The sum total of my knitting so far today: a few rows on a garter stitch dishcloth. More exciting is the book behind it. The Opinionated Knitter. I had lent it out and it came back to me today. It's funny how you miss some books so much even when you're not actually using them. There is something about Elizabeth Zimmerman that is inspiring just having her around.

I spent some time reading through bits of pieces of my book when I got it back and now I'm thinking of a new sweater ... maybe with that pink I'm spinning in the yolk. I'm also thinking of what these mittens would be like knit up in the Shetland wool EZ likes so much ... it looks like the right kind of rustic. They'd be perfect mittens for walking Abby; the lining will make them extra warm and what could be more appropriate for walking our dog than mittens with squirrels on the back.

... Except I have these Endpapers sitting on my desk giving me dark looks ... and I'd really like to get my sock needles back so I can work on my snowflake socks ... and I've got that ball of some other stuff .............

You know how it goes.

It's so much fun to finally be holding this book in my hands. There are so many great projects in here; I've already picked out a few I want to make soon. But of course, half my excitement is completely centred on my own pattern and the idea that someone actually liked my idea and sample enough to use it in a book.

I promised to tell the whole story once I had my copy so here you are:

I first heard about the call for submissions for this book on Dress-a-Day a year ago  July or so and I thought it was pretty cool. The deadline was the end of August and I was busy preparing for a friends wedding and a mini vacation so I tucked it to the back of my mind and let it percolate while I carried on with other things. At the same time I was thinking I needed a scrunchable shopping bag to save me when I was on unexpected trips to the grocery store after work.

Once we were home from the wedding I worked on the bag (but apparently never posted about it - here's a picture - if you know me in person you've probably seen me with it) and realized I could easily alter it to be a submission for One-Yard Wonders. I got a 1 metre cut of the same cute cherry blossom fabric in another colourway from the local quilt shop (we're in Canada so even though we do all our sewing in inches we cut and sell fabric by the metre) and scrounged up some notions in my sewing room. I must have checked my pieces three or four times to make sure they were taking only 1 yard of my 1 metre cut but I was okay, there was even some left over (you can see it here, and here, and in the picture at the top of this post).


I took loads of pictures while I was making my bag (the best way to remember instructions in my world) and a few of it all finished and then submitted them to Rebecca and Patricia at One-Yard Wonders. And then I waited.

I think it was a month later that I heard back. They liked my project. I was so excited I could hardly believe it. A little while later I was sent a contract to sign and return and I sent in my pattern, instructions, sample and a disk of pictures so my instructions would make sense. I think that was around last October.


Since then Rebecca and Patricia have sent out periodic emails letting contributors know what was happening and when we'd be able to see the book. It seemed like a long wait (though much shorter in retrospect) but it was so much fun to look forward to. When I finally saw the book in the bookstore, with my pattern in it and my name spelt correctly, I'm pretty sure I squealed (Amy could say for sure). I was very impatient waiting for my copy to arrive (Story Publishing sent each contributor a free copy) but arrive it did, and there is my bag.

It amazes me every time I flip to the picture that something I made is in a real book. Not just my pattern but the actual bag - something I made in my sewing room - it probably has a few of Zeke's hairs sewn into the seems (they really get everywhere). I hope everyone out there enjoys the pattern. I've made it twice more since then and I use the bags all the time.


I have one little request to ask of you.

If you flip to the back of the book you'll find all the contributor bios. When you read mine, and if you're a regular visitor to this space, you'll notice something is missing. I wrote my bio last November when we were waiting to hear back from the SPCA about our dog application. We were pretty sure we'd be getting a puppy but hadn't heard for sure and I didn't want to jinx it so I didn't mention having a dog. About two days later we brought Abby home and my bio was out of date.

So here's what I'd like you to do: grab you very best fine tipped pen, turn to page 292, find my bio in the middle of the second column, and add the words "and dog" to the end of the second last sentence.


Thanks  :)

Full details tonight. Must eat lunch.