I guess that really should be that today is the day, right? After all, it's 1:00 in the morning. 

For the last two days, I have worked on the Options Vest pattern. It wasn't the pattern instructions that took very long. After all, I've completed the vest SEVEN times already! Whew! It was the grading (sizing). The grading, as you know, is something I devised myself specifically for plus sizes and I wanted to grade it in sizes 1X through 5X. I've never gone over 3X before, so I was a bit concerned.

I discovered that grading these sizes is very difficult. I can well understand why it isn't done very frequently. Trying to get a 33" fabric down to a 16" fabric in only six inches of height isn't easy. But, I feel that I have finally accomplished it. And, I have a final draft of the pattern. I'll be going over it once again in the morning.

Since I'm still unsure of myself and my new system of grading, I've decided to enlist the help of several online friends. I will be sending the pattern to them for perusal and possible stitchery. I'd like to get feedback from them to find out whether this grading system will be suitable. They are currently waiting, hooks in hand, to begin working on the vest.

Once I get some feedback, I will open up the pattern for purchase. It looks like we'll have to wait just a little bit longer before it is available. But, it's better if I get feedback first. In the future, I don't expect it to take this long to produce the plus size patterns I have in mind. Just this once, I'd like to obtain this crucial information. Then, we'll be ready to rock and roll.

And, while they are working on the pattern, I'll be working on the new book. Yarn will arrive tomorrow and I'm ready!

I wish you all could see Christian. He is really starting to talk like crazy. It's getting easier and easier to understand him. And, he tries to repeat just about everything that is said. And, he wants to help with just about anything being done. When I take him for a walk to the store, he's getting better at staying with me and holding my hand. Although, he loses this restraint only when there is someone outside walking their dog. There are no hold's barred where dogs or cats are concerned, apparently.

Another piece of exciting news is that I will be interviewed on a live internet radio broadcast on September 1. Be sure to check out Getting Loopy with Mary Beth Temple. If you are able to attend during the live broadcast, it looks like you can even call in to ask questions! What fun! And, if you aren't able to listen to the interview during the live broadcast, you can always download it and listen to it later on iTunes. I hope you'll have a listen! I'll be discussing Tunisian crochet and my new adventures into plus size garments. Enjoy!

So, it looks like things are going to start gearing up again! Yesterday, I was asked to do a book again. Yay!  It's good to be busy! I was starting to think things would be slow for awhile. But, in one day, I discovered that things are definitely going to start picking up!

I have ordered the yarn and I will receive it next week. But, here's the deal. This book is due by October 1! Wowzah! I shall be working like mad trying to get it finished in time. And, once it's published, I will be able to say to you all: Here is the book that I finished in a month! Whew!  Now is the time when I wished that Brianna and Christian knew how to crochet.

Before the yarn arrives, I plan on finishing up the Options Vest. Right now, I'm making the optional model, without the asymmetrical hem in the front. I'll be providing lots of variety with this one. It is a good, basic vest pattern. Very easy stitches. Again, I plan on sizes 1X-5X. But, since I haven't yet worked out the sizing, I don't want to offer the pattern for sale yet. I want to be certain it will work. Once I'm certain, I will post it on my website. I'll have more information by the end of the weekend.

Next, I know that a lot of you are waiting for the Princesa, shown here:


I'm unable to get the pattern written for this one right now. It will have to wait until after the book. And, there are a couple of other designs from The Knit & Crochet Show that will also have to wait.

I know that you're waiting for the little girl designs I've planned for Knitpicks Shine Sport. Unfortunately, those will have to wait as well. It's not a bad thing, really. Since this is a lighter yarn, it will be better get them available in time for spring instead of in time for winter, right?

Now, if I seem to be ignoring the blog and not posting as much, don't worry. We're okay. We'll just be very busy, once again.

It was pretty overcast this morning, so I figured it would be a terrific morning for some photos of the Dreams Shawl. They came out really nice!


