Movin' On Over

I've decided to put my design blog stuffs on my new actual real website. Go visit... www.hooknstick.com. Thanks!!

LBD

I've been working on the little black dress. I tried to swatch but because of the way that the increases are supposed to make a gental curve to the collar I had to make it full size. I like how it looks so far, and how the rest looks in my head. I can't wait to see done!

I also had a request for another submission to The Smart Knitter and I sent them my Stripey, Springy Socklets. Little half ped things to wear when you have blackess sneakers. It is so quick and easy and is a great way to use up left over sock yarn! If they publish it, I'll let you know!

Cooling Eye Mask :)

My Cooling Eye Mask pattern has been bought and will appear in the January 2011 Crochet! Magazine. I am SO excited! I really like the design and the concept and am actually pretty proud of myself for coming up with it. Many times I see something really cool or an interesting concept and see if I can crochet it or knit it but this time it was all mine!

I am also taking a couple classes from Shannon Okey (www.knitgrrl.com) one on Publishing and the other a Designers 101 course. Of course I have already been published and have already designed but these courses are a way to fine tune what I know and teach me what I Dont Know that I dont know. So far I have updated my pattern template from boring to awesome, written a pattern submission proposal (which I'd done a few times), a book proposal (which was pretty darn cool) and come up with a Designers Checklist. So many good ideas and awesome co-students. People that I have admired their work so much and now I get to "meet" them.

On that book proposal, I think I might really start working toward something like that. The idea, as I've mentioned before on the other blog, is teaching crocheters to knit continentally since it is so similar to crochet and to give patterns in both crafts to show the differences in action. For instance, my Quilty Babyghan (which is still almost done!) would look great, but different, knitted and crocheted. I want to highlight what works better in the other craft and help crocheters stop fearing the stick! I am positive that I am not the only one that can't crochet a sock to fit on my foot!

Here's an idea of what I'm working on design-wise:
a little black dress (also the niggling of another one in my head tyvm Teen Vogue)
said babyghan
a yolk sweater with fair isle (fancy schmancy!)
a cable front sweater
another cable front sweater
a little girls dance skirt
a series (purse, vest, jacket) based on a common coat type

Is that it? hrm. Well, I guess I'll get to it!

Ribbons has a home

And so does Sweet Summertime!!
I was contacted by The Smart Knitter asking for patterns and an article for their upcoming newsletter and these are the 2 patterns I offered. Sweet Summertime was already done and tested just waiting for a publisher, and Ribbons of course was still at swatch and sketch phase. The deadline? Yeah, 2 days. So I knit like the wind and got it done last night.... a little later than he would have liked but I'm not a very speedy knitter. At least my pattern notes were reliable and easy to follow and best of all Right!

I also wrote an article talking about Ribbons and my heart for breast cancer research so that was a really fun thing.

In a month or so I will be able to put it up for sale to anyone that does not subscribe to the newsletter, that way I can raise some much needed money for Making Strides.

Yay!

I have another idea that I'm going to sketch out for KnitPicks, we'll see if they like this one better? Boy I wish my sketching skills were better.

Ribbons & Cooling Eye Mask

I got a note from KnitPicks that they already have some other designs in the works similar to Ribbons. Too bad, but I will finish it up and make it available. I am hopeful that I will be able to use it to raise money for the Making Strides Walk that I will be doing again this year.

Here are some pics of the Cooling Eye Mask. I have gotten some great notes from the testers and I have submitted it for publication. I should know in the next few weeks if it will be accepted.

*** pics removed until publication!***

Cooling Eye Mask

You would think that I would take better notes. I mean really!

I'm typing up the pattern from the scribbles for my eye mask to get it to the testers and I apparently couldn't count when I was writing it. Yeah, shocker.

So Now I'm looking at the piece and trying to dissect it without actually frogging back to the offending row and re-doing it. UGH!!

Current Projects

I finished knitting a swatch a couple days ago for "Ribbons Hat" - an awareness cap that I need to block then send over to KnitPicks to see if it is something they'd like to put in their design program.

Last night I finished up the "Cooling Eye Mask". I need to test the cooling part of the concept and block it, then I'll figure out what to do with it. My goal with this is pretty self-serving... my new meds caused terrible eye strain and I would get THE worst headaches RIGHT behind my eyes. This was created to help with that. Did you know that dried corn, when put in the freezer for a bit, stay cool for a long time? Yeah, me neither! Once that's checked out and photographed I'll send it over to the testing group to make sure my scribbles are right.

So now that those are finished, I am looking at my sketch book for the next thing on my list.

I have a completed design of "Sweet Summertime" - a crochet little girl top and I would like to also design it up in knit. That goes with my ultimate goal, of offering the same patterns in both knit and crochet (or at least similar patterns).

Besides "Sweet Summertime", I am also almost finished crocheting a "Quilty Baby Blanket" that I want to offer in knit also, as well as a cable sweater idea that I want to do in both but right now I've just been swatching in my head!

Pirate Skull Hat

I have my Pirate Skull Cap up for sale on Ravelry. I am so excited! If you have the extra $2 and need a hat to knit, here ya go:


Pirate Skull Hat

Hook 'N Stick Designs

I have a new name!! I've decided that I need to re-vamp my "design business". I have been "doing business" for so long under Brandee's Crochet that it doesn't really reflect what I am doing anymore. No knitting, no design, so time for a change. Also, I really am not fond of using my name in there anymore. Call me kooky.

Anyway, after much thinking, discussing, brainstorming and idea gathering I have decided on the name Hook 'N Stick Designs. I like it!

Here on this blog I will write about my crochet and knit designs, but I will keep My Crochet spot ongoing with general project and family updates. Let's get rolling.

My currently published patterns include:

Pirate Skull Cap - 2009 Knitting Pattern-A-Day Calendar










Letter-Baby Jacket - January 2009 Crochet! Magazine










Purse-Onality Plus - March 2010 Crochet! Magazine