It never fails. Sometimes months after a pattern was released, a kind knitter will email me with a question. Surely it’s not because of a mistake in the pattern? After all, dozens have knit the design by now. And friends and colleagues have helped to proofread.

Sigh.

In this case, Asking for Roses is the offender. I’d mistakenly exchanged some of the written-out decreases, even though the charts were correct.

The good thing – although the mistake is on about 8 rows of the pattern, it mostly impacts just the single decrease at the beginning and end of row. AND, if the knitter is working from charts, there’s no mistake at all.

As a designer, I hate hate hate publishing errors, and it really bugs me when they’re only caught several months later.

In any case, I’ve published the corrections here and on Ravelry, and will issue an updated version when my computer’s fixed. But that’s another story, for another day.

Happy knitting!

Granted, I would have known to steer clear had I actually read the book’s description:

Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.

Dying litter of prize pups. Yeah. Not so much.

So I put the book down, a mere 20 pages into it. And yeah it’s a national prize winner. And yes, after watching Treme’s first two seasons, I fervently believe that Katrina-related literature is so very important.

But I’m too sensitive for dying puppies.

The thing is, although I’ve got this soft streak, I also hate that my sensitivity often makes me feel left out. I know right now, I will absolutely not finish “Salvage the Bones”, no matter how many accolades it receives. And so, I’ll miss out on one of the most important books of the year.

Last night, I felt a little like I did when walking out of that movie theater 20-some years ago. Like giving in to my sensitive side is something to be ashamed of, to be made fun of for. And last night, like 20 years ago, I also realized that once you’ve felt that, it’s hard to un-feel it. Once you’ve read about… (edited, but it has to do with puppies)… it’s impossible to un-imagine it.

(Kind of like reading the synopsis of “The Human Centipede”. EWWWW.)

I suppose this is the catch of being an avid reader. Devouring books also sometimes means getting inside the book so deeply it’s tough to crawl out. Living in my imagination, even for a few dozen pages, means it’s impossible to un-remember those vivid words.

I’ve been busy this weekend, working up two patterns I’ve had off the needles for some time. “Meadowlark” will be released next weekend, but “Foxhollow” – shown above – will be out either tonight or tomorrow.

What do you think?

UPDATED – Pattern now available! Go get it! ravelry.com/patterns/library/foxhollow

It’s that blissful time of the year when all that holiday-season excess seems to have caught up with me and my suddenly-snug jeans. I know I’m not alone in this, right?

Last night, I whipped up a batch of this easy soup for a quick and hearty dinner and good lunch today. Packed with broccoli and thickened with potatoes instead of cream, it’s warm and substantial, and perfect for a cold winter night.

Try it, like we did, with a bit of cheddar and some rustic bread. It tastes like a broccoli-stuffed baked potato!

The easiest way to make this faux-cream soup is with an immersion or hand blender. If you don’t have one, the soup can be put into a regular blender instead.

The soup is done when all the pieces are cooked, so keep in mind when chopping your potatoes and broccoli stems. Smaller pieces will be done quicker!

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

• 5 medium potatoes
• 1 head of broccoli
• 2 T butter or olive oil or a mix of both
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth or stock, or a mix of stock and water
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• salt, pepper, red pepper to season

Instructions
In a large stockpot, heat the butter/olive oil over medium heat. Chop the onion and garlic cloves and add to the pot, stirring occasionally.

While waiting for the onion and garlic to soften, peel and coarsely chop the potatoes. (Larger chunks will take longer to cook, so try for consistent sizes). Add potatoes to the pot and cook over medium heat for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Pour in just enough broth/stock to cover the potatoes, topping up with water if necessary. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Wash and chop the broccoli stems and florettes into small chunks. Add to the soup and bring back to a boil.

Simmer until all vegetables are tender.

With immersion blender, puree until soup is smooth. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes as desired.

It’s not fall anymore, but will you forgive me for publishing an autumn-themed pattern?

Just released, after much delay, Koyo, a delicate shawl for delicate yarn.

The orange shawl is knit with Helen’s Lace from Lorna’s Laces, in the colourway “Satsuma”. A perfect color name for a Japanese-inspired shawl, don’t you think?

Technically, though, this isn’t a new design. I originally designed this for the Year of Lace in 2010, using Indigodragonfly’s gorgeous Merino-Silk Lace in a custom colourway.

