Posy Pattern

Finally, I can let one of my secrets out of the bag:  I have a pattern published here!  And here's a look at it: 

I set myself a goal at the beginning of the year to submit a pattern or two.  It's that first step that is the scariest, right?  (I was going to submit my baseball gloves somewhere, but I didn't know where, and one of my friends suggested I have very lofty goals, so I published that one myself.)  My first ever pattern submission was selected - hurray!  I was thrilled when I got the letter back saying my pattern was selected for the Summer 2010 issue of Petite Purls!  I thought that was going to be the hard part.  Ha! 

Before I had even heard back, I spent weeks looking for the right yarn.  A friend who knew I'd been looking for some lavender-y yarn gave me a bunch, so problem solved!  Er, not so fast; other colors were suggested, considered, and so on.  I had to find similar yarn in just the right color.  I tracked down a local yarn shop that carried the same yarn that I'd been given.  After a couple drafts of what I thought I was doing, I got started on the actual knitting.  You know how some things work on paper but not in real life?  Yes, you probably know about that.  After two complete tops that didn't look quite right, I surveyed my knitting group and they all agreed with the solution I had arrived at, so I knit a third top.  Luckily, I really did have a lot of this yarn and I never ripped out, I just kept pulling out another skein! 

I knew exactly (well, pretty much) how I was going to construct this top but when it came time for the shorts, I let that sit on the mental back burner longer than I should have.  But they were really easy, once I sat down and made them.

I learned a lot through this process.  Working with other people's vision of my vision is not an easy thing to do.  Then there were the pictures.  It seems I can never get the perfect shot for my own pieces as easily as I can for others'.  I took a whole set of pictures but when I sat down to look at them, they just weren't right and I was about out of time!  I scrambled to get together with a model at a closer location, and the second set turned out better.  It's funny how different times of day really look different on film.  In the end, everything came together and I will definitely have a better idea what I'm getting myself into next time!  But it was fun, and I acheived my goal and then some. 

Be sure to stop by at Petite Purls and see all the cute patterns they have!  Petite Purls is only celebrating their first anniversary but already they've got lots of great stuff.  In the Summer 2009 archives you can find one of Marly's patterns, for which I took pictures.  And this little blanket would make a great baby shower gift. 

Of course, this has nothing to do with my last post but it's what's going on for me!  I'll be back to the lime and lavender in a day or two.  And you might wonder if I've all but forgotten about quilting.  Never fear, it is on my list of things to enjoy this summer.  I'll let you know!