Yarn-along: on cables and colorwork and crafting a career
~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

Yarn-along: January 29, 2014
Good morning … snow on the ground … 12 degrees (at 0630) … and the highschoolers/dh are home on a snow day. Life is good as we’re all safe, warm and have power.
AND I can always knit…
On the knitting front:
In progress: I’ve got the body of the cabled sweater done (up to the underarms) and have started on the sleeves (as you can see in the picture above). The plan is to have the cable that runs up the center top of the sleeve continue across the shoulders (saddle-shoulder style) and into a hood. Cool, huh? I haven’t been knitting on this much so the sleeve isn’t too far along … but we’ll get there.
Newest designs: I posted a new design this week: Road-Trip Cowl, a perfect design for this frigid weather we’ve been having across the country. Knit all in the round with bulky yarn (the sample used a skein of Swedish Yarn’s Duo — 100% acrylic that is amazing to knit and wear!), this one goes fast … I knit it on the way home from the NC Mountains at Christmas-time. Here is a collage of pictures so you can what it looks like:
On the reading table:
Read-along: We’re still working on King Arthur by Sir James Knowles — we love the language and the fascinating tales that are unlike the watered-down versions that get filmed. Lots of chivalry and derring-do that makes this a fun read for both my 13yod and 11yos!
Knitting books: Love this book from Mary Jane Mucklestone! Fair Isle Style: 20 Fresh Designs for a Classic Technique is not just eye-candy for stranded colorwork knitters; it is packed with amazing and unique designs and colorways as well as lots of tips for making your colorwork really sensational. This book, one in the Interweave “Style” series (I think I own all of them … just don’t tell dh), has a final section titled, Design Notebook, with practical tips and how to design your own color combinations and stitch patterns.
Crafting a Career: With the economy the way it is, I’m going to have to beef up my fiber work, bringing more money into the family coffers [so go ahead and buy as many of my patterns as you’d like … we’d sure appreciate the funds!]. As I put out feelers into the fiber industry (as well as local work possibilities), I want to learn as much as I can about crafting a career. What better place to start than a book — especially today when I’ll be able to sit and get some reading done while the kids entertain each other on yet another snow day! Country Living’s Crafting a Business: Make Money Doing What You Love is filled with anecdotal evidence of successful business women who took their crafting/artistry to a new level. This is pure inspiration for me … even if the book doesn’t have any “hand-knit designer” stories.
So what’s on your needles and reading table … wanna come play?
That cowl would absolutely be perfect and warm and cozy for the weather these days…6 degrees and snowing in my neck of the woods! I cannot wait to see your sweater all finished. I heart cables. 🙂
Your Road Trip Cowl looks nice and warm. Good luck on your journey towards a crafting career. You might want to listen to Yarn Thing podcast – she did exactly that and shared how she did it. Enjoy your snow day!
I love the Road Trip Cowl! Thanks for sharing.
The cowl looks like it’d be perfect on a cold day. And the crafting-to-business book looks fascinating – even though I don’t want to turn my crafts into a business! But as a writer and editor, I love reading about how other women are turning their talents into a business – whatever the business is.
I like the different ways the cowl can be worn, so versatile 🙂 You look lovely modeling each way!!
Thanks … my photographer is my dh … he says “you’re a Slavic beauty” … he’s a bit biased! Believe me, the cowl works (it was in the teens today and he and I went for a walk and it worked GREAT!)
Hugs,
Mary G.
Jessica … I’m with you: even if I didn’t want to make money at this, I still love reading about how others turn their God-given talents into a profitable business. I think if you do what really turns you on … what makes you smile … that will always be successful (at least that’s what I’m hoping).
Hugs,
Mary G.
I like to do cables up the sleeve and across the shoulders. That’s what I did on Colin’s gansey (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/paulaayn/his-and-hers-saddle-shoulder-sweater). Can’t wait to see the finished sweater.
Paula,
the sweater you did for Colin is beautiful! Saddle shoulders fit so nicely, don’t they? I’m going to use Elizabeth Zimmermann’s directions (with so slight mods since I HATE following “rules”) …. I should be done by end of next week …
Hugs and enjoy the journey!
Mary G.