Housekeeping

"Perhaps all artists were, in a sense, housewives: tenders of the earth household."

- Erica Jong

I am a lousy housekeeper.

No ifs, ands or buts. I would rather be creating something new, than maintaining something old.

My house is a pit, my lacework impeccable - sigh...

Which is why it has taken me this long to put my house in order.

Now that all of the patterns in the Fellowship of the Ring series (first of the Lord of the Rings Collection) are out, I have compiled them into both a comprehensive E-book of all 13 patterns (including Evenstar) for $60. This is a $12 savings over purchasing them individually.

I have also separated them into three"mini-collections" of four patterns each.

Wee Wonders $18

four small accessory patterns

Bag End, Goldberry, Rivindell, & Bombadil

Traveling Togs $22

four cabled patterns

Argonath, Dwarrowdelf, Lothlorien, & Strider

Elven Delicacies $25

four lace patterns

Evenstar, Galadriel's Mirror, Legolas, & Mithril

This way, those of you who love lace, or cables, or small projects can purchase a selection that includes only your favorites and still take advantage of a reduced price.

You can purchase here on the sidebar, or on Ravelry's website. Either way, you will download through Ravelry, so can keep the patterns in your library if you so desire.

You do NOT have to be a member of Ravelry to use their download provider.

I have also made another page that features the Fellowship Patterns.

*****

Now, anybody do windows?

Goldberry Errata

As in the Evenstar errata listing earlier, the wrong side decreases are backwards - chart is correct but key and written directions are wrong

wrong side decreases should be as follows:

knit 2 tog (/) should be purl 2 tog if done on wrong side
ssk ( backward slash) should be ssp on wrong side

A software glitch resulted in wrong side direction of decreases being reversed - new version (Goldberry2) has been corrected as best I can - program won't let me edit stitch library - have requested patch from developer.

In the meantime I have re done the written directions and overwritten the key in red. Every one who purchased the pattern has received a new corrected copy by email, subject: revision

Sorry for this problem - I don't know why my test knitter and proofreader didn't catch it.

Goldberry

"O slender as a willow-wand! O clearer than clear water! O reed by the living pool! Fair River Daughter"

- Frodo's greeting to Goldberry from The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R. Tolkien

GOLDBERRY SCARF PATTERN $6
$4 FOR FOTR SUBSCRIBERS

MEASUREMENTS
12 inches wide by 64 inches long
MATERIALS
560 yds. fingering weight yarn
Sample knit with Twisted Fiber Arts Kabam!, color: Lagoon Evolution
size 5(US) needles
gauge: 6 stitches = 1 inch (unblocked)

Goldberry is another $6 pattern, but I have put an additional button on the sidebar just for FotR subscribers - your price will be $4. Please do not use this if you are not a subscriber - I will check.

My apologies for the delay in release. We had a bit of a scare out here on the sunflower farm yesterday: one that involved an unscheduled field trip to the emergency room. Everyone is fine now; no need for worry, but it threw a rather sizable monkey wrench into the planned activities of the day.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP FOR THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS COLLECTION AND GET YOUR FREE LEGOLAS PATTERN.

AFTER TODAY, ALL PATTERNS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL PURCHASE ONLY AT THE NON SUBSCRIBER COST OF $6 - $8 EACH

FOR DETAILS AND PICTURES OF THE PATTERNS INCLUDED IN THE SERIES PRICE OF $45, CLICK ON THE IMAGE ON THE SIDEBAR

Sneaky Peeks

It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.

-Yogi Berra

It's been a busy week on the Sunflower Farm. Evenstar is nearing completion (WHEW!) with only one clue yet to go. This has given me more time to focus on the other Fellowship of the Ring patterns.

Goldberry is being proofed even as I write: she will be released tomorrow, when I will post all the vital measurements & materials & such. She will retail for $6 like Rivendell, but again I will offer a $2 discount to FotR subscribers. You can either purchase from me on the sidebar, or on RAV, in which case I will refund $2.

But I just couldn't wait to show pics.It was a beautiful day yesterday, so I took her outside...

Just look at that color run!

I found a stand in for an actual live model!

A word about the two add-on patterns: Rivendell & Goldberry: I had wanted to include these patterns in the original $45 offer, but could not find a suitable yarn. Once I found Twisted Fiber Arts, I knew I just had to use their colors, which were perfect for these projects.

