can I get a squeeeeeeeeeee?

'Cause my app is live! So much has been going on. And now my 7 Small Shawls Y4 app is live!!!

But don't worry if you don't have an iThing; you can still get the regular pdf subscription exactly the same as past years, and it's $16 through the month of August 2013! (Thereafter it goes up to $20). It comes with a bonus pattern called A Cowl for Jeanne. It's reversible. And sooooooooo snuggly warm for fall!

Plus it's long enough to double around your neck and even wrap over your head!

Did I mention it's reversible?

Well here's all the info I included on the eBook page. I'm pretty knackered, as a Canadian friend would say. :)

Note: If you wish to buy the eBook app for iDevices, please do so before you buy the eBook subscription here! There is a code inside the app to purchase the pdf eBook for $5.

Purchase choices

If you want the PDF file only as in past years (and you are not interested in purchasing the app), it is available here on Ravelry August 1-31, 2013 for $16.00, or after September 1st, 2013 for $20.

If you are interested in purchasing the app: note that the patterns will all be included in the app and you do not need to purchase the Ravelry PDF separately if you do not wish. If you want the app plus the PDF in your Ravelry library, you should follow these steps:

1. Buy the app from the Apple Store for $19.99 from August 1 – 31 or $24.99 September 1, 2013 and after.
2. Download it to your device.
3. Start the app and enter your name (they just use this to personalize the app; it isn’t shared back to them).
4. On the main screen (where you see Romi and Jeanne’s Cowl) tap the “gear” icon in the upper right corner.
5. Take that Ravelry code and use it when buying the PDF on Ravelry to get the eBook PDF files in your Ravelry library for $5.

If you buy the PDF on Ravelry without the code you don’t get the discount. The code is IN the app.

About the series: 

Welcome to year four of my subscription series! The idea for my first ebook subscription (year one: the pleiades) was born in 2010 while reading posts on Ravelry: people knitting 10 shawls in 2010. I decided to design and knit 10 shawls that year, and at the time I released my first subscription, I had 7 left to do. I reached my goal that year, and the next year I was back for more challenge. After that, I realized that I simply love doing these subscriptions. I won’t even pretend that there’s any other reason to do them! 7 is one of my favorite numbers, and so I am still doing 7 small (and not so small) shawls with 3 (my other favorite number!) accessories thrown in.

When we reached 5,000 people this year, we had a little contest in my Ravelry forum, and so the Year 4 shawls are named after 7 winners, and the accessories are named after…well, you’ll see! I am so looking forward to getting to know the winners a little bit more and coming up with the perfect design for each of them!

The patterns for this eBook will be delivered to subscribers within a subscription period ending September 15, 2014. There is no specific delivery time for each pattern. Patterns will have charts and written instructions, and you will be able to make them out of one skein of sock yarn or an amount of sock yarn comparable to that needed for a pair of socks. Some will be two colors, and maybe even three! But you won’t need more than one skein of any color. There will be a few little extras sprinkled throughout and all patterns will be available to purchase separately!

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The App

As in the past 3 years of subscriptions, the patterns will be sold as an eBook here on Ravelry with the PDF files delivered throughout the year as I release them. But this year, we have an exciting new way to knit the 7 Small Shawls!

Sally Holt (of knitCompanion fame) and I have teamed up to bring you a Romi App for i-Devices!! Please note that you will still be able to purchase the eBook here exactly as in years past if you do not wish to use the new app.

The Y4 app is a separate stand alone app from knitCompanion. Since this is a living app, patterns will be added all year as I release each new offering in the Y4 series.

Please note, you do not need to purchase the regular knitCompanion app in order to purchase and take full advantage of Romi’s 7 Small Shawls app and all its capabilities. It is a stand-alone app, and won’t affect or interact with your regular knitCompanion app at all.

• All patterns will use the knitCompanion capabilities so you never need to lose your spot, and patterns are easy to follow.
• Patterns will be set up and ready to knit, with options like charts, sizes, etc (as appropriate). No setup work on your part required!
• Video by me (Romi), offered only through the app for special techniques required by each design. Video will be linked in the pattern right where it is needed. And is is indexed for easy access as well.

