Since I’ve just wrapped up a few projects it was time to sit down with my calendar and reevaluate my plan; see what’s up next, is anything due, that sort of thing and yes In case you were wondering I am that girl. You know, the one who nerotically plans every last detail and then worries over getting the details just so. Yea…I’d deny it if I could , but well, no one would believe me. It’s that bad.

First thing on my list was to wind some yarn that I have been literally dying to get my hands on . I have something lovely planned with Roxanne of Zen Yarn Garden with some super gorgeous yarn she sent me. Roxanne and I are both big fans of the color red so I’ll be using her Gemilicious Worsted in a colorway called Rubies which is just really beautiful. I just love the color so I have really been looking forward to getting started on the project.

So as quietly as I can I start to assemble my swift. When I first began knitting I had this lamp which was a huge hideaous monstrosity and destined for Goodwill until I realized what a perfect swift it made. Always one for recycling I decided to hang onto the heavy sucker until I got tired of lugging it out every time I needed to wind yarn. I eventually got myself a Beka swift, but I don’t keep assembled because it’s a bit awkward unless you have free table space and don’t mind that it doesn’t lend itself to particularly any style of decor (I fail on both counts).

So despite the seriously low decibel level of screwing a few sticks together my girls come running into the office. I think they must have spidey sense when it comes to yarn and the like . No really. They can be in the back of the house playing happily together and any yarn related activity other than the quietest knitting will bring them forth to see what they can see. Ladybug is content to ask what I’m up to before returning to her dress up chest but Cupcake can’t seem to resist dipping into the proverbial kool-aid.

As you can see, it didn’t take long to acquire a helper (Look below for cute overload). Evidently yarn winding in mom’s office trumpsplaying dress up with Ladybug. And this child of mind doesn’t just poke at the yarn. She climbs up on the chaise and makes friends with it. She squeezes, huffs, smells, and even rubs it against her face which makes me think I must be doing something right. She seemed to approve of the yarn and it’s softness so if that isn’t an endorsement to go and see what is in Roxanne’s shop then I don’t know what is.

I also wound some of the Socks that Rock Heavyweight that I ordered some time back. It told me that it wants to be Cookie A’s Twinkle Toes socks and I’m crossing my fingers that the 3rd time will be the charm. I really love the color, Backstabber for interested parties. I’ve got delicious sock yarn and a great pattern by a fabulous designer so if I cannot get through a full pair of socks this time I think I’m going to have to give up on the whole thing.

If you haven’t by now guessed I am a BIG fan of Tim Burton and the endearing characters he brings to life. If you ask me there is nothing better than spending a rainy day curled up with my knitting while watching one of his films.

This project is a combination that lies somewhere between sweater sleeves and fingerless mitts that provided me with the perfect opportunity to do some simple mosaic knitting ( and you can’t miss how utterly Burton the stripes are).

They are easy enough for a beginner and quick enough to finish in a weekend and available in a range of sizes.

Click here for Details

I wanted to extend a big thank you to everyone who commented and left suggestions for the name of the sun dress. There are some really great ideas there to choose from! The dress is finished and is blocking as we speak so I’m hoping to get a few photos of it tomorrow and then I’ll post them here in a few days along with the winner. Whoever picked the winning name will receive from me a kit complete with yarn and pattern to make the sun dress. As a thank you to those of you who took the time to comment I’m also choosing at random 3 people who will receive a complimentary download of the sun dress pattern .

This morning before I rolled out of bed it was just a little chilly, which is a bit weird considering we’ve been in shorts since maybe late January. Well it has turned into a gorgeous sunshine-y day and I’m thinking that my spring cleaning needs to extend out to the porch and backyard so I can do some outdoor knitting. It just sounds nice. On the other hand, I only have about couple of months before the heat starts coming on strong in which case I won’t even think about leaving my cool house. I will sit on the chaise in my office taking in the view, watching the hummingbirds at the feeders and sipping ice tea while the air conditioning keeps me at a nice 70 degrees.

Aside from swimming I’m not much of a fan of summer. I don’t crave sunbathing, the thought of being swarmed by mosquitoes the size of birds makes me ill, and living in the country means that snakes are known to hang out around the house. It isn’t quite summer and I’m sad to say that we’ve already seen several of the slithering fiends around the property including water moccasins and coral snakes, oh and a chicken snake that fell from the top of a screen door EEP! It didn’t happen to me- I think we all know that would have been the end of my little bloggy adventure. Can you imagine the article in the paper if that were to happen to me? Knit blogger/designer shites herself to death when creepy non-poisonous snake falls at her feet! Jeebus, just thinking about it gives me chills.

