This is a Test!

This may be pretty small, but if you click here you can get a pdf download of the Fake Pattern I created so you can get a sense of what the new pattern format looks like. Patterns for the Natural Baby Collection and the Rib Boot Toppers are in the new format.

Page 1: The green button will let you know the pattern level. We're going to put a key on the website that you can reference what each level covers, but think of this as the key to how much attention you have to pay to the details of the knitting, not whether it is "easy" or "difficult" because I don't know what it will be like for you.

Originally when we discussed having a pattern level we decided to think of it more in terms of how much attention you have to pay--and how often that attention is required. Actually, we wanted to put the number of alcoholic beverages that could be consumed while working the pattern, but we weren't sure that would work for everyone and there was the problem of is it wine, beer or hard liquor, so we didn't use that system. Sometimes it is just the finishing might be a little tricky but the actual knitting isn't at all, or you have to pay attention to the knitting until you get the hang of it, then it is mostly smooth sailing until armhole and neck shaping. Other times, yeah, you really have to pay attention. My experience is that most knitters can do whatever they want to do and the only real difficulty is whether the method of presenting the instructions make sense to them. A whole 'nother post!

I remember snapping at my mother as I struggled through sewing my first real garment, "I'm not sure why they are called Simplicity patterns when they aren't simple at all!" But I was about 11 and it was a shirt-style dress, with collar, cuffs, front band and buttonholes and it was red with white collar and cuffs and red topstitching, which I was making for my first day of probably the 6th grade. I had chosen the pattern, and we struggled on and I ended up wearing it quite proudly, but the making of it certainly vexed my patience. That has happened once or twice since then too. Ha ha!

Then we like to give you a heads up on style/type of knitting. ITR is in-the-round. Again, we'll have a key.

The front cover photo will be a "lifestyle" photo on a model, not a static photo (which will be inside). The patterns are also getting new names (mostly). You'll notice over time that they are mostly geographic to reflect our interest in travel! Again, another post.

More on the inside pages later.

Apps Survey

Seems Y2Knit customers are a pretty connected group.  We really appreciate all the responses, which helps us understand more about how knitters are using smart devices.  We thank you all.

Now to get that app developed!




For years, I was an early adopter of technology, but in the last few years, I have fallen behind.  I attribute this to sitting at my computer much of the day and having everything I need at my fingertips.  I don't really spend lots of time outside my home and office and in situations where I need to be "connected".  I'm not big on talking on the phone, especially after having it ring constantly all day long and needing to deal with whatever is on the other end, personal or business. 

Then, when I do think I want to upgrade, I get boggled by the speed of change.  I keep holding off for the next version, hoping that will be the one best suited to my needs.  It's just not that easy, but I'm thinking that I want to add my vote to that first bar.  The one without the phone. 

A Better Mousetrap

This weekend I had to purchase and set a mousetrap in my garage. The mouse and I had an encounter one morning last week when I was getting the newspapers. My cleaning person had told me there was a mouse in the garage, but I'd not acted. So I went to buy a mousetrap, having gotten advice from my primary knitter who has much more experience with things like that than I do.

What struck me is how terrible the instructions were. In fact, I didn't set the first trap correctly and it was only when my spouse became interested that we realized that the way I had done it was just providing easy food. So we got the trap set properly, but really, not because the instructions were any help. This dovetailed into my thinking about product development, a subject I teach. If one of the tenants of PD is that any product can be improved, why is that crazy old-fashioned mousetrap (maybe the bad instructions are the improvement?) still the most effective means of mouse demise? Then, I started thinking about knitting instructions. You can see where I'm going here.

Behind the Scenes

This is a screenshot of what came up on our website today when I first went online. This is a nice representation of the work we've been doing with Mountain Meadow Wool, using (from upper left) Laramie Natural & Gray (worsted), Sundance (Chunky), Laramie Grays, and Cody (sport). You cannot know how much work has gone into creating these products! Knitters knit, Susan and I knit, friends are required to model, layouts are created, patterns written and tech edited. For anyone interested, I actually knit those boot toppers! They are made from bits and leftovers of other projects (that I didn't knit) that ended up in my possession. I'll pretty much knit anything from yarns in Mountain Meadow Wool. Their merino is so soft and yummy feeling that it makes any project wonderful.

