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Little Turtle’s Sweater

January 30, 2017 by Jennifer Raymond

A while back I made a sweater for Rebecca that fit for all of two minutes, and I’ve been wanting to make another since then.

A spare skein of Dragonfly Fiber’s Traveller in Flannel Pajamas and a size 6 needle, and I was on my way. Stacey Trock had made her daughter a sweater using a kimono type sweater pattern, and I remember how she loved it because it only had two fastenings. I looked around at a couple of different styles, decided I really didn’t like anything (mostly because a lot of them tie up, and Rebecca would untie things as quick as fastened them). So I played around with the numbers and started knitting.

You know when everything in knitting goes well? It’s a simple pattern, minimal shaping, and the yarn is a joy to work with? Well, this is that sort of project. I love Dragonfly Fiber’s Traveller base, I love the colors, and I like anticipating how cute this sweater is going to look on Rebecca. I’ve got great needles to work on (nice a pointy, how I like them), and it’s nice to be working on something that well, isn’t for work. A little bit of a break, you could say. I’m going to have this done this week, and Rebecca will be able to wear it for the rest of the season, and it’s going to be wonderful.

I’ve got the body done, and I’ve got the sleeves done too. All that remains is the final bit of seaming. I can’t wait to have Little Turtle in the sweater, ready to wear. As it is, it makes a cute vest.

I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.

PPS: also, appreciate this photo, above. It’s really hard to get a picture of my daughter when she wants to wiggle.

Stitch Adventure Sale at Dances with Wool

January 28, 2017 by Jennifer Raymond

I’ve talked a little bit about my new partnership with Dances With Wool, a yarn store just outside of Richmond, VA. I’m super excited to be able to teach at this wonderful, vibrant new store. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to teach weekly classes, and to develop many of the relationships that I loved when I taught at Woolwinders.

This week we’re running a sale on a particular type of class – our inaugural Stitch Adventure class. What is Stitch Adventure? It’s a class that gives you the benefits of a private lesson – flexibility and ability to cover a variety of topics, with the community aspect of a class.

Stitch Adventure classes can be a great way to tackle a new project that you need a little help on. If you want to be held accountable to finishing a project up, we can do that. And if you need help picking a project and finding the right yarn, the instructor is right there for you. Each class you can bring in a new project – it doesn’t matter if it is knitting or crochet, since I can help you with both!

Right now the Stitch Adventure class is discounted 25% off – so sign up before we start on February 1st. The class with run Wednesdays, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 7-8 PM.

I’ll see you there!

News about Upcoming Classes & a Sale

January 26, 2017 by Jennifer Raymond

Fibre Space Classes

This weekend on Saturday the 28th I’ll be at Fibre Space in Old Town Alexandria, VA to be teaching two different classes:

Ooops: Fixing Mistakes: If the sight of a dropped stitch, a mixed up cable, or a problem in your lace sends you scrambling for the LYS, this class if for you. Learn to fix your mistakes!

Hairpin Lace Scarf: This highlights a fun riff on Hairpin Lace by making a quick project that will teach you the basics of this stunning technique!

I also am trying out something a little new: I’m scheduling a few Private Lessons for students that miss the one-on-one attention or would like to discuss a topic outside of my normal class offerings! I’d love to meet with you then!

Dances With Wool Classes

I’ve also been fostering a new relationship with Dances With Wool, in Midlothian, VA, just outside of Richmond. I’ve got a number of classes coming up with them.

Sugar Maple Hat is a great class for learning how to work in the round, working cables, and reading a knitting pattern with cables. The class will run February 1, 8th and 15th.

If you want to learn how to work socks, this next class is for you. Toe-up socks: Time Traveler covers how to cast on for a toe-up sock, how to work a riverbed heel, a primer on intermediate lace (just enough to keep your interest!), and a folded over brim. Classes are spaced out so that students have the time to work on the pattern before getting to the next place. Dates are February 22, March 8th and March 22!

I’ve also got a new sort of class that I’m running at DWW, called Stitch Adventure. Got a project that you want to work but want a bit of handholding along the way? Need help on choosing yarns or tackling a new skill? Want to be held accountable to get those projects done? This is the type of class for you! And this week, we’re running a sale of the class – 25% off. Signup here!

Classes at the Ashland Library

And now, finally one last opportunity I want to call your way. If you live in Ashland, VA, I’ll be teaching a Beginning Knitting and Beginning Crochet class this month. Volunteering and making needlework accessible to everyone is an important cornerstone of my personal values. At the same time, I don’t often give my instruction away for free, as it’s one of my primary methods of income. Still, sometimes I feel it is important to give back to my community.

