Lombard

Sometimes you have to go outside of your comfort zone.

Today I want to present a new pattern to you. Lombard, a beautiful garter stitch striped shawl (or shawlette) worked from the top down in four colors. One of the things I love most about designing is playing with color. And this was just about as crazy as I get.

For those of you that want the pattern…click here!

First, let me say this pattern is named for the great Carole Lombard. The Academy Award nominated actress who tragically passed away in 1942. Her beauty, elegance, and crazy inspired every stitch of this piece.

When I started out to design a shawl I knew I had some guidelines. That I would need to follow. The shawl had to be top down, had to have garter stitch, had to have stripes, and couldn’t use too much yarn. I chose this exquisite yarn from Sublime called Egyptian Cotton DK. A DK weight cotton that carries more as a fingering than anything else. I chose it in the fabulous numbered colors that I call, Maritime, Cream, Dusty Rose, and Maroon. I chose a stripe pattern I had seen on a shawl from the 1950′s and adapted it for the pattern!

This was my first adventure in summer/spring knitting. And I loved it! The shawl is a great blank canvas for experienced knitters and a wonderful beginner project for those newbies! The construction is fun and quick to work up with increases each row that make it so much more fun…cause let’s face it…who wants to fall asleep knitting!? The pattern can even be lengthened or shorten as you see fit! Plus that bind off: SO COOL! Stretchy without looking sloppy. Remember Simple should never look stupid!

The sample is knit up in Sublime Egyptian Cotton DK, a DK wieght 100% Egyptian Cotton yarn that carries much like a fingering. I don’t normally go for cotton yarns nor do I usually go for such soft colors but I fell in love with a few of the colors online and couldn’t help ordering some for me. It’s pretty lovely to work with, and the colors and the drape of the fabric it creates are pretty hard to argue with!

Lombard has been fully tech edited and it’s available for purchase as a digital download on Ravelry here. More technical info is available on the Ravelry page.

-Rohn

Choosing Yarn

I love yarn. Obvious, but true. I love to work with yarn, knit with yarn, crochet with yarn, and buy yarn. However, one thing I absolutely hate…shopping for yarn.

I hate it…everything about it. Shopping is normally fun. I mean you’re buying stuff and getting to take it home. But…yarn shopping takes so much time. So, so much time.

I used to have my assistant do all my yarn shopping for me. I chose the yarn company, told her which colors and weight I needed…and off she went. However in recent months, with the onset of a lot of magazine work, I have had to do a lot of the shopping on my own. I still loathe the process but I have had this great opportunity to use so many great yarns!

So, I wanted to give you a five tips when shopping for yarn, from someone who doesn’t quiet like it too much…when you are not absolutely sure what it will be used for!

1. Always choose animal fibers…

I am always the first one to let everyone choose acrylic yarn when they choose too. However, in my experience wool is always the best choice if buying yarn for a project in which you are not certain what it may be! You can always block out mistakes. Trust me…I just finished a sweater that has a HUGE mistake…however, because I used 100% wool, it blocked right out and doesn’t look bad at all! I didn’t even notice the mistake until AFTER it was done!

2. Stick with a simple color palette…

I have a strict color palette that I choose to stick too. The colors are simple…Green, Blue, Red, White, Black, Khaki, and Grey…not to mention all variations of said colors. This helps me choose the colors I will design with or just want to grab for my stash. I love the way these colors work up and I love the way they look together. I never have to worry about something turning out badly!

3. Worsted weight…when all else fails…

Sometimes when choosing yarn the option of ‘what’s prettiest’ will often work as a WOW factor. We have to be able to use that yarn, however. And who wants to make a sweater out of pretty sock yarn? A few people…but I like to stick with worsted weight. It works for so much! Socks, sweaters, hats, gloves…everything!

4. Buy enough!

Dye lots can be tricky…and if you’re not sure how much yarn you will need. I always recommend purchasing at least a sweater quantity. Thats between 1000 and 3000 yards depending on the size. That way no matter what you choose to do you will have enough. In the case you decide knitting a sweater is not right for the yarn..you will have lots left over!!

