We're getting closer and closer to publication, and I've got some exciting pictures to share! Check out this cover art, and click the title link to see the publisher's blog!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Covert art sneak peek- exclusive!
We're getting closer and closer to publication, and I've got some exciting pictures to share! Check out this cover art, and click the title link to see the publisher's blog!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Pirates and ABCs
Do you like pirates? Are you trying to get your pirate-crazy child to want to read? Are you a parent looking for an intelligent children's picture book that doesn't talk down to children? Perhaps you're simply tired of the saccharin-sweet offerings typical of children's educational literature?
If the answer to any of the above is "yes," you'll want to bookmark this blog!
Very soon, Black Kraken Books will be publishing my new book, "Letters of Marque: ABCs for the Savvy Scalawag." This 32-page, fully illustrated book is filled with delightful pictures, snappy rhymes, vivid colors, and an engaging hunt for hidden letters. Both parents and children will love this intelligent, nautically-themed paperback.
From Anchor to Yarrr!, small swashbucklers are offered an alternative to the standard "A: Apple" boredom.
"Letters of Marque" is coming soon, so stay tuned for previews, reviews, sneak peeks, and even your choice between secure E-store and Amazon links for purchasing!
If the answer to any of the above is "yes," you'll want to bookmark this blog!
Very soon, Black Kraken Books will be publishing my new book, "Letters of Marque: ABCs for the Savvy Scalawag." This 32-page, fully illustrated book is filled with delightful pictures, snappy rhymes, vivid colors, and an engaging hunt for hidden letters. Both parents and children will love this intelligent, nautically-themed paperback.
From Anchor to Yarrr!, small swashbucklers are offered an alternative to the standard "A: Apple" boredom.
"Letters of Marque" is coming soon, so stay tuned for previews, reviews, sneak peeks, and even your choice between secure E-store and Amazon links for purchasing!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Blankets of Belief
This is going to read more like a recruitment post than a blog. Ah, well, it can't be helped. Next post should be about the blanket with pictures =)
The Soldiers' Angels have launched their 2009/2010 "Blankets of Belief" drive:
Our goal is to send 180,000 HOMEMADE BLANKETS
made with “love and belief in you”
to our service members spending another holiday in the warzones.
Read that again... 180,000 blankets. Holy cow. That's a lot of blankets! And not a one of them knit or crocheted (fiber arts blankets go to vets). No-sew fleece or quilts only! Yikes! Well, I don't quilt, and my sewing is pathetic, but I'm intrigued by this "no sew" idea. Like I don't have enough projects already, I know, but come on. I have like four months to do this. Plenty of time... right? Shoot, I might even learn how to quilt. (Insert maniacal laughter here.)
For anyone interested, the links are at the top of this post, or the Soldiers' Angels link is on the left there. (But, you know, not under "links" because Blogger's "easy links" thing confuses me.) Please note there are over 1,000 soldiers still waiting to be adopted, too, so if blankets aren't your thing, maybe you'd be interested in writing a letter a week to one of our deployed heroes?
May no soldier go unloved
Until they all come home...
(Oh, and if you were interested in my Sock Wars progress? I "got killed" the first week.)
The Soldiers' Angels have launched their 2009/2010 "Blankets of Belief" drive:
Our goal is to send 180,000 HOMEMADE BLANKETS
made with “love and belief in you”
to our service members spending another holiday in the warzones.
Read that again... 180,000 blankets. Holy cow. That's a lot of blankets! And not a one of them knit or crocheted (fiber arts blankets go to vets). No-sew fleece or quilts only! Yikes! Well, I don't quilt, and my sewing is pathetic, but I'm intrigued by this "no sew" idea. Like I don't have enough projects already, I know, but come on. I have like four months to do this. Plenty of time... right? Shoot, I might even learn how to quilt. (Insert maniacal laughter here.)
For anyone interested, the links are at the top of this post, or the Soldiers' Angels link is on the left there. (But, you know, not under "links" because Blogger's "easy links" thing confuses me.) Please note there are over 1,000 soldiers still waiting to be adopted, too, so if blankets aren't your thing, maybe you'd be interested in writing a letter a week to one of our deployed heroes?