Thus, I’ll be teaching two different events at the Ashland Library this month:

Beginning Knitting Workshop
Wednesday, February 1, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Jennifer Raymond, owner of Tinking Turtle Designs will show you how to get started with your first knitting project. No experience necessary. Supplies provided. Call or visit the library to sign up.

Beginning Crochet Workshop
Wednesday, February 15, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Jennifer Raymond, owner of Tinking Turtle Designs will show you how to get started with your first crochet project. No experience necessary. Supplies provided. Call or visit the library to sign up.

Progress Report: Tinking Turtle Post Baby

January 19, 2017 by Jennifer Raymond

I was once told by a friend that was proficient in email market that you should never acknowledge when you’ve been away from your blog for a while… merely you should continue as you mean to go on, and pick up blogging/tweeting/social networking as if you’d never been away. But in this case, I think it’s worth a little note.

First a quick general life update: the Turtle household has been moving along at a fairly good clip. We’ve managed to keep ourselves and our new child fed and alive, and got through the holidays with a minimum of drama. But everything non-essential has been shunted to the side.

The state of things now looks like this: I’ve been wrapping up the last of my designs that I’ve had under contract, and contemplating how my business is going to pivot with Little Turtle’s needs growing and changing. I knew, conceptually, that this business was going to change after a child, but the plan was rather vague. We kept the plan vague on purpose. I didn’t know what parts of the business I’d be able to work in and which parts I wouldn’t be able to. Now, with nearly 8 months under our belts, I’ve come to some conclusions.

I want to keep teaching. I love teaching students, and it is much more manageable to work teaching into post-baby life. I can plan to have a weekend where I teach and Mr. Turtle takes Little Turtle. I can plan to have every Wednesday night off so I can teach at local venues. I can plan for fiber festivals and retreats and traveling to other locations. I have a repertoire of classes, samples and worksheets, and can lean on all the work I’ve done the last couple of years to deliver classes that are great.
I’ll keep up the repair and finishing. I like the challenge of working on different projects, and the repair and finishing provides a steady income, which helps. I can also work on these projects around Little Turtle.
I’ll be dialing back designing for magazines. I’m discovering that designing, for me, is really really difficult around Little Turtle. Designing was always one of the things I did better when I had long stretches of times to work – to think out the math of a piece, to draw and sketch out proposals. I need time to dream and think ahead, and that’s really really difficult to do these days. My last two designs that I had due after Rebecca were born were really stressful, and I don’t think it’s the best return on investment right now.
Instead, I’ll be working on some designs to support my teaching. I’ve found there are techniques I want to teach where I’ve had a hard time finding a design to teach off of that meets my needs. Instead of making things work, I’m going to be working on self-publishing some pieces that will support the classes I want to teach.

… And meanwhile, Mr. Turtle will be making sure I blog more.

New Classes at Dances With Wool

October 27, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

It’s always exciting when a new yarn store comes to the area – what yarns are they going to carry? So it was super exciting when a few months ago Debbie Floyd, the owner of Dances with Wool, got in contact with me. She was opening a new yarn store in Midlothian, VA. And she wanted to talk to me about classes.

I’m so excited about this new yarn store to the Richmond VA area, especially as the Knitting Basket is closing. While I haven’t been by the store since they had their opening, what I did see was a store focused on good quality yarn, beautiful patterns, community and classes.

Starting in November I’ll be teaching a Skill Building class focused around my pattern, Wild Wood Leaves. It’s a crib blanket with options of three different sizes, and is currently only available if you take the class. The wonder of this series of classes is you can take the entire series of eight (and get a discount on all of them) or pick and choose which ones you need the most.

The classes are as follows:

Week 1, Nov. 2, 6-7 pm – Reading Patterns, Knits and Purls (middle left panel)
Week 2, Nov. 9, 6-7 pm – Increases, Decreases and Yarn Overs, Beginning Lace (bottom left panel)
Week 3, Nov. 16, 6-7 pm – Color Work With Duplicate Stitch (bottom right panel)
Week 4, Nov. 30, 6-7 pm – Color Work With Intarsia (middle right panel)
Week 5, Dec. 7, 6-7 pm – Beginning Cables (top left panel)
Week 6, Dec. 14, 6-7 pm – Slip Stitches (top right panel)
Week 7, Jan. 4, 6-7 pm – Bringing It All Together with Seaming and Finishing (all)
Week 8, Jan. 11, 6-7 pm – Picking Up Stitches and Borders (all)

You can sign up for the classes here.

I can’t wait to begin teaching locally again! I’ve missed being able to do it since Rebecca was born, and I’m so pleased to be able to spend time with students while establishing good foundational knitting skills.

You should also check out Dances with Wool!