5. Just because it is expensive…doesn’t mean it is good.

The number one rule I always stand by, just because it costs a little bit of money, doesn’t mean that it will be what you’re looking for. Some skeins can cost  upwards of thirty or forty dollars. Knitting a sweater with that would cost a few hundred dollars! Thats expensive! And as a designer I want to be conscious of how much people want to spend on yarn! I have knit with all types of yarn from inexpensive to down right crazy. However, I have found that I have a few standby’s that I truly love…and those are on the inexpensive side…but don’t tell anyone!

 

Lastly I want to share a few of my favorite yarns with you! Fun right?

Save (A great workhorse yarn that is relatively priced!) Lion Brand Wool Ease – A wonderful 80% acrylic and 20% wool worsted weight yarn. Perfect for anything you can put it through! I also love Lion Brand LB Collection Organic Wool - A 100% Organic wool yarn that has this glossy sheen to it that is just stunning!

Spend (A yarn that is a bit pricier but totally worth it!) Cephalopod Yarns Traveller – Not only do I love this company, the owners, and the yarn! Seriously…I can not say enough.

Splurge (An expensive but luxurious yarn that is always in my stash…always!) WATERshed by Harrisville Designs – I love this yarn SO much. It is a stunning tweedy lofty wonderful worsted weight yarn that knits up beautifully for lace, cables, and just regular old stockinette. And you can pick it up at my local yarn store, Downtown Knits located in Apex, NC! The only store in the USA that carries it.

So I hope that helps a bit!

Talk soon!

Rohn

Socks…socks…everywhere!

So I have been a bit obsessed with socks lately. Knit socks, crochet socks, hell even woven socks (is that a thing?) and I love designing them. Which heel to choose…which toe…the instep…the leg…the cuff…I could go on and on. Rest assured I love socks.

Two weeks ago I released a new pattern: Simple Spiral Socks: a pair of socks inspired by WWI and WWII tube socks that were knit for our boys overseas. The reason they were so popular was because of how comfortable they were. The spiral rib makes them non constricting yet if made from wool they are stretchy and even water repellent! Which we all need when slugging through the trenches!

Here is the pattern and here are some photos!

I also released (today actually) a new sock pattern that was modeled after socks knit for soldiers in the cooler climates! Those stationed in Russia or Northern Germany were often very cold. You see, we were not supposed to be in the war as long as we were. That was a mistake. We got a little too big for our britches, as my Nana would say! So most of our boys would have to resort to taking clothes from the Nazi Soldiers just to stay warm. These socks were perfect for keeping the feet warm and dry! Also, because they are made with worsted weight yarn women knitting at home could produce a pair or two a day!

Here it the pattern and here are some photos!

So there you have it…lots o’ socks. Well only two pair but I have one more pair on my needles and another in the queue to be published! Yay!

Talk soon,

Rohn

A Palette Cleanser

So, as most of you know we are having a Mystery Knit-Along all about Josephine Baker! Here the link to purchase the pattern!

I have had a few questions about what colors to choose…and rightfully so! It’s a big decision! I mean…you don’t know what your knitting and you have to choose a color? How do you do that!

Well never fear! Rohn Strong is here! I have put together a few collections of my favorite yarn and photographed them so that you can see what I think will work best. Choose your colors based on those or choose your own!

First:

I love WATERshed yarn from Harrisville Designs. Seriously folks, it is one of my favorite yarns in the world. (And I have about 3 that I truly covet!) So I put together a few selections from the beautiful color palette that Nick from Harrisville has designed!

WATERshed in Barn Door, Nelson, and Silver Lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WATERshed in Birch Bark, Bancroft, and Cheshire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  WATERshed in Barn Door, Eastview, and Monarch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WATERshed in Barn Door, Birch Bark, and Canal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also was loving the colors I saw in Berroco Vintage!

