While I enjoy crocheting, I can't do it for long periods of time without my hands feeling like they're going to remain in permanent 'claw' position.

As the 3rd annual knitting and crochet blog week wraps up, I'll keep my post short and sweet.

I look for balance in most everything I do. Knitting, crocheting, and working.

A work-life balance is extremely important to me.

via PinterestThis allows me time to think, ponder and examine.

Maintaining this balance allows me to find the bursts of inspiration required in order to stay fresh with my work and knitting designs.

That said, I've accepted a new position as an account manager with a healthcare branding firm. I start Tuesday.

I'm looking forward to a fast-paced and invigorating 2012, which I hope will be full of learning and balance.

Wish me luck!

Here's a larger peek:

The cowl pattern will be written in 2 versions, allowing the knitter to customize by working the ribbing in a solid color or using 2 colors (shown in the sample above). The pattern will also give notes on incorporating an optional horizontal braid (also shown in the sample above).

If you read my post from yesterday, you can see how I was inspired for this pattern...

Something Different

This is an experimental blogging day to try and push your creativity in blogging to the same level that you perhaps push your creativity in the items you create.

So, it's only appropriate that I stray a little bit in my writing today to show you where I've been drawing my latest batch of inspiration from...

Spring's neons and bold prints have inspired me to create pieces with simple shapes and visual interest achieved from using different color combinations.

All images found on Pinterest

At the same time, I'm looking toward Fall, and seeing muted neutrals, slouchy shapes and saturated splashes of color, like poppy and chartruese. Asymmetrical shapes paired with simple stitches is the name of the game. Slouchy, urbanized fitting hats and oversized scarves, all crafted using fine gauge luxury fibers.

All images from PinterestLook forward to new designs developed from these inspiration boards. And, follow me on Pinterest if you'd like to see more!

A Knitter or Crocheter For All Seasons?
As spring is in the air in the northern hemisphere and those in the southern hemisphere start setting their sights for the arrival of winter, a lot of crocheters and knitters find that their crafting changes along with their wardrobe. Have a look through your finished projects and explain the seasonality of your craft to your readers. Do you make warm woollens the whole year through in preparation for the colder months, or do you live somewhere that never feels the chill and so invest your time in beautiful homewares and delicate lace items. How does your local seasonal weather affect your craft?

Am I a fair or foul weather knitter/crocheter? Both!

I knit pretty much year round. It's what I look forward to doing after a long work day, and on the weekends, and during vacation, and when I'm dreaming lovely dreams of sheepies and alpacas...

Enough said. I lurves some yarn crafting. Summer. Winter. Spring. Fall. Anytime, I'm knitting. And sometimes even crocheting.

I do find that the weather changes my projects though. I tend to work with bulky wool yarns during the fall/winter months, and then switch to working with finer gauge yarns in the warmer months.

One of my recent favorite yarns is Malabrigo Arroyo. It's a sport weight superwash merino wool with unparallelled drape. The colors, no surprise, are amazingly beautiful. Check out the Chircas colorway in my Riverside Cowl pattern:

I'm currently working on several designs for this fall using fingering weight yarns.

Here's a peek at one design (I'll show a larger peek later this week). Sorry it's so small. It's a wee teeny sneak peek!

I'm also furiously knitting a design sample that is due by end of May - wish me luck! The yarn I'm using - which isn't quite available yet, unfortuantely - is perfect for warm weather knitting.

It's a laceweight blend of wool and silk that works up into a silky, lofty, drapey fabric with a hint of sheen. Just gorgeous. I'll share as soon as I can!

Well, I have many- my fellow knitters and crocheters at Knit 1.

Lynn, the shop owner, has a way of constantly keeping me and all of her other customers inspired.

There are constantly new projects in various levels of progress throughout the store. Customers stop by periodically to share their own work, chat, have a snack, and, of course, stitch. 

Inspiras Galore at Knit 1Since I started hanging out at Knit 1, I've begun several new projects, I ventured into colorwork design and using (gasp!) vareigated yarns, and I've developed a love for wooly-wools.