So a pitch for each of these projects:

The Rib Blankie in Laramie is so handsome that I can think of nothing better to wrap a precious baby in. It is knit in 4 squares and joined with a variation of the 3-ndl BO so it is not only a portable project, it has little finishing. Personally, anything I can do with knitting needles is more likely to get done than something done with a tapestry needle.

Dome Mountain hat is a quick project because of the gauge, but it is smart looking and uses the shaping of the crown to create a dome-shaped top. It uses one skein and can be knit in hours.

The trio of baby/child hats are easy to knit. The options go from the square hat which has no shaping and uses I-cord to make a fun closure to a traditional rib cap or a traditional cap with a rolled brim. Don't miss the cute little rolled finish at the top. Something for everyone. We've used the lovely grays, but think of applying color here! Buy three skeins and see what you can create!

Finally the boot toppers. I don't know about other places, but I swear I am the only person in San Francisco not wearing some kind of boots most days. If you want to change how one pair of boots works in your wardrobe, boot toppers give you a great way to do that at a fraction of the cost, and they add a polished finish to even a casual look. Try them!

I don't wear boots because a very high arch makes it difficult to find a pair that I can comfortably get my foot into, let alone wear. Pooh.

Natural Baby Collection

Yesterday I spent some time putting photos in the NEW Natural Baby Collection patterns and putting the patterns on the web.  We'll have downloads available tomorrow.  Meanwhile, enjoy, as I have, these wonderful pictures of Karen's grandkids modeling these cute garments.

Karen, from Mountain Meadow Wool, took the pics as the yarn is all made in their wonderful worsted weight Laramie, 100% Mountain Merino so soft a baby can wear it.

Don't you just love the attitude in the Soaker Skirt pic (pink top).  She's got it!


Jill sorted through all the photos Karen took and did a fabulous job of selecting pics then putting them on the fleece background.  They make me want to write captions!

Check out more pics.

Surveys

Recently, we sent out invitations to participate in one question surveys to our email list.

The One-Skein Project survey asked:  

Which type of one-skein project are you most likely to choose in a fingering weight yarn?

542 knitters responded, with the following results:

Gloves       20%
Scarf (flat) Scarf (flat) 51%
Cowl Cowl          29%
Beret Beret          15%

(I just checked the math and these don't add up to 100% because people could select more than one.)


Next, the Choosing Yarn survey asked:

When choosing yarn, what most impacts your decision when price is similar and color is not an issue?

481 responded, with the following results:

Fiber Content   68.5%
Softness            27.5%
Twist or ply        3.2%
No response (wrote comments only)  less than 1%

We set this survey up so knitters could add comments.  We got lots of those and thank you!  Knitters are a thoughtful bunch and many like to share, which is how we all learn. 

The next survey, Luxury Fibers, went out a couple of days ago.  So far 320 have responded to the question:

When considering a luxury yarn, what fiber do you most prefer with merino?

Alpaca        28%
Cashmere   27%
Silk             41%
Other             3%  (this latter seems to mostly be combinations of the above)

We're having fun learning what knitters like.  Look for more surveys from Y2Knit!

The little things

Sometimes it's just the little things that make our day.  Yesterday, the little thing for me was my Ear Light.  I was sitting down to eat dinner about 6:30 and the power went out.  I have one flashlight, a very heavy one, and some battery operated candles which give off just a low glow.  I also have a bright, lightweight ear light!

I put it on my ear and was good to go. Enjoyed my dinner (lentil dahl, cauliflower curry and spicy green beans) and dug into my Jonathan Franzen book.  I had planned to be at the computer and after a moment's wishing I had an iPad (charged), just enjoyed the reading time.   I was so grateful to have an easy solution.  I was just about to switch to knitting when the power came on ninety minutes later.

When my son visited recently, he put his ear light on to go out to the car to get something in the dark.  Jill wore hers when she couldn't sleep at TNNA and didn't want to wake me.  I used it the other night when I had alarm issues and couldn't get enough light on the panel to read it.  Everyone should have one!  Probably more useful than an iPad!