I am getting ready to email everyone who has purchased the pattern at the pre-publishing discount. If you do not receive your pattern, please check your spam folder. If you still do not have it, please be sure to email me and let me know. Remember that the pattern will go to your registered email address with PayPal.

I will continue to honor the pre-publishing discount of $3.99 until August 22, 2008. So, if you would like this pattern at the discount, please visit this page to order. All future orders will be through automatic download. Alternatively, you can also order the pattern on Ravelry here, which will allow you to retain a copy of the PDF in your Ravelry library. Enjoy!

I had a little bit of time to do fun photos today. These aren't going to the be "official" photos for the project, but just showing what fun I've been having with this design.

This is the one that I'll be using for photography. It's in NaturallyCaron.com's Country yarn, a merino blend in color Foliage.


Here is the back so that you can see where the hem lies. The asymmetrical hem with the diagonal lines is only in the front.


And, here is the one I made for myself and wore at The Knit & Crochet Show. It reminded me of tie-dye, so I wore bell bottoms with it.


And, I needed something to make for the trip back. So, while at The Show, I picked up two more skeins of Noro Kuryeon Sock to make this one....for my mother.


I had to use the 2X pattern with the sock yarn since it's significantly smaller. But, it worked out pretty well. The 2X pattern makes a 1X without much adjustment by me.

And, here's another photo of the Dreams Shawl. Remember that this one will be available on August 22 and it's still available at a pre-publishing discount at this link until that date.

Perhaps there was a little bit of this happening this week as well. 

(Vicki M, these are for you!)

Okay, I am almost ready to release the Dreams Shawl. This one was first seen at The Knit & Crochet Show and I've been working on the test model this week.

Initially, I had used Claudia Handpainted Silk Lace (the green). Unfortunately, due to a mishap with the yarn during shipment, I wasn't able to complete the entire shawl in this tremendously gorgeous silk and had to make a few adjustments to my pattern. But, while at The Show, I was able to pick up some Skaska laceweight in a silk/cashmere blend (the lilac). This yarn is a little bit tinier than the Claudia Handpainted. Claudia is 1100 yards per 100 grams and the Skaska is 1650 yards per 100 grams. So, for the last five days, I have done a crochet marathon, stitching up the test model in the Skaska, knowing that I would have plenty. The results are just as extraordinary as the 100% silk. I believe I've used about 1200-1300 yards. And, I must say that having an heirloom quality shawl (in CASHMERE AND SILK!) for just under $40? Wow! The yarn is extremely luxurious and yet, very economical as well.

The pattern will be available on August 22 and it can be pre-ordered on my website here.



Next will be the vest! Look for it next week!

I have had so many wonderful emails about the new vest design! Thank you so very much! I'm glad you like it!

I'll be writing the pattern next week and it will be available at some point by the end of that week. I'll be making it available at a pre-publishing discount for one week, so be sure to check my blog for updates.

For those of you itching to make the vest, I'll let you know that I used five balls of Naturally Caron Country for the size 1X. Country is a DK weight, merino blend yarn. It comes in 185 yard balls, which makes total yardage for the 1X only 925 yards! And, I didn't even use all of the last one!

The project is very quick, can be lengthened or shortened easily. And, I was able to finish the model in only one day. Albeit, it was a very LONG day! Hence the reason I've made five models so far. Yep! FIVE models! I was experimenting with my grading and different yarn weights. But, it is really funny that I've finished five models in less than a month.

After three years of research, last month, I decided to put my grading skills to the test. (Grading is the sewing term for creating different sizes.)

A few days before I left for The Knit & Crochet Show, I decided that I would like to do a crocheted garment for my best friend, Jeannine. (Hi, Jeannine!) Although I see her quite frequently, and I could have easily measured her, I wanted to do a vest for her without measuring her. I wanted to prove, once and for all, that I really could grade patterns correctly. It's always pretty easy for me to grade patterns for small, medium and large. It's the sizes above that causing the confusion.

