I'm on to the ribbed edging on Amira's cropped hoodie. It is 290 sts on each row. It's taking me a long time. However, I still think I can get it finished this week, as after that, I only have two small seams to sew. There's no photo, but I've sewn one of the side and sleeve seams on my Cross Your Heart. There's a proposal for a child's garment that is just about ready to send (today or tomorrow!) and I am finishing up the swatch for a holiday issue of a magazine for next year, that should be ready to mail early next week. I know I said that I was taking a break from submissions, but a call came up for something that I already have great plans for, and if I finish the proposals, Amira's sweater, and mine, then I will take a shot at it. If not, I'll just keep it on the back burner for a little while.


Swatch for Amira, which needs testers in about a month.
I will be needing testers in November for a woman's, sleeveless shell, knit in the round, with minimal back and forth knitting and only as much seaming as you like. As you can see from the swatch, it involves texture and simple lace. The pattern requires standard chart reading skills, ability to increase and decrease, make yos, knit in the round, and pick up stitches. Right now, I'm working on my own top in a deep red. There are no specific brand requirements for the yarn, simply a DK weight yarn that knits up at 5.5 stitches per in in stockinette (the gauge for the top will be about 5.25 spi, but I want a yarn that will drape well at that gauge). I'd like to have at least two testers per size: 29", 34", 39", 44", 49" finished bust. Yardage requirements are calculated for each size, respectively, as: 790, 900, 1000, 1100, 1225 yds. This is still an estimate, however, so I recommend getting an extra skein of whatever you buy, or if you are using stash, making sure that you have an extra ball's worth of the yarn. I'll want you to join a Facebook group for testers, if you are able, but will require a Ravelry entry, tagging me in it, and a link up when the pattern is released. The specific details will be given if you take this on for me. I will give the finished copy of the pattern to testers when the pattern is released, a percentage/amount off coupon to my Ravelry Store for those who complete the test, and a coupon for a free pattern for those who provide photos and link up to the pattern page. If you are able to do this, please contact me. Here's the weekly reminder to like Arabian Knits Designs on Facebook, if you haven't already. That's where I put updates and testing opportunities and other design news. Thank you!

We'll focus on books I'm actually making progress on this week. I've finished reading The Keeping Days with Amira, and we started Glory in the Flower today. I read this series books when I was about her age and is a sweet thing to be sharing them with her now that she is old enough. They laid the foundation for my conversion to Christianity, but not by being preachy, "message," stories, rather by having a story so compelling to me that I was interested in the message. We are also continuing with The Restaurant at the End of the Universe in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 25th Anniversary Edition, and I'm still reading Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe.



Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On.

Labels: Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Knitting, Yarn Along