So aside from being on snake watch I’ve started a new project that I am quite happy to be able to blog about. I’m sure by now that you have noticed that I quite like yak fiber for knitting and have done a few designs with Shokay in their pure yak yarn Shambala. Well, now they have added a spring summer yarn to their line called Orient. It is a 75% yak 25% bamboo blend that is available in sport weight. The gauge on the yarn calls for 7.5 sts/inch on US5 needles, but after swatching I got 5.75-6 sts/inch on US5’s and US4’s respectively. It has 245 yards per skein and comes in I think 10 colors though I have only seen 3 in person. It is just as lovely and soft as the shambala though much lighter. Oh and it too is machine washable. I’m not sure when it is going to be available but I understand it will be a bit more affordable than the Shambala line.

Some time back I sketched a sundress (Sunny for lack something creative) that I wanted to do in a nice cheery yellow yarn so when I saw the Sunburst color on the color cards for Orient I was happy. The yellow isn’t that annoyingly bright crayon yellow either–it’s mellow and kind of reminds me of squash. I knew the bamboo and the weight would make for a nice spring time dress while the yak would keep things soft, and can I just say Hoo-rah for machine washability. Mind you I’ll probably still handwash this just because that is how I roll with my handknits, but at least I won’t be freaked that I’m going to ruin it the whole time.

The dress will be sized for 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 months so machine washability is key for some of you out there. So I wound a few skeins into cakes and was all jazeed about getting started but I cannot find my size 4 needles in the 16″ length. Now since I have already cleaned out and arranged for the year it is a pretty good bet that they have disappeared for good. Considering the fact that I know neither my mom and daughter have them and I haven’t seen my only knitting friend in so long I’m just ashamed (plus I know I’ve seen them since we last got together) so they have to be lost. So I drudged up my trusty bamboo size 4’s and started on the bodice. Only a bit more to go and I can switch to larger circs and begin the skirt. I’m not normally against DPNs but for some reason they are driving me crazy on this project. If I manage not to bail on my knitting time as I have the past two nights I may be able to progress to circs tonight and get this little dress going.

Oh and if you guys can come up with a more creative name than Sunny for this little dress I might be willing to share some yummy stash and prizes. So let’s go ahead and officially call this a contest. You know the rules: post a comment with your name suggestion then post on your blog (if you have one) about the contest. For every post you were mentioned in you get entered again. Winners to be picked on Tuesday the 6th. Good luck.

To clarify, you can win just for commenting or of course if you pick a doozy of a name you get a special prize! :Let’ say the number of prizes will depend on comments so the more the merrier!

BTW, one of my fave knit bloggers and friends Cass is having a contest!

I am coming down from a pretty fun past week. My brother just spent some time home from LA. He came bearing gifts (cosmetics of course) and who can complain about that right? So I insisted on my usual makeover sessions which I just love and I was lucky enough to snag him for a couple of photo shoots.

The week before he arrived I was splitting time between knitting, sketching for design proposals and re-doing my office. I managed to get all the unimportant papers (family files/bills, etc) stashed in the closet to make room for my fiber sorted containers of yarn. I repainted the walls a lovely dark chocolate and glazed the ceiling in a gorgeous harvest moon and pumpkin combination. It may sound pretty loud but it is quite sooting…like autumn, and I thrive in colorful rooms. Every room in my home is some deep vibrant color. I still have to order the fabric for my drapes, and I have not made up my mind if the ceiling needs some handpainted scrollwork along the edges, but the rest has come together nicely.

I’m sure it seems as if the dead calm coming from Chez Landry would indicate that there is no designing going on around here but I assure you that is not the case. I have been pretty busy launching hard copy pattern sales which is really exciting for me. The patterns like the website underwent a pretty big redesign too. If you’d like to see them in your LYS be sure to let them know so they can check us out! If you haven’t already found your way there, here is a list of retailers that are carrying my patterns.

So meanwhile back at the ranch (quite literally) we took photos for 2 upcoming patterns. One is a mid size accessory pattern I’m hoping to put up in the pattern shop here and on Ravelry in a few weeks. It is knit in DK weight merino and uses a 2 color mosaic stitch. The other is still hush, hush, but I can say that it will be in the debut issue of Knotions, a new knitting magazine that will be releasing its first issue this coming fall. There is so much more I have to tell you but it will have to wait until we get a bit closer to the debut date. Let’s just say it is only the beginning of the goodies I have in store for you over the next year!

I also have those 2 other patterns that are complete though their fate is as yet undecided. I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and make a decision there soon. It’s a bit of a bummer because it seems as if I haven’t been producing much lately when really its all just on the down low. I guess the upside will be releasing 5 or 6 patterns all in one bundle. I’m really looking forward to doing those 2 shoots as Ashley the gorgeous girl who modeled Roman for me will be modeling these as well if I decide to self publish them.