Berroco Vintage in Dewberry, Magenta, and Cerulean

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berroco Vintage in Black Currant, Apricot, and Pumpkin

 

 

 

 

 

Berroco Vintage in Charcoal, Smoke, and Coriander

 

 

 

 

Lastly I chose a few fun a flirty colors!!

Juniper Moon Farm Moonshine in Cotton Candy, Conch Shell, and Moonbeam

 

 

 

 

I hope that helps you all choose some colors! Good luck!

 

Oh and before I forget, I need to give a HUGE shout out to Michele over at Downtown Knits in Apex, NC for letting me come, hang out, and pick out yarn to take photos of!

-Rohn

Making it work…

I love new. New knitting needles. New yarn. New I-devises. New anything really. I just love the feeling that new brings with it. This spring my theme for life is ‘Change…kinda’.

You see change can mean not changing all that much at all. However, when we learn to change a small amount than when we are forced to change a large amount it really doesn’t get that scary…you know what I mean?

Let me put it this way. If every day we walk one mile. Just one. Then after a few weeks when we push ourselves to walk two…it won’t be that monumental of a task.

That’s what I am trying to focus on in terms of my business. You see I have an announcement of sorts. Not monumental but still it will require a shift. Let me start with a bit of back story:

At the beginning of this year I made a promise to myself. I was going to design crochet. That was it. Nothing else. I put away my knitting needles and all of my knitting books. I was going to prove to the world that I could be successful from selling crochet patterns. I put my whole faith in crocheters. I designed unique patterns that the discerning crocheter would want to make. I thought I was doing it right.

However, although the enthusiasm was there, the sales were not. It seemed like crocheters were loving my patterns but not buying them. Even the most devoted crochet fans of mine seemed to just glaze over my patterns. When I inquired why this was happening, the answer was a resounding, “Because why would I pay for something I can find for free somewhere else?”

I would respond with, “But there is nothing like my designs out there…that is why I design them in the first place.”

And was met with, “Yes, but I can find something that looks similar.”

My mouth dropped open at this point and the conversation ended. I was also told by a few more ‘honest’ crocheters that most of the time they will find a pattern of mine and deconstruct it and remake it themselves, publishing the pattern on their own for free.

This not only hurt my bottom line but in the long run…it hurt me personally. How could people do this to one another? My naive mind led me to believe that people were not ruled by money but instead were ruled by the want to support another. I was wrong.

So, this month I had to take a hard, narrow, and sad look at my pattern sales and see that I was just not making it work. If I had to survive on crochet pattern sales alone I would be homeless and pretty darned close to penniless…no exaggeration at all.

In the interest of other designers that want to make it in this business let me share some numbers…as difficult as it is to do.

Total Crochet Patterns for Sale: 36

Average Price: About $2.50

Total Sales: $262.05

Total Average Daily Income: $2.91

Thats right folks…had I lived on my income from crochet patterns alone I would have made about $2.91 a day. Could you imagine. Divide that by the time I was working each day…about 12 hours a day with minimal days off. I made $0.24 and hour. If it were not for book royalties, magazine submissions, and knitting pattern sales I would be in trouble. Im happy to be comfortable and if I had to rely solely on crochet pattern sales…this would be the problem.

It is not only, no longer profitable but it is a bad business decision on the part of my brand and company to design individual crochet patterns anymore.

Now I will say that I love to design crochet. I really do and this saddens me a great deal. However…I cannot live on crochet design alone. Therefore I have decided to stop designing crochet for the time being. I have a lot of crochet designs that will be coming out in the next year or so, but I cannot do it. I have a family, a life, and a business to think about.

Let me say this. I will still design for magazines and books and such because I love to crochet. This is just for my independent pattern line, Strong Designs. So keep buying Inside Crochet and Love of Crochet! Oh and don’t forget about my new books with Malabrigo and my new book too!!

So with that I leave you. I will still be designing knitwear full time, as my interests have shifted a bit. That is life…that is change. Let me say one thing before I sign off for today and this week.

We as a society and community have to learn to support each other better. Without that support the community falls apart.