Fall Designs Featuring Animals

October 25, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

This fall I’ve got a number of designs coming out, and several of them are children’s garments featuring animals. I’ve noticed an uptick in my interest in designing children’s garments (I wonder why? *coughlittleturtlecough*). There’s two children’s designs I wanted to highlight today.

Raynard is a children’s dress featuring sweet little foxes on the front of the body and pockets. Featuring a folded over hem at the base of the dress and on the pockets, this simple and sweet dress is an idea that came into my mind fully formed. I blame the proliferation of forest animals featured in baby items lately – foxes just seemed to be everywhere.

The Foxes are worked with duplicate stitch before the dress is assembled, meaning this project is very approachable to beginners looking to stretch their skills. And with the majority of the pattern worked in the round, this dress fairly flies off the needles!

It was a joy working with Willow Yarn’s Daily Worsted – this blend is washable while still being durable and soft. And with such a range of colors, you can come up with some adorable color combinations. Willow even offers the pattern at a kit – which takes the decision making out of the process.

You can purchase and download the pattern here!

I’m also excited to tell you about my first pattern in Love of Knitting magazine. This pattern features some animals near and dear to my heart – my cats, Peake and Watson. I’d originally envisioned this as an adult pattern, but the editor of Love of Knitting, Deborah Gerish, pointed out how perfectly it would work as a children’s sweater.

I think she was correct.

Inspired by the silhouette of Peake and Watson as they sit on the window watching the outdoors and birds, the pattern is titled Window Cat. The cats are written as intarsia, but could also be added after the fact with duplicate stitch. I have them on the pattern facing away from the viewer, but with a little ingenuity, you could add eyes and whiskers so that they’re facing out.

The sweater is worked in Classic Elite Yarn’s Liberty Wool, one of my favorite yarns. Liberty Wool is sturdy and soft and long-wearing. It’s washable and comes in SO MANY COLORS. While the solid colors are stunning, I also think it would be fun to make the cats calico – by using one of their variegated yarns in browns and oranges and whites. I have so many ideas for how to adapt the pattern!

I also love the finishing details on this pattern – the vintage buttons match the sweater perfectly. They’re not too upscale. Instead they match the quality of the sweater, casual and much-loved.

I love the brown of the trim, the garter stitch around the yoke, the crochet trim around the neck. Simply put, I love the way this pattern turned out.

I have to admit, I have some plans for this motif in the future – I’d love to turn it into a matching hat and cowl pattern too! So many potential options!

Do you have cats? How would you customize this pattern?

Works in Progress.

October 20, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

The leaves are starting to change, the windows are open day and night, and it’s fall, fall fall! It’s my favorite time of year.

Life has been busy in the Turtle Household. Last month my sister, Rosemary, moved to Richmond. She’s been settling into her apartment in Richmond, and it’s so wonderful to have another member of the family close by. We’ve been getting together quite often, as she doesn’t know many other people right now. It’s wonderful, as Auntie Rose is great with Little Turtle, and I’ve been able to take a bit of breathing room.

Last weekend I was over at Fibre Space, teaching a handful of classes. It was my second time being away from Little Turtle for an entire day (the first being when I was hospitalized). After teaching, Rosemary, my brother Matthew, and I got together for dinner, and it was a lovely hour getting to catch up all together.

Meanwhile, Little Turtle is growing so quickly, already able to sit up, with a little help from her boppy. She loves sitting outside on the mat her grandmother sewed for her, looking at the trees and the cats and her mama knitting. She’s quite vocal, frequently letting people know her thoughts with shrieking, humming, babbling and generally making noise. She’s a smiley baby too, interested in the world and really not keen to view it on her stomach.

Little Turtle’s grandma has been furnishing her her with October and Halloween themed outfits, one of my favorites being this dress:

But let’s be frank, you aren’t really checking here for adorable pictures of babies, right? *wink*

So what has Tinking Turtle been up to? I’ve got a variety of designs that have released over the summer and into this fall – more on that next week. I’ve got two crochet designs I’m working on, a tank top and a blanket. I’ve also got a knitting project on the needles for a class I’ll be teaching later this fall.

This week my online class, All About Yarns is wrapping up. I’m sad to see it finish.

Meanwhile, Watson has been helping with the guarding of yarn balls.

And I’m hoping, rather futilely, to knit a wee sweater for Rebecca before she grows too big to fit into it. That may be stretching things a bit.

What have you been up to?

Looking to Interview & Hire Sample Crocheter

September 26, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

If you’re just here for the crafty goodness, this may be a post to skip. If you’re based in the Richmond, VA area and you’re looking to earn some money with your crocheting skills, I’d love to talk to you. Here’s the deal. As you know, about 4 months ago I gave birth to my daughter, and I’m finding that my time for my business has shifted. I’m looking to hire a sample crocheter that would crochet some of my designs for me. These pieces would be featured in magazines such as Interweave Crochet and Annie’s Crochet World. I’d prefer someone in the Richmond area, as there would be times where in-person meetings would be necessary.