May no soldier go unloved
Until they all come home...
(Oh, and if you were interested in my Sock Wars progress? I "got killed" the first week.)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
StarKnits is holding a Sock Wars 4 contest!
I love people who give stuff away. I've never won anything, but just the possibility that I *could* win fills me with glee.
Until the inevitable disappointment. But by then, there's a new contest somewhere, so it's all good.
StarKnits is giving away Sock Wars bags! Here's a link to her blog and the contest!
If your knitterly inclined, you should also check out her Etsy store. Aren't those socks darling??
Did I mention Sock Wars 4 is starting again soon? I'm so excited. I've signed up, got my yarn, knitted up the practice pair, and have taken a week off work so I'll be able to knit my brains out. Whee!
Until the inevitable disappointment. But by then, there's a new contest somewhere, so it's all good.
StarKnits is giving away Sock Wars bags! Here's a link to her blog and the contest!
If your knitterly inclined, you should also check out her Etsy store. Aren't those socks darling??
Did I mention Sock Wars 4 is starting again soon? I'm so excited. I've signed up, got my yarn, knitted up the practice pair, and have taken a week off work so I'll be able to knit my brains out. Whee!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
But what's her Ravelry name?
The earthquake in Italy was a terrible tragedy in which hundreds of people lost their lives and homes. There will be other places on the net to detail that.
My interest is in Maria D’Antuono, who, at 98, spent the 30 hours she was trapped under her bed... knitting. (Or possibly crocheting. It's not clear.)
This from Timesonline.co.uk:"I worked, I knitted," said Mrs D'Antuono, from the village of Tempera, close to L'Aquila. The redoubtable nonagenarian told rescuers that she was in good health when she was found this morning, according to Sky TG24.
From www.gaurdian.co.uk:
The 98-year-old villager, from Tempera, near L'Aquila, yesterday became one of the latest survivors to be dragged from the rubble left by Monday's devastating earthquake in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. For 30 interminable hours, she lay below the ruins of her house, a few miles from the epicentre.
So what did she do to while away the time, not knowing whether she would live or die as rescue workers dug towards her? The answer, it seems, was "crochet".
According to the Ansa news agency, D'Antuono was pulled from the rubble to cheers from the crowd and briefly answered questions from a reporter for Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset television network before she was taken to hospital. Asked how she had passed the time since her house had collapsed on her, she reportedly said she had been busy with her hook and wool.
She was given a packet of biscuits, but had a request that left onlookers even more astonished than before - and gave an entire new dimension to the concept of bella figura (which roughly translates as keeping up appearances). Before leaving for hospital, she said, she wanted a comb.
This is heartwarming. It's amusement amidst horror. It's a human-interest story showing the unbelievable pluck of an elderly lady. But knitters, crocheters, and fiber-fanatics around the world are noticing some glaring omissions in the story:
What was she working on, how much did she get done, and will somebody please post pictures of her project?
My interest is in Maria D’Antuono, who, at 98, spent the 30 hours she was trapped under her bed... knitting. (Or possibly crocheting. It's not clear.)
This from Timesonline.co.uk:"I worked, I knitted," said Mrs D'Antuono, from the village of Tempera, close to L'Aquila. The redoubtable nonagenarian told rescuers that she was in good health when she was found this morning, according to Sky TG24.
From www.gaurdian.co.uk:
The 98-year-old villager, from Tempera, near L'Aquila, yesterday became one of the latest survivors to be dragged from the rubble left by Monday's devastating earthquake in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. For 30 interminable hours, she lay below the ruins of her house, a few miles from the epicentre.
So what did she do to while away the time, not knowing whether she would live or die as rescue workers dug towards her? The answer, it seems, was "crochet".
According to the Ansa news agency, D'Antuono was pulled from the rubble to cheers from the crowd and briefly answered questions from a reporter for Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset television network before she was taken to hospital. Asked how she had passed the time since her house had collapsed on her, she reportedly said she had been busy with her hook and wool.
She was given a packet of biscuits, but had a request that left onlookers even more astonished than before - and gave an entire new dimension to the concept of bella figura (which roughly translates as keeping up appearances). Before leaving for hospital, she said, she wanted a comb.