If you purchase the app you will get a Ravelry discount code so you can add the PDF to your Ravelry library for only $5 if you would like that as well. (Note, if you don’t want the app, you can always purchase just the PDF at its listed price).

Device Requirements

This app will only work on Apple i-Devices, it will not work on Apple Macs, Windows or Android phones, etc. Sally is working on a version of knitCompanion for Android, but it isn’t there yet. The app will work with any iDevice that is iOS 6 or later (i-Pad and i-Pad mini preferable so you can see the charts). The only i-Pad that can’t be upgraded to iOS 6 is the original iPad, aka iPad 1. You can see your iOS version on your iPad under Settings, Version.

Find out more here!

we have a winner!

I love giving away prizes. :) I particularly love it when I actually recognize the person who has won! It's just so much fun seeing someone you know randomly come up as the winner after also seeing them around on the Ravelry forum and in the club. I'm stalling, right? Suspense is so much fun, isn't it? No?

The winner is Victoria! And when I clicked on her profile, I saw that she is our own terraki from Ravelry! Congratulations Victoria! You have won a skein of Miss Babs Wild Silk in Roasted Pumpkin and the beads to do Fiori Autunnali!

Since I never had time to do this when I returned from shooting the Craftsy class, I'm just going to tell a little about my trip and sessions!

There's a lot of work that goes into the class to begin with, and we started months and months before my shoot date to put together the concept and outline. Stefanie had asked me to do an exclusive project as a basis for my class, and I knew right away that I wanted to do a V-shaped shawl in laceweight yarn, because that's the class request I most often get from knitters (because of Madroña). I wanted it to be a relatively simple knit otherwise, one that would flow off the needles. Fiori di Sole came to mind, as I have heard so many comment that it is much easier than it looks, and that the body pattern is simple to memorize and satisfying to knit. I proposed that I combine elements from those two shawls, Stefanie agreed, and Fiori Autunnali was born!

I set to work on an outline. From my experience teaching and from questions my moderators and I have gotten in my Ravelry forum, I then chose topics to be covered. To me, the most important thing was to let everyone know that anyone can knit lace, and that anyone can knit with laceweight yarn! I wanted to let you all know how I started to knit lace, and how - when I did my first project - I was absolutely clueless about so many things, but by the time I finished, I had so, so many new skills. I know that if I could do it, anyone can. And I wanted to share so many things that I have learned along my journey to where I am today: how different fibers react when knitted into lace, how beads look so different when knitted into a swatch, how lace knitted in laceweight yarn will look absolutely terrible before it's blocked.... And then the special bits of this project: how to begin in the round, how to separate into the V shape, how to keep track of charts, how to block your shawl. I had a pretty involved outline, when I spoke to Stefanie again on the phone. We talked about how to show the techniques, and I realized that I couldn't easily show it on a full sized shawl, so the doll-sized shawl was born and I got back to work!

Fast forward: the Thursday before I flew out to Denver, I had my nails done so they would look all pretty, gathered my clothes together, and looked over everything again to make sure I had all of my materials! My flight was Sunday midday, and I was feeling pretty good that morning until this happened:

It had to happen on Sunday, right? Yikes! Off we went to the airport, stopping along the way to get some nail polish in case nothing else could be done. When I got into Denver, I knew I wasn't in the west any longer.

Tornado Shelter? And you all worry about earthquakes? ;)

Craftsy sent a Towncar to pick me up from the airport and I got to the Magnolia Hotel at about 5:20. The first thing I did was ask about a nail salon! The concierge knew of one, called them, and let them know I was coming. It was only a few blocks away, and so I walked. They were so nice, and they fixed me right up! The stress faded a little at that point, and I grabbed a Jamba Juice on the way back and enjoyed the city evening as I walked back. I loved seeing the pianos along the way, and one of them was actually occupied!

In my room, I enjoyed the view while I tried really really hard to relax. Beautiful!

The next morning, the make-up artist picked us up (there were two other instructors) and we headed on over to the studio. As I was being fixed up pretty, Stefanie walked in and she was - and I kid you not - green. She went home, thankfully, because really. The poor thing was sick. So the crochet producer filled in and we got started! That first day, we set up, did two lessons, moved things around, and knocked off around 6.