I did these 2 patterns first, not to increase my income, but for other reasons:

• They were relatively simple repetitive patterns that I could easily pick up in between working on Evenstar, when my eyes were tired.
• They were portable projects, which Evenstar definitely wasn't.
• They give you a quick alternative to a larger project like Evenstar & Dwarrowdelf.
• The colors & yarns are suitable for warmer weather.
• The yarn is brighter and thus easier to see at night than Dwarrowdelf which is all dark & twisty ( and I wouldn't have it any other way!)
  

Now that my Evenstar knitting is no longer taking up most of my time, I am able to go full bore on Dwarrowdelf. It is past the halfway mark and off to test knitters today. Happy happy! Joy joy!

I blocked out the back panel & one end yesterday to check measurements and to make sure I was happy with the bottom edge design, which did not show to its best advantage before blocking.


I decided to expand the chain motifs that link the arches into a motif reminiscent of the Misty Mountains, before finishing it off with a simple Ktbl rib to match the side panels.

I am ready to pick up the stitches for the second side - YAY! Very happy with this one and looking towards a mid May release.

For those wanting to pre-order yarn:

• Goldberry takes a double ball (560 yds) of Twisted Fiber Arts Kabam! Evolution - Lagoon (or other fingering)
• Dwarrowdelf takes 3 skeins (1185 yds.) of Madelinetosh sock - Thicket (or other fingering)

I ALMOST FORGOT!

SINCE GOLDBERRY ISN'T AVAILABLE UNTIL TOMORROW, I AM EXTENDING THE SUBSCRIPTION OFFER THROUGH SUNDAY MAY 2ND

THE $2 DISCOUNT ON RIVENDELL & GOLDBERRY IS GOOD WHENEVER YOU PURCHASE, AS LONG AS YOU ARE A SUBSCRIBER

True Colors

I see your true colors
shining through
I see your true colors
and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors
true colors are beautiful
like a rainbow

-Billy Steinberg

My world these days is full of color.

The daffodils have faded, but the lilacs are in bloom and the crabapple is snowing pink blossoms. The woods out back have entered the greening season and the sky is this incredible clear blue - like you could drink it down.

Much as I love Lord of the Rings, there is a certain challenge inherent in putting together this series of patterns:

Color...or the lack thereof.

Many of the plot components are dark in nature: mines, mountains, armor, castle walls...

There is a whole lot of brown, black, green, silver, grey, & white. It can, at first glance, appear to be a monochromatic palette.

So I have done a lot of work hunting down projects & yarns; shapes & patterns that are anything but. I look for ombres & tweeds, handpaints & beads, shades as well as solids.

Another of the "add on" patterns is almost ready for release. I have finished my sample, and am waiting for the final test knitter to complete her work.


This is Goldberry: a 64 by 16 inch lace scarf with a water lily motif.

The yarn is Twisted Fiber Arts Kabam in Lagoon Evolution - 560 yds (double skein) Meg custom dyes it in one continuous color run from silvery sage to brilliant turquoise. It's a fingering weight bamboo blend, so light enough for all season wear.


Although Goldberry's origins are uncertain, Bombadil clearly identifies her as having been found by him in the river and her title "Riverwoman's daughter", strongly suggests that she is not a mortal human being, but rather a spirit of the river. She is most often pictured sitting amongst the waterlilies and wearing a silvery green gown.

The pattern should go on sale sometime next week. Once again, as with Rivendell, price is $6 with a subscriber discount making the price $4 for those of you who have purchased the entire series.

Dwarrowdelf is coming along also. She should be out to test knitters next week, with a release date in early May.


I have completed enough repeats to give a yardage estimate: 1200 yds. (3 skeins) fingering weight. I am doing mine in Madelinetosh sock in Thicket.


After that, the next release will be either the Bombadil hat or the Strider cowl.

Meanwhile, the Evenstar KAL is drawing to a close. Clue 6 goes out tomorrow and then it is onward to the border and...

BEADS!

ADVANCE SUBSCRIPTION DISCOUNT FOR THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS COLLECTION END SOON

$45
FOR SEVEN PATTERNS THROUGH THE END OF APRIL

AFTER THAT, PATTERNS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL PURCHASE AS THEY ARE RELEASED AT $6 -$8 EACH