The day before we left for The Show, after I worked non-stop for about 18-20 hours straight, I had her try on the vest. And, my friends, I cried. I broke down and cried. (I already mentioned that I cry a lot, right? hahahahaha)

The vest fit her perfectly! The armholes didn't come down to the waist! The shoulders didn't slip off the sides to about mid-bicep! The neckline was perfect! It came out great! Don't take my word for it! I have a photo. (Pay no attention to those strangly ends at the bottom. I assure you that I wove them all in for her to wear it to the fashion show/dinner.)


I have specifically designed this garment to be flattering to all shapes. It has lovely asymmetrical lines in the front, which I find to be VERY flattering. Because the hem is worked in this diagonal fashion, it avoids any of the "riding up" that happens with plus size fashions. It can be completed in a weekend and is made in very easy stitches. The size 2X uses less than 1000 yards. What more could anyone want in the perfect vest?

If there appears to be a lot of interest in the vest, I plan on offering a lot more plus size garments designed specifically for plus sizes. These won't be garments designed for my skinny, mini daughter then sized up to plus size. No, these will be garments that I will design for myself and sized accordingly. In fact, I plan on modeling them myself as well! Whoa, boy! And, here I hate my photo taken! That's how passionate I am about these designs!

Now, it comes time for me to write out the pattern. I plan on offering this pattern using Naturally Caron's new Country yarn, a lovely DK merino blend. It will be written in sizes 1X-5X.

I won't be able to work on the pattern until next week, however. You'll want to be looking for it in the week of August 17. I have a deadline for a pattern for the silk shawl below by Friday and I must get it finished right away:

Okay, after reading my blog, you would probably think that I only saw Christian in the fashion show. So not true! I saw so many wonderful things that I would be hard-pressed to tell you about them all! No, it would be impossible! Yikes!

If you would like to see a boatload of photos, JenC of Crochetville has a lot posted here.

And, if you think Christian stole the show, it's only because you didn't see Brian Bergmann of Brainsbarn! I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with Brian and his wife, Anne. And, their little pug doggie, of course. Brian is the one who designed and made our wonderful 2008 CGOA commemorative hooks. Please visit his website. You will be amazed at the wonderful hooks he has made! He also has a photo of the commemorative hook.

Now, about the fashion show, here was a show stopper of all show stoppers.

You see, unknown to Brian, a vest had been planned months and months ago with the Free Form Crochet group. You don't know Free Form? Have a gander at Prudence Mapstone's work here. (No, mother, I do not know how to do Free Form crochet, so don't fall in love with it!) So, anyway, in Free Form, people make scrumbles and much like making squares and sending them from all over the world to be assembled, people made scrumbles for Brian's vest and sent it to one central person (Way to go, Mel!) and she assembled them into an outstanding vest. Anne had sneakily packed Brian's leather chaps in their luggage so that Brian could be forced...err...coaxed...errr...requested to model the vest in the fashion show. I believe it was about two nights before that he was gifted with this lovely work of art and you can see photos at Margaret Hubert's blog here.

Then, we are off to the fashion show where Brian gave the BEST performance I have ever seen! Here's just a wee photo to whet your appetite.


Now, you can head back over to Margaret's site (because, honestly, Margaret gets an award for being the best blog writer EVER since she remembered her camera!) here.  The lovely Dee Stanziano of Crochet with Dee even has a video here!

Here is a gown in the fashion show that made my jaw drop. It depicts several different Egyptian rulers, I believe. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that it's by Patricia Williams of New York, the grand prize winner of the design contest for her wedding gown entry. Please let me know if it's not by Patricia. I was so amazed by the gown that I'm afraid my ears may not have been behaving as they should when Drew announced it.


