Meet-up in Amsterdam · February 8th!

The day is coming!!!

We'll be soon leaving for a family trip in Europe, where I'll have the pleasure to meet again with my sister, my brother in law and (most importantly) my two beloved nephews/Godsons...

But, of course, there is always time to do some knitting plans!  And while getting everything ready, the lovely Malia from Penelope Craft Boutique invited me to visit and do something special...

So! If you are around the area on Saturday 8th, come meet me!  I'll be there from 3 to 6 PM, and I have a very special surprise as we'll be displaying my newest collection, a collaborative work I've put together with my favorite designer friend.  I cannot tell who she is yet, but all will be revealed on Feb 1st... :)  All I can say is that I know you will love this!

We’ve put together a wonderful collection of 12 pieces that represent each designer’s interpretation of 6 themes.  All 12 samples will be on view and all patterns will be available for purchase.

February 8, 2014 - 15:00 - 18:00

Penelope Craft

Kerkstraat 17 HS

www.penelopecraft.com

...see you there!
 ~Joji

PS: I couldn't leave with a postcard from my last visit to Amsterdam... What a magical city, can't wait to go back!

January in Buenos Aires means... summer.

There is always a dark and a bright side of things... right?

Several years ago, I used to feel that living in the bottom half of the planet kept me from sharing things with my knitting friends...

While the big majority of the knitting community was enjoying snow and harsh winter temperatures, in January, I was struggling to find air-conditioned rooms where I could knit at.

Our summers in Buenos Aires are summers in all their glory.  The temps can go up to 40C (104F), and we have what most tourists call the perfect weather, with barely any rainy days during the whole season.  It is, I must admit, an ideal place to live in when it comes to weather (not so much when it comes to other social aspects...). 

I used to keep my summers for myself, waiting patiently for the winter to arrive when I could share how cold I was wearing my hand-knits.  As time went by, I realized that it was actually welcome by others when I posted about our cultural, social, and especially weather differences!  So, this summer, I decided to share our vacation time with all my knitting friends and readers.

Sightseeing in the hot city: Teatro Colón in the back.

This summer, we decided to rent a lovely summer house just outside Buenos Aires, where our kids could play while Mummy and Daddy work.  Summer is a time of a lot of work for me, probably the busiest time of the year, so I tried to find a place where I could be inspired at.

A view of the sunset in our garden, and a bunch of promising sketches.

With the end of a year I try to complete projects.  Whether they are knitting projects, design ideas, patterns to write, or whether it means a bigger project like something involving family planning, I try to start the new year with my hands clean.

Does that happen to you too?  It's a time for New Year's resolutions and projects.  A time to set realistic expectations and plans for the new year to come.

I can't always make it to all the deadlines, but this summer I feel so free and full of blooming ideas!

If all things go as planned, I'll have some really exciting projects to share with you soon (soon, as in REALLY soon!).  I am not a woman of secrets or mysteries.  I love to share all the process of my work and how all my knitting projects slowly turn into my patterns... But I have to admit that surprises are usually very well received!  So stay tuned.  February is going to be awesome!

In the meantime, I am starting to plan ahead for the rest of what is shaping up to be a really exciting year...  But what projects to work on next?

 

I've been thinking a lot about this...  Projects that would probably be released in year 2015, given the amount of time that takes me to come up with a design idea, and transform that into a knitting pattern.

I am not sure if I have a certain style of work.  I like to think I can design anything, but I am sure there is something that characterizes what I do...  Is there? I know I try to make things different, original... So I might always add details here and there, a certain distinctive stitch pattern...

But lately I have been thinking how much I would love to just knit myself some basic stuff.  You know, the kind of sweater I normally pay attention to when I shop for clothes for myself, and never allow myself to buy (cause, you know, "I could knit that" - who hasn't ever felt guilty for buying a ready-made sweater?).  But then I think whether writing patterns for basic sweaters would work?   

"There are so many patterns for basic stuff out there... I should write something different..."

That's what I struggle with every time.

I know, however, that if I wrote a pattern for a basic sweater I know it would be different from the rest... because it would be written with my own words and describing my own personal way to work that certain kind of sweater...

So there might be more basics in 2015, or at least more basic shapes with a twist here and there.  While I am still deciding about it, I have some really beautiful projects I am working on that are making me happy...

Currently working with my favorite color: gray.

What would you like to knit this year?  Maybe you can inspire me too.

Have a great summer/winter!

~Joji

The very late post

Well, it is no surprise that my blog does not get as much attention as other social media... You all know blogging is commonly neglected by many of us, mostly because sharing instant images or messages through other channels is so much easier!

But I've been meaning to write this for a long long time...  HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014!

Oh, what a year 2013 has been... If I could only sign up for a year just like this one...  So many wonderful things happened around our family.  We travelled a little bit (and got to know the US for the first time!), my youngest kid finished pre-school, I became an auntie to my third nephew...

It was a year of not so many designs, but I valued each and every one of them.  I had made the resolution to only work on projects that I really found interesting or especially beautiful, and I think it showed in my work last year...  So I am taking that resolution for 2014 as well.

So, what was my last published design for 2013?

It was my Lines and Corners cowl.

A pretty little pattern to indulge ourselves with a bit of cozyness and color. The piece is worked lengthwise, so it can be adjusted to any length. Use a lighter yarn for a narrower cowl, or a chunkier one for a wig wide warm loop. :)

I used Primo Sport, by The Plucky Knitter (oh what a crush I've with these yarns!), 2 skeins, and I remember I had to convince them to make this color again at the time...  I don't think there is a shade of purple/burgundy/fuchsia that I can love more than this. It is called En Vogue, and I think they are making it available again from time to time.
Other things I needed:
Needles: US 6 (4mm) needles, crochet hook, waste yarn, stitch markers, tapestry needle.
Finished Measurements:
9½ inches (24 cm) wide and 56½ (142 cm) long loop.

If you like it, you can buy it here:

And also, if you like it enough to make a matching hat, you can check out the gorgeous Huntley by the talented Melissa, who released this amazing beanie using a similar stitch pattern...
Melissa's designs are always refined and beautiful, so you can check out more of her creations in her website.  I often wish I had the time to make many of her timeless classics for myself.

So, what was the whole 2013 about?
We all love collages, so here you have mine :)

And the best part is that there is a lot more to come for 2014!  January will be for relaxing a bit with the family, but February will be awesome :)

Hope you are having a great start of the year!

~Joji