Stefanie was back the next day and her usual sparkling and healthy self! Thanks be for 24 hour bugs not lasting any longer than 24 hours. We shot four lessons, and off I went to meet my dear friend Jeanne, who kindly waited for me! No pics here, as we are camera-averse. :)

The next morning we shot the very last lesson and all (the production team) went out for a terrific lunch right next door. The salmon - my litmus stick for any truly great restaurant - was delicious! Back we went to do all the extra shots, from which the editors would choose when putting it all together. It's way better to have too much than too little! Stefanie took this picture of me "doing the diva." Notice the flip-flops. It was hot in that studio!

Stefanie was catching up on her knitting.

We finished a little early and went to visit Fancy Tiger, the local yarn shop.

It's a beautifully curated shop, with a fabric section,

and their own line of wool.

We had coffee and then Stefanie headed back home to her poor sick baby girl (that 24 hour bug moved fast! and caught Stefanie's family) and I went back to my room to relax, have some Pho, and stare out the window at the smoke from all the surrounding fires.

The Towncar picked me up the next morning and whisked me back to the airport. And then this princess turned back into plain old Cinderella and headed back home to her kids and puppies.

It was a grand adventure. 

...and you can get 25% off the result with this linky. :)

monday's musing

Happy Monday! I actually took a day off yesterday and it was fantastic. :) Went for a family bike ride, then to a picnic, and played basketball with the boys. And then we watched Over the Hedge. Hmmmmm. After writing that, I'm starting to think I don't know how to sit still. Heh.

I will announce a winner from my give-away tomorrow morning (PDT)! Thank you all for participating. I just need to go through the comments to make sure there aren't duplicates (I think I found them all, but blogger has been giving me multiple copies of the same comment) and then head on over to random.org!

But for today...this quote is close to my heart because as a child and young adult I was so afraid to make mistakes that I almost paralyzed myself! I finally internalized, though, that the only mistake/failure is quitting. :)

"I've learned you can make a mistake and the whole world doesn't end. I had to learn to allow myself to make a mistake without becoming defensive and unforgiving." - Lisa Kudrow

Have a terrific week!

give-away? give-away? why yes!

With the permission of the marvelous and talented Miss Babs, who provided yarn for Fiori Autunnali, I am giving away a skein of her gorgeous Wild Silk (100% tussah) in Roasted Pumpkin, the color used in the original shawl! Along with that skein of loveliness will go beads enough to complete the shawl. These are also the original beads used: size 6/0 Japanese seed beads in iris bronze (metallic).

This all goes along with my new Craftsy class, of course. :) And here again is the link to purchase that class for 25% off!

Here are the rules! Leave one comment here by midnight PDT, Saturday night July 27, 2013. Each comment will be an entry. If you would like to enter more than once, tweet, or post on facebook, plurk, or Ravelry (or other social media!) about the give-away and then post another comment here telling me what you did. If you tweet and facebook, for instance, that's two extra comments for two extra entries!

I will draw one winner from the list of comments, using random.org's random number generator. Ready? Set? Go!!!

it's here, it's here!

My Craftsy class (25% off through this link!) went live and I am super excited to be able to show you the shawl that I teach in the class! 

It was so difficult waiting to show you this shawl. It's a combination of two of my designs: Madroña for the shape, and Fiori di Sole for the body and edging stitch patterns. The V shaped Madroña is the shawl so many people ask me about teaching, and I know how much people love Fiori too, so I wanted to put something together that I knew you all would love! This one is called Fiori Autunnali and you can see more pics of it on Ravelry. It's made of Miss Babs' Wild Silk (tussah) and size 6/0 seed beads. There's a regular sized shawl

and also a doll sized shawl

which also works wonderfully as a human sized scarf!

I do hope you'll join me. :)

Here's my official verbiage for promotion:

Expand Your Lace Skills with a New Shawl Shape

Empower yourself as you bring a sophisticated and versatile shawl design to life. Join me, Romi Hill, for my online Craftsy class, New Directions in Lace, and create a breathtaking V-shaped shawl that will stop people in the streets! I've designed this class with you in mind, drawing on questions knitters have asked me about this particular shawl shape, lace weight yarns, beads, casting on in the round, blocking lace, and so many other little tips and tricks that you'll find yourself going back to the lessons over and over.

