My Day, and an Update

It's my birthday! So, since I am probably unlikely to be wined and dined in a manner befitting a woman of my vintage, I am celebrating by wishing each and every one of you a wonderfully peaceful and happy day.. May all of you glow with the joy of creating something beautiful today.

AND, here is an update of all the teaching I will be doing between now and September, and it's quite a list! I hope you can join me in one of these classes on knitting, beads and other creative explorations (I throw a little of everything into my classes!)

Keep in mind that schedules do change sometimes.. please inquire of the venue in question if you are interested in coming to a class.

A reminder for those of you who live in or around Portland, OR: I offer frequent classes and workshops at Twisted Yarn shop, and I host drop in clinics on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the shop.

The list of workshops:

Knitting Bee Workshop, January 29, on Lace Design (Portland, OR)

Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat, February 16 - 21. Still space in my class on Harmonia's Rings and the mini workshop on hooking beads. (Tacoma, WA)

Fort Vancouver, WA Workshop, February 26 on Heart to Heart Scarf (Vancouver, WA)

Knitting Bee double header (2 workshops on beads), March 12 (Portland, OR)

Knot Just Yarn Retreat and Workshop on Heart to Heart Scarf, March 18-20. Still 3 spaces left! (Burlington, WA)

Serial Knitters, 2 workshops on beads, April 2 (Seattle, WA)

Millstream Knitters Guild, workshop topic TBA, April 9 (Salem, OR)

Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival, workshop on Aquitaine beaded gloves, April 16 (Mt Hood, OR) Still space available!

Midwest Masters Weekend, a weekend of workshops! April 29-May 1 (Neenah, WI)

Olds Fibre Week, a week of workshops! June 24-29 (Calgary, AB, Canada)

Sock Summit, a week of workshops! July 28-31, August 1 (Portland, OR)

Knitting Cruise to Inside Passage and Alaska, with myself, Samantha Roshak and Annelie Wallbom, Sept 11-17 (Seattle to Alaska and back)

Maiwa Fiber Symposium, workshop on Lace Design, Sept 24-25 (Vancouver, Canada)

Hope to see some of your shining faces in my classes!!

Spoken! and Gifts!

I SO appreciate all of your help in this new venture.

And, as promised, I have chosen names from the list of commenters, using a random number generator. Five lucky folks will be receiving gifts from moi in thanks for your time and energy in sending me your thoughts about my clubs.

As this is a Blogger blog, however, I don't have access to email addresses nor do I have a way to look at many of your Blogger profiles. So, here's a plea: Will pencraftco, asimpleknitter, Lisa, Robin, and Hinkie please email me at siviaharding at clear dot net to claim your prizes?

So now more about the clubs. They will be pattern only, and I am working on a secret plan with a few chosen outlets to provide kit options for the lace club, since many people enjoy receiving a club package that includes pattern, yarn and lovely beads too.

Designs are in progress and I am getting more excited every single day. One is out being tested by trusted test knitters right now!

OK.. now I must get ready for a big workshop this weekend at Serial Knitters in Seattle, where I am teaching Lace Design to a nice group on Saturday. If it happens that you are in the area and that you may be interested, please consult the Serial Knitters website for registration details, or call the store at 425-242-0086.

Speak!

If you have ever wanted to weigh in with a designer (me!) on forthcoming designs, here's your chance!

For several years now, I have contributed to many clubs, online magazines, and publications and books authored by others. I have been thinking more and more and more about establishing my own club.. or clubs.. in order to gather a community of my particular fans. My ravelry group does a fabulous job of this, of course. But this will be different.. and offer opportunities to give special offers, discounts, and other goodies to the groupies.

I have some firm ideas for these potential clubs, along with some designs in varying stages of completion, but it would help me greatly to have some input.

Right now, I can see two separate clubs on two separate themes happening, each with 5-6 exclusive designs and running concurrently. One will be mainly beaded lace work, but also will include other accessories such as gloves and cowls (beaded of course). The other theme will be Moebius, which I am developing in some very interesting ways at present. Similar to Harmonia’s Rings, which is my most popular pattern, some garment shapes will begin as Moebius and develop into other structures, and some will remain Moebius, but all will start with the Moebius cast on no matter where else they end up. This club will potentially include cowls, wraps, and scarves, but may go as far afield as shrugs or even sweaters. The sky is the limit really.

These two themes mirror my two passions: Beaded lace, and unusual, innovative garment shapes.

So.. want to cast a vote?? Let’s try a poll:

1. Which club would you be interested in joining, or both?
2. Would you like an option to purchase individual installments at a slightly higher price per pattern?
3. What price range do you consider a good one for this type of club?
4. Do you have any special requests for either club? Anything you are dying to see and knit from yours truly?
5. Any things that you DON’T want to see.. sick of triangle shawls, or ?

I would like to offer a gift for your trouble. Using a random number generator, I will be offering gift certificates from my ravelry pattern store to a few lucky responders.

Rolling into the New Year

Lots to report here! I am planning some fun things over the coming year, and I would be so pleased to see each and every one of you at one of these events.

Here's the current list.

Guild talk at Fort Vancouver Knitting Guild, Fort Vancouver, WA, January 12, 2011. Contact Molly at mstan30311@aol.com for information.

Workshop at Serial Knitters, Seattle, WA, January 22, 2011
Workshop on designing top-down triangle lace shawls. Please see Serial Knitters website for registration and details.

Workshop at Knitting Bee, Portland, OR, January 29, 2011. Workshop on designing top-down triangle lace shawls. Please contact Knitting Bee for registration and details.

Madrona Fiber Arts Festival, Tacoma, WA, February 17-21, 2011
Workshops: Saturday, Bead Your Socks!; Sunday, Harmonia’s Rings. Please see Madrona Fiber Arts Festival website for registration and details.

Fort Vancouver Knitting Guild, Fort Vancouver, WA, February 26, 2011
Workshop on Heart to Heart Beaded Scarf. Contact Molly at mstan30311@aol.com for information.

Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival, Hood River, Oregon, April 15 - 17, 2011
Class on Aquitaine Beaded Cuffs on April 16. See Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival website for registration and more information.

Midwest Masters Weekend, Hood River, WI, April 29 - May 1, 2011
Classes to be determined. See Yarns by Design website for registration and more information.

Fibre Week at Olds, Calgary, AB, Canada, June 24 - July 1, 2011
See Olds College website for registration and more information.

Sock Summit!!, Portland, OR, July 28 - 31, 2011
Classes to be determined. See Sock Summit website for registration and more information.

Knitting Cruise with Serial Knitters, September 11-17, 2011
Inside Passage Alaskan cruise departing from Seattle to points in Alaska and Victoria B.C. Please see cruise details here, and contact Serial Knitters for registration and details.

Guild talk at Madison Knitters Guild, Madison, WI, November 14, 2011
See Madison Knitters Guild website for details.

And don't forget my ongoing classes at Twisted in Portland! And now I am hosting personal drop-in help clinics three days a week at the shop: Monday, 1:30 - 5:30 pm; Wednesday, 12:30 - 4:30 pm; Friday, 10 am - 2 pm. Please check the Twisted website for my current class schedule.

The next post will be a rundown of the upcoming clubs, patterns, and other design delights for 2011.. soon!