ADVENTUROUS KNITTING

well, not thát adventurous, I just never knit two items on one circular before. My wee girl needed mittens and so I had me a perfect opportunity to learn a new skill. (thank you, for getting me started!) After the initial stream of curse words and putting (read: throwing) it down a couple of times (especially during casting on)
... I LOVED IT! I'm definatly doing this again. I've always been a latent sock knitter (as in: I love sock knitting but it just never happens) and now I really need to make myself and my wee ones about a dozen pair of socks.

JOAN FOR MEN

Buy Now: JOAN OF ARC pattern & OCTOPUSSSS pattern/knit kit

Finally...
I've done the work and have now two designs for sale on Ravelry. (Working on an Etsy shop for all of you that aren't on Ravelry or don't want to sign up -although I think you should-)

Also...
The Octopussss complete Knit Kit is now available from SAS Knits It Again too. Go here for more info. So mail me if you're interested. It comes in spectacular colors of Manos del Uruguay worsted with hand made glass beads! Pure Luxury!!

We're in business!

Crafty Christmas Fair

Last saturday SAS Knits It Again put on her handknit socks, wrap and hat and took of to a Christmas Fair in Rotterdam. Me and DianneB stood in -5 degrees (celcius) for 5 hours, freezing our behinds off. But it was such a lovely atmosphere, we hardly noticed our freezing extremities. (it took 15 mins to warm up my feet in warm water, taking care of the white and numb spots)
We were taking care of as if we were queens, hot food, hot drinks and styrofoam to stand on. Thank you dear organizers. This is a left over sip of tea, frozen... A very well known Dutch actress/singer (Joke Bruijs) sang Christmas Carols and typical local songs. She was very cool and not a diva at all. A very entertaining and bubbly personality, made us all feel a little bit warmer. Before sunset, just finishing off the booth. In full working order.

French Creepy Crawlies

CATERPILLAR (winter-play-sweater for wee ones)


and
JEANNE D'ARC (hood/wrap/ shawl)

I've been working on two designs. I'm working to get the patterns downloadable soon. I'm aiming to get 6 sets of patterns on Ravelry, hopefully by next month. But my aim might be a little off. Can't promis anything, it beeing december and the fact that two little ones have dibs on my attention. I have a lot of plans for the coming year. like finally starting an Etsy shop and incorporate the patterns on Ravelry ánd the Etsy shop into this site.
In short the year 2009 is for professionalising. Writing it down makes it a promise. So there you are.

Does it come with a tool?

Hilarious, an Ikea workplan for a gingerbread house. Find it here. I'm making one!

On knitting:
Finishing off two designs, working them into patterns and trying to get fotoshoots going in very dull grey and wet weather...

Hang in there, I'll be back.

NEW: SAS Knits It Again Embroidery Kit (borduurpakketten)

I couldn't sit back and do nothing. Picked up embroidery, just a teeny weeny project and well... if it's quick and fun, gotto make a kit. So here it is: Embroider-your-own-glow-in-the-dark-neon-Space-Invader-button!

€ 12,50 Send to you by mail, all over the world.
(with an additional small amount for shipping)

Mail me!

At the Fair

The second day of the fair is over. Tomorrow's the last. It's been a wonderfull learning experience so far. The feedback, the compliments, loads of people that understand your partly weird obsession and some dear friends you haven't seen in a while. I'm enjoying it immensely.
Here's a peak at my booth. I'm sharing one with my friend and knitting collegue from HolyWoly!

Today I've had a special guest at the booth. My wee girl decided that she couldn't be without mom for more than 3 hours and started demanding me (read: screaming her lungs out). A ride home, a ride back to the fair with baby in the back and a sling with experienced help took care of that 'problem'. I hoped she would fall asleep while I was carrying her, but little miss thang just had too much to see, hear and smell and so she was awake during the rest of the day. She attracted a whole bunch of people though. Free publicity!
Can't wait to go again tomorrow. New knitting adventures gleaming on the horizon!

Tomorrow's your last chance to visit us at booth 155!!!!

Sneak Preview

I give you...

the
SAS Knits It Again
'Home Deco'
Kit

A kit suitable for beginners but when finished you'll be beginner-no-more. Fancy an owly cable?

The kit and all other SAS Knits It Again kits and HolyWoly! fair trade yarn will be available from friday the 16th of october at the ' Handwerkbeurs' (needleworks fair) at the SAS Knits It Again/ HolyWoly! booth. We'll be there 16-18 oct. Come see us, we're at booth 155!!
She gave me this beautifull hat when my wee girl was born and now, 6 months later with the season starting she fits it perfectly. Talk about an experienced knitter... How cute can a baby get?
The knitted suit is a SAS Knits It Again original ;-), with pants that fit her now and a cardi that is almost too small. I can use a little more experience myself...