Among the things I love about this design: the delicate top border, the gentle deconstruction of leaves into an organic ripple, and the inset details at the points and corners.

I also love the size. At 70″ x 34″ after blocking, it’s just big enough without overwhelming the wearer.

In this way, Koyo is an ideal accent piece for any season, not just fall.

More photos and detailed information available here.

Happy holidays, everyone!

$5.00 US

I’m sorry I decided to (mostly) avoid you last year. It wasn’t the best of times for me. I’d just lost my Dad, and the last thing I wanted to do was celebrate getting a year older.

It’s not that people weren’t awesome. My excellent work buds pooled together and found me an amazing Indigo Girls concert print. I took some time out at work to photograph Moira and Zeena wearing new Indigirl designs. I seem to remember sushi lunch from my favorite place. I alternately yelled at Sandra for celebrating too much… or not enough.

But all I wanted to do was cry.

So this year, I’ll be 34. (In a few short hours, actually.) And it may sound odd, but I feel like I haven’t had a birthday in years.

Here it is, nearly the end of 2011. My Dad’s been gone a year. I spent a few months falling apart and a few months putting myself together again.

I traveled to Maryland, Florida, New York. California and Illinois. I turned an amazing corner in my career. I enjoyed my dogs, my home, my wife, my family. I fell, undeniably and completely, in love with baseball. I gained (some of) the weight I’d lost in 2009. I gained a few good friends, and connected with ones I hadn’t seen in years. I learned how to bake a cake. I learned ruby on rails. I learned that I’m not as grown up as I’d like to be. I learned that I don’t actually like being sad.

I learned what it’s like to be scared about losing my mom. That was a big first for me. My whole life, my Dad’s been the one to worry about losing. With my mom’s diagnosis of Stage 4 Lymphoma, I realized that nothing’s a given, nothing’s guaranteed.

And now too, I wait for my own diagnosis; of immune problems, of cancer, of infertility or (God willing) absolutely nothing at all. I’m learning that waiting for your own results is actually easier than waiting for someone else’s.

But despite all of this, despite the head full of thoughts that fight to be acknowledged, I can’t sum up the last year of my life in 500 words on a blog.

It’s more than what I think of, when I think of my 33rd year.

It’s the songs on my playlists. It’s the smile on my face when I get a postcard from a dear friend. It’s my current recipe obsessions, and the movie I saw last weekend. My 33rd year is the new tires on the Jeep, the hole in the attic, the flood in the basement. It’s the smell of coffee at my desk. It’s the neighborhood cat. It’s my pathetic harvest of 4 hot peppers and six cherry tomatoes. It’s the shelves of mason jars, steadily shifting to empty.

“33″ wasn’t what I’d expected. And so too, “34″ is an age I can’t begin to imagine. Going into it, I pray that next year at this time, I’m counting the blessings of a healthy family, and a happy, healthy life.

So birthday, thanks for reminding me, at least once a year, that life is more than the highlights (or lowlights) I write in posts like these.

Birthday, thank you for reminding me that a year in my life is more than a sum of its parts.

love,
Amy

Oops.

Well, I fixed it a few weeks ago by clearing out my server and reinstalling everything from scratch.

Unfortunately, I forgot one file – the template required by my Toe-Up Sock Pattern Generator.

Oops.

Thanks to a message on Facebook, I’ve fixed the issue, and everything should be working again.

In case you haven’t seen the Toe-Up Sock Pattern Generator yet, it’s kind of cool. I built it a year or two ago, and it’s based on my Universal Toe-Up Sock Formula (from Knitty). Input your yarn gauge, needle size and shoe size and you’ll get a customized pattern.

Of course, if you want to add any fancy schmancy stitch patterning, you’ll need to tweak a few of the numbers for your repeat to work. But it’s a good place to start, and I hope you enjoy!

Last time I was in St. Charles, just last weekend, I spent an afternoon teaching my Photography for Knitters class to a willing group of students at Wool and Company.

This is the only class I teach that doesn’t directly involve the actual knitting or crocheting of yarn, but even so, it’s one of the most satisfying in my portfolio. I like to say that this is a class about learning to see, more than about learning the technical steps behind a photograph.

And truly, it’s a class of using eyes and ideas to document the beautiful work we all do.

The lovely gal in the photo at the left is Kate. She works at Wool and Company and was ‘voluntold’ to help us out by modeling for a half hour or so, and what a lovely model she made. Being able to work with Kate gave a lot of excitement to the class, but I’ve taught this one so many other ways as well; inside, outside, with models, without models, and with every kind of project and subject matter on hand to use as inspiration.