Compensation would be based on yardage used and complexity, to be negotiated on a project-by-project basis. Samples would be retained by either Tinking Turtle or the magazines.

If you’re interested in this collaboration, please contact me with the following information:

Examples of previous projects you’ve done and crochet techniques you are familiar with. I’m especially interested if you’ve worked broomstick lace, hairpin lace, Tunisian (AKA afghan) crochet, and other forms of lace.
You’d have to be able to meet deadlines with sometimes quick turnarounds. If you can, please give examples of projects you’ve worked on under a deadline, and the time it took you to complete them.
Please send me a link to your Ravelry profile or send me photographs of projects you’ve finished.
I’m looking for someone who follows directions exactly – this is not the time to take liberties with the pattern. If there’s a problem I’d prefer for you to contact me right away. Clear and prompt communication is key. Attention to detail is very important – mistakes need to be corrected, this is not a project where you can fudge the details.

For the most part, you’d be doing the body of the work and leaving the finishing details to me – I’d be weaving in ends, blocking, seaming and working edgings.

If this is an opportunity you’d be interested in, I’d love to hear from you! Please email me at info@tinkingturtle.com with the subject line Sample Crocheter.

SVFF on Saturday

September 23, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

Little Turtle wakes us up around 5 in the morning, so for the first time the morning drive to SVFF I wasn’t drifting off to sleep. The three of us left our house around 5:50 am, and began winding our way through Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley. We watched the sun bleed through the trees, and fog linger over the fields with the mist thick enough to obscure your view barely six feet into the field. We wound through farms and orchards, Little Turtle talking and gurgling in the back. Pulling into the fairgrounds, the air was cool and I pulled on my sweater while we set up.

Today I was teaching Helix Knitting, using my Circle Game pattern. It was such a great group of ladies – interested in learning, willing to try, and determined in the face of mistakes. I was a little nervous – not about teaching the class, but having Little Turtle along. It was my first time teaching in-person since becoming a mama. Michael was a champ – helping with setup, wrangling Little Turtle, and driving us where we needed to go.

After class we got to visit with a good friend from the Washington, DC area who was taking Patty Z‘s blending class. I’m so envious! If I didn’t have a baby, I’d be all over Patty’s classes on spinning cellulose fibers. Ah, well. Another time. Once we wrapped up and said goodbye to our friend, it was for a walk around the fairgrounds, where we could see vendors setting up and preview some of the wares. The vendors don’t start selling until tomorrow, but it’s fun to see how various vendors have gotten their booth transportation down to a science – slotting in every piece into the back of a car or trailer.

This evening we’ll get a special treat. The hotel room has a TV, and we’ll watch all the television we don’t at home (since we don’t have at TV). I’ll work on a pattern that’ll be in Crochet World next year, and we’ll get to bed early. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s Duct Tape Dress Forms, and getting to see a bit more of the festival.

Have you been to any Fiber Festivals this fall? Are you planning on going to any?

Fall is the Season For Fiber Festivals

September 21, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

Last week I was up visiting my parents and sharing Little Turtle with the family. We had a couple of days that were like the fall of my childhood: cool mornings warming up to afternoons just this side of too warm. Days where you want your sweater in the morning and shorts in the afternoon. It was perfect – getting me in the mood for Fall and one of my favorite fall activities: Fiber Festivals!

This weekend I’ll be at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival. I’ll be teaching two classes: Helix Knitting and Duct Tape Dress Forms. Registration is open until the day of. I love teaching at SVFF. It’s an intimate venue run by a great group of volunteers, and I have such a good time. Catch me on Friday or lunchtime on Saturday. And keep an eye out – Mr. Turtle and Little Turtle will be wandering the event while I teach!

Yarn Properties: the Low-Down on Plies, Twist, and Fiber

The following weekend I’ll be teaching at Fall Fiber Festival & Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials at James Madison’s Montpelier. Last year I couldn’t teach at the venue because I was attending a wedding, but this year I’ll be back, teaching Yarns 101. This is the perfect class to pair with a Fiber Festival – it covers what yarns are best for which projects, how fiber, ply and weight affect your final projects. If yarn substitutions ever stumped you, this is a class to give you good foundational knowledge. Signups close on Friday, so check out the classes!

Later this Fall I’ll be returning to one of my favorite venues, Fibre Space. If you aren’t able to get to the fiber festivals, I’d love to have you join me in Old Town Alexandria! Check out the classes I’ll be teaching on October 15th: Intarsia Crash Course, Finishing Essentials and Darn Those Knits!

Sign me up!

Thank you for visiting!

Tinking Turtle

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