This little garden gnome is also wearing a SAS Knits It Again original. It was a swatch I used to help me prepare for a lesson in Fair Isle knitting (not my favorite technique...) I used a Lions Brand pattern for a christmas tree ornament, a ball, and instead of finishing it as a ball, I decided to knit it as a hat when I saw the size it became. Perfect for my wee boy's head!

I love it when things come together!

(In the Netherlands they've started a campain that warnes the internet user not to give away too much personal information. I've thought about it a long time and decided that I'll have to keep believing in the good will of most people. Blogging without pictures of recognizable faces would be a lot less interesting. But I'm paying a little more attention these days. But don't count on pictures of me in a bathingsuit any time soon!)

Exit TV

What's missing in this picture, is our TV. We've got rid of it. Not to buy the newest, biggest, flattest new picturebox, but to replace it with things we find worth doing. Like this:


Our grape harvest has turned into juice (no pictures yet). Also, my to do lists are getting shorter and shorter. And that's great because the lists were taking over my head. And they should never do that!

The TV has been gone for almost a month and it's great! If you have doubts, don't, just get rid of it!

More on knitting soon!

Summer knitting

I have a love-hate relationship with summer. For one, I really, really don't like to sweat. Sport related sweat mostly, but summer-hotness-sweat... nope, not my favorite either. I love spring weather, when it's just hot enough to leave your jacket off and you can sit outside in perfect neutral temperatures, a little breeze maybe. Love-it!
Don't like beaches in summer either. Beaches are for long walks and short dips in the water with bare feet when it's actually a little too cold. Lying on a beach (sweating...) ruining your skin, getting extremely bored because you can't find a good and comfortable way to lie down and read, walking over to a way too long line for ice cream that's melted even before you return to your sand infested towel. No thanks...
I do love sitting in the garden and spotting the birds (I know, I'm a nerd... I knit, so what's new...) watching my wee one play in the sandbox and my wee-er one playing on my lap. Harvesting and eating our first home grown lettuce, eggplant, strawberries and beans!
Knitwise, what can I say... Knitting with sweaty palms is very annoying. After the birth of my wee-er one, I took about a month off of knitting and when I got my energy back it was too hot to knit. So I've mostly been in a conceptual fase the last couple of months. Although I have been working on a new knit kit during the (cooler) nights. Here's a sneak peak:
The summer is in full bloom and there's going to be lots more sweating, sandbox playing, harvesting and concept forming. But in about a month's time things will be a little different, the concept will turn into produce, the sweat into labour and the sandbox into a puddle most likely:
AND IT'LL BE KNITTING SEASON AGAIN!
From the first week of september I'll start teaching at the sewing café and if all goes well, I'll have a day extra for working on my designs and webshop. I can't wait!! It'll be sooo much fun getting a whole day to myself, working in my (yet to be completed) studio in the attic! May all those concepts turn into yummy knitiing...Yay!

So, if you're interested in knitting lessons or want to book a workshop (I also do bachelorette parties, birthdays, baby showers, you name it) . Here's were you find information about the classes, dates, times and prices.

Have a lovely summer!

This is me!!

It's been a while... I know. I've been busy designing, beeing a mommy and getting all kinds of stuff done around the house and my new studio.

Meanwhile my story was featured in a women's magazine. You'd say I was flattered, and I was, but something went horribly wrong. First of all my 'story was one of three and in a whole other league than the other girls that have had horrible things happen to them. I just had a little setback, losing my job and getting back on track. But the people of Flair Magazine thought the story was worth telling and I thought it would be nice to talk about my new life as a creative mom. (and meanwhile get a little publicity for SAS Knits It Again... let's be honest...)

So the balance was off from the start but then they switched my picture with one of the other girls and now it looks like I lived her life. Such sad things happened to her and although she should be applauded for beeing brave enough to talk about it in a magazine, it's very shocking to read that story with my picture next to it. And that's not the only thing. I know -from working in the field- that stories tend to get over-dramatised when written down. So did mine. Because I have a brain somewhere in my head, I've asked the reporter to mail me her text before printing to approve. She did, than I changed some crutial things and she promised me that they'd print it with my corrections. But they didn't... And now it's all very dramatic and it's not completely fair on my former employer.
Is this a lesson for beeing to vain/greedy?