Part of what I love about teaching photography for knitters is being able to work with the students’ finished objects, works in progress, and stash, and to be delighted by what they’ve created. Many budding (and established) designers end up in my classes as well, to learn how to better market the work they do.

I’ve had a busy fall. I honestly don’t know where it went. The LA trip, Santa Barbara, visiting mom at the end of September, Stephanie and Mel’s visit to Toronto in October, going back to St. Charles at the beginning of this month, and getting ready to go back there for Thanksgiving this coming weekend.

In a way, it’s a really great thing that time has been passing like this.

Mom’s having her fourth chemo treatment next Monday the 28th. After that, they’re going to assess how she’s doing and make the decision to either continue chemo or go for an autologous bone marrow transplant.

At the same time, and this seems so grossly unfair, it’s coming up quickly on the anniversary of Dad’s stroke and death and funeral. Am I wrong for just wanting to fast-forward past all of that? To just focus on the next steps for mom?

I’m torn about my decision to go to St. Charles for Thanksgiving. That’s where I was last year, if you remember. And it was a brutal Thanksgiving – spent at our neighbor’s after a rough day with dad, followed up by his major stroke the next morning. Part of me would just want to stay at work, try to forget.

But on the other hand, I don’t want mom to be going through that time on her own, either. So this, like last year’s, is the right decision. And I’ll be able to go to her doctor’s appointment on Monday and discuss the next steps, her prognosis, and her treatment, in person, and without a filter.

I’ve grown up so much in the last year. I’m learning to look at life a little differently, that it’s not all good, or all bad, or even a simple mix of the two. It’s about timing, and blessings that need to be sought out. Like the fact that I was able to be with Dad for his last few days. Like the fact that we weren’t dealing with mom’s cancer while Dad was needing so much support.

So, that’s where I am right now. I’m kind of quiet, but I’m ok. Just dealing with life, day by day by day.

I’m so pleased to announce that I’m the featured instructor for Knits by the Sea’s annual retreat in gorgeous Tofino, BC!

I’ll be teaching three (!) of my favorite classes over the course of the weekend, all designed to help you get more from your knitting, no matter what ‘level’ you think you are. When I’m not teaching, I’ll be hanging out – hopefully with this gorgeous view – and getting to know you better.

Why don’t you join me? Registration makes the perfect ‘wish list’ item for the holidays.

The retreat includes:
2 nights accommodations at Middle Beach Lodge
Continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
Lunch on Saturday afternoon
Wine and cheese reception on Saturday evening
Early Bird Cost (reserve by December 31):
Single Occupancy: $500 plus HST
Double Occupancy: $400 per person plus HST*

Call Knits by the Sea at 250-725-3700 to register. A $100 deposit is required to hold your spot. The remainder isn’t due until March 20, 2012.

All the details are here.

And here’s the low-down on the weekend’s classes:

Beyond Purls; the Precious GEMS of Knitting
Get more success out of every garment project by understanding the four GEMS of knitting; Gauge, Ease, Measurements, and Sizing. We’ll start with getting close and personal with our Gauge swatches. Is there a ‘wrong’ way to swatch? How do you assess a swatch for both stitch count AND fabric quality? Next, we’ll look at different ways to preview a pattern, and better understand how Ease relates to fit. Taking current and accurate Measurements – and understanding how they relate to pattern sizing – is the key to selecting the right size. Finally, we’ll put it all together and learn how to improve the Sizing choices we make every time we begin a new project.

Shapes for Shawls
Description: Small shawls, often using simple lace patterns, are all the rage. During this two-part workshop, we’ll investigate three different construction methods; a triangle, a crescent, and a wedge. We’ll then learn how to apply your own design touches to each style of shawl ‘architecture’. Along the way, we’ll talk about design considerations like gauge, fabric, and yarn choice. You’ll come out of the workshop with three small samples, and a worksheet for helping plan out your next project. Some of the techniques we’ll learn; knit-on borders, short rows, and charting for lace.

