do decorate a little with it, though. :)

This is my favorite place to sit and knit.

Here's another little corner where I work out knitwear designs and where I worked on designs for my book. My husband made me the table and chairs out of oak and stained them red. The seats and table top are made from concrete, and I often use the concrete as a background to photograph pins and other jewelry. Off to the right, you can see a bit of the resident loaner spinning wheel.

I often do a little spinning in the morning.

So what do you think? Where do you do your creative work?

:drumroll:

I've been talking to members of my Ravelry Group about this, and now it's up: my new 2010 Shawl Pin & Lace Club!

I've talked to a lot of people about what they would like in a club and have built in lots of different options for you all. I am super super excited about this club! I hope you like it. :) Here are the details....

The club will have four installments sent January, April, July and October 15th. There is also a mini club with two shipments: January and July 15th. What is included? Each shipment includes a new elements shawl/scarf pin and lace shawl pattern with a theme having to do with the time of year! (no religious or holiday themes) You have the choice of metals for the pins, and you also have the option of adding 1,200 yards of hand-dyed lace weight yarn from Royale Hare to the mix! My favorite is an option with my picks for metal and yarn! Patterns will be in pdf format. Your package will arrive with log-in information so that you can retrieve your pattern at your leisure. And I am really sensitive to economic woes, so the club prices include a discount!

The pins, patterns and yarns you receive will be brand new designs and yarn colors. I will be releasing the pin and pattern to the public about three months after you receive it, but there will be no kit released for at least a year (if at all). For those of you who would like to join me, there will be a knit-along for the patterns in my Ravelry group. Mostly, the patterns will be written by me - designer of Muir, Ice Queen, Waves of Grain, Bluebird and others - but there may be a guest or two in the mix, as well! Regular shipping to the US or Canada is included in the club price. Shipping to other countries will be extra, and different shipping options are now listed on the club page!

Sign-ups are open through December 15th, 2009. Sign up before November 1st and receive some complimentary holiday cheer!

And the give-away? Retweet (mentioning this blog post and @RomiDesigns), blog about or plurk about this sale with appropriate link to my post here, and be entered to win 6 lacy patterns: Bluebird, Delta Queen, Love Squared, Verdigris Socks, Queen Wilhelmina Socks and Dynamique Socks! I will announce a winner on Friday, October 9th. However many times you mention this sale (and tell me about it), that is the number of entries you will have in the drawing! Become a club member and receive two chances per club shipment you choose. Good luck to you! :)