This is heartwarming. It's amusement amidst horror. It's a human-interest story showing the unbelievable pluck of an elderly lady. But knitters, crocheters, and fiber-fanatics around the world are noticing some glaring omissions in the story:
What was she working on, how much did she get done, and will somebody please post pictures of her project?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
You know you knit too much when...
He looked cold and tired, so I brought him inside.
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Four hours later....
*cue montage music*
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Don't judge me. I need help.
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Four hours later....
*cue montage music*
\/
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Don't judge me. I need help.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Abstract Camouflage Beanie
Abstract Camouflage Beanie Hat
Technique: Knitting
Level: Intermediate (decreases, ribbing)
The stitch pattern used is “Abstract Mosaic” found at http://www.knittingonthenet.com/stitches/mosaicabstract.htm.
This hat pattern is, to the best of my knowledge, my own design, and as such is free for personal use or charitable donations. Please do not sell this pattern.
Needles:
US 8 / 5.0 mm circs
US 10 / 6.0 mm circs & dpns
Yarn:
Bernat Camouflage Ombres
10483 Renegade
29481 Outback
Gauge:
4.5 st/in, 5 rows/in in pattern. Final dimensions: 7.75” x 19”
Notes:
Stitches used: knit (k), purl (p), knit 2 together (k2tog), slip purlwise (sl)
Used Renegade as color A, Outback as color B.
Pattern within double parenthesis ((!)) should be repeated until 2 st from end on each round.
Cast on 84 on smaller needles, with rib cable cast on (aka alternate cable cast on). Join being careful, etc.
Rib with k1, p1 for 1 inch with color A. Place stitch marker. (84 st total)
Switch to larger needles, also 16” circs.
Pattern:
Round 1(color A): k2 tog, ((k2, sl 3, k3)), rep, end with k2. (83 st total)
Round 2 and all even rows(continue with color from previous round): K all knit st, slip all sl st.
Round 3 (color B): k1, ((k1, sl 1, k5, sl)) rep, end with k2.
Round 5 (A): k1, ((sl 1, k3, sl 1, k3)) rep, end sl 1, k1.
Round 7 (B): k1, ((k3, sl 1, k1, sl 1, k2)) rep, end k2.
Round 9(A): k1, ((sl 1, k5, sl 2)) rep, end sl 1, k1.
Round 11(B): k1, ((k1, sl 1, k1, sl 1, k4)) rep, end k2.
Round 13(A): k1, ((k2, sl 1, k3, sl 1, k1)) rep, end k2.
Round 15(B):k1, ((k5, sl 1, k1, sl 1)) rep, end k2.
Repeat pattern 2x, then do one more round 1 and 2. (Or until piece measures approximately 5.5 inches.)
Decrease rounds are worked more or less in pattern with a k2tog after 8 stitches. Note that the following pattern is approximate. Some stitches listed as slipped must be knit, then the following knit stitch should be slipped, to keep slipped stitches from extending more than 2 rows.
R1: ((k5, sl1, k1, sl1, k2tog, place marker,)) rep to last 3, k2tog, sl1.
R2 and all even rounds: Work in pattern according to decrease: knit each knit and slip sl stitches. Transfer to dpns when appropriate.
R3: ((k1, sl, k3, sl1, k1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to last 2, k2tog.
R5: ((sl1, k1, sl1, k3, k2tog, place marker)) rep to last st. To get rid of remaining st, slip and k2tog with first st of next round:
R7: k2tog, sl1, k3, k2tog, place marker, ((k1, sl1, k3, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R9: ((k3, sl1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R11: ((sl1, k1, sl1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R13: ((k1, sl1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R15: ((sl, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R17: ((k2tog)) rep to end. Do not continue to round 18.
Break yarn, use tapestry needle to pull yarn through remaining 8 stitches. Secure.
I added a stylish oak leaf from Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies, attached by a safety pin because I know perfectly well the recipient won’t care for it- he wants to go hunting and it would catch on twigs and the like. Thing is, he said he wanted a “Mossy Oak” pattern hat… and I’m just not good enough to do that sort of thing! So an oak leaf is my way of teasing him about it.
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