So for every one who've come across my name or picture and got confused...
This is me!
I'm the knitting girl that lost her job. (I do like the picture!)
And this is the 'right' story with the right picture.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Deze week staat mijn 'verhaal' in Flair. Leuk, zou je denken... Helaas zijn er wat dingen fout gegaan. Om te beginnen zijn de verhalen van de andere 'Power Vrouwen' veel dramatischer dan dat van mij, ik ben alleen maar mijn baan kwijt geraakt en ben daarna gaan doen wat ik het allerleukste vind. Ben niet misbruikt, heb geen hele nare ziekte gehad... Dus die combi is al een beetje raar. Maar nu hebben ze ook nog mijn foto naast een van die andere verhalen geplaatst! Zo komt het allemaal helemaal verkeerd over. En omdat ik niemand wilde kwetsen met mijn verhaal en het wilde vertellen zoals ik het beleefd heb, heb ik gevraagd om de tekst voor het afdrukken te mogen lezen. Ik heb hem een beetje aangepast en de journaliste beloofde mij dat ze het aangepaste verhaal zou publiceren. Nee hoor, de dramatische versie staat er nu in, bij de verkeerde foto.... Zucht...
Een lesje omdat ik misschien een beetje te ijdel/hebberig was? Ik dacht een beetje publiciteit te kunnen krijgen voor mijn tokootje.
Balen hoor!

A small Hi!

'hi!'

It's been a while, I know. I've been exercising the art of mothership. It's a real wonder and I feel blessed with two very beautifull and sweet children. But -in all honesty- it's not a breeze, a piece of cake or a walk in the park... man, this is hard work. I knew it would be (actually thought it would be a little worse than it actually is) so I'm enjoying it with all it's challenges but I hardly get anything done outside caring for the two sprouts and making sure our house stays liveable and clean(ish).

The biggest challenge I had to face in a long time is taking Iep and Line ('Eep and Lee-na') to their check up at the childrens buro (it's a Dutch thing...) where they get measured, weighed and get some general check ups. Gosh, I don't think I've ever lost more sweat than in those 2,5 hours (...) Keeping them both happy and getting the 1,5 yr old to do certain things while holding a 4 wk old that's screaming... oi oi oi...

Anyhoo, knitwise, obviously not much news. I'm in a state of concept. That means that I'm mostly 'thinking' about knitting without actually doing it. I've got a lot of ideas for new designs and projects so I'm turning myself on with ideas and possibilities.

'One possibility; let them entertain each other...'

Meanwhile, my new studio looks more like a dump at the moment . All the unpacked boxes that are left over from the move have been dumped there untill further notice. So not much creativity going on there. Well, I guess some spiders are figuring out what outrageous webs they can make in the chaos...
It's ok though, I officially have maternity leave untill I say I don't anymore (quelle luxury!). So I'm of the hook. That is, just untill I get sick of the conceptual state I'm in. And I'm guessing that won't be too long. Got to go now, as soon as I get that 'motherhood of two thing' under control(ish) I'll start some spectacular knitting....

Note to my students: I'll send you an email well in advance to let you know when the lessons start again. I'll post a message on my blog too.
Notitie voor mijn studenten: Ik stuur jullie ruim van te voren een mail om te laten weten wanneer de lessen weer beginnen. En ik zet een berichtje op de blog.

'another possibility; just clear up one of the kids
while you're doing something with the other...'

She's here!

Our beautifull daughter: LINE (pronounced Lee-na) Born at home, the 15th of march on a beautifull sunny day. We're undescribably proud and in wonder of this beautifull girl! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Onze prachtige dochter: LINE Thuis geboren op 15 maart, een prachtige zonnige dag. We zijn onbeschrijflijk trots en verwonderen ons elke dag een beetje meer over dit prachtige meissie!

Breaky Breaky

These are some crazy and hectic times. I'm in my 34th week of the pregnancy and a week before we're moving house... Can you imagine? My little boy has become sick too so I'm getting my energy from wherever I can find it. Read: taking mini-naps while he's asleep and taking baths every morning. So far it's working. A lot of my energy comes from teaching. The ironic part is that this week are my last lessons before I go on maternity leave. But I guess if I plan it well, I'll just use that time to do more creative stuff at the new house and I'm sure that will boost my energy levels as well.
The BSJ I knitted using Manos Silky. I did a lot of math and swatching to make sure I could make it with just one skein. And I did it! I barely had enough material to sew op the seams (luckily there are just two...) it was a close call and very nerve wrecking at the end. But there was always this, a mouseclick away, so I was never in any real desparation... ;-)

In between the midst of dozens of boxes I've knitted the new baby a log cabin blanket and the baby surprise jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. The blanket was made by using this great guide and just winging it (read: knit, frog, knit, frog again, finally knit it right). I knitted it in stockinette stitch and added a hood so I can use it as a wrap as well. The yarn is a Kaffe Fasset design for Rowan, expensive but fantastic.

If you're interested in the details of these knits, you'll have to wait a wile or mail me, since I don't have enough time to 'ravel' them. But I will, some day...

For now, onto my last tuesdaynight lesson for a while.

here's the BSJ without the buttons.