A New Project Finished!

This is definitely not a great picture, but here is the newest item for stinkR. I finally finished the first matching set of headband and mitts for runners! What you are seeing is the back of the headband, which I tied into a knot for a snug fit.

I had this idea a few months ago. I made myself mitts and I love wearing them to run. Cold hands are a distraction when I'm running. Then, I started making a leg warmer for someone for Christmas, but switched to make them something else. The unfinished leg warmer looked about right to seam and use as a headband, so that's what I did. Voila! No more cold ears! The headband covers just the tips of the ears, not the whole ear, for safety reasons. Also, I am only using bright colors, also for safety reasons. My next set will be black and neon green. I'm making a whole line of these for the shop, quick and easy.

I am getting used to waking early and spending quality time on Etsy and in stinkR. I've been trying to find my own way around Etsy for a few months and have not made much progress. I recently joined a very active team of Etsians, Promotional Frenzy Team, and I am excited to see the difference this will make. Everyone promotes everyone else's work and there are daily goals and activities to keep everyone on track. Right up my alley! I even have a mentor, wow! I wasn't expecting such personal attention. Suddenly, all the plans I have for my shop feel attainable. I feel like I am in transition from hobbyist knitter to professional knitter and I see a long road ahead. I'm ready!

Yesterday, there was no knitting accomplished. You can read about it here. Today I have lots of housework on the agenda, but also lots of knitting. I hope you have a productive day, too!

Monday, Monday

A typical Monday starts like this: waking up at 2am with sever abdominal pain, thinking you are hungry and eating a string cheese, going back to sleep only to wake up and barf a few hours later. Yep, feels like Monday! Hopefully it will pass because I  have a lot on my plate today!

I cast on the bridal shawl this weekend and the progress is slow. This is why I don't usually use small needles, takes a long time to feel like you're getting anything done! The pattern is such a simple one, though, I don't mind. I'm almost 10 rows in and the emerging pattern is gorgeous. Definitely worth it!

My shop now has an official banner! I love it. I took a spontaneous, random picture of my knitting needles and a logo was born. Who knew? Check it out. I also made it the cover photo on Facebook. This is all part of taking the shop to the next level.

I'm off and running today, my trusty project bag by my side! I hope you have a better start to your Monday than I did!

A Productive Day

Wow! Since I made the decision to get serious about my Etsy shop, my knitting life has become much more busy. Today I spent a lot of time knitting, compared to the last two days which were devoted to the business end of an online shop. I'm waiting for one more step at Etsy, joining a team and getting a mentor, and then I think my commitment to my shop will officially be a second job.

Or would that be a third job? Homeschooling counts!

Here is a picture of the Kelly green scarf fresh off the needles tonight. I knit this in mock cable stitch and it is just lovely. I'm planning to add a button that can slip right through the cable, making this an adjustable cowl.

I also cast on the bridal shawl, finally! I have had this pattern in my magazine stack and mental file for months. Two weeks ago, I went through all my magazines and removed the projects I knew I wanted to do. The bridal shawl was at the top of the pile. I bought the needles and the yarn last week, but I needed to finish a couple other projects before starting this one. Finally, finally, it is on the needles! I'm so excited to see how this turns out. I think it will be a beautiful addition to the shop.