Out of all the vendors in the vendor market, by far, my favorite vendor is We Got the Buttons, owned by Penny Faich. Her work was extraordinary. Oh, it looks like she owns two websites. The other is The Glass Action. This is the vendor where I was able to pick up the PERFECT button that I will be using with the PERFECT yarn for something for my mother. I also got the most amazing light green heart necklace with matching earrings. I was able to wear it to the fashion show/dinner. I really love it! And, the perfect yarn I mentioned above is some yarn I picked up from The Elegant Ewe called Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino. I believe that it is the Sugar Maple colorway. Pretty, huh?

And, for those of you reading who happen to be Christian's grandmother, you might like to have a look at the other video on Dee's site here. For the rest of you, who are probably very tired of Christian by now, it's a short video showing all of the kids at the fashion show, so you will want to check it out so you can see the other kidlets. They all did an outstanding job!

If you can't get enough of the conference and want to know more, more, more, please visit Dee's site here. She has links to every blog entry she has been able to locate which mentions the show.

Now, my dear readers, my mother has been listening to me talk about the show for awhile and she wants to know whether non-crocheters can go. Everybody jump in here and let her know that, not only is she ABLE to go, she is welcomed and we would love to have her there!

And, lastly, here is a photo of me and Margaret Hubert that I swiped from Margaret's page because I liked it.

I was just sitting here for an entire hour writing a lovely post. But, it disappeared. I shall try to write it again tomorrow.  

As many of you know, I've spent the last couple of years doing some serious research into designing clothing. I had a lot of numbers and measurements, but I needed to know why certain measurements are what they are.

Below, you will find one of the first clothing designs after my research. It is my first published, truly fitted design. It is an A-line style, to flatter most figures. And, it is sized up to 3X. The bodice and sleeves are fitted. If you prefer something with more ease, you'll want to go up a size.

This design was a turning point for me. It helped me to explore different areas in garment design and really kicked-off the designs I am working on now.

I know that many designs available are not quite as fitted and have more ease. I purposely wanted to design something different since I am always up for a challenge. I hope you will enjoy this design.

You can find the pattern at the Michaels website.

I wasn't looking forward to this morning since it was going to involve changing code on 100+ pages of my websites. Before I went to bed last night, I put in a technical request and I haven't heard back yet. But, right after I changed 6 pages, quite suddenly, the pages started opening in Internet Explorer again. I can't explain it. But, there are still plenty of pages (not on my website) which I am still unable to open in Internet Explorer. Very strange.

If you use Internet Explorer and want to check my websites to ensure they are working properly for you, you can click below. Please let me know if you experience problems.

CrochetKim.com
KimaneDesigns.com

With the last Internet Explorer update, apparently there is a bug in the program and neither of my websites will open in that browser. I believe I have discovered what to do to force them to work. However, I won't be able to make any more changes until the morning. (Feelin' a bit tired LOL)

The websites work just fine with Firefox. I haven't made any changes to the pages at all, so I know it's something with IE.

Anyway, the websites are down and I will be working on them in the morning. See you then!

It seems that my son, Derek, must be reading my blog because this photo arrived in my email yesterday.

This is the photo of the thick fog covering the valley at 7 am.


This is the photo taken at about 10 am.


Very cool!

Still more to come. I've got this ongoing list of things I forgot to mention. But, I'm trying to knock out a project as quickly as I can just to ensure that I have enough yarn well enough before the deadline.

JenC from Crochetville caught some more shots of Christian and I couldn't resist showing them. I apologize if you're getting tired of them. But, we're having the ultimate proud mommy moment here.

Here, we see Christian working the crowd, while at the end of the runway. Over to the right, you can see the lovely, talented Vashti Braha trying to suppress a fit of laughter at seeing Christian behaving as though he owned the crowd.


Next, Jen provides this absolutely perfect action shot of Christian jumping off the end of the runway, completely unexpectedly, in order to give his adoring fans a chance to better photograph him, I guess. Now, you can see both Vashti and Brianna to the right. Brianna has the biggest grin on her face that I have ever seen her with.


And, then, we have two photos from the floor showing that this kid actually posed and turned. (Yes, the tuxedo is complete with tails.)