The shop's also got me hooked on Pinterest and crochet (quite literally).

Lynn's crochet african flowersAnd it's not just yarny crafts keeping me inspired here.

Lynn (head yarn mistress) also eats paleo and lifts heavy weights, two things that I've been doing since last September.

This was a big lifestyle change for me, and it's great to have someone else to chat about it without getting the "OMGWHATDOYOUMEANYOUDONTEATBREAD???!!!!" response. 

The shop has a strong sense of community. Customers know other customers. They text each other to drop by. They grab each other lunch or treats from the coffee shop next door.

And they embark upon glorious knitted and crocheted projects together, with words of support and lots of giggling throughout the process.

How could this not be inspiring?

Like most smartphone users, I am currently infatuated with Instagram. Last Friday, I documented my first-ever trunk show (at Knit 1) using this newfangled photo editing app - check it out...

It's really fun to play with the filters, especially if you're not worried about making the yarn colors true to life. 

The trunk show was a blast. I got a lot of great feedback on my Hot Child in the City Collection.

What do you think? Which photo is your favorite? Do you use Instagram? Which is your favorite filter?

Colour is one of our greatest expressions of ourselves when we choose to knit or crochet, so how do you choose what colours you buy and crochet or knit with. Have a look through your stash and see if there is a predominance of one colour. Do the same with your finished projects - do they match? Do you love a rainbow of bright hues, or more subdued tones. How much attention do you pay to the original colour that a garment is knit in when you see a pattern? Tell readers about your love or confusion over colour.

Though I've always had a favorite color - purple - my "color of the moment" changes often with the seasons and my mood.

This spring, I'm latching on to all things green and alive with brightness - including the neons that are popping up everywhere.

Zuzu's Petals in The Wool Dispensary, Lizard Boy colorway

I'm also currently obsessed with Noro's undulating and gradual color changes.

Striper Cowl, featuring MTL and Noro Taiyo SockThey are inspiring a whole new set of designs that I'll be releasing later this year. The cowl pictured above (Striper Cowl) is knit up using MadelineTosh Tosh Merino Light and Noro's Taiyo Sock.

A simple stripe pattern combined with the vareigated yarn creates a fascinating finished piece.

Knit 1 is the lovely LYS where I spend most of my Sunday afternoons stitching, sipping yummy drinks from the coffee shop next door, and having an awesome time chatting with all different sorts of people.

You might remember that I worked with Lynn (Knit 1's owner) to design a few patterns for an event last November - Dose Market. These patterns, along with the entire Breean Elyse collection, will be on display during the trunk show.

I'll be featuring my latest collection - Hot Child in the City, and I'll be handing out copies of my latest freebie - the Understory Cowl.

Also, Lynn is offering 10% off all yarns during the event! Woot!

When: Friday, April 20th 6-8pm

Where: Knit 1 - 3823 N. Lincoln Ave (above Addison)

Stop by and say hi!

P.S. You can preview all of my designs on Ravelry.

Psst...I'm including a code to download the PDF version of my patterns with any physical pattern purchase during the show. This means that you can keep a copy of the PDF in your Ravelry library!

Note, you must place at least 2 patterns into your shopping cart in order for this to work.

Use the coupon code “BOGO12” during checkout.

Discount applies for multiple use. For example, you could buy 2 patterns and get 2 free.

Here's a beautiful FO from one KAL knitter - LaurenS.

(C) LaurenSHer cowl isn't blocked yet, but it's gorgeous already! I was so excited about her FO that I asked to post about it immediately!

(C) LaurenSLauren made the Understory Cowl pattern her own by decreasing the circumference by 12 sts, and working 9 full repeats of the fir cone lace pattern.

You can check out her full project details on Ravelry.

Lauren's gorgeous, squishy cowl is knit up using The Wool Dispensary's Greater Poison yarn in the Georgia Building Castles colorway.

(C) LaurenSAll images used with permission.