As you progress through my class, you’ll hone your lace skills be creating my exclusive Fiori Autunnali shawl pattern, included in the class materials. Inspired by delicate lace doilies, this lovely shawl features leaf patterns and beaded flower motifs. And if you like, you can start small with the doll-sized version of the shawl which is also included in the materials and shown in class.

As we begin, I’ll help you choose yarn and beads. I share tips for reading charts, using stitch markers, and adding lifelines. I’ll even guide you through starting your shawl with my version of the ingenious belly button cast on, developed by my friend Rosemarie Buchanan. The belly button allows you to start a project from the center with a minimum of fiddling, even when using lace weight yarn! Next, we’ll move on to join the working yarn to your cast on, and you’ll begin stitching. I'll show you how to remove your belly button, and easily close up the center into a neat and tidy start for your lovely project.

We'll go on to cover working charts in the round, three ways to place beads as you knit, and the no stitch symbol as used in my charts, and we’ll transition from working in the round to binding off two sections of the shawl so you can start working the two wings! And for the hook-a-phobic, I'll show you my favorite method of crocheting a chain bind off using knitting needles! The magic of blocking is next. We'll turn your project into a beautiful swan! I’ll take you step-by-step through blocking your shawl to its full size, exposing and preserving its true beauty and marvelous motifs. When you sign up for New Directions in Lace, you'll hone your skills while knitting an entrancing shawl that’s a wearable work of art.

Since 2005, I’ve been designing knitting patterns and shawl pins. But my fascination with lace dates back to my early childhood, and the incredible pieces my grandmother crocheted using a tiny hook and miniscule thread. When I was about four years old, my grandmother taught me crochet, but it was the art of knitting that always called to me.

After begging my mother to teach me how to knit for years, she finally relented when I was nine years old. I knit on and off throughout my entire life, and then the awe that my grandmother’s lace creations had inspired was reawakened, and I haven't stopped once since learning to knit lace. These days, I usually fall asleep at night thinking of lace patterns and how they fit together mathematically and artistically. I'm such a lace geek!

I hope you’ll join me for my new Craftsy class! Sign up for New Directions in Lace to create my exclusive Fiori Autunnali shawl design, and then apply what you’ve learned to knit other complex, captivating shawls. 

coming up

This year has been a crazy one so far at Chez Romi. I have so many things in the works, and I am super excited and nervous with anticipation! My Craftsy class is coming soon, of course: maybe as soon as next week! And I just want to give you a little sneak peek of something else that I have had under wraps. (It's been difficult to keep this quiet!)

Sally Holt - of knitCompanion fame - and I have cooked up a little somethin' somethin' exciting. Can you guess? :bounce bounce bounce:

Year 4 of my 7 Small Shawls eBook series will also be available as one of Sally's "Designer Series" apps! I am about to have my own app! Even my elder son thinks that's "sick" and he is not inclined to think anything parental is positive! (He's 14 after all.) Is that not cool?!?! It makes my little geeky heart sing a song of obsessive delight!

So on August 1st, here's how it will work.... Both Sally and I will be releasing. The pdf on Ravelry will go live and the app will go live in the Apple store. If you'd like both, you'll want to purchase the app and use the Ravelry coupon code included in the app to purchase the eBook pdf (for $5!) to store in your Ravelry library. If you only want to purchase the eBook on Ravelry (as for the past 3 years), you can ignore this all and go straight to Ravelry. As always, when I first release the eBook, it will be at a discounted price, and Sally's app will also be discounted. The special pricing will last throughout the month of August.

And also? There's a fun bonus cowl project already included! You can start right away in preparation for fall! As we get closer to August, I'll go over more of the details, and Sally will be adding info too.

This is going to be an amazing year. I can already feel it.

monday's musing

“The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.” - Buddha

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

monday's musing

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." - Dorothy Thompson

But such a rocky road to get there...the work of a lifetime!

I'm recovering from a knitting calamity which I shall share soon. After I can look at the project again and not sob deeply. Just whimper a little. ;)

Have a terrific week everyone!

independence

Happy Independence Day, USA!

Don't forget to read the Declaration of Independence. Then maybe meditate a little on what freedom means to you.

Have a great holiday everyone!

monday's musing

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I really believe this. :) Have a wonderful week!