Optional workshop – Photography for Knitters
As fiber artists spend more time sharing images of their work online, through Ravelry, blogs, or etsy, clear and compelling photography has become more of a priority. In this 3 (or 6) hour hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the basics of fiber arts photography. How do you work with your camera? How do you use light most effectively? How can you improve your composition? How does understanding your subject matter result in better photographs? We’ll start with an overview of what works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to yarn and projects. Next, we’ll do a series of hands on activities, including working on still shots and shots with models. Finally, we’ll review and showcase our best work.

Given that quite a few of you have emailed since I fixed it yesterday afternoon, I think we’re back in business.

If you see any links or content directing you to download Microsoft Windows for free, you can be guaranteed I didn’t post that. Ugh.

At this same time, I’ve been in a place of radio silence. Some times the words just fly out of my fingers. At other times, I self-censor, knowing that what I’m bound to write is just going to be self-pitying drivel.

Now is probably one of those times.

I spent the last week traveling. Vogue Knitting LA, Santa Barbara for a great Cloud Chaser class, and then on to St. Charles to help mom out around the house.

VK LA was awesome. I know a lot of you have heard mixed reviews, but I thoroughly enjoyed teaching my classes, and the support I felt from the staff. I taught three sessions of photography and one Noro design class, and had a blast, even though I worked almost every free moment.

I also (finally) had a chance to meet some of the shops I love on the west coast! I did a book / pattern signing in the “Knitting with Sandra” booth one afternoon, and also really enjoyed my time with the gals at “Cardigans” in Santa Barbara.

There’s a different type of energy I get from teaching that I rarely feel anywhere else. I love those light-bulb moments, and I love interacting with new people in that kind of setting.

It’s funny, because I think I’m naturally pretty shy. But I rarely feel more comfortable than I do when teaching.

So. Mom update.

She had her first round of chemo last Monday and initially felt ok. The prednisone helped her energy levels while I was there. So, I stripped wallpaper, cleaned baseboards, and ran errands. We went over to her friends’ house, bought her a snazzy wig, and caught up with the X factor.

It was a quieter visit than most; even feeling fine, she wasn’t up to much shopping or running around. After I came back to Toronto on Saturday, she started to feel more of the fatigue that often accompanies chemo. She’s ok at times, at others, needs to sit down immediately. But I think, overall, she’s doing better than she expected to at this point.

Interesting development on her lymphoma. It turns out, she actually has a different type of lymphoma – a slow-moving nodal marginal zone lymphoma – that has progressed into the aggressive diffuse large B-cell type. This is pretty rare – less than 1% of patients with non-hodgkins lymphoma have this type. Unfortunately, the marginal zone lymphoma does not tend to respond well to treatment and also tends to recur more quickly and more aggressively.

I spoke with the oncologist yesterday, and he said that we’re still hoping for a complete remission after chemo, but that may only last for a year or two before it recurs. Second treatments are limited at her age.

The really great thing is how mom is doing with all of this. She’s a tough cookie, and she has a really strong faith. She’s put it in God’s hands, and isn’t asking the same questions I am.

It’s interesting, how different we are. I like to have as many facts as possible – give me the data, even if it’s grim. Mom? She just likes to think one step at a time.

The step, for now, is the five more rounds of chemo. She will lose her hair, probably after the next treatment on the 17th. After the treatments wrap up, we’ll have two months to wait to see what kind of remission was attained.

I’m disappointed that it’s so less treatable than what I initially understood. The odds aren’t good here, but on the other hand, because it’s so rare, there’s just not a lot of data.

Understandably, I have a lot of anger about all of this. I’m mad. And I’m probably in shock that our family has to go through this right now, so soon after all the trauma with my Dad.

At the same time, it’s probably not surprising that I’ve given myself an acid reflux disorder. The last two nights, it’s been so bad when I went to bed that I’ve gotten up almost instantly to throw up repeatedly.

Sandra’s now got me on a bland diet (or so she thinks), and has forbidden (or so she thinks) diet coke, coffee, wine, chocolate, cheese (except goat), marbled meat, butter, tomatoes, salsa, hot peppers… you know… basically everything I love to eat and drink.

Great.

Fantastic.

You probably know that I love to cook, and I love to create in the kitchen. And I’m just not inspired by a diet of white foods.

I joked to Sandra last night that I’m just going to have to live off of sushi. And she said “NO WASABI”.

Gah.

I’m (understandably) feeling really overwhelmed with the business of life right now. We’ve suddenly got a squirrel living in our roof, and damned if I know what to do about any of that.

So, I’m just putting one foot in front of the other. And focusing on what I have control over, and trying to let go of my worries.