My latest work in progress... I'm making a top for my friend out of South West Trading Company's Bamboo in the color called Sahara.
I have to tell you that I just love the drape that I got for this top! This project is being crocheted instead of knitted and it still feels so good... and best of all sexy! :-) I'd love to personally feel this fabric against my skin - it's soft with a cool touch to it and just feels so good. You understand if you've ever worked with SWTC's Bamboo before. :-)
Pictured is the back of the top with the front kind of scrumpled up at the left below the skein. I can't wait to finish this and hear how well my friend likes it. The color is awesome, but just not a "Pinka" favorite. I love bright colors and never seem to get bored... but for some reason I'm having a little trouble picking this up to finish it - as much as I want to get it completed. The colors are just not exciting for me so I find myself getting a little bored at times. So, in the mean time, I'm playing with other yarns and swatching for my next design and project. :-)
So, the big question is... will I be able to get this completed for next week? I sure hope so!!!! :-) Don't have too much more to go and the back always seems to be the largest piece so the rest should go pretty quickly. :-)

Take care,
Pinka

Lookie! Lookie!

Look at my newest sock! :-) I know that you can't see much in this tiny picture, but the good thing is that this pattern is available for free at www.soysilk.com! :-) Just click on patterns from the top menu, then free patterns will be available as an option on your left side. :-)
This sock is a crochet sock - only the 2nd in the South West Trading sock collection, and has a really cute 4 leaf clover edging. I know it's after St. Patricks day, but I was on vacation last week and didn't have access to the computer. :-) :-) Yeah, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. :-) :-)

I really was on vacation last week - went to visit friends and family in CA and had a great time. My son learned how to play miniature golf and had to play every day we were there. He was a pretty good student too - he got a hold in one in his first game. :-)

Okay, I didn't mean for this blog to be about my vacation so I'll keep ya hanging there. :-) What I did want to talk about was needing to sprout more hands! :-) I'm in desperate need for test knitters and crocheters! I actually need more crocheters than knitters, but anyone who can do both would be awesome. I've hand picked a few people close to me to help me already, but a few cannot work with wool unfortunately, or do not work with sock weight yarn. So I have a call out for at least a couple more crocheters to help me with my latest project. Anyone interested? :-)

I have about 5 projects that I've swatched up and am in the process of writing and have yarn lined up for about 15 more projects. I just don't have enough hands to get all of the projects done. :-) That's a good thing, eh? My brain is working way faster than the fingers - but then, it usually does. I hope to get some project pictures up here pretty soon before they get published so you all can take a peek. :-) Of course my photography skills are really bad so I know my pictures will not look as good as the professional ones that are used for publication. :-)

I'm looking forward to have my kids start school again next week. Having them home as been wonderful but painful at the same time. Trying to keep them occupied while I try to 'work' has been a challenge... but they're just so gosh darn cute I can't help enjoy being with them. I it will be nice to get something done. :-)

Okay... I'm going to stop my incoherent babbling and try to get something done.

Pinka

Grumble, grumble

Yes, I'm not happy right now. Yeah, I'm still my happy go lucky self, but I just read a really interesting post that I totally agree with but need to disagree with at the same time. It's about teaching and how larger venues disrespect their teachers by paying them so little - so that it's actually costing the teacher to teach there. Yes, I totally agree here because it's true - I've experienced it first hand. ...and yes, I did teach a few years ago before my son was born - and at a pretty large show. I'm not that much of a nobody in the crochet world. :-)

The two years that I taught were dreams come true to me... this is where I start getting to the disagreeing part... I was teaching what I love to do - and teaching at a national conference. Sure, it was not covering all of the airfare, barely covered the hotel and meals, but it still helped cut down the cost than if I would have gone there without teaching. I enjoy teaching so much that many times I teach for free... I know I'm going to be blasted for saying that, but that's how I am. I get distracted with other stuff going on in my household to pump out dozens and dozens of designs each month, so I haven't had enough to submit to magazines, books or anything like that. When I do manage to get a little design together, I almost give it away to the yarn company that provided me the yarn. :-) I know that if I just sit down and get all of my ideas into designs I know that I can make a nice little business going here... and believe me, I have LOTS of ideas that are pretty unique. I wish I could show you my ideas books - filled with swatches, notes, stitch instructions and such. I was able to fill 4 of these notebooks with ideas when my son was a newborn. :-)

So, going back to the national conferences...

Unfortunately I got turned down for all 7 of my class proposals for this summers conference - it irritates me a bit because when I saw the list of classes that were accepted, there were a few that I personally would have taught someone to do for free - it's too simple and basic. But maybe that's what they wanted? Who knows... all I know is that I feel rejected. But even still, I'm sad because it will be yet another year that I will not be able to see some of my friends that I've made at those shows. Is being short paid as a teacher worth this? For me it is!!! :-) I'm wondering if anyone is going to remember who I am when I finally get to go to one of these conferences again. That would just kill me... "Pinka who?"

The blog that I read is by a very well known designer and teacher who can pretty much name her price and people will pay. She's a very talented woman and I can only wish to get the same kind of luck that she's had in the designing and teaching world. I respect her very much and would love to meet her one day. But she was talking about how she can make more money by teaching at smaller yarn shops and can get her bills paid. All I can say about that is WOW! I wish I could make enough to support my yarn habit! :-) If I tried to teach at any of the local yarn shops (and I don't have many out here), they'd just laugh me out of the shop. And this is that they know me! Can you imagine if I tried to approach any other shop?!?!?! I'd be a joke to them or they'd accuse me of prank calling. :-) :-)

Am I bitter about this? Nah... not that much. I like being a stay at home mom right now and look forward to working my way up to being able to get many of my crazy ideas in my little books 'out there' for other to see. :-) And if I ever become a 'known designer', I think I may still take the loss to go to one of these larger conferences because unlike teaching at the smaller yarn shops, these larger ones are good for networking - yeah, I've met many people at past conferences that I now consider friends... and I'm pretty sure that if I asked them for help in getting my designs published or teaching, I'm sure that they would be happy to help. I just haven't done that yet because I'm happy right now being a nobody. :-) :-) :-) I live in a world filled with Lego's, Thomas the Train, Spider-man and Sesame Street - and I wouldn't want to change any of that. :-) :-) :-)

Your 'nobody but happy' friend,

Pinka