Ever Learning

“Studying history is no small feat. Nothing can prepare you for the abundance of information you will find…and the lack thereof.” - Ever Learning

I wrote the above quote while writing my book, The Heritage Collection, in 2012. Ever Learning is an essay about the lessons that we learn when we travel through time to study our History. No matter where you live or who you are, I believe that these three lessons will apply to each and every one of you.

1. We are all necessary.

There has, nor will there ever be, a time in history when we, as people, are not necessary. Society as a whole is nothing with out the people that make it up. The history of the individual person is just as important as the history of those in positions of influence. When I began researching WWI and WWII I was astonished to see that everyone, no matter the age or gender or race, had a place. I studied the knitting part but of course could see how this translated to other areas of production. Everyone was necessary to the survival of our country and the the survival of our boys overseas. This did not mean there was harmony.

That is another essay. However let me say this, equality never means harmony. Equality happens when we recognize others for being who they are. Harmony happens when we accept others for being who they are.

Everyone is necessary.

2. To whom much is given, much is expected.

There is little in this world that I believe more than this statement. It is never more true than right now in the USA. I choose to focus on the past for many of my lessons but it astonishes me to see that 70 years later we can backslide so much. During the war effort you were expected to do your part. Even above this people were willing to do what was asked of them.

We live in a democracy and it is inevitable that our nation often acts in a way not everyone often agrees with. We struggle with civil rights. We struggle with war. We struggle with petty politics. But through that struggle, we can find hope. Through anything we can be hopeful. When we lose hope, we lose the will to continue. Looking at the past we see one theme, there is always hope and, with it, a spirit to continue. A spirit to continue in spite of fear. A spirit to continue to do what is expected.

3. We shall always find a way.

Both WWI and WWII taught American’s  great lesson: sacrifice is always asked for and expected in times of war. As I read about the people at home during the wars, I realized that no one looked at this as a sacrifice, especially during WWII. America had just come out of the Great Depression, where everyone did without, and there was no option but to give up most, if not all luxuries. Now, when asked, American’s everywhere knew they could make it. They could always find a way. The power of the human spirit is much more resilient when pushed.

I am not a politician, I do not belong to a political party, I just believe in learning. Sometimes in order to progress we must regress to see the mistakes we have made and to learn from them. Life is not just the way it is because it is. Life is the way it is because of where we have been. We have to be willing to learn from mistakes in order to not make them again. The community aesthetic is nowhere near where it used to be. Communities are not friendly, we do not work together unless crisis is upon us, we choose to care for ourselves rather than for each other. Selfishness runs rampant. However, that can change. Knitting brought a nation together and we as a knitting community can bring it back together once again.

All it takes is a bit of wool and a pair of needles.

With Summer Comes Change…

There is little we can do to prevent Summer from springing upon us in the south. We barely have a break in between the long 8 months of heat waves that are forced down upon us.

Growing up I loved the summer. I loved the long nights on the front porch. Sipping on lemonade and letting the cool breeze wick our sweat away. It was a different time. A slower time. A time that I miss each and every year.

One great thing about summer was the change that always occurred. A shift seemed to happen in all of us. We went from focusing on what we had to do (homework, sports, and tutoring) and began focusing on what we wanted to do. It was as if for just two to three months out of the year we were able to feel free. No worries. No stress. Just pure relaxation.

As an adult I know that can’t happen. We have to do ‘grown up’ stuff. However, I am blessed to get to do what I love each and every day. I get to knit and crochet. I get to help other people make something beautiful. I get to inspire. Grandiose, I know.

There is little in this world that can allow us to feel the amount of satisfaction we do when completing something with our two hands. Knowing that from start to finish we put ourselves into that work. Whether it be a chair, a sweater, a cake, or a plant. It is an amazing feeling.

I decided that this summer I was going to focus on trying to recapture that feeling from so long ago.

So, I am beginning work on a new project. Swatching will begin in a month or so. I am taking some time off. I am working on a new product line named, Strong Essentials, a line of lotions, soaps, and creams for knitters and crocheters. This summer is going to be wonderful.

Talk soon,

Rohn