First I have to report that my birthday weekend was just wonderful. We’ve been having a lot of gray skies and balmy winds, but the rain never came and the crawfish were wonderful. Cupcake showed no interest (not surprising since my mom and grandmother both detest crawfish) and Ladybug couldn’t get enough.

I was also pretty impressed by my special cake which was totally imagined by Miss Ladybug. Aren’t the balls of yarn cute? Mom and I both were pretty sure she would insist on a Harry Potter cake, but she assured my mom, that it just had to be knitting. The most remarkable thing to me is that I get so much more enjoyment from seeing my daughter’s excitement in planning a birthday bash for me than I actually get out of the food, and presents, and what-not.

Today began our Spring Break so Mom, myself, and the girls drove up to Brenham to the Antique Rose Emporium. It is quite lovely if you ever have the chance to go and are into gardening. I love anything that smells pretty and blooms, so it is pretty much heaven on earth to me. I keep threatening to take my landscaper so he can see it firsthand and start transforming my home into a blooming wilderness too. I go up there and go totally into garden mode—and I love antique roses just about as much as yarn which is saying something. Now I’m itching to plant things and draw a detailed yard plan—maybe tomorrow.

Miraculously I only came home with 3 new plants, and ironically none of which were roses. I have to have a plan first and besides, now I’ll have to make another trip!

Actually they have a mail-order service so if antique roses are your thing check them out!

Also, I know I promised details about the 2 projects that were headed for the SEK book, but I’m going to hold out on you a little bit longer. It would seem that they may still be a possibility for the book’s future, but I promise that once I know for certain I’ll pass the info along.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

Spring is on it’s way and it’s my birthday again. So in anticipation of my 31st year I started thinking back to when I was growing up which lead to putting a gagillion 80’s songs on my ipod and I have to tell you that it’s amazing to me that most of them I still love, though there are a few that inspire a WTF and need to be skipped over. Amazingly that little blast into my past kept me distracted enough to actually get caught up with all my housework which has taken a big backseat to my knitting lately.

Anyway, I’m actually looking forward to my b’day celebration. A crawfish boil on top of whatever my girls have been planning is on the docket for this weekend.  Mom has been helping the girls plan my surprises and I can’t wait to see what they’ve cooked up. Ladybug is 5 but she’s really in tune to what makes mom happy so I’m guessing either knitting or Harry Potter may be involved…

I don’t know if I’ve yet to mention that Ladybug has taken up the needles, but she is really holding her own. She has this little bag where she has stashed her little needles and yarn that hangs on her door. In the beginning all she wanted to do was practice, but I have really tried to get her to take it slow so she doesn’t become frustrated. She has the basics of garter stitch down pretty well and every so often she gets her little knitting bag and knits while she watches TV—just like me. It gives me a very fulfilling warm, tingly feeling and I’m already dreaming of all the fun, fibery things we’ll be able to do together one day. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it sticks and that Cupcake will show an interest one day too.  So far Barbie has a poncho, scarves, and a blanket and I’m anxious to see what she tackles next.

I also wanted to say that I have been keeping mum about my knitting projects lately because 2 of them were slated to be published in the follow up book to Sensual Knits titled Sensual Evening Knits and one was sort of on the back-burner. I’m sad to report that the book project has been canceled, but the patterns will be available soon despite this hiccup. You can see how the secret knitting really interferes with blogging content which may explain why I’m never around here. Anyway, I’ll share more pattern details and some other news in the next post.

Have a lovely day!

When I was a little girl I can remember my grandmother would say that in a sing-song voice before going out in public. She is the only woman in my immediate family that I ever remember having a thing about lipstick. She would powder her nose and touch up her lipstick every time before stepping foot out of the car. She had a penchant for Coral on the lips…Red is my weakness. What a better way to make a statement, no? That and false lashes—the longer the better, which I rarely leave the house without. It’s just something I’ve done for so long now that I look (and feel) naked without.

It’s like that line in The Mirror Has Two Faces when Barbra’s character is told to wear a little makeup and she says,”What for? It’s still me, only in color”. We’ll I feel like a black and white photo without my MAC and lashes.

For those of you who have asked the lipstick I wear most often is MAC in shades Ruby Woo, Russian Red, Viva Glam & Viva Glam III —all in matte finish. MAC red is also a favorite but is only available in satin finish.

Anyway, so lashes…

Now you may not believe this but my brother is the person who talked me into trying false lashes and ultimately taught me to wear them. He is a stylist and airbrush makeup artist in LA. Stop by his Beauty blog for how-to makeup tutorials and other beauty secrets! Beauty Blog by Cody Jefferies

Me and my Bubba at Easter a couple of years ago

So stop by and say hi, request a specific technique from him, and tell him I sent you. Oh and he’s always looking for new faces to make-up so if your near LA and you like feeling pretty, tell him you’re interested. He’s really wonderful!

I confess that I have an addiction when it comes to beads. To be perfectly honest I have a serious Jones for anything that has that little something extra to make it special, so bead knitting is quite naturally one of my favorite techniques. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I will tell you what I do know.

Bead Selection is super important since it really sets the tone for your whole project. Obviously colorful wooden beads are going to look fun and playful where glass beads will look a little more elegant. You can add them allover a project for serious effect or just as an accent like icing on a cake. If you go with seed beads (which are my favorite) there are choices like clear, smoky, iridescent and opaque, or silver and gold lined for an added sparkle. Beads come in all shapes, sizes, and textures so your choices are limitless. The point is that beads add a whole other dimension to your knitting projects. Just think of all the new stashing opportunities!

The reason seed beads are my favorite is because whether you use a little or a lot they really accent the other design details rather than mask them. They are also easiest to order online because of the standard sizes. I can also share that the best ones are Japanese manufactured (Matsuno, Miyuki, and Toho) because of their uniformity in shape. Sometimes they are a little more expensive, but you don’t have to worry about as many duds with non-existent holes. Czech beads are also very good.

Your Method is also something you should take into consideration. I like pre-stringing beads directly onto the ball of yarn. You can use a Big-Eye needle available in most craft department or improvise with a thin piece of wire folded in half.

(Be sure to crease the fold well so the looped end will fit through the bead).

(The wire I use is a 30 gauge wire I had in my craft room. )

A note on pre-stringing: you have to unwind a fair bit of yarn to pre-string beads. You actually lace a few at a time and move them to the base of the yarn ball until you have a good amount to work with. From there you’ll work with them in small groups from the base of the ball of yarn as you knit. Some people prefer to pre-string half of what you’ll need at the beginning of a ball and half at the end, but it is really up to you. Keep in mind that if you don’t lace enough you’ll have to cut the yarn to string more beads.

You can also add beads as you go using a very small crochet hook. I have avoided this technique because I dislike the start and stop to my knitting rhythm (not to mention the fact that my girls or my cat would likely get into the beads before they were secured on the yarn and havoc would inevitably ensue). Of course this method circumvents all the time spent stringing so if you are interested Lily Chin’s book Knit and Crochet with Beads covers all the bases.

Size Really Does Matter! Once you’ve narrowed down your bead choices you have to think about size. Your bead should be able to slide over the yarn freely without damaging the fibers. For one or two beads it may seem a little pointless, but if you are pre-stringing hundreds of beads they can really wear and tear your yarn.

Size 6/0 glass seed beads
(silver-lined crystal with square holes)

I have found that size 5/0 and 6/0 seed beads, and also E beads work best on worsted and DK weight yarns respectively. The size of seed beads refers loosely to how many will fit in an inch when strung, so the higher the first number, the smaller the bead. If you are going to be working with smaller gauge yarns you can get away with smaller beads.

Bead Shopping: Depending on where you buy your beads they can be purchased by the strand, tube or bag and are usually sold by weight. Most online bead sellers will give you an estimate of the number of beads included in their packages.

Here are some great online sources–Enjoy!

Fire Mountain Gems- great prices and selection of seed beads up to size 6/0 (perfect for DK weight yarns)

Beader’s Paradise- good selection of Miyuki and seed beads in tubes up to a size 5/0.

Caravan Beads and Fibers- good selection of Miyuki and seed beads in tubes up to a size 5/0 and they carry yarn!

Earth Faire- This place is bead knitting central: beads, yarn, books & kits!

Shipwreck Beads- serious selection, good prices and awesome search features. Seed beads even in the largest available sizes.

Munro Crafts- smaller selection of seed and E beads but good prices on tubes.

Linda Richmond- here you will find a small but unique selection of seed and E beads.

Land of Odds- a good selection of Japanese and Czech seed beads.

Hopefully this is a good place to start if you’ve been interested in knitting with beads but didn’t know where to begin.

Last night I had a dream that Willie Nelson was an assasin hired to kill me.

Really!

I’m not Kidding!

OK, you can stop laughing …anytime now!

So, I spent the better part of my REM time fleeing from him in a show cattle barn. Weird…yes, and for what? Maybe I knitted a reeeeallly bad sweater. Who knows. But that’s the nature of dreams right?

Anyway, it probably would not have happened if the girls and I hadn’t already gone through our Russel Stover boxes picking out all the good stuff, but since the hubby is away on business getting early V-day candy was a must and a mini slumber party ensued. This morning all that remains are the vague Willie Nelson dream memories and a few smushed up chocolates. (Did anyone else ever go through the smushing ritual so you could see what was inside Before you ate it? I still avoid those maple flavored ones…yecch!)

So I hope you all have a Happy Valentine’s Day (devoid of crazed country singers)